Tips for Anyone Who Visits a Medical Clinic

Choosing a Retirement Community in Southeast MN

2009-06-24T14:03:00.003-05:00

Here is a wonderful article for anyone who is considering moving to a retirement community. If you need help with an aging loved one in Southeast MN, visit www.nursinganalysis-review.com.

Ten Strategies For Helping Your Aging Parent Choose a Retirement Community

By Sheri Samotin

So, the day you've been dreading has come. You, and perhaps your siblings, have decided that Mom or Dad simply can't live in their home a moment longer. For whatever reason, moving in with one of the kids isn't an option. It's time to find the right place for the next chapter. If you are like many adult children of aging parents, your parent doesn't agree with your decision, and thinks he can stay at home just fine. She doesn't want to hear about moving into a "facility." And you feel, well, guilty. Sound familiar? Here are my top ten strategies for choosing (or helping to choose) a retirement living option for or with your aging parent.

1. Scout ahead of time - In most communities, there are many options for independent or assisted living. If you've gone to look at colleges with your teenager (or remember doing it yourself) you'll know exactly what I mean. It can be overwhelming to figure out what you need and what you want. If it's hard for you, imagine how it will be for your Mom or Dad. Spare everyone, by doing the leg work alone.

2. Understand the math - Money does matter. Your parent's resources (and maybe yours) will determine the range of available options. For example, if your parent has a house or condo to sell that is worth more than its mortgage, or if there is long-term care insurance available and your parent meets the criteria for it to kick in, then you may be in a very different situation from another family where the only resource is a monthly social security check. You'll do everyone a favor by crunching the numbers ahead of time to figure out how much can be spent each month, and what has to be included in that number. Most communities provide a handy worksheet that will help you understand all of the factors that go into this calculation. Don't confuse the issue by bringing your parent to see a place that is outside of your family's means.

3. Narrow the choices to no more than three or four using the Five S method - Once you have a list of possibilities that are within your budget and in the geographic area you desire, it's time to narrow the choices to a few where you think Mom or Dad will be happiest. I suggest you use the Five S method, considering size, sights, sounds, smells, and services. What you are really doing is looking for a good match based on a sixth "S" - similarities. You are looking for a place where the residents are as similar to your parent as possible in terms of age, activity level, mental acuity, hobbies and interests, and socio-economic factors. After all, we all feel most comfortable in an environment where we feel comfortable and accepted.

4. Size - Will your Mom or Dad be more comfortable in a larger community with many residents or a smaller, more intimate setting? Can your parent still get around reasonably well, or will a large campus become frustrating? Is your parent likely to take advantage of the facilities that might be available in a larger community, or due to his or her physical or mental state will these amenities likely go unused? Will the size of the living unit work for your parent? For example, for many women, having a full kitchen is very important, even if they will receive two meals each day as part of their living package. They think they will still be cooking, because they always have and this is one important way they feel as though they are still in control. On the other hand, many men are sure they need a "den" or "office" within their living unit and won't hear of moving into a space that doesn't. It is very important for you to understand this psychology as you are looking at alternative living units.

5. Sights - The classic line I hear when an aging parent comes to visit an independent or assisted living community is, "Everyone here is old!" In fact, sometimes that's true. Some communities cater to an older crowd with more physical limitations, so you'll see lots of walkers and wheelchairs. Other communities attract younger, more physically active residents where jackets and ties at dinner are expected. You'll also find that there are distinct differences in the "look and feel" from one residence to the next. Some have a homey feel, while others look like upscale hotels or even cruise ships! And still others give a more clinical or medical impression. Ask yourself whether you can "see" your parent in a particular community. Take the time to notice the details, especially in the public spaces.

6. Sounds - When you first enter the community, is there a hush, or do you hear a loud television set? Or perhaps, you hear ringing phones and beepers, much like you would in a hospital. Do you get the impression that the residents are socializing, gathering, and participating in activities?

7. Smells - Try to visit about a half hour before mealtime, and notice the smell. Is it appealing? When you are in the living areas, does it look and smell clean? Does there seem to be a strong "air freshener" odor everywhere that might be used to mask less than optimal cleaning? Our sense of smell is a fabulous clue to what's really going on.

8. Services - Some communities offer a continuum of care, so that residents can come into an independent living situation and then move to assisted living, skilled nursing, or a memory unit if and when that care is needed. This can be ideal if your parents are both moving in and one needs more care than the other, or if your parent suffers from a condition that you know will progress over time. You'll also want to look at the service offerings that are available to help your parent with activities of daily living, transportation, physical therapy, etc. Finally, take a close look at the social calendar since one of the huge benefits of community living for seniors is the amount of interaction with others which helps to keep them active and alert.

9. Ask for and check references - Before you decide that a particular community is on the short list, be sure to ask for and check a few references. Ask for permission to talk with the family members of two or three current or recent residents. When you have these conversations, don't be shy about asking some tough questions, especially if there is anything on your mind about what you have observed.

10. Visit with your parent - Finally, it's time to bring your parent around on a tour of the three or four best options. Only have them visit communities that fit their needs and budget and that you feel good about. If at all possible, it's best to let your parent make the final decision about which community and which living unit will be their new home.

Once you have arrived at a decision, it is important that you move ahead with it quickly. As the saying goes, "time kills all deals", and this one is no exception. You, or your parent, will always be able to come up with a reason why now isn't the right time for this move. But the truth is, if you have reached the point where you have even started visiting communities, you probably know in your heart that this move really is in your parent's best interest.

Sheri Samotin is a Certified Professional Coach and the founder of LifeBridge Solutions, LLC. Sheri brings more than 25 years of business and management experience to helping baby boomers and their aging parents navigate life's transitions. LifeBridge Solutions offers family transition coaching, daily money management, household transition services, and estate administration support. Sheri is a member of the International Coach Federation, the American Association of Daily Money Managers, and the National Association of Senior Move Managers. Please visit our website to register for our e-newsletter or sign up for our Family Transition blog.

http://www.LifeBridgeSolutions.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sheri_Samotin

Keeping Aging Parents Safe in Southeast MN

2009-06-19T12:12:00.002-05:00

I found this article about a dilemma I'm sure many of us may face as our parents age-an unsafe home. If you need help with an aging parent in Southeast MN, visit me at www.nursinganalysis-review.com.

How Do I Get Dad Out of His Cluttered, Unsafe Home?

by Carol Bradley Bursack

People want to stay in their own homes. You hear it and read about it all the time. And there’s some merit to that. Most of us can relate to the fact that relocating is emotionally charged. Add the fact that our parents get sick and tired of suffering the indignities of aging and often feel bossed around by everyone from the government to their kids, and you can understand why they often get stubborn. Where they live may be, in their minds, their “last stand.”

Many elders do well in their homes. They graciously accept the help they need, have cleaning people come in, and are even able to throw away the old newspapers that are piling up in the corner. They are content with adding some safety measures and feel cozy with a bit of clutter.

Then there’s the other side. Many seniors are living in the same home they raised their children in. These homes are modest, but worked well for raising their family and even for the early empty nest years. Often, however, they are two-story cottages, with the bedrooms and the only bathroom up a long flight of stairs. They have small closets and full basements, generally stuffed to the rafters with things they’ve forgotten but feel they can’t live without.

After four or five decades in this small home, the place is packed with memories as well as junk. Then, one spouse – let’s say Mom – dies. Dad is now alone in this house. He gets even more “thrifty,” and doesn’t want anyone coming to mow the yard. He’s a bit paranoid, and doesn’t want to pay a housekeeper, so the place is filthy. Electrical outlets are old and overloaded. Plumbing barely works and doesn’t get fixed. You try to help and he just gets more stubborn. He thinks you are trying to take over and guards his territory like a homesteader on the plains.

Newspapers and magazines pile up (generally unread). Food spoils in the fridge. But the worst of it is he is soiling his pants because he can’t get up the stairs to the bathroom on time.

You and your siblings have a conference and decide to intervene. You research assisted living centers, and offer to take him around for a tour. You tell him you are afraid he will fall going up and down the steps in a hurry. You nag him to move for his safety. You dangle pretty brochures about assisted living in his face. He just gets more stubborn. What do you do? I’ve known some people who have had to call Social Services, have them do a welfare check, and let them take over the task of getting an elder out of a cluttered, filthy, unsafe home.

Before going that far, I’d suggest that you try a couple of gentler things. First, get Dad to his doctor. You may have to go under the guise of a blood pressure check or something of the kind, but let the doctor know ahead that you are wondering about depression. Depression is often part of the problem, especially if a spouse has died. Depression also can cause people not to care about their surroundings and make it impossible for them to take action.

Then there is the fact that he can’t throw anything away. People of this generation grew up in the Great Depression. They have a hard time throwing things away because they are afraid they many “need it sometime.” Therefore, the house piles up with unusable and forgotten objects stuffed into every corner. Again, though an anti-depressant won’t cure this ingrained thinking, it may help Dad become more flexible. Once depression is ruled out or treated, appeal to his frugal side.

Tell him, “I understand why you want to stay in this house, Dad. It’s full of memories and represents your past. But it isn’t safe the way it is, because the bathroom is upstairs and so is your bedroom. I know you sleep on the couch a lot so you don’t have to climb the steps. But you still have to go to the bathroom. So, I’ve called a home remodeling company and we have an appointment with him to talk about adding a bedroom and bath onto your main floor. It can spread out onto the back lawn.”

Then, do it! Get really excited. Call someone to come over and give an estimate. Chances are that once Dad sees that he can make a decision to stay in his home, but that it will cost a ton of money to do it, he’ll likely say, “I’ve decided I don’t want to remodel. Let’s look at those assisted living brochures.” And you are on your way.

If he still won’t budge? Go ahead and plan. Maybe a remodeled house will work for him. If all else fails, get that welfare check from Social Services. They may have to force the issue. But your chances are good that he’ll find a better option. He’ll likely be more willing to check out those assisted living places you mentioned once he’s seen alternatives. It’s just that he needs to feel he is making the decision, not someone else. You can’t blame him, can you?

For over 20 years author, columnist and speaker Carol Bradley Bursack cared for a neighbor and six elderly family members. Because of this experience, she created a portable support group – the book “Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories.” Her sites, www.mindingourelders.com and www.mindingoureldersblogs.com, include helpful resources as well as links to direct support. Bursack’s newspaper column, “Minding Our Elders,” runs weekly, she speaks at many caregiver workshops and conferences and has been interviewed by national radio, newspapers and magazines. She is the moderator of the AgingCare.com forum.

Original article appears at: http://www.agingcare.com/Featured-Stories/133954/How-Do-I-Get-Dad-Out-of-His-Cluttered-Unsafe-Home-.htm

Baby Boomer Generation Fears Dementia, Alzheimer’s and Memory Loss in Southeast MN

2009-06-12T11:30:00.001-05:00

“The words dementia, Alzheimer’s and memory loss instills fear of aging in the retiring baby boomer generation. Scientific research now shows that the causes of memory loss can be prevented or delayed. The studies also confirm that memory loss is not a normal process of aging.”

Follow this link for the complete article: http://www.aginghomehealthcare.com/baby-boomer-generation.html

Visit me at www.nursinganalysis-review.com with any questions, or if you need help for an aging loved one in the Southeast Minnesota area.

Seniors and Baby-Boomers in Southeast Minnesota Keep Their Brains Young When They…..

2009-06-03T11:33:00.001-05:00

Reading, Crafts Help Keep the Brain Young

Original Link: http://www.alzinfo.org/newsarticle/templates/newstemplate.asp?articleid=346&zoneid=10

More good news on the neurobics front: Reading books, playing games or engaging in computer activities or crafts like pottery or quilting helps keep the brain young into old age, according to a new report. And while reading was good for the brain, watching too much TV seemed to be bad for it.

The findings, to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle in late April, add to a growing body of evidence that mental challenges, or “neurobics,” like crossword puzzles and word games help keep memory and thinking sharp.

The research, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., involved a random sampling of 1,321 men and women in their 70s and 80s. Among the participants, 197 had mild cognitive impairment, a form of memory loss that sometimes precedes Alzheimer’s disease. The remainder had no memory problems.

Both groups filled out questionnaires about their everyday activities during the previous year. They also answered questions about what they engaged in during middle age, when they were in their 50s and 60s.

The researchers found that during the later years, those who regularly engaged in mentally-stimulating tasks like reading, crafts and computer activities were 30 to 50 percent less likely to suffer from serious memory loss compared to people who did not do those activities. People who watched television for less than seven hours a day as seniors were 50 percent less likely to develop memory loss than people who watched TV for more than seven hours a day.

People who participated in social activities and read magazines during middle age were about 40 percent less likely to develop memory loss than their less social peers or those who read less frequently.

“This study is exciting because it demonstrates that aging does not need to be a passive process,” said study author Yonas Geda, M.D., M.Sc., a neuropsychiatrist at the Mayo Clinic. “By simply engaging in cognitive exercise, you can protect against future memory loss.”

The researchers warned that these kinds of studies, which depend on participants’ recall of long past events, can be unreliable. But a growing body of evidence points to the benefits of mental stimulation in helping to ward off memory loss. Such activities may help to preserve and strengthen connections between brain cells in areas of the brain critical for memory.

Visit ALZinfo.org, the Alzheimer’s Information Site, to learn more about keeping the brain sharp and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. And for thought-provoking games and word puzzles, subscribe free to the Fisher Center’s “Preserving Your Memory” magazine.

By ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer's Information Site. Reviewed by William J. Netzer, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University.

Source:

Yonas E. Geda, Rosebud Roberts, David Knopman, et al: “Cognitive Activities Are Associated With Decreased Risk of Mild Cognitive Impairment: The Mayo Clinic Population-Based Study of Aging.” The American Academy of Neurology.

If you have any questions or need help with an aging loved one in Southeast MN, visit me at www.nursinganalysis-review.com.

How Do You Pay for Respite Care in Southeast MN?

2009-05-27T15:16:00.001-05:00

Respite care is the provision of short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for family members who might otherwise require permanent placement in a facility outside the home. Unfortunately there is no default easy way to find funds for respite care. Much of it depends on your unique situation. This post will focus on how to determine how to find respite care that will work for you.

http://www.seniorhelpforum.com/2009/03/24/how-do-you-pay-for-respite-care/

Visit me at www.nursinganalysis-review.com with any questions.

Government Program Pays For Elder Care in Southeast MN

2009-05-23T11:48:00.001-05:00

Looking for a way to help Mom and Dad pay for Home care or assisted living? Perhaps you are their caregiver. Wouldn't it be nice to receive some extra income to help you provide their care? There is financial help available for senior veterans and their spouses.

For veterans who served during a time of war or for their surviving spouses, the Veterans Aid & Attendance Pension will pay additional income to cover long term care costs. The great news about this program is that VA will allow veterans' households to include the annual cost of paying any person such as family members, friends or hired help for care when calculating the Pension benefit.

Pension can provide an additional monthly income of up to $1,949 a month for a couple, $1,644 a month for a single veteran or $1,056 a month for a single surviving spouse of a veteran. This money can be used to help pay the cost of home care, adult day services, assisted living or nursing home services.

In order to reduce income to meet the income test for pension, a rating for "aid and attendance" or "housebound" is crucial. Not only does the rating significantly increase the benefit amount but without a rating, room and board costs for assisted living are not deductible for purposes of reducing income. Only the much smaller assisted living medical costs are deductible.

For home care, non-medical costs are only deductible if the in-home attendant is licensed for healthcare in that state or if there is a rating. Since the non-medical costs for home care represent the bulk of all costs for long-term care at home, without a rating, those households with a non-licensed attendant would not qualify for the benefit. Examples of medical or nursing services at home would be help with activities of daily living such as dressing, bathing, toileting, ambulating, feeding, diapering and so on. Other services might include medication reminders or supervision necessary to provide a protective environment for the care recipient -- in the case of dementia or Alzheimer's.

A rating for aid and attendance is automatic if someone is a patient in a nursing home or that person is blind or so nearly blind as to need assistance.

It is our understanding that a non-licensed in-home attendant could be just about anyone receiving pay for providing services. This might be members of the family, friends, or someone hired to live in the home. Unfortunately, a spouse cannot be included in this list for reimbursable caregivers.

For a disabled person who has been rated, a family member will be considered an in-home attendant, but that family member has to be paid for services duly rendered. There is potential for fraud here where a family member may move into the home and ostensibly receive payment as a caregiver but not actually provide the level of care paid for. Documentation for this care must be provided to VA, and it is reasonable for VA to question whether the services being purchased from a family member living in the household are legitimate. Such arrangements should be extensively documented and completely arm's-length.

The care arrangements and payment for home care must be made prior to application and there must be evidence that this care is needed on an ongoing and regular basis. We recommend a formal care contract and monthly invoice billing for services. Money must exchange hands and there must be evidence of this. All of this documentation must be provided as proof to VA when making application for the pension benefit. Costs for these services must be unreimbursed; meaning these costs are not paid by insurance, by contributions from the family or from other sources. Even though the family member being paid for services cannot reimburse the veteran household directly,the family may pay the bills for the veteran household. This indirect form of support is allowed.

There is an application form to be submitted, along with a doctor's report form, documentation of medical expenses and payment of home care services or facility fees. Other documentation includes original discharge papers, marriage records if applicable and a death certificate where applicable. An inventory of all sources of household income and all household cash equivalent assets is also required. Providing complete documentation with the initial application will expedite a rating and approval for pension payment.

For those who want to do it themselves, the National Care Planning Council provides help in their book “How to Apply for the Veterans Aid & Attendance Pension Benefit.” http://www.longtermcarelink.net/a16veterans_books.htm

This book provides, in detail, a description of application for the Pension Benefit and what information and documentation other than the application form should be submitted. All necessary forms are included in the book such as the application form and forms for medical expenses and other costs.

ElderLawAnswers.com review of this book states; “This is the book to get if you want an in-depth understanding of how veterans' benefits work, what options are available and how to apply. http://www.elderlawanswers.com/resources/article.asp?id=6209&section=5&state =

One purchaser of the “How to Apply” book emailed his successful experience.

“I purchased " How to Apply for the Veterans Aid & Attendance Benefit" earlier this year, and I wanted to let you know how much of a blessing this book was.

I followed the instructions exactly as stated in the book. I used the forms provided (Forms 1-4). I made copies of everything. I submitted my dad's application on March 31, 2009. I received a response TODAY, May 2, 2009, that approves my father's application, and he will be receiving a substantial amount in benefits monthly, beginning April 1st.

In addition, the VA sent additional forms for me to submit stating that my dad may be eligible to receive additional benefits for medical expenses incurred from March 31, 2008 to March 31, 2009.

In essence, I had to submit no additional documentation, just the documentation you suggested in your book. I was approved in one month's time. NO DELAYS!!!

Thank you for your wonderful book! I needed no consultants, no attorneys, no one and nothing but the advice contained within your book. I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE who is seeking to apply for this valuable benefit.”

To read more about the book and purchase your copy of the “How to Apply for the Veterans Aid & Attendance Pension Benefit” go to http://www.longtermcarelink.net/a16veterans_books.htm

Veterans Benefits Consultant

A veterans benefits consultant is an individual who helps veterans understand long term care benefits available through VA. This can include information on veterans health care, state veterans homes and veterans disability income benefits. Consultants place particular emphasis on Pension and Death Pension because these benefits are typically more useful for the elderly needing long term care. Pension is also known as "the aid and attendance benefit." Being a consultant is not a formal title but is merely a description of this person's function.

Consultants provide information about the aid and attendance benefit including what it is, who can qualify and what information and documentation are necessary in order to file a claim. A consultant does not participate in any way in the application process unless that consultant is an accredited attorney representing his or her client in proceedings before VA. Consultants who are accredited veterans service organization representatives can also assist claimants with the filing of a claim. For all other consultations, veteran households seeking help with filing a claim are directed to an appropriate veterans service organization or to a state or county veterans service officer or, where appropriate, they are encouraged to file a claim on their own.

Some consultants also help potential claimants realign their assets and complete important estate planning documents prior to making application.

Veterans Benefits Consultants are private practitioners or in some cases representatives of veterans service organizations and are not connected with the Department of Veterans Affairs. To find a consultant in your area go to http://www.longtermcarelink.net/ref_veterans_consultants.htm

If you have any questions or need help with an aging loved one in the Southeast MN area, visit www.nursinganalysis-review.com.

Bringing Families Closer Together with Video Technology

2009-05-13T14:50:00.000-05:00

By: Kimberly Such-Smith

A major service provided by NAR to our clients revolves around providing a sense of ease and comfort to families who may find themselves geographically separated from each other. And as part of Nursing Analysis & Review’s "Bringing Families Closer Together" mantra, I wanted to take this opportunity to share my personal experience with a new product which allows me to better connect with my parents and family who unfortunately live a long distance from me. While I would love to physically visit them more often, finding the time and money makes frequent visits impractical. However, in lieu of actually being there, I have found and invested in a new video phone! This product works like a telephone, but has a camera and video screen installed which allows me to physically see and hear my family while they can do the same with me!

Here's what I've done and some reasons why I feel it would help other families who find themselves in similar circumstances. I purchased two video phones, one for myself and one for my parents and attached my phone to my high-speed internet router. My brother then attached my parent's phone to their router. I dialed my parent's number and we were able to see and hear each other simultaneously! It was that simple. Some elderly may find computers and technology too complicated and daunting. The video phone requires no special technical knowledge and is as easy to use as a push button phone. This product is awesome!

A few minutes later, my son got on the phone and had a wonderful time seeing and visiting with his younger cousins. This brings up another point... Given recent and ongoing concerns regarding the inappropriate uses of text messaging and the internet by minors, I am not comfortable allowing the unsupervised use of cameras over the internet. Too many bad things can happen. My video phone, while admittedly not completely secure, allows me to more tightly control who and what is seen by my family. This gives me a better feeling than having a camera and computer in my son's room.

The video phone and service is priceless to me and very affordable. For the cost of a plane ticket, my family and I can see each other all year long! If you would like more information as to how you can see and hear your family like I do, go to my website at nursingelders.com and click on the video phone, or give me a call. I'd be glad to share with you why I completely endorse this product and why I'd like to help you stay closer to your family.

Kimberly Such-Smith, BSN, RN, LNC, CMC

Nursing Analysis & Review, LLC

Owner/Founder

www.nursingelders.com “Bringing Families Closer Together”

"Happy Nurses Week" from Nursing Analysis and Review

2009-05-05T17:04:00.005-05:00

Happy Nurses Week from all of us at Nursing Analysis and Review. Be sure to thank a nurse in your life too!

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale's birthday. These permanent dates enhance planning and position National Nurses Week as an established recognition event. As of 1998, May 8 was designated as National Student Nurses Day, to be celebrated annually. And as of 2003, National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurses Week (May 6-12) each year.

The nursing profession has been supported and promoted by the American Nurses Association (ANA) since 1896. Each of ANA's state and territorial nurses associations promotes the nursing profession at the state and regional levels. Each conducts celebrations on these dates to recognize the contributions that nurses and nursing make to the community.

The ANA supports and encourages National Nurses Week recognition programs through the state and district nurses associations, other specialty nursing organizations, educational facilities, and independent health care companies and institutions.

A Brief History of National Nurses Week

1953 Dorothy Sutherland of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare sent a proposal to President Eisenhower to proclaim a "Nurse Day" in October of the following year. The proclamation was never made.

1954 National Nurse Week was observed from October 11 - 16. The year of the observance marked the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale's mission to Crimea. Representative Frances P. Bolton sponsored the bill for a nurse week. Apparently, a bill for a National Nurse Week was introduced in the 1955 Congress, but no action was taken. Congress discontinued its practice of joint resolutions for national weeks of various kinds.

1972 Again a resolution was presented by the House of Representatives for the President to proclaim "National Registered Nurse Day." It did not occur.

1974 In January of that year, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) proclaimed that May 12 would be "International Nurse Day." (May 12 is the birthday of Florence Nightingale.) Since 1965, the ICN has celebrated "International Nurse Day."

1974 In February of that year, a week was designated by the White House as National Nurse Week, and President Nixon issued a proclamation.

1978 New Jersey Governor Brendon Byrne declared May 6 as "Nurses Day." Edward Scanlan, of Red Bank, N.J., took up the cause to perpetuate the recognition of nurses in his state. Mr. Scanlan had this date listed in Chase's Calendar of Annual Events. He promoted the celebration on his own.

1981 ANA, along with various nursing organizations, rallied to support a resolution initiated by nurses in New Mexico, through their Congressman, Manuel Lujan, to have May 6, 1982, established as "National Recognition Day for Nurses."

1982 In February, the ANA Board of Directors formally acknowledged May 6, 1982 as "National Nurses Day." The action affirmed a joint resolution of the United States Congress designating May 6 as "National Recognition Day for Nurses."

1982 President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation on March 25, proclaiming "National Recognition Day for Nurses" to be May 6, 1982.

1990 The ANA Board of Directors expanded the recognition of nurses to a week-long celebration, declaring May 6 - 12, 1991, as National Nurses Week.

1993 The ANA Board of Directors designated May 6 - 12 as permanent dates to observe National Nurses Week in 1994 and in all subsequent years.

1996 The ANA initiated "National RN Recognition Day" on May 6, 1996, to honor the nation's indispensable registered nurses for their tireless commitment 365 days a year. The ANA encourages its state and territorial nurses associations and other organizations to acknowledge May 6, 1996 as "National RN Recognition Day."

1997 The ANA Board of Directors, at the request of the National Student Nurses Association, designated May 8 as National Student Nurses Day.

© 2009 The American Nurses Association, Inc. All Rights Reserved
American Nurses Association - 8515 Georgia Avenue - Suite 400 - Silver Spring, MD 20910
1-800-274-4ANA Copyright Policy Privacy Statement Link

NURSING ANALYSIS & REVIEW Presents an Innovative Elder Care Community Education Series for Consumers in Minnesota

2009-04-28T13:44:00.000-05:00

Press Release

Rochester, Minnesota, April 2009: Nursing Analysis & Review’s Owner Kimberly Such-Smith is now offering an exclusive innovative elder care community education series at no charge for any group, employer, or organization.

“We are so proud to offer this exclusive program. Consumers in our area now have access to six important presentations that will assist them with almost any elder care situation. We get so many questions from our clients, we knew that providing this series was not just important, but critical for adult children of aging parents, caregivers, and seniors,” said Kimberly Such-Smith, Owner of Nursing Analysis & Review.

Nursing Analysis & Review’s Elder Care Community Education Series includes six presentations, each lasting about 30 minutes or less. Kimberly Such-Smith is available upon request to schedule any or all presentations for any organization in or around the Olmsted, Dodge & Rice County Areas.

Topics include:

1. Having “The Talk” with Our Aging Loved Ones About Long-Term Care Options.

2. Taking Away the Car Keys: When Seniors Should No Longer Be Driving.

3. Understanding the Cost of Elder Care and How to Pay for Care.

4. A Little Fall is a Big Worry for Seniors: Fall Prevention Program for the Home.

5. Understanding the Types of Elder Care Available.

6. Safety In and Around the House- Keeping Seniors Safe.

For more information contact Kimberly Such-Smith at nursereview@charter.net or 507-358-4670.

About Nursing Analysis & Review: www.nursingelders.com

Elder care entrepreneurs and senior service providers from all corners of the market come to Kimberly for guidance including home care providers, elder law attorneys, financial advisors, senior living specialists, senior movers, long-term care insurance specialists, assisted living providers, durable medical equipment providers, geriatric care managers, authors, reverse mortgage specialists and more.

Treating an Illness Is One Thing. What About a Patient With Many?

2009-04-23T10:47:00.001-05:00

The New York Times recently posted an article that relates to many seniors and aging loved ones. I thought this might be of interest to you as well! If you have any questions or need help please visit www.nursinganalysis-review.com.

“Yet people with multiple health problems — a condition known as multimorbidity — are largely overlooked both in medical research and in the nation’s clinics and hospitals. The default position is to treat complicated patients as collections of malfunctioning body parts rather than as whole human beings. “Very often, there is nobody looking at the big picture or recognizing that what is best for the disease may not be best for the patient,” said Dr. Mary E. Tinetti, a geriatrician at the Yale School of Medicine.

Here’s the link to the whole article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/health/31sick.html?_r=2&th&emc=th

Next Steps: Who's responsible for care after stroke?

2009-04-15T11:07:00.001-05:00

I found this post online, and thought it was important to share...very informative!

The original article is at: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09090/959412-51.stm. If you have any questions or need help with an aging loved one in Southeast MN, visit me at www.nursinganalysis-review.com.

By Jan Warner and Jan Collins

Q: My father was hospitalized in mid-February after a stroke that left him paralyzed on the left side and unable to talk. His doctors began the therapy process almost immediately and, after 10 days, began discussing discharge for continued therapy. My mother does not understand what happens next or who pays for what.

My father is 71, has Medicare Parts A and B, and a supplement policy from his former employer. My parents have minimal assets and live on a fixed income. I am sending this by e-mail so that, hopefully, you can reply to us as quickly as possible as I work full time, my husband was just laid off, and we need a "down and dirty answer."

A: When a person loses bodily function, even the simplest activities become difficult. The rehabilitation process is time-consuming and can be frustrating for both the patient and family. Based on the description you give, your father will probably need physical, speech and occupational therapies -- called "PT," "ST" and "OT" -- which are delivered by trained professionals in various settings.

Assuming the best result from these therapies, your father may be able to return home; however, your family must be prepared for the potential that he may need to continue to be institutionalized. At a minimum, these therapies are needed to prevent your father from further deterioration and to preserve the functioning he has retained.

Who pays for these therapies can be a complicated issue. With certain limitations and so long as the therapy meets the "reasonable and necessary" test, Medicare will generally pay for PT, OT and ST in the hospital, in a skilled nursing facility for up to 100 days, in the home setting under specific circumstances, and at special therapy facilities. There must be either a reasonable expectation that your father will improve or that these services are needed to maintain him and not allow him to deteriorate.

In 1997, because of billing abuses by nursing homes and rehabilitation centers that charged Medicare $600 per hour for therapy services they contracted for $25 per hour, Medicare placed limits on the amount that would be paid for therapy outside the hospital; however, in 1999, these limits were removed for the years 2000 and 2001. If you really want to get confused and see your government at work, check out cms.hhs.gov/TherapyServices.

Because of the importance of the discharge planning process and because of the complexities of the payment issues, we urge anyone whose family member is being discharged from the hospital for therapy or rehabilitation to take an active part in the discharge-planning process. Because most families will not understand all ramifications until it is too late, we believe that it is wise to include a private geriatric-care manager or case manager in the planning process.

Taking the NextSteps: We suggest you read all you can, and then get professional advice. Generally, Medicare Part A will pay for these therapies for up to 100 outpatient centers.

Learn more information about elder care law and write to the authors at nextsteps.net.

Jan Warner is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and has been practicing law for more than 30 years. Jan Collins is editor of the Business and Economic Review published by the University of South Carolina and a special correspondent for The Economist. You can learn more information about elder care law and write to the authors on nextsteps.net.

First published on March 31, 2009 at 12:00 am

30 Reasons Your Loved One May Need a Caregiver in Southeast MN

2009-04-08T13:37:00.003-05:00

I found this article, and decided to pass it on to you. It provides extremely helpful information that may help you with your decision to choose geriatric care for an aging loved one in your family. The original article can be found at http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rebecca_Sharp_Colmer. As always if you have questions or need help, please visit my website www.nursinganalysis-review.com.

30 Reasons Your Loved One May Need a Caregiver

by Rebecca Colmer

There are approximately 37 million people over the age of 65 and 5.3 million people over the age of 85. Each year millions of older people start requiring some sort of assistance to carry out their routine daily activities. Family members (family caregivers) provide most of the help.

It is not always easy to know when to intervene. It may seem like your loved one is in a gray area somewhere between competency and incompetence.

Your loved one can have a behavior that is not life threatening but still very serious. Making an assessment is the very step.

Here are some clues that your loved one may need some extra help:

1. Disheveled clothes

2. Stained or dirty clothes The same outfit worn everyday

3. Unkempt hair

4. Poor hygiene

5. Bad breath

6. Body odor

7. Having trouble walking

8. Having trouble sleeping

9. Dangerous driving

10. Extreme clutter in the home

11. Can't do light housekeeping

12. Items not returned to drawers or cupboards

13. Clothes strewn about or left on floor

14. Medication bottles left open

15. Medications taken out of original containers and mixed up

16. Not much food in house

17. Spoiled or rotten food

18. Unpaid bills

19. Penalties for overdue bills

20. Unopened mail

21. Put on or lost a lot of weight that is unexplained

22. Signs of confusion

23. Signs of forgetfulness

24. Signs of isolation

25. Signs of depression

26. Drastic mood swings

27. Extreme sadness or loneliness

28. Loss of interest in favorite hobby

29. Stopped doing things they used to enjoy like gardening, reading, going to church, seeing friends

30. Can't cope with everyday stress

If you do not live near your aging parents, ask a neighbor or friend to keep an eye on your parents and notify you if they notice any changes in their behavior.

Even if you determine that your loved one needs some assistance, keep in mind that they may be resistant to your help. Be gentle and compassionate when asking them to accept help.

It may take several tries before they start to accept your help. There is a big difference in offering help and completely taking away all of their independence.

However, if your parent's life is in danger and you can't find a way to intervene, call Adult Protective Services, which is a part of the Department of Social Services. They will send a nurse or social worker to your parent's home to determine the risks and find ways to protect your parent.

The caregiver role is complex and differs for everyone depending on the needs of the care-receiver. Many times, in the beginning, there may only be a few needs, such as providing transportation or helping with shopping or cooking. Over time, needs increase, requiring additional services, until the care-receiver is fully dependent on the caregiver.

Rebecca Colmer is an Eldercare Advocate, Author, Speaker, Publisher, and Caregiver Expert. You can find more caregiving tools and resources at her website: Caregiving Tools

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rebecca_Sharp_Colmer

The Video Phone is Changing the Way We Communicate Forever

2009-03-31T10:15:00.000-05:00

By Nick Dreyer founder of Aim High Concepts

Today, more than ever, it is vital to keep your loved ones around the country close. With the world headed in the direction it is headed, your relationships that you have built are the one thing that is certain in these uncertain times. With the capability of technology today, it is much easier to stay connected with the people that are important us.

The Iris 3000 Video Phone has given people the ability to see their friends and family from all over the world on a daily basis. Nowadays, technology has nearly erased geographic boundaries for families, friends, and colleagues. E-mail and instant messages make communication easy and convenient but it takes away from that personal touch.

The Iris 3000 Video Phone has combined face to face communication with the cost savings and convenience of talking over the telephone. It brings back that personal element when talking to your loved ones around the globe.

Having the ability to see the person you are talking to over the telephone has changed many people's lives. Staying in touch with your kids that go to college in a different state has never been easier. The Iris 3000 Video Phone is allowing parents to keep tabs with their children miles away without breaking the bank paying costly phone bills or inconvenient in-person visits. You can see your daughter's new Halloween costume while you are out of town on business. You can introduce your newborn baby boy to his grandparents from 1500 miles away.

You will be able to conduct face to face meetings with business associates two continents away without ever setting foot in an airport. There is no better way to keep in touch than face to face. The video phone network is possible because of the advances of VOIP. Basically it is converging voice, video, and video conferencing into the mainstream.

Now, every one can enjoy the benefits of this service. Because VOIP can be used anywhere in the world with a simple Internet connection, it is allowing people to stay connected in new and exciting ways.

Another great advantage with this service is that because VOIP is used over your Internet, the long distance calls are free. People are saving hundreds of dollars every year with this tremendous breakthrough. Communicating across the globe has never been cheaper and the quality of service is second to none.

The Iris 3000 Video Phone is the next great thing in telecommunications but you don't have to be super rich to own one. In fact, the Iris 3000 Video Phone is one of the best quality products of its kind on the market and yet it is extremely affordable. With the economy in the gutter right now, value is more important than ever and you get exceptional value with this video phone and its service. The ability to conduct business and stay connected with family and friends is always important.

But it's hard to find the time to pick up the phone and say hello. We try, but the fact is that e-mail, phone calls, and still images just don't do it anymore. Now you can see the action, hear the voices, and feel like you're in the same room when using the Iris 3000 Video Phone. Discover how easy video communication can be. See how it will literally bring your relationships much closer together. You'll wonder how you ever survived without it.

For more information on the video phone concept visit: www.kimsuchsmith.acnrep.com (Bringing Families Closer Together -- Nursing Analysis & Review). I would like to use the videophone to help long distance families keep in touch.

My name is Nick Dreyer founder of Aim High Concepts. We are an online marketing firm that specialize in online marketing techniques. We are currently partners with ACN ( America's Communication Network) to help introduce the Iris 3000 Video Phone into the marketplace. For more information on the Iris 3000 Video Phone check this link. The Iris 3000 Video Phone is only available through an authorized dealer of ACN. http://www.videophonetechnology.net

Know the Difference Between Hiring Private Caregivers and Using a Home Care Agency in Southeast Minnesota

2009-03-28T11:10:00.002-05:00

I found this article in the Wall Street Journal and decided to pass it on to all of you. If you are considering hiring home care services, it's important to know what the family's legal and financial responsibilities are when it comes to private caregivers. Ultimately, in may be a better option to hire a home care agency. See link to the Wall Street Journal article below, and as always if you have questions or need help, please visit my website, www.nursinganalysis-review.com.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123742280124379005.html

Elder Mediation Resolves Family Conflicts in Southeast, Minnesota

2009-03-18T12:16:00.002-05:00

“My daughter is insisting I move in with her,” complains Martha. “She just wants to control my life and take away my freedom,” she continues. Jenny, Martha’s daughter worries that her mother keeps falling, and fears one day she will break her hip or hit her head. “I’ll take my sister to court before I will let her get control of mom and my inheritance,” exclaims Jim about Jenny’s desire to move her mother in with her.

It is amazing how quickly formerly cordial relationships between family members will sour when the family has to deal with care of elderly parents or inheritance at their death. Sometimes the consequence of dealing with the final years of elderly parents can break families apart and create long-lasting animosity.

The National Care Planning Council has seen an increase in requests from caregiving children for help in solving disputes with siblings. In one case, the caregiver was being sued by her sister for abusing their parent and stealing the Social Security checks. In another, the caregiving child would not allow siblings to see their mother, claiming they would take advantage of her.
A lot of times it is a “she said,” “he said” situation with neither party really understanding what the elder person needs or wants.

Some families find it hard to communicate with each other when their parent is in need of care. Perhaps when they grew up together they were not accustomed to come together as parents and children to work out problems. And now those children are older and taking care of parents and they don't have this family council strategy to rely on. It may seem unnatural to them. But that is often exactly what is needed, especially in situations where perhaps one child is caring for the parents and the others are left out of the loop.

Children all have a common bond to their parents and as a result a common obligation or responsibility to each other. When disagreements arise, suspicions begin to grow. Suspicions or distrust often lead to anger and the anger often leads to severing the channels of communication between family members. This can occur between parent and child or between siblings or between all of them.

It is often at this point that a neutral third party can come in and repair the damage that has been done and help correct the problems that have come about because of the disagreement.
A practitioner experienced in elder mediation is a perfect choice for solving disagreements due to issues with the elderly.

WHAT IS ELDER MEDIATION?
Mediation is a non-adversarial approach to solving disputes. Mediation is a process of bringing two or more disputing parties together and having them mutually negotiate a solution to their disagreement. The mediator is not a judge and does not render a decision but is there to make sure that communication flows freely between the disputing parties. Elder Mediators are trained in the art of negotiating resolutions between elderly parents and family members. Mediation can achieve results that the family by itself may not be capable of realizing or have the expertise of achieving.

Here are some reasons that make Elder Mediation so valuable.
• A trained expert on communication gives the family a perspective it could not gain by meeting together on its own;
• All family members involved meet and prevent problems from arising by anticipating situations that may cause disputes;
• Allows for the mediator to invite experts such as care managers or other care providers into the meeting to educate the family and give them a new perspective;
• Allows parents to focus on their abilities rather than their limitations;
• Allows children to come up with and consider options not thought of previously;
• Encourages uninvolved family members to become involved;
• Allows parents to express wishes and desires that had previously gone unuttered;
• Allows for a neutral third party to challenge family members and make them take responsibility for their actions;
• Promotes consensus of all involved which in turn creates a much higher rate of compliance with the plan than with any other process; (the success rate for compliance with elder mediation is estimated to be about 80% to 85%)
• Requires a written plan with specific responsibilities which makes compliance feasible.
There are many organizations and companies throughout the country providing expertise in “Elder Mediation” to help seniors and their families. You will also find that mediators often have many coincident professional accreditations such as, Professional or Geriatric Care Manager, Elder Attorney, Clinical Social Worker or Certified Mediator.

In choosing a mediator, consider your needs. Is there a need for a medical assessment to determine the type of care? Are legal concerns with inheritance or family business or power of attorney, the main need? Perhaps, just bringing the family together to communicate on what needs to be done and who will do it is the agenda for now.

In one case, after months of dispute with her parents over their health and safety issues, Connie enlisted the service of a professional care manager mediator. “Bringing a neutral person with a professional and compassionate attitude into our disputes was the best thing for all involved,” Connie recalled. “My parents shared their concerns and listened with acceptance to mine. All of a sudden we could communicate and work out a plan that they could live with and I could relax knowing they were safe.”
Seniors Use Mediators to help the family plan for long term care.

In the National Care Planning Council's book, “The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning,” the process of creating your own “Care Plan” before you need it is introduced. Quoting from the book:

“If the current or future caregiver wants the other persons attending the meeting to give support with respite care, transportation to doctors, etc., everyone needs to be aware of this and in total agreement to do it. All must also be willing to work with the member of the family, friend or professional who is designated as the Personal Care Coordinator. If you feel the communication will be strained, consider having a professional mediator present. The mediator will be able to keep things calm and running smoothly and help work out each person's concerns.”

“The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning” book can be found at http://www.longtermcarelink.net/a16four_steps_book.htm

Where to Find an Elder Mediator
• In your local phone book, on the internet or with your community senior services.
• References from friends and neighbors
• Contact the local area agency on aging
• Contact your state bar association
• Contact a local university or college and asked to speak to the department that provides mediation training and ask for a referral.
• On the internet look up mediation in your area
• Yellow pages in local phone books

The National Care Planning Council lists Professional Mediators throughout the United States on its website at http://www.longtermcarelink.net/a7mediation.htm
List your Elder Mediation service
National Care Planning Council
www.longtermcarelink.net
800-989-8137

Visit me with any questions at www.nursinganalysis-review.com!

When is A Good Time To Consider Geriatric Care Management in Southeast Minnesota?

2009-03-10T10:24:00.005-05:00

Here’s a great link to an article that is helpful to anyone considering starting elder care, home care, or geriatric care management services for an aging loved one.

Just click on the link below, and as always if you have questions or need help, please visit our website at www.nursinganalysis-review.com.

My Mother’s Memory is Failing…..
http://donigreenberg.com/2009/02/28/dear-j-mother-memory-something/

What will a Geriatric Care Manager Do for My Family in Southeast Minnesota?

2009-03-02T11:58:00.003-06:00

Care managers have a wide range of services. Consult with your local geriatric care manager in Southeast MN to find out more about what services they specifically provide. Here’s a list from the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers that may be helpful in understanding the care manager’s scope of practice.

Conduct care-planning assessments to identify problems and to provide solutions.
Screen, arrange, and monitor in-home help or other services, including assistance in hiring a qualified caregiver for home care.
Provide short- or long-term eldercare assistance for those engaged in local or long distance caregiving.
Review financial, legal, or medical issues and offer referrals to geriatric specialists.
Provide crisis intervention.
Act as a liaison to families at a distance, overseeing care, and quickly alerting families to problems – especially important when families are engaged in long distance caregiving for a loved one.
Assist with moving an older person to or from a retirement complex, assisted care home, or nursing home.
Provide consumer education and advocacy.
Offer eldercare counseling and support.

Some PGCMs also provide family or individual therapy, finance management, conservatorship or guardianship assistance, and/or caregiving services.

Finding Help for an Aging Loved One in Southeast, Minnesota

2009-02-23T15:25:00.005-06:00

One of the most helpful services for families with aging loved ones is that of a private geriatric care manager.

A geriatric care manager makes an assessment of a person's medical condition and monitors their medical status. As a person's health declines it may be necessary to arrange for long-term care. Long-term care can consist of help in one's home or placement in an assisted living facility or nursing home. Everyone's goal is to receive care in the least restrictive environment. Geriatric care managers are skilled at making these determinations. Geriatric care managers are also available to look in on a person to be sure that they are eating, that the home is neat and clean, that the person is neat and clean, and that any services they need are being provided. This is a particularly desirable service if there are no children living nearby.

Professional Geriatric Care Managers (PGCMs) are health and human services specialists who help families care for older relatives, while encouraging as much independence as possible. The PGCM may be trained in any of a number of fields related to long-term care, including, but not limited to, nursing, gerontology, social work, or psychology, with a specialized focus on issues related to aging and elder care. The PGCM acts as a guide and advocate -- identifying problems and offering solutions, from assessment of an aging parent's needs to addressing the life change of a family affected by Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson’s or other symptoms of dementia.

To find a geriatric care manager in Southeast, Minnesota, go to http://www.nursinganalysis-review.com/.

10 Signs of Caregiver Stress

2009-02-19T16:04:00.006-06:00

10 Signs of Caregiver Stress
1. Denial – about the disease and effects on the person with diagnosis
2. Anger – at the person with the diagnosis - “If he asks me that one more time, I’ll scream”
3. Social Withdrawl – from friends and activities
4. Anxiety – about facing another day
5. Depression – begins to affect the ability to cope
6. Exhaustion – makes it nearly impossible to complete daily tasks
7. Sleeplessness – caused by never-ending list of concerns
8. Irritability – leads to moodiness and triggers negative responses and reactions
9. Lack of Concentration – makes it difficult to person familiar tasks
10. Health Problems – begin to take their toll, physically & mentally

Alzheimer’s Association http://www.alz.org/

Living with Type-1 Diabetes

2009-02-12T09:14:00.001-06:00

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2008/11/12/health/1194832631064/living-with-type-1-diabetes.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Alzheimers The Rarest Gene

2009-02-12T09:09:00.002-06:00

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2007/12/19/health/1194817093193/alzheimers-the-rarest-gene.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Falls Prevention and Medical Alarms

2009-02-02T17:42:00.000-06:00

Falls Prevention and Medical Alarms
by Howard Avin

I know from first-hand experience how dangerous falling can be to the seniors that we love. It took three days after a midnight fall at her assisted living residence to end the life of my mother-in-law. From that tragic experience, I have learned that it is the quick response after an inevitable fall that will avoid the terrible chain of events that my family has experienced.
I realize now that no living situation (home or assisted) can totally guarantee the safety of the senior. Falling is just a part of aging. Seniors experience problems with balance, slow reflexes, poor eyesight, and reactions to medications, as well as inevitable obstacles such as throw rugs, slippery floors and exposed wires, steep stairs wells and uneven curves that create dangers that can not be avoided as they go about their daily life.
In an optimal situation, knowing that a fall will be detected immediately could save a life or prevent hardship and discomfort. Also, it allows caregivers more peace of mind as they continue to go about the daily obligations required to meet their other responsibilities. The “sandwich generation” (baby boomers between the ages of 48 and 70) find themselves with the responsibility of caring for immediate family, paying the bills and attempting to keep themselves healthy, while always feeling the responsibility of their aging loved ones who need care on a daily basis. As seniors get older, they unavoidably become more vulnerable to falls which, in turn, become more life threatening.
While there exists no one answer to resolve this problem, there is a real awareness of a senior’s vulnerability and the availability of a variety of options that can ease stress for both the senior and the caregiver. A senior can fall despite every precaution and the alternatives for their care do not fully remedy the danger. Full-time aides are costly and sometimes unreliable. Seniors often feel uncomfortable living with strangers. Medications can help dementia and Alzheimer’s but can not cure the disease or change the inevitable conclusion. We can help the senior but we can’t protect them from the danger of their everyday existence.
A fall prevention check list combined with a monitored Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) are the two main components providing safety and protection to a senior 24 hours a day.
As every dwelling is different, checklists vary but the items below are included in all standard checklists:
Nightlights should be in hallways, bedrooms and bathrooms
Flashlights should be accessible by the bedside
Safety bars should be installed in the shower area of the bathroom, as well as by the toilet
Handrails are essential on all stairways
A constant concern of caregivers is that seniors often fall down and are unable to call for assistance. The statistics involving fatality after a fall skyrocket after the age of 75. For this reason, the medical alarm industry has invested years in attempting to develop a product that will detect a person’s fall to quickly respond and provide life saving assistance. To date, there is no product available because of a variety of inherent false alarm issues with this type of detector. The product must be able to accurately differentiate between falling and merely bending down.
However, there are a number of reliable products that will benefit a senior by allowing him or her to establish communication in a time of need. The basic medical alarm has a pendant that can be worn around the neck or wrist that can be pressed to get help by relaying a problem to a trained operator at a monitoring center offering 24 hour protection. A false alarm will be easily detected due to direct hands free two-way voice communication with the wearer. Unfortunately, the senior who falls and can not reach their pendant will still be at a loss. For this reason, a more reliable alternative is the inactivity sensor.
This device can be used in conjunction with a PERS unit to look for signs of inactivity of the senior. It can be programmed to look for motion (every 2, 4, 6 or 8 hours) in places where the senior is active during the day. Two of the most common places are the kitchen and bathroom. If motion is detected, no further initiatives are taken. However, if no motion is detected the operator will call the senior to ensure that everything is all right.
Medical Alarm manufacturers are working on more reliable products to detect falls without the inherent product problems that exist today. Until that time, we must take all the precautions available in the senior’s living environment to lessen the prospect of falling in their daily routine. Both the utilization of a fall prevention check list and a medical alert pendant are necessary elements needed to give the senior the independence they deserve.

More Men Take the Lead Role in Caring for Elderly Parents

2009-01-07T15:20:00.001-06:00

More Men Take the Lead Role in Caring for Elderly Parents
By JOHN LELANDPublished: November 28, 2008

When Peter Nicholson’s mother suffered a series of strokes last winter, he did something women have done for generations: he quit his job and moved into her West Hollywood home to care for her full time. Josh Haner/The New York TimesMatt Kassin, 51, helps his mother, Doris Golden, 82, daily.
RelatedTimes Topics: Elder CareHealth Guide: Alzheimer's Disease Monica Almeida/The New York TimesPeter Nicholson quit a job and moved in to care for his mother, Bernice, who had a series of strokes last winter. He has lost 45 pounds and developed anemia. Since then, he has lost 45 pounds and developed anemia, in part because of the stress, and he is running out of money. But the hardest adjustment, Mr. Nicholson said, has been the emotional toll.
“The single toughest moment was when she said to me, ‘And now who are you?’ ” he said. “My whole world just dropped. That was the pinnacle of despair.”
Mr. Nicholson, 53, is part of a growing number of men who are providing primary care for their aging parents, usually their mothers.
The Alzheimer’s Association and the National Alliance for Caregiving estimate that men make up nearly 40 percent of family care providers now, up from 19 percent in a 1996 study by the Alzheimer’s Association. About 17 million men are caring for an adult.
“It used to be that when men said, ‘I’ll always take care of my mother,’ it meant, ‘My wife will always take care of my mother,’ ” said Carol Levine, director of the families and health care project at the United Hospital Fund. “But now, more and more men are doing it.”
Often they are overshadowed by their female counterparts and faced with employers, friends, support organizations and sometimes even parents who view caregiving as an essentially female role. Male caregivers are more likely to say they feel unprepared for the role and become socially isolated, and less likely to ask for help.
Women still provide the bulk of family care, especially intimate tasks like bathing and dressing. At support groups, which are predominantly made up of women, many women complain that their brothers are treated like heroes just for showing up.
But with smaller families and more women working full-time, many men have no choice but to take on roles that would have been alien to their fathers. Just as fatherhood became more hands-on in the baby boom generation, so has the role for many sons as their generation’s parents age.
Mr. Nicholson said his family had not discussed who would take care of his mother, Bernice, if she became frail. But as the unmarried child among his two siblings, and the one who was most readily available, he had spent increasing time with her as she aged.
Still, he was not prepared for the isolation of full-time care. “There’s absolutely no involvement in the outside world,” Mr. Nicholson said. “When I finally get out to a Dodgers game, walking to the car, I say, Oh, this is what life is about. I forgot about this. I can’t be doing myself any good by not getting out of here.”
Isolation affects women as well, but men tend to have fewer lifelines, said Donna Benton, an assistant research professor of gerontology at the University of Southern California and director of the Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Network. Men are less likely to have friends going through similar experiences, and depend more on their jobs for daily human contact.
“That’s the harder part for men, to find someone to talk to,” Dr. Benton said. “It’s the emotional side: the guilt, the sadness, the anger. For men it becomes more stressful because they can’t talk about it. They feel cut off.”
And then there is the inevitable question: What happens when I have to bathe her?
“That’s where the rubber meets the road,” said Donna Wagner, the director of gerontology at Towson University and one of the few researchers who has studied sons as caregivers.
For Mr. Nicholson, the whole experience has been a journey into the surreal, but especially at bath time.
Though he is not squeamish about it, he said: “The weirdness permeates our relationship. She doesn’t know if I’m her husband or her boyfriend or her neighbor. She knows she trusts me. But there are times when it’s very difficult. I need to keep her from embarrassing herself. She’ll say things like, ‘I adore you.’ I don’t know who she’s loving, because she doesn’t know who I am. Maybe I’m embarrassed about it — it’s my mom, for Christ sakes. But it’s weird how the oldest son becomes the spouse.”
Matt Kassin, 51, said he had no role model for male caregiver in his family. His father had been distant; he, in turn, had been the rebellious son.
“I was the son who went through divorce, who needed to separate from my mom when I was teenager,” Mr. Kassin said. “I’m the son that wanted distance. Now I’m the son who hears every morning, ‘It’s so nice to hear your voice.’ ”
On a recent evening, Mr. Kassin visited his mother, Doris Golden, in her Manhattan apartment. Ms. Golden, 82, is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and still lives independently, but relies on Mr. Kassin to arrange her schedule, pay her bills and make sure she remembers her daily tasks (his sister also helps).
His care has surprised his mother. “When he was young, I couldn’t get him to raise a finger,” Ms. Golden said. Her conversation looped repeatedly back to this point, and with each return, Mr. Kassin grew more irritated. That was when he was a teenager, he said, sharply; hadn’t he been more attentive since?
Finally she looked at him tenderly and asked, “When did I start relying on you?”
Interviewed apart from his mother, Mr. Kassin said: “It’s kind of like living my nightmare situation. But it’s a great opportunity here. Here’s the woman who nurtured me. She now is the child. You worry if you’re up for the challenge. If I don’t make this challenge, what kind of human being am I?”
In past generations, men might have answered this question by pointing to their accomplishments as breadwinners or fathers. Now, some men say they worry about the conflict between caring for their parents and these other roles.
In a 2003 study at three Fortune 500 companies, Dr. Wagner found that men were less likely to use employee-assistance programs for caregivers because they feared it would be held against them.
“Even though the company has endorsed the program, your supervisors may have a different opinion,” Dr. Wagner said. “I had a man who worked for a large company with very generous benefits, and he was told that if he took more time to go with his dad to chemotherapy, he was at risk of losing his job. He ended up not going with his father.”
Mr. Kassin said that although his employer had been understanding, he was reluctant to talk about his caregiving because “I think it would be looked at like, when they hire a male, they expect him to be 100-percent focused.”
“I don’t want to appear to be someone who has distractions that detract from performance,” he said.
For many men, the new role means giving up their self-image as experts, said Louis Colbert, director of the office of services for the aging in Delaware County, Pa., who has shared care of his 84-year-old mother with his siblings since her Alzheimer’s made it necessary.
“I’ve been a professional for 32 years,” Mr. Colbert said, “but yet I remember the first time I was driving to my mother’s house, being afraid because I didn’t know if I knew what to do.”
Once a year, Mr. Colbert organizes a get-together for male caregivers. The concerns they raise, he said, are different from those of women in support groups. “Very clearly, they said they wanted their role as caregiver validated, because in our society, as a whole, men as caregivers have been invisible,” he said.
This invisibility can extend to hospitals and nursing homes, said Amy Torres, helpline director at Fria, a national nonprofit organization based in New York that represents family members and residents in long-term care facilities.
“Nursing homes have a very difficult time dealing with male caregivers,” Ms. Torres said. “It’s unusual for them. The male caregiver is made to feel their interest in their relative is inappropriate. Our male callers say they’re made to feel what they’re doing is unusual, that it’s wrong.”
She gave the example of a son who was the health care agent for his mother and wanted to be in the room when the staff changed her diaper because he was concerned about her skin condition. “The staff refused to allow it,” Ms. Torres said. “They said the mother’s dignity was at risk.”
After two weeks of pressing, she said, he finally got his way. With a daughter, this would not have been an issue, Ms. Torres said.
And even when they are acknowledged, for many male caregivers, as for women, there is the lingering sense that whatever they do is not enough.
Mr. Nicholson said he knew this feeling too well. As a teacher, he could measure his contribution by the students’ progress. But with his mother, he can only watch her decline.
“I’m always asking myself, Am I even qualified for this?” he said. “Just because I love her a lot doesn’t mean that I have any idea if I’m doing the right thing, or doing what’s best for her.”
He sounded exhausted, rattled even.
“I don’t know if this is just the musings of someone who’s on the verge of tossing everything and putting her in a home,” he said. “But this is a very revealing journey about who I am to me and my family, and what’s important to me.”

Power of Attorney can victimize elderly

2008-12-14T16:04:00.001-06:00

Power of attorney can victimize elderly
Agents can write checks, sell seniors' property
By Sandra BlockUSA TODAY

Vulnerable senior citizens are increasingly losing their life savings to unscrupulous individuals who have power of attorney over their finances, the AARP says in a report set to be released today.
By giving a spouse, adult child or other individual power of attorney, seniors can ensure that someone will manage their affairs if they become incapacitated. The individual who has power of attorney — known as the agent — can do everything from writing checks to selling property. But because most states lack adequate safeguards, those broad powers give dishonest agents a license to steal, says Naomi Karp, strategic policy adviser for the AARP Public Policy Institute.
National statistics aren't available, but adult protective services agencies are reporting a sharp rise in financial exploitation cases involving power of attorney, the AARP report says.
The economic downturn could lead to more abuses, says Sarah Prout, an attorney for Lakeshore Legal Aid in Port Huron, Mich., "because people are looking for new sources of money."
Prout says her office has seen an increase in power of attorney cases in the past six months. One of her clients is a 67-year-old woman who tried unsuccessfully to evict her daughter from her home after her daughter assaulted her. The client learned that her daughter, who had been granted power of attorney while she was in the hospital, had transferred the property to her name. To protect herself, the woman moved into a shelter for victims of domestic violence.
Prout's client has since obtained a restraining order against her daughter and returned home. But because her daughter still co-owns the property, the woman can't sell or borrow against the home she's owned for 47 years, Prout says.
Power of attorney is governed by state law, and state protections vary greatly, the AARP report says. AARP is urging states to adopt a uniform law that would, among other things, require that a power of attorney document clearly state the agent's duties, including the individual's responsibility to act in good faith. It would also make agents who abuse their powers liable for damages.
New Mexico and Idaho have enacted the law, and 12 states are considering adopting it in 2009.
While power of attorney is a valuable estate-planning tool, seniors need to exercise caution before giving anyone authority to manage their finances, says Lori Stiegel, associate staff director for the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging.
"Nobody ever wants to think their child or spouse will exploit them," she says. "But it happens."

Next Steps: Plan ahead when you have no family

2008-11-28T15:56:00.004-06:00

Q: I have a concern that might affect other people in the same situation. I have asked clergy, lawyers and financial advisers, but no one seems to have an answer.
I am a single retired woman with no living relatives. I have never been married. Although I have quite a few documents in place -- a will, a durable medical power of attorney and a durable financial power of attorney that gives a friend authority over my financial affairs if I become incapacitated, I still do not feel comfortable. If I end up in an assisted-living or nursing facility or am unable to fully care for myself at home, how do I find someone who will be my advocate, my friend and my companion? I have friends now, but I certainly do not expect them to change their lives to look after me. Besides, they might not be around. I want to have someone -- similar to family -- who will look out for my welfare and make sure that I am well-fed, dressed in clean clothes, get out when I can, etc. How do I arrange for this? Can you get me headed in the right direction?
A: You are correct when you say that many people do not have family members available to assist them with quality-of-life concerns when they become incapacitated or need assistance with certain activities of daily life. At these times, in addition to basic care, companionship and caring, human contacts are essential to reduce the isolation and loneliness that many seniors face.
We have several suggestions: Seek out a geriatric-care manager who would be retained by either you or your attorney-in-fact, should you become incapacitated or need assistance. The role of the care manager would be to not only evaluate your situation and help you find community and private resources to assist you, but also to conduct ongoing visits to assure that your plan of care is being followed. In appropriate situations, care managers can even help locate and monitor live-in companions. Your power of attorney should specifically include instructions to your agent to hire and use a qualified geriatric-care manager, who can be located in your area by going to http://www.caremanager.org/.
Since companionship and nonmedical assistance -- such as household chores, meal preparation, shopping, entertainment, reading -- are essential ingredients to allowing some people to stay at home longer or to make the most of an institutional setting, we suggest the use of companion services. While there are others, the company that appears to have the greatest national reach is Home Instead (http://www.homeinstead.com/). These nonmedical caregivers have passed criminal background checks, and they are bonded, insured and supervised. These services can be for either short- or long-term situations. You may also look for local firms, but check them out thoroughly.
With these resources in mind, you should revisit your documents, particularly your durable power of attorney, to assure that, should you become incapacitated, your attorney-in-fact is authorized -- or even mandated -- to hire these resources to assist you. Remember: Powers of attorney should be drafted by knowledgeable lawyers who understand your needs and desires and should not be form documents that may or may not pass muster when you need them. You should also consider appointing alternate agents just in case your friend who has agreed to help you is not available. And look into long-term care insurance, as more and more policies today are including geriatric-care management as a covered expense.

November 4, 2008, By: Jan Warner & Jan Collins, Economic Review