Senior Living Information Blog

Free 5 part e-course

Dale Carter from Transition Aging Parents blog has recently come up with a great 5 part e-course, "Five essential strategies to help your aging parent face change."

I can't think of anyone who has (or will have) and elderly parent(s) that would not benefit from it.  The course comes in 5 separate emails spread out every few days so that you can read them on your time.  I found it to be well written and helpful.  If you have never done this before, you certainly should get some help from someone who has been there, done that...

The link to her website and e-course is :  http://www.transitionagingparents.com/

Help for limited English speaking elderly in Chicago

Is there a senior in your family that speaks very little to no English?  Are you concerned that they may need help now or in the future?  Most families would like someone who not only can communicate with them and speak their language, but also is familiar with their customs.

There is an organization in Chicago that can help.  C.L.E.S.E or Coalition of Limited English Speaking Elderly.  Their mission is "to improve the lives of limited-English-speaking elderly by providing advocacy, leadership & education.

As we know there are services and programs provided through various agency's on aging to help our elderly.  However, they found that there was an under-utilization of these services because of language and cultural barriers.  They are working to make sure everyone has access.

Why Hire a Senior Move Manager?

We are often unaware of how attached we become to our homes—and their contents—until it’s time to move. This can be especially true for those who have been living in their current homes for the past 30 or 40 years and must suddenly sort through a lifetime of possessions in just a few weeks. In these cases, moving is not just a physical process, but an emotional one as well. Because of the emotional and physical aspects inherent in preparing for a move, it can be helpful to work with a neutral third party such as a Senior Move Manager.

Senior Move Mangers are professionals who have the experience, availability, organizational skills and resources to make the move run efficiently. Most importantly, they have the know-how and objectivity to help with the very emotional process of sorting through possessions.

Senior Move Managers offer a variety of services to help with the moving process:

•    Customized floor plan of the new home.
•    Assistance with sorting and organizing to prepare for the move.
•    Arrange for donation or resale of items.
•    Hire and supervise the moving company.
•    Coordinate with realtors, renovators and other professionals.
•    Managing the move day details.
•    Packing and unpacking services.
•    Arrange and organize furniture and belongings in the new home.

Working with a Senior Move Manager can make the entire moving process less taxing on both you and your loved ones.

This post was graciously written for my blog by Marnie Dawson CRTS, Owner of Dawson Relocation - Professional, Qualified Senior Move Managers.

Free Laughter Yoga "workouts"

Laughter is the best medicine.  Weinberg Community for Senior Living is offering a 4 week series starting June 1 with Caryl Derenfeld, a Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher.  I know Caryl and she does a great work with seniors and story telling in addition to this!

Give your mind and body a blissful workout that improves overall wellbeing by increasing oxygen intake and endorphin levels.  No pretzel positions, this concentrates on breathing and laughing while sitting, standing & moving.  Give it a try!

Mondays, 10:30 - 11:30 am starting June 1 until June 22.

Where: Weinberg Community for Senior Living, 1551 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield.
Please RSVP with Lisa Stanley at 847-236-7852

The Caring for an Aging America Act

The United States is facing an immediate and growing crisis in providing care for our aging population, which is projected to almost double from 37 million today to nearly 72 million by 2030. Health care providers with the necessary training to give older Americans the best possible care, are in critically short supply.

Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have introduced the Caring for An Aging America Act. This legislation attempts to address the growing nationwide shortage of health care professionals and direct-care workers needed to meet the health care needs of older adults.

• 7,128 U.S. physicians are certified geriatricians today; 36,000 geriatricians are needed by 2030.
• Less than 3% of U.S. medical students opt to take an elective in geriatrics.
• Only 5% of social workers are trained in aging issues and only 3% of advance practice nurses specialize in aging.
• Recruitment and retention of direct care workers in home-based care, assisted living and nursing homes also is a looming crisis due to low wages and few benefits, lack of work status, lack of career advancement, potential for injury and inadequate training.

Among other things, the law would establish a Geriatric and Gerontology Loan Repayment Program for physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, advance practice nurses, psychologists, and social workers who complete training in geriatrics or gerontology and agree to provide care for older adults, full-time, for at least two years.

Ten tips for a smooth transition to assisted living before the move

1. It is very important to involve the senior in the selection if possible. Obviously, if the senior has later stages of dementia this may not be possible.  Though I had an person who was diagnosed and she picked where she wanted to live while she could as she accepted the fact that later on someone else would have to make that decision for her.  It helped everyone and she eventually did move there.
2. Go through some of the "what if's" and keep the end goal in mind. For example:  "What if you fall when you are home alone and you cannot get to the phone to call for help?  Wouldn't all of us have better peace of mind knowing you have 24 help available?
3. Try to make sure everyone in the family is on the "same team".  If everyone knows what the plan of action is and the solution is, the easier this will be.  Not always possible, I know. 
4. Do NOT schedule a move-in for the weekend; try to move during the week when the community if fully staffed.  Trust me, I have seen this first hand and it is never as smooth as a weekday move.  Take a day off, it will be worth it in the long run.  
5. Choose a community that is a good match for the care needs & location.  This is where a service like mine can be very helpful.  On care, you don't want to choose a place that won't be able to service the seniors care needs next year if they increase.  And if the location is convenient for family, the senior will have more visitors.
6. Try to pick a place that nurtures what is important to the senior.  Maybe daily on site religious services are the most important thing.  Or being able to bring their beloved pet.  Or possibly they really enjoy water aerobics and therefore a place with a pool would be key.
7. Visit the community as much as possible before the move to meet residents and staff as well as try the food.  This helps take away some of the fear of "I'm not going to no anyone" or "I won't be able to find anything."
8. Review the contract completely.  Be aware of what is included and what your out is should something happen.  It is also helpful to know the resident rights, and any rules.  For example if the rule is that you have to be dressed to go to breakfast and you know this before hand, it prevents mom going down to breakfast in her robe and slippers and being embarrassed.
9. Create a pro's & con's list.  Pretty self explanatory.  My dad made me write one of these outs when I was choosing which college to attend.  If you have support and help, the pro's list should outweigh the con's list.
10. Listen to the concerns and fears of the senior and address them.  Reassure them that just because they are making this choice, they are not losing control.

Have more tips, please visit my Senior Living Experts website!

What is a reverse mortgage?

Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection

Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. on CAN TV21

Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly present social neuroscientist, Dr. John T. Cacioppo, discussing the affects of prolonged social isolation which can be as harmful to one's health as smoking or obesity.

Chicago Area Illinois State Senior Spelling Bee

The Chicago Area Illinois State Senior Spelling Bee contest will be held on Wednesday, June 10, at 9:30 a.m., at the Bernard Horwich Building, 3003 W. Touhy Ave., Chicago. Winners will advance to the regional semi-finals and the state finals will be held at the Illinois State Fair on Senior Day, Monday, Aug. 17. To participate, call 773/508-1053, by May 15 to reserve your place.

The Chicago area event is sponsored by CJE SeniorLife, in partnership with the Association of Illinois Senior Centers and the Illinois Department on Aging.

Anyone 50 years of age or older is eligible to participate but space is limited.

I could not resist attaching one of Gary Larson's hilarious cartoons.

National Family Caregivers Association needs your help TODAY.

Got this email, and thought I should share it:

We really need your help TODAY.  Please be sure that all of you call your senators today and most importantly, spread the word through your list serves, emails, Facebook, Linkedin, twitters - anything you do to communicate with people.  Too often legislators say ... we just never heard from people about whatever the issue might be at the time.  This time, let our senators hear from everyone loud and clear that we want them to support long-term services and supports in healthcare reform.

In conjunction with other groups, the National Family Caregivers Association is supporting the national call-in day TODAY.   Please call your senators toll-free NOW at (866) 459-2036 and follow the voice prompts for your name and state. You will then be directed to one of your senator's offices. Once you have delivered your message to one office, ask to be connected to the office of your other Senator.

Here is a sample script you can use:

Hello. I'm a constituent, and I'm calling to ask Senator X to support including long-term services and supports in health reform. Long-term services and supports are frail seniors' primary unmet care need, and the cost of care for many families is unaffordable. Financing home and community-based services can save Medicaid dollars and improve economic growth. Please let Senator X know that I called to urge him/her to support including long-term services and supports in healthcare reform. Thank you.