Senior Living Information Blog

Alzheimer's Association Action Summit 2010

Yesterday, more than 600 advocates from around the country marched on Capitol Hill to advocate for vital Alzheimer issues. Amplify their VOICE by e-mailing your members of Congress to urge them to make the disease a national priority.

Will you help them? Write Congress now!

Tell them to pass:

The Alzheimer's Breakthrough Act of 2009 (S. 1492/H.R. 3286), authorizing $2 billion in research funding for Alzheimer's disease.

The Alzheimer's Detection, Diagnosis, Care and Planning (ADD-CAP) Act, which will provide Medicare reimbursement to increase detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

The National Alzheimer's Project Act (S. 3036/H.R. 4689) that calls for an integrated federal campaign to overcome Alzheimer's disease.

Now is the time to act. Contact your members of Congress today, then forward this message onto others concerned about Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's Association 2010 Family Forum - April 10

Please consider joining the great people at the Alzheimer's Association for a half day event for those affected by memory loss.

This great event includes a session that will update you on today's current research in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.  The second session is a presentation focused on providing caregivers with a framework for negotiating difficult circumstances in order to relive stress and maintain important relationships with those with memory loss.  The final session of the day will look at different personality types and their impact on our everyday lives.  Effective communication to compliment personality types within the family (to prevent caregiver burnout!!) will be explained and discussed.

In addition there will be Breakfast included and a resource fair going on through the day.  I have participated in this event in the past and the feed back from those who have attended is so positive.

Please consider attending if you are a caregiver of someone with the disease.

Date: Saturday April 10, 2010

Location: Harper College, Wojcik Conference Center, 1200 Algonquin Rd, Palatine IL 60047

Time: 8:00 am - 12:00 om

Registration:  To register call 847-933-2413 or visit http://www.alzheimers-illinois.org/comm_education/prog_sign_up.asp?ProgramID=425

There is a $25 registration fee and I believe it is worth every penny and more.

Alzheimer's Support Group at Weiss Hosptial

This support group is open to family, friends, and/or caregivers who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's.  Several topics will be discussed, a few are:

• Challenges of caregiving for someone who had Alzheimer's
• Care for the caregiver
• Ideas for additional support

Nancy Tuzzolino is a senior care manager and will be facility the support group.  The group will meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month from 7pm-8pm in the WISE Center at Weiss Memorial Hospital (4646 N. Marine Drive, Chicago, IL).  Please contact the WISE Center to register at 773-564-5666

This program is supported by the Alzheimer's Association Chicago Chapter. (800-272-3900)

Are You or Someone You Know Caring For an Elderly Loved One?

A few years ago, I had the chance to meet Barbara Friesner, and Elder Care Expert and Founder of AgeWiseLiving.  A while ago, she created “The Ultimate Caregiver’s Success System” which I recommend to any caregiver dealing with an aging parent. 

Just in time for the holidays, she is offering $100 off AND a free upgrade on shipping so that you can order today and get it in time for Christmas.  It’s a great gift so I thought I would share some information on it!  I had them send me this description because I know she could explain it better than I!

Did you know that more than 1/3 of elder caregivers had long term health problems because of elder caregiving?

In fact, researchers have found that there is a 63% increase in mortality over 4 years, compared with non-caregivers.  And the numbers are worse when there is also financial strain.

Did you know that almost all respondents reported that they paid one or more expenses in order to help the care recipient? (Food, transportation, and medications were their three most common expenses.) And these are just miscellaneous costs – not including loss of pay, pension, social security, etc.

Barbara Friesner, Elder Care Expert, Generational Coach, and former caregiver to her grandmother, and her mother, has helped hundreds of families with their Elder Care issues.

That’s why she created “The Ultimate Caregiver’s Success System.” And right now, Barbara is offering it at $100 off the regular price! And right now, until December 22nd, you'll also receive a free upgrade from ground to air shipping at no additional cost! To order just click on this link “The Ultimate Caregiver’s Success System”

If you’re a caregiver or care about someone who is, please don’t wait until these statistics are about you. Give yourself or someone you love the gift of love and order “The Ultimate Caregiver’s Success System” at this special sale price today and get the help you need today.

”The Ultimate Caregiver’s Success System” is an amazingly comprehensive and information-rich resource that is guaranteed to address your most difficult questions, roadblocks, and communication breakdowns that are so typical for elder caregivers.

Because no one has time and money to waste – especially caregivers –“The Ultimate Caregiver’s Success System” is a very simple step-by-step and easy to follow program.

 The System includes “The Ultimate Caregiver’s Success GUIDE” which has checklists, examples . . . all kinds of information – that makes the process easy to understand and more importantly, easy to be successful. In addition, the System includes 8 CDs –6 seminars, 1 CD of all the forms in the book, and 1 CD with Barbara's rolodex of resources, plus the 3 CD boxed set of the Expert Series. That’s The Ultimate Caregiver’s Success Guide and 11 CDs.

Money raised for the Memory Walk, where does it go?

November is still National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month so I thought I would share with you some information about where the money raised from Memory Walk goes and how it helps in the community.  I also want to take this opportunity to re-thank everyone who donated to our Memory Walk team this year and every year past.

There is still time to donate before the year is over, so if you would like to you can click here to go to our fund-raising page.  Remember your donation is tax deductible!

Where does the money go? The funds raised through Memory Walk go toward the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. Here are a few specific examples of what your donations can do:

$10 enables the Alzheimer's Association to provide a 15 minute information and referral call.

****24/7 hot-line # is 800.272.3900*****

$200 enables the Alzheimer's Association to provide a care consultant overnight to assist a caregiver in distress.

$250 enables the Alzheimer's Association to distribute language and culturally appropriate materials to a community audience.

S1,000 sponsors an Early-Stage Advisor to speak at a national or local conference so they can share their experiences with the disease and coping strategies they have adopted.

$1,500 enables the Alzheimer's Association to translate the Brain Tour – a Web site that takes visitors inside the brain to view the effects of Alzheimer’s -  into another language.

Self care while caring for aging family members

Last week I spoke with Claudine Struck a speaker and author of, How to Stay Sane When Life Isn't, series – consisting of 3 books, "Mind, Body, and Spirit."

I am going to be a guest "expert" on her radio show on the Voice America Network which will appear on their Health & Wellness channel.  The program is entitled Stay Sane Now and it can be heard each week on Thursdays 11:00-12:00 AM PST; 2:00-3:00 PM EST.  (It will be re-broadcast 12 hours later from 11-12:00PM EST; plus be available from their archives.)

Here's the link to the show http://www.modavox.com/voiceamerica/vshow.aspx?sid=1481.  Check it out, I'm sure you'll enjoy the other programming as well.  This show will provide listeners with an inspirational approach to caring for mind, body, spirit. A healthy mind, body and spirit, complete the 3 legged stool of contentment. When one falters, we stumble.  When they work collectively, we are complete.

I am going to be interviewed the first week of November but the show is set to air November 12, 2009 at 12 noon EST/9:00 am PST (11:00 Chicago time!)

After talking with Claudine, I am excited to listen to the show myself as she is going to have an expert there on respite for caregivers that sounds like something every care giver should know about!

I hope you can check it out or forward the information to a friend who may need it. 

You are not alone: Supporting Caregivers of Loved Ones with Memory Loss

The Alzheimer's Association Greater Illinois Chapter is partnering with the South Side Dementia Consortium to host a conference called You Are Not Alone: Supporting Caregivers of Loved Ones with Memory Loss.

This conference will be helped on Saturday, Sept 26 and will be held at Kennedy-King College, Media and Culinary Arts Building, 740 West 63rd Street, Chicago IL 60621.

This year they have assembled some of the most prominent leaders in the field of dementia care and research.  Anyone caring for a family member is encouraged to attend.

$10.00 per person in advance and $15.00 at the door. Lunch is provided. Limited scholarships are available

The event runs from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm.  You can register by calling 847-933-2413 or online here.

The Chicago Department on Aging has moved

As of Sept 11, 2009 the office of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services - Senior Services Division (or as I call it the department on aging..) has moved from 30 N. LaSalle to:

1615 W. Chicago Ave, 3rd Floor, Chicago IL 60622

All phone numbers have been changed and the new phone number is:

312-746-8541

Young/Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease

This morning I attended a networking event and the speakers were Melanie Chavin & Nicole Batsh from the Greater Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

The very first thing we learned was the difference between "early stage" & "early on-set".  You can be any age and be in the early stage.  It is the first stage of the disease where the short term memory issues are starting to interfere with your day to day.  Early Onset affects people under the age of 65 - including some in their 30's!, 40's or 50's. 

We heard an example this morning about a young man who was diagnosed at 36!  He has three children under the age of 15 and his wife was a stay at home mom.  He worked in construction and so he eventually lost his job.  They lost their home, they lost their car - basically anything that depended on that lost salary.  The wife is now going back to school so that she will be able to have a job that will support the family in the future.  On the plus side, the gentleman, who is now only 39 is living out his dream of being a high school coach so he is working at that job now, and enjoying every moment he can.

The following is from a handout we received from Melanie & Nicole, provided by the Alzheimer's Association:

• Many researchers believe that young-onset Alzheimer's accounts for up to 10% (!!) of Alzheimer's cases.
• Individuals who have young-onset Alzheimer's experience symptoms similar to those found in late-onset Alzheimer's.
• Individuals are often active with a career, family and social obligations and may be more physically healthy when the symptoms begin.

There are important issues that affect the person with early-onset Alzheimer's such as:

• Changes in the relationsips with family, spouse & friends
• The impact of diagnosis on career
• The impact of diagnosis on finances, for example, pay for a child's education and future health care costs
• As a result and in addition to their younger age, the person may have difficulty obtaining an accurate diagnonsis
• Many people find that they are diagnosed with a psychiatric illness initially, as many healthcare professionals may attribute the symptoms to stress, depression and other psychiatric disturbances

(Often, they don't get the information on the disease that they need or the treatment or even information on community support..)

Living with early-onset Alzheimer's:

• Financial and legal planning are key when diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer's
• Life is not over - individuals can have meaningful and productive lives by engaging in the activities and interests they enjoy
• Facility placement can be more difficult as younger onset individuals can be physically healthy and because of their young age, not fit in with other facility residents.

We had someone with early-onset living in our assisted living when I worked there - she was in her early 50's and looked great - so most people thought she was actually an employee, not a resident...

For more information and support call the Alzheimer's Association Helpline 24 x 7 at 1-800-272-3900

Alzheimer's Association Family Forums coming up!

Be sure to reserve your space for the very informative family forums that the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Illinois put on.

The first one is Saturday, June 6 at the Wentz Concert Hall in Naperville
The second one is Saturday, June 13 at the Harper College Wojcik Conference Center in Palatine.

Each half day event costs $25, with breakfast included.  Participants will receive up to date information & resources for families affected by memory loss.

To register by phone, call 847.933.2413

To register on their website go to the Alzheimer's Association Family Forums page.  Details such as times, session and round table discussions can be found on this page as well.