Senior Living Information Blog

6 New Radio Interviews to Help You and Your Aging Parent

Dale Carter, from Transition Aging Parents has announced her fall line up of interviews wiht authors and experts in senior living and caregiving.  She will be covering an array of topics that many of our readers will find helpful including helpful resources, insights to caregiving and actionable tools and strategies.

I hope that one or all of these radio interviews will be helpful to you!
 
(Archived recordings of previous interviews can be found at: http://www.transitionagingparents.com/podcasts/)

The live show show can be found at:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dalec

October 12th:  Sources of Financial Help for Your Aging Parent

Patricia Grace, founder of AgingWithGrace.com and veteran eldercare advocate, joins Dale to discuss sources of financial help for your parent.  Don't let your parent struggle needlessly when there is untapped financial help.  Tune in.  Call-in questions are welcomed.

October 19th:  Living With Purpose in a Worn Out Body

Missy Buchanan, author, speaker and inspirational force for our older adults, joins me to share how we all can reach out to the older adults in our lives, helping them to share their life's stories and wisdom. 

October 26th: Parent residing in Assisted Living?  What's My Role as a Caregiver?

So your parent is in Assisted Living.  Do you find yourself confused about how to transition from being a full-time caregiver?  Your parent needs you now more than ever. 

Kim Linder, host of The Caregiver Hour, will share how we can best advocate and care for our parent in an assisted living environment.

Nov 2nd:  Granting Dreams for Elders:  Changing the Perception of Aging

P.K. Beville, founder of Second Wind Dreams, joins us to share her organization's wonderful work of fulfilling dreams for older adults.  "Through the fulfillment of dreams and innovative educational programs, Second Wind Dreams, an international non profit, enhances quality of life for those living in eldercare communities and changes the perception aging." Join P.K. and Dale as they discuss this very important work, and she shares some amazing stories about the people and dreams they have fulfilled.

Nov 16th: Dr. Jamie Huysman  Are You at Risk for Caregiver Compassion Fatigue?

Dr. Jamie Huysman (psychologist, psychiatric social worker, and co-founder of Leeze Gibbons Memory Foundation) joins Dale to share the warning signs and elements of compassion fatigue and care provider burnout.  He'll also explore some solutions and tools in creating your own personal self-care plan.

Nov 30th: Loren Shook and Stephen Winner.  The Silverado Story - A Memory-Care Culture Where Love is Greater than Fear.

Loren Shook, Steve Winner (co-founders of The Silverado and co-authors of this soon-to-be published book (title above) will be with us to discuss the wonderful culture and care at Silverado Assisted Living communities and their new book.

More Questions Answered About Assisted Living Communities

Today I am featuring the second part of Barbara's interview on assisted living with Laurene Hartman

Barbara Friesner – Do all assisted living communities provide for someone with dementia?

Laurene Hartman – By and large, the answer to that question is yes. Most assisted living providers do have separate neighborhoods where they care for more moderate to advanced residents with cognitive issues.   At Sunrise, we believe it’s not enough that someone with cognitive, or more severe cognitive issues is in a secure, safe setting.  We believe it’s also how they’re treated, it’s how we best manage their situations, and how we educate the families to really be able to get the most out of their love one in this very trying journey. So it’s a real, real strong presence in our community. 

BF –  And I think that’s something Sunrise does particularly well – that it’s a place where someone with cognitive issues is living and not just a place where they’re “warehoused”.  I think its important that when you’re going to look at a community,  you look at the Reminiscence area – whether you think you could possibly need it for your loved one or not.

LH – You really want an environment that will bring the individual back to life, because there are so many things that all of these people contributed to life and they enjoyed doing and you know, we want to bring those things back to life. We want to breathe life back into those families and their loved ones, and you know again, live versus exist.  

BF –  You mentioned the different levels of care.  What point would they need the higher level of care and what do the levels consist of?

LH –  The different levels go from medication management up to and including total activity of daily living assistance. We can feed that resident, brush their teeth, comb their hair,   pick their clothing – we can provide total Activities of Daily Living (ADL) care. Same thing in Reminiscence area.  We can care for most residents till end of life.  However, that’s not necessarily true for all assisted living communities so that’s extremely important to check out before your loved one checks in.

Also . . . Someone that has a true skill need would then have to go into a nursing environment and that might include someone on a ventilator, has a feeding tube, needs continuous intravenous therapy. Those are circumstances that require a skilled nurse 24-hours a day, and we in the state of New Jersey, in so far as assisted living’s go, are not licensed to care for that type of resident.

However, some of those circumstances are temporary. Someone might need a feeding tube temporarily because of a surgical procedure. They would recover, go to rehab, and return to their home at Sunrise, or whatever provider.  So again, if some of those things were permanent, they would require a skilled nursing environment.   Remember, a nursing home is a medical model, assisted living is a social model, and that’s really the definition.

BF –  Whether because of health or finances, is there a point when a resident can’t stay in an assisted living any more, and if so, then what?

LH – We do everything in our power so they don’t have to move – as I’m sure, do most communities.  If that’s not possible, the administrators, my executive director, and more often myself, we will help families find the appropriate environment. Just like when they started their journey for finding an assisted living, it has to be the right fit, and we want to give families choices. So again, I am a big part of that process with my families, I have strong relationships in the community with all of my colleagues and all of the providers since I’ve been at that community almost nine years. 

Again, it’s important to find the right community.  That means the community that will meet their needs for as long as your loved one is there and people who will find the right environment based on the needs of a particular resident should the community no longer be able to accommodate them.

Questions Answered About Assisted Living Communities

This is a reprint of an article written by Barbara E. Friesner, The Country’s Leading Generational Coach from AgeWiseLiving

Barbara is also the creator of "The Ultimate Caregivers Success System" which I have recommended to many caregivers.

In this interview Barbara interviews Laurene Hartman, is the Director of Community Relations at Sunrise Senior Living in East Brunswick, New Jersey

I wanted to share this article, because it is so in line with the questions we answer everyday.  Please enjoy and let me know your thoughts!

Barbara Friesner:  What is an assisted living community and what services does an assisted living community provide?

Laurene Hartman: Assisted living is  a worry-free lifestyle with supportive services for the residents and their families as well.  Assisted living communities provide meals,  activities and levels of care.   Services vary greatly and depend on the type of resident each community will accept.   A vast amount of services and amenities are provided based solely on the individual needs of each resident.  I most assisted living communities, residents can totally independent; they can have their vehicle, they can travel.  Families really have to do diligence before considering an environment for their loved one. Some might require one to be completely ambulatory – they might need to be able to transfer from a bed to a chair.   At Sunrise communities, residents can live in the community until the end of life because we also offer Hospice care.   It is definitely not “one-size-fits-all. It really represents the individuality of each resident.

BF:   What are the requirements for admission?

LH: It depends on the community.  For some, the requirements for admission are really basic:  no age requirement and the financial ability to private pay for two years meaning that residents moving in do have to have the resources for at least a 2-year time frame.

There again, families need to really be proactive in asking those questions as part of the process of a family visiting a community, but every assisted living has their own criteria for their financial needs. Once in, it is strictly a month-to-month rental and residents are billed monthly, and they can leave at any time with proper notice based on their reasons for departing the community.

BF:  What are some ways residents can pay?

LH: Some people have long-term care insurance which assists them with their own personal finances.  Families should also check out the Veterans Pension and Disability benefit that is an entitlement to veterans and their spouses.  (For information on the VA Special Pension with Aid and Attendance Benefit, go to http://agewiseliving.com/2009-09-24-VeteransPension.htm or the 9/24/09 newsletter on the Newsletter page on my website www.AgeWiseLiving.com.)

BF:  What are some other requirements?

LH: Once the decision is made on the community, there needs to be an assessment which is done through our health care coordinator in speaking to the family and the potential resident about all of the things that we might need to provide for that resident.

BF:  Does someone actually go to their home and do an assessment?

LH: We can go to their home, we can go to a sub-acute private discharge, it can be done in our own community; we will do whatever it takes to make it convenient for that family member and the potential resident.

BF:  Does the assessment tool assess mental and physical abilities?

LH: Yes, it includes both mental and physical abilities because again, if someone’s memory is at a certain point where there might be a wandering risk, or again, recognition of family is no longer there with that particular situation, then of course, we would know again, with that assessment tool, where that resident would best be served; where their quality of life would be best, whether its in the assisted living neighborhood of the community, or the Reminiscence  neighborhood of the community. And of course the needs of that particular resident would translate into the levels of care that we provide based on the degree and severity of their needs. Do they need total assistance? Do they need minimal assist? Do they only want assistance with a shower once a week? Things of that nature. Do they have continence issues that we need to address? Do they need to be toileted because they’re not ambulatory? So again, that tool tells us every nuisance of that resident to create that individual service plan that’s designed specifically for them.

BF:  In addition to the assessment, what else do they need to do?

LH: Then the family needs a physician’s report completed by their primary, a clean TB test, and to be free of communicable disease, (different states have different requirements so be sure to ask the community), and a resident profile that the family must provide.  The resident profile – basically a biography about the resident so that way we can create and generate a service plan based on their spiritual needs, their physical needs, how to approach them . . . all those things based on their particular circumstances.

Watch for next week’s newsletter when we will look at accommodations for those with memory impairment, different levels of care, and what happens if a resident’s situation changes and they can’t stay in the community.

If you think an Assisted Living Community is the perfect choice for your parent, I urge you not to wait for a crisis to develop.

Tomorrow we will feature part 2 of this interview!

How to Deal with a Difficult Sibling in Decision-making for an Aging Parent

It seems that every day I have a similar conversation with friends and colleagues.  “I can’t get our family on the same page about our elderly parent.  It’s like my brother came in from another planet.”  I laughed the first time I heard that statement but realize that’s exactly how I felt about my brother!

via www.transitionagingparents.com

Another great post on Dale's Blog.  Thanks for sharing so much of your personal story Dale, it helps us all!

Seniors for Living's list of helpful caregiving resources on Twitter

Thank you to Seniors for Living for compiling a helpful list of Caregiving resources that they follow on Twitter.  Thank you especially for including @seniorlivingexp we are honored to be part of such a great group of people!

You can also follow me on Facebook!

Communicating in Alzheimer's World

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Communicating in Alzheimer's World 

After repeatedly correcting my mother, telling her she just ate, and watching her get frustrated or angry, I finally realized something had to change -- this something was me. I had to change......

I love Bob's Blog, the Alzheimer's Reading room. This is one of my favorite articles because it speaks to anyone of us who has found themselves a little (.....) frustrated when trying to communicate with someone with Alzheimer's disease

If you are in that situation now, take a second and click the link at the top of this post a read his post. (And anything else on his site for that matter.) Keep up the great work Bob!

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.

Senior Living Choices Telesummit!

Dale Carter from Transition Aging Parents is putting together a 4 part informational telesummit on all kinds of senior living options.  You can learn about aging in place (staying home), CCRC's, Assisted Living (from me!!!) and nursing homes.  I encourage any and all of my readers to sign up for free and to spread the word to friends or family who may also need this information!  The link to the sign up form is at the bottom of this blog post.

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Do you have an aging parent?
Are you a caregiver of an elderly person?
Are you thinking ahead to your own later years?

You’ll want to listen in as four experts share their knowledge, experience and perspective on Senior Living options…and answer your questions!

Join Mark Hager, Jill Gilbert, Lisa Sneddon, and Eleanor Feldman Barbera for our…

*** FREE Telesummit ***

‘Choices: Senior Living Options’

Monday, November 2, 2009 8 pm Eastern
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 8 pm Eastern
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 8 pm Eastern
Thursday, November 5, 2009 8 pm Eastern

Each evening, we’ll explore one of the following:

• “Aging in Place” (11/02)
• Continuing Care Retirement Community -CCRC (11/03)
• Assisted Living (11/04)
• Nursing Home (11/05)

By the end of our Telesummit, you will walk away with a clear comparison and understanding of each Senior Living option.

These four experts will share their positive vision of aging and how we can partner with our aging parents and families in making the right decision at this point in time in our parents’ lives, as well as preparing for the future. I have chosen these experts very carefully. Join us and you will see why for yourself.

Here are just some of the questions each expert will answer:

• What is this living option? Why would someone choose this option over one of the others?
• What are the benefits and disadvantages of making this choice?
• After we make this choice, how do we find the right place?
• What’s the cost and how do we pay for it? Where can we get financial help?
• How can I best help transition my aging parent to this new type of living situation?
• How will I know when it’s time to make a change to another option?

Sign up now to get the Call-in details! The telesummit is free. You’ll receive a hand-out to make your note-taking structured and easy. Recordings of calls will be available for a fee.

Sitting outside enjoying a cup of tea...

You are never to old to twitter!  Or facebook or blog for that matter. 

Just read a wonderful article about Ivy Bean, a young (104 y.o.) lady that I happen to be following on twitter.  I have been following her for a while, so it was cool to see the article and learn more about her.

You can follow her on twitter @IvyBean104 and you can follow me @SeniorLivingExp

Here is a link to the article from CNN.

Free flowers & hugs? Yes Please!

I love this blog post on "Frugal Family Fun!".  If you are going to be frugal, why not share some free smiles & hugs.  I bet this activity was enjoyed by everyone she saw that day at their assisted living community.  But you have to see the pictures - as they tell the story best.  Free Flowers & Hugs!