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Remember when your parents were lecturing you on the rules for taking the car for a spin? Dad would put his face in front of yours and say, “Are you listening?” Of course you would say “sure” even though your mind was miles away on the adventure to come.
Today, as adults, the children who received the counsel and wisdom of their parents are facing a reverse situation in their lives. They are finding themselves concerned about their aging parents and what their needs will be as their health and mental abilities fail them. In some cases the children must take the role as parent in securing the safety and well being of an elderly family member.
Julie lives 600 miles from her mother. Knowing her mothers health is frail and she lives alone, Julie calls her every evening after work. The conversation always goes like this;
“How are you doing today Mom, Julie asks?
“Everything’s fine”, Mother replies.
“Are you taking your pills?”
“Yes, everything’s fine.”
“Do you need anything?”
“Everything’s fine.”
Julie does not get much more conversation from her mother. Perhaps everything is fine, or perhaps Julie’s mother just wants Julie to think she can take care of herself. Even worse, mother could think all is fine and be forgetting her medication and not eating properly.
Is Julie really listening? ARE YOU LISTENING?
It may be time to put your face in front of your parent and listen.
Assuming that all is well and that your elderly family member knows and does what is best for them, may be putting them at risk.
Become a partner with them in their care. The best time to form the partnership is before a crisis happens.
Donna Schempp, a licensed clinical social worker and program director at the Family Caregiver Alliance, states that in talking to your parents, "The sooner, the better." If you bring up the subject before your parents need any extra support, "then it's not crisis driven," she explains. "It's not a way of saying, 'Mom, Dad, there's something wrong with you.”
A good way to begin is to sit with your parents and ask questions like, what are your concerns for the future. Do you want to remain in your home? Are you worried about losing your independence? Listen to their answers. You might relate your concerns as well, or you desire to be of help.
In become a partner in planning for care and helping your loved one, you need to know what legal and financial arrangements are in place. By asking, “What if you had a stroke, Mom, I would need to know where your medical and insurance documents are and what you would have me do in your behalf.”
The next step might be to accompany them to their doctor appointment so to understand what their medical needs are and help create a plan for future needs.
The following list of most common services family care givers will provide for their parents:
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Walking, lifting, and bathing
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Using the bathroom and with incontinence
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Providing pain management
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Preventing unsafe behavior and preventing wandering
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Providing comfort and assurance or arranging for professional counseling
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Feeding
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Answering the phone
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Making arrangements for therapy, meeting medical needs, and doctors' appointments
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Providing meals
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Maintaining the household
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Shopping and running errands
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Providing transportation
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Administering medications
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Managing money and paying bills
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Doing the laundry
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Attending to personal hygiene and personal grooming
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Writing letters or notes
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Making repairs to the home, maintaining a yard
There are many resources available to help with the care of an aging parent or family member. As you become involved you will know when it is time to bring in professional services to help or when the need to find new living arrangements is necessary.
Beginning now to talk, listen and plan together can make the journey more pleasant for everyone involved.
SOURCE: National Care Planning Council
http://www.longtermcarelink.net/
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If you have or someone you know has recently been admitted to a hospital, chances are that they were not seen by their primary care physician in the hospital. As a result, many patients ask questions such as:
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Where is my doctor?
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Why isn't my doctor here to oversee my healthcare while I'm in the hospital?
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How does my primary care physician know that I am in the hospital?
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Is my own doctor going to be updated about my care?
So, why isn't your primary care physician overseeing your care while hospitalized?
The reason is a relatively new trend in the care of hospitalized patients. Hospitalist is the term used for doctors who are specialized in the care of patients in the hospital. This movement was initiated about a decade ago and has evolved due to many factors. These factors include:
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convenience,
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efficiency,
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financial strains on primary care doctors,
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patient safety,
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cost-effectiveness for hospitals, and
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need for more specialized and coordinated care for hospitalized patients.
Most hospitalists are board-certified internists (internal medicine physicians) who have undergone the same training as other internal medicine doctors including medical school, residency training, and board certification examination. The only difference is that hospitalists have chosen not to practice traditional internal medicine due to personal preferences. Some hospitalist physicians are family practice doctors or medical subspecialists who have opted to do hospitalist work such as, intensive care doctors, lung doctors (pulmonologists), or kidney doctors (nephrologists).
There are many advantages of hospitalists in the care hospitalized patients. One advantage is that hospitalists' have more expertise in caring for complicated hospitalized patients on a daily basis. They are also more available most of the day in the hospital to meet with family members, able to follow-up on tests, answer nurses' questions, and simply to deal with problems that may arise. In many instances, hospitalists' may see a patient more than once a day to assure that care is going according to plan, and to explain test findings to patients and family members.
Hospitalists also coordinate the care of patients' in hospital and are "captain of the ship." They are the physicians that organize the communication between different doctors caring for a patient, and serve as the point of contact for other doctors and nurses for questions, updates, and delineating a comprehensive plan of care. They are also the main physician for family members to contact for updates on a loved one.
Similarly, because hospitalists are in the hospital most of the time, they are able to track test results and order necessary follow-up tests promptly. This is in contrast to the traditional setting where your primary doctor may come to the hospital the next day to follow-up the results and take the next necessary step at that time.
Since the hospitalist's "office" is the hospital, and they are also more familiar with the hospital's policies and activities. Many hospitalists are involved in various hospital committees, and assist in improving important areas such as patient safety, medical error reduction, effective communication between physicians and staff, and cost effective patient care.
The main disadvantage of having a hospitalist take care of you in the hospital is that, they may not know your detailed medical history as well as your primary doctor. Another problem is that your primary care doctor may not have access to the details of your hospitalization care (tests, procedures, results, medications, medical plan of action, etc.). These problems have been dealt with to a degree by communication between the primary care doctor and the hospitalist, which usually, and ideally, takes place at least twice during a hospitalization, once upon admission and again prior to discharge from the hospital.
So next time you or someone you know are admitted to the hospital, do not get offended that your primary care doctor will not be caring for you in the hospital. Rest assured that the hospitalist doctor rendering the care has the qualification to provide you optimal care during your hospital stay.
Medical Author: Siamak Nabili, MD, MPH
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
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Healthy Aging: Fact Sheet
For most older adults, good health ensures independence, security, and productivity as they age. Yet millions struggle every day with health challenges such as chronic disease, falls, and mental health issues—all of which can severely impact quality of life.
Chronic Disease
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Approximately 91% of older adults have at least one chronic disease, and 73% have at least two. Four chronic diseases—heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes—cause almost two-thirds of all deaths each year.
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Chronic diseases account for 75% of the money our nation spends on health care, yet only 1% of health dollars are spent on public efforts to improve overall health. By 2011, the cost of chronic disease is estimated to be $2.8 trillion—an average of $9,216 per person. (National Governors Association)
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Diabetes affects 12.2 million Americans aged 60+, or 23% of the older population. An additional 57 million Americans aged 20+ have pre-diabetes, which increases a person’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. In a 2007 CDC Prevention Program for people at high risk for developing diabetes, lifestyle intervention reduced risk by 71% among those aged 60+.
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90% of Americans aged 55+ are at risk for hypertension, or high blood pressure. Women are more likely than men to develop this chronic condition, with half of women aged 60+ and 77% of women aged 75+ having this condition. Hypertension affects 64% of men aged 75+.
Falls
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Every 15 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall; every 29 minutes, an older adult dies following a fall.
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Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of fractures, hospital admissions for trauma, and injury deaths. Falls are the most common cause of older adult traumatic brain injuries, accounting for over 46% of fatal falls.
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In 2000, the total direct cost of all fall injuries for people aged 65+ exceeded $19 billion, or $28.2 billion in 2010 dollars. This financial toll is expected to increase as the population ages and may reach $54.9 billion by 2020 (adjusted to 2007 dollars).
Mental Health & Substance Abuse
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One in four older adults experiences some mental disorder including depression, anxiety disorders, and dementia. This number is expected to double to 15 million by 2030.
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Depression affects 7 million older Americans, and many do not receive treatment.
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The number of older adults with substance abuse problems is expected to double to 5 million by 2020.
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Two-thirds of older adults with mental health problems do not receive the treatment they need. Current preventative services for this population are extremely limited.
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Untreated substance abuse and mental health problems among older adults are associated with poor health outcomes, higher health care utilization, increased complexity of the course and prognosis of many illnesses, increased disability and impairment, compromised quality of life, increased caregiver stress, increased mortality, and higher risk of suicide.
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People aged 85+ have the highest suicide rate of any age group. Older white men have a suicide rate almost six times that of the general population.
FOR MORE INFORMATION – CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD!
SOURCE: National Council on Aging
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How a positive attitude really can make a difference
Source: http://www.aarp.org
A good mood not only influences how you feel today, it can have a powerful impact on your health for years to come.
Scientists urge us to be as attentive to our moods and attitudes as we are to our physical health. Two recent studies underscore the importance of that advice.
"Happiness is no magic bullet, but the evidence is clear and compelling that it changes your odds of getting disease or dying young."
Eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep help keep you healthy, but how do you develop a positive attitude?
Here are six mood boosters to make the world look rosier. Add them to your life, and odds are you'll feel both happier and healthier. If you rarely walk on the sunny side of the street, now's the time to cross over.
1. Adopt and Animal Companion
Pets provide more than companionship and a warm welcome home. They lend a willing and helpful ear — even if they have fins or feathers instead of fur.
Many pet owners confide in a pet because pets don't judge, condemn or talk back. Studies have found that dog owners are often as emotionally close to their pets as to their closest family members.
2. Turn up the Music
Even before we're born, we can hear music, and it holds us in its power throughout life.
Soothing, melodic music blunts stress and provides comfort. Bright, upbeat tunes set toes tapping and boost flagging energy. Relaxing music serves as an easy and safe way to improve sleep. Music helps keep both mind and body health and resilient, and it activates specific brain regions involved in emotion and memory.
3. Have a Good Laugh
Laughter prompts physical changes that help the immune and endocrine systems function better.
There's even more. Scientists know that stress has a negative effect on the heart and causes blood vessels to narrow.
4. Get Back to Nature
Head for the great outdoors to boost your mood and your self-esteem. Researchers at the University of Essex in England found that people who participated in outdoor activities were significantly less angry, depressed and tense.
5. Help Yourself by Helping Others
Volunteers who devote time to community organizations or who informally help out friends, relatives and neighbors report greater happiness and better health than those who don't.
6. Try Tai Chi
The gentle movements of tai chi reduce anxiety and depression, improve sleep quality, lower blood pressure and relieve chronic pain. These low-impact, slow-motion exercises encourage you to focus on your breathing and your body and allow you to concentrate fully on the present.
Be well, Be Happy, Be Healthy!
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE: http://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-05-2011/6-ways-to-feel-happier-be-healthier.7.html
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Debbie turned the ringing alarm off. It was 6:00AM and time to get herself ready for the day. Her son would be there soon to help her shower and dress her husband Jim. Her son came every day before work to help because Debbie, at 75 years old and suffering with arthritis, could not lift Jim out of bed or help him to the shower. This has been the daily routine since Jim’s stroke a year ago. When her son leaves for work, Debbie spends the day caring for Jim’s needs.
President Barack Obama, in his Presidential Proclamation of National Family Caregivers Month -2011 states:
“Across our country, millions of family members, neighbors, and friends provide care and support for their loved ones during times of need. With profound compassion and selflessness, these caregivers sustain American men, women, and children at their most vulnerable moments, and through their devoted acts, they exemplify the best of the American spirit.”
Statistics from the Administration On Aging show that the population 65 and older is expected to grow from its current 13% to 19% of the total population by 2030. With the older population increasing, the need for elder caregiving will continue to increase. Family caregivers play a vital role in filling these caregiving needs. Who better than family can understand the needs and ensure the best care of their loved ones.
Caregiving can be very stressful and demanding. In the case of a healthy spouse or a child living with the disabled person at home, caregiving can be a 24 hour, 7 day a week commitment. But even for the caregiver not living in the home, looking after a loved one or friend can consume all of the caregiver's free time.
Surveys and studies consistently show that depression is a major problem with full-time informal caregivers. This is typically brought on by stress and fatigue as well as social isolation from family and friends. If allowed to go on too long, the caregiver can sometimes break down and may end up needing long term care as well.
A typical pattern may unfold as follows:
1 to 18 months--the caregiver is confident, has everything under control and is coping well. Other friends and family are lending support.
20 to 36 months--the caregiver is taking medication to sleep and control mood swings. Outside help dwindles away and except for trips to the store or doctor, the caregiver has severed most social contacts. The caregiver feels alone and helpless.
38 to 50 months--Besides needing tranquilizers or antidepressants, the caregiver's physical health is beginning to deteriorate. Lack of focus and sheer fatigue cloud judgment and the caregiver is often unable to make rational decisions or ask for help. It is often at this stage that family or friends intercede and find other solutions for care. This may include respite care, hiring home health aides or putting the disabled care recipient in a facility. Without intervention, the family caregiver may become a candidate for long term care as well.
Since most family members go into informal caregiving without training or counseling, they often aren't aware of the possible outcome described above. It is therefore extremely important to seek counseling and to formulate a plan of action prior to making a caregiving commitment.
According to the National Care Planning Council:
" In 1965, Congress passed the Older Americans Act which provides guidance and funding to the States to give help to caregivers. All states offer programs at no cost or very low cost which might include: counseling, caregiver training, respite care, adult day care, meals, support groups and much, much more. It is vital for the health and longevity of all caregivers to make use of these services." (www.longtermcarelink.net)
In 1994 President Clinton proclaimed a week in November as National Family Caregivers week to be observed with appropriate programs and activities. It has since been changed to the whole month of November with each President giving a yearly proclamation for its observance.
Government assistance is available all over the country. Area Agencies on Aging and local senior centers give aid and support to family caregivers. Numerous religious and community organizations also lend their support.
This month of November 2011, as individuals, we can take note of those around us, in our families and community, who are family caregivers. A note of acknowledgement of their service, a gift of thanks or even an offering of our time to give them a needed break would let them know their service is recognized and appreciated.
SOURCE: National Care Planning Council
http://www.longtermcarelink.net/a13information_article.htm
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Recent studies have shown that 78% of patients leaving a hospital ER are confused about their diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care and 20% of all inpatients experience an adverse event following discharge.
When individuals are discharged from the hospital or skilled nursing facility to return home, they often have little or no knowledge about the medications they have been prescribed, how to obtain their medications, and do not schedule a follow-up visit with their primary care doctor even when recommended by the hospital. Research shows that without proper discharge planning and follow-up, many former patients find themselves readmitted to the hospital within 30 days.
And as a result of the recently-passed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, starting in October 2012, Medicare will penalize hospitals whose readmission rates within a 30-day period are higher than expected, therefore, hospitals will have even more financial incentive to help transition patients home and keep them there.
“ ‘Care transitions’ refers to the movement patients make between healthcare practitioners and settings as their condition and care needs change during the course of a chronic or acute illness.” ~ Eric A. Coleman, MD, MPH
In his studies of care transitions, or handoffs, Dr. Coleman noted three factors that frequently cause problems. First, the patient is not prepared for the self-care role. Second, medication reconciliation across the continuum of care is inadequate. And third, health care providers do not tell patients whom to contact with questions or concerns.
Dr. Eric Coleman and The Care Transitions Program® have developed a strategy for improving care transitions and the intervention focuses on four conceptual areas, referred to as The Four Pillars®:
1. Medication self-management: The goal is for the patient and his or her care-partnering team to be knowledgeable about and comfortable with the medications. Including dose, time for administration, potential side effects to be aware of, and additionally, it is critical that there be a system in place for accurate administration of the medications. Automated Medication Dispensers similar to those offered by Lifestyle Health Systems can be critical in ensuring patients adhere to a prescribed regimen.
2. Dynamic patient centered records: Everyone should understand and manage
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This article is worth sharing.
When your aging parent needs help, it’s often up to you. Here are 24 tips on how to make it work.
By MSN Money staff
Some parents may not feel comfortable divulging financial information, even to their children. It’s not important that the whole family know the details of their finances. What is important is that your parents, as they age, gather the information, are prepared for the possibility of incapacity and consider how to pay for long-term care if necessary.
To begin, start with the paperwork:
• Attitude is everything. If you try to boss your parents around, they might reject any help from you at all. Failing to act, however, can have serious consequences, both financially and health-wise. (See “3 steps to help parents grow old gracefully.”)
• Find out where they keep important papers, including a will, powers of attorney, safe-deposit-box information, birth and marriage certificates, dissolution certificates, Social Security and military service records, and insurance policies. (See “9 vital money questions for Mom and Dad.”)
• Make lists of pensions and investments, property and financial advisers.
Can they stay at home? Your parents could live independently just fine for a while. For extra peace of mind:
• Find out if they’re paying the bills. If not, sign them up for online or automatic bill pay. That way, you can also sign in to make payments. You have other options, but consult an attorney before taking more drastic steps, such as joint bank accounts, a living trust, financial power of attorney or guardianship.
• Make sure they fill their prescriptions. Look into state or drug makers’ programs to help reduce the cost. Consider |
