Elder Care Blog by Elder Options of Texas.

Recognizing Depression in Elderly Loved Ones Over the Holidays

2009-12-17T05:45:00.001-08:00

Source: www.associatedcontent.com

For most of us, the holiday season is festive and merry. But for some older people, it represents a time of sadness. The holidays may be a reminder of a past when they did not feel so alone, of a time of better physical health, or of all that they have lost. The holidays may have triggered depression, or it may be a long-standing depression that you haven't been around your loved ones enough to notice during the year.

When visiting elderly loved ones this holiday season, be conscious of the triggers and signs of depression. The longer people live, the more people they see die. It is normal to grieve when a spouse, friend, pet or loved one dies, but a prolonged period where all joy appears lost may indicate depression. Other triggers are feeling a loss of purpose after retirement or physical health problems that affect quality of life, perhaps no longer allowing them to live independently. Even some medications can prompt depression.

Signs to Look For:

* Changes in personal hygiene or grooming, less of an interest in how they present themselves
* Death as a primary topic of conversation
* A cluttered or unkempt home
* Isolation/Withdrawal
* Less interest shown in activities they used to enjoy, including the holiday festivities
* Major changes in physical health
* Reduced appetite
* Mood swings
* Lethargy
* Increased alcohol usage
* Anxiety
* Irritability
* Hopelessness
*Difficulties with sleep

When depression lasts more than a couple of weeks, counseling and possibly medication should be considered. Make sure treatment isn't stopped prematurely. Medication compliance with the elderly can be particularly difficult. Emphasize the need to take anti-depressant medications as prescribed and to persevere; it may take anywhere from several weeks to several months before there is significant improvement. Seek help immediately, if there is a threat of suicide; the risk is higher for the elderly.

For additional information visit Older Adults: Depression and Suicide Facts (Fact Sheet)

Family Caregiver Mediation

2009-10-19T07:44:00.000-07:00

By Karen L. Rice, M.A., LNHA
Gerontologist, Negotiator, Mediator

Caregiving is a rapidly increasing role for families, but it has been a popular topic of research for years. A critical role found in families does pertain to care and nurturance.

The primary caregiver role generally falls first on the spouse, then an adult child, usually the daughter. Love, devotion and loyalty are frequent reasons given by primary caregivers for taking on the responsibility of care. Yet, studies have shown that a greater amount of strain results when the caregiver-recipient bond is strong indicating need for research on family discourse.

Common themes found in the caregiving literature are stress, burden, and most recently, conflict. Family relationships can provoke conflict; even more so in caregiving because family structures are so radically altered by the caregiver role. In the case of caring for Alzheimer's patients, it's the demand involved in round-the-clock caregiving which challenges the system and the response. Ultimately, the family's functioning; its physical, emotional, social, and monetary resources are challenged by care giving.

As noted in literature on caregiver mediation written by The Center for Social Gerontology in Ann Arbor, Michigan, "demographics illustrate the need for effective solutions for addressing and resolving problems that arise in caregiver situations. According to a recent report by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, nearly one in four families in the U.S. are involved in caring for a friend or relative age 50 or older. Of these 22.4 million families, 41% are also caring for children under 18; almost one-third of the families provide care to two or more relatives or friends, and 64% of the caregivers are employed and trying to balance caregiving with work.

Pressures faced by caregivers easily erupt into disputes with the elder who requires the care or with other family members whom the caregiver may feel are not carrying their fair share of duties or who may disagree with the things the caregiver is doing, including how the elders' money is being managed or spent. TCSG states, "in our extensive work on these issues, we have seen repeatedly that the pressures and demands of long term caregiving can, and all too frequently does result in two reactions.

First, family disputes and conflicts get worse over time with the frail elder person who needs long term care being placed in the middle of the dispute. Second, petitions are filed, often inappropriately, to place the elder under guardianship, usually in the false hope that such court- ordered intervention will enable decisions to be made which will solve what are, in reality, family caregiver disputes; and with guardianship often being used to place the elder in a long term care facility, with the resultant loss of home, autonomy and dignity.

There is little doubt that caregiving is associated with increased family conflict and with heightened concerns and anxieties about neglecting other family members. In a report by Toseland others , "the "paucity" of family interventions to address these conflicts and anxieties is noted. Toseland et al go on to say that when family members are willing to participate, family counseling can be effective in addressing these issues." TCSG's literature notes that a largely unexplored alternative to counseling or therapy is mediation.

The Center for Social Gerontology was awarded a federal grant from the Administration on Aging (AoA) and a state grant from the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) for a local and national multi-state family caregiver mediation demonstration project which was implemented last year. Susan Butterwick serves as Directing Attorney for the Caregiver Mediation Project. She states that mediation is not therapy or counseling. It is a one-time intervention to help resolve conflict and facilitate important decision-making in families about the care of an elder person, and it may be the most effective way of solving the dispute that is causing so much concern to the family members at the moment.

Mediation provides a unique tool in such cases for elders, families and caregivers to move beyond impasse into positive decision-making that meets the needs of all parties, while, in many cases, avoiding costly and unnecessary long term care services. Family caregiving mediation, like general mediation, provides a cooperative, non- adversarial setting for families to discuss their concerns in privacy and with confidentiality. The mediator serves as a neutral facilitator who has no connection to the case or situation The mediator does not decide the outcome or determine who is right or wrong; and there is no force on the disputing parties to reach agreement – it is a consensual process in which all parties must agree in order to have an agreement. The mediator listens to the concerns of all the parties and their ideas on how the matter might be resolved, facilitates the conversation, and helps the parties develop and agree upon a workable solution themselves.

Under TCSG's demonstration project, the mediators have undergone additional specialized training in elderly, family, caregiver, and guardianship issues. Butterwick strongly recommends that mediators who work with this population take additional training in order to better understand the issues a mediator encounters when working with families, caregivers and frail elderly persons. Butterwick says the TCSG three-year demonstration project is now in its second year. To date, several families have been assisted in resolving difficult disputes and have reached decisions in mediation concerning family visitation, living arrangements, home repairs, financial arrangements, caregiver respite, and medical decision-making, care, and guardianship issues.

Author Karen Rice is a gerontologist, mediator and licensed nursing home administrator in private practice in dementia care services: alzheimerfamilycaremanagement.com

Alzheimer's Impact on Texas – 2009

2009-10-11T13:40:00.001-07:00

Alzheimer's Impact on Texas – 2009
Source: National Alzheimer's Association, 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures

Texas ranks 3rd among the 50 states (behind California and Florida) in the number of estimated Alzheimer’s cases. By 2010, 340,00 Texans and their families will be affected -- a 20 percent increase from 2000. The number of AD cases in Texas is expected to reach about 470,000 by 2025.

In 2007, 183,562 Texans spent some time in a nursing home. Seventy-seven percent had some form of dementia, with 45 percent having severe cognitive impairment.

The number of deaths attributable to Alzheimer's disease in Texas was 4,629 deaths in 2005; however, a number of studies have documented substantial under-reporting of Alzheimer's disease on death certificates as an underlying or contributing cause of death.

Impact on Caregivers

In Texas, about 760,500 caregivers annually provide 656.5 million hours of uncompensated care valued at $7.2 billion -- ranking Texas 2nd in the nation, behind California, in uncompensated care costs related to Alzheimer's disease.

Cost to the State of Texas

Based on Texas’ share of the population, Texas businesses must absorb $4.5 billion in costs linked to health coverage for Alzheimer’s patients and lost productivity in the workplace.

Latest Alzheimer's Statistics -- U.S. (2009)

2009-10-08T15:07:00.002-07:00

Latest Alzheimer's Statistics -- U.S. (2009)

Source: Texas Alzheimer's Research Consortium

About 5.3 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, according to the national Alzheimer's Association (2009). This includes 5.1 million people age 65 and older and 200,000 individuals under age 65 with early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

One out of eight people age 65 and older (13 percent) has Alzheimer’s disease. Women, who on average live longer than men, are more likely than men to have Alzheimer’s disease.

Age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer’s. A small percentage of Alzheimer cases is caused by rare, genetic variations found in a few hundred families worldwide. Alzheimer's is the most frequent cause of dementia, accounting for 70 percent of all cases of dementia in Americans aged 71 and older.

According to the latest (2009) projections released by the national Alzheimer's Association:

By 2030, all baby boomers will be at least 65 years old. That year, the number of people aged 65 and older with Alzheimer's is expected to reach 7.7 million, more than a 50 percent increase from the 5.1 million age 65 order older currently (2009) affected.

By 2050, that number is expected to reach between 11 and 16 million unless medical breakthroughs identify ways to prevent or more effectively treat the disease.

Alzheimer’s Impact on Caregivers

Almost 10 million Americans provide uncompensated care for a person with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia. In Texas, an estimated 760,500 caregivers annually provide 656.5 million hours of uncompensated care valued at $7.2 billion.

Many caregivers experience high levels of stress and negative effects on their health, employment, income and financial security.

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death (across all ages) in the United States and the fifth leading cause of death for those age 65 and older (2006).

Mortality

Deaths from Alzheimer’s disease increased nationwide by 47.1 percent (2000-2006). In contrast, other leading causes of death declined in this period: heart disease deaths, down 11.5 percent; breast cancer deaths, down 0.6 percent; deaths from prostate cancer, down 14.3 percent; and deaths from stroke, down 18.1 percent.

Deaths caused by Alzheimer’s may be under-reported because persons with the disease usually have one or more serious co-existing conditions, such as heart disease or stroke, which end up being cited on death certificates.

Cost of Alzheimer’s Disease

Direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer’s and other dementias amount to more than $148 billion annually.

In 2005, Medicare spent $91 billion on beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s and other dementias and that number is projected to more than double to $189 billion by 2015.

Almost 10 million Americans are caring for a person with Alzheimer’s or another dementia; approximately one out of three of these caregivers is age 60 or older.

More than half of the 50 states provide more than a billion dollars in unpaid care to AD patients each year. States ranking highest in uncompensated AD care provided by caretakers are: California ($10.6 billion), Texas ($7.2 billion), and Florida ($5.4 billion).

Home for the Holidays - Noticing Changes in Your Family Members

2009-10-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

Home for the Holidays - Noticing Changes in Your Family Members

Source: www.extension.org

During the holiday season, many people will visit their aging parents, sometimes seeing them for the first time in several months or longer. They may begin to notice that their parents are experiencing the changes that often come with aging.

Holiday visits with aging parents provide a good opportunity for adult children to evaluate and observe how their parents are doing. It's an ideal time to talk to them about their health and to find out their wishes for when they need assistance or can’t care for themselves. Don’t wait for a crisis, such as a stroke or a fall, to begin these conversations or to begin providing assistance.

Warning Signs That Help May Be Needed

According to CareGuide.com, the following "warning" signs may help you know if and when a parent may need assistance:

Is your parent unsteady while standing or bruised from a fall? Falls are common among older adults. It is estimated that one-third of older adults living at home experience a fall each year. Those who fear falling often restrict their activities, which can lead to weakness and make them even more likely to fall.
Does your parent look thinner. Do you notice poor eating habits? Does he have trouble complying with a special diet? Many older adults experience poor nutrition and weight loss. Significant weight loss can be dangerous to overall health and is often caused by health conditions, depression, dementia, medications, alcohol use, or limited finances.
Does your parent feel depressed? Changes in physical health and level of independence may lead to less social activity, anger, and depression. Although as many as 25 percent of older adults may suffer from depression, many physicians fail to diagnose it because the symptoms are often similar to other medial conditions.
Does your parent have trouble getting out of the house? Is he no longer driving? For many older adults, no longer driving can mean a loss of independence, making them feel isolated and less connected to the outside world.
Does your parent have difficulty remembering a major event? Difficulty with memory can be attributed to a number of things. Cognitive impairment, such as dementia, can result in confusion, wandering, and aggression. It is important to have a physician evaluate the person’s cognitive capabilities.
Does your parent have difficulty keeping track of medications? Older adults face serious health risks if they do not take medications appropriately. They may forget doses, take the same dose twice, or take duplicate medications without realizing they are the same.
Is your parent’s house disorganized. Are chores undone or bills unpaid? Everyday household maintenance can be overwhelming for some older adults with decreased strength and stamina. They may need help to manage everyday activities.
Are there potential hazards in your parent’s home, such as extension cords or basement stairs? Hazards in the home include thick carpets, dim lighting, impaired vision, and overmedication.
Is your parent having difficulty making it to appointments and running errands, such as picking up prescriptions and groceries. This puts them at risk of not getting their everyday needs met.
Has someone close to your parent recently become ill or passed away? It’s common for older adults to depend on someone else, such as a spouse or neighbor. When that person becomes unable to continue providing assistance, the older person’s needs become more apparent to everyone involved.

If any of these warning signs apply to your parent, you should begin to gather certain information for planning for their care. Find out what medical conditions your parent has. Learn what income and assets he has to pay for care and elder services? Find out what plans have been made to address long-term care needs, and find out his personal preferences. And think about your own capability for caregiving. If you are the primary caregiver, how much time, energy, and money do you have to contribute to your parent’s needs?

Thinking About Getting Help

The most important first step is talking to your parent about getting help. Issues related to aging are not easy to discuss. Many older adults are reluctant to talk about their declining health, limited physical functioning, and increased dependence on others. Adult children may be uncomfortable facing their parents’ mortality and taking on new responsibilities.

Suggestions for beginning the discussion:

It’s never too soon to begin planning while your parent can participate in making decisions.
Ask open-ended questions. Phrase your concerns as questions to allow your parent to express his concerns and preferences. Learn about the plans he has already made.
Set an agenda for the discussion. Establish several issues that need to be talked about, such as finances, housing, health care, household chores, etc.
Don’t avoid negative issues. It won’t benefit anyone to gloss over the issues of financial resources or a worsening medical condition.
Be supportive. Remind your parent that your gn’t made in the first discussion.
Seek guidance or an outside opinion. Consult with a doctor, accountant, lawyer, clergy, or other adviser before taking any medical, financial, or legal steps.
- Goal is for him to get the best care possible, and that you want to honor his preferences.
- Accept your parent's feelings and preferences and make a sincere attempt to address them.
- Be patient. Don't be disappointed if decisions aren’t made in the first discussion. Seek guidance or an outside opinion. Consult with a doctor, accountant, lawyer, clergy, or other adviser before taking any medical, financial, or legal steps.

2009-09-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

Help Your Favorite Senior Fight
Alzheimer’s in
Thanksgiving Contest:

Win $2,500 Brain
Fitness System

Sponsored by Dakim Inc. and Alzheimer’s Weekly for Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

SANTA MONICA, CA– If the favorite senior in your life is beginning to worry about memory loss and dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease, the ‘Give Thanks for Loved Ones’ Brain Health Contest sponsored by Dakim Inc. and AlzheimersWeekly.com offers a chance to allay those fears.

To coincide with both Thanksgiving and Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, five individuals 65 or older will be selected to receive a $2,500 Dakim BrainFitness System free of charge including a year’s worth of activity updates. Entry deadline is November 5, 2009.

Just download the entry form at www.dakim.com or www.AlzheimersWeekly.com and write an essay of up to 500 words telling why your nominee deserves a proactive strategy to defend himself or herself against the ravages of brain aging. How will Dakim BrainFitness help your parent or loved one? How will it help you be a better caregiver? What specific problems are prompting you to seek brain training for your father, mother, wife, husband, sister, brother or other family member or friend?

Dakim BrainFitness systems will be awarded to the five nominees with the most compelling reasons to adopt a dementia-fighting routine. Select entries will also be posted on a special Dakim forum on AlzheimersWeekly.com to enhance the support that the website provides to families confronting dementia.

Dakim BrainFitness is the first product designed specifically to help seniors preserve their brain health and the most widely adopted product of its kind in senior living communities across the country. Each laptop-sized Dakim unit comes pre-loaded with entertaining multimedia brain games with the look and feel of a TV game show. Answers are given simply by touching the screen, with no keyboard or mouse required.

The system offers different activities designed for users ranging from normal brain function to moderate dementia. It also self-adjusts in real time based on user performance, increasing or decreasing difficulty levels within a given exercise. Activities are played in 20-minute sessions and automatically updated online every few days.

The Dakim approach is based on 20 years of medical research demonstrating that consistent, long-term cognitive stimulation can help fight the threat of dementia.

Essays and entry forms can be submitted online at www.dakim.com/thanksgivingcontest or mailed to ‘Give Thanks for Loved Ones Contest’ c/o Dakim Inc., 2121 Cloverfield Blvd., Suite 205, Santa Monica, CA 90404. Entry forms and contest rules are available at www.dakim.com and www.AlzheimersWeekly.com.

About Dakim, Inc.

Dakim Inc. is the leading provider of brain fitness programs that provide rigorous cognitive stimulation to help seniors reduce their risk of memory loss and dementia. The Dakim BrainFitness System is a touch screen-based mental stimulation system that offers a constantly changing series of challenging but entertaining multimedia activities to help seniors preserve brain function. Home users can use it to combat a decline in brain function; institutions and home caregivers can use it to provide effective mental stimulation while reducing the cost of resident care. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA. For more information, visit www.dakim.com.

About Alzheimer’s Weekly

Alzheimer’s Weekly is dedicated to providing information and services for the community of people affected by dementias such as Alzheimer’s. Every week the site highlights the latest in prevention, treatment, research and caregiving news. It also offers a nurse Q&A forum, online support groups and discussions. For more information, visit www.AlzheimersWeekly.com.

Alzheimer's Facts and Figures

2009-09-30T05:28:00.000-07:00

Source: Alzheimer's Association

As many as 5.3 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer's and dementia triple healthcare costs for Americans age 65 and older. Every 70 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer's is the seventh-leading cause of death. The direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer's and other dementia's to Medicare, Medicaid and businesses amount to more than $148 billion each year.

National Memory Screening Day: November 17, 2009. This annual event is held each November. Qualified healthcare professionals at community venues nationwide offer free, confidential memory screenings, education about memory screenings and successful aging, and follow-up resources.

New report:
2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures

Being a Long Distance Caregiver

2008-06-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

The aging of the population is one of the most important demographic trends affecting the United States. The population aged 60 years old and older is growing more rapidly than any other population group.

If you're a baby boomer, like myself, who is still working ask yourself this…what would you do if you received a phone call and learned that one or both of your parents' health or personal care needs have changed? As much as we would like, it's not always easy to get time off from work to fly or drive to where they are to help out. (By the way, the definition of a long distance caregiver is one that provides care for an elder who lives at least an hour away.)

My husband and I have both addressed health situations with our parents throughout the past year. My mother's situation was long-term and my husband's mother's situation was short-term. Non medical in-home care was needed to fill in when I could not be there during my mother's ordeal. My husband, on the other hand, was able to stay at his mother's home and continue to work while she recovered from her knee injury.

Years ago families often lived within the same community and were available to help one another out. If that wasn't possible then the only other option was moving them in with family or to a nursing home. Well, thankfully times have changed, as the emphasis today is to remain in one's home for as long as possible. It's referred to as "Aging in Place" made very possible because of the many home care and support services available for families tap in to.

That is why I love my business. I created, run and manage the Elder Options of Texas Web site (www.elderoptionsoftexas.com), which is an online directory for locating Texas senior housing options, caregiver resources, home care providers, elder care services and so much more. My goal was, and still is, to help families learn about many options available and to then be able to make direct contact with the elder care and home providers.

Yes, I specialize only in Texas but like the rest of the nation, Texans are growing older too. In fact, the older adult population will grow more rapidly as Texas Boomer's reach age 60 and older. In 2000, the 85 plus population group totals to more than 237,000. By 2040, they are projected to reach over 831,000, which is a 249.4 percent increase. (Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services).

But here is the BIG QUESTION...How do you know what to search for in the first place if you don't understand what is out there and available?

I would love to receive feedback from anyone who has (or currently is) experiencing a long distance caregiver situation and how they went about finding the services and information they needed.

Cheryl Culbertson, Owner/Founder
Elder Options of Texas
www.elderoptionsoftexas.com
Email: info@elderoptionsoftexas.com

Diabetic Seniors Blog

2009-09-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

Visit the Diabetic Seniors Blog

Caregivers Checklist When Time to Relocate

2009-09-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

Caregivers Checklist When Time to Relocate

By KAYE - Source: www.sandwichinkrealestateinfo.com

What if one of your loved ones has to head for the hospital unexpectedly? Or an aging parent not-so-unexpectedly needs to move in? While none of us knows what the future will bring, it is important for us to look at the signs of the season and factor those into our plans as many of these changes can lead to a necessary move. Heres a helpful checklist to help winnow out the inappropriate properties as we go out apartment or house hunting in the area we are preparing to relocate to.

Some of the things to think about and plan around include:

1. Easily accessible bathrooms - downstairs and near an aging parents bedroom. Even if they are not yet living with you, if the possibility exists, this is definitely something to look for.

2. Safe Stairs - even if your aging parent can currently navigate them, down the road it may become more of an issue. Even if you live in an area where single story homes are hard to come by, you still need to think about depth and width of stairs. A good friend of mine bought the most adorable older house. Well kept up and selling for a great price, they were thrilled to get it. They still love it, but have since realized the stairs are older and much more narrow than todays stairs making it much easier to trip on them. Young and agile, theyve still taken a couple of tumbles. Their older parents have not fallen, but avoid them as much as possible. Also, make sure the stairs have hand railings that go all the way up. Ive found several houses recently where the railings only go part way making them a bit more dangerous.

3. Wheelchair-friendly halls, doorways, and bathrooms. Check the measurements needed for the biggest wheelchairs and walkers you can find. I would even look at the sizes of a motorized wheelchair along with the motorized scooters like the Rascal Scooter. Even if your aging parents arent using them now, someday that could easily change!

4. Grandkid-friendly yards complete with fences. Its a lot easier and cheaper to buy an existing fence than to have to install one, thats for sure! And you know you want those little darlins over often and safely!

5. Air conditioning / heating - The Baby Boomer Generation women may be headed for menopause, while aging parents might be at the season of life where they are freezing when the thermostat says 80! There are many houses out there with NO air conditioning! (Can you tell I visited one such house this summer ). On the positive side, there are also properties with two sets of thermostats, enabling you to keep one part of the house warmer than the other a definite boon to the Sandwich Generation.

6. Yards that require a lot of maintenance - more than upcoming caregiving duties might allow. I used to love my 40+ rose bushes. Fortunately, I lived in an area that made growing roses a piece of cake. When my dads Parkinsons Disease started to worsen, my roses looked fine even when I quit having fun babying them. Now that Im on the East Coast, Ive learned that not all localities are as rose-friendly! I would definitely think twice about buying property with so many rose bushes if I thought my caregiving duties were going to be increasing anytime soon. Large lawns needing lots of mowing, weeding, etc. would fall into that same category for me. How about for you?

7. Houses that need more fixing than your caregiving schedule will allow. When we were younger, a fixer-upper seemed do-able. Now that Im older, wiser, slower, and achy-er, I know thats probably not the wisest option for me right now. And that doesnt even take into account extra caregiving chores!

2009-09-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

Senior Finances… Roth IRA Conversions For 2010

Source: http://seniorsampler.com

Why you might want to fund a Roth IRA this year. In 2009, any withdrawals from a traditional IRA can be used to fund a Roth IRA. Interesting. Why is this so?

In years past, mandatory withdrawals from a traditional IRA typically couldnt be deposited into a Roth IRA. But the federal government has suspended mandatory IRA withdrawals for 2009. Any IRA withdrawals made in 2009 are thereby elective withdrawals. So, if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $100,000 or less, you have an option to fund a Roth IRA with a withdrawal from a traditional IRA at least through the end of 2009.

In 2009, you can fund a Roth IRA with after-tax contributions to a 401(k), 403(b) or 457 retirement savings plan. This year, you can take those contributions and convert them to a Roth IRAtax-free, provided your AGI is $100,000 or less. More good news: there is no limit to the conversion amount.

A potential tax break for those who convert in 2010. If you do a Roth conversion during 2010, you can choose to divide the taxes on the conversion between your 2011 and 2012 federal returns.

Be sure to consult your tax advisor before you convert. This is a very good idea before you arrange any rollover, trustee-to-trustee transfer, or same-trustee transfer of your IRA assets. In any year, you should fully understand the potential tax impact of a Roth conversion on your finances and your estate. Also, remember that while the income limit on Roth IRA conversions will go away in 2010, the income limits on Roth IRA contributions still apply next year and for the foreseeable future.

Home for the Holidays

2009-08-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

Source: www.ncea.aoa.gov

As we approach the holiday season, many will travel great distances to visit with parents and other family members. In this article, Mary Twoomey, MSW, co-director of the Center of Excellence in Elder Abuse & Neglect at University of California, Irvine, provides recommendations on using this annual visit as an opportunity to consider and plan for the needs of elderly family members.

For many of us, the holidays offer a once-a-year time to visit with elderly relatives who live at a distance. These holiday visits are a good time to assess what assistance parents or other elderly loved ones might need. There are many things to consider. Does an elderly loved one require help with chores or housekeeping, personal care, shopping and meal preparation, money management, transportation, medical checkups, or medications? Are they isolated or, do they live with others? If living with another, are they dependent on that person for care? Is that person an appropriate caregiver? During your visit, keep an eye out for warning signs of self-neglect, or abuse or neglect by others. If, before you make your trip, you suspect that your loved one needs extra assistance, plan a longer stay so that you can visit local aging service organizations during regular work hours. Allow enough time during your visit to accomplish necessary tasks.

Make the most of your visits by taking some private time with the elder to discuss future planning. Allow time for them to express anxieties. You can decide together what needs to be done and who can help. Be observant while you are visiting. Realize that you may need to arrange a visit to a doctor for a full evaluation.

Remember that 75-90% of elder abuse is committed by family members. Don’t let denial become an obstacle to planning that could prevent future emergencies. This is not the time to hide your head in the sand, setting the stage for future regrets. Some warning signs of elder abuse are:

Self-neglect
If the senior lives alone and does not have anyone providing assistance, self-neglect may become an issue. Some things to look for include:
Senior appears confused
Senior is no longer able to handle meal preparation, house cleaning, laundry, bathing, or timely bill payment
Senior seems depressed
Senior is drinking too much or is overusing drugs
Senior is falling frequently
Senior appears undernourished, dehydrated, under-medicated, or is not getting care for problems with eyesight, hearing, dental problems, continence, etc.
Neglect or abuse by others
If the senior lives with others or ostensibly has people helping with care, neglect or abuse may become an issue. Some things to look for include:
Presence of “new best friend” who is willing to care for the senior for little or no cost
Recent change in banking or spending patterns
Caregiver isolates older person from friends and family
Caregiver has problems with drugs, alcohol, anger management, and emotional instability
Caregiver is financially dependent on the older person
Family pet seems neglected or abused
You find an abundance of mail and/or phone solicitations for money (“You’re our lucky winner!”)
Senior seems afraid of the caregiver
Senior has unexplained bruises, cuts, etc.
Senior has “bed sores” (pressure sores from lying in one place for too long)
Senior appears dirty, undernourished, dehydrated, over- or under-medicated, or is not receiving needed care for problems with eyesight, hearing, dental issues, continence.
What should you do?
If you suspect your older loved one is at risk, call your local Adult Protective Services or Office on Aging or go to www.centeronelderabuse.org for more information.
Seniors may not be aware of a gradual decline and may be reluctant or unable to plan for needed care. Support and guidance from family members can help prevent serious accidents and/or future health complications. Noticing and correcting problems can help seniors to continue to live safely in their own homes.
Learn more about common geriatric conditions, medications and markers of abuse. Refer to Geriatric Pocket Doc, a compact guide book for non-physicians. (For info, Click Here.)
Introduce yourself to responsible neighbors and friends. Give them your address and phone numbers in case of an emergency.
Ask your elderly loved ones directly if they are afraid of anyone, if anyone is taking things without their permission; if anyone is asking them to do things they are not comfortable with, or if anyone is putting them down.

Seniors might be last to get H1N1 flu shots

2009-08-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

7/29/09

Who'll be first in line for H1N1 flu shots? Probably not the usual suspects.

Today, the federal panel that makes immunization recommendations for the nation suggested people 65+ should be last in line for the "Novel H1N1" vaccinations.

That's because, so far this year, seniors have had the lowest mortality from the flu-formerly-known-as-swine among age groups.

Giving them shots last feels counterintuitive when you consider that our older population is strongly urged to get annual flu shots, but those are SEASONAL flu vaccinations.

So, when Mother Dear goes in for her seasonal flu shot this year, it's quite possible she'll be told to come back later for H1N1 protection.

Those who the panel says should be first in line for the H1N1 shot:

Pregnant women
Household contacts and caregivers for children under 6 months
Health care workers and emergency medical responders
Children and young adults from 6 months to 24 years old
People ages 25 to 64 with underlying medical conditions, such as asthma and diabetes

That first group is roughly 159 million folks.

It's suggested that healthy adults 25 to 64 years old comprise the second wave of priority with seniors last.

The H1N1 flu shot recommendations now go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for approval.

One note: It's likely that everyone will need TWO doses of the H1N1 vaccine, probably three weeks apart, Dr. Carol Baker told me last week. She was in Atlanta today because she's among the 15 members of the federal panel -- the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Baker is an infectious diseases specialist who directs the Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research at Texas Children's Hospital. Besides physicians, the panel includes scientists, vaccine experts and someone representing the public.

The government has a Web site specifically for H1N1, avian and pandemic flu: flu.gov.

But it might not come to any of this prioritizing for the H1N1, experts conceded.

That's because only a fraction of those who should get the seasonal flu shot every year, do so. And the same may happen with the H1N1 vaccine.

Seasonal flu shots are recommended for 83% of the U.S. population, but less than 40% are vaccinated, Rear Admiral Anne Schuchat, a physician who directs the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in a press conference following the panel's meeting.

Seasonal flu shots will be available this fall, probably in September, Baker predicted last week.

Clinical trials are still under way for the H1N1 vaccine, which will probably be shipped by year's end. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may license the shot without waiting for clinical trial data, Schuchat said.

Study Warns of Hazards for Elderly Using Walking Aids

2009-07-09T08:10:00.000-07:00

By DERRICK HENRY
Published: June 29, 2009

About 47,000 older Americans are treated in emergency rooms each year from falls associated with walkers and canes, according to a study that suggests that there is room for improvement in the use and design of walking aids.

“It’s important to make sure people use these devices safely,” said Judy A. Stevens, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the study’s lead author. “It gives them greater independence, but at the same time it can be a hazard if not used properly.”

The study, which was released Monday and is to be published in this month’s Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found that 87 percent of fall injuries involved walkers and 12 percent involved canes.

Researchers examined emergency-room medical records at 66 hospitals from Jan. 1, 2001, to Dec. 31, 2006. They focused on patients 65 and older who had been treated for 3,932 nonfatal, unintentional fall injuries in which a cane or a walker was involved. A statistical analysis estimates that there are 47,312 falls a year.

The study found that fractures, bruises and abrasions were the most common injuries associated with the falls. Almost a third of all injuries were to the lower trunk, including the hips.

Sixty percent of fall injuries associated with walkers and canes occurred at home, while 16 percent of falls involving a walker occurred at nursing homes, the study said.

Authors of the study said that doctors might consider taking more time to show patients how to use walkers properly and that additional research could lead to design improvements for walking aids.

Care For Elderly Parents - 3 Ways to Prepare the Family

2009-06-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

By: Shevach Pepper

Let's face it, as much as we want to take care of elderly parents and bring them into our homes to help them, it is not an easy task. Not only is it tough on the adult child but it is all difficult for the whole family. This being so, before your "permanent guests", grandpa/grandma move in you should prepare the whole family, young and old for their arrival. In this article I will discuss some of the things that should be discussed with your children so the taking care of the elderly parent (grandparent) will go smoothly.

1. Explain to them the symptoms and characteristics of your parents ailment. For instance, if your parents suffer from dementia they might ask the same question over and over again. If you and your children are not prepared for this then you will be caught off guard and you might laugh at them answer them very harshly and disrespectful, "You just asked me that 5 times!". If, however, you are expecting such behavior then you will calmly and respectfully answer their question over and over again, saving your parents embarrassment and distress.

If you yourself don't know what they are, then just ask your doctor for some information about the illness our go on-line and "Google" it. There are many informative sites that explain many types of illnesses for the laymen.

2. Discuss with your children the physical changes that you planning to make in the house. For many illnesses you will need to change the physical set-up of your house. You might need to move a child out of their room into a different and smaller room. You might convert a part of the house where they liked to relax or play and make it into a room for grandpa.

If you explain to them BEFOREHAND why you are doing what you are doing then they might have and alternative plan (children can be very creative- especially to protect their own space). Even if you won't find an alternative plan, they will understand why you are doing what you are doing and they won't resent their grandparents (or you).

3. Discuss with them the way that they can help. It is very admirable to take care of elderly parents. However it is not a one man show. It is very stressful and time consuming. And you need all the help that you can get.

Even though there are some things that your children can't do (for instance to bath their grandparents) there are a lot of ways in which they can help. They can read to them, they can take them for walks, or they can play board games with them. Whatever way that you feel your children can help to take care of elderly parents, discuss it with them before they move in. Like this, they will feel useful (which they really are) and not being used.

Taking care of elderly parents and having them move in with your family is admirable, proper, and tough. Not only on you but on the whole family. Prepare them for what is coming in order to make the move as seamless as possible.

If you feel stressed by caring for your elderly parent or by other family issues, then Click here to learn practical tips, techniques,and strategies to help you successfully deal with elderly parents and other family problems.

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

2009-06-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

This is a great article I found. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

6 Reasons to Grow Old
By PAULA SPAN

“There’s a shady side and a sunny side,” said Joshua O. Haberman, rabbi emeritus of Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, D.C. He was talking about old age.

To his own surprise, he recently turned 90, an event the congregation he has helped lead for 40 years celebrated with a dinner, music, prayers and thoughtful observations from the honoree (PDF).

Not every 90-year-old enjoys the good health and vigor of the rabbi, who still teaches and writes and agreed to fit in a phone interview after his half-hour of daily morning calisthenics. (“I jump around, but I’m not a fanatic.”)

But it’s good to remember, with more than 1.5 million Americans having passed this once rare milestone, that extreme longevity has its compensations.

Rabbi Haberman cites six.

Tranquility tops his list. “You have achieved in old age what you have wanted to, if you are fortunate,” he said. The important battles have been waged, the decisions made. “You no longer have to do the pushing, the striving, the struggle.”

Next, the cooling of passion. “You don’t rush to quick action,” Rabbi Haberman explained. “You’re more likely to stop and think.” These days he’s hardly indifferent to the world’s problems, he added, but he’s less inclined to think he can solve them, or that they’re soluble at all.

Number three: He’s learned “the art of submission.” Americans are activists by nature, but “more happens to us than we cause to happen,” he has found. “You have to accept the unalterable.”

Moreover, the rabbi confessed, he’s increasingly apt to consider the possibility he’s wrong, a gift of old age (fourth on the list) he labeled “liberation from the compulsion to set everyone else straight.” He has loosened up, he told me, since his more dogmatic youth.

Once he fiercely opposed young people living together outside marriage, for instance. He still opposes it but less vehemently, especially since several of his own children cohabited before they wed. “Conditions in the world have changed; women are economically independent,” he explained. “Singlehood for women is different than a century ago.” I could practically hear him shrugging on his end of the phone line.

The fifth benefit of growing old, “one of the most important marks of maturity,” is gratitude. “I’m more conscious of the little favors people do — the driver who stops and lets me cross the street, the newspaper man who brings my paper directly to the door,” Rabbi Haberman said. He feels more aware of humanity’s interconnectedness. “I am a zero by myself.”

Concluding the list: greater involvement with his family, including his wife of nearly 65 years, four children (one rabbi, two spouses of rabbis, one civilian), 15 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Yes, he does think about death, but he doesn’t pretend to understand it and he’s not afraid of it. “I believe in the eternity of existence,” he said. “We remain part of this universe.”

Each night before bed, he recites in Hebrew lines from the hymn “Adon Olam,” based a passage from Psalm 31: “In God’s hand I entrust my spirit, when asleep and when awake/My body and spirit, God is with me, I shall not fear.”

“And I leave it at that,” the rabbi said.

Here is the full text of his remarks (PDF). Does old age bring with it other hidden virtues? Share them below.

Paula Span is the author of “When the Time Comes: Families with Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions,” published this month by Grand Central Publishing.

Traveling with Grandchildren

2009-06-11T17:57:00.000-07:00

SOURCE: IndependentTraveler.com

We know how you feel -- your grandchildren are perfect, adorable little angels who bring you and the rest of the world nothing but joy. And if they don't, you can always give them back to their parents, right? Not if you decide to travel with them!

Still, if quick visits and even overnights leave you longing for more time with your grandchildren, consider traveling with them. More and more seniors are finding that trips with their grandchildren are great bonding experiences filled with wonderful memories -- if planned carefully.

Helena Koenig, founder of Grandtravel, a company that caters exclusively to grandparent/grandchildren trips (no parents allowed!), said intergenerational travel grows every year. "There is nothing grandparents want more than to share special experiences with their grandchildren," she said. "They want to pass a cultural inheritance on to their grandchildren."

Talk to Their Parents
Talking with your grandchild's parents is the first step in planning a successful trip. The parents will know if their child is ready to be away from home without them, and they will be valuable resources when planning the destination and activities their children tend to enjoy. Children bore easily, so it is important to know what really piques their interests. Your grandchild's parents will also be able to tell you about sleeping and eating schedules, and it is best you try to stick to these, even on vacation. Children thrive when they know what to expect and are most comfortable in a routine.

Do a Test Run
Even if you and the child's parents agree that he or she is ready to travel, have a test run. After all, you won't know about homesickness until you're already away from home, and it is best to find out if your grandchild is miserable away from his or her parents on a day trip rather than a weekend-long vacation. If you've never spent time with your grandchild without his or her parents, this is a good opportunity to do just that. Take the child to the zoo or to the beach and see how it goes. If it doesn't go well, maybe your grandchild isn't ready to travel with you, or maybe you just need to warm up to a long weekend with several more day trips.

A test run will also help you assess your own limits. Remember, children have seemingly endless energy and are difficult to keep up with. If you find yourself wiped out after just a few hours, you may need to either scale back on your travel plans or wait until the child is a little older.

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
After you have decided on a destination, explain to your grandchildren where you will be going and what they can expect from your trip. Will they be traveling by plane? What sort of a place will they be staying in? Children are at their best when they know what to expect and surprises are at a minimum.

Make sure your grandchildren have proper identification, including contact information, on them at all times during the trip and be sure to have a recent photo of them in case they get lost. You should also have a notarized authorization form from your grandchild's parents in case they need medical attention. Make sure you are crystal clear on medications and dosages if they will be taking any during the trip.

Get the Kids Excited
Koenig suggests reading about the chosen destination with your grandchildren and then asking them what they hope to get out of the trip. That way, everyone's expectations can be discussed and (hopefully) met.

When we asked for tips from our members on this topic, Travelmommy told us her parents have taken several trips with her young children and the experience has been very positive. "Usually my folks send a card before the trip with a map or a picture of where they plan to take the kids, but last time they sent a video," she said.

The video they sent was called Shae by Air, and Travelmommy told us the video was instrumental in preparing her children and getting them excited for a flight with their grandparents. "The premise of the DVD," she said, "is that children, even small ones, have the capacity to understand what to expect and what is expected of them, and with that the ability to be respectful, good little travelers." According to the company Web site, Shae by Sea and Shae by Land videos are on their way, great for road trippers or grandparents who love to cruise.

Go!
Koenig said the most popular trip booked through GrandTravel is a safari in Africa. It is enjoyable for both the grandparents and the children and is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. She said other popular trips were tours of Europe, specifically London and Paris, and Alaska. Also available through the Web site is a "Dinosaur Discovery" trip in Colorado where kids actually work with scientists on excavation. What kid hasn't gone through a dinosaur-loving phase?

These trips don't come cheap, but you'll have the expertise of a company who's been planning intergenerational tours for 20 years. Also, there will be other children and adults on the tour to interact with. Other organized travel opportunities are offered by Elderhostel, the Sierra Club and Rascals in Paradise.

If an organized tour is too cost-prohibitive, consider going it alone. How about camping at a national park? Not only do seniors enjoy deep discounts at the parks, but there are plenty of kid-friendly activities like hiking and wildlife viewing. Had something a little more relaxing in mind? Rent a vacation house at the beach -- kids never seem to tire of the ocean and the sand.

Remember it's not as much about where you go as it is about the memories created from the time spent together.

CERTIFIED AGING-IN-PLACE SPECIALIST (CAPS)

2009-06-08T08:10:00.001-07:00

CERTIFIED AGING-IN-PLACE SPECIALIST (CAPS)
www.aarp.org/family/housing/articles/caps.html

When you bought your first home, a lot of thought and planning probably went into it. The same thought and planning needs to be done if you want to stay in your home for as long as possible. Often times this will involve making changes or home modifications that can help you live more comfortably and safely. These design changes can range from easy and simple to more complex.

A Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) can assist you with planning and making changes to your home that can help you continue to live there. CAPS professionals have the answers to many of your housing questions and problems. They have been taught the strategies and techniques for designing and building attractive, barrier-free living environments.

A Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist is a housing professional who:

• has been trained to meet the housing needs of the 50+ population
• can identify and/or make home modifications or changes that can help people continue living independently in their home longer
• can find solutions to common barriers that can make a house unsafe or uncomfortable

The Remodeler’s Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in collaboration with the NAHB Research Center, the NAHB 50+ Housing Council and AARP developed the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) program to help consumers wanting to make their house a home for a lifetime, even if their needs and abilities change: www.nahb.org/category.aspx?sectionID=686

Would you let aging parent move in?

2009-06-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

By Kim Margolis
Staff Writer
5:30 PM Tuesday, May 12, 2009

An online survey recently found that 70 percent of adult children would choose their mother over their father to move in with them if their elderly parents could not take care of themselves.

The survey was conducted by Zoomerang.com and included the responses of 300 men and women between 25 and 64.

Judy Kocevar of Kettering said she thinks the results don’t mean adult children love their mothers more than their fathers, but reflected stereotypes on what men and women need.

She thinks the respondents decided their fathers could handle the relative isolation of a nursing home or assisted living, while the mothers would need a stronger social setting.

Kocevar does not think her own parents support that stereotype. She said her father would need a lot of nurturing after years of care by her mother. “He’s used to a certain level of care,” Kocevar said. Kocevar is very close with both her parents, but her relationship with her father grew as she got older. When she was a child, her father worked third-shift at Standard Register.

“As a child, it seemed like as soon as we ate dinner he had to go to work,” Kocevar said. Kocevar and her father, though, went on to watch car racing together, play putt-putt and bowl. Back to the survey, Kocevar said: “I don’t see how people would pick one or the other. They gave so much of their lives for you.”

Surprising result

If you would have asked Dessine Fricioni of Beavercreek Twp. which parent she would care for, the answer likely would have been her mother. “I would have felt a deep, deep commitment to take my mother into my home,” she said. But that was not to be, as her mother died before the decision had to be made.

Interestingly, it was her father who moved into her home while he battled cancer. She and her father were not close when she was a child, and her parents went on to get divorced.

Fricioni said she is proud of a new generation of men like her own son and son-in-law who are “hands-on” caregivers to their kids. “I really want to say dads are so much more involved now,” she said.

The survey also found:

30 percent did not want either parent to move in, citing a disruption of their lives, lack of room or inability to provide adequate care. Finances were not an issue. Dad was not exactly kicked to the curb, however. Seventy-two percent of daughters and 58 percent of sons said they would move dad in if he could not take care of himself.

Elder Options of Texas...an approved Amazon.com Associate Member.

2009-06-06T05:31:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of great products to help and assist with your (or your loved ones) personal needs. But finding what you need, or having the time, can be frustrating and time consuming.

That is why I researched the Amazon'com web site and pulled together a large variety of products and publications to make this search a lot faster...and much easier...even cool products for your dog or cat!

These are the category selections to choose from...

Books - Caregiving
Books - Alzheimer's & Memory Care
Books - Retirement, Investing & Estate Planning
Medical Equip & Aids for Daily Living
Diabetes Products
Incontinence Products
Herbal & Organic
Vitamins & Supplements
Personal Care - Women
Personal Care - Men
Favorite Dog Products
Favorite Cat Products
Card Games & More
Software Products

Once you select your item(s) you'll be lead to the official Amazon.com check out section.

Check it out when you have time!
www.elderoptionsoftexas.com/amazon_products_page.htm

7 Gadgets That Prove the Cell Network Isn’t Just for Phones

2009-06-05T19:54:00.000-07:00

My daughter found this article and forwarded to me feeling it would be great information to post on my senior blog.

Author: Stacey Higginbotham - http://gigaom.com/author/shigginbotham/

After writing extensively about how cell phone providers want to boost their business by offering wireless access for emerging devices, such as electric meters or e-readers, I decided to check with the nation’s four largest carriers to see what they consider to be some of the most interesting devices that run on their networks. I was looking for products that don’t resemble traditional computers or cell phones that we commonly use for data today. A lot of these gizmos fall into the people-tracking category, but some use the cellular network for sending video files, real-time data and even photos.

Here’s seven cool devices that piggyback on cellular networks.

SMART INSOLES

AT&T Labs has been working with Texas Tech University and a company called 24Eight to develop a remote monitoring technology that prevents elderly patients from falling. The result is an insole that contains accelerometers and a radio that connects to the AT&T network. When the accelerometers detect an unsteady gait that may lead to a fall, it alerts the patient to sit down and the insole calls for medical personnel. It can also detect falls and call for help immediately. AT&T hopes to trial the product later this year.

THE BI HOMEGUARD ANKLET

This unfashionable gear is used to make sure parolees stay at home after curfew or in a specified area of town, as mandated by the courts. The device, which is used by correctional agencies, runs on the Verizon network. You and I can’t buy one, but keep reading for other ways to track your friends and family.

ZOOMBAK

This GPS locator fits in the palm of your hand, weighs 2.5 ounces, and can be attached to a dog collar, stuck in the trunk of your kid’s car and even dropped into your spouse’s laptop bag. For $100 for the tracker, and about $15 a month, it can tell you where it is as long as its battery is charged and it can access a signal on T-Mobile’s network.

THE CAMEO PICTURE FRAME

This digital picture frame has its own email address and phone number so it can connect via T-Mobile’s wireless network and receive photos on the fly. For a monthly fee of $2, and the $40 cost of the frame, you can send your grandparents all of those photos you upload to Facebook or Flickr without expecting them to hop online.

FORD WORK SOLUTIONS

Available on the 2009 Ford F-150, F-Series and E-Series vehicles — and later in 2009, on Transit Connect vehicles — Ford Work is an in-dashboard PC with Internet connectivity provided by Sprint. Drivers with enabled trucks can access real-time labor and material costs, inventory updates, invoice generation and editing and completing work orders. This isn’t for watching YouTube on road trips, though.

THE FLAIK

Flaik makes a GPS device used by ski resorts to track their ski school students. The device, which runs on T-Mobile’s network, also delivers information about various ski runs, the quality of the snow and an unspecified level of social networking.

DRIVECAM

Families can buy a DriveCam for $899, which includes a camera installed on the windshield of a car and a year of access to a web-based repository of video events. The camera continuously records the scene while driving, and temporarily saves the previous several seconds in a video buffer. If the device doesn’t experience “excessive G-forces,” all the data is permanently deleted 10 seconds later. But if the car brakes too suddenly, swerves or hits something, the camera saves the video and sends it to the DriveCam network via Sprint for later review. It’s available for fleets as well.

All images were provided by the companies offering the devices: http://gigaom.com/2009/06/05/7-gadgets-that-prove-the-cell-network-isnt-just-for-phones/#smart-insoles

AT&T, TI team up for wireless balance-sensing

2009-06-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

AT&T, TI team up for wireless balance-sensing
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: 24Eight, AT&T, smart shoes, Texas Instruments
“A lot of this is old technology,” Bob Miller, executive director of AT&T’s communications-technology research department, told the Dallas Morning News. “But we’re putting it together in ways that will help millions of people live dramatically better lives.”

Miller and his team are looking at ways to connect thermometers, scales, blood pressure cuffs and other “old technology” along with wireless radios to leverage WiFi networks and Bluetooth interoperability for connected medical devices.

Miller’s team at AT&T and Texas Instruments are working with New York-based start-up 24Eight to test the company’s smart insoles, which have been outfitted with pressure sensors and accelerometers. The sensors monitor how well walkers distribute their weight and can determine if their balance is deteriorating and if they are heading for a fall. The insoles aim to enable doctors to know just when to restrict elderly patients to wheelchairs before they could hurt themselves. About one fall per day occurs in a nursing home with 200 patients, and one in 20 of those falls typically leads to a fatal complication within six months, accord to the Dallas Morning News report.

AT&T, TI, 24Eight and Texas Tech University are testing the insoles as well as many other devices at the Garrison Geriatric Center in Lubbock, Texas.

“We haven’t collected enough data yet to discuss results, but we think it’s incredibly important to shift the focus of care from treating problems to preventing problems,” said Andrew Dentino, head of geriatric and palliative medicine at Texas Tech’s medical school.

Getting Seniors to Use Computers / The Internet

2009-05-23T04:59:00.000-07:00

If you have an elder loved one you would like to introduce computers too, or perhaps they have expressed an interest themselves but are a bit apprehensive, check-out SeniorNet!

SeniorNet provides an extensive curriculum of over 30 courses, delivered by thousands of volunteer instructors and mentors at SeniorNet Computer Learning Centers via a proven ‘seniors teaching seniors’ methodology. At SeniorNet Computer Learning Centers, members can take from beginning to advanced classes and learn new computing skills like ‘Computer Fundamentals’, ‘Internet and E-mail’, ‘Digital Photography,’ ‘Buying and Selling on eBay, ‘The Many Uses of Google’ and more, in a friendly, low-pressure environment.

The SeniorNet Computer Learning Centers are operated by thousands of senior volunteers across the nation with curriculum provided by SeniorNet headquarters.

Their mission is to provide older adults education for and access to computer technologies to enhance their lives and enable them to share their knowledge and wisdom. SeniorNet is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization of computer-using adults, age 50 and older.

Check them out and find a learning center near you!

www.seniornet.org

Aging Population Increasing in Internet Usage

2009-05-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

Over the next five years, the number of US baby boomer's (those with older parents) who use the Internet at least once a month will grow by more than 5 million, rising from 58.2 million in 2006 to 63.7 million in 2011. Over-60's will also be a large and growing segment of the US Internet culture growing from 17.7 million Internet users in 2006 to 25.3 million by 2011. Source:Emarketer.com

I find this fascinating seeing how my own dad, age 76, is now an avid Internet user. A couple years ago my sister and I kept telling dad he needed to learn how to use the Internet and email...that it would open up a whole new world to him. His reply..."I've lived this long without one and am getting along just fine." But we persisted and one day he surprised us and got a computer. He has been addicted ever since!

He is pretty much self taught with some help from myself and my husband. It's wonderful that we can now email one another often, send photos, etc. but surprisingly what he loves most is searching the net.

My dad is a real car buff, owning a gorgeous 1959 Thunderbird (that's a picture of his car above) that he has won numerous awards for from car shows around the country. Since he now knows how to use the Internet he has been able to find parts he never was able to before, learn about upcoming car shows and so much more.

On a different note...my grandmother on my mom's side, who will be 90 in November, was given a used lap top. Now although she doesn't use the internet or email, she does play card games and such on it and loving it. I said, "Grannie, I bet you never thought in a million years you'd be using a lap top...how wonderful, don't you think?" With that, she just grinned and agreed.

So if you have a parent or grandparent that feels they're too old or it's too hard to learn to use a computer, I hope you'll share these stories with them.

Moving Mom or Dad to Assisted Living

2009-05-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

All too often families today are being faced with moving a parent, or parents, from their home to an assisted living facility. If you feel the time has come, but your parent is digging in their heels, you might want to arrange a meeting with them and their primary care physician. You would of course want to call their physician and discuss this a head of time and see what their thought are about your parent no longer living alone.

If they agree, then having their physician tell them (not you) that it's no longer safe, nor a good idea for them to live alone, the better. Seniors trust their doctors. Also, doing so takes the decision off you so they won't think you're just trying to make your life easier. This will be even more effective if your parent has been experiencing health problems recently, has been hospitalized, falling, not eating properly, etc.
If you're an only child it's always best to move your parent closer to you. Trust me on that. If you have siblings, then as a family unit, the decision regarding which child to move closer too needs to be worked out among everyone. If you are the only child then you don't have this situation to contend with. Most importantly, DO NOT forget to take your parents feelings into account, discussing everything with them and helping them to understand the pros and cons of living alone.

Having personally worked in a marketing capacity for a couple assisted living communities, meeting with families and their loved ones during this difficult transition, I wanted to share some helpful ideas and tips that hopefully will assist you and your parent in making the transition as smooth as possible:

1) Because it can be over-whelming and tiring to say the least to visit and tour communities in your area, I recommend visiting as many as you can first, as they can differ a lot. Once you have narrowed your search down to a couple, then arrange to take your parent to tour, so they have a say in where they will live.

Feeling as they are keeping control of their lives is very important and will make the transition easier on all. Trust me. Otherwise, a parent could feel 'dumped off' then begin to feel be very resentful which is not what you want, nor what your parent deserves.

2) Before touring arrange with the marketing person for you all to also have lunch. Doing so gives everyone an opportunity to not only try the food, but to get a good feel to how things work, how the staff interacts with the residents, and be able to see many of the residents at one time giving them a good over-all picture. I would recommend doing the same at dinner time.

3) Once a decision has been made on the community of choice, should your parent be staying with you at this time, having moved from their home already (or possibly they are now on a waiting list) tell the staff you would like for your parent to spend some time over there on a weekly basis. That could be in the form of participating in an exercise class, Sunday bible study, a game of bridge or playing domino's, a community outing, getting their hair done in the beauty salon, etc.

You can always get an activities calendar to go over with your parent and find something that sparks their interest. Arranging for something before lunch is even better, giving them the chance to also join other residents for lunch, talking one- on-one with them about the community. Trust me, the residents are always more than happy to tell potential residents 'how it is' which is a good thing.

If your parent is unable to stay with you between the transition from moving from their home, to the assisted living community, visiting on a weekly basis won't work. But obviously if they can, the better. You will likely be asked to pay for the lunch and possibility the activity (depending on what it is) but the fee is minimal and well worth it.

After picking them up you'll then have the opportunity to discuss how everything went. You might also want to consider arriving early and observe from a far how they are interacting with others, and doing over-all.

The point is, whether their on a waiting list or not, doing these small things will make the transition much easier. Moving in cold, not knowing anyone, or having any idea what to expect can be very stressful. This way, they have the opportunity to see how nice it is dining with others, being involved, and have others in their peer group vs. being home alone.