FIRST ANNUAL
KARE CONFERENCE ON HEALTH & WELLNESS
Nurturing A Healthy Brain
March 30, 2010
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Comfort Inn & Suites
5640 Kitsap Way – Bremerton

For those of us engaged in providing services to the senior community, we recognize that one of the greatest challenges facing seniors today is maintaining a healthy and active brain.  We know that as we age, we become increasingly vulnerable to issues of dementia, and anything we can do to keep our brains active and healthy will contribute to a productive and satisfying life. That is why we are so excited to have as our featured speaker, Dr. Daniel Amen, a world renowned authority on brain fitness, and the author of 22 books, including the NY Times bestseller, Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, and a recent PBS special by the same name.

As someone who values the importance of education, especially if you work with seniors, I wanted to personally extend an invitation to you, your friends, and family to attend this premier event of KARE’s commitment to provide quality educational opportunities for our community.  This one day event will provide valuable information and resources to assist in identifying and addressing the correlation between maintaining a healthy brain and body “fitness”.

In order for as many people to attend as possible, we have secured the financial support of several corporate sponsors, thereby minimizing the registration costs.  Registration includes a lunch, musical entertainment, as well as hand out materials.

To register for the event, use one of the following two options:

1. You can registration on-line at Brown Paper Tickets.
2. Download the KARE conference flyer and the registration form.

We hope you will be able to join us for this inaugural event.

If we were to ask an older person what his or her most important concerns for aging are, we would probably get a variety of different answers. According to surveys frequently conducted among the elderly, the most likely answers we would receive would include the following three principal concerns or life wishes:

1. Remaining independent in the home without intervention from others
2. Maintaining good health and receiving adequate health care
3. Having enough money for everyday needs and not outliving assets and income

To address these concerns or wishes and maintain the quality of life wanted in the elder years, it simply takes a little pre-planning.

Few people do this kind of planning.

It is human nature not to worry about an event until it happens. We may prepare financially for unexpected financial disasters by covering our homes, automobiles and health with insurance policies.

However, no other life event can be as devastating to an elderly person’s lifestyle, finances and security as needing long term care. It drastically alters or completely eliminates the three principal lifestyle wishes listed above.

The majority of the American public does not plan for this crisis of needing eldercare. The lack of planning also has an adverse effect on the older person’s family, with sacrifices made in time, money, and family lifestyles.

Because of changing demographics and potential changes in government funding, the current generation needs to plan for long term care before the elder years are upon them.

For those children who live away, the change they see in their parent’s health and mental capacity may be alarming — whereas siblings that have daily contact are working with these issues constantly. Here is the chance to compare notes and work together as a complete family in the long term care planning process.

For you parents who are well and active, this is a good time to hold a family meeting and share with your children your plan for long term care. Tell them where financial and legal documents are located. Review health care directives, living wills and long term care alternatives.

Experience has shown that even families that are close can quickly grow angry, jealous and hostile towards each other when an aging parent begins to need long term care. If a

sibling moves into the parent’s home, others can easily be suspicious of ulterior motives and fear losing their inheritance. On the other hand, the child providing the elder care becomes bitter and feels there is no support or help from siblings. Pre-need meetings for the purpose of making a plan, before eldercare becomes imminent, avoids these types of conflicts.

In its book, “The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning,” the National Care Planning Council provides guidelines and checklists for family planning meetings. Here’s an excerpt from the book:

“The first step to holding a meeting, and perhaps the most difficult

one, is to get all interested persons together in one place at one time.

If it’s a family gathering, perhaps a birthday, an anniversary or

another special event could be used as a way to get all to meet. Or

maybe even a special dinner might be an incentive.

The person conducting the meeting can be a parent or one person of

a couple who are doing their planning, years before the need for care

arises. A meeting on behalf of someone already receiving care or

needing care in the immediate future could be conducted by that

person or by a member of the family, by an adviser or a friend.

The agenda could be formal or informal. If you want a formal

agenda, we suggest using our care planning checklist as the agenda.

Copies of the care plan should be prepared prior to the meeting and

presented to those attending. Discussion is encouraged and we

recommend that the person in charge not dictate but encourage input

from everyone.

After a thorough discussion of the issues and the presentation of the

solutions to the problems that will be encountered, there should be a

consensus of all attending to support the plan. If the plan needs to

be altered to meet everyone’s expectations then by all means do so if

that can be done. But it is not always possible to please everyone so

there must sometimes be compromise.

The end of the meeting should consist of asking everyone present to

make his or her commitment to support the plan.

GET IT IN WRITING! All good intentions seem to be forgotten

with time. It may be years after this meeting before the long term

care plan begins. If there are vocal commitments to help with

transportation to doctors, give respite to the caregiver or other

commitments, write them down on the care agreement. You can

even have each person put a signature to his or her commitment if

you think that is important.”

“The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning ,” by The National Care Planning Council

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services states:

“No one wants to think about a time when they might need long-term care. So planning ahead for this possibility often gets put off. Most people first learn about long-term care when they or a loved one need care. Then their options are often limited by lack of information, the immediate need for services, and insufficient resources to pay for preferred services. Planning ahead allows you to have more control over your future”.

http://www.longtermcare.gov

“Whether you plan a formal meeting with an agenda or informally gather for a discussion, when the family is together make it a point to start the long term care planning process.

There is a lot to learn and many decisions to make concerning finances, health issues and legal work. It may take research and a lot of time to put a plan together, but if everyone is involved it will work, and be worth it.” National Care Planning Council, www.longtermcarelink.net

]]> http://abidinghomecare.com/family-reunion-a-good-time-for-family-planning/feed 0 http://abidinghomecare.com/depression-in-the-elderly-caregiver-advice http://abidinghomecare.com/depression-in-the-elderly-caregiver-advice#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:07:33 +0000 admin http://abidinghomecare.com/?p=103 To a caregiver the outward symptoms of physical illness are pretty obvious. Aches, pains, or other persistent complaints can all be indicative of an underlying health issue. However, not all illnesses manifest themselves in the physical to cause such outward symptoms. Mental illnesses, such as depression, can have symptoms that mimic something as simple as just having a bad day or overexertion. Whilst being a caregiver for a friend or family member you notice when the bad days and overexertion become more frequent, it may be time to talk to the senior’s health care professional about depression. Here are some things to look for when attempting to recognize the onset of depression.

Tiredness

Is the client tired for a good reason? Perhaps they overworked themselves during the day, have been suffering from insomnia due to certain medications, or are readjusting to being out of the hospital. Are they able to catch up on their sleep and seem rested enough during the day that they aren’t taking frequent naps? If they seem tired, it’s important to know how long it has been going on.

Withdrawn

Does the senior suddenly have no desire to interact with people that they once liked spending time with? Do they tend to keep to themselves more and more often? It is important to note what the senior’s disposition is normally. If they are naturally shy or soft spoken, not wanting to draw attention to themselves or interact with people, this may be a harder call to make.

Sadness

Is the client experiencing prolong bouts with sadness? Do they have a reason to be sad, such as the recent loss of a beloved pet or dear friend? Do they seem sad because of something specific or melancholy in general? Are they making progress in dealing with their sadness such as grieving for their losses? Or do they seem to be taking the loss very hard and unable to cope?

The key to picking up on and alerting a senior’s health care professional to the potential onset of depression is being intimately familiar with the client on a variety of levels. As a caregiver having a true understanding of the senior’s moods, attitudes, and outlook on things will make changes in these characteristics easier to pick up on.

Any frequent and constant changes that a family member or caregiver notices in an elderly individual should be discussed with their doctor at the first opportunity. The sooner depression is diagnosed in the client, the better the prognosis and treatment will be.

Some of the ways the elderly may express anger are:

• being combative
• breaking things
• cursing
• shouting 
• name calling
• withdrawing

Caregivers have to take the time to sit down with an angry senior and find out the source of their anger. Family members and friends can help caregivers with the senior to work through the issue and redirect their anger toward more productive things.

Some of the ways a senior may express feelings of sadness are:

• crying
• withdrawing
• losing interest in things or activities
• sleeping a lot

It’s very important that family members and caregivers find the source of the client’s sadness. Making repeated efforts to lift the client’s spirits is essential to deterring the onset of mental illnesses such as depression.

Some of the ways a senior may express feelings of anxiety are:

• shaking
• trembling
• trouble concentrating
• wringing hands
• decreased appetite
• insomnia
• crying

Because the continued presence of anxiety can lead to more serious conditions such as panic disorder, it is very important that caregivers and family members find effective ways to soothing an anxious client. Talking to them to find out exactly what they are nervous or anxious about can lead to the creation of a plan to effectively put the worries to rest.

The most important thing to remember is to address a senior’s feelings and emotions with dignity, respect, and compassion. Seniors may not know how to communicate their feelings, even if they have an audience to share them with. Careful and considerate methods of helping the senior cope with their emotions should be employed by everyone who comes in contact with the senior to reinforce the idea that whatever they may be feeling is okay and that they are entitled to feel any way they want to feel. Ensuring that the senior has a dependable group of supportive people can and will make all the difference in the world.

The following advice really not only goes for people receiving elderly care or even providing the elderly care, but for everyone.

What are dietary supplements?

Dietary supplements are pills, capsules, or drink mixes that contain a mixture of vitamin and minerals to supplement the body‘s intake of the daily requirements of each one that, for whatever reason, is not being achieved through diet alone. Optionally, there is a supplement for each individual vitamin and mineral so that people can pick and choose what’s right for them based on their deficiencies. Supplements may include herbs, animal extracts, and amino acids in addition to their vitamin and mineral content.

Who may need to take a dietary supplement?

People who are not consuming the recommended daily amounts of vitamins or minerals should consider taking a dietary supplement. Meeting the body’s required amount of each one is crucial for maintaining a healthy body and lifestyle. The elderly population often consumes the bulk of dietary supplements due to increased risk factors from having a deficiency that accompanies age.

Who should not take dietary supplements?

People who are taking regular medications, whether they are prescribed or the over-the-counter variety, should seek the advice of their dietician, doctor, and/or pharmacist to rule out any possible interactions between the supplements and their medications. Just because the supplements contain important vitamins and minerals does not ensure that they are safe to take in every circumstance.

People who have recently had surgery or are scheduled for surgery in the near future should not consume dietary supplements. The consumption of dietary supplements before or after a surgical procedure could lead to severe complications such as blood pressure and bleeding issues. People who are already consuming dietary supplements should discontinue their usage two to three weeks prior to having a surgical procedure performed.

Whether you are providing the elderly care yourself or you are using a company like ours to provide the elderly care dietary supplements are best used under the supervision of a qualified health professional. Always consult your doctor with questions and concerns before taking any dietary supplements.

Seniors who experience bouts with insomnia do so for the same reasons as the rest of us. However, the elderly population is highly sensitive to change on many levels. Even the tiniest detour from their normal way of doing things can be upsetting enough to them that they will actually lose sleep over it. A new doctor, a new medication, or even a new nightgown can make the senior uncomfortable enough to where they are unable to sleep. Sometimes, there could be more sinister reasons behind a senior’s inability to sleep such as the onset of dementia or depression and then it would help to monitor the senior. Home care is one option.

Here are some things we have found, as senior home care providers, for you to consider if you notice an elderly loved one who is having trouble sleeping.

Look for a simple explanation

There are several harmless reasons that a senior might have trouble sleeping at night. Maybe their clothing or their bed covers make them itch. Perhaps their mattress is lumpy or uncomfortable. They could require more pillow support to sleep comfortably. Is their bedroom too hot or too cold? Is there too much light shining on them or is it too dark for their liking? Did they have too much coffee during the day and the caffeine is keeping them awake at night?

Digestive issues

Are they experiencing heartburn, indigestion, or acid reflux that would make lying down uncomfortable? Perhaps they have an upset stomach from something they ate earlier in the day. Do they need to go to the bathroom before bed? Could the senior be constipated or have painful gas pressure that’s causing them distress?

Causes of stress, anxiety, or other emotions

Is the senior preoccupied with something such as a task they didn’t finish that day or an errand they forgot to run? Are they anxious over an approaching doctor visit? Have they experienced a recent loss of close friend, family member, or pet? Are the afraid of something? Talking to them about why they believe they are losing sleep could provide caregivers and family members with the information needed to find a simple solution to their loved one’s sleeping problem.

If you, yourself, are providing the senior home care then the above points are not too dificult to carry out and don’t require any medical training

Any time a senior person forgets something, especially when receiving in-home senior care, family members generally find cause for alarm. They begin to wonder if these small lapses in memory are innocent or if they have a more sinister side that leans toward dementia and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. In the majority of the cases, memory lapses that senior people experience are totally harmless and have a simple, underlying cause.

Some examples of forgetfulness that are generally not a cause for concern are:

• forgetting where you left your glasses or keys
• forgetting the names of people and places
• occasionally forgetting an appointment
• trouble recalling something you just read
• going into a room without remembering what for

Some underlying causes for short term memory lapses are:

• Vitamin B-12 deficiencies
• hearing impairment
• certain medications
• exposures to toxins
• thyroidal problems

When providing senior care there are ways we recommend to improve episodes of short term memory lapses. Improving the senior’s diet is one of those ways. Antioxidants and Vitamin B-12 are important nutrients in retaining cognitive function. Getting enough rest at night allows the brain time to process the information it retained over the course of the day. This is why bouts with memory loss are aggravated by insomnia. The brain hasn’t had time to rest.

Continuously challenging the brain is an effective way to maintain its function. This can be achieved by working crossword or ‘brain teaser’ puzzles, playing board games that require strategy, or reading books or papers on an unfamiliar subject. The benefits of engaging other people in these activities are two-fold. Not only is the brain receiving a workout from the puzzles and games, it is also working overtime to balance the communication and interaction that is going on between the individuals involved in the activities, thereby improving and expanding important social skills.

It is important, when providing senior care, for caregivers and family members to keep notes on the frequency of the elderly loved one’s bouts with short term memory lapses. While they could be perfectly normal occurrences, being aware of an increased frequency in the bouts will help establish whether the lapses need to be brought to the attention of a medical professional to rule out any other problems.