Listen to our executive director’s interview with Jason Parker.
Sound Retirement Radio: Thriving in Retirement
Jason Parker is the President of Parker Financial LLC an independent fee based registered investment advisory firm in Silverdale Washington specializing in wealth managment for retiree’s. He is also a member of KARE, which is a non-profit organization committed to helping Kitsap Peninsula seniors, their family members, and their caregivers with resources, education, and training.
“There are only four kinds of people in this world. Those who have been caregivers, those who are caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.” Rosalynn Carter, Former First Lady
The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that in the year 2010, 54% of workforce employees will provide eldercare for a parent or parents and that nearly two-thirds of caregivers will experience conflict between demands at home and demands from employers.
Today’s employed Baby Boomers are the caregiver generation for their parents. They are finding themselves juggling care responsibilities around their employment obligations. Sometimes employees find they have no option but to take leave from work or use sick time to meet their care-giving demands.
Employers also feel the toll it is taking on their employees. A report by the AARP describes the cost to employers: “Companies are also seeing the emotional and physical toll that care-giving takes on their workers. In one study, 75% of employees caring for adults reported negative health consequences, including depression, stress, panic attacks, headaches, loss of energy and sleep, weight loss, and physical pain. Businesses suffer, too, by having to pay high health insurance costs and in lost productivity. That doesn’t count the promotions or assignments workers turn down that requires travel or relocation away from aging relatives.”
Businesses that don’t offer benefits or address eldercare wind up paying for them. A recent study by the MetLife Market Mature Institute and the National Alliance for Caregiving states that U.S. companies pay between $17.1 billion and $33.6 billion annually, depending on the level of care-giving involved, on lost productivity. That equals $2,110 for every full-time worker who cares for an adult.
Typically, human resource departments work with employees on many issues that may affect their work productivity. There are programs for drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, illness, absenteeism and child care; but, help with eldercare issues is not normally provided.
However, a growing number of companies nationwide are directing their HR departments to provide resources, education and group help for care-giving issues by:
- Providing materials from community resources such as phone numbers to their local Senior Centers or Area Agencies on Aging.
- Making available brochures and booklets on specific programs and services by eldercare experts
- Providing speakers to educate employees on care-giving options
- Allowing options to use paid sick leave, employee job sharing and flexible hours
- Allowing employee caregivers to use business computers for care-giving research
- Contracting with companies who provide eldercare services to help employees
Eldercare service providers are also reaching out to help employee caregivers by providing informational presentations at the work place during lunch time or other times set up by employers. One such presentation provided information on reverse mortgages, a sometimes controversial instrument, but one which has helped many families cope with the costs of caregiver expenses.
Along this line, our community is fortunate to have an organization, the Kitsap Alliance of Resources for Elders (KARE), that provides educational presentations on such subjects as: Home Care, Elder Law, Reverse Mortgages, Rehabilitation/Physical Therapy/Fall Prevention, Geriatric & Internal Medicine, and Senior Move Planning, just to name a few. For more information on this non-profit organization, you can go to their website at www.kare-wa.com.
Employers, employees and eldercare service providers, working together, can make parent or senior care-giving a workable solution for everyone.
Carl R. Johnson
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®
Community Relations Director
Abiding HomeCare
Silverdale, WA
Kitsap Alliance of Resources for Elders (KARE) is pleased to announce its first “official” endeavor since becoming a fully accredited 501(c)(3) non-profit organization:
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:
- You can registration on-line at Brown Paper Tickets.
- Download the KARE conference flyer and the registration form.
We hope you will be able to join us for this inaugural event.
Six days a week, a seventy-six-year-old active businessman begins his day at the local YMCA pool. This energetic, charismatic man exercises in the water before going to his office each day, and he says he feels the benefits not only on his body, but also his spirit. He was told by his doctor to “get into the water.”
Similarly, an older woman, who has had multiple knee and hip replacement surgeries, was told by her orthopedic surgeon that the best thing she could do was to “get into the pool.”
Doctors often recommend exercising in water because it has many healing effects for people of all ages. These include relief of pain and muscle spasms, increased range of motion, increased muscle strength, enhancement of balance, faster recovery from many types of surgeries, and more. Bruce Becker, in his article “Healing Waters” (2007), says there is new research to support that exercising in water “can also strengthen the muscles of respiration, which can be helpful in athletes, as well as in the rehabilitation of people with respiratory weakness or other lung disease.”
A simple explanation for the proven benefits of water therapy is that the buoyancy supports and lessens stress on the joints, allowing freer movement to occur. In addition, the water acts as a resistance to help build muscle strength. Therefore, though you must use your muscles more while in the water, it doesn’t feel strenuous. You are getting a great workout without the pressure on your joints.
I recently spoke with a pool manager who says, “People with all sorts of ailments and disabilities benefit from being in the water. It either eliminates the pain or greatly lessens it. It’s an equal opportunity medium.” So people who suffer with such physical problems as arthritis, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and amputations (to name a few) greatly benefit from water exercises. The pool manager also noted that, “You do not have to swim in order to benefit from exercising in the water.” In fact, water aerobics, jogging, or walking in the water are also beneficial. However, a physician should always be consulted before beginning any exercise program.
With the evidence tallied regarding water as a healing tool, the Silver Sneakers program, a national exercise program for older adults, has added Silver Splash, a water aerobics component, to their program. Some health-care insurance companies actually offer the Silver Sneakers/Silver Splash program free of charge with many of their senior insurance policies. (Check with your insurance company to see if they offer this program.) With rising costs, programs such as Silver Splash help prevent long-term illness in the future, which in turn helps keep insurance costs down.
In addition to using water for healing the body, water can be an excellent tool for healing the spirit through relaxation. If you have ever been mesmerized by the roar of the ocean, the trickling of a creek, or the rush of a waterfall, you know that even the sound of water is relaxing. Being IN the water is even more so.
Whether you are floating on aqua waves in the Caribbean, swimming laps in a pool, or lolling in your own bathtub (or spa), water is a gentle friend that helps erase the tensions of the day. And if you are seeking an exercise program for yourself or someone else that is perfect for any age, that will increase serenity as well as strength, flexibility, balance, and more, give the water a splash!
Carl R. Johnson
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®
Community Relations Director
Abiding HomeCare
Silverdale, WA
In the process of becoming a Certified Senior Advisor, I have been privileged to glean wisdom and insight from some of the foremost authorities on senior life today. Along the way I’ve come to the realization that aging is a set of processes that are significantly affected by what we think. Our attitudes, values, and beliefs have great impact on our physical health, psychological well-being, and social involvement during our later years.
Sadly, there are many prejudices and stereotypes that are applied to persons based solely on their age. This is what we call ageism, and one of the most frequent “stereotypes” is the view of later life as a period of decline and disaster. However, whether you’re a senior, or you have a loved one who is experiencing the challenges of senior life, having the right attitude can make all the difference in the world.
Of course, not all fears about old age are based on prejudice or imagination. Some fears are all too real, and we need to take account of those fears in making plans for the later years.
While not a given, advancing age increases the probability of chronic illness, dementia, and death. A quick look at life insurance rates will tell you that mortality is a realistic fear for elders. Yet survey research suggests that older people are actually less afraid of death than younger people.
So what are they afraid of? Older people typically express fears of dependency and loss of control. In comparison, death may even seem preferable. For example, the history of assisted suicide in Oregon suggests that very few people, even with terminal illness, actually make use of the option. When they do, it is mostly not for reasons of pain, but because they fear dependency and loss of autonomy.
Fear of dependency is also the reason behind common attitudes about nursing homes. It is not unusual for older people to say, “I’d rather die than go into a nursing home.” Ironically, many who do enter long-term care facilities adapt to the situation and may even find more opportunities for activities, social contact, and support. But the fear of being “put away in a nursing home” is still widespread.
Another important fear among seniors is that of impoverishment – outliving one’s income or assets. Here again, the fear is not unrealistic because poverty rates rise dramatically among those over age 80.
Lastly, there is the fear of losing one’s mind, an informal way of referring to dementia or diminished mental capacity. Unfortunately, rates of dementia do rise dramatically as people age. However … developing dementia is not inevitable, and there are encouraging “methods” and techniques being utilized today that are quite successful.
The overall picture of fears in later life was captured well by King Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes. As Solomon is summing up his thoughts he says, “When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. But let them also remember there will be many dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless.
Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, ‘Life is not pleasant anymore.’ Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes … see dimly. Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint. Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caper berry (i.e. an ancient aphrodisiac) no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral.” (Ecclesiastes 11:8; 12:1-5 NLT)
As Solomon understood that, no matter how powerful we are, old age can bring with it a loss of power and therefore greater vulnerability.
Growing older is definitely a challenge, but it’s great to know we’re not alone, and we’re not without resources to make the journey manageable.
Carl R. Johnson
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®
Community Relations Director
Abiding HomeCare
Silverdale, WA
Tags: Bainbridge Island, bremerton, elderly care, home care, home health care, in home care provider, port orchard, poulsbo, senior care, silverdale
In last month’s column we addressed the importance that seniors place on being able to maintain a home living environment for as long as possible. However, such a strong determination is not without its challenges and potential pitfalls. As we observed, merely desiring to remain independent is no guarantee that a senior can maintain a “safe” living space, or be able to cope with the “Activities of Daily Living” (ADL’s) such as grocery shopping, meal preparation, laundry, grooming and hygiene, and basic household cleaning. Unless a senior has a safety net of family and friends to monitor their well-being, there are risks that can often result in harmful consequences.
I can’t stress strongly enough that when a senior begins exhibiting “signs” of neglecting basic activities of personal care, or experiences a fall, or manifests the early stages of dementia, that is the time to take seriously making provision for family care, or hiring a home caregiver to assist the senior with those issues.
However, before such assistance is needed, there are actually some marvelous innovations in technology that have been developed that can provide a level of security and confidence for seniors living at home. And although I don’t have space in this column to identify all of these products and services, I do want to highlight several of the more relevant and practical ones.
The first one that is especially useful is a Personal Emergency Response System. This “system” is typically comprised of a two-way voice console unit that connects to an existing phone line and a lightweight water-resistant activator, worn around the neck or wrist. If assistance is needed, the senior simply presses the button and the console unit dials the Response Center which opens a two-way voice connection with a trained response operator. Seven days a week, 24 hours a day, a trained operator will immediately respond to determine the level of help required.
The second product that has great value for seniors (and especially their families) is one of the most highly sophisticated innovations on the market today – an advanced sensor system that discretely monitors the daily activities of someone living alone. This system provides the highest level of passive security available for an elderly person living alone. Family members or friends can be granted access to a secure web site so they can check the status at any time. The system recognizes and reports normal, healthy behaviors—and significant changes—during the times the senior is alone in their residence. When there are changes in behavior that indicate potential health problems or dangerous situations, the system alerts caregivers so that they can provide appropriate medical attention.
The third innovation is actually a service designed to call a senior one to three times per day with either a medication reminder or a “well-being” check up. If the call is for a medication reminder, the calls are made at prescribed times, describing the medication to be taken by name, and then notifies the caregiver if the senior doesn’t confirm the call. For “well-being” calls, the system is automated and interactive, up to three calls per day, and is also designed to notify the caregiver if the senior doesn’t confirm the call.
Although I’ve only been able to briefly describe these products and service, there is information available that gives a much more comprehensive explanation of each one. If you would like to obtain information on any of these, please call (360) 692-6929 and a brochure will be mailed, or your questions answered.
While technology has provided us with many “tools” for keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe and secure, there is nothing more valuable than the love and care we receive from family and friends. As we look ahead to this coming year, I trust that you will experience a very happy and prosperous New Year.
Carl R. Johnson
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®
Community Relations Director
Abiding HomeCare
Silverdale, WA
Tags: Bainbridge Island, bremerton, caregivers, elderly care, home care providers, home health care, in home care provider, port orchard, silverdale
One of the most important objectives of most seniors is to be able to maintain a degree of independence for as long as possible. As a senior, I want to be able to live in my own home, and enjoy the freedom that comes with good health and a sound body. As long as I can take care of myself, I don’t need (or want) the services of others. Often I hear married couples say, “We’ve been able to get along just fine all these years, and there’s no reason to think we’re in need of any special help now.” But I would caution that such an attitude may be very risky, and one that often leads to unintended consequences.
The fact is … seniors want to stay at home so much that a term has been coined for this purpose: AGING IN PLACE. The “place” is familiar, full of memories, full of “things”, a symbol of “success”, especially for those who remember the Great Depression, WWII, and the years of challenge that faced the baby-boom generation. Being able to stay in that “place” is emotionally and physically important to both the parents and the children, and it reinforces the bonds that tie a family together. So, how do we come to terms with this when there are “other places” they could be?
Our first consideration must be safety. If a senior is determined to stay in their own home, we need to ask: “How can we make the home as safe as possible, especially as physical and memory capacities slip”? Since this is such an important question, and because the subject needs more space than this column allows, a Home Safety Checklist has been created, which is available, free of charge, by calling (360) 692-6929, and requesting one.
Assuming the home is safe, I would like to suggest the following considerations for keeping seniors at home.
First, and perhaps most important, is the additional involvement of the children or other relatives. Sometimes this means assisting with bills, doing grocery shopping, picking up on laundry chores, making meals, or doing some cleaning. That is … assisting with the Activities of Daily Living (ADL). By the way, this is a phrase that will become very important to you as you take this journey for yourself, or with your parents or loved ones. Most often this involvement with ADL’s happens when a child or relative is visiting and notices a “past due” notice for a monthly bill, or goes to the refrigerator and notices spoiled food, or goes to use the bathroom and notices an odor from an unclean toilet or soiled laundry. Because of the concern, the child or relative will start coming over more often and performing tasks. The problem, however, is that the more this happens the quality of the visits begin to degenerate, frustration on both parties starts to build, and balance in the life of the child or relative soon diminishes.
The second way to keep seniors at home is hiring a Home Care Company. This can be a difficult step for seniors because a “stranger” will be coming into their home. However, Home Care Companies report that this concern is quickly overcome within an hour after the first caregiver arrives. Frankly, I believe this is because people who choose to do homecare usually have pretty big hearts, and are trained to work WITH rather than FOR seniors, and to listen to how the senior wants things done.
By the way … it’s important to understand the difference between Home CARE and Home HEALTH companies. Home CARE is non medical. So, for example, when a Home CARE company sends a caregiver to a client’s home they are there to help with those Activities of Daily Living such as: meal planning and preparation, cleaning, laundry, medication REMINDERS, transportation, errands, grooming, dressing and bath assistance, etc. A Home HEALTH company will do wound care, DISPENSE medications, assist with catheters or colostomy care, etc.
Although Home CARE is typically private pay for services, and is not covered by Medicare, many Long Term Care Insurance policies will pay for these services. What is generally required is that a doctor certifies that at least two ADL’s cannot be performed independently.
Finally, there are also the innovations in technology that can be used to keep seniors in their home and safer at the same time, which is something I want to address in more depth in next month’s column.
So until then … Happy Holidays!
Carl R. Johnson Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® Community Relations Director Abiding HomeCare Silverdale, WAThere is a popular tune played this time of year called “Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer” which relates that Grandma — after drinking too much eggnog — went out into the winter cold to get her medication and was run over by a reindeer. The question is, “Who was supposed to be watching Grandma?”
Though this little tune is just for fun, it may very well raise alarms to many caregivers of the elderly. Caregivers know that even at a holiday party they cannot let down their diligent watch over their elderly loved one. As far-fetched as it may sound, with all the people and noise, an elderly family member with dementia or Alzheimer’s may be enjoying the family gathering and then suddenly become confused and walk to the door and leave.
For family caregivers the added stress of the holidays with decorating, shopping, parties and keeping up with all the family traditions is an overwhelming quest. Feelings of isolation, depression and sadness come with this added stress. There are millions of Americans who are caring for elderly frail loved ones and most of these caregivers will go through some of these emotions, especially this time of year.
There are some things you can do as a caregiver to help you and those you care for enjoy the holiday season.
First take care of yourself. Try to eat right, get plenty of sleep and exercise. This will help reduce stress and strengthen your ability to cope with caregiving responsibilities.
Prioritize your holiday traditions. Perhaps instead of cooking a large family dinner, have everyone bring his or her favorite dish. Use paper plates. Forfeit the traditional outside light decorating for a lighted wreath on the front door. Choose one or two parties or concerts to attend instead of trying to do it all.
Arrange for help. Call on other family members to help with the caregiving while you do your shopping or go out for the evening. If family is not available, ask your church group or a neighbor if they would donate a few hours.
Use community services. Many senior centers provide meals for the elderly and supervised activities, onsite, at no charge or a minimal charge. For locating senior services in your state, call your state Area Agency on Aging or check the national locator website athttp://www.n4a.org/
Use adult day care services. Some assisted living facilities provide day activities and meals for seniors on a day by day basis. Other organizations called “adult day service providers” specialize exclusively in this sort of care support at a reasonable cost. These support services provide respite for caregivers from their caregiving responsibilities as well as social interaction for their elderly family members. There is a cost for adult day services, but the benefit for all is worth it.
For example:
Jean had brought her mother into her home to care for her when mom’s Alzheimer’s made it impossible for her to be alone. When the Christmas season approached, Jean realized she had to make some choices. She did not want to give up the traditions she had set with her daughters in shopping and lunches, but it wouldn’t be possible with her caregiving responsibilities. In searching for a solution, Jean visited an adult day services facility near her home. She found she could schedule the days she needed off for her mother to come in. The adult day services company also provided transportation and would pick up mom and bring her home in the evening.
Although Jean’s mother was not sure she would like to go at first, she found she enjoyed the programs, meals and conversation with new friends and the activities provided.
The time it gave Jean to have for herself was worth the extra cost for the day care.
Technology to the rescue. Here is a solution that would have kept “Grandma” from going out in the winter cold and getting run over by a reindeer. Companies that have created monitoring systems, security alarms and other safety equipment are “tweaking” them to adapt to the needs of seniors and their care givers.
Here are a few examples:
- Ankle or wrist bands that monitor location and alert the provider when a person has gone beyond the designated perimeter, such as out the front door of the house.
- Motion detectors. Set throughout the home, motion detectors allow someone outside the home to follow a senior as he or she moves through the house.
- Smart medication dispensers. Live monitoring and dispensing of pills.
- Emergency response alert. At a touch of a button on a desktop monitor, bracelet or necklace, emergency help is summoned.
Whether providing care in your home or helping senior family members in their own homes, your use of monitoring and “tech” help aids can provide extra safety for your loved ones, and peace of mind for you.
You are not alone. Join a caregiving help group. Your local senior center may have one or go on the internet to find one. Hearing about other caregivers’ problems and solutions and being able to share your own and ask questions is a great way to relieve stress and gain a new perspective. Check out websites like the National Family Caregivers Association at http://www.nfcacares.org/
Work with a Senior Care Professional. Recognize that you are doing the very best you know how. You are not a geriatric health care practitioner, geriatric care manager, home care nurse or aide, hospice provider or family mediation counselor, nor do you have the years of training and experience these professionals have, but you can definitely use their experience. In fact, using a senior care specialist will make caregiving easier for you and more beneficial for your elderly family member.
As an example:
Mark stopped by his father Dan’s home every night after work to help with any errands or things he needed around the house. He began to notice that Dan was not showering, dressing or even fixing meals some days. Another concern was his father’s growing confusion and disorientation. A trip to the family doctor only brought more concern to Mark, since the doctor claimed it was just the aging process that caused the confusion.
Wanting a second professional opinion on what was best for his father, Mark hired Shelly — a Professional Geriatric Care Manger — to do an assessment. Shelly arranged for Mark and Dan to see a geriatrician, who advised that proper meals and an increase in some vitamins, would help clear up the confusion and disorientation. Shelly arranged for a home care company to come in daily to help with personal needs and prepare meals.
Soon Dan was back to his old self and able to function on his own.
You can find a wide variety of care professionals in your area on the National Care Planning Council website at www.longtermcarelink.net.
One more thing to remember. As a family caregiver, the greatest gift you are giving this holiday season is “Love.”
During the past several months I’ve tried to focus this column on issues that impact seniors and their families, and this month is certainly no exception. In fact, the subject for this column is one that represents one of the most feared and least talked about concerns for seniors and their loved ones today … dementia.
Perhaps the reason many seniors avoid talking about this subject is due to their fear of what this could mean to their “quality of life” in their later years. According to the MetLife Foundation Alzheimer’s Survey, What America Thinks, “American adults fear getting Alzheimer’s disease more than heart disease, stroke or diabetes, but almost nine out of 10 people have taken no steps to prepare for Alzheimer’s — an illness that attacks nearly 50 percent of those who live past age 85.”
In light of this survey, I can certainly understand why seniors avoid such discussions, or even fear getting tested for “signs” of cognitive memory issues.
However, avoidance of this subject can prove to be harmful and unnecessary, especially when there are an increasing number of programs, or “methods” that can substantially improve cognition and brain functioning in the early to mid stages of dementia, and thereby delay the impact of this disease.
This becomes even more relevant in light of the fact that November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) has designated November 17th as National Memory Screening Day. As a result, a local non-profit organization known as the Kitsap Alliance of Resources for Elders (KARE) has been able to partner with the Silverdale Costco to offer free memory screenings on Tuesday, November 17th, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The screenings will take place in the pharmacy area inside Costco. Although this memory screening only takes a few minutes, it does provide enough information to indicate if a more comprehensive evaluation is warranted, and if so, where to obtain such an evaluation.
As I previously mentioned, there are an increasing number of programs to assist seniors with mild to medium stages of dementia, which are proving to be quite effective. One such program, or “method”, is called the Ashby Memory Method (AMM) … a brain fitness program developed by the late Dr. Mira Ashby, MD, who received the Order of Canada for her work with the brain injured. The main goal is to improve the quality of life for the participant and their family by resisting the symptoms of the disease. AMM is specifically designed to improve cognition and brain functioning using materials based on a person’s interests, so that the sessions are relevant and enjoyable. The program is administered by certified facilitators who have been trained on the progression of memory loss and how to maximize the results of the program. Studies have actually shown that these AMM sessions improve memory performance over short-term, and maintain that performance over an extended period of time.
Although the AMM program isn’t the only one available, it is one that I am familiar with, and one that is currently offered by Abiding HomeCare (AHC), a Silverdale based in-home care company, for which I serve as Community Relations Director.
Whether you or a loved one have questions concerning cognitive memory issues, or you’ve personally experienced recent memory lapses, now is the time to get tested and obtain the information you need to better evaluate your options, and get the help you need. Please don’t put it off another day.
