Are you caring for someone with ALZHEIMER’S disease? SHARE YOUR STORY! I’m creating a documentary series about the affects of Alzheimer’s disease on caregivers, and families. I’m offering free professional assistance for those willing to share their story! Please be a part of raising awareness of this mind-blowing disease. Thank you!
Achieving Goals Empowers People With Dementia
August 17th, 2010(Source: Alzheimer’s Society – UK)
“Achieving personal goals can help people in the early stages of dementia manage their condition, Alzheimer’s Society research has found.
Researchers at Bangor University, Wales found that people who received cognitive rehabilitation felt their performance of daily activities improved. Carers of those receiving the treatment also noted an improvement in their own quality of life.
Cognitive rehabilitation is a treatment where people with dementia work with health professionals to identify personal goals and develop strategies for achieving them. Goals were tailored to the participants’ specific needs and included things such as remembering details of jobs to be done around the house, maintaining concentration when cooking, learning to use a mobile phone and remembering the names of people at an exercise class. The cognitive rehabilitation group said they saw an improvement in their ability to carry out all of the chosen activities.”
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with dementia, you might consider setting some short term goals – that can be measured and realistically completed. Small steps works best!
Spinal-Fluid Test Is Found to Predict Alzheimer’s
August 10th, 2010Alzheimer’s Disease promising new research: The presence of three specific proteins in spinal fluid may accurately predict Alzheimer’s disease (AD) prior to the onset of any symptoms: Read the whole story here or here
This is NOT a cure – this is a way to predict if you might get or have AD.
The question then is: What do you do if the test reveals you have AD or may get it? There are some medications out now that MAY slow the progression of the disease, but much more research is needed in this area. Some people will not want to know if they may get AD.
Good brain health through physical exercise, brain exercises, and healthy diet may be beneficial in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.
Take good care!
Follow AgingPro.com On Facebook!
July 31st, 2010I have started a Fan Page for AgingPro.com – my national online eldercare resource for family caregivers. I would appreciate it if you go http://tiny.cc/g8wbt and hit “like” to become a fan, and you will be able to follow the exciting upcoming events – including working with the Maria Shriver March for Alzheimer’s in Long Beach! Thanks for your support!
Caregiving Initiative gets fully funded
July 29th, 2010Exciting news from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging – read their statement, below.
This is great news for Aging Network and caregivers!
As Appropriations Bills Move,
AoA A Big Winner
July 27, 2010
Excellent news from Washington today. After months of advocacy from n4a members and others to boost the President’s Caregiver Initiative, it appears that we may just win this one!
This afternoon, the Senate Subcommittee on Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations marked up its spending bill for FY 2011, which contains funding for OAA and other critical federal programs. While full details have not yet emerged and likely won’t until after the full Senate Appropriations Committee marks up the bill this Thursday, n4a has learned that the overall increase for the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) is $143.3 million, which is even higher than the President’s generous budget requested.
Not only is the Administration’s Caregiver Initiative fully funded (with an additional boost for the AoA-administered Lifespan Respite Program), but the bill contains a $38.2 million boost in OAA senior nutrition programs, which is a 4.6 percent increase over FY 2010. This means that the National Family Caregiver Support Program (OAA Title III E) and the Title VI Caregiver program would see 31 percent increases, Title III B a 13 percent increase, and Title VI Part A more than 7 percent increase—all of these programs have been n4a funding priorities for several years.
Previously on July 15, the House Subcommittee on Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations marked up its spending bill. Details have yet to be released about specific programs within the bill’s jurisdiction, but n4a has learned that AoA’s funding level is approximately $135 million over FY 2010, which is also $26 million over the President’s recommendation. This is excellent news—trumped a bit by the Senate’s even higher numbers, but very significant when compared to years of stagnant funding for OAA. Our fingers are crossed that this overall number reflects, as the Senate’s does, a full funding of the Caregiver Intiative. Once the full committee marks up the bill, the details will be made available and n4a will update its appropriations chart and notify all members.
However, neither bill is expected to come to the floor for consideration before the fiscal year begins on October 1. As in years past, a continuing resolution (CR) will likely keep federal funding flowing until Congress passes a final bill. Best estimate of when that will occur? During the lame-duck session after the elections in November—perhaps as part of an omnibus bill that merges several spending bills.
Hospital and Nursing Home Discharge: You Have a Right to Appeal
March 16th, 2010
When you or a loved is discharged from a hospital or nursing facility, it can be a very stressful process, and can be even more difficult if the patient, and their family or caregiver, are unaware of their options. Medicare beneficiaries have important rights to receive proper medical care.
When a Medicare patient enters a hospital or nursing facility, there are strong financial incentives to discharge the patient as quickly as possible. Medicare usually pays hospitals flat rates, based on the type of medical problem being treated. If the hospital spends less money on medical care than Medicare pays, it makes money, but if the hospital spends more than Medicare pays, it loses money. Therefore, the doctors and care providers in these facilities are urged to quickly discharge Medicare patients.
To protect patients from being discharged too quickly, Medicare gives the patient the right to appeal hospital discharge decisions. When a hospital, doctor, or Medicare health plan informs you of your planned date of discharge, it is important to tell them immediately if you think you are not ready to leave. If your concerns about early discharge are not resolved through the staff, you should request an appeal. Medicare will continue to cover your stay, as long as you file the appeal before you are discharged.
When filing an appeal:
- It is best to file your appeal on or just before the planned discharge date.
- To file your appeal, call Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG) at 1-800-841-1602.
- Tell HSAG why you object the planned discharge and provide supporting information.
- After you file your appeal, the hospital (or your Medical health plan) must give you a Detailed Notice of Discharge that explains the reasons it thinks you are ready to be discharged.
- The hospital must send a copy of your medical records to HSAG for its review.
HSAG will usually inform you and the hospital of its decision within one day of receiving the necessary information, and is required to do it by telephone and in writing. If HSAG decides that you are not ready to be discharged, Medicare will continue to cover your hospital stay. However, if HSAG finds that you are ready to be discharged, Medicare will continue to cover your services until noon, of the day after HSAG notifies you of its decision.
SOURCE: www.canhr.org
19 Things Elders Have Learned – Humor
March 16th, 201019 Things Elders Have Learned
- Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
- Don’t worry about what people think; they don’t do it very often.
- Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car.
- Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
- If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you’ve never tried before.
- A person, who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.
- For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.
- If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.
- Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.
- A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good.
- Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.
- A balanced diet is a muffin in each hand.
- Junk is something you’ve kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.
- Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
- 7People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
- You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.
- Never lick a steak knife.
- You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she’s pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
- The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that deep down inside we ALL believe we are above average drivers.
Help with Medicare Part D, prescriptions, questions
March 16th, 2010“My Medicare Matters” is an educational and outreach initiative that helps people with Medicare and their families better understand Medicare. This campaign is sponsored by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and supported by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP.
The “My Medicare Matters” national campaign has three goals:
- To maximize the number of people who are “informed consumers” of Medicare, including Part D and who are able to take appropriate next steps
- To maximize the number of eligible people who enroll in the Medicare Savings Program, Part D Extra Help/Low-Income Subsidy (LIS)
- Maximize access to related benefits for elders of modest financial means
For more information about My Medicare Matters, please visit www.MyMedicareMatters.org for consumers and www.MyMedicareCommunity.org for professionals and volunteers who work with people with Medicare.
To contact Medicare directly, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
About Me
January 25th, 2010My name is Cheryl Mathieu, Ph.D., M.S.W. I help people manage the challenges of aging and caregiving, especially with aging parents. I am a problem solver and an eldercare advocate. Whether you are a family caregiver or professional in aging, I can assist you in finding creative solutions, and peace of mind, in any eldercare situation.
I own my own Geriatric Care Management business in Southern California, and daily help caregivers and seniors get the assistance they need to remain independent in their homes and have the highest quality of life possible – assuring they are happy and safe.
Since 1984, l have been devoted to community service, elder advocacy, coaching caregivers, creating a meaningful life, and assisting others in creating what they want. I am dedicated to assisting individuals and their loved ones to achieve the highest quality of life, dignity, independence, integrity and joy.
My passion for serving the elderly began many years ago, while assisting both of my grandmothers with their goals to remain independent and have a good quality of life. I learned first-hand the physical challenges of aging, the drive to maintain independence, the difficulty of navigating the “systems,” the vulnerability of seniors, the healing of relationships that is possible, and all the difference a caring touch can make to a senior and their family. Although we hadn’t been close throughout our lives, I advocated for both of them during their last years – finding the best care and assuring they were happy and safe. I saw how loving and caring for them no matter what assisted them in healing their relationships with other family members, and created a peaceful completion for all.
In 1999, I formalized my specialized training in gerontology and aging, and began a career in geriatric care management. I have a Master in Social Work from CSULB, a Doctorate in Social Work from UCLA, and a Master of Spiritual Science from Peace Theological Seminary. I love people and put my heart on the line to advocate for others. Through academics and service experience, I have gained in-depth knowledge of issues related to aging and the life cycle. I am devoted to my growth and development, and committed to maximizing the quality of life for those she serves.
The purpose of this blog is to share tips, strategies, inspiration and hope with all caregivers!!!
Feel free to browse, comment or ask questions.
All the best!
Dr. Cheryl
Alzheimer’s and Eating: Colorful Ideas
October 16th, 2009Brightly colored tableware may be the key to getting Alzheimer’s patients to eat and drink more.
Significant weight loss can be seen in about 40% of people with severe Alzheimer’s disease. This has most often been attributed to depression and eating difficulties, but a study that was conducted in 2004 and is published in the journal Clinical Nutrition, has indicated that vision problems might be the cause.
Serving meals on brightly colored tableware may encourage greater food consumption among patients suffering from Alzheimer’s. This study showed that people with Alzheimer’s disease experienced a 24% increase in food intake and 84% increase in liquid intake when served on bright red or brightly colored blue tableware and cutlery as compared to white tableware and stainless-steel silverware.
If you are having trouble getting your Alzheimer’s patient to eat, consider using high-contrast tableware. This is an easy and inexpensive solution, which helps maintain the patient’s diet and promotes independence.
Bright ideas brought to you by Emily
Firm Pushed Drug It Knew Didn’t Work
June 16th, 2009AP
Health insurers and states are suing Eli Lilly Co. over the way it marketed Zyprexa, an antipsychotic medication. Zyprexa was the firm’s best-selling drug in 2008.
(June 15) — Phamaceutical giant Eli Lilly & Co. urged doctors to prescribe its drug Zyprexa for elderly patients with dementia, even though the company had evidence the drug didn’t work in such cases, Bloomberg News reported.
The Bloomberg story is based on company documents that were unsealed in insurer lawsuits against the company over Zyprexa. Lilly began promoting the drug for use in elderly patients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia in 1999, even though it had been approved only as a treatment for schizophrenia. The company also tried to get doctors to prescribe Zyprexa to elderly people struggling with moodiness and insomnia.
It’s unclear whether Lilly accepted the offer, Bloomberg said. It noted that a rival pharmacy company, Express Scripts Inc., also sent out letters touting Zyprexa. CVS and Express Scripts are not defendants in the lawsuit.
Zyprexa was Lilly’s best-selling drug in the U.S. in 2008, bringing in $14.6 billion. The documents were released as part of a $6.8 billion lawsuit over Lilly’s marketing of Zyprexa. Twelve states are also suing Lilly over the same matter.
21 Activities For People with Dementia
June 11th, 2009Encouraging people with dementia to stay engaged and active can sometimes be a challenge if you haven’t done it before. Below are 21 ideas to help you succeed. Be sensitive to the person’s abilities and desires. Remember to keep the instructions simple and clear, pick the best time of day to engage the person, offer choices, be patient, flexible and creative and have fun!
1. Physical activity – exercise (group or individual, walking, yoga)
2. Games, puzzles, crossword puzzles
3. Meal preparation (stirring, washing, mixing, tasting)
4. Housekeeping (folding, dusting, make the bed)
5. Music (listening to favorites, singing, live shows)
6. Work-type activities (safe items from the person’s professional work: a desk, papers to sort, tools)
7. Personal grooming (fix hair, do nails)
8. Gardening (watering, planting)
9. Massage (hand or foot, be sensitive to personal space issues)
10. Attending religious services
11. Magazines or books (pictures, familiar people or places)
12. Outings (art museums, coffee shop, beach)
13. TV (approprite and in small amounts, classic movies, Animal Planet, comedies like “I Love Lucy”)
14. Arts and crafts (meaningful and purposeful, not just to fill time)
15. Attend senior center or day care programs (when appropriate and the group’s ability levels match your needs)
16. Pet care (feeding, combing, petting)
17. Sorting (poker chips, coins, cards, silverware)
18. Engage with children (intergenerational activities)
19. Meditation and quiet time (soft music, low sensory input, holding soft animals and blankets)
20. Reminisce (structured discussions about old memories)
21. Eating (going for a favorite meal, ice cream shake)
Do you have other activities that have worked well? Please let me know so I can post and share them with others!
AgingPro.com Participates in Aging Sensitivity Training
June 10th, 2009LONG BEACH, Calif., June 8 /PRNewswire/ — In an effort to better serve Long Beach-area seniors, staff members from local legislators’ offices and community agencies recently participated in an interactive senior sensitivity training program sponsored by SCAN Health Plan. The award-winning Trading Ages(TM) program is a workshop that provides participants the opportunity to literally “walk in the shoes of a senior” through a series of hands-on exercises and sensory perception education.
“Through this program SCAN provides an invaluable opportunity to feel, see and hear the common physical and emotional challenges that are a part of the aging process,” said Long Beach Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal, who co-hosted the training with SCAN. “As society ages it is incumbent upon all of us to better understand what it’s like to grow older and raise our level of appreciation for seniors and what they confront.”
In addition to Assembly Member Lowenthal’s staff members, among those taking part in the day’s workshop were staff from the Long Beach City Council Offices, Long Beach Police Department, Long Beach Senior Advisory Commission, Los Angeles District Attorneys Office’s Victim Assistance Program, Santa Monica Police Department Elder Abuse Unit, and Long Beach-based Pathways Volunteer Hospice as well as Agingpro.com, an online eldercare resource.
Read entire press release http://tiny.cc/N5R3V
How Can I Make My Aging Parents Do What I Want?
June 5th, 2009I had two calls just today on a similar topic — How can I make my aging parents to “do what I want.” This question comes up a lot. The adult child sees mom or dad living in, what they consider, less than the best situation and the child thinks that things would be so much better if only they would do “X” (such as move closer to her, move to an assisted living or get caregiving in the home). The only problem is, Mom or Dad doesn’t want to do “X.”
The main thing to remember is this: People (everyone, including your parents) have the right to make their own decisions (even if they look like really bad decisions to you) for as long as they have “capacity.” Basically, “capacity” means that they understand the consequences of their decisions – the ability to receive, evaluate and communicate a decision to others. If they have advanced dementia or are in a coma, they probably don’t have capacity. Physical frailty is not sufficient in determining capacity.
If they have capacity, you can talk to your older loved one to see if they want to cooperate with what you have in mind, but if they don’t want to, nobody can make them. If you feel they aren’t safe and they refuse to get help, you could report them to Adult Protective Services (APS, available nation wide).They will do an assessment and determine if the person is safe or if they need a guardian. Powers of Attorney are documents a person signs, designating someone else to make decisions for them if they are no longer able to (such as for health care or financial decisions).
Ideally, everyone involved would talk and come up with a plan to support the older loved one in getting what they want while remaining safe and happy. If your mom or dad doesn’t want to change, the best you can do it make a “Plan B” – an alternative plan to implement when the “crisis” happens. Usually, an incident like mom falling and breaking a hip forces change. If you have a Plan B, you can sleep easier knowing you won’t be caught by surprise, because you know what your options are.
Answers to all your eldercare questions, and options for “Plan B” can be found in AgingPro’s Eldercare Basics E-Book. http://www.agingpro.com//store/Eldercare_Basics.htm
You can have peace of mind when you know you’ve looked at all your options, and made the best decision you could in the moment.
Aging Humor June 3, 2009
June 3rd, 2009AgingPro Funnies
Q: How can you avoid that terrible curse of the elderly—–wrinkles?
A: Take off your glasses and you won’t see them.
Q: Is it common for 60+ year olds to have problems with short term memory storage?
A: Storing memory is not a problem, retrieving it is a problem.
Q: What is the most common remark made by 60+ year olds when they enter antique stores?
A: “‘Gosh, I remember these.”
Dementia with Lewy Bodies Often Missed
June 2nd, 2009(Source: Alzheimer Research Forum) – Perhaps the biggest, and quintessential, representative of a spectrum neurodegenerative disease is dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). By some counts, this disease is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with patient estimates ranging between one and two million in the U.S.
DLB is a double whammy of a disease. People with DLB have behavioral and memory problems as in AD and, to a varying extent, also suffer motor symptoms, as seen in Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the cognitive symptoms of people with DLB tend to fluctuate frequently, their motor symptoms are milder, and they often have vivid visual hallucinations and particular visuospatial (visual perception of spatial relationships among objects) deficits. In short, DLB is neither AD nor PD, and yet defining its distinct identity has been a challenge.
This is Part 3 of a nine-part series.
Go to full story: alzforum.org
New U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Supports Long Term Care Workers
May 20th, 2009The new U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, wrote a letter to the editor of the Washington Post regarding the article: “Taking Care of Our Caregivers”. Sebelius explained that the Department of Health and Human Services is deeply concerned about the needs of long-term care workers and maintaining an adequate and high-quality workforce. To view: http://tiny.cc/U4y9L
Weight Loss and Alzheimer’s
May 19th, 2009Researchers have discovered more evidence that rapid weight loss in old age may be an early warning sign of dementia. http://tiny.cc/4yV4Y
Aging Humor: Never Stop Laughing
May 18th, 2009You don’t stop laughing because you grow old, You grow old because you stop laughing!!
My memory’s not as sharp as it used to be. Also, my memory’s not as sharp as it used to be.
Just before the funeral services, the undertaker came up to the very elderly widow and asked, “How old was your husband?” “98″ she replied, “Two years older than me.” “So you’re 96,” the undertaker commented. She responded, “Hardly worth going home, is it?”
