Monthly Archives: June 2015

Solutions for Aging Adults

Aging Life Care Professionals, Aging Parents, Care Managers, Care Recipients,

Aging Life Care Professionals™ on Finding the How

By taking a holistic, client-centered approach, Aging Life Care Professionals have the distinct advantage of finding solutions for aging adults that ensure both quality of care and optimal life for their clients.

Here, Aging Life Care Association™ member Kate Granigan, MSW, LICSW, CASWCM shares that not saying “no” to clients, but saying “how,” is what she loves about her job. “It’s what we get to do every day. Help people find solutions and find the how,” says Granigan.

What is an Aging Life Care Professional?

The Aging Life Care Professional assists clients in attaining their maximum functional potential.  The individual’s independence is encouraged, while safety and security concerns are also addressed. Aging Life Care Professionals are able to address a broad range of issues related to the well-being of their client. They also have extensive knowledge about the costs, quality, and availability of resources in their communities.

Aging Life Care Professionals are engaged to assist in a variety of areas, such as:

  • Housing – helping families evaluate and select appropriate level of housing or residential options
  • Home care services – determining types of services that are right for a client and assisting the family to engage and monitor those services
  • Medical management – attending doctor appointments, facilitating communication between doctor, client, and family, and if appropriate, monitoring client’s adherence to medical orders and instructions
  • Communication – keeping family members and professionals informed as to the well-being and changing needs of the client
  • Social activities – providing opportunity for client to engage in social, recreational, or cultural activities that enrich the quality of life
  • Legal – referring to or consulting with an elder law attorney; providing expert opinion for courts in determining level of care
  • Financial – may include reviewing or overseeing bill paying or consulting with accountant or client’s Power of Attorney
  • Entitlements – providing information on Federal and state entitlements; connecting families to local programs
  • Safety and security – monitoring the client at home; recommending technologies to add to security or safety; observing changes and potential risks of exploitation or abuse
  • Long-distance care – coordinating the care of a loved one for families that live at a distance; including crisis management

Discover solutions that work for your aging loved one by connecting with an Aging Life Care™ Expert. Find one here at aginglifecare.org.

This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute, nor is it intended to be a substitute for, professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Information on this blog does not necessarily reflect official positions of the Aging Life Care Association™ and is provided “as is” without warranty. Always consult with a qualified professional with any particular questions you may have regarding your or a family member’s needs.

Do You Have What it Takes to Care for an Aging Parent?

Aging Parents, Caregiving, Family Members, ,

by Jullie Gray, MSW, LICSW, CMC, Aging Life Care Association™ Member and
Fellow of the Leadership Academy

 

This month, the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP released a landmark study – Caregiving in the U.S. 2015  – that provides new insights into the landscape of our nation’s caregivers and the challenges they face. Are you prepared to be a caregiver?

Have you been wondering if you have what it takes to care for your aging parent? Many adult children stumble into their role with little preparation, knowledge or support about

caregiving, aging
Caregiving in the U.S. 2015 is a joint research study between the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP.

how to manage all of the complex issues of care. This can set up well-meaning family members to feel like failures. Many quickly experience frustration, feel drained, guilty, helpless or completely burned out.

The role of family caregiver demands a lot of time, patience, and persistence. Those who start with realistic expectations, reach out for help and plan ahead fare much better through the ups and downs than those who don’t. Becoming a caregiver for your family member should be planned for carefully.

Take This Quiz to See if You Have What it Takes to Care for an Aging Parent

Yes No
1.  Do you have a handle on your parent’s financial situation?
2. Have you created a plan for your own financial safety net in case you have to cut back work or stop working all together to help your parent?
3.  Does your parent have her/his estate documents completed, do you know where the documents are and have access to them (power of attorney, advanced directive and will)?
4.  Have you discussed your parent’s end of life goals openly with her/him and feel ready to implement a plan to support those goals?
5.  Have you made arrangements for regular respite breaks and created opportunities for self-care that are sustainable over the long-run?
6.  Is your home (or your parent’s home) accessible for someone with decreased mobility even if your parent’s mobility is okay now?
7.  Are you ready to provide personal care, help with toileting, showering and grooming if your parent needs help?
8.  Do you have the full support of your partner, your own kids, and other family members? (Meaning, they are all willing to provide regular respite breaks so you can take a break every week.)
9.  If you have them, are your siblings in favor of the plan and ready to help you by providing financial and hands-on support if needed?
10.  Are you able to take criticism without personalizing it and becoming angry and resentful?
11.   Do you have a clear understanding of your parent’s medical conditions and have you received some training about how to manage them?
12.   Have you hired an Aging Life Care™ manager as a coach to help you navigate challenges that occur during every caregiver’s journey?

Even if you answered no to just one question, you could benefit from the help of an Aging Life Care™ Manager.

What’s an Aging Life Care Manager?

An Aging Life Care manager is a professional with years of experience helping people like you navigate the transitions of aging.  She can assess your parent, give you a clear picture of his/her abilities and help you understand his/her individual needs as a senior adult.  An Aging Life Care manager can also help you make heads or tails of somewhat confusing issues like long-term care options and end-of-life decisions.  She can provide you with information about appropriate support systems and service providers. If you get stuck, she can step in to facilitate and help improve family communication; help you nudge your dad into accepting more help; and find creative solutions to keep your mom from forgetting to take her medications.  Working with an Aging Life Care manager also means creating ways to enjoy periodic breaks from your parent-care responsibilities.

Through all these tasks, your Aging Life Care manager becomes your very own trusted consultant, ready to listen and help you problem solve and deal with anticipated challenges as well as those crises that appear out of the blue. Find your very own Aging Life Care manager at aginglifecare.org.

About the author: Jullie Gray has over 30 years of experience in healthcare and aging. She is a Principal at Aging Wisdom in Seattle, WA. Jullie is the President of the National Academy of Certified Care Managers and the Past President of the Aging Life Care Association. Follow her on LinkedIn and Twitter @JullieGray, or email her at jgray@agingwisdom.com. Aging Wisdom has a presence on Facebook – we invite you to like our page.

This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute, nor is it intended to be a substitute for, professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Information on this blog does not necessarily reflect official positions of the Aging Life Care Association™ and is provided “as is” without warranty. Always consult with a qualified professional with any particular questions you may have regarding your or a family member’s needs.

Managing Crisis Situations

Aging Life Care Professionals, Aging Parents, Alzheimer's

Managing Crisis Situations: One Aging Life Care Professional’s™ Story

Managing crisis situations is something Aging Life Care Professionals do often, and something that they do very well. The entire skill set of an Aging Life Care Professional can be put to the test in answering just one phone call.

At the 2015 Aging Life Care Association™ Annual Conference, members shared examples of crisis situations that they were called in to manage. Here ALCA member Crystal LIttlejohn, MHSA, CMC, CSA of Peoria, Arizona tells of how she helped an adult daughter manage the care of a resistant mother with dementia. The daughter had no idea how much her father had hidden about her mother’s illness. When the daughter arrived in town after the unexpected death of her father, she found herself dealing with an overwhelming crisis.

Today, the mother and daughter enjoy a strong relationship thanks to the expertise of an Aging Life Care Professional.

Preventing the Crisis

Many crisis situations can be avoided or minimized. Are you…

  • Caring for a loved one?
  • Living at a distance from your aging parents?
  • Planning for your own future care?

Connect with an Aging Life Care Professional™ today and work together to build a plan of care that leads you to the actions and decisions that ensure quality care and an optimal life for those you love, thus reducing worry, stress and time off of work for family caregivers through.

June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month. For more information on Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias, visit www.alz.org.

This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute, nor is it intended to be a substitute for, professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Information on this blog does not necessarily reflect official positions of the Aging Life Care Association™ and is provided “as is” without warranty. Always consult with a qualified professional with any particular questions you may have regarding your or a family member’s needs.

 

Worried About Your Memory? Is it Dementia? Alzheimer’s?

Aging Life Care Professionals, Alzheimer's, Dementia, , , ,

by Linda Fodrini-Johnson, MA, MFT, CMC, Aging Life Care Association™ member and Fellow of the Leadership Academy

 

We all have bouts of forgetfulness. We drive past the exit we wanted, we forget the name of a neighbor we have known for years, or we go to the market and buy everything but the milk we went for! If you find yourself forgetting names, places, dates, or appointments, you might think you have  dementia like like Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer's, Dementia, Brain Awareness
June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month. Visit alz.org for more information.

But stress, dehydration, multi-tasking, being a caregiver for another, and numerous other situations can all contribute to forgetfulness. Before you panic or before you just chalk it up to being overtired, consult with a professional to discuss your specific situation.

Aging Life Care Professionals™ can help guide you to appropriate resources that can evaluate your individual situation and provide answers or possible diagnosis. The Aging Life Care Professional, also known as a geriatric care manager, is a conduit to the appropriate medical or psychological referrals that may be necessary.

Some memory loss can be attributed to other illnesses such as depression, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid problems, and several other medical diagnosis. This is why symptoms should not be ignored, but brought to the attention of your physician immediately.

The benefit of getting a diagnosis of a dementia early is that you may be a candidate for medication that can help slow down, or reverse, your symptoms. These medications may enable you to function independently, longer.

Finding out early that you have a dementia gives you a chance to modify your lifestyle, eat healthy foods, stay engaged and exercise more. You can design the care you want and make the necessary legal and financial decisions to support your wishes.

Pro-actively working with an Aging Life Care Professional ensures that the plan and resources in place respect your values, fit in your budget and meet your current and future needs.

The Aging Life Care Professional can be your coach and guide for the short or long journey of any progressive illness. Connect with an expert in your area – aginglifecare.org.

About the author: Linda Fodrini-Johnson, MA, MFT, CMC, is the Founder and President of Eldercare Services in Walnut Creek, CA. She is also a partner of the VillagePlan. Linda is a Fellow of the Leadership Academy and a past-president of the Aging Life Care Association™. Linda has over 30 years experience working as a Care Manager. You can reach her at linda@EldercareAnswers.com, or connect with her via social media: Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute, nor is it intended to be a substitute for, professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Information on this blog does not necessarily reflect official positions of the Aging Life Care Association™ and is provided “as is” without warranty. Always consult with a qualified professional with any particular questions you may have regarding your or a family member’s needs.

Aging Life Care Association® Members on Managing Crisis Situations

Aging Parents, Alzheimer's, Care Managers, Dementia, Family Members, Guest Writer, Mental Health, , , , ,

ALCA Member Crystal Littlejohn, MHSA, CMC, CSA of Peoria, AZ shares how she helped an adult daughter manage the care of a resistant mother with dementia. The daughter had no idea how much her father had hidden about her mother’s illness. Today, the mother and daughter enjoy a strong relationship thanks to the expertise of an Aging Life Care Professional®.