July 20th, 2010 by Doris Bersing
The St. Louis Today, reported on the need that our communities have to build a strong home-based and community-based system for those who can pay for care and those who can’t pay for it. Building a safety net for those in need is the focus of the 35th Annual National Association of Area Agencies on Aging Conference & Tradeshow, which kicked off over the weekend at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in St. Louis during the weekend of July 22-24, 2010.
The facts are well known, the St Louis Today reports: “…By 2030, about 72 million Americans will be 65 or older — roughly twice the number in 2000, according to estimates by the National Institute on Aging. While plenty of attention has been given to how this coming tidal wave of seniors will strain Medicaid, aging specialists and health care advocates are also beginning to address the “forgotten population” — those who may have enough assets to pay for some health care services but not the cost of a long-term nursing home.
It can be a difficult population to care for. Typically, people 80 or older have one chronic disease; those 85 or older have two chronic diseases. Many of these seniors also have problems doing everyday tasks such as cooking meals, washing their clothes or tying their shoes. On average, 24-hour care in a nursing home runs about $60,000 a year…” Therefore the need for building that safety net for all elders.
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Tags: age in place, Aging in Place, independent living for seniors, Living Well best practices to age in place, Medical Advocacy for Seniors
Posted in Aging, Aging at Home, Aging in Place, Health & Wellness, News & Discoveries, Public Policy
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July 20th, 2010 by Doris Bersing
In an article on Forbes USA, Ashlea Ebeling states that moving into a continuing care retirement community requires a big investment and a lot of research. She invites us to ask the right questions “…Are you (or your aging parent) the kind of person who likes to plan for all contingencies? Then you might want to consider a continuing care retirement community–a development that usually includes independent apartments or town homes for spry seniors; assisted living units for those who need some help; plus a nursing home…”
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Tags: age in place, Aging, Aging in Place, Assisted Living at Home, independent living for seniors, Living Well Assisted Living at Home, Living Well best practices to age in place, senior wellness
Posted in Aging, Aging at Home, Aging in Place, Health & Wellness, Home Care
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July 20th, 2010 by Doris Bersing
Alarming is the word we can use to define the findings of the U.S. Department of Justice-funded study by Hawes and Kimbell that examined state processes for detecting, investigating, resolving and preventing elder abuse in Residential Care Facilities.
This study focused on detection, investigation, and resolution of elder abuse and neglect complaints in what are known as residential care facilities (RCFs). These facilities are the most rapidly growing form of senior housing. This growth is a result both of the preferences of the elderly and their families and of public policy aimed at reducing nursing home use. RCFs are referred to by a variety of names across the states, including assisted living facilities, personal care homes, domiciliary care homes, adult congregate living facilities, adult care homes, and shelter care homes. The best estimate is that some 50,000 facilities nationwide house a mainly older population in between 900,000 and one million beds. In addition, an unknown number of unlicensed homes house a mixed population of poor older persons and individuals with mental illness. By contrast, there are about 17,000 nursing homes with 1.6 million residents.
The researchers found a lack of adequate resources in all states and all agencies, as well as deeply flawed processes. The report highlights smart practices by Ombudsmen and identifies policy suggestions, training needs, and research recommendations.
Download the U.S. Department of Justice-funded study by Hawes and Kimbell.
Tags: elder abuse, Living Well best practices to age in place, senior wellness
Posted in Abuse in Residential Facilities, Aging, Elder Abuse and Neglect, Health & Wellness
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July 20th, 2010 by Doris Bersing
Shannon Martin and Alex Chamberlain affirm how difficult it can be to acknowledge the fact that your parent needs some help with day-to-day activities, let alone introducing to them the idea of hiring a professional caregiver for help. They give us nice and easy to follow advice on how to go about it. Their article on parentgiving 7 Ways To Talk To Your Parents About Getting Help At Home proposes that “…approaching the subject requires patience and tact. However, there are certain considerations to keep in mind that can help you approach a conversation about in-home care with your parent with greater success…”
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Tags: age in place, Aging, Aging in Place, Aging well, Assisted Living at Home, High Tech to age in place, independent living for seniors
Posted in Aging, Aging at Home, Aging in Place, Caregiver and family support, Health & Wellness, Home Care
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July 7th, 2010 by Doris Bersing
The Alzheimer’s Association presented an article published by the Health Day News for Healthy Living where the outlook for Alzheimer’s disease research is promising, even as the disease’s looming impact on society grows, experts say. Work is being done on scans and tests that could lead to early detection, and researchers are also identifying genetic and biological markers that could indicate if a person is at increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s.
The Health Day Article by Dennis Thompson states “…Research into Alzheimer’s disease has reached a point of significant potential, even as the disease’s looming impact on society grows more and more dire, experts say. Some leading scientists, in fact, worry that we may not be doing enough to press forward with key advances and new insights into Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia among older people…”
Read the article
Tags: Alzheimer's, Dementia Care, living well with dementia, livng well with Alzheimer's
Posted in Aging, Alzheimer's & Dementia, Announcements, Health & Wellness, Liivng Well with Alzheimer's, News & Discoveries
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July 5th, 2010 by Doris Bersing
For those, who like me, grew up listening to Caetano Veloso, seeing him getting older is just a reflection of our own aging and the multiple challenges and possibilities to unfold wellness, live well, and have a creative life into old age
Baby Boomers know well these challenges and also know well this poet of the Brazilian music. Caetano Veloso has been called the Bob Dylan of Brazil — a popular musician who has made staggering artistic and intellectual contributions to his country. The New York Times recently dubbed him “Brazil’s unofficial poet laureate”.
Veloso is consistently one of the most literate and beguiling forces in music. To see him in person is to see a sinuous, warm and joyous show in which Veloso’s vocals are backed by a young and edgy band. Seeing him aging so gracefully and maintaining his core values is refreshing. For Veloso family is everything and he is very close to another DIVA of Brazilian music, his sister Maria Bethania, both always look for young band players who bring new styles to old rhythms reminding us constantly that old and young play together an important role for a rich community.
Caetano and Maria Bethania, are very close to their mother and they say their love for music comes from her with whom, they love to sing. They do not shy away from politics or for family values. A great way to follow!
See them on a video with their mother
Veloso says, about his own aging: “I’m beginning to be an old man,” Veloso says. “It’s something that can excite you, because you get curious to see how changes go. You lose a lot, but you can gain a lot, too.”
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Tags: Aging well, Baby Boomers, Diversity on Aging, senior wellness
Posted in Aging, Aging in Place, Caregiver and family support, Health & Wellness, LGBT Aging Issues
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July 5th, 2010 by Doris Bersing
Living Well provides medical advocacy to help patients who are hospitalized
On the Wellness section of the New York Times, Pam Belluck compile the advice of three experts on the questions family members can ask to lower a patient’s risk for delirium during a hospital stay.
Pam says “…Many readers have asked me what family members can do to help lower an elderly patient’s risk. To find out, I turned to three experts – Dr. Margaret Pisani at the Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Wes Ely at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Dr. Sharon Inouye at Harvard Medical School. Based on their advice, here are six questions family members should ask to lower an elderly patient’s risk for hospital delirium…”
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Tags: Aging in Place, Dementia Care, independent living for seniors, Living Well best practices to age in place, Medical advocacy, Medical Advocacy for Seniors, senior wellness
Posted in Aging, Aging in Place, Health & Wellness, Home Care, Medical Advocacy for Seniors
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The St. Louis Today, reported on the need that our communities have to build a strong home-based and community-based system for those who can pay for care and those who can’t pay for it. Building a safety net for those in need is the focus of the 35th Annual National Association of Area Agencies on Aging Conference & Tradeshow, which kicked off over the weekend at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in St. Louis during the weekend of July 22-24, 2010.
