When our social worker Ron meets with new clients, he discusses how our aging parents view adult children. They see them as the kid who crashed their car, or borrowed money and didn't pay it back, or whined when things got too hard. When the time comes, taking care of aging parents becomes difficult when they still view us with the baggage from raising us. They may brag about our [...]
I have been reading about seniors who have been successful in keeping their minds sharp. The triad of frequent intellectual activity, physical activity and healthy eating promotes brain health and super aging. Since our lifespans are longer, I think we can all agree that it would be much preferable to be able to enjoy the extra time with both a healthy brain and a healthy body. So I was surprised to learn that [...]
Crisis caused by unexpected hospital discharge of seniors tops our list for phone calls we receive on Friday nights. What do we do? Where do we go? Is there an appeal process? Typically we invoke the mantra "This is not a safe discharge." But in this article in Kaiser Health News, there are other options as well including calling Medicare on the spot. In Arizona, the number is 877-588-1123. And to avoid being surprised by [...]
When someone calls for help for their loved one, we are happy to hear that they have Long Term Care insurance. Depending on their policy, this can help relieve the financial burden with varying reimbursement offered for caregiver support, assisted living or nursing home expenses. With the high cost of elder care, it can make the difference between someone being able to afford the help that they truly need. There [...]
The social workers at Arizona Elder Care help families deal with the reality of parents aging at home everyday. While safety is the concern of the adult children, comfort is the priority of their parent. Change doesn't happen until it is crisis driven. "Experts said that, if parents are mentally sharp and choose to accept the risks of living at home, it's OK for their children to accept them, too." [...]
Lately there have been creative and thoughtful ideas about humane senior living memory care options beyond the traditional assisted living model. Unfortunately they aren't happening locally in Northern Arizona but they are inspiring nonetheless! This is a story about college students residing with seniors in an assisted living. PBS reports that similar inter-generational programs exist in France, Spain and Ohio. In Holland, there is a village where everyone has dementia [...]
A 90 year old Michigan woman decides to go on a road trip instead of going through radiation and chemo treatments. We always recommend quality of life over quantity.
Research by Harvard Medical School Professor George Vaillant demonstrates that older people who mentor and support younger people in work and in life are three times as likely to be happy as those who fail to engage in this way.
Just read a touching account of a family that had to relocate their mom when she went into crisis and could no longer stay at home. It is an insightful story that shows how families make life-altering accommodations to care for an aging parent. And although they worked through it as best they could, help from a Geriatric Care Manager could have reduced a lot of the stress and trial [...]
From AARP: Their answers will give you a clearer picture of how your parents are faring and will help you assess their needs. Their Home -Is your home still appropriate for you now that you're getting older? -Can you manage the stairs, or would you do better on one level? -Does your home have any safety hazards? -Could simple modifications to your home make it more convenient? -Should you think [...]
