by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Aug 20, 2016 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
Summer typically means taking time to enjoy a vacation. One group of people you can be sure isn’t taking a vacation is the scam artists who prey on Michigan’s seniors. In fact, scams against older adults increase right along with the temperature.
Older Adults are Targets for Scams
Criminals believe seniors are an easy source of cash. They think older adults are more likely to be financially stable and less likely to report it if they fall victim to a scam because of embarrassment.
Older adults who have physical or mental impairments that affect their judgment or their ability to manage finances are especially vulnerable. Even those who are capable are often too trusting and polite to hang up the phone on a scammer or close the door on an in-person solicitation.
Michigan caregivers can help protect a senior loved one by knowing what scams they are most likely to fall victim to this summer.
Most Common Types of Summer Scams that Target Seniors
Here are a few of the most common summer scams:
- Home Maintenance: A frequent summer scam occurs when someone comes to the door offering their services for home repairs in exchange for cash. They often claim to be offering special pricing because they are already in the area working on a neighbor’s home. Among the most common types of services they promote are paving and roofing. They often use high pressure tactics to intimidate seniors in to making a fast decision and turning over cash.
- Fake Magazine Sales: A door-to-door salesperson —sometimes even children— knocks on the door offering low prices on magazine subscriptions. Some claim to be working to earn money for school tuition. The senior is required to pay up front but the magazine never arrives.
- Door-to-Door Teams of Thieves: Working in teams of two, these summer scammers can rob a senior blind. While one person distracts the unsuspecting older adult with a sales pitch of some kind or even a religious offering, their partner sneaks into the home and cleans out a wallet, purse, jewelry box or other valuables.
Protecting Michigan Seniors from Crime
Here are a few steps Michigan caregivers can take to protect a family member:
- Educate your Senior Loved One: Keep an eye on the local news and follow your community’s law enforcement agency on Facebook to stay up-to-date on scams targeting seniors. Then make time to share this information with your senior loved one. Knowledge is power when it comes to keeping our elders safe.
- Reminder Notes: Post notes near your senior loved one’s telephone and front door reminding them never to give out sensitive information or make purchases without talking with you first. This may help keep them from falling victim to a crime.
- Lock Up Valuables: Purchase a safe that your senor loved one can keep hidden in the home. This safety measure can help if a thief manages to talk their way in to a senior loved one’s home.
A final tip is to remember to take steps all year around to protect your loved one from falling victim to identify theft. The Michigan Attorney General’s office has a variety of resources to help make that easier.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Aug 14, 2016 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
Determining where a Michigan senior loved one should live when they need a little extra help is often something families do together. Making an informed decision usually means taking the time to explore all of the options from stand alone villas to assisted living apartments or suites.
But what happens if there is no time? If the older adult you love is hospitalized and their doctor says they aren’t safe returning to their home alone?
When a move to an assisted living community must be made amidst a crisis, the added stress it creates for families can be overwhelming. It’s why we pulled together a few tips to help you make this decision.
4 Tips for Finding an Assisted Living amidst a Crisis
- Establish a budget
For some families, this will be the first time they’ve discussed finances with a parent. But getting an idea about how much they can afford to pay each month is important. The median monthly cost for a one-bedroom assisted living apartment in Michigan was $3,250 in 2015. But some areas of the state are substantially higher.
- Investigate financial options
In your haste to find a senior living community, don’t overlook resources that might help you finance care. If your parent was a veteran or is the surviving spouse of a veteran, they may qualify for special benefits through the Veteran’s administration. Many long-term care insurance policies also include benefits for assisted living communities. The staff at the communities you visit can help you explore your options.
- Research from home
You can do some of your preliminary research from home or on your smartphone in your senior loved one’s hospital room. Conduct a Google search to see what communities are located in your desired area. Visit each of their websites and Facebook pages to learn more about them.
Let friends and colleagues know you are searching and ask if they have any recommendations. Your physician might also have suggestions.
Once you have a list together, begin by making personal calls to each of them. The Assisted Living Federation of America has a helpful assisted living visit checklist you can download to better understand what to look for and what to ask.
- Schedule Personal Visits
While it may seem difficult to do on a tight schedule, a personal visit is one of the most steps in making the right choice. Make sure you allow yourself enough time for a good tour of the community and to ask any questions you have. Be certain to ask for a copy of any contracts or documents you or your senior loved one would be required to sign. You will want to take your time reviewing them and even consider having an elder law attorney or trusted advisor peruse them as well.
Choosing an assisted living partner during a crisis is never easy. But with a methodical approach to exploring and learning more about each option, you will be able to make the best choice possible for your senior loved one.
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | May 28, 2016 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
November is National Family Caregiver Month, a month dedicated to providing support and raising awareness for the 66 million Americans who are providing care for ill, disabled or aging relatives.
If you are caring for a senior loved one in Michigan, you know that this job can be both rewarding and demanding. But you may not be aware that helping an older adult with daily-living tasks could be taking a serious toll on your health and relationships.
Caregiving can be harmful to your health
According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, family caregivers report more health issues and seem to suffer from a lowered immunity. About 10 % report that assisting a loved one with hygiene, meals, medications, errands and housecleaning has caused their own health to decline. A stunning 40-70% of caregivers report symptoms of depression.
Most family caregivers devote about 20 hours a week to their loved ones in need. Research shows that adults who spend more than a few hours a week caring for others are more likely to suffer from physical illness and mental strain. They are also less likely to visit a doctor, to exercise and to eat a balanced diet.
But there is good news. Studies confirm that that education, access to resources and community support can relieve a lot of the stress and strain of caring for an aging parent, whether they are in the home or in an assisted-living community.
Resources for healthy caregiving
These websites can help you locate the information, resources and services that will support you as a caregiver.
- AARP Home and Family Caregiving: An educational resource where caregivers can learn strategies for juggling work and caregiving, dealing with stress and living healthier lives. This is also home to a busy online community where you can talk with other caregivers and ask experts for advice.
- The Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Center: If you are providing Alzheimer’s or dementia care, this is a great resource for support. You can talk to others in the caregiver discussion boards and access materials that may ease your caregiving duties. This website also offers a Community Resource Finder that can help you locate events, services and support options in the Great Lakes State.
- Michigan Aging and Adult Services: These government agency websites offer links to educational resources, support groups and workshops that can make caregiving less stressful. You can also find information about adult-day care and enrichment programs, assistance with in-home care and services like home-delivered meals.
- The National Caregiver’s Library: A storehouse of information covering every aspect of caregiving. This helpful resource includes a section dedicated to educating employers of caregivers.
- Video Caregiving: An online library of informative mini-documentaries where people share their stories and offer informative tips to support caregivers.
Please help us spread the word about National Family Caregiving Month by sharing this article with your personal network of family and friends!
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | May 16, 2016 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
If you have ever kept a diary, you probably already know the clarity getting your thoughts down on paper can bring. Writing is a therapeutic form of self-expression known to relieve anxiety and stress.
The Therapeutic Value of Journaling for Caregivers
Caring for aging parents or another senior loved one can be tough on many different levels. There are moments of joy and then there are times of sadness. The rollercoaster of emotions is often difficult to manage.
Journaling is one tool family caregivers can use to process their own feelings and record life events. It provides family caregivers a safe place to honestly record their innermost thoughts.
Words that Heal
Journaling can also be a powerful healing tool for caregivers. A few common benefits include:
- Physical Health: Journaling positively impacts physical well-being. Research shows it can reduce symptoms of chronic diseases like arthritis and asthma.
- Reduce Anxiety and Stress: Caregivers may experience a wide range of emotions every day from sorrow and despair to joy and gratitude. Writing can help you understand and process difficult feelings like anger and resentment. It can also allow you to find moments of happiness amidst the toughest days of caregiving.
- Personal Time: Every family caregiver needs a few minutes of personal time every day. Journaling is a way to slow down and focus on your own feelings and fears.
- Problem-solving: Writing your worries down on paper allows you to access the right side of the brain. It’s the part of your brain where creative thought comes from. Let’s say you’ve been struggling with how to talk with your mother about her diabetes and the impact a poor diet is having on her health. After journaling about the problem, you may realize one solution is to talk with your mom about moving to a Michigan senior living community. Healthy meals that meet her dietary restrictions will be provided for her.
Journaling Prompts about Caregiving
If you would like to give journaling a try but aren’t quite sure how to get started, this exercise will help.
Set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes once every day. Use the time to write freely and to complete each of the following sentences:
- Today I feel…
- I’m looking forward to…
- I’m worried about…
- I’m grateful for…
Remember, when you are a caregiver, it’s important to make an extra effort to take care of you. By caring for your own health and well-being, you can be present to more fully care for your senior loved one.
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Apr 18, 2016 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
If you are a Michigan senior loved one’s primary caregiver, you’ve probably worried about what would happen to them if you suffered an emergency of your own. Because you are involved in their day-to-day care, you likely know their medical history well. You also understand what medications they take and what the schedule is.
But in the event of an emergency, would someone else in the family know what your aging family member needs? What their allergies are? When their next physician appointment is?
Having an emergency caregiver in place before a crisis occurs is the key.
There are two important steps for creating a successful caregiver backup plan. The first part is to carefully craft the plan and the second is to share it with others.
How to Create an Emergency Care Plan for a Senior
Begin by pulling together all of the information someone else would need to be able to care for your senior loved one in the event you are unable to.
At a minimum, your back up plan should include:
- Medical history: Create a complete health file that includes your senior family member’s medical history, past surgeries, current and past medical issues, and any allergies.
- Medication list: Also put together a list of prescription and over-the-counter medications your loved one takes along with the schedule. Be sure you include the prescribing physician and pharmacy name in case the back-up caregivers need to have one refilled.
- Physician list: It’s important to document all of your loved one’s physicians and any other health professionals who are involved in their care. Include their contact information along with the reason your family sees each of them.
- Insurance information: To help prevent your family member from falling victim to identity theft, it’s important to keep insurance documents stored in a secure location. Just make sure back-up caregivers are apprised of where and how to access them in the event of a medical emergency.
- Legal Documents: Also share the location of any legal documents your senior loved one has in place, such as a durable power of attorney or living will, with family members who may be called on to pitch in and help with caregiving duties.
Our final tip is to visit with senior care providers in Michigan and develop a list of those you feel would be a good fit for your aging loved one if you aren’t available to provide care. Include this information in your back-up caregiver plan.
Share Your Caregiver Back-Up Plan
Once you have created your plan, it is important to make sure friends and family are aware of it and comfortable with the information it contains.
Some families have found technology makes it easier to keep everyone on track. CareZone, CareMind and Caring Bridge are a few easy-to-use apps to explore.
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Mar 4, 2016 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
If you are the adult child of a Michigan senior, at some point you will likely find yourself helping them manage their medical care. Older adults often live with multiple health conditions which can require them to take a variety of medications. In fact, on average, adults between the ages of 65 and 69 take nearly 14 prescriptions per year. And seniors aged 80 to 84 take an average of 18 prescriptions per year.
The Statistics on Medication Mistakes among Seniors
For older adults who have recently been discharged from the hospital and for seniors with memory loss, managing medications can be even more difficult. According to the Institute of Medicine, 770,000 older adults end up in a hospital emergency department every year. It is also one of the top reasons many older adults choose to move to a Michigan assisted living community. They need assistance with managing medication.
What can you do help the Michigan senior you love safely manage their medications?
Begin by making yourself aware of the potential problems a senior might encounter when trying to stay on track with their medication schedule.
Five Top Mistakes Seniors Make with Medications
Some of the most common mistakes older adults make are:
- Keep an eye on the clock. Medications for health conditions like diabetes, coronary artery disease and other chronic health conditions are time sensitive. Each dose must be taken at the right time. Seniors may forget to take a dose or take dosages too close together. Both mistakes can have serious health consequences.
- Incorrect dosage. When a senior takes a variety of different medicines each day, keeping track of each dosage amount can be challenging. This is especially true if an older adult has vision loss that makes reading the labels on prescription bottles difficult. They make take too much of one and not enough of another.
- Drug reactions. As we age, our bodies metabolize medications differently. Many times older adults need a smaller dose than younger. It puts our seniors at greater risk for an accidental overdose or an adverse reaction. One step you can take to minimize this risk for your senior loved one is to make sure each of their physicians has an updated medication list that includes over-the-counter medicines too. It also helps to have all prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy. Most pharmacies have technology that can alert you to potential drug interactions
- Modifying medication. Some health conditions that are more common among older adults can cause difficulty swallowing. It might cause a senior to become fearful of choking. This often leads older adults to cut their pills in half or smash them up to eat in food. Some medications aren’t effective if the format is altered. Those with a time release component may actually be harmful. Talk with your aging loved one’s pharmacist to see if their medication can be altered in format or if there is another solution.
- Storing medication. Most adults don’t realize how important it is to store medications at the right temperature. Many people store their medicine in the bathroom or kitchen because it is easier to access water. Experts say these may actually be the worst rooms in the house. Because the temperature and humidity fluctuate in both rooms, a safer option is be to store medicine bottles in a drawer in the bedroom.
Technology to Help Seniors Manage Medication
The good news is that technology has helped make medication management easier than it used to be. From apps like MediSafe to more sophisticated systems such as Philips Medication Dispensing Service, there are a variety of tech solutions seniors and family caregivers can make use of each day.
We hope this information allows you to spot potentials problems that might put your Michigan senior loved one at risk, and offer you a few solutions to consider.
