by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Aug 16, 2015 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
August is National Immunization Awareness Month, which focuses on promoting vaccinations to prevent serious illness and to save lives. Many mistakenly believe that immunizations are only necessary for infants and young children. But vaccines are not just for kids. Seniors in Michigan needs their shots, too.
As we grow older, our immune system weakens, putting each of us at a greater risk of life-threatening diseases that are often times preventable with a simple vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that as many as 70,000 adults lose their life each year from vaccine-preventable illnesses. It is vital that you know which vaccines are recommended for your Michigan senior loved one to ensure they are protected.
Immunizations for seniors over age 65
The CDC recommends an annual flu shot and several one-time vaccinations for your senior loved one.
- Influenza or flu vaccine: This annual shot is a must for older adults. The flu can be deadly to people of all ages, but kills more seniors than any other group. Almost 90% of flu-related deaths are in adults over the age of 65. Seniors also account for more than 50% of hospitalizations for the influenza virus.
This important vaccine reduces the likelihood that an older adult in your care will contract the flu virus. If they do, the symptoms are less likely to be severe and less likely to require a costly hospital stay.
The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends your senior get the influenza vaccine in October or November to ensure they are protected through the peak season.
- Pneumonia vaccine: Pneumonia is responsible for almost 50,000 deaths in older adults each year. It is also the leading cause of hospitalization in Americans over the age of 65. This one-time vaccination, covered by Medicare, can protect against 23 different strains of bacterial pneumonia.
The Pneumovax immunization also helps to prevent infections of the bloodstream and bacterial meningitis.
Recently, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended that seniors also receive an additional dose of a new pneumonia vaccine that prevents 11 more types of this life-threatening disease. Prevnar13 is not yet covered by Medicare and costs up to $150.
- Shingles vaccine: Seniors over 60 are more prone to shingles, a painful and long-lasting skin rash caused by the chicken pox virus. The one-time Zostavax vaccine lowers the risk of contracting this infection by 50%. If your senior loved one does come down with shingles, the shot reduces the severity of the rash and the level of pain.
The shingles vaccine can be given even after an outbreak, preventing further infection.
Vaccines for special circumstances
Additional vaccinations may be required based on medical need.
- Tdap: This vaccine is the tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis booster for adults who may or may not have been given the DTP vaccine when they were younger. The one-time shot was added to the CDC’s recommended vaccinations list after a recent outbreak of whooping cough, or pertussis, which is deadly in infants.
- Hepatitis A and B: Physicians often administer these vaccines to seniors in assisted living communities and nursing homes, where an outbreak may occur.
To track vaccines for a loved one in your care, you may want to use a Vaccine Administration Record.
Vaccinations are an important part of your senior loved one’s health and well-being. Check with their health care provider to make sure they are protected. For more information about vaccinating a senior loved one, visit US Department of Health and Human Services Senior Vaccine Schedule.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jul 28, 2015 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
Dear Donna:
My 84 year old grandmother recently got an iPad and started surfing the internet. She lives in northern Michigan away from all of her grandchildren. We think this will be a great way for her to stay connected. My husband and I are setting her up with an email account, but she also wants to join Facebook. I’m not sure where to start in giving her advice on what to be careful of when she is online. This is all brand new to her. Any tips?
Denise in Grand Haven, Michigan
Dear Denise:
Sounds like a good plan for helping your grandmother stay in touch with all of you! For someone new to the internet, there are a lot of potential risks to learn about to avoid becoming the victim of some type of a scam.
Here are a few tips from our web team to keep your grandmother safe online:
- Use strong passwords on all accounts. The best ones are a combination of letters, characters and numbers. Her passwords should always be at least eight characters long. Never use family members’ names, the names of pets or other familiar terms that may be easy to guess.
- Never open email from strangers. These are often spam and can lead to an account being hacked. Ones to be especially wary of have subject lines such as “You’ve Won…” or “Free for a Limited Time.”
- Protect her home WiFi. If your grandmother will be working off of a home Wi-Fi, as most tablet users do, make sure the network has a strong password set up too. Having an unprotected network can make her vulnerable to hacking.
- Shop with caution when online. Talk with her about the importance of shopping online only with security-enabled sites. Those are the online stores with a URL that begin with https://. The “s” signifies the data is encrypted in transit. Never enter financial information into a site that begins with http://
- Facebook privacy and security. When you help your grandmother get set up and rolling on Facebook, be sure to enable her privacy settings and review those with her. Help her to set up her account so only friends can see her information. Encourage her not to accept Friend requests from people she doesn’t know. Doing so may lead to problems. A final Facebook tip is to caution her about what she posts. For example, she shouldn’t share that she is going to be out for an evening or gone on vacation.
We hope these tips are helpful to you Denise! I’ve also shared a few more resources for you to visit at the bottom of this page.
Donna
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jul 20, 2015 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
If you know someone who is caring for an aging parent in Michigan at the same time they are raising a family, you know a member of the Sandwich Generation. These men and women are caught in the middle of their need to care for their younger families and their duty and desire to care for their older parents.
Caregivers in the Sandwich Generation might be responsible for meal preparation, shopping, housekeeping and transportation for parents and for their own children. They also might manage medication and therapy schedules, and oversee a senior’s financial matters. These dual caregivers are essentially running two busy households.
When you consider that 60% of these caregivers also have jobs, it is easy to see how self-care is shuffled to the bottom of their priorities.
According to The American Psychological Association, the stresses of caring for a senior loved one can take a toll on the health of members of the Sandwich Generation. Studies show that adults caring for multiple generations experience weakened immune systems, more frequent headaches and backaches, and higher levels of depression.
Easing the caregiving burden is essential to a Sandwich-Generation caregiver’s well-being.
Here are some ways you can help:
- Lend a hand. Offer to help, but know that simply asking the caregiver if he or she needs help may not be enough. Look for a specific task or opportunity you can assist with to lighten their load.
- Give them a break. Stay with the aging loved one while the caregiver enjoys lunch with friends, has their hair done, or just takes a quiet walk alone. Consider volunteering your time to allow for a regular “caregiver’s day off.”
- Be a good listener. Allowing the caregiver to vent or share the day’s experiences over the phone can help them avoid feelings of isolation. Socializing is a great way to relieve stress.
- Be positive and supportive. If you are the spouse of a mufti-generational caregiver, you may feel some resentment when your husband or wife is busy caring for an aging loved one. Focus on admiring your spouse for their commitment to their elders and their hard work.
- Do some research. Most family caregivers aren’t aware of the many resources available to assist them. Visit the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging website for more information about services like Meals on Wheels and Michigan Adult Day Services that can make caregiving easier.
- Help them to prepare. The hard work of the Sandwich Generation allows seniors to stay in their homes, but there may come a time when they must move to an independent living or assisted living center. Encourage the caregiver to visit several senior living communities. Knowing the amenities and expenses of each will help them create an emergency back-up plan just in case they need it.
For more information to help a friend or family member of the Sandwich Generation care for themselves, visit the AARP Caregiving Resource Center.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jul 10, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
Sharing memories with the younger generation is an important part of creating a lasting legacy. Listening to these life experiences helps caregivers bond with older adults. If your aging parent in Michigan has dementia, it can help you capture cherished memories before they slip away.
The StoryCorps Memory Loss Initiative (MLI) can help.
This non-profit organization records the stories of people from all walks of life for future generations. In 2006, StoryCorps began the MLI to preserve the stories of people with memory loss.
Until recently, all MLI interviews were conducted in a mobile studio or in StoryCorps booths located in major US cities. Some of the 2,000+ recordings are available at the StoryCorps Memory Loss Initiative website. All of the interviews are archived in the Library of Congress and are now part of the nation’s oral history.
The StoryCorps App
Thanks to technology, Alzheimer’s caregivers in Michigan can preserve their senior loved one’s stories and contribute them to the Library of Congress archive.
In March, StoryCorps introduced a mobile phone app that makes it possible for anyone with a smartphone to record an oral history interview and contribute to the project.
The software includes a tutorial that helps users to set up the interview space, to ask good questions and to edit the interview. The app features a sharing button that instantly uploads the interview to StoryCorps and the Library of Congress collection.
Do-It-Yourself Recording
You don’t need a smartphone to preserve precious memories. Caregivers can use the Commemorate: Memory Loss Initiative Toolkit to record an Alzheimer’s loved one’s important life stories. This guide was created for dementia care centers, but family members will find it useful, too.
Reminiscing with a senior loved one has many benefits, including
- Making them feel important and valued. Interviews place an older adult at the center of attention. Research has shown that sharing life’s memories with an audience can boost self-esteem and optimism.
- Strengthening relationships between caregivers and older adults. Conversation and interaction help people connect and understand one another.
- Exercising the mind. Reminiscing can serve as a stimulating mental exercise for an Alzheimer’s loved one.
We hope this helps you start recording the memories with your Alzheimer’s loved one for generations to come. If you have questions about specialized dementia care, contact one of the Heritage Senior Communities near you.
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jun 28, 2015 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
When an older adult is hospitalized following a surgery, an injury or an illness, they may require a stay in a short-term rehabilitation center before they are able to safely return home. Skilled nursing and rehab centers allow patients to continue their recovery and transition toward independence with the assistance of a nursing and therapy staff. These rehab centers often offer a more comfortable, relaxed environment.
If your loved one needs to be transferred to a short-term rehab center, you will likely need to help them decide which one best meets their needs. Doing your homework and making a smart decision is crucial. Care that doesn’t meet your senior’s needs could delay their recovery. Quality, patient-centered care can promote faster healing, while giving families peace of mind that they are in safe hands.
Beginning the Search for a Short-term Rehab Partner
Start your search by consulting with the social worker or discharge planner from the hospital where your loved one is a patient. He or she can provide you with a Medicare-approved list of skilled nursing and rehab centers in your area. You can also do a web-search and ask friends for referrals. Once you have a list of possibilities, narrow down your choices based on the following criteria:
Ratings and certifications: The federal government’s Medicare Nursing Home Compare rates nursing homes and rehab centers based on health inspections, staffing, amenities, and quality measures. Search by zip code and use their online database to track rehab centers to consider based on quality scores and the distance from your home. You can even create your own comparison chart.
Your Senior’s Needs: Consult your loved one’s physician and hospital social worker to determine the type of care your senior requires. All short-term rehab centers offer help with day-to-day activities like bathing, dressing, and medications. But some are not equipped for patients in need of speech therapy or for patients who need more intensive physical rehabilitation.
Therapy Methods: Call or visit short-term rehab centers to learn more about their approach to transitional care. How much and what type of therapies are offered? How many times a day will your loved one see a physical therapist? How long are the sessions? Look for a center that provides 1-3 hours of therapy each day in one or two sessions, including weekends. Rehab centers that progressively extend the frequency and length of therapy are more likely to aid your loved one’s full recovery.
Price and Insurance: Make sure the rehab centers on your list are Medicare and/or Medicaid-approved for payment. If your senior has private insurance, confirm that the center accepts it. You may also want to inquire about private pay rates. If Medicare coverage ends before you are ready to take your senior home, you may be forced to pay if you want to extend their stay.
Location: A rehab center that is located close to friends and family may increase the likelihood of visitors, which might help keep your loved one’s spirits up and hasten their recovery.
Services: Does the rehab center have a social worker on staff? Is laundry service included? Are there enriching activities for your senior, such as crafts projects and religious services? Is there a hair salon on site? Is there a garden or outdoor area where your loved one can enjoy fresh air?
Transitioning Home After a Rehab Stay
Once your loved one is admitted to a short-term rehab, it is time to start planning for the next step—their arrival home. It might also be a good time to start a conversation with your loved one about the future. Heritage Senior Communities offers many care options tailored to the needs of older adults across Michigan, including independent living, assisted living and specialized dementia care.
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jun 20, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
Summertime is vacation time in Michigan. If you are caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s, however, you may think a trip that includes your loved one is impossible. While Alzheimer’s patients often become agitated by changes in their daily routine, many can successfully travel if their caregivers plan ahead and take precautions.
The Alzheimer’s Association recommends that you evaluate your loved one’s ability to travel based on their needs and the progression of the disease. People in the early stages of Alzheimer’s will be less likely to become distressed than those in the later stages of the disease.
Tips for Traveling with a Senior Who Has Alzheimer’s Disease
If you decide that your senior can safely accompany you on a trip, these tips can help make the excursion enjoyable for all:
Put Your Loved One First: Choose the method of transportation, route and accommodations that will cause your loved one the least amount of stress and anxiety, even if it means more inconvenience and cost to you. Avoid peak travel times and holidays. When flying, choose a direct flight whenever possible. When you must change planes, try to purchase tickets with at least an hour between flights. This will prevent a frenzied rush to board the next plane.
Be Prepared: Medications, snacks and drinks, and a change of clothing should be accessible at all times. A list of prescription information, doctor phone numbers and emergency contacts should be handy, as well. Carry your senior loved one’s insurance card, identification and copies of legal documents. A recent photo can help locate them if they should wander off. There are several cell phone apps that make this easier including CareZone and Unfrazzle.
Plan a Reasonable Itinerary: You might be able to hop from museum to museum or spend the day at an amusement park, but people with dementia can be easily overwhelmed and distressed by days packed with fast-paced activities. Limit the number of activities you do each day. Slowing down and relaxing more can be good for everyone!
Use the Buddy System: Always keep your loved one under direct supervision. Unfamiliar environments increase the likelihood that someone with dementia will wander. If you stay in a hotel, use all the interior door locks to make it more difficult for your loved one to open the door when you are sleeping or showering. You may want to invest in a door alarm or a Medic-Alert necklace or bracelet that would help reunite you in the event they slip out of your sight.
Do Your Research: Before you leave, locate the hospital and urgent care centers nearest your destination. Investigate road construction and detours that might cause stressful delays. You might also contact the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association to identify any resources you might need to utilize when you arrive.
Have a Plan B: Have an alternative plan or two in place, just in case your loved one doesn’t respond well to being away from home. This might mean making more frequent rest-stops or checking into a hotel sooner.
Consider Respite Care Services
If your senior with Alzheimer’s cannot travel along with you, consider respite care . Call the Heritage Senior Community nearest you to learn more about a short term stay at one of our Michigan communities. While there really is no vacation from caregiving, thoughtful planning can make a summer trip pleasant for all.
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