SURVIVING CAREGIVER STRESS: KEY THOUGHTS AND ADVICE FROM AN EXPERT

Regardless of who's doing the caregiving (or the illness involved), the last key thought keeps us balanced and healthy and--ideally--less stressed... thus better able to handle whatever comes our way. Everyone seems to be in agreement on this point. Meet UCLA's Dr. Linda Ercoli, a clinical psychologist, and Director of UCLA's Geriatric Psychology. Her webinar offers....HELP FOR SURVIVING STRESS.

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Aging Parents: Alzheimer’s Blogs and Key Thoughts for Caregivers and Adult Children

                      An Unexpected Honor and the Key Thoughts
The May 24th email announced: “I am happy to inform you that your blog has made Healthline’s list of the Best Alzheimer’s Blogs of 2014.  Healthline diligently selected each of the blogs on the list…..”

Neither Alzheimer’s nor dementia is in my husband’s or my family. And I’ve never written specifically about it or any other illness in my posts. The closest I’ve come to mentioning dementia is including links in the sidebar (“Of Current Interest”) to articles I’ve reviewed (some include dementia) from highly regarded medical school publications. So Help! Aging Parents takes special pride in the reasoning the led to including our blog in this “Best” list of 23 Alzheimer’s blogs.

        Helping Parents Age Well isn’t just about helping our parents.
       The information and insight in these pages is useful to anyone
       who anticipates living beyond midlife. Key thoughts like “Will
       these actions I’m about to undertake empower or diminish?”
       and “Does the quick fix harm later goals?” inform all of blogger
       Susan’s writing. Her focus on values and long-term solutions 
       makes for a good life-coaching guide and regular reading.

Since the “Key Thoughts for Adult Children of Aging Parents” list goes back to my early posts, and many may not be aware of their publication, revisiting the list makes sense.

KEY THOUGHTS

• The Right Start Saves Many Problems

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AGING PARENTS: GIFTS FOR FATHERS AND GRANDFATHERS--2

Cake by Esperanza

2014 Round-up of 45 Gifts for Fathers and Grandfathers Continues....

Back in the day when men "dressed" to go out--even to a baseball game--ties were a most popular Father's Day gift. Indeed until recently ties continued to be a very popular gift. The more casual dress code the US has adopted, makes me wonder about the future of ties...they aren't listed under "Accessories/Clothing" in part 1. Yet for traditionalists, this Father's Day Cake complete with tie could be a creative answer for those who bake and like using marzipan. Can anything can top making this cake as a loving tribute to a great Dad or Granddad? For those who don't bake, my round-up continues.....

Hearing: Hearing loss is a problem for older people and for those who communicate with them.

• Assistive listening systems: products for TV watchers who need very high volume to hear well (while others don't). Click the preceding link then scroll down to "Assistive Listening Systems" if you wish to educate yourself. 
• Amplified Telephones =better conversation for all. This link provides a quick education as does the "Amplified Telephones" section of this U. of Calif at San Francisco Medical Center site.

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AGING PARENTS: GIFTS FOR FATHERS AND GRANDFATHERS--Part 1

2014 Round-up of 45 Gifts for Fathers and Grandfathers

 

 Father's Day sleeveless sweater vest cake made by Esperanza          

More gifts ideas for aging fathers and grandfathers--than I think a man could possibly want--have filled my posts over the last three years. I've reread them, remembering the time and outside-the-box thinking that went into compiling the list. 8 categories, arranged alphabetically: "Accessories and Clothing" to "Vision."

I've updated the original list and added to it. It's long now. I'll post in 2 parts so it's not overwhelming. Hoping that your shopping is made easier and that the aging men in your life will have smiles on their faces when they open their gifts.

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Memorial Day 2014--part 2: Veteran, Omaha Beach--We Learn What's In His Heart

  MEMORIAL DAY--MONDAY MAY 26, 2014

"Can we look into the hearts of old people?"
I asked in yesterday's post.
And last night, courtesy of NBC news, we saw and we heard.

A conversation with WWII veteran, Ed Gordon, now 90, who landed on Omaha Beach--one of the 150,000 Allied troops who took part in the Normandy Invasion on D Day--and "NBC colleague," Viet Nam veteran and Medal of Honor recipient, Col. Jack Jacobs--gives us an intimate "look."

I've isolated the link below for easy forwarding.

 http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/55260333

Aging Parents and Memorial Day 2014

  MEMORIAL DAY--MONDAY MAY 26, 2014

Can we look into the hearts of old people?

Things change. Values change--both at a rapid rate. It's part of today's world and we deal with it. Sometimes it's easy to overlook the impact on our elders as we continue with our busy lives. A one-minute video, with no spoken words, looks into the heart of a WWII veteran.

In the old days the name, Memorial Day, and date, May 30th, were carved in stone-- or so I thought when I was a girl. I didn't know that before WWII Memorial Day had been called "Decoration Day," although I remember hearing that name. The 1968 Uniform Monday Holiday Act changed "carved-in-stone" dates to days that would allow for a 3-day holiday weekend and took effect in 1971.

We're accustomed to the 3-day weekends. We take the opportunity to get away for a short vacation. Some think Memorial Day is the start of summer. We have family picnics. There are fewer parades. In our hearts and minds we respect the holiday, see the flags flying, know "Fleet Week" has arrived in New York. But, unless we have family in the military, I doubt we can tap into what Memorial Day means to those who have served--especially those who served over a half century ago, still possessing the memories (told and untold) and the pride.

While that which old people hold dear is disappearing faster and faster, it remains in their hearts....

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Aging Parents: "In Patient" vs "Under Observation" --- How Being in a Hospital Bed can Fool You

 

Does being in a hospital bed
qualify Medicare-eligible seniors as In-Patient?

   
For some time now, we've been hearing about Medicare-eligible seniors who've been given "Under Observation" status when admitted to hospitals--for what any intelligent person would assume should be "In-Patient" status. "Under Observation" status is not "In-Patient."

If parents need to enter a skilled nursing facility or a nursing home after the required three days of hospitalization, Medicare will not pay and the family will be required to pay all of the bills, including the hospital costs, if hospital status was "Under Observation."

We might also assume that those in a bed in a hospital are automatically considered "In-Patients." Not true.

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