Decisions have to be made but you can’t realistically approach home care decisions when an honest analysis of your aging loved ones current and future needs for home care has not been completed.

Start by reviewing their medical history.  Has it been fairly stable or are the doctors continually tweaking with the meds?  Constant change in medicine could mean missed doses (bad) or multiple doses (even worse).  There could also be interactions of the meds which might not show up immediately only to reveal the problems in the middle of the night.  When the meds are changed are you seeing any behavior or mood changes?  How about energy levels, mobility problems and hearing issues?  It is critical that you establish a base line of abilities that you will measure future performance against.  Observe, measure, evaluate and decide.

If the physical and medical issues seem like they are under control then now is the time to start investigating home care agencies and care givers.  Believe me it is stable now but it will not remain that way and you don’t want to be making home care decisions quickly.  If dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is not evident then having a care giver come in a few hours a week just to change out the bedding, do some laundry, assist with personal hygiene, meal preparation, make sure your loved one is taking the medication as prescribed can give you tremendous peace of mind as well as a respite from your role as a family care giver or a long distance care giver.

Take a look at our new website for additional resources, tips and videos that you will find useful.  Also sign up for our newsletter and receive a special report on care giving absolutely free.

Home care in Arizona as with other states is mostly predictable in the progression.  It usually goes from companion care and transportation to appointments and shopping to a few hours a week of having a quality care giver assist them with the activities of daily living.  The weekly hours will usually increase as abilities decrease until 24/7 care is required.  Sometime in this process the family will look at possibly moving the loved one to either independent living or an assisted living facility.  The senior usually will opt for staying in their home instead.

Financial concerns will surface at this point and many times the family will opt for keeping the aging loved one in their home instead of making a very emotionally charged move to an assisted living center.  Most assisted living facilities do not provide home care as part of their package; it is an additional hourly charge.  So when you factor in the cost of the facility sometimes as high as $5,000 a month and then add in the cost of a care giver the choice is clear to have them stay in their home and bring in an experienced care giver.

Please visit our website for more information and then give us a call for a free in home needs evaluation and a safety check of their home.

We have acquired our own website and have moved all the content there.  Our new website is www.azangelcare.com so please update your bookmarks.

www.azangelcare.com

There you will find all the familiar content and links so please stop by.

We have also added an Amazon Store on our site that we call “The Boomer Gang’s Store”.

I think that it was about 1993 that I became the shortest person in the family which brought about the necessity to stand on my toes when family pictures are taken.  No one notices until they see the picture then I get a lot of guffaws.

Our oldest son Jeremy who works for a computer gaming company sent me some information that he had come across on Paw-Paw Mail. I spent some time with it and found it not only interesting but fun.

Paw Paw Mail was developed by Jackson Hughes a software engineer who wanted to enable his grandfather to use email and keep him connected to the family and others in his generation.  Mr. Hughes wanted to create an email platform that did not have any barriers to entry such as log-ins, links, confusing layouts with ad boxes or flashing pop-ups just email.  A simple system that seniors could learn easy and be connected to their family and be able to view pictures and emails.

Another thing I love is that it can run on any old clunker of a machine that you have in the back of the closet.  And that means either a Mac or a PC.  So the senior doesn’t have to drop $300 plus on a basic machine.

The platform is designed for two users, the senior and their caregiver who can assist them in getting it set up, helps with setting up their address book and can also be somewhat of a gatekeeper who can screen incoming emails looking for potential scams.

I have talked to some of our clients and knowing that they have a computer have asked them if they use email and the response goes along the lines of “What do I want to do that for?”  Upon further questioning they have told me that they feel they are just too stupid to make it work.  This is so sad.

It is important to mention here that seniors who use their brain with new learning are helping to keep dementia away.  See an earlier post here entitled “Pump Up Your Brain”.

Now with Paw Paw Mail seniors and their caregivers can have access to the wild wacky world of the internet and it is only $5 a month with no contract and the ability to cancel at any time.  There is a free 10 day trial also so take a look at Paw Paw Mail.

Michael Simpson

Material sources from  New York Times article titled “Easier Email for the Older Generation” by Anne C. Roark

Today Teresa received a call from a producer at KTAR-FM 92.3 here in the Phoenix market.  In their production meeting the subject of hoarding came up and it was decided to do a short piece on the subject.  The producer assigned to the segment googled “hoarding Phoenix” and our blog was in the top ten.  He called and set up an interview.  I shot a little video which is below and I hope to post the actual radio interview tomorrow.

The man slowly looked up.  This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life.  Her coat was new. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.  His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before..

“Leave me alone,” he growled…  To his amazement, the woman continued standing.  She was smiling — her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows.

“Are you hungry?” she asked..

“No,” he answered sarcastically. “I’ve just come from dining with the president.. Now go away.”

The woman’s smile became even broader.

Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.  “What are you doing, lady?” the man asked angrily. “I said to leave me alone.

Just then a policeman came up..  “Is there any problem, ma’am?” he asked..

“No problem here, officer,” the woman answered.  “I’m just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?”

The officer scratched his head..  “That’s old Jack. He’s been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?”

“See that cafeteria over there?” she asked. “I’m going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile.”

“Are you crazy, lady?” the homeless man resisted. “I don’t want to go in there!”  Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up.

“Let me go, officer. I didn’t do anything..”

“This is a good deal for you, Jack,” the officer answered. “Don’t blow it.”

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner.  It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived.

The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table.  “What’s going on here, officer?” he asked.”What is all this, is this man in trouble?”

“This lady brought this man in here to be fed,” the policeman answered.

“Not in here!” the manager replied angrily. “Having a person like that here is bad for business.”

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin.  “See, lady. I told you so. Now if you’ll let me go. I didn’t want to come here in the first place”

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled.  “Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?”

“Of course I am,” the manager answered impatiently. “They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms.”

“And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?”

“What business is that of yours?”

I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company.”

“Oh…”

The woman smiled again..  “I thought that might make a difference.”

She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a laugh.  “Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?”

“No thanks, ma’am,” the officer replied. “I’m on duty.”

“Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?”

“Yes, ma’am. That would be very nice.”

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel.  “I’ll get your coffee for you right away, officer.”

The officer watched him walk away.  “You certainly put him in his place,” he said.

“That was not my intent…  Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this.”

She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest.  She stared at him intently.

“Jack, do you remember me?”

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes.  “I think so — I mean you do look familiar.”

“I’m a little older perhaps,” she said.  “Maybe I’ve even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry.”

“Ma’am?” the officer said questioningly.  He couldn’t believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

“I was just out of college,” the woman began.  “I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn’t find anything.  Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment..  I walked the streets for days.  It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off-chance that I could get something to eat.”

Jack lit up with a smile.  “Now I remember,” he said.  “I was behind the serving counter.  You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat.  I said that it was against company policy.”

“I know,” the woman continued.  “Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it.  I was afraid that you would get into trouble.  Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right.”

“So you started your own business?” Old Jack said.

“I got a job that very afternoon.  I worked my way up.  Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered..”  She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. “When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He’s the personnel director of my company.  I’ll go talk to him now and I’m certain he’ll find something for you to do around the office..”

She smiled.  “I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet.  If you ever need anything, my door is always open to you.”

There were tears in the old man’s eyes.  “How can I ever thank you?” he asked.

“Don’t thank me,” the woman answered.  “To God goes the glory.  He led me to you..”

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways..  “Thank you for all your help, officer,” she said.

“On the contrary, Ms. Eddy,” he answered.  “Thank you. I saw a miracle today , something that I will never forget.  And..And thank you for the coffee.”

Have a Wonderful Day. May God Bless You Always and don’t forget that when you “cast your bread upon the waters,” you never know how it will be returned to you.  God is so big He can cover the whole world with his Love and so small He can curl up inside your heart.

When God leads you to the edge of the cliff, trust Him fully and let go.

Only 1 of 2 things will happen, either He’ll catch you when you fall, or He’ll teach you how to fly!

The power of one sentence!  God is going to shift things around for you today and let things work in your favor.  If you believe, send it.  If you don’t believe, delete it.

God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close..

If you need God to open some doors for you…..send this on.

Have a blessed day and remember to be a blessing…..

” The Task Ahead of Me is Never as Great as the Power Behind Me!! “

By Michael Simpson

Ok the word is out…the internet is good for seniors.

The Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal and Economic Studies is a think tank that studies public policy issues that focus on social and economic conditions with an emphasis on the economics of the telecommunications and high tech industries. They examined the survey responses of 7,000 retired Americans 55 and older and the results are enlightening.

The final results showed that spending time online reduces depression by 20 percent for senior citizens. In addition to the quality of life benefits, the Center said that reducing the incidence of depression by widespread internet use among older Americans could trim the nation’s health care bill. Wow!!! Having seniors learn new skills, computer that is, has been sited here in earlier posts as a defense against dementia and Alzheimer’s and now it is shown to cut depression also. But don’t get too giddy about lowering the nation’s health care bill because I am sure the Federal Government will find other uses for the savings.

We in the senior care business know that maintaining relationships with family and friends at a time of life when mobility becomes increasingly limited is challenging for the elderly. The use of social networking sites like FaceBook have become increasing popular with seniors allowing them to remain connected with far flung family and friends. Pictures or even videos are posted allowing the elderly to see their grandchildren in upstate New York or their friend’s new poodle in Boca Raton. The study does say that only about 42 percent of Americans aged 65 and older are on line but I think that will go up as the news spreads.

This is all really good news for our seniors. But as they age they face the loss of their car. Sometimes this is voluntary but sometimes it is forced on them by licensing agencies or by their family. This loss means loss of their independence and many times their friends are going through the same thing so their social network and support group is crumbling. Through the internet and social networking websites the elderly get a feeling of connectedness and community when face to face interaction is not possible.

But there is a dark side to this also. We all know how seniors are prime targets for scams through the mail, telephone and door to door. So we must have some monitoring of their activity and continual reminders about that they should safeguard their identity, passwords, account information and other information that thieves might need to bilk your loved one.

So I say have fun seniors and wait till you play Modern Warfare 2, that will get your heart going!

We all know that the Holidays are times of family gatherings and much merriment.   However, there is a considerable amount of stress for many people around the holiday time.

For example, relationships in families can be heightened so that already existing stressful situations can flair up and become quite nasty.   Or, a family member who has lost a spouse may be feeling the loss of that loved one more intensely during the holidays.

Money is an issue for many families, as they attempt to keep up with the neighbors in providing gifts for their children.   It is easy to lose control over spending during this time of year.   And we all are aware of the tendency to not stick with our regular habits, such as eating properly or exercising enough.

Below is a list of several ways to attempt to control some of the negative behaviors that creep into our regular routines and make the holidays more stressful (taken from the general guidelines put out by the Mayo Clinic to reduce of avoid Holiday stress):

1.  Acknowledge any feelings of sadness, grief, or hopelessness.

2.  Talk to someone about those feelings.   The idea is to get the feelings out in the open and deal with them, rather than bottling them up inside.

3.  Be realistic in your planning.   Don’t overdue the activities or the parties.

4.  Put aside family differences.   Try to accept differences in family pasts. Think twice, speak once.

5.  Keep within a budget.   If you can set a budget and then understand and follow those guidelines, money as a stressor will be greatly reduced.

6.  Plan ahead.   Specify days for shopping or baking, rather than doing whatever seems appropriate at the time.   By planning, you will know when certain items on your list will be completed.

7.  Learn to say no.   Family and friends will understand when you explain why you need to say no to a particular event.

8.  Stick with your daily habits.   Maintaining your regular routine of exercising, eating, and sleeping will ensure that you can handle the stress which may come up from normal holiday activities.

9. Take a break once and a while.   The holidays are not only for everyone else, but they are also for you.   Give yourself a present by getting a massage, a pedicure, take in a movie, or anything else that might help to keep your stress down.

10. Seek professional help if you simply cannot reduce the stress in your life during the holidays.   It is nothing to be ashamed about, and talking with someone (or seeing your Doctor for a physical ailment) may greatly reduce the level of stress you are experiencing, thus further reducing the stress.

11. Plan holiday activities for the family.   Simple events such as Christmas caroling or baking Christmas cookies can be fun. unite the family and make wonderful memories.   Try to keep the costs down – this will ensure no additional stress from money issues.

The Holidays are a time of joy and family gatherings.   Don’t let the normal stressors associated with these days get the best of you.   Plan ahead, beat the holiday blues. Enjoy this year’s festivities to the fullest.

Merry Christmas everyone!

It happens more often than we even acknowledge: we walk into a potential care recipient’s home, review the areas that our caregiver will be working, and see that there are piles of books, newspapers, and bills everywhere . . . Yet, we assume that this care recipient just needs one of our caregivers to help straighten this “mess” up. However, what we don’t consider is the fact that this care recipient may be dealing with “compulsive hoarding,” often associated with or defined as a symptom of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (as listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition). Compulsive hoarding is also frequently associated with dementia or with those who grew up during the Great Depression of the late 1920’s and early 1930’s and who tend to hold on to their possessions.

Ok, so what’s the big deal about compulsive hoarding?  Many families turn away from the 500 lb gorilla in the room and try to explain away the behavior.  Isn’t it really just a matter of holding on to some “stuff” too long?

Yes, however, compulsive hoarding is also closely connected with self-neglect, especially in the elderly. And, this is potentially quite harmful, even to the point of death for the person who is afflicted with this disorder. For example, as mentioned above, it is far from rare to see some of our care recipients continue to collect and hold certain types of possessions, i.e., clothes, newspapers, books, mail, lists stuck everywhere, leaving food for too long in the refrigerator, and even collecting and holding onto pets (i.e., cats).

If these collections were managed well it would not create any self-neglect issues, yet this is more often than not a lead-in to some form of self-neglect.

As an example, let’s look at a 75 year old woman who lives alone, is generally able to care for herself with some assistance for yard work, small household tasks, and an occasional ride to the store or her doctors. She does tend to hold onto many of her paper items (i.e., newspapers and books) and especially potentially problematic is her habit of stacking her mail with the intention of “getting around to it later.”

No major issue yet . . . Until she begins to miss payments on some of her bills. When she continually misses payments on her mortgage and her utilities, she is now in a danger zone where she might lose her home, or at the least, have her power turned off, which could be quite severe if she were in a climate where her health might be jeopardized due to extreme temperatures.

This becomes an issue of self-neglect, and is more prevalent in the elderly than in any other age group.

The focus then is to treat the problem (or even better, prevent the issue from developing). Yet, surprisingly, there is very little effective treatment for compulsive hoarding. When families attempt to intervene by removing the “clutter,” the care recipient often becomes angry over someone taking their “things.”

These possessions are part of the elders’ life, and removal of those items then tends to cause more alienation between the care recipient and the family, thus leading to more potential self-neglect on the part of the loved one.

Randy Scott, Ph.D., a psychologist from Smith College, in North Hampton, MA, has developed a treatment called “cognitive behavioral treatment.” In short, through gradual exposure and practice in real world situations, patients/care recipients are trained to avoid getting themselves into the hoarding mode. Patients’ thoughts are identified, emotions explored, and combined with the outings mentioned above and traditional psychotherapy, they work their way out of the need for compulsive hoarding. Yet, what can the average family do to help?

There are some tips that can be reviewed in these situations:

• First, treat the loved one with respect.
• Don’t talk down to him or her. Talk to the person, not around them – include the person in the conversation.
• Try to understand the meaning of the possession to the person.
• Review the safety factors involved associated with the hoarding practice.
• Be aware that any change or removal of the possession will need to come from the loved one, not you.
• Be aware that there may be some mental illness involved.
• If the loved one does not want to discuss the issue at that moment, try later.

With 1 to 2 percent of Americans suffering from “compulsive hoarding,” this is a significant issue amongst our elders that should be dealt with rather than seen as “normal” behavior.

We can help your family members to understand compulsive hoarding and how best to intervene.

To get more information and to have a free, personal and confidential in home evaluation call Teresa at 623-266-9304.

Brain Power
from Jeffrey Johnson

For most of my 59 years in this world, it was acknowledged that as we aged, so did our brain: it became slower, could not remember as well as it once did, and that after our twenties, we would begin losing brain cells that could never be replaced. Aging was not something to look forward to. However, in recent years scientists and doctors have discovered that, indeed, it is possible to rewire the brain – to build new neural connections that not only can stop the loss of brain function, but actually improve the brains ability to perform as it was designed to function. Although this is great news, we do need to keep in mind that the brain is part of our entire body processing unit, and as such, we need to also focus on the rest of our body to allow the brain to keep its’ incredibly high level of functioning intact. Below you will find a list of activities that will help to maintain and promote brain function, which may significantly aid our elderly is reducing instances of dementia, Alzheimer’s, and slow the aging process.

The following is excerpted from eMedExpert.com (the author is not identified), and article entitled, 14 Research-Proven Ways To Boost Brain Power:

1. Physical activity. Healthy body, healthy mind. Exercise can help stimulate the formation of new brain cells.

2. Lifelong learning. There is clear evidence that education and learning are positive for the brain. In other words, “if you continue to challenge yourself, your brain will continue to grow.” Examples of activities that an elder person might be interested in are: playing a musical instrument, starting a new career, starting a new hobby, learning a foreign language, learning to cook better, or becoming more informed about the world.

3. Mental stimulation. “The more we think, the better our brains function.” Some stimulating activities might include: travel, visiting museums, reading more, playing thinking games, playing a musical instrument, developing a craft skill, or volunteering.

4. Social interaction. Having friends, neighbors, and family that are part of your social circle can be stimulating and challenging, thus keeping the brain sharp.

5. Sleep and nap. During our sleep time, “the hippocampus becomes highly active and moves knowledge from short-term memory to long-term memory.” Thus, the activity during sleep helps to process the information we have taken in during the day, and without the proper amount and nature of sleep, we may not develop a strong memory.

6. Stress management. “Severe stress lasting weeks or months can impair cell communication in the brain’s learning and memory region.” Ways to reduce/manage stress are: see problems as opportunities, exercise, learn relaxation techniques, cut down on unnecessary responsibilities, make time for leisure, or get a massage.

7. Laugh and humor. We all know that laughing can reduce stress, and as mentioned above, reducing or managing stress is important in boosting brain power.

8. Healthy breakfast. Having a solid, healthy morning meal allows our bodies to function at their peak, for example: learning ability improves, concentration improves, and mood and memory are better.

9. Omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are instrumental in the development and maintenance of a healthy brain. “Coldwater fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, and herring are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids (just be careful to eat this in moderation due to potential contamination with mercury).”
10. Blueberries. Eating this tasty and low-glycemic fruit has been shown to slow brain degeneration.

11. Vegetables. Such vegetables as cauliflower, spinach, kale, broccoli, cabbage, and brussel sprouts contain high levels of vitamin E, and antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage.

12. Red wine. Ok, I realize we should not be advocating the consumption of alcohol, yet if you were to have a drink, red wine would be a good choice. The moderate consumption of red wine daily has been shown to lower the risk of dementia.

13. Keep health under control. Monitoring blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and homocysteine (an amino acid) can control the decline of cognitive functioning.

14. Neurobics. Changing your daily habits can exercise the brain in a different and very unique manner. For example: drive to work using a different route, get dressed with one eye closed, brush your teeth with the other hand, unlock your door with your eyes closed, use the opposite hand to dial your phone, listen to music and smell flowers at the same time, or shop at a new grocery store.

Clear thinking is a major concern of our seniors. Many people are bombarded with news reports of people with dementia and Alzheimer’s that can be very disturbing and unsettling. Becoming active in preventative activities that might reduce the risk of brain function should be a high priority for us all. So, practice some or all of the suggestions listed above and we might all have higher and longer lasting brain functions and stave off the affects of dementia and related illnesses.