Why aging in place is not for everyone

Laurelhurst Park senior residence in Oregon is for those who need both independence and assistance

You may be one of those baby boomers who declares you don't want to live in assisted living or in some senior community, and you do not want your parents there either; but aging in place is not for everyone.

Experts tell us that although older people may be attached to their homes and believe it is the best place to live out their lives, the home in place may not be equipped to provide the activities and amenities for people to be able to adapt to the changes as they grow older.

Six ways to make the right decision about assisted living or nursing home care

Seniors and their families need to know how to make the right decisions about assisted living needs

Carol Forsloff--After years of serving as a life care planner and helping families, estate and personal injury attorneys make decisions, I have learned what to ask and how to follow up on nursing home and assisted living care. Here are five ways to help you make the right decisions for your loved ones.

Proper diet is key to health and recovery

Often the tour of a nursing home may bring an invitation for a meal, but it's important to look carefully at food and menu planning. That's because a facility can tout a good, balanced, and nutritional food plan; but Granny ends up with something less than nutritious.
An example was an elderly woman in a facility where hamburger sandwiches and salad with bread crumbs sprinkled on the top was the fare of the day. The woman had a swallowing problem, a definite concern for a proper digestion.

Exercise means the right type to maintain strength and energy

That work out room with a few exercise machines is insufficient for seniors and those with debilitating conditions. In maintaining strength and energy, the exercise must involve several types to maintain bones and to help prevent heart attack and stroke.

For example, recent research has found that the faster a person is able to move or walk, the longer the individual may live. This doesn't mean going for the "burn" as Jane Fonda once declared, but encouraging the speed that is optimum but still within the comfort zone and capability of an individual. This means exercise with repetitions and also weight bearing exercise as well. An individual plan for the person with physical limitations is also important.

Fresh air and sunshine have emotional and physical health benefits
Walk down the hall of some assisted living facilities and nursing homes, and you will see folks lying on hospital beds, propped up for food and sedentary activities, but many seldom taken out for fresh air and sunshine. Windows are closed, and the only light is that bulb in the center of the room.
Fresh air and sunshine provide Vitamin D for bones, and it also helps improve mood. To the extent an individual is able to be moved in some fashion, by wheelchair or walker, it's important to provide a time and space for this important health benefit.

Stimulation of mind and body are critical for maintaining mood and cognitive skills
During a visit I made to a facility to evaluate the care of an elderly woman I was invited to a class where I was told craft activities would be provided. The activity consisted of cutting around pictures of flowers and then pasting these on pieces of paper. No creative activity followed this nor did the instructor provide an overview of the type of flowers, gardening or any theme that might be of interest to the group. Instead it was simply the activity of cutting and pasting, with the participants complaining of boredom and fatigue. Many said, "Is this all we're going to do?"

Another common recreation is to put folks in front of television sets where there sit all day. I have listened to residents complain that often that's the only activity offered. For some individuals this may be all they can do, however it is important to provide as much creative involvement in activities as possible in order to facilitate and maintain cognitive skills that experts declare important.

Ongoing monitoring of physical status is critical to avoid serious injury or death
On assessing the care of an injured adult, I observed several blisters on the heel and inner thigh of the individual. Those blisters had apparently been present for days. The man in the bed was diabetic, so the problem of infection was of particular concern.

Family members and friends should ask about physical monitoring, who does it and how often. It's also important to personally check the status as well, just to insure the protection an individual needs. Many of the worst health problems occur because of neglect. With under-staffing a problem in many facilities, making sure that physical monitoring takes place may be critical in saving a life. Bed sores are common with those who are sedentary.

Whether you are the one planning for assisted living, helping others decide or trying to find the right place for a loved one who needs support for activities of daily living, it's important to make the right choices, for it becomes more difficult once a decision is made to later on have to make changes.  And the right choice will mean that not only that loved one will be as comfortable and happy as possible when the time comes to make that difficult move.

Consumer agency offers guidance for caregivers in managing money of others

[caption id="attachment_16328" align="alignleft" width="300"] Seniors sometimes need help in managing money[/caption]

Gordon Matilla---As part of care giving responsibilities, many friends and family members of senior citizens are asked to handle the money of someone needing assisted living. But how do you take charge of someone else's money, do a good job and ensure the funds are protected?

As part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Administration for Community Living offers information for caregivers on managing money for elderly loved ones.

Four booklets the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office for Older Americans has released offer guidance for people acting as fiduciaries for others that include walking the care giver through their duties, how to watch for scams and financial exploitation and what to do if the senior loved one becomes a victim and finally information on where to go for help. Presently free print copies and bulk orders are available with hard copies available by the end of November.

There are also a number of websites that provide information on managing money for others. One of the sites, for example, is Mint.com which organizes money by transaction so an individual can track how money is being spent in a number of categories. Other websites offer counsel on everything from balancing one's budget to tracking expenses vs income. Many of the suggestions offered can help not only the person needing specific assistance but also assist the care giver in managing his/her own money as well, which is especially important if that care giver is spending personal money in providing care for the loved one.

Many financial advisers recommend that not just one person be in charge of managing someone else's money in order to provide a check and balance on various tasks. It can also help prevent financial abuse.

The newest Federal guidelines provide a care giver with the major outline of responsibilities and how these should be carried out. Often when an individual needs special care, the person designated to care for the finances requires assistance as well. So having assistance for doing this can be especially important in planning for senior care that may involve details with which some individuals might be unfamiliar. Having help available for these details can count a good deal toward maintaining financial stability for a loved one who needs not just assistance with daily living tasks but caring for financial obligations as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theft, poor supervision cited as serious problems in elder care

Carol Forsloff-- Recently the media has reported on theft in nursing homes and assisted living centers committed by staff, however patients themselves often steal from each other for different reasons, something that is often discounted in the reports of elder abuse.

For this article I am relating direct observations of patient treatment and the environment of the nursing homes from the interior to the exterior of the residences. The identity of the two women visited are confidential in this article due to the nature of their disabilities, family concerns and related issues. On the other hand, these patients' experiences were almost identical, in two separate residences.

Both women complained that food brought by guests had been taken from their rooms. They also reported theft of personal funds, spending money given to them by family members. Food was observed as so poorly prepared that nursing assistants told guests to eat before visiting patients in the lunch room because the food was “not good.” In one instance, two small, charred hamburgers with stale buns were given to those in the dining room for lunch, with several patients clearly having difficulty swallowing them. Both women reported that poor food led people to steal food from one another brought in from friends and family.

Both women also accused about money and personal items taken from their rooms. Rooms are left unlocked in both residences, so patients can easily wander from one room to another.

Crimes against the elderly are a major problem, with one of the worst examples taking place in Australia earlier this year, where a nurse set fire to a retirement home in order to cover up drug theft.

A legal expert tells us that one of the major problems in elder care is the lack of proper government oversight. There are no Federal regulations for assisted living and nursing homes, many of whom make considerable profit from caring for the elderly. Lack of trained personnel is a common problem cited. The consequences are lack of proper personal care of patients and random thefts by other patients or staff.

In order to prevent elder abuse and to protect them from unsafe conditions, proper regulations and oversight are considered essential.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three questions to ask before choosing an elder care facility

Christy Weatherspoon — The decision to move into an elder care facility for yourself or for your loved ones can be very daunting. After living alone for so many years, it may be a difficult decision to make after building a life in one place for such a long time. Family, house maintenance, and personal safety are all things to consider when making this important decision. It's always possible to reverse such a big decision, but it's less stressful to know that what you're doing is the right thing from the get-go. The following are some tips to help decide if assisted living is right for you.



Can family and friends help?

If you are already receiving help from family and friends, you may be well enough staying in your own home with some adjustments for your comfort and safety. Unfortunately, sometimes there aren't many family members living close by and it's just too difficult to do it all on your own. The temptation may be to “wait it out” and see if things get better; but in these sorts of situations, it's always better to be proactive.

Talk to your family and friends to see if some may be able to drop by to assist you with some tasks around the home. Oftentimes, small adjustments like having someone help around the house or cook several meals a week is all that is needed. Don't be afraid to reach out to family or friends; the only way to explore these options is to ask.

Are you worried about your safety?

Are you worried about what may happen if you fell in the shower? Would you be able to get the help you needed in case of an emergency? Safety is a big concern for seniors with limited mobility. This is especially the case after sustaining any serious injury, such as a broken hip, or anything that might limit your ability to get to a place of safety. Using equipment such as a walker and wheelchair aren't always options, especially in older homes with more confined halls and doorways. Consider your mobility in making this decision. Just one accident after the age of 60 is a warning sign that you should be very careful. Injuries heal much more slowly in mature adults and should be heeded as caution to take preventative steps for the future.

Is Transportation Difficult?

During the 1950s and 1960s, many small towns suddenly increased exponentially in population. Especially in the Southwestern United States, cities exploded outward, fueled by the availability of cheaper vehicles. This means that cities are more spread out than ever. Public transportation has yet to catch up and is not as accessible as in the East. If you are unable to drive or cannot afford a taxi getting around could be a very good reason to think about an elder care facility. Trips to the grocery store, doctor, and elsewhere are necessary but nearly impossible without a reliable form of transportation. Mobility issues can make this even tougher by making access to buses and other forms of public transit less convenient.

The above questions are designed to get you thinking about basic necessities that, in the past, were non-issues but should now be thought out. Where there's a will there's a way and moving into an elder care facility isn't the only option for seniors who have difficulties associated with aging. However, the amenities of an assisted living complex can also be very inviting and big stress-relievers. Maintaining a home may just be too much work to keep living alone. There is also the companionship that comes in living close to similar folks. Keep an open mind when asking these questions and you'll be sure to find a solution that works for you.