Recently I had the pleasure of being a guest on the Caregiver SOS podcast. We discussed the financial impact of caregiving, and I shared my own insights from caring for my parents.
The “p” word really is the key word here. We discussed how to prepare financially before a family healthcare crisis strikes. This is a topic that I feel is vital to discuss as a family and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my story.
You can find Caregiver SOS on your favorite digital audio platform, or via the WellMed Charitable Foundation website.
For more caregiver tips, check out my Caregiver Product Recommendations page, with a list of products that I used while caring for my parents.
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ICYMI: I’m participating in the Smashwords Summer/Winter sale. Get the e-book version of my award-wining collection of personal essays, The Reluctant Caregiver, for half-off (just 99 cents!) during the entire month of July. Enter the code SSW50 at checkout.
Summer officially began this week, but here in Atlanta, the heat arrived a month ago. Summer here is brutal and unrelenting and requires one to plan outdoor activities carefully. Humidity brings another level of misery and danger to summer heat waves. Beyond the standard temperature and heat index readings, it’s important to take into consideration heat and humidity with a more accurate measurement such as the wet bulb temperature; check out the readings for major cities.
Whether it’s the broiling triple digit temperatures out west or the oppressive humidity of the south, summer creates multiple challenges for caregivers. Keeping elder loved ones safe both indoors and out during the summer months requires smart planning.
Before a heat wave, check on your elder loved ones and make sure their homes have adequate cooling options. Keep in mind that elders on a tight budget may be reluctant to turn on the air conditioner, but that ill-advised decision could cost them their lives. Energy-efficient air conditioners are now available. Smart thermostats can help you monitor the temperature remotely and adjust if necessary.
Battery-powered handheld fans can offer a mobile form of relief both indoors and outdoors. I find that even with air conditioning, a tabletop fan helps keep the air moving in upper floor bedrooms, where it can get stuffy quickly. In milder climates, such as where my parents lived, oscillating fans may be sufficient to keep rooms comfortable.
Outdoor safety during the summer is multifaceted. Elders are more susceptible to heat, but spending time outdoors for short periods can offer important health benefits. Timing is key: aim for outdoor time in the early morning or in the evening after the sun goes down. For those who garden, wearing protective clothing and a hat is important, as is staying hydrated and taking breaks. These neck fans can help one cool down quickly when doing outdoor activities.
During summer heat waves, staying hydrated is essential. I witnessed my mother suffer the consequences of dehydration and the symptoms resembled dementia. From my experience, it can be difficult to encourage older people and those with dementia to drink enough fluids. These Stanley water bottles come with convenient handles and some models include built-in straws for ease in sipping. For outdoor adventures during the summer, carry hydration drink mix pouches such as Liquid I.V. which offer a quick electrolyte boost.
Mosquitoes aren’t just annoying, but can carry West Nile Virus, which can be deadly in older people. Consider a mosquito repellent device in addition to citronella candles, mosquito-repellent plants and clothing to keep loved ones safe while enjoying their home’s outdoor spaces.
I hope these suggestions help you plan for safe and enjoyable time outdoors this summer with your elder loved ones.
There have been a lot of big announcements from technology companies recently, but one in particular caught my eye this past week: Uber announcing an initiative called Uber Caregiver. What does a ride hail service have to offer caregivers?
Uber has been expanding into other services for awhile. Uber Eats has become a popular restaurant delivery service. That service has expanded to offer groceries as well. Uber Health seeks to bring together these services to serve a specific population that could benefit greatly from them: caregivers and care recipients.
Uber Caregiver will allow a designated caregiver to request rides and order groceries for the care recipient. The caregiver will be able to monitor progress of rides and shopping orders on their own device. This would be beneficial for remote caregivers or those who cannot check in on their loved ones daily. Care recipients could maintain their independence with a reliable service that would transport them safely to doctor’s appointments.
One thing that isn’t clear is if Uber Caregiver drivers will receive any specialized training. That would seem to be critical, whether it’s how to help someone who’s mobility impaired in and out of a car or accommodating clients with cognitive decline. The Uber Caregiver service supports a 3-way chat system so a caregiver can stay in touch throughout the ride and receive a notification when their loved one arrives safely.
Those in rural areas will likely be out of luck, as Uber tends to focus on major cities and suburbs for its service areas. That’s unfortunate, as it’s those in rural areas without other transportation options that would benefit the most from the service. My parents were lucky to have access to a rural shuttle service run by the county, but the service was always being threatened by budget cuts.
Uber claims some healthcare plans will provide benefits towards the service, though it doesn’t provide a list of participating vendors. According to a Today report, those with Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and eligible employer health insurance plans may find that Uber Caregiver services are covered, though individuals should consult their specific plan providers to confirm.
Uber Caregiver will begin to roll out this summer, with shopping access coming at a later date.
Graphic courtesy of Administration for Community Living
In late September, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released its 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. It’s the first time such a national strategy has been proposed. While it’s long overdue, addressing the needs of family caregivers in a coordinated national effort is a positive development.
“Supporting family caregivers is commonsense, since most people will at some point in their lives be a family caregiver, need a family caregiver, or both. Caregivers are sacrificing for their loved ones and often are standing in the health care gap by providing that care,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.
Your feedback is critical to the success of the strategy. The commenting period opened Oct. 1 and will be accepting comments for a 60-day period. The strategy will be updated every two years as required by law.
One aspect of the pandemic that could be seen as a benefit to family caregivers is the embrace and expansion of technology that assists with basic tasks in our daily lives. While some of us were already utilizing such services before the pandemic, many others learned the convenience of having groceries delivered to their home, for example.
A sandwich caregiver interviewed by MarketWatch recounted what a major benefit it was to have groceries delivered. She used to spend a good chunk of her day off taking her elder parents to the grocery store. When the pandemic struck, she shifted to grocery delivery and signed up her own family as well. Sometimes it is the simple things that can make all the difference. A caregiver reclaiming a few hours of her life each week can have a major impact on her wellbeing and those in her care.
Of course, there is always a price to pay for that convenience, and I never forget the fact that there is a human being who is picking out my groceries and delivering them, putting their own lives at risk to complete a chore for me. I always make sure to tip well.
Zoom and other video calling tools also exploded in popularity during the pandemic. While some are understandably suffering from Zoom fatigue at this point, for those families who were able to get their elder loved ones comfortable with the technology, video calls served as an important lifeline for those separated during the pandemic. Being able to check in on an elder loved one from afar with a simple video call helped put a family caregiver’s mind at ease. Of course it’s not the same as being able to hug and socialize in person, but for elders who otherwise may have been completely isolated, video calls kept the connection to family intact.
Remote tools, whether for working, socializing, or caregiving, are now receiving greater public interest, which is sparking investments from major technology companies like Amazon, who has developed a caregiving hub called Alexa Together. While there are security, privacy, and ethical concerns when it comes to monitoring technology, overall I think these tools can be helpful for the long-distance caregiver.
From my experience, I found tools such as a cellphone designed for older people, fall-sensing technology, and automated shipping of supplies to be of great help as a long-distance caregiver. As I wrote in my book, The Reluctant Caregiver, I was able to convince my mother, long skeptical of high-tech gadgets, to embrace these tools to help keep her living at home safely, versus having to enter assisted living.
As I grow older, I will be watching this growing field of technology with interest.
A “lost” film from the late, great horror film director George Romero was released this month and has people talking about its contributions to ageism and how society treats its elders.
Romero is perhaps best known for the zombie classic, “Night of the Living Dead.” In the early 1970s he was commissioned by the Lutheran Society to create a PSA of sorts that would deal with ageism and society’s poor treatment of older people. The organization was displeased with Romero’s surreal yet gritty take on the subject matter, so the film was shelved until recently, where it is now streaming on Shudder.
I found the film to offer a more accurate take on what it feels like to grow old in this country than one might think at first glance. The film follows the main character as he navigates his way through a bureaucratic nightmare of an amusement park, where elders find themselves charged exorbitant prices, banned from certain rides and harassed as nuisances. There is a speech by the main character at the beginning of the film that offers this ominous line: “Remember as you watch the film, one day you will be old.”
It’s sad to say that in the decades since this film was made, we haven’t progressed that far in the way we care for our elder population. The release of this film now as we grapple with the fallout from the pandemic only reinforces the importance of elder care and how it reflects upon a society.
Good tips! It’s so easy to overlook all of the alterations needed to keep an elder loved one, especially one with dementia, safe in the bathroom. My mother did not have dementia, but she fell and broke her shoulder while using the toilet in the middle of the night. She never fully recovered from that injury, and her mobility was limited because of it. Falls in the bathroom are all too common, so beware the risks and take action to keep your loved one safe.
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I’m always on the lookout for nontraditional elder care options. As we face a growing elder population, we are going to need some out of the box thinking and smart innovation to meet the high demand for elder care and elder-friendly housing.
A recent New York Times article highlighted one such option: continuing care at-home, an offshoot of the more well-known continuing care retirement communities. The NYT refers to the at-home option as a CCRC without walls. The goal is to keep people living comfortably and safely in their homes for as long as possible and for as long as the person desires, but with the option to move into assisted living if needed.
Instead of moving into an independent living apartment on a CCRC campus, people remain at home. Members are assigned a “care navigator” who monitors their health daily living needs. This hybrid aging at home with the option for supportive home care services and residential care could be attractive to baby boomers.
However, there are some downsides. The main one is cost. While the at-home version of the CCRC is cheaper than the traditional format, it’s still requires a hefty entrance fee (typically tens of thousands of dollars) plus monthly fees. In many cases, elders sell their home and move into more affordable housing in order to cover the costs. This is not a financial option for everyone.
There are also medical requirements to enter such programs, with a dementia or Parkinson’s diagnosis, among others being disqualifiers.
So it’s not for everyone, but it could be a good compromise for those who can afford it and want to remain in their homes as long as possible.
I was recently introduced to a resourceful website called StayorMove.org. The site focuses on what is are the most crucial questions as we grow older, such as do we stay put in our current homes or do we move on to a different location or live in an assisted living facility?
It’s questions we all should ask ourselves, but many people wait until a health issue makes the decision for them. That’s why I like the approach found on the StayorMove website, which is easy to navigate and uses a series of videos to address the pros and cons of a variety of housing options.
I also appreciated the fact that growing old in a rural environment was addressed. Those who follow this blog know this is an issue that’s important to me, because my parents’ health care was compromised by living in a small town with limited medical resources. They have a series of videos on the Village movement, which seeks to connect neighbors and volunteers to help elders age in place, while valuing the contributions of elders to the community. I’d love to see this concept expand.
The videos are brief but informative, and hopefully will encourage the “stay or move” conversation to continue. The more people are educated, the better decisions they can make about their own aging and housing choices.
While many people, including myself, would prefer to age in place, for financially strapped communities throughout America, the trend is straining limited resources.
An article about my mother’s home state of Tennessee and its struggle to care for a rapidly growing older population is a scenario taking place in many states. Many state, county and city budgets are already overwhelmed with issues ranging from high unemployment to the opioid epidemic. I read one article that said older people calling 911 due to falls at home was straining EMS budgets. While the federal government contributes money to elder care each year via the Older Americans Act, it’s simply not enough to address the needs of a growing elder population.
In Tennessee, thousands of older people are on waiting lists for government assistance programs. The organizations do the best they can, but those cited in the article said more resources are needed, and officials are going to have to address the issue soon.
Transportation was listed as a major issue. While some older people may be physically healthy and not need in-home assistance, they may no longer be able to drive and need transportation options to maintain their quality of life and independence. This of course was an issue for my parents. Thankfully, they did have a county-funded shuttle service that they used for years. (Most county officials were against the idea of the shuttle, however. Its funding is always on the verge of being cut.)
Meal delivery was another major need. The meal delivery service also serves as a status check on the older person, so it has a dual purpose. For those in rural areas, this can be a lifeline.
In Tennessee, supporting someone staying in their home costs $3,000-$15,000 annually, while putting a person in a facility costs over $50,000 annually. You don’t have to be a math whiz to see what is the financially efficient solution. Unfortunately, the federal government has not been proactive in addressing the issue. Tennessee reports some success at the state level, working with community organizations.
Has your community addressed aging in place issues? I’d love to hear about programs that are working in your area.
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