Tag Archives: senior care

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Bathroom Safety Tips For Seniors — The Diary of An Alzheimer’s Caregiver


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.

Sign up to get these posts and a whole lot more delivered right to your inbox! The Diary of An Alzheimer’s Caregiver – Appreciate the good, laugh at the crazy, and deal with the rest! A primary concern of senior citizens is whether they can continue to live independently as they get older. Their loved…

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January 16, 2020 · 4:36 pm
January 8, 2020 · 1:38 pm

Caregiver shortage expected to grow, must address issue now

 

Hope everyone had a good holiday and that your new year is off to a good start.

The fact that there is a caregiver shortage is not new; however  a Quartz article posted this week has put the issue back on the national radar. The article cites the slowing population growth, along with increased longevity and a decrease in immigration among the issues that will potentially trigger a caregiving crisis. By 2030, that shortage may grow to more than 100,000 caregivers for the elderly, according to Quartz.

Here are some ways we could address this major healthcare issue:

  • Pay caregivers a livable wage: In order to recruit new generations into a caregiving career, we’re going to have to revamp the woefully inadequate pay scale. Professional caregivers deserve to have decent pay, benefits, and access to training and educational opportunities to grow in their fields. Caregiving should no longer be a job of last resort; it should be a career choice one takes pride in.
  • Immigration policies: We need a fair immigration policy that offers those interested in becoming U.S. citizens an opportunity for a stable career in a field with severe shortages. Too often, immigrants who become caregivers, especially those with questionable legal status, are taken advantage of and paid below minimum wage without benefits.
  • Offer incentives: Just like with geriatric or rural medicine, caregiving is not a “sexy” career choice. Certainly it can be rewarding, but in order to fill the large care gap we may need to get innovative. I’m a fan of the Care Corps concept, and a student loan forgiveness program in exchange for serving as a caregiver could attract candidates.
  • Offer better support for family caregivers: Realistically, the bulk of caregiving duties will likely continue to fall on family members. We need to support them better, by employers offering flexible work schedules and the government embracing universal family care. A tax credit would help some with the financial hit family caregivers suffer.

There is no easy fix, but we definitely need to keep pushing this topic into the general conversation and advocate for common-sense actions and programs to alleviate the caregiving shortage and burden on family members.

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October 2, 2019 · 6:22 pm

Investigative series on Georgia’s senior care industry a worthwhile read

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My local newspaper (and former employer, I must disclose) has unveiled an investigative reporting project that is putting a much-needed spotlight on the rampant deficiencies in Georgia’s senior care communities. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Unprotected series recounts heartbreaking stories of abuse and neglect, how potential crimes were never reported to law enforcement and how residents are at risk no matter how upscale a community markets itself to be.

If you’ve ever had a loved one in a senior care facility, you likely will be able to relate to the reports included in this series. Families know all too well that such facilities are chronically understaffed and offer such poor pay that those with questionable backgrounds who lack professional experience are often hired. While family members struggle to pay the several thousand dollars a month that these facilities charge, their loved ones may be suffering and unable to defend themselves.

My parents spent time in care facilities in New Mexico, and I saw first-hand the deficiencies. My father suffered multiple falls and an altercation with a fellow resident at his memory care center. The center used an off-label medication to help keep the patients with severe dementia “more manageable.” It’s a common tactic used at such facilities, though of course none would admit it on record.

My mother’s facility was woefully understaffed, leading to my mother not being cleaned after soiling herself, and almost getting the wrong medication or treatment multiple times. It was only because I could be there daily as her patient advocate that further harm to her was avoided. When the laundry facilities broke down for a week, my mother had to used soiled towels and linens, putting her compromised immune system at risk of infection.

I hope you get a chance to read the Unprotected series and share with others. Encourage your local newspaper to conduct similar investigations if they haven’t already. The more that these criminal acts can be exposed, the greater chance we have in forcing changes in a corrupt system that is putting our elder loved ones at risk.

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June 5, 2019 · 8:32 pm

Bipartisan effort to provide families with vital data on struggling nursing homes

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Any kind of bipartisan effort in today’s toxic political climate is reason to cheer. When it involves uncovering nursing homes offering substandard care, it’s all the more reason for caregivers to be grateful.

Pennsylvania senators Bob Casey (D) and Pat Toomey (R) joined forces to release a report titled, “Families’ and Residents’ Right to Know: Uncovering Poor Care in America’s Nursing Homes.”

An investigation into reports of abuse and neglect at nursing homes in the senators’ home state prompted the report. It focuses on struggling nursing homes that have been designated a Special Focus Facility. There are 88 nursing homes that are participants in the program. Approximately 400 nursing homes are identified as candidates. Participants receive more frequent inspections and are identified to the public; candidates are not.

What the senators wanted family caregivers like you and I to know are the names of the hundreds of SFF candidate facilities, so that we can make the most informed decision possible when it comes to our loved one’s care.

You can review a list of SFF participant and candidate facilities that’s included in the report. You can also read disturbing reports of neglect and abuse that has been reported at these facilities, which includes allowing residents to escape, providing inadequate medical care and sexual assault.

I discovered a facility that my father stayed at briefly post-surgery. At the time, the facility admitted they did not have the resources to care for my father, who was in the mid-stages of dementia and often wandered.

Much more needs to be done to ensure that our nation’s nursing homes are providing proper care to our loved ones, but providing this bit of information helps families make more informed choices.

 

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November 14, 2018 · 8:00 am

What are the most popular senior care and living options?

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By Guest Author Holly Klamer

When searching for senior care for your loved one, it can be difficult to know which option makes the most sense for your needs. There are many different terms out there, and they can all be a bit confusing for those who are new to the world of senior care. Here are some of the terms you need to know to locate senior living that’s a good fit for you and your family.

In-Home Care
Many people start off with in home care for their senior. This is when a caregiver comes in at regular intervals to make sure that your senior is safe and helps them with personal and medical needs. This can be everything from making sure that they take their medication to helping with cooking and cleaning or just keeping them company. This option is a good first step for seniors in need of a little bit of assistance.

Retirement Communities/Senior Apartments
There are many communities where seniors have their own apartment and live independently, but have access to resources for seniors when they need it. These communities vary widely in amenities, ranging from almost no amenities offered to lots of social and personal services available. These options are usually called senior apartments, senior communities, or retirement communities. These communities typically don’t offer medical care for their residents.

Assisted Living
Assisted living is residential living with assistance offered for cooking, cleaning, personal
grooming, and more as needed. Assisted living gives seniors help with what they need while still allowing them to maintain some independence. There are many large assisted living communities, but you can also find many smaller assisted living homes.

Memory Care
Memory care is designed specifically for those with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. It offers many of the same features that assisted living does, but with a focus on services for patients who are memory-impaired. These facilities for seniors with dementia offer personalized care and provides specialized support for its residents.

Hospice Care
Hospice care is not only for those who require end-of-life care, but for those who need constant medical support to treat chronic conditions. Hospice care can be provided at home or in an inpatient center. The focus is on palliative care, making sure patients are comfortable and not in pain.

Using this quick overview, you can determine what the best fit for your senior is. Senior citizen apartments and other senior living options provide seniors with the support and help that they need as they transition into older age.

About the Author:

Holly Klamer is a full-time freelancer writer who is a frequent contributor to blogs and websites that help provide comprehensive resources on senior living options.

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March 9, 2015 · 7:31 am

The constipation chronicles

All of those health experts weren’t kidding when they kept saying, “Eat your fiber.”

If you are caring for a senior now, carefully monitor their fiber intake. The typical American diet is woefully deficient in fiber.

My mom actually eats healthier than most people her age. Lots of vegetables, oatmeal, nuts, etc.

Slice of brown bread

But [and pardon if it is TMI] constipation has been the bane of her existence this past year.

And the bane of mine.

Last week was a very busy week, as I’m training someone new at work. I’m working late night weekend shifts at the moment, and of course, there was the time change. I knew I wasn’t going to get much sleep Sunday. I finished work after midnight (which I was already computing in my mind as 1am.) It was after 2am when I went to bed.

Then my phone started buzzing at 5:50am. Mom.

Of course, my heart started pounding as I rushed to answer the phone from a dead sleep.

Mom said her stomach hurt and was bloated. She couldn’t sleep. Yes, she may have skipped her tea (a fiber/stool softener liquid that was prescribed for her) one day.

I told her to take some Milk of Magnesia and tried to go back to sleep.

I’m still convinced there is something else besides old age causing Mom’s irregularity, but it has become a chronic health issue that must be managed aggressively.

Many medications and common health issues can cause constipation, and it can cause a great deal of suffering.

There are many ways to add fiber to the diet, from supplements to naturally high in fiber foods. The key is finding sources of fiber your loved one enjoys (or at least tolerates) on a consistent basis.

How have you dealt with this problem as a caregiver?

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July 2, 2012 · 9:02 pm

Doing what’s right for your parents

When my dad became ill, Mom was the one making the big health decisions. I didn’t always agree with her, but it also removed me from some of the guilt I might have otherwise felt. I also didn’t understand how complicated the red tape can get when you have a loved one working their way through the healthcare system. Dementia adds another layer of difficulty.

But now, Mom is the one sick. And eventually, and it’s looking like it may be sooner than later, it will be my turn to manage her care.

I can’t help but compare the two situations. Mom is threatening to skip the colonoscopy. I can’t say I blame her, but I also know that Mom would have made the decision for Dad to have the colonoscopy, even if he had protested. She always said she wanted to give him every chance possible to live.

I always thought Mom was forever the optimist, but now that she’s ill, reality has taken over.

As a realist myself, one would assume I would be relieved. But I miss my mom’s hope, even if it is futile.

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