Taking care of an older family member or friend can be stressful. But so is being that person. One wonderful way to ease the stress burden on both of you: Help the person close to you define and preserve his or her legacy.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/caregiving/end-of-life/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100242319>1=31052
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Positive Aspects of Aging
So much has been written about the negatives of aging. But, growing older has some very positive and rewarding aspects.
This article emphasizes some of the rewards and benefits that can only be achieved through life experience.
http://www.vital-aging-network.org/Resources_for_Vital_Living/Vital_Aging/92/Positive_Aspects_of_Aging.html
This article emphasizes some of the rewards and benefits that can only be achieved through life experience.
http://www.vital-aging-network.org/Resources_for_Vital_Living/Vital_Aging/92/Positive_Aspects_of_Aging.html
Monday, July 27, 2009
Managing Miles on your Caregiving Journey
Follow Denise Brown on BlogTalk Radio on 7/31/2009 at 2:30PM EST
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Caregiving/2009/07/31/Managing-Miles-on-Your-Caregiving-Journey
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Caregiving/2009/07/31/Managing-Miles-on-Your-Caregiving-Journey
Friday, July 24, 2009
What We Should Expect As We Grow Older
There is no doubt, that aging is inevitable! No matter how we try to avoid it or deny it, our body reminds us on a daily basis, that the years are piling up.
But,understanding the process and being educated and knowledgable, keeps us resourceful and empowered for the challenges that we face.
This article offers valuable information and a great "Go To" book for making informed decisions about the process.
http://http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158051.php
But,understanding the process and being educated and knowledgable, keeps us resourceful and empowered for the challenges that we face.
This article offers valuable information and a great "Go To" book for making informed decisions about the process.
http://http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158051.php
Friday, July 17, 2009
Surviving the Storm
Hurricanes are a natural occurrence in South Florida. Preparing for an impending storm can be overwhelming and quite stressful. There is so much to do and think about.
Seniors living alone are especially fearful during this time. Concerns about home preparation, medical concerns and safety, are daunting for even the most active and mobile Seniors. Long distance caregivers share this concern, as well as the guilt and feelings of helplessness.
Robert Goodman has written an article "Surviving the Storm" http://www.caregiver.com/articles/general/surviving_the_storm.htm that offers excellent information for storm preparation.
As always, planning is essential.
If you, or a loved one needs assistance, AgeinPlace (www.Ageinplacemanagement.com) is a valuable resource, offering peace of mind and security, in knowing that your needs are being provided for while remaining in the comfort of your own home.
Seniors living alone are especially fearful during this time. Concerns about home preparation, medical concerns and safety, are daunting for even the most active and mobile Seniors. Long distance caregivers share this concern, as well as the guilt and feelings of helplessness.
Robert Goodman has written an article "Surviving the Storm" http://www.caregiver.com/articles/general/surviving_the_storm.htm that offers excellent information for storm preparation.
As always, planning is essential.
If you, or a loved one needs assistance, AgeinPlace (www.Ageinplacemanagement.com) is a valuable resource, offering peace of mind and security, in knowing that your needs are being provided for while remaining in the comfort of your own home.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Tips to Help Parents Who Want to Age in Place
July 13, 2009 11:00 AM ET Philip Moeller
The Boomerater™ Report, our weekly collaboration with online baby boomer resource Boomerater, this week explores some of the issues involved in helping your parents age in place. Here is the question from a Boomerater member: “My mom and dad are in their 70's and are in good health. They have told me they would never consider leaving the home they have lived in since they were married and raised all five of their children. With the high cost associated with assisted living and the loss they will probably take in the real estate market, I can also see the financial benefit of their staying in their home. I’d like to hear from other boomers who have helped their parents stay in their homes successfully. What are the modifications to make the home safe and what else should be considered?”
Make a strategic plan. They should consult a financial planner and develop a budget for current and changing financial needs. With an attorney, they should draw up a will, an advanced health care directive, and any other documents their attorney deems necessary. Explore options for managing their affairs should that become necessary. If they have adult children with special needs they should make special plans to arrange for a guardianship or strategic planning.
Carefully review the floor plan of the house. If they can’t do this objectively, hire an architect, residential designer or accessibility contractor to look at the existing floor plan and see how it could be made fully accessible through retro-fitting modifications. Learn how to incorporate elements of universal design so that they can continue to use the same space well into the future in varying degrees of mobility. Would a dish drawer make more sense than a regular dishwasher? Typically they are more accessible than most dishwashers. Should your oven be at a lower height? Should it have a door that lifts up? Is there a bedroom on the main floor? Or is there a den or bonus room that could be converted to use as a bedroom? If they don’t have a shower or bathtub on the main floor, is there a half bath or a laundry room? There may be a way to reconfigure the existing rooms to accommodate an accessible stall shower as well as a front loading combination washer/dryer that takes up less space. If it has steps, add ramps. Add lifts on the stairs or a pneumatic elevator if necessary, but ensure that they have a good fire escape route and exit route during a power failure. Consider adding an “always on” generator. Instead of door knobs, change to lever handles. Make the property wheelchair accessible. Most wheelchairs are between 27-28 inches wide. With knuckles on either side you should allow a minimum door width of 32 inches. If your plan includes a future time when in-home care providers may be required 24 hours per day, modify the house in such a manner that you have a minimum of 2 bedrooms so that you may accommodate overnight staff. This advice was provided by Alicia Reid, a Realtor in Redmond, WA.
Tackling Transportation. Another Boomerater member wrote that one of the biggest dilemmas their parents faced while they stayed in their home was losing the ability to drive to doctors, veterinarians, senior centers, etc. Ask the local hospital, senior center, or local agency on aging (AAA) or Council on Aging (COA) about transportation resources for seniors in your area. My parents had a companion who came in twice a week to drive them to doctor appointments, the grocery store, the library, to have their hair cut, etc. [Is a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community Right for You?] Most towns have a local grocery that delivers – Peapod.com is a national service that delivers from local stores. Most drugstores deliver prescriptions without a fee and drugstore.com can ship a huge variety of products. If you don’t have a local store that delivers, netgrocer.com is a backup, though its shipping is expensive. My parents also used Meals on Wheels to get a hot meal brought in everyday. Read other member tips for helping your parents stay in their home on Boomerater. Boomerater is an online resource for baby boomers, with local directories to help you find everything from a financial advisor to Alzheimer’s Care facilities. The site also contains forums where boomers can post questions and swap first-hand experiences. If there are questions on your mind that you would like answered by other people who have faced similar situations, or you have advice of your own to share, go to Boomerater.com and participate in the forums. Say that The Best Life sent you.
Visit WWW.Ageinplacemanagement.com to learn how AgeinPlace can coordinate the services that can help you live independently at home--- Before the Need!
The Boomerater™ Report, our weekly collaboration with online baby boomer resource Boomerater, this week explores some of the issues involved in helping your parents age in place. Here is the question from a Boomerater member: “My mom and dad are in their 70's and are in good health. They have told me they would never consider leaving the home they have lived in since they were married and raised all five of their children. With the high cost associated with assisted living and the loss they will probably take in the real estate market, I can also see the financial benefit of their staying in their home. I’d like to hear from other boomers who have helped their parents stay in their homes successfully. What are the modifications to make the home safe and what else should be considered?”
Make a strategic plan. They should consult a financial planner and develop a budget for current and changing financial needs. With an attorney, they should draw up a will, an advanced health care directive, and any other documents their attorney deems necessary. Explore options for managing their affairs should that become necessary. If they have adult children with special needs they should make special plans to arrange for a guardianship or strategic planning.
Carefully review the floor plan of the house. If they can’t do this objectively, hire an architect, residential designer or accessibility contractor to look at the existing floor plan and see how it could be made fully accessible through retro-fitting modifications. Learn how to incorporate elements of universal design so that they can continue to use the same space well into the future in varying degrees of mobility. Would a dish drawer make more sense than a regular dishwasher? Typically they are more accessible than most dishwashers. Should your oven be at a lower height? Should it have a door that lifts up? Is there a bedroom on the main floor? Or is there a den or bonus room that could be converted to use as a bedroom? If they don’t have a shower or bathtub on the main floor, is there a half bath or a laundry room? There may be a way to reconfigure the existing rooms to accommodate an accessible stall shower as well as a front loading combination washer/dryer that takes up less space. If it has steps, add ramps. Add lifts on the stairs or a pneumatic elevator if necessary, but ensure that they have a good fire escape route and exit route during a power failure. Consider adding an “always on” generator. Instead of door knobs, change to lever handles. Make the property wheelchair accessible. Most wheelchairs are between 27-28 inches wide. With knuckles on either side you should allow a minimum door width of 32 inches. If your plan includes a future time when in-home care providers may be required 24 hours per day, modify the house in such a manner that you have a minimum of 2 bedrooms so that you may accommodate overnight staff. This advice was provided by Alicia Reid, a Realtor in Redmond, WA.
Tackling Transportation. Another Boomerater member wrote that one of the biggest dilemmas their parents faced while they stayed in their home was losing the ability to drive to doctors, veterinarians, senior centers, etc. Ask the local hospital, senior center, or local agency on aging (AAA) or Council on Aging (COA) about transportation resources for seniors in your area. My parents had a companion who came in twice a week to drive them to doctor appointments, the grocery store, the library, to have their hair cut, etc. [Is a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community Right for You?] Most towns have a local grocery that delivers – Peapod.com is a national service that delivers from local stores. Most drugstores deliver prescriptions without a fee and drugstore.com can ship a huge variety of products. If you don’t have a local store that delivers, netgrocer.com is a backup, though its shipping is expensive. My parents also used Meals on Wheels to get a hot meal brought in everyday. Read other member tips for helping your parents stay in their home on Boomerater. Boomerater is an online resource for baby boomers, with local directories to help you find everything from a financial advisor to Alzheimer’s Care facilities. The site also contains forums where boomers can post questions and swap first-hand experiences. If there are questions on your mind that you would like answered by other people who have faced similar situations, or you have advice of your own to share, go to Boomerater.com and participate in the forums. Say that The Best Life sent you.
Visit WWW.Ageinplacemanagement.com to learn how AgeinPlace can coordinate the services that can help you live independently at home--- Before the Need!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
How do you use your time?
Over the years, I've been getting a wonderful newsletter from Dr. Philip Humbert. His articles are always warm and insightful. In celebration of the 4th of July, Independence Day, I thought I would share Dr. Humbert's thoughts on our personal Independence Day. Ponder this and have a wonderful 4th of July celebration.
Over 150 years ago, Henry Thoreau asked a haunting question. Since I first read On Walden Pond almost forty years ago, it's shaped my life, my work and my goals. His question? He simply asked if it wasn't possible that we could live better than we do, that our lives might be better than they are. What a thought!Thoreau wasn't a critic of any particular social movement or political party. He wasn't complaining about working conditions or high taxes or unfair bureaucrats. His concern was far more personal than that.He wondered about how we use our time. He wondered what we think about, who we hang-out with, and what we read. He was amazed that in a world of beauty, we spend so much time complaining. He thought it curious that in a world where a hammock or patch of shade might foster a relaxing nap, so many of us spend our time running from place to place.He thought it odd that we are so worried and stressed and always short of time. His solution? He went to the woods, built a cabin, planted beans, went fishing, and wrote one of the most powerful books in the English language. He often wondered if he was one of the poorest men in Concord (since he had so little), or one of the richest (since he could do without so much). I've been helping people ask those questions and create their personal World Class Life ever since. Obviously, our world has resources Thoreau never imagined. We have access to entertainment and opportunities beyond comprehension. We live in a world where travel, education, financial security and personal freedom are available to all. Compared to the 1840's, when the most powerful thing on earth was a steam engine and most people never ventured more than a few miles from their birthplace, our choices are more complex and more troubling.But the question remains and becomes even more personal: How shall we live as free and responsible people? As I watch our political leaders wrestle with health care, global warming, budget deficits, partisanship and more, it's easy to get caught up in the turmoil of our times. The financial crisis affects each of us. The world "out there" touches our homes and our wallets. It's easy to get become over-whelmed, to put our heads down and just keep trudging ahead.Don't do that! Don't let yourself get caught in the rat-race. As Lilly Tomlin observed, even if you win, you still end up a rat and that's no life for a human being. Choose your values, your priorities and live accordingly! Perhaps the most radical thing a human being can do is to quietly live their own life, on their own terms, in their own way.I doubt many of us will follow Thoreau's path to the woods. That was his path; in most cases it won't be ours. But I do wonder about the bumper stickers that recommend we "kill" our televisions. I wonder about folks who cut up their credit cards or start new businesses during a recession. I wonder about folks who start piano lessons in mid-life, or go back to college, or learn to paint. I like Thoreau's advice that we should march to the beat of our own drummer, "no matter how faint or far away."Live your own life! Work at tasks that have meaning and purpose. And when you're done, take a nap, play, or help a neighbor. Live in a community that reflects your values and nourishes you every day. Live as large as you wish, but no larger and certainly not smaller. Next Saturday is the American Independence Day. Make it yours, as well.
Dr Humbert is a Success Strategist, author and popular speakerAnd each month he gives away a free report, tool or organizer. This month he's giving away a wonderful report called "The Four Steps to a World Class Life" and it's FREE! I thought you might enjoy it. Get your copy at: http://philiphumbert.com/Free.htm I think you'll like it.
Over 150 years ago, Henry Thoreau asked a haunting question. Since I first read On Walden Pond almost forty years ago, it's shaped my life, my work and my goals. His question? He simply asked if it wasn't possible that we could live better than we do, that our lives might be better than they are. What a thought!Thoreau wasn't a critic of any particular social movement or political party. He wasn't complaining about working conditions or high taxes or unfair bureaucrats. His concern was far more personal than that.He wondered about how we use our time. He wondered what we think about, who we hang-out with, and what we read. He was amazed that in a world of beauty, we spend so much time complaining. He thought it curious that in a world where a hammock or patch of shade might foster a relaxing nap, so many of us spend our time running from place to place.He thought it odd that we are so worried and stressed and always short of time. His solution? He went to the woods, built a cabin, planted beans, went fishing, and wrote one of the most powerful books in the English language. He often wondered if he was one of the poorest men in Concord (since he had so little), or one of the richest (since he could do without so much). I've been helping people ask those questions and create their personal World Class Life ever since. Obviously, our world has resources Thoreau never imagined. We have access to entertainment and opportunities beyond comprehension. We live in a world where travel, education, financial security and personal freedom are available to all. Compared to the 1840's, when the most powerful thing on earth was a steam engine and most people never ventured more than a few miles from their birthplace, our choices are more complex and more troubling.But the question remains and becomes even more personal: How shall we live as free and responsible people? As I watch our political leaders wrestle with health care, global warming, budget deficits, partisanship and more, it's easy to get caught up in the turmoil of our times. The financial crisis affects each of us. The world "out there" touches our homes and our wallets. It's easy to get become over-whelmed, to put our heads down and just keep trudging ahead.Don't do that! Don't let yourself get caught in the rat-race. As Lilly Tomlin observed, even if you win, you still end up a rat and that's no life for a human being. Choose your values, your priorities and live accordingly! Perhaps the most radical thing a human being can do is to quietly live their own life, on their own terms, in their own way.I doubt many of us will follow Thoreau's path to the woods. That was his path; in most cases it won't be ours. But I do wonder about the bumper stickers that recommend we "kill" our televisions. I wonder about folks who cut up their credit cards or start new businesses during a recession. I wonder about folks who start piano lessons in mid-life, or go back to college, or learn to paint. I like Thoreau's advice that we should march to the beat of our own drummer, "no matter how faint or far away."Live your own life! Work at tasks that have meaning and purpose. And when you're done, take a nap, play, or help a neighbor. Live in a community that reflects your values and nourishes you every day. Live as large as you wish, but no larger and certainly not smaller. Next Saturday is the American Independence Day. Make it yours, as well.
Dr Humbert is a Success Strategist, author and popular speakerAnd each month he gives away a free report, tool or organizer. This month he's giving away a wonderful report called "The Four Steps to a World Class Life" and it's FREE! I thought you might enjoy it. Get your copy at: http://philiphumbert.com/Free.htm I think you'll like it.
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