Comments
Community Care Options for Caregivers
Caregiving can be the worst type of stress anyone can experience. The more sicker,weaker, frail, and dependent your loved one is can compound the stress even worse. My sister and I are fortunate to have each other. Many people are like my Godmother, who really don’t have anyone but themselves. My Godmother had her husband to help when her mother was alive, but being the only child, she was fully responsible for her mother’s welfare after her father passed away several years earlier. She had no choice but to enlist help from the outside since she worked full-time as well.
Sometimes you can’t do it all on your own. In fact, you should NEVER try to deal or handle your parents or other loved ones’ care on your own. Try to find help outside, if only just for a little while. It can really ease some of the burden.
Assess Your Needs
It can be hard to really think about what help you may need or want, when you’re just overwhelmed in general. You might want to really take some time out and ask yourself what would really help you help your loved one in a more productive, convenient, or stress-free way.
The Money Factor
As with many things, money is always a factor. You may need to figure out what you can afford or what they can afford, as well as if the services available to you are worth the money you spend. Could you find it somewhere else for cheap or free?
The Time Factor
When you look for outside help, you may have to consider your schedule or your loved ones’ schedule. Will it matter?
Community Care Options
Keeping the above in mind, there should be (hopefully) within your community, a variety of options available to you should you need some outside assistance.
Informal Care:
What is informal care? Well, it can be just people you know that might be willing to help out from time to time: friends, neighbors, church members and other volunteers. Of course, there are limits to this. Availability is not always consistent. After all, they also have their own lives and families to worry about.
Information and Referral:
This includes public agencies, senior centers, community mental health programs, etc. Check those Yellow Pages! Staff members can always mail, or give you information and phone numbers to various services, companies and housing that they have readily available.
Adult Day Care:
When my parents were still on their own, I brought them to an Adult Day Care Center to try to break the monotony of sitting at home alone. Think of it like Child Day Care, but with various options. See my article on Choosing Activities to determine if this is appropriate for your loved one.
- Adult Day Social Care:
- Adult Day Health Care:
This is probably more like a child center. They may have social activities, meals, recreation and some health-related services.
This is the type of day care that I took my parents to, since my mom has Alzheimer’s. A place like this usually has an RN in charge, because you may have some seniors who may have more severe medical problems. Keep in mind that not all of these places cater to Alzheimer’s clients.
Transportation Services:
These can be publicly funded, such as your local para transit system, or privately owned companies. Obviously, the former is probably the cheapest route to take, but the least convenient. Normally, you don’t get same-day-service unless it is placed hours before the scheduled appointment.
Nutrition Programs: My dad used to have a nutrition program through their church when he and my mom were still living in their old home. He also was on the “meals-on-wheels” program. Many churches, synagogues, senior centers, schools and day care centers offer these types of programs. Meals are delivered usually M-F with extras given for the weekend. My Dad paid about $2.50 per meal at the time as a donation
Home Care:
Home Care can consist of paid help, either by short-term insurance coverage (after a hospital stay) or volunteer help. Unfortunately, unless there is a change in federal and state legislation, this type of care will be out-of-pocket. Medicare , Medicaid and some private insurance policies only pay for limited home care. Your choices are dependent on what type of care your loved ones needs. Therefore, you can choose from: nurses, therapists, nursing aides, caregivers, companions, and other qualified professionals.
Respite Care:
Respite Care covers all of the above, in terms of giving you a “break”. Respite includes adult day care services as well as home care services. Sometimes, you may find a place like Silverado Living which offers short-term stays for families and their loved ones. You might want to put your parents at a place like that for a weekend, so that you and your spouse can go on a weekend get-a-way. The great thing about a place like Silverado Living is that should we need respite care for a short time or for an emergency, we can bring our parents there within same day notice if a room is available. I have a nice contact at Silverado Living for our needs, should they arise. Her name is Wendy and she is at the Escondido location in San Diego County. One great service that we got from the Southern Caregiver Resource Center was that we were able to be placed on a waiting list for free respite care. It took about a year, as it is a state funded program. We have 24 hours free for this month and next month, contracted through a local caregiving agency. Depending on the state budget, we will be continuing this respite service for the remaining 10 months we have available to us.
Hospice Care: This type of care is available for those who are suffering from a terminal illness and would rather spend their remaining days in their own home. A hospice care team is provided to help the family and the patient ensure that their quality of life is the best it can be for their remaining days. Insurance coverage for hospice care is provided through Medicare, Medicaid and some private insurance plans.
Support Groups: If you do not have a good support system in place, or if your friends or even family members cannot relate to your experiences, support groups are a good way to share valuable information and also have that emotional support you may not get from somewhere else. Your local public agency should have a calendar of events which includes the time and place caregiver support groups meet and which topics spark your interest.
Contacting the ResourcesThe purpose of me creating this site was to provide others like my sister and I, an opportunity to have information readily available and easy to follow. When you’re looking at all of these options, it can get crazy and frustrating. Each person is different and they have different needs. Sometimes you think you have found the right option and it isn’t the right one. So, the lesson in this is to do your homework. If it all possible, plan before a crisis. But we all know that life isn’t fair and you’ve got to work with the best that you’ve got.
Comments
Free Senior Housing Placement Agencies - San Diego County
Even if you’re not a resident of San Diego County, your local community should have a listing of free senior housing placement agencies such as those listed below. These referrals can really ease the amount of stress that you have in planning for your parents’ care. You may find places not even listed in any of the publications you may come across. Free is free and we all like free information!
CA Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) 800-474-1116
California Registry -This is a free service which covers all of California. Facilities: Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, and Residential Care.
Contact info: PMB 349, 17853 Santiago Blvd, Ste. 108
Villa Park, CA 92861-4113.
1-800-777-7575
1-800-451-2273
Care Placement- Free for Seniors. Certified Assisted Living Consultant. Facilities: Board & Care, Assisted Living, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Homes. Serves: San Diego, Orange and Riverside Counties.Contact: Nathan Mc Donough; 619-660-8814; email
Dignified Living Choices Inc. - Free Service. Specialize in Dementia Care Placement, stroke, low income families, Assisted Living, Residential Board & Care. Contact: Mitchell Perey; 619-846-3000
Eldercare Placement Service Free Service. Facilities: Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, Residential Care, Alzheimer’s Care. No Medi-cal placements in San Diego.Contact: 1-800-585-6556.
>Eldercare Referral Agency - Free Service. Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, Residential Care, Senior Apartments.
1535 E. Orangewood Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92805
800-848-1008
Heartfelt Homes for Seniors Free Service. Elder care referral service for seniors and their families.
Contact: 619-507-1049
*Credit: Southern Caregiver Resource Center
Comments
Preventing Alzheimers
While there currently is no cure for the devastating disease of Alzheimers, there are various treatments and some measures that may help prevent the onset of Alzheimers. Time Magazine interviewed Walter Kukull, director of the U.S. National Alzheimer’s coordinating Center.
Read Article on Preventing Alzheimer’s
Comments
Losing a Parent
I like to follow the Trading Places segment on NBC because it showcases the issues we are facing currently.
We all know that life throws unexpected things at us, and that we all must face our own mortality someday, but you can never prepare enough to expect it when it happens to someone you love. This is true especially for those whose loved ones face a terminal illness such as cancer. It is something that has affected our family as well as millions of others.
Ann Curry is still dealing with the loss of her father Bob who succumbed to cancer last month, as did her mother back in 1999.
Comments
Searching for Senior Housing
Many state and local newspapers may have a section devoted to Senior Care, information may vary to an abundance of information to very little and in most cases, very general information such as what you would find in the yellow pages. In San Diego, the Union Tribune has a special web page devoted to Senior Care called sdeldercare.You can also find this listing under the resources section of this website.
It is a very comprehensive website, however, you are left on your own to call the numbers listed to see if there is housing available.
Here are 3 ways you can go about finding housing for your loved ones.
- Contact your local public service agency and ask for a search agency. In our case, Southern Caregiver Resource Center referred us to Therasearch Inc.
- Do it yourself. Look at various local and senior directories, which you can pick up at any hospital or at a grocery store where a large population of senior citizens live, or in the newspaper for 55+ housing, and other nursing facilities. Call these numbers and personally go arrange a tour. * I suggest you do this with any method you choose.
- Recently, a new website has sprouted that does all the searching for you. As I was researching the web, I stumbled upon this site called Find a Vacancy.com. Apparently, it is the only site of its kind as of yet. It was started by Jose Garcia Jr., a former intern with the California Commission on Aging. His directory performs a thorough search on various types of adult daycare centers, residential facilities, nursing homes, and other types of board-and-care facilities. After you fill in and select your requirements, you will be directed to a listing of current vacancies as well as the name, address and contact information of the facility. There is also a legend that describes the services offered at that particular facility.
I believe that this is a fairly new website and it still needs further development. Currently, it only services the states of California and Oregon. Hopefully, Mr. Garcia expands this service to include all states in the future. It looks like it could become a very useful tool in the senior housing search and I will be following closely for any updates.
Comments
Former Supreme Court Justice pushes for Alzheimer’s research
Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor pushes for Alzheimer’s Research as her husband’s health declines due to the disease.
Comments
Senior Housing Crisis - Gay, Lesbian, Bi- Transgendered Seniors
In my previous article, I shared a story about the discrimination homosexual seniors face. Below is a video that really brings the issue home.
Comments
Aging and Gay
Here is an interesting article sheds light on the issues of discrimination and prejudice against Gay Seniors.
Aging and Gay, Facing Prejudice in Twilight
This is something I obviously hadn’t thought about in my own personal life, as my parents are heterosexual. While I do have a friend that is lesbian, I never thought about what it would be like for her to experience discrimination as a senior when that time comes.
Most of the time, when we think about long-term care, we don’t usually consider our parents’ or other loved one’s sexuality. However, what happens when your parent or loved one happens to be a part of a group that is still shunned in modern society? It’s hard enough if you do not conform to “society norms” as a younger person, but what about as an elderly man or woman? Gay and Lesbian seniors come from a generation where it was extremely taboo and they were forced, either by threats of violence or being ostracized from society, to remain “in-the-closet”.
Unfortunately, as society still grapples to accept homosexual, bisexual, and transgendered groups, not much attention has been given the sensitive needs of the members of our society who need it most.
Comments
Trigeminal Neuralgia
*credit -(www.neurosurgery.ufl.edu)
My sister’s mother-in-law suffers from this horrible disorder for which there currently is no cure. I never knew the severity of its symptoms until I did an internet search on the disease. Betty didn’t portray how bad she suffered, the last few times I’ve seen her over the years. Betty, who is the same age as my father (85) started suffering from this ailment about 5 years ago.
This painful nerve disease has robbed her quality of life. She has not been able to find a viable treatment option and has resorted to just “drinking” her pain away, truly saddening. We are trying to read all we can about this disease and giver her suggestions to relay to her doctor. Hopefully, she will have relief soon.
Background
The trigeminal nerve is what carries sensation from the face to the brain. It is also called the nerve begins to malfunction when there is contact between an artery or vein and the trigeminal nerve at the brain’s base. The pressure is what causes it to malfunction. People who normally suffer from this are over the age of 40 and women.
Causes
There are various causes and in some cases, no cause at all. Some of these include: aging, multiple sclerosis or other similar disease, or even a tumor. Activities that involve touching or even barely stroking the face may trigger a response.
- Shaving
- Smiling
- Eating (as in Betty’s case)
- Putting on makeup
- Any light touch
Symptoms
Symptoms can range from twinging mild pain to excruciating pain with a “stabbing” feeling.Pain can be focused in one area or spread over a wider pattern. It can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes and the person suffering from this can endure episodes from a few months to a few years. The pain gradually gets worse and more frequent.
Treatment
Betty unfortunately, has tried many treatment options and none of them have had an impact on her condition. She has even tried alternative medicine, hoping acupuncture would help much to her dismay. She currently drinks wine to help her relax, though it doesn’t alleviate the severe pain she has. One treatment we have advised her to consult with her doctor on is Gamma Knife Radiosurgery. This is a non-invasive procedure using radiation to damage the nerve causing the pain.
Other treatment options may include:
- Antispasticity agents
- Alcohol injections
- Surgery
You can find more information about treatment options at The Mayo Clinicas well as the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association
Comments
Elder Law: When Senior loses mental capacity
In my previous article, “Elderlaw: When Senior still has mental capacity some of the strategies mentioned primarily deal with an individual who still has the mental capacity to make most formal decisions. However, there may be a time when the caregiver may have either delayed intentionally or unknowingly, the process of getting legal issues for their parents or spouse in order. Below is what to consider should a crisis hit and you are faced with a loved one who is no longer able to make decisions for themselves.
Conservatorship
A conservator is appointed through a court supervised hearing to manage financial or personal affairs for someone who is unable to do so on their own. There are 2 types of conservators: The Conservator of the Estate and the Conservator of the Person.
- The Conservator of the Estate
- Conservator of the Person
- is appointed to deal with decisions on behalf of the conservatee. Conservators may be the same person or different people. A conservator can be selected by the individual before they lose their capacity to do so. This conservator should be someone who is well trusted.
is appointed to deal with the financial affairs of the conservatee.
A conservatee has the right to fight a conservatorship in court if they feel they have the capacity to make financial or medical decisions. If the conservatee is afflicted with dementia, the court will appoint an attorney to represent them.
Conservatorship without an Attorney
An individual should contact a probate clerk to obtain information and forms to file a conservatorship. Once the forms are completed a court hearing will be scheduled to determine if a conservatorship is granted. Again, your local senior advocacy group should be able to help you or your loved one file the appropriate forms.
Procedures
If the individual needs conservatorship and they still have the capacity to understand what it is, they should be informed. If they do not understand, and they’ve been diagnosed by their physician, then a conservatorship should be put into place. An investigation will be conducted prior to the appointment, once the proper papers have been filed with the court.The court investigator will determine if the individual understands or is suitable for a conservatorship.
The investigator is required to fill out a form stating why a conservatorship is needed and the investigation has to take place in no less than five days prior to the hearing. If the investigator recommends a conservatorship, the judge will probably follow the recommendation.If the individual is diagnosed with dementia, an attorney will represent the conservatee. To ensure this is a proper conservator for the proposed conservatee, all documents filed are reviewed by a probate examiner who posts on the internet, any corrections needed to be made a the probate court website. Any corrections must be filed 3 days prior to the hearing.
Follow-up investigations will continue after the first year has passed, and then every two years thereafter.
Once the conservatorship papers have been completed and a capacity form as been signed by a physician, the conservatorship can take up to 2-3 months from filing. If limited paper work has been filled out, or there are many corrections to be made, a conservatorship can take up to 6 months.
*credit: Elder Law and Advocacy, San Diego
