Visiting Angels Walks the Talk
(December 5, 2011) – Every 69 seconds someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease. Some may live only a short time after their diagnoses, others may spend 20 years with the disease. For most, a family member will be their primary caregiver, a job that 60% rank as high or very high in emotional stress.
Visiting Angels, the nation's leading network of non-medical, private duty home care agencies, understands the challenge of Alzheimer’s disease at a very individual level. Caring for seniors with Alzheimer’s and other memory impairments is one of Visiting Angels’ specialties. But the agencies do more than provide much needed care and assistance – in 2011 Visiting Angels franchises across the country came together to “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” and raise over $52,000 to date to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s.
Over 100 franchises from coast to coast fielded teams to raise money for the cause, and more than 700 Visiting Angels staff members participated in events ranging from tag sales to walks. Debra Desrosiers, owner of the Auburn, NH Visiting Angels agency, coordinated the effort across the corporation.
“Talking with people who are affected with the disease made me want to help even more,” Desrosiers explains. “Some are very aware of it, and it tears your heart. This is something I’m passionate about. It’s a big part of who we service and I see how devastating this disease is for families.”
Desrosiers knew she wanted her agency to participate in raising funds, but then she decided to take it a step further. She approached Visiting Angels corporate headquarters to set up teams at agencies across the country. Visiting Angels headquarters quickly agreed, and Desrosiers found herself heading up a major fundraising effort.
“Visiting Angels has always focused on increasing the public’s awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia through year round events and fund raisers,” says Richard Bitner, Vice President of Marketing. “Being able to participate across the corporation in this effort let us reaffirm our commitment to seniors across America.”
One of the franchises that participated is Visiting Angels of Carroll and Western Baltimore Counties in Maryland. “We participated because we want to make a commitment toward finding a cure for this devastating disease,” explains Deb Valenza, Director of Marketing for the franchise. “Our owners matched donations that came in and literally ‘walked the walk’ with the team. Walking as a team side by side with caregivers and individuals who have been touched by this disease was very powerful, moving most to tears when their stories were shared.”
Desrosiers, who had been involved in the Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, began planning in January of 2011, with events kicking off in April. She plans to keep up the fundraising until the last day of the year.
“I know this disease can ruin family relationships,” she says. “A lot of people get in over their heads and they don’t know that affordable help is out there. Agencies like ours can be pivotal in keeping people at home where their memories are. Once you displace people with Alzheimer’s from their home they can decline quickly. We have our sad moments but we know we help. We are able to accomplish a task, and that task is giving the best care possible while we all work toward a cure.”
Resources:
• Alzheimer’s Association – information and free care planning consultations: http://www.alz.org/
• Alzheimer’s Foundation - http://www.alzfdn.org/?gclid=CO6xn6b_u6wCFcp65Qod0xoUpQ
• 2011 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures: http://www.alz.org/documents_custom/2011_Facts_Figures_Fact_Sheet.pdf
• Visiting Angels agencies: http://www.visitingangels.com/
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Unsung Hero Award
I have been selected to receive an "Unsung Hero Award" that will be honored with many other exceptional individuals on November 30, 2011 by the Alzheimer's Association MA/NH Chapter. I have been asked to speak for about 4 minutes. This is the first time I will need to prepare a speech and not sure even where to begin as my journey with The Alzheimer's Association started 8 years ago and my driving force for helping others with dementia is very hard to explain or describe. Where do I begin?
I participated in my first Memory Walk at Veteran's park in Manchester, NH 8 years ago when NH & VT chapters were merged. It was a joke. No support was offered. We raised very little money and had hardly any walkers. I was then asked to help out the following year.
The next year I ran the walk. We spent a tremendous amount of time organizing the walk and having a lot of pre-event activities and doubled the amount we raised. We had many more walkers and a lot more support. After this event I was then informed VT was severing it's relationship with NH and closed their office in Concord, NH. UGH!
I then find out the MA chapter was interested in merging with NH. This year was a re-organizing year that has paid off very well for NH residents. Entering into my world next is the NH office staff that opened a office in Bedford, NH. They have been wonderful. Many benefits to the residents of NH seeking information and help.
At this point our awareness and fundraising began to explode. Keep in mind when I began eight years ago we only raised about $12,000 or so from my memory and now we are close to $175,000. A tremendous increase.
Why do I do this? I must have a connection to the disease right? Not a first! I can now say I do with several relatives now going through their journey. My grandmother had a very short journey but had passed from unrelated issues not related to dementia.
I do this because I see firsthand what families are dealing with. My very first experience was with Russell. I gentleman I met in his 80's who lived at home until late in the disease when he moved in with his daughter. Russell understood he had an issue but was happy. He was what I called a pleasure to help. His daughter was fully committed to give him the best care possible. Unfortunately I saw this tear up the family. The son and other daughter never visited and neither did any grandchildren. No one offered support. Why? It's hard to know why but seeing this made me angry and has given me fuel to fight. How could anyone not want to help Russell?
My next inspiration has come from Romeo. Romeo is a very nice man that I had gotten to know him from taking care of his wife whom suffered a stroke. After a about a year after her passing we were called in to watch over Romeo whom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I still see Romeo and visit occasionally. He always has a big smile for me. We just have a special connection.
Over the years I have educated myself. I see this disease often in the public. Just recently my husband I went out to dinner. We saw an older couple exiting the same time as us. The wife was unsteady so I told the husband I would stay with her until he pulled up the car. While we waited we had a short conversation and I knew she had a cognitive deficit and she confirmed my suspicion when she stated she had an upcoming appointment she with a Doctor. It's amazing to see how much this disease really is spreading. I am meeting families all the time and trying to steer them in the right direction and offer support and education to the best of my ability.
This disease has surrounded me! I see it exploding and taking quality of life from many families. When a client explained to me, "It's those marbles right here causing the problem", how can you not try and help?
When a daughter cries for help because her mother won't listen to her and her safety is at risk, how can you not try and help?
When a prominent former attorney answers the door in his underwear after always being dressed in a suit and tie when you previously met, how can you not try and help?
When a family states we have tried help before but they always throw them out, how can you not try and help?
When a husband cries because he is loosing his best friend, how can you not try and help?
We have many improvements to make in the medical community so families are treated and educated correctly. I cringe when I hear stories of families looking for more information but not being given what they truly need. I have a mission and will not stop until we see progress and results.
I am honored to receive this award and feel that everyone should be doing what I am doing so we can make some progress and defeat Alzheimer's disease.
I would like to thank everyone that supports me and my mission and together we WILL make a difference.
I participated in my first Memory Walk at Veteran's park in Manchester, NH 8 years ago when NH & VT chapters were merged. It was a joke. No support was offered. We raised very little money and had hardly any walkers. I was then asked to help out the following year.
The next year I ran the walk. We spent a tremendous amount of time organizing the walk and having a lot of pre-event activities and doubled the amount we raised. We had many more walkers and a lot more support. After this event I was then informed VT was severing it's relationship with NH and closed their office in Concord, NH. UGH!
I then find out the MA chapter was interested in merging with NH. This year was a re-organizing year that has paid off very well for NH residents. Entering into my world next is the NH office staff that opened a office in Bedford, NH. They have been wonderful. Many benefits to the residents of NH seeking information and help.
At this point our awareness and fundraising began to explode. Keep in mind when I began eight years ago we only raised about $12,000 or so from my memory and now we are close to $175,000. A tremendous increase.
Why do I do this? I must have a connection to the disease right? Not a first! I can now say I do with several relatives now going through their journey. My grandmother had a very short journey but had passed from unrelated issues not related to dementia.
I do this because I see firsthand what families are dealing with. My very first experience was with Russell. I gentleman I met in his 80's who lived at home until late in the disease when he moved in with his daughter. Russell understood he had an issue but was happy. He was what I called a pleasure to help. His daughter was fully committed to give him the best care possible. Unfortunately I saw this tear up the family. The son and other daughter never visited and neither did any grandchildren. No one offered support. Why? It's hard to know why but seeing this made me angry and has given me fuel to fight. How could anyone not want to help Russell?
My next inspiration has come from Romeo. Romeo is a very nice man that I had gotten to know him from taking care of his wife whom suffered a stroke. After a about a year after her passing we were called in to watch over Romeo whom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I still see Romeo and visit occasionally. He always has a big smile for me. We just have a special connection.
Over the years I have educated myself. I see this disease often in the public. Just recently my husband I went out to dinner. We saw an older couple exiting the same time as us. The wife was unsteady so I told the husband I would stay with her until he pulled up the car. While we waited we had a short conversation and I knew she had a cognitive deficit and she confirmed my suspicion when she stated she had an upcoming appointment she with a Doctor. It's amazing to see how much this disease really is spreading. I am meeting families all the time and trying to steer them in the right direction and offer support and education to the best of my ability.
This disease has surrounded me! I see it exploding and taking quality of life from many families. When a client explained to me, "It's those marbles right here causing the problem", how can you not try and help?
When a daughter cries for help because her mother won't listen to her and her safety is at risk, how can you not try and help?
When a prominent former attorney answers the door in his underwear after always being dressed in a suit and tie when you previously met, how can you not try and help?
When a family states we have tried help before but they always throw them out, how can you not try and help?
When a husband cries because he is loosing his best friend, how can you not try and help?
We have many improvements to make in the medical community so families are treated and educated correctly. I cringe when I hear stories of families looking for more information but not being given what they truly need. I have a mission and will not stop until we see progress and results.
I am honored to receive this award and feel that everyone should be doing what I am doing so we can make some progress and defeat Alzheimer's disease.
I would like to thank everyone that supports me and my mission and together we WILL make a difference.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Family first at least for some!
I have been blessed with one great family! They have supported me from day one when I wanted to play soccer and was one of the first females, that is I was one of 8, in the City of Manchester that was brave enough for the challenge. Who would have known it is now one of the most popular sports in the city? I reflect on this because our family supports each other. We have supported each other for our various charity events, through health crisis, weddings, births and attending special events.
I clearly remember when my Grandmother Rachel passed away. She was very giving and remember all the laughs we had while cleaning out her home after she passed away. Our family came together to unite and help each other out. We had a great time and had lots of great memories and laughs during this difficult time. To this very day I still have a small doll that was placed on one of her birthday cakes with her picture taped to the face. I always laugh when it catches my eye. This side of my family is solid. We have traditions that have gone on for many generations. Every Christmas at 1pm we all gather together. We each contribute to the meal, help clean up and do dishes and then we open up gifts, play games and just talk.
It is sad to say the other side of my family is the opposite. My grandparents were very caring and giving and also volunteered endless hours to their community. We always gather for the holidays and have had many great memories. My grandmother would always do the majority of the work for the holidays. When my Grandmother Ginny passed away the family broke and fell apart. I was truly heartbroken that some family would be so selfish during a critical time. My grandmother fell sick and when she and my grandfather needed family by their side they were only supported by a few. Still to this day I don't quite understand how you can not support your family when they need you most.
My Grandfather is now starting his next chapter and had come to the decision to sell his home and move to a great place. His eyesight is getting very poor and will need to limit his driving. He was going to dinner to either his nephews home or my parents home daily for his nutritional needs. I don't cook very well so his options were limited. Our family has spent endless hours again between my parents, brothers and nephew helping him get organized and clean out his home and donate to charity. We spent hours going through pictures and boxed them for different members of the family. I see my "Bumpy" weekly. He stops by and has coffee at work. I also have hired a caregiver to help him at his home. He is slowing down but still needs to be loved by his family. He is a bit stubborn but when allowed to make his own decisions he is making the right choices. I love him to pieces.
I met with a couple several years ago that made me cry. They were looking into services and are distant family members. They also felt abandoned by family and had tears in their eyes as they explained their situation. The rarely saw their family and felt all alone. They actually asked for minimal help and were rejected. All I could do was offer my support and told them to try and reach out again. It is situations like this that tears my heart apart. They did end up moving into a great community that offered them additional support that they needed.
At this time I feel extremely sad as one of the couple above has moved into a nursing home and is nearing the end of her life. I did talk with the social worker whom stated the husband visits daily but they rarely see any other family visit.
I hear stories of abandonment all the time. Some families may have a small family support system that could be overwhelming to them. This is why our agency exists today. To offer them support and love in the absence of family. Seniors should not be ignored or forgotten about by their family. If you cannot support in person then support them via telephone calls and send greeting cards or better yet find someone to assist them if you can't. We need to sacrifice of ourselves to give back to them as they sacrificed for us at one time.
I clearly remember when my Grandmother Rachel passed away. She was very giving and remember all the laughs we had while cleaning out her home after she passed away. Our family came together to unite and help each other out. We had a great time and had lots of great memories and laughs during this difficult time. To this very day I still have a small doll that was placed on one of her birthday cakes with her picture taped to the face. I always laugh when it catches my eye. This side of my family is solid. We have traditions that have gone on for many generations. Every Christmas at 1pm we all gather together. We each contribute to the meal, help clean up and do dishes and then we open up gifts, play games and just talk.
It is sad to say the other side of my family is the opposite. My grandparents were very caring and giving and also volunteered endless hours to their community. We always gather for the holidays and have had many great memories. My grandmother would always do the majority of the work for the holidays. When my Grandmother Ginny passed away the family broke and fell apart. I was truly heartbroken that some family would be so selfish during a critical time. My grandmother fell sick and when she and my grandfather needed family by their side they were only supported by a few. Still to this day I don't quite understand how you can not support your family when they need you most.
My Grandfather is now starting his next chapter and had come to the decision to sell his home and move to a great place. His eyesight is getting very poor and will need to limit his driving. He was going to dinner to either his nephews home or my parents home daily for his nutritional needs. I don't cook very well so his options were limited. Our family has spent endless hours again between my parents, brothers and nephew helping him get organized and clean out his home and donate to charity. We spent hours going through pictures and boxed them for different members of the family. I see my "Bumpy" weekly. He stops by and has coffee at work. I also have hired a caregiver to help him at his home. He is slowing down but still needs to be loved by his family. He is a bit stubborn but when allowed to make his own decisions he is making the right choices. I love him to pieces.
I met with a couple several years ago that made me cry. They were looking into services and are distant family members. They also felt abandoned by family and had tears in their eyes as they explained their situation. The rarely saw their family and felt all alone. They actually asked for minimal help and were rejected. All I could do was offer my support and told them to try and reach out again. It is situations like this that tears my heart apart. They did end up moving into a great community that offered them additional support that they needed.
At this time I feel extremely sad as one of the couple above has moved into a nursing home and is nearing the end of her life. I did talk with the social worker whom stated the husband visits daily but they rarely see any other family visit.
I hear stories of abandonment all the time. Some families may have a small family support system that could be overwhelming to them. This is why our agency exists today. To offer them support and love in the absence of family. Seniors should not be ignored or forgotten about by their family. If you cannot support in person then support them via telephone calls and send greeting cards or better yet find someone to assist them if you can't. We need to sacrifice of ourselves to give back to them as they sacrificed for us at one time.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Taking the Rotary Again and Again
If you had a chance to live your life over what would you change? Knowing that our medical community is tapped to the max for Dementia Care I would have pursued a career as a Geriatric Physician that specialized in Dementia Care......why.....because we have a failure of our health care system in NH.
Let's go back to a few weeks ago. An elderly gentleman falls at home and is taken to our local hospital. Admitted for a few weeks and then discharged home to his elderly wife. The next day enters the Emergency Room again because the VNA nurse stated he needed to be admitted because he was not safe at home. He has Dementia and did not sleep at all and was disoriented etc....the list goes on.
At 3pm our agency receives a call from the Emergency Room social worker....we are given the above story with some slight variations and she was seeking round the clock care for this elderly gentleman until a the family could place him in a nursing facility. The hospital had medical checked him out but could not admit him because he did not have a medical condition. So Visiting Angels enters the picture and we begin services at 5pm. Shortly after we arrive the wife sends the aid home believing she can care for her husband. At 8pm she calls us and stated she made a mistake so we arrange care again and provide services.
To keep this story short I will leave out all the details of what happened for the next several days but let's just say this gentlemen never slept and was in grave danger of hurting himself, his wife and our aids assigned to this case.
What went wrong????? Let's start with the family. The gentleman was never evaluated for dementia. The primary care provider or family never saw the signs or ignored the signs of dementia. Second, he was in the hospital for about 10 days due to his fall etc. Yup, the hospital never did an evaluation to determine is cognitive ability or diagnose what type of dementia he has. The hospital never attempted to admit him for further evaluation due to cognitive deficits.....the family was told there were no beds available and tried to push him into a nursing facility. The nursing homes were completey full or refused to care for him because he needed a one on one aid at all time due to his fall risk and safety judgments.
Once we were able to find a hospital to admit him for a geriatric psychiatric care....guess what? The family could not locate their DPOA (durable power of attorney). The wife could only find the will. So he needed to be sent home again to our care. Once the DPOA was found it then needed to be activated. Another huge hurdle for the family. The primary care provider needed to have this activated. Guess what....he never had to do this before and didn't know what to do. So we needed to explain this to the staff at the physician's office on what to write for the hospital. Can I say HELP!
So this family was going around and around the rotary for approximately 7 days with a discharge from our local hospital to home, ER visit, to home, ER visit , to home and finally ER visit and then transferred to second hospital for proper evaluation and treatment of his dementia. Why did this family have to waste all this time and torture. The wife was beside herself with grief, pain and a huge amount of lack of sleep and anxiety. Our system is killing them both.
To top it off I called several professionals to help guide me on my journey with this family and find that this occurs often. I don't understand how a hospital can discharge someone home that has dementia and is not safe only because they do not have any beds available on their floor for the Geriatric Psychiatric Unit. Who is responsible to protect this dementia patient when they cannot advocate for themselves and his family is being guided by a system failure. How do we advise families to get help when they are turned away back home without solving the problem or being treated? I recall calling for an appointment for my grandmother to get an appointment with a specialist and had to wait months for an appointment. What if it was a crisis like this family.....you don't have months to wait.....most would die before you make it to the appointment. Our system desperately needs help and our medical communities need to find solutions for these families.
What is going to happen in a few years? Our system is going to break and lives will be lost.
Let's go back to a few weeks ago. An elderly gentleman falls at home and is taken to our local hospital. Admitted for a few weeks and then discharged home to his elderly wife. The next day enters the Emergency Room again because the VNA nurse stated he needed to be admitted because he was not safe at home. He has Dementia and did not sleep at all and was disoriented etc....the list goes on.
At 3pm our agency receives a call from the Emergency Room social worker....we are given the above story with some slight variations and she was seeking round the clock care for this elderly gentleman until a the family could place him in a nursing facility. The hospital had medical checked him out but could not admit him because he did not have a medical condition. So Visiting Angels enters the picture and we begin services at 5pm. Shortly after we arrive the wife sends the aid home believing she can care for her husband. At 8pm she calls us and stated she made a mistake so we arrange care again and provide services.
To keep this story short I will leave out all the details of what happened for the next several days but let's just say this gentlemen never slept and was in grave danger of hurting himself, his wife and our aids assigned to this case.
What went wrong????? Let's start with the family. The gentleman was never evaluated for dementia. The primary care provider or family never saw the signs or ignored the signs of dementia. Second, he was in the hospital for about 10 days due to his fall etc. Yup, the hospital never did an evaluation to determine is cognitive ability or diagnose what type of dementia he has. The hospital never attempted to admit him for further evaluation due to cognitive deficits.....the family was told there were no beds available and tried to push him into a nursing facility. The nursing homes were completey full or refused to care for him because he needed a one on one aid at all time due to his fall risk and safety judgments.
Once we were able to find a hospital to admit him for a geriatric psychiatric care....guess what? The family could not locate their DPOA (durable power of attorney). The wife could only find the will. So he needed to be sent home again to our care. Once the DPOA was found it then needed to be activated. Another huge hurdle for the family. The primary care provider needed to have this activated. Guess what....he never had to do this before and didn't know what to do. So we needed to explain this to the staff at the physician's office on what to write for the hospital. Can I say HELP!
So this family was going around and around the rotary for approximately 7 days with a discharge from our local hospital to home, ER visit, to home, ER visit , to home and finally ER visit and then transferred to second hospital for proper evaluation and treatment of his dementia. Why did this family have to waste all this time and torture. The wife was beside herself with grief, pain and a huge amount of lack of sleep and anxiety. Our system is killing them both.
To top it off I called several professionals to help guide me on my journey with this family and find that this occurs often. I don't understand how a hospital can discharge someone home that has dementia and is not safe only because they do not have any beds available on their floor for the Geriatric Psychiatric Unit. Who is responsible to protect this dementia patient when they cannot advocate for themselves and his family is being guided by a system failure. How do we advise families to get help when they are turned away back home without solving the problem or being treated? I recall calling for an appointment for my grandmother to get an appointment with a specialist and had to wait months for an appointment. What if it was a crisis like this family.....you don't have months to wait.....most would die before you make it to the appointment. Our system desperately needs help and our medical communities need to find solutions for these families.
What is going to happen in a few years? Our system is going to break and lives will be lost.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Options....yes there are options!
You always have options for care. Our agency was called into help a family. Care for a woman with dementia to help support the husband and 4 children that are all active caregivers supporting their parents. The children all shared in the care and stopped in 3 times a day. We were to support them with a few hours of care in the morning and a few hours in the afternoon mainly for personal hygiene the sons could not perform on their mother. After starting the case and being in the home for a few weeks the wife had a medical complication and needed some hospitalization and was transferred to rehab. It has now been a few weeks and the children started up our care in the home now to support their Dad.
Today we meet with the family. The son was very worried about his Mom. She seems to be declining quickly at the rehab facility and starting to get depressed. The son would like her to return home. The son is worried that his Mom will get up and fall at night to use the bathroom. Even though we met with them and they know we provide up to 24 hour care he didn't realize we can customize care to fit the needs of his family. Families do have options of care and need to be educated that these options exist. Care can be customized to meet the needs of the clients and be adjusted at anytime. Families need to work with a care team that is willing to find care that is needed when it is appropriate for the family and not care that is convenient for the agency or caregiver assigned to the case. Families have options and they need to be diligent to find the right resources for their loved ones on their terms.
To all families out there please let the professionals know what your fears and worries are. If you are working with a Social Worker or Care Manager they need to know what your thoughts are so they can find out the solutions for your family. I love a challenge and find many families are appreciative of suggestions we can offer them. Every family needs to find the right road to take and sometimes may need to take a detour to get to then final destination! When they reach their final destination they will be thrilled with the results,. Quality care for their loved one!
Today we meet with the family. The son was very worried about his Mom. She seems to be declining quickly at the rehab facility and starting to get depressed. The son would like her to return home. The son is worried that his Mom will get up and fall at night to use the bathroom. Even though we met with them and they know we provide up to 24 hour care he didn't realize we can customize care to fit the needs of his family. Families do have options of care and need to be educated that these options exist. Care can be customized to meet the needs of the clients and be adjusted at anytime. Families need to work with a care team that is willing to find care that is needed when it is appropriate for the family and not care that is convenient for the agency or caregiver assigned to the case. Families have options and they need to be diligent to find the right resources for their loved ones on their terms.
To all families out there please let the professionals know what your fears and worries are. If you are working with a Social Worker or Care Manager they need to know what your thoughts are so they can find out the solutions for your family. I love a challenge and find many families are appreciative of suggestions we can offer them. Every family needs to find the right road to take and sometimes may need to take a detour to get to then final destination! When they reach their final destination they will be thrilled with the results,. Quality care for their loved one!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Peer Pressure at Age 86
Yes, seniors have peer pressure. Today I went to a clients home to deliver a caregiver a reward. She was surprised and happy for the gift bag, flowers etc that I brought her. I asked her if we could write a nice article about her accomplishment but she denied our request. I was puzzled so I asked her why. She giggled. Then she stated she didn't want anyone finding out she was still working. I was presenting our caregiver with a reward for being the oldest caregiver, at age 86, working for Visiting Angels Nationwide. I stated to Berthe you should be proud about your accomplishment and recognized for your contribution to helping others. Still, she wouldn't budge. She explained to me even her daughter isn't aware that she is still working. Berthe stated she loves her job and doesn't want to be harassed by her peers or children to stop working. She loves it so much and others would ridicule her for still working. She stated she likes to stay busy and feel useful and this is one thing she really enjoys. I stopped and thought about it and thanked her for her honesty.
I didn't even realize that so many of us have expectations of what life is like at different times in our lives. You should retire at age 65 etc. If you don't fit in the mold you appear to be in the minority and will be questioned why by everyone. The lesson I learned was that everything does not appear they way I think it does.Who would have known that an 86 year old would be fearful of how they look to their peers. I do know form working with older adults that the children don't always quite understand their parents and do keep many secrets from their children so they can live life the way they want vs what the children want.
Age is really just a number we reach. You are as young as you feel. Boy did I get an ear full at a seminar I gave at The Cashin Senior Center this week. An 93 year old lady was in the seminar and wanted to learn about, It's it Old Age Memory Loss or is it Alzheimer's. She had us all in stitches. She was full of life. We were surrounded by all the laughter she gave us. She had no major illness and goes daily to the center just to get out of her home. She also does not fit into the typical mold we all have set in our minds of a 93 year old lady. She still drives and tells everyone what she thinks and feels....she has no worries and let's it all out.
To conclude we all need to look into the mirror and see ourselves from the inside out. Your age does not reflect the person you want to be or have become. Do not judge others and respect choices!
I didn't even realize that so many of us have expectations of what life is like at different times in our lives. You should retire at age 65 etc. If you don't fit in the mold you appear to be in the minority and will be questioned why by everyone. The lesson I learned was that everything does not appear they way I think it does.Who would have known that an 86 year old would be fearful of how they look to their peers. I do know form working with older adults that the children don't always quite understand their parents and do keep many secrets from their children so they can live life the way they want vs what the children want.
Age is really just a number we reach. You are as young as you feel. Boy did I get an ear full at a seminar I gave at The Cashin Senior Center this week. An 93 year old lady was in the seminar and wanted to learn about, It's it Old Age Memory Loss or is it Alzheimer's. She had us all in stitches. She was full of life. We were surrounded by all the laughter she gave us. She had no major illness and goes daily to the center just to get out of her home. She also does not fit into the typical mold we all have set in our minds of a 93 year old lady. She still drives and tells everyone what she thinks and feels....she has no worries and let's it all out.
To conclude we all need to look into the mirror and see ourselves from the inside out. Your age does not reflect the person you want to be or have become. Do not judge others and respect choices!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Still Educating the Medical Community
Today I had a lunch and learn with a local physician and educated her on our services. I was amazed over the past six months in meeting local physicians that they have no clue what services are available to help assist their patients. Keep in mind I am not a Nurse or have any formal medical training. I am in the trenches with the families and educate myself daily on issues we come across. The medical community needs to come up with an great idea to educate their patients to give them the power to remain safe in their homes.
I came home last week from an appointment with my older son Alex fully loaded with everything he needs to know to have his wisdom teeth pulled. They had a small booklet loaded with information on what to expect and how to prepare for this procedure. This is perfect for preparing for one patient for one procedure.
What can we do next? We need to take this idea and maybe create a goody bag for discharge planners and social workers to give older adults when they go back home after being discharged from a nursing home or hospital. Many times they are released and have no plan of action for this patient. Do they have a support system at home? If they cannot walk with assistance who will be home with them until they become independent again? How will they provide nutrition or prepare their own meals? We could go on and on. We see this first hand even with our own clients. We get a call stating they are coming home and have no idea what is expected or what the hospital discussed with them. We attempt to always be present but sometimes they are just pushing them through the system and communication falls into the cracks. We never have a clear picture.
What can you do? Be an advocate. Educate yourself. Ask questions and make sure you understand the answer they give you. If you do not agree tell them and why. Physician are humans and they cannot know everything. My son Jesse had this really funky rash on his forearms one summer that looked like spaghetti. We brought him to his doctor. The doctor looked at it and was puzzled and upfront with us. He asked if we could wait a bit to bring in another physician and both were perplexed. He stated he would do some research and call us later that evening. This is a true professional. He needed to find the right diagnosis and he did with some research.
I also recently met with a family and her mother was just diagnosed with a very rare disease that mirrors Parkinson's disease but is not Parkinson's disease. She was being treated and still declining steadily. The daughter was a TRUE advocate for her mother and she was persistent with the physician and ultimately they worked together and found the real diagnosis.
Lesson learned is educate, educate, advocate advocate!
I came home last week from an appointment with my older son Alex fully loaded with everything he needs to know to have his wisdom teeth pulled. They had a small booklet loaded with information on what to expect and how to prepare for this procedure. This is perfect for preparing for one patient for one procedure.
What can we do next? We need to take this idea and maybe create a goody bag for discharge planners and social workers to give older adults when they go back home after being discharged from a nursing home or hospital. Many times they are released and have no plan of action for this patient. Do they have a support system at home? If they cannot walk with assistance who will be home with them until they become independent again? How will they provide nutrition or prepare their own meals? We could go on and on. We see this first hand even with our own clients. We get a call stating they are coming home and have no idea what is expected or what the hospital discussed with them. We attempt to always be present but sometimes they are just pushing them through the system and communication falls into the cracks. We never have a clear picture.
What can you do? Be an advocate. Educate yourself. Ask questions and make sure you understand the answer they give you. If you do not agree tell them and why. Physician are humans and they cannot know everything. My son Jesse had this really funky rash on his forearms one summer that looked like spaghetti. We brought him to his doctor. The doctor looked at it and was puzzled and upfront with us. He asked if we could wait a bit to bring in another physician and both were perplexed. He stated he would do some research and call us later that evening. This is a true professional. He needed to find the right diagnosis and he did with some research.
I also recently met with a family and her mother was just diagnosed with a very rare disease that mirrors Parkinson's disease but is not Parkinson's disease. She was being treated and still declining steadily. The daughter was a TRUE advocate for her mother and she was persistent with the physician and ultimately they worked together and found the real diagnosis.
Lesson learned is educate, educate, advocate advocate!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
The Art of Communication
I just viewed several modules of training on communication techniques for dementia clients. I wasn't feeling very well today so thought this would be a good time to catch up on some professional education. As I am viewing the modules it got me to thinking about a problem our family was having.
We had lost a very beloved dog named Ruby several months ago to a brain tumor. Our Golden Retriever as well as our whole family and office staff felt the hole she left in our home. Within a few days Ron, my husband, searched high and low for a replacement. Ron ended up ordering a puppy that was due around Christmas. This was our gift to each other this year.
A few weeks back Ron drove to the breeder with our son Jesse to pick up Shelby. When he returned I was working late at the office so he stopped by and showed me the cutest puppy. Ron then broke the news to me that he got two and that Jesse was with him at home. Ouch! I knew what we were in for. It took us about a week to settle on another name, Sasha. This was to be Jesse's dog and he promised to take care of it. Yep, you guessed it Mom and Dad are doing the bulk of the cleaning up and supervision of the puppies.
Well, this is where the communication video comes in. We have so many ways to communicate with each other and when you lack processing or have gaps in processing you need to reassess the situation and find a way to connect. Not only to individuals but puppies too!
Eye contact with a smile is a start. Then you need to find out something they love whether it be cooking, a love of poetry or TREATS! Once you find that connection then you can learn to hopefully solve a problem or win over the heart of your favorite client or in our case Shelby and Sasha. We are finding out yelling, NO and running to them doesn't work. Think....someone huge screaming at me and coming to me. I would be scared to death and run in the opposite direction. Think of how you approach a senior. Be gentle, move slowly, be in front of them, speak slow and clear, use their name and introduce yourself. You will have a positive effect. One step directions if you need to give instructions on how to complete an activity. Always compliment them.
I was just reminded of a complaint a family had on a local nursing facility that specializes in dementia care. The daughter had mentioned her observation of their staff by saying, "My dad appears to be just another piece of furniture in the facility." She claims staff pass by all the time and never seem to acknowledge him. This facility could truly improve on their communication by at least acknowledging the resident and having some positive connection as they walk on by. They need to create a culture of positive communication.
Our family will begin training in classes this week to learn and shape behaviors. I truly loved attending classes with Sonny and now Ron and Jesse will be training our next two therapy dogs so we can all visit together at nursing facilities and bring some big smiles and laughter into the rooms.
Communication is key to success!
We had lost a very beloved dog named Ruby several months ago to a brain tumor. Our Golden Retriever as well as our whole family and office staff felt the hole she left in our home. Within a few days Ron, my husband, searched high and low for a replacement. Ron ended up ordering a puppy that was due around Christmas. This was our gift to each other this year.
A few weeks back Ron drove to the breeder with our son Jesse to pick up Shelby. When he returned I was working late at the office so he stopped by and showed me the cutest puppy. Ron then broke the news to me that he got two and that Jesse was with him at home. Ouch! I knew what we were in for. It took us about a week to settle on another name, Sasha. This was to be Jesse's dog and he promised to take care of it. Yep, you guessed it Mom and Dad are doing the bulk of the cleaning up and supervision of the puppies.
Well, this is where the communication video comes in. We have so many ways to communicate with each other and when you lack processing or have gaps in processing you need to reassess the situation and find a way to connect. Not only to individuals but puppies too!
Eye contact with a smile is a start. Then you need to find out something they love whether it be cooking, a love of poetry or TREATS! Once you find that connection then you can learn to hopefully solve a problem or win over the heart of your favorite client or in our case Shelby and Sasha. We are finding out yelling, NO and running to them doesn't work. Think....someone huge screaming at me and coming to me. I would be scared to death and run in the opposite direction. Think of how you approach a senior. Be gentle, move slowly, be in front of them, speak slow and clear, use their name and introduce yourself. You will have a positive effect. One step directions if you need to give instructions on how to complete an activity. Always compliment them.
I was just reminded of a complaint a family had on a local nursing facility that specializes in dementia care. The daughter had mentioned her observation of their staff by saying, "My dad appears to be just another piece of furniture in the facility." She claims staff pass by all the time and never seem to acknowledge him. This facility could truly improve on their communication by at least acknowledging the resident and having some positive connection as they walk on by. They need to create a culture of positive communication.
Our family will begin training in classes this week to learn and shape behaviors. I truly loved attending classes with Sonny and now Ron and Jesse will be training our next two therapy dogs so we can all visit together at nursing facilities and bring some big smiles and laughter into the rooms.
Communication is key to success!
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