Knowledge is a great gift and the process to retain what we’ve learned is taken for granted most of the time.
Our September newsletter is about Alzheimer’s disease. We discuss what Alzheimer’s is, what the symptoms are plus knowing how to recognize the signs for early detection. This is an area that we all need to be informed about especially as we watch our elderly parents/ grandparents and loved ones age.
Things that we witness with aging parents and pass off as their frustration, mood swings, minor “senior moments” and the like could be indications of something else going on.
Have you ever thought about this? That our memory is the foundation for our exisitance. From our early years, all through our aging process to mature adulthood, is all made from our memories. “Who we are” is the compilation of all of our thoughts, experiences and the rich memories that go with everything in our lives. There’s a level of control and security that accompany our memories and when that starts to weaken over time, the results manifest themselves in different ways.
And now, that’s starting to happen in your elderly parents/ grandparents or loved ones. What you do about this and your ability to make informed decisions relies on your abilty to make the proper diagnosis. Or simply put, how you know for sure without guessing.
We’ve posted an article on this website that gives an overview on this topic titled: What is Alzheimer’s? Another article that’s very helpful on this subject is called 10 Signs of Alzheimers. We’ve also posted an article that gives great insights on early detection called: Earlier Diagnosis.
August 30, 2010
August 27, 2010
You'll remember this walk
Serving Seniors Blog: August 27, 2010
For my September Newsletter, I chose the topic of Alzheimer’s disease as it affects so many people, and I’m surprised how little awareness there is on it. In the newsletter, we discuss what Alzheimer’s is, what the symptoms are, and how to recognize the signs for early detection. This is an area that we all need to be informed about, especially as we watch our elderly parents/ grandparents and loved ones age.
The timing for Alzheimer’s awareness is perfect because on Saturday, August 28, the 19th Annual Memory Walk at the Detroit Zoo is going on. There’s an ad in the Oakland Press highlighting the event, and it’s called Move a Nation to End Alzheimer’s.
It’s a great cause where you can get involved with others who care. It’s a 2K Fun walk so you don’t have to worry about running a marathon, but dealing with Alzheimer’s truly feels like a marathon for affected families.
Registration starts at 7:30 am and the walk begins at 8:30. When you register for the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk, you’re joining a nationwide community of thousands of people who are standing up and participating in the fight against this devastating disease. Registration only takes a few minutes, and you can walk as a group - family, work, etc. - if you want. You’ll be amazed at how many people really want to help.
Memory Walk is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research. They’ve raised $300 million since they started in 1989. All Memory Walk donations benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research.
I don’t know what your plans were for Saturday, but if you can make it, great. I guarantee you that it’s a great feeling to support this great cause. You can call or e-mail the Greater Michigan Chapter at 248-351-0280 or e-mail at detroitmemorywalk@alz.org. Or, just show up at the Detoit Zoo.
We care about Alzheimer’s and know you do too. So get involved, get aware and remember the walk. Don’t let this fade away into your memory. Serving Seniors' professionals are trained in all areas of elderly care including Alzheimer’s to get people the proper care that they need. Serving Seniors has been recognized as one of only 20 Fellow Certified Geriatric Care Managers in the USA as recognized by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers.
I hope you find all of our posts helpful. Please feel free to share your own experiences, and we welcome your comments below. We value your input and so do our readers.
I appreciate your interest in Serving Seniors and our professional geriatric care management services.
Until the next time, have a great walk and don’t forget, the family you help may be your own.
Thanks again,
Diane Hischke
For my September Newsletter, I chose the topic of Alzheimer’s disease as it affects so many people, and I’m surprised how little awareness there is on it. In the newsletter, we discuss what Alzheimer’s is, what the symptoms are, and how to recognize the signs for early detection. This is an area that we all need to be informed about, especially as we watch our elderly parents/ grandparents and loved ones age.
The timing for Alzheimer’s awareness is perfect because on Saturday, August 28, the 19th Annual Memory Walk at the Detroit Zoo is going on. There’s an ad in the Oakland Press highlighting the event, and it’s called Move a Nation to End Alzheimer’s.
It’s a great cause where you can get involved with others who care. It’s a 2K Fun walk so you don’t have to worry about running a marathon, but dealing with Alzheimer’s truly feels like a marathon for affected families.
Registration starts at 7:30 am and the walk begins at 8:30. When you register for the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk, you’re joining a nationwide community of thousands of people who are standing up and participating in the fight against this devastating disease. Registration only takes a few minutes, and you can walk as a group - family, work, etc. - if you want. You’ll be amazed at how many people really want to help.
Memory Walk is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research. They’ve raised $300 million since they started in 1989. All Memory Walk donations benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research.
I don’t know what your plans were for Saturday, but if you can make it, great. I guarantee you that it’s a great feeling to support this great cause. You can call or e-mail the Greater Michigan Chapter at 248-351-0280 or e-mail at detroitmemorywalk@alz.org. Or, just show up at the Detoit Zoo.
We care about Alzheimer’s and know you do too. So get involved, get aware and remember the walk. Don’t let this fade away into your memory. Serving Seniors' professionals are trained in all areas of elderly care including Alzheimer’s to get people the proper care that they need. Serving Seniors has been recognized as one of only 20 Fellow Certified Geriatric Care Managers in the USA as recognized by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers.
I hope you find all of our posts helpful. Please feel free to share your own experiences, and we welcome your comments below. We value your input and so do our readers.
I appreciate your interest in Serving Seniors and our professional geriatric care management services.
Until the next time, have a great walk and don’t forget, the family you help may be your own.
Thanks again,
Diane Hischke
August 24, 2010
Earlier Diagnosis.
What if we could diagnose Alzheimer's before symptoms started? The hope is, future treatments could then target the disease in its earliest stages, before irreversible brain damage or mental decline has occurred.
To read the entire article, click on this link:
Click here to read entire article
To read the entire article, click on this link:
Click here to read entire article
10 Signs of Alzheimer’s:
Memory loss that disrupts daily life is not a typical part of aging. It may be a symptom of Alzheimer's, a fatal brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills.
To read the entire article, click on this link:
Click here to read the entire article
To read the entire article, click on this link:
Click here to read the entire article
What is Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that damages and eventually destroys brain cells, leading to loss of memory, thinking and other brain functions. Alzheimer's is not a part of normal aging, but results from a complex pattern of abnormal changes.
To read the entire article, click on this link:
Click here to read the entire article
To read the entire article, click on this link:
Click here to read the entire article
August 11, 2010
What's Big News Today? You'd Be Surprised
Serving Seniors Blog: August 5, 2010
I’m amazed at what makes big news and what makes small news in the media. The BP oil spill , the oil spill in Kalamazoo are important issues, no doubt. Robberies, car accidents, the struggling economy, as well as the Primary elections are important too. But when I see a tiny, little article, filled with disturbing details about elder abuse, conveniently tucked away at the bottom of the newspaper, I don’t like it. It’s kind of like a problem that we want to go away. We minimize the situation so it’s not important. It’s big news to someone in my line of work, and these situations are bigger than life, especially for the elderly, the silent majority.
Sometimes I take for granted that families know that there is professional help available for their elderly parents and grandparents. This is what I do, and while I know all too well of the dynamics involved in getting families "on board", I’m still saddened when I hear about abusive situations with the elderly. These can all be avoided with the proper education and guidance from a licensed and certified Professional Geriatric Care Manager.
I read a terrible story about an 80-year old woman in the Boston area who lay for a month in a recliner soaked with her own waste and her toenails so long that they were curling back, cutting into her skin. Can you imagine how painful and miserable she was? Who would allow that to happen to an elderly person? If she could have removed herself from that situation, she would have. Iinstead, she was a prisoner in a recliner. She was suffering from deep bedsores and was in critical condition when the authorities had her admitted into a local hospital.
To make matters worse, she had developed a bacterial infection in her bloodstream. She was covered with bedsores--one so deep tendons could be seen through her decomposing skin. I read on to discover that the elderly woman’s own 49-year old daughter and her 51-year old husband were charged with permitting serious injury to an elderly or disabled person. Plus, three of the woman’s grandsons were aso charged in the case.
How did this happen? How didn’t anyone notice that this neglect was going on? Why did this elderly woman’s own family allow the situation to go on this long?
I don’t have the answers to this, but I know from experience that not knowing what to do or trying to do everything yourself can have extremely bad outcomes. Yes, having elderly parents has many challenges, but that’s no excuse for not seeking the proper care or professionals who can help.
A very real issue is convincing adult children that they need to seek professional help for their elderly parents. I’ve seen scenarios similar to this many times as a PCGM. It’s why I always stress repeatedly to families that if they really care about their parents or other elderly or impaired loved ones, they need to take the time to find someone else to do the caregiving if they cannot.
A certified, Professional Geriatric Care Manager (PCGM) can help people and families avoid helpless situations like this. Serving Seniors' professionals are trained in all areas of elder care. We offer you, your parents or grandparents the best care possible in any and all situations, even if you’ve tried to offer care and realize that you can’t do it alone.
Serving Seniors has been recognized as one of only 20 Fellow Certified Geriatric Care Managers in the USA as recognized by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. When it comes to care for your parents, grandparents or loved ones, I would encourage all of you to locate the proper care. Do it for you, do it for them, and do it for your whole family.
I hope you find all of our posts helpful. Please feel free to share your own experiences, and we welcome your comments below. We value your input and so do our readers.
I appreciate your interest in Serving Seniors and our professional geriatric care management services.
Until the next time, enjoy the great summer weather and tell your elderly parents that you love them.
Thanks again,
Diane Hischke
I’m amazed at what makes big news and what makes small news in the media. The BP oil spill , the oil spill in Kalamazoo are important issues, no doubt. Robberies, car accidents, the struggling economy, as well as the Primary elections are important too. But when I see a tiny, little article, filled with disturbing details about elder abuse, conveniently tucked away at the bottom of the newspaper, I don’t like it. It’s kind of like a problem that we want to go away. We minimize the situation so it’s not important. It’s big news to someone in my line of work, and these situations are bigger than life, especially for the elderly, the silent majority.
Sometimes I take for granted that families know that there is professional help available for their elderly parents and grandparents. This is what I do, and while I know all too well of the dynamics involved in getting families "on board", I’m still saddened when I hear about abusive situations with the elderly. These can all be avoided with the proper education and guidance from a licensed and certified Professional Geriatric Care Manager.
I read a terrible story about an 80-year old woman in the Boston area who lay for a month in a recliner soaked with her own waste and her toenails so long that they were curling back, cutting into her skin. Can you imagine how painful and miserable she was? Who would allow that to happen to an elderly person? If she could have removed herself from that situation, she would have. Iinstead, she was a prisoner in a recliner. She was suffering from deep bedsores and was in critical condition when the authorities had her admitted into a local hospital.
To make matters worse, she had developed a bacterial infection in her bloodstream. She was covered with bedsores--one so deep tendons could be seen through her decomposing skin. I read on to discover that the elderly woman’s own 49-year old daughter and her 51-year old husband were charged with permitting serious injury to an elderly or disabled person. Plus, three of the woman’s grandsons were aso charged in the case.
How did this happen? How didn’t anyone notice that this neglect was going on? Why did this elderly woman’s own family allow the situation to go on this long?
I don’t have the answers to this, but I know from experience that not knowing what to do or trying to do everything yourself can have extremely bad outcomes. Yes, having elderly parents has many challenges, but that’s no excuse for not seeking the proper care or professionals who can help.
A very real issue is convincing adult children that they need to seek professional help for their elderly parents. I’ve seen scenarios similar to this many times as a PCGM. It’s why I always stress repeatedly to families that if they really care about their parents or other elderly or impaired loved ones, they need to take the time to find someone else to do the caregiving if they cannot.
A certified, Professional Geriatric Care Manager (PCGM) can help people and families avoid helpless situations like this. Serving Seniors' professionals are trained in all areas of elder care. We offer you, your parents or grandparents the best care possible in any and all situations, even if you’ve tried to offer care and realize that you can’t do it alone.
Serving Seniors has been recognized as one of only 20 Fellow Certified Geriatric Care Managers in the USA as recognized by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. When it comes to care for your parents, grandparents or loved ones, I would encourage all of you to locate the proper care. Do it for you, do it for them, and do it for your whole family.
I hope you find all of our posts helpful. Please feel free to share your own experiences, and we welcome your comments below. We value your input and so do our readers.
I appreciate your interest in Serving Seniors and our professional geriatric care management services.
Until the next time, enjoy the great summer weather and tell your elderly parents that you love them.
Thanks again,
Diane Hischke
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