|
Older Michiganians Day 2011 – The Senior WAVE: We Advocate, We Vote, We Enrich Communities Wednesday, June 15 State Capitol Lawn Lansing, Michigan 9:50 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Older Michiganians Day is an opportunity for people representing every aspect of the aging network - seniors, families, caregivers, service providers, and administrators to join forces and do the Senior WAVE by coming to the state capitol in Lansing to participate, or by contacting your state lawmakers by phone, e-mail or letter to thank them for their continued support of programs that benefit older adults and people with disabilities and to advocate for needed change when programs or services don’t work or are inadequate. Please refer to the attached flyer for more information – and tell your friends and families to join the WAVE! If you’d like to join us, you may find more information at oldermichiganiansday.com and http://www.mi-seniors.net. If you can’t join us in Lansing, you can still participate. Call or write your state legislators and let them know how they can help support seniors in Michigan. Find your state representative at: www.house.mi.gov. Find your state senator at: senate.michigan.gov 
Serving Seniors Blog: April, 2011 Having a serious illness is frightening. Your mind races, “what will life be like down the road?” and the mind-consuming, “what if’s” race through your brain. Add pain, lots of it, in all areas. You’re feel exhausted, nauseous, you have no appetite, and shortness of breath adds another, unwanted burden. Stress weighs on you. You need relief from all of this, but don’t know where to turn. Having a better understanding of your condition, as well as knowing what choices you have for much needed care, can help. Care in improving your ability to tolerate your medical treatments, and care to help you carry on with the demands of everyday life are sorely needed. You simply want to feel better now. You’ve probably heard of hospice care, but have you heard of Palliative care? Hospice focuses on quality of life care for people with a life expectancy of six months or less, and treatment is typically not wanted any longer. Palliative care is different. It focuses on the quality of life for people with serious or chronic illnesses, including cancer, cardiac disease like Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Pulmonary Disease, kidney failure, Alzheimer’s, HIV/AIDS, and Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis. Is Palliative care right for you? Palliative care relieves symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping. Palliative care can be provided at any stage of illness along with the treatments meant to cure you. The good news is that usually, a team of experts, including Palliative care doctors, nurses, and social workers, provide this much needed care. Serving Seniors understands individualized care completely. We have a dedicated team of Professional Geriatric Care Managers that are custom fit to your elderly loved ones needs. Serving Seniors has been recognized as one of only 30 Fellow Certified Geriatric Care Managers in the USA as recognized by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. Care for people with illnesses should be personal. Whether they need Palliative care, elder care, or both. Serving Seniors looks forward to helping you and your family navigate the tough decisions with the best, personalized care out there. We offer you and your family peace of mind. We welcome your comments to our posts. Let us know your thoughts and areas of interest. Thanks, Diane
Diane Hischke is guest speaker
Click on image to print the flyer
The Geriatric Care Management Network of Southeast Michigan and the Gerontology Department at Madonna University is hosting a free workshop entitled Difficult Decision Making as Your Loved One Ages: Medical, Legal,& Emotional Aspects on Saturday, March 5 from 8:45am-1pm. Topics include long term planning, advanced directives, and emotional stress. Speakers include Dr. Patricia Schmidt, Medical Director of In-House Hospice, Katie Graham, Neighborhood Legal Services of Michigan Elder Law & Advocacy Center, and Peter Ostrow, Director of The Dorothy & Peter Brown Jewish Community Adult Day Care Program. The workshop takes place in Kresge Hall Room 1316 at Madonna University located at 36600 Schoolcraft in Livonia. Continental breakfast is included. For more information, contact Serving Seniors at 248-375-9125. About The Geriatric Care Management Network of Southeast Michigan The Geriatric Care Management Network of Southeast Michigan is an affiliate of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. NAPGCM is the gold standard in the profession of geriatric care management. They provide leadership, education, and advocacy in the growing arena of geriatric care. A geriatric care manager is an experienced professional who specializes in assisting older adults and their families with elder care arrangements. Care managers have extensive knowledge about quality, costs, and availability of services in our community. They can connect you with the services which are right for you or your loved one. For more information, call 520-881-8008 or visit their website at www.caremanager.org.
Serving Seniors Blog: February, 2011 People have a distorted view that the bigger something is, the better it is, and the more we get. When it comes to caring for the elderly, bigger is not better. In fact, quite the opposite is true. New, geriatric care management services are being started by large home care companies in many areas. They are usually large, multi-layered companies that have the financial resources to operate, but lack the personalized, custom-tailored care that Professional Geriatric Care Managers like Serving Seniors offer.
Caring for the elderly is a complicated and deeply personal issue. Everyone’s needs are different and people deserve customized, personal care, that’s unique to their special needs. Large companies offer generalized care to handle large numbers of clients and they aren’t designed to offer personalized, customized care. In those big companies, your elderly loved one enters and quickly becomes a number in a one-size fits all, corporate mentality. Serving Seniors is different. We treat our elderly clients with the respect, attention and dignity they deserve. We watch, we listen, we coach, we advise, and we become fierce advocates for them to guarantee they’ll get the personalized attention and the proper care they need from the health care system. We offer families and their loved one’s peace of mind. We are a dedicated team of Professional Geriatric Care Managers who are custom fit to your elderly loved one’s needs. It’s very common to encounter seniors who are resistant to help and afraid of their situation. Many times, their insurance doesn’t cover the care they need. Serving Seniors' professionals are trained in all areas of elder care to get seniors the proper one-on-one care that they need. And, we focus on prevention cost effectiveness as much as other aspects of elder care, which is why we offer a unique program, called Family Friends. We recently identified a Licensed, Personal Trainer who can help seniors with balance, which can prevent accidents while adding quality to their lives. You’d want that for your mom or dad or yourself, wouldn’t you? There are many qualified, for-hire caregivers out there, but sometimes, they might not be the right fit for a person. Our Family Friends have a variety of backgrounds and one of them holds a Bachelor’s degree in social work, and has other skills like art, writing, and memory books. This came in handy when one of our elderly clients with whom we were entrusted was a woman in her late 80’s. She was single, no family nearby, alone and resistant to someone coming into her home. We found out that she was a writer in the past, loved to garden and cook. We matched her with one of our Family Friends, who was experienced as a journalist, gardener and had cooking skills. The results were a wonderful experience for this woman, which makes us feel like we are creating an environment where people benefit greatly. That makes our day. That’s what it’s all about at Serving Seniors. There are many geriatric care managers for you to choose from and while it can be overwhelming, you need to make the right choice.You and your family deserve the best. Serving Seniors has been recognized as one of only 30 Fellow Certified Geriatric Care Managers in the USA as recognized by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. That’s why we say we offer you and your family peace of mind, because we do. Elder care is personal. Smaller, more custom-tailored care is definitely better. Call us for a consultation so we can help you and your loved ones. I appreciate your interest in Serving Seniors and we’re looking forward to helping you and your family navigate these rough waters with the best personalized care out there. Thanks, Diane
Serving Seniors Blog: November, 2010 Healthcare in America is getting a lot of attention in today’s media. It’s a hot topic, filled with an overwhelming amount of information, which has resulted in people being thoroughly confused. When it comes to healthcare, when all of the facts, figures and opinions are tallied, did you know what really matters to consumers? It’s surprisingly simple. People simply want to feel good, they only want to pay appropriate costs, get help with resources available to them, understand what options they have, and to be able to trust a health care advisor. That’s information that we can all relate to which is why, when your loved ones age in life, they need someone to help them, someone they can trust. Whether the aging loved one is your mom, dad, husband, wife, or grandparents, there comes a time when they need help navigating the healthcare that they need. In the world of healthcare, that trusted advisor is called a Patient Advocate. There’s a good chance that you’ll end up being an advocate for your loved ones. It’s important that you’re educated so you can be a good advocate, because they’re not going to be able to do that for themselves. If it sounds as overwhelming as healthcare, it’s not. The more you’re educated, the better an advocate you can be. There are many aspects of being a good advocate and many areas where your loved ones will need help. It’s important that you’re able to make an assessment of your loved one’s needs to be able to coordinate the proper care. It might require you to explore options and the related costs as well as explore both medical and behavioral health needs. It will be important to able to prioritize the health management issues so that the coordination of care is done to your satisfaction and more importantly, to your loved one’s best interests. This could also include interpreting medical information, which might include diagnosis and treatment information. Other very important areas are insurance requirements, co-pays, benefits, and all related topics involving costs. It will be important to know medications that are being prescribed, diet needs, habits, and end-of life needs and desires. While some of these topics might be difficult to discuss, they all need to be addressed at one time or another. It’s proven that the more educated and informed you are, the more proactive you can be. Being there for your loved ones when they need your help the most is an important part of their care. Being a good advocate for them requires planning, education, and preparation. Do it for them, do it for you and your entire family. Serving Seniors professionals are trained in all areas of elderly care to get people the proper care that they need. As you navigate these rough waters that you’ve never experienced before, have comfort in knowing that we are great patient advocates for you and your family. Simply put, we offer you peace of mind. We’re proud to say that 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. Get educated and call us for a consultation on how we can help you and your loved ones. I appreciate your interest in Serving Seniors and our professional geriatric care management services. Thanks, Diane Hischke
Do you remember when your parents made the decisions in your life? They were in charge and your parent’s decisions on your behalf were to protect you from things and circumstances around you. Now, fast forward and the same person who made life decisions for you is now dependent on you making big life decisions for them. There are many barriers and emotional feelings that come to the front when an adult child or grandchild comes to the realization that they now need to make decisions for their elderly parents and loved ones. They see that their elderly parent or grandparent is no longer competent to make their own decisions. One of the main obstacles in making those tough decisions is denial by the adult caregiver, usually the adult child or grandchild. There are very real emotional struggles to make the decision to have to do this. Questions like, “ Am I doing the right thing?” weigh heavily on adult children. Compound that with more thoughts on how to approach their parent, are they knowledgeable or capable of making that decision? Believe me, none of these things make it any easier to digest. This is a subject that’s close to my heart which is why I’m speaking on this again. I call it, “To Move or Not to Move.” My presentation will be held at Faith Lutheran Church in Troy, Michigan. It’s this Thursday, September 30th and it starts at 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm. No advanced registration is needed. I’ll be covering a broad range of informative topics and will include a checklist that can help families determine what resources might be appropriate now and help prepare for the future. Some of the areas I’ll be covering are things like; What kind of help is needed? Are they able to maintain their home and lawn? How do they manage the housekeeping and laundry? Are they able to recognize strangers and seek necessary help? What is their ability to handle an emergency if one should arise? Are they able to drive or do they use public transportation? Other equally important areas that I also address are social activities, managing finances, getting groceries, preparing meals, eating, recognizing surroundings, ability to keep their appointments, following directions, wandering, their personal care and hygiene, dressing, bathing, medications and a few other important topics. I’ll offer tips and advise for you and your family. I care about this important subject which is why I’ll be presentating on this and also writing about it. Serving Seniors professionals are trained in all areas of elder care 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. Talk to you soon. Thanks, Diane Hischke
Serving Seniors Blog: September 10, 2010 It’s hard to believe that Labor Day has come and gone. It’s been a very busy summer and now we’re getting ready for September. In our last blog, I wrote about the Annual Memory Walk at the Detroit Zoo which happened on August 28th. There was lots of walking, lots of talking and everyone had a great time. There were many stories and memories to share and even better, a total of $316, 282 in donations were given. It was a huge success thanks to people like you. All Memory Walk donations benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. But the fight for awareness and a cure never stops which is why I participated in another event that benefits the Alzheimer’s Association. On Sunday, September 12th, the 1st Annual Bakes & Barks event was held at Stoney Creek Metro Park. The expression of “the world is going to the dogs” came to life that day as people from all walks of life brought their dogs to compete in contests throughout the day. There were great prizes, people brought their beloved dogs in costumes, even though it wasn’t required. Entertainment was provided by various dog organizations and many local organizations provided free information and services for seniors, families and pets. That’s where Serving Seniors got involved. I had a table at this great event where I offered information about Serving Seniors to help people become better educated and aware about many issues regarding seniors, especially Alzheimer’s disease. If you attended the event, I hope you had as great a time as I did. It’s a great feeling to support this great cause with proceeds benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association. We care about Alzheimer’s and know you do to, which is why I’ll be dedicating a lot of time to this cause and writing about it. Serving Seniors' professionals are trained in all areas of elder care, including Alzheimer’s, to get people the proper care that they need. Serving Seniors has been recognized as one of only 20 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. Look for our next newsletter, where I’ll be writing on Alzheimer’s and offering great articles that are sure to bring more awareness. Thanks again, Diane Hischke
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.
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
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
Serving Seniors Blog: July 13, 2010 We’re enjoying a really hot summer in Michigan and from what I hear, the heat wave will continue. While many of us enjoy the heat and all that summer brings us, it can become extremely dangerous for elderly people. Especially, if they’re left unattended. If an elderly person has problems with their air conditioning, their home can become unbearably hot and they might not even realize that there’s a problem. In a short time, the heat building up can cause serious health problems, even death. Having elderly parents has many challenges in any kind of weather or situation. What comes to mind is about getting parents to realize that they need help in the first place. Or another real issue is convincing their well-meaning adult children, that they need to seek professional help for their elderly parents. I saw an article about a man whose parents are in their 80’s and while he tries to keep in touch with them as often as possible, he’s having a difficult time keeping them out of harm’s way. If his mother trips or falls, his father struggles as he tries to get her up and his concern is that both of them risk injury due to lack of strength or ability. He thinks having his elderly parents call 911 is the best answer and he can’t convince them to do so. He’s also concerned when strangers come to his parents’ door or call them on the phone and ask about personal issues like their back accounts. The thought of strangers coming to the door of his elderly parents is truly scary. Strangers preying on the insecurities of his elderly parents on the phone scares him, as it should. Unfortunately, that is the world that we live in. You can encourage your elderly parents to call the police or other proper authorities when there’s a problem, but they can’t do that on a contstant basis. Let’s face it, when parents are elderly, these are short-term fixes to longer-term challenges. We want to be there for our parents. But many times we simply cannot and many times there are many challenges to overcome beyond our abilities or areas of expertise. Elderly parents living alone is dangerous, and there are many risks that can go along with that scenario. If mom falls and hurts herself, what if dad doesn’t see her and a lot of time goes by? What if she loses consciousness or is unable to speak because she’s confused by the fall? What if she suffers a stroke? Or, what if dad does see her fall and lying on the floor, but he becomes hurt trying to lift her up which causes serious injury to himself and his elderly wife. What if he falls and cracks a bone? As you can see, it can quickly go from bad to worse. These are very traumatic situations. With the proper professional care, they can be avoided. As I’ve said, calling 911 is an okay option if elderly parents fall, but if there’s a risk of this happening daily, other, more long-term solutions needs to be explored. 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 loved ones, they need to take the time to find someone else to do the caring if they cannot. Most of the time, no matter how well-meaning the families are, they simply cannot offer their parents the best care. A qualified, Professional Geriatric Care Manager (PCGM) can help people and families avoid helpless situations like this. They are trained in all areas of elderly care. A PCGM offers you and your parents the best care possible in any and all situations, even dealing with strangers at their door or mysterious calls on the phone. I’m proud to say that 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. That means when you and your family use our professional services, you’ll be securing the best care. That’s why I say, Serving Seniors offers you peace of mind, because we really do. I hope you find 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. Thank you for your interest in Serving Seniors and our professional geriatric care management services. Until the next time, take care. Diane Hischke
Serving Seniors Blog: July 7, 2010 I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July celebration. I was thinking of the actual meaning of Independence Day and I came across an article in the newspaper that struck a nerve with me. It was about becoming totally dependent on others which means no independence. The article was about an 80 year old man who was found trapped in his bed for two entire days as his arm was wedged between the mattress and the headboard of his bed. The sad discovery was made after an acqaintance from out of town tried unsuccessfully to call the elderly man for two days and he hadn’t answered the phone. Neighbors told officers that they hadn’t seen the man for two days. The windows and doors to the home were locked and the shades were drawn. No one answered the door when responding officers knocked, but the garage door had been left opened and a vehicle was parked inside. The article continued to say that the officers were able to get inside the house where they discovered the man trapped in his bed. That poor man had been lying alone, a prisoner of his own bed for two days, was severly dehydrated and delusional. No food, no water, no bathroom, no one to see him trapped for two days and 80 years old. Just helplessness and in a panic. It saddened me to think of that poor man and what it must have been like for him. Or did he really grasp his situation over time because he became delusional? Can you imagine what could have happened to that elderly man if no one called for him or never took action? He was lucky to have been found alive. There was a time when this man had his independence, but in his elderly state had become totally dependent on others to make critical decisions for him. This type of situation happens all too often. It reminds me of adult children and grandchildren who become alienated from their parents or grandparents for many reasons. The outcome of these situations is never good as the elderly adult is often neglected, though that’s never anyone’s intent. A qualified, Professional Geriatric Care Manager (PGCM) can help people and families avoid terrible situations like this. PCGM’s don’t have the emotional issues which many times, cause the family to stay away. They are trained in all areas of elder care so things like this never happen. It’s situations like this that I’ve seen many times as a PGCM. It’s why I always stress repeatedly to families that if they really care about their parents or loved ones, they need to take the time to find someone else to do the caregiving if they cannot. As I’ve said before, so many times I see families try to take care of their aging parents or grandparents themselves only to find out that they’re really not qualified to do the job. Think about it. Would you want someone unqualified to care for you when you reach that stage in your life? Would you want to be helpless and a prisoner in your bed for two days like this poor man? 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. That means when you and your family use our professional services, you’ll be securing the best care for your parents or grandparents. That’s why I say Serving Seniors offers you peace of mind; we really do. I hope you find 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. Thank you for your interest in Serving Seniors and our professional geriatric care management services. Thanks again! Diane Hischke
Serving Seniors Blog: June 23, 2010 Happy Summer and welcome to Serving Seniors’ blog. My goal is to share with you the latest news in caring for seniors plus my insights from many years of helping people navigate the rough waters of caring for their elderly parents or loved ones. It’s been a while since I’ve written here and it’s great talking to you again. I’ll be updating my blog weekly, so I won’t make you wait this long for my next post. I’ve also been dealing with lots of positive changes at Serving Seniors with new professionals on board to help us care even better for your loved ones. Father’s Day has come and gone and it reminded me of how many people are caring for their elderly fathers or mothers. Most of us prepare for big moments in our family members' lives - the birth of a child, graduations, weddings. But, we really don’t prepare at all for the really big moment of taking care of our parents when they become elderly and in need of help. Many times we try to take care of them ourselves only to find out that we’re really not qualified. Couple that with unresolved issues with your siblings, siblings who don’t get involved, or geographical distance between you and your parents. I personally struggled with my own brother when it came to care for my mom. I resented for a long time my brother's lack of involvement in my mother's care and his infrequent visits. Gail Sheehy is a best-selling author of 16 books and she’s changed the way millions of women and men around the world look at the stages of their lives. Gail also speaks highly of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (PGCM’s) on talk shows nationwide. I love that, and I’m proud to say that Serving Seniors has been recognized as one of the Top 20 Certified Geriatric Care Managers in the USA as recognized by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. In 2010 Gail takes on the most challenging and personal issue in her latest book: Passages in Caregiving: Turning Chaos Into Confidence. She tells the inspiring story of her own journey of 17 years caring for her husband. She fills the book with stories of families that we can all relate to and their most creative strategies. She says it perfectly, “I had nine months to prepare for the birth of my child, I had nine hours to prepare to care for my husband. “ I’d highly recommend you read her book. I’m sure it’s full of life-changing events that can help you in your situation. I hope you find our posts helpful as you consider all of the options of caring for your seniors and other loved ones. Please feel free to share your own experiences and write your comments below. We value your input and so do our readers. Thank you for your interest in Serving Seniors and our professional geriatric care management services. Talk to you soon and thanks again! Diane Hischke
|
|
