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Stay at Home Senior Care company news and senior-specific industry articles
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www.SAHseniors.com
Spring Greetings from all of us at Stay at Home Senior Care! This is my favorite time of year and it has been a season of celebrations.
On Thursday, April 18th, Stay At Home Senior Care hosted a booth at the Wake Weekly Health and Wellness Expo. It was held at The Factory and a good time was had by all. Congratula‐tions to Steve Howe’s wife, Heidi, on guessing the closest on the amount in our money jar! She received $49.95 in coins from Stay At Home Senior Care.
Congratulations to Kim Dingus on turning 50 on May 2nd. We threw one heck of a surprise birthday party for Kim here at the office. It is very hard to keep a secret from Kim, but Bridget Day, Cathy Jennings, Cindy Thompson and many others put together a fabu‐lous celebration. Thank you to all for making her day special. On a personal note, I sincerely want to thank Kim for being so such a special member of the Stay at Home family. Her six year employee anniversary was March 15th, and I do not know how we ever suc‐ceeded without her. You make every day fun and I love you Kim!
I have been nominated for Business Woman of the Year through the Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce. Keep
your fingers crossed! The winner will be announced at their Annual Awards Luncheon May 28th. It is an honor just to be nominated. Wow!
Thank you for allowing us to serve your family and our community. We all love what we do and it would not be possible without our clients putting trust in our care. It has been a wonder‐ful ten years and I look forward to the next decade together!
And remember, we treat every contact as a friend, every client as family, and complete every task with honor.
Best wishes,
Deborah Bordeaux President, Certified Senior Advisor
Silver Connections
SPRING 2013
2014 S. Main Street, Suite 610, Wake Forest, NC 27587 556-3706
Welcome to the Spring 2013 Issue of Silver Connections
CAREGIVER OF THE SEASON
Willie Mae Richardson, CNAII Willie Mae joined our Stay at Home Senior Care family almost five years ago because she loves working with the elderly.
She was born and raised in Warren County and now lives in Louisburg with her husband, Reverend Thomas Richardson, who is the pastor at St. Paul Baptist Church. Willie Mae enjoys being a minister’s wife and loves working at the Church tending to the flower beds and landscaping.
Willie Mae’s clients adore her and she has been outright “adopted” by their families! She thrives on watching her seniors age in place with her assistance. “I love being a companion and friend.” Her philosophy is that all of her good deeds will be returned when she might need a little help down the road. “I just hope that I look as good as my senior clients do 15 years from now!”
When asked why she chose Stay at Home Senior care among all of the other agencies, Willie Mae said, “They all were so eager and dedicated to help seniors that I wanted to be part of their team.” Kim Dingus says, “I fell in love with Willie Mae when she walked through the door! I knew she was one of us and I was not about to let her go. Through five joyous years, her faith and compassion have been an inspiration to me and everyone she has touched.”
IN THIS ISSUE:
President’s Welcome 1 Caregiver of the Season 1 Finance/Consumer: The Perks of Growing Older 2 Rotating Topic: Understanding “Home Care” 2‐3 Health & Lifestyles: Tai Chi Improves Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease 3 Spotlight on Caregivers: Is Spousal Caregiving Becoming Too Risky? 4 Above & Beyond, Our New Look 4
There tends to be confusion, even in the professional community, about what is meant by “Home Care,” when that term is used. There are three types of home care: Home Health Care, Private Duty Home‐care, and Hospice Care. This article out‐lines the parameters of each type of care.
Home Health Care: Home health care is medical care in the home for homebound patients. It is a benefit of Medicare, Medicaid, and most private health insurances if the patient meets very specific criteria. Home Health provides Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Social Work, and Home Health Aides.
To qualify, a patient typically has had an acute health change requiring hospitaliza‐tion, and home health is initiated upon hospital discharge. The patient must be homebound, meaning they only leave the home for medical appointments. It must include either nursing or physical therapy to obtain services. Home Health must be ordered by a physician to be covered by insurance. The goal of home health is to improve health outcomes. Their services are guided by Medicare guidelines. Home Health is set up on a 60 day basis. If the patient continues to have significant health needs that cannot be improved in the 60 day period, home health can recertify the patient beyond the 60 days.
Private Duty Homecare, aka STAY AT HOME!: Private duty homecare is non‐medical. The services are provided by caregivers and/or certified home health aides (this may be dependent on individual state regula‐tions). The services provided are consid‐ered custodial care, and do not require a physician’s order. Services are designed to help the care recipient remain in their home as independently as possible by providing hygiene, meals, light house‐keeping, companionship, errands, and medication reminders. Some agencies or individuals providing services include transportation of clients.
Continued on Page 3
PAGE 2 SPRING 2013 NEWSLETTER
The Perks of Growing Older
Your senior years can be one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling times of your life. As the baby boomer generation gets older, the number of senior citizens in the United States is rapidly increasing, and seniors are finding ways to be more active and involved.
There are more seniors today than ever before. In 1900, 3.1 million Americans were age 65 and older; by 1994, this number had grown to 33.2 million. Researchers estimate that by 2030, 20 percent of the U.S. population will be senior citizens.
Some of the key trends in this age group:
• Better economic position. The number of seniors below the poverty level has dramatically decreased, from 35 percent in the early 1960s to about 10 percent today. • Higher education. More seniors than ever before have completed high school, and a higher number have earned a bachelorʹs degree or higher. • Lasting marriages. The majority of senior citizens younger than 85 are married. Since women tend to live longer than men, older men are twice as likely to be married as elderly women. • Longer life expectancy. People are living longer; the percentage of the U.S. population living to 100 has grown 65.8 percent over the past three decades.
Better Services and Programs for Senior Citizens
In generations past, people felt that old age was a time to take it easy and slow down. But today senior citizens know that staying active is one of the most important parts of healthy aging.
Some of the services available to help senior citizens remain vital include:
• Fitness programs. A number of local community centers, churches, fitness centers, and senior centers offer exercise programs specially designed for older adults. Regular exercise helps you stay functional and healthy.
• Job placement services. You don’t have to stop working at 65. Senior citizens
today are working long after that age, and many people who retire from one job end up going back to work in another capacity. Programs like Civic Ventures and the American Association of Retired Persons WorkSearch program help older people find ways to get back into the workforce. • Volunteer organizations. An estimated one‐third of volunteers in the United States are senior citizens. Volunteering can be a great alternative for your time after retirement. There are many organi‐zations, including the Experience Corps and Senior Corps, with programs that help match senior citizens to volunteer opportunities. • Lifelong education. Staying mentally active is an important part of healthy aging, since researchers are finding out that when it comes to your mind, you have to use it so you donʹt lose it. One way to stay sharp is to enroll in adult education courses. Ask your local college, university, or public library if they offer education programs especially for seniors. • Travel programs. Retirement is a great time to explore the world through travel. The Elderhostel Institute Network is a program that provides travel opportuni‐ties for people age 55 and older. The U.S. Department of the Interior offers U.S. citizens 62 and older a Senior Pass, with lifetime access to government‐recognized recreation areas for just $10. • Senior discounts. There are numerous senior citizens discount programs everywhere. If you are a member of AARP, for instance, you can save up to 60 percent when you shop online at the Everyday Savings Center, which features retailers like Target and Sony Electronics. In addition, many local movie theaters, museums, and restaurants offer dis‐counted rates for seniors. One of the best ways to stay in good mental and physical shape as you age is to get out and enjoy yourself. Take advantage of the many programs and services now offered to senior citizens.
Reprinted from www.everydayhealth.com http://www.everydayhealth.com/senior‐health/be‐good‐to‐yourself.aspx
Understanding “Home Care”
SPRING 2013 NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
Tai Chi Improves Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease
Tai chi, a type of exercise that guides the body through gentle, flowing poses, may help the worst physical problems of Parkinson’s disease, a study shows. Experts say it appears that tai chi might be an effective therapy for improving a person’s balance, ability to walk and move steadily. Tai chi may also reduce the chances of a fall. “The results from this study are quite impressive,” says Ray Dorsey, MD, MBA, a neurologist and associate professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. “The magnitude of the impact that they had is larger, in some cases, than what is seen with medications in Parkinson’s,” says Dorsey, who also directs the Movement Disorders Center and Neurology Telemedi‐cine at Johns Hopkins. Parkinson’s disease involves the slow destruction of brain cells that make the chemical dopamine. Nerve cells depend on dopamine to send messages that guide muscle movement. As the cells die, movements may become shaky, stiff, and unbalanced. Walking may be harder. Medications may help control some things, like tremors, but many drugs are not as good at helping the so‐called axial symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, which include problems with balance and walking. Tai Chi Comes Out Tops For the study, doctors assigned 195 people with mild‐to‐moderate Parkinson’s disease to one of three groups: The first took tai chi classes, the second exercised with weights, and the third was assigned to a program of seated stretching. All the groups met for 60‐minute sessions twice each week. After six months, people who had been taking tai chi were able to lean farther forward or backward without stumbling or falling compared to those who had been doing resistance training or stretching. They were also better able to smoothly direct their movements and take longer strides than people in the other two groups. Like resistance training, tai chi helped people walk more swiftly, get up from a chair more quickly, and increased leg strength.
Perhaps the most impressive benefit of tai chi, however, was related to falls. Falls are common in people with Parkinson’s, and they can cause serious injuries, including fractures and concussions. Falls are the main cause of hospitalizations in Parkin‐son’s patients. People in the tai chi group reported half the number of falls compared to those who were taking resistance training and two‐thirds fewer falls than people who were doing light stretching exercises. The research is published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Mind‐Body Benefit? “This is a very encouraging study,” said Chenchen Wang, MD, MSC, a rheumatolo‐gist at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston.
“Most of our previous studies have measured pain, depression, and anxiety, which are subjective measures. These results are very impressive because they used objective measurements,” Wang said.
Researchers say they believe tai chi’s effectiveness probably has something to do
Home Care, continued from Page 2
Private Duty is not covered by health insurance. Most Private Duty Homecare services are paid out of pocket, but may be covered in part or whole by long‐‐term care insurance or Veterans bene‐fits. Private Duty often works in collabo‐ration with Home Health agencies because the services are very different in nature and typically if someone needs home health, they also need assistance with activities of daily living (ADL’S).
Private Duty Homecare is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Clients can obtain services long term or short term. Some agencies require a minimum number of hours either per shift, per day or per week, some do not. Medicare does not cover these services.
Hospice:
Hospice is care for the dying. Hospice can be provided in homes, hospice facilities, long term care facilities and in hospitals.
Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurances cover hospice care. This also
requires a physician’s order, but does not require the patient to be home‐bound. It is initiated based on a termi‐nal diagnosis.
Hospice consists of Nurses, Home Health Aides, Social Work, Spiritual Care, and Volunteers, as well as a Bereavement Counselor. Patients may use all or some of the services based on their needs and preferences. Visits are short, typically between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours.
Private Duty will often work in collabo‐ration with Hospice, to provide care when families are unable or need respite. Private Duty follows the direc‐tion of the Hospice team to maintain comfort and support for the patient. Rather than contacting EMS or the client’s physician for help with chang‐ing status, Private Duty caregiver’s contact the Hospice nurse for instruc‐tion.
Excerpted from “Misunderstanding Home Care,” by by Angil Tarach‐Ritchey, from http://www.senioritylifecare.com/misunderstanding‐home‐care/
with the mind‐body connection that’s encouraged throughout the poses. “It’s intentional movement. So every step you take, you are aware of it. We put quite a bit of emphasis on the self‐awareness of the movement,” says Fuzhong Li, PhD, senior scientist at the Oregon Research Institute, a nonprofit center for the study of human behavior in Eugene, Ore. Additionally, Li says, tai chi has some practical advantages over other kinds of exercise.
“You don’t need any equipment. You can practice anywhere, anytime. It’s low cost. It can easily be incorporated into the rehab setting, as well,” Li says.
See Insert for Tai Chi classes at the Northern Wake Senior Center!
By Brenda Goodman, MA
Reprinted from www.webmd.com
http://www.webmd.com/parkinsons‐disease/news/20120208/tai‐chi‐improves‐symptoms‐parkinsons‐disease
PAGE 4 SPRING 2013 NEWSLETTER
This edition’s Above and Beyond comes from the bottom of my heart and goes to EVERYONE who made my 50th birthday the best birthday of my life!!! From the decora‐tions to the ducks, everything was spectacular! Thank you all for the amazingly thoughtful cards and gifts . . . I am savoring the delicious books along with the wine and cannot wait to use my gift certificates. Bridget, I know you had a hand in this, and I love you more than my lipstick! Deborah and Cathy, the decorations were fabulous, even though the table collapsed on you the night before. Cindy T., thanks for the giant 50 painted on my window (glad you did not get arrested!) and the 50 light board. Mrs. Siegel, Mrs. Savage, Mrs. Johnson, and Mrs. Hadden, you were truly the icing on the cake! When the day was over, I quietly looked around the office before I locked up and thanked God for being so blessed to have each and every one of you in my life. Then I went home, got into jammies, and smiled through the tears for the next several hours as I reread each and every card. My heart was, and remains today, filled with humble gratitude.
And finally. . . to Deborah, once again, thank you for my job! None of this would have been possible if you had not seen some little sparkle inside me six years ago.
I love you all so very, very much!
Is Spousal Caregiving Becoming Too Risky for You?
Caring for a spouse in need is very demanding, and can be stressful enough to threaten your own health. It is important to consider your own needs as just as high a priority as that of your spouse—in the long run it will be to their benefit as much as your own.
As a caregiving spouse, you may begin to feel very isolated from friends and feel guilt about your own unmet needs. There can also be a sense of loss, especially if your spouse suffers from dementia or Alzheimerʹs disease.
So how do you know if caregiving is becoming too risky for you? Examine this list and see how many apply to you:
• Missing or delaying your own doctor appointments
• Ignoring your own health problems or symptoms
• Not eating a healthy diet for lack of time
• Overusing tobacco and alcohol when you feel stressed
• Giving up exercise habits for lack of time
• Losing sleep
• Losing connections with friends for lack of time to socialize
• Bottling up feelings of anger and frustration and then being surprised by angry, even violent, outbursts directed at your spouse, other family members, co‐workers ‐ even strangers
• Feeling sad, down, depressed or hopeless
• Loss of energy
• Lacking interest in things that used to give you (and your spouse) pleasure
• Feeling resentful toward your spouse
• Blaming your spouse for the situation
• Feeling that people ask more of you than they should
• Feeling like caregiving has affected family relationships in a negative way
• Feeling annoyed by other family members who donʹt help out or who criticize your care
All caregivers who experience elevated levels of stress are at an increased risk for physical and emotional issues.
Even if you are only experiencing two or three of these items, it is important to get help and support. If you are experiencing many of the symptoms on this list, it may be time to seriously consider alternatives—whether that be relying on supplemental caregivers or full time care at home or in a facility for your spouse.
The truth is your spouse/partner will be in better hands if you are healthy. Reprinted from caregiverstress.com http://www.caregiverstress.com/stress‐management/stress‐symptoms/signs‐spousal‐caregiving‐too‐risky/
Have you seen our company car’s new look?
SPRING 2013 NEWSLETTER SPECIAL INSERT
INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING? CALL 556-3706.
CALL 919-781-5979 FOR A COMPLIMENTARY PHONE CONSULTATION!
May—June 2013 News
Northern Wake Senior Center “A Center of Excellence”
AARP Safe Driving Class Tues. May 14, 1‐4 pm
$12 ‐ AARP member, $14 non‐members Call center to sign up
***********
ANNUAL RESOURCE FAIR June 13
9:00 — 12 noon
“CELEBRATION HOOPLA” MAY 23, 10:00 am Join us in celebrating……
The 40th Anniversary of Resources for Seniors and RSVP Featuring Memorial Day, Quilts of Valor, and Special Presentations
Live Entertainment with Paul Minnis and Luncheon. Bring A Covered Dish To Share. Sign up by May 20 at Front Desk
********************************************************* FREE SCREENINGS — See Special Events for details
Memory, Depression, Blood Pressure, and Peripheral Artery Disease Sign‐up for screenings at Front Desk—Limited Space
Everyday 8:00-5:00 Body Shop 8:30-12:30 Craft Room AND Community Outreach 8:00-4:30 Computer Lab
(closed during scheduled class times) Monday 8:30 Low-Impact Aerobics– Level 2 10:00 Low-Impact Aerobics– Level 1 10:00 Decorative Painting– Les Tryon 10:30 Blood Pressure Checks (4th Monday) 10:30 Basic Exercise/Strength Training 11:30 Bingo 1:00 Zumba Gold 1:00 Young at Heart (3rd Monday) 2:00 Travel Group (1st Monday) 2:00 Theatre Group (2nd & 4th Monday) 2:00 Open Painting Workshop 2:00 Ping Pong (call to schedule room) 2:00 Shag Lessons w/ Gaylord Picard 3:00 Ballroom Dance Lessons w/Gaylord Picard 3:30 Chair Yoga Tuesday 8:30 Core & Flex Training 9:00 Shell Art—Rose Bunch 9:30 Performing Line Dance—Linda Callahan 12:00 Acrylic Painting– John Duzs 12:30 Mahjongg 1:00 Wood Carving Wednesday 8:30 Low-Impact Aerobics– Level 2 9:00 Ceramics & Clay Class 9:45 Low Impact Aerobics — Level 1 10:00 Newcomers Social & Laughter (2nd Wed) 10:15 Basic Exercise/Strength Training 10:45 Sing Along 11:00 Bridge
Wednesday (continued) 12:00 Ping Pong (call to schedule room) 1:00 Quilt! Quilt! Stitch and Gab 1:00 Quilts of Valor Sewing Group 1:00 Pinochle 1:00 Pottery and Clay Class 1:00 Bell Chimes 2:00 Zumba Gold 2:00 Open Painting Workshop THURSDAY 8:30 I Move Freely Fitness (NEW) Starts June 6 9:00 Blood Pressure Checks (2nd Thur) 9:30 Presentation (see Special Events) 9:30 Beg. /Inter. Line Dance (Ends 5/16, starts back in June) 10:30 Cinema (1st Thursday) 10:30 Classical Performances (3rd Thursday) 10:30 Bingo 12:30 Watercolor Open Studio 1-3 Computer Tutor (available by appt.) 1:00 Canasta / Hand & Foot / Pinochle 1:00 Wood Carving FRIDAY 8:30 Zumba Gold 10:00 Acrylic Painting—Alma Burke 10:00 Low Impact Aerobics– Level 1 10:30 Balance Training 11:30 Chess, Checkers, Mexican Train Dominoes 12:00 Bridge
235 E Holding Ave, Wake Forest 919-554-4111
WAKE TECH CLASSES AT SENIOR CENTER CALL CENTER for upcoming classes
Pre-registration is Required with Limited Space
Computer w/ Jerry Glenn Acrylic Painting
Qi Gong Tai Chi Spanish 2
OLDER AMERICANS MONTH
SPECIAL EVENTS: MORE INFO ON LOBBY INFORMATION BOARD
May 5/2 Thurs, 10:30 am Cinema ‐ Join us for the movie “Mamma Mia!”, popcorn and drinks.
5/3 Friday, 1‐3pm Senior Corps, RSVP, and Foster Grandparents Banquet ‐ Sheraton in Raleigh.
5/8 Wed, 10:00 am Newcomers Social & Laughter. Orientation for new members.
5/9 Thur, 9:00 am BP checks by Corina Albert, Amedysis.
5/9 Thur, 9:30 am Resources for Seniors, Inc. Presentation ‐ “Who we are and what we do for seniors” presented by Scott Waterhouse. (Our center is operated by Resources for Seniors.)
5/9 Thur, 12‐ 2 pm Senior Corps RSVP and FGP Advisory Board Meeting. Hosted by NWSC
5/11 Sat, 7 pm Ballroom Dance sponsored by Young at Heart. Admission $7.
Music provided by Larry Carringer
5/14 Tues, 1 ‐ 4 pm AARP Driver Safety Classroom Course ‐ Learn proven safety strategies to maintain your confidence behind the wheel. Cost: AARP members $12.00, Non members $14.00
5/15 Wed, 12 –2 pm Computer Lecture: Windows 8 New To The World. Presented by Jerry Glenn. Note: This is NOT a Wake Tech class. Sign up at front desk. No limit.
5/16 Thur, 10:30 am Concert & Classical Performances. Johnny Mathis, “Chances Are”
5/20 Mon, 1:00 pm Young at Heart Club Meeting. Everyone 55 & older are welcomed to join!
5/21 Tues, 9:30 ‐ 11:30 Memory Screening ‐ Free and Private. Limited to 12 people. Each screening takes 20 min. Sign up at front desk. Provided by Dr. Casey Baldwin, Resources for Seniors.
5/23 Thur, 10:00 am CELEBRATION HOOPLA ‐ Covered dish and entertainment. Special Presentations. Sign up at Front Desk by May 20. Bring a covered dish to share.
5/27 Closed MEMORIAL DAY
5/28 Tues, 1:00 pm Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security Updates. By Heather McLaughlin with Alliance for Retired Americans.
5/29 Wed, 10 ‐ 12 Health /Fitness Day at Carolina House. NSWC members are invited. Call Center for details
June 6/4 Tues, 3:00 pm Senior Center’s Advisory & Advocacy Board Meeting. 6/6 Thur, 9:30 am PAD (Peripheral Arterial Disease) presentation by Diane Beaudet from Vascular Access Center.
Complete questionnaire after presentation to sign up for Free PAD Screening on June 27. 6/6 Thur, 10:30 am Cinema ‐ Join us for the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” ,popcorn, and drinks.
6/8 Sat, 7 pm Ballroom Dance sponsored by Young at Heart. Admission $7.
Music provided by Larry Carringer. 6/10 Thur, 1:30 ‐ 3:30 SHIIP Counseling (Senior Health Insurance Information Program)
Limited appointment space. Call center to sign up for an appointment 6/12 Wed, 10 am Newcomer’s Social & Laughter. Orientation for new members.
6/13 Thur, 9:00 am BP checks by Corina Albert from Amedysis. 6/13 Thur, 9 am ‐ noon Resource Fair: Open to the Public– Free. Discover businesses in your community and Wake
County, and the services they can provide for you! 6/17 Mon, 9:30 am Volunteer Caregivers Orientation: Open to the public.
Learn about volunteer opportunities. Presented by Julie Given. Sign up at Front Desk.
6/17 Mon, 1:00 pm Young At Heart Club Meeting. Everyone 55 & older are welcomed to join.
6/18 Tues, 9:30 ‐ 11:30 Depression Screening ‐ Free and Private. By Dr. Casey Baldwin, RFS. Limited space.
Call center to make an appointment by Friday June 14.
6/19 Wed, 12 noon Computer Lecture: Cell Phones and Gadgets. Presented by Jerry Glenn Note: This is NOT a Wake Tech class. Sign up at front desk. No limit.
6/20 Thur, 10:30 am Concert & Classical Performances: Tony Bennett “The Concert”.
6/24 Mon, 10:30 am BP Checks by Dr. Casey Baldwin, RFS Pharmacist and Campbell University
6/27 Thur, 10:00 am Free Peripheral Artery Disease Screening provided by Vascular Access Center. Limited space.
Sign up for appointment at Front Desk