Working with so many families with different situations at Aging Wisely, you might be surprised that we see some common mistakes.  Or, more accurately, some common assumptions that people tend to make that lead to misguided eldercare planning or unanticipated problems later.  Whether you are in your golden years, helping an aging parent or just want to be wise about planning ahead, knowing these eldercare pitfalls can help you.

What are the top mistakes or assumptions people make in eldercare planning?

1. Assuming that loved ones will be able to provide any and all care that is needed.  Family members do provide 80% of the long-term care assistance in the U.S. and you likely have family members that will be willing to pitch in to help.  However, there are many reasons that may not be enough.  First, your family’s circumstances may not allow for a family member to take on primary caregiving (for example,you may live hundreds of miles apart with neither party able to relocate, your children may be raising their own children and unable to quit jobs).  Second, your loved one may not physically be able to provide the care you need (can your daughter or son lift you, bathe you, and transfer you if you’re unable to help at all?).  There are many additional reasons you shouldn’t assume your loved ones can provide all your care.
2. Assuming Medicare will cover what you need.  Medicare is not intended to cover long-term care needs.  It is really an acute care health insurance and therefore does not cover the types of custodial care that people often need at some point as they age.  You can read more in our articles on Medicare and long term care and Florida Medicaid.
3. Assuming you have enough money based on a steady rate of spending ( i.e. neglecting to count healthcare and other care costs in retirement planning/budgets).  Acute healthcare costs alone average over $250,000 from age 65 to death, without factoring in long-term care.  This is why planning and professional help are so vital…from understanding appropriate options to choosing insurance coverage and matching care planning to a budget.
4. Assuming your loved ones know what you would want.  Your loved ones may have to take over decision making for you at some point, or at the very least will likely be involved in helping you.  It is important to equip them to understand your perspective, especially the appointed decision makers (healthcare surrogate, power of attorney).  Families rarely talk about end-of-life wishes or even preferences for the time when care might be necessary.  While it may not seem like a pleasant topic of conversation, it is a lot worse to leave your family members in the position of guessing what you would want during a crisis.  Make sure you not only take care of the legal planning, but have the conversations to go along with it.
5. And, of course, the biggest mistake is in not planning at all, or assuming it is not something you’ll need to think about because you are healthy.  The biggest problem with this assumption is that by not planning, you potentially lose choices and put yourself and your loved ones in the position of making decisions in a crisis.

There are a lot of little assumptions people make in retirement and eldercare planning, as well.  Sometimes people assume certain decisions or processes will be straightforward (e.g. choosing a Medicare plan, picking an assisted living facility, getting financial help for eldercare).  This can lead to ill-informed choices and regrets later.

Assuming you can do it all on your own, while it may be possible, might not be the wisest use of your resources.  Getting professional help can make all the difference in your outcomes. 

Another common issue is not sharing sufficient information with the professionals helping you.  To be able to give you the right advice, professional advisors need to know your circumstances.  Don’t neglect to tell your estate planning attorney about that estranged family member or deep-seated conflict, for example.  Don’t leave out major financial information when talking to your financial advisor, elder law attorney or geriatric care manager.

The best place to start for eldercare planning, or to deal with a current question or concern is an eldercare consultation.  Get help with everything from care options to navigating Medicare and long-term care to choosing the best assisted care.  You can call us at 727-447-5845 or click below to request a consultation:

Maintaining independence seems to be one of the more commonly stated desires (or worries) people have as they age.  Elders often express the desire to remain in their own homes, be able to continue driving and operate as usual with no outside help.  What this really boils down to is the natural desire to maintain choices and control over one’s life.  In our years of working with elders and families, we have begun to see this issue more clearly and think that it might make sense to change some of the terminology and reframe the conversation.

As social animals, we are all in some sense connected to others, and reliant on each other for various needs.  It is widely acknowledged that isolation is not healthy for the human psyche.  As we age (or have health problems or mobility issues), the type of dependence we have on others may change.  Some of the things we once did ourselves, we may now need others to do (or help with).  The nature of relationships sometimes change.

Interdependence is the type of mutual give and take that shapes most human relationships.  We think it might make sense to start valuing this interdependence more (or at least changing the language to more accurately reflect what we value). As we age and need help with certain tasks, this does not negate the value we bring to others. 

This is not to underestimate the emotions of having to rely on someone else for something (especially something physical/intimate or something you have done for yourself since you’ve been an adult), but isn’t relying upon each other a part of us being human?

We wrote about changing relationships in senior care recently and explored the language of “parenting my parent” or “role reversal” in caregiving.  While this all may seem like semantics, the words we use have strong emotional ties.  They frame the conversation and the way we approach things.

In our experience, many of the things most feared (or stated) by people as they grow old, turn out much more positively than portrayed.  Of course, dealing with illness and loss is not easy…but people don’t actually talk much about those fears.  It seems to be more the ideas of “giving up independence”, getting help or moving to an assisted living people that get people talking about the negatives of getting older. 

Time and time again we see that what is really scary is the isolation and fear of someone living alone and refusing help.  The dangers that some people expose themselves to in the name of remaining independent often take away just that choice.  On the other hand, many elders we work with grow to enjoy their home caregivers…for both the relief of having help and the company.  Similarly, after some adjustment, many elders find a lot to like about living in a care community.  If someone has been isolated at home and maybe even fearful about safety, the group setting brings a lot of positive change.  Not only are basic needs such as nutrition and safety covered, but socialization and activity do a lot for health and well-being also.

Our mission at Aging Wisely is to enable every individual we work with to live the most fulfilling life possible, with utmost dignity, focusing on their physical, mental, spiritual, family and financial wellbeing.  The essence of what we do as care managers is to help find solutions that work for the person, holistically.  A big part of that work is in the approach we take.  Families often comment about how something they expected to be negative (“giving up the car keys”, bringing help in to the home, moving to assisted living) turned out to be a totally different experience with the guidance of their care manager.

If we can help (or if you just want to talk about how we might be able to)…give us a call at 727-447-5845.  When you are approaching some of these issues and concerns, thinking about things from a different perspective can help.  Taking time to consider the approach and wording you use in talking to your loved one can make all the difference.  Working with someone who can not only help with the approach, but maximize the options available, can make it a whole different experience.

For further reading, we offer some book suggestions in our “Recommended Reading for Caregivers” and the David Solie and Mary Pipher books are especially good on this topic. 

It often makes the news when elderly drivers get into accidents in Florida, such as the case of a 90 year old man crashing into a pawn shop in Clearwater.  These accidents tend to renew the discussion about driving laws and senior driving safety. While not every incident is age-related, it brings in to question whether individuals should be driving at such advanced ages or what testing/monitoring should be done. But, beyond the larger societal questions, this is a very personal issue for many families.

When you’re worried about an aging parent driving, it can be very difficult to 1. know when your concern truly merits that it is time to stop driving (or force the issue) and 2. convince the person that continuing to drive is unsafe (or have a dignified discussion about the situation).  A driver evaluation or assessment can be very helpful with both of these issues.  An elderly driver assessment:

• Provides objective testing criteria and evidence of potential problems with driving and continued safety
• Can offer middle-ground solutions, such as limiting driving at night, a refresher course or accommodations for the driver or car
• Frames the discussion/decision in the objective testing criteria versus emotions and potentially subjective feelings about safety

When should you consider a senior driving assessment?  If you have concerns or your loved one has had “small accidents” or incidents while driving (or mentions their own fears or concerns), now is the time.  If you have tried talking about the situation to no avail, this might be an ideal way to more effectively address your worries (and your loved one’s feelings that your worries aren’t warranted).  If you or a loved one has had a major health change or recently come out of the hospital/rehabilitation after some time, it might be appropriate to get an evaluation to be safe.

Florida offers a Fitness to Drive screening tool, which can be one place to start screening your concerns, if you have driven with the person recently.  Different hospitals and agencies offer elderly driver evaluations (though they are not necessarily just for the elderly, as they are often recommended to someone of any age who had a brain injury, stroke or other illness/injury which could impair driving).  You can check the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists by state/area to locate resources near you or contact a local geriatric care manager to help you identify resources and handle the process.

How can a geriatric care manager help with elderly driver evaluations? An Aging Wisely care manager can help with a Tampa Bay senior driver assessment by:

• Assisting with a comprehensive evaluation of this and other safety and resource issues.  Providing you with prioritized recommendations and resources to help.
• Arranging and serving as a liaison for a family conference/discussion about driving safety or other concerns.  Helping your loved one maintain dignity and choice while coming up with safe solutions.
• Arranging a Tampa Bay elderly driver evaluation and help your family through the process.
• Helping you with a wide array of resources, such as CarFit, senior driver education courses and solutions to health and safety needs (related to driving or not).
• Planing alternatives for post-driving (transportation and services to ensure your loved one can maintain activity).  Depression and isolation are common for elders who stop driving with no alternative plans in place.  There are many great Clearwater senior driving services and resources.

Aging Wisely’s team has worked with many families over the years on evaluating elderly driver safety and coming up with solutions.  Our Senior Driving Safety handout has been widely read by families and professionals.  We recommend downloading it if this issue concerns you, and welcome you to share it with family members and friends.

At Aging Wisely, we are committed to helping families with this issue and offering the best possible solutions for elders.  We all understand the difficult pull between the independence driving affords and the real dangers driving presents.  When you’re worried about an aging parent driving, let us be your advocate in finding the balance with dignified solutions. Call us at 727-447-5845 to discuss how we can help.

*Image courtesy of Bill Longshaw/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

While celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, we reflected on how relationships with our parents change over time.  Senior caregiving in particular affects the relationship between parent and child in a number of ways.  Here we share some information about changing relationships in senior caregiving and tips for making the most of your time with elderly parents. 

Working with many caregiving families over the years, we recognize certain patterns that emerge as the younger family member takes on caregiving tasks and begins to handle various life issues for their older loved one. 

Sometimes people refer to this dynamic as a “role reversal” (or “parenting my parent”), in other words the adult child becomes like the parent to the elder.  We feel this is an oversimplification of the dynamics.  First, it is impossible to have a “role reversal” because of the past history and roles which your family has had throughout life.  Because of this, the changes that take place in caregiving are much more complex than a simple role reversal.  The elder parent is likely experiencing a great number of losses and many emotions of needing more help from adult children.  When you are raising a child, you’re there to support him/her in order to grow in to a healthy, independent adult.  It is a different feeling to recognize that a parent is becoming more dependent on you.  Your parent is an adult and this terminology seems to undermine that fact.

However, when people mention this “role reversal” they are simply looking for a way to express the role changes that do occur when an older person needs more assistance from the adult child.  The parent may now be calling the adult child for advice and relying on various forms of help.  No doubt, there is the very real feeling that things are changing and the nature of the relationship is much different than it once was.  Working closely with many different families handling senior caregiving, we have seen different strategies for dealing with these changes–some more successful than others.  To make the most of your time with older loved ones, consider some of these success strategies for preparing for and dealing with these relationship changes.

Here are some tips for maintaining quality family relationships as a senior caregiver:

• Figure out ways to incorporate non-task time in your visits with elder parents.  Especially if you are a long-distance caregiver, your visits may be rushed and filled with tasks that need to be handled.  This is a common regret we hear about from caregivers, who know that time with Mom or Dad may be limited.
• In order to accomplish the above and maintain a relationship not solely based on caregiving tasks, consider hiring outside help to assist.  If Mom or Dad has someone to help with one or more areas, it relieves some of your stress and creates room for more quality time.  It can be a big relief for Mom or Dad, too.  It is not always easy relying on your adult child for so many things.  Particularly if you’re feeling stressed about it, your parent might feel they’re overburdening you.
• Have an outlet to talk through your feelings.  A support group, counselor or geriatric care manager can be a valuable resource as you move through different stages of caregiving.  Friends and family members may be supportive, but ultimately it is nice to have a specific place to vent your feelings, get advice and perspective.  Caregiving can also bring up a lot of old resentments and highlight difficult dynamics that already exist.
• Devise a plan for dealing with your biggest stressors.  It may seem like some of the challenges that come with senior caregiving have no solutions, but many times there are ways to address/reduce them.  Think about what worries you most or causes you the most frustration.  Talk to others about ways they have addressed these concerns.  Consider getting a geriatric care management assessment or care consultation to pinpoint solutions.
• Don’t forget sibling dynamics.  If you have siblings or other relatives involved, they can be a great support but also an added source of stress.  Even siblings who get along very well may have different perspectives on caregiving or grow resentful of seemingly unbalanced roles.  Consider planning family conferences at regular intervals.  You might have a care manager involved with some or all of these, to organize the meetings and give input.  An outside, “neutral” opinion from an expert can help head off disputes.  Professional input and legal planning may be especially important if there are sibling disagreements or other family challenges prior to caregiving.  Make the professionals you work with aware of these concerns.

Need help?  Give us a call at 727-447-5845 or click below to request a phone consultation about your concerns.  Aging Wisely provides solutions when you need them to help you manage the challenges of senior caregiving. 

*Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Frail elderly people are particularly vulnerable during hurricanes. Of the 1,330 people known to have perished along the Gulf Coast as a result of Hurricane Katrina, 71% of those in Louisiana were older than 60 years, 47% were older than 75 years, and at least 68 died in nursing homes.  Individuals with special needs, medical conditions, disabilities and those who are reliant upon caregivers and outside support face particular difficulties in managing during and after a natural disaster.

Here are some of the most common mistakes made in hurricane planning and senior safety tips for Florida elders to minimize risk and be more prepared:

• Being inadequately insured and logistically unprepared.  It is vital to talk with your insurance agent to make sure coverage is adequate and updated, understand your deductible and the details of going about a claim.  Organize important papers and have key numbers handy.  Complete a thorough home inventory.

• Not taking a serious look at both the home and resident(s)’ ability to self-preserve in a storm.  Now is the time to review overall home safety and consider hurricane reinforcement improvements, especially for older homes.  It is also the time to put together emergency supply kits, both for the home and for possible evacuations.  As far as the person(s) in the home, it is vital to assess the ability to care for one’s self through the storm and beyond.  Be realistic about the dirty and dangerous truth of what it can take to survive in rough conditions.

• Underestimating the aftermath of storms.  We all know that many residents, young and old, choose not to evacuate.  Many who have lived in the area for some time feel they have always made it through safely in the past and can continue to do so, a common refrain during Hurricane Katrina.  All of us must understand that even emergency personnel may not be available during dangerous weather (911 services are called off when winds reach a certain level), and during the aftermath of storms, basic infrastructure may take weeks or months to function normally. The individual should imagine functioning without electricity, limited/no services and support, and limited access to food or other supplies.  The environment is not conducive to health and wellbeing, to say nothing of personal hygiene or comfort.  Individuals in high-rise apartments or condos may be cut off by virtue of being unable to make it up and down many flights of stairs when elevators are not functioning.  It is important to take the weeks after a storm in to account in planning supplies and other needs.  Consider the aftermath carefully when deciding to weather out a storm at home.

• Counting on the public safety net as your first line of defense.  Pinellas County offers special needs shelters and assistance evacuating for those who need it (individuals should contact the county now to register).  These resources offer a safety net, but are not meant to be citizens’ first line of defense.  Special needs shelters, for example, cannot offer acute medical care, have few cots, no hospital beds and may well be without electricity (air conditioning).  Residents who evacuate there will need to bring their own bedding and supplies, medications and any special food items.  It is a safe, but not comfortable, environment.  Individuals should consider alternative arrangements such as evacuating to a relative or friend’s home in a safer area, or booking a respite stay at an assisted living or care facility. 

• Neglecting crucial details.  Get an emergency supply of medications.  In 2006, the Legislature passed the Emergency Prescription Refill bill, Florida Statute 252.358 and 462.0275. This law requires all insurers and managed-care organizations to suspend refill-too-soon restrictions when a patient seeks a refill in a county under a hurricane warning, state of emergency or activated Emergency Operations Center.  This law also allows patients outside of these areas to get an emergency 72- hour refill if the pharmacist is unable to readily obtain refill authorization from the doctor.  Put together a list of all medications, diagnoses and key contacts to keep with you.  Additionally, individuals should check with care providers to review their emergency plans (all Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration licensed providers must submit a plan to the state) and consider alternatives.  People who rely on medical equipment or outside services should make provisions.  If you use equipment that needs electricity, you can register with the power company for priority reconnection service and your medical equipment provider may be able to offer alternatives (battery backups, for example).

Aging Wisely is offering our Hurricane Preparedness Package for the affordable price of $199, to assist Tampa Bay area seniors with being better prepared for Florida hurricane season.  Our planning process addresses critical safety issues in the home as well as evacuation alternatives for different scenarios.

Hurricane warnings generally come within 72 hours of a storm’s hit.  At that point, it is too late to properly plan for someone who has mobility issues or special needs.  If you have questions or would like to have help with hurricane planning or other senior safety issues, give us a call at 727-447-5845.

Caring for elderly parents long distance? Aging Wisely conducts Florida geriatric care assessments on behalf of many families who live elsewhere around the country and world and are concerned about their elderly loved ones in Tampa Bay.  Here we will share with you the primary benefits of having a geriatric care management assessment done and the the types of solutions it offers for long-distance caregivers.

Caring for elderly parents long distance poses several major challenges:

1. Difficulty understanding what is really going on and how your loved one is managing day-to-day: often an elderly parent will rally for your visit (and phone calls) and what you see might not be a true picture of daily functioning. 
2. When you do not see a loved one frequently, changes may seem drastic.  You don’t see incremental change over time, so when you visit or a crisis occurs it can feel like it came on suddenly.  You may not feel like you have a real baseline of what’s normal for your loved one anymore.
3. Long-distance caregiving tends to be highly crisis-driven.  You may have already experienced the dreaded “phone call” when something has happened and you find yourself in a panic trying to get to Florida.  You may start to get anxious at the mere sound of the phone ringing.
4. Your visits often become extremely task-driven and overwhelming.  You probably have limited time and many important things to take care of for your loved one when you’re in town.  You may feel stressed to get everything accomplished, and it can be especially overwhelming for your older loved one.

How does a geriatric care management assessment help you with solutions to these long-distance caregiving issues?

1. An expert professional paints a clear picture of where things stand for you, outlining various areas of functioning and identifying concerns and resources.  Care managers are specialists in assessing elders.  We know how to see beyond what the client states and observe sometimes subtle signs/symptoms.
2. We help put changes and issues in to context.  The geriatric assessment also helps you to prioritize concerns and get reassurance about the situation, which provides a lot of peace of mind when caring from long distance. Beyond the initial assessment process and resulting report, regular care management visits also involve assessing ongoing status and spotting changes before they become a problem.
3. The assessment offers targeted recommendations, to proactively address potential concerns. The assessment is all about prevention and working towards a goal of reducing crisis by better management.  You get tailored recommendations and solutions that can really make a difference to your family.  You also gain a resource you can call upon as things change or issues arise.
4. We can help you implement recommendations and be your partner in managing care.  Families that we serve have often told us that the best thing about working with a care manager is the freedom it gives them to “be a daughter again” (or son, etc.).  When you have limited time with your elderly parent, that time is precious.  If you are planning a visit, the assessment gives you a starting point and helps you organize tasks better.  We can help take care of things before, during and after your visit.  We don’t take anything away from your role as family caregiver, but we can add to your ability to better manage that role and the many others you are likely juggling.

Are you caring for an elderly parent in Florida long distance?  Contact us at 727-447-5845 for questions or to schedule a geriatric care assessment.  Our Senior Care Consultant, Sue Talbott, is available to talk to you about your assessment needs and long-distance caregiving challenges.

Being a senior care business dedicated to helping elders in Florida, we focus a lot of time and resources on hurricane preparedness this time of year.  Over the years, we have had numerous trainings and informational sessions for our staff and we have developed a process to assist our elder and disabled clients living in Florida with their planning.

As we go through initial planning with our clients, we share our knowledge of some of the ways they can minimize risk and discuss options.  Every client and family makes their own decisions about what risks they are willing to take and what plans they are comfortable with, but our goal is to arm them with better information as they make these decisions.  Aging Wisely also offers a Florida Hurricane Season Preparedness Package for Seniors and People with Special Needs.  If you know someone living in Florida who might need help with preparations and planning, we invite you to share this flier and contact us today.

You can find a number of articles on our site about disaster preparedness for seniors and important senior care issues during hurricane season.  We also recommend reading EasyLiving’s “Disaster Management for Alzheimer’s Caregivers” if you have a friend or loved one with dementia.  While there are many individual factors in planning, there are five essential questions that you should always answer in helping a senior with disaster preparedness plans:

1.  Is the physical structure adequate/reinforced to withstand storms?  Florida offers a wind mitigation handbook, which explains the benefits of mitigation efforts and suggested reinforcements to the home.  The most obvious of these is securing window openings, as we all have the picture in our heads of people putting up shutters or plywood prior to a storm.  Special shatter-resistant glass windows relieve the stress and physical burden of putting up shutters (if your loved one has shutters, it will be important to plan time/help to get them up for any storm), but can be quite expensive.  If windows need replacing in an older home, it may be worth considering though.  Check out the handbook and consider making the appropriate changes if the home has not already been reinforced. In addition to wind, flood risk is the other important area to consider.  This will be based primarily on the flood zone where you reside, though all residents should consider having sand bags on hand and acknowledge that flooding can be quite widespread due to heavy rains in addition to storm surge.

2.  Is the individual storm-ready?  Essentially, this means assessing the person’s risk and ability to self-preserve during/after the storm.  Key considerations include: dementia/memory problems, physical frailty or mobility issues, medical conditions, incontinence or self-care issues.  Remember that the aftermath of the storm is particularly dangerous, when services and supplies may be cut off for some time (and people often attempt repairs or get injured by environmental hazards).  Electricity can be out for weeks during even minor storms.  If the person relies on senior care services, consider alternative options such as staying with a loved one who can help or securing a respite spot in a well-located assisted living facility.

3.  Does the person have adequate supplies?  Put together a hurricane kit of supplies, food and water (we can help with this process for your Tampa Bay loved ones).  Depending on the situation, your loved one likely needs to have an in-home supply kit and a portable evacuation kit/bag.  Have an adequate supply of medications (Florida law allows for early refills to prepare for disasters), a list of medications, diagnoses and key contacts.  Keep an extra stock of any medical supplies or personal care products needed, as well as first aid items.  Check with your provider about medical equipment and what you can do if you are reliant on an electrically powered device (you should also get on the power company’s “priority reconnect list”).  Charged mobile phones (with an extra battery backup, solar charger, etc.) can be an important lifeline, and comfort to communicate to family members.

4.  Do you have realistic expectations about service and supply availability in the aftermath of a storm?  Hopefully, most senior care providers have become more realistic about setting expectations and helping you to understand that they cannot guarantee services during and after emergencies.  Providers must allow their own employees to prepare for and stay safe during storms.  Various agencies and services may have difficulty getting up and running for some time after a storm if infrastructure is damaged.  Groceries, gas and other essentials may be limited. Consider how this might affect your loved one in your planning.  If your loved one resides in an assisted living facility or nursing home, read their (state required) hurricane plan.  Ask questions if you see potential gaps or concerns for your loved one.  Know who to contact/how information will be communicated to you.

5.  What about the emotional toll and comfort issues of surviving a storm?  In addition to the basic supplies, comfort items (comfy pillow, stuffed animal, a favorite snack) and activities (books, puzzle books, games) can provide distraction and be comforting during the stress of a storm.  The preparation and anticipation itself can be very stressful.  Would your loved one be better off visiting with a loved one or friend who can provide comfort as well as help?  Would a group setting be better (we have had clients who actually enjoyed their “mini vacation” to assisted living when evacuating…definitely a more pleasant experience than sitting home in the dark worrying about what will happen).  If you are a caregiver, natural disasters can also be physically and emotionally draining for you.  Preparations can help reduce the strain, but stay aware of your own health and wellbeing.

We hope these questions help you to frame the planning process.  Seniors suffer the greatest injuries and fatalities during natural disasters.  While there is no way to eliminate all the risk of such disasters, it is important to examine ways to minimize risk and to take planning seriously.  If you have questions or need help for a senior in the Tampa Bay, Florida area, give us a call at 727-447-5845.  Our Senior Care Consultant, Sue Talbott, is ready to assist!

We advocate a team approach to senior care management in all aspects.  A team approach can help reduce caregiver burnout, add different perspectives and fresh ideas and ultimately, provide a more comprehensive approach for better senior care.  Your senior care team might be larger than you think…from your siblings to Mom’s church community and neighbors as well as all the medical and direct care professional who might help.  Rallying that team support can make a big difference to you and your loved one.

When it comes to geriatric care management, Aging Wisely also uses this team approach we advocate.  First, we believe care management is a comprehensive process as reflected in our mission to enable every individual we work with to live the most fulfilling life possible, with utmost dignity, focusing on their physical, mental, spiritual, family and financial wellbeing.  We feel we serve our clients best by working cooperatively with a care team that includes not only the client and family but the many professionals who can help the client.  This also means we spend a lot of time getting to know fellow professionals in the community to understand how they can help clients and building important relationships.  This enables us to be prepared to help you in a wide array of situations.  It is also makes life a lot easier for you, so that all you have to do is reach out to us as one point of contact for many solutions.

The second aspect of our team approach is how we support each other as an internal team in caring for clients.  This means you benefit from the expertise of our diverse team.  Here’s an overview of the team approach to geriatric care management work at Aging Wisely:

1. Our team does case reviews and brainstorming to get input on specific case needs or challenges.
2. Our management team reviews cases several times per week to ensure we are most effectively managing client needs and to assist each other to be able to handle the varying needs of clients and crises.
3. When your primary care manager takes time off, she provides an update and outline of needs during that time to the team members who will be covering. Your needs are met consistently during vacation or illness.
4. Our team uses our client system, Caregivers Touch, to maintain updated client records and notes available to all team members.
5. Our team includes a designated “On Call Care Manager” to cover nights and weekends for our clients.
6. We work in conjunction with our EasyLiving home health team to coordinate high quality home caregiver services (in-home care, hospital sitters, transportation and more) when you need them.

What are some of the benefits to the client and family of this team approach to geriatric care management?

1. You get the combined experience of our entire care management team to potentially offer unique solutions and approaches to your needs.  Our team members have worked in different settings, gained extra expertise in certain topics and approach problem solving differently–all of which goes in to helping you.
2. Having a dedicated On-Call Care Manager helps ensure you have a professional ready to assist whenever a crisis arises and gives our team members the rest they need to maintain work-life balance and be fresh and ready to best help you.
3. You get consistent care from our professional care managers (only our team members, not outside substitutes) without interruption.
4. Most importantly, you get the peace of mind knowing you have a winning team by your side through whatever challenges you face.

If you have questions about how our geriatric care management team can help your family, we welcome your calls at 727-447-5845.

Aging Wisely Geriatric Care Management serves clients in the Tampa Bay area including Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties with senior care and disability concerns.

May is designated as National Geriatric Care Manager month. Though we are always working on eldercare education, May is a special time for us to highlight the benefits of working with a geriatric care manager.  At Aging Wisely, we do a lot of outreach to make sure caregiving families know their options and where to turn for help.  We invite you to share and spread the word!

As Florida geriatric care managers, we have worked with many families since we began in 1998.  Florida has been on the forefront of the “age wave” due to its demographics.  For many years, Florida has been a haven for retirees looking for a warm sunny climate and beautiful beaches.  St. Petersburg, Clearwater and the many small towns of Pinellas County have attracted many retirees with a laid back beach environment and affordable cost if living.  Now, our local towns see many of these retirees aging in place, often far from other relatives and family caregivers.

Over the years, we have worked with many of these Florida retirees who are now in their 80s and 90s.  Having a geriatric care manager locally has been a lifeline for many of the family caregivers who are doing their best to provide help from afar.

In case you are in that situation, we’ll share a bit about how geriatric care managers help long-distance caregivers especially (much of which applies if you live close by as well).  We encourage you to reach out to talk to a geriatric care manager–you can click here to contact us (phone: 727-447-5845) or visit www.caremanager.org for care managers outside of Tampa Bay.

Geriatric Care Managers give families customized, professional recommendations and one point of contact to get comprehensive advice.  What this means is that you can stop the exhausting process of calling around, trying to find sound advice and help from various sources, probably going down the wrong path many times and wasting a lot of time on things that don’t work or don’t apply to your Mom or Dad.  This is one of the biggest frustrations that motivates many family caregiver to reach out to a care manager.  Family caregivers often spend hours searching the internet and making phone calls from a distance, while at work and balancing other tasks.  As geriatric care managers, we make the recommendations we know fit your needs and tell you specific resources to solve your concerns.

Working with a geriatric care manager means knowing your family has an advocate on your side.  Families often tell us that one of the biggest benefits to working with a care manager is peace of mind.  Doesn’t it sound like a huge relief to know you have a local, knowledgeable person you can contact at any time?  You gain a professional “team member” who knows your family, your loved one and the local resource to help…and is hired by you, for you, to get the best results for you.

The process of ongoing, professional evaluation catches issues before they become larger crises and can help increase safety and quality of life.  We often say “we’re your eyes and ears locally” but it is more than that…our geriatric care managers have skills and expertise in evaluating elders, which means we often spot issues that even other professionals or family members do not.  The combination of personalized service and professional expertise can mean the difference between taking a small preventative step and facing a major medical crisis.  It is often these relatively small things that can lead to bigger issues which derail a senior’s and family’s plans and hopes.

If you or someone you know is working hard to take care of Mom or Dad, worrying about an aging loved one or concerned about your own medical and care needs, here are just a few of the many questions we get asked and issues we assist with every day:

1. How can I stay in my own home when I start to need some help?  How do I find help?  What resources are available?  How do I make my home safer?
2. When (or why) should I consider an Assisted Living Facility?  How do I find a good one?  What will it cost?  Is there financial help available? What are these different “levels of care” and what’s the difference between a nursing home and assisted living?
3. How do I know if my Mom can manage her medications?  How can I be sure she is handling her medical appointments and following up?
4. What do we do if my siblings and I can’t agree?  How do we help Mom when we can’t get along?  What do I do if I think my brother is taking advantage of Dad?
5. What should I be looking for to know if my aunt is still doing okay at home?  How do we know when Dad should stop driving? What can I do if I see signs Mom is falling but she refuses to acknowledge it or get help?
6. How do I know if I’m on the best Medicare plan?  How do I figure out what types of programs could help me?  What practical and legal issues should I be thinking about now that I have some medical problems?

These are just a few of the questions we answer and solutions we provide as geriatric care managers.  When you’re looking for elder care assistance in the Tampa Bay area, we’re only a phone call away at 727-447-5845. 

Staying fit means even more as we age.  It can mean the difference between healthy, independent living at home versus being susceptible to accidents like falls and needing additional elder care support.  Good “home fitness” means maximizing your level of functioning and wellbeing based on your situation.  You may not be training for a marathon, but the results for your quality of life could be equally amazing.

At Aging Wisely, our goal is to enable every individual we work with to live the most fulfilling life possible, with utmost dignity, focusing on their physical, mental, spiritual, family and financial wellbeing.  This means when our geriatric care managers work with a client we are focused on helping them live a life that is most fulfilling to them, given their circumstances and options.  We do this through a holistic and personalized approach.  This is based on the understanding of how much different areas of wellbeing intersect.  For example, greater fitness can bring reduced pain and decreased depression.  The ability to stay engaged and continue favorite activities can improve your mental wellbeing and help you stay connected to your community.

When we do a geriatric care management home assessment, we assess everything from the physical environment to nutrition concerns, fitness and safety needs to medication management and your elder care support system.  We make recommendations we know can make a difference for you. Our care managers know about a lot of special elder care resources in our local community, as well as how to best navigate the options available.

When it comes to in home fitness, we often spot issues for which you might benefit from some home health physical therapy.  We can work with your doctor on getting that prescribed and covered by Medicare.  There might be some easy adaptations to your home that could also increase your ease of getting around while decreasing safety hazards.  Another favorite resource we often recommend is a great Pinellas County company called At Home Fitness.

At Home Fitness specializes in personal training for older adults throughout Pinellas County. The owner, Kelly Carson, spent many years working as a physical therapy assistant in home healthcare (in addition to other settings like nursing homes and sports medicine clinics).  This gave her a unique insight in to the needs of older clients, as well as a passion for helping.  What she noticed especially was that clients wanted and needed ongoing services (beyond the short term rehabilitation typically provided via Medicare) to provide a strong basis of fitness.

The At Home Fitness trainers create a custom plan for each client to enhance their fitness and compliment other eldercare services.  This might include a strengthening program prior to surgery to enable you to get better results and tolerate rehabilitation better and/or assistance after rehabilitation to continue your good results.  A fitness program can result in clients having better balance, improved strength and stamina, reduced pain and greater flexibility.  All of these things can not only keep you safe, but make life a lot more pleasant.

Here are a couple quick examples of how their services have benefited Aging Wisely’s clients:

• Kelly has helped a disabled client of Aging Wisely’s who really benefits from regular exercise to maximize her mobility and maintain good balance.  It has most certainly kept her from falling and given her a higher level of independence.  The client also looks forward to the visits as part of her routine and social interaction.
• Another client had previously loved swimming.  She’d had a series of very serious health issues and moved in to an assisted living facility.  At Home Fitness created an aquatic routine with her and visits to assist her in the pool weekly.  She has been so thrilled to enjoy her time in the pool, to say nothing of what it has done for her health.
• One client never “worked out” even though she led a very fit life, walking a lot and being very active.  When she had physical therapy, she found it to be quite a chore.  We asked her to meet Kelly to “give it a test run” and she was surprised how much she enjoyed her and the workout.  Her doctor has been astonished at her health improvements, especially as she has been so reluctant to make changes in the past.

A personal trainer may not be the first resource you think of when you are caring for an aging loved one with health problems.  These are the types of insights a professional care manager can offer to enhance the life of your loved one.

Contact us online or at 727-447-5845 for an eldercare consultation or geriatric care management assessment in the Tampa Bay area.  We serve Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties…from St. Petersburg and Clearwater through New Port Richey and Tampa.  If you want to locate a care manager outside of that area, you can visit www.caremanager.org to search for certified care managers.

Bob: When a Fall is More Than a Fall

Bob had recently become an Aging Wisely client and his care manager would be working with his family to set up some services and start to look at the possibility of moving to assisted living locally or near his long-distance caregiver daughter.  Shortly after their first visit, the care manager received a call from Bob’s daughter.  He had fallen the previous night and had failed to push his emergency response button.  A neighbor had finally discovered the situation that morning and called his daughter and 911.

The care manager met Bob at the hospital.  Though they had only worked together briefly, she had his updated medical history and medication list to help him provide to the E.R. staff. (Bob had a crumpled list of medications in his pocket which was a bit outdated and stumbled over a few questions, turning to the care manager to fill in some blanks.)  She was also able to gently give a little background to the emergency room physician so that he understood Bob was living alone and experiencing some self-care challenges as recently evidenced by the fall situation.  The care manager contacted Bob’s daughter to keep her apprised.  She had been scheduled to leave in the next couple days for a major overseas trip and was contemplating cancelling.

As the care manager worked with the emergency room team, Bob and his daughter, they were able to come up with a plan.  The doctor determined there was sufficient reason to admit Bob for some further testing even though it did not appear he had any broken bones.  Meanwhile, the care manager would begin working on a temporary solution for after-care involving either rehabilitation or a respite stay in assisted living.  Since they had been contemplating a transition anyway and in light of the fall, this plan seemed most logical and safe.  The care manager could handle the details and make sure the process went smoothly for Bob, while reevaluating to determine a longer-term plan.

Mary: Communication Confusion in the E.R.

Mary lived in a Largo nursing home and her care was overseen by one of Aging Wisely’s care managers.  All but distant, elderly relatives had died and her primary local contact besides her care manager was her long-time C.P.A. who managed her affairs and had agreed to serve as her power of attorney and healthcare surrogate.  Mary had mid-stage dementia and a long history of agitation and depression.  In the past, she had several “incidents” due to these issues but had been managing well lately due to consistent care coordination.  She was fairly settled in to her life at the nursing home.  When big changes might disrupt her routine, her care manager was a calming presence to her.  The care manager also helped others to understand how to best approach Mary.

Her nurses noticed some concerning symptoms when checking on Mary and contacted her care manager to let her know they would be calling for an ambulance.  The care manager was able to arrive just moments after Mary…which was a very good thing due to the potential for “communication confusion”.  For one thing, this type of change was likely to cause Mary to become agitated and act out.  For another, emergency room staff would have been able to get very little information from Mary.  She had some difficulty hearing in addition to her dementia.  The care manager was able to give the staff a full background, as well as bring Mary’s “communication board”, a small white board which could assist when staff wanted to ask some basic questions to Mary.  The care manager helped to reassure Mary and prepare her as the doctors ran some tests.  She also communicated to Mary’s C.P.A. about what was going on and discussed next steps. 

It turned out Mary could be released directly from the E.R. as her tests revealed she was stable.  The care manager made a specialist follow-up appointment and communicated about her return to the nursing home.  She made sure the nursing home would get Mary a meal upon her return since she had missed lunch.  She arranged transportation and double-checked the medication and treatment information was properly communicated to her nursing home staff.

Lucille: Why Am I Here?

Lucille lived in a Palm Harbor Assisted Living Facility.  The facility contacted Lucille’s local daughter after noticing some changes to her vital signs and contacting an ambulance to take her to be evaluated.  Her daughter called her Aging Wisely care manager, who had been assisting with coordinating Lucille’s medical and care needs.  Her daughter was planning to leave work to meet Mom, but after discussing the situation decided to have her care manager meet her there initially since she had the best handle on Mom’s medical needs.

Lucille had Alzheimer’s disease and usually recognized familiar people such as the care manager and her daughter, but generally was not oriented to place or time.  She seemed happy to see the care manager, but kept asking where she was and what was happening.  The care manager was able to reassure her and also ensure she was comfortable, getting her a drink of water and a couple extra blankets when she was cold.  She helped to give the necessary background information to the emergency department staff and coordinated with the client’s daughter, who came over to the E.R. when she finished at work.

As the medical team was evaluating the patient, the care manager helped to clarify some information and answer some of the daughter’s concerns.  In the end, the client returned to the assisted living with some new medications and support services.  The care manager set up a care plan meeting to ensure consistent care for the client in accordance with her wishes and minimize potentially unnecessary hospital trips.

Need help with patient advocacy in Florida?  Worried about an aging parent who lives in the Tampa Bay area or want help dealing with (and preventing) emergencies?  Call us at 727-447-5845.