All Posts in "Month: March 2016"

A new AARP survey emphasizes the role Washingtonians play as family caregiver and also shows overwhelming support from voters for measures to better support those who care for relatives.

“A silent army of family caregivers are the unheralded backbone of our state’s care system, providing more than two-thirds of home care for older Washingtonians and adults with disabilities,” said Doug Shadel, state director of AARP Washington, which claims to represents more than 945,000 state residents age 50 and older. “If you’re not a caregiver now, you were one in the past, or you’ll likely be one in the future. And while caregivers say they wouldn’t have it any other way, families incur physical, emotional and financial strains through this labor of love. In short, family caregivers need help.”

The survey of 800 Washington registered voters 45 and older was done in support of legislative efforts on behalf of caregivers.  According to AARP, the survey found family caregivers are providing care in a variety of ways. More than eight in 10 report their duties include assisting their loved ones with transportation (88 percent), shopping (88 percent), and household chores (83 percent).

In addition, 81 percent assist with meal preparation, while 64 percent help manage finances and 51 percent assist with bathing and dressing.

According to the survey, those duties are taking a toll on family caregivers. Respondents who are current or past caregivers report feeling stressed, both emotionally (70 percent) and financially (29 percent). Caregivers say they it’s difficult to get rest (56 percent), and express feeling stressed about trying to balance their work and family (60 percent) and taking care of their household (45 percent).

One of the more noteworthy findings of the survey, according to AARP, shows Washington caregivers are also heavily involved in the medical side of caring for their loved ones. Two-thirds of caregivers assist with medication management (68 percent) and overseeing other nursing and medical tasks such as wound care, IVs and injections (67 percent).

However, much of that care is being provided with little, if any, training or support, AARP officials said. As an example, they cited Shelton resident Susan Day.

Last spring,Day’s husband, Edward, spent more than a month in the hospital – half of which was spent in intensive care, including five days when he wasn’t expected to live. He pulled through, but the struggle wasn’t over.

During Edward’s final week in the hospital, Susan asked repeatedly for time and training on the procedures she would need to perform once she got her husband home, including injections, wound care and managing multiple medications.  She knew it would be a challenge, given their home was more than a two-hour drive from his doctors in Seattle.  As it turned out, his hospital discharge “was chaotic, inadequate, and poorly timed for everyone,” Susan said.

“We learned a lot through trial-by-fire,” she said. “Fortunately, Edward has a tough character, but the lack of information and training led to huge amounts of unnecessary stress and grief.”

Shadel said the “burden of performing nursing tasks without proper guidance or training is tremendous. It not only puts extra stress on the caregiver, it can result in the patient being readmitted to the hospital.”

That, Shadel said, is why AARP has been working in Olympia and statehouses across the nation to advocate for the Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable (CARE) Act. The meqsure was introduced in the Legislature as House Bill 2424 and Senate Bill 6327. As of the second week of February, before this edition of Senior Scene went to press, both proposals had a favorable recommendation from committees but hadn’t reached a vote by lawmakers.

The current session of the Legislature is scheduled to end March 10. Updated information on the progress of the legislation is available on the Legislature’s web site at leg.wa.gov/billinfo.

Shadel said CARE features three “important” measures:

  • The name of the family caregiver is recorded when a loved one is admitted into a hospital.
  • The family caregiver is notified if the loved one is to be discharged to another facility or back home.
  • The facility must provide an explanation and live instruction of the medical tasks – such as medication management, injections, wound care, and transfers – that the family caregiver will perform at home.

Shadel said AARP’s survey shows strong support of these measures, with 94 percent indicating their support for requiring hospitals to demonstrate medical tasks to caregivers, 91 percent support for requiring hospitals to keep caregivers informed of major decisions, and 82 percent support for requiring hospitals and care facilities to record caregiver information upon admission.

NE Social

Contributing Author by — March 23, 2016 in Spotlight

Engaging and retaining the attention of someone suffering dementia or Alzheimer’s can be a challenging task for caregivers at home. One of the main tips experts offer is to create a standard routine to follow on a daily basis.

Here are some ideas that have proven to be beneficial for people with Alzheimer’s in a community setting and may be helpful at home:

Music therapy

Play music: radio, TV, CDs, sing along with your loved one, play music videos. Music is stored on a side of the brain that never goes away, but it is also often linked to specific memories. Classical music can also be very soothing when someone is having a difficult time.

Intergenerational activities

Usually children (ages 6 to 10) can be a great motivation to older adults with dementia. You can engage children on reading to the person, playing a card game or just talking about things. Little babies and toddlers can take a great amount of stress, but they can be overwhelming at some times, limiting their visits to about 30 minutes can be helpful.

Religion

Many seniors grew up and raised their kids going to church. If this activity is no longer accessible, you can read Bible stories to the senior or still sing some church songs that they may remember.

Aromatherapy

Stimulating senses is very important. Drinking chamomile tea, spraying a little lavender mist on their pillow can be relaxing and help someone sleep better. Rub lotion, put warm soft socks on their feet, a warm towel around their neck — think spa-like activities.

Painting

Artmaking can help them express themselves as well as entertain for a bit. Craft stores like Michael’s have pre-traced canvas that seniors and children together can color. There are also many adult coloring books out there in the market.

Here are some tips to implement when trying to do activities with seniors:

* Encourage, not force someone to participate in activities.

* Activities must be initiated by others.

* Activities should stimulate all five senses.

* Activities should be adult nature and preserve their dignity.

*Activities can be short.

* Activities you think will never work on your loved one sometimes do.

Doing something is better than doing nothing Most communities with memory care offer short term, respite stays and day stay. If doing these activities are difficult for you at home, a community can help you engage your loved one and give them great quality of life.

 

Sandra Cook, who wrote this article, is the community liaison for Aegis Lodge in Kirkland.

Contributing Author by — March 23, 2016 in Health & Fitness

A dark and rainy night. Only a few minutes to get something to eat before the movie, Oh, boy. Legendz Drive In! Oh, joy!
Family-owned drive-in restaurants are few and far between in our area, and finding one that serves really good food quickly and at fair prices is worth noting.
We found Legendz at 12th and Sprague in Tacoma, where they have been open for decades, and ordered a Single Cheese Burger for $3.39, a Philly Cheese Steak for $5.39, a Fish Sandwich at $4.59, two orders of French fries at $1.99 each, and an order of onion rings at $2.65. This is strictly a drive-in. There is no inside seating, but there were tables set up outside for better weather than this soggy night. The order window was covered by Manuel, who took our orders, and soon we had some really tasty sandwiches.
The burger was on a nice sesame bun and had plenty of lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup and mayo on a big, hand-formed ground beef patty that tasted freshly grilled.
The large square-breaded and fried fish patty was crunchy on the outside and tender and full of flavor on the inside. It had lettuce, tomato, pickle and mayo on a sesame seed bun and was delicious.
I never had a really good Philly cheese steak before, but this was one. Chopped tender beef, onions and seasonings grilled together and served with my choice of mozzarella cheese on a big, soft roll. It was drippy and delicious, and I would like to go get another one right now.
The fries were hot and crisp, but the onion rings were chopped and formed and not up to the standards of the rest of this great meal.
Legendz serves comfort food — hot and delicious, quickly and with friendly service.

IF YOU GO
Legendz Drive In
1201 S. Sprague Ave., Tacoma.
253-572-2510
Hours: 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday

Carolyn Augustine, a freelance restaurant writer, writes the Senior Eats column for Senior Scene

One of the menu items at Legendz Drive In, which is making a name for itself with burgers, Philly cheese steaks and other tasty fare.
One of the menu items at Legendz Drive In, which is making a name for itself with burgers, Philly cheese steaks and other tasty fare.

.

Carolyn Augustine by — March 8, 2016 in Food, People

Amid hope of strengthening the well-being of thousands of people dealing with the illnesses, Washington’s first plan to address Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias was officially unveiled during the Alzheimer Association’s Advocacy Day at the state capitol last month.
The plan’s supporters said it identifies ways that public and private partners can coordinate activities and share resources to improve the lives of dementia sufferers and their caregivers.
Recommendations in the plan include increasing public awareness, promoting early detection and diagnosis, preventing emergencies and hospitalizations, expanding family caregiver support systems to help individuals stay in their homes, and postponing or preventing the need for Medicaid or out-of-home placement.
Governor Jay Inslee, noting the plan’s early development grew from summit meetings on aging-related issues in 2013 and legislation that followed, said the resulting state plan “will provide vital support for the over 100,000 Washingtonians currently living with dementia and the over 300,000 caregivers, mostly unpaid family members, who look after them. I have instructed state agencies to begin implementing the plan, which will raise awareness and education, improve well-being and safety, and begin working towards more accessible and affordable long-term care. It’s an important step to help thousands of Washington families.”
The entire plan can be read on the Alzheimer’s Association web site (alzwa.org).
For the official rollout of the plan Feb. 12 in Olympia, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized volunteer advocates to hear Inslee and other speakers address dementia issues and meet with state legislators.
Alzheimer’s, the third-leading cause of death in Washington, is the most common type of dementia. Over the past year, the Alzheimer’s Disease Working Group engaged communities to understand the needs of people with dementia. Those discussions led to the first state plan.
Bill Moss, assistant secretary of the state Department of Social and Health Services and chairman of the working group, said the plan is a way “to create lasting change” for the betterment of the dementia community.
“Improving how we approach and provide care for individuals with dementia is critical,” Moss said. “Early detection and diagnosis creates opportunities that allow individuals to receive the care they need, make plans for the future and have control over decisions affecting their lives.”

srmedia by — March 8, 2016 in News