Helping a Senior Choose the Right Doctor

Finding the right doctor for an elderly person is a difficult quest, one that seems even more impossible if they have a terminal illness. Many patients with terminal illnesses have found that general practitioners are much less enthusiastic about providing care for them than patients with a “solvable” ailment. Others find a doctor willing to work to improve their quality of life as much as possible, but they are either compassionate, but incompetent; or competent, but have forgotten laymen’s terms and have aweful bedside manner: They’re like listening to a textbook.

Finding a doctor who is competent and has an excellent bedside manner is difficult, but possible, you just have to know where to look and who to ask.

Check with the local support group, particularly one specific to your illness. Many of these people have first hand experience with local practitioners and can tell you who to avoid, and who will potentially suit your needs. If your choices are limited, sometimes just being prepared for Dr. Textbook can really help (like bringing a list of questions).

Quality assurance checks are becoming more and more frequent in the field of medical care. Many doctors reports are free, others charge a small fee.

Online message board or chat groups are excellent sources of anecdotal feedback about caregivers.

Ultimately, you may not know if a doctor will suit your needs until you meet them, so be willing to keep searching. Medical insurance policies can make switching doctors difficult, but switching to a provider who will provide better care and communicate effectively with you could certainly be worth the hassle.

Choosing a Nursing Home

Our friend just went throught the ordeal of moving her grandmother to a nursing home. Grandma’s Alzheimers was getting worse. Getting her to eat was a battle at every meal, medication time was a fight. She needed more care than they could give at home. After years of in home care, it was time to turn to a nursing home for help.

Placing Mom or Dad in a nursing home can be such an emotionally charged experience. But for many people who need more intensive medical care, making the move to a nursing home is absolutely necessary. The process of selecting which home will be best suited to your loved one, can be complicated and overwhelming. But this process can be simplified by some quick prioritizing and simple checklists before you begin your research. Consider what are the most important things to you when choosing where to place your loved one?

Location

Keeping Mom or Dad in close proximity to family and friends is perhaps the most important consideration since frequent visits with familiar faces often make the biggest impact on a resident’s quality of life and positive mental health. Keeping close ties with family is more important than the asthetics of the grounds and buildings.

Nursing Home Quality Assurance Report

That said, doing a little online research before heading out to personally check each site can save you a lot of leg work. Top priority here would be to check the safety and quality assurance reports of each nursing home you are considering. Many items on your checklist will be addressed in those reports.

Quality assurance reports are usually done by a neutral, third party company, and are random checks on everything from occurrence of bedsores and neglect to having adequate, qualified staff. These safety reports can be obtained directly from the nursing home or may be found here. These reports identify Oregon Nursing Homes which have safety violations. These reports may give you an idea of which nursing homes you need to avoid.

Cost of Nursing Care

No one wants finances to be a deciding factor, but because of the high cost of nursing home care, unfortunately costs must be taken into consideration. Some nursing homes will accept Medicare. For a list of Oregon Nursing Homes covered by Medicare, click here. Other nursing homes are willing to work out a payment plan or have some kind of financial assistance. Check with the individual homes for more information on this.

Finally, with checklist and questions in hand, visit each nursing home to get a first hand look. Is this a place going to work for Mom or Dad? Request an appointment to go over any questions you might have. Making repeated visits on different days and at different times is recommended to get a more complete picture of what the nursing home is really like.

While not a particularly enjoyable decision to make, choosing a nursing home doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a little preparation, you can make the decision with more confidence and find the place that suits you and your loved one the best.

Senior Mobility: Hello Mobile Technology

For a house bound loved one, a cell phone may be unnecessary. A mobile device would be an absolute waste of money for my grandfather, whose eyes are bad and who never goes out. But his story is not the norm anymore. There are many seniors who are finding ways to get out and about as much as they can. Particularly if they live in an assisted living community, there are plenty of opportunities for our elders to have a mobile social life. Some communities offer Bingo at night, shopping trips downtown, or even dancing. In other words, Assisted Living communities can actually help grandma to be mobile. So naturally, she needs a mobile phone.

Some seniors have held on to a suspicious, negative attitude toward technology, but they are getting past that. One of my dear friends just turned 70, and she has a 17 inch Mac Book Pro. Now she doesn’t know how to do anything but check her email, but still. She is proving that she is not afraid.

And she isn’t alone. According to a recent survey, American seniors are adapting far better to new technology than their European counterparts. 65% of Elders in the U.S. are said to have a positive attitude toward technology.

What do they use them for? Conversations. How novel! They don’t check their stocks, they don’t play Farmville, and they don’t download Jay-Z mp3′s. No, they talk and occasionally text, provided the buttons and screen are large enough.

For technology cheerleaders, this is welcome news. And for those of us who worry how Grandma fairing in her new Assisted Living Community, this is also good news. A senior with a cell phone is a senior who is reachable.

So if she doesn’t have one yet, it’s time to get a cell phone for grandma. There are plenty of low-minute Senior plans out there that serve well for emergencies. They usually cost between $30 and $45 per month. That’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Alzheimer’s Support Groups in Oregon

The demands of caregivers are well known, if not well appreciated. Giving elder care at home is physically unable to care for themselves is difficult enough, and introduces a host of stresses and complications that the average person never even thinks about. When you combine those problems with Alzheimer’s or Dementia, the issue becomes even more difficult.

For these dear caregivers, support groups can be priceless.

There are many people who balk at the idea of support groups because of what they see on television. They see superficial gatherings of people who smile alot and continually say things like, “we’re here for you.” These people are often battling serious addictions or emotional brokenness.

This is an incomplete picture. Support groups are, simply about supporting people in a difficult situation. If you are caring for a person with Alzheimer’s, you know that it isn’t easy, and only those in similar situations can really relate to the frustration, the sadness, and the burdens you carry. Many people don’t share those things wiht friends and family for fear of being judged. But this is not a great concern at a support group because you are dealing with total strangers who have gone through similar things. At these groups you can find resources, tips, advice, and answers. Best of all, you can forge new, lasting relationships with people who can continue to walk with you and your loved one during a difficult season where you need people more than anybody else.

To find Alzheimer’s support groups in the state of Oregon, click here.

If you are looking for memory care, you can find Alzheimer’s focused Assisted Living in Oregon, click here for Salem, here for Eugene, or here for Portland.

Avoiding Caregiver Burnout

There aren’t many jobs as noble as being a caregiver! Indeed, it is a worthy cause, and one which society is beginning to celebrate more and more. But for the caregiver, the nobility and grace are lost in the sheer emotional and physical demands of his or her duties. It is exhausting, stressful work! Many caregivers work themselves to the point of exhaustion, and then burn out quickly. This is, appropriately, referred to as “Caregiver Burnout.”

Caregiver Burnout is not something that HAS to happen to any caregiver. It is an occupational hazard, but occupational hazards can be avoided! Here are some signs that you as a caregiver need to watch for in yourself:

• Are you frequently exhausted
• Do you feel helpless? Do you easily become irritated by little things?
• Do you ever start resenting the person you’re caring?
• Are you becoming anxious?
• Do you find that you’re crying more than you normally do?
• Is your health fragile?

If you answered yes to some of these questions, you need to be on your guard. Things should not continue this way. And they don’t have to.





Here are a few ideas to keep Burnout at bay:

• Proper Diet: Don’t underestimate the importanace of eating right! If you don’t, you won’t have the physical or emotional energy to keep up with all your duties. You need energy, just like your car needs Gasoline! So put enough of the right stuff in the tank!

• Exercise: This is another basic that is easily overlooked. Proper exercise helps helps to build and sustain your energy levels. So go out and take a walk!

• Do things you Like: It is NOT selfish to schedule time for yourself. If you don’t, you will only feel less satisfied and more upset. Your hobbies should not end just because you are a caregiver. Your life is not over. So find a way to actively pursue the things you used to pursue.

• Ask for Help: Contrary to the opinions of many caregivers, it is really okay to admit that you need some help. You are not responsible for the entire well being of your family circle. Let people know you need a hand, and they will likely give it. Remember there are some really helpful services like Respite Care and Adult Day Care homes that are designed especially with you in mind. Take advantage of them!

• Find people you can talk to: You need to vent sometimes. You need someone who will hear you without judging you. A support group can be extremely helpful! Otherwise, schedule time to talk with your best friends, or a family member who knows how to listen. And when you find that person, let your guard down and be honest.

• Learn this word: “No.” I understand it’s a difficult one for you to pronounce, but if you don’t learn to say it, you will end up taking on all kinds of thins you never wanted to take on. For some reason, people often see all that caregivers do, and think they are superheroes. So they ask the caregiver to do even more! Don’t get more stressed than you already are. Just say “No.” It doesn’t make you a jerk. Don’t worry, they’ll understand.

• Encourage Independence: The person you care for might be relying on you a little too much. Consider encouraging him or her to do those things they still can do themselves! This not only lightens your load, it encourages a sense of well-being and dignity.

Remember not to overdo it! Stay balanced in a healthy way. You don’t have to burn out! In fact, you really can experience the fulfillment of your incredibly important job if you keep things in perspective!

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