But today, as kidney failure seems to have skyrocketed since those days, the medical industry now has to make choices as to who will get treatment and who will not. The first problem is that we are broke as a nation. The second problem is that the medical community cannot properly handle all the people who need treatment.

The article goes on to talk about how oftentimes, doctors are hesitant to recommend dialysis for patients who are experiencing a ton of health problems already. If you have a person whose kidneys are failing, and who is also in the late stages of cancer or heart disease, or perhaps Alzheimer’s, etc, then dialysis might be of no use whatsoever. Some doctors say that this treatment could end up causing a world of pain and problems for those seniors. And because there is a shortage of available treatment anyway….

Okay, you can see where this is going. It’s a real problem, but there is something about it that makes me uneasy. Are we talking about health care rationing at this point? Are we going to dictate who is allowed to get what kind of treatment?

Honestly, I don’t know the answers here, but the issue is troubling. The article talks about how almost no senior wants to forgo dialysis. Why? Because they know it can keep them alive. Their quality of life might not be helped at all. But they will at least be alive. And they want that option. But the doctors would counter and say that kidney treatment won’t help them if they are just going to die of something else that they are suffering from.

My question is this: will cardiologists suggest that they should not treat heart patients who are already suffering greatly of kidney issues? Or will they turn down surgery candidates because they think the patient might die anyway as a result of the patient’s cancer? And then will the oncologist refuse to offer chemotherapy to a cancer patient because that patient has heart trouble? Or because the patient is on dialysis?

Do you see the problem? Where does it start, and where does it end? I assume that we are only having the discussion about dialysis because we are talking about the direct appropriation of federal tax dollars?

Look, I am not getting political here. This is obviously a complicated issue, and I don’t pretend to understand it all. I am not a doctor or a politician. I’m a pastor. I happen to think that senior citizens are people who are every bit as valuable as any member of society, no matter what abilities, or disabilities they have. I believe they are made in the image of God, and they ought to be respected. That’s what we do at iCare for Elders. So this whole discussion is really disconcerting. I don’t want to give anyone an excuse to let sick seniors die.

I can only hope and pray that the ones who have to make these awful decisions make them carefully. And that they will put the needs and the desires of patients at the highest priority at all times.

The protests that are raging in Madison are being done by public sector unions who oppose the new governor’s plan to balance the state budget. Both sides know the budget crisis is big and something must be done. He wants to cut back on the meaty benefits package that many state employees are getting, which are in many cases far higher than private employees. And he wants to make sure this does not happen again by limiting their ability to collectively bargain. That really set off many of his constituents, especially the public school teachers, and the protests began. Thousands came to the Madison capitol steps, and sparked a nation wide debate on how best to get our finances under control

The purpose of this article is not to splice the labor issues, but to consider the larger issue of what a budget crunch is going to mean for senior care across the country. Here is the reality: we are broke. As a nation, and as individual states. Legislators, governors and presidents have been authorizing new spending bills left and right, but there is not enough money coming in to cover them.

Here’s one article from the Orlando Chronicle that explains the dilemma. As you can see, this is not a Republican / Democrat issue, but a mathematical one. Nobody knows how to predict where the cuts will come exactly, or how deep, but they are going to come. And baby-boomers who are going to be seniors soon would be wise to consider how to best find affordable health care when they need to retire.

Here is why: it costs a state around $6,000 per month in Medicare funds to care for a patient in a nursing home. Naturally, this figure adds up very quickly. As states are looking for places to cut spending, they will not overlook this. And I expect they will turn to cheaper options, like Home Health Care.

Senior Home Care: Is it the Future?

Home Health Care agencies are popping up all over the country, both because many seniors would prefer to stay home then move into a senior care facility, and because home care is generally cheaper than assisted living, which patients usually pay for themselves. This trend is likely to continue as states buckle down on their budgets. If they can affordably take care of Assisted Living patients who need help with activities for daily living, could they also conceivably care for nursing home patients in their own home and save lots of money doing it?

They will certainly look into it, and if you are in this position, you really should consider it, too. Whether you are fitting the bill yourself, or Uncle Sam is helping out, home health care companies are figuring out ways to be more efficient than other forms of care for elders.

Could this ever happen in the world of assisted living and elderly care? Well, consider the efforts of some scientists in Japan. They are developing the RIBA (Robot for Interactive Body Assistance) to be a special kind of helper in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. RIBA’s job description is pretty narrow so far: it helps seniors transfer from a bed to a chair, and vice versa. But the developers have high hopes that some day, this bear-robot-caregiver will be able to do much more.

Since “transferring” is one of the most common types of Activities for Daily Living that are dealt with in Assisted Living facilities, RIBA could become a real help in senior homes in the future. Lifting patients can be a full-time gig in larger facilities, and it can be exhausting, especially for smaller caregivers. If there was a way to utilize technology in caring for seniors, would it be worth it?

There are other ambitious scientists that are also researching into using robotics in elder care services, as outlined and discussed at this Elderly Care blog. Do you agree with their conclusions?

Oregon Elder Care Services are broad. Portland, in particular, offers just about any type of elder care housing that you could possibly ask for. Whether you need nursing home care, assisted living, retirement care, continuing care, alzheimer’s care… the list goes on and on… they have it.

Here are some listings for Portland

• Portland Nursing Homes
• Portland Elder Care (General)
• Portland Memory Care

The same is true for the smaller cities of Eugene and Salem. Each of these cities have around one hundred fifty thousand residents, and yet both have a good selection of senior housing. This includes a new form of senior care: residential home care. This is a type of assisted living that lets seniors live in a family setting. It also includes continuing care, which is a “continuum of care” that begins with retirement living, and lets the patient get more care as the need arises. Residents can move into an assisted living facility or a nursing home facility without signing a contract with a new company. It is an all encompassing type of elder care.

Here are some directory listings for Eugene

• Eugene Memory Care
• Eugene Assisted Living
• Eugene Elder Care (General)

And Finally, somem links for Salem

• Salem Memory Care
• Salem Nursing Homes
• Salem Assisted Living

To find assisted living where you are, use the box at the top right corner of this page. For more advice on elderly care, visit that link.

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]]> http://www.icareforelders.com/946/oregon-elder-care-services/feed/ 0 http://www.icareforelders.com/940/when-you-cant-be-there-this-christmas/ http://www.icareforelders.com/940/when-you-cant-be-there-this-christmas/#comments Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:48:04 +0000 admin http://www.icareforelders.com/?p=940 We can all imagine just how difficult it would be to be left alone in an Assisted Living facility over Christmas time. So what do you do as a family member who lives hundreds of miles away? How can you help grandma to avoid becoming one of the millions of Americans who get depressed over the holidays?

This is not an easy answer. There is no simple fix. People want to be together on the holidays, and there is simply no substitute for a human touch. However, there are a couple of things you can do to help your aging loved one know that she is loved and remembered.


First, call her, and then call her again! Seriously. Give her a phone call the night before Christmas. Let the children tell her how much they love her. Take time to tell her you wish she could be with you. And then call her again the next morning to say how much the kids enjoyed opening their presents. Her present to them:)

Secondly, get her visuals as soon as possible. If she has video chat capabilities (we have talked a lot about that on this site!), then get her on Skype or Face Time and let her be a part of the festivities. Let her see your faces. If not, send her pictures right away. Chances are, she at least has email, right? Send her some photos of the kids, the food, the tree. Make her a part of the celebration even though she is away.

Finally, make her gift personal! Don’t just order something for her online and have it shipped to her elder care services home. That is all well and good, but just make sure you do something else as well. Something that has a person ring to it. Have the kids make her a gift. Send a personal card with personal photos. Put some real thought into it. Write her a note. Make her a calendar with faces of the kids. Just do something to let her know that you cared enough to take some time for her.

There is no way to completely fend off the feelings of sadness and loneliness over the holidays for grandma. But you can at least let her know that no matter where she is, you and the family still love her very much. For more ideas, check out Elderly Care Services.

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]]> http://www.icareforelders.com/940/when-you-cant-be-there-this-christmas/feed/ 0 http://www.icareforelders.com/831/sunday-services-at-oregon-nursing-homes/ http://www.icareforelders.com/831/sunday-services-at-oregon-nursing-homes/#comments Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:05:19 +0000 admin http://www.icareforelders.com/?p=831 Last month, my daughters got their second chance to be a part of our church’s nursing home and assisted living home visits. They were not terribly excited about this at first, which is not surprising. After all, kids are not supposed to like elderly people.

But in the process, they have learned a thing or two: these people are really smart and kind people, and they really love God. As a result, my daughters can see the value in going on Sunday afternoon to put on a miniature church service.


Many churches put on similar services at their local nursing homes. The sad part is, however, that most churches don’t put a whole lot of thought or heart into these visits. That is my experience anyway. I remember putting on services at my the local nursing home in my midwest town, and we dreaded it. Only a handful of us would go, and we always looked for a way out.

Here is what I realized somewhere along the way: these precious people are far more vibrant inside than they are able to be on the outside. Inside, many have quick minds and big hearts. They get wheeled down to the big room because they always went to church. They love church. They love God. It is part of who they are, then and now.

Shouldn’t those people deserve the church’s best efforts and not their leftovers? I think so. And I think we really should be more like my daughters, whose local Oregon elder care facility visit gave them a new appreciation for the elder generation.

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]]> http://www.icareforelders.com/831/sunday-services-at-oregon-nursing-homes/feed/ 0 http://www.icareforelders.com/820/how-to-talk-about-assisted-living/ http://www.icareforelders.com/820/how-to-talk-about-assisted-living/#comments Thu, 14 Oct 2010 21:10:10 +0000 admin http://www.icareforelders.com/?p=820 The Assisted Living choice can be a difficult one for the entire family. When you have to say to your parents “I think it is time for you to move out of your home to a place where you can be taken care of,” well, it is har do to make that work without sounding condescending or harsh. But you can do it. And if you really think that their situation warrants that big of a change, it would be wrong of you to ignore that. You need to talk about it.

Talking about assisted living with your parents

Here are a few suggestion for how to introduce the subject without offending them.

1) Do some preliminary research. Elder care is not what it used to be. This does not have to be a drab situation, where they will be sitting in a sterile common room watching Jeopardy and eating yesterday’s jello. Today’s assisted living facilities offer all kinds of excellent activities and opprotunities to make new friends and have good fellowship. Plus, the facilities are far better than they used to be. The point is, do your homework. Find a few facilities that you think could work for them. Get some brochures, and some good information.

2) Shoot straight with them. This is not a time to beat around the bush. Do not offend them by sounding condescending, like you are trying to protect them from the truth. Be honest about your concerns, and about what you think could be solutions.

3) Reaffirm your commitment to them. They are your parents. No matter what happens down the road, you will love them. You will be there for them. If they go into a different housing situation, that will not change. Their biggest fear might just be that they would be left in an assisted living facility alone. Don’t let that happen.

If you are looking for an Oregon assisted living facility, or elder care in any other state, use the search box at the top of this page.

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]]> http://www.icareforelders.com/820/how-to-talk-about-assisted-living/feed/ 0 http://www.icareforelders.com/817/finding-oregon-elder-care/ http://www.icareforelders.com/817/finding-oregon-elder-care/#comments Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:20:58 +0000 admin http://www.icareforelders.com/?p=817 It’s true: the search for Oregon Elder Care is never all that pleasant. If your loved one is healthy but needs to move out of the house because of increasing physical demands, it can be easier, because at least a retirement center is generally a comfortable place. But it is still sad, because it signals a permanent change. And if the move is to a nursing home or Alzheimer’s care, the move is all the harder.

Finding Oregon Elder Care

First, you need to assess the needs of your parent or grandparent. Why do you need this change? You already know the reason. Chances are, the responsibilities that come with home ownership and living alone are getting to be too much. But let’s get more specific. Are they in at least relatively good health? If so, it is probably a good idea to look for a minimally invasive form of Oregon elder care. Assisted Living communities can be a great fit here, because there is a medical team and a general support staff right there on site, but they will not be hovering over your loved one like they would at a nursing home. And the benefit of living in a community cannot be understated. Loneliness no longer has to dominate.

Of course, if health is a big concern, you might need to consider a full time nursing home or a high level residential care home that is staffed by a registered nurse. These are intensive forms of assisted living that understand their role to watch over the patient and fight whatever is ailing them.

You can find out more about all of these forms of elder care right here on this site. Once you figure out exactly what you need, I encourage you to get a helping hand in the process by clicking on the banner below. There, you can gain access to a massive database of Oregon Elder Care facilities, and can get help from an elder care advisor.

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]]> http://www.icareforelders.com/817/finding-oregon-elder-care/feed/ 0 http://www.icareforelders.com/810/oregon-assisted-living/ http://www.icareforelders.com/810/oregon-assisted-living/#comments Sat, 09 Oct 2010 03:11:31 +0000 admin http://www.icareforelders.com/?p=810 If you need to find an Oregon Assisted Living facility for your loved one, let us help you think through the process. There are so many great spots in the state, and so many great care facilities. It’s not as if you can’t lose… you can… but there is no reason to lose. There are just too many great options for that. So let’s take a couple of minutes to consider some primary questions to get you into the right frame of mind before you being the journey.
1. Location: Where do you want to settle down? There are several considerations here, of course. First and foremost is the proximity between your loved one and the rest of the family. Are you close? If not, then this will not matter quite as much. But for family oriented senior citizens, there is simply no substitute for being close to the grandkids. And you, too:) So make sure the city you choose isn’t too much of a hike. But even beyond family concerns, ask yourself what type of climate and setting they like. Are they active, and do they enjoy getting out to shop, go to shows or restaurants? Then Portland or Salem is probably your best bet. Do they enjoy beautiful scenery? Bend, Medford Ashland are the place for mountain lovers, and ocean dwellers should look into Newport, Florence, or  Coos Bay, among others.




2. Type of Care: How physically intact is your loved one? Are they fighting with diseases that require them to have a nurse around them twenty four seven? If not, then you probably do not need a full time nursing home. There are many types of care that would help them still, like a traditional assisted living facility, where they could benefit from being around peers during the day, but still maintining some privacy and independence. They would have medical help when needed, but they could keep to themselves as much as they would like to. Assisted Living also provides great outlets for fellowship and fun. If that sounds like just… too many people and too much activity, consider the residential home care option. This is assisted living on a small scale, where a senior citizen lives in house with a family (often including a nurse), who will live right there with them as if it was their own home. Or maybe you can care for them some of the time, but you can’t during the week days. Maybe an adult day care center would be just the type of part time elder care you need!




3. Cost. Will medicare cover the type of housing they need? Most assisted living homes will not be covered, but most nursing homes will. Just be sure to check this right at the forefront. No sense getting half way into the process before realizing you will not be able to afford it.

So there you have it. Three easy preliminary steps to get you into the right frame of mind before choosing an Oregon Assisted Living facility. Now comes the fun part: looking into individual facilities, and checking out the amenities. You can start that right now, too, by using the “Find Senior Housing” box at the top of this page. Have fun!

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]]> http://www.icareforelders.com/810/oregon-assisted-living/feed/ 0 http://www.icareforelders.com/804/nursing-homes-doing-your-homework-staying-informed/ http://www.icareforelders.com/804/nursing-homes-doing-your-homework-staying-informed/#comments Fri, 08 Oct 2010 12:17:44 +0000 admin http://www.icareforelders.com/?p=804 I know I’m not alone when I say that even the words “nursing home” evoke a vaguely drab sensation. The words make me sad, because in my experiences nursing homes are sad. But it’s more than that. Nursing homes have a pretty rough reputation. Is that because we have watched those under cover investigations on 20/20 or Dateline NBC? Is it because of the horror stories we have all heard about awful patient neglect and thoughtless nursing home staff who sit and flirt in the lobby while the patients suffer helplessly?


All of that plays into the negative connotations we get, but it is important to realize something: nursing homes no longer have to be this way. All of those investigations, all of those horror stories have made an impact in the industry. Now there are government task forces and state monitors to come in unannounced at any time to check on the living conditions of the patients and the general healthiness of the environment.

These reports are online, too. Anyone who is looking for a nursing home for their loved one can go and look them up at any time. And honestly, they have no reason NOT to do this. If someone else has made complaints against a given facility, you owe it to your loved one to find out about that. If a particular nursing home has a history of health violations, check it out, and see how serious those violations were. Are these violations a pattern? Check back into previous inspections.


Doing your homework can pay off big time when looking into nursing homes. And once you choose one, you can continue to be an investigator. Talk to your loved one. Talk to other patients. Talk to the nurses. Be forthright about what you expect from them. After all, you are paying THEM to work for your loved one. As such, if they are doing a poor job meeting expectations, you can fire them and hire a better nursing home.

It’s the digital age, and you can stay informed. Even better, you can use your information to help many other people make the best decision possible for their parents and grandparents. Everybody wins with information.

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