So fast forward to the present. Last week, a congressional report was released. It revealed that the AARP stands to gain more than $1 billion from the health care reform bill. This, of course, looks strikingly suspicious to many observers.

This video makes the case in stark terms:

Now, some members of congress are asking for an IRS inquiry into the AARP. But the AARP has shot back, defending themselves and the fact that they take such royalties. In an open letter, Lee Hammond, AARP President said this:

“Until that day comes, the royalties we receive from lending our name to products and services make it possible for us to advocate for the entire 50-plus population…”

This controversy is only beginning. With the massive budget battles that are already taking place around the country, and with the population aging so much already, senior services such as Medicare and Medicaid will be discussed all over the place. And you can be sure that the recent controversies with other subsidized non-profits such as NPR and Planned Parenthood, there will be a magnifying glass on the AARP to see whether or not there is any shady accounting going on, and to discover their motivations for supporting the legislation they do.

We will keep looking at this issue, and continue to talk about elder care services that affect the lives of seniors all around the country.

I believe my dad was possibly showing early signs of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) as early as 10 years before he was finally diagnosed. In hindsight, I remembered he experienced sleep disturbances, lack of muscle control and balance, fatigue that lasted weeks at a time, and one hand would start to shake while at rest. My dad hated going to the doctor any time for any reason, but when PD symptoms started affecting every day activities like dressing, sleeping, talking, driving, and cognitive processing, even he couldn’t deny something was definitely wrong.

I lived almost 1,000 miles away, so I wasn’t there to see his early serious decline, but I during one phone call I was convinced. He was having trouble speaking clearly, and putting thoughts together. I was alarmed and immediately implored him to go get checked out by a doctor. He gave the same “I’m just getting old” line, but I knew it was no time to back down. As soon as we could make the trip, I called a face-to-face intervention with my brothers and mom to have a sit down and really convince him that now was time to face the facts: he needed a doctor’s help.

When I saw him after being gone for over a year, I was shocked at how quickly his symptoms had worsened. In 12 months, he had gone from being the outdoorsy, fisherman, hunter, gardner dad I remembered to…an old man. He shuffled when he walked, his hands shook, his facial expressions froze, his voice had weakened considerably, and he just looked utterly exhausted. But, he was of course, still my dad.

My dad did the tough thing. He faced the thing he feared, and the thing he feared became his reality, but he and my mother found a lot of support along the way. The doctor quickly put him on PD management medications, adjusting the dose and schedule until the found the levels and timing that gave my dad optimal functioning when he most needed it. He began physical therapy and occupational therapy soon after. The therapists came into my parents home and showed my mom and dad strengthening exercises which really helped. A nutritionist also was on hand to offer dietary advice, and my parents made many changes with positive results. The specialists who came and went were very positive and encouraging while gently making my parents aware of the progressiveness of Parkinson’s. This awareness of what was to come was excruciatingly hard for my dad to bear, but really underscored the importance of being consistent in all of the things the specialists were teaching them to do. This awareness of impending struggles also drove my mother to seek a Parkinson’s support group.

It took a while before my dad was willing to attend the Parkinson’s support group with my mother, because as he admitted to her later, he didn’t want to be faced with the dismal picture of his future when meeting more advanced Parkinson’s participants. But he finally did cave, and found the group to be a comfort at some level, just knowing others were going through some of the same things. Being a counsellor by nature and occupation, I think it also helped him to get his focus off his own suffering, and offer comfort and hope to others.

The last time I saw my dad, we had just brought him home after a 6-week hospital stay. We about to move far away again, but we were able to visit with him almost every day while he was in the hospital. We thought he would never make it home. He was weak, having trouble swallowing and breathing on his own, and was put on a ventilator and feeding tube. We brought our three little ones in to sit on grandpa’s bed, sing him songs, and give him kisses and crayon-drawn pictures. I sat in his hospital room day after day and read to him, talked to him, or just held his hand. At one point it hit me: This is my chance to say goodbye. We were able to bring him home, wave goodbye to him as he stood on the front step, and we drove off to find our new home in California. A few months later we got the middle of the night call: my dad had passed away. It’s never easy even when you know it’s coming. I was just thankful we had had som many sweet moments together those few months earlier.

Parkinson’s Disease is a devastating disease, but there are so many more resources out there now than in my grandmother’s day. The medical community has certainly not given up on finding a cure, but in the mean time, it’s not sitting back on it’s laurels. The focus has expanded to include better management and treatment of symptoms, more effective therapies, and improved attention to overall quality of life and physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. That’s a good thing. Parkinson’s Disease is such a hard thing to face, but you no longer have to face it alone.

Stay tuned for more articles this month on Parkinson’s disease, and info on how to find the elder care services you need right here at iCare For Elders.

It was one of the beginning ripples of the Age Discrimination battle that rolled through the first decade of the twenty-first century. It continued all the way through early 2010, when Hollywood writers over forty won a $70 Million class action lawsuit against the studios for age discrimination. This was ironic, especially considering Hollywood’s self-righteous attitude that it is too grown up for such problems. In reality, the film and television industry has perpetuated this problem for decades.

Age discrimination is not a new issue, and it is not over by any means. And it certainly is not confined to Hollywood. When a person becomes a senior citizen especially, they can often have a very hard time holding on to or finding a job. You might remember that airline flight attendants were accused of this years ago, and just about every field as well.

Thankfully, the storm against Hollywood over the past decade might have done its job. Today, people are aware of the issue, and there is a lot of sympathy that comes toward the aging workforce who is so often “easily” replaced by executives looking for a younger image.

One really bright example is Betty White, who, it has just been learned, will host her own prank show on NBC.

Betty White: Youthful Celebrity!

Since then, Betty has become a hero not only for senior citizens, but for young people who think she is “super cool.” Who would have guessed?

So it’s no surprise that NBC just announced the plans for its new show. White will host it, and it will be a sort of hidden camera practical joke kind of show, but it will feature and star senior citizens. Think of “Punk’d” with older folks. They might be doing all kinds of things, like acting senile to embarrass the younger crowd, etc. This concept has worked well in TV shows in Europe, and NBC is betting that with White’s star power, it can be a hit here as well. I guess we will have to wait and see…

So. Is Betty White’s latest rise a signal that we are beyond the age discrimination problem? Probably not. Just as with racism, sexism, and every other negative trend in our society, there will always be those who will look at a person’s age and attach all sorts of negative characteristics to them on that basis alone. But that is an issue for individual character. Perhaps the issue has been talked about so much that it is officially stigmatized. Or maybe it’s just that America’s population is aging rapidly now, and everybody wants to be sure that they can be included in society well into their later years.

Who knows.

But one thing is for sure: Doris Roberts must be proud.

We realized right away that this was a scam. And it got me thinking about how much more susceptible senior citizens are to scams that involve new technology. We knew what to look for, so we were protected.

There were a couple of dead giveaways that this was a scam. First of all, banks aren’t in the business of text messaging their customers, especially at such odd hours. Secondly, the text came from an out of state phone number. Third, and most significantly by far, my friend did not even have an account with the bank!

How the Scam Worked

It was really simple. The thief had probably gotten ahold of a huge phone list of residents in that area. Most of the recipients would probably not be from that bank, but it didn’t matter. Some of them would. And those customers would notice that the digits listed in the text did not match their account. So they would panic (their account was going to be closed!!!) and call the number given (a number that was probably from out of the country), and tell the person what their real account number was. They would feel better, and the thief would feel good too, since he has a new credit card number!

Simple, isn’t it? And probably obvious to most people. But if even one person in a hundred obeyed the instructions, the thief will have made out with big bucks.

Scams that Prey on Seniors with Technology

There are many scams that simply play on a senior’s lack of understanding. This one involved technology, but it wasn’t about how the technology worked. It was about societal norms involving technology. Lots seniors know how to text message nowadays. But do they understand how texts are used in the business world? That is an altogether different question.

When it comes to scams involving technology, seniors need to understand how things are generally done in the business world. For instance:

• Banks will usually call a customer if they need to verify accounts
• When a bank or company needs confirmation on an account number, they will read it to YOU.
• If there is any kind of requests regarding financial transactions from a bank or credit card company, those requests will come in an official manner: a personal phone call, a letter on bank letterhead. If they send an email, it will come directly from the bank’s address (with the company’s URL given, and an invitation for you to Log In.)
• Text Messages are still, for the most part, a very informal method of communication. They are not a medium for sensitive information.

The best rule of thumb is this: if a senior is nervous about when it is safe to give information over the phone or some other modern communication method, then they just shouldn’t. Period. They should get someone else’s opinion first. That way they won’t get burned. And it really is okay to call the police and ask them questions about scams. They understand how they work better than anyone else.

Education really is the best way to protect yourself. Not just in working devices, but in understanding how people communicate on those devices. Let’s help care for elders in our lives so they stay financially safe.

That is why this idea makes me so happy. Recently, the Marquis Home Health company began something called the “New Chapters Program.” It seems to be rooted in this value system. Seniors should not simply be taken care of, they should be listened to. They still have hopes and dreams. They have things they are passionate about. And far too often, they believe that all of these are out of reach. The New Chapter Program sets this notion straight.

This program is initiated by the employees of Marquis Home Health. Employees listen to their patients, trying to understand what makes them tick. And when they are able, they try to step in and help them “turn a page” in their life. To start a new chapter in their life.

For instance, there was one man who used to love skiing. It was a major part of of his growing up. But today, he lives in an Oregon assisted living community, and he has multiple sclerosis. So obvkously, skiing is out of the question, right?

Wrong.

The good folks at Marquis Home Health helped him take to the slopes again, even in his condition. Here is a picture:

This particular story can be found here at an Oregon news site.

Another woman wanted to turn a page in her life by getting into the digital age. Marquis bought her a laptop. She was overjoyed!

Don’t mistake this program for a version of the “Make a Wish” program. These residents aren’t dying. They simply want to begin a new phase of life. And the program validates their wishes. And by doing this, they show how much they value these seniors.

We think that’s awesome.

Here is the deal. Laughter Yoga is almost a misnomer. There is no stretching, and there are no funny poses. You don’t have to be flexible, and you are not aloud to be serene. The only Yoga-esque characteristic here is some deep breathing here and there. Everything else is just, well, silliness.

Case in point: there is a Laughter Yoga studio in Portland, Oregon. A class of about twenty people (almost all women) come together and do “laughter exercises.” They practice laughing in all different imaginary situations. They get in a big circle, and pretend they are opening up a mailbox and finding their credit card bill. The bill is so high, all you can do is laugh! So they laugh outrageously. They do many variations of these little scenarios, and even if people are pushing it in the beginning, they all end up legitimately cracking up after a bit.

The instructor at this studio took her unique strategy to an Oregon Assisted Living facility recently, and the residents seem to really enjoy it. So even though I find the whole thing to be a bit odd, I have to hand it to them: this could really help some senior citizens. After all, it’s fun to be silly, and people have a good time. But that isn’t the main point. The point, as doctors have said many, many times, is that laughter is excellent medicine, and pretty good exercise, too.

The Mayo Clinic website even touts the benefits of laughter. Among other things, they say it:

• Stimulates organs like the heart and lungs by increasing your oxygen intake when you breath, and increases the release of endorphins that the brain releases.
• Relieves tension by stimulating better blood circulation
• Fosters relaxation
• Boosts your immune system
• Can help relieve pain
• Increases your personal sense of wellness

For seniors, who are already very often battling a lot of health problems and emotional difficulties, laughter can go a long way. For some, laughter yoga might help that process.

Laughter yoga is making its rounds not only in Oregon, but around the world. Just google it on Youtube and see all the examples. it’s… interesting. Is it silly? Yes. Would I be caught dead in a laughter yoga class? In a word, no. But could it help our aging loved ones in senior care facilities? Yes, without doubt, it could help. Because even though it seems incredibly silly, laughter is good for you. And if it is good for seniors, then it is good for all of us!

But when my grandpa got into his 80′s, he was no longer able to deal with the constant upkeep of the lot, so he decided it was time to sell it. This was understandable.

Fast forward to today. My grandparents are now living in an assisted living facility–a nice place–and no longer own the home. But they are far, far less off than they would have been had my grandpa asked one of his kids for help. The deal that was offered was pathetic. The house is now gone, and his yard is crowded with multiple houses. The buyer probably got the lot for half of what it was worth.

My uncles to this day are furious. But what could they do? It wasn’t illegal. It was just a matter of a young, slick business man taking advantage of a senior citizen who was in over his head.

How can we help our parents and grandparents avoid this kind of thing? How can we keep them from making bad deals, or from sending money to a dubious organization? How can we protect them from getting scammed? Because 20 percent of scams are inflicted on seniors, and those are just the ones that they REALIZE were scams. The numbers are much worse than they look.

Here’s a start: Keep them on speed dial. Stay in contact with them. Daily. Encourage them to NEVER give money to a group, or to make any type of financial deal without talking with you first. It might sound patronizing at first, but surely you can help them see that the world is changing. Fast. And you can help make sure they don’t get scammed in the process.

Because we care for elders. They are family. And they are worth it.

Anyway, there is the backdrop… So the University of Kansas decided to hire people to keep tabs on their athletes; to make sure they weren’t cutting classes. They had tried using other students, but of course, that didn’t work. So instead, they hired grandparents!

Okay, not the actual grandparents. The University hired a retired elderly police officer and a band of additional senior citizens to watch over the shoulders of the student athletes. If they cut class, the will report them. So far, this arrangement seems to be working out great. The students would prefer a different system, of course, but they go with it. They know deep down that they need the accountability. And who better to give it than actual elderly folks?

This just goes to show you that a retired senior can still make a world of difference. And there are a host of volunteer opportunities as well as part time work available to those who are willing to work outside the box.

So kudos to Kansas! They made a smart move!

Assisted living facilities getting on board with Facebook
Many assisted living facilities have seen the potential benefits of providing those opportunities for their residents to connect and are now offering classes on how to use Facebook.

Is Facebook ushering in a new golden era for seniors?
While reading simple status updates or communicating via messages are no replacement for good old fashioned face-to-face friendships, Facebook appears to be opening up a whole new world to many seniors and expanding their relational horizons on an extreme level.

Before you race out and friend 1,000 people…a word of caution.
Like any online resource, seniors need to use discretion when using Facebook. Avoid disclosing too much personal information in statuses or to acquaintances. Hackers and scammers are taking full advantage of the new Facebook playing field by placing phony games and applications and redirect pages, asking for personal information, and even hacking into your friends accounts and sending personal messages asking for emergency financial help, or providing downloads that turn out to be viruses or spyware. If you ever receive a personal looking message that you’re not sure about, always double check it first! You can find more information on Facebook scams at www.allfacebook.com.

Check with your local assisted living facility or senior center about Facebook classes. If you need some quick, free help finding an assisted living facility or other places tocare for elders, simply click on the banner above.

The burglar was holding a shovel, and bloodied up Wally when Betty came out of her bedroom. Then the burglar told them to cooperate while he tied them up and cleaned them out. Wally refused.

A quick point needs to be made here before I go further: Police think Wally made a mistake here. Really, if you are being robbed–especially by someone more able bodied than you, you really ought to just cooperate. No valuables in your home are worth your life. You never know what kind of weapon an attacker could have concealed on him.

Nevertheless, Wally said no. He refused to give in to the attacker. The young man tried to impose his will, but Wally wrestled him, and eventually, the burglar gave up and fled the scene.

I can’t help but cheer for Wally. Good for him! It made me think back to Tom Brokaw’s nickname for his generation: The Greatest Generation. That is an apt description. Men like Wally don’t stop being men in their old age. They take their sense of courage and principle with them wherever they go–even in their frail state. They will not bow to cowardly attackers.

I know we typically write about living in elderly care, but I couldn’t resist this story. I just got excited about it. It’s another reason why younger folks like me need to remember to treasure and care for elders. They have more to teach us than any of us might care to admit…