Joe and Alison Bakey's Elder Care Blog

Elder Abuse in Delaware County PA

Kathy — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:57:24 +0000

Elder abuse is a very serious topic and a very reall issue. I found this article on senioradvice.com that discusses what elder abuse is and ways to help it. Read the full article below.

Elder abuse refers to any action or inaction that results in harm to a senior citizen or puts the senior at risk of harm. This may be physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. It may involve neglect or desertion of a senior citizen. Or, it may be the misuse or theft of an elderly person’s property or money. A family member or friend may commit elder abuse. It may also be perpetrated by health care providers in the home or in a facility.

Elder abuse is a serious problem in the United States. Every year, there are hundreds of thousands of senior citizens who experience this type of abuse. Legislatures in all 50 states have passed laws preventing the abuse of senior citizens. Although these laws differ, Adult protective services (APS) agencies in each state investigate reports regarding elder abuse.

Types of Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is a general term that refers to any deliberate or negligent act that puts a senior citizen in harms way. It may be committed in various ways, they are listed below:

Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Psychological or emotional abuse
Material and financial exploitation
Neglect
Self-neglect
Abandonment

Signs of Elder Abuse

Although a single sign may not necessarily indicate abuse, there are some signs that are highly suggestive of elder abuse. These include:

Bruises, burns, broken bones, or abrasions
Withdrawal from normal activities without explanation
Bruises around the breasts or genital area
Sudden change in finances
Unattended medical needs, poor hygiene, or unusual weight loss
Verbal belittling or threats to the senior

Reporting Elder Abuse

In the case of an emergency, always call 9-1-1. If the elder abuse does not result in medical emergency or pose an immediate threat, one can contact Adult Protective Services (APS). In most cases, APS will conduct an investigation. Services for victims who may need crisis intervention are also available.

If you suspect a senior citizen you know is being abused, get help. If the person is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. If not, call your state’s APS agency. You will not need to give or your name or provide proof. All reports are kept confidential.

Courtesy of Senior Advice - Click Here to read the original article.

Remember for the best in Home Care in the Delaware County PA area visit our website at www.rightathomepade.com or www.ltcep.com/bakey.

Looking for Something to Do? How About Volunteering in Delaware County PA?

Kathy — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:30:56 +0000

Volunteering is such an important thing that we all do. I found this article that gives some great suggestions on Senior Living Guide. Read the article below.

I’m a big believer in volunteering. In fact, my volunteer efforts led me to go back to school and change careers. You just never know where your inspiration will come from.

With the economic downturn we’ve experienced, many people need to focus their time on earning money, but if you have some spare time and would like to help others, the US government has created a list of worthy organizations you might not know about.

Go to USA.gov and click the link Volunteer Your Time.

Serve.gov is a special government-sponsored site that connects volunteers with worthy organizations. Enter keywords for topics that interest you and your location, and you’ll be connected to organizations and projects that need your help.

Courtesy of Sharon O’Brien, Senior Living Guide – http://seniorliving.about.com/b/2010/07/25/how-about-volunteering.htm

For the best in Home Care in the Delaware County PA area visit our website at www.rightathomepade.com or www.ltcep.com/bakey.

Looking for Something to Do? How About Volunteering in Delaware County PA?

Kathy — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:28:41 +0000

Volunteering is such an important thing that we all do. I found this article that gives some great suggestions on Senior Living Guide. Read the article below.

I’m a big believer in volunteering. In fact, my volunteer efforts led me to go back to school and change careers. You just never know where your inspiration will come from.

Go to USA.gov and click the link Volunteer Your Time.

Courtesy of Sharon O’Brien, Senior Living Guide – http://seniorliving.about.com/b/2010/07/25/how-about-volunteering.htm

For the best in Home Care in the Delaware County PA area visit our website at www.rightathomepade.com or www.ltcep.com/bakey.

Senior Online Gamers in Delaware County PA

Kathy — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:07:09 +0000

I found this article on senior gamers and thought it was interesting. Read the excerpt below, and the full article here: http://www.seniorsforliving.com/blog/2010/07/23/senior-online-gamers-passing-the-time-and-fine-tuning-the-mind/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+seniorsforliving%2FwtAk+%28Seniors+For+Living%29.

Senior Online Gamers: Passing the Time and Fine-Tuning the Mind

Farmville. Boggle Bash. Spades. Bejeweled Blitz. Scrabble. Mafia Wars. If you’re on Facebook, you probably recognize these games (and if you’re like me, you have hidden more than your share of the feeds of your gamer friends). Though online games are enjoyed by people of all ages, one group has emerged as the most fervent fan base of popular online gaming Web site Pogo.com: baby boomers and senior women.

I had a chance to chat with a few of these gaming aficionados about their passion for Pogo – in between games, of course.

What They Play … and Why

Caryl Derenfeld is a certified laughter yoga leader and teacher trainer and the owner of Learned Conversations, Inc., a business dedicated to seniors. Every night before she goes to bed, the 52-year-old plays Scrabble; Spades; and Poppit, an arcade game. “It keeps my mind working,” Derenfeld says, “and my goal is to get more than 400 points, which I have on many occasions.”

Ann Middleman, a 50-plus fan of online Sudoku, has played the game all night long on more than one occasion. Intermittently, she’ll complete crossword puzzles online, but, as she puts it, “you do one and it’s done.” The continuity of Sudoku is what draws her in, and she’s constantly trying to beat her best time. Middleman prefers online games to watching TV – after a long day at work, her way to veg is with a good game of Sudoku on her Netbook. “It takes some thinking and skill. You don’t need anyone else to play, and you can put it down anytime (ha!).”

For 51-year-old blogger Susan Tordella, online bridge is her obsession: “I’m totally hooked,” she says. “I play several times a week and don’t care if I play bridge ‘live’ anymore.” Tordella has been a fan of the game for most of her life, but she could never play as often as she liked. To play a good game, she says, you need four people of somewhat equal ability — and coordinating four people on a regular basis is a complex game in itself. Enter online bridge: “There’s no planning. Just sign on, a few clicks and I’m in a game – fantastic!”

“I play on Pogo every day,” says S. Arnold. Arnold’s son signed her up for the site after she had surgery for breast cancer, and gaming became an effective form of physical therapy. “I love it,” she says. “I play Word Search, Boggle Bash, Monopoly Slots, Yahtzee Party, Lottso Express, and Keno every day, as well as any other weekly games for badges.”

Remember for the best in home care visit our website at www.rightathomepade.com or www.ltcep.com/bakey.

‘Villages’ Let Elderly Grow Old at Home in Delaware County PA

Kathy — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:27:32 +0000

I found this interesting article and wanted to pass it along to you. For more assistance with an aging loved one in the Delaware County PA area visit our website at www.rightathomepade.com or www.ltcep.com/bakey.

The explosive growth of the USA’s older population is fueling a grass-roots "village" movement in neighborhoods across the country to help people age in their own homes.

More than 50 villages in a neighbor-helping-neighbor system have sprouted in the past decade from California and Colorado to Nebraska and Massachusetts. They are run largely by volunteers and funded by grants and membership fees to provide services from transportation and grocery delivery to home repairs and dog walking.

Most villages have opened in the past couple of years, an indication that the momentum is growing in the face of a demographic tsunami: The number of Americans 65 and older is expected to more than double to 89 million by 2050, according to the Census Bureau.

The oldest of 79 million Baby Boomers turn 65 next year, a turning point that will begin to put pressure on social services, retirement homes and assisted-living facilities.

The "village" concept is taking off in small and big cities and suburbs across the country as the percentage of elderly rises while the share of the working-age population that supports them declines. The percentage of people 65 and older is projected to climb from 13% today to 19% by 2050, while the share of adults age 20 to 64 is expected to drop from 60% to 55%, the Census Bureau says.

"We will hit a really pivotal point," says Julie Maggioncalda, a University of Pennsylvania geriatric social work student who is interning at the Capitol Hill Village in Washington, D.C. Nursing homes won’t be able to handle all the elderly, she says.

"We simply don’t have enough space, and if we don’t have a village, that burden will fall on families," Maggioncalda says.

AARP research shows that 90% of people want to grow old in their home and community.

"Villages are one way people can lead the life they want to live," says Mimi Castaldi, AARP vice president for volunteer engagement. "They’ve caught the imagination of people."

How villages operate:

•Residents pay a membership fee that varies from $25 to $600 or more a year, depending on the types of services members want. Some villages have paid staff members; others are run completely by volunteers.

•Most villages are opening in more upscale neighborhoods in cities and suburbs, but they all provide discount dues for lower-income elderly.

…continue reading by Clicking Here.

Advances in Equipment Adapted for Elders in Delaware County PA

Kathy — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:51:23 +0000

Here is an interesting article on medical equipment that can help an aging loved one. For more great information in the Delaware County PA area visit our website at www.rightathomepade.com or www.ltcep.com/bakey.

I’m thrilled by the recent advances in adapted equipment. Books, videos, Web sites, and pamphlets are out there for almost any type of elder care, handicap, or special need. They are more widely available than people think. Once you determine your elder’s need, you should be able to find adapted equipment that will improve the quality of his or her life.

Adapted equipment draws from a wide variety of products that can help your elder function more independently and/or on a higher level. They can help your elder regain confidence in his or her abilities, and they can even alleviate your elder’s overwhelming fear of being dependent on others. Along with advancements in medical technology and pharmaceuticals, adapted equipment has come a long way in recent years and can be a vital part of a senior’s later years.

Most people are unfamiliar with adapted equipment, but as a caregiver, you must become aware of this growing field. I’m talking about commonplace products like a wheelchair or an elder-safe stepladder, as well as more obscure products, like jar/bottle openers and grocery store scooters. Other examples include high curved bowls and large-handle eating utensils that help prevent food spills and modified “sippy” cups that prevent liquid from spilling. Anything that can help maintain dignity and independence should be integrated into your elder’s life.

One area that has been improved tremendously is transportation. Cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans can now be modified before they are purchased or on the aftermarket. No matter what your elder’s handicap may be, vehicles today can be adapted so that even a quadriplegic or paraplegic can operate them.

…continue reading HERE.

Understanding Medicare Changes in Delaware County PA

Kathy — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:38:27 +0000

Here is a very helpful article that I found and wanted to pass along to you. For more assistance with an aging loved one in your life visit our website at www.rightathomepade.com or www.ltcep.com/bakey.

Medicare is changing its supplemental policies: how will this affect you?

Understanding the changes to Medicare’s supplemental policies

Important changes to Medicare supplemental policies — also known as Medigap plans — took effect in June. Millions of older Americans buy the plans each year to help pay medical bills. Vicki Gottlich, an attorney at The Center for Medicare Advocacy (medicareadvocacy.org), described the new developments. Her remarks have been edited.

Q What are Medigap plans and how do they work?

Read more by Clicking Here.

The Alzheimer’s Gene, What Difference Does it Make in Delaware County PA

Kathy — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:51:40 +0000

Here is an interesting article that I found on Alzheimer’s and wanted to pass it along to you. For more assistance with an aging loved one in your life visit our website at www.rightathomepade.com or www.ltcep.com/bakey.

PHILADELPHIA – In the most comprehensive study to date, neurologists have clearly identified significant differences in the ways that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects patients with and without the apolipoprotein E ε4 gene (APOE ε4), a known genetic risk factor for the neurodegenerative disease, using a combination of cognitive and neuroanatomic measures. The study found that this gene influences the way the disease manifests, even at its mildest clinical stages.

Study highlights include:

· Patients with mild AD who carry the ε4 form of the APOE gene perform more poorly on memory tests and have more prominent abnormalities in brain regions critical for memory, compared with patients without this gene variant.

· In contrast, patients with mild AD who do not have the APOE ε4 gene perform more poorly on tests of attention, language, and executive function and have more prominent abnormalities in brain regions critical for these abilities, compared to patients with APOE ε4.

…continue reading at by Clicking Here.

Content Provided By www.AlzheimersWeekly.com

Why Patients Are Not Getting the Shingles Vaccine in Delaware County PA

Kathy — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:04:53 +0000

Shingles and its painful complication, called postherpetic neuralgia, result from reactivation of the chicken pox virus, which remains in the body after a childhood bout and is usually dormant in the adult. Up to a third of all adults who have had chicken pox will eventually develop one or both of these conditions, becoming debilitated for anywhere from a week to several years. That percentage translates into about one million Americans affected each year, with older adults, whose immune systems are less robust, being most vulnerable. Once the rash and its uncomfortable sequel appear, treatment options are limited at best and carry their own set of complications.

Committee on Aging Gathers Opinions on How Seniors Can Make Their Retirement More Secure in Delaware County PA

Kathy — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:54:26 +0000

Here is an article that I found and wanted to pass it on to you. For more assistance with an aging loved one in your life visit our website at www.rightathomepade.com or www.ltcep.com/bakey.

Helping older Americans find a way to make their retirement more secure with a lifetime income was the goal of a hearing of the Special Committee on Aging. Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) brought together expert witnesses from government, industry and the non-profit sectors to take a close look at the decisions seniors must make in a defined contribution world to ensure they can have a secure retirement after a lifetime of hard work.

“So far, the focus of most of our education efforts have been on encouraging people to save, but we have done little to help the average retiree make the difficult choices about how to make their savings last,” said Sen. Kohl at the June 16 hearing.

“With Americans living longer, the stakes are high for not adequately managing one’s savings.”

To continue reading Click Here.