caring for aging parents

TEDMED’s Great Challenges Day Addresses Caregiver Crisis

Posted on 05/2/2013 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | RelationshipsRecently, I participated in the first TEDMED Great Challenges day which addressed 20  great challenges (see my previous post about the Dementia Tsunami, one of TEDMED’s Great Challenges). I participated in a breakout group of about 20 people who rolled up our sleeves and dove into a discussion of the “caregiver crisis.” It was an afternoon full of passion and spirit among all contributors. Many of us are or have been caregivers; others approached the topic from a business viewpoint (those who …

Is Your Loved One Really Getting the Care You Expect?

Posted on 03/7/2013 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | RelationshipsRecently, there has been a great deal of controversy about an employee in an independent living facility in California who refused to do CPR on a resident, citing company policy forbidding her to do so. The resident later died, sparking many questions about types of facilities, the kind or “level” of care provided and their policies. Several investigations have been launched as a result of the incident. The facility at first said the employee followed policy, but later released a statement saying, “The incident resulted from …

Medicare Settlement Means No More ‘Improve or You’re Out’

Posted on 02/6/2013 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Money & Savings | Personal Health | PoliticsA federal judge has approved the proposed Settlement Agreement in the Medicare Improvement Standard case, Jimmo vs. Sebelius, clearing the way for thousands of Medicare beneficiaries to receive needed health services to maintain their current level of functioning. The settlement, which represents a significant change in Medicare coverage rules, ends Medicare’s longstanding practice of requiring people to show a likelihood of improvement in order to receive coverage of skilled care and therapy services. The Agreement, which is retroactive to the …

A Caregiver’s Tough Lessons Learned

Posted on 01/19/2013 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | RelationshipsA friend recently told me she didn’t understand how I survived 2012. It was a rough year, to say the least, for our family. In retrospect, I know that I do what each of the other 42 million caregivers across this nation do — we just keep going — what else are we to do? The good news is that along with the challenges, there are also many triumphs, blessings and lessons learned. As I look back at the past …

A Prayer from my Dad: Hope, Inspiration and Alzheimer’s

Posted on 01/4/2013 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | RelationshipsRecently, when he was told it was Sunday, Dad asked if we were going to have a “service or a blessing.” Although he leads us in grace for every meal, he has never asked about this before. I put together a short service for us around the kitchen table with a reading and a prayer. I asked what hymn he would like to sing, and he began to sing The Lord’s Prayer. Although we sing throughout every day, I don’t …

Home for the Holidays: Check on Older Loved Ones

Posted on 12/3/2012 by | Aging, Home & Family Expert | Comments

Caregiving | Home & Family | RelationshipsWhether you’re heading over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house, or flying in on a jet plane, there’s no place like home for the holidays. As you visit older relatives you may not see very often, most importantly, enjoy each other’s company when you get together. But also take advantage of family time to observe your older loved ones’ home, safety, health, finances and support system. Here are some tips about what to ask about and look for: Home …

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