Chicago's Geriatric Care Manager Center of Excellence – Since 1991 | Chicago's Geriatric Care Manager Center of Excellence

Listen to an Astronaut about COVID-19
A small percentage of us may be coping with symptoms of COVID-19 or we know someone who is, but...
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March 24, 2020
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Trusted Voices on COVID-19
The news cycle calls the COVID-19 crisis a rapidly developing story. It unfortunately also has been one with a...
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March 17, 2020
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One is Number One Threat to Seniors
We’ve all had times when we desperately need our own space…time to ourselves, just ourselves. And it’s good to...
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March 10, 2020
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Helping Your Older Loved One – AND You – Avoid COVID19
All of us here know how to prepare for a blizzard, people in the South know how to prepare...
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March 3, 2020
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Part 2: Five Important Tips for Caregiving and Self-Care
In my last post, I gave you some tips on distance caregiving that arguably could be called the 30,000...
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February 18, 2020
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Tips for Distance Caregiving: Up Close and Personal at a Distance
If you think being a caregiver to an older loved one is hard–with all the trips to help them...
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February 4, 2020
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There is an ‘I’ in Caregiver: 5 Tips to Avoid Burnout
We all have heard of coaches exhorting their players to work together by saying “there is no ‘I’ in...
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September 25, 2018
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Singing is a Breath of Fresh Air for Caregivers
Associate Care Manager Gregory is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) whose work focuses on...
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February 12, 2018
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Insta-Gram: It’s a Date!
Associate Care Manager Gregory Peebles returns with a series on the Internet and aging. Gregory is both a Certified...
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September 23, 2017
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In the Caregiver's Words

Recent Client Praise

As a geriatric care manager, we have knowledge of Alzheimer’s Disease and its progression, less about its causes and its treatment, but we cannot know Alzheimer’s like a patient with the condition can. I recently was introduced to the writings of an “expert” who has gained his insights by being an Alzheimer’s patient since he was first diagnosed with dementia which has been presumed to be Alzheimer’s at age 58. Now 65 years old, Richard Taylor, Ph.D., a psychologist, has written a book titled Alzheimer’s from the Inside Out, and he issues a monthly newsletter on the subject. The following is an excerpt from his most recent newsletter. For those who are caregivers or family members of a patient with Alzheimer’s, this may offer some sense of living with the condition from the patient’s point of view:

“I am Richard, an individual living with the symptoms of dementia, probably (maybe) of the Alzheimer's type. This is my monthly newsletter for February, the month of my birth (Chicago, Illinois/Jackson Park Hospital 4:30 PM), at least that is what my Mom told me. This really isn't a newsletter; it's more like a report of what's happened to me in the past 30 or so days. It is sort of like my book, Alzheimer's From the Inside Out, except this newsletter is free and without charge (at least for now). It will soon be published in five languages - the newsletter that is. Through it, I have made and maintained friends with kindred spirits all over the world.

We all share more than a failing memory and slipping cognitive skills. We all want to know as much about what we "have" as possible. We all want to understand the research that is going on. We all to a greater or less degree are hoping for a cure - whatever the hell that means to each of us- within our lifetime, affordable to our families, with side effects that are significantly less than the symptoms of dementia with which we now live, and oh, by the way, could it reverse at least some of the more intrusive symptoms of this or that form of dementia.

I have spent a lot of time this month thinking and writing about this. I am not a researcher; I am not a physician or a pharmacist. I am just, Richard, a tall guy with a beard who is living with the more and more intrusive and more insoluble symptoms of dementia with which I have to cope if I want to live a purpose full, joy filled, love filled, and complete life. Most times this is much harder than I want it to be. It's not fair, it's not right, it just is. So I most times try to cheerfully embrace today, live in it as fully as I can by myself, and live in it more fully as a result of the enabling support of my family and those who love/like me.

Welcome to my inner and outer world more and more defined by dementia, probably (maybe) of the Alzheimer's type.”

Richard

Please check out Dr. Taylor’s newsletter and more about his book on his web site Richard Taylor PhD

Charlotte Bishop is a Geriatric Care Manager and founder of Creative Case Management, certified professionals who are geriatric advocates, resources, counselors and friends to older adults and their families throughout metropolitan Chicago. Please email your questions to Charlotte Bishop.

Copyright ©2011
Do you remember when you had your last dental exam? Your last annual physical exam? Eye exam? How about flu shot? Or shingles or pneumonia vaccine? Gets to be a rather long list, doesn’t it? Your medical providers’ names and contact information? Now, if you have an older loved one, you now have another list of to dos and information to track. Yet you should have all of this and more at your fingertips, because knowing the stats could very well save your loved one's life ...because they may not have all of that information readily available either. The good news is that most health care systems these days keep all of that in a large data base that is accessible by patients, so you simply have to know your loved one’s user name and password. But you should get organized nonetheless. The categories of information you will want organized (consider an accordion file folder if you are more comfortable with paper or a file folder on your personal computer if you can digitize all information):
- Basic contact information, in case of emergency( ICE) and medical releases (If you need a form for this, please write to our info@creativecaremanagement.com -we will share one we use, powers of attorney (for medical), advanced directives, etc.
- Personal medical history of your loved one as well as relevant family medical history given that many medical conditions are genetically linked - "in the family."
- Current primary care provider information and predecessor providers if there has been any switch of providers.
- Other medical specialists whom your loved one has seen or continues to see, such as OB/GYN, cardiologist, endocrinologist, etc.
- Dentist contact information and a history of dental visits and any conditions of ongoing concern
- Alternative providers which may range widely from chiropractors to podiatrists, from acupuncturists to massage therapists and more.
- A record of all recent lab or other diagnostic tests and screenings.
- A history of all immunizations including the seasonal flu vaccines as well as less frequent TB tests, tetanus immunizations and beyond.
- A list of all medications (dose amount and frequency), over the counter medications (e.g., analgesics, sleep aids, etc.) and nutritional supplements.
- Insurance contact information as well as any forms or recent billing advice forms in order to track who has been reimbursed and who has not or even who has billed inappropriately.
- Allergies to foods or medications or other environmental risks (e.g., bee stings) of note.
- And, of course the "miscellaneous" category for everything else that may be relevant (e.g., pets and their food preferences, passwords, etc.).
Charlotte Bishop is an Aging Life Care Advisor, Geriatric Care Manager and founder of Creative Care Management, certified professionals who are geriatric advocates, resources, counselors and friends to older adults and their families in metropolitan Chicago. She also is the co-author of How Do I Know You? A Caregiver’s Lifesaver for Dealing with Dementia.
I have written in other postings about how “staying active” can be tremendously important for older adults or others with special needs. Everyone – no matter what their age – can be active, and it does not even require going to a gym or spa to do it.

Elders and others should be encouraged to use everyday items around their homes to help them maintain range of motion and strength. All of what I am sharing here should be cleared with a personal physician to be sure that it is within an acceptable range of activity for the elder or other special needs person in your orbit. The following are just some examples, and your imagination is the only limit to how a person can workout at home.

For building strength, instruct your elder to use a sturdy chair with arm rests. Approach as if to sit, but while still in a crouch with hands firmly on each arm, lower yourself to the point of almost sitting, and then rise up using the arms to lift as high as possible. Lift up and down slowly like this as many times as is comfortable. Then, sit and recover before standing. This will help to strength and tone triceps in the upper arms. Sitting in the same chair, try leg lifts. Holding the abdomen muscles tight, lift legs until they are straight out horizontal to the floor. Hold as long as possible, but be careful that the lower back can handle this (that is why holding the abdomen tight is important). It will improve the quadriceps in the legs. Some may find it easier to do this one leg at a time.

Using the stairs at home, encourage your elder to firmly hold the hand rail while stepping up one stair one foot at a time, and then back down. Repeat as many times as is comfortable.

From the pantry, canned goods or jugs of water or juice can be effective as handheld weights. From standing or sitting, they can be used for curls to firm biceps and while lying on one’s back they can help to also maintain chest muscles. More reps with lighter weights help with toning and fewer reps with more weight can actually help increase muscle mass. And any of these in conjunction with an exercise bicycle, if physical ability allows, can help improve cardiovascular capacity and endurance.

For flexibility of the neck, while sitting gently roll the head to one side until the ear comes as close to touching the shoulder as possible. Hold for a few counts, and then move slowly to the other shoulder and back. Try also rolling forward until the chin can rest on the chest and back. Then roll back as far as comfortable and then back. Do each direction multiple times as comfort allows.

For flexibility in the arms while sitting, reach directly overhead as high as possible, hold and then relax. Repeat multiple times. Also, try reaching out with arms horizontal to the floor, bend at the elbow and reach for the opposite shoulder. Alternative arms multiple times. Finally, with arms extending vertically, bend the elbow to touch the same shoulder or as close as possible to touching. It can be helpful to use the opposite hand to ease the opposite elbow into position. Again, do this as many times as is comfortable, rotating back and forth between arms.

For more explanation as well as other exercises, do not hesitate to ask your personal physician or a local physical therapist who also may be able to supply diagrams to follow. As always, consult your health care provider before beginning any new exercise regimen.

Charlotte Bishop is a Geriatric Care Manager and founder of Creative Case Management, certified professionals who are geriatric advocates, resources, counselors and friends to older adults and their families throughout metropolitan Chicago. Please email your questions to Charlotte Bishop.
Illinois long term care has been ranked at about number 24 out of the 50 United States on a number of dimensions by AARP, The Commonwealth Fund and The Scan Foundation. So, does that mean that Illinois’ long term care glass is half full or half empty? Let me share my perspective as a geriatric care manager on some of the details of this national study so that you can be the judge not just about the national study, but also about facilities you may be investigating for an elder or other special needs individual in your orbit.

The report is enlightening in how it rates and ranks what it refers to as long-term services and supports (LTSS) on four important dimensions. And this is the first of its kind multi-dimensional scorecard on state-level performance. When I mentioned that Illinois ranks number 24, that is an average across all four dimensions. In reality, the state ranks:
1. Number 12 in affordability and access which they calculate based on a numberof indicators such as the private pay cost of nursing home or home health care, other measures of insurance coverage and just how easy it is for those who need LTSS to receive them ;
2. Number 33 in choice of setting and provider which is based upon the diversity and number of provider options available for both public and private pay individuals with needs;
3. Number 24 in quality of life and quality of care which recognizes that it is not just the quality of care, but also how individuals who need LTSS can still preserve their safety, freedom from abuse and human dignity; and
4. Number 27 in support for family caregivers which recognizes that there has been a decline in recent decades in non-family care and services such as respite care that help preserve quality of life for the caregiver as well as the elder or special needs individual.
With our own state ranking about the middle of the pack, the scorecard tells us that there is tremendous variability in the quality of care available to elders and others with special needs in Illinois. It is also important to appreciate that when the need arises for long term care, it usually is following an accident or sudden event like a stroke, a fall with hip fracture, etc. So, when you are looking for a facility or home service for someone in your orbit, remember the key dimensions in this report as guidelines. Check out the full report to get a better sense of the details of how they measure these attributes at Raising Expectations. If you are looking to evaluate nursing homes in Illinois, you also will find a great web resource that will help you facility by facility in Illinois.

Charlotte Bishop is a Geriatric Care Manager and founder of Creative Case Management, certified professionals who are geriatric advocates, resources, counselors and friends to older adults and their families throughout metropolitan Chicago. Please email your questions to Charlotte Bishop.
“You are a source of stress relief for all of us.”
A satisfied client
It is the "crime of the century" and you have heard of it, but you may be having a rough time remembering it right now. That is, in part, because it has gone largely under-reported, and the bad guys may not have been prosecuted. If you are thinking this is the story about the financial institutions who were responsible for the crisis that fueled the "Great Recession," you are wrong, but it is a financial crisis. Those who are 65 years of age or older in this country represent only 13% of the population, but they get a disproportionately large share of the attention from scammers. And it is not just the affluent and older population; it is the relatively poor as well as the rich among those who are of an age. The National Council on Aging warns of some of the more common scams that occur. 1. Medicare/Insurance Fraud: A federal grand jury just this month indicted a Florida physician for up-charging Medicare for over $2.1 million; since Medicare is funded by you and me, all of us pay for that one. 2. Fake Drugs: Even with the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, medications can cost a lot. The internet and phone callers have been targeting older adults by selling "cheaper medicine," but the drugs are counterfeit. 3. Funeral Crashers: A scammer can follow the obit column and show up at the funeral to present the grieving family with a false debt allegedly owed by the deceased. 4. Looking Marvelous: In search of the eternal youth elixir, consumers at any age who want to look younger than their years can find a whole host of scammers with fake goods that make big promises and cost big dollars. 5. Phone Fakes: It is not bad enough that an older person can be duped by a fake telemarketer, but it often happens that an accomplice of the first scammer will call later to secure even more dollars offering to help reclaim the first loss. 6. Going Phishing: Older web surfers may not recognize the difference between a legitimate request for updated personal information and one that is stealing their identity and their dollars. 7. Too Good: Yes, if the investment is too good to be true, please appreciate that it is just that. Does the name Bernie Madoff ring a bell? And he built his pyramid scheme with money from friends. 8. Candy Grams: Beware of any callers who request that the money - ostensibly for a family member in trouble or a worthy charitable cause - be sent via Western Union or MoneyGram. These don't require ID at the receiving end. If this does not scare you on behalf of your older loved one, what should scare you is that all these scammers are incredibly creative. Today's scam always has the potential to transform into a new version that will surprise someone tomorrow. Beware of the Nigerian prince who offers to share his inheritance... Charlotte Bishop is a Geriatric Care Manager and founder of Creative Care Management, certified professionals who are geriatric advocates, resources, counselors and friends to older adults and their families in metropolitan Chicago. Please email your questions to info@creativecaremanagement.com.

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caregiver

Listen to an Astronaut about COVID-19

Trusted Voices on COVID-19

One is Number One Threat to Seniors

Helping Your Older Loved One – AND You – Avoid COVID19

Part 2: Five Important Tips for Caregiving and Self-Care

Tips for Distance Caregiving: Up Close and Personal at a Distance

There is an ‘I’ in Caregiver: 5 Tips to Avoid Burnout

Singing is a Breath of Fresh Air for Caregivers

Insta-Gram: It’s a Date!

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