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

Saying “No” May be the Right Answer
Saying “yes” when someone asks you to do something can be like eating candy. It feels right or good...
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November 15, 2022
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Doing Your Homework on Medicare Coverage
If you or an older loved one are at that age in the magical transition – otherwise known as...
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November 8, 2022
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Planning for the Holidays is More than a Menu
The latest news reports suggest only about 10 percent of American Adults have received their seasonal booster for COVID. ...
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October 24, 2022
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Stranger Things: Step up Your Diet with New Options
If I were to ask you what you or an older loved one had for dinner yesterday, the chances...
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October 4, 2022
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Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease
September is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, and this is the third of four posts we’ll offer on the subject. I...
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September 20, 2022
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Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease
September is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, and this is the second of four posts we’ll offer on the subject. A...
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September 13, 2022
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Dementia, Distraction, Delirium and Depression
September is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, so we’re going to be sharing four posts that will help everyone with what...
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September 7, 2022
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Food Fight
When you hear the word cancer a lot can come to mind such as “cancer survivor,” “living with cancer,”...
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August 23, 2022
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The Will To Do the Right Thing
This whole idea to write up a legal document to give surviving loved ones clarity about how to take...
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August 9, 2022
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Before or After the Fall
I came across an informative piece in the Washington Post about a week ago, and it brought to light...
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July 26, 2022
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In my last posting I spoke to ways to improve the safety and accessibility of the bath for seniors who choose to age in place at home. Some of the same preventive measures can apply to the kitchen, but the kitchen also poses some of its own unique hazards.

As with the bath, beware of scatter rugs in front of sinks or food preparation areas. Areas that may be targets for water or grease spills should have non-slip mats or nothing at all. Check all thresholds leading to and from the kitchen to be sure there is nothing that may be trip hazard to individuals whose stride may be devolving to a shuffle. For individuals who may be unsteady on their feet, consider grip bars in key spots as well as check the walkways in and around dining areas to make sure there is enough clearance for easy mobility. Also look for electric cords or clutter on the floor.

As with all areas of the house, check to see how much wattage can be accommodated by fixtures, and maximize the light while also minimizing the shadows cast by the lighting. In addition to task and ambient lighting while the elders are using the kitchen, place night lights in strategic parts of the kitchen to aid with walking late at night. As with the bath, you may also consider the night lights that automatically turn on when the ambient light falls beneath a critical threshold. As a person ages more and more items on upper shelves may be out of reach. Facilitate easier access to upper shelves with step stool that also has a grip bar on top. Reinforce in your conversations with your loved one that stepping onto chairs to reach a shelf is always a fall hazard. If practical, move frequently used items to lower shelves or to the counter top. You may also consider the assistive grab devices that can be as easily used to retrieve items from floor level as to grab items from higher shelves. Check out Sammons Preston; beware of heavier items that may fall on the reacher.

Gripping may also be a challenge to individuals as they age, especially cast iron skillets – great for cooking, but hard to manage. With less manual strength, opening jars or bottles can be difficult. The gripping devices that fit over the lid can make turning or twisting a great deal easier. Check out kitchen and other supply stores like the Container Store. Similarly, there are accommodating devices that can help with cutting, can opening and other day to day tasks that require nimble hands or stronger grips. There also are nonslip bowls, cups, knives and more.

I had mentioned the potential for forgetfulness. If your loved one leaves the lights on or the ice cream out on the counter, they will not pose a hazard to their safety. If the gas stove is left on or an oven is left baking, these can be real fire risks. Consider getting portable timers that your elder can carry with them after starting the cooking. It is better that they have the time with them so that they will be sure to hear the alarm when it goes off that left behind in the kitchen where they may not hear it. And one more caution regarding the stove. If your loved one retains a gas stove, talk to them about avoiding loose-fitting clothes that could catch fire. And if there has been a real accident already, either disconnect the stove (with the help of a professional), or replace it with an electric cook top.

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.,geriatric care manager Chicago, geriatric care Chicago

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In the past two posts, I have discussed ways to ensure safe in home care. But we should also look to helping an older parent to be in the best shape possible to avoid even the unforeseen hazards. In this post, I offer nine tips to help “fall-proof” a mom or dad. It is a different way to think about being in the best condition one can be.
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 in metropolitan Chicago. Please email your questions to ccbishop@creativecasemanagement.com. Visit our For The Caregiver page for more information and resources.
It’s almost cliché to talk about being stumped on what to get for your older loved one who may, in fact, have just about everything, but there is one gift all older adults could use. That gift is added security from scammers. Why do I talk about scams and older loved ones as if younger people are never scammed? Well, in the words of Willie Sutton who is alleged to have responded to a reporter’s question of “Why do you rob banks?” saying simply, “Because that’s where the money is.” Older people simply have accumulated more asset wealth during their careers. Yet, older adults may be disproportionately less tech savvy which can get anyone into trouble on the internet. Here are some of the top scams you should be on the alert for during this holiday season according to the National Council on Aging:
1. Everyone over age 65 is eligible for Medicare – and it is still open enrollment season. So, warn mom or dad about scammers on the internet who may pose as Medicare representatives in order to hijack social security numbers or other personal information.
2. I always say that in an age when you can Google just about anything…that is pretty much what you’ll find. That includes bogus prescription drugs. An older adult on the lookout for better prices for their high priced medicines can fall prey to fake drugs. The FDA has been investigating four times as many fake medicine purveyors than even in the 1990s.
3. Fraudulent web activities can also be carried in phishing emails or pop-ups that have links to sites that will harvest your older loved ones’ personal information from their hard drives. Help your parents keep current with the latest security safeguards on their computers.
4. We all remember Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, and that was with friends and associates. Well, on any given day there will be a whole host of investment, reverse mortgage or retirement enhancement schemes. We are still enjoying historically low inflation which translates into very poor returns for retirees who depend on bonds and savings for supplemental income. They may be prey to promises of higher rates of return.
And, of course, there are still the old standards like the Nigerian prince looking for a partner to help with his inheritance, the sweepstakes redemption scheme, the “I’m your favorite grandchild ruse and more. So, this year, share a bit of security with your older and younger loved ones…and have a great holiday and a happy new year. 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.
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We hear a lot of news these days about the obesity epidemic, and it is important to appreciate the impact of excess body weight/fat on the heart and the circulatory system. Some also point to the impact that excess weight has on a burgeoning epidemic of Type 2 diabetes, the type that does not require insulin injections to manage blood sugar levels. But some doctors like Dr. Robert Lustig are saying that it is not fat that makes for the increasing rate of diabetes, but it is the consumption of processed sugar like fructose. While Dr. Lustig is a pediatric endocrinologist, his advice has a lot to offer older adults also.

It is true that sugar is not really good for us, but it is more important to recognize the differences between good sugar versus "bad sugar." Honey is a natural, or good, sugar and a lot of fruits and some vegetables also contain complex carbohydrates which can be beneficial foods. But beware of thinking orange juice is as good as eating a whole orange, for instance. Most products actually add sugar to the orange juice to make it more appealing, so that they have made a good food into a potentially bad food. Look for the "bad sugars" on the label with names like fructose, diastatic malt, dextran, ethyl maltol, panocha and sorghum syrup.

And being overweight is not inherently the real problem. If you are a caregiver to an overweight older parent or loved one, you may have seen the futility they feel when they exercise but cannot seem to lose weight. Lustig suggests that it may be okay to be fat and fit. That is, it is simply harder for some overweight people to lose pounds, especially if they are older and really do have slower metabolisms. So the real issue is about avoiding the bad sugars.

Lustig also points out that almost all the successful diet books have two suggestions in common. They recommend meals that are high in protein and are high in fiber. In other words, encourage your older parent or loved one to eat fewer processed foods. Lustig goes so far as to suggest that if the food has a label to read, that already is a bad sign as processed foods are so typically light in protein and fiber, but also high in sugar (and salt). He points out that naturally-occurring fructose like that in sugar cane, fruits and some vegetables is "protected" by quantities of fiber. He also jokes that honey - also high in fructose - is protected by bees.

You may wish to go the source: Robert Lustig - Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity and Disease.
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 in metropolitan Chicago. Please email your questions to ccbishop@creativecasemanagement.com.