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

Until the Vaccine?
We have all been following the news on vaccine rollouts, and frankly you may have been as disappointed as...
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January 26, 2021
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Better than a Resolution
After nearly a year of a pandemic and its quarantine, we are all ready to get back to normal. ...
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January 12, 2021
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How the COVID Vaccines Work
If you’re like me, you have been following too much news on the pandemic, but hopefully you also have...
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December 15, 2020
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Too Good to Be True
With over 300 clinical trials on vaccines for COVID19, it perhaps is not a surprise that at least two...
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December 1, 2020
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One More Sign of COVID?
I have written about Alzheimer’s disease…a lot, its warning signs and caregiving probably more than any other topic. Even...
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October 6, 2020
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None of the Above…
While everyone is awaiting the next vaccine to prevent COVID-19 or help in the treatment of the condition among...
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September 29, 2020
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COVID’s Other Deadly Toll
During this pandemic, over 13,000 more Alzheimer’s and other dementia patients have died than expected from these cognitive disorders,...
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September 22, 2020
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Just the Facts – About COVID Today
For a pandemic and quarantine that has lasted about 18 weeks, it is safe to say that most of...
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July 14, 2020
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Negative Thinking Causes What?
What could be worse than a COVID pandemic? How about the uptick in depression and anxiety that mental health...
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July 7, 2020
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Dementia: We’re Not Post-COVID Yet
If you have a family member or loved one with dementia, this pandemic and its restrictions have been exponentially...
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May 26, 2020
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In the Caregiver's Words

Recent Client Praise

As a caregiver for an older adult you cannot prevent a medical emergency, but you can prepare for one. Even if you are a distance caregiver, you will find that you can have your elderly parent help in preparing an "emergency kit" just in case. As a provider of geriatric care management services, I help families with whom I work to customize their preparations to the particular health needs of the loved ones. For starters, both a caregiver and an older adult should have what I refer to as the "grab and go list." Should there be an emergency, both of you should have a list which may include the following information or photocopies of important documents:
- identification like a social security card, passport or drivers license
- health insurance cards, both Medicare and any secondary carrier
- recent medical summaries or immunization records
- a list of current records or prescriptions
- a list of important contacts with phone numbers
- veterinary records if your loved one has a pet
- wills, advanced directives or powers of attorney
Because the emergency may not be medical, but instead may be a natural disaster, it is a good idea to have the grab and go kit in a waterproof container and/or fireproof safe. For the same reason, if you are a distance caregiver, it is a good idea to also have on hand the names and phone numbers of neighbors or friends who could be called to check on your loved one. If you have not met these individuals, use your next trip to see your loved one as an opportunity to also introduce yourself to these friends or neighbors. It will make any later, long distance communication a lot easier. Again, thinking about a natural disaster, help your loved one devise a home escape plan should they have to leave home quickly. And have at least two escape plans should the reason for escape be the sort of disaster that can damage the structure of a home, like a tornado, hurricane or earthquake. Help your loved one also to have a plan for sheltering in place for emergencies like a tornado or hurricane. Especially in the case of the latter, you should also have a set aside cache of fresh water, dry goods, a flashlight, battery-operated radio, whistle and crowbar in the event the emergency lasts for more than a day. For more details about specific responses to natural disasters, go to the FEMA web resource (http://www.ready.gov/). For more advice on preparing for - and facing - medical emergencies, this is a good resource (http://emergency.tufts.edu/guide/medical-emergency/). 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. We provide geriatric care management services to those in metropolitan Chicago. Please email your questions to ccbishop@creativecasemanagement.com.
42 million is a big number. That is how many caregivers to older loved ones AARP estimates there are in the United States, and no surprise, the number of sons and daughters and husbands and wives of older adults with needs is growing. We do not see this mushrooming segment of the population, but it is changing the lives of the caregivers in fundamental and often unhealthy ways. One of the reasons we do not readily see caregivers is that the AARP survey reported that 44% of the caregivers simply do not talk about the unpaid job they do. No one, it seems, wants to look like the unloving family member who is having difficulty performing their caregiving tasks. As a result, about one third of caregivers report they are either sad or just plain depressed. Another third avoid any decisions that might give them a break or better leverage their time with their loved one. And another third simply go it alone, isolating themselves from their friends, colleagues or any support networks. Fully 38% report they are sleeping less, and nearly a quarter are eating more on top of that. Caregiving can be bad for the caregiver's health! Most of this symptomatic profile of the stressed caregiver owes to the simple fact that caregiving is their "other job;" more than six in ten caregivers age 50 or older also have a full-time salaried job. As geriatric care managers (GCMs) caregivers are the people with whom we work in support of their care receivers, and the services we provide to the caregivers can be every bit as important as those that we offer their older loved ones. If you or someone you know is a "stressed caregiver," please consider the following from a professional "stress reliever" to stressed caregivers:
1. Ask AARP. The AARP website is a veritable wealth of information for caregivers to older loved ones, and they have a dedicated portion of their web site devoted to caregiver resources.
2. Involve the Family. Don't try to go it alone if you have siblings or other family members. Not only can many hands make fast work, but fresh perspectives and energy can help the caregiver doldrums that arise from too much solo stress.
3. Catch a Break. If you do not have siblings, check your community for respite care services. If there is a senior residential community in your locale, they often have drop off facilities for non-residents...which gives everyone a break.
4. Talk to Your Employer. This is in step with not going it alone. If you are stressed with caregiving it will show at the workplace. Rather than be judged as a suboptimal producer, talk to human resources about possible flex time or a leave.
5. Call a GCM. To more fully explore your options, call the option-makers for the decision-makers. You can find a GCM in your locale by going to the association web site.
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@cr eativecaremanagement.com.
People 60 and over make up 15 percent of the United States population, but they represent about 30 percent of the investment fraud cases according to a recent report by AARP. And these are just the reported cases. Many cases of consumer fraud go unreported because the victims are just too embarrassed to admit they may have been cheated.

In the midst of all the homebuyers who have been pleased to finance a new home at close to historic low interest rates, we can miss the fact that individuals who depend on interest income for their living expenses are being squeezed. Before the recession began, government estimates pegged the amount of income that 65+ year olds derived from investment earnings at about 10 percent. The most recent data following the Great Recession put that figure closer to 6 percent, the result of reduced investments and reduced interest rates.

We all have heard of the phone callers who pose as a family member out of town and in desperate need of cash for a fine or bail, etc. Well, the economic downturn has given scam artists another pitch they can use. Faced with living longer and bank deposit returns of one percent or less, seniors have been looking for better returns in order to keep putting food on their tables. Ads have appeared in newspapers or solicitations have come in the form of telephone calls offering interest rates higher than the prevailing returns at banks. Some of those placing the ads pose as "senior financial advisors" and they may be selling government securities at higher rates than US treasury notes or surefire stock investments with dividends that outpace current bank returns. All of these should be warning signs of a scam.

Other signs of a deal that is "too good to be true" are seen in the math. If the rate of return on a "secure investment" is more than a point or two higher than prevailing treasury rates, be suspicious. Ask for a second opinion or check with your state Department on Aging. Other signs include free lunch seminars on investments or deals that require that you "act now." Any deal that does not allow a person to walk away and come back later with a decision is probably not a good deal.

So, recalling that the older adult for whom you are a caregiver may be too ashamed to talk about being scammed, keep up an ongoing dialog with your loved one. Look for signs that they may be at risk for scams as well as signs of the aftermath of a scam. Get to know their investment advisor. And be prepared to see something new, because history certainly has taught us that successful scam artists continue to be very creative people.

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.
LifeWorks Erie is the provider of relevant, contemporary programs, services and lifelong learning opportunities that engage the 50+ individuals who are interested in staying active mentally and physically and want to lead healthy, vibrant lives.
Who We Serve

We serve as a trusted filter and adviser to older adults and their families regarding choices which enable living well, maintaining independence and access to complimentary services throughout the changing needs of aging. Through our programs and services, LifeWorks Erie encourages optimal aging by offering opportunities for wellness in all of its dimensions: intellectual, emotional, mental, physical, psychological, and spiritual. Learn More At: www.lifeworkserie.org
Program and Service Areas

Lifelong Learning
Regardless of age, but particularly during the aging process, stimulates curiosity, exploration, and new experiences that in turn decreases the incidence of various diseases and promotes health and well-being.

Non-Medical Services & Programs
Including the New Horizon Music Project, Return to Work Counseling, Oral History Collection, Creative Aging, Café Service, Computer Usage, and many other services as describe on our website.

Prevention & Health Management
Members of our staff are certified in Chronic Disease Self Management, Reiki, Therapeutic Yoga, Powerful Tools for Caregivers, and Arthritis Fitness. Our staff includes a Recreational Therapist, Nurses, and a Certified Fitness Instructor. LifeWorks Erie offers health screenings, counseling and education, and flu and other vaccinations to the community.
Creative Care Management proudly supports Lifework Erie's work, especially as it relates to elder care services.
In the meantime, we invite you to download the below featured FREE white paper - offering both personal and professional advice for those who care for the elderly or people with special needs. Make sure to come back and visit us for more great FREE resources.

Caregiver Counsel on Senior Living OptionsFinding the best living options for your loved one can be tough. Whether it is picking the right senior living community or making your current family home safer, we help you to prepare for a productive conversation with your loved one about these transitions.Download
Today’s guest post comes from David Tuggle, a Central Illinois attorney with the firm of Tuggle, Schiro & Lichtenberger. They focus on Social Security Disability law and Personal Injury. In 2004, colleagues ranked him in the top 5% of attorneys practicing in those areas. You might spend most of your life thinking about Social Security as a deduction from your paycheck, a massive government program and a retirement income supplement. When you face the challenges of arranging senior care for a family member, however, you should know there is much more to it. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has two distinct programs designed to help people stay afloat economically when they have disabilities that prevent them from working. Those are the Social Security Disability Insurance Program (SSD) and the Supplemental Security Income Program (SSI). It’s understandable if navigating these programs feels overwhelming. Social Security, after all, is a vexingly large and complex system. The SSA reported granting $883 billion in benefits to 60 million Americans in 2015. But to bring you clarity on what might help a family member with disabilities, let’s break down the differences between the SSD and SSI components of Social Security. Social Security Disability The SSA provides relief to people knocked out of the workforce by the onset of disabilities through its Social Security Disability program. The crucial distinction here is that SSD is for people who have worked and paid into the Social Security trust fund. Having those paycheck deductions means you’ve paid for this insurance. You qualify based on how long you worked and paid into the system. The required length of work varies with your age. You also have to show that your medical condition will last at least a year, or that it will lead to your death. In 2015, the SSA counted 9 million beneficiaries in the program. It also covered 2 million dependents of people unable to work because of disabilities. In total it spent more than $11 billion. The average monthly payment was $1,166. It might not sound like a lot of live on, but it can provide incredible reassurance to someone who can’t work. And that’s a situation the SSA warns many of us could face. In its informational materials, the SSA says, “Disability is something most people don’t like to think about. But the chances that you’ll become disabled probably are greater than you realize.” The agency projects more than a quarter of current 20-year-olds will experience disabilities by the time they turn 67. And a wide majority of the private sector workforce – 67 percent – has no other long-term disability insurance. Supplemental Security Income Program The SSI program, meanwhile, is designed for people with low income and few resources or possessions, so it’s not tied to work history. It includes several guidelines to determine if your income and assets are small enough to qualify. The federal government uses general tax revenues – not those Social Security paycheck deductions - to fund it. SSI provides monthly payments to people with disabilities, people who are blind and those who are 65 or older. It pays a set monthly amount, which currently stands at $733 for an individual and $1,100 for a married couple. The total cost is estimated to be almost $60 billion a year for 8.2 million recipients. Many states also provide supplemental benefits. Those amounts vary by state. Finding your way through the SSA system If you are navigating these programs, it can be daunting. With SSD, for example, most people get denied when they first apply. The SSA has a four-step appeals process that can lead to better results, but it’s not unusual to face months-long waits. If you’re working through this process for yourself or a loved one, having an expert who knows the system can ease your efforts. And along the way, you will learn a lot about how Social Security is much more than a national retirement plan. 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.