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

Why D is More than a Passing Grade
There is much talk recently about “grade inflation” which rather diminishes the formerly exclusive appeal of a report card...
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January 29, 2024
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The Risk Factors AND Ways to Prevent Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s Disease affects nearly six million people in the United States according to estimates from the CDC, and that...
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January 22, 2024
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How to Get All the New Years You Can
It’s not a magic pill or a quick transformation, but it’s not difficult either. The “it” is greater longevity,...
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January 17, 2024
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A Happy – And Well – Holiday for All
It’s the season of holidays. We started with Thanksgiving and then Channukah, and we have yet to tackle Christmas...
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December 19, 2023
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Ask the Doctor
Don’t ask just any doctor…and don’t just ask your primary care provider (although they may have some insight)…ask a...
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October 31, 2023
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The New Pandemic That Has a Cure
I’ve been hearing it from my clients, from my friends, from my family and from virtually every channel on...
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October 23, 2023
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Three Words Are the Cure
Some have called it an epidemic. And it’s particularly virulent within the senior population. The epidemic leads to even...
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July 16, 2023
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Spring Tips for the Holiday Caregiver
We all know that that Spring in the Midwest isn’t on a straight line from Winter toward Summer, but...
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March 28, 2023
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How (NOT) to Worry, Stress or Be Anxious
It’s not so much whether you’ll have worries, be stressed or feel anxious…it’s how you’ll manage your worries, your...
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March 21, 2023
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Another Side to the Story
It was just a year ago that Bruce Willis’ family disclosed that the actor would be retiring from acting...
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February 27, 2023
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In the Caregiver's Words

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We have all heard someone this season say, “It’s just a cold,” or “I have a touch of the flu,” or similar expressions that pretty much write off a lot of what is going around. And nobody gets pneumonia, right? Wrong! It may sound like a small number, but about 6 of every 1000 people in American will have a bout with what is termed “community-acquired” pneumonia this year. Still sounds small, but the rate triples for 65 to 69 year old people…18.2 per 1000. And for 85+ year olds, the number skyrockets to 52.3 cases per 1000 people. So, if you have an older loved one in your orbit, be vigilant to signs and symptoms that can tell you they have graduated to pneumonia. There are six signs that should alert you to something that deserves a visit to the doctor or emergency facility:
1. Productive cough – the kind that almost rattles with the mucous as a person coughs to clear their lungs.
2. Fever or not – Fever with a pneumonia infection is common among younger individuals, but pneumonia actually can suppress body temp in older cases.
3. Chest aches – While we are most often concerned about heart issues with chest pain, breathing with pneumonia can give similar symptoms.
4. Tired – While the immune system fights pneumonia, it takes energy away from the rest of the body resulting in fatigue.
5. Fuzzy head – The lungs are not the only congested organ; the brain gets a bit muddled with pneumonia also.
6. Breathless – With congested lungs, it should be no surprise that a patient with pneumonia may also be short of breath with even modest activities.
The rules of engagement with pneumonia are simple.
1. Doctors’ orders - especially with completing the full course of antibiotics…be sure your loved one takes all the pills prescribed.
2. Sleep – give the body a chance to devote its undivided attention to fighting the bug by resting and getting help around the house.
3. Fluids – think of it as “flushing” out the system, and it also helps get rid of the congestion in the lungs.
And remember that the risk may be lower for younger people, but the operating rules are pretty much the same. Give all the support you can to help your body fight the invaders too! 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.
In earlier posts I have talked about some ways to broach difficult subjects with an older parent, talks that are about life changes, one of the harder among them was giving up the car keys. This is going to be the first in a two-part series in which I will offer perspectives on some of the changes in life where you as the child of an older parent may be required to step up to help your parent or see that proper help is available. The second part will be devoted to conversations about preparations for end of life, life's final transitions. It may surprise you to learn that the former can be a lot more difficult than the latter. Harder because everybody expects to die someday, but many people have greater difficulty in addressing their potential loss of independence along the way.

Power of Attorney. You may want to talk with your family attorney before this conversation so that you can keep the details straight. There are two types of power of attorney (POA): one for health care and one for finance. The legal system has defaults in place to handle decisions for a person's finances or health and well-being if they are deemed unfit to do so on their own. However, those decisions have to go to a judge and the process can be time-consuming and costly. If one of your older parents is unable to make financial decisions - and they own property jointly with their spouse - it becomes difficult to liquidate the house if funds are needed for long term care or other health care issue. Health care POA can offer similar relief in the event your older parent requires some choices in where and how they will be cared for. In both cases, it can be easier to broach the subject if you, yourself, have had the papers drawn up for your own situation and offer your own experience and questions as an example to your parents. At any age, there is benefit in knowing that decisions will be made in our best interests if we cannot make them ourselves.

Long Term Care Insurance. Assisted living or home health care can be expensive, and the right long term care (LTC) policy can make life a lot easier to the bear financially. But be aware that there are a lot of different types of policies with an array of benefits and payout mechanisms. And the cost to buy LTC insurance will depend on the age at which you sign up as well as some other variables. To be sure you are getting your or your parents' money's worth, look for an independent broker who is not captive to a single insurer. But before you talk with a broker about your older parent, check out an authoritative source. The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance has a consumer information section you may find helpful. And as with the conversation about POAs, you may investigate a policy for yourself as a foundation for having the conversation with your parent. Part 2 will post on Thursday.

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.
We all know that an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and that is as true of older adults as it is younger ones if you look at the frightening statistics on the obesity epidemic in America. Habits developed over the long run tend to be harder to break, but the fact is that appropriate exercise for older adults can get easier and easier just by the simple fact of dong it. Because the corollary to my first scientific law is that objects in motion tend to stay in motion. And exercise gets easier. Doubtful?

Here are nine reasons:
1. Starting a new exercise routine may feel clumsy at first, but so did dancing, riding a bike and a lot of other physical work we have all gotten better at with time. Muscle memory will help, because your body will make new nerve pathways to make your exercise easier with time.
2. Blood flow improves when you exercise at any age. The smallest vessels actually can increase in number fueling all parts of your body as your heart rate routinely increases with practice.
3. We all have seen body builders grow muscles into sculpted works of art. Well, we do not see the heart, but it gets stronger also with workouts that are even modestly strenuous. This is true of older adults as well as college athletes.
4. With the muscle memory and greater cardiac capacity comes increased confidence among elders who exercise. Physical confidence, in turn, creates greater overall confidence and a sense of “can do.” Older adults with a regular workout routine also will sleep better.
5. We have heard from too many fanatics about “no pain-no gain.” The opposite is, in fact, true. As an older adult works out over time, the body raises its threshold for working. With time, an older adult can do more and more without that shortness of breath or even the soreness afterwards.
6. Take that last one to a higher level, and if the older body begins a regular regimen of moderate exercise, the body’s hormone system will reward it with cocktails called endorphins. Endorphins are basically a homemade version of morphine to help the body feel better and better.
7. The power plants in your cells also will begin to grow in number with exercise over time. You cannot see them, but the mitochondria, as these power plants are called, become more numerous so that your body can burn more carbohydrates and fat to create more energy.
8. Exercise will encourage better eating habits. It is true, because a lot of those bad habit foods – comfort foods – are linked to stress, anxiety or even depression. Since exercise works against these negative emotions, some of the craving for the junk food will ebb as well.
9. Exercise actually makes a person happier. Tied to some of what I mentioned in #8, exercise really lifts the spirits, and it does it in part through releasing chemicals called serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals can be as effective as some of the drugs often prescribed for depression.
Before you exercise or encourage an elder to exercise, see a doctor to sign off on your fitness to exercise.

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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Today's Blog is a guest posting from Cindy Levitt, founder of peace by piece professional organizing and design. Moving can be one of life’s most stressful events, or it can be one of the most liberating. Studies rank moving right up there with death and divorce. However, with proper planning you can minimize much of the stress. Are you helping someone to move? Or are you the one organizing your own move? It can be very emotional and often stirs up a lifetime of memories, both good and bad. Think about your move as a fresh start. Tip #1 Start early. Don’t wait until the last minute to start making decisions about what to bring with you. It will seem less rushed if the hard decisions are made when you have time to think and contemplate. Know where you are moving? Great! Get the floor plan and think about how much space you will have and what will fit. Especially when it comes to memorabilia, start well in advance of the move, if possible. Sort, edit and archive the photos, important family documents and other meaningful items. You can find some nice archival boxes and products to use. Here is one type I like: http://www.dickblick.com/products/blick-archival-storage-boxes/ Tip #2 Evaluate what you have. Be ruthless. Whether it’s clothes, knick knacks or furniture, this is the time to decide what you can live without and what you truly value. Ask: Do I love this enough to bring it with me? Does this make me feel good when I see this or use this? Does this item remind me of joyful times? Tip #3 Organize! I usually suggest creating a notebook with various pages or sections that you can add to as you go along. Headings could be: Donate, Sell, Give to Family, Bring to New Space, etc. Go room by room and list each large item. If you are using your furniture right now but know that you will not be moving the green couch and the maple table, add those to the “Donate” list or the “Give to Family” list. Ask family and friends what they may like before you decide about donations. Maybe someone close to you can really use that couch or table. Tip #4 Enlist help. You can’t do it alone so don’t even try. Find good friends, family members or professionals to work with you. Host a coffee and dessert party or a wine and appetizer night to divide up the photos or knick knacks you would like to share with friends and family members before you start packing up. Tip #5 Simplify your daily life. Remember your mantra is “I can live more fully with less stuff weighing me down!” Too much stuff around you causes stress and creates more anxiety. Less stuff equals fewer items to keep clean and organized. .Your move can be the road to finding peace of mind. Cindy Levitt (click here) holds a Master of Education from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Washington University. Peace by piece professional organizing and design offers on-site residential and business organizing, speaking and teaching, coaching, consultation, relocation and moving services, staging and redesign services. Cindy also works with seniors to organize and archive photographs and a lifetime of memorabilia. After moving from her home of 29 years to a smaller space, Cindy understands how difficult it is to make those tough decisions on what to keep and what to let go. Visit her web site.
About one in five adults over the age of 65 will fall in their homes during the course of a year, and for some this will be part of an inevitable decline in their abilities to care for themselves and stay in their homes independently. Because this is Home Safety Month, I wanted to share four geriatric care management perspectives with you that can help you to make home safer from falls, especially if you are a caregiver to an older adult or anyone else with special needs.
1. Gait and Balance. As an elder care manager, I am always assessing the health and well-being of our older clients, but this is not limited to their medical status. As a person grows older, they also become less nimble, their muscles are not as strong and their movement becomes stiffer. If you are a caregiver, you may not notice the subtle changes from day to day in your older loved one, but older adults progress from a walk towards more of a shuffle. The shuffle is what will increase an older adult's fall risk. Their shoes may catch the edge of a threshold or get caught in a worn patch of the carpet. Work with your older loved one to maintain a level of physical activity that helps keep their feet fit.
2. Household Hazards. In other postings, I have talked about the trip risks posed by footstools, worn carpet, slippery scatter rugs, uneven or wet surfaces, stairs, electrical or other cords and similar obstacles on the floor. While you need not become the interior design architect or housekeeper, it is helpful to do a periodic "environmental assessment" to identify and correct risks before they become a shattered hip.
3. Vision Issues. As your loved one grows older their vision inevitably becomes less acute, but sight also can be obscured by cataracts, macular degeneration or astigmatism. In addition to seeing that your older loved one gets their vision tested regularly, you also can help by installing higher wattage bulbs in areas of the house prone to shadows or in the entryways where your loved one may be coming in from a nighttime darkness or from the bright midday light into the darkness of home. Also have lamps within easy reach of bed for nighttime risings.
4. Medication Issues. Many medications have common side effects like dizziness, vertigo or blurred vision. Make certain you have a complete list of medications your loved is taking so that you can ask their health care provider about any side effects. You may have seen labels on drugs that caution against "operating heavy machinery," but there are a lot more side effects that are listed on the package inserts of these medicines. And probe the provider about the potential for interactions among the drugs which can cause their own added balance issues.
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 ccbishop@creativecasemanagement.com.