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

Password Protected?
I often offer advice on how to help your older loved one with challenging tasks or how to protect...
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October 26, 2021
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Your Older Loved One’s Greatest Health Risk?
As our loved ones grow older, we probably are more acutely protective of their health and well-being, especially if...
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September 14, 2021
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Your Flight to Nowhere is Boarding
You have probably put off a vacation or most any travel for more than a year with the threat...
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August 10, 2021
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Everything to Lose
Not a day goes by that the sun does not linger a bit longer, that the landscape gets a...
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April 20, 2021
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Scamming as a Superspreader
We have all seen the advertisements for the on-line services that will help you find your ancestry by taking...
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February 2, 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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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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Abuse Thrives in Pandemic
Guest post author Gregory Peebles is a team member at CCM whose work focuses on helping aging adults and...
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June 16, 2020
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In the Caregiver's Words

Recent Client Praise

Most of you probably know that Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia among younger and older Americans. One in three Americans dies with either Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia. Scientists make a distinction between what they call late-onset and early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. Very simply, early-onset is a disease that manifests itself among patients younger than 65 years old, and late-onset is among those who are 65 plus. As a geriatric care management professional, you can imagine that I commonly am involved with families who are addressing this frightening condition in a loved one. If you are a caregiver to an older adult or other loved one who has developed Alzheimer's, you are very familiar with short term memory loss as well as confusion, language difficulty or other cognitive issues. But there have been some recent possible breakthroughs in Alzheimer's research, particularly late-onset Alzheimer's. What makes this potentially more exciting is that the specific Alzheimer's manifestation where this research has relevance. It is for the common non-familial kind of Alzheimer's Disease, the one that has seemed so unpredictable. In research published in the journal Nature, scientists at Columbia University seem to have narrowed down the late onset Alzheimer's to two genetic pathways. They then compared the genetic pathways among study subjects who had not manifested Alzheimer's and they did not have these pathways. They found in other subjects that these two pathways were associated with the development of what is called amyloid plaque. And that those without these particular genes did not have the amyloid tissue. While this research is all very preliminary, the good news is that when scientists find these "pathways" are tied to the onset of a disease, they can then begin to research what they can do to therapeutically modify the pathways – in effect, turning off the gene expression. It is going to take a lot more research and testing, but it offers a much awaited bit of good news for the more than 5 million Americans and their caregivers who are living with this disease. For more information on the disease, we have links to the Alzheimer's Association on our geriatric care management Support Tools Tab. 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.
We are into the season of giving, but for some dishonest scammers, it is a season for taking. Older adults are targeted more often because they answer their home phones, they have more cash available and the services scammers purportedly offer are more often the services older adults may want. Older adults may be more trusting as well. So, if you are a caregiver to an older loved one, here are some of the scams you should alert your loved one to and be on the lookout yourself: • Great Investments - If there is one thing that older adults fear more than losing their mental faculties, it likely is running out of money. They may have made solid investments in safe securities, but they may be easy prey for someone calling to let them in "on a limited time offer." It may not be huge investment, but it promises a hefty return. Just remember, if it seems too good to be true, it most often is. • Cheaper Medications - With the changes of the Affordable Care Act, older adults will have the chance to save more money on their expensive prescriptions, but the allure of cheaper meds offshore is still present on the internet. Make sure that the pharmacies making the offer are legitimate - and many are - but ask for substantial verification before ordering scrips; your loved one's primary care physician may be of help. • Fake Charities - This is another one where you want to verify the legitimacy of the cause. Especially on the heels of the tornado disasters recently, there may be callers posing as agents to get money to victims of disasters. Verify! The IRS posts lists of tax exempt charities on its web site, and there is another great site called Charity Navigator (http://www.charitynavigator.org/). • Pleas for Help - What grandparent does not have a soft spot for their grandchildren? Scammers can call older adults with just enough information to appear as one of the grandchildren in some kind of trouble that requires an immediate cash transfer. Caution your older loved one not to respond to calls from "their favorite grandchild" that offer no identifying name. Verify! • Bad Checks - If your older loved one is selling anything on-line, beware of the scammer who just happens to have a cashier's check that is for an amount much greater than the purchase price. They will ask if the excess can be wired to them along with transfer of the item. This is the part where the original check turns out to be bogus, so your loved one is out the sale item and the cash difference. All of these are just some of the examples that have played out in holidays past, but be prepared for the next new scam. And know that it will be too good to be true. 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.
Yes, you are supposed to ask why being male and over 65 is a medical condition; so what do I mean by cure? The best "cure" at any age is appropriate prevention, and I would like to offer some prevention guidelines for any of you who have a loved one over age 65. I offer 65 because as we all age, what we should be screening tends to change along with the frequency of screening. I am starting with men in this posting, but I will offer a parallel "cure" for women in my next post. Blood Pressure - everyone should have their blood pressure documented annually, and hopefully by the same provider so that they can track any trends. If your older man already has diabetes or heart disease, this monitoring should be at much shorter intervals. Oral Hygiene - a cleaning and an exam once a year is the minimum, and most dentists recommend a cleaning twice a year. Appreciate that oral health is correlated with heart health, so consider your trip to the dentist to have more benefit that just a great smile. Cholesterol Levels - if your cholesterol have been within normal ranges in the past, you may need to check them only about every five years. As with blood pressure, however, if your older male has heart disease or diabetes, this should be more frequent. Colon Health - guidelines suggest annual stool sample screenings, but a flexible sigmoidoscopy is suggested only every five years and a colonoscopy every ten years. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended talking with a provider after age 75 and no invasive testing after 85. All of this is much more aggressive for anyone with colon issues or cancer or who has a family history of any of that. Eye Health - a vision exam is generally recommended every other year as a screen for glaucoma or visual acuity, unless the older patient has diabetes. More frequent testing for a diabetic is recommended to watch for diabetic retinopathy. Immunizations - keeping current is the important part of immunizations. For pneumonia vaccines, every five years is recommended. Flu shots are an annual regimen given the variation in strains that are considered the biggest risks. A shingles vaccination may be a one shot matter, but ask your doctor, and a tetanus booster every ten years is recommended. For other immunizations or other infectious diseases consult a physician. Prostate Health - most doctors will test the size of the prostate during an annual exam, and the doctor also is the best one to advise on how often a patient should take a PSA test. Bone Density - although women are more at risk for osteoporosis than men, the risk increases appreciably after age 50. Taking in calcium and some vitamin D along with aerobic exercise will go far in maintaining bone health, but a physician may recommend how frequently to measure bone density. Everything else - annual exams are a great time to assess weight, height and hearing. It also can be a good time to check your 65 year old for signs of depression as well as go over all medications and any possible interactions or contraindications. 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.
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 Advice on Bad Medicine Many are unaware of the massive scope of the pharmaceutical market and all the ways in which seniors are taking more and more unnecessary drugs because of it. We discuss how caregivers can look out for signs that their loved one’s medication is over prescribed and how to spot warning signs. Download
If you are a caregiver to someone with diabetes - Type 1 or Type 2 - then you know that one of the biggest challenges is the fact that food seems to have become the enemy to a diabetic. The difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is that the former requires insulin to manage blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes, the more common of the two, can be managed by diet and/or oral medications. Both require a rethinking of food, however. And if you are caregiver to a diabetic, you may find it most challenging to help your loved one with the food side of the equation, but here are three tips that can make this manageable medical condition also a bearable medical condition.

1.    Don't Manage Diet with No's. Too often it is easy to think of all the foods that a diabetic cannot eat, because they contain sugar. According to professionals who work with diet, they suggest making the whole household's diet healthier. Rethink how you prepare or coordinate meals for everyone so that you are incorporating more complex carbohydrates, more fruits and vegetables along with protein. You should limit, but you do not need to eliminate, foods like cake. Make them special occasion foods, instead of every meal foods.

2.    Portion and Convenience Control. A lot of the excessive intake we all are prone to is because we don't think about proper portions. We make a bag of microwave popcorn, pour it all in a bowl and head for the TV. Instead, we should take a serving dish of the stuff and stop when done. Snack food tends to be high in sugar and salt, so make your own convenience foods. Package in small containers some baby carrots or unsalted nuts or something else that can take the edge off your loved one's hunger until meal time.

3.    Get up and Move. To get a diabetic to exercise, appreciate that they will not respond to a drill sergeant approach. Don't nag. ask them to join you for a walk. Put an exercise bicycle in front of the TV - or a treadmill. Buy a pedometer to record how many steps each day a person logs, and work toward 5,000 steps and then 10,000. Set a time goal of a 30 minute minimum, and have alternatives to walking for the days the weather may be uncooperative like mall-walking. (Many stores open early just for "mall walkers.")

      The way to gauge success long term is by monitoring long term A1C. Blood glucose can swing rather widely based on how recently a person has eaten, but the long term blood sugar measured by A1C should stay as far below 6% as possible. And remember that this is a long term measure just as the changes in diet and physical activity should be long term changes for the better.

            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.
For this week’s post, Charlotte asked Rebecca Bloomfield, partner at Jerry S. Pearlstein Insurance, to speak to caregivers about long term care insurance. She and Jerry head up a unique agency of trusted advisors, helping individuals and families to take control of their personal financial planning … and more. Please describe the concept of long term care insurance. “Long Term Care Insurance (LTCI) pays for services when more than 90 days of continuous care are required. It’s contingent upon an individual’s inability to do at least two of the six activities of daily living: bathing, continence, dressing, eating, toileting, transferring.” How early should a person look for coverage? “Most people come to us when it is too late. The lowest premiums are when one is youngest. You can start early with a progressive sequence of plans with upgrades along the way, many times without medical exams required. Most people look at life insurance when they start a family, and that is also a good time to look at the long term picture.” Sounds like it is for caregivers… What is the right level of plan a caregiver may need? “Traditional LTC insurance has been based on a person being in a nursing home. You anticipated how long you would anticipate be in a facility and how much that might cost. Today, 80% of people want to stay at home when they cannot do two of the ADLs. They want to stay in community. So, there are now plans that cover the cost to do that by paying caregivers, or adult day care centers, or drivers…and you stay out of a facility.” Can my older parents get covered? “Once you are over 70, it is tremendously expensive. …and then there are pre-existing conditions. When you are young and healthy is when to start. Care receivers cannot get new insurance…but it is the right time for the kids who are the caregivers to get their plan.” Anything else caregivers should know? “The biggest misconception of people who come to us is that Medicare will cover long term care. It is not designed to cover sustained care over 90 days. Medicare is diagnosis-based and is built on a plan of care for a person to get better. Long Term Care Insurance should be seen as a way to assure the ability to live a long and happy life without being a burden to the children. …and to preserve your choices.” 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.