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

What You Can and Cannot Change About Dementia
Let me start with the short answer to a question we raised in the email announcement of today’s post. ...
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June 21, 2022
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A Good Habit Missing for Most Older Adults
Even among those older adults who dodged COVID, “gymnesia” may be a lingering effect. Please let me explain… What...
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May 24, 2022
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HDL Graduates from “Good” to Better
You may have had the conversation with your physician about your cholesterol levels during your annual physical; there are...
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April 26, 2022
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Respect and Inclusion
I was very pleased this past weekend that my son and his wife invited my husband and me along...
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April 5, 2022
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Gaining More than Birthdays
We’ve all heard someone explain…typically referring to that paunch around our middle…that their “metabolism has slowed” from what it...
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March 22, 2022
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The “Other” Health Concerns for Older Adults
It was just two weeks ago that I underscored the fact that “older adults have a greater fear of...
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February 1, 2022
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It’s Not a Resolution – It’s Self-Care
A caregiver to an older loved one or other person with special needs takes care of everything, right? A...
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January 13, 2022
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Not Where You’d Expect Protection from Dementia
You may recall the debate on approving Biogen’s Aduhelm for Alzheimer’s this past year. Prior to this approval there...
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December 28, 2021
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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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Can You Hear Me Now?
From 2002 to 2011, actor Paul Marcarelli was the voice for Verizon pitching their cellular communications with the simple...
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September 28, 2021
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In the Caregiver's Words

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Over the years I have devoted a lot of space to talking about what a Geriatric Care Manager (GCM) does. And that is because we as a profession have a long way to go before people know what we do as clearly as they know what a doctor, lawyer or accountant do. In this post, I am going to give two examples of when to call a Geriatric Care Manager, because unfortunately we often get the call later than we could. The call comes after a family crisis instead of before a crisis when we could have been the professionals who help avoid the crisis. Here are two examples of when... The Big Fall. After age 65 approximately one in three older adults will take a fall, not just a stumble or a trip, but a fall where they hit the ground hard. Beyond the age of 80 the chances increase to fifty percent. As geriatric care managers, we certainly can be part of the team who helps your older loved one recover, rehabilitate and get safely back on their feet. Much of that process will be in the hand the medical providers who may repair the broken hip, arm or other bone. And the physical therapists will do a wonderful job of helping to rehabilitate your loved one back to full or nearly full recovery. What a GCM can help with is putting together the lifestyle recovery plan with the family. We assess not just the individual, but also the home in which they live. We help the family to get everything for the recovering loved one that they perhaps used to do for themselves. We also help to make home a safer place for getting about, eliminating further fall hazards and helping everyone to navigate the path to recovery. But, what if the family had called when they first noticed that their loved one's gait had eroded from a stride to a shuffle, and what if the GCM had received the call to come by your loved one's home and help make it safer for getting about and avoid the fall? Dementia. Older adults fear losing their mental capacity more than they fear dying itself. As geriatric care managers we can certainly be called upon to counsel the family in how to manage a crisis once your older loved one has actually wandered away from home and given everyone the big scare. We can give family members by coaching in how to deflect instead of confront a confused older loved one during conversation. And much more. But we can be more effective if we get the call before your loved one has walked aimlessly into the night. We can help the family to make your loved one's home safer against "breaking out" just as you would want security from burglars breaking in. There are also ways to sharpen mental acuity at the first signs of confusion through social engagement and other intellectually challenging therapies. Working toward social engagement in meaningful ways is a high priority. The list is longer than just these two crises to which GCMs respond. How is your older loved one's driving? How safe is home from fires? How safe is your older loved one from scam artists? Is your older loved one getting the best medical care and support for a chronic medical condition? and much more. I would be remiss if I did not also add where you can find a professional Geriatric Care Manager. There are a lot of people who offer services to "help older people," but many lack training or certification. The best place to find a GCM is at the professional association's web site. Click on the button that says: "Find a Care Manager" to locate a professional near you. 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.
This is the third in a series of posts on dementia in advance of the release of my new book, How Do I Know You? A Caregiver’s Lifesaver for Dealing with Dementia. It will be released through Family Solutions Press of Los Angeles and available from Amazon the week of July 17. We will keep you up to date on details. Who are the experts on dementia? There are some incredibly useful on-line resources that families with an older loved one suffering from dementia can turn. We offer a lot of wide-ranging resources in our book, but here are the links on a couple of the more outstanding among them. Consider these national resources available to support the individuals who may need help when dementia rears its head. In these and other resources, there also are local or regional chapters that can be that personal touch that makes such a difference.: 1. Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Caregiver Center is an arm of the Association that has done the most to help patients with the disease as well. The Center provides training and other resources to caregivers as well as a 24-hour telephone hotline. http://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-support-help.asp 2. Aging Care offers answers and support from those caregivers who also are facing the challenges of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's or Dementia. The site allows you to “ask your questions and get helpful answers from caregivers, and memory care experts.” They also offer a free guide, "Life as an Alzheimer's Caregiver". The guide draws upon the experiences of elder care experts, caregivers to those with AD and patients themselves https://www.agingcare.com/Alzheimers-Dementia/Questions-1 In my book, we cover what we know about dementia, what can be done to stave off the effects of dementia and most importantly what caregivers can do for their loved ones with dementia and for themselves. We also offer a lot of resources, amny of them accessible on-line. 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.
As you prepare for the big holiday feast and potentially the big snowfall that may come your way, we at Creative Care Management wanted to take time out to wish you happy holidays, good health, and an encouraging start to the New Year. This past month we’ve explored all the setbacks that might prevent maximum holiday cheer for the caregiver and how to overcome them. However, I cannot stress enough that the best way to overcome all of these obstacles is to remind yourself what these times are all about. It’s okay to be nostalgic about the past and allow yourself to feel what might be sadness and loss. But try to focus as much as you can on the present. Enjoy the time you have with your family and friends. Laugh, smile, and give yourself credit for making it as far as you have this year. Take time for yourself as needed – to breathe, to reflect, to remain centered.

If you know someone who is also a caregiver, here are some gifts you can give them in order to make their holidays easier.

Someone to listen. The best relief for a caregiver might be just having someone there to listen to their frustrations .

Support. The holidays can be more of a hectic time for caregivers. If you’re visiting a caregiver, offering to help around the house or taking care of some of the tasks on the caregiver’s plate might be an excellent present.

“Thank you.” Sometimes caregivers aren’t able to hear or see how much of an impact all of their hard work makes in tangible ways. Letting the caregiver know that their work is appreciated and that they’re doing so much good for their loved one may brighten up their holiday. It will serve as encouragement to keep going well into the New Year.

All of this said, whether you’re a caregiver or friend of a caregiver - take care of yourself and allow yourself a moment to rest during this joyous time.

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.
I am not saying that music is not helpful in your digestion or in your love life, but a recent compilation of multiple scientists’ research makes a strong case that music is a wonderful assist for your older loved one’s sleep … or for your sleep or anyone’s sleep. When I say multiple scientists’ research, it is a method called meta-analysis that systematically analyzes findings from a series of studies of a given subject and quantifies the consensus or lack of consensus. All of us at one time or another have “lost sleep” over some worries or events or maybe something we ate. But it’s estimated that as many as 40% to 70% of older adults have fairly routine sleep disturbance, and it takes a toll on these individuals’ cognition, not to mention mood and general temperament. Analyzing their data from five randomized trials, these researchers found that music statistically significantly improved sleep quality. There also was a statistically significant difference with those who listened to more “sedative” music reporting better sleep outcomes than those listening to more “rhythmic” music. And the longer subjects listening to their settling music, the better their sleep patterns. So, what does this translate into for your recommendations to your older loved ones or to put into practice for yourself? Sedative music was more clearly defined as having a slower tempo of about 60 to 80 beats per minute, a smoother melody line, no percussion and a lower volume. In short it’s music that is all the things that a rock concert is not. And that four week difference I cited. When cultivated as a long term habit, music can improve one’s sleep … and therefore, life … in a very tangible and sustainable way. So, next step is to sort out your music library, and then, well sleep on it. Charlotte Bishop is a Caregiver Coach, an Aging Life Care Advisor, 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. She also is the co-author of How Do I Know You? A Caregiver’s Lifesaver for Dealing with Dementia.
If you are a distance caregiver who will be home with an older loved one during these holidays, it is a great chance to have great conversation and to do a caregiver check up with your older loved one. You may beneficially find it helpful to raise some questions in your catch-up conversation to get a clearer sense of how well your elder is caring for themselves. Try these: 1. How are you sleeping? It is common knowledge that as we age, we simply need less sleep, but there is a real health difference between needing less sleep and actually suffering from insomnia. Consistent loss of sleep can be a real health risk in itself. Medical researchers find that as the hours of lost sleep pile up, blood pressure also rises. With rising pressure, there is rising inflammation or even weakening of blood vessel walls. People with genuine insomnia have twice the chance of suffering a stroke. Recommend end of day habits that will be less stimulating...like less television and more reading. It may be helpful to even suggest a white noise machine or some sound devices that mimic wave action or light rainfall to soothe your loved one to sleep. 2. Do you enjoy a good cup of coffee? At the opposite end of the sleep continuum, don't discourage your older loved one's coffee during the day. At the same time you can encourage decaf or a switch to non-caffeinated teas after the lunch hour to avoid stimulation that can fuel sleeplessness. But coffee actually imparts measureable health benefits. It has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even some forms of cancer. 3. Do you have a place for safe walking? Walking just half an hour daily - or even six days out of seven - has had a demonstrably beneficial effect on reducing belly fat. And the effect is more than cosmetic. Walking or even jogging can reduce the middle and at the same time lower the risk of the three above: diabetes, heart disease and cancer. With any exercise, always encourage your loved one to consult their physician and to get comfortable and supportive footwear. 4. How are you feeling? This sounds like a vague question, but it is a chance to talk about anything that has changed lately. Research shows that unusual chest or arm pain are common precursors for heart issues in men. In women, it is not so clear. In fact, fewer than a third of women report discomfort before a cardiac event. But nearly all women have symptoms like indigestion, pain, anxiety or other cues before a heart attack. Listen for what may be brushed off as "nothing." If you are a caregiver to an older loved one, enjoy family and the holiday, and take the conversational opportunity to make it a healthy holiday and new year. 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.