Chicago's Geriatric Care Manager Center of Excellence – Since 1991 • senior home care servicesChicago's Geriatric Care Manager Center of Excellence

Not Just Spring…
We’ve heard of Spring Training for those who follow baseball teams like the CUBS or the SOX, and we...
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April 13, 2021
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Can I Have A Hug?
I doubt there is anyone who does not have something that they have not been able to do during...
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March 4, 2021
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No Vaccine for the Other Plague
You’re fortunate that you haven’t contracted COVID, and you may even have received your first dose of a vaccine,...
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February 16, 2021
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Hold Your Friends Close and Stangers Closer
Miss your friends, your older loved ones and those summer get togethers in the backyard? We can get together...
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August 11, 2020
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Distance Caregiving Through a Wall
I’ve written numerous times about distance caregiving, and one of the observations I have offered is that distance is...
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May 19, 2020
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Mittens Before the Frost
I was asked today about the “mitten test.” It was one of our colleagues who had remembered something I...
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September 18, 2018
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A House is Not a Home (Part 3)
At CCM, home and safety are as important to us as to you, so it’s no surprise that it’s...
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June 18, 2017
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A House is not a Home (Unless You’re There)
At CCM, home and safety are as important to us as to you, so it’s no surprise that it’s...
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June 5, 2017
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In the Caregiver's Words

Recent Client Praise

We see the numbers on a daily basis. How many have died from COVID, to date, we all probably know is more than 372,000 in the United States alone. The number who have had the disease and survived is a bit more murky, because not all cases are detected or reported. We know how many have been vaccinated: about 40% of eligible Americans have had at least one dose so far and about one in four Americans have received both doses. We all have been making the push to that finish line to be rewarded with a 94% immunity from COVID. The number that has not been broadcast as much, if at all, is the number of people who have lost a loved one to COVID…not just known of someone as almost all of us do. The number of people who have lost a dear family member or friend is estimated to be about nine individuals for every person who has succumbed to COVID. Do the math for our own domestic turf, and that is well over 3 million Americans who have been … and likely continue to be … grieving for a loved one who has died. Some people may say that these losses … well … just happen, and people eventually get over it or through it. Hold that thought, because scientists have studied the biological effects of grief and found that grieving is actually life-threatening. Sure, we probably all realize that grief can lead to depression which is not to be taken at all lightly. But it also leads to changes in the immune system and it triggers inflammation in the entire body. Chronic inflammation in the body also can lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes (type 2) and even some forms of cancer. We don’t see this from the outside, but it is analogous to instantly becoming morbidly obese; grieving is the same kind of ticking time bomb. So, what can we do if we have had this kind of loss or know someone who has lost a loved one? A grieving person will not move beyond that sense of loss, but they will – often with professional help – move forward able to retain a loving memory that walks alongside the loss. So, people don’t get over grief nearly so much as learn to move forward with it. Lora McInerny is the host of a really helpful web site whose name speaks volumes. It is titled, “Terrible. Thanks for Asking.” She had been through a deep personal loss, and had just a few too many people ask the wrong question, “How are you doing?” Some even chimed in with the cliché, “These things happen for a reason.” A better question can be “What did you do today…or yesterday?” or “What have you been doing?” You get the picture. If you have not experienced a loss, there is a good chance that you know someone who has. I recommend you visit the web site. Make someone’s day better. 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.
Although most of us think of a Valentine's heart when February comes up on the calendar, it also is National Heart Month. If you are a caregiver to an older adult - or an individual of almost any age - February may be a good time to take a refresher on the warnings signs of a heart attack (or myocardial infarction) and of a stroke. For either of these cardiovascular events, catching them earlier and getting help quickly are essential.

Heart Attack. The most common warning sign of a heart attack is described by people who have had an attack as a tightness or discomfort in their chest. It commonly will last for a few minutes and it may even come and go, and the victim will describe it as a squeezing or a weight on the center of their chest. The warning may not be confined to the chest; some report a pain in the arm, the back, stomach, jaw or neck. And women tend to have more varied symptoms than men, and it can be confused with indigestion, the flu or other more common problem. It also can be accompanied by a shortness of breath, because remember that the heart's pumping is being hindered. Finally, because the heart is being attacked, some of the same symptoms that accompany other sever injuries may occur. The Heart attack victim may feel suddenly nauseous, break out in a cold sweat or feel light-headed.

Stroke. The American Heart Association gives us an easy way to remember what to look for when someone is having a stroke, and they spell the word F.A.S.T. :
- Face Droop - Does the person report numbness on one side of their face; strokes usually are one side or another. Or does the person's facial expression noticeably droop or sag on one side?
- Arm Weak - If asked to raise their arms, does the individual have difficulty with one of their arms or is one arm seemingly heavier than the other?
- Speech Slurred - Does your loved one suddenly have difficulty speaking clearly? As them to repeat a simple statement; can you understand what they say?
- Time to Act - If a loved one you care for experiences any of these symptoms, call 911 even if the symptoms go away.
The call to 911 is important for both heart attack and stroke, because first responders will be able to intervene on the spot and so that you do not have the added wait of transporting the patient to the hospital ER. Time is of the essence, because in the case of a heart attack a part of the heart muscle is being starved of oxygen. And with stroke, the longer the wait the greater the chance that the deficit may become permanent. For more information on both of these conditions, check out the website of the American Heart Association.

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.
As a geriatric care manager, I am always alert to changes in people's eating habits and proper diet. As people age they naturally experience a decline in their appetite in part because their taste buds are not as responsive as they were when they were younger. Loss of appetite is also a potential sign of depression, and depression is one of the most common conditions older adults experience owing to the losses associated with their stage in life and aging. But if the diminished appetite leads to anemia owing to low iron intake, then there may also be a risk for dementia according to scientists. These scientists started with a group of over 2,500 mentally healthy women and men whose average age was 76. They then followed these people for 11 years testing them regularly for their blood counts and other mental function tests. At the outset of this study 392 people were clinically testing as anemic. By the eleventh year of this study 455 people had developed clinical dementia. These researchers also measured all study participants' age, gender, education, blood sugar levels (and diabetes diagnoses) and more than a dozen other biologic metrics. In statistical analysis they controlled for all these other variables and found that anemia still was a strong predictor of dementia beyond these other possible causes. In fact, of the people who started the study with anemia, they had a 49 percent greater risk of developing dementia during the 11 years of the study. What makes this study very compelling is that it is a prospective design. It is not one of the many studies we often see where scientists can ask questions about a person's background in an effort to explain a current condition. It also is a large panel of people for a study, so the chances a statistical error are reduced. What the study cannot tell us is what kind of treatment for anemia could "prevent" dementia. If you are a caregiver to an older loved one, what is the lesson to be learned from this research. At the very least it seems that caregivers should be watchful of their older loved ones' diet as a relatively easy way to rule out at least one potential cause of dementia. I have written about other steps that can be taken in other postings. Exercise and keeping mentally active are among those other steps that people of all ages can engage in to stave off mental deficits like dementia. 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.
We have all been following the news on vaccine rollouts, and frankly you may have been as disappointed as I have been with how slowly this mobilization has been progressing. With the exception of West Virginia, the state by state rollouts have fallen short of most experts’ hopes or expectations. Yet, we are making progress. If you live in Illinois and qualify as a category 1B or 1C, it is important to now reach out to your local departments of public health and get on their electronic lists. Once you do that you can expect to receive an email or text of the next opportunity to become vaccinated. The first group to have received vaccinations, category 1A, included healthcare workers and residents of long-term senior living facilities. Category 1b now includes frontline essential workers and 75+ year-olds, but CDC has added 1C to this next tier of availability, which means 65-74 year-olds, younger people with underlying medical conditions and other essential workers qualify. You need to get on a list to be called, so check with your local departments of public health on-line to get on those lists. They will ask how you wish to be notified, text or email, and you simply need to be watchful. A colleague recommends that you may also consider going to vaccination sites at end of day just to see if they have excess vaccine because some who have been called simply did not get to the site. And there is other “good news.” Eli Lilly, the Indiana drug maker, has tested a monoclonal antibody as a prophylaxis against COVID, and the results are promising. In nursing homes, residents and staff showed a 57% lower chance of getting COVID-19 than those who had been infused with placebo. Among the residents specifically, the risk was reduced by 80%. Only four residents died of complications from COVID, and these all were folks in the placebo group. As a result of this in population trial, Lilly has received emergency use authorization for this antibody cocktail. It is not a vaccine, but it can be used to help supplement vaccine where there is simply not enough vaccine to cover all of the populations. What is remarkable is that this infusion was to be used in treatment of infections, but it also seems to have a genuine level of protection against infection as well. Another company, Regeneron, has been authorized for emergency of bamlanivimab, an antibody cocktail to be used in treating COVID in individuals more at risk for severe COVID disease. There is added good news also with one of the approved vaccines. You may have heard of the more virulent variants of the COVID virus that are surfacing. At least Moderna is adapting a second shot of their vaccine to be particularly attuned to this variant. The latest "breaking news" is about a trial using an oral anti-inflammatory called colchicine. In the past it has been used for rheumatoid disorders like gout, but with COVID it seems to tackle the "cytokine storm" you may recall being discussed in the news...particularly with younger patients. In topline data from these early trials on more than 4,000 patients, researchers found that those who received doses of colchicine had:
- 25% fewer hospitalizations
- 50% less need for mechanical ventilation
- 44% fewer deaths.
We will continue to keep you apprised of late breaking news about our global pandemic, and I personally hope we continue to hear promising news as we all look forward to "rounding the bend." Please continue to exercise all precautions and stay safe. 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.
As we age, our bodies give us feedback we’re not used to. Activities that never required a second thought suddenly take some planning. Sometimes it’s hard to know if a new pain or sensation is something that we should worry about, or just a natural part of the aging process. We’ve compiled a list for you. If you or someone you love experiences any symptoms on this list, take them seriously and consult a physician immediately.
1. Confusion/Speech Difficulty. Call 911. These two symptoms are the most common manifestations of stroke. As the difficulty recovering from stroke depends heavily on the speed of attention to the event, it is wise to take this very seriously. Other reasons to suspect stroke include numbness, weakness, paralysis on one side of the body, or further difficulty with balance.
2. Vision Issues. Blurry, double vision? This is also a potential warning of stroke. Additionally, if you experience pain in your eyes, you should seek urgent treatment.
3. Chest Pain. This is a big one. If you have pain that lasts longer than a minute or two, it’s no time to wait. Treating a cardio event in the early stages is key.
4. Shortness of Breath. Any sudden difficulty catching your breath for longer than a few seconds should be your cue to get to the emergency room.
5. Stomach Pain. If it’s sudden, intense, and lasts longer than 30 minutes, a visit to urgent care is called for. Unresolved pain needs dealt with, and abdominal pain could need special attention. Don’t take the risk.
6. High Fever. If an adult has a fever that has reached 104 degrees, they need to be seen by a physician. The same is true for a newborn (up to 3 months) with a fever that reaches 100.4F. Excessive fevers need to be brought down. Let the professionals help.
7. Unusual Vomiting. When abdominal pain is unrelieved after vomiting, or if there is blood in the vomit, the situation needs caution and monitoring. If the unusual vomiting is accompanied by a high fever and lasts more than a few hours, children should be seen immediately. Adults should be seen if the episode lasts longer than a day.
8. Seizures. If seizures are part of your medical history, follow your doctor’s orders for managing; however, if seizures increase in occurrence, this is call to revisit your care plan. A first-time seizure requires immediate attention, as does a seizure experienced by anyone who lives with diabetes, or who is pregnant.
9. Head Injury. Take even a head bump seriously if you have a lingering headache. Head injuries can cause seizure, difficulty with speech, and confusion. Loss of sensation, strength, and coordination are also key indicators that any issues with head injury should be taken seriously.
If your symptom is something not listed above, be seen sooner than later. Aging happens differently to everyone, and health is high priority. Finally, trust your instincts. If something feels “off”, check it out. You’re right that it probably is nothing, but it’s much better to know than to worry. 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.