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

A Good Enough Family Caregiver?
So my professional label is a certified geriatric care manager, but it could as easily be caregiver support team...
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July 17, 2013
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Geriatric Care Advice for Quantifying Caregiver Burden
There is no doubt that being a caregiver to an older loved one can be a positive and rewarding...
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July 3, 2013
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In the Caregiver's Words

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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.
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I had the good fortune this past weekend to attend a Billy Joel concert, and he had a great bit of advice to offer others of his vintage (he’s 75 years old) as well of those still earlier on the path. The real catch is that he wrote the advice 47 years ago as part of the lyrics to his hit song, Vienna. The third stanza leads with this: But you know that when the truth is toldThat you can get what you wantOr you can just get old He picks it up again in the eighth stanza with: And you know that when the truth is toldThat you can get what you want or you can just get old Billy Joel may have lived his career sitting at a piano and charming folks like us, but he did not take life “sitting down.” There was a phrase going around about 10+ years ago that sitting is the new smoking. It was a succinct way to convey the health impact of sedentary behavior. It covers not just those who quit their day job at the time they retire and do what they’ve always wanted to do…nothing. It is meant to speak to us all. Bad retirement plan! Regular exercise which includes walking as a high priority is one of the two top ways to preserve one’s health. Inactivity is also the second greatest risk factor for cardiovascular disease right behind poor diet. The actual numbers needed to attain goal you may have heard. To maintain one’s health, it is recommended that their week’s routine includes 150 minutes of exercise, of which walking can be the greatest part. But less than a third of people receiving these health recommendations actually engage in the physical activities, and only 20 percent actually meet the 150-minute goal. So, what do professionals recommend? Get a dog! Think of it as an enforced workout buddy system, and it is sufficiently successful that people who have dogs are four times more likely to hit their activity goals. My partner gets the vast majority of his workout time walking the dog…and everyone in a mile radius of our residence knows the dog’s name, and she is 12 years old – 84 people years. I don’t know if they know my partner’s name? May I suggest that part of your successful living strategy include rescuing a dog? In fact, it just may be that the dog rescues you, not the other way around. And enjoy your walk…or just grow old! Charlotte Bishop is an Aging Life Care Advisor, Retirement Lifestyle Coach and founder of Creative Care Management, LLC, 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.
Of the estimated seven million Americans who have been full-time workers and caregivers, about six percent left the workforce for at least some amount of time to devote themselves full-time to caregiving. If you are one of these caregivers who are now rejoining the workforce, you may be wondering how "caregiving" fits on your resume.

First of all, appreciate that mothers or fathers of newborns or adoptees have been leaving the workforce and returning after raising children for years now. Having raised multiple children from birth to teen years, many of them have had much longer time away from work than a caregiver who takes leave for an older parent. That said, here are some lessons learned for how to dust off a resume:
1. First, don't lie about what we may refer to as your "caregiver gap;" trying to stretch earlier career positions to cover these months or years just will not work when a potential employer can check your story.
2. Make an explanation of this period that is comfortable and to the point; too many details can be a distraction and euphemisms just sound odd.
3. Include volunteer work that you may have been engaged in as well as any coursework you completed, conferences you attended or anything else to keep current.
4. Adapt your experiences for the specific jobs for which you will be applying; one size resume will not fit all applications.
5. There is a month for everything, and yes, September is International Update Your Resume Month, so check out resources on line (http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts/588/win-free-pongo-services-during-update-your-resume-month.cfm )
Resume in hand, start with these steps:
1. Restart your business network by tapping appropriate contacts within your social network like Facebook.
2. If you do not have a LinkedIn account, get that started as well with your business contacts from Facebook or your earlier jobs, and reach out to contacts of your contacts.
3. Call your former employer to see if they have freelance work available or new openings; a returning employee can "hit the ground running."
4. Check out college or continuing education courses that will get your skills current for today's job market.
5. Volunteer for a position in a non-profit that will use of the skills you have; such a position becomes a fresh line item for your career story.
6. And just as you may have done in your very first job search, seek out "informational interviews" with employers in your industry.
Throughout all of this, keep reminding yourself that what you did as a caregiver was important and valuable. And it was a full-time job, so you are not really restarting; you are just moving along your career path to your next job.

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. Read more about Our Story and Charlotte's mission.
We are fortunate to have a new contribution from a good friend and colleague, Julie Northcutt of Caregiverlist.com. Julie offers a caution in this contribution about the scams that seek to prey on older adults, so please give her warning a read...

“Holidays are a magical time, but unfortunately they are also a time when law enforcement sees a spike in online and telemarketing fraud, especially directed against the elderly. According to the Federal Trade Commission, nearly 25 million Americans are victims of consumer fraud each year. Senior citizens continue to be a rapidly increasing segment of the population. Why are seniors especially vulnerable? Seniors are seen as easy marks with “nest eggs” that make them attractive to con artists. According to the F.B.I., “people who grew up in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s were generally raised to be polite and trusting. Con artists exploit these traits, knowing that it is difficult or impossible for these individuals to say "no" or just hang up the telephone.” In addition, because the elderly are sometimes socially isolated, the elder will stay on the line just to converse with another human being.

“Silver Surfers” are the fastest growing group of Americans using computers, recent studies have shown, using email as an essential way to keep in touch with loved ones. This makes them especially vulnerable to illegitimate “charity” organizations looking for donations, lottery scams and bogus product offers. Elderly victims are less likely to report the fraud because they don’t know who to report to or they are embarrassed to admit they have been scammed. One of the more popular schemes this season is the “grandparent scam.” In this scenario, someone calls a senior and poses as their grandchild or a friend of the grandchild. The caller claims that the grandchild has been in an accident or is in trouble and needs the grandparent to wire them money. The grandparent is also urged not to tell anyone. Once the money is sent, it is unlikely it can ever be recovered.

What is a senior to do if they suspect fraud? Seniors are urged not to reply to any emails offering “free” medical equipment, miracle cures, or lottery prizes that require up-front payment for processing. Never give out sensitive information over email or phone, including social security numbers and bank information. Verify charity information before donating. In the case of the “grandparent scam,” seniors are urged to call their grandchildren to see if they are really in trouble. Everyone is vulnerable to deceptions during the holiday season. None more so, it seems, then our senior population. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a scam or fraud, report it to your local Department on Aging. You may help prevent others from becoming victims as well.”

Julie Northcutt is founder and president of Caregiverlist.com. We encourage you to visit her website.

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.
The holidays have gone by in a great rush, but you may have noticed someone in your orbit who seems a bit down during these past days and beyond. We have all heard somebody comment that New Year's or Chanukah or Christmas are hard because that is when a mother or a father or other loved one died. And it becomes a poignantly sad moment when that date on the calendar rolls around each year.

It has been my experience that it does not even have to be a specific date that can bring a spouse who has lost their partner or a caregiver who has lost the individual for whom they cared down. It is the memory of holidays with that person who is no longer here to share in festivities. This makes the time of year particularly hard. And if it is the first Christmas or the first New Year's or any other "first," it can be all the more difficult.

Not everyone will be willing to share the sources of their holiday sadness with others, but you can be alert to some of the common signs:

1.    Sadness that just seems to settle in. Everyone has the occasional bad day. This sadness will be over an extended time, and you may notice the deep sighs as your loved one tries to break the hold that the reminder of loss can inflict.

2.    Fatigue that sleep does not cure. You may notice that your loved one who is mourning a loss may fall asleep easily, retire earlier or rise later than usual; yet they never seem to be refreshed.

3.    Preoccupation when engaged in conversation. You might need to repeat yourself. You may notice that faraway look – as if they are lost in thought. They are.

4.    Forgetfulness or absent-mindedness. Again, it may be distraction about items on their list of things to do that fade into the background, because they are caught up in the sadness of their memories.

            The single best thing a friend can do for these seasonal lapses is to empathize. You don't need to be their analyst, but you can validate their feelings of sadness. You can also ask about what in particular makes the holiday sad for them. It can be helpful to ask about any special, positive memories or experiences they can recount of their lost loved one. Recalling the positive is not intended to convey that they ought not be sad as much as to give the person an opportunity to balance the context within which they remember their loved one.

            Even good memories may not be enough to offset the blues. If you find that this melancholy lingers well beyond the holidays that now are past, encourage your friend or loved one to seek some help. Their primary care physician may be a starting point or even a clergy member if they belong to an organized religion. Crying can sometimes get one's sadness out and talking can do the same. It helps to lift the weight that some carry through the holidays.

      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.

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Posts tagged with ‘caregiver burnout’

A Good Enough Family Caregiver?

Geriatric Care Advice for Quantifying Caregiver Burden

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