Chicago's Geriatric Care Manager Center of Excellence – Since 1991 • chronic kidney diseaseChicago's Geriatric Care Manager Center of Excellence

Five Things to Know about Kidney Disease
It’s a disease that affects about 26 million Americans. If untreated it will kill these people. And more than...
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August 24, 2011
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In the Caregiver's Words

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I have had the good fortune to connect with Jennifer Mesko, Managing Editor of a great website and resource, Drugwatch.com. When I asked about the latest on dangerous medications or medical devices for those who are caregivers or in geriatric care management, she offered these comments.
Nearly every senior in the United States relies on one or more drugs or medical devices to improve their lives. Most of the time, these drugs and medical devices help them deal with pain or a medical condition, and keep up an active lifestyle –and they can even save their lives. Sometimes, however, drugs and medical devices do more harm than good. When a manufacturer fails to disclose the risks of its products, people can end up getting much worse instead of getting better. As a caregiver, you likely play a key role in someone else’s medical care and may be responsible for making sure medicine is taken on schedule – or that surgery is scheduled when necessary. Here are a few products you should be aware of: Dangerous Drugs Just like prescription drugs, some over-the-counter drugs can be dangerous. Tylenol, for example, is taken by millions of people every day. Just recently, however, reports of serious liver problems have come to light. The problem occurs when someone overdoses on Tylenol, often by accident. If one of your patients is taking cold medicine in addition to Tylenol, for example, you need to check to make sure the cold medicine does not also contain acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol). If more than 4,000 mg of Tylenol is taken within 24 hours, the drug builds up in the body and can overload the liver and cause organ damage or even death. Carefully monitor your loved one’s medications to ensure he or she is not taking too much acetaminophen at once. Another drug that caretakers should be especially careful with is Pradaxa. The drug is a blood thinner that reduces the risk of blood clots. Unfortunately, because the blood is thin, patients can experience uncontrollable bleeding after a minor scrape or cut. There is currently no antidote to this bleeding, which can lead to death. Reports show that Pradaxa side effects such as heart attack and uncontrollable bleeding led to more than 500 deaths in 2011. More than 1,000 patients and family members have filed lawsuits after Pradaxa injuries. Talk to the patient’s doctor to discuss what to do in a bleeding emergency. Dangerous Devices Your loved one may require a joint replacement, just like hundreds of thousands of others do each year. Most of the time, this type of surgery helps relieve pain and restore mobility. Unfortunately, not all hip and knee implants are safe or effective. Before the surgery, talk to the surgeon about which implant will be used. Some hips, including the Biomet M2a Magnum and Depuy ASR, can create problems because they have two or more metal parts. As the components rub against each other during normal activities, the implant sheds metal particles into the body. This can lead to metal poisoning, which requires revision surgery. Knee implants can also be problematic. Patients have reported numerous complications from the Zimmer NexGen Flex Knee system, including loosening, dislocation, implant failure and intense pain. Artificial knee joints are expected to last 10-15 years, but Zimmer NexGen implants can fail after just a couple of years. Drugs and medical devices are an important part of everyday life for most seniors. As a caregiver, it’s vital that you find out as much information as possible before dispensing medications or agreeing to a medical device for your loved one. Do your research, talk to the doctor and make sure that the ones you love avoid these dangerous outcomes. Jennifer Mesko is the managing editor of Drugwatch.com, a consumer advocacy website. She keeps consumers informed about prescription drugs and medical devices that could put them at risk.
Charlotte Bishop is a Geriatric Care Manager and founder of Creative Care Management, certified professionals who are senior care management professionals, geriatric advocates, resources, counselors and friends to older adults and their families in metropolitan Chicago. Please email your questions to info@creativecaremanagement.com.
It’s almost cliché to talk about being stumped on what to get for your older loved one who may, in fact, have just about everything, but there is one gift all older adults could use. That gift is added security from scammers. Why do I talk about scams and older loved ones as if younger people are never scammed? Well, in the words of Willie Sutton who is alleged to have responded to a reporter’s question of “Why do you rob banks?” saying simply, “Because that’s where the money is.” Older people simply have accumulated more asset wealth during their careers. Yet, older adults may be disproportionately less tech savvy which can get anyone into trouble on the internet. Here are some of the top scams you should be on the alert for during this holiday season according to the National Council on Aging:
1. Everyone over age 65 is eligible for Medicare – and it is still open enrollment season. So, warn mom or dad about scammers on the internet who may pose as Medicare representatives in order to hijack social security numbers or other personal information.
2. I always say that in an age when you can Google just about anything…that is pretty much what you’ll find. That includes bogus prescription drugs. An older adult on the lookout for better prices for their high priced medicines can fall prey to fake drugs. The FDA has been investigating four times as many fake medicine purveyors than even in the 1990s.
3. Fraudulent web activities can also be carried in phishing emails or pop-ups that have links to sites that will harvest your older loved ones’ personal information from their hard drives. Help your parents keep current with the latest security safeguards on their computers.
4. We all remember Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, and that was with friends and associates. Well, on any given day there will be a whole host of investment, reverse mortgage or retirement enhancement schemes. We are still enjoying historically low inflation which translates into very poor returns for retirees who depend on bonds and savings for supplemental income. They may be prey to promises of higher rates of return.
And, of course, there are still the old standards like the Nigerian prince looking for a partner to help with his inheritance, the sweepstakes redemption scheme, the “I’m your favorite grandchild ruse and more. So, this year, share a bit of security with your older and younger loved ones…and have a great holiday and a happy new year. 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.
There were 39 million injury-related visits to the emergency room last year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And 300,000 of those were hip fractures in 65+ year old adults that resulted in a hospital stay, and a good share of these were because the dog’s bark may have been worse than its bite! The older adults who have been walking their “best friends” are prime victims for fractures – mostly hip fractures – owing to an overly-exuberant four-legged friend. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania looking at the causes of the injuries. While still only a bit more than one percent of all fractures nation-wide, the number of hip injuries caused by Fido pulling too hard on the leash have nearly tripled between 2004 and 2017. And this is just the first step, if you will, toward diminished health and quality of life for older adults who make the fateful fall to the sidewalk. Picture the recovery trajectory of a “normal hip hospitalization.” By normal I mean that a patient has the relatively common wearing of the bursa of the hip which leads to pain that can only be relieved by surgically replacing the head of the hip. It takes anywhere from one to six months and physical rehab to fully recover from hip replacement surgery. But other research shows that at least one in four who have a fractured hip will die within one year of the event. It is not the fracture so much as the incapacity and loss of one’s ability to do an array of normal activities of daily living like walking, sitting and rising, reaching to high places and more. But you can help your older loved one, especially if mom or dad has a dog:
1. Encourage your older loved one to talk with their physician at the next appointment to evaluate their risk for imbalance problems and perhaps encourage a vitamin D supplement to strengthen bones.
2. Get your loved one screened for bone density and risk for osteoporosis. Even before adding the canine, brittle bones are a risk factor.
3. Sign your older loved one up with a balance and strengthening class like Thai Chi. No way mom will do that, you say; so sign up with them.
4. Have your loved one’s vision checked to be sure they are not an accident waiting to happen, because they cannot clearly navigate their surroundings.
5. I add this “non-medical” suggestion. Pets can be extremely good therapy, so by no means should you discourage an older loved one from adopting a furry friend. Take the next step, however, and have a professional help train that loyal companion to work with mom or dad.
Please also do a keyword search of my blog to find more suggestions on how to help your older loved one get and stay fit. This one is an example of how to help with a better walking gait as a basic approach to better health. Then, just add the dog! And yes, the one in the picture belongs to our household. 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.
We all hear the phrase used as an excuse for a bit of memory lapse … that it’s just a “senior moment.” It doesn’t seem to be ageist, because in older adult communities the phrase gets tossed around about as frequently as “hello” or “goodbye.” But it’s wrong. This time of COVID places us all at risk for the “Memory Moments,” because they’re not caused by age. Yes, short term recall issues are something to which we all are susceptible, but they are not caused by age. Memory issues like dementia are not caused by age; they have organic causes. There are steps we all can take to stay more mentally sharp no matter our age and despite COVID. During this time of sustained pandemic quarantine – for those of you following the state and local mandates, that is – memory lapses can seem to become more common. Even these “COVID moments” are not inevitable, however, if you keep your mind engaged and active. Here are six tips to help fend off the cognitive impact of COVID 19:
1. Do Something New – We all have heard about “lifelong learning” as it may describe someone who seems always to be pursuing new knowledge, a new language or a new craft. Your brain still has a lot of room to expand what you know, so keep at it.
2. Don’t Cram – Just like the tests when you were back in school, the best learning cannot happen the night before the exam. Spread your learning of a new language or a new musical instrument over a number of sittings and days, and it will more effectively take root.
3. One More Time – The learning takes place over time, and you need to go over the same ground over and over. Repetition is important so that the new language you’re studying becomes like a new habit.
4. More Senses Make More Sense – When you are working a new recipe in the kitchen, you learn by reading, tasting, smelling, touching, etc. With learning a language, you learn by seeing, hearing, writing, saying, and so on. Use as many senses as you can to maximize your cognitive process.
5. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff – It’s okay to let your devices or your habits free up your brain to work on the new things you want to learn. Make a written list of your “to do’s.” It will free up the brain space to actually determine how to do what you want to get done.
6. Yes You Can – Don’t ever call it your “senior moment,” because that means you have lost confidence in you. While you are practicing what you wish to learn, practice having confidence in your learning. If you don’t believe in a “senior moment,” you are far less likely to have one.
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.
Last week I talked about Ice Cream, Lunch and Light Bulbs as part of a retirement plan. Those three and more help us to make it tangible what we want to support us logistically, socially and physically as we retire and ultimately face some diminishing of what we have been able to do. And it’s a plan that can evolve over time; Living Well does not happen without really thinking about it all the way until…until we can’t. But there also is some paperwork and concept work you should be prepared to do as you look to living well in your next stage of life. I’m a list person when it comes to travel; I make the list, I check everything off and we head to the airport. Here’s your Big Picture list:
- Legalese: You may have prepared a Power of Attorney for both healthcare and finance, but reread what you have to be sure this includes people you trust. This is particularly true if the documents are time stamped with a date you don’t remember. A lawyer whom I respect puts it this way: “Make sure these are people who love you more than they love your money.” Also, add a Trust document, and make sure your life insurance is titled properly.
- Medical: Keep a current list of your providers, your medicines and dosages and emergency contacts. Add a Physician’s Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST is more comprehensive than a Do Not Resuscitate order). And First responders suggest that copies of all of these be kept in a plastic bag in your freezer…labeled…or some other easily found location.
- Finance: Most of us will at some age have access to Social Security benefits, but that’s still a bit tight as one’s sole income in retirement. Set aside money in an IRA (or ROTH IRA), or 401K or consider yourself fortunate if you have a pension. Get professional advice early and each year meet with your financial advisor to review. Think of it as Save – Spend – Review…rinse, repeat.
- Dream: What would you like to do? Where would you like to go? I am often a facilitator of this part, but it’s never my dream…it’s yours. All of this makes for your next year’s plans, and it also makes it a bit easier to get through the doldrums of winter as you anticipate your next adventure…I refuse to call these bucket lists. Call it a Live Well Blueprint…and when you follow your (not anyone else’s) blueprint, you will live well.
Charlotte Bishop is an Aging Life Care Advisor, Geriatric Care Manager and founder of, 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.
Not a day goes by that the sun does not linger a bit longer, that the landscape gets a bit greener, that the weather gets bit warmer and that the scammers get a bit craftier. We all are accustomed to preparing for a change in the seasons, but we also need to be able to help our older loved ones defend themselves against an evolving art of scamming. I want to share five of them that have taken scamming to new depths. It’s always the same bottom line: they are looking to steal people’s money or people’s identities with which to make monetary gains. But they continue to improve their game, so help your older loved ones prepare.
1. It starts with ZOOM – For the past year or more we have had to substitute real gatherings with digital gatherings. We are all accustomed to receiving the “link” and clicking into a meeting with a friend, a club, a congregation and more. Scammers, however, send authentic-looking links that take your loved one to a platform where the scammer may download malicious software that hacks passwords or gains access financial information. RESPONSE: Impress upon your older loved ones to not click on links in unsolicited emails.
2. Generous Actor giving away money – There have been noteworthy screen actors or athletes who have stepped up to help communities that have been devastated by the pandemic quarantine. Your mom or dad get a text or email invitation from a famous someone, and all they have to do is send their account information and small deposit to cover the “cost of the transaction.” RESPONSE: If it is too good to be true, assure your loved one that it IS too good to be true.
3. New Medicare benefits – With expanded health benefits lately and pandemic-related benefits, there can be a lot of information being broadcast. The offers sound great. RESPONSE: Medicare will never solicit your older loved one; hang up, log off, just close that screen.
4. On-line romance is not love- There is an ever-increasing array of options that allow people to meet on-line. And with the incredibly long quarantine who is not in need of some social interaction. It may even be a book club or a prayer group. RESPONSE: The red flags will be provocative videos or language or any number of suggestions that ultimately lead to a request for money or confidential information; this is another hang up, log off.
5. Account Issues – A text or email with your loved one’s credit card logo and an alert that payment is past due or a text with similar wording. Maybe it is an alert, but… RESPONSE: Encourage your older loved one to ALWAYS call the toll-free number on the back of the credit card or visit the actual web site; never click on a link or provide account details to a caller.
So, you and your loved ones have just these five scams to guard against? Not exactly. These are in the top tier, but scammers are a creative lot, so follow all these general rules of response so as not to be taken in by the next wave. 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.

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