Chicago's Geriatric Care Manager Center of Excellence – Since 1991 • Daily Living TipsChicago's Geriatric Care Manager Center of Excellence

4 Geriatric Care Manager Tips for Preventing Falls in Older Adults
We as certified geriatric care managers all hear about older adults falling. Caregivers often do not expect their own...
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October 9, 2013
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How NOT to Treat Back Pain: Geriatric Care Management Tips
Do you have pain in your back, particularly your lower back – that area around your belt line or...
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August 8, 2013
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5 Reasons Why Older Adults Need Caregiver Water Breaks
While it has been a fairly temperate season where we live and work, not all parts of the world...
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August 5, 2013
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Three Tips for Relieving Elder Stress
I have really lost track of how many conversations and/or blog postings I have had about Caregiver Stress. As...
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August 1, 2013
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Five Geriatric Care Management Secrets to Living Forever
There is a lot of news about the “older market” or other stories featuring someone who has reached the...
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June 13, 2013
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Six Tips for Better Sleep in Older Adults
We’ve all used the expression, “Don’t lose any sleep over it.” Turns out that losing sleep is one thing...
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March 18, 2013
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It’s the Season for SAD
You already know that depression is far more common among older adults than among younger people. But everyone is...
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February 14, 2013
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Five Steps to a Sharper Mind
Everybody forgets something! There is a heightened awareness – even fear – of Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia...
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November 8, 2012
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Five Hot and Cold Tips for Seniors
We can no longer deny that the seasons are changing and for older adults still living in their own...
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October 22, 2012
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In the Caregiver's Words

Recent Client Praise

But in this particular case, it is not about the firmness of a mattress; it is about how much time you spend on your mattress. We all probably knew that too little sleep is a bad thing. Never mind that it makes us feel pretty awful and act pretty grouchy when we do not get enough sleep. It also reduces our cognitive function if we get too little sleep. But researchers now report that the other extreme is not healthy for cognitive function either. People who sleep overly long also show statistically significant decline in cognitive ability later in life. So, it is the zone in the middle of too little and too much that appears to be the sweet spot for normal brain activity. The zone that is “just right.” Dutch researchers have found that people who have sleep disturbance in their middle years are more likely to show signs of the amyloid deposits that are the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s Disease later in life. They liken this process to a kind of fast forward of the amyloid in the brain. They tracked nearly 3,000 people, most of whom were in their mid-forties, from 1995 forward. They established a baseline of overall cognitive function as well as their self-reported sleep patterns. They then contacted them about every five years to repeatedly assess their cognitive patterns. By about 2007 they charted cognitive capabilities by sleep duration and found that it traced something of a U-shaped curve with the people at the lowest and highest sleep duration patterns showing the greatest compromise to their cognitive abilities. The people on the low sleep duration side probably need the most help, because staying asleep is more difficult that setting an alarm to waken earlier. Experts suggest the following for better sleep hygiene:
- Don’t take your cell phone to bed with you. The light is stimulating and texting and reading with the artificial light of the phone are far from ideal for winding down.
- Television in the bedroom also has the same effect on winding down. It is best to shut down any electronic stimulation at least 30 minutes before settling down to sleep.
- Avoid certain sleep agents like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) that may be associated with an increased risk for dementia or Alzheimer’s later in life. Doctors recommend melatonin as an alternative.
- Think about bed-time back in the middle of the day by stopping your caffeine intake by 1pm or maybe 2pm in the afternoon. The effects of the caffeine linger into your evening and will agitate your sleep patterns.
I add one more – make a list of what you’ll do tomorrow well before lights out. You don’t want your brain working out tomorrow while you’re trying to shut down today. 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.
This marks the 100^th posting on our blog since its inception October, 2010, and it gave me pause to stop and reflect on what one learns at 100. So, whom better to ask than people who have had 100 birthdays, made it to that milestone and have been paying attention along the way. I have gathered together here a short compilation of wisdom from some centenarians whom I felt had something to offer the rest of us. You tell me what you think.

    Ruth offers advice on life and style. Appreciate that Ruth lifts weights everyday and practices Pilates weekly, an activity she just picked up when she was 92. Perhaps her most memorable piece of advice is about time and age; she says, “Don't look at the calendar just keep celebrating every day.” This, from a lady who does not wear blue jeans and makes herself get up and out every day for at least a short walk. (And she is a real believer in the values of skin moisturizer.)

    Ephraim is a doctor still in practice at age 100 His advice to all of us starts with choices. The two important choices that top his list include “choosing the right parents” and then “choosing the right spouse.” The doctor still has a sense of humor, and you will appreciate that if you go to his site to see the rest of his advice which include “keep breathing.”

    Jessie is the other side of 100 at 105. She commends that peace is the root of happiness. She does not count her time in years, but rather in minutes and the promise that each minute holds for her. She also stays active and only just recently gave up her favorite activity, swimming, at the age of 101.

    Patsy is a quiet man at age 100. His secret is to simply enjoy life. Part of that includes his weekly treat from the local pizzeria, one slice of thin crust sausage pizza. And when he is asked what he means by enjoy, he responds: “I like to be sociable with everybody.”

    Fauja finished the Toronto marathon last year. This stands as a Guinness record, and Mr. Singh was very excited to make the distance on behalf of local charities. Perhaps the secret to being able to run that far at age 100 is to not start, as Mr. Singh did, until you are 80 years old and also to surround yourself with friends as Fauja did for his run.

So, the common thread? Maybe the lesson we can take from centenarians is that it is not about a destination as much as it is about a journey. It is not about having lived to 100; it is about having lived each day along the way.

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 .
You may recall nearly two decades ago a George Clooney movie came out that revolved around some men who made their living as fishermen. It was called “The Perfect Storm,” and the title drew upon what happens when not just one storms hits a ship at sea, but two storms. It was quite dramatic. Well, Alzheimer’s disease is like that Perfect Storm, but it is not just two storms. Those with dementia who are 65 years or older have not just two storms; they have an average of four chronic conditions – what doctors call comorbidities – along with the dementia. An average 65+ year old individual has about two comorbid chronic conditions. The most common comorbidities for Alzheimer’s patients are diabetes, urinary infections and depression, but there are also other cognitive aspects to dementia that impact more than memory. We often refer to the manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease as “cognitive impairment.” But cognitive impairment isn’t just about memory issues. If you have a loved one who has had the diagnosis, there is another facet to cognitive impairment called apraxia, and it is the most common manifestation of cognitive impairment. The healthy brain is a complex data processor that routinely connects things. It knows what a fork is and it knows food on a dinner plate when it sees it and it also knows how to use the fork to transport the food to the mouth. Rinse and repeat. But apraxia can put up a significant road block between those two cognitive processes. The brain sees the fork and it sees the food and the brain then comes to a halt…at least until someone helps to move the fork with the food to the dementia sufferer’s mouth. Clearly the apraxia can take on a number of basic forms, and understanding what your loved one is now unable to do can help in getting assistance as well as treatment for your loved one with dementia. Health care providers categorize apraxia along these three lines:
- “Ideational apraxia” describes the cognitive deficit of the person unable to process what an object is for…they see a car key, but don’t know how that enables driving a car.
- “Ideamotor apraxia” describes the kind of activity for which a person with dementia needs to be “primed” to do. They recognize a hair brush, but need to be prompted in how to use that brush for their hair.
- “Dressing apraxia” describes all the roadblocks in what used to be a taken for granted process. Think about seeing buttons, but not remembering how they align with button holes…or how a zipper zips, etc.
These are all important for the caregiver, because if you understand the deficit you can help your loved one and you to minimize the frustration of what have become mind boggling tasks. It will help you in asking for the appropriate assistance in respite or residential care. You can explain that “mom needs help dressing in the morning,” and the staff will understand and be proactive. Or “dad will need help with dinner and cutting meat,” and they can help dad do as much as possible on his own and with the least embarrassment. Within all of this it is about maintaining quality of life for your loved one with dementia, and that takes patience. And your patience can come from knowing what to expect and how to respond. Here are a couple resources on how to address apraxia: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4341309/ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007472.htm. 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.
You can imagine that I follow a lot of clinical news feeds, and I keep files. I have files for dementia, files for residential living options and yes, I have a file for research that gives us insights into how people who live longer got there. There is no one secret to living longer, but there are some things that people who live longer do that can help us all: • An 80 year-long study that tracked people and their mental habits found that people who are more thoughtful and “plan-ful” live longer. • Multiple studies have consistently shown that people who have more friends or are more socially-active live longer. (They probably also have more fun…) • But choose your friends carefully, because their habits rub off…do your friends work out or do they smoke, do they make good food choices or eat junk? • In the “friends” vein, people who are married or have been married (divorced or widowed) live longer than those who have stayed single. • Napping is good for you; those who nap regularly have a 37% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. • That extends to your overnight sleep also; people who get less than 5 hours of sleep a night are simply less healthy…if you snooze, you WIN. • Eat more fiber and fruits and vegetables; the end result is a much reduced risk for obesity … especially the belly fat that is the greatest risk. • Regular exercise to the tune of at least two and a half hours a week helps fend off heart disease, depression and some kinds of cancer. • If you drink alcohol – one drink a day for women and one to two for men; moderation reduces the risk of heart disease more than even than those who don’t drink at all. • Be chill – people who don’t carry a grudge or who are not always crabby or who are less stressed have lower rates of heart disease as well as other health issues. • Have a purpose in your life – you will live longer and reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. These are the big issues to use as your guide to a longer life. As you read them, you may find that many of them make for a happier life as well. That probably is not a coincidence! Live well. 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.
Career Opportunities at CCM

Open Positions:
Creative Care Management is looking for full- and part-time professionals to provide geriatric care management services to our clients. CCM was founded more than twenty years ago and is a team of certified professionals providing answers to older adults in Northern Illinois and their families.

Qualified applicants should have:

a nursing, social work or other degree in the helping professions

experience with older adults or others with special needs is a plus

GCMs will evaluate an older person's situation, identify solutions, and work with the family to design a plan for maximizing an elder's independence and well being. Geriatric care management involves an in-depth assessment, developing a care plan, arranging for services, and following up or monitoring care. A GCM can also assist in the medical management of a client and suggest potential alternatives not considered, and they assure a loved one receives the best possible personalized care and all the benefits to which they are entitled.
Please send a bio and credentials to:

Steve Steiber

ssteiber@creativecasemanagement.com

or call 847-869-5118 x 511.
Anyone who has raised children in the 21^st century can probably remember helping their young ones learn how to stay safe while out of the house, and later while driving the car and in between while surfing the internet. If you also have an older loved one, you may now have to work with mom or dad to be alert to the new scams targeting the unsuspecting who have internet access. It is not just a matter of helping your older loved one install current anti-viral and anti-malware software. The new scammers are taking advantage of the perfect storm of technology, trust and assets.
Today more than three in five adults over age 65 have access to the internet, and nearly four of every five have a cell phone. According to Microsoft there is a new consumer scam taking advantage of these technologies and the trust of their owners to dupe an estimated 3.3 million individuals – many of them 65 years and older – of an estimated $1.5 billion. It starts with their phone when an alleged representative of Microsoft or Windows calls advising of a virus detected on their equipment. The consultant directs them to log on and go to a support web site that will double-check their computers for the trouble. Once logged on to the site, malware is installed that can hijack any personal or financial information your trusting loved one may have on their computer. But be aware that Microsoft does not make outbound calls. Or it may be just the phone alone that gives the bad guys access to your older loved one. Ask your loved one if they have received any calls where no one was on the line when they picked up. If so, they may be part of an automated system that is accumulating a data base of people who can be targeted for later scams. If your older loved one does not yet have caller ID, have it installed. Or the number one fraud presently taking advantage of people’s phone access poses as a representative of the IRS. This may be the one phone call everyone dreads, but the simple fact is that the IRS does not make outbound phone calls. That said, when an unknown caller invokes the name of the IRS and then proceeds to make demands, most people – elders included – can become very intimidated. Let your older loved one know about this, and if they ever receive a call like this or from any of a number of agencies or federal offices, simply look up the number of the nearest office by that name and call them yourself. Again, the IRS – or any other predator - does not call you; you need to call them. Charlotte Bishop is an Aging Life Care Professional and 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.