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

Drugs and Birthdays May be Bad Chemistry
Most of us have grown up with the faith that when we have a medical issue, there is likely...
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October 10, 2013
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What Caregivers Should Know About Diabetes Drugs
I have had the good fortune to connect with Julian Hills, a content writer and blogger for a great...
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September 18, 2013
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Older Adults Surviving the ICU
Our vice president for geriatric care management services, Steve Steiber, Ph.D., brought some startling information to my attention recently,...
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September 11, 2013
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Dangerous Drugs and Medical Devices Caregivers Should Be Aware Of
I have had the good fortune to connect with Jennifer Mesko, Managing Editor of a great website and resource,...
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August 14, 2013
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Drugs Don’t Work if Not Taken
I attended a medical visit along with one of my clients recently, and he was presented with a document...
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August 12, 2013
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The Other Reason Caregivers Should Panic About Tylenol
I have asked our vice president for geriatric care management and senior services, Dr. Steve Steiber, to share a...
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August 7, 2013
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Make No Mistake
Nearly 500 Medicare patients die every day from hospital mistakes, accidents or infections acquired while the patient is in...
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January 28, 2013
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Preventive Services from Medicare
We all have heard a fair bit of controversy swirling around the Affordable Care Act – sometimes called ObamaCare,...
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January 25, 2013
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Four Tips for Managing the Cost of Alzheimer’s Medication
Recently, I had the good fortune to speak with the chief executive of a national specialty, Monarch Specialty Pharmacy,...
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December 3, 2012
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Caregiver Alert for Illinois Seniors’ Rxs
If you are a caregiver to one of the nearly 13% of Illinois residents who are 65 years of...
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September 10, 2012
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In the Caregiver's Words

Recent Client Praise

Over the past couple years on more than one occasion I have talked about what a geriatric care manager (GCM) is. Even though the national association that accredits professional geriatric care managers (NAPGCM )is about 30 years old, the question of what we are still comes up. But there is more you should know about a care manager if you are one of the caregivers or family members looking to engage a geriatric care manager to help with your loved one. Here are eight questions I recommend you ask anyone you are considering for your circle of care.
1. What are your credentials? A GCM should also have other training or credentials like a rehabilitation degree, nursing diploma or social worker license in addition to being certified as a GCM. Ask about that.
2. Are you certified or licensed? Are they a certified geriatric care manager or simply providing services to older adults? Just as you would not want a lawyer who did not pass the bar or an accountant who did not have a CPA, you would not want just anyone who claims they “care for older people.” You can visit the Association web site to see the standards; check the link above and also look for the logo on their web site.
3. How long have you been providing elder care? There is no magical number of years, but you should decide how much experience gives you confidence and comfort that mom or dad will be in good hands
4. What about emergencies? You are not looking for a paramedic when you engage a care manager, but you need the peace of mind that your local resource can help in case of an emergency.
5. Does your company have any “relations” with other service providers? You definitely want someone who knows area resources like home care or senior residential communities. But be careful of anyone who may receive pay for referrals or who may simply steer you to their own services.
6. How will you communicate with me? This really is about what you want. Do you want a regular call, calls after medical appointments, routine e-mails or some other communication that will answer your questions and give you peace of mind?
7. What are your fees? First, you should receive a written document or contract with the fees and billing policies laid out. An article in the Wall Street Journal a few years back said that the national range of $80-$200 provided a “good buy” considering everything a GCM can do for a family.
8. Can you provide references? This will help you to get it in the “customers’ own words” from someone who has been in your shoes. You can also look for certification by the Better Business Bureau.
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 Charlotte Bishop.
Some of us are “older,” but we ALL are aging. And there is no time like the present to take better care of ourselves. Here are physicians’ top eight recommendations: 1. Heed your Scale: Three out of four adults over 60 are overweight or obese, and this predisposes them to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, gall bladder disease and breast and colon cancer. Limit sweets and alcohol. 2. Exercise Regularly. Arthritis may affect more than half of people as they age, but it can be minimized with regular exercise and with weight control. In one study losing just 11 pounds was associated with a fifty percent reduction in the risk of arthritis in the knees. 3. Consume more Calcium. Osteoporosis is not inevitable, but it affects as many as 44 million Americans over age 50, most of them women. Take calcium supplements, don’t drink carbonated beverages and stop smoking to minimize your risk of osteoporosis and deadly falls. 4. Stop Smoking. I know I said that already, but lung cancer causes more deaths than prostate, breast and colon cancer combined. Smokers will see the added benefit of reduced heart disease and lower blood pressure as a reward. 5. Moderate your Lifestyle. Heart healthy is key as cardiovascular disease affects one in three men or women between ages 45 and 54. All of the above will make a huge difference in lowering the risk of heart disease. 6. Lower the Volume. Audio that is. Hearing preservation starts even earlier on the prevention side, if any of you recall the concerts you may have attended when you were younger…and it extends to the ear buds that can channel overly loud sound directly to the ear drum. 7. Brush Twice. The best way to preserve oral health is to brush twice daily using toothpaste with fluoride. And did you know that teeth health is a strong predictor of heart health and longevity? 8. Multi-task Less. The brain really only manages tasks one at a time, so when you distract your brain’s focus with multiple demands, you only increase your stress or anxiety and fall prey to what seems like memory loss. It is not. And all that promotes heart health – because the brain is dependent upon healthy circulation – also promotes brain health. 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.
How to Say No to Cancer
Who would say “yes” to cancer, you may be thinking, but saying “no” means you’re committed to the lifestyle changes that are different from the bad habits many of us have cultivated over the years. And the changes require...
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July 23, 2024
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LIFE: What Are You Going to do About It?
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...
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June 24, 2024
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Lessons Learned are Lessons to be Shared
The classic profile of an older person speaking to a younger person sometimes misses the point. Yes, grandkids love to hear a grandparent about walking how many miles to school…and that it was uphill both ways. If the grandkids...
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June 18, 2024
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What’s Your Complaint?
If you grew up in a family as I did we were taught not to, or shown role models who did not, complain. Well, mostly, there were complaints about where “it hurt” and other maladies that were an inconvenience...
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June 11, 2024
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Are Your Prepared?
Have you ever taken a trip that was planned by a third party… maybe a National Geographic voyage or that long-awaited trip to Paris or that road trip to wine country in California where their travel bureau highlighted where...
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June 3, 2024
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Well, Don’t Do That
I have to believe that you’ve heard the one about the patient who shows up at the doctor’s office. The doctor walks into the exam room and asks what has brought the patient in today. Patient says, “Doc, it...
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April 30, 2024
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The Synergy Between Seniors and Earth Day!
April 22 is Earth Day, a date that has brought together activists and celebrants since its inception in 1970. The really nice synergy with people “of an age” is that you and we know to what the first days...
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April 22, 2024
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Can’t Find Your Keys?
When I speak to some clients our conversation moves from their work lives and forward to their retirements now. Everyone has a different take on the progression from seeking the keys to success to now a concern for where...
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April 16, 2024
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One of the big challenges of the holidays can be all the hype about "over the river and through the woods..." along with all the mandatory "holiday cheer." If that is the way reality works, why is it that when you visit Grandmother or Grandfather, they appear more blue than merry? Depression during the holidays is very real, but it also is different from "clinical depression." And when you visit your older loved ones, you may see the signs of holiday depression. So, what will you be walking into and what can you do about it? What is holiday depression? First, of all, there are a lot of expectations for "jolly holidays" that simply do not square with reality, and we can thank the popular press as well as Hollywood for some of that. But there is more. Holidays are times when we all come together to celebrate family. For older adults, some of those people who used to be such important parts of the family celebration may now have died. So instead of holiday cheer, there is a real sense of holiday loss. This is all the more acute for the "firsts." The first holiday without mom or dad is really poignant just as the first anniversary of their passing or the first of their birthdays without their being present can really bring a person up short. A holidays this year also will be framed by all the holidays that have preceded this one and all the people that were part of the earlier celebrations. Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanza have been defined by the people who were present then, but absent now. Some do's and don'ts. If you have an older loved one who seems to be feeling the seasonal blues, encourage them to be socially involved where they can. Do not let them fuel the depression by being isolated as well. Also, pay attention as we move through and beyond the holidays If the blues last months instead of weeks, the depression may be clinical. Clinical depression should be addressed by a professional who can help a person get back to a better path. And an important "don't" - don't tell the -person they should not be depressed or tell them to simply "snap out of it." The blue feelings they have are valid, and people do not choose to be depressed. Ask if there is anything you as a caregiver can do to help. Talking can help to get some of the sadness out. And getting back to that potential for social isolation, offer to take an older loved one who is depressed out. They may enjoy some "shopping therapy," or the preparations in the kitchen or other venues where people are gathering to prepare for or to celebrate the holidays. Simple physical activity can be part of the catharsis to help combat the holiday blues. So, celebrate the past, but let go. Encourage your older loved ones also to engage in helping others, in giving to others. The reaching out will do much for helping them to feel integrated as well as offer a sense of validation of self. 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.
During this pandemic, over 13,000 more Alzheimer’s and other dementia patients have died than expected from these cognitive disorders, and it’s not the virus. Those with any of the forms of dementia living in facilities designed to protect them from the deadly virus have died, not from COVID, but from isolation. The number of COVID deaths has broken through the 200,000 mark this week, and we all know that older adults are much more vulnerable to the virus than younger Americans. Senior communities, in particular, have been extraordinarily careful about not allowing family members from the outside to get near their older loved ones in order to protect residents from infection. But doctors have reported a surprising rise in the numbers of falls, pulmonary infections, sepsis and depression among dementia patients during these past six months among patients who had been quite stable and otherwise healthy for years prior to the pandemic. An option to explore with your loved one’s senior community is to seek permission to hire a private duty caregiver through an agency who can attend your loved one. Many communities are overworked and understaffed in the present pandemic/quarantine, and added personal attention will benefit your loved one. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) has some recommendations for families and caregivers of someone who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other dementia caring at home:
1. Dementia patients have sensitivity to water, so sing a couple verses of “Happy Birthday” as you help them wash as a pleasant distraction;
2. Be careful to be a calm model, because a dementia patient will be very attuned to what you say and your body language;
3. Since washing is critical and they may resist washing, talk in a soothing tone and consider a fragranced soap that they may like;
4. As an alternative for cleaning hands use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer – 60%+ alcohol according to CDC;
5. Encourage consistent hydration to bolster their immune systems, but also be prepared to assist with more trips to the restroom;
6. Have visual and tactile diversions on hand like photo albums, lively musical movies or just sorting the socks from the week’s laundry.
Everything about this pandemic is unprecedented, a word that I personally have used more times in the past six months that all of my years leading up to it. So, this is the latest learning in response to the scientists who are paying attention to the impact of COVID. We will keep you informed as we learn along with everyone else on this “unprecedented” journey. 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.
I've talked about being on the lookout for signs of early onset dementia as we all begin our holiday gatherings. Dementia may be difficult to detect for a number of reasons. First, early onset can be evidenced in very subtle or small changes in behavior or recall, so it may be the accumulation of a number of tells that begin to tell us there is some slippage. Second, most of us are so fearful of losing our faculties that we tend to deny it or try to hide it from others, and after all who doesn't forget someone's name at some point? Third, loving couples tend to compensate or cover for one another. One partner may see the lapses in the other, but work to help their partner feel as empowered as they were before this decline. For all of these reasons, it underscores how we all should work to be empathetic and sensitive to the special needs of a loved one who may experience some form of dementia, because they can still function very well with some accommodation.

            So, once you do notice something or perhaps any number of things that are just not quite right in your older loved one, be sensitive about how you broach the issue...if you bring it up at all. As dementia sets in, it may cause a great deal of anxiety in the person with the symptoms. The anxiety understandably comes from a feeling of helplessness, and it is important to not provoke the anxiety into full blown defensiveness or angry outbursts. Here are three suggestions for friends, families, and caregivers on how to soothe an older adult with some form of dementia while maintaining a meaningful line of communication.

1.    As you plan the holiday gathering, think about the way these events have always been hosted in the past. Keep the surroundings and the routine familiar, and avoid noisy restaurants, especially places where the older person may be unfamiliar. If there has always been a certain way you prepared the pie, do it that way again, and you may be amazed how the tastes and the smells bring a wonderful memory back even to someone with memory loss.

2.    It may be appropriate to downsize the gathering a bit. In the past you may have invited a whole host of friends and family, but a smaller gathering of familiar faces will prove much easier for a person with dementia to navigate. While not every face will have a name for a person with dementia, familiar faces will put them more at ease.

3.    Appreciate that it is short term memory that is the most common casualty in dementia, but you can still talk about the early memories which everyone can replay and enjoy together. And it does not hurt to hear a wonderful memory repeated more than once at a family gathering.

            Finally, it is really all about family and sharing a positive moment, so be sensitive. If a story is repeated more than once you can indulge that. The most important thing to remember is to just enjoy the family moment. Follow your instincts about what has always been special in the past, and it likely will be pleasant for everyone again this year.

            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.