Family and Medical Leave Act and Caregivers at Work

It is a safe assumption that many caregivers who work outside their homes are aware of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA.)  Even if some American workers are not aware of FMLA yet, this blog steers you in the right direction and shares one caregiver’s perspective on when and whether you wish to invoke your FMLA rights, *if eligible.

FMLA is Federal Law
FMLA requires *eligible employees to take an unpaid leave up to 12 work weeks in any 12 month period. *The 12-month window is defined by the employer’s prevailing practice or policy. With *required medical certification, *subject to employer approval the eligible employee is allowed to take the approved leave for the birth of a child, to care for a family member who has a serious medical condition, or, if the employee has a serious medical condition which requires such leave.

(*The above layperson’s descriptive of FMLA does not constitute legal advice by this blogger and/or the owner of this website and/or any third parties involved in the publication or dissemination of this blog. Comprehensive information on the FMLA is available through the U.S. Department of Labor’s website at <www.dol.gov>.)

Caregivers at Work
Some workers view FMLA as an all-or-nothing package. Nothing could be further from the truth. FML can be a strategic work and life decision if you so choose and are eligible under the law.

Timing is Everything
If the person in your care is chronically ill with multiple chronic diseases requiring primary physician, specialized medical, and other healthcare intervention, using FML for one serious medical condition may preclude using FML for other equally serious medical conditions. Such a scenario would hold true if the caregiver exhausts the 12-week FML entitlement through consecutive leave use.

I cannot and would not tell anyone else how to handle your FML eligibility. I am happy to share the conscious decision I made for 10+ years in my then-part-time caregiver-worker bee roles.

I chose to not invoke my FML for one reason only.

My mother has multiple chronic illnesses as medically diagnosed. I mindfully considered worst-case outcomes for each of her medical diagnoses.

I decided that brief hospitalizations, major surgeries without medical complications, and post-surgical weekly follow-ups were best managed through advance planning, scheduling, and careful management of my accrued (paid) leave benefits at work. Non-emergency surgeries were scheduled in advance, allowing me ample time to take an approved vacation day, or 2, while I actively monitored and evaluated whether I might need to apply for FML, or not.

For me, only, it really was that simple. I never invoked my FML right nor did I use all of my accrued leave for caregiving in any year. Think strategically is all I can say.

Isabel Fawcett, SPHR
Isabel has been a full-time, stay-at-home caregiver to her 85 year old mother for 2 years, and counting. She is a regular Contributor at ElderCareLink, a blogger and Twitterer. Isabel is an independent human resources consultant and former HR management professional with 20+ years of HR experience, including FMLA, workers’ compensation and the Americans With Disabilities Act. She is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certified and last worked for the Office of the Governor in Texas before her most recent eldercare choice.  Isabel also has worked in healthcare as Assistant Director of Volunteers at Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City, and Manager of Staffing and Recruitment, Norwalk Hospital, Connecticut. She has also worked at Marriott International Headquarters in HR. Isabel is fully bilingual in English and Spanish and has been a patient care volunteer for the American Red Cross overseas.

For information about how Andelcare can help you with your home care needs. Visit www.andelcare.com or call us at 425-283-0408.

Andelcare in Bellevue WA
Marla Beck, Owner
Andelcare
1273 120th Ave NE
Bellevue WA 98005
425-283-0408
info@andelcare.com

Andelcare Provides Alzheimer’s Home Care in Bellevue Washington and Encourages Support of ‘Together for Care’ Telethon December 4, 2010

(November 24, 2010, Bellevue WA) Andelcare Provides Alzheimer’s Home Care for Bellevue WA Families and Encourages Support of ‘Together for Care’ Telethon December 4, 2010. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America will hold the inaugural ‘Together for Care’ Telethon, a historic TV event aimed at rallying the nation to focus on the health crisis of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) will host an inaugural “Together for Care” telethon on December 4, marking the major focus of a extensive campaign by AFA to rally the nation to address this escalating health crisis and prepare to care for the projected surge in the number of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease along with the millions of families currently affected by it.

The historic TV event will air in 16 major markets on NBC and be telecast online on AFA’s Web site for national viewing, and display a mix of education and entertainment. Al Roker of the “Today” show, who will function as host, and actor Hector Elizondo, AFA’s honorary celebrity chairman, direct the show’s celebrity lineup.

Roker said he hopes the telethon “raises the nation’s consciousness about Alzheimer’s disease to a whole new level. The disease is getting way too big for us not to come together and make a difference.”

To shed light on Alzheimer’s disease, the telethon will include a look at the current state of Alzheimer’s disease from the perspective of medical experts and families who are responsible for loved ones. Other celebrities and musical guests will be announced shortly.

The telethon kicks off AFA’s campaign to rally the nation “together for care.” AFA is urging the nation to advocate for more resources for care and cure, donate to support AFA’s services and initiatives nationwide, and seek assistance, including calling its toll-free hot line and obtaining free memory screenings on National Memory Screening Day on November 16.

With an estimated 5.1 million Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the call to action comes as the nation’s aging population, including the oldest baby boomers who turn 65 next year, is projected to fuel what some experts have dubbed a “silver tsunami.” Advanced age is the greatest known risk factor. The disease results in loss of memory and other intellectual function and is now the sixth leading cause of death.

Why do so many people turn to Andelcare in Bellevue WA for Alzheimer’s home care?

• We specialize in caring for aging adults who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia at home in Bellevue WA.
• Our Bellevue home care providers receive ongoing education and training in specific disease processes including, but not limited to, Alzheimer’s Disease.
• We offer a continuum of home care where backup is arranged for the caregiver when relief is required.
• Our Bellevue WA home health care providers come from many diverse backgrounds which bring a unique appeal, and help us in meeting your family’s individual needs.
• Our competitive home care rates include worker’s compensation and federal and state taxes.
• All of our caregivers go through stringent screening processes to ensure all our patients receive the highest quality of care

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in New York whose mission is to provide optimal care and services to individuals with dementia, and their families. It unites more than 1,400 member organizations that provide hands-on programs to meet the educational, emotional and practical needs of families in their local communities. AFA’s services include a toll-free hot line, counseling, educational materials, a free caregiver magazine, and professional training. For information, call 866-AFA-8484 or visit www.alzfdn.org

Alzheimer’s home care counselors at Andelcare in Bellevue WA are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable home care in Bellevue. Andelcare is an elder care agency providing Home Care in Bellevue Washington and the surrounding areas. http://www.andelcare.com/ 425-283-0408.

Andelcare 1273 120th Ave NE, Bellevue WA 98005 425-283-0408

Baby Boomers’ Eldercare Wake-up Call

There are approximately 78 million reasons for boomers to jump on the long-term care strategic thinking, planning and executing bandwagon.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau report in 2009, boomers were 78 million strong based on the 2006 census.

The staggering number of aging boomers in America serves as a wake-up call to boomers to start planning for our elder care needs. We’re only more than a decade late. How’s that timeline for urgency, my fellow boomers? Our millennial wake-up call is more urgent if any of the following scenarios are sound bytes from your life. 

• Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance: If you are familiar with LTC insurance, you get an “E,” for effort, as my octogenarian mother occasionally said about a few of her former elementary school students who didn’t quite make the grade in reading, writing, or arithmetic. If you have LTC insurance, you’re barely passing with a C-.  LTC coverage is a sound baby step, though maybe not for everyone.
• Childbearing Profile:  You are single and childless. While having grown children is no guarantee of having at least 1 trustworthy LTC gatekeeper in your golden years, being a parent of an adult child may yield elder care dividends down the road.
• Health:  You have been medically diagnosed with at least one chronic medical condition.
• Family Medical History:  You have a family history of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancer and/or diabetes. As is said in Spanish, “¡Ojo!” (Translation: Keep an eye on that!)
• Relationships in Your Family:  Some families can’t wait to get as far away from each other as possible as members age. If your family’s relationships are strained, don’t count on family support in your golden years. Some caregivers could tell you stories about dysfunctional family relationships that erupt in nasty feuds when aging family members need long-term assistive care.  Who are your family allies? Do you know? You should. One day in the not too distant future, your daily eldercare may depend on a family member. If that day comes, your primary (family) caregiver should be your elder care advocate.
• Home Upkeep:  If you are a homeowner, you know that appliances and various parts of your home eventually will need repairs. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially, will you be prepared, and able, to keep up with increasing demands of homeownership as you advance in years?
• Family’s Go-To Contact?  Your parents are older and/or starting to show signs of age-related or chronic disease health decline. You volunteered, or, Dad asked you for help with mowing the lawn after his heart attack scare. Your sibling who lives closer to your parents than you do has been calling you to vent about “little things” around your aging parents.
• Sibling(s) Lives Closer to Your Elderly Parents: You’ve long assumed that your sibling was merely venting with those telephone calls about your parents. You never gave the conversations a second thought. Your sibling takes care of helping your parents and lives within 15-minutes of your parents’ home.
• Financially Tangled Elder Web:  You feel blindsided when you inadvertently discover that your parents have not paid their (property) taxes for more than a year now. Then, you discover unopened and unpaid bills in your parents’ home. How, and when, did your parents’ financial affairs get so out of hand?
• Your Emotional Roller Coaster:  You wonder what you may have missed and decide that the whole mess is your sibling’s fault. You had nothing to do with this.  You have no idea what to do, or, where to begin. You have your own life, marriage or divorce, relationship woes, job demands, financial challenges, adult child(ren) who just moved back into your home in a dismal economy, mounting debt, and more drama. You’ll help your parents because no one else in your family seems to care.
• Stress:  Your anger mounts. You’re depressed. You stop talking to your sibling(s). You argue with your parents.

You feel so alone.

With 78 million aging boomer cohorts and 65 million caregivers in the U.S., you are part of a supportive community.  Recognizing eldercare’s red flags is one way to achieve confidence that propels you to reach out to healthcare and eldercare professionals for help. Involve your parents and siblings in decisions.
You’re not alone. It’s a family affair.

Isabel Fawcett, SPHR
Isabel has been a full-time, stay-at-home caregiver to her 85 year old mother for 2 years, and counting. She is a regular Contributor at ElderCareLink, a blogger and Twitterer. Isabel is an independent human resources consultant and former HR management professional with 20+ years of HR experience, including FMLA, workers’ compensation and the Americans With Disabilities Act. She is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certified and last worked for the Office of the Governor in Texas before her most recent eldercare choice.  Isabel also has worked in healthcare as Assistant Director of Volunteers at Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City, and Manager of Staffing and Recruitment, Norwalk Hospital, Connecticut. She has also worked at Marriott International Headquarters in HR. Isabel is fully bilingual in English and Spanish and has been a patient care volunteer for the American Red Cross overseas.

Home care counselors at Andelcare are available to talk with you and your family about care needs for your loved one, including, how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. Andelcare is a home care agency providing In Home Care in Seattle and surrounding areas.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Please remember to check on your elderly family members.  It’s the perfect time to establish a base line on behavior and make sure they are taking care of themselves. If not, please have discussions and don’t be afraid to ‘say what you see’. Let them know your concerns so that these discussions can continue without hard feelings. Let them know they are loved!

If you need answers to elder care questions or need help with home care in Seattle or the surrounding area, please contact Andelcare. 425-283-0408

An instant test at 40 to predict Alzheimer’s: Routine screening could be here in two years

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease decades before symptoms appear would soon be possible, courtesy a 30-second test being developed by scientists.

The simple procedure, which detects the signs of Alzheimer’s in those in their 40s, brings the hope of routine screening for dementia in as little as two years.

Those found to have a tiny piece of tell-tale damage to their brains could take preventative measures such as changing their diet and taking more exercise.

Quicker detection would allow earlier treatment and, with the help of new drugs, some
who test positive might never develop the disease.

"The study lays open the possibilities for screening, early detection and intervention. The earlier we can intervene with people vulnerable to eventual dementia, the greater the chances of preventing or delaying the disease onset," the Daily Mail quoted David Bunce, lead researcher, as saying.

Experts said that delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s by five years could halve the number of people who die with the condition, currently a third of over-65s.

At the moment, diagnosis is based on memory tests or expensive brain scans.

By contrast, the computer procedure, based on a simple test of reaction times, would be quick and easy.

…Continue reading from KnowItAlz

Andelcare is here to help you with all of your home care needs. Andelcare is a home care agency providing Alzheimer’s Home Care in Seattle WA and the surrounding area.

10 Ways to Be a Healthier Alzheimer’s Caregiver
By Paula Spencer, Caring.com senior editor

The “do’s”: Positive steps you can take while caring for an Alzheimer’s patientBeing responsible for the care of someone with Alzheimer’s disease may be one of the toughest challenges of your life. There’s no way to gloss over how taxing it can be.You can, however, protect yourself in the following critical ways. We’ll start with the “do’s” and move on to the “don’ts.”

1. Keep expectations real.
Expect periods of stability, but recognize that because this is a progressive disease, an Alzheimer’s patient’s cognitive status and ability to function will decline over time, even with medication and therapy. It’s smart to try available therapies, but bear in mind that miraculous recoveries unfortunately don’t exist.Though you can’t control the disease itself, you can control the ways that you decide to approach it. Choose to be flexible and
realistic, and you’ll be able find fresh ways to deal with challenges — ways that are workable even if they’re not always ideal. Rigid, unrealistic thinking is a recipe for resentment, burnout, depression, and getting very sick.

2. Treat yourself as well as you treat the person with Alzheimer’s.
Caregivers tend to be conscientious about making sure their charge is safe, comfortable, well-nourished, stimulated, under medical care, and generally loved and looked after. Do the exact same for yourself in order to last longer as a good caregiver.And, just in case, know how to recognize the warning signs of Alzheimer’s caregiver burnout.

3. Remember that knowledge is powerful.
Luckily — yes, there’s a positive connected with this awful disease — we’re living in a golden age of information about Alzheimer’s. Make it work for you. Call your local area agency on aging or Alzheimer’s disease chapter now to find out about nearby programs.

Learn specific strategies for dealing with difficult behaviors and how to make everyday tasks easier. Know what to expect as the disease progresses so you’re not surprised.

Find out what has worked for others.

4. Prepare to have all the relationships around you be tested.
Alzheimer’s isn’t just between you and the affected person. Everyone else in that person’s world has an individual relationship with him. Remembering this can help families or other caregivers understand why there may be differences of opinion about how to handle things.If you’re an adult child, you’ll also have to deal with the role reversal of parenting a parent. This can be difficult for both parent and child. Seek the advice of a family therapist if it becomes problematic.

…continue reading from Lauren Watral’s Blog

Alzheimer’s home care counselors at Andelcare are available to talk with you and your family about care needs for your loved one, including, how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. Andelcare is a home care agency providing Alzheimer’s Home Care in Seattle WA and surrounding areas.
 

Alzheimer’s Disease — Finding Simple Solutions to Problems
By Bob DeMarco

Alzheimer’s caregivers find it difficult to deal with behaviors that come along with Alzheimer’s disease.

Sometimes it is best to find a simple solution to an ongoing problem.

Have a simple solution to a problem? Tell us about it in the comments box below this article. Or better yet, write an article for the Alzheimer’s Reading Room.

Here are some examples of simple solutions that work.

The Wallet

I’ve been taking care of my husband, John, who has dementia. John constantly misplaces his wallet and gets upset when he can’t find it. I’ve tried to convince him that he doesn’t need to carry a wallet anymore because I’m taking care of the bills and expenses, but this doesn’t satisfy him.

One day when John was getting quite agitated about his lost wallet and I couldn’t find it anywhere, I came across an old wallet that had belonged to our son. I put a couple of dollars in the wallet and gave it to John — and he was delighted.

I realized it wasn’t that he needed his wallet, but that he needed a wallet. Having money in his pocket meant a lot to John, especially because he’d grown up poor. Now I keep extra wallets on hand for whenever his gets lost, and we’re both much happier.

A Memory Book

My dad has Alzheimer’s and we’ve discovered how useful a memory book can be.

I’ve put family stories and pictures into a nice album. Sometimes we just sit and visit and look at the photos.

It’s also been useful for visitors. If they don’t know what to talk about with Dad, they can always pick up the memory book and share something he enjoys.

Continue reading from the Alzheimers Reading Room
 

Home care counselors at Andelcare are available to talk with you and your family about care needs for your loved one, including, how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. Andelcare is a home care agency providing In Home Care in Seattle WA.

Study Reveals Top 5 Myths of Family Caregiving

November is Long Term Care Awareness Month: It’s Time to Have One of the Most Important Conversations Your Family Hasn’t Had

Americans significantly underestimate the impact that a family member’s long term care needs could have on their own lives, marriages, work commitments, financial stability and future financial security, finds a new landmark study, Our Family, Our Future: The Heart of Long Term Care Planning, sponsored by Genworth Financial (Genworth) and released today by Age Wave and Harris Interactive. The study, conducted online in September among 2,151 U.S. adults age 18 and over, sought to uncover the hopes, worries, and needs of family members providing care to loved ones.

An estimated 66 million Americans — or roughly 20 percent of the U.S. population — are serving as unpaid family caregivers. The research revealed that the actual impact of caregiving on this group is often significantly greater than expected, as evidenced by the following Top 5 Family Caregiving Myths and Misconceptions:

1. Financial Contributions:   While only 40 percent of caregivers expect they will contribute financially to the care of a family member, the reality is that 83 percent actually do.
2. Income Hit:  In actuality, 63 percent of caregivers experience a reduction in income. This compares to 38 percent of caregivers that expect to experience such a reduction.
3. Reduction in Savings: 37 percent of caregivers expect their savings to decline as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. The study found that, in fact, 61 percent of caregivers have used some of their savings to care for a loved one.
4. Retirement Funds Tapped: Of caregivers surveyed, 57 percent actually tapped their retirement funds to care for a loved one, compared to 34 percent that expected to do so.
5. Career Impact:  Nearly half (48 percent) of caregivers lost a job, changed shifts or missed out on career opportunities as a result of their caregiving responsibilities, compared to 29 percent that expected such impact.

“Not only do people underestimate the financial, emotional and other costs associated with providing care to a loved one, they greatly discount the likelihood that they themselves will need long term care in the future,” said Colleen Goldhammer, senior vice president, financial institutions distribution, at Genworth. “This disconnect can be potentially dangerous, as it may discourage people from developing their own comprehensive long term care plan.”

Source: Genworth Financial
 
If you are a family caregiver and need help with in home care in Seattle WA, visit www.andelcare.com/, a home care agency providing affordable home care in Seattle and surrounding areas.

November is Home Care & Hospice Month; learn more about the care options available

Imagine yourself terminally ill, disabled, or too sick to fully take care of yourself. Most people envision themselves confined to the sterile surroundings of a hospital or nursing facility, but if home is where you’d rather be, then home health care may be the best option.

“Our profession is dedicated to providing the highest quality of health care in the comfort of the patient’s own home,” says Denise Via, RN, co-owner of Direct Health Care in Lubbock with her daughter, Jenny Stroud.
The Texas Association for Home Care & Hospice (TAHC&H) joins Direct Health Care and other home care agencies and professionals throughout the state and nation in celebrating November as Home Care & Hospice Month. TAHC&H has requested that Governor Rick Perry declare November “Texas Home Care & Hospice Month” to coincide with the National Home Care & Hospice Month celebration.

Home Care Month recognizes the nurses, therapists, social workers, aides, and other specialists who provide in-home health and supportive services to the nation’s elderly, disabled, and infirm. It’s also a prime opportunity to promote the benefits of home care and hospice to the public.

Approximately 4,400 Home and Community Support Services Agencies are licensed in Texas to provide home health, hospice, or personal assistance services to persons with acute, chronic, or long term illnesses or disabling conditions. Home care and hospice serves to promote independence and keep families together. It has been proven to save money and is the health care choice preferred by clients and their families.

…continue reading from  Lubbock Online
 
For answers to all of your home care questions, please visit www.andelcare.com, a home care agency providing in home care in Seattle WA.

How to Keep Seniors Involved in Social Activities
by: Maragret Dennison

Many seniors become introverted due to problems that can easily be resolved. They should be offered social activities that will keep them interested in life and emotionally healthy. One of the things that causes seniors to let social activity pass them by is an inability to hear properly.

They feel embarrassed when they have to keep asking people to repeat themselves, so they often simply pretend they can understand what is said. When this happens more embarrassment awaits them because they will either be required to answer and have no idea what to say, or they will find that they don’t get a joke while others are laughing. They may even become paranoid about laughter, thinking that they are the butt of the joke. So getting hearing aids fitted may be all you need to do to encourage social activity.

Another problem with seniors and going out to social activity is that they have often suffer from a weak bladder. This means that the building they socialize in needs to have good amenities that are close by. Otherwise, they may fear that they won’t make it in time. Incontinence could be the next step from a weak bladder, but even in this case, it is possible to get pads that will last for an hour or two.

If a senior has the chance to get out and enjoy a social gathering, then it should be encouraged. Where they go needs to have easy access with as few steps as possible. They may need to be driven to the place and helped inside – then be assured that you won’t forget to pick them up.

…continue reading from Eldercare ABC Blog

The Home Care counselors at Andelcare can help you and your family with many of your care needs, including, how to reduce caregiver stress while providing professional and affordable care. Andelcare is a home care agency providing inhome care in Seattle WA and surrounding areas.