Who’s Gonna Care for the Aging Boomers? 
by Shani O. Hilton

“You can’t breathe, you can’t sleep,” said White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, as she described the stress of worrying about an aging parent who needs assistance, and explained the comfort she gets from knowing her own parents now have a live-in caregiver.

Without that caregiver, Jarrett says that she would have had to leave the Obama administration and move back to Chicago.

Yet the three million professional, long-term home caregivers today are faced with a rapidly aging Baby Boomer population and a lack of adequate support, compensation or respect. Yesterday in Washington, the National Domestic Workers Alliance held what they called a Care Congress, an event where they introduced a campaign to “transform long-term care.” The campaign is designed to push legislative changes to Medicare and Medicaid—creating jobs by increasing the amount of money eligible people can spend on at-home care and allowing a rapidly aging population to avoid institutionalization.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis praised the work of home care workers—a group comprised primarily of immigrant women: “In Spanish, we call these women luchadoras, because they are fighting. They are strong women who fight and let nothing stand in their way.”

Solis spoke directly to the audience full of caregivers, saying, “You are their friend, you are someone who listens, you give so much of yourself—physically as well as emotionally. You are professionals, and you should be treated as such.”

Workers in California experienced a victory earlier this month when a key state senate approved the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, legislation that the NDWA says would extend “basic, humane labor protections to thousands of nannies, caregivers, and housecleaners and improves the quality of care for California’s families.” The law can also increase wages for workers—a mixed blessing, since so many elderly are on fixed incomes. New York State passed the first such law in the nation last year.

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At Andelcare, we recognize that there are many reasons why a loved one may need home care. From seniors with Alzheimer's Disease, to patients with disabilities, to caregivers needing respite care, we are here to provide quality and affordable home care in Seattle and the surrounding communities. Call us for information 888-788-3051!

Bearing Through It: How Caregivers of Mentally Ill Loved One Can Cope

ScienceDaily  — Caring for a family member with a mental illness can be a taxing experience marked by personal sacrifices and psychological problems.

A new study from Concordia University, AMI-Québec and the University of British Columbia has found family caregivers can experience high levels of stress, self-blame, substance abuse and depressive symptoms — unless they refocus their priorities and lighten their load.

"Being the principal caregiver to a mentally ill family member is a stressor that often creates high levels of burden and contributes to depressive symptoms," says lead author Carsten Wrosch, a professor in the Concordia University Department of Psychology and a member of the Centre for Research in Human Development.

"Caring for a relative with a mental illness can be strenuous — such caregivers can even be more burdened than caregivers of dementia patients," Wrosch continues. "That said, even in this situation, caregivers can experience high levels of wellbeing if they adjust their goals and use effective coping strategies."

Published in the May issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the investigation followed family caregivers over a 17-month period and found those who reset priorities fared better. The research team expected that caregivers who are capable of adjusting important life goals (e.g., career, vacation, etc.) would cope better with caregiving stress and that this resilient process would protect their emotional wellbeing.

"We found participants who had an easier time abandoning goals blamed themselves less frequently for problems associated with caregiving and used alcohol or drugs less frequently to regulate their emotions," says co-author Ella Amir, a Concordia graduate and executive director at AMI-Québec, a grassroots organization committed to helping families manage the effects of mental illness.

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Quality home care is so important for our aging loved ones. That is why the caregivers at Andelcare take pride in providing quality and affordable home care in Bellevue and the surrounding areas. Call us at 888-788-3051 for all of your live in home care needs.

Andelcare honored as fast-growing company

Innovation, outstanding employees, and dedication to customer care fuel the company’s growth

Newcastle, Wash. – On Thursday, July 21^st, at a ceremony held at the Golf Club at Newcastle, the Puget Sound Business Journal honored the Eastside Fastest-Growing Private Companies.  Of the 50 honored, Andelcare was number 25 on the list of fastest-growing companies.  Andelcare, based in Bellevue, Washington, is a provider of in-home care for the elderly, the disabled, and people recovering from surgery and hospitalization.  Services include companionship, homemaking, personal care, and nursing care advocacy and management.

Andelcare was additionally honored when its founder and CEO, Marla Beck, was asked to be a member of a four-person guest panel.  The panel responded to questions from Gordon Prouty, publisher of the PSBJ, and PSBJ reporter and columnist Patti Payne.  Speaking to the sold-out event, Beck shared insights about growing her business during economically challenging times.  Beck attributed her company’s growth to outstanding employees, continual innovation, and dedication to customer service and care.

The Puget Sound Region’s Eastside is the home to a dozen or so cities and is fertile ground for a variety of growing businesses ranging from high-technology and medical innovations to in-home care and business consultancies.  Collectively, the 50 honored companies had $1.4 billion in revenue and employ more than 6000.

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Planning Ahead: Caregivers Need Encouragement
By JANET M. COLLITON

Sometimes people are doing better than they think and need to be reminded.

I considered this recently when meeting with a man who felt he was without options in providing caregiving for his mother.

The rest of the family was engaged elsewhere and ignoring the problems. His mother with her physical and mental conditions needed help. He was supposed to keep her for a short stay and it extended well beyond what he expected. There were other physical issues with people who depended on him.

In describing what happened, he paused, I think, not knowing where to go with this line of thought.

Leaning across the table, I said words something like this:

“You have been faced with difficult choices in an imperfect situation. You have made the best decisions you could for the time. You stepped up and took responsibility. The fact that you could not make it perfect does not take away from what you did. Everything you did was the best that you could do for the time.”

Then it was time to look at what we could do now recognizing realistically that he was unlikely to receive help from expected sources.

Since then, looking back over the many adult children and husbands and wives who are caregivers for parents and spouses in difficult circumstances, I cannot help but wonder whether they ever receive anything like the recognition they deserve or if they ever even recognize it themselves.

One family described how it took two people to help their parent up the stairs at home and that took 45 minutes. Some time ago, a woman described her scare when her mother-in-law briefly leaned from the front porch. A woman injured herself while lifting her husband. Children sometimes give up jobs, employment opportunities or advancement to care for parents. In some cases wives or husbands cannot sleep while their spouse gets up repeatedly through the night, a result of dementia.

These are not unusual occurrences and are not resolved easily, not even with money and not even with paid companions. They can be made easier with advice and with more people helping. Professional help should be sought when needed.

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If you or someone you know needs help with home care in Seattle or the surrounding area, contact the caregivers at Andelcare. We provide quality and affordable in-home care for many disabled and elderly loved ones in our community. Call us at 888-788-3051 for more information.

High-Tech Solutions to Aging-in-Place Dilemmas
By Nell Bernstein, Caring.com senior editor

Quick summary

Ninety-five percent of people 75 and older say they want to stay in their homes indefinitely. This desire for independence is perfectly natural, but for their children, it's also a recipe for worry — that they'll fall, forget to take their meds, or just need assistance. You can make your parents' home far safer and more comfortable by investing in some of the new devices aimed at elders who have made the choice to "age in place."

Solutions for safety worries

"Seniors can really get in trouble because they feel like they're losing their grip on independence," says Susan Ayers Walker of SmartSilvers Alliance. Ayers monitors technological advances aimed at helping seniors hold on to their independence as they age. These technologies also help the children of aging parents, who worry that Mom is going to fall down the stairs, leave the stove on, or forget to take her medication if no one is around to notice.

Here's a worry-by-worry guide to some innovations — several tested and recommended by Walker — that can make all the difference if you're concerned about your live-alone parents' safety or just their day-to-day ease of living.

1. YOUR WORRY: My parents won't be able to reach me in an emergency.

TECH SOLUTION: Big-button cell phone. According to the Pew Research Center, many seniors won't use a cell phone even in an emergency. They find them too complex, can't manage the tiny buttons, or can't read the screens. A big-button phone like the Jitterbug ($147), designed specifically for seniors, could give you and your parents peace of mind. It's an easy-open clamshell with extra-loud speakers, big backlit buttons, a bright screen with easy-to-read numbers, and a straightforward service contract (at an additional cost). The Jitterbug One-Touch takes simplicity a step further, with just three big, impossible-to-miss buttons — one for 911; one for the operator, who will connect your parent to anyone she wants to reach; and one preprogrammed to connect your parents to you or another family member. Such phones cost $10 to $80 per month for the service plan in addition to the cost of the phone.

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If you or someone you know needs help with homecare in Seattle, contact the caregivers at Andelcare. We provide quality and affordable in-home care for many disabled and elderly loved ones in our community. Call us at 888-788-3051 for more information.

Tips for Weathering Summer Sun, Heat

Staywell Custom Communications

SATURDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) — You may love the summer heat that makes it easy to swim, picnic and just laze around outside, but don't overdo it:

Overexposure to the sun and heat can be dangerous, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns.

On average, heat waves kill more people each year in the United States than any other natural disaster. And one American dies every hour from skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in the United States, according to the EPA.

To help combat the double-whammy of heat waves and the sun, the EPA suggests planting trees, shrubs and vines near buildings to provide cooling shade and protection from ultraviolet rays.

The agency also offers the following summer safety tips:

•    Stay hydrated and wear lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing to protect your skin from harmful UV radiation. Also, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
•    Apply sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher about 30 minutes before you go outside and reapply every two hours. Check the sun's UV index before you go outside.
•     If you're outside during the sun's peak hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., try to stay in shade.
•     Remind others, particularly the elderly, to be safe in the sun and heat. Monitor them for signs of heat illness, which can include hot and dry skin, confusion, hallucinations and aggression.
•    Check the air quality. High ozone levels on hot summer days can make the air unhealthy to breathe.

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The caregivers at Andelcare are available to talk with you and your family about all of your live-in home care needs. Andelcare is a home care agency providing quality, affordable home care in Seattle and the surrounding areas. Call 888-788-3051 for more information.

Elder Care and Your Career
How to Balance Elder Care and Your Career

By Dawn Rosenberg McKay, About.com Guide

Elder care, being the caregiver for an elderly relative, can harm your career. This is the conclusion of the 1999 MetLife Juggling Act Study conducted by The National Center for Women and Aging at Brandeis University and The National Alliance for Caregiving. According to this study on the effects of elder care on working Americans, caregivers give up promotions, raises, and training opportunities. They take a leave from their jobs, cut their hours, or quit their jobs altogether.

Who Feels the Effect of Elder Care?

More women than men are the primary caregivers for their older relatives. The Family Caregiver Alliance reports that "the average caregiver is age 46, female, married and working outside the home earning an annual income of $35,000." ("Women and Caregiving: Facts and Figures")

Balancing Elder Care and Your Career

While it is difficult to miss out on a promising career opportunity, it is more difficult for most people to disregard the needs of an elderly relative. For babyboomers, who were among the last to experience the phenomenon of the "Leave It to Beaver" stay-at-home mom, it would be unthinkable to turn one's back on a parent in need. Now comes the issue of balance — how do you balance mom's and dad's needs with your career aspirations? Not to mention the fact that many of these caregivers are also working parents, dealing with child care issues as well.

If you are dealing with a short-term crisis, you should consider taking advantage of the Family and Medical Leave Act. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows you to take up to twelve weeks of paid and unpaid leave to care for a sick relative.

If you will be caring for an elderly relative at home for a period longer than three months, you will have to find another way to balance career and elder care. In lieu of leaving one's career behind, which for many reasons may not be an option, there are other choices.

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The caregivers at Andelcare are available to talk with you and your family about all of your live-in home care needs. Andelcare is a home care agency providing quality, affordable home care in Seattle WA and the surrounding communities. Call 888-788-3051 for more information.

There’s No Place Like Home—For Growing Old

“The stairs are getting so hard to climb.”
“Since my wife died, I just open a can of soup for dinner.”
“I’ve lived here 40 years. No other place will seem like home.”

These are common issues for older people. And, you may share the often-heard wish—“I want to stay in my own home!” The good news is that with the right help you might be able to do just that.

As part of the Federal Government’s National Institutes of Health, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) funds and conducts research related to aging, including how older people can remain independent. This NIA tip sheet introduces you to the kinds of help that you might want to consider so you can continue to live on your own. Where possible, we give you suggestions for free or low-cost help and include ways to identify benefits that might be available to you. A list of groups to contact for more detailed information is included at the end of the tip sheet. You can share this tip sheet with others in your family, and you can use it to begin talking about your needs—now and in the future.

What do I do first?

Planning ahead is hard because you never know how your needs might change. But, the first step is to think about the kinds of help you might want in the near future. Maybe you live alone, so there is no one living in your home who is available to help you. Maybe you don’t need help right now, but you live with a husband or wife who does. Everyone has a different situation, but one way to begin planning is to look at any illnesses like diabetes or emphysema that you or your spouse might have. Talk to your doctor about how these health problems could make it hard for someone to get around or take care of him or herself in the future. Help getting dressed in the morning, fixing a meal, or remembering to take medicine may be all you need to stay in your own home.

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The caregivers at Andelcare are available to talk with you and your family about all of your live-in home care needs. Andelcare is a home care agency providing quality, affordable home care in Seattle WA and the surrounding communities. Call 888-788-3051 for more information.

Tips on Caring for Aging Parents
Written By : Lin Steven

Do not feel alone if you are caring for your aging parents because you are one of 50 million Americans in the same boat. Whether they are staying with you or in another location, if you have the responsibility for their care, prepare yourself for a time consuming and emotional experience.

Tips for the Son or Daughter

Caring for your aging parents can be a very draining and exhausting ordeal. A support system between your brothers and/or sisters and friends will help lighten the load. Caring for aging parents is impossible to do on your own, especially if you work full time. You must come to the realization that at some point in time, one or both of your parents might have their normal thoughts, behavior, and attitudes changed radically by disease.

If this happens, caring for your parent can be like dealing with a complete stranger. For your own emotional and physical health, you will need an occasional break. Having your own parent not recognize you or think you are somebody else can come as a big shock to your system.

Tax Implications

Consulting with an accountant and/or attorney, if you are caring for aging parents, is time, energy, and money well spent. By making sure a will is drawn up and estate laws examined in detail, you will be free to give loving care for your aging parents. Depending on your circumstances, you may find that you can claim your parent as a tax deduction.

Taking Away the Car

This usually happens before the house is taken away. There are many things that have a negative effect on an older driver. Diminishing eyesight, physical handicaps, and mental disease can all make it very dangerous for these people to drive, both for their own safety and the safety of others. Very seldom does the parent voluntarily give up their car keys. Often times it is best just to make the car disappear over night.

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For information about receiving care for your loved one at home, contact the caregivers at Andelcare. We can help your family with all of your care needs. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable live in home care in Bellevue WA and the surrounding communities. Call 888-788-3051.

Campaign Launched to Ensure Care for the Elderly
17 July 2011

WASHINGTON – Unions and their allies in civil rights, womens’ rights, community and faith groups have launched a new national campaign to recruit millions of new givers of eldercare, improve and enhance those workers’ rights and ensure needed care for the coming millions of elderly clients.

The 700 delegates of Caring Across Generations launched their drive with a congress in Washington last week, which preceded 15 other sessions to be held in 12 other cities nationwide in coming months. They also met on Capitol Hill with Senators John Kerry, D-Mass., and Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., among others.

Obama administration Labor Secretary Hilda Solis lent her voice to the drive.

The objective is to enhance community-based and home-based long-term care for the current 7.6 million elderly adults who need it and for the estimated one-fifth of the U.S. population that will need it, as the “baby boomers” age, by 2030.

Current home-care workers are usually underpaid, often subject to bad working conditions, are barred from organizing unless states give a sort of permission by setting up “employers” with whom they can negotiate and – thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court several years ago – don’t even qualify for the minimum wage or overtime.

“The CAG campaign will help baby boomers and their families meet care needs by realizing the ‘five fingers of the caring hand,’ including: Creation of new, quality jobs in home care, labor standards and improved job quality for existing jobs and new jobs, training and career ladders for home care workers, a new visa category and path to citizenship for care workers and support for individuals and families in need of support and care, including the creation of a matching registry and maintenance and expansion of funding streams,” the group said in its mission statement.

One of those funding streams may be the federal government, as CAG is telling Congress that home care is much less expensive, much more healthy and much more psychologically healthy for the elderly than nursing-home or other institutional care.

“Now is the time to invest in home care. It will save money, help people to stay healthy longer, protect consumer choice, support working families, and ensure that a stable workforce of well-trained caregivers serves our seniors,” the group said.

It’ll also create jobs: CAG estimates that to deal with the growing number of senior citizens – one “Baby Boomer” is now turning 65 every several minutes – the U.S. will need 2 million more paid caregivers by 2016.

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For more information about receiving care for your loved one at home. Contact the caregivers at Andelcare. We can help your family with all of your care needs. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable live in home care in Seattle WA. Call 888-788-3051.