Caregivers In Need of Some Care
By Michelle Singletary

WASHINGTON – America is facing a crisis that will make the federal budget deficit look like a simple bank overdraft fee.

If we don’t figure out how to provide financial support to the millions of family members taking care of seniors with chronic conditions or disabilities, we will have caregivers so overwhelmed that they will be forced to stop helping their elderly relatives. That cost of care will then transfer to the government, and this would mean astronomically higher health care costs or more people being placed in nursing homes, according to a new report from AARP’s Public Policy Institute.

In 2009, about 42.1 million family caregivers provided assistance to an adult with limitations in daily activities such as going to the bathroom, preparing meals or making it to a doctor’s appointment. The AARP report estimates the economic value of family caregiving at $450 billion in 2009, based on those 42.1 million caregivers age 18 or older providing an average of 18.4 hours of care per week at an average value of $11.16 per hour.

Just imagine if much of this voluntary care were gone.

Historically, providing care to the elderly wasn’t such a dire public policy issue.

People didn’t live as long as they do now. But what happens when the need for long-term care goes on for years or decades?

The long-term care needs of many of our elderly are straining families, just as family structures have changed and during one of the worst economies in decades.

There are more women in the workforce, making it harder for them to provide care.

Almost two-thirds of family caregivers are female. More than eight in 10 care for a relative or friend age 50 or older.

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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 and affordable home care in Seattle and the surrounding areas. Call 888-788-3051 for more information.
 

Medications May Be Damaged By Storage Mistakes
By WALECIA KONRAD

What does extreme heat do to medications? I found out while we were sweating out the recent heat wave in a lake cabin in New Hampshire and my 10-year-old son’s allergies kicked up.

I gave him a dose of over-the-counter medicine that usually brings quick relief. But this time the drug had no effect. The same thing happened the next day, and the next.

When I returned home, I asked a pharmacist about it. Was my son becoming immune to this particular medicine? Were his allergies getting worse?

The pharmacist asked where I had stored his pills as the temperatures soared. On the bathroom shelf in the cabin, I said. And on the sweltering six-hour drive to the lake? The medicine was in my suitcase in the trunk of the car.

And that’s when I learned this: No drug should be exposed to temperatures higher than 86 degrees. Some days the bathroom at our vacation house and certainly the trunk of the car were well above that mark.

Extreme temperatures can have a big effect on both prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers recommend most of their products be stored at a controlled room temperature of 68 to 77 degrees, said Skye McKennon, clinical assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy. In truth, that is the range in which manufacturers guarantee product integrity. Anywhere from 58 to 86 degrees is still fine, she said.

“During heat waves and cold spells, storage locations can go above or below those ranges, causing medicines to physically change, lose potency or even threaten your health,” McKennon said.

For patients with such chronic illnesses as diabetes or heart disease, a damaged dose of a crucial medicine, like insulin or nitroglycerin, can be life-threatening. But even common medicines can break down with potentially harmful effects, and you can’t always tell by looking at the pill or liquid that a problem has occurred, said Janet Engle, a pharmacist and past president of the American Pharmacists Association.

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Andelcare caregivers are available to answer all of your home care questions. We are an elder care agency providing live in home care in Seattle WA and the surrounding areas. Call us at 888-788-3051.

Home Care Seattle WA: How to Help Someone With Dementia Make Restaurant Choices

By Paula Spencer Scott, Caring.com senior editor

Does the person you’re caring for hesitate or seem perplexed by a long menu?

Difficulty making choices is common in early- and mid-stage dementia. What was once simple has become more challenging due to a combination of memory loss, loss of judgment and the ability to process options, and fear of saying something wrong.

Some ways to help:

    Don’t mistake respectfulness for helping. It might seem kind to wait patiently while your companion orders, but this can actually heighten his or her anxiety and confusion. 

   Instead, gently preempt a choice by stepping in with a suggestion: “Look, today’s special is your favorite: salmon.” Or, “I’m having salmon. You, too?”

    Alternately, narrow the many options on the menu to just two: “Which sounds better to you: salmon or chicken?”

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For more information about how the caregivers at Andelcare can help your family with your home care needs, call 888-788-3051. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable live in home care in Seattle and the surrounding areas.

Family Caregivers Part I: “I Feel Good That I’m Able To Help”
Written by Melissa Galvez

What will happen to Mom when she can’t care for herself? Every year, millions of Americans join the ranks of family caregivers to look after an aging parent, spouse or other relative.

They take on several unpaid jobs they never applied for — chauffeur, financial adviser, personal care attendant, nurse. They spend hours in relatives’ homes and at doctors’ offices. Caregivers often report real satisfaction in knowing that Dad is eating right or that Grandma has her medicine. But they also report high levels of stress, financial difficulties and health problems.

In this special series from News21, five families describe the worries and rewards of long-term care.

Silvia Ortiz, Houston, Texas
Silvia Ortiz spends her days ensuring that her mother has eaten properly and that her father has taken a walk. Ortiz lives in Houston’s Greater Fifth Ward, down the street from her parents, Maria Guadalupe Perez, 68, and Gregorio Perez, 67.  Her mother has diabetes, arthritis and depression; her father has had knee surgery and heart problems.

The Perez family works with a case manager from the senior program at Neighborhood Centers Inc. Ortiz, who’s 41, has held a paying job for just three years, choosing instead to focus on her children — now all attending or graduated from college — and her parents.

Though she is relatively young for the role, Ortiz is hardly alone. Estimates of the number of caregivers in America vary widely, but AARP has calculated that at any point in time, 42.1 million Americans provide care for an adult with “limitations in daily activities.” That care can include anything from driving and paying bills to helping someone out of bed or to the bathroom.

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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 and the surrounding communities. Call 888-788-3051.

Plumber Understands Aging In Place Modifications

(WiredPRNews.com) As you grow older, your body and abilities change along with your social needs. Having a plan for moving from your senior to elderly years can facilitate greater control, quality of life, and independence. Local area plumbers are learning how they can help you set this plan in motion through aging in place services.

Simply put, aging in place is electing to live in the place of one’s choosing as they age while having necessary support services available as personal needs change over time. With home health care services on the rise, many elderly and other people of need are finding comfort in choosing to stay at home instead of move into a retirement facility or other type of care center. Home health care affords individuals the convenience of having nurse care on site.

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For more information about how the caregivers at Andelcare can help your family with your home care needs, call 888-788-3051. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable live in home care in Seattle WA and the surrounding communities.

5 Must-Do Rules for Preventing Medication Mistakes
How to protect yourself in advance from drug interactions
By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor

If 1.5 million serious medication mistakes happen every year, and 100,000 people die from them, how do you make sure you and your loved ones aren't among the casualties? Take these five steps to make sure medication mistakes don't happen to you.

1. Be prepared.

Make a list of prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and any supplements such as vitamins, minerals, or herbs that you and your family members are taking. Keep a copy in your wallet, and update it regularly.

2. Have regular medication reviews.

At least once a year, have your general practitioner or primary doctor review your list of medications to make sure there are no dangerous combinations, incorrect dosages, or medications inappropriate for your age and circumstances.

Remember, as time goes by, your body changes, and a medication that was perfectly fine five years ago may not be healthy — or even necessary — today.

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If you or someone you know needs help with elder care in Bellevue WA 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.

The Awkward Talk: Engage parents in planning for old age
By Angela Hill, The Oakland Tribune

It's the age-old question: When and how do we have "the talk?"

No, not that one, but the dialogue on the other side of the lifetime spectrum, often just as difficult and delicate – the one about an aging family member's driving abilities, housing transitions, costs of long-term care and even end-of-life instructions.

Most of us, on either side of the discussion, would rather chew on nails than delve into these subjects. Yet as more and more baby boomers step into senior citizen territory and life expectancies continue to increase, such issues loom large.

Even so, these talks don't always have to be harrowing. While each individual, each family, each situation is different, most in the field of geriatric care agree the process is easier the earlier you start – when all parties are fully engaged – and say you should approach loved ones with respect and compassion, appreciating an individual's need to retain independence.

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If you need help with answers to caregiving questions, call the caregivers at Andelcare. We help many individuals who wish to remain at home with home care. We are an in home care agency dedicated to providing quality and affordable home care in Seattle and the surrounding communities. Call 888-788-3051.

Why Gardening is Great For Seniors

Written By : SeniorsList

Gardening in our retirement years can be a great experience.  Not only does it provide a place of respite and peace, but it provides a great source of exercise.  In fact, the medical community now recognizes the power for hobbies and everyday activities to provide exercise for the body.  Just think of all the movements it takes  to grow and maintain a garden.  You’re digging, carrying dirt, bending down, standing up, and moving your muscles and joints.  No wonder gardening is such a
great activity!  And that’s not to mention all the fresh air and sunshine you get as well.

To continue to receive all these benefits it’s important for you to adapt your garden to your lifestyle and physical needs.  You don’t want to create a garden that’s too big and you can’t manage the work every day or get discouraged.  Likewise, if you have difficulty crouching down or bending, perhaps hanging pots will work best.  Be sure to create your garden around your physical needs so you can enjoy the process for many years to come.

Using light warm-up exercises before working on your garden can prevent damage to your muscles and joints.  Try bending your knees a few times, rolling your wrists, and moving your neck from side to side.  Remember – don’t do anything that causes pain or overwork yourself.  Overdoing it and causing injury may keep you on the sidelines for far longer than you want.  Also, be sure to use the right tools with comfortable grips and weight.

The Benefits of Gardening

Carrying bags of soil and flats of flowers is great for cardio and muscle-toning.  

Just be sure not to carry something too heavy.  If you need to, break the work into separate shifts so you don’t overdo it.

All this work keeping up a garden is also great for your cardiovascular health.  All the things you do to maintain a garden like digging, planting, and just walking around allow you to deepen your breathing and elevate your heart rate.  Again, do what is invigorating and feels comfortable.

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For questions about care for your aging loved one, please contact the caregivers at Andelcare. We provide everything from respite care for the primary caregiver to full time senior care in Bellevue  and the surrounding communities. Call us at 888-788-3051 for more information.

9 Investigates: The Soaring Costs Of Medicaid

WFTV investigated the soaring costs of Medicaid, and government watchdogs said one simple change could save hundreds of millions of dollars.

Michael Claudio has trouble remembering basic tasks after encephalitis damaged his brain. The state could have spent $5,000 a year for in-home care, or $65,000 a year to send him to a nursing home. State Medicaid managers chose the nursing home and would have sent taxpayers the bill.

"I went on a waiting list for over two years just for some kind of assistance," said Michael Claudio.

Without help, Claudio's wife Linda kept serving as his full-time caregiver for as long as she could.

"My house is in foreclosure now, but I made a choice. He mattered more," said Linda Claudio.

The same situation happened to Carmen Martinez, who wanted a home health care aide to help with laundry and meals for her elderly father. Medicaid wouldn't pay for the help, but it would have payed up to 13 times more to send Martinez's father to an institution.

"The help I need, I don't have it," said Martinez.

An AARP survey showed that 84 percent of seniors prefer home care over a nursing home, and the group Florida Taxwatch said the state could save up to $397 million a year by switching more patients to in-home care.

The nursing home industry lobbied against it.

"I believe that some industries have a stronger voice when it comes to policy-making than maybe the average family has," said Mary Ellen Grant of Share The Care nursing home.

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For more information about home care for your loved one, contact the caregivers at Andelcare. We help many elderly, disabled and veteran loved ones with quality and affordable home care in Seattle and the surrounding communities. Call 888-788-3051.

Natural Chemical Found in Grapes May Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease

ScienceDaily (July 15, 2011) — Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that grape seed polyphenols — a natural antioxidant — may help prevent the development or delay the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

The research, led by Giulio Maria Pasinetti, MD, PhD, The Saunder Family Professor in Neurology, and Professor of Psychiatry and Geriatrics and Adult Development at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, was published online in the current issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

This is the first study to evaluate the ability of grape-derived polyphenols to prevent the generation of a specific form of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide, a substance in the brain long known to cause the neurotoxicity associated with Alzheimer disease. In partnership with a team at the University of Minnesota led by Karen Hsiao Ashe, MD, PhD, Dr. Pasinetti and his collaborators administered grape seed polyphenolic extracts to mice genetically determined to develop memory deficits and Aβ neurotoxins similar to those found in Alzheimer's disease. They found that the brain content of the Aβ*56, a specific form of Aβ previously implicated in the promotion of Alzheimer's disease memory loss, was substantially reduced after treatment.

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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!