Telling My Boss About Caregiving

Question/concern: Telling My Boss About Caregiving This article is a good catalyst in deciding how to handle the revelation to your employer that you need to take an active role in providing caregiving for a senior parent or loved one. The author of a recent article I read suggests that perhaps a grand revelation of her new caregiving status wasn't in her best interest. I appreciate that the author acknowledges that an employer has an obligation to other employees and the company's stakeholder to ensure a well-run organization. However, work culture has built in accommodations for the fact that most people regularly go through life changes that need special attention. Whether it be a new baby, award ceremonies, sick children, weddings, funerals, grandchild birth, aging parents appointments and illnesses, etc., there is a natural flow of life events experienced concurrently while being an employee. So, concessions in the work place are to be expected.  However, companies are at risk in it's ability to thrive in different ways. The difference is in the type of job, how flexible a job can be, time commitment, how individually imperative the presence of a particular employee is, etc. Even so, making a big announcement that your lifestyle is about to change may make an employer more suspicious and create an increased focus on your performance and office hours. In my opinion, communicating your need to an employer that you need time off for caretaking should be treated like any other life event.  It may be best to treat the situation like a sick child event which is viewed as a more natural, expected season of life however, if you know you can't perform adequately, facing the issue openly with your employer, is better than being confronted by your boss. If you know the situation will shortly become more critical, it may be best to be intentional. There may be creative strategies like job sharing, or a calculated decrease in hours and responsibility.  Taking the high ground will be appreciated. Continue to article

If I can be of assistance in helping you find care for your loved one when the need arises, I would be honored to assist you.  Please feel to call or email us at info@trustedseniorplacement.com. Sincerely, Teresa Jepsen Trusted Senior Placement www.TrustedSeniorPlacement.com 714.533.4015

Will Medicare pay for long term care?

  Care Giver Concern: September

In our last newsletter we asked if anyone had questions regarding caring for their aging loved ones.  Question: Will Medicare pay for long term care? I have seen and heard conflicting experiences among seniors I work with on a day to day basis. Today I received a call from a gentleman who had a myriad of co-morbid diagnosis that I was surprised he could even use the phone. The hospital was telling him he was being put out asap. They said it was his responsibility to find a place. Any place, including a shelter. The shelters would not take him because his medical conditions were so serious. He had no money and no family. I have seen people set up lovely rooms in skilled nursing facilities (SNF) due to "care needs" who appeared to belonged in assisted living care. I have seen hospitals offer to pay for board and care while a resource less patient is recovering from surgery. (Of course that does get the patient off their hands). I have been told by multiple families who researched the law that SNF's are not allowed to discharge a resident without having a place to go. I have seen plenty of conflicting scenarios. So who gets to stay and who must go? Take a look at this article for the answers that concern you. Read the article

If I can be of assistance in helping you find care for your loved one when the need arises, I would be honored to assist you.  Please feel to call or email us at info@trustedseniorplacement.com. Sincerely, Teresa Jepsen Trusted Senior Placement www.TrustedSeniorPlacement.com 714.533.4015

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California's Senior Assisted Living Waiver Program

Background

In March 2006, Medi-Cal began paying for assisted living care to select aged and disabled residents of Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Joaquin counties under the Assisted Living Waiver Pilot Project (ALW). The ALW was created by legislation that directed the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to develop and implement the project. A key goal of the pilot project was to enable low-income, Medi-Cal eligible seniors and persons with disabilities, who would otherwise require nursing facility services, to remain in or relocate to the community. The program was approved by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare and was converted into a five-year federal waiver program as of March 1, 2009. Pending final approval, the waiver program will be renewed through February 28, 2019.

A five year waiver renewal effective March 1, 2014 authorized expansion into Kern, Orange, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

Overview

Assisted Living Services: these services are provided in a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) or Assisted Care: which are provided by a licensed home health agency and provided to residents in public housing. The following is a list of some of the services of the assisted living program that must be provided to ALW participants: 

• A care plan for each resident
• Providing personal care and assistance
• Laundry
• Housekeeping
• Maintenance of the facility
• Providing intermittent skilled nursing care
• Meals and snacks
• Providing assistance with self-administration of medications
• Providing or coordinating transportation
• Providing recreational activities
• Providing social services

Summer Scams and the Elderly

Summer Scams & the Elderly

Ants and mosquitoes aren’t the only pests that come out in the summer. As the mercury rises and we head in to summer, the number of fraud cases and scams against our elderly also climbs. It happens every year across Kentucky. AARP estimates that as many as one in five seniors has fallen victim to fraud. In warmer months, scammers come right to the front doors of neighborhoods and areas where seniors are more prevalent.

Common Scams

The most common types of financial scams to make your aging loved one aware of this summer include:

• Prepaid yard services. They claim to be landscape companies that will put an elderly person’s yard on their “retainer” service. For what seems like an inexpensive fee they will provide lawn care all summer. The catch is that they require payment up front. They may show up a time or two and then disappear. Taking your older loved one’s money with them.
• Exterior Home Repairs. Scammers know seniors have a tougher time getting up on a ladder to clean gutters or fixing cracks in their driveway. They show up and offer reasonable rates to provide these services. Some scammers do provide the service and then intimidate the senior in to paying more than the agreed upon price. Others require payment or partial payment up front and then never complete the work.
• Roofing & Paving Companies. Many police officers will tell you that summer wouldn’t be summer without these kinds of scams. Working in teams, they concentrate their in-person blitz in areas where they know retirees live. These scammers will claim to be from a roofing company or a paving company. Some will say they are in the neighborhood because they are doing work for a neighbor. Most fraud experts will tell you not to do business with anyone who just shows up at your door. If you or an elderly loved one need a new roof or a driveway repaved, it is best to get referrals by talking with a family member who was happy with a contractor or to read online reviews at sites like Angie’s list.
• Pre-Planned Funerals and Cemetery Plots. This is another door-to-door scam that peaks in the summer months. It is also one of the biggest sources of fraud against the elderly. The fake salesmen use high pressure and intimidation tactics to get the elderly to sign a contract. Some even use guilt. They tell seniors it is selfish not to take care of this ahead of time so their loved ones won’t have to. Remind the older adult in your life to never sign a contract without sharing it with you and their attorney.

If you believe you or a loved one may have been a victim of a scam, call 911 immediately. The sooner the authorities can be involved, the more likely they are to recover your loved one’s money.

How to Talk to a Loved One About Driving Concerns

Driver safety can often be a sensitive issue for seniors. A driver’s license signifies more than the ability to drive a car; it is a symbol of freedom and self-sufficiency. Understandably, driving is not a privilege that anyone wants to relinquish willingly. Still, safety must come first.

Some older drivers may be aware of their faltering ability, but still be reluctant to give up driving completely. Another person’s concerns may force the senior driver to act. They may even feel relieved to have someone else help make the decision to stop driving. Some seniors may forget that they aren’t supposed to drive. If that is the case, it is even more important to remove the car or the keys to make it impossible to drive. If you find yourself in the position of talking to an older friend or family member about their driving, remember the following:

• Be respectful. For many seniors, driving is an integral part of independence. Many older adults have fond memories of getting a driver’s license. At the same time, don’t be intimidated or back down if you have a true concern.
• Give specific examples. It’s easier to tune out generalizations like “You just can’t drive safely anymore.” Outline concerns that you have noticed, such as “You have a harder time turning your head than you used to,” or “You braked suddenly at stop signs three times the last time we drove.”
• Find strength in numbers. If more than one family member or close friend has noticed, it’s less likely to be taken as nagging. A loved one may also listen to a more impartial party, such as a doctor or driving specialist.
• Help find alternatives. The person may be so used to driving that they have never considered alternatives. You can offer concrete help, such as researching transportation options or offering rides when possible. If your family member is reluctant to ask for help, it can lead to isolation and depression.
• Understand the difficulty of the transition. Your loved one may experience a profound sense of loss having given up driving. Don’t dismiss their feelings but try to help with the transition as much as possible. If it is safe, try slowly transitioning the senior out of driving to give them time to adjust. For example, your loved one may begin the transition by no longer driving at night or on the freeways, or by using a shuttle service to specific appointments, such as the doctor’s.

Valuing older workers

For years, older workers have been the first to be let go and the last to be hired when times are tight. Now, more employers are waking up to the fact that employing older workers is good business. A great example is Borders, one of AARP’s featured employers, which more than tripled its percentage of older workers between 1998 and 2005.

After noticing that half of Borders’ customers are over 50, the firm reasoned that the best way to increase its market share was to stress personal service and to hire employees who could relate better to its customer base. Some results of this are:

§  Turnover among workers over 50 is 10 times less than those under 30, which translates to an overall 30 percent reduction since the intentional recruitment of older employees began.

§  Reduced turnover costs and more consistent service naturally lead to increased profits.

§  Priceless good will results from older workers’ work values and their passion to be connected to the community.

Stories like this are getting attention, inspiring other employers to embrace older employees. Seniors are also being recognized as being just as tech-savvy as youth when it comes to utilizing technology on the job. All this leads to a growing awareness that older workers are critical to the nation’s economic health, particularly in an expanding service economy. When customers want service, they want experience, dependability and good manners. Seniors offer these gifts in abundance.

Dementia vs. Depression in the Elderly

Dementia vs. depression in the elderly

Never assume that a loss of mental sharpness is just a normal sign of old age. It could be a sign of either depression or dementia, both of which are common in older adults and the elderly.

Since depression and dementia share many similar symptoms, including memory problems, sluggish speech and movements, and low motivation, it can be difficult to tell the two apart. There are, however, some differences that can help you distinguish between the two.

Is it Depression or Dementia?
Symptoms of Depression	Symptoms of Dementia
Mental decline is relatively rapid Knows the correct time, date, and where he or she is Difficulty concentrating Language and motor skills are slow, but normal Notices or worries about memory problems	Mental decline happens slowly Confused and disoriented; becomes lost in familiar locations Difficulty with short-term memory Writing, speaking, and motor skills are impaired Doesn’t notice memory problems or seem to care

Whether cognitive decline is caused by dementia or depression, it’s important to see a doctor right away. If it’s depression, memory, concentration, and energy will bounce back with treatment. Treatment for dementia will also improve you or your loved one’s quality of life. And in some types of dementia, symptoms can be reversed, halted, or slowed.