Willow Falls Senior Living Community is hosting a professional panel made up of a geriatrician, attorney, Alzheimer's care expert, nurse, and social worker will present on many issues facing our aging population. Audience will have a chance to submit questions as well. Be sure to contact Julie Brewer Community Relations Director: (815) 725-5868 to RSVP for what will be a very informative discussion.Date: Thursday, April 30, 2009Time: 6 PM - 8 PMLocation: Willow Falls Recreation Center, 1691 Willow Circle Drive, Crest Hill IL

I still think independent living has suffered a little bit from the housing bubble bursting, but the idea in this video is correct.  You can't choose to stop aging, and assisted living is need driven.  You move in then decide what to do with the house.  The video is short and informative, but you do have to get past the ad first where the guy from Law & Order tries to sell you some stock! :)

Senior Housing Not Slowing Video from Mainstreet.com

Another one of Senior Living Experts partners, Alden Gardens of Waterford in Aurora IL has won some awards.  They won 3 state awards at the Illinois Health Care Association Convention in Peoria.  To read about the awards and the people who won them check out the article The Art of Senior Care.

According to Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter of Illinois, palliative care is:

• Medical care that is provided by an interdisciplinary team to improve your quality of life and relieve suffering
• Addresses physical symptoms, as well as your emotional, interpersonal and spiritual concerns
• Can occur along with treatments that have cure and recovery as their goal

I found this article the other day and felt that it really did a good job of showing what happens in a lot of cases when someone finally moves into an assisted living community.  Having worked in them myself I have seen this same story, different names.  Senior is at home, lonely, not eating properly, not taking medications correctly, not safe.  Usually something triggers the acceptance of the move.  And often times, this will happen.  The senior will flourish with proper medication management, good nutrition and socialization.  Of course this does not happen 100% of the time, but if you can do a good job of researching/picking the right place, it just might.

Here is a link to the story, When is Assisted Living the Right Solution for Elder Care?

It is important to carefully assess all of your needs when searching for senior housing. From our experience, these are the top 5 things you want to look for.1. Cost - How much do they charge and how are you going to pay for it? Some charge a standard monthly fee and some charge for care a la carte. It is important to realize this when comparing facilities. In the current economy, do NOT be afraid to ask if they community you are considering is running any specials or incentives - you might save a couple of thousand dollars. Remember, Medicare does NOT pay for assisted living2. Location - Where do you want to be - near your current neighborhood, friends and church? Near your children? It is sometimes best to consider a place that is easiest to get to for friends and family to visit. The real estate rule is still in effect.. pricing is all about location location location.3. Care - Make sure the place you choose has the staff and the training to handle the medical issues of the person making the move. That can include medication management issues, falling or Alzheimer's disease. I usually recommend that the community has a nurse on staff every day - and hopefully for 12 or more hours a day if possible.4. Room Type - This is an area of the greatest adjustment. Many times the senior is not just downsizing, they are really downsizing. They may be moving from a 4 bedroom home to a studio apartment. Check out the cost of each option and keep in mind their furniture. Remember - the dining room table does NOT have to come with. You would not believe how many times people tell me they want to bring their dining room table. (Same people who have been eating off a TV tray in front of the television every night.)5. Meals - by far the 3 most important activities of the day. Meal time allows residents to socialize as well as get the nutritious meals they may have been skipping at home. Is the dining area clean? Are the residents given a choice of entrees? Every place I work with will allow you to come in for lunch to try the food. Take advantage of this! And if they don't invite you, ask. If they don't want you to try the food.. .... run!

Remember, this is your new home and you should make it yours. Most assisted living apartments come unfurnished, though some will rent furniture if needed. The property can also supply bed lines including pillows (twin bed), towels, washcloths and shower curtains. I think that bringing your own pillow is the best idea - but you can use the rest and accessorize with your favorite blankets, throws, etc.Residents may want to bring some of the following: personal toiletries, bath mats, wall hangings and pictures, radio, television, clock, telephone, VCR/DVD player and custom window treatments.Furniture required is usually a bed, night stand, lamps, recliner chair or rocker, bookshelf, dresser, chest of drawers.Don't forget to bring the photo albums and your personality.

March 20- March 27 Join the Ultimate Blog Party!

If you are visiting my blog for the first time because of the party - welcome!  This is basically something I put together 3 years ago because I always learn something new that has to do with senior living or caregiving or resources for the elderly and I thought it would be the best way for me to share all that I have learned.

Looking forward to meeting all of you who visit, please say 'hi'!

Happy first day of spring...

Before making the actual move there is usually some paperwork that has to be filled out by the family and the doctor before the new resident can move in, especially if its is licensed and regulated by the state.Depending on the property you choose, the following information is necessary:

• Medicare card/insurance number
• Birth Certificate/driver's license
• Resident physician report (supplied by property completed by physician) - includes physician's name, address and telephone number
• Contact information of other doctors and dentists
• Responsible party's name, address and phone
• Emergency party's name, address and phone
• Pharmacy name, address and phone
• Advance directives such as Living Will or Durable Power of Attorney
• Some properties will also require you to fill out a "DNR" or Do Not Resuscitate" directive

In addition, the community will probably also include an information form for the family to fill out that lists the new residents likes and dislikes, hobbies, prior jobs, family etc. The more information you can include the better, especially in the case of a person who is moving in with memory impairment.

Read an article today in the Sun Times about a man who assumed because he was losing his memory and was having trouble with balance that it was simply a part of 'just getting old'. Well he had a stroke and they discovered he had normal pressure hydrocephalus, a condition in which fluid accumulates in the brain. He had a shunt put in and now he is back to normal. You can read the entire article here.

I found this post on a the Smart Women Invest blog - thought I would share it as it does very briefly and to the point tell you what to look for when shopping for long term care insurance. Since Medicare does not pay for long term care - it is usually something that I recommend people look into.

• What qualifies you for the benefits?
• What type of care is covered?
• What will the benefit amount be?
• What is the benefit period?
• Is the benefit adjusted for inflation?
• Is there a waiting period before benefits begin?

One of our partners, Sunrise of Wilmette has recently been awarded the Excellence in Care Dementia Care Program ofDistinction status for caring for individuals with Alzheimer's diseaseand related illnesses by The Alzheimer's Foundation of AmericaSpecializing in memory care, Sunrise of Wilmette features resident-centered 24-hourcare, dedicated memory care programming, and specially trained staffwho focus on creating life-enriching experiences for its 32 residentseach day.

I am such a sap for stories like this one I read in the Orlando Sentinel on Monday. Had to share.Wish they would write more stories like this." The formal affair Thursday at Summerville at Oak Park, an assisted-living facility, brought new meaning to the words senior prom. "Prom in Clermont gets assisted living residents, high-school students dancing.

This problem may be more common than we can estimate.  If you are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, the sooner you plan for the future the better.   Many people can continue to live, work, function etc as normal in the early stages of the disease. 

Nicole Batsch, Director of Early Stage and Support Services for the Greater Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association encourages anyone who receives a diagnosis and lives alone to reach outto their long-distance family members, their faith-based, community orneighborhood center, and their neighbors. 

As cognitive abilities decline, it will be helpful to have a support system set up as the person themselves might not realize they are in trouble says Batsch.

Eventually, it will become too difficult or dangerous to livealone. Make plans now for where you will live as the diseaseprogresses. You may want to get a helpful roommate, live with arelative or move to a residential care setting.  I have personally helped a person who was in the very early stages of dementia choose where she would "go" once the disease progressed.  She is now living there as the disease managed to take over her life sooner than expected.  But the family doesn't feel guilty as they know she made the choice herself.

For more tips, please visit the chapter's March 2009 newsletter.

I am such a nerd, but I was so excited to be asked for my opinion by Janet Kidd Stewart, a reporter for the Tribune Company. I have read her article in the Sunday Business section many times, so it was exciting to be quoted in one of her articles. So exciting in fact that I took photos of it and have included the link to the article on the Chicago Tribune website!Retirement communities offering discounts amid downturn Sunday, March 1, 2009

Judith Brown, a registered and licensed occupational therapist and certified Phoenix Rising yoga therapy practitioner will be guiding you during a complimentary chair yoga fitness class.  The class is offered every other Saturday at 9:30 am at Belmont Village in Oak Park at 1035 Madison Street.

As we age, we are more susceptible to diseases such as arthritis, rheumatism and high blood pressure.  The need for exercise increases, but our bodies sometimes limit or level of participation.

Yoga is a form of exercise that adapts to your needs and abilities, regardless of your fitness level.  Yoga promotes fitness, helps calm your mind and can help with relaxation.  Who couldn't use a little relaxation in these crazy times.

The class is free, but space is limited so please RSVP to 708-848-7200

Upcoming Saturday Morning Class dates:
Feb 28
March 14
March 28

Award winner, author, trainer, and volunteer coordinator for the Midwestern States for the National Family Caregivers Assn (NFCA).Maya Hennessey, will present excerpts from her book and will sign copies of If Only I'd Had This Caregiving Book, on the perils and solutions to the stress of caregiving.As the health care system deteriorates more is heaped on the already breaking the backs of family caregivers. Maya's book has over 50 delightful exercises to empower and protect family caregivers.Family caregivers will receive free membership and free brochures to NFCA.DATE: SATURDAY FEB 28TIME: 1-3PMPLACE: WOODSON REGIONAL LIBRARY, 9525 S. HALSTED, CHICAGOFREE!

As a follow up to a post from last month - I wanted to share what Mr. Bouey had to say about his recent trip to the Inauguration of President Barack Obama...“I felt born again,” said Alfred Bouey, resident ofHolley Court Terrace, a Brookdale senior living community in Oak Park,Ill.“I never dreamed this day would ever happen in Americanhistory. I have witnessed not only my greatest wish, but also the dreamof my parents,” said Bouey, the grandson of slaves. “I’m still on cloudnine,” he said.Bouey began to get excited the morning he and his familyleft for Washington, D.C. Once they arrived at the hotel, that’s whenit hit him; he would be witnessing history in the making.The most memorable part of the trip was seeing PresidentObama taking the oath. “I felt pure joy,” said Bouey. “Tears wereflowing all around me, and down my cheeks as well.”What a joyful story to tell. For this whole story and other inspiring stories of seniors who get to live out their dream, go to Brookdales Experience of a Lifetime Page.

A new and updated 18 page booklet by Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center of the National Institute on Aging provides tips on easing the stress of hospitalization for those with and those caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's and other dementia.  It also has ideas and checklists that help you prepare for a hospital trip and the anxiety and agitation that goes with it.

To download or order free copies of "Hospitalization Happens: A Guide to Hospital Visits for Individuals with Memory Loss," visit www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/happens.htm or call the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center toll-free at 800-438-4380

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaassisted living residences or assisted living facilities (ALFs) provide supervision or assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs); coordination of services by outside health care providers; and monitoring of resident activities to help to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Assistance may include the administration or supervision of medication, or personal care services provided by a trained staff person. Assisted living as it exists today emerged in the 1990's as an eldercare alternative on the continuum of care for people, normally seniors, who cannot live independently in a private residence, but who do not need the 24-hour medical care provided by a nursing home. Assisted living is a philosophy of care and services promoting independence and dignity.My Notes: Assisted living was based on a resident centered model instead of a traditional medical model. The idea is to bring the services to the resident instead of moving a resident around to make it easier for the medical staff. Think of how women deliver now - instead of going to the holding room than the birthing room, then the recovery room - all of the services are done in one room, making it a much better experience - same idea for assisted living.Bring the services to the resident. Allow the resident to dictate their schedule. They can decide when to wake up so if they were always a late sleeper (that's me!) then they can continue to be a late sleeper instead of being woken up early so that the staff can get everyone fed by 8 am and move on to their next chore.Another example: Allowing the resident to dictate when and how they bathe. Maybe they always preferred baths over showers. Certainly its easier just to do a shower, but if they want to take a bath and they want lavender bubble bath in there - so be it.Also note, its a resident, not a patient.And yes, that is a real resident in a real assisted living property that I work with and those are both of his dogs who live with him there!More notes soon...