Roy Stinson: Profile in Eldercare
Posted by Western PA Hospital News on Nov 4, 2011 in Eldercare | 0 comments
Recreation Assistant, Jamie Armes-Opoku with Roy Stinson
Roy Stinson was tired of moving. The son of a carpenter turned sharecropper in the depression in the west, his father moved the family regularly to find work. “Dad wouldn’t stay in any place too long. If he couldn’t get work, we’d move around the country.” Roy, himself, bounced around. He left home when he was 15, traveled around the west, rode the rails for a while, and worked many different jobs as a carpenter or in farming. After his wife died in 2002, after 62 years of marriage, Roy stayed settled in. But he still had one more move to make, one he would later say was the best decision he’d ever made.
By the time Roy was 88, he was a frequent visitor to his local emergency room. He could not get a handle on health. “It seemed like I was there every other week, and I may have been.” Out of concern for the safety to others, he gave up driving. He was alone much of the time, although he’d tell you that wasn’t a problem for him.
But all of this was a problem for his daughter, Rebecca Guay. She supported him in moving back to Pittsburgh and later in enrolling in LIFE Pittsburgh’s program of all-inclusive care for the elderly. Because he resides in Allegheny County and is financially eligible, there is no cost.
Elder Care & Elder Rage: Know The Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s!
Posted by Western PA Hospital News on Oct 16, 2011 in Eldercare | 0 comments
By Jacqueline Marcell, Author of ‘Elder Rage’ (www.ElderRage.com)
For eleven years I pleaded with my stubborn elderly father to allow a caregiver to help him with my ailing mother, but after 55 years of loving each other he adamantly insisted on taking care of her himself. Every caregiver I hired to help him soon called in exasperation, “Jacqueline, I just can’t work with your father–his temper is impossible to handle. I don’t think he’ll accept help until he’s on his knees himself.”
My father had always been 90% great, but boy-oh-boy that temper was a doozy. He’d never turned it on me before, but then again I’d never gone against his wishes either. When my mother nearly died from an infection caused by his inability to continue to care for her, I flew from southern California to San Francisco to try to save her life–having no idea that in the process it would nearly cost me my own.
EARLY SIGNS OF DEMENTIA?
I spent three months in the hospital nursing my 82-pound mother back to relative health, while my father went from being my loving dad one minute to calling me nasty names and throwing me out of the house the next. I walked on egg shells trying not to upset him, even running the washing machine could cause a tizzy, and there was no way to reason with him. It was so heart wrenching to have my once-adoring father turn against me.
10 Mealtime Challenges that Threaten Healthy Aging
Posted by Western PA Hospital News on Oct 8, 2011 in Eldercare | 0 comments
Nutrition for the elderly is among the most important aspects of aging. But mealtime challenges such as loneliness, lack of companionship and cooking for one can threaten an older adult’s health and well-being. The Home Instead Senior Care® network has launched the Craving CompanionshipSM program to promote healthy aging through nutrition and companionship so family caregivers can rest assured that their seniors are not in jeopardy.
Family caregivers who arrive at an older loved one’s home around mealtime to find Mom or Dad eating toast for dinner shouldn’t be surprised. Seniors who live alone with lack of companionship and faced with the prospect of cooking for one, often don’t eat like they should. A recent Home Instead Senior Care® network survey discovered that the biggest mealtime challenge for older people who live alone is lack of the shared family experience, including lack of companionship. And that’s just one of the ten mealtime challenges that threaten healthy aging.
Family caregivers know how difficult it can be to ensure older adults are eating properly. Seniors may face multiple challenges when it comes to the pursuit of good nutrition. Illnesses and diseases can dampen taste buds. Seniors on multiple medications or recovering from an illness may lose interest in eating. The conditions of aging sometimes make shopping and preparing food difficult. And then there’s loneliness.
Improving the Quality of Life for Residents and Their Families
Posted by Western PA Hospital News on Oct 4, 2011 in Eldercare | 0 comments
Here’s another great video for our readers to check out. This comes from IntegraCare, whose mission is to “improve the quality of life for its employees, residents, and their families.” The company’s goal is to create an environment where its primary customer, the employee, experiences respect, dignity, and personal development. Check out their video!
The 50-50 Rule: Overcoming Family Conflict is in the Best Interests of Aging Parents
Posted by Western PA Hospital News on Sep 19, 2011 in Eldercare | 0 comments
By Lucy Novelly, CSA, Franchise Owner/CEO of Home Instead Senior Care serving Washington County and the South Hills area.
For more information about the local Home Instead Senior Care offices serving the Greater Pittsburgh area, visit www.homeinstead.com/greaterpittsburgh or call 1-866-996-1087.
Anyone who cares for seniors whether in the hospital or home setting has seen the behind-the-scenes family conflict that can interfere with the care of an elderly patient. Siblings may not have much in common now that they’re grown, but they do share one thing: responsibility for the care of their mom or dad.
“Any family that has cared for a senior loved one knows that problems working with siblings can lead to family strife,” said Lucy Novelly, a local franchise owner of Home Instead Senior Care that serves Washington County and South Hills. “Making decisions together, dividing the workload and teamwork are the keys to overcoming family conflict.”
Coined The 50-50 RuleSM, this program offers strategies for overcoming sibling differences to help families provide the best care for elderly parents, which in turn helps the professionals who fit into the overall care dynamic. The 50-50 Rule refers to the average age (50) when siblings are caring for their parents, as well as the need for brothers and sisters to share in the plans for care 50-50.
Profiles in Care
Posted by Western PA Hospital News on Sep 7, 2011 in Eldercare | 0 comments
We recently visited the website of The Commons at Squirrel Hill and their Profiles in Care section caught our attention. We thought it might be of some interest to people who are seeking options in eldercare.
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