Things To Know

Caregivers can be overwhelmed with the number of medications that their loved ones need to take on a daily basis. Medication errors are too common, with administration of drugs accounting for 38 percent of errors. According to the ALARIS Center for Medication Safety and Clinical Improvement, at least 7,000 deaths annually are blamed on medication errors.

This is the first of four very-short films that aim to increase understanding of Alzheimer's disease.

"Until we can stop Alzheimer's, we need to do whatever we can to help people understand it better. More understanding will reduce stigma, improve care, and help strengthen the public fight against the disease.

- David Shenk"

We here at Compassionate Care Senior Services have dealt with this many times and for people in many stages of the disease. Bottom line...there are a few rules:

You just received an unexpected good job offer away from your home. Your parents feel proud and happy for you. But your parents have reached in an age where daily assistance is required for them. In fact, they are not in a position in relocating at your new working place. If this situation sounds familiar, then opting for non-medical in-home care might act as best solution for you.

Nov 13  3:00 pm-4:30 pm. "Eating Well As You Age"-presented by Sherry Cole, GCM about how to help maintain your brain, look younger, enjoy your food, eat well inexpensively,

November 18  1:00-5:00 pm  "Free Memory Screenings" in conjuctions with Alzheimer's Foundation of America and National Memory Screening Day. 

This video produced by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Caregivers talks about how the geriatric care manager can help a family dealing with an aging family member or loved one.

With the elderly population growing by leaps and bounds, families are struggling with long-term care costs and worrying about Social Security. So what are the presidential candidates' plans to address these issues? Below is a summary of the main party candidate's positions on some of the issues that affect seniors and their families.

Sen. Barack Obama

Over 30 million Baby Boomers provide countless hours of assistance to elderly parents at no charge. It is estimated that, using average hourly wages, the total amount of this uncompensated care is comparable to the entire Medicare budget. For the estimated 7 million Boomers who provide long distance care, actual out of pocket expenses amount to almost $5,000 per month. For caregivers who have, or are considering leaving the workforce to care for an ailing parent, the costs are even greater - over $650,000 in forfeited salaries, benefits and pensions.

Families with aging older adults often times worry if their loved ones are really okay. It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you have a mother or father still living, you will always be their child. Parents, generally speaking, will go to great lengths to protect their children from worry. It is not unusual to hear via phone, “We’re great!” “Everything is fine.” “After our last family visit, I nearly fell apart”, shares an adult child of a senior living in the local area. “We spoke on the phone daily, (I live in Michigan) but when I came home and saw first hand how they’d declined, I felt so guilty.”What signs should alert you to the fact that it’s time to consider hiring some in-home care assistance? Though certainly not a complete list, the following should help you in your decision.Pay attention to sudden changes in weight loss or weight gain: This could be a sign that your parents are not able to grocery shop or cook the kind of meals they once did. It may also be a sign that they’re feeling depressed or perhaps it’s a sign that they need to get an updated physical at the doctor’s office.

Many family members feel that a deadbolt on the front door of their parent's home will take care of any elder care safety issues that might harm them. There are other safety issues that family members never stop to consider and those considerations include what their parent's state of mind is, the structural soundness of the building that they are living in, and the quality of the company that they keep.