Pacific Grove, CA Dealing With A Loved One With Alzheimer’s Disease Is Always A Struggle : Try The Montessori Method

A woman and an older lady standing next to each other.


Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are wonderful people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  It is always a struggle figuring out how to deal with a loved one, as the symptoms can seem to change from day to day.  And unlike most other chronic diseases, there is little that can be done in the way of treatment.  One relatively new method has been used for more than a century on special needs children and is being tried out on those with dementia.  It’s called the Montessori method for memory care, and it involves teaching a “new†skillset to someone.  Just as children need to know how to dress themselves, go to the bathroom, and communicate their needs, so do those with dementia who eventually may completely forget these skills which you and I take for granted.  Using the Montessori Method you will find that it:

  • Respects a person’s dignity, personhood and lived experience;
  • Allows freedom within your provided structure (essentially allowing a senior to be an improvisational artists of sorts);
  • Changes the environment to suit the individual and not the other way around; and
  • Takes into account that an individual benefits by serving their community.

Source: HomeCare Magazine, 03/21 P.40

 

And when all else fails, don’t forget that the Alzheimer’s Association has a 24-hour hotline.  If you need some additional support you can reach them at 800-272-3900.

 

https://www.alzheimers.net/montessori-method-dementia

 

Soquel, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Caregiver Jobs Available

A woman helping an older person with papers


Soquel, CA  Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours (Aptos, Ben Lomond,  Boulder Creek, Capitola, Davenport, Felton, Freedom, Mount Hermon, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Soquel & Watsonville)

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade, and we are now expanding into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.fhcofm.com, click on home care aides, then careers where you can fill out an application online.  We have immediate openings.

https://tsc221.ersp.biz/index.cfm?event=Apply.index

Mount Hermon, CA Caregivers Looking For Relief For Clients With Arthritis Or Osteoporosis Might Want To Turn To Vibration Therapy Or Light Therapy

Three older women are holding pink dumbbells.


With the opioid crisis, it has becoming increasingly difficult to get doctors to embrace any kind of pain medication therapy for those struggling with debilitating and painful diseases which impact the muscle and bone.  Amplitude Vibration Therapy is now getting a lot of buzz in the medical community, providing relief for a number of ailments without having to turn to prescription drugs.  It works by stimulating muscles and ligaments, which increases blood circulation and can reduce pain and inflammation, promote immune response and improve joint strength as well as more flexibility.  A recent study by the National Institutes of Health and researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa found that those living with rheumatoid arthritis showed improvements in functionality and decreased pain after using vibration therapy over three months, and an even better response after six months.

https://www.homecaremag.com/june-2021/buzz-vibration-therapy

Best of all, vibration therapy doesn’t bring the feeling of electric shock that is commonly associated with some other therapies.  Clinical studies suggest vibration therapy may offer benefits for patients with arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and other ailments. It is also a trendy workout recovery option due to ease of use. A study completed earlier this year indicates that five minutes of low-level vibration therapy was as effective as a 15-minute massage at reducing muscle soreness and improving recovery time after strenuous exercise.

Potential Benefits of Vibration Therapy:

  • Increased blood and lymphatic circulation
  • Reduced pain and inflammation
  • A boosted immune response
  • Additional joint strength and flexibility
  • Increased healing of fractures, strains and sprains
  • Decreased stress and increased energy levels
  • Assistance in detoxification and removal of wastes from the body
  • Safe and effective

Source : www.brownmed.com

Locally, Sol Santa Cruz provides a number of different therapy programs for those in pain, including exercises like Pilates, Active Relief and Light Therapy.

https://solsantacruz.net/about-us/featured-services/a-perfect-light/

Commonly Treated Conditions

  • Back pain
  • Ligament injuries
  • Muscle strains
  • Contusions and bruising
  • Arthritis
  • Muscular atrophy
  • Chronic pain conditions
  • Muscle aches and pains
  • Tendinitis

Source : Sol Santa Cruz

Experiment with these traditional and non-traditional treatments and see what is best for you.  You may be surprised at how your body reacts.  My chiropractor has evolved over the years to combining massage therapy, ultrasound, laser therapy and other services which are sued to relieve chronic pain along with traditional chiropractic treatments.  I’ve been very pleased with the results.

https://drbarkalow.com/services/

Carmel, CA Can Driving Habits And Credit Scores Predict Future Alzheimer’s Or Dementia Diagnosis?

A purple background with the alzheimer 's association logo.


There has been such slow progress on the search for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, I was pleased to see that some researchers are focusing on finding early clues as to who may be vulnerable to getting Alzheimer’s disease or some other type of dementia.  A recent article in The New York Times said that some scientists believe that pathologies underlying brain decline may begin many years before symptoms emerge.  A spate of experiments is underway to see if little things like overlooking a couple of credit card payments or habitually braking while driving could be a sign that dementia is in your future.  “Early detection is key for intervention, at the stage when that would be most effective,†said Saye Bayat, the lead author of a driving study funded by the National Institutes of Health and performed at Washington University.  The study took 64 older adults with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease as determined by spinal taps and 75 who were deemed cognitively normal (results were not shared with the study participants).  For a year, researchers measured both groups’ driving performance.  The study found that driving behavior and age could predict preclinical Alzheimer’s 88% of the time.  Those findings could spur recruitment for clinical trials and allow for interventions—like an alert when a car drifts—to help keep drivers safely on the road.  Dr. Jason Karlawish, a geriatrician and co-director of the Penn Memory Center, called the study “provocative†and well designed.  “The results suggest that monitoring a real-world, cognitively intense behavior can detect the earliest, subtle signs of emerging cognitive impairment,†he said.  Another study analyzed medical records and consumer credit reports for more than 80,000 Medicare beneficiaries and found that those who eventually received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease were significantly more likely to have delinquent credit card payments (and sub-prime credit scores) than those with similar demographics who never received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.  I hope these studies bear fruit.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are wonderful people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  It is always a struggle figuring out how to deal with a loved one, as the symptoms can seem to change from day to day.  Drop by or give them a call if you need help.  And when all else fails, don’t forget that the Alzheimer’s Association has a 24-hour hotline.  If you need some additional support you can reach them at 800-272-3900.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/23/health/dementia-behavior-alzheimers.html

Capitola, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours

A nurse is smiling next to an older woman.


Capitola, CA  Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours (Aptos, Ben Lomond,  Boulder Creek, Capitola, Davenport, Felton, Freedom, Mount Hermon, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Soquel & Watsonville)

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade, and we are now expanding into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

 

Family inHome Caregiving is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.fhcofm.com, click on home care aides, then careers where you can fill out an application online.  We have immediate openings.

https://tsc221.ersp.biz/index.cfm?event=Apply.index

Freedom, CA Caregivers Looking For Relief For Clients With Arthritis Or Osteoporosis Might Want To Turn To Vibration Therapy Or Light Therapy


With the opioid crisis, it has becoming increasingly difficult to get doctors to embrace any kind of pain medication therapy for those struggling with debilitating and painful diseases which impact the muscle and bone.  Amplitude Vibration Therapy is now getting a lot of buzz in the medical community, providing relief for a number of ailments without having to turn to prescription drugs.  It works by stimulating muscles and ligaments, which increases blood circulation and can reduce pain and inflammation, promote immune response and improve joint strength as well as more flexibility.  A recent study by the National Institutes of Health and researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa found that those living with rheumatoid arthritis showed improvements in functionality and decreased pain after using vibration therapy over three months, and an even better response after six months.

 

https://www.homecaremag.com/june-2021/buzz-vibration-therapy

 

Best of all, vibration therapy doesn’t bring the feeling of electric shock that is commonly associated with some other therapies.  Clinical studies suggest vibration therapy may offer benefits for patients with arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and other ailments. It is also a trendy workout recovery option due to ease of use. A study completed earlier this year indicates that five minutes of low-level vibration therapy was as effective as a 15-minute massage at reducing muscle soreness and improving recovery time after strenuous exercise.

Potential Benefits of Vibration Therapy:

  • Increased blood and lymphatic circulation
  • Reduced pain and inflammation
  • A boosted immune response
  • Additional joint strength and flexibility
  • Increased healing of fractures, strains and sprains
  • Decreased stress and increased energy levels
  • Assistance in detoxification and removal of wastes from the body
  • Safe and effective

Source : www.brownmed.com

Locally, Sol Santa Cruz provides a number of different therapy programs for those in pain, including exercises like Pilates, Active Relief and Light Therapy.

https://solsantacruz.net/about-us/featured-services/a-perfect-light/

Commonly Treated Conditions

  • Back pain
  • Ligament injuries
  • Muscle strains
  • Contusions and bruising
  • Arthritis
  • Muscular atrophy
  • Chronic pain conditions
  • Muscle aches and pains
  • Tendinitis

Source : Sol Santa Cruz

 

Experiment with these traditional and non-traditional treatments and see what is best for you.  You may be surprised at how your body reacts.  My chiropractor has evolved over the years to combining massage therapy, ultrasound, laser therapy and other services which are sued to relieve chronic pain along with traditional chiropractic treatments.  I’ve been very pleased with the results.

 

https://drbarkalow.com/services/

 

Nursing Homes And Assisted Living Facilities Tepid On Mandating COVID-19 Vaccinations, Biden Takes Action

Three vaccine bottles are shown with the words " covid-1 9 coronavirus vaccine ".


There is no question that there is a major labor shortage, we are suffering from this ourselves.  A recent report said that senior housing facilities are also being hard hit, with employees hard to find and commercial property values sinking as few investors want to be in this type of industry.  However, it’s unclear that many are doing everything in their power to please the customers.  About 39% of senior housing associations surveyed between July 22 and August 8 said that they definitely or probably would impose vaccine mandates.  That’s a surprisingly low number.  We have seen an influx of new clients due to adult children moving their parents out of facilities due to their fear of COVID-19.  That’s only likely to increase as new variants spread.  Thankfully, President Biden has stepped in and said that if nursing homes don’t require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 they will no longer receive Medicare or Medicaid funding.  The current nursing home vaccination rate sits at only 61.5%, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  This is only a hair above the total population.  Some nursing home executives have bristled at the new Biden mandate, stating that staff departures may exceed 20%.  Good riddance I say to the anti-vaxers.  Keep them away from our seniors.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/senior-housing-industry-faces-higher-costs-as-it-plays-lead-role-in-vaccine-mandates-11630411200?mod=djem10point

Overweight Americans Should Be Screened For Diabetes At The Age Of 35

A person holding a hamburger in their hand.


Nearly one in seven Americans now have diabetes, a new record for the U.S.  It was a serious disease before COVID-19 and even more so now as symptoms could be more severe and the risk of death higher for those diabetics contracting the coronavirus.  Obesity in America has become a growing problem in recent years, as more of us develop a diet high in processed foods, which can be high in sugar and salt.  The popularity of fast food hasn’t helped either.  New guidelines have been issued by an expert task force (The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force) that were published in the journal JAMA suggesting that obese Americans and those with abnormally high blood sugar levels ought to be tested for diabetes starting at the young age of just 35.  That means that 40% of the adult population ought to be screened.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/24/health/diabetes-weight-screening.html?campaign_id=34&emc=edit_sc_20210831&instance_id=39237&nl=science-times&regi_id=52105769&segment_id=67677&te=1&user_id=7052b81671c57203c64c377c7522baa7

Medicare Could Soon Cover Dental And Eye Care

A nurse is smiling next to an older woman.


As part of a large budget bill making its way through Congress, there is a provision to provide dental and eye care for Medicare recipients for the first time in our nation’s history.  Ironically, the bill is facing opposition from dentists, who fear that government reimbursement rates would be too low.  Back in 1965, the American Dental Association fought to keep dental from being a paid service for Medicare recipients.  Sadly, nearly half of all Americans over the age of 65 did not visit a dentist last year, and almost 20% have lost all of their teeth.  I know about the problem firsthand.  In addition to owning Family inHome Caregiving, I am president of the non-profit Hands to Help Seniors which provides emergency assistance to seniors in a financial pickle.  The vast majority of our donations go to providing dental care to low-income senior citizens, which is very expensive.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/29/upshot/medicare-dental-care.html

Long Term Care Insurance Or LTC To Be Funded By The Government?

A stethoscope laying on top of papers.


Long Term Care or LTC Insurance is the only insurance policy which will cover the care of services provided by companies like Family inHome Caregiving.  Unfortunately, it is very expensive and few people have it.  A 2019 study funded by the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care found that by 2029, more than half of the nation’s 14.4 million middle-income older adults won’t have the financial resources necessary to pay for senior housing or in-home care.  The study concludes that both public and private funds need to come to the rescue.  There is hope.  The Well-Being Insurance for Seniors to be at Home (WISH) Act would create a federal LTC trust fund that would pay for catastrophic long-term care for those who need it, and it would also allow private insurance companies to offer affordable coverage plans for the initial years of disability.  The plan would be fully paid for by a slight increase in the payroll tax (0.3% of income for both workers and employers), or roughly $300 per year for a median-income earner.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/social-security-costs-expected-to-exceed-total-income-in-2021-as-covid-19-takes-financial-toll-11630436193?mod=djemwhatsnews