The Elderly and Assisted Living

The benefits of assisted living for the elderly is the specialized assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, putting on support stockings, medication management, ensuring that they have nutritionally balanced meals by providing meals in a communal dining room and providing trained nurses.

Other benefits of assisted living are weekly housekeeping, often a hair salon is available or at least the services of a hairdresser and a manicurist as well as someone who will cut their toe nails, a grocery store and a weekly linen service. Additionally, their health, safety and well-being are closely monitored.

There is also organized recreation in many facilities offering such things as movie nights, pub nights, bus trips, weekly entertainment, celebrations for Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas, etc. There are also often card games, knitting groups, crossword puzzle gatherings and other outlets available so that seniors will not be lonely or feel isolated. It is an opportunity to make new friends and talk to others which may have been lacking when they were living on their own. Often pets are welcome too as was the case where my mother lived.

Most assisted living facilities offer self-contained private units. My mother had a large studio apartment with a small kitchenette with cupboards, sink, counter space, a fridge and a microwave. It was all she needed since meals were offered. And she had a separate bathroom large enough to accommodate using her walker. The common area where she lived had a piano which converted to a player piano for those who couldn't play. Often various people would gather around the piano and sing.

Assisted living facilities are ideal for those who are no longer able to live independently but do not require the care that a nursing home offers. According to statistics, the average age of residents is eighty-seven years, women outnumber men three to one and the average length of stay is approximately twenty-eight months. Often after this period of time it is necessary for them to move on to the next level of care. In some facilities the various levels of care are in either the same building or in an attached one so there isn't a huge adjustment for them to make when they are moved.

My mother enjoyed the time she spent at this facility. It was obvious even to her family members that those who worked there were there because they enjoyed working with the elderly. They went well above and beyond in their care for the seniors.

Assisted living is an excellent solution to the care of your aging parent. There is no worry as there is when they are living alone that they will fall and there is no one there to look after them.

Senior Citizens and Cell Phones

As I speak to more operators and administrators of independent and assisted living facilities in regards to their telephone infrastructure strategy. It is clear that they are no longer providing telephone service as a standard amenity in their homes. This is for two main reasons; First they don't want to have the hassle of billing like they are a phone company. Also, with all the phone options available today, senior citizens are also taking advantage of cable telephone, VoIP and cellular options. In fact, much like their grandchildren seniors in retirement communities are choosing to only use cellular service instead of having a landline or both. When I first started my sales career fifteen years ago middle aged people would come in and complain about how complicated the cutting edge bag phone and flip phones were. I sometimes laugh at this now because comparing those phones to the Palms, Blackberrys and iPhones of today is like comparing telegraph to the touch tone phone. However, companies like Jitterbug Cellular Phones are focusing on the senior citizen niche and making simple cell phones because not everyone needs a computer in their pocket.

The Jitterbug J, may be the perfect option for seniors wanting independence or who are living in independent and assisted living facilities. It can give their families who are always worried about eldercare, peace of mind, because they know it's a phone simple enough for their elderly parents to use. We will look at what makes this generation of phone different?

The Jitterbug J, "the phone for everyone," starts with a large bright color display that uses a large easy to read font with clarity. The keypad has large roomy backlit buttons that are laid out for easy dialing for the elderly. The earphone eliminates background noise, has a dial tone similar to landlines similar to landlines when you open the phone with a powerful speaker. The phone eliminates confusing menus and only requires a yes or a no. They offer 24/7 U.S. based customer service and operators who can update the phone book, connect calls and provide directory assistance.

The rate plans start at $14.99 per month and offer upgrades like the Jitterbug Complete Care Bundle. The bundle provides roadside assistance, handset replacement and Jitterbug LiveNurse through a partnership with FONEMED. LiveNurse gives loved ones 24/7 access to registered nurses in English or Spanish. They can assist in connecting them to a large pre-recorded health information library with current information on a variety of topics. The nurses can also help document a users personal health history.

With technology simplified, better customer service, and cheap and easy billing, it's no wonder more seniors are using cell phones with assistive technologies for safety and security.

Hearing Center Assisted Living Devices

If you are struggling to hear sounds that surround you, a hearing center is your best resource for information and equipment to help solve your problems. Most aids can be worn all the time and help amplify noises and sounds. While this works in a variety of different circumstances and environments, it is not always a perfect solution. There are times when other equipment, including assisted living devices, can provide a service that traditional aids cannot.

Alerting Devices

What happens when an emergency takes place at home and a person cannot hear the traditional sounds and signals that something is wrong? Most people do not wear their aids while they sleep for fear of damaging them. For those that have severe issues being able to hear without their aids, there are fire alarms and smoke detectors that have a visual cue in addition to the noises they make. This means that even if you cannot hear the alarm going off, you can see that there is an emergency and it needs to be addressed.

An emergency is not the only time that a person needs to be alerted to something. A local hearing center may offer different types of devices that let someone know when the doorbell is sounded or the phone is ringing. These devices can be a critical part of someone's life when he or she cannot hear well.

Telephone Assistance

A hearing center may offer amplifiers specifically made for a telephone. When a person answers the phone, the voice of the person on the other line is louder in order to make the conversation easier. In severe cases, there are special systems designed to skip over a voice phone call altogether and with the help of a third party, information is transferred from person to person.

Television Assistance

Have you ever walking into someone's house and the television was turned up so loud it made you uncomfortable? When one person struggles to hear his or her favorite television show, the obvious solution is to turn up the volume to make it more understandable. Unfortunately, this causes problems for other people living in the house. A hearing center offers equipment like room loops or infrared transmitters that can make help an individual amplify noises from the television without it disrupting everyone else. These systems often come with headphones.

Group Listening Environment

Often times group settings are very difficult for someone that cannot hear well. There are group listening devices that can help those individuals get the most out of the event or program without affecting the other participants. Many public places, including movie theaters and churches, already take advantage of this technology.

Why Long Term Care Facilities Are Not Safe - Two Reasons

I heard a statistic the other day that made me cringe. We've known this day was coming for a long, long time. But when it gets here, reality sets in. Nearly 30,000 baby boomers a week are reaching retirement age.

When Social Security was put into effect, the average lifespan of an American was 65. Today it is closer to 85. As people live longer and more people enter the golden years of their life, they are looking for a place that they can go and live out their final years.

Nursing homes and assisted-living facilities are the two most common such places. They are not cheap. For that reason another alternative has sprung up and that is home healthcare assisted-living provided by a professional in the home. But for the sake of this article we're talking about nursing homes and assisted-living facilities-long term care facilities.

Because the increased demand for these services for seniors staffing issues come into play. There is a shortage of nurses, nursing assistants and others in this field. As a nurse told me the other day when we are talking about this issue there is not only a shortage of nurses and others in the field, but they are overworked, underpaid and a certain form of lethargy sets in because of the industry in general.

That makes it a prime breeding ground for elder abuse. Employees who feel undervalued, who are overworked and underpaid tend to feel that whatever else they can grab is dutifully theirs no matter whom the source is. So if they have an opportunity to steal they'll do it.

Is a well documented fact that one out of every six people in a long-term care facility suffers some kind of abuse-physical, emotional, verbal or just about any kind of abuse you can imagine. It is a crying shame that our seniors aren't better cared for, but like so many other things in life it's an issue of money.

So that's one reason why long-term care facilities aren't safe. The second reason is that in a Health and Human Services report just recently issued the Inspector General of that agency he found that 90 percent of all long-term care facilities employed someone with criminal record. Sixty percent of the facilities had two or more convicted employees.

The only way that you as a parent can keep an eye on your loved ones in a long-term care facility is to install a hidden camera. A hidden camera will enable used to detect any abuse on your loved ones.

When are you getting one?

Physical Nursing Assessment

Physical nursing assessment is a systematic and organized approach in the techniques which requires a trusted relationship between the patient and nurse. A trusted relationship between both nurse and the patient is required because it can reduce the stress experienced by the patient while examining him/her physically exposed. If the nurse explains the things that is to be done physically and the reason for the physical examination, then the patient naturally get relaxed and cooperate with the nurse for the examination. Even though physical assessment enables the nurse to identify the condition more accurately, the focus is more on the responses of the patient to actual problems.

Physical nursing assessment is the initial step of the process as it provides basic foundation for the care plan in which the observations of a nurse is important in the estimation, intervention as well as evaluation phases. Both subjective as well as objective findings are included in this assessment. Objective findings are taken from physical examination and subjective findings are taken from health history as well as reviews of body systems. Subjective findings are relevant only when the patient is affected and some of the examples for subjective data are worrying, itching and pain. Objective findings are the findings of the observer or tested according to the accepted standards. Some of the examples of objective data are discoloration of the skin, reading of blood pressure and emotional outburst of the patient like crying.

Physical nursing assessment is used to get both mental and physical data of the patient. This kind of assessment helps the nurse to diagnose the problem accurately and thereby possible to plan the patient care. It helps the health care professionals to solve the problems identified. In order to obtain a more accurate evaluation of the patient, the nurse has to establish a good rapport with the patient. It is essential to explain the procedure of physical examination to the patient well before performing the examination. The nurse should obtain the verbal consent of the patient for the physical assessment.

The physical data of the patient should be confidential and the nurse should choose a place where other people cannot see or overhear the patient. The nurse should inform the patient that who all will see the recorded data. Avoid circumstances of unnecessary exposure of the patient by ensuring privacy of the patient by closing the doors and by draping the body using clothes. Special instructions should be communicated with the patient. Physical nursing assessment is performed by using certain basic techniques such as inspection, palpation, auscultation and percussion. Inspection is performed by visual examination and palpation means examining the patient by touching the body of the patient. Listening to the sounds produced by the body is known as auscultation. Percussion means tapping the body of the patient with fingers.

I Hate It Here, I Feel Like I'm in Prison!

That is always a wonderful thing to hear out of a resident's mouth, especially in the middle of a tour. I am, of course, being sarcastic. However it is pretty common. And rightfully so. We all think we've done our mom a wonderful justice by helping her move into an assisted living where she is getting the care she needs and is safe 24/7. That is always the intention, doing what is best for our loved one. So why would they feel this way? Well there could be many reasons but mostly it's the amount of change and how rapidly it happens.

The truth is they probably do hate it. Nobody ever imagines themselves to "end up" in an assisted living requiring help with caring for themselves. Let alone being cared for by strangers! They are grieving the loss of a home, their independence, their identity and dignity. That's not even mentioning their dream of how their "golden years" would be. I always tell families give them 90 days to adjust, especially if they are resistant at all to moving into assisted living.

The first 30 days you will get phone calls about everything from how awful dinner was to the crazy old man she saw in the hallway. And OH THE NOISE! "I hate it here, get me out of here." There will be complaints about the staff and how they do things or don't do things. It's an adjustment she is going from living alone or with you to living with 70 strangers. If your loved one needs any assistance with care, these first 30 days are so tough. Imagine having a stranger help you toilet, or shower. Of course they hate it. Change is difficult for everyone, but even more so for the elderly.

Usually by day 45 the phone calls to you are less and she is relying on us more for care. By this time mom has gotten to know the care staff and has finally settled in with her table mates. She has made some friends but she still wants to go home. She is "feeling much better now"and believes she can handle things at home again. You see she is doing so much better indeed. So you begin to think maybe going back home isn't such a bad idea. STOP RIGHT THERE. Why do you think she's doing better? Could it be because she is getting three meals a day, her medications are given in a timely consistent manner, and her apartment is being cleaned weekly? That would be a giant YES! Now is a good time to gently remind mom of that and if you need help ask a trusted staff member to help you with that conversation.

By day 90 there is usually no longer discussion about going "home" because she feels she is there. She knows the staff and their routines, she has friends and is involved in activities. Sometimes I even here "why didn't we do this sooner?"

The only time this isn't the case is with loved one's who have some sort of cognitive impairment. Change is particularly hard for people with dementia or the like. I encourage families to try their hardest to recreate the most familiar space to their loved one. Sometimes it's that simple. Sometimes it's a fight tooth and nail and when that happens we have to talk about possible relocation to a secure memory unit, especially if their loved one is going to leave the building to "go home". We never really know the degree of people's dementia or inability to care for themselves until they move into an assisted living. People are really good about hiding their inability to care for themselves or how much they don't remember, especially in their own environments.

In closing, the worst thing you can do for everyone involved is panic and second guess yourself. Remember there are two sides to every story and because she is telling you she hates it here there is a good possibility that she's exaggerating. Also remember she is your mother and she knows how to play the guilt card. She is telling you how she hates is meanwhile she is telling everyone else she loves it. That happens so many times. The best thing you can do is re direct her to call the care staff to take care of her needs. She has to be able to form a relationship of trust with the staff. I am not by any means saying to ignore your mother's complaints. I am just asking you to please don't expect the worst. You too have to trust us or else this relationship is not going to work.

Planning Ahead for Long Term Care Insurance Costs

The expense of insurance can be overwhelming for those who have not planned properly; starting early can help minimize the long term care insurance costs. As there are five types of long term insurance, choosing the type of care you want early can protect you from not having much of a choice down the road. By planning and selecting the type of insurance you receive, as well as when and where you receive it can help minimize your costs and maximize your benefits.

Consider: Partner Discounts

You may not be able to state with complete certainty whether or not your spouse or life partner will be around when you need long term care, especially if you are planning ahead significantly. But if you're married or in a long term relationship, it's worth considering partner discounts when you try to minimize long term care insurance costs. Many companies will offer a discount for partners and if one person needs more than their own benefit period, they can use some of their partner's benefit period.

Consider: Money Pool

With long term care insurance, you pay for a specific amount of money that you can draw from; your benefit term and your daily benefit amount will determine your money pool. Ideally, plan for an estimated amount you would need per day and the length of time you'd like to have access to the money. For example, a person could have a $250 daily benefit and a 6 year benefit period - this would mean they have access to $547,500. If when drawing on the insurance you use less than the daily benefit, the benefit period can be extended. Be aware, when you price long term care insurance costs, that where you live can greatly affect the rates available.

Consider: Inflation Protection

As long term care insurance costs continue to increase, inflation can be a real problem. Depending on the policy, you may have the options of no inflation protection, simple inflation protection, and compound inflation protection. Unless an individual is already a senior citizen, compound inflation protection is usually best since you may not use your benefits for 15, 20, or 30 years down the road. The compounded interest will help offset the increasing costs for your care.

Consider: Type of Coverage

Another decision you'll face is whether you want facility only or comprehensive coverage. Predictably, a facility only policy will cover those services performed while you live in a nursing or assisted living facility or hospice center. Comprehensive coverage will provide for services you receive in a facility as well as those in adult day care and home health care services. For many individuals, comprehensive coverage is a better choice as it allows more freedom. It is usually less expensive to get facility only coverage if you know you'll be in a facility. Some people determine their likelihood of facility living based on factors such as family support, other illness or disabilities, and so on.

Planning for long term care early in life does mean that you are making decisions and estimates with limited information that may change before you have to use your benefits. That said, starting early and having to reevaluate later is a much better plan than simply waiting too long. Earlier planning will help you minimize your long term care insurance costs.