Smart Talk: Life isn’t easy for caregivers

What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, June 11, 2014:

Americans are living longer. Women live to an average age of 82 and men to 77 years old.

Living longer doesn’t necessarily mean living better. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), more than 70 million Americans over the age of 50 live with a chronic condition.

What these statistics mean is that more older people need care and millions are not able to care for themselves. Millions of disabled Americans require full time care too.

Who is providing the care for older and disabled adults?

There are assisted living and nursing facilities, but most would rather stay home or live with a caregiver.

As a result, there are more than 44 million unpaid caregivers in the U.S.

Caregivers are experiencing challenges themselves.

Most are under a lot of stress and experience physical or emotional problems like depression.

On Wednesday’s Smart Talk, we’ll address caregiving and caregivers. Joining us will be Dr. Arlene Bobonich, who practices palliative medicine at Pinnacle Health and Dr. David Wenner, the medical director at Hospice of Central Pennsylvania.

Dr. Bobonich provided links to several websites and organizations for more information on caregiving:

pinnaclehealth.org A variety of programs, free and open to the public whichaddress everything from”LEAKY PLUMBING”to “HOW TO START THE CONVERSATION” when dealing with end of life care. For patients not computer savvy ,they may call231-8900 to register. We also have a Congestive HeartFailure Clinic which has been producing marvelous statistics when it comes to keeping patients out of trouble, and hence out of the hospital when terrible situations snowball into lethal ones.

www.alz.org 1-800-272-3900Alzheimer’s association but lots of helpful caregiver guidance including financial.

www.caps4caregivers.org 1-800-227-7294 Special programs dedicated to the children of Aging Parents

www.edc.gsph.pitt.edu/reach/info.htmlResources for EnhancingAlzheimer’s Caregiver Health

In addition, there are multiple local Hospices:

Hospice ofCentral Pennsylvania ( the largest, not for profit and only one with a “Hospice House”)

Homeland Hospice ( hasmultilingual staff)

Legacy Hospice

GraneHospice

Compassionate Care ( they tend to specialize in end stage cardiac problems and do an excellent job in keeping people comfortable and at home instead of frightened and in the hospital)

It may help you to know that even a nursing home patient may have Hospice. Payment schedule however maychange,it depends.

It may also be helpful to know that although federal mandates a certification that a patients life expectancy is 6 months or less, a patient may renew their eligibilityinnumerable times on Hospice without limit and at times even “graduates” out of Hospice mostly due to thetremendous support they received.

“10 signs ofcaregiver stress”

They are:

1.DENIALIn spite of multiple medical opinions you feel you must keep doing more, involving more medicines, etc. This is usually a hallmark that the system is now so used to dependence that a codependence may be forming and it is EXHAUSTING.

2. SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL. The caregiver begins to think that activities once important to them should take a second fiddle. This reduces thecargivers ability to bounce back and IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE

3. ANGER . Usually directed at self ( I should be doing more), the patient (whydon’t they get better) or the medical team.

4. ANXIETY.Whats going to happen next

5. FATIGUE beyond the usual

6.DEPRESSION What is this all leading to, am I worthless?

7. POORSLEEP,BAD EATING HABITS

8. IRRITABILITY

9. POOR CONCENTRATION, a kind of brain overload, foggydecisions,poor planning

10.SUBSTANCE ABUSE, FROM COFFEE TO ALCOHOL TO SMOKING TO DRUGS

also GOOD PLANNING IN LATE MIDDLE AGE;

When you become an “empty nester”don’t buy the charmingtownhouse built on three levels. Get something with a master suite and bath on the first floor. An older house might not have doorways toaccommodate wheelchairs or walkers.

When your large St Bernard dog passes away,consider a lap dog or cat

Set up the kitchen with light weight dishes ( Corelle, etc)now is the time to pass down the ancientstoneware to the kids. Placeeverything you use daily on the first and easiest reachable shelf. This will pay off in the decade following after that hip fracture or onset of other neurological problem. If the problemsdon’t develop you have lost nothing

IN LATER AGE

Do away with belts and fussy things. Buy magnetic closures for treasured pieces of jewelry.

Change clothing tovelcro snapped,interchangeable sweat clothes. Many cute brands especially for women (Quacker Factory, etc)

Buy skid proof table mats. Dishesoften “run away” from someone playing with their food. Try asippy cup.

DONTFORCE FEED . If mom or day wont eat, try putting around the housesmall dishes of cheerios, nuts, raisins (difficult to clean off the carpet), wheat chex, apple slices (dip them in lemon juice). Just watch for choking as often swallowing and chewing ability is lost towards the end of life.