Assessment Shows Health System Needs Improvement

Room for improvement – that’s the Commonwealth Fund’s assessment of the U.S. healthcare system. The National Scorecard on U.S. Health-System Performance, 2011 indicates sub-optimal performance in the following critical aging-related care areas:

Patient hospitalizations from nursing homes and hospital re-admissions of Medicare patients

The Scorecard compares U.S. average performance with benchmarks drawn from the top 10 percent of U.S. states, regions, health plans, and hospitals or other providers, as well as from the top-performing countries. The report provides further evidence that home care is important to older adults who are ill or recovering from surgery or poor health.

Performance compared with benchmarks improved on less than half of the indicators assessed since the first Scorecard. The 2011 Scorecard finds that the U.S. as a whole scores only 64, compared with 67 in 2006 and 65 in 2008 – well below the benchmark. National rates for three of five (58%) Scorecard indicators worsened or failed to substantially improve. As observed in the 2006 and 2008 National Scorecards, the bottom-performing group of hospitals, health plans, or geographic regions typically performs well below average, with as much as a fourfold spread between the top and bottom rates.

We hope that by sharing these results will help illustrate why home care is such a vital need in today’s health care climate. Please give us a call to learn how we can help your loved one rehabilitate from a hospital visit – (617)557.4600.

For more information about this study, visit http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Fund-Reports/2011/Oct/Why-Not-the-Best-2011.aspx?page=2.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at (617)557.4600.

FREE Home for the Holidays web conference

You’re excited to be going home for the holidays where Mom always has the house decked out and Dad makes his famous eggnog and tells stories about past celebrations. But your parents are getting older now. Maybe it’s time to tune into other things, like the signs they could need more help maintaining that big house. Or indicators they might benefit from grocery assistance.

That’s why you will want to register for the Home for the Holidays webinar. The webinar, moderated by a representative from the Home Instead Senior Care^® network, will help you recognize the warning signs that indicate your senior loved one might need additional help for things such as loss of appetite, unwanted weight fluctuations, spoiled food in the fridge or clutter.

The event is being hosted by the American Society on Aging (ASA), and co-sponsored by the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC).

Register and learn more about the webinar that will be offered at two different times: Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. ET, or Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. ET. Senior care experts will be on hand to provide valuable information about the warning indicators that an older adult may need extra help and what you can do for support.

Whether you’re a long-distance caregiver or just live down the street, the holidays are a good time to assess the situation with Mom and Dad, and help them come up with a solution if necessary.

Remember, your local Home Instead Senior Care office is here to help when you have an aging-related issue or question, not just during the holidays but throughout the year. If you would like more information about Home for the Holidays, or have any comments or questions, please call us at 617.557.4600.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Your Boston Home Instead Senior Care owner, David Wert, possesses a heartfelt desire to work with seniors in the Boston MA area. It’s the reason why David was chosen to serve seniors and their families. When you’re ready for help, our caring staff is on call to quickly answer your questions and accommodate your senior services needs. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Whether it’s your parents, a grandparent, aunt, uncle or a cherished friend you’re looking out for, we understand how the responsibility can wear on you … at work, at home and in your relationships with family and friends. Do you fear for your loved one’s safety, but hope to find a manageable way for them to remain in their home? Do you feel like you want to be there for them all the time but can’t manage? Maybe you’ve thought about a nursing home or assisted living facility? Or you might have even considered having your loved one move in with you. At Home Instead Senior Care we have the expertise to help you discuss these important matters with your family and the experience to help you make the right decision – wherever home may be.

Our CAREGivers are residents of the local area who are carefully screened, fully bonded and insured. Each takes part in our exclusive multi-phase training and we place a high priority on matching our CAREGivers with our clients to help develop a bond that will foster independence, promote well being and support the senior’s needs with respect and dignity.

Testimonial of a happy client in Boston: I want to thank you so much for your attention to detail and let you know how very much we appreciate the flexibility of your staff. Every caregiver you have sent our way has been especially wonderful, professional and most of all caring. We find the caregivers easy to work with and enjoy their company as much as my mom does. Elizabelth

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Home Instead Senior CAREGiver Carolyne tries to make every day a holiday for her clients. She takes them back in time to a day when they were surrounded by family and friends, sharing good stories and fantastic food.

She often sets their tables with fresh flowers and good dishes. Then she’ll whip up a gourmet meal of braised chicken breast with lemon butter or pecan-encrusted salmon. The table often features fresh produce from a local market.

“I think it’s the highlight of their day.  We have a lot of laughter – everything from news items to family stories,” she noted.  Occasionally, extended family drops by to share in the fun. Mealtimes often last nearly two hours.

In addition to preparing delicious meals and setting the stage for meaningful companionship, CAREGivers like Carolyne serve as a second set of eyes and ears for families who are concerned about a loved one. Holidays at home with Mom or Dad can highlight the areas where an older adult may need more assistance than they did last year.

If you’re headed home for the holidays, be sure to look for the warning signs that indicate your senior loved one might need additional help with issues such as loss of appetite, unwanted weight fluctuations, spoiled food in the fridge or clutter.

For tips on recognizing the signs, register for a free Home for the Holidays webinar – Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. ET, or Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. ET. Representatives from the Home Instead Senior Care^® network will be on hand to provide valuable information about the warning indicators that a senior may need extra help and what you can do to support them.

We strive to provide your loved one with a customized plan of care and appreciate the confidence you place in your local Home Instead Senior Care office. Thank you for trusting your loved one’s care to us. If you would like more information about Home for the Holidays, or have any comments or questions, please call me at 617.557.4600.

P.S.  Remember, your Home Instead CAREGiver can help with other holidays too, from answering the door for trick-or-treaters to making sure the good dishes are ready for Thanksgiving company.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

When a parent or relative passes away, it’s a traumatic and emotional time for the entire family. During this end of life phase, there is special care that can make dying a less stressful and painful experience for those involved.

People don’t have the privilege to plan how or when someone will come to their end of life, but we can be open about discussing it and reviewing the options for care that may be appropriate under differing circumstances. It is important that the thoughts and wishes of your terminally ill loved one be honored and respected.

Some things to remember before the end of life stage occurs: make sure the advanced directives reflect the wishes of your loved one,  and that the planned actions are carried out properly and according to their wishes. Of course many times there will be no options as death comes quickly or circumstances require continued hospitalization.

If you have ever had the opportunity to talk with someone who has been through the end of live process with a Hospice organization, almost universally, they will relate what a good experience it was and will recommend it to other families.

The most direct and efficient way to learn more about Hospice is to contact a Hospice in your area. You can click here on Find A Hospice to locate one near you. Call them and ask for information and help in learning more. That you do not having an immediate need for their services will not keep them from being helpful. Everyone who works in the Hospice field is passionate about their work and will be happy to assist. Don’t put this off, as a weight will be removed from everyone when the plan and agreement is in place.

Source: Life Ledger Caregiving Tips by John Boden.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

When someone you love has been diagnosed with breast cancer, your first instinct is not knowing what to do or say. You’re not sure what to do in order to help. Here are some great alternatives; ways you can provide support after a breast cancer diagnosis:

1. Lend an ear – Just listen, lend them your presence and your ear so they feel they have the support of someone

2. Do some research about the disease and provide the facts about treatment options, support groups that are available and other resources that could help

3. Support them no matter what your loved one decides through the treatment and coping process

4. Be yourself – not knowing how to deal with someone with breast cancer sometimes causes people to act unusually

5. Have other friends and family members come together to extend their support so your loved one with breast cancer knows there are others there for her

6. Keep up the fun activities – laughter really is the best medicine, so create enjoyable and memorable situations

Home Instead Senior CAREGiver is the perfect gift of respite and care for both the patient needing help after chemo or surgery and for their primary caregiver. Call us to learn how we can help your friend who is experiencing the devastating trauma of this disease.  Call 617.557.4600.

Would you like to send something special to someone that’s going through this devastating illness? You may want to help, but don’t know how to do that. Let us take the worry from you. Instead of a poinsettia or fruitcake, why not send them a Basket of Care (www.BasketofCare.com)? These baskets are lovingly designed by a cancer patient & survivor, and chock full of items that will lend comfort. A Basket of Care is just the way to say, “I care”.

Sources:

1. SheKnows.com

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

For an individual with Alzheimer’s, the disease affects every part of their life and will impact the lives of the family members and friends.

The disease affects lives in so many ways, a good example is; a man who once lived alone and was independent now requires 24-hour supervision just to ensure his basic safety. Or an articulate, highly educated woman does not even recognize her children, or becomes overwhelmed when choosing which blouse to wear. And the exhausted, anxious family members and friends struggling to cope with the responsibilities of Alzheimer’s care desperately seek the support of respite services.

We can all agree on this: those with Alzheimer’s disease always get worse and always end up needing full-time assistance with daily living.

So, what is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s – the most common form of dementia – is a progressive, irreversible and incurable disease that causes the deterioration of brain cells.

It does this by creating a buildup in the brain of abnormal substances called amyloid plaques (which are harmful protein deposits) and neurofibrillary tangles – twisted fibers inside of brain neurons that inhibit their normal function.

As a result, people with Alzheimer’s typically exhibit behaviors such as anxiety, depression, short-term memory loss and withdrawal – with these early signs of the disease eventually progressing to more serious symptoms such as hoarding; pacing or wandering; restlessness; disorientation; and personality changes.

Home Instead Senior Care has teamed up with The George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers in San Diego, CA., a prestigious organization to develop the first training program of its kind for non-medical caregivers. This manual provides CAREGivers with comprehensive, practical training in caring for Alzheimer’s clients at home. The materials cover these topics:

• The pathology and symptoms of the disease;

• Understanding other diseases similar to Alzheimer’s;

• Building a relationship with a client who has Alzheimer’s;

• Working within the person’s physical surroundings;

• Managing his or her difficult behaviors; and,

• Helping the client remain independent for as long as possible.

Home Instead Senior Care has helped those with Alzheimer’s do the things they’ve always enjoyed doing – and in the comfort of their own homes. If you need help caring for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s, please call Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

This 50-50 Rule Guide tells real-life family stories and give ideas and resources for ways to handle elder care conflict and situations before they damage sibling relationships. Each is backed by research conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care in the U.S. and Canada. Responses were developed in cooperation with Ingrid Connidis, Ph.D., sibling relationships expert from the University of Western Ontario.

The guide is based on research conducted with 46% of family caregivers in the U.S. and 40% in Canada who said their relationships with their siblings have deteriorated and blame unwillingness on the part of siblings to help. It gives siblings ways to approach your parents and each other gaining a sense of working together to find a solution rather than telling them what to do. Is the problem that your parents don’t have the money? Or are they just unable to manage the bill-paying anymore?

Speak to your parents about the issues that are relevant to avoid family conflict.

After assessing your parent’s situation, talk with your siblings and suggest what seems like a reasonable course of action to you. Be sure to ask their opinion as well. If you and your siblings disagree, try to find a compromise. Offer the help you deem appropriate to your parents. A united front is the ideal course of action, all concerned feel it would be best if you spoke to Mom and Dad on your own. Both you and your parents will benefit by keeping your siblings engaged in the process in a positive way.

Siblings are sometimes the only family relationships that endure. Friendships from our early lives often don’t last. So there is a depth of empathy we can tap into that goes back to that relationship. That sibling relationship will continue after your parents are gone. Research suggests that siblings don’t want to harm their relationships with each other.

Get Family Tips on Sharing the Care.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Champions for Successful Aging is a new web property created and “Championed” by Home Instead Senior Care. Through strategic partnerships and engagement with “Champions,” this site focuses on building a growing panel of thought leaders on aging. The goal is to impact policy making and bring media attention to the idea of successful aging.

Paul Hogan leads an all-star lineup of experts from the areas of academia, business and non-profit groups, all with the intent to impact key government decisions, educate and create a voice for the aging population in North America and around the world.

Do you need ideas, papers or talking points? Reference this site to help establish yourself, or Home Instead Senior Care, as being a thought leader in your community.

Over the next 20 years the entire planet will undergo a tremendous and permanent change as the population grows older. By 2030 all developed nations will have more people over the age of 60 than under the age of 15 (U.N. forecasts).

This has never happened before in the history of the planet.

This change will impact everything, from how economies operate, services governments provide, and how societies and cultures view older adults and aging.

This site has been launched to foster discussions, conversations, ideas and plans for this new world. Our point of view is that the opportunity is in front of us to create a world where more older adults can live better, longer lives. To be successful, we will need new ideas and thinking about aging and caring for older people.

Initially, the audience we want to reach with this site are  those actively involved in policy making, shaping public opinion, and leading efforts on aging in their communities and otherwise engaged in older adult issues. These are some of the “Champions” we seek.

Source: Champions of Aging

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., is one of North America’s foremost visionaries on the age wave, a concept he coined to refer to the aging Baby Boomer population, increasing life expectancy and the declining birth rate. He diligently tracks Baby Boomer demographics and addresses what he calls the “longevity revolution.” He describes this revolution as larger in scope than either the industrial or technological revolutions that preceded it.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1999, 39.6 million citizens were 65 and older-12.9 percent of the population. By 2030, that number will increase to 19 percent, or approximately 72.1 million people. The surge began in 2011, when Baby Boomers born in 1946 began turning 65, and it will continue until 2030. Experts believe another Baby Boom will not happen, so the U.S. median age will rise.

Dr. Dychtwald spoke to approximately 1,200 Home Instead Senior Care leaders from around the world at our 2011 International Convention in April. And his presentation resonated with us because he supports our work in paid in-home non-medical care, or homecare.

This model focuses on what about 90 percent of seniors want according to an AARP survey-to remain at home as long as possible. Today, challenging seniors’ goal to age in place is the fact that 80 percent of them have one chronic health condition, and 50 percent have at least two.

Seniors with lingering illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s disease, will require more care for longer periods, which poses a critical question. How will public and private U.S. healthcare providers deliver care to millions of Americans?

Paid home care is one sensible solution. Independent research commissioned by Home Instead Senior Care revealed seniors with paid home care received an average of 87.9 hours of care per week, compared with 35 hours for those without it. Presumably, more care means better care.

In fact, findings show, on average, seniors receiving paid homecare required approximately 25 percent fewer yearly doctors’ visits (12.5) compared to older adults without it (16.6). Dementia patients with paid homecare averaged 10.2 physicians’ visits annually compared to 19.2 visits, a 47 percent difference. More research is required, but these statistics indicate a noteworthy role for paid homecare.

The stakes are significant. In fiscal year 2008, Medicare expenditures totaled $386 billion, and projections say it will grow by 2018 to nearly $800 billion. In human terms, paid homecare may remove the pressure on healthcare professionals, as well as easing family caregivers’ stress.

The policy-level decision before us is to recognize that paid homecare augments clinical care. When homecare is introduced in the care continuum early, the need for clinical care may be delayed, or even prevented.

Paid homecare deserves the consideration its benefits merit. It’s a commonsense way to redesign our healthcare system in light of the longevity revolution. I urge you to offer this solution whenever public policy discussions include senior care.

Paul Hogan, Chairman & Founder of Home Instead Senior Care Franchise.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.