Caregiving, the Holidays and COVID The COVID pandemic roller coaster has been operating since March, forcing us onto the ride and refusing to let us off. We have made adjustments: we restrict our outings into the community, wear masks when we do go out, maintain 6 feet distance and wash our hands until they turn red. We have been forced to accept that the pandemic is as much about loss as it is about health. And while we got used to a little taste of “normalcy” during the warmer months, just as the holiday season approaches, we are again asked to limit our travel and minimize contact with others. Now, rather than anticipating gatherings with friends and family, we must instead ask ourselves: “Should I?”, “Can I?” and “How can I possibly face another loss?” Read more
What’s Next: Strategies for Millennial and Working Caregivers Our panel of experts discuss managing work and caregiver responsibilities, how to care from a distance and helping your loved one navigate Medicare and benefits enrollment. These topics will help you develop the steps and strategies you need to empower yourself to take on the caring for your loved one and the stress of a career. Read more
Difficult But Crucial Conversations Do you find yourself asking the following questions? Why is it so difficult for my spouse or my parent to make a decision? Is this a part of normal aging or could it be something else? What if I do not agree with the decision that my family member has made? Lauri Scharf, Care Consultant/Master Trainer at Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, discussed these topics as well as about the best practices for making decisions in order to help an older loved one remain independent for as long as possible. Read more
Furthering an Age-Friendly America The 14th Annual Katz Policy Lecture from Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging was held October 29, 2020. Keynote speakers, Bill Armbruster, Senior Advisor of AARP Livable Communities, and Mary McNamara, Director of the Cleveland Department of Aging, discussed age-friendly communities, including work developing nationally and in the Cleveland-area. The webinar introduced the Age-Friendly Network, outlined the importance of age-friendly communities to support individuals aging in place, and discussed the connection between age-friendly and dementia-friendly communities. Panelists discussed ongoing work and future directions to make Northeast Ohio age-friendly. Read more
What to Know for Medicare Open Enrollment Every year, Medicare’s Open Enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7. As a caregiver, you undoubtedly know how important insurance coverage is to securing your loved one the affordable care they need when they need it. What can be less certain, however, is knowing which exact program and options your loved one is qualified for and would most benefit from. As much as you want to help them through the process of enrolling in Medicare, you may be struggling to understand it yourself. The good news is that by learning the various benefits covered by different plans, you can put yourself in a better position to care for your loved one’s health needs and find the right plan for them. Read more
Helping a Loved One Navigate Medicare Open Enrollment October 7 virtual program for caregivers from Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging. Read more
Understanding and Coping with Ambiguous Grief as a Caregiver Loss is not an unfamiliar concept, as we all experience it in some form through relationships with people and changes in our health. Grief is described as a process that we go through to cope with, move through and move on from a significant loss. However, there is a type of loss and grief that caregivers experience that has its own unique properties. Read more
Building and Supporting Dementia-Inclusive Communities According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 50 million people are living with dementia worldwide. To combat the impact that dementia has on people living with the disease and their caregivers, the Dementia Friendly America initiative was launched to create communities where everyone could provide support and understanding to these individuals. The initiative aids the residents who are living with dementia and their caregivers in the community by raising public knowledge about the disease, supporting people living with dementia and their caregivers and connecting health systems with community-based organizations. Read more
What Does Dementia Look Like? "My dad had lots of good days, days filled with laughter and conversations about his favorite memories of my childhood and his, days where he remembered many of the “little things” in my life that made me feel like he wasn’t aging at all. There were other days, though, when Dad was not as sharp. In fact, there were days when Dad really wasn’t Dad." Read more
A dyadic perspective on assessment in Alzheimer’s dementia: Supporting both care partners across the disease continuum. Written from a dyadic strength‐based perspective, this article first provides a brief overview of the Education, Information, and Support section of the 2018 Alzheimer's Disease Dementia Care Practice Recommendations.1 Subsequent sections present a comprehensive overview of available valid and reliable psychosocial measures that assess a selection of important domains for dementia care planning that can be used by families from early stage until end‐of‐life. Measures selected for the purposes of this article will focus on concepts that are strength‐based and most relevant to care dyads as they navigate the difficult disease trajectory: readiness, knowledge, coping, dyadic relationship, care values and preferences. We will also highlight measures that have traditionally targeted the family care partner but can potentially be considered for use with the care partner with dementia, with adjustments, beyond the early stages. Part of this discussion will include various strategies for including persons with dementia in all aspects of their own care using a strength‐based perspective, potentially enabling them to answer questions more reliably across disease stages. Last, gaps in existing measures will be identified to provide options to better assess areas of need most meaningful to families, and in ways that positively contribute to the successful aging of those living with dementia and their care partners. Read more
