Helping an Older Loved One Stay Cool at Home During the Summer Heat With summer temperatures reaching 90 degrees or over in certain parts of the country, COVID-19 guidelines that recommend staying at home may seem like a blessing. After all, it’s easier to keep cool in a well air-conditioned room than it is outside in the blistering heat. However, staying cool at home isn’t always as easy as it sounds, especially for older adults. According to the CDC, people aged 65 and older are at an increased risk for heat-related health problems such as heat stress, heat intolerance and difficulty regulating body temperature. Read more
Financial Options for Renters and Homeowners Impacted by COVID-19 Every emergency requires a nuanced response, and the impacts of this pandemic, both short-term and long-term, are difficult to anticipate with certainty at this time. However, history demonstrates time and again that those that are most vulnerable even in times of economic and social stability generally suffer the greatest in times of turmoil. For those of us who are struggling to make our mortgage and rental payments, there are resources and up-to-date information available to help. Read more
Tips to Avoid Foreclosure When we fail to make our mortgage payments, foreclosure may occur. Foreclosure is the legal means that a lender can use to repossess, or take over, a home. When this happens, we must move out of our home. If our property is worth less than the total amount we owe to the bank, a deficiency judgment, which is a ruling made by a court against a borrower who does not have enough funds to pay back their loan, could be pursued against us. If that happens, we not only lose our home, but we also then owe our lender additional fees. Both foreclosures and deficiency judgments could seriously affect our ability to qualify for credit in the future. Read more
The Residential Care Transition Module: a single-blinded randomized controlled evaluation of a telehealth support intervention for family caregivers of persons with dementia living in residential long-term care Abstract Background: Families do not fully disengage from care responsibilities following relatives’ admissions to residential long-term (RLTC) care settings such as nursing homes. Caregiver stress, depression, or other key outcomes remain stable or sometimes increase following a relative’s RLTC entry. Some interventions have attempted to increase family involvement after institutionalization, but few rigorous studies have demonstrated whether these interventions are effective in helping families navigate the potential emotional and psychological upheaval presented by relatives’ transitions to RLTC environments. The Residential Care Transition Module (RCTM) provides six formal sessions of consultation (one-to-one and family sessions) over a 4-month period to family caregivers who have admitted a relative to a RLTC setting. Methods: In this embedded mixed methods randomized controlled evaluation, family members who have admitted a cognitively impaired relative to a RLTC setting are randomly assigned to the RCTM (n = 120) or a usual care control condition (n = 120). Primary outcomes include reductions in family members’ primary subjective stress and negative mental health outcomes; secondary role strains; and residential care stress. The mixed methods design will allow for an analysis of intervention action mechanisms by “embedding” qualitative components (up to 30 semi-structured interviews) at the conclusion of the 12-month evaluation. Discussion: This evaluation will fill an important clinical and research gap by evaluating a psychosocial intervention designed for families following RLTC admission that determines whether and how the RCTM can help families better navigate the emotional and psychological challenges of residential care transitions. Read more
Community Eldercare Ecology in China Informed by the social-ecological framework, this book focuses on the development of Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) in urban China. Bringing a timely discussion around HCBS development in Shanghai, it presents an interplay of formal caregiving relationships, evolving caregiving culture, and the trajectory of long-term care in China. Drawing on surveys, in-depth interviews, and government archives, this book explores the emergence of one of the most developed HCBS programs in Shanghai, its development over the past decade, its administration and services, resource allocation, staff members’ work experiences, older adults’ service experiences, as well as service evaluation and improvements. Offering fresh insight into new forms of caregiving in community settings, and shaping a new discourse on caregiving policy, this book is a key read for both students and practitioners in the fields of long-term care, gerontology, geriatrics, health care, and health policy. Read more
Keeping the Kitchen Safe for a Loved One with Late Stage Dementia The kitchen is the heart of most families' homes. If we have a loved one living with dementia at home, especially in the later stages, we will want to do everything we can to help keep their kitchen as safe as it can be. Read more
Winter Household Maintenance Tasks for Older Adults Winter can be tough on our homes, even if we live in an area that receives little or no snow. If we don’t prepare ahead of time, we may face costly heating and lighting bills or repairs that can drain our budgets, especially if we are retired or on a fixed income. Before going into hibernation mode, there are a few winter home maintenance chores we should attend to. Read more
Aging in Place: When is the Right Time to Right Size? Deciding whether to continue to live in the home we have lived in for decades is a difficult decision. Not only are there financial considerations to think about, but we also need to factor in health and safety issues, such as whether our home can be easily navigated as we age. If we are caring for an older loved one, we may wonder if the home they’re in right now is still right for them based on the changing needs of their health and care. As the holidays approach and family comes together, it may be the right time to have the “Right Sizing” conversation with a loved one that could open the doors to knowing if it is the right time for them to move. Read more
Caring relationship development in the nursing home in Shanghai: A dyadic qualitative study Caring relationships between older residents and nurse aides are fundamental in terms of service delivery in nursing homes. However, little is known for the nuanced dynamics of this relationship in China. The purpose of this study is to explore how caring relationships develop between older residents and nurse aides in the nursing home setting in urban China. Informed by the dyadic perspective, this study illustrates the development process and relational nuances by simultaneously eliciting residents’ and nurse aides’ perceptions. This qualitative study purposively sampled 20 matched resident-nurse aide dyads (N= 40) in a government-sponsored nursing home in Shanghai. Participants participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews from January to June 2017. Thematic analysis was performed. The findings reveal that the caring relationship began with nursing home assignment and primarily focused on instrumental assistance. Gradually, emotional involvement grew within dyads and reciprocity emerged. Based on different dyadic perceptions, this study conceptualized four types of caring relationships: (a) parent-child alike, (b) mutually respectful, (c) solo performance, and (d) reasonably detached. The findings suggest that residents and nurse aides could have different views on caring relationships, which further influenced the relationship development. The four types of caring relationships shared some similar traits while differentiating from some of the common types of interactions found in the existing nursing evidence across the world. Chinese filial tradition also influenced the relationship dynamics. Read more
Reducing the Stress of a Transition to Assisted Living The decision to move a loved one to assisted living can be one of the hardest a caregiver can make. However, if we are caring for a loved one with a chronic disease, particularly Alzheimer’s Disease or another form of dementia, it may become necessary to consider assisted living placement if we lack the time, resources or support to continue caring for a loved one at home. Shifting a loved one’s care to an assisted living facility may seem as if it will relieve many of the stresses of caregiving such as anxiety, depression or feeling overburdened. However, studies show that assisted living placement can instead change the type of stressors a caregiver experiences rather than eliminate them. Read more
