Here are some important facts for seniors and their loved ones to know about taking medications:

It is not always easy to determine your aging loved ones are deteriorating significantly or in need of help.  Assisted Living, Elder Care and Long Term Care planning have come a long way and professionals assistance is available for families struggling with these issues. Below are some guidelines to assist you when your parent or loved one needs help.

Aging Process

Normal aging occurs in everyone. Some signs associated with normal aging are as follows:

• Decrease in vision
• Decrease in hearing
• Decrease in the function of the heart
• lungs and kidneys
• Increase in the time it takes to remember

Changes that require immediate attention.

Inability to perform activities of daily living such as:

• Bathing
• Dressing
• Toileting
• Ambulation
• Shopping
• Laundry
• Feeding Self
• Food Preparation
• Use of telephone
• Housekeeping
• Transportation
• Ability to handle finances Responsibility for own medication

Weight loss

Loss of appetite leads to weight loss which may be due to any of the following:

• Medications
• Memory loss or Dementia Depression
• Chronic medical problems

This inability to perform these tasks may indicate underlying physical or psychological problems. A thorough evaluation is necessary. These problems did not occur overnight and may require more than one intervention. Geriatric care managers are available to perform an evaluation to determine the type of interventions necessary.

Common Diseases That May Cause Disabilities and Death in Older Adults.

• Heart Disease
• High blood pressure
• Pneumonia
• Flu
• Lung Problems
• Cancer
• Urinary tract infections
• Memory loss or Dementia
• Depression

Chronic Problems That Require Attention

Medical Problems

We must not think of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, high blood pressure as normal when people age. Geriatric care managers can assist you in monitoring these problems so that your loved one can have the best quality life possible.

Memory Loss

This is one of the most difficult problems faced by seniors. Memory loss usually manifests itself gradually. You or your loved one may not recognize that there is a problem or may deny it exists.

Early signs of memory loss may include forgetting dates, not eating, not bathing. It may manifest itself in the inability to handle finances and making excuses not to participate in social events due to poor memory.

The causes of memory loss are many. Memory loss may be due to depression, medications, stroke, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and nutritional deficiencies. It is very important to a have a thorough evaluation to determine the cause to help you and your loved one determine the present and future care that will be needed.

Depression In The Elderly

Depression is a common illness of the elderly. There can be multiple events that can trigger depression such as death, and the loss of independence due to chronic illnesses. Signs of depression are irritability, anxiety, sadness, loss of appetite, social withdrawal and difficulty sleeping. Depression in the elderly is treatable.

Adult Children as Caregivers

Adult Children must recognize how difficult it is to take over the role of caregiver. Much resistance may be met especially if your loved one does not recognize there is a problem. There are health care professionals such as geriatric care managers who are available to help you in all these areas. It is up to you to make use of their skills to alleviate stress by getting the help you need.

Geriatric Care Management – Communication

When it comes to family communications, it’s never too late to improve. Even families with long histories of not communicating very well…or at all…can learn to share their views and ideas for meeting the senior care needs their loved ones. We often hear about the importance of  “letting go” and when our loved ones are in their golden years its crucial to put family issues to the side and face the reality of the challenges ahead for both senior citizens and the family members who may become responsible for informed decision making and elder care planning.

If your family is communications-challenged, try these simple rules:Learn to tell…and to accept…the truth.

• The varnish is less important than the woodwork it covers.
• Think of family communications as an opportunity for personal and family growth.
• Put your issues and concerns out on the table for discussion. Do others see the situation the way you do? Be open to give and take, but try to move in the direction of a consensus about what the senior care needs and opportunities really are.
• Be inclusive. Draw out what each family member is thinking and feeling, including the senior or seniors for whom you are trying to support.
• Stick with it. Reaching a consensus usually takes some work. Be willing to give it the time and effort it requires.
• Be open to both asking for and accepting help. The whole idea is to not “go it alone.”
• Share the load. Make sure there is basic fairness going on in terms of the financial, time, and emotional costs of the family’s overall care efforts.
• Know when to say “no.” If the “fairness” message is not getting through, or if you are simply stretched beyond your capacity, it may be a time to say “no.”

Geriatric Care Management – A Practical Example

John is a 79 year old gentleman who had suffered for many years with diabetes, depression and congestive heart failure. When Ivory House became involved, it was because John had been hospitalized due to a heart problem. While in the hospital, the geriatric care manager from Ivory House was called to do an assessment of John’s problems and develop a plan of care for his discharge to home.

While John was still in the hospital, the care manager helped him prepare and write questions for the doctor concerning his condition and prognosis.  She also reviewed John’s chart and spoke with the physician regarding the plans for John’s discharge.

During one hospital visit by the care manager, John was complaining that it was late in the afternoon and he had not had a bath.  The care manager (a nurse) bathed John and changed his bed so that he would feel refreshed.

Assisted Living Care

When John went home from the hospital, the care manager arranged for an aide to assist him with his daily bath.  In addition, the care manager served as a liaison to coordinate care with the skilled nursing, occupational, and physical therapy services which were provided through Medicare.  He lived in a communal assisted living setting so his meals, laundry and other necessities were handled by the community staff.  Because John was anxious about medication management, the care manager prepared his medications in a weekly medication box.

The care manager visited John on a twice weekly basis and more often if the need arose.

She routinely evaluated him for cardiac problems, calling his cardiologist when she had questions about his cardiac status. The care manager also took John to all his physician appointments and assisted John in understanding changes in his condition and medications. The cardiologist gave the care manager permission to increase John’s diuretic for his congestive heart failure based on her observations and within certain dosage limitations. She instituted a plan of care for John to follow concerning his cardiac and diabetes status. John called the care manager when he was not feeling well and she would visit his home to assess him.

Liaison Between Patients and Doctors

Due to John’s serious chronic cardiac illness, the care manager’s assessment would sometimes indicate that John needed to go to the emergency room.  When this happened, she took him there and would stay with him to serve as a liaison to the emergency room physicians and nurses. If he needed to be admitted, she would assist him in answering the questions of the admitting physician and nurse.  The care manager would then visit him daily while he was in the hospital.

Eventually John required a facility that was able to provide a higher level of care. The care manager completed all the necessary paper work and wrote a transfer summary, including all the care she had provided for John.  In addition, she assisted him in the packing of his belongings.

John was most appreciative of all the work the care manager had done for him and John’s quality of life was greatly enhanced by the relationship he had with his care manager.  He continued to keep in touch with her until his death last year.

Geriatric Care Management

Hiring the right Geriatric Care Manager is not an easy decision.  You will rely on this person to make sure the care of your loved one is managed in a way that helps them get the most out of life while monitoring their safety and physical health.  Therefore, hiring someone without knowing what to ask them in advance is risky business.  Arm yourself with as much knowledge regarding elder care as you can and keep the following in mind when looking for Geriatric Care Management.

Signs Your Older Family Members May Need Help

Geriatric Care Management

Sometimes dealing with the elder care issues of our parents can be overwhelming. Decisions about assisted living, nursing homes and/or long term care can literally rip families apart.  Seniors are sometimes resistant to change and may not even realize the circumstances surrounding their situations.  Siblings may not agree on the proper course of care and financial disagreements among family member are common.  It may be best to have a third party well versed in caring for the elderly to help families choose and administrate elder care programs.

Here is a list of 10 reasons you may need a Geriatric Care Manager