Does your elderly loved one need a safe, supervised environment during the day? Care is There can help you find the best Adult Day Care program for your loved one. Read our "Enroll Your Loved One in an Adult Day Care Program" article for tips on how to: Find local adult day care programs Determine the services provided in the program Apply to an adult day care program Use your … [Read more...]
Caregiving Under Visitor Restrictions
This article is specific to the time when visitation at senior living communities is restricted due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. Older adults living in senior communities are usually expected to have family nearby to support their loved one. This family support is very important for the well-being of these older adults. Right now, most senior living communities have instituted very … [Read more...]
Long Term Care Insurance Trends: Interview with Janine Tate
Janine Tate knows about Long Term Care Insurance. She’s a Long Term Care Plan Insurance Specialist at ACSIA Partners, one of the largest distributors of long term care and related insurance products and services in the United States. With 11 years experience, Janine has helped hundreds of individuals and families find insurance for their specific needs. Long term care insurance (LTCi) has been … [Read more...]
EncoreKC! Brings the Benefits of Music to Kansas City Seniors
It started with a song. Once a month over the course of several months, Pam Smith Kelly had breakfast with her friend Phyllis Curtis to support her after the devastating loss of her husband, Frank. Frank had been a voice teacher, with extensive experience in musical theater. Additionally, he had a special place in his heart for older adults. He brought these two passions together in “Love in … [Read more...]
Book review of Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
“It’s the kind of discussion that we do not have in this country.” ~ Jon Stewart, from The Daily Show in his interview with Atul Gawande Getting older is relentless. As we age, our bodies and minds continue to change, and one day we die. Yet, once we reach adulthood, we rarely prepare for, or even think about, this fate for ourselves. When we don’t have a clear path in mind, we find ourselves … [Read more...]
POLST in Kansas: TPOPP (Transportable Physician Orders for Patient Preferences)
POLST forms are part of a nationwide program that ensures your loved ones or clients will receive the care they want. The names vary by state. In Kansas, it is called a TPOPP Form. If your loved one or client is seriously ill or frail, a TPOPP Form can help prevent unwanted emergency medical care. A TPOPP form (Transportable Physician Orders for Patient Preferences) contains standing medical … [Read more...]
When is it the Right Time for a Care Manager?
On a cold winter afternoon, I was enjoying a coffee with a colleague I had met through a business networking group. She told me about her great aunt and some of the challenges she was facing. Overall, her great aunt was doing pretty well, living alone at home, with a grandchild or two nearby to provide support when needed. My colleague mused that maybe her great aunt would be a good client for … [Read more...]
Advocacy? Why Would We Need An Advocate?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, advocacy is: the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal: the act or process of advocating something What does advocacy really mean in daily life? And why would someone need the services of a paid advocate? Most adults advocate for themselves and their loved ones without really being aware they are doing it. Yet, when advocacy is lacking, … [Read more...]
Rent a Handicap-Accessible Van and Go!
Did you know you can rent a handicap-accessible van? If you’re not an expert in handicap services, it may never cross your mind that this option exists. You can probably find a rental company in your community, but only if you know to look for it. In December last year, I gave it a try. My father, Norman, lives in a senior facility and has multiple health issues. He uses a wheelchair. When he … [Read more...]
When we’re absolutely sure they shouldn’t be driving
We recently saw an article in the Shawnee Mission Post about an increase in automobile crashes at salons: Rash of Elderly Drivers Crashing Into Mission Shops Raises Safety Concerns. Certainly, when an elderly loved one crashes into the front of a salon, it's time to hang up the keys. Did it really have to come to this? Fortunately, the drivers and patrons at the salons were not injured in these … [Read more...]