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Calendar "At a Glance"
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A free telephone learning and support program. Select a session right for you.
Click here for more details:
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04/09/13 (Tues), 2 p.m.
"Early Stage Dementia: How to Identify Needs and Respond Appropriately as a Caregiver" with Howard Gruetzner, MEd, LPC "
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04/18/13 (Thur), 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. (45 minute session)
"Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia: Do You Have a Care Plan" with Sara Rotenberry and Shelly Young.
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04/24/13 (Wed), 12 p.m.
"Memory Loss: Everything You Want to Know but Forget to Ask" with Dr. Robert DeVere
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04/30/13 (Tues), 12 p.m.
"What About All These Medications? A Caregivers Guide" with Mike Varnell, RPh
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04/30/13 (Tues), 2 p.m.
"Nursing Homes: Optimizing the Experience for the Caregiver and the Resident" with Ellen Blair, Managing LOCAL Ombudsman"
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30-minute Sessions Designed
For Working Caregivers
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04/04/13 (Thur), 12:15 p.m.
"My Life's Not the Same Any More: Coping with the Caregiver Role" with Evalyn Greb, LCSW
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4/18/13 (Thur), 12:15 p.m.
"A Caregivers Guide to Medication Use" with Evalyn Greb, LCSW
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Sign Up By Phone,
Email or Online
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Register for any scheduled TeleLearning Sessions above by phone at -- 871- 7SOS (7767) or 1(866) 390-6491 (toll-free) (Mon.- Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.); by email, or go to our website.
These free phone-based sessions connect family caregivers with experts and other caregivers in similar situations.
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Spanish Newsletter
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Carol's Column
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 During one of our recent radio interviews, we were discussing the impact of chronic pain. The kind of ongoing pain that people with arthritis suffer every day that leads to fatigue.
We often underestimate how people with chronic pain have to manage their energy throughout the day. It may be that a person with chronic pain has to skip the trip to the grocery store because there is a family dinner that night, and they only have so much energy. This is also true of frail older persons who have a tendency to tire easily.
This analogy also applies to family caregivers. It isn't that we necessarily have chronic physical pain or even chronic emotional pain - although both are possible depending on the situation. But family caregivers are often juggling so many different demands from the person for whom they are caring, other family members, a job, a house, etc. Chronic stress can leave a person with the same fatigue that someone with chronic pain suffers.
What can caregivers do to reclaim their energy and reduce chronic stress? An article in the Arthritis Today newsletter had some very practical tips (www.arthritistoday.org).
First, we can take time throughout the day to practice stress reduction techniques like deep breathing or meditation. Meditation,which may require some practice, has proven benefits with as little as 20 minutes a day-including lowering blood pressure. And both of these activities can be done at home at no cost. We just need to identify a place in our houses where we feel the most relaxed.
A good night's sleep is a natural energy booster. The Arthritis Foundation suggests that we can make it easier by skipping the late night television, dropping the bedroom temperature and making the room as dark as possible.
We also need to take a walk around the block or down the driveway. Studies have shown that as little as 10-15 minutes of exercise a day reduces fatigue. While we hear it all the time, this is one of the best pick-me-ups and healthy habits anyone can have. It's especially important for family caregivers.
Take some time to do something we enjoy. This could mean reading one chapter in a book, "stealing five minutes in the car to listen to music," or just calling a friend for a few minutes to connect with someone we enjoy.
A caregiver recently told me that he feels like a prisoner in his own house. Staring at the same four walls can be mind-numbing.
We need to get out of the house at least once a day. This can mean stepping out on your front porch to feel the sun on our face and the breeze blowing on your skin.
The common thread in all of these techniques is that we're taking time for ourselves. We can't say this too often. I have always loved the writing of Leo Buscaglia, the professor at the University of Southern California who used to go around hugging everyone. He would have been the first person to tell us that we have to love ourselves and take care of ourselves - even if we're a caregiver.
This month, take time every day to do something for yourself, something that makes you feel relaxed or makes you smile. You'll notice that it can also give you more energy.
Carol Zernial
Executive Director |
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Join the Conversation
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Individuals, non-profits and organizations, along with state, regional, and local agencies are encouraged to submit for consideration their information on meetings, educational sessions, or resources for caregivers (of seniors, wounded warriors, and children or adults who have a disability).
Please email details and documents (as a pdf or MS Office document--Word, Publisher, PowerPoint or Excel) promoting the item, along with a contact name, email address, and phone number to: Sue Ellen Lewis, Editor, Caregiver SOS Signals Newsletter/eMail Blasts; email: SueEllenLewis@msn.com: Voice: 210-637-5116. |
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Greetings!
Latest NEWS
from the
WellMed Charitable Foundation (WCF)
New Caregiver SOS and Senior Center
Planned for McAllen
Seniors age 60 and above and their caregivers will benefit from a new Caregiver SOS/Senior Center opening soon in McAllen. It will be located at 1301 E. Fern Ave. Sponsored by the WellMed Charitable Foundation and partial funding from the Lower Rio Grande Area Agency on Aging, the Center membership is free of charge.
Programs and features will include:
- Caregiver Services
- Support Groups
- Arts & Crafts
- Board Games
- Strength Training and Cardio Exercise Classes
- Exercise Equipment
- Information on Community Resources
For additional information, please contact Letty Guzman Sanchez: (956) 238-0917; email: LGuzman@wellmed.net. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Master Training Sessions
Spring 2013
An additional session has been added to the schedule for Stress-Busting Program Master Training series for Spring of 2013.
These classes are targeted to nonprofits, agencies, organizations, and businesses wishing to train volunteers and other professionals as Stress-Busting Program facilitators who will work with caregivers whose care recipients have a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. Flyer for printing/posting.
Sessions are conducted over a two-day period:
When:
April 17-18, 2013 (Nearly full)
May 15-16, 2013
June 12-13, 2013 (New!)
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days
Where:
WellMed Charitable Foundation Headquarters
8637 Fredericksburg Road, Suite 100
San Antonio, TX 78240
To Register, or for information about implementation costs, contact:
Debbie Billa
Voice: (210) 877-7752
Program goals are to:
- Improve the quality of life of family caregivers who provide care for people with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias.
- Help caregivers manage their stress and cope better with their lives.
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HEALTH SAVVY
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Modern medicines have contributed to longer life spans, improved health and better quality of life. Medications are the most common treatment for many diseases and conditions seen in older people and persons with disabilities.
Medicines now not only treat and cure diseases that were untreatable just a few years ago, they aid in the early  diagnosis of disease; prevent life-threatening illnesses; relieve pain and suffering; and allow people with terminal illnesses to live more comfortably during their last days. Click here to read the entire article. (There, you can find a printable version of this useful Tip Sheet from the Family Caregiver Alliance.)
Guilt is the most common sentiment that caregivers feel when making long-term care decisions for their loved ones. You are not alone if you feel down on yourself for placing your mom in a nursing home, or convincing your dad that he needs to move into an apartment. Because you are in the position of nudging your loved one against his or her will, negative feelings of guilt or regret are normal.
Remember though, that you are trying to arrange the best  possible care for your loved one. This is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. In many cases, resorting to aging services takes realizing your own limitations as a caregiver first, which can be difficult in itself. All you can do is try your hardest, and oftentimes that means utilizing the care providers you have available to you.
Click here to read the entire article.
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LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD
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 In the early stages of Alzheimer's, a person may function independently. He or she may still drive, work and be part of social activities. Your role as care partner is an important one: to provide support and companionship, and help plan for the future.
Once a diagnosis has been made, it is important to work closely with your doctor and any other caregivers to map out a plan to manage the disease.
Developing a Plan
A comprehensive financial and legal plan is important. It is helpful to plan as early as possible. Some families use the services of an elder law attorney.
A plan should consider: (Click here for the complete article.) Click here for the Spanish version.
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CONCERNED ABOUT MONEY?
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Alzheimer's care can be extremely expensive. It's important to know what to expect and what resources are available to you. Care for a person with Alzheimer's is broken down into two categories, each with different sources of payment.
Medical expenses are usually paid separately from the  non-medical services that are needed to make it possible for someone with Alzheimer's to live at home as long as possible.
Medical Expenses
People with Alzheimer's disease require regular medical care as well as special care that might include medications or Click here for the entire article. Click here for the Spanish version.
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MIND, BODY, SPIRIT
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Memory loss (amnesia) is unusual forgetfulness. You may not be able to remember new events, recall one or more memories of the past, or both.
 Considerations: Normal aging may cause some forgetfullness. It's normal to have some trouble learning new material, or needing more time to remember it.
However, normal aging does NOT lead to dramatic memory loss. Such memory loss is due to other diseases. Sometimes, memory loss may be seen with depression. It can be hard to tell the difference between memory loss and confusion due to depression. Click here for the complete article. Click here for the Spanish version.
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WANT TO FEEL BETTER?
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At time when private enterprises are trying to increase productivity, reduce costs and enhance the quality of their  products or services there is a growing crisis in corporations that is preventing them from achieving their corporate goals.
Few companies realize the implications working caregivers have on their internal costs and their bottom line. Still fewer companies even know where to look for these hidden costs. Only one in seventy midsize to larger companies knows how to address this issue. Click here for the entire article.
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'Take 10' with Dr. Jamie
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"Do You Have Too Much Stress in Your Life?"
(Jamie Huysman, PsyD, LCSW, CAP, CFT)*
 April is Stress Awareness Month.
The goal of Stress Management is to help you to manage the stress of everyday life.
Can you name the major stressors in your life? Please don't tell me that you don't have time to address your stress! If you have time to stress, you do have the time to do something about it.
Awareness is synonymous with consciousness. The great British writer, Aldous Huxley, opined that, "Consciousness is only possible through change; change is only possible through movement." Click here for to read the entire article. Click here to read the Spanish version.
*Jamie Huysman is a noted psychologist and author of several books on caregiving, including Take Your Oxygen First. He is the Vice President - Provider Relations for WellMed Medical Management.
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TELECONNECTION SESSION DETAILS
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These hour-long, free phone-based sessions are designed to help enhance the quality of life for caregivers by providing needed emotional, educational and social support. The sessions can be accessed from anywhere via your phone: no need to get dressed up, find transportation, or get a sitter.
Register for any TeleLearning Sessions by phone: 871-7SOS (7767) or 1 (866) 390-6491 (toll-free) (Mon. - Fri., 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.); by email, or go to our website.
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04/09/13 (Tues), 2 p.m. *"Early Stage Dementia: How to Identify Needs and Respond Appropriately as a Caregiver" with Howard Gruetzner, MEd, LPC "  Caregivers will learn about the world of persons with dementia by learning to understand what they might feel. A person with early stage dementia, like all other individuals, has needs. Initially, the individual is able to meet these needs without assistance. Gradually, the responsibility for satisfying these needs moves to others and and away from self. That means that some needs that had been met by the person may not be quite as easily addressed by the caregiver, since the person with early state dementia may not know the source of the need or how to go about satisfying it. These needs can then become problems for the caregiver. In this session, you will participate in a discussion of how to find a positive way to address these needs so they do not become problems for the caregiver.
*This telelearning session is FREE and open to all. To register, click here. Flyer for printing/posting. _____________________________________
04/18/13 (Thur), 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. (45 minute session)
*"Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia: Do You Have a Care Plan" with Sara Rotenberry and Shelly Young 
As soon as a diagnosis is made, discussions need to start to plan ahead for the impact on caregivers and families as well as the patient. Follow a guide about medical treatment, education, support, legal matters, financial concerns, and resources. *This telelearning session is FREE and open to all. To register, click here. Flyer for printing/posting.
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04/24/13 (Wed), 12 p.m.
*"Memory Loss: Everything You Want to Know but Forget to Ask" with Dr. Robert DeVere  The fear of memory loss and Alzheimer's disease is in epidemic proportions. Dr. DeVere wants to inform family caregivers and health care providers that memory loss is frequently due to many disorders instead of being directly related to Alzheimer's disease. The treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease has been very beneficial in slowing decline for some time. Treatment stabilizes some activities of daily living. There are five suggested activities to keep the normal brain functioning as we age and help slow ongoing memory loss and dementia. Dr. DeVere will discuss these during this session. Dr. DeVere's motto is "the glass is half full, not half empty." *This telelearning session is FREE and open to all. To register, click here. Flyer for printing/posting.
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04/30/13 (Tues), 12 p.m.
*"What About All These Medications? A Caregivers Guide" with Mike Varnell, RPh 
A common misconception about the aging brain is that there is nothing that may be done with regard to memory and that new information cannot be learned. Often simple lapses in memory or decline in recall speed are mistaken for dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. This lesson will provide helpful information about memory function and strategies to help improve it. *This telelearning session is FREE and open to all. To register, click here. Flyer for printing/posting.
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04/30/13 (Tues), 2 p.m. *"Nursing Homes: Optimizing the Experience for the Caregiver and the Resident" with Ellen Blair, Managing LOCAL Ombudsman"  When the time comes, participation in this session helps you have a better understanding of how to make a nursing home selection and get the best care possible for your loved one. In addition, participate in a discussion about maintaining your peace of mind when you are no longer the primary caregiver, and learn about the role of the Nursing Home Ombudsman program. *This telelearning session is FREE and open to all. To register, click here. Flyer for printing/posting.
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30-Minute Caregiver Break Sessions:
Designed Especially for Working Caregivers
_____________________________________ 04/04/13 (Thur), 12:15 p.m.**"My Life is Not the Same Anymore: Coping with the Caregiver Role " with Evalyn Greb, LCSW  Do your caregiver responsibilities make you feel like a different person? This session will help you understand the definitions of role changes, role reversals, and role overloads, particularly for working caregivers. You'll also find out why caregivers are susceptible to, and can learn to cope with, role-related challenges.
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04/18/13 (Thur), 12:15 p.m.
**"A Caregiver's Guide to Medication Use" with Evalyn Greb, LCSW
When caring for a loved one or family member, your responsibility for assisting with medications can be very complicated, especially if you are working outside the home. You will learn how to avoid common mistakes and get tips on getting help from your doctor and pharmacist. You can also listen to other caregivers share ideas on how they organize a medication routine.
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Caregiver SOS: On Air
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Featured Guests in April
(from the WellMed Charitable Foundation)
April 7 - The Privacy Puzzle: What Caregivers Need to Know About HIPAA: Carol Levine, United Hospital Fund
April 14 - When Is Pallative Care Right For Your Loved One? With Geriatrician Dr. Elizabeth Glazier, WellMed Associate Medical Director
April 21 - Refining and Redefining Ourselves as Care Partners: With Author and Motivational Speaker Dr. Teena Cahill (PsyD), Wisdom and Beyond
April 28 - Standing Strong: Resilience and Perseverance in Caregiving With Angela Lunde, Alzheimer's Disease and Research Center, Mayo Clinic
 Caregiver SOS: On Air is an hour-long weekly program that airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on NewsTalk 930-AM KLUP. The program is sponsored and presented by the WellMed Charitable Foundation. Click here for past shows via podcasts or download from iTunes.
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Caregiver SOS Resource Centers
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Caregiver SOS Centers
(from the WellMed Charitable Foundation)
April marks the beginning on new learning opportunities for caregivers at the the SOS
 Examples of new classes starting include: the Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers, Diabetes Self Management and Chronic Disease Self Management -- along with support groups, crafts and health-related activities. A resource library is also available. See the Activity Calendars below for the current schedules.
For locations and other information, go to the Caregiver SOS website. The Calendars below may be printed/posted:
San Antonio Center at Northern Hills
San Antonio Lopez Senior Center
Harlingen Senior Center
Hidalgo County
Coastal Bend
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Resources and References
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From AARP's Home & Family/Caregiving Website: What Working Caregivers Must Know--Learn best strategies for dealing with your employer and what rights you have. When you're a caregiver, you're likely to run into situations that collide with your work responsibilities, such as a  ppointments in the middle of the workday. Or those nightmare calls: Dad just had a heart attack and you have to leave the office now. Or Mom needs chemo twice a week - treatment times not dictated by your schedule. And guess what? There's no one else to take her. AARP Caregiving Resource Center AARP offers advice for working people who are also caregivers. Wouldn't it be great if your boss just said, "Whatever you need to do - no problem"? Some will, but not all. Click here for the entire article, "What Working Caregivers Must Know." Care for the Caregiver:
From mmLearn.org:  Hoarding & Elders: Dr. Thomas Weiss, M.D., Geriatric Psychiatrist
Elders may have hoarded earlier in their lives or it may begin  later in life. In either case, hoarding can be a serious problem that impairs mobility, increases fall risk, and interferes with cooking, cleaning, showering, and sleeping. From the Family Caregiver Alliance: How-To Series: Creating Peer-to-Peer Support Groups for Caregivers Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 2 - 3 p.m. In a FCA hosted webinar, you will hear from national speaker, author, and radio show host Kari Berit to learn what it takes to create and sustain your own space for mutual support. To learn more CLICK HERE. From the New York Times Old Age Blog: They ran a two-part series sharing the stories of former family caregivers. Read the first post, "After the Caregiving Ends," here: http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/after-the-caregiving-ends/. Read the second post, "After Caregiving, Comfort in Having Helped," here: From Reg4ALL.org: This is a registry for people with all diseases to be available for clinical trials. ( Especially valuable for people with rare diseases (and their caregivers). Reg4ALL is an online health registry that's free and open to everyone. Using fun and simple surveys, users  can register, store information about their health, and see how their answers compare with other users'. Next, they can selectively share that information in whatever manner they feel comfortable, and use Reg4All to connect with the disease advocacy community and other helpful resources. Finally, Reg4ALL aims to transform the way that medical research is done, and facilitate connections between researchers and potential participants - Reg4ALL is perfect for those who want to spark medical innovation and propel breakthroughs. From Alz.org: Alzheimer's disease has big impact on working caregivers More than 1 in 7 American workers are active or former caregivers for someone with Alzheimer's or another dementia, according to a recent national poll commissioned by Workplace Options in conjunction with the Alzheimer's Association. Among those, only 47 percent were able to work while providing care. As the number of people with Alzheimer's increases, so will the number of unpaid caregivers in the work force. Read the article >>  This week the Alzheimer's Association released the 2013 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report, which reveals the increasing burden of Alzheimer's disease and dementia on individuals, caregivers, government and the nation's health care system. And the numbers are staggering. Someone develops Alzheimer's every 68 seconds. 1 out of 3 seniors in the United States who die this year has Alzheimer's or another dementia. And 450,000 Americans will die with Alzheimer's disease this year. Click here to see the CBS News March 13 coverage of the topic.
From WorkingCaregivers.com: Working Caregivers:
Eldercare and Older-Adult Information and Referral Center"...increasingly people will struggle to keep a job as the demand to provide unpaid care for aging relatives (e.g. parents, aunts, uncles, friends, adult siblings) grows exponentially. Ultimately, this demand will far exceed the current level of supports in the community and the public funds available to pay for those minimal supports." Click here to read the complete article. From NCOA.org, Center for Healthy Aging: The link between falls and medication management. If you missed the NCOA webinar on medication management last  month, you can still watch the recording and download the presentation. Medication errors can lead to falls. The webinar discussed HomeMeds, an evidence-based intervention that addresses medication safety among older adults. View the webinar From NextStepsinCare.org: For Family Caregivers: Guide to Surgery for Older Adults. These days, many surgeries are planned in advance. Joint replacements, heart  surgeries and catheterizations, and more are usually scheduled beforehand. It may be inpatient surgery that includes at least one night in the hospital. Or it may be outpatient or "same-day" surgery, when patients go home after spending some time in the recovery room. This guide answers questions you may have thought of and others that may not have occurred to you before. Most are questions best answered before surgery. Click here for the complete article.
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In Closing . . .
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W e hope you found this Signals newsletter both useful and informative. Please share it with caregivers that you know, your friends, and colleagues by clicking on 'Forward to a Friend'. (Since Signals is optimized for the Internet, forwarding it through your email system very seriously alters the appearance.)
Carol Zernial, Executive Director
WellMed Charitable Foundation |
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