Signals Newsletter Header
 Vol. 5, # 08     Aug, 2014
WellMed Charitable Foundation
Tap Link to See Section:
Mind, Body, Spirit
Lighten Your Load
Want to Feel Better?
Concerned About Money?
Health Savvy
Caregiver SOS: On Air
Caregiver Connections
Social Security Info
Resources/References
Caregiver SOS Centers
In Closing . . . .
Calendar "At a Glance"
New TC logo
A complimentary telephone learning and support program. Select a session right for you.

______________

Tuesday, August 12 at 2 p.m.  
"Getting Past the Pain to Live Better with Arthritis" with Susan Carter and Tom Garzilllo, MD 
______________
   
Thursday, August 21
at 12 AND 7 p.m.
"Coping with Caregiver Guilt" with Family Caregivers 
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Thursday, August 28 at 2 p.m.
"Healing Yourself: How Integrative Medicine is Changing Healthcare" with William Lane, MD
______________

Sign Up By Phone,  

Email or Online
______________

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.

At no cost, these phone-based sessions connect family caregivers with experts and other caregivers in similar situations.

Here's How to Reach Us:
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Visit our blog

Like us on Facebook

View our videos on YouTube

Click below to hear podcasts

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(You may select multiple lists.)
 

Useful Website Links

WellMed Charitable Foundation Caregiver TeleConnection
Caregiver SOS TeleConnection "On Demand"
Stress-Busting Program
Better Choices, Better Health
Take Time Texas

Carol's Column

Carol While others were talking about planning for the future of aging baby boomers, she didn't want us to forget people like her.

People who had already given a lot and given up a lot. People who were going to need help, because they knew the day would come when their parents needed more than they could provide.

What does the voice of the caregiver sound like? It comes in the low notes of a man, the higher lilt of a woman, the uneven breath of an older person, and even the youthful tones of a child. Caregiving comes to men and women of all ages.

The voice of the caregiver can be authoritative, demanding, steady and sure. It can be hesitant, pleading, jagged with fatigue, or a mutter under one's breath. Sometimes it is a hearty laugh, a gentle coaxing, or a soft caress across the room. It is the voice that both cries and comforts in the dark times. And for long periods, it makes no sound at all--waiting.

What does the voice of the caregiver say? It denies any help is needed. It asks what resources are available. It wonders if anyone else is going through the same thing. It hopes everything will work out okay.

The caregiver's voice reminds us that families and friends still carry the lion's share of the load in providing care. It tells us about the necessary sacrifices of jobs, money, time and even other family members.

Sometimes, the caregiver doesn't say enough. They don't realize they have a voice and a vote. We don't hear their outrage when they get no help at all, when they aren't eligible for any services and when they sacrifice their own future for a country that hasn't yet faced the new reality of long life.

Hear the voice of the caregiver. Answer the call for help. Pass the word on that there is work to be done in our communities, in the halls of government, in the think tanks of the best and brightest. Listen closely. You may hear the sound of your own voice.

Carol Zernial,
Executive Director,
WellMed Charitable Foundation


Join the Conversation 

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.

A Perspective

Greetings!
n4a Conference

Members of the WellMed Charitable Foundation leadership were proud to present at the Annual Conference for the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging in Dallas, TX, in July. Carol Zernial, Debbie Billa, and others spoke on "Elder Abuse Prevention: The Doctor Is In." Presentation pdf. (51 slides)

WCF also had a display booth where they shared current information to other caregiver support organizations about the WCF programs such as Stress-Busting and the TeleConnection sessions.

Jennifer Hale Kretzschmar, Dr. Sharon Lewis
and Debbie Billa at the WCF booth at the n4a conference.

In addition, the first anniversary of the opening of the Cross Roads Senior Center/Caregiver SOS in McAllen (TX) was observed with a colorful, fun and festive Luau-themed event, jam-packed with happy seniors and community members enjoying the activities.


Resources for Family Caregivers, Seniors, Professionals at Support Organizations
(Third of a Series) 
 
We are continuing the exploration of the Caregiver SOS websites to make you aware of the resources available to family caregivers and seniors. Much material is also available for the professionals at support organizations.

On the Caregiver SOS page, the first tab on the right side is SOS Centers. They are safe and confidential facilities welcoming caregivers and family member. There is a listing of the five centers located in Texas. Two are in San Antonio, and one each in Corpus Christi, Harlingen, and McAllen. There is a listing of Center addresses, phone numbers, Program Managers, monthly activity calendars, and maps to each location.

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT

East Meets West: How Integrative Medicine
Is Changing Health Care
A marriage of conventional Western medicine with other healing modalities, including complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), integrative medicine (IM) neither rejects conventional medicine nor uncritically embraces alternative therapies.  
 
Rather, IM can be described as a practice that "cherry picks" the best and scientifically supported therapies of both systems. This article offers a look into IM and what it means for the future of health care. Read more.  

LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD
 
Dealing with Caregiver Guilt
(from www.caregiver.com)

Caregivers often carry around undeserved guilt, believing that they aren't doing enough for their loved ones. This guilt can make the caregiving role even more stressful than it already is. One might ask why a caregiver feels guilty when they're doing such a courageous job. Here are some reasons:

  • Resentment for personal time lost - It's normal to feel like you're missing something when so much of your time is taken up taking care of someone else. The caregiver thinks that they shouldn't feel this way. Read more

WANT TO FEEL BETTER?

Five Steps to Pain Relief
Find your best mix of pain-relief techniques
There's no one best way to manage arthritis pain or achieve pain relief. Part of the frustration for people in pain, doctors acknowledge, is that no single technique is guaranteed to produce complete and consistent pain relief. Often you need a combination of methods. And you may need to change your mix of techniques over time - adding this, dropping that - as your condition changes. 

Some people first try nonprescription medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) and get pain relief, and some will eventually turn to their doctors for stronger prescription medications. After time, people may resort to surgical repair or replacement of a persistently painful joint or removal of pain-causing tissues. Read more

CONCERNED ABOUT MONEY?

Extra Help With Medicare Prescription
Drug Plan Costs
(from www.ssa.gov)

The Medicare Prescription Drug program gives you a choice of prescription plans that offer various types of coverage.

You may be able to get extra help to pay for the monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and co-payments related to the Medicare Prescription Drug program. However, you must be enrolled in a Medicare Prescription Drug plan to get this extra help.
 
What Is This Application? 
This is an application for Extra Help and does not enroll you in a Medicare prescription drug plan. Read more.


HEALTH SAVVY

Three Stages of Dementia, What to Expect

The three stages of dementia provides a structure for understanding how your loved one may change and what you can expect.

Alzheimer's Disease is an umbrella term that covers many types of diseases that all result in a decrease in memory, the ability to think and reason and the ability for a person to care for herself.

Different dementias have different symptoms and progress in different ways. The three stages of dementia is a simple way of looking at the progress of a complex group of diseases. Read more.

radioCaregiver SOS: On Air

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.

Links
to listen to recent shows via podcasts or download from iTunes.

Topics and Guests Featured in July
(Guests and/or topics subject to change)

August 10 - "20 Common Nursing Home Problems and How to Resolve Them" with Eric Carlson, National Senior Citizens Law Center 

August 17 - "When Should We Go To The Emergency Room?" with WellMed at Embassy Oaks Nurse Practitioner Leslie Gonzales 

August 24 - "Well-grounded: Foot issues Caregivers Should Know About" with Podiatrist Dr. Cynthia Hemesath, Specialists for Health 

August 31 -  "Using Technology to Improve Caregiving" with Gail Gibson Hunt, President and CEO, National Alliance for Caregiving 
 
DetailsTeleConnection Session Details

These hour-long phone-based sessions are designed to connect family caregivers to experts with helpful information and other caregivers by providing needed emotional, educational and social support. These sessions, courtesy of the WellMed Charitable Foundation, can be accessed from anywhere via your phone: no need to get dressed up, find transportation, or get a sitter.

Register for any TeleLearning Session by phone: (210) 871-7SOS (7767) or 1 (866) 390-6491 (toll-free); Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; by email, or visit our website.
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Features Important Topics, Including:
 
  • Getting Past the Pain to Live Better with Arthritis
  • Coping with Caregiver Guilt
  • Healing Yourself: How Integrative Medicine is Changing Healthcare
  • _____________________ 
     
    Tuesday, August 12 at 2 p.m.
    "Getting Past the Pain to Live Better with Arthritis" with Susan Carter and Tom Garzillo, MD
    Arthritis is frequently a crippling condition for many older adults. Susan Carter and Dr. Tom Garzillo, with the Arthritis Foundation, will discuss the latest information about arthritis and effective treatments. 
    This telelearning session is open to all at no charge. Registration 
    _____________________ 

    Thursday, August 21 at 12 AND 7 p.m.<<<<<
    "Coping with Caregiver Guilt" with Family Caregivers 
    Listen, Learn, and interact with other caregivers who have learned ways to cope with the most common experience for family caregivers: guilt. Sponsored by the North Central Texas Caregiver Teleconnection (45 min. session)
    This telelearning session is open to all at no charge. Registration 
    _____________________ 

    Thursday, August 28 at 2 p.m. 
    "Healing Yourself: How Integrative Medicine is Changing Healthcare" with William Lane, MD
    What is Integrative Medicine? Many Americans have never heard of integrative medicine, but this holistic movement has left its imprint on many of the nation's hospitals, universities, and medical schools. Both doctors and patients alive are bonding with the philosophy of integrative medicine and its whole-person approach - designed to treat the person, not just the disease.
    This telelearning session is open to all at no charge. Registration 
     
    Caregiver Connections with Dr. Jamie 
     
    Conversations in Caregiving:
    Long-Term Care   
    Jamie Huysman,  PsyD, LCSW, CAP, CFT*   
     
    How do you, as a caregiver, begin to talk Dr. Jamie 1to your loved one about the need for more or different care?  

    This is a difficult question and a difficult point to reach on your caregiving journey. The specific answer depends on your loved one's mental and emotional state, as well as on your relationship history. You'll need to consider these things before you raise the topic. But many people face this same situation every day, and there are some general tips that may help make the sometimes challenging conversation easier. Read more

    *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
     
    Social Security Information for Caregivers

    Question:

    My mother and I are taking care of my aunt who has become very ill and unable to take care of herself. We want to help her apply for Social Security disability, but we would prefer to enlist the aid of an attorney that specializes in that area. How much do they typically charge for this service?

    Answer:

    The fee can be no more than 25 percent of past-due benefits or $6,000, whichever is less. Generally, a representative will not charge unless you receive benefits. Read more.

    *Oscar Garcia is a Public Affairs Specialist with the Social Security Administration. 
    You can direct your questions to him at: SSA, 411 Richland Hills Drive, San Antonio, Texas, 78245. You can also email him at Oscar.h.garcia@ssa.gov.  



    Resources and References

    mmlearn logo
    Free Video: "Clinical Differences Among Four Common Dementia Syndromes"--Dr. Thomas Weiss. Dr. Weiss guides you through four common yet different dementia syndromes - each requires different treatment and management. Knowing the different characteristics is essential for proper diagnosis and treatment of this complex disease of the brain.

     
    The AARP Fraud Watch Network gives you access to information about how to protect yourself and your family. Non-members and members alike can get our Watchdog Alerts, stay up on con artists' latest tricks, and find out what to do if you've been victimized. It's free for everyone because AARP is committed to safeguarding Americans' financial futures. Read more.
     
    Alz. Assn Logo wide
    How slowly an aging person walks may indicate Alzheimer's Risk. The way older people walk may provide a clue about how well their brain is aging and could allow doctors to determine whether they are at risk of Alzheimer's disease, a new study shows. The results suggest that those whose walking pace begins to slow and who also have cognitive complaints are more than twice as likely to develop dementia within 12 years Read more.
    ####
    Researchers discover new protein that may play role in Alzheimer's disease. Exactly why Alzheimer's disease develops is still unknown, but research presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference� 2014 (AAIC�) last week reported a new protein that potentially may play a role. Researchers said what they don't yet know is whether the protein, called TDP-43, is a cause of Alzheimer's or develops due to the disease. TDP-43 has previously been linked to ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and other brain diseases. Additional research is necessary to clarify its role in Alzheimer's. Read more.

    Caregiver SOS Resource Centers

    Caregiver SOS Centers are safe, confidential community resources where caregivers and family members can chat with other caregivers, and find out about wellness activities, information, support, and education.

    The Centers are beginning various new informational  series, including new Alzheimer's support groups and the Stress-Busting Program for family caregivers.

    Examples of ongoing classes include: Diabetes Self Management, Chronic Disease Self Management, Healthy Eating, and A Matter of Balance--along with general and women's support groups, crafts and health-related activities. A resource library is available. See the Activity Calendars below for the current schedules.

    Meet Our Caregiver SOS Program Managers:
    (Second of a Series)

    Letty Q. Guzman (Sanchez), headquartered at the Cross Roads Senior Center in McAllen (TX),  has been an advocate and educator for issues relating to care giving to the aging with chronic illnesses and those with disabilities for the past 15 years. Having been a vocational specialist and case manager in the early 1990s by trade, she transitioned to the non-profit arena in 2003 after being appointed as board member of the RGV Alzheimer's Association, becoming its regional director within six months.

     She has served in various boards advocating awareness and education to important issues such as the prevention and exploitation of the elderly; colorectal screening awareness; and advocacy for the American Disabilities Act, and in family caregiving. She has been a member of the LRGVDC AAA caregiver committee since 2004.

    Letty has a degree in Rehabilitation Services and a minor in Psychology. She is a certified caregiver's leader under the American Red Cross Caregiver's Program- South Texas Chapter. She is eligible for certification as a Qualified Dementia Care Specialist by the Dementia Care Professionals of America and is pursuing a certification as a Geriatric Care Manager.

    Letty hosted an interactive radio program in Spanish about issues related to Alzheimer's Disease and caregiving funded by MetLife Foundation. She has been a frequent guest in radio and television programs in Spanish media educating and advocating in care giving issues and has contributed articles in local publications.

    Caregiver SOS at Northern Hills
    14100 Nacogdoches, San Antonio, TX 78247

    Caregiver SOS at the Alicia Trevino Lopez

    Senior One-Stop Center
      8353 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78251,
     210-558-0718
    August Activity Calendar

    Caregiver SOS at Harlingen Senior Center 
    512 Victoria Lane. Suite 11; Harlingen, TX 78550
    956-356-5718 
    August Activity Calendar
    Caregiver SOS at Cross Roads Senior Center
    1301 E. Fern, McAllen, TX 78501
    956-630-6668

    Caregiver SOS at Lindale Senior Center 
    3135 Swantner Dr.; Corpus Christi, TX 78404
    361-225-2295 or 361-225-2619
    August Activity Calendar

    In Closing . . . . 

    We hope you found this Signals newsletter both useful and informative. Please share it with caregivers 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.)
     
    Sincerely,

    Carol Zernial, Executive Director
    WellMed Charitable Foundation