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Geriatric Care Management Blog

By Charlotte Bishop on 2/26/2012 1:21 PM
It is probably safe to say that some of the fun has gone out of flying in the past decade or so.  And that is if you are physically fit and/or do not fly frequently.  Anyone who has tried to help an older parent or someone else with special needs get from point A to point B by flying can tell you that it can be daunting, but let me share nine suggestions based on what I have found. Plan ahead.  This is first, because it will help with everything else on an elder’s trip if you make plans and special requests well ahead of the flight date, some of these as the reservation itself is made. When booking a flight also make as many requests as you can think of, extra leg room, expedited boarding or wheelchair assistance. Even if your elder does not need a wheelchair, many of the larger airports have carts that will help transport the flier to their gate or between gates when connecting.  If you call at least 48 hours in advance, some of the airlines will actually assign one of their staff as an escort for and older or physically-challenged flier.  There may be a charge for the service, but it can be very much worth the fee....
By Charlotte Bishop on 2/19/2012 2:38 PM
You may have heard about the glories of the “only child,” you know….the stories about not having to share with other siblings, about being mom and dad’s favorite.  Well, those of you who have been raised as only children know that it is probably not all that great all the time.  And when it comes to being the only caregiver to older parents, being the only child goes from being special to being on your own.  But it does not have to be. The recession we have experienced over these recent years combined with other social forces makes the one child family the fastest group type of family according to the U.S. Census.  There are currently 20 million families in America today that have only one child, and the percentage of American women having only one child has more than doubled in the past twenty years.  But I am not writing about raising a solo child today; I am looking at the burden of caregiving that falls upon the only child when mom and dad get older and need help. IF you are in the category of...
By Charlotte Bishop on 2/6/2012 5:06 PM
February gives us Valentine’s Day, and February also is American Heart Month, a really good time to talk about cardiovascular wellness. The average human heart beats more than 100,000 times a day and pumps about 1,800 gallons of blood in the process.  Working that hard, it may be little surprise that cardiac-related conditions represent about 27 percent of all deaths in Americans.  That percent increases to 40 percent of all mortality for those ages 65 to 74 and as high as 60 percent of the deaths of people 80 years or older. Aging sets in motion some trends which help explain the increase in mortality:

As arteries age, they become less flexible which can increase blood pressure Mitral valves in the ventricles of older hearts close more slowly which contributes to a slower flow rate The resting heart rate slows and the exercise capacity of the heart decreases with age as well Older hearts do not squeeze as efficiently and the heart actually enlarges as the cells themselves expand...

Recent Comments

re:
love it! very interesting topics, I hope the incoming comments and suggestion are equally positive. Thanks for sharing information that is actually helpful.

allinfouneed
www.tulleeho.org
Re: A Radio Talk with Aging Info Radio
I have read this post. Really it is so nice.
Re: A Radio Talk with Aging Info Radio
I heard all the answers. I did not know those answers. Thanks for providing answers.
Re: Four Tips for the Accidental Caregiver
Great article Charlotte - I am always heartened at how neighbors and acquaintances will step forward to assist a senior in need. Sometimes it is because the senior has outlived their family members - sometimes there are other reasons. In any event, these situations are really unique, and they require some planning to handle thoughtfully. A geriatric care manager can be a really important piece of that puzzle. You have provided some really good suggestions in this article. Keep up the good work.
I would really love to guest post on your blog.`
This kind of post is very rare.. its so hard to seek a post like this. very informative and the contents are very Obvious and Concise .I will look more of your post
Re: Two More Ways to Make Elders' Homes Safer
Nice article Charlotte - really solid suggestions. I just can't figure out why I'm accumulating so much stuff already!
Re: Caregiving to Older Workers
Nice article Charlotte. This is really becoming an important issue.
Re: Four Steps for "The Talk" About Giving Up the Car Keys
This is the conversation I have been dreading for the longest time. My dream was to have a driver in place before this actually happened, but at this point I don't know. My mom has never been the best of drivers to begin with, but still manages to function well enough and as of this writing is still fully functional. Whether that lasts another week, a year or a few years is out of my control, but when it happens, I will have to deal with it just as you suggested. I expect it to be a huge fight and really would not have it any other way.

My biggest fear really isn't for my mom's safety as it it for everyone else's. My grandfather drove until he was in his 80's and one day drove his car through his next door neighbor's living room. Obviously, that was it. (I have every intention of getting the keys from her before it gets to that point.)

Here is another thing to consider: My mom's car is bought and paid for, so my thinking is that when the time comes, there should be enough sale value left on it to pay for a driver for a certain amount of time. I have no idea what that costs, but this article lit the fire and I intend to find out.

Keep these posts coming, I am sure I am not much different than a lot of your readers in that even though I know I shouldn't, when it comes to my mom, I would like to live in a state of denial as long as possible. It gets harder and harder as she slowly watches her friends die around her and starts to question her own mortality.

Re: Alzheimer's Related Medical Conditions
This is the information that I've been looking for. I'm really glad that you posted it. Thanks for sharing this one!
re:
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Joseph
www.joeydavila.com
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