Are you caring for elderly parents with health issues? Study after study tells us that a key component to staying healthier, mentally as well as physically, is staying active. That's generally pretty easy for me. With a senior mom who loves walking and several active grandkids who keep me running – literally – as we enjoy games like tag, softball, and Simon Says, I definitely don't slow down very often. But there are those days, sometimes weeks, with too little sleep or painful arthritis flare-ups, and then it gets a bit harder to find fun and physical senior citizen activities we can actually participate in.

Some of the ways we "encourage" ourselves to stay active, even then, include:

1. Mini Exercise Bike – Our favorite brand, the Carex Digital Pedal Exerciser, fits nicely in any room, is easy to use and allows us to sit comfortably on the couch and watch TV while we pedal away. It's easy enough that even a sweet senior friend with advanced Alzheimers Disease symptoms is able to do this and enjoys it.
2. When my senior mom goes for a walk, I try to keep her company if my schedule permits. It forces me to get up and get moving, even though it's a slower pace than I would normally enjoy. It also gives us some nice talk-time which is good for both of us emotionally. 
3. If the grandkids are over and the weather is nice but I'm not feeling up to doing much, I'll often pop them in the car and head for one of our two favorite parks. They can have fun with all the playground equipment. I can sit and watch. It at least gets me moving a bit and often the fun will be so contagious I'll do a bit more than I planned.
4. If I'm by myself, I try to park fairly far out in a parking lot. This forces me to walk some extra steps. 
5. During bad weather, my senior mom and I will head to a nearby Walmart. We can get our shopping done and get some healthy, warm, and dry exercise.
6. If you have a heated swimming pool available, with fairly warm water temperature, walking in it can be a great way to exercise easily. Many of the YMCAs, YWCAs or other health clubs offer some type of "Twinges in the Hinges" classes in the water for just that reason. You can also check with various physical therapy businesses that provide aquatics therapy. They may also offer use of their pool for exercises to private users for a monthly payment. And there's an excellent chance their pool will be warmer than most heated pools. I personally love the temps to be around 90 degrees.
7. Speaking of health clubs, there are many that offer great equipment and warm facilities to give you a chance to get out and about and exercise. Some seniors are blessed to have a senior facility nearby, allowing for healthy exercise and senior social opportunities. 24 Hour Fitness is a family favorite and when I was visiting one, I noticed a wide mix of ages so that any age should feel comfortable using it. Some of the retirement communities provide health facilities as well. Even if there is a monthly charge, it can be well worth the cost as long as you go at least once a week. 

However we do it, it's vital for you and me, as well as your senior parents, to stay active, ideally on a daily basis. You'll usually feel better, fight off germs easier, and have more energy. And what's really nice for those of us in the Sandwich Generation is that most, if not all, of these ideas work well with our sweet grandkids. That's definitely a win-win-win for all of us!

P.S. Happy Pink Saturday – another fun weekly "exercise" for the Sandwich Generation. 

Kaye

August has turned out to be the month for surgeries for our family the last couple of years! I've learned a lot while caring for the elderly parents and relatives dealing with those and still haven't had a chance to share all the new tips from them. I'll get there though. Just for you, who are also dealing with the Sandwich Generation issues of life.  

One new thing I learned, that actually was an old thing, is that the full elastic waist jeans and pants that were a big help to my senior dad in the end stage of Parkinsons Disease are also helpful for elderly women before and after surgery. When the hospital gave us paperwork that recommended easy on-easy off pants, we did a wardrobe check and some shopping. The easiest, of course, was the elastic sweat pants that are so nice and cozy. We decided on a size larger than the norm and wanted the thick warm ones, as my sweet senior freezes easily normally and knew it would be worse in the hospital. We had to go to four stores and finally found some in the men's department at Walmart. Then I checked my own closet and found a couple more that worked well for her – good enough that she even returned two of the four she bought, since she prefers snugger pants – while I like "room to breath." 

I wasn't too worried, though, if we hand't found them locally. I knew the same resources I found for my senior dad and other elderly men in our family, which I wrote about in Senior Mens Elastic Waist Pants, along with the resources I wrote about in Help for The Family Caring for Elderly Parents Who Are Stroke Patients – Part 3, would have helped us here as well. And if she should decide to get a bit dressier style of full elastic waist pants or jeans, we'll find plenty of those for women at these sites as well as well as men. And in that arena, we've found online often offers more choices than locally. How about you? What are your favorite stores for the comfort clothing for elderly senior women AND men in your Sandwich Generation family – local or online? We'd love to hear. 

P.S. What do you think of these lovely womens comfort clothing from ? Both the skirt and pants share a full elastic waist and on-seam pockets. Sharp looking, comfy clothes – delightful for the elderly seniors in our family. If you'd like more information about them, just click on the picture.

Kaye

SeniorsForLiving.com is a great site that I have worked with for over two years. We did several Baby Boomers and Seniors: News You Can Use blog carnivals together and as a result, I got a chance to get to "know" Gina LaGuardia and Michelle Seitzer. I have been very blessed by them and by working with them in the area of caring for the elderly parents in our families and consider them and their site a terrific resource for all of us in the Sandwich Generation.

Therefore, I am so pleased to tell you that today I am featuring a guest post written by SeniorsforLiving.com’s Michelle Seitzer. Before committing to life as a full-time freelance writer, Michelle spent 10 years in the senior living and advocacy world, serving in various roles at assisted living communities throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland, and leading the charge for Alzheimer’s as a public policy coordinator for the Pennsylvania chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association. She has blogged for SeniorsforLiving.com since November 2008 and currently resides in York, Pennsylvania, with her teacher husband and two Boston Terriers. You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook. So, without further ado…

Caring for Elderly Parents? Choosing the Best Assisted Living Community for Your Loved One

By Michelle Seitzer

At some point in the life of your senior loved one, you may have to help them make a big move…and it might be one of the most difficult decisions you will ever make. 

Are you a homeowner? Think back to the days of looking for your first home: securing loans, submitting paperwork, driving around neighborhoods and writing down phone numbers, asking residents about the local school system, getting your first home inspection done, etc. Not an easy process and not one that moved too quickly, right?

Choosing the best assisted living community for a loved one should also be a complex process, a decision not to be arrived at in a hurry. Unfortunately, many families find themselves in crisis situations, needing a higher level of care as soon as possible, and the process must be expedited. This often leads to rushed decisions that don’t always work out in the best interests of all parties involved.

It doesn’t have to be a long and painful process, but there are a few things you should keep in mind when you begin the search to avoid future complications…

First and foremost, if you don’t already know what your loved one has in mind, ask! Ask Mom what she envisions as the best community setting for her golden years. Ask Grandpa what his ideal living situation is. Their desires should fully guide the decision-making process. If there are cognitive impairments that limit the ability to talk freely about what they want, do your very best to get their thoughts on the matter. Bring them along for visits and watch their non-verbal responses closely. In fact, even if there is no Alzheimer’s/dementia symptoms, bring your loved one along to every visit, even if it means taking a day off from work or scheduling a tour at a time that might not suit you: remember, it’s not you who will be living there. 

Definitions of assisted living vary by state, as do the costs and the state regulations enforced therein. Do a little research to find out what the state regulating agency is, and check out the community’s record of code violations (often available on the agency’s website). Don’t just look for a clean record, look closely at the severity of the violations, how they were (or weren’t) resolved, and make your decision accordingly. (Very few communities, even the best ones, have a completely spotless record – keep that in mind.)

Here’s a big one: Don’t just go on appearances. You’ll see some absolutely beautiful facilities and some that leave much to be desired in terms of aesthetics. But chandeliers and plush carpet do not always imply quality care, likewise, outdated tile floors does not equal poor care. Choose your battles. If appearance is important to your loved one, consider it, but don’t let it be the sole basis of your decision. The lobby might not be the prettiest room you ever saw, but that doesn’t mean Mother’s room can’t look smashing if the senior living community’s the right fit otherwise. 

Visit lots of senior housing communities. It might seem like a hassle, but it’s worth it to find the best fit.

When it comes to costs, read the fine print and ask lots of questions. Specialized services, like meal/medication reminders, are often charged a la carte. Make sure you know all the hidden costs before signing on the dotted line.

Visit on off-hours, like Friday nights and Sunday mornings, when the staff complement is not quite as robust as the Monday 7-3 shift.  Staff coverage is very telling of a community’s ability to provide quality care for your loved one WHENEVER they need it.

Talk to the direct care staff. The receptionist, activities director, and nurses’ aides are going to have a much clearer picture of how things flow on a day-to-day basis, even though you’ll likely meet with the marketing director for the official tour. Even better: talk to the residents. That being said, be sure to take what each resident and receptionist says with a grain of salt. There may be bitterness on the part of a resident who didn’t want to move, which may cloud their perspective of the facility. Some front-line staff members may not agree with all of management’s decisions, but if they are happy in their job, it will show. 

Finally, think about the things that will change dramatically for your loved senior parent after the move-in day dust settles: privacy, independence/autonomy, possibly a loss of their car, the downsizing process (many seniors who make this move are going from large homes filled with decades of stuff into a one-bedroom apartment). Be sensitive to these massive life shifts, and support them through each challenge, even after the papers are signed.

Start searching for local communities now at SeniorsforLiving.com. 

My senior mom and I faced one of those specific family crisis situations Michelle referred to with my senior dad when he was in the end stage of Parkinsons Disease. This would have been great advice for us then and it's great advice for all of us who are caring for elderly parents right now. A terrific help for each of us in the Sandwich Generation. Thank you, Michelle, for such an interesting article.

P.S. SandwichINK is also joining Bev for PINK SATURDAY. Lots of pink sites full of interesting and encouraging pictures and information for those of us in the Baby Boomer and Sandwich Generation, dealing with the issues of caring for our elderly parents while also babysitting grandchildren (and yes, they'll find fun pinks of interest to them as well. ).

Kaye

Looking for interesting Baby Boomer and Senior Citizen News? Welcome to the latest Boomers and Seniors: News You Can Use Blog Carnival here at SandwichINK this month, full of great news and resource articles just for you! From caring for elderly parents, to the Sandwich Generation issues in general, to financial questions the never-aging baby boomers generation is often asking, to fun activities for grandparents and their grandchildren, you're bound to find news and articles with good tips and info just for you!

Caring for the elderly including our senior parents:

Dale Carter has written a great article, What is a Major Transition Really Like for Your Aging Parent? which you can find at her site, Transition Aging Parents. Not only that…

The resource-full website, Aging with Grace, is the online home for Patricia Grace who is a geriatric care specialist. But she has an online home away from home with her weekly eldercare podcast at Blog Talk Radio and there you can find out more about her AND Dale Carter as you listen to her interview of Dale Carter and learn Dale's steps for success in caring for elderly parents at home, along with information about Dale's brand new book! Just click on the arrow and enjoy!

Matt Johnson, from HealthBridge In-Home Care, asks the vital question, "How do you know if your loved one has Alzheimer's Disease?" in his article, At Last, A Trustworthy Way to Diagnose Alzheimer's Disease, with a very encouraging and hopeful answer!

Shelley Webb, an RN and family caregiver, writes an interesting article on her viewpoint of the HIPAA Law at The Intentional Caregiver, Why My Mom and I Hate the HIPAA Law! I am so in agreement with her! 

Raymond Fernandez20 presents the Top 50 Aging and Gerontology Blogs at Masters in Gerontology. There are some great and useful resources on this list and I'm looking forward to going through them and bookmarking several.

Nesher has some excellent ideas at Alzheimer's Disease: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment for helping those caring for elderly parents with Alzheimers Disease or other dementia symptoms during a particularly difficult season of life, in the article, How to manage Alzheimer’s patient who refuses to eat?

Grandparents and Their Grandchildren

Webkinz stuffed animals and their virtual world offer a wide variety of activities for grandparents and their grandchildren to connect and spend time together. It's often educational and always fun. And it's even one of those great ideas for grandparents to stay in touch and close to grandchildren when living far away. Kaye Swain, right here at SandwichINK, has started a multi-part series to help grandparents learn how to use the Webkinz website and have fun with it, step-by-step, and you can find part 1 at Webkinz Stuffed and Virtual Animals – Activities for Grandparents and Their Grandchildren.

Bible Memory Verses activities are another fun way for grandparents and their grandchildren to have fun together in a multitude of ways. This summer at SandwichINK, Kaye Swain and her grandchildren have been enjoying memorizing 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 and 13 – all about that very important subject of LOVE.

Shayne Packer, a fellow member of the never-aging Baby Boomers Generation AND grandparent of almost as many grandkids as me, writes at Grandparents TLC. He is very much a techie grandparent and great when it comes to teleconferencing. That's an area I struggle with but he really has it wired and in his article, How to Videochat With Your Grandkids, he shares some fun ideas to help grandparents to stay in touch and close to grandchildren when living far away.

Shayne Packer is also the Technology Reporter for GrandMagazine.com and writes the monthly "Cyber-Savvy Grand" column. This month's article is Hottest Websites for G'Kids. As he puts it, "they'll love 'em and learn lots too!"

The Sandwich Generation Issues

One of the harder "joys" of the Sandwich Generation issues is caring for elderly parents who are still driving – particularly when you are beginning to suspect that they shouldn't be. Elizabeth Thielke wrote a very interesting article on just that topic, Seniors Involved in More Severe Car Accidents, at Seniors For Living.

Eliza Fayle has some fascinating facts and numbers for those of us in the Sandwich Generation, along with tips to help us sustain and nourish ourselves in How to Nourish the Sandwich That Is You, at Silver and Grace. 

Diabetes can hit at any age – from our grandchildren (usually Type 1) to the never-admit-to-aging Baby Boomers Generation (often Type 2) to our senior parents. It can definitely be one of the more challenging of the Sandwich Generation issues. Mia Taylor provides us with a great resource list, The Top 50 Diabetes Blogs, at Masters in Public Health. 

I have a lot of faults, but I'm very grateful that being lazy is usually not one of them. I suspect it probably isn't yours either. However, as fellow members of the extremely busy Sandwich Generation juggling the myriad of issues that come our way, Diana Dang has a very helpful post, 100 Healthy Recipes for Lazy People, at Nursing School Search Blog. It's full of quick and easy recipes and that's perfect for us in the Sandwich Generation. 

The Never-Aging Baby Boomers Generation

Would you believe, I was still going to school at 50! I finally earned my AA in Real Estate and had so much fun in my writing classes it helped jump start my blogging site. Boomerator has a great article at Seniors For Living about how much company I have with the too-busy-studying-to-be-aging Baby Boomers Generation. Check out Going Back to School When You're Over 40, 50, or 60.

And if you are caring for elderly parents and they want to get in on the education action as well, here's an encouraging article from Elizabeth Thielke and Seniors for Living, "95 Year Old Receives Her High School Diploma!"

Jeff Rose, CFP, has been very busy writing this month. He presents Medicare Part B Rules, Coverage, and Eligibility at Consumer Boomer. 

Jeff Rose has also written two interesting articles for those dealing with inheritances at Good Financial Cents. Understanding Inheritance Taxes is a vital issue for many of us who have been caring for elderly parents.  In addition, Jeff wants to let us know 3 Things You Must Know About Inheriting an IRA.

Speaking of IRAs, PT presents 5 Things to Know About Roth IRA Withdrawals at PT Money. This is important info for our senior parents as well as many of us in the Baby Boomers Generation. 

Marilyn Stowe presents a sad but important-to-know set of statistics in Silver Divorce: until divorce do us part?  at the Marilyn Stowe Family Law and Divorce Blog. The most important thing I learned from this? It's never too early OR too late to need to be proactive in working on all our relationships, starting with our spouses. My sweet husband is safely ensconced in heaven, but when he was here, we made weekly dates a high priority and I encourage each of you to do the same. Even if you are just walking around the block together or popping up to Dairy Queen for a sundae, it's so important to spend time alone, communicating, and enjoying each other's company. It's vital for your marriage and vital for the example you are setting for your family and friends!

Well, that's it for the latest Baby Boomer and Senior Citizen News at the Boomers and Seniors: News You Can Use Blog Carnival. We're so glad you came to visit and look forward to seeing you at the next one hosted by Gina LaGuardia and the SeniorforLiving.com Staff on August 10, 2010. You can find past posts and future hosts on the blog carnival index page. And YES, we'd love to have you enter blog posts for our next issue. You can do that easily by clicking right here! 

P.S. In case you are wondering about the SandwichINK interview with Patricia Grace – Aging with Grace, it had to be postponed due to technological difficulties. As soon as it's rescheduled, I'll keep you posted.

Kaye

My senior mom is wonderful about buying and mailing cards for every occasion. From birthdays to Christmas to Halloween to simply "I'm Thinking of You," she stays busy all year having fun buying and sending them. She loves doing it and the grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brothers, sisters, friends, and others she sends them to enjoy getting them.

Because of the ultra-chilly weather we've been experiencing recently, she didn't want to go out in the cold. She asked me to pick up some cards for her when I was running errands. I usually send e-cards (electronic cards) so I haven't been in the card aisle too much this year. It was rather fun to read the different greetings on the various cards I picked out. As I was shopping for the cards from her list, I realized two of the special people on her list might have some difficulty in reading the cards. One due to dementia symptoms from the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease and the other because he is visually impaired. 

After thinking it through a bit, I wound up choosing musical birthday cards for each of these friends. I knew they would have fun getting the cards and opening the cards. And even if they had a hard time reading them, they'd get a sweet smile on their faces as they listened to the perky music once the cards were opened. For the friend with dementia symptoms, I selected one of the most well-known songs around, Happy Birthday. I couldn't find any with music from the big band era which I was sure she would love. I wanted to be sure to get something that was familiar to her as she would be more likely to enjoy that. Happy Birthday may seem a bit bland, but to someone who is having a hard time remembering things, I bet it will be a sweet treat! 

When these musical greeting cards first came out, I was totally uninterested in them, thinking they were such a waste of money. Now that I've realized what a blessing they can be to those with various health issues, I really appreciate them! I just wish I could find some with older songs. If you have spotted any online like that, do let us know. They'd be a great addition to a Sandwich Generation senior home care giver's arsenal of tools! And don't forget to sign up for the FREE SandwichINK email for more fun ideas for the Sandwich Generation. 

After a long day of errands and lots of driving, I went downstairs to make dinner and watch CSI Miami, before heading back to the office to work on writing projects. Just as I was about to click on the DVR controller, Katy Couric popped on the screen to announce that next up was a CBS News story about Alzheimer's Disease. Needless to say, I headed straight to Twitter to let others know about the show, then went back to watch it myself.

It was very interesting. I hate to admit to a touch of self-focus, but the biggest jolt for me was the statement that, "Starting next year, 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 years old each day. That means over the next four decades the number of patients could triple – to 16 million." YIKES! And I'm only in my mid-50s!

CBS showed some good screen shots of what the suspected causes of Alzheimer's Disease might be and talked about tests that are currently being run in the hopes of finding a cure. If you didn't get to see it, you should be able to watch it at the CBS news article, Alzheimer's Disease, Where America Stands.  You'll also find other videos and links about Alzheimer's Disease there, including poll results on whether people think they will find a cure for Alzheimer's in their lifetime.

In case the videos have moved, you should also be able to find them at:
Finding a Cure for Alzheimer's

Notebook: Alzheimer's Disease

Dr. LaPook on Alzheimer's

All in all, it was a very good TV news segment about Alzheimer's Disease with lots of good info at the website as well. Kudos to CBS News for turning the spotlight on this difficult disease.

SENIOR HOME CARE GIVING:

Excellent article about dealing with beloved elderly parents forgetting who you are due to dementia such as that caused by Alzheimer's Disease.

Six myths of caregiving.
 
Elder Care 101:When do you stop an elderly parent from driving?   Via @DLindberg49

Next time you visit your elderly parent, check his or her fridge for expired items, especially salad dressings. Via @Seniors4Living
 
February & Valentine's Day activity ideas for senior care activity directors to use with senior citizens. Via @Carebuzz
 
EldercareABC Blog Carnival  has another interesting edition out including some excellent security tips for elderly parents.

Many blue foods have anthocyanins & phenolics, two powerful phytochemicals now being studied for antiaging benefits. One example: blueberries. Via @kimduess

Alzheimer's Reading Room: Dealing with Difficult Behavior Caused by Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease. Via @SeniorsResource

Boomers and Seniors: News You Can Use blog carnival just came out this morning. It looks very interesting with articles about Excercising in Tucson,  Knee Pain issues, and a couple of entries from SandwichINK. There's even some fun videos to check out.

Speaking of Boomers & Seniors, SandwichINK is proud to announce we will be hosting the next Boomers and Seniors: News You Can Use blog carnival on January 26. If you are interested, we would love to have you enter an article or two in this blog carnival organized by Seniors For Living.  

GRANDPARENTS:

Golden Corral: All day, everyday, kids 3 and under eat FREE with adult purchases. My senior mom, my granddaughter and I love to eat there! It's a great place for the Sandwich Generation.   Via @ThriftyParents

GIVEAWAY: The Princess and the Frog for the Wii! From now until January 26, there is a fun contest for five free copies of these fun Wii games for kids. I bet our grandkids would love this! Via @WeekinRewind
 
American Girl fun for grandchildren and homeschooling programs.
 
Video Chat with the Grandkids at GrandMagazine by @ShaynePacker.

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT:

"Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day." Sally Koch. Via @Rainer_Seiffert

Caregiver's prayer – As for me, I trust in Thee O Lord. I say, "Thou art my God. My times are in Thy hand."

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. Epictetus. Via @AnneSadler:
 
"God's Desktop Picture"  Definitely puts worries into perspective!

I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday. Abraham Lincoln. Via @KristenArnold

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
 
SANDWICH GENERATION:

Now that Christmas is over, it's time for "Stocking the Empty Gift Pantry™" as well as "The Magic Mason Jar Filled With (Potential) Lights."  These are great ways to save money via @frugalluxuries.
 
CaringBridge is an excellent resource for families dealing with health issues, from grandchildren to elderly parents. Via @MatthewBJohnson
 
Quick, easy, and healthy, Carl's Jr. has a new apple, cranberry, and walnut salad that "is yumaluma!" per @jeneanw.

Are heart attacks more common in winter?  Via @Carebuzz
 
Curry and black pepper may help to prevent breast cancer. (AARP )  per @ElderCareRN

Kaye

SENIOR HOME CARE GIVERS:

Alzheimer's Disease – A perspective from the Front Row. Via @ElderCareRN

A New Year for Medical Advances. Via @Seniors4Living

Tips For Taking Care of the Elderly.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Increases Cancer Risk.

Addressing Senior Ailments as a Caregiver. Via @Carebuzz

Grab Bars are Great. 

Learn about more advance directives and 'Do Not Resuscitate' orders.

GRANDCHILDREN:

Fun with grandchildren – snow painting! I'd never heard of this fun idea before. I'll have to give it a try wiith my grandchildren some day.  

Happy Birthday to Cissy King today! Here is a clip of Cissy's first Lawrence Welk appearance. Enjoy!

When I was young, I loved going to my grandparents on Saturday nights to watch Lawrence Welk with them. I have such fond memories of those times. Now I am building similar memories with one grandchild as we watch the Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana. I'm looking forward to sharing this video of Cissy King with her and enjoying a five-generation memory maker! 

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

Through God we shall do valiantly.

SANDWICH GENERATION:

If you enjoy turning your photos into a lovely scrapbook album but don't have a scanner for your very old photos, you can use a Photo Scanning Service To Preserve Treasured Memories. 

Yummy SandwichINK Salad recipe at VegWeb.

10 ways to save money in 2010.  Via @FMFblog

Enjoy all those Christmas candy canes with a good conscience.  Peppermint candy canes have many benefits. (And when they run out, peppermint flavored Icebreakers gum is good too.)  

I personally recommend consulting with an attorney to prepare a will for yourself or an elderly parent. If you definitely prefer to do it on your own, or just want some ideas to do your own preparation before visiting your attorney, this site could be helpful.  Do Your Own Will, free online.

For more twitter resources for the Sandwich Generation and their homes, please visit SandwichINK Real Estate Info. Among other Twitter tidbits there, you'll find an interesting article about one of this member of the Baby Boomer Generation's favorite Judy Garland movies, Meet Me In St. Louis, complete with tons of interesting photos. Bet your senior parents would enjoy it as well.

2009 was a very busy year for news and 2010 doesn't look like there will be any kind of a slow down! From terrorism in the air to swine flu to the latest info on medications for Alzheimer's Disease, keeping tabs on the news is important for the Sandwich Generation. The problem is finding the time to keep up with all that is going on in between senior home care giving, grandparenting, and living life in general! My senior mom reads the newspaper daily and loves it. I'm staying so busy, I prefer a quicker way to scan the headlines.

My favorite resource continues to be the Drudge Report, however it only gives major headlines, and doesn't stay on top of those as much as I'd like on the weekends. CNN used to be my second favorite news site however they recently upgraded their website. Their changes have led to a site that is flashier, yet lighter on the news headlines. Their site is no longer a good option for me for a speedy news check. I finally decided to search for another option and found my solution just a Google away – literally! In addition to all the other great tools Google offers, they also have a news tool. By going to http://www.google.com/news, you can either read the generic news options available or you can sign in to Google in order to personalize your very own news site.

I'm not going to tell you it's the easiest process, or the fastest, but with a bit of patience on a quiet New Year's weekend, you can have your own personalized news site up fairly quickly. Here's what I put together:

If you can read the words, you might notice two categories that are a bit unusual. Sandwich Generation and Health Issues for Elderly Parents and their Caregivers were topics I created. If you are interested in either of those, I believe you can select "create a custom section" and type each of those titles into the box, "Search for Sections."  It should then pull those topics up for you as welI.

If you give Google News a try, or have already created your own news site there, I'd love to hear what your favorite categories are and if you've created any special topics of interest to the Sandwich Generation. Be sure to sign up for the SandwichINK free email so you don't miss any info or resources for Sandwich Generation senior home care givers and grandparents coming your way in 2010. And have a blessed and beautiful New Year! l.

After I finished adding a new real estate article about grab bars to my Active Rain website, I spent some time reading various blog entries including one by Skip Frenzel. He is a specialist in long term care and senior real estate. I noticed he was in the process of putting together a list of caregiver websites as a resource and asking for suggestions. After putting together a list of some of my favorites, I realized this list would be of interest for you as well. So here tis:

• Carebuzz  – Carol at Carebuzz always has plenty of useful info on her site including this article on Medicare D.
• Caregiving – A site full of information and encouragement, they specialize in insights, information, and inspirations.
• A Psychiatrist with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) -  David writes from the unique perspective of a physician who has Lewy Body Dementia. He knows the technical details AND how it feels to deal with the disease.
• Transition Home Aging – Dale's goal is to provide insight and information to adult children of aging parents so they may “thrive and find joy” in every stage of life!
• Alzheimer's Reading Room – Bob DeMarco is a full-time caregiver for his mother who has Alzheimer's Disease and writes to share the information he has learned as he deals with this illness.
• EldercareABC blog -  An interesting site with an online community for caregivers of aging parents designed by
  caregivers of aging parents. They also have a regular blog carnival centered on eldercare.
• Taking Care of the Folks  – An RN and a caregiver with plenty of useful tips from the trenches.
• Seniors For Living -  This site has several writers, leading to a well-rounded resource site. One of my favorite series there is the Boomers and Seniors: News You Can Use blog carnival. Lots of great info for caregivers. And now that you've read about all these great sites, you can can find even more wonderful resources for caregivers in their article, Top Senior and Boomer Blogs and Sites on Twitter.

By the way, be sure to visit Skip Frenzel's website. He has a link to a very interesting article about the penalties for missing deadlines when siging up for Medicare. Very useful information!