SENIOR HOME CARE GIVING:

Dale Carter is Hosting "How to Help when Both Aging Parents are Ill & Declining", TODAY, 01/19 at 11 a.m. EST on BlogTalkRadio.  If you are reading this after that time/date, though, you will still be able to listen to it on an archived copy.

Your Local Disability Rights Office can help with adaptive equipment.  Per @caregiving

Very thought provoking!  Senior Care Advice in Exactly Three Words. Don't forget to peek at the comments as well – even more good ones there. Yup, including one from me. I have to confess, I used one our pastor once taught us – JOY = Jesus, Others, you. Works well for all parts of life including senior home care giving AND grandparenting.  

CAREGIVING IN AMERICA magazine is premiering this month. It targets 50 million US caregivers of family & friends. WOW! Can you believe there are that many of us! Via @ElderCareRN

Do you need some crochet hat ideas for a beloved elderly parent going through chemotherapy? @HookingStitches suggests that you crochet a Rasta hat like one of these for them.  And maybe even make some extras to donate to @halosofhope and her ministry of making crochet hats for cancer patients. Isn't that a wonderful ministry idea for senior home care givers who have a bit of extra time but can't leave the house!
 
Tips for Aging Adults on Conserving Memories. Via @Carebuzz. I highly recommend Twitter. It will definitely keep your mind active and engaged as you learn all sorts of interesting new things.  

Speaking of my grand-YorkiPoos, I guess it's never too soon to think about providing senior home care for an Elderly Dog. I nursed my beloved little kitty through cancer before she died several years ago and have had several elderly relatives who have had to take care of their elderly dogs and cats! Good info to think about! Via @HomeHelpIreland

Older adults miss out on lots of activities/field trips. Why not get them a transport wheelchair?   Great tip from @TeamPribisko

Don't forget to check back here next Tuesday. Instead of Tuesday Twitter, it will be the Boomers and Seniors:News You Can Use blog carnival, with lots of great info for you. AND if you are a writer / blogger about boomers and seniors topics, we'd love to have you submit a post!  

GRANDPARENTS:

The owner of Legoland has purchased Cypress Gardens, the venerable Polk County, Florida attraction.. Sounds like another LegoLand to make our grandkids happy is in the works! Via @relogal
 
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT:

Grandparents' and parents' prayer: O Lord, Let Your work appear to Your servants And Your majesty to their children [and grandchildren].

"As a kid, I thought of "old" as 40. Now, "old" is merely a state of mind, never an age." Love that! Via @Seniors4Living and @ageopportunity

Senior Home Care Giver's Prayer – O Lord, satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

“Anyone can serve the Lord when it makes sense and is easy. But it takes commitment to do the Lord’s will when you don't understand." @pastorkjl

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." Martin Luther King. Via @PaulaRobinsonRN

I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in Whom I trust.

BABY BOOMER GENERATION / SANDWICH GENERATION:

Wider at the Waist? Watch Out for Dementia. Oh dear! Gotta get back to walking daily!!!
   
Yoplait Smoothies From Freezer to Fabulous Giveaway – Head to Moomettes’ for a chance to win a Yoplait Smoothie AND blender! 

A Trojan in the guise of a W2 form attached to spam purportedly from IRS is making the rounds. As always, don’t click directly on links from sources you don’t know. And NEVER give out info to sites you didn’t go to directly. And sometimes, not even then!

Walgreen Threatens To Pull Pharmacies From Medicaid Program.  Via @PattyGrace 

Too much TV may have deadly toll! Good for us to know for our elderly parents, our grandchildren, AND ourselves!

If you are going to watch TV, you might want to munch a few almonds. Eating 1 oz of almonds a day, abt 23 whole almonds, can lower LDL cholesterol levels.   RT @ElderCareRN

As we enter the fourth and final week of Advent, I’ve been enjoying teaching my grandchildren new things about the nativity of our Lord. One thing we’ve discussed this year was the fact that Jesus made many sacrifices for us by coming to earth in human form. From dirty diapers and diaper rash, to splinters as he grew, to the ultimate pain of the cross, it was a life full of surrender and sacrifice – for us! At any time, Jesus could have looked at the Father and said, “Forget it. These people are awful! It’s not worth it! Take Me home!” Praise God, that’s NOT what happened. He basically said, by His actions as well as His words, “These people can be awful but I love them so much! I’m staying to help them, so they don’t have to spend an eternity in hell!”  And He did just that!

We love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

Now, He calls on each of us to do the same for others. To live a life of surrender to Him. To love others, even the unlovable, with His love. To serve them, encourage them, and minister to them in a myriad of ways, including through senior home care and grandparenting. Who knows if and when His message gets through to others via us. Even when we are providing dementia care to a beloved senior, we never know when a light might go off for them, even for just a brief second. We are making a vital difference, and it’s such a joy to know that. It’s not easy, but with an eternity-view, it’s definitely worth it!

Senior Home Care Giving:

Retirement Workout Ideas you’ll actually enjoy.   @Seniors4Living

Benefits of Pet Therapy for Seniors. @GlenboAZ

Chronic pain found to increase risk of falls in older adults. @CaringTrans

Hope for Adult Day programs in PA. Great idea for all Adult Day Programs. @PattyGrace

Employers’ Best Practices for Workers with Senior Home Care Giving Responsibilities. @ElderCareRN

Excellent, Thoughtful Approach for Alzheimer’s Disease – Principles For a Dignified Diagnosis. @CarePath @mike_gamble

‘Medicare Advantage’ at Issue in Senate.  @caregiving

Be sure to check out the Holiday Survival Guide for senior home care givers at Caregiving.

Vital info regarding Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia and Medicare.

There’s a great new Boomers and Seniors: News You Can Use blog carnival this week.

Grandparents:

Fun Christmas ideas for Grandparents.

For a creative and funny bunch of ideas to do with and for your grandchildren, pop over to @ShaynePacker ‘s site.  They are very adorable.

Words of Encouragement:

God is the rock of my refuge.

God is my salvation.

God is our helper.

God is the strength of my heart.

Baby Boomer Generation:

Surprising analysts, Bank of America says it will fully repay $45 billion taxpayer aid soon. Good news about one of my favorite banks!  On the other side of the coin, with the repeal deadline approaching, House votes to extend estate tax (45% rate). There’s been no action yet in the Senate.  @SoundMindInvest

Yummm. If you have a Christmas party planned this year for friends, neighbors, or grandchild, here’s a delish-looking Candy Cane Fudge recipe!

Senior Home Care Giving:

Redefining Dementia as a Terminal Illness.  Dale Carter / Transition Aging Parents.

Excellent article and resource link discussing falls among the elderly due to certain medications at Alzheimer’s Reading Room.

Comforting Alzheimer’s and dementia care givers.  @ForCaregivers

COPD: Awareness Is Rising, But Understanding Is Still Low.  @PattyGrace

RLS or leg cramps at night for you or your aging parent? This seems weird but I have a friend who has tried it and says it works great! Anyone else tried it? 

An apple a day keeps Colon Cancer at bay!

Great resource for Boomers & Seniors at Seniors For Living with the latest Boomers and Seniors: News You Can USE!

Adding a Stair Lift to Aid a Senior Loved One.

Grandparents:

I really enjoyed reading all the interesting posts at the Homeschooling Blog Carnival at Janice-Campbell’s site. There’s some great ideas for our grandkids in homeschooling programs.

A good ebook resource for grandkids just starting in homeschooling programs.

LEGO toys and games are great for the grandkids and now LEGO brings historical figures to life including Mark Twain, Elvis and more. My grandson was quite intrigued by these and had me print him out a copy.   @prblog

Kids coloring pages to print including fun Thanksgiving coloring pages. Great for the grandkids

If you have an mp3 player, did you know you can buy simple stereo speakers for only $10 at Walmart and NO batteries are required? I just did that and now I can let my grandkids listen to stories and music with my iPod! Great for in a bedroom or you can even use them as frugal car mp3 players.

CurrClick is offering a free Thanksgiving workbook – fun for grandkids & grandparents.

Sandwich Generation:

I have always loved this quote – since I heard it years ago:  “To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am” ~ F. Bacon. Thanks to @RetiredTeacherD @Terrillific RT @gen_kenig for the reminder.

Loved this article on exercise at Moomette’s Magnificents. The comments weren’t bad either.

Words of Encouragement  for the Sandwich Generation!  Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Senior Home Care Giving is hard whether you live near by or at a distance. WebMD has some GOOD NEWS for those of us in the Sandwich Generation who are dealing with this on a regular basis!

Their article describes a wide variety of new technologies available now or soon to come to help caregivers and aging parents. Some of these ways include:

• A virtual check-up with the doctor
• Using motion sensors to track whether seniors are eating regularly, alert you to falls, and even help you discover such things as urinary tract infections!

Using these fascinating technologies and others described in the article can be wonderful ways to save money and time – something we in the Sandwich Generation really appreciate. Hopefully some, if not all, of these will be covered by insurance. And they are all useful for both near by and far away care giving! Be sure to read the whole article to get the full scoop! I’m going to add this to my list of questions for our next doctor’s visit.

Senior Home Care Giving:

Caregiver Tips: Activities for aging parents with Alzheimer’s Disease. @carebuzz

Strategies for the Sandwich Generation Senior Home Care Giver at BusinessWeek.

Alzheimers Update: Insurance Company Requires Proof for Every Aricept Prescription. RT @alzheimersdotfm

Interesting article about Sandwich Generation Senior Home Care Givers at CBN News.

Interesting info at the November 4th EldercareABC Blog Carnival including heating cost help for senior citizens!

Help Your Favorite Senior Fight Alzheimer’s This Thanksgiving: Win a $2,500 Brain Fitness System.

Thanks to new technologies taking care of the elderly will become much easier in the future.   @caring4parents

Adding a Stair Lift to Aid a Senior Loved One.

Grandparenting:

CurrClick is offering a free Thanksgiving workbook. CurrClick is a good resource for homeschooling programs as well as having lots of fun ideas for grandkids & grandparents.

Baby Boomer Generation:

Statistics show that more and more of the Baby Boomer Generation are online, including surfing such places as Facebook. It’s vital to remember to be careful what information you share with others!  Your date of birth and birthplace are enough info to give an identity thief a 44% chance of getting the first five digits of your social security number!

YUMMY – a beloved elderly neighbor gave me this recipe years ago and I was so sad that I had lost it. One of my daughters just spotted it online! It is SOOOO good!

That’s it for this Twitter Tuesday. Have a great week and don’t forget to sign up for our free SandwichINK email.

Senior Home Care Givers:

Top 10 Diseases Made Famous by Celebrities – Parkinson’s Disease is #4 and Autism is # 10. @ParkinsonsInfo

An interesting EldercareABC blog carnival.

Boomers and Seniors: News You Can Use 10/27/09 – Transition, Memories & Meaning…

Good info for those who will soon be having cataract surgery! @mike_gamble

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain! @TeresaBaine

Lack of ZZZZs Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease in Mice.    @GlenboAZ

Grandparenting:

Kids elect “awesome” homecoming queen with autism. @SafetyNetSource:

Show off your grandkids in a high-tech tiny keychain fun sort of way. Giveaway – Digital Photo Keychain.  @Janetfaye

Sandwich Generation:

Go get your free Christian holiday book now – The Purpose of Christmas by Rick Warren. @HomeEverAfter

Encouragement – You are my help and my deliverer; O my God.

Are eggs required for baking? A better option is to grind a tablespoon of flax seed & dissolve it in 3 tablespoons of water. This equals the same consistency and binding power as the eggs and is a lot healthier for our baby boomer generation bodies (not to mention our senior parents’ bodies). @Carebuzz

Mixed news from many quarters on whether the economy is better, worse or the same. The bottom line, though, is that there are still plenty of people I know who are out of work and need some extra help. If you know anyone using food stamps, let them know that many wholesale clubs like Sam’s Club are now taking food stamps. For a large, multi-generational family, that could be a big help!

Democrats Agree to Extend Home-Buyer Tax Credit as part of a package that would also extend unemployment benefits. It could come up for a vote today. If you want to express your opinion on this, either way, you’ll find the congressional contact info at SandwichINK.

Food safety is vital for the Sandwich Generation and their families. Poultry is the #1 source of food poisoning in the U.S. — here’s how to keep your family safe. @parenting

Humorous & interesting article – My Neighbor Rocks – Baby Boomer Generation Meets Guns and Roses.

Many of us in the Sandwich Generation are providing dementia care for aging parents. One big concern as the disease progresses is the safety of our senior parents. Every few days you read about a patient with dementia who has wandered off and is lost. Currently, there is no national system in place to help find them, such as the Amber Alerts which help find children. As I wrote in my original post on silver alerts and in my Twitter updates about Silver Alerts,  it’s vital for us to contact our elected representatives and ask that they support H.R. 632 which would provide an inexpensive and easy way to send Silver Alerts out across the nation. Since it is not uncommon for a dementia patient to be found many miles and several states away from home, this is a definite need.

Since I recently moved, I just contacted my new senators via email. It took me about ten minutes to find their email addresses and type short notes. Thanks to RefDesk, you can do it even faster for this and other issues of importance to you. They just sent me a great link that did NOT turn up when I was doing my Google search. It would have made it much easier and faster for me! As busy Senior Home Care Givers and grandparents, we all need as much help in that area as we can get.

The website is a government site, USA.gov. You’ll find email and snail mail addresses, phone numbers, website addresses, and even info about being able to “tweet” your representative. While you’re there, be sure to send an email to each of your senators to support H.R. 632 to provide help finding missing dementia patients, and any other cause you support.

As I wrote yesterday at SandwichINK Real Estate Info, I also highly recommend RefDesk. You can visit there daily to see their latest “Site of the Day” or sign up to have it mailed to you daily. I do find the most interesting sites from them. It’s one of my favorite resources! 

Once you’ve contacted your senator, you can check here often to see if there has been any movement on this bill. I have a button on the far right side that shows what is (or is not) happening. And do sign up for the SandwichINK free email so you don’t miss out on any of the resources provided here for great Sandwich Generation Senior Home Care Givers and Grandparents like you!

For the last few days, everywhere I look I have seen the headlines, “Halloween Safety for Kids” and with good reason. Halloween is only a couple of days away and we definitely want to keep our kids and grandkids extra safe. I was interested to read that kids going out to enjoy Halloween trick or treat in the neighborhood is actually down in many areas, with private parties, mall options, and church harvest festivals serving as a safe and fun replacement. Even so, there will be plenty going house to house and it’s good to be well-prepared, with plenty of candy for the Halloween trick or treat-ers, and with good Halloween safety tips:

1. If your grandkids do go Halloween trick or treating from your house, it’s best to escort them, take flashlights and wear reflective tape. Did you know that “on average, twice as many kids are killed while walking on Halloween compared to other days of the year!” That’s especially good info this year since Daylight Savings Time isn’t changing until after all the trick or treating is done, so it will be dark earlier than the norm.
2. It’s wise to cross at crosswalks and street corners rather than in the middle of the street. Don’t forget, some of the people out driving could be senior citizens whose eye sight is not as great as it used to be. Crossing at the crosswalks is much safer ALL YEAR LONG!
3. Don’t forget to check all your grandkids’ candy and treats when you get home. Sadly, a few bad people poisoning treats in the past make it a vital necessity for us all to do this each year!
4. Be sure to take your ID with you and if you are taking grandkids who don’t know or can’t communicate their phone numbers and addresses, I would make sure they have some identification on them as well, just in case you accidentally get separated! One great idea we learned at an amusement park is to write your phone number high on their arm in permanent marker. It’ll come off in a couple of days, but then there is a safe way to help reconnect y’all. Hopefully you will never need it, but better safe than sorry!
5. If your grandkids don’t live close or are doing a party instead, and you find yourself out in the car on October 31, be extra alert and careful! Keep your eyes open in all directions as you never know when a wee one may dart out in front of you! It’s best to try to limit distractions anytime we are driving. That’s especially true on a night like this when we will need all our senses working overtime!
6. Something I always used to do for my aging parents before we lived together is to make sure they remembered to turn off their lights if they didn’t want to hand out treats. They loved handing out the candy and admiring the costumes when they were younger, but once dad’s Parkinson’s got worse, he couldn’t move that quickly so they had to stop.
7. If your aging parent has dementia, be aware that the doorbells, knocking, and costumes could be confusing or even frightening for some patients. It might be a good idea to talk about it ahead of time and see how they react and then making your plans accordingly. EONs’ HippyGirl52 has more Halloween Safety Tips for combining a fun time with a parent who has dementia.

Hopefully these Halloween Safety Tips will be a big help for all of us to have a happy and SAFE Halloween, which is the best treat of all! What are some of your tips for aging parents and grandkids for Halloween? We’d love to hear them!  :)

It’s a rainy, blustery day in Autumn today. How about you? I just came from my church where I picked up duplicate copies of each of my grandkids’ Awanas books to keep at my house. That way I can help them learn their verses each week without having to send the books back and forth. Yes, it’s a little more expensive that way but I love doing it. It saves on the stress load when one of us is taking the kids to Awanas and the other of us has the books! With all the stress in a Sandwich Generation Senior Home Care Giver and Grandparent’s life, we definitely don’t need more. True?

I was thinking about what a blessing all sorts of duplicates can be for us – both for our grandkids AND for our aging parents.

For my grandkids, I’ve routinely keep on hand:

• Diapers, Pull-ups, Good-nites (my all-time favorite night-time pull-up), and Swim Diapers
• Bottles, Sippy Cups, and other special equipment they’ve needed over the years. Also, specialized medical equipment/medications for special needs and/or emergencies, such as feeding bags, allergy kits, etc.
• Formula, favorite foods, non-perishable lunch box items, and easy freezable breakfast items
• Medications – did you know you can ask the pharmacist to split liquid medications into two bottles to make it easy to store some at each house? It’s very handy!

For aging parents with special needs such as those requiring dementia care, walking assistance, etc., many of us in the Sandwich Generation may only be helping part-time to give our parent’s spouse or other full-time caregiver a much-needed break. Some items that can help in that situation include:

• Incontinence pads such as Depends, Poise Pads, etc.
• A walking cane, a transport wheelchair, etc. This can make it easier for the caregiver to bring your senior parent back and forth so they don’t have to load up the car as much.
• Specialized medical equipment for special needs and/or emergencies, such as feeding bags, bedpans, etc.
• Special and/or favorite foods such as Ensure
• Medications

As the commercial likes to say:

Extra supplies for grandkids and/or aging parents  = $xx

Storage = Does take room to store

Stress relief = PRICELESS