10 Ways to Stay Connected with The National Resource Directory

By the National Resource Directory Staff

Do you know about the National Resource Directory (NRD)? The NRD connects Wounded Warriors, Service Members, Veterans, family members and caregivers with services and resources at the national, state and local levels that support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration. The site offers a number of ways to stay connected, receive valuable information and find resources.

10 Ways to Stay Connected with The National Resource Directory

1. Keep your family, friends and colleagues up to date on programs and services helping Veterans, Service Members and their families by suggesting that they subscribe to National Resource Directory email updates.

2. Become a part of the growing National Resource Directory family on Facebook.

3. Get news and information about resources delivered directly to your desktop when you subscribe to the National Resource Directory’s RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed.

4. Find programs and services near you by visiting the National Resource Directory’s Information by State section.


5. Spread the word about the National Resource Directory by putting a link on your website or blog.

6. Recommend a resource, organization or program in your community that you think should be included on the National Resource Directory through Suggest A Resource.

7. View automatically updated resources available in your state directly on your own website or blog by adding the National Resource Directory's State Widget.

8. Become a member of the National Resource Directory's LinkedIn group and connect with people who share your interests and concerns.

9. Stay up to date on news and events of interest to Veterans and military families by visiting the National Resource Directory's In The News page.

10. Visit the National Resource Directory's Facility and Records Locator page to find the locations of VA facilities and Social Security offices, as well as locations and contact information for military installations and VA records and military personnel records.

Posted by Diana Z. on Apr 5, 2011 5:50:21 AM in Veterans & Military

A Few Tax Tips for the Elderly - NYTimes.com

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By PATRICK EGAN

With the tax-filing deadline bearing down, many of us are wrestling with financial issues particular to elder care. Opportunities to lower tax bills abound, thank goodness, but the details are often complicated or confusing — and most seniors can’t afford to leave money on the table. Here are a few details to keep in mind this year.
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One Caregiver v. One Stuffed Condo. - NYTimes.com

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By PAULA SPAN

I’m enjoying a blog called The Downsize Challenge, whose author posts weekly about her trials and triumphs as she culls through a lifetime’s possessions crammed into her grandfather’s two-bedroom Florida condo.

The Downsize Challenge has raised questions that plague all of us (what do all those keys unlock, anyway?) and fostered a lively competition to see which reader had the oldest expiration date on something in the medicine cabinet (a jar of Vaseline from 1974 took the prize).

It also carries a not-so-subtle message. “I was encouraging other members of my family not to wait 20 years to deal with this stuff, because I don’t want to have to do it again,” said the blog’s author, Julie Lanoie.
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Getting Dad to Talk About It - NYTimes.com

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By KAREN STABINER

My widowed father-in-law didn’t tell anyone about his symptoms — not his doctor, and not his grown son, who found out only when a member of the extended family called to say my husband needed to fly across the country immediately to see his dad.

By that point, the kidney cancer that would have been easy to treat if detected early had passed the fail-safe point. My father-in-law was not the kind of guy who liked to depend on people, so he made sure he had to for only a very short time before he died.

He was an extreme example of a familiar dynamic, which Deborah Tannen, a professor of linguistics at Georgetown University, calls “the guy’s view.” Dr. Tannen, the author of seven books about how we communicate with one another, says that many older men consider keeping difficult information to themselves a badge of courage. In this view, it’s what men are supposed to do to keep from upsetting the womenfolk.

But that often leaves caregivers struggling to improve communication, particularly in the doctor’s office.

Fortunately, there are things adult children can do for the many parents — men leading the pack, but some moms, too — who are reluctant to talk about what’s bothering them.
In a study of 12,000 Medicare recipients published in The Archives of Internal Medicine in 2008, Debra Roter, a professor of public health at Johns Hopkins University, and her colleagues found that elderly patients who were accompanied by someone reported greater satisfaction with their doctors’ visits than those who showed up in waiting rooms alone.

“Having a companion made those who were more ill or less educated on a par with people who were better off on those variables,” said Dr. Roter. An adult child accompanying a parent to a doctor’s appointment, she added, can help in very specific ways:
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Strains for Hispanic Caregivers - NYTimes.com

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By KAREN STABINER

Caregiving obligations are deeply felt in many Hispanic families; even those with few resources traditionally have not hesitated to assume responsibility for aging parents. But these days familialismo is running up against harsh modern realities. According to Jacqueline Angel, professor of sociology and public policy at the University of Texas, many Hispanic families are struggling with language barriers that make navigating the health care system difficult, and with poverty that limits care options and makes retirement planning an elusive, unaffordable dream.
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Caregiving Strain and Estimated Risk for Stroke and Coronary Heart Disease Among Spouse Caregivers – Journal Article

High caregiving stress has been associated with poor physical and psychological health, and with increased mortality among spouse caregivers. This study examined the differential effects of stress on stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk by race and sex. Caregiving strain was significantly associated with higher estimated risk for men, particularly African American men, providing caregiving to their wives.

Journal Article

Dementia at the Kitchen Table - NYTimes.com

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By CELIA WATSON SEUPEL

Like so many of my friends, I recently brought my mother home to live with my family. At 92, Mom still laughs readily, especially at herself; still dances a few steps whenever she hears jazz; still loves literature, though she’s more likely to read Sue Grafton than James Joyce these days.

She just can’t remember anything.

We extracted Mom from her home of 40 years only by urgent persuasion and promises of eventual return. The place was a wreck, littered with crumpled tissues, filthy linens, mouse droppings and piles of junk-mail solicitations that confounded her. I do not think she will ever go back. And after four months of living together, I do not know if I can manage to stay. Mom runs like an Eveready battery. She is never still.
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Funny Prayer about Getting Old at the Caregiver of the Year Dinner

A Reminder That Laughter is the Best Medicine from the Caregiverstress.com web page



Download a copy of the poem, Blessed In Aging (PDF 275k), which Mary reads at the end of her prayer.

1 in 6 Caregivers Uses Mobile Technology -- AARP Technology

Image by William Hook via Flickr
by: AARP Technology

AARP released today an original survey titled, "Health and Caregiving among the 50+: Ownership, Use and Interest in Mobile Technology" that demonstrates that half of people 50 and over use — or are at least somewhat interested in using — mobile technology for their health. Among caregivers of people age 50 and over, one in six uses a mobile technology to track the health of their care recipient.

The majority of people 50 and over own some type of mobile technology and nearly eight out of 10 own a cell phone. Not surprisingly, cell phones are the most frequently mentioned mobile device that respondents say they take with them when they leave home.

While cell phones could be a productive means of communicating with this audience about health issues, respondents' receptivity varies by how the technology is to be used. However, there is substantial interest in using mobile technology to track one's own health.
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Grandparents Rights » Grandparents custody: what is it and why?

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from CaringGrandparents.com

A grandparent may seek legal custody of their grandchildren for numerous reasons. The simplicity or complexity of this will depend on individual circumstances and whether or not both the parents and grandparents agree that the children should be in the custody of the grandparents.

Legal custody is awarded by the courts and is not merely a written agreement between two parties. If both parties are not in agreement, the grandparent or other relative must prove to the court that it is in the best interest of the child or children to be raised by someone other than the parent.

If neglect or abuse of a child is suspected, it should be reported to the Department of Social Services. It is also important to record and document any reasons why a child should be removed from the custody of his or her parents. This is not a decision that a court makes lightly and supporting evidence must be presented by a relative when seeking custody of a child.

When a person or couple becomes the custodian of a child, this does not legally sever other family relationships as in the case of adoption and may be reversed at a later time when circumstances change.
Grandparents Rights » Grandparents custody: what is it and why?

Grandfamilies: A New Term on the Rise

by Jilly Prather

Today’s definition of “family” has been changing drastically in recent years with the advent of a new kind of family unit. Due to various reasons—such as parents having drug problems, the rise of divorce, an economy that has put millions out of work, and single moms who can no longer raise their own children—we now have a growing generation of grandparents who find themselves in the trenches of raising young grandchildren. This new phenomenon of parents depending on the grandparents to finish raising their children is also called “the skipped generation.”

As a grandparent, I once dreamed about my children leaving home to embark upon creating their own lives as independent people, having a home of their own, good jobs, and grandchildren for me to spoil and send home. Retirement was something I looked forward to, with travel plans and the freedom I felt I deserved after decades of raising my kids.

One evening a few months ago, I received a call from the police department asking if I could go pick up my 14-year-old granddaughter for an indefinite period. Of course I went quickly, as Sherry (not her real name) and I had a strong bond. I had always told her to call me if she ever needed me for any reason. I scooped her up in my arms and promised her that everything would be okay now—she was now with Grammy. I did what any other loving grandmother would do. When the grandchildren need to be saved from dangerous situations and they have no other adult to turn to, grandparents take over to provide the safety and love the child desperately lacks but needs in order to become a good adult.

In 2008, census statistics show that 6.6 million children lived with their grandparents. Of those children, 4.4 million lived in the home of a grandparent without any help or interaction from their parents (U.S. Census Bureau 2009). Those numbers are staggering and continue to increase yearly.

Older adults who once looked forward to growing a new nest of opportunities and goals now find themselves in the midst of having to start over again raising children. Many of these seniors live on a fixed income based on social security, disability or limited retirement funds that make suddenly having another child to support very difficult. In the 2008 census, the government reported that 482,000 grandparents lived below the poverty level before they became responsible for caring for grandchildren (U.S. Census Bureau 2009).
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HOW TO EASE THE STRUGGLES OF CARE GIVING

By Alice Iseminger ( Seniors Helping Seniors in Lorain County Ohio)

Caring for an elderly loved one can be very rewarding. But being a caregiver can also become a struggle to cope with emotional family relationships and often, financial hardships because of missed work due to care taking.

According to a survey by the Family Caregiver Alliance and AARP, “nearly 25% of working Americans provide care to an elderly friend or relative.” Look around you. That means one in four employees have care giving responsibilities that can negatively impact their work life.

Working caregivers often have to leave their jobs early, come in late, or take extra time off for their care taking responsibilities. The stress level of juggling work, family and care giving can cause guilt, anger, exhaustion, anxiety, and depression in the caregiver.

Women caregivers are especially hard hit as they continually juggle more of the demands of family and care taking as well as their careers.

As baby boomers age, more resources are becoming available. The first place to start is by creating your own list of who, what, when, where, how and why.

• Who is available in the community to provide information and assistance? For example, Lorain County Office on Aging, and Seniors Helping Seniors

• What are the different levels of care needed? (Companionship, transportation, housekeeping, personal care, etc.?) For example, I would like someone to assist mom with her personal bathing and dressing.
• When is care needed? For example, Three days a week I would like someone to visit with my loved one and make lunch.
• Where is the best place for care? Most people prefer to stay in their own home. Being at home is where they feel safe and comfortable and it improves physical and mental well being.
• How much can the family afford and how will services be covered? It can be a combination of private funds, insurance and other resources.

• Why should I make a decision now? Don’t wait until there is an emergency to provide care for a loved one and support for the care giver.

You cannot control every situation. In all likelihood, caring for an older adult means that over time, more help will be needed, not less. As a care giver you can learn that you have options, and that you are not alone.

HCBS / More Info:Caregivers of Veterans – Serving on the Homefront

Summary

While caregivers of veterans face similar situations as family caregivers in general, they also have unique challenges. The study reveals how providing care affects these caregivers’ lives, what organizations and information sources have been helpful to them, and what programs and services would support and assist them. Attached are links to the Full Report, Executive Summary in English and Spanish, Press Release, and a Key Findings Fact Sheet.

Available Files

• Full Report PDF (1,224K, 84 pages)
• Executive Summary-English PDF (548K, 20 pages)
• Executive Summary-Spanish PDF (799K, 20 pages)
• Key Findings PDF (38K, 3 pages)
• Press Release PDF (137K, 4 pages)
• Website Off-site link

PhillyBurbs.com: More grandparents raising grandchildren

Image via WikipediaBy: GEMA MARIA DUARTE

More than 2.4 million people in the U.S. are raising their grandchildren, often with limited means.

The Christmas tree was bare. No gifts were under it. So she vowed she would never have another Christmas like that one in 1990.

Dolores Chapman was raising seven grandchildren and none of them had a gift to open. That Christmas the kids weren't allowed to go out and play with their Bristol Township neighbors.

"I felt bad," she said.

The next day, with $200, Chapman purchased gifts for her grandchildren on sale.

This Christmas, the 63-year-old grandmother is caring for three other grandchildren - a 5-year-old girl, an 8-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl.

It's tough being a grandparent and raising grandchildren on a fixed income, she said. Of her 18 grandchildren, she's raised 10 of them.

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A Shelter From Elder Abuse, Caregiving - AARP Bulletin

by: Sally Abrahms

When Tom* learned his 30-year-old son was moving to America from West Africa to live with him, he was thrilled. For more than 20 years, he had worked two jobs, as a New York City cabdriver and a security guard, so he could support his wife and seven children back home.

What he did not anticipate was having a drunk driver hit his cab, breaking two knees and his back so he was unable to work, as well as a son who refused to get a job. One day, Tom asked his son to turn down the radio. Instead, he stormed over to his dad, broke his cane and locked him in his bedroom.

Walking down the street another day, "I felt someone behind me," recalls Tom. "My son jumped on my back, and grabbed the food in my hand. I fell to the ground. 'One day I will kill you,' he said. I was in an accident and he was supposed to help me. I sacrificed my life for my kids, and this is how my son says thank you? Why did he do this to me?"

It's a question that staff get asked repeatedly by the dozen or so residents, like Tom, who come each year to the Weinberg Center for Elder Abuse Prevention located at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale in the Bronx, N.Y., the nation's first elder abuse shelter in a long-term care facility.

A whole new concept of protection

The concept couldn't come soon enough for the age 65-plus victims of physical, emotional, sexual or financial abuse, most often hurt at the hands of a family member who may also be their caregiver. Among the victims are those with dementia who may not be able to articulate the abuse; their bruises or empty bank accounts speak for themselves.

While Americans are living longer — thus delaying inheritances — unemployment is growing, the economy continues to sour and adult children and their older parents are being forced to move in together.

Full Article

AoA November Newsletter

Table of Contents

Top Story

November Is National Family Caregivers Month

AoA News

AoA’s National Family Caregiver Support Program Celebrates 10 Years

November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month

Message from Assistant Secretary Kathy Greenlee on Veterans Day 2010

AoA Recognizes Native American Heritage Month

Population Data on Older American Indian Adults Featured in AoA’s November
Widget

Eldercare Locator Takes on a New Look for a Rapidly Aging Population

2010-2011 Influenza Campaign

Other HHS News

Medicare Open Enrollment

AHRQ Launches New Website for Men

Hospitalizations for Medication and Illicit Drug-related Conditions on the Rise
among Americans Ages 45 and Older

More News

Scholarship Opportunity for Graduate Students

NCOA to Sponsor Webinar on Vision and Aging

Additional National Observances in November

Caregiving Without Siblings - NYTimes.com

By PAULA SPAN

Yet Ms. Milgram-Bossong e-mailed me a few weeks back to say, “I am frightened, horrified in fact, of the near future.” The reason: She’s an only child.

“There could be some agonizing times ahead, and I’m facing it alone,” she said when I called. Research shows that even when there are several adult children, just one (a daughter, usually) emerges as the so-called primary caregiver and handles the bulk of her parents’ care. But Ms. Milgram-Bossong finds that minor consolation.

“Even if I had a sibling in California, I’d have someone to talk to. I have no one to bounce ideas off, to think about what I’m not thinking about,” she said. Widowed in her 50s with no children, she’s determined to do well by her parents when they need her, but the prospect keeps her awake nights.


Regina Milgram-Bossong, meet Margaret Reiss, 48, an insurance broker in San Francisco. Ms. Reiss knows that her parents, living independently in Florida, will need help before very long. Her father is still strong at 90, but becoming more forgetful; her mother, 94, is mentally sharp but physically very frail. “I’d like to talk and think about these decisions before we need to make them,” Ms. Reiss told me.

But having a brother in California and a sister in Maryland, both older, hasn’t helped. “We’re not on the same page,” she lamented.
Full Article

Celebrate with AoA: Tenth Anniversary of the National Family Caregiver Support Program!

Serving as a caregiver for a loved one is both challenging and rewarding.  All too often, the efforts of family caregivers go unnoticed.  To honor this dedication and commitment, the U.S. Administration on Aging is excited to announce the Year of the Family Caregiver.

November 2010 marks the 10th Anniversary of the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP).  To help celebrate this milestone and to highlight the important role caregivers play in the everyday lives of those for whom they provide care, AoA would like to help you recognize the tremendous efforts of family caregivers.  A new website, www.celebratingfamilycaregivers.org has been created and is equipped with the tools and materials you need to organize, publicize, and host events to honor caregivers and celebrate the NFCSP’s accomplishments.

On this website, you can learn about the impact and importance of family caregivers; download tools and resources to plan and host a caregiver event in your area; view upcoming events nationwide on the commemorative calendar; add your own events to the calendar; and view video and written testimonials from other caregivers as well as share you own stories. 

Please take full advantage of this website.  It is a useful tool designed and built for many types of organizations.  Join AoA in celebrating the Year of the Family Caregiver, reflecting on the past 10 years of progress and looking ahead to the next decade of caring.   

AFA Offering Free Copies of New 'Preventing Falls' DVD

 

National Falls Prevention Awareness Day is an initiative of the Falls Free Coalition, of which AFA is a member, and is observed on the first day of fall each year to increase public awareness about how to prevent and reduce falls among older adults.

 

In line with this objective, AFA's "Preventing Falls" DVD provides insight into why dementia intensifies the incidence of falls and offers practical strategies from experts and family caregivers, including communication techniques, home modifications and lifestyle changes. It was funded in part with a grant from Novartis Pharmaceuticals.

 

For a free copy, call AFA at (toll-free) 866-AFA-8484.

Till Dementia Do Us Part: Alzheimer's Caregivers, Spouses Seek New Love, Relationship - AARP Bulletin

by: Cynthia Ramnarace | from: AARP Bulletin

For 10 years, A.B. Amis shepherded his wife, Frances, through the dark maze of Alzheimer's disease.
.............................................
The job of caregiver was tough, the hours long, the emotional toll enormous. A.B. watched as Frances disappeared little by little. This slow death left A.B. both immensely sad and incredibly lonely, very typical emotions for a caregiver.

"Caregiving is overwhelming, and there's no reward," says geriatric psychiatrist William Uffner, M.D., medical director for the Older Adult Program at Friends Hospital in Philadelphia. "Sometimes you wind up doing things that you would do for your 6-month- or 3 1/2-year-old child."

But a caregiver of older people doesn't get the positive feedback a child gives—growth, development, a glimpse of a future, Uffner says. Confronting a progressive series of losses is just incredibly disappointing. "And then you don't even have your husband or your wife when it gets too frustrating and you have a meltdown," he says.
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