Months had passed since Aunt Helen and I had started working on her memoirs. She told me about life without indoor plumbing; her mother’s beautiful quilts; old love letters from a former flame that got destroyed in a fire (ironic!); the way Uncle Hal proposed… so many sweet and sentimental, sad and heartbreaking stories. Now I wanted to do something with them. I started researching my options.

I thought about making a bound book; a real, honest-to-goodness printed paperback. I could make dozens of copies and hand them out to family at the next reunion. You may find this to be practical, especially if family is willing to pitch in for the project. Books start at around $7 each. Some companies have minimum orders, others do not. Do some research and look into a few companies online, like www.cafepress.com, www.lulu.com, or www.blurb.com. There are many more; try typing the words “publish your own book” into your internet search box.

Another option that appealed to me was making a beautiful scrapbook with plastic sleeves. I spent hours browsing the aisles of my local craft stores. There are many who could turn these stories into a work of art that would become a treasured heirloom. Alas, I am not artistic or patient, and found my attention turning in yet another direction.

What I ultimately decided to do was make a digitally printed album for Aunt Helen’s memoirs. She had some wonderful pictures that I was able to scan and upload, and most companies have templates that are extremely simple to use. I was able to enter her stories along with the photos, and get the book printed on glossy paper with a hardback cover. You can look into companies like www.mypublisher.com, www.mpix.com, or www.shutterfly.com. There are many more companies to choose from; just type in the words “photo book” into your internet search box.

Finally the day came! I wrapped Aunt Helen’s book in tissue paper and tied it with a sparkly silver bow. When she opened it, she gasped. “My stories,” she sighed, “my pictures! It’s wonderful…” Her voice trailed off, overwhelmed with emotion as she turned the pages.

Every visitor is now proudly shown her book. Every caller on the phone is regaled with stories of my thoughtfulness. Dear Aunt Helen… I’m so happy that she’s happy with her gift; but if only she knew – the pleasure was truly all mine.

We hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or if you know of a senior that could benefit from our vast array of home care services in Baton Rouge, please call us at 225.819.8338 or email us. Most long-term care insurance policies will reimburse us for our services and we have a team of over 200 bonded and insured CAREGivers covering the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area.

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View the Story on our blog: Memories into Memoirs, Part 2 .

“Our memories are the only paradise from which we can never be expelled.” — Jean Paul Richter

Aunt Helen never had much to say. Every day, she whispered to the birds through the window, told me when it was going to rain, or scolded Pat Sajak for his choice of tie. That was just about it. But I knew there were years of wonderful adventures laying dormant inside her; stories of color and pain; hearts broken and mysteries never solved. The fact was, I felt overwhelmed with the idea of writing Aunt Helen’s memoirs. The job seemed too large, and I didn’t even know where to start.

I’m happy to say that, little by little, I found my way. You can too. Read this first, then go put on a pot of tea. We have some memoirs to write.

I decided first of all to dust off my old tape recorder. I’m not great at taking notes, and I didn’t want to miss any information that I might find important later. If you don’t have a tape recorder, you can find wonderful devices called digital voice recorders. They’re thin and lightweight, and many cost less than $40 retail. Look for one with a USB connection so you can transfer the audio files to your computer for easy filing and access. If you don’t have a recorder and don’t want to invest in one, just grab a large notebook with smooth paper and a reliable pen and get to work.

Next comes the question of what to ask. I was worried that if I said to Aunt Helen “Tell me about your life”, I was going to get a jumbled mess of memories, spilling out in no particular order. I decided instead to ask specific questions relating to specific time periods in her life.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

People:

•  What were your siblings like as children?
• Who was your first love?
• Tell me about the children in your neighborhood.
• How did your parents meet?

Places:

• What was your first home like?
• Tell me about your bedroom as a child.
• Did you travel at all as a child? Where did you go?

Things:

• What was your first car?
• Did you have a favorite childhood toy?
• What was your first job?

Events:

• Did you ever get injured when you were young?
• What did you do for fun after school?
• What were your schoolmates like?
• What is your earliest memory?

These specific questions can be expanded upon, so remember to ask related questions as the two of you are chatting. It’s a good idea in the beginning to keep the session between 15 and 30 minutes; enough time to get details, but not so much that you’re overwhelmed with notes.

After you’ve completed a few sessions, you’ll have several groups of notes. I took a three-ring binder and divided it into 5-year sections for Aunt Helen’s life. It wasn’t an exact science, but it definitely helped keep things from becoming chaotic. You could also arrange by locations or events; do what works for you.

As the weeks passed and our binder grew, I became more and more grateful I had ventured into our project. I grew so close to Aunt Helen; I had so much appreciation for the woman she came to be. The time we spent together became priceless for both of us, instead of boring afternoons watching TV, we sipped tea and laughed; nibbled on cookies and cried. I told her my stories too, and in time, I realized: we had always been related… but now, we were family.

Next time:  You’ve gathered wonderful stories, but you don’t want them simply hanging around in a binder. Where should you go from here to make a memento that’s worthy of your loved one’s memories?

We hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or if you know of a senior that could benefit from our vast array of home care services in Baton Rouge, please call us at 225.819.8338 or email us. Most long-term care insurance policies will reimburse us for our services and we have a team of over 200 bonded and insured CAREGivers covering the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area.

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View the Story on our blog: Memories into Memoirs, Part 1 .

Support Our Fight!!

Join Home Instead in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure this year to show support to our long time and beloved co-worker, Laura Lott. Earlier this year, Laura was diagnosed with breast cancer for the 3^rd time. At the young age of 35 years old, Laura is faced with having to undergo another round of chemotherapy later this month.

To show our support and join her in the fight, Home Instead Senior Care will be participating in the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, March 10^th with festivities beginning at 8am on the LSU campus.  Better yet, Home Instead will donate an extra $10 and a free T-shirt to anyone who joins our Race Team, The Pink Bunnies, and $2 to anyone who “likes” the Home Instead Facebook Page from now until race day.

By clicking on the button below, you can either register to be on our team or donate to our team if you are unable to make the race.  For those who will make it, meet us at the blue and white Home Instead tent prior to the race on the LSU old Front Nine for food, fun and the fight against breast cancer.

Who:  The Pink Bunnies

What:  Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

When:  March 10, 2012 at 8:00 am

Where:  LSU Campus – Old Front Nine  (Directions)

How:  Join our team! or Donate to our team! Also, please share our Facebook Page with your friends to help us get more likes!

View the Story on our blog: Support Our Fight .

It had always taken Mother some time to get settled when she went to bed. That night, I thought I heard her coughing a bit, but after a few moments, she quieted down. Just to be sure she was asleep, I peeked into her room. I was horrified to find her body wedged between the mattress and bed rail. She did not have the strength to free herself, and because she was gasping for breath, couldn’t even cry out for help. I always thought that the bed rails gave Mother extra safety and security. Sadly, I found that not to be the case. Mother was alright this time, but I was determined to not let it happen again.

The FDAcites that from January 1, 1985 to January 1, 2010, there were 828 reported incidents of patients caught, trapped, entangled, or strangled in hospital beds. The reports included 493 deaths, 141 nonfatal injuries, and 194 cases where staff needed to intervene to prevent injuries. Most patients were frail, elderly or confused. In order to reduce and eliminate the risk, the FDA partnered with many excellent organizations to form the Hospital Bed Safety Workgroup.

According to the FDA, beds with rails should be assessed when:

• there is reason to believe that some components are worn (e.g., rails wobble, rails have been damaged, mattresses are softer) and could cause increased spaces within the bed system,
• when accessories such as mattress overlays or positioning poles are added or removed, or
• when components of the bed system (e.g., new bed rails or mattresses) are changed or replaced.

A list of bed rail safety guidelines can be found on Page 11 of the document“Clinical Guidance For the Assessment and Implementation of Bed Rails In Hospitals, Long Term Care Facilities, and Home Care Settings”, written by the Hospital Bed Safety Workgroup, in partnership with the FDA. The FDA’s site is so informative and helpful.  After looking over its safety guidelines, we were able to fix the bed so the mattress was firmly in place.  Now, when Mother sleeps quietly in her bed, I can rest easy.

We hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or if you know of a senior that could benefit from our vast array of home care services in Baton Rouge, please call us at 225.819.8338 or email us. Most long-term care insurance policies will reimburse us for our services and we have a team of over 200 bonded and insured CAREGivers covering the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area.

View the Story on our blog: I Thought They Were Keeping Her Safe. .

I had been away for a while, living in the city when Mom had her stroke. Dad was having a hard time taking care of her so I decided to move back to my home town to start helping out as a caregiver.

When I got there I noticed Dad hadn’t lost any weight since I had left. At that time I had been concerned about him and made him promise to take up walking every day to try and drop some of the weight. Now, returning, I see he hasn’t lost anything!

“Dad, I thought you promised you were going to lose some of that weight?”

“Well, I promised I was going to walk every day and watch what I eat, I did that. I feel much better, just haven’t lost any weight.”

I didn’t believe him. If he was really exercising and eating right he must lose weight, right? He needed to lose that weight or he was going to develop heart disease! Right?

Wrong.

Being Overweight But Healthy

After some research online I found out seniors who maintain a healthy activity level but do not drop any pounds can still reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke. According to research published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association there is practically no connection between body fat percentage/body weight and risk of death.

As long as a reasonable amount of physical activity is maintained seniors have little to worry about.

The study focused on senior males but it has been indicated that the results would most likely apply to women as well.

Further study is needed to see whether this would apply to severely obese people as well.

How To Help

If you are worried about your aging loved ones physical health but cannot be there regularly to walk with them or help prepare healthy meals, consider hiring a home health care professional. Home care professionals can provide anything from 24/7 care and companionship to weekly check-ins.

Visit the American Heart Association at www.Heart.org for additional information on heart disease.

We hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or if you know of a senior that could benefit from our vast array of home care services in Baton Rouge, please call us at 225.819.8338 or email us. Most long-term care insurance policies will reimburse us for our services and we have a team of over 200 bonded and insured CAREGivers covering the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area.

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View the Story on our blog: Reducing The Risk of Heart Disease .

Mary was depressed. Since her lung cancer had caused her breathing to become more labored and sapped her energy, she had been feeling lonely and dejected.  Moving into the Assisted Living Home had made things even worse. Now she felt as though she had lost her independence. She couldn’t imagine anything making her smile again.

Then she saw Sophie.  She was sweet. She was friendly. She did not want to leave Mary’s side. She was an 8-pound, fluffy ball of fur. This little, long-haired Chihuahua had made Mary’s day. Sophie sat on her lap the entire afternoon, trying to lick her earlobes and con her into a belly rub. From that day on, Mary always talked about Sophie and looked forward to the afternoons she got to spend with her.

Having contact with animals can increase a person’s health, physically and mentally.

How?

• Having a pet improves mood by helping to battle feelings of loneliness and depression. Animals give unconditional love. They are always happy to see you and are blind to age, disability, etc.
• Taking care of a pet can decrease stress and anxiety, while increasing feelings of independence.  Some dogs are given special training to help people with daily tasks, such as opening doors, getting the mail and even signaling impending health complications.
• Interactions with animals can help maintain a healthy weight, improve immunity, reduce blood pressure and cut the risk for heart attack and stroke. Animals are known to have a calming effect on those around them. Dog owners are also more likely to stay active, having to take their pets for daily walks.

Whether it’s adopting a pet from a shelter, or finding a local organization that offers pet therapy, interaction with animals can greatly improve the over-all well-being of those we care about. Pets, especially dogs, can provide a sense of protection and safety. They improve feelings of self-worth and confidence, while also providing companionship and social interactions.

If your loved one is interested in adopting a pet, feel free to contact the Pets for the Elderly Foundation. This is a non-profit organization that pays part of the adoption fee when a senior citizen (age 60 and older) adopts a companion pet from one of their 52 participating shelters.

We hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or if you know of a senior that could benefit from our vast array of home care services in Baton Rouge, please call us at 225.819.8338 or email us. Most long-term care insurance policies will reimburse us for our services and we have a team of over 200 bonded and insured CAREGivers covering the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area.

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View the Story on our blog: The Pet Effect .

I was curled up on the couch, deep in a good book, when Grandma Carol returned home. As usual, her pink cheeks and snow-white hair made her look the part of the quintessential grandmother.

“How was your afternoon?” I asked, thinking how happy she looked.

“Lovely!” she replied. “I finally finished weeding the garden at the senior center, and I added a new row of petunias to the flower bed.”

“I didn’t know you gardened there.”

Gardening was Grandma Carol’s passion. Her own front yard was filled with a profusion of daffodils, petunias, roses, and other beautiful flowers, and I wasn’t surprised that she had brought her hobby to the senior center as well.

“I volunteer there once a week,” she explained as she sank into a comfy chair. “I enjoy my Wednesday afternoons there so much!  I’ve been teaching the staff members about different kinds of flowers, and today one of them even asked me if I could give some lectures on gardening.”

I smiled. I could easily picture Grandma Carol holding forth on the importance of proper sunlight and regular weeding. I was intrigued by the fact that she was volunteering too. She seemed so delighted to be contributing to the community.

Personally, I volunteered at the local soup kitchen for a few hours each month, and I knew that they were regularly short on staff. Finding reliable volunteers to help was a genuine challenge, and it occurred to me that our searches were perhaps overlooking a segment of the population that might genuinely want to be useful, and that might have some time to spare. We were overlooking the senior population. I asked Grandma Carol what made volunteering such positive experience for her.

“There are so many reasons that I enjoy it,” she explained. “When I was younger, I didn’t have time to volunteer. I had kids, and a job, and husband to look after, and there was no time for anything else. So last year, when the staff at the senior center was looking for someone to help out with the garden, I thought how nice it would be if I could finally help the community, now that I have more time on my hands. I get to help others and meet new people, and I feel as though I’m doing something useful. I’ve even learned a few new things from the staff members.”

Her last comment made me laugh. I couldn’t imagine anyone teaching Grandma Carol about gardening. Her comment made sense, though. Volunteering really did have many benefits. It gave people opportunities to help their fellow citizens, share their skills and talents, make a difference in the community, and interact with others. It also makes them feel needed. So many seniors, I reflected, might benefit themselves as well as others by giving of their time.

Find volunteer programs and opportunities to get involved with in the Baton Rouge area by visiting www.SeniorCorps.gov  and  www.VolunteerMatch.org

We hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or if you know of a senior that could benefit from our vast array of home care services in Baton Rouge, please call us at 225.819.8338 or email us. Most long-term care insurance policies will reimburse us for our services and we have a team of over 200 bonded and insured CAREGivers covering the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area.

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View the Story on our blog: How Seniors Can Benefit from Volunteering .

Last week Grandpa Lou was prescribed a new medication for his heart.  His doctor recommended that he start taking “Plavix”.  Plavix is a blood clot reducing agent that is commonly prescribed to Senior Citizens with heart problems to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Grandpa has Medicare Part D health insurance with one of the Medicare provided prescription plans.  From what he tells me, he pays a monthly premium to Medicare of around $30.  On top of that he needs to pay an almost $300 deductible before Medicare starts to pay for his medication.  After he meets his deductible Medicare will pay 25% of the total cost of his covered drugs until the total reaches about $2,500.  After he reaches that number Medicare pays 50% of his drug costs.  Ok, that’s better, but that only lasts for the next $3,000 or so then they drop down to 5% coverage  I know that Grandpa is on several medications, it can’t be too long before he reaches the 5% mark.  It is also November next week.  Does this whole deductible maze start again in January?  This sounds so confusing… No, this IS confusing!

They did a study in 2005 that showed a large difference in how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Medicare pay for their subscribers medication costs. “For Plavix (75 mg.)… the best VA price is $887.16 per year, compared to the best Medicare drug discount price of $1,230.36—a difference of $343.20, or 38.7 percent.”

Grandpa was never in the armed forces, he wears glasses and always has, so they wouldn’t let him in.  He doesn’t deal with the VA.  He’s got Medicare.  Shouldn’t that be enough?

Thankfully Grandma and Grandpa own their own home, it took them 30 years, but it’s theirs.  Despite that, they have a lot of expenses.  They both get small pensions, but while they aren’t struggling, they aren’t very far into the “comfortable” end of the spectrum.

I did find one possible solution for them both.  There are several assistance programs available for people who need help paying for their prescriptions.  Most large pharmaceutical companies have their own programs and there are also many privately run programs.

There is a website, that I have used myself, that helps people in need of assistance find programs that they can apply for.  The site is called NeedyMeds.   Some of the programs they list are run by the pharmaceutical companies, while other are community based.  The resources listed on their site include Patient Assistance Programs, Disease-Based Assistance, Free and Low- Clinics, government programs and many other types of assistance.  The company is funded by small grants, donations and sponsorships. NeedyMeds also works with some of the patient assistance programs run by the  pharmaceutical distributors.

I’ve looked up some programs for Grandpa and will help him apply for them.  It looks like it’s going to take a little time and a little more effort, but if it saves them some money it’s worth it.  I also looked up how much it costs for all of us to emigrate to Canada… I think we’ll try this first.

We hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or if you know of a senior that could benefit from our vast array of home care services in Baton Rouge, please call us at 225.819.8338 or email us. Most long-term care insurance policies will reimburse us for our services and we have a team of over 200 bonded and insured CAREGivers covering the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area.

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View the Story on our blog: The Cost of Getting Old .

According to research conducted by the Home Instead Senior Care^® network, 52 percent of seniors volunteer their time through unpaid community service. Nearly 20 percent (one in five) of seniors surveyed started volunteering when they reached the traditional age of retirement – 65 or older. Furthermore, 20 percent of seniors who volunteer say that their community service is the most important thing they do.

Dr. Erwin Tan, director of the Senior Corps, a national organization that links more than 400,000 Americans 55 and older to service opportunities, says, “The one thing that I hear constantly from the seniors in our programs is that volunteering gives them a purpose in life – they say that it’s the reason they get up in the morning. In addition, it’s a great way for them to learn new things – whether a skill or just something about an issue in which they have an interest,” Tan said. “Volunteering is just a great way to expand their horizons and feel like they’re still a valuable part of their community.”

The Home Instead Senior Care^® office has announced the Salute to Senior Service^SM program to honor senior volunteers for the tireless contributions they make to their local communities.

• The program will include a search for the most outstanding senior volunteer in each state and culminate with the selection of a national Salute to Senior Service^SM  winner during Older Americans Month in May.

• Nominees must be 65 years of age or older and volunteer at least 15 hours a month. Nominations will be accepted at www.SalutetoSeniorService.com through March 15, 2012.

• State Senior Hero^SM winners will receive plaques, and their stories will be posted on the SalutetoSeniorService.com website. In addition, $5,000 will be donated to the national winner’s nonprofit charity of choice.

For more information about the Salute to Senior Service program or Home Instead Senior Care, please call our office at 225-819-8338.

We hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or if you know of a senior that could benefit from our vast array of home care services in Baton Rouge, please call us at 225.819.8338 or email us. Most long-term care insurance policies will reimburse us for our services and we have a team of over 200 bonded and insured CAREGivers covering the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area.

View the Story on our blog: Salute to Senior Service .

America’s Baby Boomers are turning 65 this year! Our senior population was projected to hit 49 million by the end of 2011.  The silver tsunami soared from 35 million in 2000 and according to Population Reference Bureau, the wave is expected to more than DOUBLE to 89 million seniors in 2050!

Wow!  That’s a lot of birthday cake!  But, more importantly — that’s a huge demand for senior services.  Services and products that many of us know little about according to a study conducted by The Boomer Project and commissioned by Home Instead Senior Care.

Overwhelmingly, the survey results revealed that seniors and their adult children are ill-equipped and uninformed about topics such as the varied levels of senior care and, more importantly,  how to finance senior lifestyle choices.

How well do you know your choices for senior care?

Quickly quiz yourself on the definitions of the following senior care terms:

• Senior Centers
• Adult Care Centers
• In-Home Non-Medical Care
• In-Home Medical Care
• Retirement and Independent Living Communities
• Assisted Living Communities
• Skilled Nursing Homes
• Hospice Care

How many can you clearly define?

According to the study, 71 percent of adult children surveyed could name only two of the eight non-family care options “off the top of their head”.  Sixty-six percent of the seniors surveyed showed the same lack of familiarity with their own care options.

If you don’t know the definitions to these  terms, please begin your homework by reading “Seniors and the Information Gap”, a white paper from Home Instead Senior Care.  Then, consult a few more of Baton Rouge’s senior resources such as the Capitol Area Agency on Aging and explore a few financial planning options such as Long Term Care Insurance resource lists.

We hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or if you know of a senior that could benefit from our vast array of home care services in Baton Rouge, please call us at 225.819.8338 or email us. Most long-term care insurance policies will reimburse us for our services and we have a team of over 200 bonded and insured CAREGivers covering the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area.

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• Home Instead Senior Care Baton Rouge – A Tradition of Great Caregiving (batonrouge.myhomecareblog.com)
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View the Story on our blog: The Silver Tsunami .