Try: Care givers may need to make some changes in order or the Care recipient (cr) to have an enjoyable and memorable holiday season some traditions may need to be adapted to provide the joy of the season without added stress and exhaustion here are some suggestions for enjoying the holidays communicate the changes to family and friends this would include physical or cognitive limitations the cr may be experiencing create new traditions for example instead of a large tree put up a smaller one with handpicked family ornaments this will also give you and the cr an opportunity to travel down memory lane when choosing the decorations if possible take the cr on a drive through the residential neighborhoods to enjoy the decorations cut down on the amount of blinking lights throughout the house this could cause confusion for the cr watch all of the classic christmas movies complete with snacks and hot chocolate keep to a normal schedule try not to disrupt the daily schedule too much around the holidays setting aside a specific time each day for holiday preparations can make it an enjoyable activity instead of a whirlwind of confusion eat sensibly sample and enjoy the treats but don’t go overboard sticking to a sensible diet will help you and the cr feel better both physically and mentally instead of a large family gathering which adds to the confusion for the cr plan several smaller personal family visits if a large gathering is necessary just serve desserts instead of trying to prepare a large meal or go out to a restaurant for the family meal ask for and accept help plan some respite for yourself so that you can attend and enjoy your own holiday gatherings and traditions simplify gift giving for the cr family and friends making homemade gifts for others may provide an activity that you and the cr can both enjoy without the hustle and bustle of shopping ask others to write down favorite memories of the cr in a journal or provide a photo album as a gift these gifts can be enjoyed over and over throughout the year don’t forget during the holiday season to give thanks for all of the blessings in your life and the cr’s life celebrate the joys in life the love and support of family and the wonderful gifts of caring and compassion information references

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Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Emotional Psychological, Social

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Keywords: Christmas eve new years eve

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Do you live an hour or more away from an older family member who needs care if so you are certainly not alone between five and seven million people in the united states are long distance caregivers cgs bridging this mileage gap when trying to provide care for a loved one is one of the many challenges cgs are facing today additional complexities that long distance cg cg’s may have to deal with you may speak with the Care recipient (cr) daily on the phone but if something he or she says makes you uneasy you can’t just hop in the car and drive across town to make sure everything is ok accompanying the cr to medical appointments doesn’t just require that you take a morning or afternoon off from work in many cases you will need to be gone for more than a day the simple task of going to medical appointments is further compounded by the expenses that you incur in traveling to and from the cr’s place of residence in some cases you may be the sole cg with no other friends or family members living near the cr to provide help and support you may worry about the crs eating habits ability to drive a car safely or getting help in an emergency however there is no one nearby who can check on the cr to see how he or she is doing in some cases you may have a family member who lives closer to the cr who is shouldering all of the hands-on caregiving you may feel guilty about not being able to be able to offer more support or respite care for the family member helpful things that you can do as a long distance cg despite all of the unique challenges that long distance caregiving presents there are some things that you can do to help the cg it is better to focus on the positive things that you can do to help the cr rather than get frustrated and upset over the things that you can’t here are some examples make frequent phone calls when you call the cr on the phone there are questions that you can ask to uncover problems without putting him or her on the defensive and causing you frustration here are a few suggestions ask for specifics and updates for any known health conditions that the cr has this may make it easier for the cr to open up about any new symptoms or conditions that he or she is experiencing ask about activities or hobbies that the cr regularly participates in and make note of any change in these has the cr traded in golfing for staying at home with a good book have the cr given up going out to dinner with friends for crosswords and television this could suggest that the cr has physical challenges that make it harder for him or her to get out and about ask about how the cr’s friends are doing if the cr says that he or she hasn’t seen many friends lately this could mean that the cr is depressed and living in isolation ask about what home repairs the cr has made recently or may need to do in the future failure to keep current on home maintenance and upkeep could also be a sign of physical challenges ask about how the car is holding up or how good the gas mileage is this could provide an indicator of how much driving the cr is doing or not doing not getting out very much could be the result of new physical limitations depression and so on in-person visits even though you cannot visit on a frequent basis due to the distance involved there are things that you can do when you do visit to help out the cr you need to make every minute count when you visit since you aren’t there as often as you would like in addition if your visit is short you need to provide as much help as you can while you are there here are some suggestions check to see if there is ample food in the refrigerator and whether or not it is fresh throw out any food items that are beyond their expiration dates if there isn’t enough food on hand plan meals with the cr make up a grocery list and arrange for a trip to the store to stock up on needed items are there dirty dishes in the sink is there food on the counter or spilled elsewhere in the house if so help the cr do the dishes and clean up the kitchen dining room and so on is the cr’s appetite good during meals if not try to find out the reason why and decide on an appropriate intervention does the house or the yard need upkeep or are major repairs needed if so make arrangements to get the needed work done are there piles of mail stacked around the living quarters that are unopened if so help the cr get caught up on processing mail paying bills on time and set up a filing system is the dirty laundry stacking up if so help the cr do the laundry if there is a washer and dryer in the cr’s living quarters encourage the cr to do laundry throughout the week rather than let it pile up are there personal appearance or hygiene issues if so work with the cr to resolve them make sure the cr has the necessary tools and products to maintain hygiene encourage the cr to include personal hygiene in the daily routine are there dents or scratches on the car if so you need to find out how they got there you may need to observe the cr driving to assess his or her abilities it is best to do this in a subtle manner you may need to have an honest discussion with the cr about limiting or suspending the driving privileges additional things that you can do as a long distance caregiver provide emotional support for the cr through regular phone calls cards letters e mails and so on help the cr with finances by offering to take over the bill paying process make arrangements for housekeeping or transportation services to appointments and social outings schedule the cr’s appointments and provide a reminder phone call you could also consider having an advocate accompany the cr to appointments if you are not able to be there yourself include the cr in your family activities as much as possible through phone calls e mail photos and home movies set up a network of friends and neighbors who can check periodically on the cr and keep you informed if they notice anything that may cause concern communicate with the doctors or other professionals who are handling the cr’s medical and financial affairs set up an emergency plan in case you receive a call that requires an immediate response include contact information of the individuals who can be there immediately to assess and respond to any crisis situation when you do visit the cr make sure you set aside quality time to relax and enjoy each other’s company references

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Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support

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References: n/a

Keywords: Caregiver not in the area caregiver lives far away

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: As a healthcare agent or representative for the Care recipient (cr) you may have to make decisions based on what the cr would prefer if he or she were capable of making that decision if possible use this form to discuss the cr cr’s preferences beforehand you may use this form in the following two ways list your preferences if you were in the same situation and then discuss those preferences with the cr or simply go through the form with the cr and record his or her responses and preferences health care agent or representative – discussion and preparation form 1 circle how much you fear the following near the end of life a being in pain very little some very much b losing the ability to think very little some very much c being a financial burden on loved ones very little some very much d losing control over my medical care very little some very much e losing ability to practice my faith very little some very much 2 is it more important for you to a have your wishes followed at the end of life even if family members or friends disagree or b have family and friends all agree on decisions even if different from how you would decide or c i am uncertain 3 here are things about end-of-life care that some people believe do you agree if a dying person can’t get enough nutrition by mouth a feeding tube should always be used if it will keep the person alive a yes i agree b no i don’t agree c i don’t know once a treatment is started to keep someone alive it’s sometimes okay to decide to stop and withdraw it when the person’s quality of life is very low a yes i agree b no i don’t agree c i don’t know it’s usually better for a dying person to be given good comfort care at home than to be admitted to a hospital for intensive care a yes i agree b no i don’t agree c i don’t know 4 you are very sick and the health care professionals cannot stop the disease with all possible treatments you might live for another few weeks during that time you would be on a breathing machine you would drift in and out of consciousness without these treatments you would die in a few days would you want the breathing machine and other treatments a yes i think so b no probably now c i don’t know 5 you have severe alzheimer’s disease you can’t get out of bed and you can’t recognize or talk with your loved ones but you are not in pain you could live like this for many months however you get recurring infections which are treated with antibiotics you get another infection this time pneumonia if the health care professionals give you an antibiotic you will almost certainly recover from the infection without the antibiotic you will die in a few days do you want the antibiotic if you can otherwise be kept comfortable a yes i think so b no probably not c i don’t know 6 you have poor circulation which resulted in one leg being amputated now your other leg develops gangrene and health care professionals recommend amputation because it could be fatal you also have moderate dementia causing mental confusion would you want the operation a yes b no c i am uncertain 7 you are in a permanent coma and have a tube inserted in your stomach for food and fluids what would you want a remove tube b keep tube c i am uncertain 8 describe what other treatment you would want check all that apply and or list any treatment that you do not see listed a antibiotics b artificial respiration c cpr d other list 9 would it be important to you that decisions about your treatment are guided by particular religious beliefs or spiritual values that you hold a yes b no c i am uncertain 10 you are terminally ill but a course of treatment might extend your life by six additional months would you want the treatment even though it has severe side effects – pain nausea vomiting and weakness a yes b no c i am uncertain 11 do you wish to donate any organs and or tissues for transplant or research a research b transplant c both d neither 12 if you chose either answer "a " "b" or "c" in question 11 please list the organ s and or tissues that you wish to donate below 13 if you have any additional wishes or preferences in regard to medical treatment or the withholding of treatment please list below disclaimer this is not an advance directive these questions and form are for discussion purposes only information references adapted from making medical decisions for someone else a new hampshire handbook 2007

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Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Spiritual

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References: n/a

Keywords: End of life care nutrition artificial respiration cpr

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Geriatric care managers are trained professionals who can help with all aspects of the care giving process they can provide resources support and help create a care plan that will help the Care recipient (cr) stay independent for as long as possible the following questions should be considered when you are deciding which geriatric care manager to use what services are provided is routine monitoring an option and if so how frequently and at what cost what is the care manager’s code of ethics what professional organizations does the care manager belong to what is the professional accreditation of the care manager organization what other professionals are available to assist and support how does the care manager supervise and monitor the quality of services recommended or provided are you comfortable with the care manager and feel that you could trust him or her with sensitive and confidential information is there a waiting period before beginning services is 24-hour assistance available what is considered to be a crisis or emergency situation what is the fee schedule is the initial assessment free are the rates hourly or retainer based what is the billing cycle does the care manager have extensive knowledge of the resources of the community as well as specialists in the area once you have selected a care manager continue to ask questions to insure that the cr is getting the best care possible information references

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Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Cognitive Intellectual, Medical Physical

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References: n/a

Keywords: Case manager case worker social worker

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: It can be very difficult and stressful for the caregiver when the Care recipient (cr) is in the hospital all of your focus and energy is devoted to the cr cr’s healing and building strength to make the transition from the hospital to the home however when the cr is discharged from the hospital there are additional challenges that you may have to deal with one of the significant issues that you may face is dealing with the lists of instructions and information that are accumulated and presented upon discharge the volume of information and number of details that you must keep straight can be quite substantial making sense out of all of the necessary and vital aspects of this information can be mind boggling to say the least however failure to follow the discharge instructions could actually slow or hinder the cr cr’s recovery and may ultimately require readmission to the hospital adopting the suggestions below may help reduce some of the stress and strain of trying to keep everything in place so that the business at hand which is the recovery process can be accomplished quickly and efficiently always keep an updated personal health file for the cr including any previous or current medical conditions a list of medications that are currently being taken and a list of allergies take this file to the hospital so that the correct information can be passed on to the doctors and staff ask for a list of medications that the cr is on while in the hospital what symptoms they treat and any potential side- effects make sure you fully understand what the cr’s medical conditions are not just the symptoms find out what specific services the cr will need upon discharge will the cr need oxygen wound care a home nurse physical or occupational therapy who is responsible for putting these services in place and coordinating the care ask the hospital staff for the name and number of the contact person responsible for the care in addition to yourself make arrangements for a friend or family member to be present upon discharge to listen to the instructions it may also help to have a tape recorder with provide you with help in updating the cr’s health information file or to review the instructions after you get home being adequately informed and keeping all of this information up to date will greatly reduce any confusion that may accompany the transition from hospital to home information references

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Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Medical Physical

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Keywords: Discharge planning discharge planner social worker home health care

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Urgent situations could very well turn into emergency situations if there are gaps in the care recipient’s cr’s information that needs to be relayed to health care professionals take the time before a crisis situation develops to familiarize yourself with all of the cr’s important health and contact information assemble an emergency information packet with all of the information and provide copies to the cr and everyone else involved in his or her care listed below are several items that should be included in the emergency information packet names addresses and phone numbers of all of the cr cr’s healthcare providers including doctors clinics hospitals therapy facilities and care management professionals the cr cr’s birth date and place name and phone numbers of insurance providers policy numbers and coverage details a list of any known allergies past surgeries medical conditions joint replacements pacemaker implantation and so on a list of what medications are being taken side effects noted and allergies to any medications don’t forget to list over-the-counter medications and nutritional supplements that are taken on either a regular or as-needed basis in addition list the cr’s c-pap or b-pap machine for sleep apnea as a medication if applicable is there an advance directive in place if so a copy should be included in the emergency packet along with a note regarding who has the original copy of the directive and where is it kept any lifestyle information that may be helpful for example does the cr use alcohol or tobacco is the cr’s diet balanced and are meals eaten on a regular schedule what activities does the cr participate in what are the cr cr’s religious beliefs sometimes beliefs can influence treatment options names and phone numbers of family members friends neighbors backup care providers to be notified in case of an emergency you may need to get a release form signed by the cr that will allow doctors and others to speak with you and any others about medical care it would be helpful to have an index of the emergency packet packet’s contents on the first page all of this information should be kept together in a packet or folder that is stored in a location where it can be easily accessed in case of an emergency for example if the cr lives in an apartment the folder could be kept in a plastic sleeve under the sink in the kitchen which is right next to the front door family members and everyone else involved with the cr should be provided with a copy of the emergency information packet and notified of the location of the packet in the cr cr’s living quarters you should periodically review the information in the emergency information packet to ensure that it is current information references

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Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Medical Physical

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Keywords: Emergency preparedness medical emergencies

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Crisis and unexpected problems that arise in eldercare can result in strong emotions and interpersonal conflict intense feelings during a crisis can temporarily immobilize caregivers opposing emotions such as love and anger often surface during a crisis discussing and addressing crisis and unexpected eldercare issues as they happen builds confidence in both the caregiver (cg) and the Care recipient (cr) staying in complete control is often an unattainable goal when caregiving especially when the cg is a family member maintaining a positive attitude concerning changes and encouraging everyone involved to do the same is more beneficial than trying to remain in control of every situation references adapted from information found in the book the complete eldercare planner by joy loverde

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Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Cognitive Intellectual, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Maintenance, Medical Physical, Personal, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision

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References: n/a

Keywords: Crisis change emotions control issues

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: As a health care representative or agent on behalf of a Care recipient (cr) by virtue of a healthcare or medical power of attorney you can make decisions and take actions that the cr would normally make or do if able these include receiving the same medical information that the cr would receive you should have access to the cr’s medical records and any information you need about the cr’s health or health care if this becomes a problem you may have to contact the medical facility’s privacy officer for assistance asking questions and getting explanations about treatment options and choices requesting consultations and second opinions from other physicians making decisions as to whether to transfer the cr to another doctor or facility consenting to or refusing medical tests or treatments including life-sustaining treatment requiring medical professionals to communicate with the cr if he or she is able to understand here are eight things that you as a health care representative or agent can do to obtain good care advance preparation discuss options and preferences with the cr before decisions may become necessary what is important to the cr in making these healthcare decisions make yourself and your role known to the medical staff have advance directives in place and in the medical file make sure that the health care providers are aware of the contents have a copy with you also stay informed as to the patient’s medical condition and any changes that take place identify someone who can best keep you informed and up to date and keep notes try to make sure that someone is taking full responsibility for the care of the cr even though there may be several physicians involved in the care insist that one person be given overall responsibility to manage the care during the entire period to provide continuity keep other family members informed even though you may have the legal authority for care keeping others in the family informed may make you feel more comfortable in carrying out this authority anticipate changes and transfers make sure that when the cr is moved either within the hospital or to another facility that you are kept informed as to the treatments that are going to be continued or begun after the transfer be an assertive advocate on the cr’s behalf some health care providers may or may not be comfortable with your involvement you may disagree with either the provider’s recommendations or the facility itself disagreeing with medical professionals or institutional authorities can be difficult be tactful and calm but assertive be insistent that medical issues be explained in terms that you can understand and if you feel that you are not being heard ask for help from the facility’s patient representative social worker clergy or spiritual advisor ethics committee or ethics consultant consider retaining the help of a professional care manager he or she can help you understand the medical record attend care conferences and advise you if the care is deficient or inappropriate information references adapted from a guide for health care representatives – law office of monica doerr

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Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Communication, Legal, Medical Physical, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Immobile, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision

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Keywords: Healthcare agent or healthcare representative professional care manager healthcare or medical power of attorney

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: When you are new to the role of caregiving it’s hard to know where to begin perhaps you’ve only recently realized that a loved one needs assistance and is no longer as self-sufficient as he or she once was or perhaps there has been a sudden change in a loved one’s health now it’s time to take action and take stock of the people services and information that will help you care for your loved one the earlier you find support and help the better here are some helpful steps to consider start with a diagnosis if your Care recipient (cr) is forgetful at times or has gone through a noticeable personality change take him or her to a neurologist or diagnostic clinic a thorough evaluation will rule out any reversible causes of dementia symptoms such as depression nutritional deficiencies reactions to medication or infection an early diagnosis of alzheimer’s disease or another disease that causes cognitive impairment has many benefits first treatment for alzheimer’s disease is most effective in the earlier stages and can buy more independence the cr second knowing the cr’s diagnosis can help you make realistic plans for the future learn as much as you can about the cr’s condition this information will confirm that you are not imagining things or exaggerating the cr’s behavior especially when you’re dealing with dementia – learning about the diagnosis will help you keep in mind that it’s the disease that is causing the cr to gradually lose control over his or her behavior many books videos and classes are available to inform you about what you can expect as the cr’s disease progresses talk with the cr about his or her finances and health care wishes if the cr is able to complete a durable power of attorney for finances and health care assist him or her in meeting with an elder law specialist to draw up these documents this planning can help relieve your anxiety and prepare you for the future it can also start important discussions with the cr if the cr doesn’t have the capacity to execute these documents you will need further legal advice to learn about your options consider inviting family and close friends to come together and discuss the cr’s care if possible the cr should be included in the meeting list the tasks that are needed so they can be more easily divided up let each family member discuss concerns as well as how much and what kind of help he or she can offer as the primary caregiver it’s best for you to accept whatever assistance your friends and family are offering even if it’s not exactly what you had in mind take advantage of community resources such as meals on wheels and adult day care programs these resources are available so that you don’t have to do everything yourself and also to give you a break you should also see if there are caregiver classes and workshops offered in your community your local caregiver resource center senior center community college or area agency on aging can be good options to check out these educational programs may help your self-confidence and make the time you spend caregiving easier for both you and the cr after all of this planning don’t forget to find support for yourself caregivers often feel isolated as they take on more responsibility and as their social lives move into the background a support group is a good place to meet other family caregivers who have really "been there – done that" you can participate in support groups in your community also on the internet information references adapted from an article from the family caregiver alliance

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Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Cognitive Intellectual, Emotional Psychological

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Keywords: Caregiver resources

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: There are basically two levels of functional daily living activities that assist caregivers in determining how much or how little assistance is needed these two levels are activities of daily living adl’s and these consist of the basic personal care activities such as bathing dressing grooming eating bed mobility transferring toileting and walking the other level is instrumental or independent activities of daily living iadl’s and these are tasks that in addition to adl’s a person must be able to perform in order to live independently examples of iadl’s include grocery shopping meal preparation using the telephone laundry light housekeeping bill paying and managing medications the list below will enable you to check the level of functioning and help you decide what help is needed adl’s independent needs help dependent cannot do bathing dressing grooming oral care toileting transferring walking climbing stairs eating   iadl’s cooking shopping driving manage medications manage money housework laundry   information references adapted from the caring for your parents internet website www midwestgcm org

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Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Maintenance, Personal

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Keywords: Functioning level activities of daily living instrumental activities of daily living

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed