Posted by Kristy Ann Pfister on Mon, Feb 07, 2011 @ 08:41 PM
Herman Miller (chair company) is an old successful company. They had a factory millworker who had been with the company for thirty years. When he died, the owner of the company went to the funeral. The widow's wife asked if she could read him some poetry. It was moving and beautiful poetry. The owner asked the widow who had written it. She replied that it was her husband. Now the owner was saddened and asked himself if his employee was a millworker who wrote poetry, or a poet who did millwork. And thought of what a wonderful public relations person or a copywriter for all of the company's print material he could have been.
Lost opportunity because no one asked.
So I'm asking you now, do you have a talent that we don't know about that could help our company grow or be more effective? Or help in any way? Or do you have a skill that you believe I know about and perhaps ignored?
Please let me know. Are you a poet doing the job of a millworker? What part of caring for aging parents is right for you?
Don't wait. Share your
home care support talents with me now. I don't want to find out about them at your funeral.
If you feel like you have shared your gift within elder health care and I've ignored you, please forgive me and share again. I'm open and receptive now.
Mitch
Posted by Kristy Ann Pfister on Tue, Feb 01, 2011 @ 09:01 PM
While waiting for my order at the coffee shop, I overheard two older men talking. They were discussing another friend whose wife has Alzheimer's. How she barely knew him anymore. How he couldn't join them that morning because the adult day care center (a common activity for people with dementia) she attended was closed for snow.
I wasn't listening to be nosey; the conversation bits I overheard made me wonder more about what our aging parents talk about. I write a lot about caring for parents, but this taught me about the loss you feel when it's your friend whose memory is affected. My guess is it's depressing, it's scary and it might even make you avoid that person. Don't! If you don't know what to do or say, this article offers compassionate advice when your aging friend has memory loss. I'm glad the gentleman whose wife has advanced Alzheimer's has friends like the ones at the coffee shop. I'm glad he makes time for his friends, and that he's wise enough to give himself a break when he can.
Posted by Kristy Ann Pfister on Mon, Jan 31, 2011 @ 03:34 PM
We're in the home care business. We help people who are recovering from heart attacks or who need ongoing assistance after a stroke. Too much salt isn't good for your aging parent-or you. It causes high blood pressure which can cause potentially devastating heart attacks and strokes. Of course, we knew this even before these new guidelines were published today by the American Dietetic Association ("ADA"). 1,500 mg (if you're over 51) is not a lot; it's easy to exceed this daily amount. Here's a list of what you can do to help your aging parent stay healthy:
- My aging parents use a lot more canned goods than I do (I prefer fresh or frozen). Rinse everything canned before you prepare and/or serve it.
- When you stop by to visit Mom bring a grocery bag of fresh fruit and veggies (they're basically sodium-free). Take her to the nearest farmer's market when it's nice outside.
- Ensure Dad's caregiver chooses low-sodium versions of pre-made items like frozen dinners and soups as well as luncheon meat.
- "Diet" and "low-calorie" pre-made foods are usually overloaded with sodium but your aging parent may not know this. They probably even think these are good food choices. Show them the labels. What are reasonable alternatives?
- Use unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil instead of salted butter.
- Replace their salt shaker (and yours) with a shaker of a low or no-sodium spice mix alternative.
- Grow or purchase fresh herbs as much as possible in summer. Use them in everything for more flavor!
- Try to replace one or more of your aging parent's highest-sodium items with something else.
- Squeeze lemon on foods to enhance their flavor.
What works for you? Please share with us!
Posted by Kristy Ann Pfister on Thu, Dec 23, 2010 @ 01:05 PM
So picture this:
Ruth wakes me up to go watch the sunrise as she does every morning. It’s a ritual we have fallen into over the years. She gets up first and makes coffee and then wakes me with a cup and we go out for a beach walk and watch the sunrise. Now when we were young, all those years ago, we might have stayed up until the sun came up with a bottle of wine or something of that ilk, but now we wake up early to see evidence of another earthly rotation. It’s nice to know that while so many things seem in upheaval, the basics are working fine and the earth is still rotating on its axis and we can be a witness to the sun coming up – or the earth roll over – and witness the amazing colors show. It’s unique and beautiful every morning. And it’s a great way to start our day here.
Well this morning was special. As soon as we got to the beach, all of 30 yards from our front door, we notice a school of dolphins (is it a school?). There were somewhere between a dozen and two dozen of them. Now that alone would constitute a great sight to see. Sure we see dolphins here frequently, they love the waters and the safety from fisherman’s nets that the island laws afford them. But today was different. There were a lot young dolphins in this group. That’s a good sign. It says to me that in spite of the gulf oil spill, they are finding ways to keep life going forward. Life finds a way What a great lesson for us. Even in the midst of natural disaster they are procreating and multiplying and adapting. The island has more dolphins than usual this year. The locals say it’s because of the spill; they picked up and moved west. Not only are they thriving, but they are enjoying life.
So we start our walk to the lighthouse and the dolphins follow us. No kidding, they really follow us. We are waling a casual pace, slow enough not to spill my java, and they are keeping pace with us for a mile or so. And they aren’t just swimming, they are frolicking. They are jumping and racing and playing tag with each other. They are frisky and delightful and they bring joy to everyone watching. By now we are joined by more people walking with us and dolphin watching. These guys are putting on a hell of show. Breaching the water, jumping clear out of the water and it just doesn’t stop. Now I know my walking limit and I suggest to Ruth that we should turn around and head back. And as if on cue, the whole group turns around with us and heads back to our place. So the show continues and we keep watching. Now it also happens to be low tide. Low tide is a great time to find amazing sea treasures and shells and sea life that gets caught in the tide pools until the tide come back in to rescue them. Sanibel is very flat and so when the tide goes out, you can walk to the first or second sand bar easily. And during the full moon, the gravitational pull is stronger and the tide goes out further and you can make it to the third sand bar. So Ruth are I are walking on the second sand bar now and that means the dolphins are so close, they are within earshot of us. Closer than the front row of a Sea World Show. So we keep walking back and they keep up with us, still playing and making the most of a beautiful morning.
So I think what I took away form this magical morning was that even in the face of a natural disaster, these guys were finding a way to enjoy life. Forces beyond your control can take away everything you posses except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation. You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can always control what you will feel and do about what happens to you. So, when you feel like you’ve been dumped on by BP or by anything or anyone, what is your response? When all is taken away from you, you still have one thing that can not be taken – the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. So, how do you react to disaster? It’s your choice. You can wither and die. You can get depressed and become frozen with fear. Or you face the challenge head on and say to BP “f*** you” this isn’t going to stop me. Yes this awful, and unbearable, but I chose to be happy, I chose to find meaning and purpose. I chose to keep my friends and family close. I may have to relocate, I may have lost almost everything, but I have not lost my freedom to choose my reaction. I chose life!!!
This is what the dolphins chose. I hope this is what you choose too.
Peace and Dolphin Smiles,
Mitch
Posted by Kristy Ann Pfister on Mon, Dec 13, 2010 @ 10:45 PM
You Need To Know How To Pay For The Care You Need We urge our home care customers to be prepared when it comes to home care and how to pay for it. We do this because we get a lot of desperate phone calls from family members of aging parents. These are people who are just like us, who were suddenly thrust into terrible situations involving their aging parent/relative's health and wellbeing. The same goes for your and your family's health insurance: it's up to you to know what is and isn't covered, so you can plan accordingly.
Home Care Coverage and Healthcare Coverage Are Different Issues But They Are Both Hard To Understand Anyone and everyone can be caught offguard when it comes to insurance coverage for healthcare. Health insurance policies are very confusing!
How Does Healthcare Coverage Work? Many people discover the realities of what their policies cover only AFTER this series of events: you seek and receive treatment, your health care provider submits their claim(s) for payment, the insurance company estimates what they'll cover, you receive an estimate of benefits from your insurance company and an initial bill from your provider, then finally your insurance company pays their portion and you receive an adjusted bill from your provider. Whew.
What About a Limited-Benefit Healthcare Policy? There's potential for even more confusion if you're enrolled in this type of plan. Very simply put, a limited-benefit policy usually offers more affordable premiums but also offers limited to no practical health care coverage. Limited-benefit policies can mislead consumers into feeling like they are more protected than they really are.
How Can I Educate Myself? Health care reform now requires insurance companies and employers to meet certain requirements or alert their consumers if they fall short. Limited-benefit subscribers, this means you! Within the next 60 days you may receive an alert that clarifies key terms of your limited benefits. Then, you'll have a better idea of what to expect (or what not to) when it comes to your health care coverage. Read more about this from Kaiser Health News here.
Also, it's a good rule of thumb for everyone who has private (non-government) health insurance to see if your health care provider has a designated Billing/Claims person in their office. Ask the Office Assistant to identify this person and the best way to reach him/her. You can speak with this person before you undergo treatment to gain a clearer understanding of what is and isn't covered.
In my opinion, it's infinitely better to know and thus try to prepare. What do you think?
Posted by Kristy Ann Pfister on Mon, Nov 15, 2010 @ 10:02 PM
It's a fact. Your aging parents may need help. Sometimes just a little bit of help can equal a big increase in independence for aging parents. Is the washer/dryer downstairs? Grocery shopping or errands overwhelming when driving is an issue? How would it feel to have a nurse checking and packing your aging parent's medications weekly?
Making a small change by introducing home care into your aging parents' lives can bring some significant peace-of-mind to you. As for your parents? We hear from our clients every day: when it's the right caregiver match, home care increases independence.
We understand that learning about home care during an already stressful time can be overwhelming. We want to make this as easy as possible, so we created a dedicated Intake Nurse position. Jessica is our Intake Nurse and her job is to speak directly with everyone who calls our company looking for help. Call 1-800-HOMECARE (in MO) and she'll talk to you. Today. She'll answer your questions, offer expert home care guidance and even schedule your free home care assessment if you're ready.
At Cooperative Home Care, we want to be your home care resource at three key stages: before you ever need home care, when you are ready to research home care, and if you ever actually need home care for your aging parent. We offer Medicare and Medicaid-funded services, funding assistance options if you don't qualify for Medicaid, and every type of Private Services (out-of-pocket) option. Call 1-800-HOMECARE (in MO) today!
Posted by Kristy ann Pfister on Tue, Nov 02, 2010 @ 02:29 PM
Long Term Care insurance is a vital piece of your long term planning. In theory, it can protect you and your assets by paying for a portion of your long term care needs ranging from nursing home placement to home care. BUT there are a lot of different insurance companies, a lot of different policies within each company, as well as complicated terminology like “inflation protection”, “non-forfeiture benefit” and “dementia coverage”. So how do you go about choosing the right plan for you? How can you feel confident that your policy will meet your future needs?
First, you SHOULD be careful as you shop for Long Term Care insurance. I used to help clients access their long term care benefits to pay for in-home care, and there were many times my clients were shocked when they realized how hard it was to access benefits and how limited their actual coverage was. I cannot tell you the number of times I heard an upset client say, ‘I’ve paid for this policy for X years, and now it won’t even pay for me to get the help I need! What did I pay for?!” Even more scary, these policies typically aren’t activated until you begin receiving the care they are supposed to pay for, which means you won’t know if you’re going to be reimbursed for at least six to eight weeks. By that time, you may owe thousands of dollars that you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket if your insurance denies the claim. Yikes!
As I researched this post I found an overwhelming amount of information on the internet, but closer examination revealed most of these resources represented companies who want to sell your their insurance. Nothing wrong with this, it just wasn’t as objective as I wanted. Then I found The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (located in our own Kansas City, MO). Click on long term care insurance to see their ten straightforward tips as you shop; you can also sign up for a free Shopper’s Guide to Long Term Care, and even take a short quiz to test your Long Term Care insurance savvy (my score: 100%!).
Within the Association’s ten tips, they recommend you utilize your state’s department of insurance. Here’s ours, Missourians: Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Regulation. You can file a complaint AND see which companies have received the most complaints as currently as 2008. I’m going to find out if I can file one on behalf of one of my clients, and I’ll let you know how easy/hard it is to do.