Interview with Christine Miller, “How to choose the right care community for your loved one or yourself,” on November 8th at 8AM Pacific. Blogtalkradio.com/kindethics

Interview with Christine Miller, “How to choose the right care community for your loved one or yourself,” on November 8th at 8AM Pacific. Blogtalkradio.com/kindethics

Christine Miller is an RN with over 20 years of experience. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Grandview College in Des Moines, Iowa. She served six years as an officer in the Army Nurse Corps. She recently completed a year-long training in health and life coaching from Hilton Johnston and Health Coach Training University.

Christine is the owner and founder of Hearts and Homes for Seniors. She uses her experience in home care nursing and discharge planning to help seniors and their families find the right senior living solution. If that means moving out of their current home, Christine helps the senior and their family find a compatible community where the client needs are met, but most importantly, where the client feels at home.

Hearts and Homes for Seniors is a local company providing individualized guidance and coaching in selecting Assisted Living or Alzheimer’s/ Dementia care. A Senior Relocation Advisor takes a personal interest in your satisfaction and accompanies you on tours of communities that are pre-screened to meet your criteria

Her website is: http://heartsandhomesforseniors.com

You can contact her at: 303-519-1889
HeartsandHomesRadioShow@www.blogtalkradio.com/christine-miller

2010 Memory Walk - Los Angeles, CA November 7, 2010

Viki will be exhibiting at the 2010 Memory Walk - Los Angeles benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association on Sunday, November 7, 2010.

The Memory Walk is a 5K Walk at Century Park, 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA starting at 7am PST. When you register for the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®, you’re joining a nationwide community of thousands of people who are standing up and participating in the fight against this devastating disease.

Memory Walk is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research. Since 1989, Memory Walk has raised more than $300 million for the cause.

All Memory Walk donations benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. The mission of the Alzheimer’s Association is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

They provide services to those affected by Alzheimer’s; advocate for policy change and research funding; and advance research toward prevention, brain health treatment and a cure. Their organization has offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C., and chapter affiliates nationwide that serve the needs of those living with Alzheimer’s every day. Their vision is a world without Alzheimer’s disease.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Join me as I interview Elizabeth Fine from The Memory Tree on October 4th, 9AM Pacific on blogtalkradio.com/kindethics

Elizabeth G. Fine, LCSW is the President and Founder of the Early Alzheimer’s Foundation, Inc and its program The Memory Tree™.

Elizabeth has been working with Alzheimer’s disease individuals and their families for 20 years as part of the staff of Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Geriatric Psychiatry Department, and also as the Director of the Alzheimer’s Caregivers Program (funded by New York State Department of Health). She has also trained health care providers and caregivers to work with those with memory disorders.

The Memory Tree™ is New York City’s first program solely dedicated to helping individuals with Early Alzheimer’s Disease and their caregivers; in fact, it was one of the first such programs in the nation. The Memory Tree™ is a weekly program providing early intervention, support, respite, and education to a challenged, underserved, significantly growing population. The Memory Tree™ uniquely provides a multi-disciplinary and holistic approach to the challenges of individuals coping with the disease: help for the person who has been diagnosed, intervention for those who have not, and respite for the caregiver.

The Memory Tree™ has grown from a pilot program in Harlem to a program pulling in participants from throughout New York City and the tri-state area. The success of the program is well known with referrals coming from local physicians and hospitals, the Alzheimer’s Association, and word of mouth. The Memory Tree™ opened its second program more than a year ago in collaboration with Dorot Inc in Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

The Memory Tree™ is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization

Our website: www.thememorytree.org
Phone 917-656-0558

The programs meet once a week, and offers a wide variety of classes and workshop which include; Memory Aerobics, Chair Yoga, “In the News” discussions, presentations by the Museum of Modern Art, and group discussions for caregivers, all designed to keep the body and brain challenged.

We offer the program at two locations:

1. Dorot ( 85th Street and Amsterdam Ave)
Tuesdays 1pm - 5pm

2. Morningside Gardens (124th Street and Broadway)
Mondays 3pm – 6pm

The Gardens at Park Balboa will be hosting a presentation on 9/8/10 from 7-8:30pm PST

Viki will be giving a presentation at the Gardens at Park Balboa on 9/8/10 from 7-8:30pm PST

The Gardens at Park Balboa, an Assisted Living residence in Van Nuys, California is a recently remodeled building located in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. They believe in encouraging the growth of their residents as individuals, while offering personalized assistance and support when needed or desired. Residents experience the benefits of belonging to an engaging community with amenities, activities and companionship, yet all the while knowing that assisted services are available around the clock, every day of the year.

Residents and their families have the added security of knowing that Safe Haven, their secure unit for Alzheimer’s and dementia care is just steps away on the same property. In addition, residents have convenient geographical access to distinguished physicians and services at Valley Presbyterian Hospital, Sherman Oaks Hospital, and other acute care hospitals located in the SFV.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Viki interviews Lori La Bey from http://www.seniorlifestyletrends.com and http://www.AlzheimersSpeaks.com on August 30, 9AM Pacific on blogtalkradio.com/kindethics

Viki interviews Lori La Bey from http://www.seniorlifestyletrends.com and http://www.AlzheimersSpeaks.com on August 30, 9AM Pacific on blogtalkradio.com/kindethics

Lori La Bey of Alzheimer’s Speaks and Senior Lifestyle Trends is a driver of Change. She helps families, communities, organizations, and businesses maneuver the turmoil of aging and illness. She has dedicated her life to working with people in transition. Lori has done this by guiding businesses and organizations on how to improve service delivery to enhance relationships with senior consumers and their families. Lori’s mission is to shift society’s negative perception of aging and illness, by getting individuals and businesses to appreciate and embrace the gifts wrapped in every stage of life. She believes by removing the fear, the embarrassment, and the judgment that cripples our relationships; we can enhance our connections with the people we love and care for.

Lori understands Caregiving from the inside out. She lost her Father to brain cancer after a 4 ½ year battle. Her Mother has struggled with Alzheimer’s for 30 years and is now in her end stages of the disease. Today she shares tips and techniques she learned as a Caregiver. Her goal is to help people embrace the person who once was, engage the person before them, and let go; allowing love to flow forward; as the ill and aging surrender to the shell of a body that in prisons them.

Lori owns Alzheimer’s Speaks and Seniors Lifestyle Trends. She was recently featured on FOX News for her cutting edge work with Alzheimer’s disease. Lori is a Speaker, Trainer, Consultant, Spokes Person, Author, and now a self proclaimed Advocate on Steroids for Alzheimer’s disease.

Lori is also writing a book on Alzheimer’s disease which will teach people to:
Remove their fear of Alzheimer’s by helping them identify stress triggers so they can reduce combative behaviors and create remarkable moments. The books working title is called: “Alzheimer’s Speaks -Guiding Caregivers to be Their Very Best! Giving Voice and Enriching Lives – As the Cookie Crumbles.”

You can contact Lori La Bey at any of the following:
Resource Website http://www.AlzheimersSpeaks.com
Blog http://www.AlzheimersSpeaksBlog.com
Business Website Http://www.SeniorLifestyleTrends.com
Email Lori@SeniorLifestyleTrends.com
Lori@AlzheimersSpeaks.com
Phone 651-748-4714 or 800-708-8661

Have a kind and respectful day.

Join Viki as she will be speaking at Aegis of Granada Hills - Assisted Living and Memory Care on Thursday, August 19th from 6:30-8:00.

Join Viki as she will be speaking at Aegis of Granada Hills - Assisted Living and Memory Care on Thursday, August 19th from 6:30-8:00.

About Aegis:

Five-star service is what sets Aegis of Granada Hills apart from the competition. Our beautifully designed retirement community was built with the needs of seniors in mind, while still being visually pleasing to everyone. Conveniently located near shopping, recreation, health facilities and freeway access, we have accommodations to suit a variety of needs - from a senior who simply doesn’t want to cook and clean any longer, to someone who needs total care because of mental or physical decline. And we do it all with dignity, love and attention to the finer details that make life better. Come see our retirement community’s studio, one- or two-bedroom, independent-style apartments and sample a lunch by our fantastic chef, Jose. Or call and ask about respite, a short-term option for those who only need a couple of weeks to a month-long stay.
Visit Aegis of Granada Hills today to sample our meals or take a tour of our retirement community for active seniors and for those needing additional care. Aegis of Granada Hills also provides care for residents with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias.
Please call if you would like to schedule a personalized visit at Aegis, including sampling a meal, taking a tour, or participating in our daily activities program.
10801 Lindley Ave Granada Hills, CA 91344 Phone: 818-492-4077 Fax: 818-363-1933

Have a kind and respectful day.

Improving the Medical Experience of the Person struggling with Alzheimer’s or other memory loss

When a person with Alzheimer’s or dementia is going to have a medical test or procedure, how can we help the person to feel less frightened and to minimize any suffering? If the patient is struggling to understand what will be happening to them, do a practice run-through and show the person the room where the test will happen. Or find a book with pictures that will help him understand what you are talking about. If the person with diminished capacity is afraid of being alone, you may want to introduce him to the nurses who will be working that day. For my dad, we tape-recorded the doctor’s explanations so he could listen to the information over and over again until he felt more comfortable.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the patient may be experiencing symptoms that affect his or her participation. These symptoms could be pain, side effects of medications, loss of hearing or sight, lack of sleep, an undiagnosed illness and grief, to name a few. Find out what can be done to relieve these symptoms to make it easier for the individual to participate in the process. Ultimately, our goal is to think about the quality-of-life questions from the person’s perspective as he or she will experience the consequences of our decisions.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Interview with Carol Bursack, author of “Minding Our Elders”, on Jan. 12, 9AM pacific

Listen to interview on Jan. 12th, 9AM pacific on blogtalkradio.com/kindethics.com or listen live at 347-945-5152.

For over twenty years author, columnist and speaker Carol Bradley Bursack cared for a neighbor and six elderly family members. As a result of this experience, Bursack wrote Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories, a portable support group for caregivers. Minding Our Elders is used as a college text for gerontology and nursing home administration classes as a way to humanize, for students, the family caregiving experience. Bursack’s award-winning Websites, www.mindingourelders.com and www.mindingoureldersblogs.com include links to helpful agencies, articles rich with information and comfort, links to chat groups, and resources for caregiver, boomer and senior needs.

Bursack’s elder care newspaper column, “Minding Our Elders,” runs weekly, in print and on-line. She is Editor-in-Chief of ElderCarelink.com. She’s an expert blogger and community leader on OurAlzheimers.com and the forum moderator and a regular contributor to AgingCare.com.

Bursack has been interviewed on many national radio shows, including “Mr. Eldercare,” “Today’s Author,” “The Ron Ross Show,” and Kevin Skipper’s “The Parent Care Show.” She has been interviewed and quoted in magazines and newspapers around the world, including Family Circle, Quick and Simple, North Jersey Media Group, The Leader-Telegram, Tampa Tribune and the Sydney Morning Herald. She also speaks on caregiving issues to groups of all sizes.

Bursack is a member of AARP, CAPS (Children of Aging Parents), the National Caregivers Advisory Panel, the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) and the National Council of Hospice and Palliative Professionals (NCHPP). As an expert in her field, she is featured in Montclair’s Who’s Who in Heath and has written hundreds of articles for national publications. Bursack is also a contributing author to “The Media Librarian’s Handbook,” (Facet Publishing, UK 2008) and contributing Author to: “Dementia: Frank and Linda’s story: New approaches, new understanding, new hope.” (Lion-Monarch, March 2010).

Mindingourelders.com

Have a kind and respectful day.

Rescheduled: Date TBD, Interview with Peter Lichtenburg Ph.D. on blogtalkradio.com/kindethic

Peter A. Lichtenberg, Ph.D., is the Director of the IOG and Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience & Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Wayne State University. Dr. Lichtenberg received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Purdue University, where he also minored in aging. Dr. Lichtenberg will be discussing dementia, Alzheimer’s and the work of the Institute of Gerentology at Wayne State University, including the work of the Healthier Black Elders Center.

www.iog.wayne.edu — blog
www.dementiacoalition.org
http://www.mcuaaar.wayne.edu/events.php — Healthier Black Elders Center

Director of the IOG since 1999, Lichtenberg has led this research and education unit to record levels of funding (annual totals for the past 8 years are a 300-400% increase from previous highs), to an expansion of research focus by recruiting faculty in the area of cognitive neuroscience, and the leadership of several highly successful training and mentoring grants (See below for details on the Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Training and on the Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research). Dr. Lichtenberg also created the first IOG-funded development Board of Visitors which in its first 4 ½ years raised over $2.25 Million dollars.

Dr. Lichtenberg is the author of five books, including the highly acclaimed Handbook of Dementia (2003, Handbook of Assessment in Clinical Gerontology (Wiley press, 1999) and A Guide to Psychological Practice in Geriatric Long Term Care (Haworth Press 1994). In addition, Dr. Lichtenberg has edited a four volume series for the organization Medical Psychotherapy, and has published over 125 peer reviewed scientific articles. His particular areas of research include mental health in long term care, geriatric depression, geriatric psychology and
medical rehabilitation and the early detection and management of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Dr. Lichtenberg has been awarded many distinctions including the 1996 Early Career Award in Rehabilitation Psychology, Fellowship in the Gerontological Society of America and the American Psychological Association, the Outstanding Contribution Award for Psychologists in Long Term Care, and both the 2001 Distinguished Faculty Award and Outstanding Mentor Award at Wayne State University. In 2002, he was the first educator to be given the Alzheimer’s Advocate Award. In 2004, on behalf of the IOG, he accepted community honors from the Area Agency on Aging 1C and Wayne County. In 2006 he was awarded the Harry Kelly Award for outstanding leadership in Gerontology

Dr. Lichtenberg is a leader in many national and community organizations in Detroit and the State of Michigan including chair of the http://www.dementiacoalition.org/>Michigan Dementia Coalition, past-chair of the Central City Aging Services Consortium, and Board member for the Area Agency on Aging 1-B Advisory Board. Nationally, Dr. Lichtenberg was the Chair of the
Behavioral and Social Sciences Section of the Gerontological Society of America (2007), Chair of the APA Committee on Aging (2008) and a member of the APA Presidential Task Force on Integrated Care for an Aging Population.

The Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University brings together science and service to advance the cause of aging research. Its multidisciplinary faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and pre-doctoral trainees focus on the social and behavioral aspects of lifespan health and cognitive development. Dedicated to promoting successful aging, the Institute of Gerontology is where research and outreach combine to make life better in Detroit and beyond.

Nighttime Day Cares for People with Dementia and Alzheimers

In my recent interview with the author of Becoming Dead Right: A hospice volunteer in urban nursing homes, Frances Shani Parker told me about a new concept that is spreading across the nation. Nighttime Day Care Facilities for people with dementia and Alzheimers. Instead of giving the caregiver a break during the workday, the caregiver gets a good night sleep. This is exceptionally helpful because people with dementia tend to be up and night and want to be entertained. No wonder so many caregivers are exhausted if they are up all night taking care of their loved one. Not only is this a great idea for the caregiver, the person with dementia gets the interaction and attention they need. They feel less frustrated, less isolated and more content.

You can start out with one or two times a week and add more as necessary. There will be a period of adjustment but most people really enjoy getting out and spending time at these day or night cares. Frances also said that this can be a good option for people who will eventually need to go to a care facility full time. Going to day or night day care will help the person transition more easily when the time comes.

This is also good for business because now the day care can cater to a whole new group of customers. The night time crowd.

If you would like to listen to the interview about what we can do to improve nursing homes and the recent regulatory changes mandating these changes, click on http://tinyurl.com/lrjj8c. You can listen on line or download it through itunes.

Have a kind and respectful day.

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