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.

Improving Bedside Manner While Managing Your Time

Your bedside manner will affect the medical outcome of the patient. Here are some easy tips you can do in your office. The first thing you want to do is to briefly review the chart before you walk in the room. Usually physicians will start looking at the chart once they’ve entered the room and will be so busy reading the chart, that they missed the opportunity for a warm greeting and good eye contact. So while you’re in the hallway, before you open the door, do two things. Review the chart quickly and check in with yourself. You want to check in with yourself that you’re ready to go in and be present with this particular patient. Even if your mind has been thinking about other patients in the office or the hospital, or if you’re thinking about your kid’s soccer game, stop and redirect your focus. Then when you walk in the room, the patient will feel like you are there for them and that you are paying attention. As you walk, greet the patient warmly and use culturally appropriate nonverbal skills. Don’t assume that the patient hasn’t minded waiting for you, they do mind. Apologize if you are late.

Please don’t sit behind a desk. The desk can be cold and distancing. The patient will feel more comfortable if you sit with them in the exam room. If you can, please talk to patients with their clothes on as patients can be very uncomfortable sitting in a small gown or with just a drape covering them up. If you’re using electronic medical records and are just now getting used to doing the patient interview in front of a computer screen, please remember to look up from the screen and to make sure you stay connected to the patient. I know the new technology takes some getting used to, but you can’t afford to have the patient feel like you don’t care. You also want to make sure that you don’t make the patient a third-party patient. This is when you talk to their caregiver and ignore the patient. Even if the patient doesn’t have full capacity, keep them included in the conversation.

Remember that the conversation should be a dialogue, not a monologue. Leave plenty of time for listening, especially at the beginning of the conversation. If you do want to connect with the patient on a personal level, don’t make the mistake that many doctors do. Doctors will begin to tell the patient about their own hobbies or interests. Don’t tell the patient more about you, instead you want to listen more to discover things about them. You also want to look for moments of caring where you can reach out and give the patient and family the needed reassurance. Don’t just focus on the symptoms the patient is reporting. Make sure you ask the important questions about how their lifestyle or culture may be contributing to their illness.

These are just a few tips I teach doctors when we talk about bedside manners and how to improve medical outcomes.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Viki Kind interviews Allan Hager, “Right at Home” on Sept. 8th, 9AM pacific on blogtalkradio.com/kindethics

Interview with Allen Hager and Right at Home. Right at Home is a national in home care and assistance agency. They provide trained, insured and bonded caregivers for a variety of elder care services. Whether it’s for extra assistance after a stay in the hospital, an aging parent who needs extra help or companionship to remain in their own home, or as a respite for a husband or wife who cares for an ailing spouse, Right at Home can help with home health care needs.

Right at Home’s home care services cater to a variety of in home care needs ranging from companion services to personal care to light skilled nursing.
Companion & Homemaker Services:

• Caring Companionship
• Medication Reminders
• Meal Preparation
• Shopping & Errand Services
• Light Housekeeping
• Laundry Services
• Bathing Assistance
• Family Respite Care
• Recreational Activities
• Personal Hygiene & Dressing Guidance
• Incoming Mail Organization
• Review with Family
• 24-Hour Emergency Response Personal Care Services:

• Bathing
• Walking Assistance
• Posture Positioning
• Continence Care
• Oral Hygiene
• Special Diet/Meal Preparation
• Eating Assistance
• Toileting Assistance

Right at Home care services are highly personalized and flexible. Right at Home caregivers can provide in home care from a little as a few hours a day to 24 hours a day. Whether it’s for extra assistance after a stay in the hospital, or to provide respite to a caregiving spouse, home care may be the solution for you. They’ll do everything they can to make sure you and your loved one are completely satisfied. Furthermore, they take great pride in making sure they fit the right caregiver with the right client.

No regrets. Spend quality time with loved ones today.

It is important to spend time with our loved ones. It is especially important that we spend time with those who have lost their ability to drive. Tell your loved one that you have saved the afternoon for them and you are willing to drive them where they want to go. We lose so much of our freedom as we get older and more dependent. Instead of you choosing the activity or the restaurant, let them be in charge. So, if they want to go to the local hardware store and wander around like they used to when they were young, go with them. If they like to get out in nature, even if they have physical limitations, find a local park that is disability friendly.

And of course bring your attention. If you are busy on your cell phone or distracted, it won’t count as quality time. We have to stop and truly be present with our loved ones. And that means turning down the technology and turning up our caring attitude.

One thing I regret is that I didn’t take the time to take my dad to the places he wanted to go. I took him where he needed to go like the doctor’s office, but then I would run out of time to do the little extras. I wish he was still here so we could just stop for an ice cream or take a drive around the old neighborhood. The time we spend counts and is remembered forever.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Interview with Cristina Chamberlain, “Assistive Technology for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired” on Sept. 2nd, 3PM pacific

Cristina Chamberlain, “Assistive Technology for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired” on Sept. 2nd, 3PM pacific. blogtalkradio.com/kindethics. Call in with your questions about dealing with a new hearing loss or finding the right technology to help those who are already hearing impaired.

Christina Chamberlain is the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Coordinator at the Three Rivers Center for Independent Living. Christina is part of the Assistive Technology Department. The Three Rivers Center is one of many Centers for Independent Living in the US. Their goal is to help people with disabilities live independently in the community setting of their choice by providing consumer controlled supports and services. Their services include Advocacy, Assistive Technology, Waiver programs, Housing, Deaf and Hard of Hearing services, Nursing Home Transition, Peer Support, Skills Training, Personal Assistance and Transitioning. The website is www.trcil.org

Other resources include:

Harris Communications www.harriscomm.com A good starting point for assistive devices for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing.

ASL Expo www.aslexpo.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaf_culture A good starting point for information on Deaf Culture
Hearing Loss Association of America http://www.hearingloss.org/

http://www.virtualcil.net/cils/ This site will direct people to a Center for Independent Living near them.

The Pennsylvania Initiative for Assistive Technology (PIAT) http://disabilities.temple.edu/programs/assistive/piat/

PIAT Assistive Technology Lending Library http://disabilities.temple.edu/news/newsletterAT/
Pennsylvania Telecommunications Device Distribution Program (TDDP) http://disabilities.temple.edu/programs/assistive/tddp/

Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) www.patf.us

Have a kind and respectful day.

Why wouldn’t my doctor or the nurse listen to me?

Dear Viki,

I was having a terrible allergic reaction to a new medicine and the nurse at the doctor’s office wouldn’t take me seriously. My skin was turning red and was burning and my lips were stinging and swelling. It took me days before anybody took me seriously. I called over and over again for three days. And then when I finally talked to the doctor, she said I should keep taking the medicine because it was important for my heart. Eventually I got an appointment with another doctor and when I stopped the new medicine, all the symptoms went away. What could I have done to get their attention?

I am so sorry this happened to you. First thing, if you are having a terrible reaction to a medication, go to the emergency room. Some allergic reactions can become fatal. Regarding your doctor and the nurse, you have a problem. This is an office that isn’t taking your complaints seriously. Either they didn’t believe you or they didn’t realize it was serious. Either way you are in trouble.

Be thankful you have found out now that this doctor isn’t a good fit for you. This doesn’t mean this is a bad doctor, just not the right doctor for you. For some reason, they wouldn’t believe you and you can’t take the chance that this might happen in the future. This could be dangerous to your health.

Even it wasn’t the doctor who made the mistake, the doctor has a nurse working for her that doesn’t respect what the patient says or doesn’t pass on the messages appropriately. You can not take that risk. What if it is truly life threatening the next time? I highly recommend that you take this as a warning and find a different office. Sometimes in life we get the gift of knowledge. Use this experience to protect yourself and get an doctor’s office that will listen to you.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Sign up for free, “Kindness Reminders” – Remember to connect with your loved ones.

The “Kindness Reminder” is a brief weekly email to remind you to connect with your aging parent or other loved ones. The reminder is full of touching and fun ways to reach out and connect.

A colleague said to me, “I love my grandmother but I keep forgetting to call her.  Can you send me an email once a week to remind me to call her and can you include some ideas of things I can do for her?”  When he asked me to create these reminders for him, I realized I have been doing this type of thing all my life. I used to call my brothers and remind them to call our dad. It wasn’t that they didn’t care; it was just that like all of us, we get caught up in our own lives.

People think I am amazing because I remember to call on birthdays or to call in once a week to check on my elders. I am not amazing, I am organized. I pre-book recurring appointments in my calendar so I it sends me reminders to call, write or show I care. Otherwise, it would slip my mind and weeks would go by before I would make the effort.

These email reminders will give you a number of ways to show that you care. I will also give you ideas on how to thank those who are taking care of your loved one when you are either far away or unable to be there. The more you show appreciation for those who take care of your loved one, the better care they will get.

Just sign up in the box in the upper right section of my blog at KindEthics.com. Thanks for helping me make the world a kinder place. Please let others know about this free service.

Have a kind and respectful day.

“The Young Child Suffering Grief after a Loss” Interview with Shari Moore, August 26th, at 10AM pacific

“The Young Child Suffering Grief after a Loss” Interview with Shari Moore, August 26th, at 10AM pacific. Call in to listen live at (347) 945-5152 or listen online at blogtalkradio.com/kindethics.

Shari Moore is the Youth Program Director at the Hospice of the Conejo. She has worked with bereaved children, ages 4-13, for 8 years. Her background is in Clinical Psychology. Shari is in her third and final year of coursework for a Ph.D. in Mythology and Depth Psychology (may be relevant to address cultural resistance to discussing death in society). She is a project manager at Amgen and a research assistant at UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Hospital and Institute.

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.

“Protecting the Nursing Home Resident – The job of the ombudsman” Interview with Molly Davies, August 18th, at 10AM pacific.

“Protecting the Nursing Home Resident – The Job of the Ombudsman” Interview with Molly Davies, August 18th, at 10AM pacific. Call in to listen live at (347) 945-5152 or listen online at blogtalkradio.com/kindethics.

After serving more than two years as a regional manager for the Long-Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman Program, two years as an Ombudsman care manager, and two years as a volunteer Ombudsman, Ms. Davies was named Program Director of the LTC Ombudsman Program in October 2006. She manages the Los Angeles County and City LTC Ombudsman programs and serves as the designated LTC Ombudsman “program coordinator” per state contract requirement.

In her capacity as program director, Ms. Davies oversees all aspects of the WISE LTC Ombudsman Program, including program development, implementing LTC policy changes, monitoring budgets and promoting the program to the public. She and her staff ensure that service delivery complies with all regulatory and contract guidelines and the policies and procedures that govern the program. She is responsible for monitoring and reporting on program performance monthly, maintaining a tracking system for reports of alleged elder abuse and assessing client satisfaction. She is also responsible for recruiting, training and evaluating ombudsmen. Ms. Davies holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from UCLA and is currently completing a master’s degree in Social Work at California State University Long Beach.

Have a kind and respectful day.

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