Interview with Stefanie Elkins from Leeza’s Place on May 5th, 1PM pacific

Interview with Stefanie Elkins on Leeza’s Place on May 5th, 1PM Pacific on blogtalkradio.com/kindethics. Listen live or download it later.

Leeza’s Place is celebrating their 4th anniversary. “A Caregiver’s Oasis” for families that are impacted by a loved one with a memory loss or chronic illness.

Taking care of a loved one with a memory disorder or chronic illness, can be an overwhelming and isolating experience for families. Leeza’s Place is a free community resource and referral center for family caregivers and for individuals with early stages of memory loss. We are a center of strength and purpose, providing help and hope through programs that Educate, Empower and Energize. We connect family caregivers to resources in the community and to each other for support. Leeza’s Place was developed in response to the challenges Leeza Gibbons, radio and TV personality, and her family encountered while seeking specific and needed support as caregivers.

Leeza’s Place teaches caregivers the importance of maintaining their own health while providing care to someone else.
Program Highlights include:
EDUCATION- Monthly caregiver workshops and presentations on a variety of topics related to illnesses and Caregiving.
EMPOWERMENT- Caregiver support groups, memory fitness, bereavement groups and scrapbooking-preserving family memories.
ENERGY- Prevention and wellness activities such as weekly exercise classes, Memory Television – a video production to capture your family history, guided meditation/visualization.

Leeza’s Place success is strongly based on the amazing quality support we get from volunteers/interns who provide various services. Volunteers/Interns serve as support group facilitators, provide on-site respite support during groups, and assist with programs and administrative work. We also seek dedicated individuals to assist with marketing and fundraising.

Contact
Stefanie Elkins, MJS, MM Yael Wyte, MSW
Circle of Care Leeza’s Place in Sherman Oaks Leeza’s Place at Olympia Medical Center
818-817-3259, selkins@leezasplace.org 323-932-5414, ywyte@leezasplace.org
5000 Van Nuys Suite 110, 5901 West Olympic Blvd. Suite 300A
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 Los Angeles, CA 90036
Mon.-Thurs.; 10 am to 6 pm Friday; 10 am to 1pm Mon.,Wed.-Friday; 10am-6 pm Tues; 12-8 pm
Occasional late nights and Saturday’s

Local Leeza’s Place are funded by the generosity of the Circle of Care Foundation (Sherman Oaks) and Olympia Medical Center (Los Angeles).

National Healthcare Decisions Day Set for April 16, 2010

National Healthcare Decisions Day Set for April 16, 2010

KindEthics.com, along with other national, state and community organizations, are leading a massive effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making—an effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 16, 2010 as National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD). As a participating organization, KindEthics.com is providing information and tools for the public to talk about their wishes with family, friends and healthcare providers, and execute written advance directives (healthcare power of attorney and living will) in accordance with your state laws. These resources are available on the KindEthics.com Resource Page.

For a free handout about advance care planning and advance directive forms, email Viki at viki@kindethics.com

“As a result of National Healthcare Decisions Day, many more people in our community can be expected to have thoughtful conversations about their healthcare decisions and complete reliable advance directives to make their wishes known,” said [List spokesperson name, title and organization]. “Fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient, and healthcare providers and facilities will be better equipped to address advance healthcare planning issues before a crisis and be better able to honor patient wishes when the time comes to do so.”

For more information about National Healthcare Decision Day, please visit www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org.

Have a kind and respectful day.

National Social Worker’s Month — Thanks from Viki

I want to send out a big hug to all the social workers out there making a difference in people’s lives. Thank you for doing all that you do to make sure people get what they need, are protected and empowered to live their best lives. This may be the last day of National Social Workers Month but the value of social workers lasts all year long. If you are ever in the hospital and need a person to help you get what you need, the social worker is your best ally.

Here is some information from the National Association of Social Worker’s website: http://www.naswdc.org/

* Social workers inspire community action to improve lives.
* Social workers are integral parts of a vibrant community.
* Social workers know the full range of challenges facing families of every description.
* Social workers advocate for inclusion, fairness and non-discriminatory access to services that help people reach their full potential.
* Social workers make a wide range of social contributions throughout their careers.
* Many social workers work to resolve systemic issues that negatively affect a community. Some work in education or research, and others work as elected officials, in government or as heads of nonprofit organizations to create positive sustainable change in communities.
* Most social workers serve individuals and families. Working through private practices, agencies and organizations, they provide resources and guidance that support social functioning.
* People who become professional social workers believe that there are no limits to human potential and use their talents to help others lead rewarding lives.
* Social work is a profession of hope, grounded in practical problem solving expertise.
* Social work is a desirable field of study for bright and socially engaged people of all ages.
* Professional social workers have a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree in social work from a program or school of social work. Social work practice is guided by the NASW Code of Ethics.
* Social workers are employed in schools, courtrooms, drug treatment clinics, hospitals, senior centers, shelters, nursing homes, the military, disaster relief, prisons and corporations.
* Social work is relevant to the successful functioning of American society.
* Social workers are on the front lines, developing social programs that are responsive to such human needs as homelessness, poverty, family break-up , mental illness, physical and mental disability, alcohol and substance abuse, domestic violence and many other issues.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Speaker phone, conference call or webcam your patient’s condition to their family.

Are you frustrated when the patient goes home and doesn’t follow your instructions or when the family member calls you and wants you to repeat everything you said to the patient?

A great way to solve this is to use technology. And I don’t mean fancy technology, but using either the speaker function and/or conference call feature on everybody’s cell phone. Then the loved ones can give you more information, ask questions and can listen to your update about the patient’s health and treatment plan. This is also an opportunity for you to build a relationship with the family in case the patient can’t speak for him- or herself in the future.

Using technology can be especially important in the hospital. For those who can not travel, use a laptop with a webcam to help the family see how their loved one is doing. There is nothing like seeing the person with their own eyes to help them picture what you are talking about. An image, either by webcam or cell phone picture can give the family understanding of the condition of the patient and how his or her health has changed.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Speaker phone, conference call or webcam your loved one’s doctor appointment.

If you can’t go to the doctor’s appointment with your loved one, whether it is because of work or distance, you can go by speaker phone. Have your loved one take their cell phone or use the doctor’s phone and put it on speaker in the exam room. You can give the doctor more information if your loved one isn’t a good communicator and then listen as the doctor tells you both the treatment plan. You can also use the conference call function to make sure the other family members are included. Communication is essential to understand the situation and to make good decision making.

If your loved one is in the hospital and you can’t make it, have someone bring in their laptop or ask someone at the hospital to set it up so you can use your webcam to see how your loved one is doing. There is nothing like seeing the person with your own eyes to help you understand what the doctor is talking about. Too often we can’t imagine what the doctor is telling us as we still picture our loved one like they used to look. An image, either by webcam or picture can give you a better picture of the condition of your loved one and what he or she is going through.

I am not saying that you shouldn’t come in person to see your loved one or to the doctor’s appointment, but for those times when you can’t be there, use the technology available.

Have a kind and respectful day.

http://www.pallimed.org/ — For Great Palliative Care articles

I would encourage you to read http://www.pallimed.org/ if you are interested in up-to-date information about Palliative Care.  The writers bring new insights and updates about the good, the bad and the ugly of end-of-life care.  Today’s article about the media’s portrayal of cancer (and it’s lack of talk about cancer and end-of-life care) is startling but true. What I really like about this site is it commitment to facts. The writers are palliative care specialists who are dedicated to bringing you the latest in research, best practices and stories about the humanity of patients, families and doctors facing end-of-life situations.

Thanks Pallimed.org for being such a great resource. Thanks Dr. Christian Sinclair.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Putting The Human Back Into Nursing Homes

KindEthics Newsletter November 30, 2009
Sign up on the lower right side of KindEthics.com

Quote:

The great secret that all old people share is that you really haven’t changed in seventy or eighty years. Your body changes, but you don’t change at all. And that, of course, causes great confusion. Doris Lessing

Putting The Human Back Into Nursing Homes:

One day when I was visiting my aunt at the skilled nursing facility, the woman that shared her room was complaining to the nurses aide that she was tired and she wanted to put on her nightgown and go to bed. The aide told her that she couldn’t go to bed, because it wasn’t allowed until after dinner. I remember at the time thinking how strange this was. Why couldn’t this woman go to bed? If she was tired, why couldn’t she take a nap? My dad took naps, I take naps and lots of other people take naps. I realize looking back that what this woman wanted/needed didn’t fit in with the schedule of the nursing staff or the institution. When did the needs of the staff become more important than the needs of the resident? When did the nursing home staff become the boss of the resident? When did the residents lose their right to having their basic needs and decision making power taken away from them?

(This bothers me a lot as I am writing this. I can imagine the day when I am living in a long term care facility and someone won’t let me nap. I love to nap and can’t imagine that this would be taken away from me just because I am old. But it isn’t just about the nap, this is about our human need to be listened to and to be respected while we receive the care we need.)

I have been reading The Erosion of Autonomy in Long-Term Care written by Charles W. Lidz, Lynn Fischer and Robert M. Arnold. This book takes a look at the history of long term care facilities and where we are today. As you can tell by the title, the right of the patient to be heard in these facilities is slipping away.

The authors write that what once was a home-based environment to serve the needy in our small communities, has morphed into a hospital-like institution where the rules dominate the humanity. The residents who “behave” and are “compliant” are good and those who want something that isn’t on today’s schedule are “bad”.

This makes me wonder if the people we store in nursing homes are as impaired when they get admitted or if the institution itself, takes away their voice and their interest in life. (I know I just said store in nursing homes. Perhaps that is too harsh a word, but have you visited a nursing facility lately? Have you seen what kind of life these people are living? If you haven’t, I would suggest that you visit your local care facility.) Another concern I have is the growing number of people being abandoned by their families in nursing homes. There are laws against abandoning your pet, but we allow people to be disposed of and forgotten in these institutions. Something has to change and it has to change soon.

Now I am not saying that people are being mistreated in care facilities, (of course a few are and that is why we have ombudsman to protect them), but what I am saying is that it is no kind of life for the residents at most of these places. But this doesn’t mean it can’t be improved and that some people know how to get it right. I recently talked with a woman who raved about the place where her mom was staying. Her mom had been admitted to one facility and when it became evident that it wasn’t a good place, she took the time to find a better place for her mother. Advocacy and effort matter when it comes to our loved ones.

So, here are some organizations that are helping to get it right.

The Pioneer Network http://www.pioneernetwork.net/
The GreenHouseProject Homes http://www.ncbcapitalimpact.org/default.aspx?id=148
The Eden Alternative http://www.edenalt.org/
National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care http://nccnhr.org/

There are four states receiving financial incentives from Medicare to change the culture of nursing homes. Arizona, Mississippi, New York and Wisconsin. If these incentives work, then these programs will be spread to other states.

The Nursing Reform Act is also working to promote and mandate the changing of nursing facilities from institutions into a more home-like environment. Where people can live without hearing bells and alarms going off or being told when they are tired. Where people can get up when they want to, eat when they are hungry and be treated as an individual. You can download information about the Nursing Home Reform Act at http://www.resource4nursinghomeabuse.com/images/pdf/nursing_home_reform_act.pdf

I think if I was granted one wish, this is what I would wish for. That long term care facilities could become home-like and that people wouldn’t be abandoned in them. I don’t have the answers but I do know that others do. If you are interested in being part of the change, volunteer at your local nursing home. Connect with one of the organizations that are making a difference. And if you are a healthcare professional, make sure you visit the facilities you are recommending to your patients. Don’t take someone’s word for it that it is a nice place, go there yourself. See what is being served for dinner and sit and watch what is happening. You will be surprised by what you see.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Interview with Lauren Gershen, “Answering your questions about Long Term Care Insurance”, Feb. 5th, 9AM pacific

Call in to listen live at (347) 945-5152 or listen online at blogtalkradio.com/kindethics.

Lauren specializes in offering multiple solutions to Long Term Care Planning. She is certified and licensed in 10 different states, and introduces her clients only to those companies that are top rated, financially solid, and experienced in writing and underwriting long term care insurance. “It is important to maintain your quality of life and to have peace of mind knowing that you have a plan that will help you maintain your control and independence when you need it to in an affordable manner, and postpone or even avoid the need for institutionalization.”

Lauren resides in La Quinta, California and is a graduate of UCLA. She has first hand experience of the potentially significant impact that not having a plan can have on you, your family and loved ones, and your retirement portfolio. Her practice focuses specifically on the issue of long term care insurance, plan design & implementation, comparison and analysis, and finding the insurance product and company that is right for you. Her primary mission is to educate people on the value of having protection against the high costs of long term care while choices are still available. After working with Lauren, clients appreciate the value of being able to make “well-informed” YES or NO decisions about how to approach this critical life planning issue. In a caring and supportive way, she can assist you in customizing an appropriate and affordable plan to meet your individual or group needs.

Lauren works very closely with other professionals including elder law attorneys, financial planners and CPA’s to establish a plan that takes into consideration your circumstances and ability to pay. She also assists her clients with life insurance planning, and guides them in sifting through the maze of selecting the appropriate medicare supplement insurance plan.

Lauren actively supports the Alzheimers Association and volunteers her time to provide seminars and workshops to professionals and civic organizations. An astonishing statistic…..”One in six Baby Boomers who reach age 55 will develop some kind of dementia, including Alzheimer’s.”

Lauren actively represents the following top rated LTC insurance companies:

Authorized to offer AARP endorsed Long Term Care Insurance, Prudential, Genworth Life, MetLife, John Hancock, Mutual of Omaha and Allianz.

Lauren V. Gershen CLTC
Planning For Quality of Life

Long Term Care Planning & Insurance Specialist
LGershen@aol.com
(760) 777-9061 Office
(760) 777-9062 Fax

Have a kind and respectful day.

Interview with Natalie Buriel, MSW and Linda Alexander-Lieblang, Director opf Regions, Alzheimer’s Association, California Southland Chapter, “Memory Club and other services available at the Alzheimer’s Association”

Listen live or download later to my interview with Natalie Buriel, MSW and Linda Alexander-Lieblang, RMT, MA, Director of Regions, Alzheimer’s Association, California Southland Chapter to discuss the Memory Club and other services available at the Alzheimer’s Association on January 29th, 10AM pacific, on Blogtalkradio.com/kindethics

Whether your you or your loved one has Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, the Alzheimer’s Association has specialized services available no matter what stage or situation you are dealing with.  I have listed below a number of their services.  Take some time and look through what they have to offer.   Check out their resources at Alz.org.  They also have support material in Chinese, Spanish and Korean.

The Alzheimer’s Association is there to help.  Please reach out to them and get the support and help you need.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Helpline

The Alzheimer’s Association Helpline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in 140 languages. Our staff is highly trained and knowledgeable about all aspects of Alzheimer’s disease. Call us if you have questions about:

· Alzheimer’s disease or memory loss, medications and treatment options, brain health and care options

· How the Association can help you

· Caregiving tips and respite care options

· Services available in your community and referrals

You can also call us for emotional support –– as often as you need. We know that living with Alzheimer’s can be overwhelming at times. Remember, we are here for you –– all day, every day.

Care consultation

Our professional staff is dedicated to helping people navigate through the difficult decisions and uncertainties people with Alzheimer’s and their families face at every stage of the disease. We can provide care consultation services to you by telephone, e-mail or in person. These include:

· Assessment of needs

· Assistance with planning and problem solving

· Supportive listening

Contact us for more information:

Phone: 1.800.272.3900

Support groups

Support groups provide a safe place where people go to learn, listen, share and gain emotional support from others who are also on a unique journey of providing care to a person with dementia.  Support groups are held at various times and in many different communities and languages. Each group is different, and depending on each person’s needs will offer different things. Check to see if there is a group close to you that fits your needs.

Support group listing

Message boards

The Alzheimer’s Association message boards and chat rooms provide an online community for persons with Alzheimer’s, caregivers and care providers. Our message boards have thousands of registered members from around the United States and thousands more who refer to the stories and information that is available 24 hours a day.

Join the Alzheimer’s Association online community.

Publications

· The Alzheimer’s Association offers dozens of fact sheets and brochures.
Click here for a listing.

We also maintain a variety of educational materials (brochures, videos, audiotapes and books) on topics related to Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. To learn more about our library, call us at 1.800.272.3900.

Quarterly magazine

Our chapter also prints a free quarterly magazine. Click here to view the current issue. If you would like a hard-copy, please call the Helpline at (800) 272-3900.

Educational programs

We offer many educational programs each year that address the specific interests of the general public, individuals with the disease and their families.

Education program listing.

Professional training

We offer classroom and Web-based training for healthcare supervisors and direct care workers in assisted living and nursing homes. Many programs allow you to earn CEUs.

Professional training listings.

Multilingual information

Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders that cause dementia know no boundaries. Many individuals and families in ethnic and cultural minority groups are in need of solid information about Alzheimer’s disease and health resources.

· Chinese educational materials

· Korean educational materials

· Spanish educational materials

Lasman Family Library

The Alzheimer’s Association maintains a multimedia library of books, periodicals, videotapes, CDs, DVDs and other materials pertinent to Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. The collection covers activities, adult day services, caregiving issues, diagnosis, first-person accounts, legal and financial issues, long-term care options, medical research, memory, stages of Alzheimer’s, and more. There is a selection of children’s books, as well as resources in Spanish and other foreign languages. The library is available to family members, caregivers, professionals and students.

The Lasman Family Library is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Appointments are required; please call (323) 938-3379 and ask for Judy.

• First time borrowers must register.
• A sign-out card must be completed for each item.
• The loan period for library materials is 30 days.
• Two videos or disks may be borrowed at one time, with a deposit by check of $100.00 for each, to be returned when the item is brought back.
• Four books may be borrowed at one time

Satellite libraries with basic collections are housed at these Southland offices:
Greater San Fernando Valley (Northridge); please (818) 677-4404
Coachella Valley (Rancho Mirage): (760) 328-6767

WE MAKE NO PROVISION FOR LOANS BY MAIL:  ALL MATERIALS MUST BE PICKED UP IN PERSON.

Medic Alert® + Safe Return®

In a move to significantly improve the safety of individuals with Alzheimer’s, the Alzheimer’s Association and the MedicAlert Foundation have created an alliance to bring you MedicAlert® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return®.

MedicAlert + Safe Return offers you the best of both worlds:

· Assistance when a person wanders or is lost

· Access to vital medical information in the time of need

Learn more about Safe Return.

Adult Day Services

What are adult day services?
Adult day services are centers where people with memory problems can spend part of their day in a caring environment. What can they do for you?
• Provide time for you to:
• Go to your job
• Make phone calls and run errands
• Take a nap and rest
• Lower your stress
• Provide emotional support   What can they offer the person with memory loss?
• Time to be outside of the home
• Activities with other people
• A chance to make new friends
• A nutritious meal

Learn more about adult day services:
• Types of adult day services
• Steps to selecting adult day services
• Los Angeles County directory of adult day services
• Riverside and San Bernardino Counties directory of adult day services

Local resources and referrals

We maintain updated information on home care, adult day care, care coordination, assisted living, skilled nursing facilities, eldercare lawyers and transportation available in the community. Our staff and trained professionals can help assess whether a specific care provider meets the needs of an individual with Alzheimer’s.
Download the Resource Directory

For more information, please contact us: (800) 272-3900.

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Clinical trials index

· Clinical studies – what they are, why participate

· Nationwide clinical trials index

· Local clinical trials

· Local clinical trials-descriptions

Shared Suffering – Doctors and Patients Are In This Together

I was speaking to a doctor the other day who is drowning under a sea of patients. He is expected to see 25 patients in the hospital per day as well as admitting those who are coming in through the emergency room. And what makes his day even harder is waking up each morning; knowing his day is already doomed. (This is a well-meaning, good doctor who is still fighting to take care of his patients in a broken system.)

The patients and families he sees are angry that they have had to wait so long. He ends up spending most of his valuable time explaining and apologizing for the delays rather than actually taking care of the patient. If you add up 5minutes of apologizing times 25 patients; that equal about 2 hours of his workday. No wonder he doesn’t have enough time. When he is over-booked, he loses minutes each time he walks into the room.

And unfortunately, even when patients are told that he is busy handling an emergency or life-or-death situation, the patient and/or family is upset about having to wait so long. I totally understand this. We all want to be seen right away and want our needs to be taken seriously. But I think we all need to face the reality of medicine today. Our doctors are overwhelmed and we are asking for more than is possible from them.

I know this is difficult to accept. Our standards and sense of entitlement have become so high that our expectations have outgrown the system. I am not saying that you shouldn’t advocate for your health, but please bring some patience with you in the process. Bring a book to read, a game to play or your phone charger with you so you can call your friends. Most of our doctors are really trying their best. Don’t waste your valuable minutes with the doctor complaining about the wait, but get right to the point and use your time wisely. You only get a few minutes with the doctor so use them well.

Have a kind and respectful day.

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