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Are you a member of the “sandwich generation?”

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sandwich generation
whatisthesandwichgeneration.com

When You’re Taking Care of Your Kids and Your Parents at the Same Time

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“The term ‘sandwich generation’ was coined by social worker Dorothy Miller in 1981, to describe women in their 30s and 40s who were the primary caregivers for their young children and their aging parents. The reality today is that the sandwich generation includes both men and women, ranging from their 30s to their 60s.

According to nonprofit association Aging Life Care, America’s sandwich generation is one of the fastest-growing populations. ‘This group of people often find themselves stuck in the middle of trying to juggle a hectic schedule that includes caring for parents experiencing a decline in health, keeping up with adult children as they struggle to make it on their own and begin their families and managing the financial and emotional stressors that arise throughout these circumstances.’

A 2013 Pew research report found that 47 percent of adults in their 40s and 50s have a parent age 65 or older and are either raising a young child or financially supporting a grown child (age 18 or older). Around 1 in 7 middle-aged adults is providing financial support to both an aging parent and a child.”

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“Pre-hospice” program called Transitions

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pre-hospice
Photo by Heidi de Marco/KHN

‘Pre-Hospice’ Saves Money By Keeping People At Home Near The End Of Life

By Anna Gorman, Kaiser Health News

“Gerald Chinchar isn’t quite at the end of life, but the end is not far away. The 77-year-old fell twice last year, shattering his hip and femur, and now gets around his San Diego home in a wheelchair. His medications fill a dresser drawer, and congestive heart failure puts him at high risk of emergency room visits and long hospital stays.

Chinchar, a Navy veteran who loves TV Westerns, said that’s the last thing he wants. He still likes to go watch his grandchildren’s sporting events and play blackjack at the casino. ‘If they told me I had six months to live or go to the hospital and last two years, I’d say leave me home,’ Chinchar said. ‘That ain’t no trade for me.’

Most aging people would choose to stay home in their last years of life. But for many, it doesn’t work out: They go in and out of hospitals, getting treated for flare-ups of various chronic illnesses. It’s a massive problem that costs the health care system billions of dollars and has galvanized health providers, hospital administrators and policymakers to search for solutions.

Sharp HealthCare, the San Diego health system where Chinchar receives care, has devised a way to fulfill his wishes and reduce costs at the same time. It’s a pre-hospice program called Transitions, designed to give elderly patients the care they want at home and keep them out of the hospital.”

Read more about this pre-hospice program

The mourning process provides relief and healing

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mourning process
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Help in the mourning offers comfort

By Valerie McCullough, Loveland Reporter-Herald

March 30, 2017

“Since Bill’s death in late January, I’ve had three grief counseling sessions.

I feel fortunate that Pathways Hospice offers these sessions for families of their deceased patients.

I started grief counseling about three weeks after Bill died.

One of the odd things about being in counseling is I think I’m doing ‘just fine’ as I head into the session. ‘I don’t really need to be in counseling,’ I say to myself.

As the counselor and I seat ourselves comfortably in her office, we exchange pleasantries. After a few minutes, she may ask something like, ‘How are things going?’

Then I begin to talk about what’s in my heart and mind.

During my first two sessions, I recounted the days in the hospital just before Bill’s death and then the death itself — and tears flowed.”

Read more about the mourning process

Home fire dangers – are you safe?

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Home fire danger
southaven.org

In 2015, my son-in-law’s childhood home caught fire accidentally.  His mom (in her 60’s) was home.  She got out safely with just the phone in hand which she used to call 911. Unfortunately, she lost almost everything, including her car which was in the garage.  She basically just had the clothes on her back: pajamas and a robe.  She was relocated for over six months as her home was repaired. Luckily, she had good insurance and she is back in home but without many of her family’s treasures.  Could this happen to you and would you be able to get out quickly and safely?

“National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) statistics show that people age 65 and older are twice as likely to die in a home fire as the population at large. This high risk can be greatly reduced by following simple fire prevention rules.

Why are Older Adults at Risk?

If you are an older adult, you are at a higher risk for death and injury from fire for a number of reasons:

• You may be physically less able to take quick action in a fire emergency.
• If you are on medication, it may affect your ability to make quick decisions.
• If you live alone, others may not be around to help should an accident occur

What Fire Hazards Affect Older Adults?

• Cooking is the leading cause of fire-related injuries for older adults. The kitchen is one of the most active and potentially dangerous rooms in the home.
• The unsafe use of smoking materials is the leading cause of fire deaths among older adults.
• Heating equipment is responsible for a big share of fires in older adults’ homes. Extra caution should be used with alternative heaters such as wood stoves or electric space heaters.
• Faulty wiring is another major cause of fires affecting the elderly. Older homes can have serious problems, ranging from old appliances with bad wiring to overloaded sockets.”

View or print helpful tips about how to prevent fires

Social media helps seniors stay connected

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social media
pinterest.com

Social media complements face-to-face interactions for residents

by Lisa Price, M.D., McKnight’s Senior Living
March 20, 2017
“No matter where older adults live — in their own homes or in a senior living community — there’s an excellent chance that they have access to social media. Ten years ago, few of those aged 65 years or more used social networking sites such as Facebook. By 2015, 35% were online, and this number is only expected to increase.

A recent study published in the journal PNAS found that Facebook interaction among older adults is doing more than just helping them while away the time.

Loneliness in older adults

Older adults often report they are lonely and feel isolated in their lives and in the communities in which they live. An Archives of Internal Medicine article found that 43% of those aged 60 or more reported feeling lonely. Delving into the numbers, researchers were able to pinpoint two issues facing older adults: 32% reported lacking companionship, and 25% said they felt left out.

Face-to-face interaction long has been the gold standard for socializing, decreasing loneliness and isolation in older adults. Our culture is fast-paced and ever-changing, and our means of communicating is changing along with it. Researchers have taken notice of the continuing growth of social media, the ubiquitous nature of smartphones and tablets that help people connect to the internet, and the fact that people around the world easily can interact through the technology.”

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Lisa Price, M.D., is chief medical officer at Denver-based InnovAge, a provider of health and wellness services for older adults in California, Colorado and New Mexico. She was a private practice geriatrician for 11 years and then attended on the Acute Care of the Elderly service and taught quality improvement at the University of Colorado.

Lonely or socially isolated?

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social isolation
DREAMSTIME

Social isolation does not mean mom is lonely: Caregiver SOS

The two terms are not interchangeable, but it is important to find out why senior doesn’t want to leave the house.

By Nira Rittenberg, Special to The Star
March 20, 2017

“Mom lives in a small town north of me. Since dad died, she doesn’t want to go out. Her arthritis is bad. I see her when possible but feel badly that she is alone. She says she is fine?

It is critical to understand the difference between social isolation and loneliness. We hear in the news about how seniors are prone to both these issues. The truth is, the language is not interchangeable.

Loneliness is a subjective state. The person may feel a sense of unhappiness or distress from not having people around enough or not having fulfilling social contact. They may feel they will be rejected or they may have poor self-esteem.

Social isolation occurs when the person does not have enough people to socialize with. People can feel lonely (their own perception) even in a highly social environment. The concept is related to depression, but not all people who are lonely are depressed.

Social isolation is defined as a lack of rewarding social relationships. A 2012 Statistics Canada Report stated that almost 25 per cent of seniors’ wished for more social participation.”

Read about factors which bring about social isolation

Nira Rittenberg is an occupational therapist who specializes in geriatrics and dementia care at Baycrest Health Sciences Centre and in private practice. She is co-author of Dementia A Caregiver’s Guide.

2016 Aging Stats Report

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Older Americans 2016: Key Indicators of Well-Being

2016 Aging Stats Report

“This report provides the latest data on the 41 key indicators selected by the Forum (on Aging Related Statistics) to portray aspects of the lives of older Americans and their families. It is divided into six subject areas: population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, health care, and environment.”

Download the Full 2016 Aging Stats Report (PDF)

Highlights from the 2016 Aging Stats Report can be found on page 19.

Download Individual Sections Format
Population XLS
Economics XLS
Environment XLS
Health Status XLS
Health Risks & Behaviors XLS
Health Care XLS
Special Feature: Informal Caregiving XLS
Figures PPTX