Lewy body dementia (LBD) affects an estimated 1.3 million individuals and their families in the United States, but because LBD symptoms can closely resemble other more commonly known diseases like Alzheimer's (the most common type of progressive dementia) and Parkinson's, it is currently widely underdiagnosed and there is a good chance your primary care physician is not familiar with it. Despite the disease's prevalence, people with LBD have to see an average of three doctors before the LBD diagnosis is made. In order to raise awareness about LBD in the general public and in the medical profession, The Lewy Body…
“Caregiving Contracts” are legal documents between your aging parent and a family member that spells out in very specific details the kinds of services and tasks the caregiver will provide, over what course of time and the rate of pay for the services performed by the caregiver. If you choose this option, I highly recommend using an elder law lawyer to draft up the contract and that other family members, especially siblings, should be aware of what is being agreed upon. To prevent conflicts, this type of arrangement should be transparent to all family stakeholders invested in your parent’s…
Physical limitations make a person much more difficult to attend to. Especially, if they are totally bedridden. Therefore, speak with the physician and have it explained exactly what undertaking their needs involves. Consequently, you may find that you may not be able to handle their condition. First of all, caring for a parent should be a family decision. Your spouse, children, and siblings should all be willing to play some role. Because, a support system is necessary. Therefore, if you have no offers of help and you cannot handle the condition, nursing home placement should be considered. Allowing your heart…
Following are 10 signs that your aging parent may might require help at home: A change in appearance or condition of the home — If your parents never cared much about the house, the fact that it’s a little messier than usual might not indicate a problem. However, if the house was always spotless, a messy home may be a cause for concern. Clutter – Piles of magazines or clothing could be an indicator that an older adult needs more help. Dirty or unkempt clothing – Lack of interest in appearance can be a sign of depression in a senior….
Techniques for managing Alzheimer's aggression such as re-directing the person's attention or medication can certainly help. However, the key is figuring what is causing the outburst. Agitation and aggression are typically caused by one or more of these five factors: Cognitive Impairment You may overestimate what your parent is capable of accomplishing i.e. performing a task they are not able to complete. Thus, they get upset and frustrated, causing an outburst. Consequently, you must adjust expectations to their abilities. Plus, Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease. Therefore, your Parent's abilities will decline over time. So, expectations must be shifted continually. Psychological…
With more than 1.6 million Americans now living in nursing homes, many of us are all too familiar with the debilitating cycle of a nursing home admission followed by repeated hospitalizations, a spiraling into decline, and ultimately death. A Brown University study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, confirms what many of us have observed: health care transitions, such as moves in and out of the hospital from a nursing home, do not lead to positive outcomes. More common are frequent medical errors; poor care coordination, infections and additional medications. For patients with acute dementia, these transitions can…
According to MetLife's National Health and Retirement Study, the percentage of adult children spending time and money on their parent's care has tripled in the last decade and a half. This comes as no surprise to me, as I see the rising long-term care costs, the economic downturn, and failure to plan ahead for senior care places. Therefore, many families are in tough situations when a loved one ages and needs extra day-to-day care. The MetLife data found that roughly a quarter of all adults are currently providing at least some financial assistance to their parents. A similar survey from…
When a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and requires assistance throughout the day, the spouse and adult children are faced with two choices. First, if you wish to keep that person well cared for in the home; Join the ranks of the 65 million family caregivers in this country and become a full-time caregiver. Or else hire a home-care aide to help with the many tasks throughout the day and night, from bathing and dressing to preparing food and doing housework and laundry. Since each of these options has its own drawbacks, many concerned people, especially those who…
Providing asset protection, support and guidance to families, I realize that the cost of care is not usually understood. Our typical client is not aware that planning for care is similar to planning for a child's education; there is a need to plan ahead or you may not end up where you want to be or end up paying too much. The need for planning is becoming more important as our nation's demographics are evolving to a situation that has never been seen before. The nation's population of senior citizens is about to rise to historic levels. By year's end,…
If you are caring for your mother or father, you may be able to claim your parent as a dependent on your income taxes. This would allow you to get an exemption ($3700 in 2011) for him or her. There are five tests to determine whether you can claim a parent as a dependent: The person you are claiming as a dependent must be related to you. This shouldn't be a problem if you are claiming a parent (in-laws are also allowed). Keep in mind, however, that foster parents do not count as a relative. To claim a foster parent,…
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