Forgetting where you put your keys a lot lately? Leaving that shopping list at home all of the time? Having trouble remembering names for all of those faces? Menopausal women often complain of fuzzy thinking, forgetfulness, and difficulty concentrating; some even wonder if this is the beginning of dementia. You are most likely not losing your mind! Join the Red Hot Mamas for Menopause 101 to find out the causes of memory loss during menopause and what you can do to fight it. Presented by Anne Hamburg, MD, Southwest Medical Group Neurology Associates.
Social time and refreshments at 6 p.m. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. Click here to learn more and sign up!
Although it is unlikely that a menopause related forgetfulness will cause enough problems to require an assisted living solution, memory problems can make it difficult for people to live alone. If you or someone you care about is in need of an assisted living solution in Vancouver, WA our team can help.
The Clark County Aging Readiness Task Force is going to be at the Clark County Fair at Booth 93 in the Exhibition Hall. In addition to helping families seek the right assisted living, adult family home or memory care location for their loved ones, Kathy has been an active member of this task force. The Aging Readiness Task Force was convened to help address how Clark County can meet the needs of an aging population. Kathy will be at the booth Saturday, August 6th from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.and would love to have you stop by to say hello and gather information. See you at the FAIR!!!
A popular website for people involved in assisted living and care giving is called Care 2 Make a Difference (http://care2.com) where you can find some great information. In their “Green Living” section we ran across a great article titled “Chocoate Good for the Heart?”.
Researchers from the UK and Colombia say their meta-analysis of seven studies focused on chocolate and a reduction in heart disease shows eating small amounts of chocolate could reduce the risk of heart disease by 37%, and the risk of stroke by 29%. “Although overconsumption can have harmful effects, the existing studies generally agree on a potential beneficial association of chocolate consumption with a lower risk of cardiometabolic disorders. Our findings confirm this, and we found that higher levels of chocolate consumption might be associated with a one-third reduction in the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.”
Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/chocolate-good-for-heart.html#ixzz1XUo7r5vx
People often associate the move to assisted living in Vancouver WA with giving up independence. Our relationships with seniors have taught us time and again that this is absolutely not the case. Choosing the right Vancouver WA assisted living facility means understanding your needs and analyzing the opportunities each assisted living facility may offer.
Assisted living often increases independence because the facility offers transportation as part of their services. For many people giving up their drivers license is equal to losing their independence. When we help families investigate assisted living options we talk with you about these very subtle needs in addition to the more obvious needs that may come up in the future.
Many of our clients are very independent, even still driving, but want the security of knowing assistance is nearby if they do need it.
Another benefit of joining an assisted living community is the chance to connect with peers. Increasing social interaction helps to maintain a sense of independence because we realize others have similar challenges and have found answers that they are willing to share.
In our last blog post we provided some of the basic points one might consider when looking into the possibility of moving into assisted living in Vancouver WA. However, each client we work with brings their own questions and considerations to the relationship. If you have questions about assisted living that we don’t answer on our website or in our blog please contact us! It is through our clients and their friends and families that we learn how to best serve the seniors in our community!
Our reason for this business is to bring support to those that need it most. Anyone requiring assistance in their living environment is vulnerable. We investigate the assisted living and adult family home facilities in the Vancouver WA area so that we can help people make educated decisions and insure the best care for themselves and/or their loved ones.
I-1163 is presented as something that will protect the elderly and others that require assistance in their living situation. We have reviewed this initiative and feel it is important to educate our readers on what we have found.
We feel the Columbian has made a good case to vote NO on I-1163 and invite you to read the article they posted about this critical issue here: http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/oct/14/no-on-i-1163/.
We are also happy to share the information sent to us via email by PATTI GRAY, RN, CHCE:
INITIATIVE 1163 – THE SON OF 1029
SEIU 775 does not give up easily. Even after WSRCC’s political team successfully worked with state legislators to stop the pointless expense and onerous provisions of I-1029, putting the mandatory caregiver training measure on-hold until 2014, SEIU wrote a slew of different initiatives. They finally settled on I-1163, which may as well be called “Son of 1029″.
In pushing I-1163, they’re just recycling the same misleading messages
- and outright lies – used to pass Initiative 1029.
There are very few differences between I-1029 and I-1163. The real political motives behind these initiative efforts are complicated and not easy to explain in just a few words to someone who hasn’t studied SEIU’s agenda (for starters, they want to unionize all caregivers in the State of Washington). When you are asked about I-1163, or have to the chance to talk with friends, neighbors and your clients’ families, here are some of the points you can make:
1. I-1163 is a power grab no different than I-1029. If it were to pass, it would require redundant, expensive and pointless training – paid by taxpayers for SEIU members, but by long-term-care providers who have no input into the training curriculum that directly impacts their workers.
2. The cost of increased training hours for your caregivers will not improve the quality of care you provide your residents – but it will come out of your pocket.
3. Once again, I-1163 is an unfunded mandate expected to cost taxpayers more than $50 million in the next two years, but offers voters no way to pay for it.
4. I-1163 requires mandatory background checks for caregivers. However, mandatory background checks are already required. This initiative duplicates and increases the expense to taxpayers.
5. WSRCC demands training conducted by qualified educators and medical professionals, preferably in accredited institutions such as community colleges, trade schools, medical and long-term-care facilities. SEIU’s training program is conducted by inexperienced, unqualified union activists in union conference rooms.
SEIU is paying signature gatherers, who are attempting to get initiative signatures by claiming that I-1163 will improve the quality of care for adult family home residents. This is a lie, pure and simple.
The object of I-1163, just as it was with I-1029, is simply to swell the membership rolls (and therefore the coffers) of SEIU 775, at the expense of taxpayers who have no idea what they’re really doing when they sign an initiative signature sheet.
WSRCC’s political and public affairs team is going to continue to fight against SEIU’s initiatives, and educate the voting public to NOT sign I-1163. We want taxpayer dollars spent on direct services to vulnerable adults and to long term care. We do not want precious tax resources wasted on union-building activities masquerading as something it is not.
Join with us to educate your friends, families and colleagues: do NOT sign I-1163.
We are often asked the differences between Adult Family Homes and Boarding homes. One difference lies in the number of people that care services can be provided for. An adult family home is licensed to provide care services for up to six adults in a regular house located in a residential neighborhood. A boarding home is licensed to provide housing and care services to seven or more people in a home or facility located in a residential neighborhood.
Adult family homes may be run by a family, single person or business partners. The adult family home may also hire other employees. Some adult family homes allow pets and in some homes, multiple languages are spoken.
All adult family homes and boarding homes both provide housing and meals (room and board) and assume general responsibility for the safety and care of the resident. What additional services are offered will be different from home to home but may include:
Varying levels of assistance with personal care.
Intermittent nursing care (a licensed nurse available on a part-time basis).
Assistance with or administering of medications.
Some homes also provide specialized care to people living with developmental disabilities, dementia, or mental illness.
We have provided several resources throughout our website to help you decide the best environment for your situation.
Written by Regina Brett
90 years old Regina, is of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio . This is a reprint of her article on 45 lessons of life.
To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more: