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Bild and Company http://tracibild.com Sales - Staffing - Marketing - Research - Your Senior Housing Management Specialists Thu, 17 May 2012 19:21:14 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Senior Housing Expert Bild & Company Announces 2012 Sales School http://tracibild.com/press-and-news/senior-housing-expert-bild-company-announces-2012-sales-school/ http://tracibild.com/press-and-news/senior-housing-expert-bild-company-announces-2012-sales-school/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 19:21:14 +0000 LaCosta Lolly http://tracibild.com/?p=1742 Bild & Company 3-Day Event Boasts Expert Celebrity and Industry Speakers

Tampa, FL; May 11th, 2011- After an overwhelming response to their 2011 Sales School, Bild & Company has announced that again for 2012 they will sponsor a 3-Day “Take The Bild Challenge” Sales School from October 2-4, at the Renaissance Hotel in Tampa, with exciting new additions this year that are sure to make it an event those in the senior housing industry simple can’t afford to miss!

The conference promises to teach participants many of the proven step-by-step practices and techniques that Bild uses with its customers regularly to help them boost occupancies. In fact, in a recession economy during which many properties nationwide consistently faced declines in occupancy and revenue, Bild boasts that their client base in 2010 saw an average occupancy increase of 9%!

This year’s event features celebrity speaker David Cassidy, who became one of the biggest TV and performing stars in history in 1970 after his starring role on “The Partridge Family”. Having maintained a successful career in the entertainment industry for the last 40 years, he has more recently positively used his celebrity in an advocate role on behalf of Alzheimer’s research and prevention, and is in fact planning to address congress this year on the subject. David promises an entertaining and informative perspective on the industry, himself having recently helped his mother who lives with Alzheimer’s in her choice of retirement community.

Expect also to hear from Donna Cutting, author of the book “The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red-Carpet Customer Service”. President and CEO of Donna Cutting Presents, Inc. and an in-demand performer and keynote speaker, Donna and her team also provide training programs, consulting, and coaching service to a variety of organizations. Donna will be sharing her presentation “A Road Map to Red Carpet Customer Service” with attendees.

Traci Bild, herself having been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, and in the Wall Street Journal amongst her many accolades, and other top members from the Bild & Company team will be rounding out the events with breakthrough workshops and sessions throughout the 3-day conference. Demand is expected to be high following last year’s turnout, and Bild is recommending advanced registration for those interested in attending at www.tracibild.com .

Bild & Company has over twenty years of experience providing sales training, coaching and marketing services to organizations of all sizes, with a decade dedicated exclusively to the senior housing industry. Whether you manage a portfolio of properties across the country or operate a single, freestanding community, we can help. Visit us at www.tracibild.com for more information and a complete itinerary of conference events. ]]> http://tracibild.com/press-and-news/senior-housing-expert-bild-company-announces-2012-sales-school/feed/ 0 Do you manage or do you LEAD? http://tracibild.com/bild-team-blog/do-you-manage-or-do-you-lead/ http://tracibild.com/bild-team-blog/do-you-manage-or-do-you-lead/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 18:51:19 +0000 LaCosta Lolly http://tracibild.com/?p=1734

You were unrealistic in your expectations or not specific enough in what you expected
You never had commitment or buy-in in the first place
They don’t see value in prioritizing what you were expecting or have poor productivity practices

For example, if you are a regional director who oversees several properties, it is expected of your position to have laid clear sales benchmarks. However, are your sales counselors simply meeting those expectations or are they motivated to exceed their expectations? This concept makes all the difference in the world as to whether you manage properties that are satisfied with meeting budget or if you are leading communities that are focused on 100% occupancy.

Leadership is a conscious act. It requires vision, delegation, mentoring, coaching and motivating. The true gauge of a great leader is getting others to do what you expect, not because you require it, but because they were motivated to do so.

Food for Thought

Are the benchmarks in your organization clearly defined? Do the sales counselors know how success will be measured above and beyond occupancy growth and are they motivated to exceed your expectations?

Michelle Greiner

Client Services Specialist, Bild-Certified Lead Coach and On-Site Specialist

Michelle brings over a decade of experience in the senior housing industry to Bild & Company. Her previous positions include being a Licensed Practical Nurse in both short and long term care settings, being a corporate Regional Director, as well as an Executive Director responsible for both operations and sales and marketing. Read More – Visit Michelle’s Coaching Page Here or Read More of Michelle’s Blogs Here ]]> http://tracibild.com/bild-team-blog/do-you-manage-or-do-you-lead/feed/ 0 Pay it Forward http://tracibild.com/senior-housing-sales/understanding-sales-in-senior-housing/pay-it-forward/ http://tracibild.com/senior-housing-sales/understanding-sales-in-senior-housing/pay-it-forward/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 18:44:58 +0000 LaCosta Lolly http://tracibild.com/?p=1730
The week before Christmas, a snowstorm dumped six inches here in Midwest Minnesota. While our driveway hadn’t yet been plowed, I was determined to run to the grocery store to get milk and a few other necessary items. In an attempt to get out of the driveway, I could handle the snow right up until I hit the end of the driveway where the snowplow had recently come by and there was an 18 inch snow bank. You can about imagine what happened next. My car became buried in the snow and no matter which way I tried to free myself, drive or reverse, I continued to dig myself deeper. Just as I was climbing out of the car a gentleman came by in his pick up and stopped. Without asking or even saying a word, he pulled a shovel from the bed of his truck and began to shovel snow away from my back tires. Not two minutes later, another gentleman whom I had also never met stopped and began shoveling also. Both of them shoveled and pushed until my car was free from the snow. I thanked them and without wanting anything in return, they went on their way.

Now within a matter of a few days, I was at my parents’ house when at 11 pm at night I happened to hear an engine revving outside their front door. I looked out the window to see a teenager who had driven right into the four foot snow bank in front of their house. Knowing it was my turn to pay it forward, I pulled on a coat, grabbed some gloves and went outside with a shovel. After about 20 minutes and several frozen toes, he was free from the snow bank, thanked us and before he drove away I said three words to him-“Pay it Forward”.

Time is a valuable thing to all of us especially when it comes to our work week. It is all too easy to get into the habit of financially or medically pre-qualifying on an inquiry call, for fear that we will spend valuable time pre-planning a visit for someone who truly couldn’t move to our community in the first place. But I ask you this, are you even getting accurate information about what resources they have available if they were to make a move in the very first inquiry call? It is amazing how many times I have seen family members step up to help a parent with paying for senior housing when they have seen the value of a truly amazing experience.

My point, take a “pay it forward” approach to sales in senior housing. Although there will be times where we do find that a prospect is unable to move to our community, with a pay it forward attitude, your one personalized experience with that family can generate word of mouth referrals that will close quicker because of the experience they were told about. Focus on identifying what your caller needs and wants from the experience, get them excited about the first visit and then deliver a memorable experience. Amazing things are sure to follow!

Michelle Greiner

Client Services Specialist, Bild-Certified Lead Coach and On-Site Specialist

Physical Fitness & Wellness

50 Tips for Aging Gracefully
Healthy Aging Tips
Senior Exercise and Fitness Tips
The Importance Of Taking Medications Correctly]]> http://tracibild.com/resources/downloads/articles/feed/ 0 Alzheimer’s Disease Information http://tracibild.com/help-and-advice-for-seniors/alzheimers-dementia/alzheimers-disease-information/ http://tracibild.com/help-and-advice-for-seniors/alzheimers-dementia/alzheimers-disease-information/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:03:08 +0000 TBildAdmin http://tracibild.com/?p=679 Introduction

Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. The most common form of dementia among older people is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which initially involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. Although scientists are learning more every day, right now they still do not know what causes AD, and there is no cure.

Scientists think that as many as 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. The disease usually begins after age 60, and risk goes up with age. While younger people also may get AD, it is much less common. About 5 percent of men and women ages 65 to 74 have AD, and nearly half of those age 85 and older may have the disease. It is important to note, however, that AD is not a normal part of aging.

Alzheimer’s disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German doctor. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. He found abnormal clumps (now called amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (now called neurofibrillary tangles). Today, these plaques and tangles in the brain are considered signs of AD.

Scientists also have found other brain changes in people with AD. Nerve cells die in areas of the brain that are vital to memory and other mental abilities, and connections between nerve cells are disrupted. There also are lower levels of some of the chemicals in the brain that carry messages back and forth between nerve cells. AD may impair thinking and memory by disrupting these messages.

What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease?

Scientists do not yet fully understand what causes AD. There probably is not one single cause, but several factors that affect each person differently. Age is the most important known risk factor for AD. The number of people with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65.

Family history is another risk factor. Scientists believe that genetics may play a role in many AD cases. For example, early-onset familial AD, a rare form of AD that usually occurs between the ages of 30 and 60, is inherited. The more common form of AD is known as late-onset. It occurs later in life, and no obvious inheritance pattern is seen in most families. However, several risk factor genes may interact with each other and with non-genetic factors to cause the disease. The only risk factor gene identified so far for late-onset AD is a gene that makes one form of a protein called apolipoprotein E (ApoE). Everyone has ApoE, which helps carry cholesterol in the blood. Only about 15 percent of people have the form that increases the risk of AD. It is likely that other genes also may increase the risk of AD or protect against AD, but they remain to be discovered.

Scientists still need to learn a lot more about what causes AD. In addition to genetics and ApoE, they are studying education, diet, and environment to learn what role they might play in the development of this disease. Scientists are finding increasing evidence that some of the risk factors for heart disease and stroke, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and low levels of the vitamin folate, may also increase the risk of AD. Evidence for physical, mental, and social activities as protective factors against AD is also increasing.

What Are the Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease begins slowly. At first, the only symptom may be mild forgetfulness, which can be confused with age-related memory change. Most people with mild forgetfulness do not have AD. In the early stage of AD, people may have trouble remembering recent events, activities, or the names of familiar people or things. They may not be able to solve simple math problems. Such difficulties may be a bother, but usually they are not serious enough to cause alarm.

However, as the disease goes on, symptoms are more easily noticed and become serious enough to cause people with AD or their family members to seek medical help. Forgetfulness begins to interfere with daily activities. People in the middle stages of AD may forget how to do simple tasks like brushing their teeth or combing their hair. They can no longer think clearly. They can fail to recognize familiar people and places. They begin to have problems speaking, understanding, reading, or writing. Later on, people with AD may become anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. Eventually, patients need total care.

How is Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosed?

An early, accurate diagnosis of AD helps patients and their families plan for the future. It gives them time to discuss care while the patient can still take part in making decisions. Early diagnosis will also offer the best chance to treat the symptoms of the disease.

Today, the only definite way to diagnose AD is to find out whether there are plaques and tangles in brain tissue. To look at brain tissue, however, doctors usually must wait until they do an autopsy, which is an examination of the body done after a person dies. Therefore, doctors can only make a diagnosis of “possible” or “probable” AD while the person is still alive.

At specialized centers, doctors can diagnose AD correctly up to 90 percent of the time. Doctors use several tools to diagnose “probable” AD, including:

questions about the person’s general health, past medical problems, and ability to carry out daily activities,
tests of memory, problem solving, attention, counting, and language,
medical tests—such as tests of blood, urine, or spinal fluid, and
brain scans.

Sometimes these test results help the doctor find other possible causes of the person’s symptoms. For example, thyroid problems, drug reactions, depression, brain tumors, and blood vessel disease in the brain can cause AD-like symptoms. Some of these other conditions can be treated successfully.

How is Alzheimer’s Disease Treated?

Alzheimer’s disease is a slow disease, starting with mild memory problems and ending with severe brain damage. The course the disease takes and how fast changes occur vary from person to person. On average, AD patients live from 8 to 10 years after they are diagnosed, though some people may live with Alzheimer’s for as many as 20 years.

No treatment can stop AD. However, for some people in the early and middle stages of the disease, the drugs tacrine (Cognex), donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), or galantamine (Razadyne, previously known as Reminyl) may help prevent some symptoms from becoming worse for a limited time. Another drug, memantine (Namenda), has been approved to treat moderate to severe AD, although it also is limited in its effects. Also, some medicines may help control behavioral symptoms of AD such as sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, and depression. Treating these symptoms often makes patients more comfortable and makes their care easier for caregivers.

New Areas of Research

Mild Cognitive Impairment. During the past several years, scientists have focused on a type of memory change called mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is different from both Alzheimer’s disease and normal age-related memory change. People with MCI have ongoing memory problems, but they do not have other losses such as confusion, attention problems, and difficulty with language. The NIA-funded Memory Impairment Study compared donepezil (Aricept), vitamin E, or placebo in participants with MCI to see whether the drugs might delay or prevent progression to AD. The study found that the group with MCI taking the drug donepezil was at reduced risk of progressing to AD for the first 18 months of a 3-year study when compared with their counterparts on placebo. The reduced risk of progressing from MCI to a diagnosis of AD among participants on donepezil disappeared after 18 months, and by the end of the study, the probability of progressing to AD was the same in the two groups. Vitamin E had no effect at any time point in the study when compared with placebo.

Neuroimaging. Scientists are finding that damage to parts of the brain involved in memory, such as the hippocampus, can sometimes be seen on brain scans before symptoms of the disease occur.

AD Genetics. The NIA is sponsoring the AD Genetics Study to learn more about risk factor genes for late onset AD.

Inflammation. There is evidence that inflammation in the brain may contribute to AD damage. Some studies have suggested that drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) might help slow the progression of AD, but clinical trials thus far have not demonstrated a benefit from these drugs. A clinical trial studying two of these drugs, rofecoxib (Vioxx) and naproxen (Aleve) showed that they did not delay the progression of AD in people who already have the disease. Another trial, testing whether the NSAIDs celecoxib (Celebrex) and naproxen could prevent AD in healthy older people at risk of the disease, has been suspended. However, investigators are continuing to follow the participants and are examining data regarding possible cardiovascular risk. Researchers are continuing to look for ways to test how other anti-inflammatory drugs might affect the development or progression of AD.

Antioxidants. Several years ago, a clinical trial showed that vitamin E slowed the progress of some consequences of AD by about 7 months. Additional studies are investigating whether antioxidants—vitamins E and C—can slow AD. Another clinical trial is examining whether vitamin E and/or selenium supplements can prevent AD or cognitive decline, and additional studies on other antioxidants are ongoing or being planned.

Ginkgo biloba. Early studies suggested that extracts from the leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree may be of some help in treating AD symptoms. There is no evidence yet that ginkgo biloba will cure or prevent AD, but scientists now are trying to find out in a clinical trial whether ginkgo biloba can delay cognitive decline or prevent dementia in older people.

Estrogen. Some studies have suggested that estrogen used by women to treat the symptoms of menopause also protects the brain. Experts also wondered whether using estrogen could reduce the risk of AD or slow the disease. Clinical trials to test estrogen, however, have not shown that estrogen can slow the progression of already diagnosed AD. And one study found that women over the age of 65 who used estrogen with a progestin were at greater risk of dementia, including AD, and that older women using only estrogen could also increase their chance of developing dementia.

Scientists believe that more research is needed to find out if estrogen may play some role in AD. They would like to know whether starting estrogen therapy around the time of menopause, rather than at age 65 or older, will protect memory or prevent AD.

Advancing Our Understanding

Scientists have come a long way in their understanding of Alzheimer’s disease. Findings from years of research have begun to clarify differences between normal age-related memory changes, MCI, and AD. Scientists also have made great progress in defining the changes that take place in the AD brain, which allows them to pinpoint possible targets for treatment. These advances are the foundation for the NIH Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Initiative, which is designed to:

understand why AD occurs and who is at greatest risk of developing it;
improve the accuracy of diagnosis and the ability to identify those at risk;
discover, develop, and test new treatments;
discover treatments for behavioral problems in patients with AD.

Is There Help for Caregivers?

Most often, spouses and other family members provide the day-to-day care for people with Alzheimer’s disease. As the disease gets worse, people often need more and more care. This can be hard for caregivers and can affect their physical and mental health, family life, job, and finances.

The Alzheimer’s Association has chapters nationwide that provide educational programs and support groups for caregivers and family members of people with AD. Contact information for the Alzheimer’s Association is listed below.

For More Alzheimer’s Disease Information

To learn about support groups, services, research centers, getting involved in studies, and publications about AD, contact the following:

Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center
P.O. Box 8250
Silver Spring, MD 20907-8250
1-800-438-4380
www.alzheimers.nia.nih.gov

Alzheimer’s Association
225 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60611-7633
1-800-272-3900
www.alz.org

Source: National Institute on Aging, www.nia.nih.gov (Original title: Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet)

Source - A Place for Mom ]]> http://tracibild.com/help-and-advice-for-seniors/alzheimers-dementia/alzheimers-disease-information/feed/ 0 Alzheimer’s Aggression http://tracibild.com/help-and-advice-for-seniors/alzheimers-dementia/alzheimers-aggression/ http://tracibild.com/help-and-advice-for-seniors/alzheimers-dementia/alzheimers-aggression/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:57:40 +0000 TBildAdmin http://tracibild.com/?p=674
His dad, who has Alzheimer’s disease, doesn’t just forget who Powell is—he sometimes becomes violent.

“Once, me and mom disabled his car so that he couldn’t drive it, and he soon realized what we’d done,” Powell, 50, says. “He rushed across the living room and literally growled at me like a bear in the most frightful way. Thirty seconds later, he didn’t know he’d done it, and everything was fine.

The “bear incident” is just one of many that eventually caused Powell and his family to put their 86-year-old father into a nursing home. “Once, the doctors noticed that mom’s eardrums were both ruptured, and they realized dad probably slapped her upside the head and cupped her ears.

Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s aggression is fairly common among Alzheimer’s patients. There’s cursing, hitting, grabbing, kicking, pushing, throwing things, scratching, screaming, biting, and making strange noises. More than 4.5 million Americans are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease every year, and up to half can show some of these behaviors. The number of total Alzheimer’s sufferers is projected to balloon to 16 million by 2050.

Alzheimer’s aggression is one of the main reasons most people put their parents in nursing homes. Fortunately, new medications and coping methods can help, though agitation and aggression are still a misunderstood aspect of Alzheimer’s.

“The public thinks Alzheimer’s is a memory disease,” says Dr. Ramzi Hajjar, a geriatrician at St. Louis University in Missouri. “But, in fact, there are lots of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Alzheimer’s patients often develop delusions. They think their family is stealing things from them, for example. And they get very aggressive and irritable towards their spouse.

He stresses that families need to always remember that Alzheimer’s aggression really has nothing to do with them. “The child always wants to take it personally, which causes unnecessary anxiety,” Hajjar says.

What’s Behind the Behavior

No one knows for sure why some Alzheimer’s patients lash out and others don’t, but one University of Kansas study showed that recognition was the strongest predictor. Forgetting what something was, or what was inside something, was the most common cause of aggressive behavior.

Other studies have shown that Alzheimer’s patients sometimes act out because of side effects like headaches, constipation, and nausea from some anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax® (alprazolam), Ativan® (lorazepam), and BuSpar® (buspirone). Patients who can’t communicate often express their discomfort from those symptoms by becoming even more agitated and combative.

The first step in managing difficult behavior in the care for Alzheimer’s patients is to find out where it’s coming from and what it means. Does the agitation or combativeness mean the patient is hungry or thirsty or scared? Is it a reaction to something threatening or uncomfortable in their environment?

“I’ve seen people strike out because of their distress,” says Dr. Ruth Tappen, director of the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. “Once, a Holocaust victim would have his memories return at night, and he’d get aggressive, yelling and carrying on at his wife; twice he even brandished a knife. He was defending himself from long-gone dangers.

Other times, agitation starts when patients get frustrated with themselves, as simple memories start slipping away. They might forget where they put the keys, or what time their dinner appointment is that night. After asking a few times, everyone around them becomes irritated, and they get agitated.

But it’s sometimes hard to know exactly why some lash out. That’s what author Jacqueline Marcell learned, the hard way.

Marcell, who wrote the book Elder Rage after an entire year of experiencing her father’s Alzheimer’s aggression, says she grew to learn what situations would trigger her dad’s outbursts. But first, it took a year of doctor visits to even diagnose him correctly with Alzheimer’s.

Managing and Treating the Aggression

Using medications to manage aggressive behaviors in dementia patients is considered very controversial. Doctors have tried using traditional (first-generation) antipsychotic drugs such as Mellaril® (thioridazine) and Haldol® (haloperidol), but their effectiveness was limited and carried some unpleasant side effects such as vomiting and nausea. Atypical,” or second generation, antipsychotics (such as Seroquel® and Risperdal®) have been found to be somewhat more effective in reducing behavioral problems, but they have not been approved for use in dementia patients by the FDA. In fact, the FDA has issued a warning in April, 2005 regarding “atypical” (second generation) antipsychotics in dementia patients. The warning states “that older patients treated with atypical antipsychotics for dementia had a higher chance for death than patients who did not take the medicine.” Because this warning does not actually prevent doctors from legally prescribing these medications for this type of “off-label” use, it is extremely important that families understand the potential risks involved and proceed with caution.

Fortunately, drugs aren’t the only answer. There are other ways that you can improve your situation. The following are some techniques and strategies that have helped many people successfully care for Alzheimer’s patients and manage the Alzheimer’s aggression:

Label and use signs, suggests Beth Nolan, PhD, author of the University of Kansas recognition study (see above: What’s Behind the Behaviors). Place signs on rooms to say what they’re for, put name tags on guests when they visit, and put labels on common items, like clocks and telephones. Tape explanatory phrases on doors or cupboards to tell them what’s inside.

Know what the triggers are, and try to divert them. Typical triggers include getting people undressed for showers—they find the shower rooms cold and echoing. Or, being in a crowd can trigger the fear of getting lost. “If what you’re doing is causing them to react, stop and step away,” says Patricia Drea, RN, a 20-year eldercare veteran who works with Visiting Angels, a company that provides in-home care for the elderly. “Then, redirect them to another activity. Say, ‘Here, let me help you stand up,’ then move them to the next thing you’d like them to do.” Try to distract the person with a pleasurable topic or activity. Arguing will make things worse. If necessary, leave the room and give the person time to calm down.

Use logic and reason. “When my mom—who also had Alzheimer’s—left her watch in the sugar bowl, I didn’t accuse her,” Marcell says. “Instead, I said, ‘Mom, why is there a watch in the sugar bowl?’ She’d say, ‘I don’t know,’ and I’d say, ‘How do you think it got there?’ Using logic helped her a lot.

Validate their feelings. Tell them it’s OK to be frustrated, or sad, or lonely.

Use a gentle tone and reassuring touches. Studies consistently prove this works. “Always smile, and look kind and gentle,” Drea says. “Your face is an important signal that everything is alright.

Stick to a regular routine. This will help minimize the number of unexpected and stressful events.

Ignore the angry behavior—if distraction and support do not work. If the situation is threatening, make sure he is unlikely to harm himself and stay clear until he calms down

Maintain a sense of humor. “Anticipating that there will be ups and downs, and maintaining patience, compassion, and a sense of humor will help you cope more effectively with difficult behavior,” says Catherine Johnson, PhD, a psychologist who specializes in dementia at St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. “It’s important to remember that it’s the disease, not the person, causing the behavior.

Try music. Sometimes singing an old favorite song can get someone to calm down instantly. The American Academy of Neurology recommends using music to reduce many problem behaviors. They say it’s most effective during meal or bath time. If you don’t sing, play a song from their old collection.

Learn how to debrief after an incident and identify what caused it. Ask yourself, “‘What can I do differently the next time, to avoid the aggressive reaction?’” Johnson says. “Learn to resolve the emotional reaction you as a caregiver had. Then, you can move forward effectively. Take care of yourself.

Seek support for yourself as a caregiver. Finding support groups and counselors to help you cope is one of the most important things you can do. Not only can you help yourself deal with the difficult times, some of the people you meet may have some useful advice on managing the aggression. Some good places to begin include The Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) and the Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center (ADEAR) (www.alzheimers.org).

Perhaps the most comforting thing about Alzheimer’s aggression is that, for many patients, it’s a phase that will pass. While the dementia itself is irreversible and will continue to worsen, for many patients the aggressive behaviors do seem to subside over time. Because this is a phase that can last for years, however, trying to wait it out without dealing with the behaviors is usually not an effective strategy for coping with the problem.

For some, the challenges of handling Alzheimer’s aggression can become too great, and they may decide that they must place their loved one in a skilled nursing facility. Although this is never an easy decision, those like Charlie Powell know they have done the best they can, and that relying on the professional care available in a nursing home is the smartest choice.

“I know my dad is getting the best possible care now,” Powell says. “And that’s all that matters.

Source - A Place for Mom ]]> http://tracibild.com/help-and-advice-for-seniors/alzheimers-dementia/alzheimers-aggression/feed/ 0 Adult Day Programs: A Reprieve for Families and the Elderly http://tracibild.com/help-and-advice-for-seniors/adult-day-care/adult-day-programs-a-reprieve-for-families-and-the-elderly/ http://tracibild.com/help-and-advice-for-seniors/adult-day-care/adult-day-programs-a-reprieve-for-families-and-the-elderly/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:52:27 +0000 TBildAdmin http://tracibild.com/?p=672 www.nytimes.com
March 31, 2010, 8:00 am
Adult Day Programs: A Reprieve for Families and the Elderly
By PAULA SPAN
The other morning, I stopped by Senior Care, an adult day program near my home in Montclair, N.J. Things were hopping, as usual.

Courtesy Lauren Shay Attendees at Senior Care, an adult day program in Montclair, N.J.

In one room, a self-defense instructor was showing participants how to throw a would-be mugger off balance. “I want you to put the cane around my leg and pull,” he urged — and one by one, with a few self-conscious giggles, his elderly students did. “Pull hard. Just like that! One more time.”

A few doors down, a dozen people were drawing with pastels in the crafts room. The walkers in the Mile Around Club were beginning their third circuit along the building’s hallways. In the dining room, meanwhile, workers were setting up a hot meat loaf lunch. Though almost 4,000 such programs around the country serve older adults who are frail, isolated, chronically ill or demented, I still think these adult day centers constitute one of the better-kept secrets in elder care.

People who might otherwise sit home alone with the remote, or who might move into a facility because they can’t stay home alone, instead spend several days a week being active, social, stimulated, well nourished and — at health-oriented adult day programs like this one — monitored by nurses. At the end of the day, though, the participants go home to familiar surroundings, and the centers often provide the vans that take them there.

The programs don’t come cheap, at a national average of $67 a day [pdf], but they’re dramatically less expensive than moving into assisted living or hiring home care.

I’ve heard heartfelt testimonials to their importance from weary family members trying to keep their ailing relatives out of nursing homes while also struggling to hold onto their own jobs.

“It gives me peace of mind,” said one woman whose 85-year-old mother with Parkinson’s disease goes to Senior Care three days a week. Adult day programs, the research shows, reduces caregivers’ stress. They also suffer less depression and anger, and report greater overall well-being. (Some key findings from researchers at Penn State are here [pdf].)

What’s been less clear is what adult day services do for the people who attend. A team at the University of California, San Francisco, Institute on Aging, which took the somewhat novel approach of asking the participants themselves, recently published a study in The Gerontologist showing significant benefits. “Their quality of life improved dramatically,” said the lead researcher, Eva Schmitt, now associate director of the Aging Brain Center at Hebrew SeniorLife in greater Boston.

The researchers measured how participants assessed their health and social functioning when they first enrolled in programs around the Bay Area, then again six months later and a year later, compared with a control group.

Because participants typically have multiple chronic conditions, Dr. Schmitt said, “We can’t necessarily assume their health will improve over time.” Instead, this study of 57 people (average age: 77) focused on how well people thought they coped with their limitations and whether their quality of life improved despite them.

The answer from participants, who attended at least two days a week, was clear. “They felt the impact of their dysfunctions, physical and emotional, was lower when they attended adult day,” Dr. Schmitt said. (Some other aspects of their lives were not affected.) “In the control group, people actually felt the impact of their problems on their lives increased.”

It’s a small but important study — and a timely one. Adult day programs across the country rely heavily on funding from county, state and federal governments, and on grants from local charities and social service agencies. At the nonprofit Senior Care in Montclair, for instance, nearly 70 percent of participants receive some kind of financial assistance.

All these funding sources are shrinking as government revenues and private endowments plummet. Adult day centers in many states are limiting attendance days or cutting enrollment; a few have closed their doors altogether. Senior Care, running a deficit, first tried to sell the airy facility it built just five years ago. That didn’t happen, so the program is being acquired by a for-profit health care company.

“About 20 percent of the seniors we care for will have to find alternative sources of financial aid,” said Emma Justice, Senior Care’s beleaguered marketing director.

Dr. Schmitt said, “I hope very acutely that our findings will help convince lawmakers not to make big cuts in adult day services.” Well, that would be nice. A couple of years ago, adult day directors probably would have said their biggest problem was letting families know that they existed, that they could accommodate old people (and sometimes, younger disabled adults) with many kinds of physical and cognitive problems, and that they could often come up with grants to lower the costs.

Now, despite mounting evidence that they help those on both sides of the caregiving equation, they’re just trying to stay afloat. Paula Span is the author of “When the Time Comes: Families With Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions.” ]]> http://tracibild.com/help-and-advice-for-seniors/adult-day-care/adult-day-programs-a-reprieve-for-families-and-the-elderly/feed/ 1 Adult Day Care http://tracibild.com/help-and-advice-for-seniors/adult-day-care/adult-day-care/ http://tracibild.com/help-and-advice-for-seniors/adult-day-care/adult-day-care/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:39:35 +0000 TBildAdmin http://tracibild.com/?p=670 Finding the Best Center for Your Needs

Caregivers may feel reluctant to use adult day care services because they seem unfamiliar, or because a loved one is hesitant to try something new. Participants benefit from socializing with others and receiving needed care services. Caregivers benefit by getting a break from caregiving duties while knowing that a loved one is in good hands.

Source: Careguide@Home

In This Article:

What is adult day care Services provided by adult day care centers Benefits of adult day care When to opt for an adult day care center Costs and financial assistance References and resources

With life expectancy continuing to rise, we may need assistance as we age. While help of all types is available, a valuable though not well-known service is adult day care, designed for older adults who can no longer manage independently, or who are isolated and lonely. What is an adult day care center?

Adult day care is a planned program of activities designed to promote well-being though social and health related services. Adult day care centers operate during daytime hours, Monday through Friday, in a safe, supportive, cheerful environment. Nutritious meals that accommodate special diets are typically included, along with an afternoon snack.

Adult day care centers can be public or private, non-profit or for-profit. The intent of an adult day center is primarily two-fold:

To provide older adults an opportunity to get out of the house and receive both mental and social stimulation To give caregivers a much-needed break in which to attend to personal needs, or simply rest and relax

There are currently approximately 4,000 adult day care centers nationwide, according to the National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA). The proliferation of centers over the past two decades corresponds to the “mushrooming demand for home and community based services” to meet the needs of a rapidly escalating elder population.

Good candidates for adult day care are seniors who can benefit from the friendship and functional assistance a day care center offers, may be physically or cognitively challenged but do not require 24-hour supervision,or are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Adult day dare center participants need to be mobile, with the possible assistance of a cane, walker or wheelchair, and in most cases, they must also be continent.

A social adult day care setting differs from adult day health care, which usually requires a health assessment by a physician before someone is admitted into the program. Adult day health centers, which typically use the term “Adult Day Health Care” (ADHC) in their names, often provide physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and are usually staffed with an RN and other health professionals. A third type of day care provides social and health services specifically for seniors with Alzheimer’s or a related type of dementia.

Services provided by adult day care centers

A well-run adult day care center’s goals will focus on enriching the participants’ lives, building upon their skills, knowledge, and unique abilities and strengths. Below are some of the activities that may be available:

Arts and crafts Musical entertainment and sing-a-longs Mental stimulation games such as BINGO Stretching or other gentle exercise Discussion groups (books, films, current events) Holiday and birthday celebrations Local outings.

Some centers offer programs that include children. The Friendship Center in California developed The GOLD Project, described as, “An innovative inter-generational program embracing growing older with grace and dignity.” Elders visit local classrooms and share their life experiences with the children, educating and enlivening both groups in the process. The Center also has an “Adventuresome Aging” program for people with early stage Alzheimer’s disease, to help them remain engaged and active in the community.

Besides recreational activities, some adult day care centers provide transportation to and from the center, social services including counseling and support groups for caregivers, and health support services such as blood pressure monitoring and vision screening.

Benefits of adult day care

Almost Family, an adult day care provider in both the U.S. and Canada, summarizes the benefits well: “Adult day care offers a win/win situation for everyone in the family—not only the client or member who attends the program, but also for the family member who has primary responsibility as caregiver. Adult day care provides a much-needed respite for the caregiver, affording a break from the physical demands and stress of providing round-the-clock care.”

For the participant, adult day care’s benefits can be extensive:

a safe, secure environment in which to spend the day enjoyable and educational activities improvement in mental and physical health enhanced or maintained level of independence socialization and peer support nutritious meals and snacks.

When to opt for an adult day care center

It’s usually challenging to admit you need help, especially if you’ve been a highly independent person used to caring for others all your life! And if you’re the caregiver, it may be equally difficult to consider allowing “strangers” to care for your beloved family member.

As with any service, the best time to start exploring what’s available is before you actually need it. According to ElderCare Online, you should seriously consider using adult day care when a senior:

can no longer structure his or her own daily activities is isolated and desires companionship can’t be safely left alone at home lives with someone who works outside the home or who is frequently away from home for other reasons

Finding the right adult day center for your family’s needs

The National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA) recommends you start by asking yourself what specific services both elder adult and caregiver most need. For the day care participant, are social activities primary? Assistance with walking, eating or medications? Mental stimulation? Exercise? As a caregiver, is support what you need most? Some free time? Help with transportation? Answering these questions will help you determine which of the three main types of adult day care centers (social, health-focused, and Alzheimer’s/dementia oriented) will best serve you.

In addition to the many references and resources to help locate adult day care centers in your area, you can also try:

Your family doctor Local social services or health department Mental health centers Local senior center Area Agency on Aging (Call 1-800-677-1116 for the AAA in your area) Yellow Pages listings under Adult Day Care, Aging Services, Senior Citizens’ Services, and similar categories.

When you phone the center(s) you’ve chosen to consider, NADSA suggests asking the following questions:

Who owns or sponsors the agency? How long has it been operating? Is it licensed or certified? (If required in your state) What are the days and hours of operation? Is transportation to and from the center provided? Which conditions are accepted (e.g., memory loss, limited mobility, incontinence)? What are the staff’s credentials, and what is the ratio of staff to participants? What activities are offered? Are there a variety of individual and group programs? Are meals and snacks included? Are special diets accommodated?

Next, spend a day at the center that sounds best to you, so that you can get a “feel” for the people and environment. Be sure to bring a site checklist with you (see references and resources below). You may wish to go back a few times to see whether your experience on different days confirms your initial impressions.

Costs and financial assistance for adult day care

The cost for an adult day care center ranges from $25 to $70 or more per day, depending on where you live and the services provided (e.g., meals, transportation, nursing supervision). Professional health care services will mean higher fees. Many facilities offer services on a sliding fee scale, meaning that what you pay is based on your income and ability to pay.

While Medicare does not cover adult day care, Medicaid will pay most or all of the costs in licensed adult day health care settings and Alzheimer’s focused centers, for participants with very low income and few assets. Be sure to ask about financial assistance and possible scholarships.

Private medical insurance policies sometimes cover a portion of adult day care costs when licensed medical professionals are involved in the care. Long-term care insurance may also pay for adult day services, depending on the policy. Additionally, dependent-care tax credits may be available to you as caregiver.

SOURCE – www.helpguide.org

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Food for Thought

Michelle Greiner

Client Services Specialist, Bild-Certified Lead Coach and On-Site Specialist

Michelle Greiner

Client Services Specialist, Bild-Certified Lead Coach and On-Site Specialist

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