Did you notice a change in your loved one over the holiday season? Are they becoming less independent? Do you wonder….. What Now? On this episode of Caregiver Crossing, we talk with Anastasia Demos Mills, Attorney & Counselor at Law about how to ease into conversations surrounding wills, and your loved one's wishes. Demos Mills, Attorney & Counselor at Law: https://demosmillslaw.com/ Email Tina: tina@joyshouse.org Learn more about Joy’s House: www.joyshouse.org See Privacy Policy at http...
Feb 06, 2023•14 min•Ep. 103
Hospice care focuses on the care, comfort, and quality of life for a person who is approaching the end of life. On this episode of Caregiver Crossing, we talk with Helen Bauer, Registered Nurse and Certified Hospice & Palliative Nurse, about the benefits of hospice for families, what to look for when selecting a hospice provider, and anticipatory grief. More from Helen Bauer: https://theheartofhospice.libsyn.com/ Email Tina: tina@joyshouse.org Learn more about Joy’s House: www.joyshouse.org ...
Jan 30, 2023•16 min•Ep. 102
Between 40-70% of older adults in the U.S suffer from chronic sleep issues. Since sleep is one of the most impactful and healing natural processes we have for our bodies, this stat represents a troubling and often overlooked aspect of public health. Last weeks episode discussed how sleep changes as we age. This week we identify several common sleep disorders, how to recognize them, and what treatments are available to help you and yours sleep better. Email Tina: tina@joyshouse.org Learn more abo...
Jan 16, 2023•14 min•Ep. 101
Between 40-70% of older adults in the U.S suffer from chronic sleep issues. Since sleep is one of the most impactful and healing natural processes we have for our bodies, this stat represents a troubling and often overlooked aspect of public health. We’ve talked about the importance of sleep on the show before, but today we are focusing on how sleep changes as we age. Email Tina: tina@joyshouse.org Learn more about Joy’s House: www.joyshouse.org See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy an...
Jan 09, 2023•14 min•Ep. 100
Falls and hypothermia are likely to top the list of caregiver concerns during the icy winter months, but seniors are also at risk for some lesser-known health hazards. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and vitamin D deficiency can have damaging effects on older adults’ physical and mental health. This disorder affects 6.5 million people in the US. So today’s episode is dedicated to learning about the signs of these conditions and their treatments to help ensure your loved one has a happy and hea...
Jan 03, 2023•13 min•Ep. 99
We have talked in the past about Structured Family Care, which provides live-in caregivers with the opportunity to be paid for the care of their adult loved ones. However, caregivers providing care for children with medically complex needs do not qualify for that program. In some states, there is legislation against paying parents for the care of their own children – under any circumstance. That leaves many families in a difficult situation. Fortunately, in Indiana services are available to qual...
Dec 26, 2022•9 min•Ep. 98
Speech therapy for seniors is often necessary when recovering from the debilitating consequences of a stroke or dementia. It may also be necessary after a head injury. The ability to communicate effectively is important at any age, but for seniors it can be vital. If a senior cannot successfully describe what they need, where they hurt, or what is wrong in general, an emergency can easily occur. Therapy provided by a qualified speech pathologist can help to improve speech and understanding impac...
Dec 19, 2022•11 min•Ep. 97
If someone in your life needs specialized care to recover after a surgery, acute illness, or stroke, rehabilitation therapy could be the solution. There are several things that need to be considered when choosing a rehab center and planning your loved one’s stay there. However, when discharged from the hospital patient’s and caregivers often feel these decisions are quite rushed. What questions need to be asked up front? What is a good staffing ratio and why is it important? How can caregivers b...
Dec 15, 2022•13 min•Ep. 96
In this week’s episode, Tina and Terri discuss what it means to age by design. How do desires and priorities shift as we age, why do we fail to notice these changes, and how do we live with purpose to our very last breath? Email Tina: tina@joyshouse.org Learn more about Joy’s House: www.joyshouse.org See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Dec 05, 2022•13 min•Ep. 95
To best serve older adults and increase the age-friendliness of your community, it is important to ask for and record information from older adults on a variety of topics. Collecting resident input provides valuable insight on how the public feels about community issues. This information can guide strategic decisions and priorities for your community. Engaging the community strengthens relationships, promotes transparency, and helps inform leaders on seniors’ actual needs. Furthermore, consisten...
Nov 28, 2022•11 min•Ep. 94
To best serve older adults and increase the age-friendliness of your community, it is important to ask for and record information from older adults on a variety of topics. Collecting resident input provides valuable insight on how the public feels about community issues. This information can guide strategic decisions and priorities for your community. Engaging the community strengthens relationships, promotes transparency, and helps inform leaders on seniors’ actual needs. Furthermore, consisten...
Nov 22, 2022•15 min•Ep. 93
According to AARP, more than 90 percent of people aged 60 or older want to stay in their home and community for as long as possible. One primary barrier to aging in place is when the home is no longer accessible or presents a fall risk. Safe at Home, a service offered by CICOA helps individuals age in place through home accessibility modifications. Working with local contractors and funded by philanthropic dollars, CICOA’s Safe at Home department completes more than 60 home modifications project...
Nov 14, 2022•18 min•Ep. 92
If you listened to last week’s episode you are aware that guided imagery meditation is an effective relaxation technique with clinically proven benefits for you mental and physical health. You may also recall that we promised to create an original guided imagery session for Terri. Well – we did it! So, listener, sit back relax and travel with us to a peaceful place – aka our producer’s imagination of Terri Stacy’s back yard… Email Tina: tina@joyshouse.org Learn more about Joy’s House: www.joysho...
Nov 07, 2022•13 min•Ep. 91
Guided imagery is a relaxation technique that draws on your ability to visualize and daydream. It’s easy to practice whenever and wherever you are. All you have to do is imagine a peaceful scene in your mind. It works best if you incorporate as many sensory details as possible: what you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. So you’re not just thinking it—you’re living it. When you engage your imagination in this way, your body and your nervous system will respond as if you’re actually there. This t...
Nov 01, 2022•13 min•Ep. 90
“Once a caregiver, always a caregiver – it changes you that much.” That is a quote from Winnie the Pooh about weeds and flowers is a perfect summation of the message in Life Giving Dementia Care. With the right perspective, weeds are wondrous. With the right perspective, the caregiving experience can be one of confidence, compassion, growth, and even joy. We are joined today by Toni Kanzler. Toni wears several hats: wife, mother, friend, CPA, entrepreneur, private school administrator, non-profi...
Oct 24, 2022•15 min•Ep. 89
Each of the 5.6 million Americans with dementia has one or more caregivers struggling to make meaning while watching their loved one’s personality vanish. The caregiver is sure to be changed―not only by the myriad tasks and responsibilities, but by the soul-searching questions: Dare, I hope? Who’s to blame? What do I do with my anger? Where’s God in this? These questions of doubt, guilt, intimacy, depression, and acceptance are ultimately questions of spirit. Joining us today is Jean Denton. Jea...
Oct 04, 2022•15 min•Ep. 88
Elderly guardianship, also known as elderly conservatorship, is a legal relationship created when a court appoints an individual to care for an elderly person who is no longer able to care for himself or herself. The appointed guardian has certain duties and responsibilities to the elderly person. Unfortunately, an elderly person may become unable to care for himself or herself. This could include the inability to remember to take necessary medications, maintain regular hygiene, or properly mana...
Sep 26, 2022•12 min•Ep. 87
Research studies show that prolonged isolation of individuals leads to depression and anxiety. The anxiety and depression increase exponentially as people enter the senior age group. To combat the epidemic of depression and anxiety among seniors, in May of 2021, the Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County launched a Counseling Program with the goals of decreasing symptoms from mental health issues, improve quality of life, and decrease isolation. Email Tina: tina@joyshouse.org Learn more about Joy’...
Sep 21, 2022•13 min•Ep. 86
They are in our air, in our water, in our soils, and in our food supply: Toxins and chemical pollutants are everywhere -- including in our bodies. So, how do we eat with health in mind while living on a planet many say is poisoned beyond repair? Today we welcome back Dr. Julie Gatza, founder of the Florida Wellness Institute – you may remember her from our Poop 101 episode – to offer advice on how we can protect our health and the health of those you care for by eating smart in a toxic world. Ab...
Sep 12, 2022•16 min•Ep. 85
If you are a "typical" caregiver, then you are strapped for time and under way too much stress. You don’t need a study to know that many caregivers feel financial, physical, and emotional fallout from their role. What you need is a way to remove some of that stress – and many caregivers are turning to mindfulness and meditation to help relax the body and calm the mind. Effective techniques include body scans, breathing exercises, affirmation, and guided imagery meditations. Of course, if you are...
Sep 06, 2022•13 min•Ep. 84
Family caregivers play a crucial role in the successful healthcare transitions of the loved ones. They are uniquely capable of monitoring their loved one’s progress and spotting red-flags early on; they can also provide valuable information to physician regarding disease progression, environmental changes, and other key details. Caregivers should be treated as partners in the medical care of their loved ones. Sadly, this is not always the case. Caregivers are often not involved in discharge and ...
Aug 29, 2022•12 min•Ep. 83
Family caregivers play a crucial role in the successful healthcare transitions of the loved ones. They are uniquely capable of monitoring their loved one’s progress and spotting red-flags early on; they can also provide valuable information to physician regarding disease progression, environmental changes, and other key details. Caregivers should be treated as partners in the medical care of their loved ones. Sadly, this is not always the case. Caregivers are often not involved in discharge and ...
Aug 22, 2022•17 min•Ep. 82
More than 21 million people provide unpaid care for millions of people living with dementia in the U.S. With input from caregivers, researchers from Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University, the University of Wisconsin, and Purdue University are developing and testing Helping the Helpers, a user-centered, evidence-based app to support dementia caregivers as they help manage medications -- very often multiple drugs for various conditions -- of individuals who cannot do so independently. In one o...
Aug 15, 2022•15 min•Ep. 81
A recent study by the Alzheimer’s Society found that over half (56%) of people surveyed are put off seeking a dementia diagnosis for up to a year or more. According to the WHO 55 million people live with dementia worldwide and there are nearly 10 million new cases each year. The leading dementia charities are warning that a lack of diagnosis is denying many of these people the chance of getting the best possible treatment, information and/or support - evidence shows the earlier on you receive th...
Aug 09, 2022•16 min•Ep. 80
Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable yet annually many people succumb to extreme heat. Historically, from 1979-2003, excessive heat exposure caused 8,015 deaths in the United States. During this period, more people in this country died from extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. In 2001, 300 deaths were caused by excessive heat exposure. As caregivers it is important that understand the risks and symptoms of heat related illness and ...
Aug 03, 2022•13 min•Ep. 79
Poop happens — to everyone. Although it's natural to flush and hit the sink without a second glance, peeking at what's in the toilet bowl can benefit your health. And chances are, there's a lot you never knew, or thought to ask, about your number two. It is what's left after your digestive system absorbs all the nutrients and fluid from your food and drinks. As such, observing the shape, texture, size, smell, color and frequency of your poop can often be a good indication of your overall digesti...
Jul 26, 2022•17 min•Ep. 78
Stigma around dementia encompasses any negative attitude or discriminatory behavior against people living with dementia, just based on having the disease. When a disease is as prevalent as dementia, yet still poorly understood, it's easy for false beliefs to spread. Left unchallenged, these beliefs perpetuate stigmatizing attitudes against people living with dementia, reducing their quality of life. These attitudes extend to the families and caregivers of people living with dementia, affecting t...
Jul 20, 2022•14 min•Ep. 77
Caregiving is one of the most important and reward rolls you can have in life, but the strain (left unmanaged) can take a heavy toll. If you are a caregiving spouse between the ages of 66 and 96 and are experiencing mental or emotional strain, you have a risk of dying that is 63 percent higher than that of people your age who are not caregivers. The combination of loss, prolonged stress, the physical demands of caregiving, and the biological vulnerabilities that come with age place you at risk f...
Jul 12, 2022•16 min•Ep. 76
Retirement is an exciting proposition. No more early morning wake-up calls or long days plowing through a stressful workload. We’ve all dreamt of having the free time to do as we wish. Unfortunately, that sweet dream can sour quickly. All that free time can turn into long, unproductive days, weeks, and years that can be rife with boredom and uncertainty. Even empty nesting can have this effect. It is important for seniors to find meaningful and engaging things to do with their time, and voluntee...
Jul 04, 2022•13 min•Ep. 75
Structured family caregiving is one way for states to handle the needs of an aging population that’s growing rapidly and living longer. It is a government program that empowers caregivers to care for seniors and those with disabilities who wish to remain at home, or in the home of an approved caregiver, rather than become institutionalized into a nursing home. Indiana launched its pilot project in 2013. Now statewide, it helps more than 4,000 families and saves the state roughly $2,000 per perso...
Jun 27, 2022•12 min•Ep. 74
