ELDER CARE

Good morning, good morning, good morning, and welcome, welcome, welcome. It is time now for our community connection right here on K one, the one you trust. It's time to welcome back some friends who've been here before but in different capacities. So it's great to have you, Jennifer Ennis back here with us here for elder Care, and also Claire Rap with us as well.

So how are we doing, ladies.

I'm wonderful.

Well, of course you are.

We've got some great events coming up at Eldercare and we have some ongoing things too. Uh, daybreak is one of them, and I got to tell you that is something that sure has a lot of legs. People talk about it an awful lot, saying my where was this many many years ago.

Absolutely, I often hear like, oh, it's the best cap secret in bartles Felt.

It might just well be, And I'm like, I don't want it to be.

I would like it to be well known and not the best cap secret in bartles.

Yeah, there you go. Let's tell her everybody what it's all about.

Yeah.

So, our Daybreak program is actually one of our longest running programs that Eldercers had over the last forty years, and it is an adult day health center, and so anybody can come through the day and they do breakfast, they do lunch, they do organized activities, crafts. I think one of my favorite parts is that every day is so varied.

You have no idea what's going to happen when you walk over there.

So one day they were playing beach ball, volleyball and chairs like giant balls. You know, they're really getting the exercise to We've had Bible studies, we have musicians come in, and so you really don't know what you're getting into when you come.

Over to our day break program.

And so that's intentional though, because if you're going to come visit us for the day, you better have some fun, you better.

I've been hearing it's kind of like the clubhouse for kids, but you have to be a certain.

Age to be in this clubhouse.

I mean there's really not.

An an, but there are certain requay.

Yeah, I mean you're you know, you're looking at what you might want to need. You know, this is really great for someone who maybe they have a little bit of mobility issues and so being at home just makes them a little uncomfortable. You're thinking, oh, I could trip, and you know, my significant others can be out for the day and so you can come through the day.

It's great for caregivers, you.

Know, as we get older, sometimes you know, we need a little supervice care.

And we don't like to say it like that, right, but sometimes that happens.

I mean in that, you know, being at home all day long isn't the best option for us.

And so instead you can come hang out with us for.

The day and feel engaged, feel involved, feel.

Loved, be part of our family, you know, for that day. Absolutely.

Wow, this is outstanding. Now, Claire, I understand we've got some great events coming up here.

We do.

We've got Healthy Aging Month this month September, and we do have several.

Events coming up.

The one we are going to look at right, No, we're gonna do healthy Cooking with Ashon Lashbrooks. She's a registered dietitian here in Bartlesviill she works for the hospital. She's going to be preparing stuffed peppers and maple pumpkin yogurt parfas. So that is limited to fifteen people. If that's something that you're interested in, I advise you sign up very quickly identify.

I'm sure you did.

Yes, absolutely, it's that event is going to be ten dollars of person, so definitely get registered quickly.

That's going to be next Tuesday.

And then one we really want to hit on is our understanding Medicaid and advantage care. That's going to be featuring John Holden, he's a local attorney at law Susan AIDS is the Oklahoma Assistant journal General Counsel for Oklahoma Human Services, and Josh Holloway, Oklahoma Deputy General Counsel for the Oklahoma.

Health Care Authority.

So with this event, we're going to be really focusing on what is advantage advantage versus Medicaid, how do you qualify planning requirements?

And some what if scenarios.

They're going to be really hitting on a lot of topics, a lot of great information, some resources that I think our community is really in need of.

I think so too, you.

Know, because we have people who are working longer, sometimes longer than they had planned. Yeah, right out of necessity, but they still are interested in what they've been working for all their life and how this could perhaps work in their favor or or just what's what. And I know a lot of people who are my age. It's the what's what and what's this and how does this work? More questions than a kindergartener walking in on first day

And that's what we're trying to kind of demystify for you, right, And so we think about that. You know, you're whether you're just about to turn sixty five or whether you've turned sixty five some time ago, and you know, aging kind of happens differently and what kind of care you may want or how you want that to look can always change, and so.

Understanding what options.

You have out there is really vital and I think that's important. The Advantage Waiver program that they're going to touch on, it's a really great program for those who are really wanting to stay in their homes and are looking for additional resources in order to kind of help with that aging in place. And so it's really great program to understand could I qualify, what would that look like and then what could we you know, what resources would that bring into my life? And whether that's a

So a case manager can help with that.

The Advantage Waiver program also will contribute to Daybreak, and so you're like, Okay, well I want to be able to come to daybreak, but I'm a little concerned about the financial part of it. Right, Well, this is one of the avenues you can use to cover the costs to come visit us for out the week and in our day break program as well. But I think people

They work, and then you can ask questions about it as well.

So right this is going to be a panel for sure, so definitely come with questions prepared.

We want to get those answered.

I'm glad a lot of these are lawyers because everything I've seen on this so far looks like lawyers speak.

Yeah, and it can be so confusing. And so then you're like.

You said, I thought it was by design.

No, I don't think it is.

But we're really great to have these partners that want to come in and help us really get out that information. It's maybe something you're saying, I don't know that it's relevant right now, and it may not be, but that doesn't mean it won't be relevant in a couple of years, or even maybe relevant to your neighbor. You know, we call age differently. We're all in different places and so

There's no cost.

It's on Wednesday, September eleventh, so that's next Wednesday, three pm is when it starts.

I'll be up from my neck.

Oh well good.

And if you're looking to register, you can do that online or you can give us a call as well at nine one eight three three six eight five zero.

Zero at Alanda would be happy to get you signed up for it. And we'll always have coffee and water out and ye.

Yeah, we're gonna meet in a big room.

Yes, yeah, all right, very good.

I mean that's a big one. And thanks for bringing that up.

What else we have on the agenda here, because boy, I tell you what Eldercare is just.

Busy, busy, busy.

We are.

Hey, it's not just a barbecue and.

Hate see you next Year's always yep.

There's always something going on, hope, something that piques your interest.

September eighteenth is a Wednesday.

We've got Understanding the Aging Skin and that's gonna be with Corey sour apr and from Premier Dermatology. She's gonna be talking to us about why our skin looks the way it does as we age.

Ways to.

Help that process so it's maybe not as noticeable. Yeah, sure, So partnering with doctors and dermatologists.

Tom Nearing him that one too.

Yet you should also free. And then we've also got Understanding Phases of Alzheimer's with doctor James Hutchins Local MD. That is September twenty sixth at six pm. So that's gonna be a little bit of a later seminar, but it will be also free, and we encourage you guys to come check that out. He's got some great information. He is ready, ready for a good time.

Well, well, you know that this is great because many of us have parents. Even though we might be in our sixties, our parents are still around, yeah, thanks to some healthier living these days. And sometimes that question creeps in, you know, is dad slipping a gear? And you might not, but you never know, And this is a good way to figure out kind of.

What's what right, Yeah, I mean, our whole idea with September is that it really is healthy aging month, and so when we really look at that, we say, what can we do to be preventative about our health but also just be aware of it? And so this talk with doctor Hutchins is a really great example of that. So maybe you're concerned and you can kind of put some of those concerns away, or it just gives you a really great highlight of what can I be looking out for for my parents, just in case, you know,

Concerns that kind of are being highlighted.

And that's really our whole goal at elder Care is to really start to say, you know, aging health however you want to say, it's a whole lifetime process.

It happens from.

It didn't just happen over time.

Yeah, it does it. It doesn't just happen.

And so you have such great ability as individuals to make a difference in your in your health and how maybe things will happen in your sixties, seventies and eighties. By being proactive, by getting you know, keeping on top of your physical healths with physical therapy or your balance, you don't fall to engaging in social activities. And so that's one of the biggest things I always tell people is it can get a little lonely when you retire.

The time, and that makes a huge difference.

The lights come on.

Well in the mental health, you're not gonna get depressed.

You're gonna stay connected, it's gonna stay relevant, You're gonna move, You're not gonna be sitting in that chair watching TV all day and the next thing, you know, my legs don't work quite as much as they did when I was up and moving.

Pop quiz for you, Claire, Claire, Yeah, okay. Is elder care is that like a nursing home.

It is not a nursing.

We are not residential, but we do have many programs we Our goal is to equip our community to be a resource for them. We are here for you, guys, not the other way around. You know, you're not here for us. I often encourage them at our seminars and our events. I tell them at the end, you know, if this is something that you want to see more of, let us know. If you have suggestions or other things that you want to see, tell us because we want to bring those resources in.

We want to have those things available for you guys.

And you're there to help people agent place. And when we say agent, that means live independently for as long as you possibly.

Can't avoid early nursing home placement.

But we also mean to make your own choices.

And so I always like to say that some people don't like living on their home and maybe going into an independent you know, community is what they desire. Well, you still may need, you know, some of those things. And so when we say aging the way you want, it's with respect and it's with dignity, and it really is the way you want to do it.

And so the worst thing I've seen is people my age trying to hustle mom or dad or both off to the home and it's like, you're a danger to yourself. And you know, all they're seeing is minuscule of what's going on. Nothing that not saying that there's anything wrong with that. If that's needed, that's needed. But many times just a little bit of help or just a little resource here and there can keep that covered out of the way for three, four or five years.

Absolutely, And it's about.

And it's about there. It's about their dignity and respect too.

Yeah, And so we say we will help you age how you want to age, and so we do.

We have to offer a variety of programs for that.

And that's why I love that daybreak program because sometimes it's more about hey, being at home alone twenty four hours a day. That makes me nervous, Right, You're like, no one's got eyes on you, knowing, well, here's a place you can come during the day and say.

Hey, look I was good, I got I got fed today.

You know, I made sure I exercise and I'm going to go home and be good for the rest of the day.

And now I feel empowered to live independently.

Because I know I have people that have my back and are really looking out for me.

Jennifer, you know what the big thing is. It's fun.

Yeah, and it is folks who take take in the daybreak.

They have fun. Yeah, that's like a good day, good day to day.

They go home and they're ready to relax and take it easy and easy in for a good night's rest and then go back at it tomorrow and just have fun because like you said, you never know what's going to happen the next day.

You do well, and it's important. I mean if you are caregiving, so sometimes that happens. Maybe you pull a little caregiving for a spouse or loved one. You have your own needs, right, maybe you need to go to Tulsa for the day, or or maybe you have a couple of doctor's appointment and you're like, well, you know, you feel guilty because now they're going to be a home alone and they're not going to have any fun.

Yeah, you might even make a friend.

Or six, probably closer to six, I would app share closer to that.

Now, how can we find out more? What's your website?

Our website is www dot about Eldercare dot org.

And how can we find Jennifer in person?

I mean Eldercare Well, either way, I mean I'm here, I am, And so Eldercare is actually on twelve twenty three Swan Drive and so that's really close to Walmart. And I'm going to guess that most people have been to Walmart in our community.

Take the little curve around.

We're there with the great green roof, and we encourage you come visit anytime.

So we'll my scheduled open.

Houses sometimes, but that doesn't work for everyone's lives.

So if you want a tour, we want to talk.

To someone, don't hesitate to stop by and come ask for me, and I'd be happy to take you around.

And there are more research is we've got the Foundation Therapy, we've got the new clinic too.

Oh yes, our partnership, Well that's our goal because what we're finding is that.

Not just that, but maybe.

There's a new program we didn't think about, and so how do we make things more modern? How do we actually tackle the things that are relevant to our population now?

And what do you want?

I mean, so I would sit here and say, Tom, you know, what do you want when you age? And how can we build a program around that? Because that's what's important, not just to build one that's not relevant.

But we do.

We have lots of programs from our Foundation's Physical Therapy that offers physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy for adults, which is really rare in our community.

We have our case management, our in home services.

Where you can be six years older to be in that program and we can come out and help with housekeeping, maybe some errands. A lot of people love that because as you get older, going upstairs to vacuum is hard, or you don't have as much joy to clean the restroom and it's much more difficult, and so it kind of gives you, like you said, that tiny bit of resource and help to make that much longer joy in your home.

And there you go. I want to thank you both for coming in today.