Happy National Home Care Month

We spend much of the year celebrating a variety of medical professionals and providers in our community.  We also make every effort to honor the many observances that raise awareness about the wide array of health and wellness issues that impact seniors. Although we discuss all things senior, there has always been and will always be a focus on wellness.  November is National Home Care Month and we want to pause for a moment and honor the clinicians, aides, and other professionals who work so diligently in that arena.

I recently interviewed a guest who reported that research suggests that 89% of all seniors want to continue to live and eventually die at home.  "Yes, and the other 11% misread the question,"  I responded.  We all know that there's no place like home.  There's no place like home...There's no place like home.  Seniors prefer to be at home because it is more cost-effective and way more comfortable. It's home.

So what can be said for the nurses and therapists who choose to serve seniors at home?  They have to be more experienced, resourceful and self- reliant than most. Home care clinicians service the elderly struggling with multiple chronic and/or life-threatening conditions. Their work helps to alleviate unnecessary burdens on our hospital systems and avoid nursing home stays whenever possible. They are more likely to have to deal with emergency situations alone which means they need to be able to draw on their own experience and knowledge without the support of the doctor or nurse down the hall.  Then there are daily frustrations like traffic patterns, inclement weather, appointment cancellations and the unique challenges of providing care at home.  When was the last time a hospital nurse was asked to feed the dog on the way out?  The challenges of home care clinicians are among the most difficult in the industry.  Hats off to the dedicated and diligent professionals who work to help seniors stay at home.  

To learn more about home care in Ohio, visit The Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice website or the Ohio Home Care Program website and follow the consumer links.  To learn more about the agency that sponsors Senior Agenda , visit Freedomhomehealth.com.

Death & Dying: Our Children Deserve to be Better Prepared

I pulled into the driveway and there he was standing in the window with the dog by his side.  They were waiting patiently for some word about the events of the night. I had left the house around midnight and now the sun was preparing to show itself. More hours had passed than I realized. Why didn't I think about this before now? How should I tell him?  What words should I use?  Oh God!  There is no time to ponder anything.  He sees me.  He has been waiting for hours.  I hope he wasn't afraid.  Why didn't I use the drive home to figure this out?  Mommy will be here in a minute, maybe she will know what to say.  I waited for her to pull in behind me and we got out together.  We were in shock. She was still trembling. I was numb and the tears that would flood my world in the coming days and weeks and months had not yet made an appearance.  The front door opened and he stepped out into the twilight and asked, "Where is Papa?"  Neither of us spoke as we walked towards him. "Go in house and put Moses away before he gets loose,"  I instructed.  "Ok, but where's Papa?  Did he have to stay?  Who's with him?  My son had already experienced more hardship than most but this kind of loss was still unknown to him. For a moment, I felt like a complete failure.  I could not protect him.  "Moses doesn't want to go out," he said.  I rolled my eyes and commanded the dog to go lay down somewhere but he was already laying down. "What's wrong," my son asked. My mother sat on the couch and asked my boy to come sit in her lap.  "Isaiah, Papa went to be with Jesus".  It was clear that he was not grasping the message that she was trying to convey so she tried again.  "What I mean is that Papa is needed in Heaven so that is where he went.  Do you understand," she asked.  Isaiah turned to me and asked, "Will he come back when he is finished doing what God needs him to do?"  "No, Isaiah.  Papa died at the hospital tonight."  I will never forget my child's reaction.  I could see the brutal reality of that night roll through his being.  I can still hear his sobbing. He was 12 years-old and until that day he had never sobbed.   Mommy sobbed. Isaiah sobbed.  No one spoke for almost an hour.

I have often wondered how that night might have played out differently and if it would have made a difference in the way my child processed his grief had I been better prepared.  As parents, we want to protect our children from harsh realities. Death is inevitable and unpredictable and real.  It is absolutely beyond our control. We cannot protect them from it. We can do a better job of preparing them for it. The experts agree that talking about the possibility before a tragedy occurs is best. To learn more about this important topic, tune into Senior Agenda this week. 

Do You Know How to Support Someone Facing Death?

Angelo Merendino aka Jennifer's Husband 

As a member of the healthcare community and the human race, I am witness to the fact that we are ill-equipped to know how to confront death or stand with someone who is facing it.  It's not that people do not care, but more that they do not know how to care.  We don't know how to care because we allow our fear to rule the journey.  We are so afraid to think about death that we do not talk about it, plan for it, or know how to see it through when given the opportunity.  This coming Thursday our topic on Senior Agenda will be "Confronting Death." We will examine two issues: 1) How to be supportive when someone we love is facing death and 2) How to talk to our children about death and dying.

At the top of the hour we will be interviewing Angelo Merendino who documented his wife's battle with cancer through a series of black and white photos in part because they were searching for a way to help their friends and loved ones stay involved.  Angelo wrote the following in his digital book called "The Battle We Didn't Choose" which is now available on his web site:

"Hospital stays of 10-plus days were not uncommon.  Frequent doctor visits led to battles with insurance companies.  Fear, anxiety and worries were constant.  Sadly, most people do not want to hear these realities and at certain points we felt our support fading away.  Other cancer survivors share this loss.  People assume that treatment makes you better, that things become OK, that life goes back to 'normal.' However, there is no normal in cancer-land. "  To learn more about this powerful story,  follow them on facebook and listen to Senior Agenda this week.  

We can learn to confront death if we work together and allow ourselves to learn from one another. We will all experience it.  It is one of those ties that bind.  The experience transcends all of our differences and has the potential to bring us closer together if we get can find a way to be brave enough to have these discussions. There are no do overs so it is imperative that we get it right when it presents.  

The Multiple Personalities of "Arthur Arthritis" and What Can Be Done

According to Morgan Patten, Program Manger for the Arthritis Foundation of Central Ohio, Arthur has over 100 personalities (including osteoarthritis and more) but there is hope for each and every one of them.  Morgan appeared on Senior Agenda on October 3rd to discuss the various types of arthritides, treatment remedies, and prevention. This edition of Senior Agenda will be a tremendous resource to anyone struggling with arthritis.  Listen here.  Morgan stressed the fact that arthritis is not inevitable as we age and also that it can be managed through life-style choices and medication.

Morgan will be teaching a four-part workshop called "Breaking the Pain Chain" starting on October 24th from 10- noon at the Arthritis Foundation located at 3740 Ridge Mill Drive in Hilliard.  The workshop is an interactive educational series designed to teach folks how to break the cycle of pain caused by arthritis.  The workshop is free but registration is required.  Contact Chris Parsons at 614-503-5589 or cparsons@arthritis.org to register.  The deadline for registration is October 17th.

To learn more visit the National Arthritis Foundation or listen to Senior Agenda.

News from the National Parkinson's Foundation

Daniel E. Davis, President and CEO of the National Parkinson's Foundation of Central Ohio, joined us on Senior Agenda on September 26th to discuss the signs, symptoms, and progression of the disease. Listen here.  Other guests discussed the experiences of family members and friends struggling with the disease.

Although Parkinson's Disease continues to be the 2nd most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the U.S., there is still no standard clinical tests available to identify the disease.  The disease often goes unrecognized until late in the progression. There is also still no cure. During the program we learned that symptoms range from tremors to slowed movement (bradykinesia) to impaired posture and balance to rigidity including "freezing."  We also learned about some treatment options and the need for public support in terms of raising awareness and donations for research.  Parkinson's is a painful, progressive disease that deserves our attention.  Learn more from the National Parkinson's Foundation.

Several famous folks have Parkinson's Disease including Muhammad Ali and Micheal J. Fox pictured above.  Muhammad Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1984 at the age of 42.  It is widely believed that professional athletes like football players and boxers develop the disease due to brain damage caused from multiple concussions or blows to the head. Learn about the Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center.  Micheal J. Fox was diagnosed at age 30 and told he would be lucky to still be working at age 40, but today he is 52 years old and still working. In fact, the day this edition of Senior Agenda aired, his new comedy, "The Micheal J. Fox Show" premiered on NBC. Reviews were favorable.    Learn about the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

How Does Shutdown Effect Social Security, Medicare and Other Senior Services?

So what are the consequences to seniors?  That depends on how long Washington allows this is go on.  Here's what we know now: 

• Social security checks and benefits will continue to be paid in full.  
• Medicare and Medicaid benefits will also continue as usual.  

If you lose your social security, Medicare or Medicaid identification cards, you will have to wait to have those replaced. That may or may not result in a delay of services. They are also not currently issuing proof of income letters.  Click here to visit the Official Social Security website for additional details.

• Vital services that ensure seniors and young children have access to healthy food and meals may not have sufficient federal funds to serve all beneficiaries.  
• Call centers, hotlines and regional offices that help veterans understand their benefits are closed.
• Every one of America's national parks and monuments, from Yosemite to the Smithsonian to the Statue of Liberty, are closed.  

The includes the WWII Memorial so those senior veterans coming in on Honor Flights or otherwise scheduled to visit are being denied access.    

• Research into life-threatening diseases and other areas have stopped, and new patients will not be accepted into clinical trials at the National Institute of Health.  

This means that cancer patients and others with life-threatening diseases are now on hold.  

Click here to learn more from USA.gov.

There are also going to be a number of unexpected consequences. For example, health care professionals are reporting that they cannot hire anyone because the federal center that processes background checks is closed. Healthcare background checks help prevent unqualified and potentially dangerous people from working in the medical field. This will likely compromise quality of care and availability of services due to staffing issues if the shutdown persist.   

And did we mention the already 800,000 federal workers who are not allowed to report to work?  That effects everyone.  The longer this shutdown last, the more of a negative impact it will have on the economy. 

How Does the Shutdown Effect Seniors and the Elderly?

So what are the consequences to seniors?  That depends on how long Washington allows this is go on.  Here's what we know now: 

• Social security checks and benefits will continue to be paid in full.  
• Medicare and Medicaid benefits will also continue as usual.  

If you lose your social security, Medicare or Medicaid identification cards, you will have to wait to have those replaced. That may or may not result in a delay of services. They are also not currently issuing proof of income letters.  Click here to visit the Official Social Security website for additional details.

• Vital services that ensure seniors and young children have access to healthy food and meals may not have sufficient federal funds to serve all beneficiaries.  
• Call centers, hotlines and regional offices that help veterans understand their benefits are closed.
• Every one of America's national parks and monuments, from Yosemite to the Smithsonian to the Statue of Liberty, are closed.  

The includes the WWII Memorial so those senior veterans coming in on Honor Flights or otherwise scheduled to visit are being denied access.    

• Research into life-threatening diseases and other areas have stopped, and new patients will not be accepted into clinical trials at the National Institute of Health.  

This means that cancer patients and others with life-threatening diseases are now on hold.  

Click here to learn more from USA.gov.

There are also going to be a number of unexpected consequences. For example, health care professionals are reporting that they cannot hire anyone because the federal center that processes background checks is closed. Healthcare background checks help prevent unqualified and potentially dangerous people from working in the medical field. This will likely compromise quality of care and availability of services due to staffing issues if the shutdown persist.   

And did we mention the already 800,000 federal workers who are not allowed to report to work?  That effects everyone.  The longer this shutdown last, the more of a negative impact it will have on the economy. 

Surveying the Senior Landscape - Commentary on the Government Shutdown

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The following is taken from an excerpt delivered at the top of the hour on Senior Agenda on 10/3/13.  Listen here. The views and opinions expressed here represent those of talk show host Lisa Stockdale.  Lisa is a senior advocate and is committed to addressing all issues that effect seniors.  Your comments are welcomed.  We reserve the right to remove comments which utilize excessive profanity or hate speech.  

Today we are entering day three of what is sure to go down in history as the infamous government shutdown of 2013.  It's going to be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out and just exactly who continues to have an elected post after our next election period.  

The one thing that our current elected leaders seem to be able to agree upon is - well actually nothing.  They can't even agree to disagree.  When you agree to disagree, it is implicitly understood that you also keep it moving.  Keep it moving as in continue to show up and work or do the job that you were assigned to do in a timely and acceptable manner.  At least that's what work means to me but then maybe I am just ridiculously old school.  Grown folks also understand that when you agree to disagree you are agreeing to co-exist in a respectful manner and to engage when there is a greater good to be served - like we the people.  But that's what's NOT happening.  What IS happening? 

It seems our government is divided and the concept of reaching across the aisle is lost in space.  The divide is centered around healthcare.  That's an issue that is near and dear to our hearts here on Senior Agenda.  

I'm gonna tell you how I see it.  You're not going to see it exactly the way I see it. That would make you me.  Thankfully, God only made one of me.  Just like He only made one of you.  

A group of tea party Republicans, led by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and fueled by folks like Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, decided that they would work together to curtail government funding.  Not because they believe the government shouldn't be funded but instead because they are vehemently opposed to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare.  They knew that by refusing to do their jobs, which is according to the Constitution to FUND the government, they would evoke the government shut down.  It was a strategic, purposeful, planned action with the intended outcome being the shutdown of the U.S. government.  The very government that affords them a platform and a paycheck.  

Our President, who was slow and back and forth and all over the place when it came to his response to Syria, delivered a quick and definitive response to this domestic issue.  He appeared before the American people almost immediately and declared that Obamacare would not be taken hostage.  He said, "You don't get to extract a ransom for doing your job, for doing what you are supposed to be doing anyway, or just because there's a law that you don't like."  Since that initial appearance, finger pointing and ditch digging is all we have seen.  

Lisa, why are we discussing politics on Senior Agenda?  Because we discuss all things senior, remember - no topic is taboo.  If you don't think this effects seniors....well then you're just not thinking about seniors.  

So what are the consequences to seniors?  That depends on how long Washington allows this is go on.  Here's what we know now: 

• Social security checks and benefits will continue to be paid in full.  
• Medicare and Medicaid benefits will also continue as usual.  

I had conversations with one of our state liaisons to confirm this information yesterday.  However, if you lose your social security or Medicare card, you will have to wait to have those replaced. That may or may not result in a delay of services.  They are also not currently issuing proof of income letters.  

• Vital services that ensure seniors and young children have access to healthy food and meals may not have sufficient federal funds to serve all beneficiaries.  
• Call centers, hotlines and regional offices that help veterans understand their benefits are closed.
• Every one of America's national parks and monuments, from Yosemite to the Smithsonian to the Statue of Liberty, are closed.  

The includes the WWII Memorial so those senior veterans coming in on Honor Flights or otherwise scheduled to visit today may or may not get through.  I know they were getting through yesterday but folks were being fined or ticketed.  

• Research into life-threatening diseases and other areas will stop, and new patients will not be accepted into clinical trials at the National Institute of Health.  

This means that cancer patients and others with life-threatening diseases are now on hold.  

There are also going to be a number of unexpected consequences. For example, earlier this week I heard an administrator of a local nursing home reporting that they cannot hire anyone because the federal center that processes background checks is closed. Healthcare background checks help prevent unqualified and potentially dangerous people from working in the medical field. If mom or dad need rehab in the next 30-60 days and they do not receive the care they deserve due to staffing...you know who to blame.  

And did we mention the already 800,000 federal workers who are not allowed to report to work?  That effects everyone.  The longer this shutdown last, the more of a negative impact it will have on the economy.  Again, that effects everyone.  

I heard Rand Paul say yesterday that it is "ONLY 15% of the government that is shut down."  Well can you open ONLY 15% back up and stop acting like a bunch of doo doo squats with your heads stuck in the sand in need of a time out?  Call in and tell us what you think.  We want to hear from you.  More importantly, let your elected officials know what you think.  They need to hear from you.  

Please note:  No one really knows what a doo doo squat is. but we believe it sounds silly and absurd enough to work as an adjective here.