Saturday, January 23, 2010
Desperate Housewives Tackles The Subject of Caregiving
Orson delivers a pretty good speech on the frustration he feels about being newly disabled.
Martha Writes About The Elderly
It's a bit generic, but interesting nonetheless. Also copied and pasted below:
The Other Health Care Crisis -- America's Elderly
As the health care bill winds its way through Congress, sparking passions, heated debate and countless news stories, I have been struck by the dearth of discussion about a looming health care crisis: In 2011, the first of 78 million baby boomers will start turning 65. We, as a nation, are utterly unprepared for this rapidly approaching "silver tsunami." We do not have enough doctors skilled in the care of the very demographic group with the greatest overall health care needs. And we do not provide proper support for the more than 48 million men and women who, according to a recent report from the National Alliance for Caregiving, are caring for older family members and friends.
Our population is growing older and living longer. Life expectancy in the United States is at an all-time high of nearly 78 years. The oldest old, those who are age 85 and over, are the fastest growing segment of the population. Yet very few doctors are trained in the care of the elderly. Do you know that there is currently one geriatrician to every 10,000 baby boomers? There are about three times as many cosmetic surgeons, a fact that speaks volumes about how we view aging in this country.
With the increase in the elderly population comes a concomitant increase in informal caregivers. Because around-the-clock home care runs as high as $150,000 per year (not including rent or food) and, depending on where you live, residence in an assisted living facility can easily cost $4,000 per month (none of which is covered by Medicare), more than 75 percent of Americans receiving long-term care rely solely on family and friends to provide assistance. The vast majority of these caregivers are women, most of whom devote an average of 19 hours a week to their caregiving role, often while also holding down a paying job. Many are caring for young children and their aging parents at the same time. And many more, surveys show, have used all of their savings or cut back on their own health care spending in order to cover the cost of caregiving for their relative.
I come to these issues as the daughter of a woman who lived to the age of 93. My mother remained actively engaged in life and healthy nearly to the end. Still, we came to know first-hand some of the issues that need to be managed and the constant worry that shadows every day. What if she falls? What if she takes her medicine twice or, as was more likely with my mother, what if she decides not to take them at all?
My family's experience opened my eyes to the challenges facing countless Americans and their families, and inspired me to found the Martha Stewart Center for Living at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City. At the Center, which is dedicated to my mother, our mission is to help people live longer, healthier, productive lives even as they grow older. We also aim to develop new models of care for people over the age of 65 that will help our country and the world better meet the healthcare demands of an aging population.
There is an urgent need for innovative ideas and new paradigms -- and no quick fixes. But there are steps we can and should take. First, we must recognize that older adults are an idiosyncratic population with a broad spectrum of needs from the frail and fading Alzheimer's patient to the physically and mentally active senior like, for example, Clint Eastwood who at age 79 is arguably at the height of his creative powers. And we must educate doctors--whether or not they are geriatricians--so they can better understand and serve this demographic. At Mt. Sinai, every medical student is required to do at least some of their training at the Center for Living. No matter what specialty of medicine these doctors ultimately choose, they will be better prepared to work with our rapidly aging population.
Passage of the C.L.A.S.S. Act, a national long-term care insurance program that is currently part of both the House and Senate health care bills, could also make a difference. Introduced by the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the C.L.A.S.S. Act (short for Community Living Assistance Services and Support) would allow people to purchase long-term care insurance through payroll deductions and to receive cash to pay for home care, adult day programs, assisted living or nursing homes. The program's fiscal soundness has come under fire from certain quarters. There's no question that new legislation must be well-designed and viable over the long term, but, at the same time, we must not lose sight of a pressing need for solutions that will offer older adults and their families some financial protection.
We're all in this together. Whether or not you care about older people, you will, if you're lucky, be one of them. It's not just a demographic. It's personal -- it's you, your parents, your aunts, uncles, friends and children. We need to do a better job caring for this population -- and supporting those who care for them.
Martha Stewart is the founder of the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mt. Sinai and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
The Other Health Care Crisis -- America's Elderly
As the health care bill winds its way through Congress, sparking passions, heated debate and countless news stories, I have been struck by the dearth of discussion about a looming health care crisis: In 2011, the first of 78 million baby boomers will start turning 65. We, as a nation, are utterly unprepared for this rapidly approaching "silver tsunami." We do not have enough doctors skilled in the care of the very demographic group with the greatest overall health care needs. And we do not provide proper support for the more than 48 million men and women who, according to a recent report from the National Alliance for Caregiving, are caring for older family members and friends.
Our population is growing older and living longer. Life expectancy in the United States is at an all-time high of nearly 78 years. The oldest old, those who are age 85 and over, are the fastest growing segment of the population. Yet very few doctors are trained in the care of the elderly. Do you know that there is currently one geriatrician to every 10,000 baby boomers? There are about three times as many cosmetic surgeons, a fact that speaks volumes about how we view aging in this country.
With the increase in the elderly population comes a concomitant increase in informal caregivers. Because around-the-clock home care runs as high as $150,000 per year (not including rent or food) and, depending on where you live, residence in an assisted living facility can easily cost $4,000 per month (none of which is covered by Medicare), more than 75 percent of Americans receiving long-term care rely solely on family and friends to provide assistance. The vast majority of these caregivers are women, most of whom devote an average of 19 hours a week to their caregiving role, often while also holding down a paying job. Many are caring for young children and their aging parents at the same time. And many more, surveys show, have used all of their savings or cut back on their own health care spending in order to cover the cost of caregiving for their relative.
I come to these issues as the daughter of a woman who lived to the age of 93. My mother remained actively engaged in life and healthy nearly to the end. Still, we came to know first-hand some of the issues that need to be managed and the constant worry that shadows every day. What if she falls? What if she takes her medicine twice or, as was more likely with my mother, what if she decides not to take them at all?
My family's experience opened my eyes to the challenges facing countless Americans and their families, and inspired me to found the Martha Stewart Center for Living at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City. At the Center, which is dedicated to my mother, our mission is to help people live longer, healthier, productive lives even as they grow older. We also aim to develop new models of care for people over the age of 65 that will help our country and the world better meet the healthcare demands of an aging population.
There is an urgent need for innovative ideas and new paradigms -- and no quick fixes. But there are steps we can and should take. First, we must recognize that older adults are an idiosyncratic population with a broad spectrum of needs from the frail and fading Alzheimer's patient to the physically and mentally active senior like, for example, Clint Eastwood who at age 79 is arguably at the height of his creative powers. And we must educate doctors--whether or not they are geriatricians--so they can better understand and serve this demographic. At Mt. Sinai, every medical student is required to do at least some of their training at the Center for Living. No matter what specialty of medicine these doctors ultimately choose, they will be better prepared to work with our rapidly aging population.
Passage of the C.L.A.S.S. Act, a national long-term care insurance program that is currently part of both the House and Senate health care bills, could also make a difference. Introduced by the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the C.L.A.S.S. Act (short for Community Living Assistance Services and Support) would allow people to purchase long-term care insurance through payroll deductions and to receive cash to pay for home care, adult day programs, assisted living or nursing homes. The program's fiscal soundness has come under fire from certain quarters. There's no question that new legislation must be well-designed and viable over the long term, but, at the same time, we must not lose sight of a pressing need for solutions that will offer older adults and their families some financial protection.
We're all in this together. Whether or not you care about older people, you will, if you're lucky, be one of them. It's not just a demographic. It's personal -- it's you, your parents, your aunts, uncles, friends and children. We need to do a better job caring for this population -- and supporting those who care for them.
Martha Stewart is the founder of the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mt. Sinai and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Swallow Evaluation...Barium-Style
Ms. J suddenly can't swallow. I don't know what is going on, but we fear that she has had another stroke. We took her to her doctor this week, and a swallow test was prescribed for two days later. It did not go well.
For one, she couldn't swallow the barium.
Two, the male lab tech was a jerk. He asked Ms. L (one of Ms. J's caregivers who had accompanied her that day) "Is she ALWAYS like this?" in a scathing tone, right in front of Ms. J. You don't SAY things like that to a patient, especially an elderly patient who has had multiple strokes and is coming to you FOR HELP. You just don't. God, I wish I would have been there. She is @#$@ing disabled, you freaking horse's arse!
I am currently in the process of finding out who this person was and the name of his immediate supervisor. I can't believe someone would act that way to a helpless little old lady who can not even speak up for herself.
For one, she couldn't swallow the barium.
Two, the male lab tech was a jerk. He asked Ms. L (one of Ms. J's caregivers who had accompanied her that day) "Is she ALWAYS like this?" in a scathing tone, right in front of Ms. J. You don't SAY things like that to a patient, especially an elderly patient who has had multiple strokes and is coming to you FOR HELP. You just don't. God, I wish I would have been there. She is @#$@ing disabled, you freaking horse's arse!
I am currently in the process of finding out who this person was and the name of his immediate supervisor. I can't believe someone would act that way to a helpless little old lady who can not even speak up for herself.
Medicaid: The Latest Installment and Something You Need To Know
On a whim, I tried to call in to the Office of Public Assistance yesterday and reach Betty. She wasn't there of course, but I spoke to a very sweet and HELPFUL individual who helped me find the information I needed. Can you believe that? In a GOVERNMENT OFFICE! She was attentive and patient and NICE! Her name was Paula, and I now love her.
Anyway, what I found out was this: It used to be that once a person signed up for SSI (Supplemental Security Income), their information was sent to the Medicaid office and was processed automatically.
This is apparently no longer the case. I don't know why. I could guess, but I don't want to be that pessimistic.
The only way someone can get enrolled in Medicaid THROUGH SSI is if SOMEONE CALLS MEDICAID immediately afterward. (Again, what in the hell do people do who don't have an advocate?) So, Ms. J was NOT enrolled in Medicaid over these last few months. Instead, her information was sort of..."floating."
We are crossing our fingers that she will soon be officially on Medicaid now that the call has been made. We are also hoping that it won't take the full 45 days of processing time that it usually does. Since she has had SSI for two months, I certainly don't see how it could.
Thank you, Paula. We are hoping and praying!
Anyway, what I found out was this: It used to be that once a person signed up for SSI (Supplemental Security Income), their information was sent to the Medicaid office and was processed automatically.
This is apparently no longer the case. I don't know why. I could guess, but I don't want to be that pessimistic.
The only way someone can get enrolled in Medicaid THROUGH SSI is if SOMEONE CALLS MEDICAID immediately afterward. (Again, what in the hell do people do who don't have an advocate?) So, Ms. J was NOT enrolled in Medicaid over these last few months. Instead, her information was sort of..."floating."
We are crossing our fingers that she will soon be officially on Medicaid now that the call has been made. We are also hoping that it won't take the full 45 days of processing time that it usually does. Since she has had SSI for two months, I certainly don't see how it could.
Thank you, Paula. We are hoping and praying!
Not An Easy Answer
Okay, so. I've been thinking about my last post, and I feel that it is slightly misleading. I created it half in jest, but I do want to make it clear that I know depression and burnout are very real and very serious problems. Sometimes the only thing you can do to stay even moderately sane is something small and simple that reminds you of who YOU are. (And to quote Rabbi Kushner, "Who you work for.")
Now, it's also misleading in the sense that if you have a client or family member such as Ms. J, there is no way on God's green earth that you will be able to do any of those things for more than just a few precious minutes a day, if that. Still, I do urge you to create your own list and to follow through with it. FIND those few minutes. They will make all the difference in the world.
Now, it's also misleading in the sense that if you have a client or family member such as Ms. J, there is no way on God's green earth that you will be able to do any of those things for more than just a few precious minutes a day, if that. Still, I do urge you to create your own list and to follow through with it. FIND those few minutes. They will make all the difference in the world.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
28 Ways To Allieviate Depression and Burnout
1. Flight.
2. Cats.
3. Naps.
4. Videos of cats/kittens/baby animals on YouTube.
5. Blog.
6. The Beatles.
7. Pride & Prejudice. (Any version will do.)
8. Call Mom.
9. Learn to Crip-Walk. (You are so cool.)
10. Fables.
11. Libraries.
12. Exercise.
13. Sing. (Best if done in solitude.)
14. Create a Facebook page for family member/client.
15. Dance. (Also best if done in solitude.)
16. Pray. Someone/thing out there is listening and does actually "care."
17. Draw.
18. Think about making this experience into a book. (Someone would buy it, right?)
19. Bookstores.
20. Hot, caffeinated beverages.
21. Harass significant other or best friend with barrage of text messages.
22. Read. Novels, Self-Help, whatever. Do what you gotta do.
23. Hot Baths.
24. Humor websites. McSweeney's is a favorite.
25. Eat. (Do be careful with that one.)
26. Make stuff.
27. Remember why you are where you are and why you are needed there.
28. Call Mom again.
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