Educational Webinar – Alzheimer’s – Optimum Senior Care – Chicago In Home

Helping Seniors with Real Estate Transitions and Lifestyle Changes

Presenter: Dan Schmitz
Thursday, May 18
11:00 AM (PST); 2:00 PM (EST)

May CSA Monthly Webinar- Helping Seniors with Real Estate Transitions and Lifestyle Changes

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As a result of participating in this webinar, you will gain an insight to subject matter related to the decisions and emotions seniors face when considering a Real Estate transition and lifestyle change.

5/18/2017

When:
5/18/2017
2 PM Eastern, 1 PM Central, 12 PM Mountain, 11 AM Pacific

Where:
United States

Presenter:
Dan Schmitz and Melissa Jedlicka

Contact:
Travis M. Reynolds
travisr@csa.us
303-951-6594

Online registration is closed.

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Learning Objectives:

As approximately 10,000 baby boomers turn 62 every day, seniors are making a significant impact on the changing economy including the housing market.

Participants of this webinar will be able to:

• Define the multi-generational attributes of the senior population.
• Describe the desired attributes of communities and housing.
• Validate the emotional hurdles to be overcome by seniors moving or relocating.
• Contrast today’s overall financial status among seniors and the general population.

Presenters:

Dan Schmitz, Real Estate Education Lead for Reverse Mortgage Funding, has over 20 years of experience in all facets of adult education with a strong emphasis in the real estate market. As Managing Director of Education for the National Association of Realtors® for over a decade, he has spearheaded the development of industry leading NAR Specialty Designation Courses on topics including buyer representation, technology, vacation and second homes, generational marketing and working with seniors. Working closely with subject matter experts and instructors, Dan managed the team who educated thousands of dedicated Realtors® across the US and Canada to increase their business and better serve clients in these niche markets.

Melissa Jedlicka, has been in the Reverse Mortgage industry since 2002. She Educates financial professionals, and realtors on strategies related to the reverse mortgage being used as a retirement tool. Melissa conducts educational webinars and has been involved and supported various associations on an education level. She is approved by NY state as a master instructor to teach real estate courses.

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Famous & 65 – Alzheimer’s – Optimum Senior Care – Chicago In Home

Look Who Is Turning 65

View the celebrities turning 65 in May 2017.

Look Who’s Turning 65

May 2—Christine Baranski

The stage and screen actress is currently starring in The Good Fight following seven years in the same role of Diane Lockhart in The Good Wife. Baranski made her Broadway debut in Hide & Seek in 1980. For her next Broadway performance, in Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing, she won the 1984 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. Other Broadway credits include The House of Blue Leaves, Rumors (for which she won her second Tony) and Nick & Nora. At the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Baranski starred in Sweeney Todd in 2002 (for which she won the 2003 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical).

In film, some of Baranski’s better known roles are as Katherine Archer in The Birdcage, Mary Sunshine in the musical Chicago, Martha May Whovier in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Connie Chasseur in The Ref and Tanya Chisham-Leigh in the hit musical Mamma Mia! She also played Cinderella’s stepmother in the film adaptation of the musical Into the Woods.

Baranski was featured as Cybill Shepherd’s sarcastic, hard-drinking friend Maryanne Thorpe in the CBS sitcom Cybill (1995-1998), for which she won an Emmy Award as Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series along with three other nominations. She has guest starred in several episodes of The Big Bang Theory, for which she has received two Emmy nominations.

From 2009 to 2016, Baranski played the role of Lockhart, a top litigator and senior partner of a Chicago law firm on the CBS series The Good Wife. For the first six seasons of the series, she was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. In the series’ spinoff, The Good Fight, which began airing on CBS and then CBS All Access in February 2017, her character joins another law firm after being forced to return to work.

May 14—David Byrne

The Scottish-born American musician was the founding member, principal songwriter and lead singer and guitarist of the American new wave band Talking Heads, active between 1975 and 1991. A multi-instrumentalist, Byrne is known for his distinctive voice. He has released his own solo recordings and worked with various media, including film, photography, opera, fiction and non-fiction. He has received Oscar, Grammy, and Golden Globe awards.

Byrne started his musical career in a high school band in Baltimore, where his family had moved when he was 8 or 9. In 1974, Byrne moved to New York City and founded Talking Heads with Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, later joined by Jerry Harrison. The band released eight studio albums before going into hiatus in 1988 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, when they reunited to play four tracks, including “Psycho Killer” and “Burning Down the House.”

During his time in the band, Byrne took on outside projects, collaborating with Brian Eno during 1979 and 1981 on the album My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, which attracted considerable critical acclaim due to its early use of analogue sampling and found sounds. Rei Momo (1989) was the first solo album by Byrne after leaving Talking Heads, and features mainly Afro-Cuban, Afro-Hispanic and Brazilian song styles. His third solo album, Uh-Oh (1992), featured a brass section, while his fourth solo album, titled David Byrne (1994), was a more proper rock record, with “Angels” and “Back in the Box” as its two main singles. For his fifth studio effort, the emotional Feelings (1997), Byrne employed a brass orchestra, and Look into the Eyeball (2001) continued the same musical exploration. Grown Backwards (2004) used orchestral string arrangements and includes two operatic arias. In 2008, Byrne and Eno reunited for his eighth album, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today.

Byrne has also worked in theater and film. In 1981, he partnered with choreographer Twyla Tharp for a ballet, The Catherine Wheel. In 1991, he released a classical instrumental album, The Forest. His work has been extensively used in film soundtracks, most notably on Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor, which won an Academy Award for Best Original Score. In 2008, Byrne released Big Love: Hymnal, his soundtrack to season two of the HBO TV series Big Love. He and Eno provided the soundtrack for the film Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.

In 1990, Byrne founded the world music record label Luaka Bop, which includes music from Cuba, Africa, the Far East and beyond. In 2005, Byrne started his own internet radio station, Radio David Byrne. In addition to his other endeavors, he is known for his activism in supporting cycling and for using a bike as his main means of transport throughout his life, especially around New York.

May 18—George Strait

The country music singer, songwriter, actor and producer is known as the “King of Country” and is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. Strait is known for his neotraditionalist country style and cowboy look, and for being one of the first and main country artists to bring country music back to its roots and away from the pop country era in the 1980s. He has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time, including 13 multi-platinum, 33 platinum and 38 gold albums. His best-selling album is Pure Country (1992), which sold 6 million copies.

Strait’s success began when his first single “Unwound” was a hit in 1981. During the 1980s, seven of his albums reached No. 1 on the country charts. In the 2000s, Strait was named Artist of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music, was elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame and won his first Grammy award for the album Troubadour. In 1989, 1990 and 2013, he was named Country Music Association (CMA) Entertainer of the Year, and Academy of Country Music (ACM) Entertainer of the Year in 1990 and 2014. He has been nominated for more CMA and ACM awards and has more wins in both categories than any other artist.

In 2009, Strait broke Conway Twitty’s previous record for the most No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart when his 45 No. 1 singles surpassed Twitty’s 40. Counting all music charts, Strait has amassed a total of 61 No. 1 hits, breaking a record also previously set by Twitty, and giving him more No. 1 songs than any other artist in any genre of music. Strait is also known for his touring career when he designed a 360- degree configuration and introduced festival style tours.

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Coffee Break – – Alzheimer’s – Optimum Senior Care – Chicago In Home Caregivers

Right, Before I Die

Photographer captures pictures and thoughts of people facing death.

Right, Before I Die

Photographer captures pictures and thoughts of people facing death.

Kim said that once she became ill, friends stopped coming by, as if they were afraid of catching her illness. “Most people are like that because they are scared, scared of I don’t know what.”

She was one of 20 people photographed and interviewed by Los Angeles artist Andrew George for his project, “Right, Before I Die,” about people nearing death. His work has been displayed at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, at Musea Brugge in Belgium and the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

George told California Healthline that he wanted to know his subjects’ perspective on their lives, their dreams and their deaths. In addition to asking them questions, he gave each a piece of paper to draw or write whatever they wanted.

Ediccia wanted to be remembered as someone who didn’t give up. Chuck said some of his favorite times were playing baseball with his brothers. Joe said he was the luckiest man in the world. Jack confessed that his true love wasn’t his wife, but rather a woman he’d met in Japan in the 1940s who had been sent to a relocation camp. Donald said he still loved his ex-wife, even though she had married another man.

Abel summed up his thoughts this way: “You have a one-way ticket. Don’t waste it!”

You can view more comments from the project’s participants at Right, Before I Die.

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Tech 101 – Alzheimer’s – Optimum Senior Care – Chicago In Home Caregivers

Smart Home Technology for Seniors

New systems can save you money and make your place more secure and safe.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Smart Home Technology for Seniors

New systems can save you money and make your place more secure and safe.

As technology enters every part of our lives, there’s one area that is now getting a lot of attention: our homes. With automatic lighting, video cameras and thermostats, among other smart systems, we can make our homes safer, more secure and more cost effective. We can use technology to do our bidding. From the comfort of your couch, you can turn on and off the television and lamps, raise or lower the blinds, and instruct the thermostat to cool down or heat up your home.

Recently the Hartford and the MIT AgeLab identified the top 10 home technologies for homeowners age 50 and older. Technology can make life easier for anyone, but a safer environment that can save money can especially benefit older adults.

1. Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

The latest instruments do more than monitor your home for smoke and carbon monoxide. They can detect just about anything in the air: carbon dioxide and monoxide, temperature, humidity, dust, soot, pollen, air staleness, pollution and other particulates.

When you’re home, smart detectors alert you with an alarm or loud recorded voice, and when you’re away, they communicate through your smartphone app. One detector system will contact assistance (including the fire department) if you’re not home.

2. Wireless Doorbell Cameras

In the past, to see who was knocking at your front door, you looked through a pinhole opening in the door (or peeked from the curtains at the front window). Now windowless doorbell cameras, more commonly known as video doorbells, use installed cameras to show you, whether you’re in the backyard, in bed or at work (using your smartphone), who’s at your door.

You can even communicate with the visitor, telling the delivery person, for example, to leave the package on the front porch. Some video systems have motion sensors that activate the camera. One system takes videos of your front door, so if a package goes missing, you can peruse the videos for information. Another system will alert more than one person, so your children, for instance, know what’s going on.

Video doorbells are especially good for those who live alone or homeowners who travel a lot.

3. Keyless Entry

Instead of using a key to unlock your home, you punch your personal code into the lock box. Not only does this eliminate the need for keys, which can be lost, it provides access for others, such as your children who may need to check on you, friends who volunteered to water your plants, or services (such as cleaning) that come when you’re not home. You can also use a temporary code and then change it when necessary.

4. Automatic Lighting

If you don’t like coming home to darkness, or if you want to turn on the lights while you’re away, you can now adjust your lights using your smartphone, a preset timer, a key fob, a remote control or an exterior motion detector. This technology is available for both outdoor and indoor lights, and you can use it when at home or away.

5. Smart Water Shut-Off Valves

When you’re traveling, you may have nightmares about arriving home to burst pipes and a flooded house. However, smart shut-off valves will automatically turn off your water if they detect a burst pipe. Plus, you will receive an alert, via your smartphone, wherever you are.

More expensive technology goes even further. One system automatically turns off the valve to the water main when certain weather conditions are forecast, such as freezing temperatures.

6. Smart Home Security Systems

There’s no need to get up in the middle of the night if you hear a strange noise in your backyard. Smart home security systems use motion sensors to detect if someone is near your doors or windows, and then transmit this information to you through your smartphone. You can even monitor your home when you’re away. More complex systems include surveillance cameras, lights and sirens, and allow you to turn on the lights when motion is detected, unlock your doors when a smoke alarm goes off, and start a video recording when a sensor is triggered. You can oversee the system yourself or hire a professional agency to do it.

7. Smart Outlets/Plugs

You can use these plugs on any outlet to remotely turn on and off any appliance. This convenience can save energy costs and improve security by letting you turn on lamps, for example, to make it look like someone is home. Some smart plugs even let you monitor your power consumption in real time.

8. Smart Thermostats

In addition to programming your thermostat for ideal comfort throughout the day, you can remotely control it. If you’re on your way home and want to warm up the house, you can increase the temperature using your smartphone.

The high-end smart thermostats even learn your habits and temperature preferences and can set up the ideal home environment without you having to lift a finger. Some let you know how much money you’re saving on energy costs by regulating the temperature.

9. Water and/or Mold Sensors

These sensors can detect water leaks and, in some cases, small changes in moisture levels that could indicate mold—whether from your refrigerator, toilet or washing machine. Place battery-operated sensors around the appliances you want to monitor. They will alert you via your web browser, smartphone app, text, email or phone call when leaks occur.

10. Smart Window Blinds

While raising and lowering window blinds is not a difficult chore, doing so remotely can save energy costs and add to your home’s security. Smart blinds can permit more or less sun—and warmth–depending on the weather. And closed blinds can deter possible burglars who might assume the house is occupied, even when it’s not.

With so much smart home technology available, you can choose to try out a few at a time or you can install a whole safe-home system that integrates all the pieces.

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Lifestyle Trends – Alzheimer’s – Optimum Senior Care – Chicago In Home Caregivers

What Happened to Mom?

Warning signs that your aging parents may need more help to stay home.

Warning signs that your aging parents may need more help to stay home.
By Hannah Draeger Ross

Time and obligations have a way of interfering with the best laid plans of family members. Trips to visit an aging parent or relative become more and more infrequent. Many of our parents or grandparents have relocated to states that offer climates more conducive to shoveling sand versus snow. Or adult children have moved to distant states for better jobs or opportunities.

Many of us have limited our travel planning for various reasons, including the difficulty of taking time off from work. Our daily responsibilities often take precedent to seeing aging relatives, and another year’s plans to visit slip away.

Finally, a visit is possible, and the door to their home is opened by a very frail parent.

“What happened to Mom?” is a question I hear quite frequently these days.

“I knew my mother needed a little help around the house, and we did hire an agency to come once in a while to assist with the housekeeping. But I had no idea she had changed so much,” I recently heard a daughter lament.

How do I know about these instances? I operate a senior service designed to offer resources and assistance to families. Many of my clients live hundreds or even thousands of miles away from their parents.

An elderly person may sound great on the phone while hiding health issues. Your loved ones don’t want you to worry about them. They might also be nervous that you will suggest they move into a retirement home. The majority of senior clients I work with want to remain in their own residences.

Or they may be unaware that they need help. Over time, older adults can gradually lose some of their functioning. Their hearing gets worse, they’re more tired, they can’t remember how to turn on the shower or the stove. Slowly, they withdraw from some of life’s daily chores.

When you visit an aging parent, use your senses to evaluate whether your mom or dad needs additional care.

Warning Signs Your Parents Need Help

Watch. Do they dress appropriately for the weather or the season? Does your dad have on a soiled shirt? Is his appearance disheveled? Is he well-groomed? Do his teeth appear clean? Does your mom continue to wear make-up? Is the car dented and dinged? Is the house clean and free of clutter? Is mail all over the counters and tables?

Listen. Can they carry on a general conversation and understand what you are saying? Are they speaking too loudly? Is the television blasting in the background? Do they call you by your name? Do they engage in phone conversations with telemarketers?

Smell. Does the home have an unpleasant odor? Is there outdated or spoiled food in the refrigerator? Is the garbage can overflowing? Is the heat or air-conditioning completely off? Do you smell a litter box or other pet odors?

Touch. Do they look healthy? Do they feel cold to the touch? Is their skin supple and normal in color? Are there any bruises or skin tears? Have they lost weight? Have they gained excessive weight? Has their eyesight failed?

Observe. Are there many medications and pills around? Are there different doctors’ names on pill cases? Has their personality changed? Do you see a big supply of liquor? Are bills marked “past due” or unopened? Is there an abundance of letters from charities or contests, indicating they have been too susceptible to every appeal that comes their way?

Be proactive. If you sense a problem, take action immediately. Discuss the issues you find with your loved ones. Set up doctor appointments and determine what services are needed.

How to Help

Once you have noticed concerning changes in a loved one that may be putting them at risk physically or financially, please think about respectful and practical solutions to help them. Many elder citizens want to live life in their own way and resist changing residence. They would prefer to bring the help they need into their homes rather than move.

Put yourself in their place. Would you want to leave your own home to stay with your kids? Or would you prefer to make renovations to your place to accommodate your changing health and safety issues? Do you enjoy your neighbors and your neighborhood? Is your garden your pride and joy? Do you have a beloved pet that would not be welcomed into assisted living?

Bringing care into the home extends the time your parent can stay in the comfort of their own residence with their memories and their precious belongings around them. Your parents deserve to live their lives to the fullest. Helping them stay in their own home can often provide a less expensive alternative to special-assistance housing. Sometimes, a caregiver simply needs to come by for a few hours a day.

Of course, these solutions for enhancing at-home care are intended to address the natural stages of aging, not dementia. If you suspect that your parent’s behavior points to the cognitive decline associated with dementia then trust your gut. Before you embark on improving their lifestyle at home, where they could be at risk, get your parent to an appropriate doctor for cognitive testing and diagnosis.

How to Change the Home

My senior clients have commented about how much life has improved for them because of the addition of a ramp or bath designed for handicapped use (please make sure proper training is included). Renovating a home for special needs can also prove a wonderful alternative to geriatric housing facilities. We “baby proof” homes for safety, but rarely “senior proof” them on the opposite end of life.

Installing “nanny cams” and proper security when a senior is at risk due to cognitive issues is a smart idea. I have one client who installed this sort of security for her father, along with a phone app, so she can routinely check to make sure he is OK.

It also makes sense to have someone assist with cleaning and cooking to help ensure your parents eat properly in a hygienic home. One of my clients found a retired nurse to move in with her parents. Lucky her! Caregivers can also drive your parents to the doctor, out to lunch or to visit an old friend. Many of my clients have stayed in their homes until the very end because they took advantage of care and services from family members, caregivers and hospice.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

If you are not able to be your loved one’s primary caregiver, take the proper precautions so that you have peace of mind. For example, make sure the caregiver and any other important people know to call you if needed. Clearly display a list of emergency contacts such as your parents’ or relatives’ financial planners, lawyers and doctors. List the medications they take and their pharmacy’s phone number. When you visit your loved one, get the name and number of one of their close friends or neighbors so that you can check with them if needed.

Finally, stop beating yourself up and schedule time for at least one phone call every week. Mom and Dad already know you have other responsibilities. In the meantime, let’s hear it for this wonderful, stubborn generation of “Golden Agers” who still watch Jeopardy, play cards with friends, sign up for dance lessons and believe that 90 is the new 80!

– Hannah Draeger Ross, CSA

Hannah Draeger Ross, CSA, is the owner of Elderlinx Senior Services. She has been a geriatric homecare professional for over 15 years and resides in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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