Abbie Road

A day at the Monroe Center is like going to carnival; colorful, sometimes outlandish, and every day is a once in a lifetime, never to be repeated experience.  A favorite time for me is lunch.  We have a lot of “regulars” who come to meet old friends or get acquainted with new ones. Any one of them could be written up in the Reader’s Digest Most Unforgettable Character section.

And invariably, there is a story that should also be written here - stuff you just can’t make up.  Following is one I thought was worth thinking and smiling about.

Some elderly friends of the person at the lunch table lived in another rural town (probably a little like Monroe), and took a train to a family reunion in New York, making their first trip to the Big Apple. The whole family gathered at the couple’s son’s house, but after awhile were becoming concerned about the elderly couple who had not arrived.  They were very late and the family feared that the “old folks” were panic stricken trying to negotiate the big city.

As the family anxiously peers out the front window and considers contacting the police, a pizza delivery van pulls up.  The driver gets out with a large pizza box, and then, to their shock, the couple climbs out of the back of the van.

It turns out that when the “old folks” go off the train in New York City, they were told that due to a big event that evening, it would be several hours before a taxi could be avaialable.  They noticed a pizza parlor across the street, went to the counter, and order a large pizza  - to be delivered to their son’s house.  They arrived in time to enjoy the party — oh, yea, they also saved about $75 in cab fare for the price of a pizza.

How’s that for the resilience of old age?  We often hear of the feeble nature of elderly folks, and too often others forget that age brings wisdom and resourcefulneess.  Where there’a a will, there’s a way - and the elderly have lived through enough experiences where they’ve learned something they can use later.

So, the next time someone who is older “tells a story”, listen closely.  If you’re really listening, you’ll learn something too.

The National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) has announced the addition of new and updated data on its online resource, Caregiving Across the States.

The database includes a separate profile for each state and the District of Columbia.  Profiles contain the state’s background characteristics related to caregiving and aging, as well as information on publicly-funded caregiver suport programs.

State by state data can be found in the Selected State Background Characteristics sections of State Profiles and include:

• Average Daily Cost for Adult Day Services
• Average Hourly Costs for Home Health Care
• Average Hourly Costs for Personal/Home Care
• Number of Family Caregivers and Total Caregiving Hours
• Eonomic Value of Caregiving
• Average Daily Cost in a Nursing Home
• Average Monthly Cost for Assisted Living
• Number of Home Health Aides in the Workforce
• Median Hourly Wages for Nursing Assistants, Home Helath Aides and Personal/Home Care Aides

Visit FCA’s Caregiving across the States webpage or copy and paste the following url into your browser: http://caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=12720

For more information, contact Amy Friedrich-Karnik at (800) 445-8106 or email afriedrich@caregiver.org

What is a Caregiver?  Eighty percent (80%) of all  Caregivers are the closest female relative; spouse, other relative, or close friend of the person needing care.  Over 50% of all caregivers are over 60 themselves; they are fiercely independent and determined to care for their loved one in the home.  Most times, they are taking care of someone to prevent hospitalization or nursing home care.

The work is intensive and the caregiver is on call 7 days a week.  The work may involve arranging for doctor’s appointments, transportation, managing medications, insuring a safe environment, cooking, bathing, feeding, or dressing the individual.

The “cost” to the caregiver is tremendous.  Aside from the financial, it includes giving up promotions, jobs, hobbies, vacations, time with friends, or simple conversations that don’t center around the person being cared for.

However gallant these people are, the all-involvement of caregiving can actually compromise their own mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health.  Caregivers can go through cycles of resentment and anger, which then result in guilt and more compormising of activities that would actually help with their wellness.

It is also difficult for a caregiver to go out because then who would take care of the individual they care for?  And, when a caregiver gets out, they don’t necessarily wish to go to a “support group.”  They would like to go shopping , eat out or just to have some time for themselves.

The Healthy Aging Alliance, coordinated by The Monroe Center, is beginning a new caregiver initiative.  By visiting caregivers in their own home, they can help address caregiver needs by looking at the whole picture and assessing what parts of the burden might be diverted.  They can suggest resources to assist the caregiver and be an advocate for services or entitled help.  All of this can happen in the caregivers home.

It’s been said that in order to care for someone, you must first care for yourself.  If a caregiver is not healthy - which includes mental and emotional health - then they are less than their best in giving care.

If the caregiver “picture” applies to you or someone you know, give The Monroe Center a call at (734) 241-0404 and ask for one of the Supports Coordinators:  Amy Roelant, Jackie Miller or Jackie Drouillard, Medicare/Medicaid Assistance, they would be happy to assist in your healthy aging. (article: New Caregiver Initiative by Bonnie Weber, Healthy Aging Alliance Director.)

New Year is the traditional time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make.  My resolution stems from an incident last November when I tripped in my office, fell over a chair and ended up in the emergency room at Mercy Memorial Hospital.  I can’t say enough good things about the staff, treatment and quality of the care in our emergency department, but that’s just the beginning of the life changes when you’re injured in a fall.

 The pain and discomfort is physical, mental, emotional and a heavy burden on one’s spirit.  Your body hurts from the injury, many of the procedures, tests and treatment regimens are uncomfortable and it’s maddening when it is impossible to do the simple tasks of daily living.

All your friends are sympathetic and want to be supportive but there is not much they can do except keep you in their prayers.  Once the acute injury is stabilized there are dozens of phone calls and trips required to contact insurance companies for approval, doctors’ referrals, getting to medical appointments, tests, therapists, pharmacists, etc.

Meanwhile you are often homebound, mediated to the gills, missing your normal routine and if you’re like me, too uncomfortable to fully appreciate visits and phone calls.  Day and night seems to blend together until you don’t know and don’t care what day of the week it is.

Over the years I have spoken to literally thousands of people who have fallen and injured themselves and the one thing we all have in common is that “we didn’t see it coming.”  Sadly, most falls, mine included, could have been avoided if only we had taken simple steps.  You can reduce your chances of falling by following these tips:

• Begin a regular exercise program
• Make your home (and office) safer
• Have your health care provider review your medicines
• Have your vision checked
• Wear shoes that have non-slip soles and patterned tread and rounded broad heels
• B e aware of where your pet is and be careful when visiting others who have pets too
• Use assistive devises like walkers, canes and wheel chairs, embarrassment is a minor and temporary inconvenience compared to a broken body.

Fortunately I have mended fairly well and back to a new routine that involves exercise, tai chi (Friday’s at the Center, come join us) and healthy eating.  My home and office have been “fall-proofed” and I am making a conscious effort to slow down and be more careful in my day to day activities.  Words can not express what the concern, well wishes, notes of encourangement and prayers have meant to me while I was convalescing, they filled my heart and carried me through the difficult days just knowing that I mean so much to others.

Medicare changes every year, and so do your needs.  Now is the time to review your Medicare Prescription Part D coverage to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your dollars.  Here’s what you can do:  Make a list of all the prescription drugs you take and the pharmacy, doctors and other health care providers you wish to use…review the information your plan sends you this fall or call your plan representative and ask about any changes coming next year…compare with any other plans you can get in your area and see if they offer lower costs and/or fewer restrictions…make a decision.

An easy way to start is by visiting www.MyMedicareMatters.org.  Check out the section marked “Review 2008 Choices ,” which was created especially for people who have a current Medicare Part D plan.  It explains why someone should consider changing plans, when it is appropriate to do so and how to pick a new plan.  If you’re looking to join a plan for the first time, visit the “Start with 7 Simple Steps” section of www.MyMedicareMatter.org . 

 You can enroll in a plan or change plans between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31.  If you decide to stay with your current plan, you don’t need to do anything.  If you would like to make a switch it is best to do so before Dec. 7th.  That way, the new plan can process your information and can be ready to start filling your prescriptions on Jan. 1.

Additional assistance is available at the Monroe Center where trained Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) volunteers and staff can help you through the process.  Just call 241-0404 for an appointment.  Remember, the time you spend now could save you dollars later.

The Michigan House of Representatives passed legislation as the offical response to reports of “missing endangered seniors” (age 60 and better).  The bill defines “missing endangered senior” as a resident of the state who is at least 60 years of age who is reported missing by a person who is familiar with the missing endangered senior, and is believed to be incapable of returning to his or her residence without assistance.

Patterned after the Amber Alert legislation for children, the Mozella Senior Medical Alert Act was named after Estella Mozelle Pierce who wandered away from her southwest Detroit home in April of 2005 and died from exposure and lack of medicine after being missing for four days.

The bill aims at setting up a special alert system so that those close to the elderly missing persons could involve both the police and news media in the search.

A law enforcement agency that receives notice of a missing  senior from a person familiar with the missing person would be required to prepare a report.  The report would include the physical description of the missing senior; the date, time and place last seen; the last known address; any information gathered by a preliminary investigation if one was made; and a statement by the law enforcement officer in charge setting forth an assessment of the case based upon the evidence and information received.

The law enforcement agency would be required to prepare the report as soon as practicable but no later than five hours after being notified of the missing senior and to distribute the report to all law enforcement in the jurisdiction as well as media.

The bill has been sent to the Senate and senior advocates are requesting others who are concerned to contact their state senator in support of this legislation.  In Monroe County, Rep. Kathy Angerer and Rep. Kate Eblie voted in favor of HB 4819.

In this breast cancer awareness month, let’s ALL BE AWARE! Donna Bruck, Program Director Monroe Center Cancer Connection

Crisp evening air, good sleeping, and clear mornings.
These are the morsels of autumn that brighten my mood and
put fresh looks on my day. Out in Temperance farm country, I
also get the opportunity to enjoy the animals and flowers that
happen on our homestead.
My role in the morning is “chuckwagon.” Smokey, our
indoor cat whose shape reminds me more of a pumpkin, wakes
me before the alarm with meows of hunger. Not that she’s
starving – I actually had to build a wagon to make her go outside
for any exercise. Three other stray cats – whom I named Spanky,
Sam, and Stubby – mill around the back door, and then wind
around me like leg warmers, happily anticipating the rattle of
catfood. Makes me feel like a waiter at the Cat Café.
Stubby’s little still-pink stub of a tail must be a story in
itself. I’ve tried several times to approach him to put a salve on
its end without success. Was he the victim of a slammed screen
door or vicious, mean-spirited torment? Or was it a squall with
another, wilder varmint?
But Stubby now gets his cat yummies every morning, in a
setting where a multitude of birds sing and fuss at birdfeeders,
dropping seeds so dozens of sunflowers sprout under the arbor
and morning glories weave woven sky blue blossoms up the
flower stems. Bees and butterflies compete with the
hummingbirds for the nectar, and past them the morning sun
peeks over the pines on the creek bank. He has probably forgotten
how or why he’s missing his tail.
Like Stubby, we all have our injuries that need salving.
But also like Stubby we must remember to forget our own tails
and enjoy the moment as new days create harmonies waiting
for our attention. Every autumn is another season of harmony:
harvests come in, animals burrow deeper, and new woodlands
are planted with dropping foliage, seeds, and nuts. My good
mood is brightened knowing change and something new is
happening with each fresh season. Our interdependence in this
newness is a bonus.

 Friday, September 14 at the Monroe Center Aaron and Paul Simonton celebrate their 122nd birthday and you are invited!

Come for grilled shish kabobs and quartered red skins in
Polynesian style!  Imbibe yourself with Pineapple
Coconut milk shakes and Kona coffee with honey cream!
For dessert - flaming Polynesian birthday cake along with
special music and dancers. 

No presents, just your prescence is requested.