When Family Caregiving Is Your Second Job

Balancing your job and a loved one’s care can be a recipe for stress!

This Labor Day, it’s more appropriate than ever to focus on the needs of working family caregivers—those people in the workforce who also are providing care for elder loved ones.

A recent study from the RAND Corporation found that three out of five family caregivers are also in the labor force. The study estimates that these double-duty workers are providing 22 billion hours of unpaid care each year, saving money for our healthcare system, but also costing these family caregivers billions of dollars annually in expenditures and lost wages.

Working caregivers report that their caregiving role impacts their careers in many ways. They feel torn between their work duties and their loved ones’ needs, experiencing elevated stress both at work and at home. They often miss out on opportunities for advancement and promotion, and must cut back on business travel and training. They use all their vacation time and sick days to provide care, sometimes taking unpaid leave as well. And if they quit their job to care for their loved one, they often find that they are unable to step back into a position comparable to their former level upon their return to the workforce. AARP also reports that 25 percent of today’s retirees left the workforce earlier than they had planned in order to care for an ill spouse or parent.

Leaving the workforce early, taking a long leave from work, or turning down opportunities for advancement usually is a bad idea, financially speaking. It can have a major impact on lifetime earnings. Experts caution that people who sacrifice their paid work to care for an elder spouse, parent or other family member may find themselves, in turn, without adequate resources to fund their own retirement and long-term care due to loss of wages and Social Security earnings, and underfunded pensions or retirement accounts.

As family caregivers consider how they can make it all work, it’s important to know about resources that can help. Take time from your busy schedule to learn about …

Employer programs. Workers aren’t the only ones impacted by elder care. It is estimated that American companies lose $25 billion annually due to the lost productivity of caregiver employees. But more companies are learning that caregiver support programs make a big difference by raising productivity, building employee loyalty, and cutting down on the cost of turnover and training. Find out if your company offers family leave, flex time, telecommuting, job sharing, or an employee assistance and wellness program with resources for caregivers. Though some caregivers hesitate to discuss their situation with the boss, not wanting to bring personal problems to work, it’s usually best to explain what’s going on, and to express your continued commitment to your job.

Support resources and public benefits. Many families think they have to go it alone when it comes to caring for elderly loved ones. But it’s important to research the support services that are available. In some cases, helping your loved one move to a skilled nursing or other elder care facility is the best choice. If your loved one lives at home or with you, check into federal, state and local programs, such as nutrition programs, respite care, and financial assistance with healthcare, utilities and other needs. (The National Council on Aging’s BenefitsCheckup.org is a good place to begin your search.)

Professional in-home care. More families today are doing the math, coming to the conclusion that hiring professional in-home care is the way to keep elderly family members safe and well-cared-for, while allowing working family members to continue in their careers. In-home care professionals can perform many of the tasks that family caregivers find themselves doing as their loved one’s needs increase: housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation, assistance with personal grooming and hygiene, medication reminders and all-around supervision. When there’s a reliable professional caregiver at the ready, working family members can focus on their jobs, with a greatly reduced stress level. Stresses in their relationship with their loved one also are lessened. And for caregivers who live at a distance, having a professional caregiver cuts down on those sleepless nights and frequent emergency trips.

If you find yourself serving as the primary caregiver for your loved one, talk to other family members about the situation. Explain the impact caregiving is having on your career, in dollars and cents if need be. Other family members may be willing to contribute to the cost of home care, as a way of providing support for the elder who needs help—and for you as well.

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Right at Home, Inc. is a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those we serve. We fulfill that mission through a dedicated network of locally owned providers of in home care services.

About Right at Home of Central New Jersey

Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. The Right at Home of Central New Jersey office is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., serving the communities of Middlesex and Northern Monmouth Counties.

For more information, contact Right at Home of Central New Jersey at http://www.rightathome.net/monmouth-middlesex/,  732-967-0900 or by email at beth@rahcentral.com.

Reprinted with permission from Caring Right at Home eNewsletter, http://www.caringnews.com. Copyright, 2015, IlluminAge Communication Partners

Include Care Support in Your Retirement Planning

You’ve seen them in commercials, whether for vitamins, retirement communities or a health club: A group of friends, silver-haired but model-thin and in top health, stride energetically across the golf course, or sit around the pool looking great in their swimsuits. They hop out of their RVs to go rock climbing with their grandchildren. They dance the night away.

This is the expectation many of us have about our senior years. No rocking chair for us! If we take care of ourselves, eat right, exercise and follow a healthy-aging lifestyle, we will surely escape the disabling conditions faced by previous generations, right?

The reality is, no matter what steps we take to avoid chronic illness and disability, there are no guarantees. Consider a recent analysis by the U.S. government revealing that nearly 40 percent of people aged 65 and older are living with at least one disability. According to the “Older Adults With a Disability: 2008-2012” report, these seniors are challenged by declines in hearing, seeing, memory and mobility. Many have difficulty walking and climbing stairs. Many are challenged by getting to the doctor’s office or shopping, and by self-care tasks such as bathing and dressing.

While these predictions are sobering, they shouldn’t discourage us from making lifestyle choices that promote healthy aging. Instead, the numbers should motivate us also to include the possible need for care in our retirement planning. Said demographer Wan He of the U.S. Census Bureau, “The statistics provided in this report can help anticipate future disability prevalence in the older population. The figures can be used to help the older population with a disability, their families and society at large plan strategies and prepare for daily life tasks and old-age care.”

Consider that many chronic illnesses—such as arthritis, osteoporosis and vision loss—cause disability, but don’t necessarily shorten our lives. If we’re lucky enough to live to a ripe old age, we’ll continue to wish for good quality of life, no matter our health challenges. So it’s important to create a plan for whatever the future brings us:

Get your legal and financial ducks in a row. With the help of your attorney and/or financial planner, learn about strategies and sources of payment for healthcare and long-term care, such as Medicare, Medicaid, retirement accounts, reverse mortgage and privately purchased long-term care insurance. Organize your financial affairs and create advance directives for healthcare.

Share your thoughts with family. Let them know about the plans you are making and your preferences for care. Earlier is better than later when it comes to having those conversations—especially concerning who would provide care for you, and who would make financial and healthcare decisions for you if you were unable to do so.

Give your home an accessibility checkup. It’s never too soon to consider whether your current dwelling would work if you or your spouse were to become disabled. Would you be able to get into and around the house if you were unable to climb stairs? What modifications and improvements could make life easier if you had arthritis or visual impairment? As you plan, you’ll be pleased to discover that today, the emphasis is on “universal design” that creates an accessible home for everyone, with clever elegance in place of an institutional look.

Learn about support services that would allow you to live life to the fullest even if you’re living with a disability. Check out your local senior and disability services agency. Far in advance of the time when you might need them, find out about retirement communities, assisted living, long-term care and memory care facilities in the area. And don’t forget that much supportive care can be provided in your own home. Skilled home nursing services and adaptive home medical equipment are available. And lower-cost, nonmedical in-home caregivers can provide:

• Personal care and hygiene, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting and assistance with transferring from bed to chair.
• Housekeeping and laundry services.
• Meal planning and preparation.
• Transportation to health appointments, shopping and activities.
• Medication reminders.
• Socialization and companionship.
• Memory care and supervision for clients with Alzheimer’s disease or other cognitive impairment.

For many seniors, professional in-home care is the ingredient that allows for maximum independence and highest quality of life. For extra peace of mind, hire through a reputable agency that performs background checks, handles taxes, carries liability insurance and can arrange for a backup caregiver if necessary.

It’s important to plan—not only for the future we want, but also for the future that life might bring us. Living with a disability doesn’t mean living an unfulfilled life. If you plan ahead, your future self will thank you, no matter what the future brings!

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Right at Home, Inc. is a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those we serve. We fulfill that mission through a dedicated network of locally owned providers of in home care services.

About Right at Home of Central New Jersey

Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. The Right at Home of Central New Jersey office is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., serving the communities of Middlesex and Northern Monmouth Counties.

For more information, contact Right at Home of Central New Jersey at http://www.rightathome.net/monmouth-middlesex/,  732-967-0900 or by email at beth@rahcentral.com.

Reprinted with permission from Caring Right at Home eNewsletter, http://www.caringnews.com. Copyright, 2015, IlluminAge Communication Partners

Home Care Supports Our Senior Neighbors

August 4, 2015, Was National Night Out

Did your neighborhood participate in National Night Out? Each year on the first Tuesday of August, neighbors come together to hold block parties, barbecues and even parades. Sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, National Night Out was designed to promote safety and crime prevention—and it also has proven to be a great way for neighbors to get to know each other better.

Safety isn’t the only benefit of having a relationship with those who live around us. University of Michigan researcher Eric Kim recently published a pair of studies examining the health benefits of a friendly neighborhood. Said Kim, “Studies in the past have typically looked at a neighborhood’s physical environment and its association with health. We looked at the social environment.” The first study, which appeared in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, found that congenial, supportive neighborhoods reduce the risk of heart attack for those who live there. The second study found that seniors who feel connected to their neighbors have a lower risk of stroke.

Sadly, many of our neighborhoods are less friendly than they used to be. People relocate more frequently these days. We spend more of our leisure time in front of the TV or computer screen—indeed, we might see our neighbors more on Facebook than in person! We no longer spend warm summer evenings on the front porch, but instead hole up in air-conditioning. Worried about crime, people build taller fences and keep their doors and windows closed. Children are less likely to roam the neighborhood freely.

This is why in many American communities, older residents provide a neighborhood’s sense of continuity and community. These elders keep an eye on things during the day when most folks are at work. They greet new neighbors and share neighborhood histories. In turn, neighbors often step in to help neighborhood seniors. A teen might mow the lawn or shovel snow; another neighbor might provide a ride for an elder who can no longer drive. Neighbors check up on elders when there’s an emergency. When a senior suffers a health crisis, it is often a neighbor who contacts their adult children or the local senior services agency.

But as seniors experience a decline in physical or cognitive health, they often need more help than neighbors are able to provide. Sometimes moving to an assisted living facility, nursing home or other senior living community is the best choice. Yet most seniors—up to 90 percent, according to the AARP—would prefer to receive care at home, among familiar faces and surroundings.

Resources are available to support these seniors who choose to age in place. Home modifications can make the house or apartment more functional and safe for a resident with mobility or sensory challenges. Communities offer support services such as senior centers, chore services, accessible transportation and meal delivery programs. And for many seniors, in-home care is the key to remaining safe and well-cared for in their familiar environment. Professional in-home caregivers provide a variety of services for community-dwelling seniors:

Housekeeping. A home that is no longer kept up often is the first sign that a senior is having trouble living independently. In-home caregivers keep the home clean and in good order by vacuuming, dusting, cleaning floors, organizing drawers and closets, and removing hazards that could cause a debilitating fall. A tidy home makes anyone more confident to receive a visit from neighbors.

Personal care and nutrition. In-home caregivers assist with bathing, dressing, grooming and laundry, so clients feel confident and at their best both at home and around the neighborhood. Caregivers also go to the grocery store and prepare meals for clients—perhaps helping clients host a luncheon gathering or other get-together of neighbors.

Transportation. Seniors who no longer drive can become isolated. They might find themselves relying more on neighbors for a ride—and this is a situation that can have many pitfalls. Professional caregivers provide transportation to doctor appointments and the pharmacy, the client’s faith community, shopping centers and other outings that keep clients active and engaged.

Peace of mind for everyone. We’re often reminded that in-home care provides reassurance for families. Don’t forget that neighbors worry, too! Greeting a neighborhood senior who’s out for a walk with a caring helper gives neighbors a good feeling about the well-being of their valued community member.

For information on topics related to home care and healthcare, visit our Home Care and Healthcare Advocacy group on LinkedIn.

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Right at Home, Inc. is a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those we serve. We fulfill that mission through a dedicated network of locally owned providers of in home care services.

About Right at Home of Central New Jersey

Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. The Right at Home of Central New Jersey office is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., serving the communities of Middlesex and Northern Monmouth Counties.

For more information, contact Right at Home of Central New Jersey at http://www.rightathome.net/monmouth-middlesex/,  732-967-0900 or by email at beth@rahcentral.com.

Reprinted with permission from Caring Right at Home eNewsletter, http://www.caringnews.com. Copyright, 2014, IlluminAge Communication Partners

Keeping Food Safe for Seniors

Are those science experiments growing in the refrigerator? Turns out the molds and invisible germs in your fridge can actually kill you, particularly if you are over age 65 or have a compromised immune system. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that every year in the United States, about 48 million people are sickened from eating contaminated food – 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die. Studies reveal that 20 percent of food-borne illness outbreaks – when two or more people become ill from the same contaminated food or drink – start from unsafe food or beverages consumed at home.

To help the public understand the essentials of food health, the Partnership for Food Safety Education sponsors National Food Safety Education Month each September. Formed in 1997, the nonprofit organization works with the food industry, consumer groups and government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and CDC, to help end food-borne illness and death nationwide. This September’s awareness campaign addresses the importance of properly chilling foods at home and highlights the Partnership’s ongoing program, FightBAC!® (fight bacteria!).

“It is especially important for seniors to avoid eating and drinking unsafe food and beverages,” said Beth Sholom, Owner of Right at Home of Central New Jersey. “As we age, our bodies may not digest foods the same way as when we were younger, and our kidneys and liver can become slower in removing toxins. Many older adults live with chronic conditions such as arthritis and diabetes, and these diseases, plus medications to treat the conditions, can make the elderly more susceptible to food-borne illness. Caregivers are often the first line of defense in ensuring seniors eat nutritional foods that are properly handled, prepared and consumed.”

Sholom notes that older people with cognitive and vision limitations may read food expiration labels and cooking instructions incorrectly, and this can put the individuals at risk for life-threatening infections. A loss of smell with aging also can prevent seniors from determining when some foods go bad. Common food pathogens include Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter jejuni and Clostridium botulinum, which can lead to symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, fever and neurological deficits.

Through the FightBAC!® four core messages – clean, separate, cook and chill – the Partnership for Food Safety Education encourages children through seniors to know how to prevent microbial hazards in their food.

• Clean. When handling and preparing foods, frequently wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds, and clean surfaces that foods touch. Rinse fruits and vegetables well with water, including melons and produce that grow on, in or close to the soil. Drying fruits and vegetables with a paper towel after rinsing helps remove bacteria and limits moisture that contaminants need for growth. When cleaning produce, remove outer leaves, stems, bad spots and dirt because bacteria can thrive in these areas. Also, regularly clean your refrigerator with hot, soapy water, including the storage bins, refrigerator walls and undersides of shelves.

• Separate. Raw meat, seafood, poultry and eggs can drip juices on other foods and spread bacteria. Avoid cross-contaminating foods by using a separate cutting board, plates and utensils when handling and cooking raw meat, seafood and poultry.

• Cook. Proper cooking temperatures vary with food type and thickness. When microwaving leftovers, be sure there are no cold spots in the food, where bacteria can survive. Stir and rotate foods for even cooking. Food safety guidelines recommend that most foods be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 160° F, measured with a food thermometer. The USDA provides a chart of safe internal food temperatures that you can keep handy in the kitchen.

• Chill. Always refrigerate or freeze perishable foods and leftovers within two hours of purchase or use (one hour when the temperature is 90° F or above). The refrigerator temperature should be 40° F or below and checked with an appliance thermometer available at grocery, hardware or discount stores. Do not thaw foods at room temperature. Thaw foods safely in the refrigerator or use the quick-thaw method of submerging airtight-sealed foods in cold water. Or, thaw food in the microwave and cook it immediately. Marinate foods only in the refrigerator. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offers a thorough cold storage chart of how long foods can be refrigerated or frozen safely. For example, keep hard-boiled eggs only up to a week in the refrigerator, and keep ground meat and poultry refrigerated one to two days before cooking and consuming. Cooked ham safely stores in the freezer for one to two months; a frozen turkey, up to a year.

Greater food safety vigilance is needed than in previous generations because today’s bacteria are adapting and becoming more resistant to treatment. “This is where people can help each other stay healthy by following the basic ‘clean, separate, cook and chill’ safety tips,” Sholom advises. To help ensure older loved ones are protected from food pathogens, explains that Right at Home caregivers can assist with shopping for safe, clean foods; properly storing and cooking foods; and providing sanitized cleanup of kitchen and dining areas.

In addition to the Partnership for Food Safety Education, food health resources include the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (888-723-3366).

About Right at Home

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. To sign up for Right at Home’s free adult caregiving e-newsletter, Caring Right at Home, visit http://caringnews.com.

About Right at Home of Central New Jersey

Right at Home of Central New Jersey is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., serving the communities of Middlesex and Northern Monmouth Counties. For more information, contact Right at Home of Central New Jersey at http://www.rightathome.net/monmouth-middlesex/, 732-967-0900 or by email at support@rahcentral.com.

Experts Predict a Growing Population of “Elder Orphans”

While many of our readers are serving as family caregivers or have done so in the past, a Caring Right at Home poll showed that only 25 percent are confident they would have an adequate family support system if they were to need care in the future.

AARP experts report that seniors who are receiving care today have an average pool of seven people who can help. But as the boomers themselves begin to need care, the balance will shift alarmingly. Many baby boomers are unmarried, and boomers had fewer children. AARP senior policy analyst Lynn Feinberg predicts, “By 2050, the caregiver support ratio, which was 7.2 when boomers were in their peak caregiving years, is projected to drop to 2.9 when the boomers reach their eighties.”

Some seniors will have no family members at all to assist them, says Dr. Maria Torroella Carney, a geriatrician with North Shore-LIJ Health System in New York. Dr. Carney says these “elder orphans” are “vulnerable to a wide range of negative outcomes that include functional decline, mental health issues and premature death.” She cites a University of Michigan study showing that 22 percent of people older than 65 are (or at risk of becoming) elder orphans. Dr. Carney cautions, “We have a sense that this will be a growing population as society ages and life expectancy increases, and our government and society need to prepare how to advocate for this population.”

AARP and Dr. Carney both call for greater awareness of the needs of these unsupported seniors. Says Dr. Carney, “There is potentially no structure to address this population, as this population is hidden right before us. Our goal is to highlight that this is a vulnerable population that is likely to increase, and we need to determine what community, social services, emergency response and educational resources can help.”

People who are likely to be elder orphans are strongly advised to plan far ahead for future care needs. Though none of us like to think about the possibility of future physical and cognitive decline, these boomers should consider these questions:

• Are my financial affairs in order? Have I saved enough to pay for care if I need it?
• Will my home be a good fit for my needs as I grow older? Is it safe and accessible? Could home modifications make it a better fit? Should I consider a move to a smaller home or a senior living community?
• Would the area where I now live be a good place to spend my later years? Is it safe, walkable, with the services I will need? If I were to develop mobility challenges, would I still be able to remain active and engaged?
• What support services would be available to help me with my personal care needs and taking care of my home? What does my local senior services agency offer? What reputable in-home care agencies are nearby? Should I hire an elder attorney? A geriatric care manager?

Planning ahead makes it more likely that a senior will be able to live longer at home. Some boomers are banding into “villages”—communities in which seniors can age in place while contracting together for services such as home repairs, transportation and in-home care. Home sharing is another option, with seniors living together or perhaps providing housing for students in exchange for care assistance. There are many options—but with 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 each day, the time to plan on the individual, community and national levels is now!

Read more about the North Shore-LIJ Health System study here. See an AARP infographic about the upcoming “care gap” here.

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Right at Home, Inc. is a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those we serve. We fulfill that mission through a dedicated network of locally owned providers of in home care services.

About Right at Home of Central New Jersey

Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. The Right at Home of Central New Jersey office is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., serving the communities of Middlesex and Northern Monmouth Counties.

For more information, contact Right at Home of Central New Jersey at http://www.rightathome.net/monmouth-middlesex/,  732-967-0900 or by email at beth@rahcentral.com.

Reprinted with permission from Caring Right at Home eNewsletter, http://www.caringnews.com. Copyright, 2014, IlluminAge Communication Partners