Cathy Cress

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How Do You Create Emotional Quality of Life in Homebound Seniors?

August 14, 2019

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Homebound seniors are miserably isolated and lonely with a devastating emotional quality of life.

 AARP has estimated the there are 19.6 million in the US. This can be deadly to their quality of life. There are many answers  new approaches throughout the US. One is called Virtual Senior Centers. These game-changing idea magically allow older people, who cannot get out, to use technology or the phone to enhance their emotional and physical quality of life. This is a brilliant idea
Senior Center Without Walls, another approach has been around since 2004. Each week, homebound seniors can access ,over 70 groups by phone or online, all from the comfort of home. Nancy Lynn Jarvis a mystery writer living in Santa Cruz reads each of her mysteries, as they are published live on the telephone to an entire group of homebound seniors in the San Francisco Bay area. Isolated seniors can access a wide breadth of fun and games the isolated seniors can find- just by joining

The Virtual Senior Center really opens up the world for homebound senior enhancing their emotional and intellectual quality of life. It also elevates the quality of life of the caregiver because it gives them a respite and the comfort that their loved one is experiencing a program that offers joy- the joy that comes from joining a community, making new friends and learning new things you choose to be part of, an amazing benefit for homebound seniors.

We’re Still Here an art exhibit is presently in Santa Cruz California and will travel to other museums in the state, addresses the plight of lonely and isolated seniors . Art and community organizing about the lives of lonely seniors are the thrust of this exhibit , for the  the 70,000 visitors  expected to attend this year in its run from April to September. They can to pick cards that offer one lonely senior a visit, a ride a chances to interact with a visitor. This exhibit will travel counties throughout California through other art museums, spreading the message that lonely isolated seniors need help- all through art. The exhibit was spearheaded by Nina Simon  who is now world famous museum director and author who builds and teaches  community driven museums.

Quality Of Life in Geriatric Care Agencies

Sage Eldercare Solutions a geriatric care management agency is Millbrae , California, developed a brilliant program , called  Hummingbird designed by Nina Herndon a geriatric care manager with a passion for quality of life for seniors.The innovative idea  engages clients through one-on-one activity sessions, carefully planned outings, and individualized Therapeutic Activity Kits that can be used by family members, care providers, and other care team members at any time to engage clients in a range of meaningful and stimulating activities. Sessions might include memory or sensory games, memoir writing, armchair travel, gardening, creating art or crafts, or special outings to a place connected with a client’s past or special interests.

Lifespan a 35 year old  geriatric care agency in Santa Cruz, California recently opened their Well- Being program , another quality of life program that which encourages activities to enhance emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual quality of life for seniors living in the community. Through a Well-Being Assessment of functional, psychosocial and general quality of life, a professional Lifespan Care Manager will identify areas that may promote the older person’s sense of well-being

If you are a geriatric care manager and  think of adding a quality of life program that can enhance not just quality of care but the joy you give isolated seniors in your community, check out the quality of life  Concierge Companion service included in my Geriatric Care Operations Manual

 

Filed Under: Aging, Aging Life Care, Aging Life Care Assocaition, aging life care manager, care manager, case manager, Dementia and Spirituality, Emotional Quality of Life, Families, Geriatric Care Management Business, Geriatric Care Manager, geriatric care manager, geriatric social worker, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, Quality of Life, Quality of Life for elders, Reminiscence Therapy Tagged With: aging life care manager, aging parent, aging technology, ALCA, assessing for quality of life, care plan, elders emotional quality of life, Formal Supports of an older person, Functional Assessment, geraitric assessment, geriatric care management, geriatric care manager, geriatric social worker, increasing quality of life, isolation and quality of life, National Assocaition of Geraitric Care Managers, New Old Age, nurse care manager, parent care, psychosocial assessment- social connections, quality of life and geriatric care management, quality of life and technology, quality of life assessment, senior centers, virtual senior centers

6 Emotional Quality of Life Activities to Sell Care Management to Assisted Living

June 3, 2019

What is emotional Quality of Life

What is emotional quality of Life? It is a connection with others. We all, including older people, crave human contact. The professional relationship a care manager has with an elder is emotionally caring, just like a concierge physician. It trumps personal chefs and shoppers because you assess their problems and actually have a deep relationship.

In a world where the family no longer lives next door and supports each other, geriatric care managers can give elders that human contact and support that is gone in most sandwich generation families.

Emotional connection to pets ¨

Emotional connection to grandchildren ¨

Peace with oneself

When older people move into Assisted Living they frequently do not feel that emotional connection. They may have to leave their pets behind, the family does not live nearby or is overwhelmed with work and younger family members. If the older person just moved to Assisted Living they often feel like they landed on Mars and are not sure how to make friends or socialize with the Martians. They are not at peace with themselves

How Do You Find It

This is where a geriatric care manager or ALCA member can come in. By working with the Assisted Living facility and the family, the care manager can bolster the sagging quality of life of an elder who is unhappy with Assisted Living. They can do an Assessment for Emotional  Quality of Life and create emotional connections –

  1. For someone who just moved in assisted living, plan a tea party or cocktail party and invite new neighbors
  2. Assess what activities the new resident likes, escort them to the activity and ask the instructor to pair them with a buddy.
  3. Enroll the resident in the local Osher program and let them pick out a group to join.  Example lunch group, dinner group, play reading, Dickens, New Yorker, Arrange transportation if necessary
  4. Enroll the client in a group at a local senior center that reflects what they like to do, like knitting, needlepoint, poetry, and memoir writing gentle yoga, if that is not offered at the facility. Arrange senior transportation
  5. Enroll a homebound client in Senior Center Without Walls .
  6. Arrange a visit by Pet Therapy Dog to visit the older person, who left a pet behind or arrange for the elder to visit the local SPCA with an escort and transportation where the escort can interact with the animal.

     

     

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Filed Under: Aging, Aging Family, aging family crisis, Aging Life Care Assocaition, aging life care manager, Assisted Living & Geriatric Care Managers, Assisted Living Crisis, Benefits vs Features, Benifits & Assisted Living, Blog, Emotional Quality of Life, Families, Geriatric Care Management Business, marketing ALCA /GCM, marketing care management, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, Quality of Life for elders, Webinar Tagged With: aging family, aging life care manager, aging life care sales, aging parent crisis, care manager, case manager, elders emotional quality of life, geriatric care manager, Geriatric Care Sales Assised Living, Geriatric Care Sales Assisted Living, geriatric social worker, Marketing to Assisted Living, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, Quality of Life and Asssited Living

How Do 3 Innovative Programs Transform Loneliness and Isolation in Seniors?

April 9, 2019

Homebound seniors are miserable in their isolation and loneliness, with a devastating emotional quality of life.  AARP has estimated the there are 19.6 million in the US. This can be deadly to their quality of life and their own life since loneliness and isolation equal smoking 15 cigarettes a day. There is an answer like Virtual Senior Centers. The 3 game-changing ideas below, magically allow older people, who cannot get out,  use technology, a phone, museums or care managers to enhance their emotional and physical quality of life. These are brilliant game-changing.programs.

Senior Centers Without Walls has been around since 2004. Each week, seniors can access over 70 groups by phone or online, all from the comfort of home. Nancy Lynn Jarvis a mystery writer living in Santa Cruz reads each of her mysteries, as they are published live on the telephone to an entire group of homebound seniors in the San Francisco Bay area. Their winter catalog shows you the breadth of fun and games the isolated seniors can find- enhancing the emotional quality of life.

The Virtual Senior Center in New York really opens up the world for homebound seniors enhancing their emotional quality of life. It also elevates the quality of life of the caregiver because it gives them a respite and the comfort that their loved one is experiencing a program that offers joy- the joy that comes from joining a community, making new friends and learning new things you choose to be part of, an amazing benefit for homebound seniors.

Self Help, a remarkable senior agency for Hollocast victims in New York City, put an extraordinary Virtual Senior Center together by partnering with Microsoft. They have grown since their beginning to spread to many other cities. Classes are led by a volunteer, like an opera class lead volunteers from an NYC opera company-.

One of the participants talks about the sense of community they feel, Marie says. “When we see each other, we say, ‘how are you?’ And if someone is missing you wonder if he or she is sick and you find out. We have a nurse who is knowledgeable and whom you can ask health questions when you see her in the class. She connects us with information she’s learned from the Mayo Clinic.”

The Virtual Senior Center really not only  opens up the world for homebound senior  but enhances their  emotional and intellectual quality of life  and downright joy in every day 

 

 

We’re Still Here an art exhibit that opened this week in Santa Cruz California. It addresses the plight of lonely and isolated seniors through art doing community organizing by allowing the 70,000 visitors expected in its run from April to September. Visitors can pick cards to offer one lonely senior a visit, a ride, a chance to interact with another person. This exhibit will travel counties throughout California through other art museums, spreading the message that lonely isolated seniors need help- through the message of art. The exhibit was spearheaded by Nina Simon who is now world famous museum director and author who builds and teaches community driven museums.

 

If you are a geriatric care manager think of adding a personal assistant program that can enhance not just quality of care but the joy you give through the quality of life care check out Handbook of Geriatric Care Management  with an entire chapter on adding quality of Life

Filed Under: Aging, aging life business, Aging Life Care, aging life care manager, Blog, care manager, elder care manager, Geriatric Care Management Business, Geriatric Care Manager, geriatric social worker, innovative new senior centers, Loneliness, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, patient advocate, Quality of Life for elders, quality of life in senior centers, Senior Isolation, Senior Loneliness Tagged With: aging life and geraitric care manager, aging life care manager, case manager, elders emotional quality of life, geriatric care manager, geriatric social worker, homebound seniors, isolation and quality of life, loneliness, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, Quality of Life, senior isolation, senior loneliness

How Reinventing Senior Centers Boosts Boomers Quality of Life

March 27, 2019

Senior Centers have a whole new face in 2019.

Senior Centers, now provide revamped, hip classes and exciting structured events for elders.   On top of that,

Seniors Having Fun In The Community Center

they still offer old fashion opportunities to increase the quality of life for older adults , like dances and trips. But these new innovative programs can include new-age activities for older people. Adaptive yoga, for example, can increase physical  health and at the same time offer social interactions that may lead to  emotional and physical connections for elders

In Santa Cruz California, a city famous for it’s surfing, Lifespan 35-year-old care management agency, has added a game-changing program, called “Well Being” . To enhance clients quality of life. Well Being begins with the quality of life assessments to discover how the client wishes increase the emotional, physical, spiritual or intellectual quality of life. What they look for is what will bring the older person joy again. Older people are often lost in retirement, having left the world of work and trying to fill the void with new friends and new ways to spend their time and finding joy in each day. If they have problems doing this on their own, it can result in depression, self-isolation, loneliness, and physical problems.

Lifespan’s Well Being Program care manager designs a care plan for each Well Being Client that takes their interests, physical and mental abilities and wishes for new things to do or old favorites to resurrect and designs a activities plan that uses among other resources in the community use seniors centers. Seniors centers in Santa Cruz, California, offer innovative programs that seniors are excited to join like Tai Chi, Qui  Gong, boomer yoga, meditation and mindfulness, senior downsizing and much more.

If you are a geriatric care manager or an aging professional, think of adding senior centers and quality of life to your plan of care. Find this need through a quality of life assessment You will create a win-win care plan- for both the elder and the adult children’s emotional quality of life— Really – for the whole aging family.

Filed Under: aging life business, Aging Life Care, aging life care manager, Blog, care manager, case manager, elder care manager, Geriatric Care Management Business, Geriatric Care Manager, geriatric care manager, geriatric social worker, innovative new senior centers, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, Quality of Life, Quality of Life for elders, quality of life in senior centers, Senior centers Tagged With: aging life care manager, care manager, case manager, elders emotional quality of life, friendship and quality of life, geriatric care manager, geriatric social worker, increasing quality of life, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, quality of life and senior centers, senior centers

How an Art Museum is Combating Senior Loneliness in California?

March 22, 2019

Santa Cruz County, California is combating senior loneliness and isolation, through community organization and art. Following a similar exhibition on foster children MAH (Museum of Art and History), launched the Loneliness exhibition this year. MAH’s former director Nina Simon, who is internationally known, conceived the idea of community organization through museums ( Museum of Art and History) at MAH and is moving that brilliant concept globally.

Over the course of seven months, a group of Santa Cruz seniors, advocates, and artists , cascaded their ideas, art, hopes, and stories on senior loneliness and isolation in the Santa Cruz community together to create this inspiring exhibition. They created personal artwork about loneliness, brainstormed solutions to build connection and offered their words of wisdom for future generations.

Alongside incredible artworks, on loneliness by local seniors, this exhibit created 45 action cards to offer solutions to this growing problem. Examples are Drive a senior to the grocery store. Card ideas also included “Translate written materials into Spanish for a monolingual elder” or “Donate an iPod for entertainment “. If the visitor to the exhibit has a special skill, they are asked to volunteer to help a senior experience that -like get a manicure. Exhibit visitors take home the action card/s that inspires them the most and to help impact change in seniors experiencing social isolation in Santa Cruz County.

The exhibition will travel and be replicated in four other California counties, to give more lonely California seniors a chance to organize and create services for loneliness in other areas, through other museums that use art to create community.

Loneliness and isolation in older adults But what has been found is building social connections through the community as MAH has done is what combats this isolation in seniors, in our society. Loneliness puts seniors at risk for depression, cardiovascular failure, insomnia.  It can, according to NY Times aging columnist Jane Brody raise levels of stress hormones and inflammation, which in turn can increase the risk of heart disease, arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, dementia, faster and result in cognitive decline and even suicide attempts. It also is a factor in unnecessary placement in nursing homes

Increasing the quality of life is one major answer to loneliness. The primary way to bring more joy into a senior’s life is regaining a foothold in town or village, something that this type of community art exhibit and geriatric care managers both have made a major platform in their work. Nina Herndon a pioneer in quality of life in geriatric care management’s chapter in Handbook of Geriatric Care management where she outlines how care managers can deliver this service to conquer loneliness in seniors

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: aging family, aging life care manager, aging life or geriatric care manager, aging parent crisis, art museum, art therapy, care manager, case manager, elders emotional quality of life, friendship and quality of life, geriatric care manager, innovative, isolation and elders, isolation and quality of life, loneliness, Nina Simon, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, parent care crisis, social isolation

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