Senior Living Services: Caring for the Elderly and Easing the Pressure Off the Sandwich Generation

Today, this rapidly expanding population is probably the largest it has ever been. Traditionally, women are a disproportionately large percentage of the caregivers. According, to "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Takes On Alzheimer's," women account for 65% of the Alzheimer's population and up to three-fifths of Alzheimer patient caregivers.

The term "sandwich generation" was coined by Dorothy Miller in 1981 and refers to the group of adults whose dependents include both their own children and their aging parents.

Frequently adults, especially women, are caring for their elderly parents while simultaneously raising tweens and teenagers. Pulled in two opposite directions, it may often seem overwhelming and as though both parents and children are not getting what they need. Thus, many caregivers eventually seek out either a home health aide or senior care facility as their loved ones' needs become more than they are equipped to handle.

Home health agencies partner an aide with an elderly patient. Home healthcare is ideal for clients who want to keep either themselves or their loved ones at home with family. Depending on a patient's needs, the aide may be required to work either during the day or night, or live with the client for 5-6 days at a time. These aides may offer both companionship as well as custodial and medical care, helping with personal hygiene, daily medications, meals, etc. In home healthcare is minimally disruptive to a patient's routine, allowing him or her to remain in an environment in which she is familiar. This service allows the elderly to either maintain their own residences or continue living with their families, which may actually preserve their mental and emotional health. Dementia patients, for example, benefit from a consistent environment as it helps stave off the disease's progression. Medicare generally only pays for a small portion of home healthcare; the rest of the cost is covered by private insurance and funds.

Senior assisted living facilities allow residents to maintain some independence within a controlled environment. Seniors may bring their own furniture and other mementos from home. Generally these residences consist of little apartments that are outfitted with kitchenettes, an environment that enables residents to host family and friends in a more private setting. Main meals are generally served at set times in a large dining area and more individual care is available to those who need it. Certain senior assisted living facilities are authorized to dispense medication or reminders to take medication.

Assisted living centers also offer outings and other day trips for seniors who are able to participate. Senior assisted living is a compromise between a nursing home, which has more comprehensive medical care, and living completely autonomously. Although assisted living is normally paid from private funds and assets, certain long term insurance policies will cover licensed assisted living facilities. A few states offer Medicaid funds and waivers to help foot the bill. Assisted living is regulated by the state, so policies and practices vary.

Nursing homes offer the most extensive care, providing full custodial and medical care. For the elderly who require consistent, round the clock medical attention, this choice can be a viable option. Nursing homes provide occupational and physical therapy. Some nursing homes also offer physical rehabilitation programs, which are required after a major procedures, such as hip surgery. For sufferers of advanced dementia, nursing homes provide the round-the-clock care and attention they require.

Although nursing homes cost more due to the level of care they provide, they are also more frequently covered by Medicaid and Medicare. Some nursing home facilities have the air of a hospital and are run like one. Others try to be less austere and more homey and offer many of the same amenities as assisted living facilities.

Choosing the right solution to meet the needs of the elderly is a laborious process that requires individual case-by-case assessment. At home care, assisted living centers, and nursing homes all have their strengths and weaknesses. Each serves a dual purpose: to care for an aging population and ease the burden for familial caretakers. These services provide patients and their families with peace of mind.

Senior Social Hour

As a society, we tend to think that as our seniors age that they become hermits who prefer to stay inside rather than doing anything at all. As people live longer and longer we are beginning to see that this is not true. Seniors are continuously active parts in the community and continue their social lives as they age. This article will take a look at some of the things that seniors do in their social lives to show that they are still active, vital parts of our community. Before you judge what you think that seniors should be doing, you should hang out with them during their activities and see how much they have fun.

You would probably be surprised if you saw seniors at a happy hour drinking more than just a glass of wine right? Well, prepare to be amazed. There are all sorts of groups around the country that get together and have their own version of a happy hour. I have had the pleasure of joining my grandparents before at one of their happy hours. Like you, I judged it before I went and thought it would be boring. What I found was an energetic, fun loving group that was having a blast sitting around drinking with their friends. Just because you age, doesn't mean that you do not get to have fun.

Just because you age it doesn't mean that you can just let yourself go. That is why you will still see seniors getting out and being active. There are plenty of things that seniors can do for fun outside. If they are able, they can get out and exercise, garden, enjoy photography, or even paint. These are just a few examples of things that seniors might enjoy doing outside. Let the active seniors in your area be an inspiration. They have every excuse to let themselves go but they don't. So why should you?

Playing games is another thing that seniors like to play. Can you name any games that seniors typically enjoy? Sure, we hear all the time about the stereotypical games for seniors. Bridge, Bingo, Dominoes, and chess are just a few of the games that come to mind when we thing of things that seniors enjoy. These games allow seniors to continue to be active and social in their environment. They are also a great activity for them to keep their memory up.

As you can see there are plenty of things for seniors to do in their lives. As they age, they will actually just have more free time to do the things that they love to do. In fact, as we go to work and carry on our hectic lives, we should be jealous of their life of leisure. If you are worried about a senior in your life, then you can research your senior care options and discuss a future life plan with them together. A lot of times you will find that they are still active, healthy parts of their community and would prefer to live that way as long as they can. Growing old doesn't have to equal a boring life.

Finding the Right Senior Care Job For You

The senior care industry is one of the most solid and resilient ones to work in, since it is largely unaffected by economical and other factors. If you're looking for a career that will earn you a steady, reliable income for the foreseeable future, you should consider senior care jobs. If you've already decided to pursue employment in the assisted living, nursing home or hospice fields, you may be having trouble narrowing down which job is right for you. Below, you'll find a handful of tried-and-true tips for finding the nursing home, hospice and assisted living jobs that are the most likely to be the perfect match for you.

• Consider Your Personality - The first thing that you should do when looking for senior care jobs is to consider what your personality is like. Are you the kind of person who loves being around others, and who enjoys helping people in one-on-one ways? If so, an RN job in the senior care industry might be right for you. On the other hand, if you prefer "behind-the-scenes" work, a nursing home administrator job might be up your alley. Be realistic and make sure that you select a job that meshes well with your personality.

• Lay Out Your Goals - If you're at the beginning of your career, now's the time to map out what your ultimate goals are so that you can pursue them in the most efficient way possible. Do you envision yourself staying put in one place for several years, or would you prefer to climb a "corporate ladder" of sorts? Zero in on jobs in this industry that will allow you to realize your goals. And remember, it is never too late to learn. If you are already in senior care, then mapping out your goals will help you identify areas that require you to complete further education to keep you from being pigeonholed into a position that you're not going to be happy with for the long haul.

• Start Small - Most of the time, it is best to take part-time or temporary assisted living jobs before signing on for longer-term employment. If you've never worked in this industry, there's always the chance that you'll discover that it's not right for you. More than likely, though, you will find your nursing home job to be wonderfully fulfilling.

• Be Flexible - Finally, if you're even remotely uncertain about how long you plan to work in the senior care industry, leave yourself some wiggle room by pursuing a job that translates well in other industries. For instance, an RN job in the industry can prepare you for RN work at clinics, hospitals and other facilities. In fact, most positions in senior care are available in many other places, which is why working in the industry can be such a fantastic opportunity

What to Look For in MBA Programs - Three Important Statistics

When you look at the web site of a school offering the MBA degree, you can find a lot of information about the courses offered, the school calendar, various activities available for students, and much more. But there are important aspects of the MBA program that most web sites do not disclose. In this article we focus on several criteria that you should examine before you decide to apply to an MBA program.

Some aspects of the decision depend on your personal situation. For example, Do you plan to go to school full-time or are you employed and can consider only a part-time program? Do you have enough work and management experience to consider an Executive MBA program? Once you settle these issues, you can start looking at criteria that differentiate one program from another.

A measure that is used heavily by MBA administrator to decide whether or not to accept a student is the GMAT score. GMAT scores have a range of a low score in the 200-300 level up to scores above the 700 level (800 is a perfect score). Although there is little correlation between high GMAT scores and student success in the MBA program or success in a business career, the scores are relied heavily in admission decisions. The most selective schools have students with average GMAT scores in the 650 and above range. Less selective schools may have an average GMAT of 450 for their MBA class. The middle range is more likely in the 500-600 range.. You can generally expect that a school whose students score in the 600 average GMAT range are going to provide a good MBA education.

Consider your own GMAT score when you start hunting for programs to which you should apply. Clearly, if your score is in the 500-550 range, you may not fit well in schools that boast an average well above 600. Nor should you consider schools that report scores much lower than your own.

Another important criterion used by admission officers is students' GPA. The higher your grade point average in your previous degree program, the better your chance of admission, because the GPA indicates your ability to handle university level coursework. Applicants with grades in the 3.0-4.0 range can generally get admitted to good MBA programs, with those in the higher range going to the selective schools. Below a B average, your chances of admission to good programs is greatly diminished. Find out what the average GPA of the current MBA class is and compare it with your GPA.

It is possible, and happens quite frequently, that an applicant with a low GPA can offset it by a high GMAT score and good work experience. Admissions officers recognize that capable students who in their youth did not take their undergraduate education seriously can mature and prove themselves. This brings us a third criterion that you should consider investigating.

Most MBA programs prefer applicants with 2-4 years of work experience after their first degree. Some accept students right out of college if their GPA and GMAT scores are high. Some MBA programs are designed specifically for new college graduates without work experience. But in those programs you don't get the benefit of learning from other students who have work experience. A lot of valuable learning takes place through class interaction. Also when you graduate your job offers will be about the same as a business undergraduate gets because you have no work experience, and you've been two years out of your undergraduate field so it's hard to get work in that area.

In summary, when selecting an MBA program to which you want to apply, compare the program's average GMAT score, average GPA, and work experience of the students in the current MBA class. Use your own statistics to decide which program is the best fit for you.

Elder Abuse Prevention in Nursing Homes With a Spy Camera

If you are a baby boomer or about to become one and your parents are still alive, you are faced with a dilemma about their care. Millions of Americans are being challenged by this problem. Can you afford the $3,000.00-$8,000.00 a month or more for a nursing home? If not, the options become limited very, very quickly. Home healthcare is about all that's left.

It has been reported that approximately 20 percent of all nursing homes or assisted care facilities report some kind of elder abuse of their patients. That can be manifested in physical, verbal, or even in non verbal abuse. For patients with Alzheimer's or dementia the statistics are even higher.

And sadly, as more and more older Americans flock to these facilities the demand for qualified labor intensifies which only makes the problem worse-finding qualified people.

So if you have loved ones in a nursing home or an assisted living facility of some kind how do you go about preventing or catching elder abuse in a nursing home?

One of the best ways for elder abuse prevention I have found is with a hidden spy camera or spy camera. Now there is a new breed of spy camera out that has a DVR built right into it-a DVR hidden spy camera.

The spy camera is nothing more than a Board camera hidden inside a common everyday device. The object is usually a working object, which further enhances the deception. Some examples are boomboxes air purifiers, wall clocks, electrical outlets and other common objects. The more common the better.

So inside these objects is the camera and the DVR. The DVR records images to an 8 GB SD card. Up to 144 hours of recording time is available and with the motion activation feature enabled it is possible to record much more.

You place the object aimed in the direction you want to record and using the remote control you can start the recording.

If you are looking to catch elder abuse of your parents in a nursing home or assisted living facility a DVR hidden camera may be the best way to go.

When are you getting one?

Licensed Practical Nurses: What They Do

What exactly do licensed practical nurses do and where can they work? As a nurse, those are usually the questions that you may be asked by some people. Because the LPN's roles are unique, answering such questions can be a bit tough. So here are some of the answers you might be looking for.

1. What is an LPN?

A licensed practical nurse is also called a license vocational nurse and a registered practical nurse. Their names vary depending on the state or country you are in. Generally, license practical nurses are those who have undergone training and have obtained a license that allows them to provide routine care to the sick.

2. What are the roles and responsibilities of an LPN?

An LPN's role in the medical facility depends on the state or country where he or she is working in. In some states, such as Texas, licensed practical nurses have a wide range of roles, making their tasks almost the same as the registered nurses'. They can initiate IV starts, administer medications with an IV push, as well as maintain central lines. There are other states though, like New York, that gives more limits to the LPNs' roles.

Generally, an LPN performs the following:

1. Checking vital signs

2. Wound care

3. Wound dressing changes

4. CPR

5. Finger stick blood sugar testing.

6. Ostomy site care and maintenance.

7. Urinary catheter insertion and care

8. Specimen collection

9. Data collection

10. Monitoring for changes in condition

11. Date collection

12. Medication administration

13. Caring of patients with ventilators and tracheostomies

14. Charting

15. Documentation

3. Who do they report to?

LPNs report to a registered nurse or a physician. They work under their supervision. LPNs are also tasked to oversee and supervise nursing assistants in some medical facilities.

4. Where can LPNs be employed?

LPNs are able to work in acute care hospitals. However, this kind of employment is recently losing popularity, as some states seem to be having issues about the real scope of an LPNs tasks. LPNs can also be employed in hospices, private duty cases, nursing homes, group homes, rehabilitation centers, prisons, assisted living facilities, schools and psychiatric hospitals.

5. What is the main difference between LPNs and RNs?

This may ignite disagreement among nurses, but generally, RNs have a much wider knowledge on pharmacology, pathophysiology, management, legal issues, ethical practices and leadership. This is mainly due to the fact that RNs have a longer educational curriculum and program. In terms of salary, LPNs earn less than Registered Nurses.

What is an RCFE Or a Residential Care Facility For the Elderly

RCFE stands for Residential Care Facility for the Elderly. This is a nursing home level care. It is framed to assist the seniors and other powerless to carry out their regular and daily activities. These institutions differ from state to state and are addressed with different names like assisted living, residential care, parental care etc. This facility is designed for the people who can live and manage activities independently but with little aid and support. These are administered by either the non-profit or the for-profit organizations.

The range of facilities offered by the RCFE or so called assisted living homes include cleaning, bathing, help with using rest room, laundry, housekeeping etc. The homes mainly concentrate on the retired, older and the elder ones who cannot cook and carry out other activities. The RCFE offers services for a charge, which is comparatively cheaper than the nursing homes. These assisted living homes provide privacy living along with the communal interaction. The residents are provided with rooms which range from a single room and bathroom to a suite with amenities for entertainment.

RCFEs are mostly maintained by various agents in different states. The administrator, who holds responsibility for carrying out the activities, requires 40 hours certified training. Assisted living homes have a stock of medications that are distributed among the patients for self aid. The staff and nurses are not skilled as in a nursing homes and are present only to assist or provide minimal aid to the incapable. The assisted living centers do not match the requirements of bed ridden and other mentally ill patients such as patients of Alzheimer's etc.

The assisted living homes also provide recreation facilities to the residents, which help in developing bone strength and muscles. These facilities help in reducing the depression in elderly. Also other facilities like taking for a walk everyday, providing music and other entertainment amenities are also made available to the patients. For mentally ill patients, therapy dogs and other pets are arranged. These pets promote a friendly environment and change the patients' minds from general disturbances. Since the therapy dogs are specially trained, they can also help the patients in interacting with different people.

If you are looking for a RCFE for your loved ones, internet is the best source as there are numerous assisted living houses that can help you. Search for the kind of facilities you require and contact the staff. Talk to them personally in order to understand the care and facility provided. If possible, arrange a visit for your loved ones and let them spend some time there. Also check with the budget and the notice period for refund of amount in case of any change in plan or if you are not satisfied with the facilities. Have a copy of the latest inspection report that records facilities and last recorded complaints.

As the services provided by assisted living homes are not medical facilities, they are not included under Medicare and Medi-Cal pay. But L.A., Sacramento, San Joaquin residents can make use of the Medi-Cal for assisted living. So, enquire about all the facilities, budget, and other issues and plan accordingly.