A Week in the Life of a Geriatric Care Manager in Bergen County, New Jersey
March 13, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Christine Clark, GCM | Leave a commentTags: GCM, Weekly
Today was a one-month follow-up visit with Ms. S and her geriatrician. As her geriatric care manager, I visit her weekly. I have noticed the changes in Ms. S over the past year, and with her geriatrician seeing her monthly, we are both making sure she is receiving the best care possible.
Over a year ago, Ms. S moved in to an assisted living facility. Over the course of this past year, multiple mini strokes have left her without the ability to speak, and dementia has required an increase in the level of care that she had originally needed. Wanting to keep her in the same facility, her family agreed to let me assist them in hiring a private caregiver who was put into place to ensure she would receive the additional care required.
Today, with me, Ms. S’s family, the head nurse and her geriatrician, we all came to the conclusion that it is time to transfer her to a long term care facility. This decision came about because of safety concerns. Right sided paralysis is making it too difficult to shower and transfer her safely. A long term care facility can provide the skilled nursing care as well as special equipment that are needed when someone can no longer bear their own weight.
New onset of difficulty in swallowing poses a significant risk for choking. Feeding tube placement will need to be discussed with the family after they carefully review Ms. S’s living will.
The transfer will take place within one week. I will continue to support Ms. S and her family. Change is never easy and I am honored to be a part of this next chapter in Ms. S’s life.
Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care.
Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office to schedule a consultation. 201-587-5283.
145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446
45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
The “Good Bacteria” Found in Yogurt
March 8, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Amy Shein, GCM | Leave a commentTags: Health, Life, Personal, Prevention, Tips
I remember, as a little girl, the TV commercial for Dannon Yogurt. The commercial starts off with a choir of Russian men singing and dancing. Then the camera closes in on one particular man. Then the voice-over talks about how great Dannon Yogurt is and that the older man agrees with this because he has been eating the yogurt for 105 years.
The history of yogurt and other fermented milk products have primarily been accidental discoveries, as a result of milk being stored by primitive methods in warm climates. Historians attribute yogurt being developed by the people of Central Asia around 6000B.C.. Herdsmen began the practice of milking their animal, and the natural enzymes in the carrying containers curdled the milk, essentially making yogurt. The milk then kept longer and it was thought that people preferred the taste, so they continued the practice of making yogurt, which then just evolved over centuries into our commercial yogurt making. We have the Turkish immigrants to thank for bringing yogurt over to North America in the 1700s.
Yogurt is so popular today, it seems as if a new frozen yogurt shop opens every month. Yogurt is so important, it’s been found, because of the positive benefits from Probiotics, which are the “good bacteria” that we receive from eating foods like our so loved yogurt and kefirs or can also be found in pill-formed dietary supplements. “By definition, a probiotic is any substance containing live-active organisms that, when ingested, have a beneficial effect on the host by altering the body’s intestinal micro flora,” says physician Robynne Chutkan, Associated Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The theory is that certain strains of these live organisms are good bacteria and can then override the effects of all the bad bacteria in the stomach.
As a geriatric care manager, I have seen many physicians prescribe or recommend probiotics when they place their patient on an antibiotic. Antibiotics wipe the intestines of the bad and the good micro flora, which can be harmful to the person by decreasing their immune system, leading them at risk for other infections. The following information will provide you with more knowledge about the great benefits from yogurt and probiotics.
- Fights against inflammation.
- Reduces the risk of digestive disorders, colon cancers, inflammatory bowel diseases and infections caused by Helicobacter pylori- bacteria that causes infections on the upper and lower digestive tract.
- Enhances the function of the immune system.
- Reduces the risks of high blood pressures.
- Reduces cholesterol levels.
- Promotes healthy bone development.
- Decreases and heals the chances of having arthritis.
- Prevents vaginal infections.
- Prevents diarrhea.
- Heals symptoms of lactose intolerance.
- Helps alleviate constipation.
Not only does yogurt contain live-active cultures of probiotics, it also contains calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. I encourage my family and my clients to eat yogurt with active cultures on a daily basis. It would be so wonderful if we all could live a long and healthy 105 years, just like the man I saw on that Dannon commercial.
Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation
A Week in the Life of the Geriatric Care Manager in Bergen County New Jersey
March 6, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Christine Clark, GCM | Leave a commentTags: GCM, Weekly
As Mr. T’s geriatric care manager, on my bi weekly visits, we always seem to talk about food.
Whether he’s asking me to go out for pancakes or stop at the local Italian bakery to buy me a treat, I find myself enjoying his passion for food.
Tall and lean at 93 years of age, living independently, paying his own bills, driving, and preparing his own meals, I asked Mr. T what his diet has consisted of for most of his life. He laughed and answered “pasta, pasta, pasta!”
I told him I found that hard to believe, with all the negative talk about eating too many carbohydrates! He thought about it again and decided maybe it has something to do with the salad, olive oil, tomatoes and red wine that always accompany his pasta dinner.
I also learned that many years ago he was in the food industry. He prepared specialty salads and sold them to large grocery chains.
I shared with him a list of anti-aging foods that I had recently read about:
- Leafy green vegetables
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Grape fruit
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Cranberries
His comment on my food list, “I hope you didn’t work too hard on that because all you had to do was ask me!”
I agree and I will continue to inquire about how to live healthfully and free of dementia from my 93 year old mentor.
Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care.
Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office to schedule a consultation. 201-587-5283.
145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446
45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Aging Eyes
March 2, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a commentTags: Aging, Eldercare, Health, Help, Life, Personal, Prevention, Tips
Your circadian rhythm is a biological clock that regulates many of the systems of your body, such as the sleep-wake cycle, the temperature regulation system and the endocrine system. Circadian rhythms are responsible for rallying the body in the morning and slowing it down at night so the body will rest and rejuvenate. The malfunction of an individual’s circadian rhythm causes circadian rhythm disorders leading to insomnia, heart disease and cancer.
Most of the time your biological clock or circadian rhythm is in sync with the 24 hour day-night. In some individuals, the circadian rhythm is out of sync due to several reasons, which include travel, shift work or neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Symptoms found in individuals with circadian rhythm disorders include difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, daytime sleepiness, poor concentration, decrease in cognitive skills, headaches, gastrointestinal distress and poor psychomotor coordination.
Recently researchers have been studying the effect of the aging of the eyes as one of the reasons for some of the health problems that come with age. As we age there is a gradual yellowing of the lens of the eye and a narrowing of the pupil, which results in less sunlight getting through the lens and reaching key cells in the retina, which regulate the body’s circadian rhythm. Studies indicate that by age 45 the photoreceptors, cells in the retina that absorb sunlight and transmit messages to the part of the brain which governs our internal clock, receive only 50 percent of the light needed to stimulate the circadian system. By age 55, it is only 37 percent, and only 17 percent by the age of 75. Due to these changes it is felt that as an individual ages they should make an increased effort to expose themselves to bright sunlight or bright indoor lighting when they cannot get outside. Often older adults spend more time indoors and put themselves at increased risk.
The eye’s role in maintaining good health is becoming increasingly evident. In order to decrease some of the conditions that occur with age, such as depression, slower reaction time, memory loss and insomnia, it is important that the eyes get the proper light exposure they require to maintain one’s circadian rhythm.
Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care.
Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office to schedule a consultation. 201-587-5283.
145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446
45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
A Week in the Life of a Geriatric Care Manger in Bergen County, NJ
February 28, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Christine Clark, GCM | Leave a commentTags: GCM, Weekly
Finding a personal trainer that not only specializes in geriatrics, but makes house calls and has experience in dementia would seem like a tall order but at Distinctive Care, we strive to meet all the needs of our clients.
Ms. A is thrilled with her new personal trainer and her workout regimen designed to help minimize falls. At any age, muscle strength can be improved to help ward off frailty which can lead to falls.
Building muscle has many benefits. It boosts your metabolism, burns fat and most importantly for Ms. A, it can actually help to reduce arthritis pain when strong muscles help support and protect your joints. And because building muscle promotes weight loss, there will be a reduction of pressure on the joints themselves.
Weight bearing exercise can also keep your mind sharp as blood flow improves to the brain.
Building muscle doesn’t require a gym membership but proper guidance by a personal trainer can be an invaluable way to get started.
Ms. A and her caregivers are being educated weekly by her personal trainer. Not only are her muscles getting stronger but her sense of pride and accomplishment are immeasurable.
Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care.
Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office to schedule a consultation. 201-587-5283.
145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446
45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Aphasia
February 24, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a commentTags: Health, Help, Personal, Therapy, Tips
Aphasia is a disorder that results from damage to the area of the brain which is responsible for language. It can occur suddenly due to stroke or head injury or develop slowly as a result of a brain tumor, an infection, or dementia. Aphasia also will impair the expression and understanding of language as well as reading and writing. The middle-aged or elderly account for the most cases of aphasia. Men and women are equally affected. Once the underlining cause has been treated, the primary treatment for aphasia is speech therapy. Speech therapy focuses on relearning and practicing language skills and using alternative or supplementary communication methods.
A person with aphasia may speak in short or incomplete sentences, speak in sentences that do not make sense, not comprehend other people’s conversations or write sentences that do not make sense. Aphasia is often a sign of a serious problem, such as a stroke. An individual should seek emergency medical treatment if they have difficulty speaking, trouble with comprehending speech, difficulty with word recall or problems with reading or writing.
The best way for family and friends to communicate with an individual experiencing aphasia is to:
- Simplify language by using short, uncomplicated sentences.
- Maintain a natural conversational manner appropriate for an adult.
- Minimize distractions, such as a loud radio or television.
- Include the individual in conversation.
- Avoid correcting the individual’s speech.
- Allow the individual plenty of time to talk.
Organizations such as The National Aphasia Association, The American Stroke Association, and certain medical centers offer support groups for those with aphasia. These groups provide those with aphasia and others affected by the disorder a sense of community and a place to learn coping strategies. Your doctor, speech pathologist or other health care providers can help you locate and get involved in one of these local support groups.
Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care.
Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office to schedule a consultation. 201-587-5283.
145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446
45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
A Week in the Life of a Geriatric Care Manager in Bergen County, New Jersey
February 21, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Christine Clark, GCM | Leave a commentTags: GCM, Weekly
I recently read a great article about ways to easily improve your mood. Whether you’re a gloomy teenager, a middle-aged mommy, or an octogenarian, the winter months can certainly dampen your spirits.
As a geriatric care manager it is important for me to consistently monitor my clients’ moods. This week, while visiting Mr. T on a dark gloomy rainy day we started to talk about simple ways to boost our moods.
I shared with him a few tips that I recently read for mood improvement:
- Flipping through old photos of your family or pictures from your favorite vacation.
- Volunteering boosts happiness because it increases empathy and makes you appreciate all the good in your own life.
- A gratitude journal can help you reflect on a daily basis how well things went for you that day.
- Listening to music or losing yourself in a novel.
- Exercising outdoors whenever possible.
- Religious services or meditation.
- Singing in the shower.
We also agreed we could add pet therapy, the companionship of friends and family and a good night’s sleep to our list!
Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care.
Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office to schedule a consultation. 201-587-5283.
145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446
45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
The Myth of Multitasking
February 17, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Deborah Varisco, GCM | Leave a commentTags: Memory, Personal, Study, Tips
We live in a very hectic environment where everyone wants tasks accomplished quickly. Our lives are busy and we often find ourselves trying to cope by doing several things at the same time. We talk on the phone while driving, we watch the evening news while cooking, or we text or email while walking. These are examples of multitasking, trying to do more than one thing at the same time. We are all guilty of trying to accomplish multiple tasks simultaneously and thinking that we are doing a good job at it. Research states otherwise. When you multitask your brain is shifting attention from one task to another which makes it difficult to focus on either task. We simply cannot focus on more than one thing at a time. One of the reasons for this is that similar tasks compete to use the same part of the brain. Studies have shown that we actually lose time when we try to multitask. Researchers state we go through two stages, goal shifting and rule activation, when we multitask and this uses significant time, particularly if we switch back and forth between tasks many times. You may think you are saving time and being more efficient, but you are actually taking more time in the end to complete a task. There is actually a lag of several tenths of a second each time your brain handles a switch. We overestimate our ability to handle multiple tasks.
New research also shows that multitasking may take a toll on our memory. Individuals who learned something new while multitasking were less likely to recall what they learned later on. This is particularly true of older adults. Studies are showing that multitasking takes a significantly greater toll on the memories of older adults, and they have more difficulty remembering tasks after experiencing a brief interruption.
One of the best things you can do to improve your memory is to pay attention to the things you want to remember. Multitasking causes you to pay less attention to what you are doing or learning, and you do not learn as well as if you had paid attention. While this probably won’t stop any of us from multitasking, remember that if you are trying to learn something new that you definitely want to remember, don’t multitask!
Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office to schedule a consultation. 201-587-5283. 145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446 45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
National Nutrition Month
February 16, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Amy Shein, GCM | Leave a commentTags: Diet, Health, Personal
This March will mark the 32nd annual campaign for National Nutrition Month®.
National Nutrition Month® was first started by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) in 1973 as only a weeklong event. In 1980, it expanded to include the entire month of March. Each year the theme is different for National Nutrition Month®.
When I worked in the dietary department of a local hospital, I remember National Nutrition Month(R) very well. I use to love promoting this wonderful month-long event. The ADA provided us with so many useful and educational materials to hand out to the hospital staff and patients. The themes are always based on up to date information on food and exercise. This month is dedicated to Americans becoming well educated and more aware of healthy food choices, dietary guidelines and prevention of many disease that are attributed towards poor eating habits.
This year’s theme for March 2012 is “Get Your Plate in Shape.” Hospitals, schools and large corporations all get involved and try to promote National Nutrition Month® to the general public. The more people who can be reached, the better educated we all can be about what is placed into our bodies and promote better and longer lives be reached.
Most fast food restaurants over the last few years have openly posted the caloric intake of their foods to their consumers. This has helped the public make better informed choices to lowering their fat and cholesterol in their diets. Recently, I have read that they will also be offering smaller portion sizes at many of our nation’s fast food restaurants. No more “Biggie Sizes” for you!
I also want to mention that they also notice the Registered Dietitian on their own day during National Nutrition Month®. March 14th is Registered Dietitian Day. The purpose of this day is to bring the awareness and importance of the Registered Dietitian. They are advocates and experts on the proper way to eat and gain adequate nutrition in ones diet.
So, please make this March, 2012 a happy and healthy month.
Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office to schedule a consultation. 201-587-5283. 145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446 45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
A Week in the Life of a Geriatric Care Manager in Bergen County, NJ
February 14, 2012 at 10:30 am | Posted in Christine Clark, GCM | Leave a commentTags: GCM, Weekly
Success! Last week I wrote about Ms. A. She is 95 years of age with mild dementia and a recent diagnosis of depression. Her family was reluctant to agree with Ms. A’s geriatrician on starting an antidepressant. They were concerned that she was already on too much medication to treat her hypertension.
I am so happy to report that all who surround Ms. A, including her certified home health aides, her children, her geriatrician and I, all agree that after several weeks on the antidepressant, Ms. A is smiling more and showing less agitated and frustrated behavior. Where she would snap at the aides when they tried to assist her, she is now calmer and more appreciative of the help they provide. She engages in conversation more with family and started to laugh and smile again.
Because fatigue can be a common side effect of many medications, Ms. A’s geriatrician decided to see how well she could sleep at night without the prescription sleep medication she has been on for several years. She was hopeful that it was no longer necessary.
Ms. A’s doctor was right! She has been sleeping well at night and waking up in the morning rested and ready to take on the day!
Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care.
Please contact us in our Ramsey or Ridgewood Office to schedule a consultation. 201-587-5283.
145 N. Franklin Turnpike, Suite 311, Ramsey, NJ 07446
45 N. Broad St., Suite 503, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Mark Heftler
Sophia Heftler
Pat Linard
Christine Clark, GCM
Joanne Jordan, Office Manager
Amy Shein, GCM
Deborah Varisco, GCM
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