Topic: care management
As we grow older, it’s not unusual to have trouble finding the right word or recalling a name on occasion. If trouble with word-finding or recall persists, or performing everyday task like meal preparation or managing bills becomes uncharacteristically difficult, it might be a sign of something more serious.
It’s important to stress that not every older adult with memory problems has dementia, and Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are not a normal part of aging. …
Memory and Forgetfulness: What’s Normal, What’s NotRead More »
“Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” ~Betty Friedan
Our team at Aging Wisdom are avid readers. It’s not uncommon for us to routinely share books, ideas that have sprung from reading, or to attend author events for that extra infusion of inspiration.
Reading, discussing, and brainstorming affirms our work as Care Managers and Creative Engagement Specialists. We also discover new ways to support clients in navigating options for living, caring, and aging well. …
Using medications and supplements appropriately optimizes their efficacy. Taking them as prescribed also helps avoid unwanted side effects and interactions.
Whether you’re managing prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, or herbal remedies for yourself or an older adult in your care, these four tips will help you manage medications properly and optimize safety. …
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” ~ Benjamin Franklin
Family caregivers, we see you. There are medical appointments to schedule, insurance invoices to reconcile, medication to administer, groceries to buy, meals to prepare, laundry to wash. You also have a home to maintain, and the car needs an oil change and tires rotated. There are finances to manage and bills to pay. All this in addition to caring for your partner or parent. And if you’re lucky, you can get some respite and a little self-care time.
Amid daily responsibilities and within your role as a care partner, do you also find yourself worrying about who would manage all this on behalf of the person in your care if something were to happen to you? …
Contingency Planning: What if Something Happens to You?Read More »
Falls are multifactorial: involving, or dependent on several factors or causes. There are a number of possible contributors to falls that we often overlook that are essential to overall health, mobility, balance, and independence.
From our experience as Care Managers, we know how important it is to schedule regular check-ups, especially as we age. There can be a ripple effect if we aren’t careful. Vision, hearing, and foot care all play key roles in health maintenance and fall risk prevention. Our eyes, ears, and feet also support our ability to get regular exercise. And regular exercise can contribute to so many positives: strength, balance, overall well-being, appetite, mental acuity and cognition, a good night’s sleep. …
Falls Prevention (3/4): More Pearls of Wisdom for Health and IndependenceRead More »
Feeling truly seen and heard helps to build trust and relationship, and contributes to aging well, caring well, and living well.
Our Care Managers and Creative Engagement Specialists are incredibly adept at the powers of observation, asking questions, actively listening, making connections, learning about the person in front of them, and being in the moment. Each conversation provides opportunity to know a client more personally, find ways to add to their quality of life, and enhance well-being. …
Person-Centered Support and the Power of ListeningRead More »
Our work as Care Managers may be focused on the well-being and quality of life of one person, our client, but it requires understanding and looking at the whole picture.
What is the whole picture? It includes everything in the client’s life: health (and disability), family systems and dynamics, goals, preferences, personal history, finances, values, legal, housing, services & supports, and what brings joy and meaning.
Knowing the whole person, the whole picture, helps us to better guide families as they navigate options for aging well, caring well, and living well.
Additional Reading
- What is Aging Life Care?
- Get in the Lifeboat: Don’t Float Alone! Key Supports You’ll Want in Your Boat
- Alzheimer’s and the Family Caregiver
- Medical Emergencies: Are you prepared?
Could you benefit from the guidance of a Care Manager who looks at the whole picture? Click here to schedule a get-acquainted call and to determine together whether our services are a good fit for your needs.
This is an excerpt of a longer conversation between Lisa Mayfield, Aging Wisdom’s founder and principal, and Laura Vaillancourt on her Life on Repeat podcast.
We have a lot to celebrate this month. In addition to May being National Aging Life Care Month and Older Adults Month, our colleague Wendy Nathan celebrates ten years with Aging Wisdom!
If you are familiar with our team, you know our paths to Aging Life Care are varied, but we share a mutual mission: To inspire hope through creative solutions so our clients live well, care well, and age well.
As Wendy shares in this episode of Wisdom Wednesday, she has had a rich career, starting as a hospital respiratory therapist and in research. She then went back to school to become a massage therapist and worked predominantly with older adults.
Her work with older adults prompted a fascination with how different people age, their attitudes toward aging, and how massage and the power of touch allowed her clients to live more full lives.
This eventually led to pursing a Certificate in Gerontology through the University of Washington Professional & Continuing Education program and working at Aging Wisdom, first as a companion (what is now known as our Creative Engagement program) and eventually as a Certified Care Manager.
Want to learn more about Aging Life Care and how it can be of benefit to you? CLICK HERE to schedule a FREE get-acquainted call to determine together whether our services are a good fit for your needs.
Additional Reading:
Concerns about an older parent’s well-being are normal. Striking the right balance between supporting independence and ensuring safety can be a struggle for adult children. One of the most common reasons adult children reach out to us is when a parent, who obviously needs help, refuses it.
When we see changes in our parents, it’s usually a sign that something has shifted. …
When Your Parent Refuses Help: How to move forwardRead More »
Every client has a rich personal history. As an Aging Life Care practice, our Care Managers understand the value of learning about each client as an individual. It aids us as we help clients and their families navigate the best options for aging, caring, and living well.
Whenever there’s an opportunity to return to what brings a client joy, we’ll go there in some capacity. …
Each seed is a story: Care Managers get to know each client as an individualRead More »