$2.9 billion vaporized by elder financial abuse in 2009.

On-Board with Elder Justice?

What is the Elder Justice Act? “The act authorizes federal funding for adult protective services in each state, demonstration projects, forensic centers and training for long-term care providers,” according to the ABA. Unlike Child Protective Services, Adult Protect Services is not federally mandated.

The Elder Abuse Act (EAA) was introduced this year by the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and would support the formation of specially selected elder justice positions in local jurisdictions. The EAA calls for the creation of an office of Elder Justice within the Justice Department itself.

The EJA mandates direct reporting to law enforcement for crimes occurring in long-term care facilities, and would impose civil penalties for failure to report.

MetLife Study: "Crimes of Occasion, Desperation, and Predation Against America's Elders," a follow-up to a study in 2009 named "Broken Trust: Elders, Family, and Finances." This new study broadens the scope of the preceding study to match the growing problem of fiscal abuse against the elderly.

The annual financial loss by victims of elder financial abuse is estimated to be at least $2.9 billion dollars, a 12% increase from 2008. Evan H. Farr on Google +

Elder mediation: is it right for your family?

“My daughter is insisting I move in with her,” complains Martha. “She just wants to control my life and take away my freedom,” she continues. Jenny, Martha’s daughter worries that her mother keeps falling, and fears one day she will break her hip or hit her head.

“I’ll take my sister to court before I will let her get control of mom and my inheritance,” exclaims Jim about Jenny’s desire to move her mother in with her.  It is amazing how quickly formerly cordial relationships between family members will sour when the family has to deal with care of elderly parents or inheritance at their death. Sometimes the consequence of dealing with the final years of elderly parents can break families apart and create long-lasting animosity.

The National Care Planning Council has seen an increase in requests from caregiving children for help in solving disputes with siblings. In one case, the caregiver was being sued by her sister for abusing their parent and stealing the Social Security checks. In another, the caregiving child would not allow siblings to see their mother, claiming they would take advantage of her.

A lot of times it is a “she said,” “he said” situation with neither party really understanding what the elder person needs or wants.

Some families find it hard to communicate with each other when their parent is in need of care. Perhaps when they grew up together they were not accustomed to come together as parents and children to work out problems. And now those children are older and taking care of parents and they don't have this family council strategy to rely on. It may seem unnatural to them. But that is often exactly what is needed, especially in situations where perhaps one child is caring for the parents and the others are left out of the loop.

Children all have a common bond to their parents and as a result a common obligation or responsibility to each other. When disagreements arise, suspicions begin to grow. Suspicions or distrust often lead to anger and the anger often leads to severing the channels of communication between family members. This can occur between parent and child or between siblings or between all of them.

It is often at this point that a neutral third party can come in and repair the damage that has been done and help correct the problems that have come about because of the disagreement.

A practitioner experienced in elder mediation is a perfect choice for solving disagreements due to issues with the elderly.

WHAT IS ELDER MEDIATION?
Mediation is a non-adversarial approach to solving disputes. Mediation is a process of bringing two or more disputing parties together and having them mutually negotiate a solution to their disagreement. The mediator is not a judge and does not render a decision but is there to make sure that communication flows freely between the disputing parties. Elder Mediators are trained in the art of negotiating resolutions between elderly parents and family members.

Mediation can achieve results that the family by itself may not be capable of realizing or have the expertise of achieving. Here are some reasons that make Elder Mediation so valuable.

• A trained expert on communication gives the family a perspective it could not gain by meeting together on its own;
• All family members involved meet and prevent problems from arising by anticipating situations that may cause disputes;
• Allows for the mediator to invite experts such as care managers or other care providers into the meeting to educate the family and give them a new perspective;
• Allows parents to focus on their abilities rather than their limitations;
• Allows children to come up with and consider options not thought of previously;
• Encourages uninvolved family members to become involved;
• Allows parents to express wishes and desires that had previously gone unuttered;
• Allows for a neutral third party to challenge family members and make them take responsibility for their actions;
• Promotes consensus of all involved which in turn creates a much higher rate of compliance with the plan than with any other process; (the success rate for compliance with elder mediation is estimated to be about 80% to 85%)
• Requires a written plan with specific responsibilities which makes compliance feasible.

There are many organizations and companies throughout the country providing expertise in “Elder Mediation” to help seniors and their families. You will also find that mediators often have many coincident professional accreditations such as, Professional or Geriatric Care Manager, Elder Attorney, Clinical Social Worker or Certified Mediator.

In choosing a mediator, consider your needs. Is there a need for a medical assessment to determine the type of care? Are legal concerns with inheritance or family business or power of attorney, the main need? Perhaps, just bringing the family together to communicate on what needs to be done and who will do it is the agenda for now.
In one case, after months of dispute with her parents over their health and safety issues, Connie enlisted the service of a professional care manager mediator.

“Bringing a neutral person with a professional and compassionate attitude into our disputes was the best thing for all involved,” Connie recalled. “My parents shared their concerns and listened with acceptance to mine.
All of a sudden we could communicate and work out a plan that they could live with and I could relax knowing they were safe.”

Seniors Use Mediators to help the family plan for long term care.
In the National Care Planning Council's book, “The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning,” the process of creating your own “Care Plan” before you need it is introduced. Quoting from the book:
“If the current or future caregiver wants the other persons attending the meeting to give support with respite care, transportation to doctors, etc., everyone needs to be aware of this and in total agreement to do it. All must also be willing to work with the member of the family, friend or professional who is designated as the Personal Care Coordinator.

If you feel the communication will be strained, consider having a professional mediator present. The mediator will be able to keep things calm and running smoothly
and help work out each person's concerns.”

“The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning” book can be found at http://www.longtermcarelink.net/a16four_steps_book.htm

Where to Find an Elder Mediator
• In your local phone book, on the internet or with your community senior services.
• References from friends and neighbors
• Contact the local area agency on aging
• Contact your state bar association
• Contact a local university or college and asked to speak to the department that provides mediation training and ask for a referral.
• On the internet look up mediation in your area
• Yellow pages in local phone books


The National Care Planning Council lists Professional Mediators throughout the United States on its website at http://www.longtermcarelink.net/a7mediation.htm
List your Elder Mediation service
National Care Planning Council
www.longtermcarelink.net
800-989-8137

Photographer: Vlado Evan H. Farr on Google +

How to spot elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation

Many elderly people rely entirely on family or other trusted individuals to help them. Whether it is for physical needs or emotional needs, as people grow older they tend to need more and more help from others. This dependence on caregivers or family members makes an older person more susceptible for abuse.

There are a number of reasons why incidents of abuse, neglect, or exploitation are not reported to Adult Protective Services or other authorities. One of the most common reasons is the victim's fear of losing support. 

Many of the perpetrators are family members and the victim fears that reporting the crime will result in removal of the caregiver, as the perpetrator may face incarceration or may discontinue relations with the victim once accused, charged, or convicted. Many of these victims fear that by reporting abuse they will be left alone and expected to care for themselves or they will be forced to live in a nursing home.

The following is a list of indicators of abuse, neglect or exploitation. 

It is important to note that the following lists are merely indicators and may not always be violations.

Signs of Abuse: 

•             Unexplained bruises, welts, fractures, abrasions or lacerations

•             Multiple bruises in various stages of healing

•             Multiple/repeat injuries

•             Low self-esteem or loss of self determination

•             Withdrawn, passive

•             Fearful

•             Depressed, hopeless

•             Soiled linen or clothing

•             Social Isolation  

Signs of Neglect/Self-Neglect: 

•             Dehydration

•             Malnourishment

•             Inappropriate or soiled clothing

•             Odorous

•             Over/under medicated

•             Deserted, abandoned or unattended

•             Lack of medical necessities or assistive devices

•             Unclean environment

•             Social Isolation  

Signs of Exploitation: 

•             Missing/"disappearing" property

•             Inadequate living environment

•             Frequent/recent property title changes or will changes

•             Excessive home repair bills

•             Forced to sign over control of finances

•             No/limited money for food, clothes and other amenities 

Prevention can only occur if there is awareness, the statutes are adhered to, and any suspicions of abuse, neglect or exploitation of vulnerable adults are immediately reported to Adult Protective Services and/or law enforcement.

All states have agencies that take complaints of abuse. In some states failure to report abuse of the elderly is a crime. To contact an abuse complaint department, call your local area agency on aging. To find an area agency on aging in your area go to Long Term Care Link. 

For resources from the National Center for Elder Abuse, click here.  For state fact sheets, click here.

 Image: Photographer: Salvatore Vuono

Evan H. Farr on Google +

Increased awareness of anxiety in elders leads to user-friendly site updates

Stress, anxiety, and fear are normal emotions we all experience at some point, but when does fear cross over the line from “normal” to “excessive?”  NIH SeniorHealth.gov realizes the need for more readily available information for older adults on the internet. 

 “It is estimated that anxiety disorders affect between 3 and 14 percent of older adults in a given year,” reported NIH on the prevalence of anxiety in older adults.   And to get the message out, the organization has added a section on anxiety disorders.  View it here. 

Here is a preview of the cache of information:

Visitors to the website can learn about the risk factors, symptoms and treatments for generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and specific phobias such as fear of flying or fear of public speaking. Anxiety disorders can severely affect a person’s life, and they are often overlooked in older adults. - NIA.NIH Press Release

Whether a person is experiencing an anxiety attack or regular levels of anxiety that we all experience as we go through life is a fine and hard-to-distinguish line for some individuals.  The newly provided information is touted as being easily accessible and user-friendly with short, easy-to-ready articles formatted for older adults. 

For a printer-friendly version of this information, click here.

NIHSeniorHealth

Nimh.nih.gov

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Evan H. Farr on Google +

Walking speed may be used for predicting health, survival for elderly

Could walking speed analysis, also referred to as "gait speed," be a worthy tool for predicting remaining years of life? Inexpensive and simplistic, gait speed is being touted in a recent study that suggests there is a correlation between gait speed and longevity. The study recently appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Some seniors are accustomed to routine analysis of their blood pressure, BMI, consumption habits, genetic factors, and more. If the study is correct, then some seniors may want to consider monitoring their own walking speed. After all, it’d be a much less intrusive, costly, or bothersome method…with immediate feedback!

The usefulness of assessing gait speed is intuitive in nature: “[L]ife expectancy based on age and sex alone provides limited information because survival is also influenced by health and functional abilities," noted the JAMA study.

The question that comes to mind is: can “health and functional abilities” be accurately measured by gait speed?

The University of Pittsburgh conducted the study “to assess the association of gait speed with survival in older adults and to determine the degree to which gait speed explains variability in survival after accounting for age and sex,” reported by Senior Journal. This was not just a run-of-the-mill study, as it included a combined pool of 9 smaller studies and a whopping 34,485 participants. “Gait speeds of 1.0 meter (3.3 feet)/second or higher consistently demonstrated survival that was longer than expected by age and sex alone."

The most conclusive data corresponded to older individuals, but the researchers are quick to point out that gait speed is connected to likelihood of survival at all ages and in both sexes.

The gist of the study is that gait speeds correlate to survival rates which were longer than otherwise predicted by analysis of merely age and sex as the sole factors.

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Evan H. Farr on Google +

The Perfect Holiday Caregiver: It’s all a state of mind

The holidays are always a wonderful time of year for family gatherings, reflection on what we have and the spirit of giving. The television is packed with specials showing relationships and families coming together for the holidays.

But the holidays can also be a time of stress and sadness for those who are caring for family members that are struggling with health problems, frailty, dementia and loss. Those who care for these individuals may feel overwhelmed, frustrated, depressed or resentful as they watch “perfect” families enjoying the holidays. There are many surveys and documents that show that caregivers are highly susceptible to these feelings. If you are a caregiver, there are measures you can take to avoid this.

First; Remember, that you are not alone.

If you are new to caregiving or have been caring for someone for a very long time, remember that the perfect family on television is not reality for many Americans. You are not the only one with these challenges. A recent study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP found that 44.4 million Americans age 18 or older are providing unpaid care to an adult.   In fact according to the survey provided by the National Family Caregivers Association:

• The typical caregiver is a 46-year-old Baby Boomer woman with some college education who works and spends more than 20 hours per week caring for her mother who lives nearby.
• Female caregivers provide more hours of care and provide a higher level of care than male caregivers.
• Almost seven in ten 69%) caregivers say they help one person.
• The average length of caregiving is 4.3 years.
• Many caregivers fulfill multiple roles. Most caregivers are married or living with a partner (62%), and most have worked and managed caregiving responsibilities at the same time (74%).

Second; Find help.

There are many resources available to a caregiver. Some of these include family members, friends, a local religious group, elder care agencies and homecare providers. The internet provides many great resources and help. The National Care Planning Council offers many articles, brochures and local referrals to help caregivers find the help that they need.

“When my husband’s stepfather was released from the hospital in December of 2009, he called us to give him a ride home. Once he was home, we quickly realized that he was not able to care for himself at all. He lived alone and we found ourselves driving back and forth three or four times a day to assist all of his needs. It was overwhelming and frightening to suddenly become a caregiver to a man we weren’t even that close to. With my husband working full time days, I became his primary caregiver. I would pack up my two little girls every day to come with me to take him to the doctor, do his laundry and feed him his meals, do his grocery shopping and help him with his bills. I had no idea what his finances were like or how to pay his medical bills. He was too sick to care or even understand what I was saying to him.  I quickly realized I was going to have to find help. First I called his children. They were sympathetic, but gave all kinds of excuses as to why they could not help.   Next, I went to the internet. I went to the website for National Care Planning Council www.longtermcarelink.net and found and contacted a Care planner in my area. The Care Planner came to my stepfather’s house and met with the two of us. They helped me get organized and set up time to meet with someone to explain his Medicare services and what my next steps would be. It was such a relief to have a plan and to know what to do.” MH- Salt Lake City, Utah

Most family members are willing to help, but just don’t know what to do. Many caregivers feel that they are the only one who can give the best care. It is important to communicate with other family members about what kind of help you need and let them know specifically what they can do.
A number of organizations and private companies will give you advice and guidance -- many for free. If your care recipient has a very low income, you might get free help from your local Area Agency on Aging. A lot depends on available funds. Click here for a nationwide list of agencies.
A good source for professional advice is the rapidly growing business of non-medical home care companies. Most will offer free consultations and will provide paid aides to help you with your loved-one with such things as bathing, dressing, shopping, household chores, transportation, companionship and much more. These people may also help you coordinate adult daycare or other community services.

You may wish to pay for a formal assessment and care plan from a professional geriatric care manager. Even though it may cost you a little money to hire a care manager, this could be the best money you will ever spend. Care managers are valuable in helping find supporting resources, providing respite, saving money from care providers, finding money to pay for care, making arrangements with family or government providers and providing advice on issues that you may be struggling with.
Lastly; it is important to take care of yourself first in order to give effective and loving care.
Stephen Covey tells a story in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People about a man who is sawing a tree. A woman approaches and asks the obviously exhausted man how long he has been sawing the tree. He tells her that he has been there for hours.

She says “Well, I see that your saw is dull, if you would just sharpen your saw you would be able to saw it much faster and with less effort.”
He replies, “I don’t have time to stop and sharpen my saw, I need to chop this tree down now!”
It seems pretty silly that the man just doesn’t stop for a few minutes to make the work easier. It is common for caregivers to do the same thing. They focus on caring for their loved one and run themselves down instead of stopping to “sharpen their saw”.

Covey states that “sharpening the saw” is to take care of yourself by keeping your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self balanced. There is joy and respite in balancing all of these areas in our life. This is what makes us efficient and happy. Here are some ways for you as a caregiver to sharpen your own saw:

• Maintain a positive attitude. Take time to be grateful for everything that is good in your life. There is always something. Adjust your expectations for the holiday season. If you aren’t expecting that perfect holiday family picture, then you won’t be angry and frustrated that it isn’t something you have right now. It is always possible to change your attitude and perceptions, but it is not always possible to change your circumstances.

• Eat healthy food and be sure to get some exercise. Do this in small increments if it is too overwhelming to plan menus. Drink more water, cut down on sugary snacks, pick up some vegetables and fruit to grab.  Walk or do marching in place. Run or walk up and down stairs if that is all the time you have right now.

• Forgive and let go of frustrations, anger, resentment and guilt. These are common feelings for caregivers. The best thing a caregiver can do for their own emotional health is to clear out these negative thoughts and feelings. Get counseling, talk to a friend or family member or simply write down the negative feelings to get them out of your system. Never take your anger and frustrations out on those you care for.

• Take time to do something you enjoy and give yourself a little bit of rejuvenation everyday. Laughter is a great stress reliever. Find something funny to read or get on the internet and find a funny video to watch.

• During the holidays, be easy on yourself. If you enjoy holiday activities, then get out there and do them. Ask someone to help with your caregiving duties even if it is just for an hour or two to shop or to see a concert or movie. There are day care facilities or home care services available for short term care. See www.longtermcarelink.net for a service in your area.

Being a “perfect” caregiver during the holidays does not have to look like the perfect on-screen holiday family. How you handle your circumstance will be the key to creating your own peace, happiness and cheer during the holiday season. The holidays can be a time of reflection on good things. Your attitude and a little care for yourself can make a big difference in the care that you give in the coming year.

Image Credit:

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Evan H. Farr on Google +

Talking parrot provides clues in chilling elder abuse case

A parrot could possess vital clues to a horrific South Carolina case of elder abuse. Suffering from sores that resulted from an extended period of neglect, a 98 year-old woman was found in the home where she was supposed to have been receiving her primary care from her 60 year old daughter. The victim was suffering from bedsores, and investigators think she had not been turned in more than a week. The woman died just several days after being taken from the home by authorities. St. George Police Lt. Eric Bonnette told the Post and Courier that it was “the worst case [he’s] ever seen.”  

Authorities commented on a key component from the crime scene: "The parrot was mimicking, 'Help me. Help me.' Then he would laugh…" Lt. Bonnette goes on to say, "[w]e think he was mimicking the mother when he said, 'Help me. Help me,' and mimicking the daughter when he laughed."

The daughter and primary caregiver of the deceased is charged with a South Carolina elder abuse statute.

Image Credit:
Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Evan H. Farr on Google +

“Seniors and dependent adults are vulnerable in our State”

The National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) has been working with the state-level Adult Protective Service agencies (APS) as part of an ongoing effort to remain up-to-date on the budget issues. The most recent update reported in a newsletter by NAPSA paints a grim financial portrait. What’s worse is that the budget shortfalls are leading to less productivity and more reports of abuse.

According to NAPSA, a survey of APS agencies across the nation yielded 81 results from 30 states. The common thread among responding APS agencies was one of fiscal woe. Budgets were slashed just over 13% for the average APS branch. As if to add insult to injury, two-thirds of the responses indicated reports of abuse as having risen 24%. Almost a quarter of the reporting states has, or is in the process of, reducing or eliminating certain types of investigations.

One representative (from a responding state) said, “Counties have had to make draconian cuts to their social service programs . . . The state has also cut funding to . . . Adult Day Care, Alzheimer’s Day Care: all these programs provided a safety net which has been all but shredded. Seniors and dependent adults are vulnerable in our state.”

Read the newsletter from NAPSA here - State APS Program Budgets Slashed Across US - “The situation is grave”

Evan H. Farr on Google +