There is a frequent saying in the field of Gerontology that, “getting old is not for sissies”.  In order to best manage the multitude of issues presented by aging, it is comforting to know that our community is being pro-active about meeting the needs of our aging population.

Emory Adventist Hospital at Smyrna, our next door neighbor, has an amazing program called “Quicker ER”.  They promote it as a way to “Wait in your home, not a crowded waiting room!”, but the reality of this service for a person with dementia can mean the difference between a successful outcome and a limited ability to serve their urgent health care needs.

When one of the residents at Woodland Ridge has dementia, a visit to the emergency room for any other issue can be highly confusing and frightening. Their failure to comprehend and cope with a sudden change in environment combined with an illness or injury may result in extreme behavioral changes or combativeness that will hinder or limit treatment options. The longer a dementia patient has to wait in an emergency room, the more their issues escalate. Being able to make the first available appointment 24/7, and a guaranteed wait of less than 10-minutes after arrival can make a huge difference in the outcome of the treatment they receive and return them to a familiar environment in the shortest possible time.

Pre-register yourself or a loved one at Emory Adventist Hospital at Smyrna so that you can participate quickly and easily if a situation ever arises.

I was reading another blog this afternoon from Hurley Elder Care Law about the great new geriatric specialty ER at Mt. Sinai Medical center in New York City and was reminded again how lucky we are to have Emory Adventist Hospital at Smyrna as our next door neighbor.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/04/23/pumping-iron-to-prevent-dementia/

Once again, we find evidence that physical exercise and cognitive function are linked. Dr. Richard Caselli, professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic, agrees.

“When advising patients, I do inform them that physical activity, exercise, and good fitness generally is healthful,” he says. “We have known that for years as regards to cardiovascular health, so even if we turn out to be wrong about possibly preventing or slowing dementia onset, it is still good medical advice.”

A new report finds that the median cost of a room in an assisted living community is less than half the median cost of a private room in a skilled nursing facility. The cost disparity is more pronounced than last year, with skilled nursing costs increasing at a much higher rate than assisted living costs.

Genworth Financial released its annual report analyzing long-term care costs across the nation. According to the report, the median annual rate for a resident of an assisted living community is $39,600.  The median annual rate for a private room at a skilled nursing facility is $81,030, while the median annual rate for a semi-private room is $73,000. These numbers reflect a greater disparity of costs than were seen in last year’s survey. The cost of assisted living rose just 1.19 percent over the last year. While the cost of a private room at a skilled nursing facility increased 4.23 percent, and the cost of a semi-private room at a skilled nursing facility increased 3.63 percent over the same period.

The survey also documented state-by-state data. Alaska has the highest private room skilled nursing costs and Oklahoma has the lowest. The median rate for a private room at a skilled nursing facility in Alaska costs $232,505 annually, while the rate in Oklahoma is $53,597. New Jersey, with a median annual rate of $68,556 has the highest rate for assisted living, while Missouri has the lowest rate, $29,025 annually.

Read the full report: The Genworth 2012 Cost of Care Survey to learn about your state’s long term care costs and nationwide statistics.

The new Genworth survey further illustrates the need for advanced family planning and self-directed financial supports for personal care in older age such as long term care insurance.

Article by ALFA (Assisted Living Federation of America) on their website at http://www.alfa.org

Care Giving, whether you are the one providing physical care or just the decision maker bearing all the responsibility for the well-being of another human being, you need time for yourself. Everyone needs time to back away and regain focus, renew your enthusiasm, and relax for a bit. The question then becomes, how do you do that?

Woodland Ridge has two programs to assist you with the burden and privilege of your job as a Care Giver. Each program has its place to help you maintain your personal equilibrium.

DAY CARE

Our Adult Day Care program is designed as a low-cost way to manage your personal time as well as your responsibilities. We can provide care for your loved one while you grocery shop, attend to your own healthcare needs, get your hair done, go for lunch with your best friend, or just enjoy a few hours of relief from the care giving routine.

A half day is 4 hours and costs only $25. A full day is $50 for 8 hours.

RESPITE CARE

How long has it been since you took a weekend with your spouse without worrying about who is caring for your loved one? When was the last time you could go on vacation without worrying or imposing on others and make complex arrangements for a rotation of substitute care givers? If you got sick and could not perform your care giving role, who would do it?

At Woodland Ridge, we can provide Respite (short-term stays) Care for 1 day or up to 30. Once your loved one is signed up with our program, you can book a reservation and leave them with complete confidence that our trained professional care providers will be attending to their every need while you are away. At $125 per day, all meals, services and amenities are included. Your loved one will stay in a comfortable, private room with private bath in home-like surroundings. We do the cooking, cleaning, medication management, incontinence care, bathing, toileting, grooming, dressing, and entertaining. You take the time you need to relax and renew. Your loved one will get a break from you too!

While at Woodland Ridge, whether for a half day or two weeks, your loved one can interact with peers, enjoy ability-appropriate activities, and be engaged in the community. This is an exciting vacation for them because they will be drawn away from endless days of television and napping into an invigorating atmosphere of variety, new friendships, and loads of fun.

Call us today to schedule a tour. Then book your Respite Stay or Daycare so you and your loved one can experience Smyrna’s Best Kept Secret, Woodland Ridge.

Admittedly, there are conflicting studies and different states and regions report different findings but it is safe to say that once several
age-related benchmarks are reached, it is time to assess driver safety behind the wheel on a much more frequent basis.

From the current studies available, there appear to be several factors that contribute to a decline in the ability to safely operate a car. Consider
this list of leading risk factors.

COMMON RISK FACTORS

• vision or hearing loss
• decreasing physical activity/mobility
• growing forgetfulness
• diminished concentration
• side effects from multiple prescription and over-the-counter drugs
• increased anxiety about driving
• slowing of reflexes

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

• New or unfamiliar territory
• Road Construction
• New car
• Tardiness for an appointment
• Distractions or sudden change in conditions
• Anxiety from traffic incidents
• Bad weather

Contact us and we will be happy to provide you with an electronic copy of:

Improving older driver knowledge and self-awareness through self-assessment: The driving decisions workbook

David W. Ebya,*, Lisa J. Molnara, Jean T. Shopea, Jonathon M. Vivodaa, Tiffani A. Fordyceb

Transportation Research Institute, University of Michigan, 2901 Baxter Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2150, USA
by Exponent Failure Analysis Associates, Inc., USA

You may also visit AAA Foundation.org for a self
assessment tool provided by AAA.

What does an elderly driver really need in the car to help prevent fatal accidents? The answer is: another person. Research indicates that older men
who have a co-pilot or backseat driver are 20% less likely to cause a fatal accident if they are between the ages of 65-85, and 24% percent if they are
over the age of 85.

A person 65 or older who is involved in a car accident is more likely to be seriously hurt, more likely to require hospitalization, and more likely to
die than younger people involved in the same crash.

The good news is that there are screening tools, classes, and other pro-active activities to help many seniors continue to drive safely. At some point
however, driving will no longer be an option. Until that time, take precautionary steps to prevent an avoidable incident and keep a check on your
friends and loved ones.

AARP offers a terrific Drivers Education refresher for anyone over 50. It is a low-cost hands-on assessment of driving skills with great information on
how to stay safe on the road no matter what your age. It is frequently held in various locations throughout the country. Visit www.aarp.org to sign up or find the nearest date and location to you. It may even help to reduce your auto insurance
premiums if your insurance provider is a partner with the program. Don’t delay!

In short, assisted living is a residential community with care services performed by highly skilled, trained personnel. A nursing home is a medical facility with medical procedures performed by in-house staff of medical professionals including a doctor.

Even within a standard definition, not all assisted living facilities are alike. At Woodland Ridge, we are “Partners in Care”. We boost of much higher than average caregiver-to-resident ratio. We build a team of specialists around each resident and design a Care Plan with our proprietary CaraSyst program to specifically meet their individual and unique needs:

The Community– Woodland Ridge is a not-for-profit community of similarly aged individuals having a variety of age-related or age-complicated ailments that prohibit them from living safely and successfully on their own. The comfort of having others around for social interaction, safety, and security can go a long way in helping the elderly find peace and purpose in every day living.

The Staff– Our highly experienced 24-hour staff consists of award-winning Administrators, Certified Nursing Assistants, Specialists, Nurses, a Gerontologist, a Resident Care Coordinator, and Med Techs who have experience and ongoing training in providing the most supportive environment and services where our residents can thrive. These professionals also include our dietary staff, housekeeping services, a full time maintenance department, a Medical Director (M.D.), and an Activities Director who holds both a degree and certification in this specialty. We also can’t forget our volunteers who provide a broad range of activities and opportunities for meaningful connection to our neighbors.

Support Services– We work with our residents and their families to coordinate services with outside support companies we know and trust. Typically utilized services are Home Health nurses visiting on a regular basis, Home Care attendants, doctors who come into our community to see their patients, physical therapists who come in house to help Woodland Ridge residents, Hospice agencies who provide support and care, psychiatric services on our campus (M.D., PhD., and R.N. specialists), Lab Services who come to our residents to draw fluids for doctor-ordered tests or may even take x-rays, as well as pharmacy services provided by outside vendors, and more.

Specialty Environment– Each resident has their own private (or shared, if desired) space with none of the worry of upkeep. Our community is all on one level and is small enough to be intimate but large enough to have ample amenities. As part of the basic admission package, personal care is included and higher levels of service are available. We have a special secured Alzheimer’s and Dementia wing integrated with our esteemed Friends for Life® program. We can help with any and all personal activities of daily living from bathing, toileting and personal hygiene, to ambulation, medication management, and reminders.

As your “Partners in Care”, we pride ourselves in helping families. Our residents are our focus but entire families count on us to help our residents achieve the highest possible quality of life available to them. As your “Partner in Care”, we help you find peace of mind. Call us today and let us discuss how to build a unique program to meet all of your care needs.

Woodland Ridge’s Memory Care program features elements of the award winning “Best Friend” approach to care in a secured and intimate unit overlooking a enclosed garden. This program is administered by a dedicated Program Manager. Our exclusive “Friends for Life” program begins with admission where each residents’ Life Story is incorporated into their individualized care plan. Older memories can be enhanced and current abilities are optimized to provide positive daily experiences.

The “Friends for Life” approach to Alzheimer’s care reflects a growing optimisim in the field of Alzheimer’s care that many techniques can be implemented to improve the lives of people with the disease. Careful attention is given by trained Care Associates to maximize each individual’s strengths so that each day has a successful rhythm.

The commitment to successful interactions and outcomes drives every aspect of daily life within Woodland Ridge. Quality of Life is seen as a continuous stream of “meaningful
moments” with Friends who care for and about our residents. Each carefully chosen Care Associate is charged with the responsibility of learning the abilities, needs, and desires of each of the people in their program…as if they were their best friend. For the Resident, having a Best Friend to turn to is both comforting and encouraging. A best friend will be a coach, a confidant, and a pal who provides reassurance as well as personal care.

The “Everything is an Activity” philosophy is designed to nurture individual preferences and capabilities. The journey is more important than the destination. All staff members are trained in the disease progression and how to use prompts-and-cues to facilitate a meaningful day and create “Joy in the Moment” experiences.

The “Friends For Life” Memory Care Program

Our program includes all regular amenities and services including
• Dedicated Program Manager who oversees staff and plans Functional Schedules
• Higher staff-to-resident ratios based on needs
• Individualized Service Plans, updated regularly
• Individual, group and Cluster therapeutic activities based on Life Story interests and functional level
• On-site Alzheimer support group led by a Geriatrician
• On-site Geriatrician for house calls
• Secured and customized living environment
• Enclosed garden with access for environmental stimulation
• Line-of-Site design to facilitate more self-direction within the secured environment
• Regular training for staff using the “Best Friend’s” meeting Model

NEW- Alzheimer’s & Dementia

Caregivers Support Group

This support group is provided as a

community service at no cost to attendees.

Meetings are held

the 3rd Thursday of

each month at 6:30 p.m.

Woodland Ridge is proud to host a monthly support group for the caregivers and family members of those with Alzheimer’s disease and various types of dementia. Meetings last from 1 to 1 ½ hours and refreshments are provided. Reservations are recommended but not required.

Radhika Mudiyala, M.D. – Group Facilitator

This opportunity is unique in that Dr. Mudiyala will be leading the discussion and education provided at our monthly meetings. Families and caregivers will be able to get the latest information and the most expert guidance in facing the challenges of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Mudiyala is a Board Certified Geriatrician, having completed a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Alabama, Birmingham after her residency in Internal Medicine at Thomason Hospital,Texas Tech University, El Paso, Texas

• Connect with others

• Find Resources

• Exchange Ideas

• Get Tips

• Learn Care Giving Skills

• Ask others with experience

• Share your stories

• Get the latest research news

• Meet experts

• Find Clinical trials

For More Information or Reservation

Contact Us: 770-431-7055

[Cautionary note: Every person’s tax circumstances are different and you should always contact a tax professional to answer questions about your unique circumstances.]

This is a great article on the tax deduction for assisted living with links to the IRS code.  Deductions for your state will also vary from person to person and state to state.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2008-03-04-aicpa-q7-medical-expenses-alzheimers_N.htm

Assisted Living Background  Information

• Over 25 years ago a movement was started in this country to allow frail elders the opportunity to live in a residential alternative to nursing homes. This option known as assisted living or personal care homes in the state of Georgia, has by choice become the fastest growing long term care option in America.

• Assisted living costs about 50% less than nursing home care and over 86% of the seniors who choose assisted living are private pay and do not rely on federal or state subsidies. Therefore assisted living is not only the consumer’s preference, but one that state governments recognize can save money that would otherwise come out of shrinking Medicaid budgets.

• As the movement has progressed over the past 25 years, so has the type of resident that can be cared for in assisted living. In most states, residents can remain in assisted living until they die. Outside services such as hospice can be brought in to help with end of life care.

Current Situation in Georgia

• Georgia lags behind most southern states in the ability of senior citizens to choose home and community-based long term care options such as assisted living communities that will allow them to “age in place.”  Unfortunately in the state of Georgia the personal care home laws and regulations have not been updated in 20 years. The regulations do not allow personal care homes to care for anyone who is non ambulatory. It is possible to request a waiver, but there is no guarantee the waiver will be approved by the state and the number of waivers allowed are limited. This means someone at the end of life who has a very limited time to live must be asked to leave the place they call home. The irony is that this same person could receive hospice care in their private home with significantly less supervision than is available in a personal care community.  The current retention guidelines for personal care home residents in these situations is disruptive to the family, incurs unnecessary cost to the resident and  their families and most importantly subjects a dying resident to physical and emotional trauma that often accelerates the dying process.
• Personal care home (current assisted living licensure category) laws and regulations were created in the early 1980s for an industry that was mainly comprised of small providers.  25 years later resident, needs have changed and Georgia has not kept pace to allow providers to accommodate these needs.
• Georgia’s personal care homes must apply for waivers from the Department of Human Resources to receive such services as hospice care and are limited in the number of residents they can care for that require these services.  These same services are provided in private homes with no supervision or restrictions.  Current southern states that allow hospice services for residents in assisted living communities as well as care for non ambulatory residents without a waiver approval process include Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee.
• Georgia regulators currently subjectively decide who is granted a waiver in personal care homes to receive necessary services instead of residents, resident families, and physicians.
• Current residents of Georgia’s personal care homes are concerned with the uncertainty of whether they can access appropriate services through a home and community-based setting like assisted living communities or if they will have no choice but to go to nursing homes.
• The question is who should decide when it is time for your mother to move out of a personal care home that she is paying for with her own money? Should that decision rest with state regulators in Georgia who do not know your mother? Or should the decision be made by the family and resident, personal care home provider and the family physician who do know your mother and her needs and wishes. HB 850 would allow the latter.

Highlights of Legislation

• Establishes a new “assisted living community” licensure category that will permit access to more services either provided by the assisted living care provider or licensed third party care providers such as hospice and home health agencies that will allow residents to “age in place”. 
• Ensures assisted living communities will be licensed and appropriately regulated.
• Allows assisted living communities to provide higher levels of care and services than personal care homes.
• Establishes additional regulatory requirements for assisted living communities.
• Ensures that “aging in place” decisions will be made by the assisted living resident, the resident’s family, the assisted living resident’s physician, and the assisted living provider who all must agree that additional needs and services of the assisted living resident can safely and appropriately be met at the assisted living community.
• Prohibits the continued stay of an assisted living resident who needs 24-hour skilled nursing care or medical care or when care cannot be safely and appropriately be provided at the assisted living community.
• Creates informed consent agreements between an assisted living care provider and resident which promote aging in place and allows a resident the ability to direct their own care.
• Creates an assisted living advisory committee to advise the Department of Community Health on standards for assisted living communities.
• Establishes a medication technician certification program which will allow assisted living community staff the ability to administer medications and assist residents with self-administration of medication(s) after completing training and passing a written examination.  Medication technicians would also have continuing education requirements.  (Program to be modeled after North Carolina’s medication technician program for assisted living)
• Creates consumer disclosure requirements
• Directs assisted living providers to comply with resident advance directives for healthcare including Do Not Resusitate Orders

Electronic Submission Instructions

Below are the written instructions for sending advocacy letters either by email or printing off the letter and mailing it by regular mail.

Go to www.alfa.org/advocacy

Click on Issues and Legislation

Click on Legislative Alerts and Updates

You will see State Legislative – Georgia – click on help protect frail seniors

You or the advocate needs to fill out their contact information on the right hand side and based on their address the letter will automatically find their house representative.

You or the advocate can edit the letter if so desired,

You or the advocate can sign their name

You can decide whether to email or print a hard copy of the letter.

It’s so easy….this literally takes about 5 minutes!