Dementia friendly cities?

Is this a start of a new era moving beyond technology for aging and into something more broad in concept? While at the International Symposium on Life Care Planning three years ago the discussions heard repeatedly focused on the global impact of aging. Communities across the world will be placed at risk if they lack preparedness in caring for the largest number of seniors ever experienced on Earth.There is a quiet urgency for the development of new ideas for successful aging and caring for those with disability in the community. Take for example my geographical region of Flathead County in Northwest Montana. The number of persons diagnosed with cognitive impairment is expected to increase over 80% in the next 15 years. That's right, eighty percent! With this in mind, it seems logical that Flathead County agencies should prepare now for strengthening and reinforcing its community-based approach to wellness and health promotion and exploring possibilities for new projects to help ease the burden of caring for an aging population.
A new idea worth checking out focuses on a design for a Dementia friendly city.





 

Everyone has a story

The Cleveland Clinic has a powerful video focusing on the idenitification & understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives=Empathy.

Click here to watch the Empathy video.

New Prediction: 80% of assisted living will be Memory Care. Are we ready?

http://www.alfa.org/News/3038/Evolution-of-Assisted-Living-Marked-by-Great-Recessions-Impact

Add this to your bucket list!

Okay, a bucket list is supposed to be fun. Something that happens once in a lifetime. Something you know you want to accomplish or need to get done. Long-term care planning & end-of-life decision-making may not be fun, but it will help you prepare for your future and feel less anxious, helping encourage you to really conquer that bucket list! As reported by ABC news, according to a 2012 survey by the California Healthcare Assocation, 60% of people say it is extremely important  to not burden family members with end-of-life care. However, only half of those people communicate their wishes or take action to ensure their wishes are known. If we all added this to our bucket list, we might really accomplish something great for our future!
Here's a few tips for getting a Crucial Conversation added to your bucket list:

1. Schedule a meeting! Bring together your most trusted and responsible family members to discuss your plan to make a plan.
2. Make a list of action items, goals, desires, and wishes.
3. Complete Advance Directives & Legal Documents.
4. Share important documents with your loved ones, your legal counsel (if appropriate), and your health care team.
5. Communicate your wishes to your loves ones and review all documents. They can only help carry out your wishes if you tell them ahead of time!
6. Now that you've completed your plan, Go live your life and Have Fun!

Contact Eagleview West for more help-We have an easy 7-Step process for long-term care planning & decision-making which includes all the steps above & more. Call 752-5821 or go to www.EagleviewWest.com to learn more.
 

Text me when my mother forgets to take her pill

There are so many new tech products for helping make our lives easier, more organized, and potentially safer. The opportunities are endless. From applications for quick response in a time of an emergency to the beeping pill bottle lids, there is a constant flow of new devices and assistive aids coming to market on an almost daily basis. The Wall Street Journal recently reported on insurance companies push to bring new things to market which assist with compliance in medication management. It's not just hospitals racing to improve their bottom line by implementing more aggressive quality control and improving standards of care. Health insurers will be judged by their members' ability to adhere to their  medication treatment plan with the number & timing of refills being evaluated. The tech market has included automatic dispensers, pill botttle lids which alarm when it is time for a dose, and text messaging being sent to a responsible party if a medication has not been taken. It's not just the younger generations getting used to the chirping, beeping, buzzing and honking of devices that tell us something important is happening. It turns out we're all connected in some way and the smartphone in my pocket may be just what my mother needs to take her pills.

My annual charitable event!

Memory screening and health fair set at Sykes’ - Daily Inter Lake: Local/Montana

How to pay for long-term care-an option for future care, the inevitable.