The Caregiver Community

There are an estimated 10 million Americans caring for one or more aging parents, in-laws and other family members.  These caregivers are beginning to look at technology as a way to keep their loved ones more independent, more safe and more engaged with family and friends.  Technology may hold a lot of promise for us as we age, but what is technology and how can we best use it with our aging family members and ourselves?  In this episode, Jane & Frances talk with Susan Adams, an engineer with a second career in gerontology, about these and other questions.  

What is financial abuse? How and why does it impact seniors? What should adult-child caregivers know about financial abuse and the elderly? To help answer these questions, Jane Everson and Frances Hall talk with Lauren Benbow. Lauren is an attorney with the North Carolina Secretary of State’s office where she focuses on investor protection and the promotion of the advance health care directive registry. Lauren is a graduate of the university of Delaware and the William & Mary school of Law.

Are you frustrated because your father can’t hear? Are you concerned about your mother’s vision loss? Do you worry about their safety in the home? Do you wish you could help them enjoy reading and watching television again? Perhaps you aren’t even aware that they might have a vision and/or hearing loss! These are just some of the questions and issues that we will be discussing in this session of the Caregiver Community. Join Jane Everson and Frances Hall as we talk with Paige Berry, National Coordinator for Senior Adult Services with the Helen Keller National Center about vision and hearing losses as we age. Ms. Berry has more than 40 years of experience serving and advocating for seniors with vision and/or hearing losses. If you are juggling the needs of aging parents and in-laws with spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, and volunteer activities, The Caregiver Community is for you!

Talking with aging parents about sensitive subjects is almost always challenging for adult child caregivers. When parents have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or another other age related form of dementia or memory loss, the conversations can be even more challenging. Nevertheless, discussing sensitive topics – such as living independently, driving, managing finances, and estate planning – often cannot be avoided. In this session, Jane and Frances talk about the challenges of communicating with parents with Alzheimer’s or other age-related types of dementia or memory loss, along with strategies for making these conversations less challenging and more successful. Their guest is Meghan Lawton, Regional Manager, Alzheimer's Association – Western Carolina Chapter. Meghan understands dementia and Alzheimer's both professionally and personally, as several family members have or have had the disease If you are juggling the needs of aging parents and in-laws with spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, and volunteer activities, The Caregiver Community is for you!

Our aging population is creating historically unique challenges to families, the workforce, our medical and health care systems, and our caregiving culture. Ten million adult-child caregivers, the majority of whom are working-age adults are hit especially hard by these challenges. In this session, we will be talking about balancing family and setting boundaries while we care for our aging parents – and for ourselves. Every caregiving situation is unique, and of course, every caregiver and every aging parent is unique. However, most of us struggle with juggling our caregiving for our parents with time with our spouses, time with our own children, doing our jobs well, making time for volunteer work, and attending to our own personal health. How do we keep from feeling guilty? How do we set boundaries? How do we juggle it all? These are just some of the questions we will be discussing in this session of the Caregiver Community. Join Jane Everson and Frances Hall as we chat with Dr. Isabelle Eustice. Dr. Eustice is a board certified psychiatrist with specialization in geriatric psychiatry. She earned her medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and completed a geriatric residency with the University of South Florida in Tampa. Dr. Eustice has been the staff psychiatrist with Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, North Carolina since 2012.

As our parents age, they may need to change their housing arrangements. These changes may be relatively minor, such as modifying their homes to make them more physically accessible or safe or securing home-based medical, health, or companion services to allow them to live in their homes more safely and independently. Changes also may be much more significant, such as moving to a new residence that is more accessible and that provides more substantial medical and assistive services. No matter how minor or major the changes, these decisions will be stressful for everyone!   Every community is unique, and every family situation is unique. And of course, every older adult is unique, so the housing choice that is right for one person may not be right for another person. How do we know how to guide our parents? Ted Goins, President and CEO of Lutheran Services Carolinas, understands the range of housing options open to seniors and the difficult questions associated with choosing the best option. Join Jane and Frances as they chat with Ted about housing and aging. If you are juggling the needs of aging parents and in-laws with spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, and volunteer activities, The Caregiver Community is for you!  

Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia sometimes present symptoms (behaviors) that can be difficult to manage. Join host Frances Hall as she talks with Ms. Mary Ann Drummond and Ms. Janie Benton about journeying with a loved one with Alzheimer's, Lewy-Body or one of the hundreds of other forms of dementia. Learn specific strategies for managing the sometimes-difficult symptoms often associated with diseases, exciting new treatments for the conditions, and ways caregivers may take care of themselves. With training and background as registered nurses, Ms. Drummond and Ms. Benton have years of experience working with patients who have dementia as well as helping families better understand how to care for their loved ones. Ms. Drummond is Vice President of Operations at Carillon Assisted Living, an Alzheimer's educator and author. Ms. Benton is the director of clinical services with Carillon Assisted Living and an Alzheimer's educator. (Podcast supports ACAPcommunity Module 3, Program 2)

In this episode our hosts (Dr. Jane Everson & Frances Hall) will be talking about strategies for preventing a common and frightening problem many of us face as our parents age - falling and the fall-related injuries that may occur. Our guest is Ms. Tina Miller, the Area Agency on Aging Director for the greater Hickory region in North Carolina. Tina has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from North Carolina State University, and a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology from Appalachian State University. Among her additional certifications, she is a certified Matter of Balance Master Trainer.

Join Dr. Jane Everson and Ms. Frances Hall with this episode’s guest, Ms. Karen Lee Martinez, Outreach Librarian for the Northwest Area Health Education Center (NWAHEC), a department of Wake Forest School of Medicine and a part of the North Carolina AHEC program. Karen offers listeners practical guidelines for evaluating the health and medical information we find on websites. She also shares websites that adult-child caregivers might find useful they begin their caregiving journeys with their parents and other aging family members. Websites of note mentioned: Evaluating Internet Health Information: A Tutorial from the National Library of Medicine (nlm.nih.gov) MedlinePlus (nlm.nih.gov) What did My Doctor Say? (mlanet.org) Recognizing health fraud from the Federal Trade Commission (ftc.gov)(consumer.ftc.gov) NIH Senior Health (nihseniorhealth.gov) NC Health Info (nchealthinfo.org) NC Live (nclive.org) Medicare (medicare.gov)

As families become more mobile and less place bound, many of us are struggling with caregiving from a distance. What resources are available to help?   Join Dr. Jane Everson and Ms. Frances Hall with this month’s guests, Nancy Ruffner, President and Professional Advocate with NAVIGATE NC and Sharon Kilpatrick, a Geriatric Care Manager with Kilpatrick Care Management as they discuss caregiving from a distance.     

Guest Dr. Barbara Laufer, Professor Emeritus with Towson University in Maryland, joins our hosts as they talk about aging and hearing losses. Learn about the roles of speech-language pathologists and audiologists, the causes and types of hearing loss, assessment tools, and types of aids and devices.   

  Hosts Dr. Jane Everson and Ms. Frances Hall are joined in studio by Dr. Sue Friguglietti, as she talks about tips and strategies for assessing mom and dad’s home environment and physical status when visiting them during the holidays or during other home visits. Dr. Sue Friguglietti is an Associate Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator in the Occupational Therapy department at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC.  Sue holds a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy, a master's in gerontology and a Doctorate of Health Administration.    If you are juggling the needs of spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, volunteer activities and parents and in-laws, The Caregiver Community is for you.  

Confused about the difference between hospice and palliative care? Concerned about finding and paying for services? In this session, we will explore hospice and palliative care services with a special emphasis on how they might assist adult-child caregivers and their aging parents. Join hosts Jane Everson and Frances Hall with this month’s guest, Ms. Julie Packer as they talk about hospice and palliative care services.  Ms. Packer is the Director of Professional Relations for Catawba Regional Hospice, Newton, North Carolina.  She has a 33 year history in hospice care, following receipt of her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master of Science in Oncology Nursing from Duke University.     

“I just noticed another dent on Mom’s car.” “Dad just told me he forgot how to get home from his barber shop last week.  “Mom had to have a right knee and hip replaced.  Will she be able to stop the car quickly, if she needs to?”  “My parents are in their 80’s. Is it safe for them to still drive?” One of the most dreaded conversations aging parents and adult-children anticipate is the one about a parent’s driving. While adjustments may be all that are needed, at one point, driving simply may no longer be safe – for the parent or for others.  Ceasing to drive is a significant step regardless of how the decision is made, who makes the decision or the reason for decision. Join Jane Everson and Frances Hall, two adult-child caregivers, along with their guests, as they navigate the frequently mysterious, often frightening, and sometime humorous world of caregiving.  If you are juggling the needs of spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, volunteer activities and parents and in-laws, this show is for you. In this episode, Jane talks with Ms. Miriam Young, a Driver Rehabilitation Specialist with Frye Regional Hospital in Hickory, North Carolina. Ms. Young has a master’s degree in occupational therapy. In this session, we will help listeners identify the signs that a parent may need a driving evaluation and/or need to retire from driving, understand the driving evaluation process and discuss strategies for holding the conversation and considering other transportation options.     This episode is sponsored by the Greater Hickory Kia Classic at Rock Barn Golf & Spa in Conover, NC. For tickets and additional information go to www.greaterhickorykiaclassic.com  

Join Frances Hall with this month’s guest, Dr. Jacob Hollar as they discuss the many roles that pharmacists and pharmacies can play as our parents – and we – age. Dr. Hollar earned a doctorate in pharmacy from UNC Chapel Hill and has been employed in retail pharmacy most of his career. He is currently a pharmacist with Rite Aid in Hickory, North Carolina.  Confused about Vaccines? Medications? If you are juggling the needs of spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, volunteer activities and parents and in-laws, this show is for you. No matter where you live or work, the world’s population is rapidly aging, and these numbers are projected to rise dramatically over the next 20 years. Our aging population is creating historically unique challenges to families, the workforce, our medical and health care systems, and our caregiving culture. Adult-child caregivers, the majority of whom are working-age adults are hit especially hard by these challenges.   This episode is sponsored by the Greater Hickory Kia Classic at Rock Barn Golf & Spa in Conover, NC. For tickets and additional information go to www.greaterhickorykiaclassic.com  

In this Caregiver Community episode, Jane and Frances chat with Susan Vincent about Alzheimer’s and other forms of age-related memory loss and dementia. Susan is the owner of a Home Instead Senior Care franchise serving the North Carolina counties of the Catawba, Burke and Caldwell. Susan was also a long-distance caregiver for her mother and so she understands the concerns of adult children as they watch their parents age.

No matter where you live or work, the world’s population is rapidly aging. Our aging population is creating historically unique challenges to families, the workforce, our medical and health care systems, and our caregiving culture. Adult-child caregivers, the majority of whom are working-age adults are hit especially hard by these challenges. Join Jane Everson and Frances Hall, two adult-child caregivers, along with their guests, as they navigate the frequently mysterious, often frightening, and sometime humorous world of caregiving. If you are juggling the needs of spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, volunteer activities and parents and in-laws, this show is for you. In this episode, Jane and Frances chat with Dr. Adina Gabor-Gagea, a clinical psychologist with expertise in aging and health care. Dr. Gabor-Gagea is especially interested in the everyday struggles women and family caregivers face. Dr. Gabor-Gagea differentiates between anxiety and depression and discusses the relationship between these conditions and aging. She also discusses with Frances and Jane some of the situations that may elicit anxiety and depression in aging parents and in caregivers.

In this episode, Jane and Frances chat with Kimberly Whitley, an elder care attorney about the legal aspects of aging and the five legal documents nearly every adult needs.     No matter where you live or work, the world’s population is rapidly aging. Globally, these numbers are projected to rise dramatically over the next 20 years. Our aging population is creating historically unique challenges to families, the workforce, our medical and health care systems, and our caregiving culture. Adult-child caregivers, the majority of whom are working-age adults are hit especially hard by these challenges. Join Jane Everson and Frances Hall, two adult-child caregivers, along with their guests, as they attempt to navigate the frequently mysterious, sometimes frightening, and often humorous world of caregiving.  If you are juggling the needs of spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, volunteer activities and parents and in-laws, this show is for you.    

No matter where you live or work, the world’s population is rapidly aging. In the United States alone, there are nearly 60 million adults age 60 and older – 18 percent of the nation’s population. Globally, these numbers are projected to rise dramatically over the next 20 years. Our aging population is also creating historically unique challenges to families, the workforce, our medical and health care systems, and our caregiving culture. Adult-child caregivers, the majority of whom are working-age adults are hit especially hard by these challenges. Join Jane Everson and Frances Hall, two adult-child caregivers, along with their guests, as they attempt to navigate the frequently mysterious, sometimes frightening, and often humorous world of caregiving.  If you are juggling the needs of spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, volunteer activities and parents and in-laws, this show is for you! In this session, Jane and Frances talk about the impact of our aging population, as well as strategies for promoting aging in place with Dr. Ed Rosenberg. Dr. Rosenberg is Professor of Sociology and Director of the graduate programs in Gerontology and Sociology at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Not only is Dr. Rosenberg an academic expert on aging, but like Frances and me – and our listeners – he too is the adult child of aging parents.

The Caregiver Community: March 14th, 2014