OVERVIEW

By now, many of you have heard about our free online courses for family caregivers who are taking care of loved ones with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Now we are taking this training to the next level by offering free live workshops covering essential topics for Alzheimer’s family caregivers. Please call today to reserve your seat in this valuable educational opportunity.

The training was developed by Home Instead Senior Care in consultation with a nationwide panel of experts and will run over the course of 3 weeks with a 1.5 hour session each week. We will take a group of around 10 family caregivers through the courses sequentially as each course builds on the previous one.

In Washington County, we will be offering this series of classes several times in 2012. Our first round starts on Tuesday, May 22 and is detailed below:

LOCATION

Home Instead Senior Care Office
12194 SW Scholls Ferry Rd., Tigard, 97223

CALL TO REGISTER

503-530-1527

TRAINER

Jean Blackburn, Gerontology Specialist

Jean has earned a special certificate from PCC’s Gerontology Department  in “Advanced Behavioral and Cognitive Awareness.” Jean has been a High School Teacher, VP of operations in a training seminar company, has worked for Home Instead Senior care for about 2 years, and most importantly, has been a family caregiver for 10 years for her aging mother who had Alzheimer’s disease. It was the personal experience Jean had with the care of her Mother that inspired her to be of service to other seniors and work with like-minded people. Jean is a dedicated life-long learner who enjoys spending time with her family and friends, with emphasis on her 1-yr.-old Grandson, as well as hiking, exercising, reading, volunteering with “Elders in Action,” and trying new things.

DATES, TIMES, TOPICS COVERED

Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2012; 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE OR OTHER DEMENTIAS

• Learn to recognize the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias.
• Discover how Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are diagnosed.
• Understand more about the behaviors that can be caused by the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

CAPTURING LIFE’S JOURNEY (SM)

• Discover how “Capture Life’s Journey” can help you and others provide the best care for your loved one.
• Learn techniques to encourage your loved one to share their stories and memories.
• Become familiar with the format of the Life Journal and how to record information about your loved one’s past.
• Find out how to use the Life Journal in partnership with professional caregivers.

Date: Tuesday, May 29, 2012; 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

TECHNIQUES TO HANDLE CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS

• Learn more about the challenging behaviors that may be displayed by those with Alzheimer’s or other dementias.
• Discover techniques to help handle these behaviors.
• Determine what techniques work best to manage different types of behaviors.

Date: Tuesday, June 5, 2012; 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

ACTIVITIES TO ENCOURAGE ENGAGEMENT

• Learn about the benefits of staying active for a person with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia.
• Learn about three types of activities — for mind, body, and soul.
• Discover various techniques to encourage your loved one to engage in an activity.
• Become familiar with activities that are suitable for late stage Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia, to stimulate your loved one’s five senses.

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There is good news.  Really.

Companies actually do hire seniors.  However, one unfortunate and often overlooked fact is that many baby boomer job seekers do not know how to conduct a modern job search, or properly present themselves to employers.  An ineffective resume or a poor interview can seriously derail anyone’s job search–especially that of the mature job applicant.  Unfortunately, this can shut him out of the job market.

The good news is that Carol A. Silvis is an experienced author who has taught training courses to older adults re-entering the workplace.  Having written extensively on the subject of career topics and concerns, her most recent book is Job Hunting After 50. It is specifically designed to prepare seniors for the job search by arming them with a plan for success.

This book shows them how to assess and update their skills and qualifications; use the appropriate technology; prepare their own resumes for today’s job market; and dress with style for the interview.  Silvis identifies the most common mistakes seniors make, showing them how to best avoid certain pitfalls.  In addition, she addresses their energy levels and attitudes.

The goal is to commit one’s time to finding the right job by approaching it systematically and intelligently.  Silvis has laid out some tried and true principles to follow in order to simplify the process.  Her book will be a boon for the boomers and their parents who are job hunting at this time.

Wishing you luck in your search,

-Laraine Jablon, BA, MA, is a writer living in Nesconset, New York.  She welcomes your thoughts.  Lhjablon@gmail.com

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(Note by Mike Brunt, Local Owner for Home Instead Senior Care: In my 7 years of serving seniors, I have hired Cathy to perform at retirement communities and senior centers. Her music and presentation have always been popular with my groups, and I personally have her CD in my car. I can recommend her without reservation.)

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I have been playing acoustic guitar, singing, and writing songs since I was 13. Many people have said that my music has a therapeutic, soothing effect on them. My grandmother’s Bluegrass background and Scottish roots were a big influence to me musically, as I grew up listening to her harmonies and country fiddle playing.

Celtic and folk songs are my specialty, although I play other music as well, including hymns. AND, I love when audiences sing with me! I am a mom of 9, and two of my very talented, younger sons sometimes perform with me. In addition to playing music for seniors in any venue, I also provide music at weddings, church functions, and restaurants. Plus, I love to play holiday music!

I am based in Hillsboro, but am happy to travel to the mid-valley and even to the coast. Travel expenses may apply depending on the distance.

Provided here is a sample of my music to give you a sense of my sound and musical style.

Play “Farewell to Tarwathie” performed by Cathy Speer

Please contact me today for more information or to schedule a performance.

Cathy Speer
503-453-3064
callmekate56@yahoo.com

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This series of online training courses will give you basic information about Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. More importantly, you will gain valuable insight for providing better care for a loved one with these conditions.

At the end of the course you will be equipped with several techniques to help improve both your and your loved one’s quality of life.

Each class can be completed within 5-15 minutes. No preregistration required.

At the end of each class you can download a Class Checklist PDF.

(Below is a review from Tina Jackson, a trusted employee who has coordinated service for my clients and CAREGivers for 3.5 years.)

I just completed this course, and was very impressed by the way the information was presented.  The information was simple and clear, the graphs were informative and eye-opening, and the testimonials and interactive role-playing allow the reader to see the suggestions in action.  The maps of the houses describing different ways to redirect in different rooms of the house, or various safety hazards to consider, is again, very simple and thought provoking.  I also like how the information stresses the importance of family caregivers taking care of themselves too.

To me, the information was presented in a way that seemed thorough, but not overwhelming, and the option to be able to print a summary of each section allows the reader to be able to keep this information at their fingertips, and/or easily share it with others.

I am more and more impressed with Home Instead Senior Care as time goes on.  I do feel truly blessed to be a part of such a wonderful organization, and to truly value and believe in what we have to offer our community, and whomever else we might impact.  This is an awesome resource I am very excited about.

Social Capital, Lifelong Learning

Greetings,

At Home Instead Senior Care, we are actively changing the face of aging. What does that mean? I think for all of us it means fundamentally changing the way we think about growing older. For U.S. policymakers, the implications are dramatic.

This issue was brought home to me when my colleagues who serve with me on the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Ageing and I developed a book, Global Population Ageing:  Peril or Promise?, to examine the successes associated with aging.

The book explores the ways global aging will reinvent how societies and economies work. In chapter seven, “Social Capital, Lifelong Learning and Social Innovation,” my co-authors and I call on researchers and policymakers to review how they describe and respond to aging trends. For example, a U.S. Federal report recently stated 42% of people in the U.S. over 65 have at least one functional limitation. The report neglected to reinforce that 58% are not functionally limited.

How the statistics are reported does not change the data, but the choice of words speaks to the perception that the senior years are a stage of burden and decline. In contrast, proprietary research conducted in 2010 by Home Instead Senior Care showed that 62% of men over 85 report no limitations to daily living.

The Marist Poll Organization, in research also conducted in 2010 for Home Instead, said younger generations–62% of the Millennials and 60% of Generation X–feel that people should be encouraged to continue working as they reach retirement age.

Our own U.S. government is an example of the graying of America. Among U.S. Senators, four are in their 80s, 23 are in their 70s and 36 are in their 60s.  Approximately 190 U.S. Representatives, or 43%, are 60 years old or older.

As a society, we cannot continue to promote stereotypes and cling to pessimistic assumptions about aging. A more virtuous response is to identify the opportunities presented to society at a time when many citizens are enjoying a longevity bonus. We have a tremendous chance to learn from the wisdom available from our seniors.

According to the Global Agenda Council on Ageing, “Current demographic changes require comprehensive responses. However, much of the discussion focuses on the challenges occasioned by an ageing society rather than on the opportunities. These negative scenarios need not be our fate; there are significant benefits to an ageing world, but they require smart policies. This Council focuses on healthy ageing and the discourse on ageing to facilitate healthy and participative living in age-friendly environments and to realize the social and economic potential of elders.”

By changing our thinking, we will change the face of aging. Won’t you join this mission? As always, I am available to listen to your feedback.

Sincerely,

Paul R. Hogan

Paul Hogan is Chairman & Founder of Home Instead Senior Care and, with his wife Lori, co-author of Stages of Senior Care: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Best Decisions

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(Photo taken by CAREGiver of client, Milt, at the Evergreen Air and Space Museum, standing next to one of the actual planes he piloted during his military career.)

Blog Post by Mike Brunt, Franchise Owner, Home Instead Senior Care

Some people who work for me tell me that I tend to repeat myself. One of my favorite things to repeat to my wonderful CAREGivers is that no matter what they are doing with or for our clients, they need to “add value.” What I mean is this – actively look for and find ways to make the clients’ lives more enjoyable and then do those things without necessarily being asked to do so.

My favorite example this month of a CAREGiver adding value to a client’s life is my CAREGiver, Katie, who takes care of my client, Milt. Milt grew up outside of Boston as the son of a fisherman. He has had a distinguished military career in which he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, was a pilot in 3 wars, and lived in Hawaii for 32 years. Milt has jogged almost every day of his life, enjoyed scuba diving, and is very knowledgeable about the food business.

Since July 2011, Katie has worked weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Milt. During her four hour afternoon shifts, she takes him by car or MAX on outings for exercise, errands, mental stimulation, and social engagement outside of the community in Beaverton where he and his wife live.

Katie and Milt frequently visit Lloyd Center in northeast Portland where he enjoys window shopping and watching the ice skaters. Other trips have included visits to the Oregon Zoo, World Forestry Center, OMSI, Newport Aquarium, and Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. Milton really enjoys seeing planes and military exhibits.  Later this month, she’s taking him on the Portland Sternwheeler for a river cruise and hopes that it will be a sunny day.

I find so much joy and satisfaction in providing this life enrichment to Milt through my stellar CAREGiver Katie. She is “living Home Instead” and truly adding value for Milt in the later years of what has been a fascinating life.

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Dear Family Members,

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Marcia Solberg, and I thank Mike Brunt at Home Instead Senior Care for the opportunity to share my story. Nine years ago, my 90 year old father made the decision to give up his home of 46 years in Great Falls, Montana and move to assisted living. As you know, many emotions play into this life change, especially for the children who live miles away from their parents and worry about their well being and happiness.

Every time I visited, I noticed that the most important sign at his retirement residence was the MAIL’S IN sign above the resident mail boxes. However, it broke my heart when I observed that very few people actually were able to find any mail in their box on any given day.

Five years ago, I discovered an internet service called Send Out Cards. This amazing web site allowed me to upload family pictures and create wonderful greeting cards that were printed, stuffed and stamped in Salt Lake and sent by US mail. What joy my dad and I both shared when he received my cards and picked up the phone to call and thank me.  I tried to send one every week, as well as on special occasions, after a trip, or with pictures of a great grand-child’s birthday.

When I visited, I knew just how much those cards meant when other residents would greet me with, “Oh, you’re the daughter that sends those GREAT cards!” Those cards made dad a Very Important Person at the Rainbow Retirement home. I believe the only other person to receive more mail was Walter Breuning, the world’s oldest man. (passed away last year at 114!) Dad passed away in December 2009, at the age of 96, having lived a wonderful life. In his desk drawer I found every card I had sent him for the last year and a half! I am forever grateful that I found the Send Out Cards program. Most of the cards I sent dad cost me 93 cents or less, plus postage, and were much more personal with pictures than anything I could buy at a card shop!

I would be privileged to talk with any family members who might be interested in this program and set up a free gift account for you to try the service. You’ll be able to see just how easy it is, and how much time and money you can save, while touching your loved one’s heart in a very special way. A subscription is now as little as $9.80 a month, which will make 6-10 cards (with & without pictures).

Don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions you might have.

Sincerely,

Marcia Solberg
971-235-2257
marciasolberg@aol.com
Independent Distributor of Send Out Cards
www.sendoutcards.com/cardsbymarcia
Member of Beaverton & Tigard Chamber of Commerce, NAPO Oregon, MSN

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Those of you who have cared for a person with Alzheimer’s disease know you can expect to hear the same stories, concerns, and comments over and over again. Did you know there is a right way to respond to the repetition? Other challenging behaviors of Alzheimer’s disease include refusal, delusions (or false beliefs), aggression, false accusations, wandering, and agitation.

Alzheimer’s expert, David Troxel, confirms that knowing and practicing certain techniques for handling difficult behaviors can keep family caregivers from being pushed to the breaking point.

Home Instead Senior Care offices train their professional CAREGivers in the following techniques that will also be very effective for family caregivers.

• Redirect. The first time a question comes up, take a few moments to answer the question fully and provide reassurance that all is well.
• Physically move items or the senior from the environment. If an object or his or her surroundings are causing frustration, remove that item or the senior from that situation.
• Offer simple choices. If a senior resists bathing, a simple choice would be: “Would you like your bath now or in one hour?” or “Would you like to take a bath or a shower today?”
• Apologize and take the blame. Apologizing or taking the blame in a situation takes the attention off of the older adult. It may help them calm down if they believe something was not their fault.

Alzheimer’s experts suggest that a family caregiver should try managing a difficult behavior three times in three different ways to achieve the best results.

The Home Instead CAREGivers I employ in Washington County, Oregon, receive 8 hours of standardized training specifically on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Our training program is true to it’s name which is “CARE.” It stands for Changing Aging Through Research and Education. If you are a family caregiver and feel you could use some support from one of my excellent, trained Home Instead CAREGivers, please give me a call at 503-530-1527.

For more on Alzheimer’s and other dementias, go to www.helpforalzheimersfamilies.com.

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(excerpt)

Bilingualism’s effects also extend into the twilight years. In a recent study of 44 elderly Spanish-English bilinguals, scientists led by the neuropsychologist Tamar Gollan of the University of California, San Diego, found that individuals with a higher degree of bilingualism — measured through a comparative evaluation of proficiency in each language — were more resistant than others to the onset of dementia and other symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease: the higher the degree of bilingualism, the later the age of onset.

Nobody ever doubted the power of language. But who would have imagined that the words we hear and the sentences we speak might be leaving such a deep imprint?

Link to full article

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Member, Senior Resource Alliance

Haven’t we all noticed a number of years does not indicate a person’s true physical age.  We all know an older friend who is in better condition than their younger family members and friends.  I consider my 83-year-old Mother who can only get around with a walker, and then I look at her 92-year-old sister who still takes walks, grocery shops, prepares her own meals and mows her lawn.

Why the difference?  Lifestyle choices from groceries we select to exercise.  As millions of baby boomers roll relentlessly into their retirement years, experts say for those 65 and over, staying active and fit can spell the difference between independence and frailty.

Any exercise physiologist will tell you, “It’s all about moving.”  The phrase ‘use it or lose it’  is true.  There are several studies showing there is no physiological reason we lose significant muscle mass, strength and mobility as we age, other than that we tend to move less.

The good news is it’s never too late to set that body in motion.  It’s been documented that eighty- and ninety-year-olds have demonstrated the ability to gain lean body mass, as well as to improve strength and balance by exercising.  As Jack Lalanne and other experts often say, “The trick is to start at a place that makes sense and progress slowly.”

By focusing on function, balance and mobility, like Yoga, Tai Chi, swimming and Pilates can enhance the aging body’s ability to perform the tasks of daily living.  There are plenty of choices for seniors to pick from in your average health club.  Now go out there and move!

Paul Pomeroy, www.genworth.com/paulpomeroy, (503) 421-0798

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Member, Senior Resource Alliance Northwest

As a real estate broker, I found myself negotiating the sale of a home when my client was diagnosed for the second time with cancer.  In spite of age, the doctors had some hope that she could again beat it.  She, along with her family, were concerned about what would happen to the sale if she died before it was completed.   While there was a Will,  as it stood, there was no way to pass the assets on outside of probate which would interrupt the sale of the home.  We needed an attorney who specialized in estates and trusts.

For me, finding that knowledgeable and trusted advisor to refer was easy because I was already working with Stephanie Carter, a fellow member of Senior Resource Alliance NW (our group specializes in providing important services to the 55+ population and their families).  Stephanie responded immediately, scheduling the family for a meeting to review options.  Before that could happen, my client was hospitalized.  Stephanie put together all of the documents.

That signing took place at the hospital.  Being there, I could see the relief in my client’s face when she knew everything was taken care of for her two daughters.  Four days later, she died.

Dealing with the loss of loved ones and friends is extremely difficult.  Having affairs in order takes an incredible burden off their shoulders.  With the daughters, we are currently working to close the sale of their Mother’s home, and everything is progressing smoothly because of the action we took.

As a resource group, most of the work we do together is not so extreme or urgent, but what a relief it is to have the right people close by to get the job done; and quickly when needed.

Deborah Wilkinson, GRI, SRES, Oregon Principal Broker, Premiere Property Group, 5000 Meadows Road, Suite 150, Lake Oswego, OR 97035, (503)453-3597 (direct), (503) 670-9000 (office)
www.movingthroughyour life.com

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(Note by Mike: I like this article, because it talks about caregiving as “dementia therapy” in the absence of effective medical treatments for Alzheimer’s. Having creative, caring people nearby is what seems to make the difference. This makes complete sense to me.)

Margaret Nance was, to put it mildly, a difficult case. Agitated, combative, often reluctant to eat, she would hit staff members and fellow residents at nursing homes, several of which kicked her out. But when Beatitudes nursing home agreed to an urgent plea to accept her, all that changed.

Disregarding typical nursing-home rules, Beatitudes allowed Ms. Nance, 96 and afflicted with Alzheimer’s, to sleep, be bathed and dine whenever she wanted, even at 2 a.m. She could eat anything, too, no matter how unhealthy, including unlimited chocolate. an urgent plea to accept her, all that changed.

And she was given a baby doll, a move that seemed so jarring that a supervisor initially objected until she saw how calm Ms. Nance became when she rocked, caressed and fed her “baby,” often agreeing to eat herself after the doll “ate” several spoonfuls.

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With virtually no effective medical treatment for Alzheimer’s yet, most dementia therapy is the caregiving performed by families and nursing homes. Some 11 million people care for Alzheimer’s-afflicted relatives at home. In nursing homes, two-thirds of residents have some dementia.

Caregiving is considered so crucial that several federal and state agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, are adopting research-tested programs to support and train caregivers. This month, the Senate Special Committee on Aging held a forum about Alzheimer’s caregiving.

“There’s actually better evidence and more significant results in caregiver interventions than there is in anything to treat this disease so far,” said Lisa P. Gwyther, education director for the Bryan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Duke University.

Link to full New York Times Article

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Member, Senior Resource Alliance Northwest

The abuse of our elderly population is a growing problem.  Abuse can take on many forms.  It can occur anywhere. Often it goes unreported if it is perpetrated by a relative or close friend of the elderly person.

What is Elder Abuse?  For the purpose of Oregon State law regarding elderly abuse, an elderly person is defined as anyone over the age of 65.  Abuse includes:

• A physical injury to the senior not resulting from an accident;
• Neglect that leads to physical harm;
• Abandonment;
• Caregiver neglecting duties and obligations owed to an elderly person;
• Wilful infliction of physical pain or injury;
• Use of derogatory or inappropriate names, phrases or profanity, ridicule, harrassment, coercion, threats, cursing, intimidation or inappropriate sexual comments or conduct of such a nature as to threaten significant physical or emotional harm to the elderly person or person with a disability.
• Certain sweepstakes promotions;
• Wrongfully taking or appropriating money or property; or
• Sexual contact that is not agreed upon by the elderly person.

Should I report? You are mandated by law to report abuse if, while you are acting under an official capacity, you have reason to believe that any senior with whom you come in contact has suffered abuse, or  is the perpetrator of the abuse.  Persons who may be acting in “official capacity” include health care professionals, employees of DHS, mental health providers, firefighters, etc.

Even if you are not required by law to file a report, if you see or have reason to believe abuse is happening, you should file a report.  Just like with any criminal behavior, it is best to report the suspected abuse and let the people who are trained investigate it.  If you file a report of suspected elder abuse, and you do so in good faith, you will be protected from potential civil liability that could otherwise result from the report.

How do I make a report? Call your local Department of Human Serices (DHS) or law enforcement agency in the county where the abuse occurred.  You will be asked the names and addresses of the elderly person and any persons responsible for the care of the elderly person, the type of abuse you are reporting, names of perpetrators or description if names are not known, and any other helpful information you can think of.  A list of the DHS (Area Agency on Aging) offices can be found in the Choice Senior Resource Guide or online at http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/spwpd/offices.shtml.

Adult Protective Services will arrange for immediate protection of the senior, assess the senior’s ability to participate in the investigation and arrange for services to prevent future abuse.

June 15th is National Elder Abuse Awareness Day.  Help spread the word about the issue of abuse by sharing this post or visiting www.ncea.aoa.gov to see how you can volunteer in your area.

For a free copy of the Choice Senior Resource Guide, please call Meredith at 503-353-7870 or order copies online.

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Member, Senior Resource Alliance Northwest

If you are the primary Caregiver for an elderly family member or friend and are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, you are not alone.  The primary Caregiver is generally responsible for maintaining two households, including:  shopping, cleaning, laundry, yard and house upkeep.  Additionally, they must arrange and transport their elderly loved one to multiple doctor appointments, ordering and managing medications, paying bills and balancing accounts.  It is mentally, emotionally and physically demanding.

Caregivers not only spend time at the doctor for their loved ones, they themselves experience health issuees at a greater rate than non-caregivers.  They also tend to lose time at work resulting in reduced salaries and benefits.

If you are the primary Caregiver of an elderly loved one, it is important that you take time for yourself, too.  Adult Day Programs offer respite for you and socialization for your loved one.  Other options such as a move to Senior Housing or In Home Care means the everyday things can be taken care of and you can spend more quality time with your loved one without bearing the weight of their care needs.

For more information about Senior Housing, Adult Day or other programs that are available, please call Choice Senior Services, LLC at 503-353-7870 or email help@choiceoregon.com.

www.ChoiceSeniorServices.com

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For those of you who have considered becoming a Certified Senior Advisor, you may be interested to know that the certification class and test will take place July 10-13 in the Seattle area.

I earned this certification a couple of years ago, and it has been a wonderful credential for me in my work with seniors. I found the material covered in the three-day course to be very relevant and interesting. On the fourth day, you take a 3-hour test which, when you pass, qualifies you to use the CSA credential.

To learn more about my experience in becoming a CSA, you may read my blog post on the topic.

I believe so much in this certification program, that I am sending my Referral Relationship Developer, Jean Blackburn, to Seattle in July.

Dan Kacerovskis is my education representative at The Society of Certified Senior Advisors. Dan said that if there are at least 15 people in the Portland are who are interested in taking the course, he can schedule a class for Portland. So, if you are interested in attending the course in either Seattle or Portland, please give Dan a call at 888-828-9280.

Benefits of Becoming a Certified Senior Advisor (PDF)

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Member, Senior Resource Alliance Northwest

What do I mean by the term “digital assets?”  This term includes any assets in a computer-readable format and stored on a computer, server, or other electronic device.  Examples include websites:  Facebook, iTunes, Twitter, Flickr and similar accounts; documents and other information saved in the “cloud;” and bank, investment and other accounts accessed over the Web.

At this time, most people have no planning in place for what happens to these digital assets when they become incapacitated or die.  Currently, Oregon, like most other states, has no law in place that gives fiduciaries (trustees, conservators, or personal representatives) access to these digital assets.  I serve on a committee of lawyers that has developed a legislative proposal to pass a law that gives fiduciaries access to digital assets.  However, the process is complicated by the user agreements that a person electronically approves when the person opens one of these accounts.  You know, the window that pops up displaying the user agreement that you automatically click the “I Agree” button on without reading the agreement?

The story of Oregon Mom, Karen Williams, illustrates the problem of accessing digital assets after a death.  When her son died in a motorcycle accident in 2005, she found his password and emailed Facebook, requesting that the administrators maintain his account so that she could read his posts and comments by his friends.  Within two hours, Facebook had blocked his account.  After a two-year legal battle, Williams finally gained access to her son’s account.

Other reasons a fiduciary may want to gain access to an account include the removal of hateful or distressing comments that may be posted (this has been a problem on Facebook memorial accounts for deceased police officers) or a conservator for an incapacitated person may need to gain access to accounts in order to determine whether the person has been financially abused.

At this time, the legal authority of a fiduciary to gain access to these digital assets is far from certain.  In fact, state law makes it a criminal offense to access the computer accounts of another person.  I invite you to think about what you would like to have happen to your digital assets when you die.  I will keep you posted on the progress of the legislative proposal in future posts.

Stephanie Carter, Attorney at Law, Draneas & Huglin, P.C., 4004 Kruse Way Place, Suite 200, Lake Oswego, OR,
(503) 496-5509, stephanie@draneaslaw.com, www.pegasusfiduciary.com

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Rising food prices have put a lot of pressure on budgets.  Many seniors are going hungry or are eating foods that are less nutritious.  If you know of someone who needs help, *SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), may help.  Currently only 1 out of every 3 eligible seniors is receiving the food assistance they deserve.

SNAP FACTS

• Single monthly income limit is $1,723.  Two-person household is $2,333.  Income levels increase with more people in your household.  Note:  Check with a worker - medical costs or other deductions may help you qualify.
• For most households, resources such as cars, homes, and/or savings or retirement accounts  do not affect eligibility.
• You can qualify if you are working, unemployed or retired.
• You may qualify even if you live with other people.
• Interviews can be done by phone.

SNAP helps your community

• SNAP dollars support your community, local business owners and stimulate the local economy.  In 2011, more than $1 billion federal dollars were returned to Oregon through SNAP.
• There are enough SNAP dollars for everyone who needs them.
• Just like debit cards – The Oregon Trail EBT card can be used at grocery stores and many
  farmers’ markets.

Other Benefits

• With SNAP you qualify for telephone bill assistance (with most phone companies)
• You may also qualify for vouchers for farmers’ markets and most roadside farm stands.

Call SAFENET at 800-723-3638 or dial 211.
For more information go to www.oregonhunger.org

*Formerly known as Food Stamps

Judith Auslander, MA – Senior SNAP Outreach, Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon
(503) 595-5501 x7 – judith@oregonhunger.org

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The number of older Americans who volunteer is staggering, and their service has enormous positive, far-reaching impacts on national quality of life and the economy.

Statistical Highlights:

• Between 2008 and 2010, 18.7 million older adults contributed over 3 billion hours of service.
• Yearly value of this service to the U.S. economy was over $64 billion.
• 52% of seniors volunteer their time to unpaid community service.

Do you know any senior volunteers who through simple acts have become heroes to those they serve? Nominate them to receive the recognition they deserve but would never claim for themselves. Nomination form is found online at www.salutetoseniorservice.com.

The video below covers these and more positive statistics about senior volunteerism.

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Caring for an elderly relative isn’t just costly and time-consuming—studies show it could even harm your own health. Now, some companies and nonprofits are rolling out free and low-cost professional help for family caregivers.

Genworth Financial, a large long-term-care insurer, and AARP, the membership group for older Americans, on Thursday introduced a new service for AARP members through which the families of older adults with dementia and other illnesses can assess their needs and develop a care plan—either online, over the phone or in person with a registered nurse.

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The new service, formally known as AARP Caregiving Help and Advice from Genworth ranges from $12.99 for six months of online access to $149 for a phone assessment, a service plan and six months of online access, to $489 for an in-home consultation. Adding the “service finder” option—which includes researching local availability, providing quality ratings, negotiating discounts and coordinating the start of care—brings the phone total to $295 and the in-person bill to $665.

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Home Instead Senior Care, for its part, is trying to help caregivers—both its own 70,000 paid workers and the public—better meet the needs of people with Alzheimer’s.

“Rather than trying to force Alzheimer’s patients to live in our world in the here and now,” Home Instead’s Mr. Huber says, “we need to meet them in the past.”

For example, one of Home Instead’s clients in Omaha, Neb., where it is based, had served in the military. To persuade him to take a bath—something Alzheimer’s patients often have an aversion to—his caregiver told him a general was coming for inspection and he needed to get ready. He immediately took a bath, Mr. Huber says.

Such simple strategies, he adds, can help people with Alzheimer’s prolong their time at home as well.

By the end of this year, all of the company’s 600-plus franchised locations expect to offer Alzheimer’s training for caregivers. And in May, it plans to post an online course at the Help for Alzheimer’s Families website, which already has other resources.

These new programs come on top of free services offered by the U.S. Administration on Aging’s Eldercare Locator, which connects older adults and families to local agencies, and the nonprofit National Council on Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp site, which provides screening for more than 2,000 public and private programs.

Link to full Wall Street Journal article

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