10 ways to make your home "aging-friendly"

1. Install grab bars where needed in the shower and near shower doors
2. Consider replacing the bathtub with a shower and seat
3. Install extra under-cabinet lighting in your kitchen
4. Raise your dishwasher, washer, and dryer 12 inches off the floor to reduce back strain
5. Avoid faucets with twisting handles; use single-lever faucets or lever-handled faucets
6. Use pulls rather than knobs on drawers or cabinets
7. If possible, create a main-floor full bathroom and bedroom, as well as laundry room
8. Build a "visitable" entry -- one without entry steps -- for one entry of your home
9. Install roll-out shelving in your kitchen cabinets
10. Plan for 48 inches in any work aisle spaces, such as around kitchen islands

These tips are from DreamMaker Baths and Kitchens, who specialize in home modification services for the home-bound and elderly, "working with your budget in mind."

3-part Alzheimer's education series

• Understanding Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias - Wednesday, November 4
• Legal and Financial Issues - Wednesday, Nov. 11
• Strategies for Navigating the Dementia Journey - Wednesday, Nov. 18

All the seminars are from 7-9 pm at the Evergreen Commons seminar room, 480 State St. in Holland, MI. Call (616) 396-7100 for more information. Sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging of West Michigan.

Get to Know: Right at Home

Right at Home is a national in home care and assistance agency. "We provide trained, insured and bonded caregivers for a variety of home care and home health care needs. Please feel free to contact any one of our office locations nationwide with your home care questions and discuss your specific situation." Right at Home Grand Rapids, Paula and Richard Nelson

Get to Know: Comfort Keepers

At Comfort Keepers, nothing is more important than helping people live full, independent and dignified lives within the comfort of their own homes. Comfort Keepers is dedicated to providing in-home care "that enriches our clients' lives and helps them maintain the highest possible level of independent living." Comfort Keepers provide you or a loved one in-home assistance that may include:

• companionship
• meal preparation
• transportation to doctor appointments or other commitments
• light housekeeping
• in-home safety technology

Click here for a complete list of services

Caregiver Stress Check

Caregiving can be stressful. Get the help you need. Are you a caregiver for someone with a disabling condition such as Alzheimer's? Do you feel overwhelmed? You may be putting your own health at risk. Take our Caregiver Stress Check, and then get resources from the Alzheimer's Association that can help.

Download 10 Ways to Help a Family Living with Alzheimer's
Order the Caregiver Notebook
Download 10 Ways to Be a Healthier Caregiver

101 ways to spend time with a person with Alzheimer’s disease

Listen to music . . . Toss a ball . . . Color pictures . . . Make homemade lemonade . . . String beads . . . Take photos of the person and you and create a collage . . . Plant seeds indoors or outdoors . . . Look at family photographs . . . Fold laundry . . . Cut pictures out of greeting cards or magazines . . . Play dominoes . . . Invite the person to tell you more when he or she talks about a memory . . . Make a Valentine card . . . Ask the person about his or her brothers or sisters . . . Find more ideas on the Alzheimer's Association web site.

Additional resources from AA:

Best ways to interact with the person with dementia
How to respond when dementia causes unpredictable behaviors

Get to Know: Sarah Care adult day care centers

Sarah Care creates a vibrant and social community for your loved one to enjoy their day while receiving the care they need. "Because our care is provided in centers with a specially trained staff, we can handle your loved ones complex health-related needs."

Get to Know: Elder Law Solutions

This division of Plachta, Murphy & Associates, PC, provides solutions for estate planning, government benefits, guardianships and conservatorships, family caregiver agreements, financial planning, advocacy issues, and elder care resources. "Our mission is to provide a professional circle of care around seniors and those who care for them as they transition into retirement, caregiving, and life's later stages."

Beatitudes for Special People

BLESSED ARE YOU who help us with the graciousness of Christ, for often we need the help we cannot ask for.

BLESSED ARE YOU when, by all things, you assure us that what makes us individuals is not our particular disability or difficulty but our beautiful God-given personhood which no handicapping condition can confine.

REJOICE AND BE EXCEEDINGLY GLAD for your understanding and love have opened doors for us to enjoy life to its full and you have helped us believe in ourselves as valued and gifted people.

Attributed to Rabbi Lionel Blue; read more here. But after a little more checking (6/23/10), I've learned it may be attributable to Marjorie Chappell or Robert Perske. Still checking.

Third of doctors act to shorten lives of dying

Around a third of [UK] doctors say they have given drugs to terminally ill patients or withdrawn treatment, knowing or intending that it would shorten their life, research reveals. A study of doctors in charge of the last hours of almost 3,000 people finds decisions almost always have to be made on whether to give drugs to relieve pain that could shorten life and whether to continue resuscitation and artificial feeding. In 211 cases (7.4%), doctors say they gave drugs or stopped treatment to speed the patient's death. In 825 cases (28.9%), doctors made a decision on treatment that they knew would probably or certainly hasten death. One in 10 patients asked their doctor to help them die faster. Guardian

Switzerland aims to stop 'suicide tourism'

The Swiss government has laid out plans to tighten rules on assisted suicide in a bid to prevent abuse by organisations like the Dignitas clinic offering euthanasia. In one of two options suggested, it tabled an outright ban on organizations offering assisted suicide, although it made clear that it preferred a second option of imposing more stringent rules on such organizations. Telegraph

Bobby Schindler wants to abolish the PVS diagnosis

Because of the suffering my sister and others endured that I believe the PVS diagnosis must be either reevaluated or completely abolished. With so many medical and neurological professionals admitting that there are inaccuracies and with the diagnosis being a death sentence, it is time to rethink disability and the way we regard it and our fellow human beings. Secondhand Smoke

They Really, Really Want To Kill For Organs

For years bioethicists have said removing unwanted life support isn’t killing. And they are right, since death comes from the underlying disease. But now, it is because we want more organs? This is surreal. Here is what is going on: The very crowdwho assured us that brain death was dead, are now saying it isn’t. And the reason for both arguments is the same–to increase the supply of organs. But if brain dead isn’t dead, the only ethical answer is to stop killing patients, not find new ones to terminate. Secondhand Smoke, part 2

Light Touch Helps Grip of MS Patients

People with MS use excessive force when lifting objects, which can lead to fatigue and make everyday tasks difficult, physical therapists from the University of Illinois at Chicago explained in a school news release. Using the finger of the opposite hand to apply a gentle touch to the affected hand may help improve control and coordination, they stated. The study included eight adults with MS who were asked to grip and lift a variety of objects and move them in several different ways, directions and velocities. When they used the gentle finger touch, the force of their grip was reduced and the task became easier. Everyday Health

Get to Know: GriefShare

GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. You don’t have to go through the grieving process alone. GriefShare seminars and support groups are led by people who understand what you are going through and want to help. You’ll gain access to valuable GriefShare resources to help you recover from your loss and look forward to rebuilding your life. There are thousands of GriefShare grief recovery support groups meeting throughout the US, Canada and in over 10 other countries. There’s one meeting near you! Sign up to receive daily emails for your season of grief.

LIFT Caregiver Summit recap

We're still unpacking from the conference this past weekend and have yet to evaluate the evaluations, but we're praising God that everything went smoothly and that people were encouraged. We'll have recordings of the sessions available soon for order. Watch this space for information on that and also for highlights from the exhibitors.

End of Life Care Should Not End Life

As talk of "death panels" and "rationing" stirs debate over the government's proper role in health care, two new studies funded by the National Institutes of Health are lending new weight to the argument that, when it comes to providing end-of-life care for the elderly and terminally ill, sometimes less is better. The studies, featured in the New England Journal of Medicine, document how certain medical therapies implemented in the final months of a patient's life often cause emotional and physical stress and pain, effectively negating any positive benefits associated with such treatments. However, those worried that a government takeover of health care will result in health care rationing view these studies with alarm. LifeNews

Educate Yourself About the Major Healthcare Reform Proposals

The Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit, private foundation that focuses on the major healthcare issues facing the U.S., now offers an interactive side-by-side health reform comparison tool on its Web site. The tool allows users to compare the leading comprehensive reform proposals put forth by the president and members of Congress. The Foundation will continue to update the tool to reflect major new proposals and any significant changes to the plans already introduced.

Free Teleclass: Learn How to Prevent Medication Mishaps

"Safe & Sound: How to Prevent Medication Mishaps" will be offered on Thursday, November 12, at 2 p.m. EST. This free teleclass/webinar will help you understand when medication problems are most likely to occur and what you can do to prevent them. There are approximately 100,000 deaths each year due to adverse drug reactions. This teleclass/webinar will give you the tools you need to minimize the possibility that you or your loved one will experience an adverse medication event. Sign up today - and please pass this along to your family and friends.

Are You Prepared for the H1N1 Flu?

Like the seasonal flu, family caregivers must take special precautions when it comes to guarding against the H1N1 (swine) flu because your loved ones may be at higher risk for more serious complications from the flu than the population at large. The CDC recommends that those with chronic medical conditions as well as their family caregivers receive the seasonal flu vaccine annually. In addition, young people as well as younger and middle-aged adults with chronic medical conditions are at the top of the priority list when it comes to receiving the H1N1 flu vaccine, which is scheduled to become available in mid- to late-October. Flu.gov

See also: Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home

Get Answers to Your Medicare Questions

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has an entire section of its Web site devoted to providing caregiver information. You can get help with billing questions, file a claim, find sources of financial and legal help, learn about care options, and more. You can even sign up to receive Medicare's e-Newsletter, "Ask Medicare," so that you get the latest news from Medicare delivered right to your Inbox. Medicare.gov

November is National Family Caregivers Month

NFC Month is organized annually by the National Family Caregivers Association as a time each year to thank, support, educate and empower family caregivers. "This year we are encouraging people to speak up during National Family Caregivers Month,"said Suzanne Mintz, NFCA president and CEO. "One of the most important attributes of being an advocate for your loved one is the willingness and the ability to speak up and keep your eye on the ultimate goal, protecting not only the health and safety of your loved ones, but your own as well."

• How to get NFC Month into the Media (newspapers, TV, radio, web)
• How to Celebrate NFC Month in your Community or Organization
• How to Recognize NFC Month in Houses of Worship
• Top 10 Ways to Celebrate National Family Caregivers Month

Proven: The ‘Right to Health Care’ Leads to Denial of Care

As government health-care budgets inevitably spiral out of control, hospitals find themselves with insufficient resources, so a centralized health-care bureaucracy tries to control costs by making sure patients are granted or denied care according to predetermined rules drafted by a medical rationing board. Britain has one, the National Institutes for Health and Clinical Excellence, known by the Orwellian acronym NICE—and President Obama wants to create a similar board in the US to provide "guidance" about which treatments are "cost-effective" and should be allowed.

In such a system, the patient has little or no control precisely because he is not the one paying the bills, so no one has to listen to him. That's what happens when people surrender their actual right to health-care, the right to contract for it privately with doctors and insurance companies, in exchange for an illusory "right" to whatever care the government chooses to provide—or withhold. JWR

Another great moment in nationalized health care: 3,000 NHS staff get private care

The [UK] National Health Service has spent £1.5m paying for hundreds of its staff to have private health treatment so they can leapfrog their own waiting lists. More than 3,000 staff, including doctors and nurses, have gone private at the taxpayers’ expense in the past three years because the queues at the clinics and hospitals where they work are too long. Times Online

Staying Positive After an Alzheimer's Diagnosis

If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, you may feel lost as to how to proceed with your life. Learn how to stay in a positive frame of mind. Everyday Health

Common Injuries Among Older Adults

Older adults are at higher risk for fall-related injuries, some of which can increase the likelihood of death. Learn more about them so you can protect yourself and others. Everyday Health

Advanced dementia viewed as terminal illness

Advanced dementia is a terminal illness and should be viewed as such, researchers conclude in a report released Wednesday. Infections and eating problems are common and often herald the final states of life for these patients. Unfortunately, many of patients with advanced dementia suffer through burdensome medical interventions of questionable benefit as they approach the end-of-life. What they really need is hospice or "comfort" care. Reuters

Doctor Refused Care to Baby Girl Born at 22 Weeks

Necie Franklin of Flowood, Mississippi, told LifeSiteNews.com that Dr. Kenny Robbins of River Oaks Hospital refused to treat daughter Jessa Mackenzie after she was born suddenly in May, because she was three days shy of 23 weeks gestation - at which point he would have considered treating her at the hospital's Level II neonatal intensive care unit. She says Jessa's heart beat for about an hour and a half before she died, during which time the family pleaded for treatment, to no avail.

Dr. Robbins said "resuscitation was not indicated" for Jessa. Only after 23 weeks would parents be allowed to choose whether to permit resuscitation, said Robbins, "because outcomes are very poor in this age range and even those who survive have a high risk of permanent complications."

Dr. Paul Byrne, M.D., the Director of Pediatrics and Neonatology at St. Charles Mercy Hospital in Oregon, Ohio, disagrees. "There is no specific gestational age at which a baby cannot survive outside the uterus." He has known of infants as young as 18 weeks' gestation to survive. The limiting factor is related to whether the baby's trachea is large enough to allow a 2.5 millimeter tube to be inserted to aid breathing. Byrne said that Robbins' use of the term "potentially viable" was "not the correct approach."

AARP Is Hopelessly Liberal (And Against the Values of Most Seniors)

AARP’s recent support for Obamacare demonstrates once again the fact that it does not represent the core values of most retired persons. Muted but straight out hostility might be a better description. Life Issues

More great moments in socialized medicine: Pathway for the elderly that leads to legal execution

At around 4 am on Monday, a friend was woken by a call from the private care home in south-west London where her 98-year-old grandmother is resident. "Mrs ------- has breathing difficulties," the night manager told her. "She needs oxygen. Shall we call an ambulance? . . . She needs to go to hospital. Do you want that? Or would you prefer that we make her comfortable?" But being "made comfortable" is no longer the reassuring euphemism it once was. Telegraph

Born with half a brain, woman living full life

Michelle Mack has turned medical thinking upside down. Born with only half a brain, Mack can speak normally, graduated from high school and has an uncanny knack for dates. At 27, doctors determined that the right side of her brain had essentially rewired itself to make up for function that was likely lost during a pre-birth stroke. Now 37, she lives with her mother and father, and works from home doing data entry for her church. She is fairly independent, pays rent and can do most household chores. She realizes she'll need help for the rest of her life but wanted to tell her story to make it clear that she is not helpless. "I wanted to do this so people . . . learn about people like me," she said, "that I'm normal but have special needs, and that there are a lot people like me, so that they could be more understanding." CNN

'Sole caretaker' admits pushing wife, leading to her death

A man charged with killing his 70-year-old wife admitted pushing her down out of frustration that she wouldn't clean herself. The victim, Ella Comella, has suffered dementia for several years, and her 73-year-old husband, Agostino Comella, admitted to police that he had grown "increasingly frustrated being the sole caretaker and provider for his wife," according to an arrest warrant affidavit. WOOD TV

There's still time . . . and plenty of room!

There’s still time to register for the LIFT Caregiver Summit! And still room for you. If you’ve already registered, download the poster or forward on the link to the brochure to your friends and colleagues. Please help us promote the event! If you have questions, call or email Sharlene: (616) 257-6800, 1-800-968-6086.

Performance art highlights discrimination against the disabled

Disabled artist Liz Crow took to Trafalgar Square wearing a Nazi uniform. According to Disability Arts Online: "Crow's thoughtful piece of work was designed to draw attention to the Nazi programme of killing disabled people, which provided the blueprint for the 'Final Solution'. Crow sees this as having strong current relevance in the context of discussion about pre-natal screenings and assisted suicide." Mad World

Short Cuts on Daily Tasks to Save Time and Energy

Chronic pain blogger Sue Falkner-Wood shares some of the strategies she uses to make everyday tasks more manageable. Everyday Health

Drop Dementia Risk with This Protein

Imagine a brain so uncertain, you have to rely on others to tell you what to do and when to do it. Now imagine a protein source that helps you avoid that scenario. The source? Fish. A recent study suggests that eating fish a few times a week may reduce dementia risk by as much as 19 percent! Real Age

Life Expectancy in the United States is Increasing

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, life expectancy in the United States as of 2007 averaged 77.9 years, an all time high. Life expectancy for men hit 75.3 years and 80.4 years for women, both record highs for each sex. These figures show that life expectancy has increased 1.4 years in the 10 years since 1997. Everyday Health

More great moments in socialized medicine

A plumber horribly broke his arm 10 months ago and is still waiting for surgery to repair it. Torron Eeles busted his left humerus bone leaving it grotesquely out of shape when he fell down stairs. Today he slammed the NHS for "unacceptable" delays - claiming they have cancelled four separate operations. His arm hangs limply by his side meaning Torron cannot work for a living and now faces the prospect of losing his home. The Sun

Thousands of NHS patients with previously untreatable rheumatoid arthritis could be denied a new 'smart' drug to ease their agony because it is too expensive. . . . The drug has been licensed throughout Europe, but the cost has led the Government's rationing body to issue a preliminary rejection of its use by NHS patients in England. Daily Mail

The Health Benefits of Laughter

Proverbs 17:22 - "A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones."

Laughter is a key component of a happy life and it has powerful physical and mental benefits. No matter what you're facing, you can learn to laugh and benefit from its healing ways. Everyday Health, Science Daily, Clean Joke of the Day

CT doctors file suit to allow assisted suicide

Two southwestern Connecticut doctors said Wednesday that they are suing the state to allow them to provide "aid in dying" for mentally competent, terminally ill patients. Dr. Gary Blick, a Norwalk physician, and Dr. Ron Levine, of Greenwich, said during a news conference in the state Capitol that "terminal sedation," the only legal treatment for them to offer, is inappropriate. Connecticut Post

Whose Right to Die?

In this 1997 article, Ezekiel Emanuel, President Obama's healthcare advisor, seems to spell out why he opposes assisted suicide and involuntary euthanasia. In the end, however, he argues that "in exceptional cases interventions are appropriate, as acts of desperation." There's probably not a single case that could not be deemed exceptional. The Atlantic

Great moments in socialized medicine: Grandmother dies of ovarian cancer after being sent home FIVE times

Barbara Collins, 68, was bed ridden for months with agonising pain and bowel problems, classic signs of the killer disease, but sent home with only laxatives. The mother of four was correctly diagnosed with ovarian cancer a staggering four months after her first visit to Manchester Royal Infirmary, and died 10 days later. Daily Mail

Alzheimer's Disease Stages

There are typically seven stages of Alzheimer's disease. As a caregiver, do you know what to expect? Everyday Health

Tender Loving Care for Dry Skin

Dry, itchy skin is a common side effect of both chemotherapy and radiation — simple care tips can help. Everyday Health

End-of-Life Decisions in Dutch Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Study in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine:

Setting: The 10 neonatal intensive care units in the Netherlands from October 2005 to September 2006.

Patients: All 367 newborn infants who died in the first 2 months of life in Dutch neonatal intensive care units. Adequate documentation was available in 359 deaths.

Results: An end-of-life decision preceded death in 95% of cases, and in 5% treatment was continued until death. Of all of the deaths, 58% were classified as having no chance of survival and 42% were stabilized newborns with poor prognoses. Withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy was the main mode of death in both groups. One case of deliberate ending of life was found. In 92% of newborns with poor prognoses, end-of-life decisions were based on patients' future quality of life and mainly concerned future suffering. Considerations regarding the infant's present state were made in 44% of infants.

Conclusions: Virtually all deaths in Dutch neonatal intensive care units are preceded by the decision to withdraw life-sustaining treatment and many decisions are based on future quality of life. The decision to deliberately end the life of a newborn may occur less frequently than was previously assumed.

Editor: The main researcher, Dr. Eduard Verhagen, has spoken about his experiences as a doctor who administers lethal injections to babies in this Times Online article: 'In the baby's last seconds you see the pain relax and then they fall asleep.' How objective is he in this study? And how does he differentiate between 'deliberate ending of life' and 'withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy'? See also Conflicts About End-of-Life Decisions in NICUs in the Netherlands.

How to Be a Friend During a Health Crisis

Someone you know is dealing with a serious health issue — what can you do to help? Our Organized Care giver blogger offers her advice. Everyday Health

Protecting Your Patient in the Hospital

Overworked caregivers in hospitals and inexperienced medical staff can be at the root of hospita l errors. Lynda Shrager gives tips on how to be vigilant so that mistakes are not made on your patient. Everyday Health

Family of suicidal woman to sue hospital

The parents of Kerrie Wooltorton, 26, are also calling for an urgent change in the law to stop rules which gave the terminally ill the right to decline treatment being used by those wanting to kill themselves. Wooltorton swallowed anti-freeze and presented a suicide note asking doctors not to save her life. The doctors followed her request, claiming that her wishes were legally binding. Telegraph

Is there an essential difference between suicide and assisted suicide?

About 32,000 suicides occur in the United States each year, but a new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that many more give the idea serious thought. In the face of all of this despair, what is the message of the assisted suicide movement? That killing yourself is a right and proper means of ending your suffering. Some advocates say this is “only” for the terminally ill. But suffering people are not going to hear the message that suicide is okay–but only if you have cancer. Secondhand Smoke

Health bill's deadly fine print

During the continuous, extensive coverage of this proposed legislation, there has been only very limited mention – and none I've seen in the mainstream press – of a section that penalizes doctors for Medicare patients who, for at least five years (from 2015 to 2020), authorize total treatments that wind up in the top 10 percent of national annual Medicare costs per patient. The 1 in 10 Medicare doctors who spend beyond this limit will themselves lose 5 percent of their own total Medicare reimbursements. Considering the already low rates Medicare doctors get – and the president pledges they will get lower – this could be a heavy penalty. Nat Hentoff