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November is National Family Caregiver’s Month- A Time for Recognition

November is National Family Caregiver’s Month. The goal is to bring awareness to caregiving and highlight the role that many play daily. The theme for 2017 is Caregiving Around the Clock and is spearheaded by The Caregiver Action Network . We often associate November with Thanksgiving and I think it’s a great month to give thanks to all who do so much to help those close to us in need of assistance whether it’s helping a senior recuperating from an illness or managing through the daily effects of the aging process or caring for a special needs child and even for the everyday deeds of family management. So let me be the first to tell you thank you this month if you are a caregiver for all that you do

It is often a 24/7 job that has a lot of responsibilities at any given moment.

Let’s take a peek inside of a typical caregiver’s day:

You may be making sure your family and your loved one has what they need before going off to work. That would entail making sure that they have what they need to last them throughout the day such as food and medications. During the day, you may find yourself scheduling doctor’s appointments for making follow up calls or checking in on your loved one during your lunch break. In the evening you may be returning home from work and are now challenged with getting dinners on the table and being torn with spending quality time with family. You must remember to eat too even though you are caring for others – that’s how you can maintain a level of endurance to go on! When night falls, it’s important to get some rest – I’m often challenged by this as this is the one time that it’s quite and the house is still so it’s tempting to stay up late to catch a little bit of respite time. However, it’s important that you get sleep and that’s how your body will recuperate and recharge. Occasionally, you may be met with a night time interruption, hopefully it isn’t a regular occurrence but be prepared just in case you have to go with essentials in a bag such as a list of medications and a medical history in case you have to run to the ER so you can best serve emergency medical staff.

Doesn’t this seem like a jam packed day? Over 90 million Americans provide some sort of unpaid support for those with chronic illnesses or conditions dealing with the elderly, special needs children and wounded soldiers on top of managing the household of their able bodied families.

So what can you do as a caregiver or a family member?

As a caregiver you can:

Try to plan as much as you can in advance to prep for your upcoming week.
Utilize technology such as your smart phone to keep on top of appointments and set reminders. – Don’t fully rely on your memory to keep track of your family’s events or your loved one’s appointments. – Give yourself some grace.
Make sure you get some respite time – which can be a 5-10 minute break or getting to bed early enough so that you can get much needed rest to have energy for the next day’s activities.

As a family member or friend you can:

Offer a helping hand – prepare a meal, or take a loved one to that doctor appointment so the primary caregiver can have a break.
Check in – whether you live near or far a friendly call asking how the caregiver is doing can do wonders. Of course check to see how your loved one is doing but don’t forget to ask the caregiver is doing and engage in conversation with them that is not centered on their caregiving duties.
Offer some relief – agree to sit with their loved one while they go out and run some errands or have some “me” time.

As you can see, everyone has a role in the family. By incorporating these few small gestures, it acknowledges the hard work that a caregiver puts in, which is often round the clock, and lets them feel appreciated.

Stay tuned -For this month stay tuned, I’ll be sharing a lot more articles including tips and resources to bring further awareness and assist those on a caregiving journey.

Being Kept in the Light – What Lawmakers Are Doing for You by Passing the Caregiver Act

You may or may not be caring for an elderly parent. Your spouse or perhaps your child may be sick and in need of a hospital stay. These are all situations that we hope don’t happen but unfortunately they can. When and if they do happen you may not be thinking of next steps or what to do next when they finally get to come home after hopefully a short hospital stay.

Recently a coworker was rushed to the hospital from work. Can you imagine coming into work feeling fine and then later on symptoms pop up out of nowhere? Next thing you know you are being whisked off to the hospital and then needing emergency surgery? You wouldn’t think that this is how your day would end right?

But imagine being on the other end of that phone call from a strange number – a coworker or hospital personnel calling to notify you that your loved one is ill and you need to come right away. I’ve been on the other end of those calls for both my Mom and my Dad. I can tell you that it’s not fun but as an only child it’s what I had to do. I was honored to be there in that way for my parents. Luckily I’ve been able to set things up to be their healthcare proxy. Did you know that as an adult child you’d have to be designated as a proxy or listed as a contact by your parent so the hospital can share information with you? HIPPA privacy laws were established to protect the privacy of patient health records. However, this may prevent the doctors or facilities from disclosing that information to you. Each day, millions of Americans are caring for parents, spouses, children and adults with disabilities and other loved ones and they don’t have to be informed about patients care needs. Do you know your rights?

An important bill called The Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act (aka Raise Family Caregivers Act) went into effect January 1, 2017.

So what does this mean? Well in my experience I’ve always been the point of contact for my parents and I’ve always been involved in their care. While this has not been my experience, some hospitals send unsuspecting patients home without help or without instructions on what they need to do next after their stay. Did you know that your parents or loved ones are not required to designate caregivers, and caregivers are not obligated to perform after-care tasks for them? However, we all know that if they need assistance you’ll be right there to help them out. While some patients may be self-sufficient and capable, others are not and need the help. Even if they don’t need tons of assistance, someone else should be aware of things just in case. This bill just reinforces the fact that the facility or hospital will need to disclose important information to you if the patient authorizes.

Simply Put – The 3 main provisions of this act:

When a patient enters the hospital, the name of a family member or other designated person must be recorded and included in the patient’s discharge plan.
The hospital must notify the caregiver when they are ready to be discharged.
They hospital must inform you of what needs to be done and show you what to do once the patient returns home – i.e. wound care, medication management, injections, and transfers.

More than 30 states, including my home state of NY, have adopted this bill. It seems like a relatively simple provision, but how many people were not informed and had no clue of what to do when their loved one got home. Knowing your rights and what you can do can help limit readmission to the hospital. As you become more knowledgeable you develop into the best advocate for your loved one.

So My Mom Got a Letter About a Data Breach – Top 3 Things I learned That You Should Do Next

So my Mom got a letter in the mail apologizing to her regarding a recent data breach from her long term care plan. No – this wasn’t related to the latest Equifax data breach but apparently her medical information and personal data were compromised. Ok great- here we go again! We’ve all been the victims of breaches or compromises in the past – major retailers like Target and Home Depot have hit several million people including myself, some health insurers such as Anthem and even our US government have been hacked leaving much of our personal details openly exposed and leaving us vulnerable. Who would have thought that those large companies and institutions like Equifax that are geared toward tracking our credit histories and behaviors would be involved in a massive breach! Folks it seems like it doesn’t matter, if you are breathing, alive and have a pulse, you may have been affected by some type of data compromise. Someone is always watching and mining data. Yeah… I know that you are wondering -what can I do???

I can’t really say that there’s much you can do to prevent it because all of our data is readily out there and shared by many outlets. Just do a google search and any of these services can tell you who your relatives are for a small fee –anyone can get their hands on your info. If you subscribe to magazines, have a credit card, an email address or just live your daily life – you have data that somebody wants! We pray that someone will only use it for good once they have it but not everyone has the best of intentions. As a caregiver, it’s your job to serve and protect your loved one right? I know you’re saying awe c’mon Denise – not something else that I have to do. Well I’m sorry to say that yes you do, but I promise you that it’s simple and not that labor intensive. You can follow the few simple steps to protect your loved one. Chances are that you are managing their affairs anyway and hopefully they are under strict orders (like what I’ve given my Mom – most of the time she listens ..lol) not to authorize something unless you give the ok right? If not, that’s a conversation you need to have and we can chat about that a little later. It’s important that you stay on top of your loved one’s accounts because if something happens you’ll be handling it later.

Here’s 3 things that you can do now to protect your loved one’s important info along with yours. Once you’re done follow the steps to protect yourself too!

Contact the 3 major credit bureaus:

Equifax, PO Box 74021, Atlanta, GA 30374, www.equifax.com 1-800-685-1111
Experian, PO Box 2104, Allen, TX 75013, www.experian.com, 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion, PO Box 2000, Chester, PA 19022, www.transunion.com, 1-800-888-4213

Fraud Alert: You can place a fraud alert by calling one of the above credit bureaus. It tells creditors to contact you before they can change or open any new accounts. While it protects you, be mindful that it can delay any applications that you actually initiate when you seek new credit. However, I’d consider that to be a minor inconvenience when it comes to having protected measures on your account. Note that a fraud alert is only good for 90 days and is renewable. You may place an extended fraud alert which lasts for 7 years, however it requires a police report and an identity theft report. With the extended report, companies must remove your name from marketing lists for prescreened credit offers for 5 years unless you ask them to put your name back on the list.
Security Freeze: You can place a security freeze which prevents credit, loans and services from being approved in your name without your consent. There are 3 ways that you can do this: online, automated phone line, or via a written request to any of the above credit bureaus. There is a fee but it may be waived if you are the victim of identity theft and have submitted a complaint to a law enforcement agency or reported it to the credit reporting agencies. Be sure to have the following info on hand:
1. Full name with middle initial and any suffixes
2. Social Security number
3. Date of birth
4. Current address and any address for the previous 5 years
5. Any incident report or complaint with a law enforcement agency or DMV
6. Copy of a government issued identification
7. Recent utility bill or bank or insurance statement

Check your reports for free at www.annualcreditreport.com: You can check your reports for free at each of the three credit bureaus once a year through this site or you can call 1-877-322-8228. I recommend staggering them throughout the year – every 4 months request a free report from a different bureau. Request one today and mark off the date and in 4 months request one from the next credit bureau. At the same time each year expect to request a new report. This will help you to be on the alert for incidents of fraud and identity theft. Remember to review your account statements and monitor your credit report for unauthorized activity.

Be aware of any potential scams: Expect an influx of calls, emails, and keep an eye on your sensitive data sent through the mail.

Be aware of the web: For emails – don’t open any attachments or click on any links and be very wary of emails from anyone that you don’t know. If an email arrives from XYZ bank, take the extra step and access your account outside of that email in a separate browser tab. Don’t fall for the ransom emails or those claiming that they need help asking you to send money and your banking details to access it. These emails are often plagued with poor grammar and spelling.
Be aware of scam phone calls: Unfortunately the Do Not Call Registry does not help. It was intended to stop unwanted calls but somehow they still make their way through thanks to robo callers (computer generated automatic calls) and companies that intend to get you to sign up for services or want you to believe that they are legitimate by asking for you by your first and/or last name – no we are not old familiar friends. Now scammers are texting and calling – don’t respond or call/text back unfamiliar numbers as you may be opening the door to getting hacked and giving access to your information.
Shred all documents – Any credit card offers, receipts, medical EOBs (explanation of benefits), bills – anything that you no longer need that has your name, address, or any other sensitive information on it must be shredded. Don’t risk tearing it up and just throwing it in the trash.

Unfortunately, this is just a sign of the times that we live in. There are individuals out there that have goals to rob and steal rather than get things the old fashioned way for themselves through hard work and integrity. I want to encourage you not to worry. Be vigilant and proactive – follow the tips above and you can at least try to stay a step ahead by protecting your identity as you keep a closer watch on the accounts of those who you are caring for and yourself.

Remember you are on the frontlines and are the best advocate!

Until next time-

Be Well,

Denise

Are you ready to cast your vote?

Election time is coming! Everyone’s vote counts as you can see by what happened in the past presidential election. –We won’t get political but I just want to remind you that it’s important to cast your vote. It doesn’t matter what your party affiliation is, but it’s important that everyone who is eligible gets to vote. You may be thinking why bother – it’s not going to do me any good anyway! My parents used to think like that, but I reminded them that the elected officials really do have an impact on things concerning them. Critical issues that directly affect them including cuts to Medicare, the ACA and supplemental health coverage and other benefits affecting the elderly and the sick. Considering that my parents each have had extended stays in the hospital and needed care, it became a very important issue that we must keep on top of.

My Mom’s absentee ballot arrived in the mail last week. I signed up for this years ago, and it comes automatically for each election – primaries and general elections. It reminded me that this is something that everyone who’s caring for an elder should consider for them as well. If the loved one that you are caring for isn’t able to get to the polls, consider requesting an absentee ballot for them. The primary elections may be over but the November ballots are important, especially for these interim elections securing seats for those who will be representing you in your city and in Washington. There’s a lot of changes happening with regard to caregiver and eldercare legislation and you ought to be sure that your needs are being considered. Healthcare reform is a hot button issue and other rights are being discussed every day. Be sure that you are in on that conversation! Don’t wait until it’s too late. You should have received your voting registration details by now. If you haven’t contact your local state board of elections.

You can go to www.usa.gov/register-to-vote where you’ll find:

Deadlines
Info allowing you to check the status or find changes to your voter registration

If you or your love one are unable to make it physically into your local polling place consider signing up for an absentee ballot.

Visit www.usa.gov/absentee-voting:

Get the form for your state by either finding your state or local election office’s website and looking for “Absentee Voting” or “Vote by Mail” or entering those terms in the search box. You can also visit this directory to find your local election site and you can also apply online!
Note that each state has different requirements and may require you to have a reasonable excuse for voting as an “absentee” according to usa.gov/absentee-voting these may include:
- Having an illness, injury, or disability that prevents you from getting to your local polling place
- Being on business travel or vacation outside of your county or city of residence on Election Day
- Being a student at an out-of-state college or university
Mark the absentee ballot application deadline it in your calendar and note the date you expect to receive the ballot after sending the application.
Most importantly, fill it out as soon as you receive it and drop it in your mail box. Be sure to note the date that it needs to reach the board of elections to ensure that your vote gets counted!

I want to be sure that you are informed and aware of your options. With everything going on today, we must be our own advocates and let those we elect represent our concerns. Feel free to let me know if you were able to get an absentee ballot.

Until next time..

Be Well,

Denise

#OperationSimplify – Tips for Getting Your Life Organized

One of the fundamental laws is that life flows in cycles….

At some point:

What goes up must come down
What was smooth may become bumpy
What was straight will become crooked
What was neat will become a mess

Unlike what the Ronco Rotisserie (Which I love by the way and I use it often to make a scrumptious juicy rotisserie chicken!) wants you to believe is that you can’t continuously live on autopilot with a “set and forget” it mentality. You eventually have to look at the chicken to make sure it continuously spins and doesn’t burn against the hot coils or that it somehow hasn’t fallen off the spinning mechanism.

Do you want to know how I know – It’s because I’ve done it. You’ve put systems in place and let it go. Now as a caregiver it really does work, but you have to check in on your systems periodically and basically tweak as you go. There’s always a chance for something to go awry but know that you can handle it and you’ll always be able to bounce back! Just expect and accept that things may not go as you planned all of the time.

#OperationSimplify is a lifestyle.

The more we move toward a state of acceptance and move to simplify our lives of everything whether it is physical clutter – clothing, paper, old stuff that takes up space in our environment or mental or emotional clutter – holding on to past hurts, grudges or fears. We can overcome these challenges that come up in life with deliberate action and knowing that we can always begin again from wherever we are. I challenge you to make a commitment to yourself to simplify your life in all areas.

What can you improve financially?
Are you happy in your career or profession?
What would you like to change in your relationships with family, kids, spouse, and friends?
What’s something new that you would like to learn?
Do your parents need help?

As I said before, the main the thing is that everything moves in cycles.

This is why we need to check in and schedule an appointment with ourselves.

In this ongoing #operationsimplify series, we’ll explore various projects to get and keep your life in order. We can only Be Well and Be Swell and maintain a life filled with joy if we are intentional about it!

Stay tuned!

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#OperationSimplify is a lifestyle.

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