Some readers have asked me to republish some of my more popular older posts. This article, first published in July, 2008, is about the best way for caregivers of parents and spouses to use Google and other internet search engines to find quality services for their elderly loved ones with dementia.
No matter which dementia is involved (Alzheimer’s disease, senile dementia, pick’s disease, lewy body dementia, frontal temporal lobe dementia, vascular dementia, Parkinson's disease—to name just a few of the dozens of dementias that we know about), the keywords used in the research will make all the difference.
Of course. a “keyword” is a word or phrase that is entered into the search box of Google, Yahoo, Ask, and other search engine sites to prompt them to report links to relevant websites. The following paragraphs use popular keywords (IN CAPS) that usually generate multiple links to comprehensive sources of major information for Alzheimer’s Disease caregivers and related dementia sufferers.
CARE ASSESSMENT—This phrase will be helpful to caregivers who seek professional guidance about how best to meet their loved ones’ care needs.
ASSISTED LIVING—You are a caregiver to an elderly parent or spouse and you know your loved one can no longer live independently. But how to choose a proper structured and safe assisted living home for him or her? Pundits have said that “if you’ve seen one assisted living home, you’ve seen one assisted living home.” In other words, while there are some common elements among them, they are all different. There’s the medical model, the social work model, the luxury model, the economy model, the nursing model, the NORC (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community), and many variations on these themes. This keyword (i.e. Assisted Living) will get you started on your important search for the right program for your loved one.
CAREGIVER BURNOUT: This phrase describes a common feeling of helplessness and frustration among caregivers dealing with endless demands upon their time, energy, emotions, finances and patience.
CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUPS: Many caregivers cope with the loneliness and isolation of their situations by joining real or virtual support groups. The internet can help them find an appropriate group.
ELDERCARE: This keyword will help the researcher to identify a variety of resources available to assist with the caregiving of aging parents or spouses with dementia.
SKILLED NURSING—or skilled nursing homes—or skilled nursing care are all keyword phrases that will lead elderly parent caregivers or spouse caregivers to information about how best to access this level of care for the dementia sufferer.
NURSING HOME RATINGS—When that dreaded moment arrives that nursing home placement for a loved one is imminent, this keyword phrase will lead you to sites that provide information to help you choose the best environment for your elderly loved one. Links to several nursing home rating sites are listed on my website: www.dementia-diary.com.
MEDICAID NURSING HOMES—Medicaid is the national program for financing health care to the poor. The cost of elderly care is so high that many patients run through their savings and are nearly destitute by the time nursing home care is needed. Elderly patients needing skilled nursing care who cannot afford a private nursing home may qualify for Medicaid. While not all nursing homes accept patients on Medicaid, many do. Guidance for families in this situation can be found on the internet by using this keyword phrase.
MEDICARE NURSING HOMES—Medicare is part of our Social Security system and provides financing for medical services to most citizens over the age of 65 regardless of their ability to pay. However, not all nursing homes accept payment from Medicare because that government program is quite limited with respect to long term care benefits. These homes fear that when Medicare benefits run out, they’ll have to continue to provide care without receiving compensation for services rendered. Nevertheless, many nursing homes are open to admitting Medicare patients for at least the short term—and some will permit such patients to remain if they become Medicaid eligible. It’s important to obtain this information up front as you go about researching nursing homes for your loved one.
HOSPICE CARE—Most folks are now familiar with this wonderful care concept for dying patients and their families. It was pioneered in England in the 1960’s, promoted by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s work on death and dying, and is now widely available throughout the United States. Medicare currently pays for most elderly patients requiring hospice care.
BILL PAYING SERVICES—Sloppy bill paying behavior is one of the first things caregivers notice when they see decline in their elderly parents or significant others. This often leads to a search for a commercial bill paying service. Many banks offer this service too. While not exclusively for dementia patients, these services can make it much easier to assist a loved one with dementia to pay his or her bills and eventually, if necessary, to take it over completely.
Do you know of other important keywords? If so, let me know at bobtell@mac.com
Bob Tell
Author "Dementia Diary, A Caregivers Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Encore: Could it be the Dementia?
I've been asked to republish some of my more popular older posts by many of my readers. Here is one called "Could it be the Dementia?" first published in July, 2008.
So...could Mom's behavior be caused by her dementia. I couldn’t tell. I was too close to it. I got mad every time she lashed out at me…or else I felt embarrassed whenever her target was someone else (usually in public places)—or when she over-ate without remembering that she had just eaten—or when she asked the same question over and over and over—or she was physically aggressive—or (you can fill in the blanks with other things that make you crazy).
Every time Mom did something socially unacceptable (I won’t catalogue these things—you know what they are), my anger raged. Afterwards, of course, I felt guilty for getting angry. Well, I didn’t have to feel this way…and neither do you.
Here’s what the social worker told me:
“DEMENTIA IS A DISEASE PROCESS”
“Cool it buddy!” she said. “It’s not about you. It’s about her. It’s a disease process—an illness.” So recognize the wisdom of the social worker’s advice.
Learn to ignore the bizarre behaviors of your loved one and to accept them as “normal” symptoms of dementia disease (and to not take them personally even when they seem to be personal). You’ll be a much happier person and a much better caregiver.
Remember: Your Mom can’t control her dementia symptoms any more than if it were pneumonia, or heart disease, or cancer. Things are happening in her brain that make her do the things that upset you.
Bob Tell,
Author "Dementia Diary, A Caregivers Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com
So...could Mom's behavior be caused by her dementia. I couldn’t tell. I was too close to it. I got mad every time she lashed out at me…or else I felt embarrassed whenever her target was someone else (usually in public places)—or when she over-ate without remembering that she had just eaten—or when she asked the same question over and over and over—or she was physically aggressive—or (you can fill in the blanks with other things that make you crazy).
Every time Mom did something socially unacceptable (I won’t catalogue these things—you know what they are), my anger raged. Afterwards, of course, I felt guilty for getting angry. Well, I didn’t have to feel this way…and neither do you.
Here’s what the social worker told me:
“DEMENTIA IS A DISEASE PROCESS”
“Cool it buddy!” she said. “It’s not about you. It’s about her. It’s a disease process—an illness.” So recognize the wisdom of the social worker’s advice.
Learn to ignore the bizarre behaviors of your loved one and to accept them as “normal” symptoms of dementia disease (and to not take them personally even when they seem to be personal). You’ll be a much happier person and a much better caregiver.
Remember: Your Mom can’t control her dementia symptoms any more than if it were pneumonia, or heart disease, or cancer. Things are happening in her brain that make her do the things that upset you.
Bob Tell,
Author "Dementia Diary, A Caregivers Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Can Memory Problems Be Caused By High Blood Pressure?
A recent article on the ScienceDaily website quotes research from the August 25, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology that suggests “that people with high diastolic blood pressure, which is the bottom number of a blood pressure reading, were more likely to have cognitive impairment, or problems with their memory and thinking skills, than people with normal diastolic readings...High blood pressure is defined as a reading equal to or higher than 140/90 or taking medication for high blood pressure.”
Here’s the website for the full article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090824182430.htm
As my book, “Dementia Diary,” points out, my mother’s disease was a mult-infarct (or vascular) dementia. She had a history of high blood pressure and was not reliable about taking her medications to control it. Did this lapse lead to her cognitive decline. We’ll never know for sure, of course, but the likelihood is that it did.
I seem to have inherited her HBP problem but am compulsive about checking my pressure morning and night at home, and about taking my meds. Better safe than sorry.
Bob Tell
Author, "Dementia-Diary, A Caregiver's Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com
Here’s the website for the full article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090824182430.htm
As my book, “Dementia Diary,” points out, my mother’s disease was a mult-infarct (or vascular) dementia. She had a history of high blood pressure and was not reliable about taking her medications to control it. Did this lapse lead to her cognitive decline. We’ll never know for sure, of course, but the likelihood is that it did.
I seem to have inherited her HBP problem but am compulsive about checking my pressure morning and night at home, and about taking my meds. Better safe than sorry.
Bob Tell
Author, "Dementia-Diary, A Caregiver's Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Frustrated by Medicare Rejections?
About a year ago, I published a popular article on this blog entitled "How To Win A Medicare/HMO Appeal." I was recently asked to repeat it for those readers that might have missed it. Here it is:
"These days, almost every senior has experienced denial of Medicare payment for a legitimate health service by an HMO or other insurer—but you don’t have to passively accept the denial. I didn’t. It was time consuming but persistence usually paid off in reversals of these denials.
When my mother was enrolled in one of those so-called comprehensive health plans for seniors, it seemed as though every doctor she saw and every procedure or treatment provided produced an immediate letter of rejection.
As a result, I had a chance to hone my skills at appealing these actions. I believe that the appeals process may deliberately use cumbersome and bureaucratic procedures with intent to discourage appeals. Faced with this hassle, many folks just give up in disgust and pay the bills out of pocket. This is unfortunate.
My take is that you can get many of these rejections reversed with persistence and a little bit of knowledge. As just one example, how many of you know the following Medicare rule?
The HMO/CMP Manual #2116 states that it is the Health Plan's responsibility to ensure that physicians or providers know whether services are covered by Medicare or by the Plan as an additional or supplemental benefit and that they properly use the authorization system. If the Medicare beneficiary receives services under the direction or authorization of a plan physician and the beneficiary has not been informed that he or she is liable for the costs of such services, then the Health Plan must pay for such services."
This rule can be one of the most important arrows in your quiver. In most cases, a physician orders the medical service being denied without specifically informing the patient (or representative payee) that he or she might have to pay for the service. If they don’t tell you, you don’t have to pay!
This is especially true in senior housing settings where patients may not have the cognitive awareness to understand complex Medicare and insurance rules anyway.
Another truism is that organizations such as health insurers must follow their own procedures to prevail. If they fail to do so for any reason it significantly weakens their case. The good news is that they are often victims of their own complexity and, if you watch carefully, you may catch them diverging from their own procedures. Document this and call them on their failures. Examples of successful letters I have used are available on request. Try it! You’ll be pleased at the results."
Bob Tell
Author, "Dementia-Diary, A Caregiver's Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com
"These days, almost every senior has experienced denial of Medicare payment for a legitimate health service by an HMO or other insurer—but you don’t have to passively accept the denial. I didn’t. It was time consuming but persistence usually paid off in reversals of these denials.
When my mother was enrolled in one of those so-called comprehensive health plans for seniors, it seemed as though every doctor she saw and every procedure or treatment provided produced an immediate letter of rejection.
As a result, I had a chance to hone my skills at appealing these actions. I believe that the appeals process may deliberately use cumbersome and bureaucratic procedures with intent to discourage appeals. Faced with this hassle, many folks just give up in disgust and pay the bills out of pocket. This is unfortunate.
My take is that you can get many of these rejections reversed with persistence and a little bit of knowledge. As just one example, how many of you know the following Medicare rule?
The HMO/CMP Manual #2116 states that it is the Health Plan's responsibility to ensure that physicians or providers know whether services are covered by Medicare or by the Plan as an additional or supplemental benefit and that they properly use the authorization system. If the Medicare beneficiary receives services under the direction or authorization of a plan physician and the beneficiary has not been informed that he or she is liable for the costs of such services, then the Health Plan must pay for such services."
This rule can be one of the most important arrows in your quiver. In most cases, a physician orders the medical service being denied without specifically informing the patient (or representative payee) that he or she might have to pay for the service. If they don’t tell you, you don’t have to pay!
This is especially true in senior housing settings where patients may not have the cognitive awareness to understand complex Medicare and insurance rules anyway.
Another truism is that organizations such as health insurers must follow their own procedures to prevail. If they fail to do so for any reason it significantly weakens their case. The good news is that they are often victims of their own complexity and, if you watch carefully, you may catch them diverging from their own procedures. Document this and call them on their failures. Examples of successful letters I have used are available on request. Try it! You’ll be pleased at the results."
Bob Tell
Author, "Dementia-Diary, A Caregiver's Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Will you forgive a bit of shameless commerce?
As you know, my book "Dementia Diary, A Caregivers Journal" is available on Amazon and Kindle. Many caregivers have purchased it and have written to me about it's help in easing their difficult and heart wrenching burdens. This is very satisfying to me and, of course, my mother would be thrilled (if she were alive and cognitively sound) to know that her own suffering has eased the suffering of others.
Now, a new website sponsored by Scribd (http://www.scribd.com), has made a version of Dementia Diary available for LESS THAN ONE THIRD OF THE PAPERBACK PRICE. I believe that Scribd has the potential to revolutionize the book publishing industry—to do for publishing what iTunes has done for music—and I am excited to have Dementia Diary featured by Scribd.
Many more caregivers can now have access to Dementia Diary. If you are one of these new readers, please let me know how it has helped you with your own caregiving situation. Here's the website:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16422188/
You can click the link to the right under "Bob Tell's Websites."
Best wishes,
Bob Tell
http://bobtell.com
Now, a new website sponsored by Scribd (http://www.scribd.com), has made a version of Dementia Diary available for LESS THAN ONE THIRD OF THE PAPERBACK PRICE. I believe that Scribd has the potential to revolutionize the book publishing industry—to do for publishing what iTunes has done for music—and I am excited to have Dementia Diary featured by Scribd.
Many more caregivers can now have access to Dementia Diary. If you are one of these new readers, please let me know how it has helped you with your own caregiving situation. Here's the website:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16422188/
You can click the link to the right under "Bob Tell's Websites."
Best wishes,
Bob Tell
http://bobtell.com
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Can Statins Help Prevent Dementia?
We all think of statin drugs (like Lovastatin, Crestor, Zocor, Pravachol, etc.) as protecting folks with high cholesterol against heart disease by lowering cholesterol. But what if statins have other good properties? According to an article in the June issue of the "Journal of Alzheimer's Disease," and reported in "Medical News Today," a current study demonstrates "that statins can protect nerve cells against damage which we know to occur in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients." For more details, see the following website:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155083.php
So far, the results have been in animal studies, but it is a hopeful finding that may help in the fight against Alzheimer's and other dementias.
Bob Tell
Author, "Dementia-Diary, A Caregiver's Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155083.php
So far, the results have been in animal studies, but it is a hopeful finding that may help in the fight against Alzheimer's and other dementias.
Bob Tell
Author, "Dementia-Diary, A Caregiver's Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Foundation Announces “Turn Up the Heat on Alzheimer’s” Campaign
The following post is taken from a press release prepared by The Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation which announced it is moving forward with an online campaign to help fund new discoveries into Alzheimer’s disease:
The campaign, titled, “Turn Up the Heat on Alzheimer’s” has a set goal to raise funds and awareness for Nobel laureate Dr. Paul Greengard’s research laboratory in The Rockefeller University, during summer 2009 to help fund Alzheimer’s disease research. This fundraising campaign initiative is being headed by Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation’s President and CEO, Kent Karosen.
“The scientists we fund under the direction of Nobel laureate Dr. Paul Greengard are on the brink of exciting new discoveries. Dr. Greengard has authored almost 1,000 scientific publications. And when he gets excited about a new discovery – so do we. Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease. It robs it victims of their memories in what should be the golden years of their life. The time to act is now,” says Mr. Karosen.
Mr. Karosen has pledged that every dollar raised during the campaign will go directly to Alzheimer’s research.
The “Turn Up the Heat on Alzheimer’s” campaign is a nation-wide Alzheimer’s disease fundraiser reaching out to residents, companies, associations, and the online social network community to pledge their financial support. Opportunities to give to the campaign are available through the website: www.ALZinfo.org/team. Fundraiser’s can upload their own photos, personal message, and set their goal amounts. Users of Facebook Causes and MySpace will be able to add donation badges to their profiles. Preserving Your Memory: The Magazine of Health and Hope will feature the top fundraiser in their fall 2009 issue.
About the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation:
The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation is a leading source of funding for Alzheimer’s research. It serves Alzheimer’s patients and their families to understand the causes of Alzheimer’s, to discover a cure, and to improve the lives of people with the disease. Nobel laureate Dr. Paul Greengard directs the Foundation’s team of internationally renowned scientists, who have been at the forefront of research providing the conceptual framework for understanding Alzheimer’s disease. Information about the Foundation is available at www.ALZinfo.org
For more information about the “Turn Up the Heat on Alzheimer’s” Campaign through the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation and www.ALZinfo.org, please contact Betsey Odell, Vice President for Development, at 646-381-5148 and betsey@alzinfo.org
Bob Tell
Author, "Dementia-Diary, A Caregiver's Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com
The campaign, titled, “Turn Up the Heat on Alzheimer’s” has a set goal to raise funds and awareness for Nobel laureate Dr. Paul Greengard’s research laboratory in The Rockefeller University, during summer 2009 to help fund Alzheimer’s disease research. This fundraising campaign initiative is being headed by Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation’s President and CEO, Kent Karosen.
“The scientists we fund under the direction of Nobel laureate Dr. Paul Greengard are on the brink of exciting new discoveries. Dr. Greengard has authored almost 1,000 scientific publications. And when he gets excited about a new discovery – so do we. Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease. It robs it victims of their memories in what should be the golden years of their life. The time to act is now,” says Mr. Karosen.
Mr. Karosen has pledged that every dollar raised during the campaign will go directly to Alzheimer’s research.
The “Turn Up the Heat on Alzheimer’s” campaign is a nation-wide Alzheimer’s disease fundraiser reaching out to residents, companies, associations, and the online social network community to pledge their financial support. Opportunities to give to the campaign are available through the website: www.ALZinfo.org/team. Fundraiser’s can upload their own photos, personal message, and set their goal amounts. Users of Facebook Causes and MySpace will be able to add donation badges to their profiles. Preserving Your Memory: The Magazine of Health and Hope will feature the top fundraiser in their fall 2009 issue.
About the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation:
The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation is a leading source of funding for Alzheimer’s research. It serves Alzheimer’s patients and their families to understand the causes of Alzheimer’s, to discover a cure, and to improve the lives of people with the disease. Nobel laureate Dr. Paul Greengard directs the Foundation’s team of internationally renowned scientists, who have been at the forefront of research providing the conceptual framework for understanding Alzheimer’s disease. Information about the Foundation is available at www.ALZinfo.org
For more information about the “Turn Up the Heat on Alzheimer’s” Campaign through the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation and www.ALZinfo.org, please contact Betsey Odell, Vice President for Development, at 646-381-5148 and betsey@alzinfo.org
Bob Tell
Author, "Dementia-Diary, A Caregiver's Journal"
http://www.dementia-diary.com
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