August 17, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (2)
 I’ve been absolutely fascinated for years by the highly positive findings around exposing dementia patients to art, both as an observer and as a participant. How amazing that exposure to great and moving art can significantly improve patients’ functioning!
ARTZ offers free, local museum tours designed for Alzheimers/dementia patients. This is the type of activity our caregivers can take clients to, as well as families can explore with their loved ones: http://www.artistsforalzheimers.org/tourschedule.html
(more…)
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August 9, 2010 |
Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (3)
 Fall detection devices can help provide both safety and privacy “A home care agency just showed me how to reduce the cost of home care! Now, how amazing is that?!”
Families are so grateful (if not surprised!) when we help them develop a cost-efficient plan to keep aging parents safe and comfortable in their homes — even when it means fewer hours of in-home care by Caring Companion. Finding effective and safe ways to stretch the care budget is one of the keys to successfully managing elder care for your family. People tend to move from crisis to crisis, addressing each problem independently in a fire drill mode. Sometimes it helps to step back and think in an organized way about what’s needed. And that’s where we always start with each household.
For example, here are the top threats to health and safety of elders living alone: (more…)
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July 15, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (1)
 For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
Our caregivers are often the main shoppers for our clients. As such, we fill a very important role in their lives through maintaining their supplies. In many instances both daily and occasional home “operations” cannot go forward without necessary supplies. If you look at the rhyme above, you’ll see how this is no minor thing. And since we are so often working the with frail, it doesn’t take very much of a missing nail to truly negatively impact the client.
(more…)
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July 5, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (0)
 Here is an article a social worker friend sent me about a dozen years ago. Every so often, I come across it among my papers, taking the opportunity to re-read it… and learn from it anew. It’s a beautiful formulation of the profound difference between helping, fixing, and serving by Rachel Naomi Ramen, MD called In the Service of Life: http://www.rachelremen.com/service.html.
Remen is one of the earliest pioneers in the mind/body holistic health movement and the first to recognize the role of the spirit in health and the recovery from illness. She’s also the author of the best-selling books My Grandfather’s Blessings and Kitchen Table Wisdom
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July 1, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (0)
 Continuing our recent series on food and aging, I want to turn this time to the use of good quality herbs and spices in cooking. Our caregivers are often the main dietary gateway for our clients, and I heartily encourage their use of fragrant, colorful herbs and spices whenever possible in foods. There are three main reasons:
1) Use of seasonings makes food more flavorful, enjoyable and interesting; I’ve already written about why I think our mainstream food sources have become lacking in flavor… and savor. Where appetites are low or nutrition has been poor, the more yummy, healthy food we can offer, the greater the benefits (including pleasure) to the client. (more…)
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June 30, 2010 |
Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (0)
 Hats off to the New York Times for shining a light on the growing importance of caregivers and the role they play in keeping people safe and comfortable in their homes (see A Graying Population, a Graying Work Force). In particular, we would highlight a specific point in this article: caregiving’s ability to provide a sense of purpose for both the caregiver and the client.
At its best, professional caregiving enhances the lives of all involved. It is not uncommon for a caregiver to come to feel almost like part of the family, and when the client lives alone, a team of professional caregivers may be the primary social contact in that person’s life. (more…)
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June 25, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (0)
 Many wellness practices and activities are designed to increase positive affect (among other results), and as such we feel our wellness focus here at CCC is therefore crucial to our clients’ and caregivers’ health on all levels. While some folks think that wellness is just a “nice extra”, studies such as the one below show how absolutely vital wellness is for creating, improving and maintaining our health.
“Optimistic Expectancies and Cell-Mediated Immunity: The Role of Positive Affect,” published by the Association for Psychological Science, is just the latest article showing the connection between attitude and health. In short: increases in positive cellular immune factors were shown to correlate directly with increased levels of optimism. (more…)
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June 21, 2010 |
Posted By Jim Reynolds | Comments (0)
 A recent article in the New York Times caught my eye — Aftercare Tips for Patients Checking Out of the Hospital. The Times cites among other statistics that 20% of Medicare patients return to the hospital within 30 days of being discharged. That astonishingly high percentage drives millions of dollars in unnecessary medical expense, and greatly reduces the quality of life for patients who might have stayed healthy at home.
At CCC, our goal is to drive that number close to zero within our client population. We do it in two ways: a focus on wellness and using cutting edge technology to help confirm compliance with plans of treatment.
(more…)
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Posted By Blog Admin | Comments (0)
Essentials to Good Planning:
A Health and Legal Perspective to Helping Our Loved One Age Well
 GOODNOW LIBRARY,
21 Concord Road, Sudbury, MA (map here.)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010 — 7-9 PM
Get the facts from Stuart Hamilton, an Elder Law Attorney (www.StuartHamiltonLaw.com), Linda Smith, a Certified Professional Geriatric Care Manager and Independent Registered Nurse (www.mweldercare.com), and Deborah Bier, PhD, director of a local home care agency (www.CaringCompanion.Net).
They will educate and answer questions about the many legal, safety, activity, housing, caregiver support and care options available as people age.
RSVP: Linda Smith, RN, BSN, CMC, 508-962-0965
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June 16, 2010 |
Posted By Dr. Deborah Bier | Comments (0)
 As we move through life’s challenges, it’s important to give encouragement and affirmation to both ourselves and others. A popular method is to use affirmations, positive statements to help create positive outcomes. For example, upon rising in the morning, “I will have a great day today.”
I’ve always been a bit standoffish about the use of positive affirmations. For some reason, they have always seemed to me like convincing myself or others of something, rather than working towards the desired outcome. While I’m all over having an optimistic point of view every day, reciting affirmations just doesn’t somehow cut it for me… nor has it for many of my patients/clients. The whole thing is often accompanied by a lot of “if you’re not talking positive all the time, you’re messing up your life,” kind of trash talk… hardly positive, but that’s part of the baggage the practice of positive affirmations all too often drags along. (more…)
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I’ve been absolutely fascinated for years by the highly positive findings around exposing dementia patients to art, both as an observer and as a participant. How amazing that exposure to great and moving art can significantly improve patients’ functioning!
