community resources

Adult foster home classifications

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There are three classifications of adult foster home licenses in Oregon. The classifications are based on the experience and/or training of the provider.

There are three classifications of adult foster home licenses in Oregon. The classifications are based on the experience and/or training of the provider. Each home has a license posted that indicates the classification of the home.

  1. A licensee with a Class 1 license may only admit residents who need assistance in no more than four activities of daily living (ADLs).
  2. A licensee with a Class 2 license may provide care for residents who require assistance in all activities of daily living, but require full assistance in no more
    than three activities of daily living.
  3. A licensee with a Class 3 license may provide care for residents who require
    full assistance in four or more activities
    of daily living.

In each classification, the provider can only admit residents with a certain number of impairments. These impairments are defined according to
six major activities of daily living (ADLs). These are eating/nutrition, dressing, personal hygiene, mobility, toileting and behavior management.

Adult Foster Home Lists:

You can find adult foster homes with vacancies matching criteria you specify  at www.HomecareChoices.org.

Senior Services in Jackson County
at 541-776-6222

Senior and Disability Services in
Josephine County 541-474-3110

Article Provided by:
Retirement Connection

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Volunteering: Making a difference at any age

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Studies have shown that volunteerism can contribute to living longer and that it improves overall brain function.

It is never easy in life to make a transition from one home to another and making the decision to move to an active living or assisted living community can be even more challenging. One of the primary concerns seniors have about moving into an active or assisted living community is that they’ll become disconnected from the community, activities, and causes they care about most. But the truth is, active and assisted living communities provide the perfect setting for building coalitions, forming outreach task forces, and planning benefits for the communities and the causes that matter to you.

It is extremely important for all of us to remain connected to the people, communities, traditions, and causes that we each find most important to us. This could be anything from volunteering at your local church or food bank to organizing fundraisers for local causes, the options really are limitless. One of our favorite residents reads books to kindergarten children at a local school every week – fantastic intergenerational work! If you are someone who is heavily engaged in your local community and causes and if you’re also considering retirement or assisted living, we recommend looking into active living communities that encourage engagement and foster socially responsible outreach and activities. The right active lifestyle community for you should offer you plenty of opportunities to stay involved with your community and the causes that matter most to you. When individuals strive for something bigger than themselves it builds self-worth and creates senior leaders and advocates who make invaluable contributions to their surrounding communities.

All of us can deeply improve our quality of life by volunteering. Studies have shown that volunteerism can contribute to living longer and that it improves overall brain function. All ages benefit from this approach, not to mention active volunteering can be a great exercise too! So, it turns out that volunteering is not only the socially responsible thing to do, but it’s actually mentally and physically good for you, not to mention it’s great for your community as well.

So what’s stopping you now? Get out there and make a difference today!

Article Provided by:
David Haack
Living Care Lifestyles
425-689-5694
www.QuailParkOfLynnwood.com

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Emergency preparedness: Are you ready?

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Being prepared can reduce your anxiety and help you get the quick care you need during an emergency. Stay 100% ready.

Home safety and defensive living are concepts healthcare professionals take very seriously. With a few simple “just in case” precautions these preparations can provide the peace of mind that your family members will be prepared in the event of an emergency. When putting together emergency kits there are a few extra steps that can make all the difference in the world for seniors.

 Begin each year with a fresh start. Let the three R’s guide the process:

  1. Replenish: Stock up important items that are running low.Make sure your first aid kit and emergency supplies of nonperishable food and water are also replenished and ready for the New Year.
  2. Replace: Essential items that are broken or not working should be replaced or repaired.
  3. Remove: Dispose of items that are expired, giving special attention to anything you ingest like food or medications.

Common Items to check at home:

  • Batteries in all smoke detectors
  • Fire extinguishers should be serviced
  • Expired medications, pills or creams
  • Expired food throughout the home
  • Emergency Kit items that need replenishing

Prepare a Personal Health Record

Creating and updating a Personal Health Record can be crucial to save time during an emergency. Keep a hard copy of all documents in a plastic bag within your mobile emergency kit.

What to include:

  • Personal Information: Name/ address/ social security number/ date of birth/ phone numbers/ copy of driver’s license/ spouse’s contact
  • Emergency Contacts: Names & numbers for current professional care services
  • Paperwork: Advance directives such as durable power of attorney or a POLST form
  • Primary Care: Contact information for primary physician
  • Insurance: Copy of insurance card or policy number
  • Medications/ Allergies: Include brand and dosages of medications, vitamins, and supplements/ food and drug allergies/preferred pharmacy contacts.
  •   Chronic Illnesses:
  • Current or re-occurring
  • Passwords: Important passwords to access benefits, banking, medical records, email, etc.
  • An emergency kit for your car can be found at www.soundoptions.com/mobile-emergency-kit

Being prepared can reduce your anxiety and help you get the quick care you need during an emergency. Stay 100% ready.

Article Provided by:
Mary Lynn Pannen, RN, CCM
Sound Options, Inc
800-628-7649
www.SoundOptions.com

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What you need to know about elder care referral agencies

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Having experts in your corner will reduce your stress and save you time. Knowing what to look for in referral agencies, will help you find the best results.

From sprawling retirement communities with hundreds of residents to adult family homes with only a few, the options for senior living are endless. Working alone, most people will be overwhelmed with the choices available and will pick something because it is close or familiar, later discovering that it does not meet their needs. This is where referral agencies come in to play.

When it is time to seek out housing or care, you will benefit from the experience of a credible referral agency. Having experts in your corner will reduce your stress and save you time. Knowing what to look for in referral agencies, will help you find the best results.

Association of Senior Referral Professionals of Washington
(ASRP of WA), is committed to establishing and promoting professional and ethical standards within the senior housing and care referral industry; as well as to those who provide supportive and ancillary services for older and other frail adults within the state of Washington. A common business interest of all members is to create a unified and consistent voice which promotes, develops and facilitates:

1. Ethical standards which create a quality experience for seniors, frail adults, and the people who support them.

2. Recommended best practices and the education of members, with a shared goal of improving consumer awareness of options and increasing the ability of consumers to make informed decisions.

3. Education to increase the knowledge and skills of members regarding aging, aging related products and services, communication, decision-making and conflict resolution.

4. Education to increase consumer awareness of aging, senior housing and care options, effective processes for making life transition decisions, and to improve communication amongst family members, and with health care professionals and insurance carriers.

5. A means for consumers, senior housing and care providers, health care professionals, other professionals or community members to provide feedback to the entire referral industry.

6. The use of referral professionals as a means of making effective use of time, energy and resources for consumers and senior housing and care providers.

7. Transparency, disclosure, accuracy of information, and effective, recommended business practices within the senior housing and care referral industry.

8. Protection of consumers by communicating residents’ rights, current and future RCWs & WACs impacting consumers.

9. Collaborative opportunities for consumers and members of the association to have a voice in future legislation and regulation regarding senior housing and care services.

10. Protection of consumers by communicating the option to file complaints to the Ombudsman, The Department of Social & Health Services, Adult Protective Services, The Attorney General, and other regulatory or social service agencies.

Article Provided by:
Susannah Youngquist, CayCare Inc.
844-582-7767
www.asrpwa.org, www.CayCare.com

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Connecting people to resources

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While most of us don’t need to be reminded that we are growing older, many of us need a gentle push to think about how aging affects our everyday life.

While most of us don’t need to be reminded that we are growing older, many of us need a gentle push to think about how aging affects our everyday life. In 2011, the first baby boomers reached 65 causing a surge in the number of older Americans, a trend that which will continue for the next 15 years.

It’s never too early to start thinking how aging will affect your life and the life of those you love. The good news is that living a full life is more likely today then any time in the past. Planning now for the future can help ensure that your retirement years are the best.

But what exactly does ‘planning for the future’ mean? It’s about thinking through options and finding the best solutions now to meet your needs tomorrow. Sometimes the questions are thought provoking – is your current house the best one to retire in? Sometimes they are more obvious – is it time to have grab bars put in the bathroom or a ramp installed over the front steps. And sometimes the questions are scary – is it time to give up the car?

The good news is there are a range of resources available. There are businesses and non-profit organizations that will work with you to come up with the best solutions to meet your individual needs whether it’s grab bars, stair rails, meal preparation or getting to doctor appointments.

While addressing changes to your physical environment is important as you age, it is just as important to maintain your social connections to friends and family.

Getting older need not mean losing touch with the important people in your life. There are social options through your local senior center including exercise classes, craft circles, dance lessons, table games and even day trips to local activities. And, yes, many offer bingo! Libraries can be another way to connect with others in your community. Besides books, movies, and music available for checkout many offer author talks, computer classes and book clubs. Volunteering can be a personally enriching and satisfying way
to stay connected.

Often what most people need is someone to listen and help come up with the best solution for them – helping to find the right service at the right time. Your local Senior Services organization is a valuable starting point. In Snohomish County the Aging and Disability Resource number is 800.422.2024.

Article Provided by:
Senior Services of Snohomish County
425-513-1900, 800-422-2024
http://www.sssc.org

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A legacy to remember

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Millions of everyday families find comfort in having a place of remembrance to visit on special days like birthdays and anniversaries.

To remember and be remembered are basic human needs. Since the beginning of time, memorials have been based on the belief that no one truly dies until their memory has faded from the hearts and minds of the people who knew and loved them.

The pyramids of Egypt and the Taj Mahal are two famous memorials, but memorials needn’t be extravagant to be meaningful. Millions of everyday families find comfort in having a place of remembrance to visit on special days like birthdays and anniversaries.

While the value of permanent memorials hasn’t changed, memorials themselves are taking a new direction. Unique, highly personalized memorials are replacing the standard headstones of yesteryear. Today’s memorial formats range from upright monuments featuring photographic images to garden benches, from flat bronze markers, to glass-front niches. Custom built monuments are also available.

“A good memorial professional will take the time to get to know your preferences and guide you to options that reflect the life and personality of the individual being honored, within your budget,” says Rich Snider, Sales Manager at Mountain View Memorial Park in Tacoma.

We asked Snider how they create personalized memorials at Mountain View. He said, “We start by asking about what was important to the individual. What made them smile? What were they passionate about? When we talk to various family members and get their thoughts, the perfect theme always rises to the surface. Then we show them some options with that theme.”

The needs and comfort of visitors is another consideration in selecting a memorial. Some families choose memorial benches to provide a place for guests to sit and reflect, while others choose an indoor mausoleum to protect visitors from the elements. Still others select an outdoor space near the roadway to allow easy access for family members who may find a long walk difficult.

When planning a memorial, it’s important to consider both present and future visitors. One of the reasons most people prefer cemeteries for their permanent memorials is the assurance that their memorial will be preserved indefinitely. That means your great-great granddaughter can come to pay her respects and connect with her ancestry whenever she wants. This may not be possible if you opt for scattering in the ocean or a memorial tree in your backyard.

Simple or elaborate, a customized memorial will be a comforting reminder of your loved one and the legacy he or she left behind.

Article Provided by:
Mountain View Funeral Home,
Memorial Park & Crematory
253-448-3994
www.MountainViewTacoma.com

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Elder care tips: Ensuring a beneficial relationship with a care provider

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Hiring an elderly health care services provider enables you to entrust that professional with some of the responsibilities of caring for your parents

Developing an elder care plan for your aging loved ones enables you to ensure your parents get the care and assistance that will meet their physical, cognitive, medical, mobility, and emotional needs on a daily basis. While it is completely normal for you to want to take on all of the responsibilities of caring for your seniors, handling all of these tasks on your own would likely not work out in the long term. Trying to add all of these responsibilities to everything you already do to take care of your own personal lives can leave you exhausted and incapable of giving your best to any of your responsibilities. Hiring an elderly health care services provider as part of your elder care plan enables you to entrust that professional with some of the responsibilities of caring for your parents so that you can focus your time and energy more efficiently and effectively.

Use these tips to help your parents enjoy the best relationship possible with their care provider:

Plan Thoroughly: Have a clear idea of what you and your parents expect from the relationship with your care provider. Clarifying these expectations enables you to pursue the factors of the relationship that you see as most important and allows you to narrow your focus when seeking out a care provider.

Think Family First: Before you get a care provider involved, consider your family contribution to the care plan first. Determine how much you can practically do for your parents and ask how much your siblings would like to do. This makes it easier for you decide how much responsibility the care provider will need to take so you can give clear guidelines from the beginning and avoid confusion.

Communicate Openly: It is important to see the elderly health care services provider as an employee rather than someone who is doing you a favor by taking care of your parents. Communicate openly with the care provider about your expectations, your standards of performance, and your feelings about their care for your parents so that they can continue to improve.

Support Individuality: You want to be an active part of your parents’ care, but in order to support a quality relationship, you need to give them the space and freedom to create and build that relationship on their own. Support your parents’ ability to get to know the care provider and enjoy spending time with them on their own terms, including participating in activities, going on outings, and creating their own approaches to handling care tasks.

Article Provided by:
SYNERGY HomeCare
425-465-5300
www.SynergyHomeCare.com

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Assisting our parents as they age

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When we recognize and acknowledge that aging is the process of loss; we will be more prepared and capable of identifying the signs that our loved ones need help.

Helping our elderly parents age gracefully will be among the most difficult tasks we encounter.

When we recognize and acknowledge that aging is the process of loss; we will be more prepared and capable of identifying the signs that our loved ones need help. Sometimes the need can be very obvious when it is caused by a functional loss in their abilities to provide for their own activities of daily living (ADL), which include bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, walking, and transferring.

At other times the shift in our relationship with our parents is more gradual and our roles slowly reverse. The clues are more subtle and less obvious. The following may be signs or warnings that our parents have entered the stage of life where additional assistance is needed.

  • Is hygiene appropriate such as groomed hair? Are the clothes clean and seasonally appropriate?
  • Any change in activities like attendance to church, card games, book club or other social groups?
  • Is there weight loss or gain?
  • A change in behaviors such as saying mean and hurtful things to others? Is sarcasm confusing to them? Are they having a difficult time being empathetic?
  • Are there suddenly new collections of items in the home? Is there an abundance of everyday items such as 20 bottles of laundry detergent, 15 bags of cat food or more tea than one can drink in a lifetime?
  • If English isn’t the first language, are they speaking their native language more often?
  • Is mail piling up? Are bills being paid late or not at all?
  • Are there more burnt pans or old leftover food in the refrigerator?
  • Are there unexplained bruises on the body?

Naturally the need for assistance does not magically translate to the willingness or acceptance of help. How does one maneuver through this maze? There isn’t a single simple answer. Each experience is unique and we need to approach these changes individually. One common denominator is that respecting the dignity and independence of the aging parent is critical. The ability to provide assistance for the safety and changing physical needs of our parents, while maintaining their individual dignity and independence, takes great effort and work. Gradually helping with tasks is easier for our loved ones to accept. Having a team to help support us through this stage of life is essential. William Shakespeare said “An old man is twice a child.” This quote helps me recognize that needing assistance is not a bad thing and gives permission to accept help gracefully.

Article Provided by:
Kathy Lyons, Certified Senior Advisor
BrightStar Care
206-777-1190, 425-679-0310
www.BrightStarCare.com

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How important are licensed nurses for assisted living and memory care?

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The care provided by licensed nurses is often essential for achieving these goals. A nurse on-site 24 hours a day on every day of the week can save lives and decrease visits to the emergency room.

Assisted living and memory care communities are designed to promote aging in place by supporting independence and quality of life.
The care provided by licensed nurses is often essential for achieving these goals. A nurse on-site 24 hours a day on every day of the week can save lives and decrease visits to the emergency room.

The role of a licensed nurse is diverse and includes such responsibilities as providing comprehensive nursing assessments, medication management, care planning, educating and training, monitoring sensitive healthcare markers, and developing interventions to preserve resident safety and dignity. They often serve as healthcare liaison – coordinating care between a resident, the resident’s physician, the resident’s family, and
care staff.

Licensed nurses are professionally trained to know first-hand the nuances of personal care and to know how best to monitor, assess and intervene when changes in residents behavior, routine or condition occur. With 24-hour licensed nursing on-site, a resident will get prompt attention if there is a medical problem.

When medical needs in the elderly are assessed early, treatment can be started promptly and serious health crises are often avoided. Additionally, the scope of practice for a licensed nurse versus a med-tech or med-aid allows them to quickly process physician orders over the telephone and implement immediately rather than waiting for the signed physician orders to arrive. As a result, residents receive treatment earlier and can return back to a healthier state. It also gives the community an opportunity to evaluate falls before sending a resident to an emergency room, possibly preventing an unnecessary emergency room visit. This collaboration and communication between the physician and nurse allows for a quick resolution to immediate medical needs.

As the state of Washington does not require 24/7 on-site nursing, only some communities offer the comprehensive service. When researching an assisted living or memory care community for your loved one, the following questions are helpful in determining the extent of nursing care the community offers:

  • Is there a nurse?
  • What are the hours the nurse is available? Is there more than one nurse on staff? During what hours?
  • Who oversees the care plan and changes to the resident’s care plan?
  • Who gives the medication? Is the medication administered by a licensed nurse, med-aid or med-tech?
  • Who assesses the resident for change in condition, behavior or routine?

Article Provided by:
Koelsch Senior Communities

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Longevity and how to survive it

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For the seniors who live to an average of 85, this means managing at least one chronic condition to remain healthy and enjoy life.

When I was young and I heard about a person turning one hundred, it was a wow factor. Now, the estimated number of centenarians living in the United States is as high as 72,000. American seniors, in the main, have a longevity longer than their ancestors ever did. Statistics suggest that seniors can expect to live another 19 to 20 years after retirement. For the seniors who live to an average of 85, this means managing at least one chronic condition to remain healthy and enjoy life.

Arthritis—51 percent of seniors experience the pain of arthritis and this in turn can lead to people being more sedentary. Being inactive can actually increase the pain of arthritis and lead to other chronic conditions. It is therefore important to develop an exercise plan with a healthcare professional that is right for you. Along with other treatments, a personalized exercise plan can help maintain a good quality of life and a life that is worth living.

Heart disease-—The leading killer of adults in the US, according to Heart Foundation Statistics, 125,000 people over the age of 65 die of a heart attack each year. Again an emphasis is put on exercise for maintaining heart health, just 20 minutes a day of exercise can lessen the risk of a heart attack. Healthy eating is the key factor in maintaining heart heath and most people are surprised at how little time it takes to prepare healthy meals. 100’s of healthy meals can be prepared in less than 20 minutes and it can take longer than that to get a fast food meal that severally increases most people’s risk of a heart attack. For recipes that can be prepared in 20 minutes or less that cost no more than $3 to prepare, visit www.hearthealthyonline.com.

Diabetes—Approximately 20 percent of people aged 65 years or older have diabetes, and just about half of those people don’t even know that they have it! Another 20 percent of people over the age of 65 have impaired glucose tolerance. As age increases, the sense of taste and smell may diminish. Food may lose some of its appeal at older age and cold and sweet taste buds are often all that we have left. This can lead to people preferring to eat a dessert rather than a healthy meal. As a result, many seniors are nutritionally compromised.

Eating tips for seniors-

  • Eat 5-6 small meals per day.
  • Choose fruit instead of fruit juice. Juice tends to exacerbate hyperglycemia.
  • Eat fresh fruit, or buy fruits canned in their own juices or in water.
  • Eat adequate amounts of protein.
  • Frozen vegetables can be used as needed, and they keep well.
  • Share meals with friends or family whenever possible.
  • Eat a variety of foods.
  • Try new recipes.
  • Make extra and freeze leftovers for
    future use.
  • Use foods with stronger flavors and seasonings if the sense of taste has diminished.
  • Focus on using herbs and spices instead
    of adding salt.
  • Make foods look attractive.
  • Increase fiber to treat and prevent constipation.
  • Drink plenty of liquids.
  • Keep active; it stimulates the appetite.

Article provided by: Cathy Parkinson,
United Methodist Retirement
503-585-6511

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