Days with My Father - A Wonderful Story To Share

Philip Toledano - Days with My Father


Check out this Time.com Web exclusive, “My Aging Father’s Decline: A Son’s Photo Journal,” a slide show from a photographer’s final years with his father. This powerful photo journal was taken over a three year period that documents Philip's experience with his father as he suffered from dementia/Alzheimer's disease. Anyone with a senior loved suffering from dementia/Alzheimer's disease can relate.

A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's

Currently in the United States there are 10 million women who either have Alzheimer's or are caring for someone with the disease. Women are barring the burdeon of this disease as they are more likely to care for an aging family member with Alzheimer’s than their male counterpart. Home Instead Senior Care of Seacoast and Southern New Hampshire lives and breathes this statistic locally. Like Maria Shriver, our team of over 130 employees is comprised of 98% women--we are simply women helping women. With the recent release of The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's and a this week's Time news article Attacking Alzheimer's  we are excited to see more light be shed on the complexity of this family disease as we deal with the importance of this issue on a daily basis. 


For the last 8 years, Home Instead Senior Care has provided non-medical home care services to over 850 clients--more than 75% with Alzheimer's/dementia. And with the aging population of baby boomers, the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to triple by 2050—if no cure is found. 


If you are a struggling caregiver trying to balance your work, life and family responsibilities we encourage you to contact Home Instead Senior Care. We can help be your solution. 

Resources

Alzheimer’s Association: To eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

Home Instead Senior Care of Seacoast and Southern NH: A New Hampshire resource and service for families dealing with Alzheimer’s disease.

Caregiverstress.com: This is a helpful tool that encourages you to care for yourself while continuing to care for your aging loved one.

Caregiver Support Groups: Contact your local hospital to learn more about caregiver support groups. 


**Not a complete list. **


Leave your thoughts below. What is your biggest burden when dealing with a loved one with Alzheimer's disease?

New Hampshire Resources for the Senior Hoarder & Their Loved Ones

Home Instead Senior Care has been working with seniors and their clutter issues for over  8 years in the Seacoast and Southern area of New Hampshire. As Community Liaison for Home Instead Senior Care, I recently had the opportunity to share our knowledge with the Adult Day Centers of New Hampshire on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at Silverthorne in Salem, N.H. When preparing for their annual conference, I only thought it was appropriate that I bring in a local expert as they recently launched a new program in the Spring of 2010 to help hoarders in New Hampshire. Pam Manes, Director of Service Development was a joy to collaborate with and she  brought many real life situations to the table. For anyone in the New Hampshire area unsure of how to get started I recommend calling Community House Calls.  

As you may know hoarding is a problem for many Americans--not just seniors. But seniors tend to be in the highest risk group as they are more likely to suffer physical ailments as a result of excess clutter and hoarding. Their homes may potentially become unlivable or impossible for emergency personnel to gain access into the home. Self care can also be come difficult or impossible. For a senior who may already have mobility issues, clutter and hoarding may increase their fall risk--even more dangerous if they live alone. Below are some signs to tell if the senior in your life as a clutter/hoarding problem. 

Provided By: Community House Calls - Healthy Homes Program

-Piles of mail and unpaid bills.

-Difficulty walking safely through a home.

-Frustration trying to organize.

-Difficulty managing activities of daily living.

-Expired food in the refrigerator.

-Jammed closets and drawers.

-Compulsive shopping.

-Difficulty deciding whether to discard items.

-A health episode such as a stroke or dementia.

-Loneliness.

If you are having difficulty understanding the senior hoarder the list below may help provide clarity and find ways you can help:

The sentimental attachment. The beloved prom dress represents the history and memories of the event; it’s not the dressitself. Save only a piece of the dress to make a quilt or display in a shadow box. Scrapbooking and converting photos to DVDs are other ways to save treasured keepsakes without all the extra mess.

The sense of loyalty. Older adults who’ve received gifts from family and friends may be reluctant to part with them. Encourage your loved one to give unused gifts back to the giver or grandchildren.

The need to conserve. Seniors are the original green people. Appeal to a senior’s desire to help others. “You went through the Great Depression, now it’s time for you to let go and help someone else.” Counter a senior’s inclination to conserve by appealing to their desire to give back.

The fatigue. A home with a lifetime of memories can easily become too much for an older adult to handle. Help seniors manage clutter by establishing online bill paying. Also, get your senior off junk mail lists, which can put them at risk for identity theft, and buy them a shredder.

The change in health. Seniors who have suffered a brain trauma or stroke, who are wheelchair bound or who are experiencing dementia may no longer be able to manage household duties, which could contribute to clutter. If you see a health change, encourage your senior to visit his or her doctor and consider a professional organizer and caregiver to help your loved one.

The fear. Seniors often fear what will happen if they give up their stuff, like the older adult who saved three generations of bank statements. Use logic and information to help seniors understand it’s O.K. to let go.

The dream of the future. Those clothes in the closet don’t fit anymore, but your loved one is sure that some day she’ll lose enough weight to get into them. Ask seniors to fill a box with clothing they don’t wear much and make a list of the items in the box. Agree that if they have not gone back to the box in six months to wear the item, they will donate that to charity.

The love of shopping. Today’s seniors have more money than any other previous generation of older adults and they love to shop. Clutter can become so bad seniors can’t find things and they repurchase items they already have, contributing to the clutter cycle. Try to convince seniors to cut back and to say “no” to free stuff.

The history and memories. Keepsakes represent history and memories. Encourage seniors to take old photos to a family reunion and share with several generations. Let seniors know they can contribute to the history of their time and leave a lasting legacy by donating to museums and historical societies, a theater and library, or churches and synagogues.

The loneliness. Stuff can become a misplaced companion. Loneliness may also lead to depression, which makes it difficult for seniors to get organized. Consider the services of a professional organizer and caregiver. 

Resources for the Senior Hoarder in New Hampshire 

NSGCD Clutter Hoarding Scale

This is a great reference tool for family members and health care professionals to understand the best way for an individual to seek help based on their level of disorganization. 

Breaking Point: Decoding Problems for Seniors and Hoarding

This is a great resource created by Home Instead Senior Care to help family caregivers understand their senior loved one and why they may not address their clutter or hoarding issues. 

Community House Calls - Healthy Homes Program 

 Community House Calls is dedicated to maximizing independence at home through home modifications and adaptations with a focus on safety, accessibility, repairs and maintenance. This private-pay company is additionally a Medicaid approved provider, a VA  approved contractor and an approved vendor for those with home modification riders on their Long Term Care insurance policies.

A new division - "Healthy Homes" - was recently added to Community House Calls. It offers help and support to people of all ages with hoarding, cluttering and organizing challenges. They help return a home to a safe and comfortable environment while being compassionate and understanding of the individuals and the issues involved.

If you know of a senior hoarder, let Home Instead Senior Care be your solution. We have CAREGivers that can help individuals organize and de-clutter. For more information on how we can help your senior loved one in the Seacoast and Southern regions of New Hampshire call  603.433.5959 or visit www.homeinstead.com/scnh. 


By: Carey Fitzgerald, Community Liaison