The Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan is hosting cooking classes for male caregivers who may need to brush up on their cooking skills, or begin to develop them. The site is Uptown Kitchen, 423 Norwood Ave SE, Grand Rapids MI 49506. Session 1 runs on Tuesday (July 10, 17, 24 & 31) from 11:00am-1:30pm. Session 2 runs on Tuesday (September 4, 11, 18 & 25) from 11:00am-1:30pm.
You can register at registration@aaawm.org.
There is no charge for these classes.
I had the pleasure of touring Trillium Senior Homes in Grand Rapids recently. This is a new kind of assisted living residence, according to owner Pat Thompson. Pat and his wife Sandie have purchased four residences in the northeast part of Grand Rapids on a small private street. Their model is a Bed’n Breakfast-style of assisted living residence.
The home I was in is beautifully arranged, warm and comfortable and bears no resemblance to an institutional setting. It really is like a B’n B. The rooms are spacious with wide molding along the walls for mounting photos and other personal objects. Medical and personal assistance can be arranged on an as-needed basis. A few other amenities are: memory foam-toppers on beds, on-site exercise area, large yard that feels like a park, homes are conveniently located to freeways, medical care and shopping, 24/7 on-call medical assistance. The cost for a room at Trillium is average for the Grand Rapids-area.
For more information, contact Pat at trilliumseniorhomes@gmail.com.
My friend Vicki Collins, with the Oceana County Council on Aging, informed me yesterday of a new adult respite service called “Our Friend’s House”. It is located in Hart, Michigan. Their mission is to ‘..provide exceptional adult day care in a home-like, safe, and welcoming setting; with activities provided by professional and compassionate staff”. This is the only respite service in Oceana County, a lovely area 30 minutes north of Muskegon MI.
Who would benefit from respite care? Any family caregivers who need a safe and nurturing space for their care recipients for short-term periods. Vicki told me that she was very happy with the staff’s skill level. She is very enthusiastic about how Our Friend’s House will provide value to the area and serve her community’s elders and their caregivers.
In addition to operating Our Friend’s House, the OCCOA provides numerous other services to the county’s senior population. For more information, go to www.oceanacountycouncilonaging.com or call Vicki at 231-873-4461.
Hospice services are becoming increasing prevalent around the country. When you face an imminent end-of-life situation, hospice services provide medical and social support to enable one’s final days to be spent comfortably, and often, at home. Look up your local hospice providers (there may be more than one in your community) and learn more about this consoling alternative.
There is healthy skepticism over the role of technology in serving our aging loved ones. Let’s not confuse technology with human connections. Talking to a friendly voice over a speaker is a distant second to being in the same room with a caregiver, even if the caregiver isn’t a close friend or family. People need people. Current research states that people with the most human connections are happiest.
That said, let’s understand the true value of emergency help buttons, pill reminders and the full array of medical alarms. Technology serves us very well as a monitoring and alerting platform. I think the biggest growth in serving the elderly comes from providing the human touch. That’s why there are so many private duty home care agencies in business today. Private duty caregivers don’t provide medical care, generally. They do provide companionship, help with chores, and other household needs. Technology dealers, myself included, need to find the balance point, not the tipping point.
SafeCall is committed to helping everyone find the local resources needed to keep our elderly loved ones safe at home, and living with dignity. We recognize that we don’t know all the answers and so have invited a number of our colleagues in Grand Rapids MI to use this blog to serve everyone interested in senior issues. Please keep checking the blog as we have some really great authors lined up.
Moving a parent or a senior is a unique, often emotionally charged process. It can be stressful and overwhelming at best. Moving later in life presents its own set of circumstances; health issues, financial issues, and family dynamics just to name a few. Moving can evoke feelings of guilt, sadness, loneliness, and loss. It is also filled with joy, relief, freedom, and hope. Even with the best of intentions, adult children often hinder the opportunity for their parents to work through these emotions.
Moves often happen later than they should. If your parent or loved one is experiencing any of the following, then a move to a community setting (an independent living center, usually an apartment building where seniors reside) may be the answer:
When is the right time to plan a move? While your loved one is still happy and healthy. It allows them to have a say in where they move, but more importantly, they will be able to make friends and become engaged in their new life; rather than only dealing with health or other issues.
Tips for successfully moving your parent and/or loved one:
Remember that just because they used to use it, doesn’t mean these items will be used in their new place. Be realistic.
Sort through the household goods. Work in only one area of the home at a time. Start with the area that has the least sentimental attachment for them. Keep these points in mind:
Take pictures of the old home’s interior before moving which can be useful for remembering that familiar environment once the move has occurred. These photos also make a great gift later on. Children should now take what they want from the house. Leftover items can be sold, donated, or discarded. Now is a good time to get a real estate agent involved in order to get the home ready for the market. Continue to engage your parent and/or loved one in all aspects of selling the home.
For over 20 years, I’ve been helping seniors and their families deal with major life changes. Understanding their needs and desires, supporting their families, and guiding them through the moving process gives my clients peace of mind. There’s plenty more to learn about moving an older adult and I offer free initial consultations.
Liz McCulloch, MSW
1414 Ridgewood Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
(616) 855-6548
www.SeniorsMovingSmarter.com
Liz@SeniorsMovingSmarter.com
SafeCall, Inc.
3148 Plainfield NE, Suite 243
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
(888) 291-0639
info@safecall.biz
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