Racing for Alzheimer's

Admittedly, some of us aren't as big an auto racing fan as others, but we can certainly appreciate the dramatic finish at this weekend's Indianapolis 500 that was a win for an "unemployed" British driver and for Alzheimer's.

If you haven't heard already, rookie J.R. Hildrebrand crashed his formula car going into the final stretch,  opening the way for Dan Wheldon's second Indy trophy. Among the logos Wheldon wore was one for the Alzheimer's Association. His mother, Sue, was diagnosed at age 55 with Alzheimer's in 2009.

Wheldon choked up when mentioning his mom in a post-race interview and later described the impact the disease had on the entire family. Given there were 250,000 in attendance and millions more who watched the televised event and celebration, the race car champ may have helped a few take note of the disease's prominence in our communities. That makes him a big winner to us too.

Technorati: Dan Wheldon Wins Indy 500 - and Alzheimer's Awareness Wins Too

Come On, Get Moving!

Today is National Senior Health & Fitness Day, and the perfect day to start making a lifestyle shift if you happen to be sedentary. Even if you are wheelchair-bound, there are ways to tone muscles, strengthen bones and improve cardiovascular systems to help stave off illness and injuries -- both of which become more common as we advance in years. Age is no boundary!

Exercise is a key part of each day at our Glenner Alzheimer's Family Centers, whether it's conducting chair aerobics, walking outdoors or dancing to music. Our participants raise their heart rates tossing beach balls around a room and de-stress with a dose of yoga. We keep it simple, and we keep it interesting.

Daily exercise not only helps keep our weight and blood pressure down, but it's been shown to help slow the development of Alzheimer's and reduce the tension accompanying caregiving. And, in San Diego, the weather is rarely an excuse. Right now the jacaranda are in bloom throughout the county, so make it a point to take a stroll today ... and tomorrow ... and the next day ....

Your body and your mind will thank you.


Glenner Center participants in Chula Vista work out with Therabands
 and instructor Kay Bodge.



Depression Hurts Everyone in the Family

Caregivers of dementia patients have a high rate of depression. One survey by Caring.com puts the number at 25 percent, while the Alzheimer’s Association’s most recent report puts that figure at 33 percent.

At some point in the journey, caregivers become overwhelmed with their current circumstances. Sometimes that continuous worry leads to stress, and that unabated stress can become depression. This, of course, has an impact on the level of care they can provide to their memory-impaired spouse or parent. But what isn’t typically talked about in this context is the toll untreated depression can have on the caregivers’ children. This is particularly true of adult children who are caring for a parent while being a parent to younger children.

According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, untreated depression in mothers and fathers can lead to a similar condition in their children.

"These findings should alert us. If you have the disease, get into treatment, because it can have a big impact on your family," says psychiatrist Madhukar Trivedi from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, a co-author of the study. Only about half of people who fit the criteria for major depression get treatment, he says.

The George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers began in 1982 to help caregivers cope with their daily stress by offering a place for their loved one to socialize and be supervised for a few hours or a full day. And while the WSJ piece focuses on post-partum depression, a similar condition can develop with those caring for memory-impaired elders. If some of the following symptoms last more than two weeks, you should seek professional help – if not for your own good, then for your family’s.

• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
• Irritation and agitation
• Inability to sleep well
• Constant fatigue
• Loss of interest in normally fun activities
• Decrease or increase in appetite or weight
• Suicidal thoughts or actions

Sources:
Alzheimer's Caregivers Biggest Health Risk
Alzheimer's Caregivers' Heavy Toll

'Cowboy Bob' Mosies Into South Bay

If you haven't been to our YouTube channel lately -- and, let's face it, we know you haven't -- then you missed our most recent posting of video from a special appearance by Cowboy Bob, a fixture in the South Bay. The entertainer really connected with our participants and sang songs in both English and Spanish, to everyone's delight.

He was good natured when one of the instruments broke (playing on with a faulty banjo) and when, well, he didn't have enough wind for one of this wind instruments. Watch it and see for yourself.

San Diego State Students In Full 'Swing'

What a treat for our Hillcrest participants when students from San Diego State University's Music Outreach program came to play for us! The group of talented instrumentalists and singers travel the county each Friday to perform for different groups. We're so glad our central San Diego Center made it onto their schedule. Great times! Great tunes!

How to Hold On To Your Property

The woman wanted to add her daughter to her bank accounts so she could pay her bills and have access to mom’s money in case of an emergency. So, against her attorney’s advice, she added the daughter to the accounts.

Then one day she discovered $67,000 was missing.

No, the daughter didn’t take it. The IRS did.

It turns out the daughter owed taxes to the federal government and once she became a co-signer, she also became a co-owner of those assets. The bank account was deemed community property and the elderly woman learned a valuable lesson on a common mistake senior citizens make as they advance in years and are reduced in health.

This was just one example La Jolla attorney Heidi Klippel told caregivers during last week’s Town Hall Forum. The topic was estate planning, and Klippel had plenty to say about the best ways to establish a legal decision maker and the documents needed for them to handle a parent’s finances once they can no longer do so.

“There’s a risk any time you put someone else on your asset,” she said.

That includes adding children to the title of your house.

The attorney related a client who put her daughter on the title to her house. The daughter was under insured when she was involved in a drunken driving crash and, as co-owner of the house by title, had the property seized to help pay a settlement, rendering both her and her mother homeless.

Instead of adding adult children to assets, Klippel suggests parents establish living trusts to “house” property and other assets as a way to avoid probate after they die. Trusts are established for specific reasons and provide the following benefits:

• Allow a designee (or “trustee”) to manage your assets should you become unable to do so yourself
• Avoid probate and transfer your assets immediately to your beneficiaries
• Reduce or at least provide for payment of estate taxes

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Medicare Made Simple

One of the most important yet also most perplexing elements of eldercare is handling health care insurance.

During last week’s Town Hall Forum, Todd Shetter, the COO of Health Care Group, helped Alzheimer's caregivers better understand options under Medicare and how they differ from Medi-Cal. Here is a summary of Medicare benefits Part A, B, C and D. Keep in mind premiums for each varies, depending on annual income.

Medicare Part A: Helps primarily with the cost of hospital stays and “medically necessary” skilled nursing services following a hospital stay. It’s important to note that A requires three admission days (three overnights that include midnight). It does not cover long-term custodial care; you need private insurance for that.

Medicare Part B: Helps with doctor’s visits and other medical services, such as ambulances, lab tests, supplies and outpatient surgery. It also can help provide in-home health services. It does not cover dental, vision, hearing or long-term care.

Medicare Part C: This plan combines A & B so that you are covered for hospital costs, doctor’s visits and other medical services. There is also optional prescription drug coverage. This plan operates as an HMO in that you are assigned select health care providers and requires you have A & B coverage. It also includes dental, vision and hearing exams.

Medicare Part D: Pays for your prescription drugs. You sign up for this benefit during the open enrollment period. If you are on expensive medications, it likely will be reflected in your premium.


Medi-Cal is called Medicaid everywhere except California. This program that helps pay medical costs for low-income residents, including the elderly, the disabled and those with high health care costs who’ve run out of money. It has eligibility requirements, and if you meet them, Medi-Cal will help pay for doctor visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, rehabilitation, and other medical services.