"Safe Lifting Environment" Campaign Addresses Caregiver Lifting Injuries

At Safe Lifting Portal caregivers can join the "Safe Lifting Environment Campaign and Support Injury Prevention, which is an industry wide effort to reduce caregiver injuries. Caregivers in the health industry have one of the highest rates of back injuries due to the lifting involved. An analysis done by The National Institute for Safety and Health recommends a 35 pound limit for patient handling tasks. Whether you are lifting people from the bed to a wheelchair, doing a partial lift for a transfer, or repositioning someone who is in bed there are techniques and lifting devices to prevent back injuries.


Tom Waters, Phd. in the August 2007 American Journal of Nursing refers to an analysis that recommends a 35 pound limit for patient handling. The analysis was done by the National Institute for Safety and Health.

At the website for Nursing Center you can read the article by Tom Water, PHd, about the 1994 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation and the recommended 35 pound maximum weight limit for patient handling.

When I worked for caregiver agencies it was not uncommon to be asked by a patient/client to do a total lift of a patient weighting around 100 pounds from the bed to the wheelchair. Because I had previous training as a Certified Nursing Assistant, Home Health Aide, and in Acute Care, I knew the dangers. I would decline to do a lift like this, and requested a lift device, which can be delivered to the home. Get more help and/or use a lift device when this happens in order to be safe. A patient or client could also be dropped or both people could fall during a heavy lift.

Often the patients do not wish to be lifted by a lift device, perhaps because it is a new and strange idea. Or the caregivers may not use one because they are not familiar with the lift device or trained in how to use it. In facilities the caregivers, aides, and nurses are working under a time pressure, and the lifts may be in use by someone else.

When the lift device is introduced in a user friendly manner, and the caregivers are trained well, it can become another part of the usual routine.

There is a list of states at the website which have passed or introduced legislation to reduce injuries from "hazardous manual lifting."

OSHA, the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration has released ergonomic guidelines for nursing homes with guidance to reduce lift injureis.

Family caregivers provide the majority of home care, and too frequently they do not realize the risks they are taking when they lift people from the bed to the wheelchair, or do transfers when people are too weak to assist. Repositioning people in bed, which requires leaning over and lifting is also a risk. But, there are lift devices that can do the work and save people from back injuries.

Frequently caregivers and their patients do not use safe lifting techniques due to lack of training and lack of familiarity with lift devices. For more information you can visit the The Safe Lifting Portal , which also has a section called "Ask the Lift Doctor" where you can submit your questions.

Low Income Seniors and Disabled People Can Turn to National Food Bank for Groceries

Seniors on low fixed incomes and disabled people who are struggling with high prescription costs and healthcare costs can turn to The National Food Bank for groceries. The national network of community locations providing groceries is called America's Second Harvest. Local warehouses have grocery supplies through the National Food Bank which are distributed at community locations.

To find a distribution center near you enter your zip code into the search box at the website for The National Food Bank, or search for your town plus "food bank."

The website explains that 5.9% of seniors,or 1.5 million households, struggle with "food insecurity." This term means when "access to food is limited by lack of money and other resources." Nearly 3 million seniors are served by the Food Bank each year.

As a caregiver I have seen many situations where a senior's refrigerator and cupboards were almost empty. In these cases I contacted the person's family members and local community resources to get a plan started, so these frail or disabled people would have groceries.

Meals that are delivered from Seniors Nutrition Programs are a big help also. Seniors Nutrition Programs in my area welcome a donation of $2.75 per meal but the donation is not required.

Nutrition Programs Available in Most Areas Deliver Meals to Homebound Seniors

Caregivers and seniors in most areas who are homebound or frail can arrange to have local Seniors' Nutrition Programs deliver balanced meals Monday through Friday, including extra meals that are frozen to keep for the weekend. A small donation is accepted but not necessary. For information in your area you can contact your local Area Agency on Aging or ask at a local seniors center for information.

I spoke with Senior Nutrition Program specialist Deb Clark, (pictured in the photo) about it last week. She uses the kitchen at the Central Coast Seniors Center as a base of operations for the Oceano area. Deb provides about 30 meals a day at the Central Coast Seniors Center and another 50 or so are delivered to homebound seniors and their caregivers. Often the meals go out to a family member who is a caregiver, as well as a homebound or disabled person.

This also serves a purpose for those who live alone of having someone stop by daily to see if a frail senior is alright or needs help. Many seniors also wear a Life Alert Emergency Medical Response call button on a cord like a necklace or as a wrist bracelet so that help is just a push button away.

The meals arrive in styrofoam containers and the portions are large enough that many seniors have leftovers for an afternoon snack or with dinner. When an elderly spouse is a caregiver it can be a great help to have meals delivered for both people. On Friday some elderly couples have extra meals for the weekend delivered that they can freeze and microwave later.

For seniors who are not housebound the meals are also served in various locations and your local Area Agency on Aging can help you find a serving location near you.

For example, at the Central Coast Seniors Center about 30 seniors arrive around 11:30 each day and enjoy a hot, well-balanced meal while having a chance to interact socially. Isolation and loneliness can be a problem for seniors, and a chance to have lunch with a group of friends is a big help. The group can become a supportive group, and Deb Clark, who manages the one at the Central Coast Seniors said she feels they are part of "her family." Birthdays and special occasions are shared, and friendships develop.

Seniors who are homebound or frail are at risk for neglecting their nutrition and if they have a balanced meal delivered or go to a location to share a meal with others it's one way family members know they are getting a healthy meal.

Caregivers' Self-Care During Holidays - Know You Are Special

It is tempting to overlook our own needs in order to take care of others during the holidays. However, if we are not functioning well or our own health gives out we won't be able to continue caregiving. The giving spirit of the holidays seems to spur the impulse sometimes to meet ideals of generosity and caring. As caregivers, we are already putting our heart and soul into helping others and giving our best efforts.

When I worked in medical offices we knew that the holidays are one of the busiest times. The stress and exhaustion that occurs when people try to heroically sacrifice themselves for others is common during the Thanksgiving to New Years weeks.

Guilt is common among caregivers, and so is wishing we could do just a little more. If you feel like this perhaps it will help to know you have plenty of company.

By the end of the holidays caregivers can be collapsing from exhaustion.

We all wish we could do more. But, just being a caregiver means you are a warm, caring person, and a very special person. There is no need to try to prove yourself further.

What can each of us, as caregivers, do to take good care of ourselves? The self-care tips are frequently listed and probably familiar to most of us. Nutrition, vitamins, exercise, social time, activities and hobbies, relaxation and stress reduction are some of the steps. Easy to say, but not always easy to do when time and money cause constraints.

Finding respite care is one of the top priorities and challenges. This can include programs from the Alzheimer's Association, the Area Agency on Aging, Adult Day Care, Shared Care, and paid Agency Caregivers or Independent Caregivers who meet the necessary criteria.

Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research - Says "Interact With The Afflicted Person Within His or Her Own Frame of Reference"

The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation, directed by Nobel Laureate Dr. Paul Greengard at The Rockefeller University, says "interact with the afflicted person within his or her own frame of reference for the world, even if it has little to do with reality." Different stages of Alzheimer's or Dementia require different approaches to interaction and communication.

When I was working at a skilled nursing facility that specialized in Alzheimers and Dementia there were three main sections in the building for the residents. Each wing was for residents at a different stage. The style of communicating was according to the stage of their illness.

(1) Early Stage. One wing had residents in the early stages of Alzheimer's or Dementia, who might be forgetful or confused sometimes, but still recognized people and places much of the time. Part of the time they might seem as if there was nothing wrong with the way the brain was functioning, and then part of the time some confusion or forgetfulness would occur.

People in the earliest stages might still be gently cued or prompted to bring them back to our usual reality when they became confused. If this did not seem to work, or it caused agitation, then we would just go with their reality.

(2) Mid-Stage. A second wing had people in the mid-stage of Alzheimer's or Dementia. In a way, this was the most challenging wing for the staff. One moment someone might be completely lucid, and perhaps later in the day, when fatigue or sundowners began, the person might be in another world.

For example, there was one resident who would be fine in the morning, but in the late afternoon she would ask for some dressy clothing, her fancy hat and a dress purse. She would want to get ready to put on her fanciest outfit to get on a plane later for "the trip."

We might say something like "OK, but let's just eat dinner first, before you go, then we'll get ready." Moment by moment the reality changes and after dinner everything would be different again.

The residents in the mid-stage wing were sometimes agitated or combative, and we learned to relate to them in their own reality, not to argue or contradict.

(3) Advanced Stage. The third wing had residents who were in advanced Alzheimer's or Dementia. They usually had severe difficulty with the ability to speak, to perform simple tasks of the activities of daily living, and to walk.

However, some could walk very well, but had severe sundowners and agitation. When they were in a sundowners episode they might walk and walk. Up and down, and all around the halls of the facility they would go, which was locked to protect them from wandering outside and getting lost.

We learned to determine what the person's reality was, and to speak and interact with each unique person by referring to his or her reality.

Alzheimer's Association Brain Tour - Pictures of the Brain Make It Easy for the Average Person to Understand

Understanding the effects of Alzheimer's Disease changes in the brain is made easy for everyday people who don't have medical backgrounds by the Brain Tour at the Alzheimer's Association. A series of illustrations that a layperson can understand show the difference between looking at a healthy brain and a brain with Alzheimer's. Illustration #8 shows a brain without nerve cell loss or tissue loss next to the brain with changes from Alzheimer's. A picture of healthy brain cells under a microscope is shown in illustration #10, compared with a picture of damaged, Alzheimer's brain cells.

The abnormal clusters that build up between the cells are easy to see in the Alzheimer's brain. The tangled strands in the photo of the Alzheimer's brain are also easy for a layperson to see, especially compared with the healthy brain in the microscopic picture.

Pictures of early, mild to moderate, and advanced Alzheimer's are illustrated showing the progression through different parts of the brain. The first section of photos shows brain basics, and after understanding the parts of the brain it's easy to understand which parts are affected as Alzheimer's progresses.

In the early stages "learning, memory, thinking and planning" are affected.

The Brain Tour explains that in the mild to moderate stages "speaking and understanding speech, and your sense of where your body is in relationship to objects around you," is affected.

In the mild to moderate stage alzheimer's may cause people to fail to recognize others and to have different behaviors and a changed personality.

The illustration of severe Alzheimer's shows the shrunken brain with much cell damage. At this stage the people with Alzheimer's cannot recognize others, communicate or care for themselves.

You can sign up for a free email newsletter from the Alzheimer's Association at the end of the Brain Tour.

Ninety-Six and Ninety-One Year Old Seniors Use Artwork to Stay Mentally Sharp and Active

Senior artists Florence Erb, age 96, and Margaret Haak, age 91, (both pictured below with their paintings), use painting with watercolors and oils to stay mentally sharp. They are both active with a social group of other senior artists, many in their 80's and 90's. Margaret Haak is proof that it is never to late to exercise the mind by learning something new. She began art and painting at the age of 69. Both senior artists said they enjoy the outlet for creative expression, the other senior friends they make at the art groups, and sharing social time with other senior artists.

Florence and Margaret are part of the art group at the Central Coast Seniors Center, San Luis Obispo, California. But, for others outside this area senior centers, clubs, and seniors classes are available everywhere.

Pictured on the left is Florence Erb, 96 with her watercolor painting of a lighthouse.

Below is a photo of Margaret Haak, 91, with her painting of an Arizona landscape.

Reverse Mortgages Explained by Specialist, Sigrid Hurn

Sigrid Hurn, of The Califonia Reverse Mortgage Company, a member of The Generation Morgage Company, recently explained the uses of reverse mortgages and answered questions at a forum. Seniors from the Central Coast Senior Center, San Luis Obispo County, California, learned from Sigrid (1) what types of reverse mortgages are available, (2) what limits there are on the amounts, (3) how to apply and what it costs, and (4) how to choose different plans for reverse mortgage income.

Seniors may use the income to pay for sudden health expenses, prescriptions, in-home caregivers, nursing home care, or for a variety of other choices. If seniors are having financial stress from mortgage payments a reverse mortgage can eliminate the monthly payments.


A reverse mortgage is a Federal Government insured loan program which provides income for senior home owners. Sigrid explained that it is not paid back until a person moves permanently out of the home.


To qualify for a reverse mortgage a senior needs to own the home, be at least 62 years old, and to be living in the home.


Sometimes a sudden illness causes a financial situation that makes getting a reverse mortgage helpful or necessary. If a large mortgage payment is causing financial problems for seniors living on fixed incomes the reverse mortgage can get rid of the mortgage payment, freeing up that money for health expenses.


Other people get reverse mortgages in order to access the cash from home equity while they are alive in order to travel, pay for grandchildren's college, or make other dreams they have come true.

For more details you can visit Sigrid Hurn's website at http://reversemortgagelady.com/.

Seniors' Life Story Telling - A Chance to Communicate, Share, Understand

Seniors' life story telling gives later generations insight into what it was like ,on a day to day basis, to live through different eras and cultural changes. Understanding the different conditions of daily life that existed during a senior's childhood, 60 or 70 years ago, helps explain things that might be puzzling to someone today. For example, if you wonder why grandmother never throws anything away, it could be a habit from growing up during the Great Depression.

I know someone like this and here is his story. He is in his mid-70's now, and describes living in a tent in the California Central Valley as a child during the 1930's Great Depression. The family had come to California from the Oklahoma dustbowl. His mother had died of pneumonia and his father worked in the fields.

He remembers his father would drag a long bag for the cotton, that looped over his shoulder while he was picking. As a child he played by riding on the cotton bag as his father dragged it along the ground.

For a Christmas tree there was often a dried cotton stalk with cotton balls for decorations. Toys were blocks of wood and imagination was used to turn them into cars or tractors.

When he was about 6 years old he began working in the fields picking cotton too. School attendance was only possible between field work, and after the eighth grade he stopped attending school and helped the family survive by working in the fields full time.

This senior today has several storage buildings full of personal items that he collected throughout his lifetime. He keeps everything, and explained it's a habit from living during the Depression. Survival was hard, everything was reused, and objects were too difficult to obtain to be able to easily discard them.

I used questions and prompts to encourage him to share his story. He said he hadn't thought about it lately, but he would like a copy of the longer version I made of his story to give to his children, who haven't heard it before. Often people talk in generalities about their life history and the details of daily living don't come up.

It was easy to understand my friend's habit of being a "collector" after I heard his story. His adult children were glad to have it as part of the family history.

Jacqueline Marcell's Book "Elder Rage, or Take My Father Please" Has Advice and Humor Too

At the website for "ElderRage - Or, Take My Father Please!" eldercare expert Jacqueline Marcell tells about the times she had to intervene when her father, who was mostly blind, and had bad hearing and memory loss, hid the car keys so he could take the car out later. He insisted he did not know where the keys were. After Jacqueline heard a clanking when he walked she found the car keys masking-taped to his leg.

Another story titled, "Midsummer's Nightmare at the Alamo" tells of the time her father came in to wake her and tell her there were two guys in the house, one wearing a coon-skin cap like Davy Crockett, and another who looked like someone from the FBI. He pointed at Jacqueline's mom and said, "There's one of them now." But when they got closer to get a better look he said, "Oh, that's no guy, that's my wife."

By the end of the story Jacqueline's Dad is back in bed. Jacqueline relates, "I went back to my bed and intensely studied the texture of the ceiling as tears streamed down the sides of my face and clogged my ears. I'd have never guessed that I'd have to be my parent's parent..."

Jacqueline has been featured on television shows such as Regis Philbin's show, and on CNN. On the website you'll see over 50 endorsements for Jacqueline and her book, as well as information about her weekly radio show and schedule of speaking engagements.

Jacqueline's site has a wealth of Alzheimer's and eldercare information. She is a caregiver advocate who understands well the situations Alzheimer's caregivers encounter, from having experienced them herself.

Alzheimer's Day Care Center - Participants Feedback Is Enthusiastic

Relief for exhausted caregivers can be obtained when a senior with Alzheimer's is able to attend a Day Care Center. For example, today's post is the story of a local Alzheimer's Day Care Center, The Santa Maria Wisdom Center, part of the Life Steps Foundation.

It is highly recommended by one of my friends whose 82 year old mother participates. Stella Carrasco, 63, is the sole caregiver for her mother, Mary Chaparro, 82, who has Alzheimer's. They are pictured in the photo on this post at a local Craft Fair. They gave me permission to write about them on the internet so that other people could read about their story.

At 9 am a special bus run by the Wisdom Center picks up Mary, in Oceano, California. Between 3:30 and 4 pm the Wisdom Center bus brings her back home.

The Wisdom Center provides breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack for Mary. Stella said her mother enjoys getting to eat meals with a group. She said it's good for both of them to have some time apart.

The Wisdom Center is very multi-cultural, and people there represent a variety of ethnic groups. There are bilingual speakers on the staff.

Stella has had many years of being the sole caregiver for her mother. The exhaustion and isolation were serious problems, and now that her mother attends Day Care Stella has time to rest, go for walks, play the radio, and other activities that we usually take for granted.

Stella said that before her mother started the Day Care Center she was warned about facilities, but in this case there are no worries. Her mother, Mary, enjoys the Day Care people and activities and loves to go there.

Stella said everyone there is kind and respectful, and Mary enjoys the people, arts and crafts, and other group activities. The Wisdom Center is supplying some colored pencils and drawing paper for Mary, who likes colored pencils better than other mediums for drawing.Stella looks forward to getting together with friends and attending activities now that she has some relief in her caregiving schedule.

Alzheimer's Day Care is available in many areas, and you can check your phone book or the internet to local Day Care in your area.

Caregivers Can Read Medical Weblogs - Doctors Blog About What's Really Going On

Caregivers and seniors who want to understand the issues doctors face today and what really goes on can read medblogs, short for medical blogs. At KevinMD.com internal medicine physician and blogger Kevin Pho says "people not involved in healthcare have no idea what goes on "behind the curtain." Some of the posts have covered subjects such as "the death of primary care," "defensive medicine,""malpractice," "reimbursement," and "health care reform."

KevinMD has been featured in publications including The Wall Street Journal, British Medical Journal, and American Medical News.

He's also been interviewed on CBS News by Katie Couric.

The KevinMD Med Blog Power 8 Lists the medical blogs that were exceptional during the past week.

Many of the subjects in the Power 8 included information that would be helpful in saving money on prescriptions, understanding how emergency rooms work, and other topics useful for caregivers.