Marion Somers, Ph.D., an experienced, nationally recognized geriatric care manager, appeared on NBC’s “Today Show” Friday to talk about the proliferation of Nintendo Wii gaming systems in retirement and elder care communities. Joined by two older gamers, Fred and Lynn, Dr. Marion discussed the benefits of seniors playing with the Wii.

“The seniors love the game. It’s physical, it’s mental, it’s stimulating, it’s creative,” Dr. Marion noted. “If somebody has some physical limitations and is using a walker or is in a wheelchair, they can still play the game, so it’s got a universal appeal.”

The Wii systems have been an unexpected hit with seniors since they came out in late 2006. The controllers are simple, and the available games include activities that many seniors continue to enjoy, such as bowling and tennis. Fred, who bowled until back pain forced him to quit, was bowling a great game as Dr. Marion talked with Today Show co-anchors Natalie Morales and Hoda Kotb.

Fred, a resident of an Erickson Retirement Communities in New Jersey, called Seabrook Village said, “I truly enjoy it.” He added, “It doesn’t take long to learn it.” Seabrook Village is one of 20 Erickson Retirement Communities equipped with Wii systems. Dr. Marion pointed out, “It’s a real bonus for these communities.”

Lynn, another gamer playing during the segment mentioned she liked the Wii because she could share it with her 21-year-old grandson. “We play together, and I just love it,” she beamed.

If you missed the segment, you can watch it at the NBC “Today Show” Web site. You can find out more about Dr. Marion here, and read her contributions to AGIS.com here. For more information on the Wii system, visit the Nintendo’s Wii Web site.

Filed under: Care Facilities, Community, Doctor Marion, Eldercare, Technology, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Our Forums are all about caregivers supporting each other. In this week’s highlights, members are sharing information on topics that concern us every day.

Caregiving can lead to family conflicts. In this post, a wife feels stretched to the limit by caring for aging parents and her young children. What advice would you share with her to get her husband to help out?

http://forums.agis.com/thread.jspa?threadID=251&tstart=0

The AGIS Caregiver Forum has added a new thread “Caregiving and spirituality”. Our spiritual beliefs and community can be a huge support as we care for a family member. In this post forum members discuss how the stress of caregiving has brought prayer back into their lives.

http://forums.agis.com/thread.jspa?threadID=252&tstart=0

In this post, one of our members is preparing a “just in case” list for taking care of her father from a distance. She has already helped him during a recent illness and wants to be more prepared in the future if he becomes ill again. The community shares ideas about what items should appear on her long distance caregiving list.

http://forums.agis.com/thread.jspa?threadID=247&tstart=0

The AGIS Network Caregiver Forums are a great place to get support and ideas for helping your family member. Will you join us? http://forums.agis.com/index.jspa

Filed under: Caregiving, Long Distance Caregiving, Spirituality | No Comments »

Economic forecasts are causing many to pinch pennies and tighten belts. Federal funding, state programs and non-profit organizations have all had to reign in spending and cut expenses, and elder care assistance resources are dwindling. Even after deciding what tasks to assign to a home caregiver or which local resources to utilize to find one, you still need to figure out how to pay for them.

Families caring for loved ones are becoming increasingly more responsible for the costs related to care. News of proposed federal cuts to Medicare and Medicaid worry health care providers and non-profit groups providing affordable in-home services to those in need. Barbara Gay, director of advocacy information at the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, in Washington, DC, observed that nonprofit nursing homes “would have to figure out how to do more with less.” She continued, “You can’t cut back on quality, usually you don’t end up closing beds. Many already do a lot of fund raising. That probably would have to be more intensive.”

States like Pennsylvania are freezing Medical Assistance payments to reimburse low-income seniors in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. Somerset County, PA, has even started a waiting list for elderly people who need home-delivered meals because their is not enough money to cover the rising cost of food and higher fuel prices incurred in delivering meals. Arthur N. DiLoreto, administrator of the Area Agency on Aging of Somerset County said, “We have instituted cost-containment and reduction. But we are seeing such an increase in the demand for in-home services that we have had to start the waiting list for home-delivered meals. We did not make this decision lightly.”

Northern Colorado families recently received letters in the mail saying that the foundation providing their affordable in-home services had quietly and abruptly shut down, leaving many scrambling to find providers to continue services. “This business shutting down and the way they shut down were not good for the homecare business,” Mike Maguire, owner of nearby Home Instead Senior Care said. “Everyone is just really disturbed at the way families were treated.”

At the same time, many private companies see opportunities in the growth of home health care needs in the United States. A Minnesota baby boomer recently launched a company which produces elder-care resource events for the public. “Elder Care Expo brings together many of the answers people like us are searching for — in one place,” Elder Care Expo founder Julie Groshens offered.

The University of Central Florida’s School of Social Work is developing an innovative program to prepare its graduates for careers in geriatric social work, thanks to a grant from the John A. Hartford foundation. “Approximately 17 percent of Central Florida residents are 60 or older,” Denise Gammonley, assistant professor of social work and co-director of the program pointed out. “We estimate that about 40 percent of these older residents have at least moderate social and health-care needs because of disabilities or poverty.”

With so many variables, finding the right services for you and your family’s situation can be daunting. The AGIS.com site can easily help you find local services, government agencies, and community resources to meet your care needs. You can also learn about Medicare and Medicaid, find out what types of expenses to expect, and appropriately prepare your budget to care for aging loved ones. Finally, visit the Money Concerns Forum to learn from others and share your own experiences.

Filed under: Care Facilities, Caregiving, Elder Issues, Eldercare, Home Care Agencies, Housing, Long Term Care, Medicare, Medicare & Medicaid, Resources, Uncategorized | No Comments »