While being stuck at home may be a new experience for some, Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice has been serving the medical needs of homebound patients in Ventura County since 1947. Home health visits are a safe and effective way to receive treatment for a chronic condition or recover from a wound or injury. Even though patients may be afraid to leave home due to the risk of contracting the virus, home health visits are safe. Livingston’s nurses are supplied with Personal Protective Equipment for themselves and for their patients and are highly trained in the prevention of infection and the spread of disease.

Physical distancing is difficult in providing home health care, but we doing our best to continue to provide excellent care to our patients and their families during the current crisis. We also have had to make adjustments to accommodate the needs of our staff.

As restrictions on who can enter skilled nursing facilities have tightened, our nurses have become points of contact for families unable to visit their loved ones. They’ve met concerned daughters in parking lots, and helped worried husbands make FaceTime calls.

Our speech therapists, grief counselors, chaplains and clinical social workers are available via phone call or video conference and continue to provide services. While a call isn’t the same as an in-person visit, it does provide a vital life-line for the patient and their family members. “One of the most important things we do as social workers is during a face to face visit, utilizing our “use of self” to provide empathy.  We have quickly had to master how to do that over the phone!” reports Licensed Clinical Social Worker Amy Schafer. “I feel I am working now more than ever, and I am aware of my own compassion fatigue during this time.  I am thankful I am able to keep working and help however I can.”

Stacia Sickle runs Livingston’s Grief & Bereavement Center in Camarillo: “Many people are isolated and our groups through tele-therapy are providing much needed support, connection, and affirmation. I’ve had several group members send me emails thanking me for making this possible. They look forward to the group knowing they will get to see familiar faces, receive the support they long for, and find their way through this challenging time. The really cool thing is they are sharing photos, linking objects, etc. because all those things are right at their fingertips. It’s been a very meaningful experience to provide this service and see the response and the positive effect it has had. In regards to grief counseling, although challenging by phone, tele-therapy has helped continue continuity of care.  We are helping to normalize and validate a stressful event, providing helpful strategies to cope with isolation, anxiety, depression and of course grief. I am so proud of how we’ve been able to continue despite this virus and physical distancing. I am so grateful to have purpose at this time.”

Patients in need of home health care who forgo treatment out of concern of contracting the coronavirus can end up in the emergency room, further putting themselves in jeopardy. If you or someone you know is in need of home health care, call us at 805-642-0239 and our experienced staff will assist you in creating plan of care that is safe and works for you.

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice

www.lmvna.org

Seniors: Protect yourself from fraud and financial abuse! Be vigilant, be observant. Physical or financial abuse will continue so long as no one knows about it. Listed below are our Top 10 Safety Tips to always keep in mind.

Never give out financial information such as bank account, credit card, social security or Medicare numbers to someone you do not know.

Medicare and Social Security do not cold-call beneficiaries or make house calls. If someone calls you and says they are from Medicare or Social Security, hang up. Do not give them any information.

Don’t be pressured into buying anything immediately or because the offer will expire if you don’t act soon. Never be afraid to call someone for assistance. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Before making any important financial decisions, make sure you fully understand the purpose and effect of the product you intend to purchase.

If you do make a purchase, make sure you get everything in writing and require copies of all documentation.

It is advisable not to wire money to anyone.

Do not share personal information like your address or phone number on social networking sites like Facebook.

Do not let strangers into your home without a trusted person, such as a family member or friend, present.

Delete e-mail messages that ask you to verify your account information. Banks, credit card companies
and Paypal will not ask for this.

If you suspect anything is wrong, or that you or a loved one is being abused, do not hesitate to contact your local law enforcement agency to report your suspicions.

by Marilyn MILLER Program Officer Division of Neuroscience (DN).

The coronavirus has the research community adjusting on the fly to keep our science moving until we can safely return to our labs. One of the cool things about genetics research is that the big, beautiful data that drives the Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) research field can be accessed and studied remotely. So, now’s a great time to announce the release of the latest genomics data set from the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP).

It’s been a while since I first blogged about the NIA Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease Data Storage Site (NIAGADS), and it has been growing strong ever since. Hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, NIAGADS is the data coordinating center for the ADSP and a key national repository for the field. It is a vital tool as we seek to better understand genes that increase risk for — or protection from — AD/ADRD, and ultimately to unveil potential new therapies to help prevent or delay the disease.

The ADSP was inaugurated in 2012 to study the genetic architecture of AD/ADRD using next-generation sequencing technologies to identify rare variants in large populations. The ADSP is helping researchers identify new genomic variants that increase risk for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease and better understand why some people with known risk factor gene variants do not develop AD. Through large, diverse studies and participant populations, the ADSP also helps sequence data to extend previous discoveries that could illuminate new pathways to therapeutic targets.

Through the NIAGADS Data Sharing Service (DSS) website, researchers can now access robust sequencing data of the protein-coding regions (exomes) of 19,922 samples from 9 different studies with multi-ethnic data sets. To access data, qualified investigators can submit Data Access Requests by following the instructions. The DSS site also includes a list of contributing cohorts and a breakdown of the subjects by condition and population background.

NIA supports additional projects through the ADSP Follow Up Sequencing Program. Project researchers will contribute DNA and phenotypes to ADSP for additional whole-genome sequencing. The next major data release — consisting of around 17,000 complete genomes (including the 4,789 genomes that were released in 2018) — should be available at NIAGADS DSS toward the end of the year.

In the middle stage of Alzheimer’s disease, those who were care partners now become hands-on caregivers. Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or other dementias is exceptionally demanding.  The level of assistance provided by caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias tends to be extensive, compared with caregivers of other older adults. 

To address these issues, the Alzheimer’s Association® will provide a free three-part educational workshop to discuss common issues faced by families affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias.  Topics to be discussed during the workshop are:

·         May 21: Part 1 – Communication, relationship changes, personal care, and hospitalizations

The Alzheimer’s Association is the premier source of information and support for the five million Americans with Alzheimer’s disease. Through its national network of chapters, it offers a broad range of programs and services for people with the disease, their families and caregivers and represents their interests on Alzheimer’s-related issues before federal, state and local government and with health and long-term care providers.

Part 1 of this series will be held as a webinar. Registration is required. For more information and to register, go to alz.org/CRF. 

A stroke is serious, just like a heart attack, so it’s important to know the signs of stroke and act quickly if you suspect someone is having one. Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, and causes more serious long-term disabilities than any other disease. Older people are at higher risk. You can take steps to lower your chance of having a stroke.

Know the Signs of Stroke

Knowing the symptoms of a stroke and acting quickly could mean the difference between life and disability or death.

Call 911 right away if you see or have any of these symptoms:

• Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg—especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden problems seeing in one eye or both eyes
• Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, or trouble walking
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause
• Other danger signs that may occur include double vision, drowsiness, and nausea or vomiting.

A stroke happens when something changes how blood flows through the brain. Blood brings oxygen and nutrients to brain cells. If blood can’t flow to a part of the brain, cells that do not receive enough oxygen suffer and eventually die. If brain cells are without oxygen for only a short time, they can sometimes get better. But brain cells that have died can’t be brought back to life. So, someone who has had a stroke may have trouble speaking, thinking, or walking.

There are two major types of stroke. The most common kind, ischemic, is caused by a blood clot or the narrowing of a blood vessel (an artery) leading to the brain. This keeps blood from flowing into other parts of the brain and keeps needed oxygen and nutrients from reaching brain cells. Blockages that cause ischemic strokes stem from three conditions:

Some risk factors for stroke, like age, race, and family history, can’t be controlled. But you can make changes to lower your risk of stroke. Talk to your doctor about what you can do. Even if you’re in perfect health, follow these suggestions:

• Control your blood pressure. Have your blood pressure checked often. If it is high, follow your doctor’s advice to lower it.
• Stop smoking. Smoking increases your risk for stroke. It’s never too late to quit.
• Control your cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol, work with your doctor to lower it.
• Eat healthy foods. Eat foods that are low in cholesterol and saturated fats. Include a variety of fruits and vegetables every day.
• Exercise regularly. Try to make physical activity a part of your everyday life.

Someone who has had a stroke might be paralyzed or have weakness, usually on one side of the body. He or she might have trouble speaking or using words. There could be swallowing problems. There might be pain or numbness.

Stroke may cause problems with thinking, awareness, attention, learning, judgment, and memory. Someone who has had a stroke might feel depressed or find it hard to control emotions. Post-stroke depression may be more than general sadness resulting from the stroke incident. It is a serious behavioral problem that can hamper recovery and rehabilitation and may even lead to suicide.

For More Information on Stroke

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
1-800-352-9424 (toll-free)
[email protected]|
www.ninds.nih.gov

National Stroke Association
1-800-787-6537 (toll-free)
[email protected]
www.stroke.org

by Rajeshni Naidu-Ghelani Data Journalist, Global Advisor

Knowing when to retire in today’s world can be tricky as people are living longer while savings or pensions may not be sufficient enough to provide for them in their senior years. There are also the mental and physical benefits of working longer to consider.

But while many of us may want to work for as long as possible, there are significant hurdles facing older people in the workforce – the most basic of which is whether or not they’re considered employable after a certain age.

In a recent global poll of more than 20,000 respondents across 28 countries, people, on average, said they need to work until age 59 before they could retire. That’s not far off 57, the age until which people said they want to work.

Added to this, the ages for employability, capability to work and retirement are much lower in emerging markets compared to developed ones. For example, the countries with the lowest ages for people feeling physically and mentally capable of working are Poland, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, China, Russia and Turkey. On the same measure, the United States, Sweden, Canada and Chile had the highest age at 66.

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Professor of Organizational Psychology at Columbia University in New York, said the retirement age in many countries is out of date and hasn’t kept pace with changes in culture driven by two key factors in the last 10 to 15 years.

“The first is that retirement money or pension funds, in most instances, are no longer enough for people to maintain the life quality that they have. In other words, you need to work longer to save more to maintain your lifestyle,” said Prof. Chamorro-Premuzic.

“The second factor is for people who have more money than they need, but still want to stay at work, because they are interested in something to keep them well occupied.”

He adds there’s a status element where if you can keep being useful or valuable to the economy even if you are 60, 70 or 80, you feel better and have higher pay – referring to jobs where age reflects work experience like heads of state or companies, and in politics.

The global life expectancy at birth in 2016 was 72, according to the World Health Organization, which reported the increase by 5.5 years between 2000 to 2016 was the fastest increase since the 1960s. The average life expectancy in the Americas and Europe was about seven to 15 years higher than in Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

In terms of what can be done by governments and policymakers to make people feel more comfortable about working longer, experts say phased retirement programs, especially in the private sector, and initiatives that take the focus away from age in determining job performance would help keep people employed longer.

Prof. Chamorro-Premuzic said employers need to de-emphasize age as a main factor in employment, promotion and retirement, because it is overrated.

“Age is not a relevant factor in determining job performance. It’s your ability, personality and job experience,” said Prof. Chamorro-Premuzic, adding the retirement age in countries should be pushed even higher, but not only because governments are financially incentivized to keep people working longer.

[email protected]

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Older adults are among the most vulnerable when disaster strikes. That’s why it’s critical that older people, and those who care for them, prepare for emergencies. If you’re an older adult, or care for an older person, follow the steps below to prepare for and respond in an emergency.

Step 1: Create an Emergency Plan

Have an emergency communications plan. Create a group text or a phone call chain (a plan in which you make an initial call to one person, who then calls the next person, and so on). This will make sure that all relatives and friends know what is happening in the event of an emergency.

Keep contact information complete and up-to-date. Have the current numbers of people you’ll need to contact in an emergency. Make sure those people have your phone number, and the numbers of nearby friends or neighbors. Put an extra copy of these in a travel wallet, purse, or suitcase.

Make travel arrangements in case of evacuation. Talk to family members (or the directors of the facility where you live) about what you would do in the event of an evacuation. Will you be able to drive or will you need someone to pick you up? If so, who, and at what meeting place? Who can provide a back-up ride, and how will that person be contacted? You may also want to ask the director to designate staff who will stay with a very elderly adult during an evacuation.

Choose a meeting place in case of evacuation. Pick two meeting places—one near your home, the other outside the neighborhood—where you can wait and relatives can find you. Make sure everyone has the address and phone number of the meeting location. If you are caring for an older adult who lives in a facility, find out where he or she will be taken in case of evacuation.

Get local emergency information in advance. Get a community disaster/emergency plan for your area. Learn where evacuees go for medical care or emergency supplies of medications. Get a map of evacuation routes to keep in your car.

Exercise mock-disaster scenarios. Go over your emergency plan and practice with family and friends to make sure it is ready to be executed if needed.

Consider getting a medical ID bracelet. Consider ordering a medical ID bracelet or pendant for people with chronic health problems. Information on medical conditions, allergies, medications, and emergency contacts can be engraved on the surface. For very elderly or disabled adults, put the identification information, list of diagnoses, and medications in a traveler’s wallet that can be worn in an emergency.

An emergency medical kit should include:

Medications. A 3-6 day supply of your medications along with an up-to-date medication list that includes the names (brand and generic) of any drugs you’re taking and the doses. An insulated bag big enough to hold a two-week supply of any medications that require refrigeration, such as insulin. Keep ice packs in the freezer for the emergency medical kit.

Medical equipment and necessities. Include items such as blood sugar monitoring equipment, a blood pressure cuff, hearing aids/hearing aid batteries, and an extra pair of eyeglasses and/or dentures.

Written information about treatment. Ask your healthcare provider for copies of your medical records and lists of all active medical problems you have and how they’re being treated. Carry extra copies of Medicare, Medicaid or other insurance information with you.

A disaster supplies kit should include your medical kit equipment and:

Water. Plan for at least 1 gallon per person per day, and at least a 3-day supply.

Food. At least a 3-day supply of canned and dried foods that won’t spoil. Juices, soups, and high-protein shakes may be particularly helpful.

Basic supplies. A manual can opener, flashlight, battery-powered or hand-cranked radio, batteries, waterproof matches, knife, resealable plastic bags, tin foil, disposable cups, plates, utensils, basic cooking utensils, emergency whistle, and cell phone with chargers, battery bank, or solar charger.

Maps. Local and regional maps in case roads are blocked and you need to take detours.

Change of clothing & blankets. A complete set of clothing per person: a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, shoes, and weather appropriate outerwear. Also include one blanket per person.

Contact info and key papers. Have the phone numbers and addresses of friends and relatives you might need to contact, your healthcare provider, and any specialists you see. Also include copies of your credit and identification cards.

Cash. It’s a good idea to have at least $50 on hand; if that’s not possible, include as much as you can.

First Aid kit. See the Red Cross’s comprehensive list of what to pack in your first aid kit. The Red Cross also sells pre-packaged first aid kits.

Basic hygiene products. Include soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, baby wipes, and a few trash bags for garbage.