CareCrunch | Helping Families Find Long Term Care, Home Health, and Funding http://www.carecrunch.com Empowering Caregivers Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:01:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 Tips for communicating with a mid-stage Alzheimer’s patient. http://www.carecrunch.com/2013/01/29/tips-for-communicating-with-a-mid-stage-alzheimers-patient/ http://www.carecrunch.com/2013/01/29/tips-for-communicating-with-a-mid-stage-alzheimers-patient/#comments Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:01:02 +0000 CareCrunch http://www.carecrunch.com/?p=7978
  • Make eye contact. Always approach them face-to-face and make eye contact. Use their name if you need to. It is vital that they actually see you and that their attention is focused on you. Read their eyes. Always approach from the front as approaching and speaking from the side or from behind can startle them.
  • Be at their level. Move your head to be at the same level as their head. Bend your knees or sit down to reach their level. Do not stand or hover over them – it is intimidating and scary. They can’t focus on you and what you are saying if they are focused on their fear.
  • Tell them what you are going to do before you do it. Particularly if you are going to touch them. They need to know what is coming first so that they don’t think that you are grabbing them.
  • Speak calmly. Always speak in a calm manner with an upbeat tone of voice, even if you don’t feel that way. If you sound angry or agitated, they will often mirror that feeling back to you and then some.
  • Speak slowly. Speak at one half of your normal speed when talking to them. Take a breath between each sentence. They cannot process words as fast as non-diseased people can. Give them a chance to catch up to your words.
  • Speak in short sentences. Speak in short direct sentences with only one idea to a sentence. Usually they can only focus on only one idea at a time.
  • Only ask one question at a time. Let them answer it before you ask another question. You can ask who, what, where and when, but NOT why. Why is too complicated. They will try to answer, fail and get frustrated.
  • Don’t say “remember”. Many times they will not be able to do so, and you are just pointing out to them their shortcomings. That is insulting, and can cause anger and/or embarrassment.
  • Turn negatives into positives. For example say “Let’s go here” instead of “Don’t go there”. Be inclusive and don’t talking down to them as if they were a child. Respect the fact that they are an adult, and treat them as such.
  • Do not argue with them. It gets you nowhere. Instead, validate their feelings, by saying” I see that you are angry (sad, upset, etc…). It lets them know that they are not alone and then redirect them into another thought. For example “It sounds like you miss your mother (husband, father, etc…). You love them very much, don’t you? Tell me about the time…” Then ask for one of their favorite stories about that person).

    •  

    By Carole Larkin

    ]]>     http://www.carecrunch.com/2013/01/29/tips-for-communicating-with-a-mid-stage-alzheimers-patient/feed/ 0     Dr. Marion January http://www.carecrunch.com/2013/01/28/dr-marion-january/ http://www.carecrunch.com/2013/01/28/dr-marion-january/#comments Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:47:47 +0000 CareCrunch http://www.carecrunch.com/?p=7982 The new year always makes me think about starting fresh and making plans for the future. What should my “caregiver resolutions” be? Jolene, 59 I’m so glad you asked this question. Too often, we’re caught unprepared when it comes to caring for others, let alone ourselves. Planning ahead can greatly alleviate the financial, emotional, even physical toll of caregiving and aging. Here are my suggestions: · Prepare for a crisis. Don’t wait till an emergency hits. Choose a hospital in advance, create a emergency chain of communication, and put critical documents together in a handy place, including insurance cards, allergy information, a list of current medications, and legal documents like DNR orders and living wills. · Talk about caregiving now. Talking about finances, legal issues, and other caregiving topics can be tricky – but you just can’t tiptoe around these issues. Communicate in a direct, positive manner, and always make sure you’re taking your loved one’s feelings and opinions into account. · Make your home safe. This is a good idea for all of us as we age. Create a safer living environment with a few easy steps, from adding grab bars in the shower to simply increasing the wattage of light bulbs throughout the home. For room-by-room tips, download my free home safety guide at www.MedicalAlert.com. · Think long-term. 3 out of 4 of every us will need expensive long-term health care services like assisted living, nursing homes, and the like – and are not prepared to pay for it. Take time now to consider your and your loved ones’ health risks, research the local cost of care, and educate yourself on options like long-term care insurance, reverse mortgages, government programs, and more. Good luck, and happy new year! —– Dr. Marion (Marion Somers, PhD) is the author of “Elder Care Made Easier” and has over 40 years of experience as a geriatric care manager, caregiver, speaker, and expert in all things elder care. She offers practical tools, solutions, and advice to help caregivers everywhere through her book, web site, iPhone apps (Elder 411/911), cross-country speaking tours, and more. Visit www.DrMarion.com for more information.

    ]]>     http://www.carecrunch.com/2013/01/28/dr-marion-january/feed/ 0     Dr Marion September Column http://www.carecrunch.com/2012/09/28/dr-marion-september-column/ http://www.carecrunch.com/2012/09/28/dr-marion-september-column/#comments Fri, 28 Sep 2012 21:49:47 +0000 CareCrunch http://www.carecrunch.com/?p=7984 I’m still a little ways from retirement age, but I’m starting to grow concerned about my finances. I thought I’d been saving enough (or close to enough) but now I’m not so sure. Can you offer me any tips?
    Candace, Phoenix, AZ

    There has been a lot of discussion about the crisis many of us will face as we reach retirement age. How will we continue to fund our lifestyle, without an income? Even for people who think they have planned adequately, there may be surprise expenses around the corner. Here are some ways to fund retirement, as well as some ways to cut expenses.

    Funding:

    • Social Security: You should be eligible to receive monthly payments, once you’ve reached the age of 62. Remember though that if you sign up right away, you won’t receive your full benefits. If possible, delay signing up until you’ve reached the “full retirement age” (varies depending on the year you were born).
    • Retirement accounts: If you saved during your working years, through 401(k)s or IRAs, you can use the money now, but you will have to pay taxes on it. Remember to take the required minimal withdrawals to avoid a tax penalty.
    • Roth accounts: These have the benefit of tax-free withdrawals, because you already paid taxes on the contributions.
    • Home equity: If your home is paid off, you may be able to use a loan or reverse mortgage, should you need to.
    • Insurance: Make sure you sign up for Medicare on time, to avoid a rise in premiums. Look into purchasing Long Term Care insurance to avoid having to dip heavily into your savings for unforeseeable health needs.

    Ways to save:

    • Downsize your home: If it makes sense for you, consider moving into a smaller place, like an apartment or condo, and use the extra money to pad your savings account.
    • Sell your car: Now that you don’t have to drive to work everyday, do you still need a car? Especially if you are in a 2-car household, consider selling one car, and taking advantage of public transportation whenever possible.
    • Use senior discounts: While some businesses advertise their senior discounts (movie theaters, hotels, restaurants), others do not. Don’t be afraid to ask!
    • Travel during the off-season: Without the constraints of work, you can travel during non-peak times for a tremendous savings.
    • Cook at home: After a long day of work, coming home and cooking a meal can be tiring. But now, you can devote more time to grocery shopping and cooking. This is a great way to save money.
    • Seek out free (or cheap) entertainment: Chances are, you will be faced with more leisure time than ever before. Look for free concerts, free museum days, and any other options your city has to offer. If you feel the need to buy a new book or movie, shop used stores or neighborhood yard sales instead.


    —

    Dr. Marion (Marion Somers, PhD) is the author of “Elder Care Made Easier” and has over 40 years of experience as a geriatric care manager, caregiver, speaker, and expert in all things elder care. She offers practical tools, solutions, and advice to help caregivers everywhere through her book, web site, iPhone apps (Elder 411/911), cross-country speaking tours, and more. Visit www.DrMarion.com for more information.

    ]]>     http://www.carecrunch.com/2012/09/28/dr-marion-september-column/feed/ 0     Sign Up for Our Beta http://www.carecrunch.com/2012/06/02/sign-up-for-our-beta/ http://www.carecrunch.com/2012/06/02/sign-up-for-our-beta/#comments Sat, 02 Jun 2012 18:58:30 +0000 CareCrunch http://www.carecrunch.com/?p=7975 CareCrunch is implementing a variety of interesting products around telecare, to help seniors age gracefully in their homes. Join our email list to be updated on new products!

    ]]>     http://www.carecrunch.com/2012/06/02/sign-up-for-our-beta/feed/ 0     Tips For Improving Referral Rates at Assisted Living and other Eldercare Facilities http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/24/tips-for-improving-referral-rates-at-assisted-living-and-other-eldercare-facilities/ http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/24/tips-for-improving-referral-rates-at-assisted-living-and-other-eldercare-facilities/#comments Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:26:53 +0000 CareCrunch http://www.carecrunch.com/?p=1333 With all the new assisted living facilities popping up in the last 5 years, it is increasingly important to have a strong outbound marketing strategy to attract seniors and families. There are a few key components to a strong marketing program which include; a unique selling proposition, educating the potential resident, and establishing credibility early on.

    One of the first things you want to do in positioning your eldercare facility is to have a unique selling proposition. What makes your facility better than the next facility? Do you differentiate yourself by having a more personalized style of care? Is there a small caregiver to resident ratio? Is your facility at a price point that is more affordable than other facilities. A unique selling proposition addresses one or more of the following: service, a guarantee, pricepoint, or a special program that makes you different such as specialized kosher dining programs.

    Next, you need to make sure to educate your potential residents. Every ad, flyer, networking event, and basically any form of communication must contain a clear message about who you are as a company and how you can help them. With assisted living, it is especially important to educate prospects on what “assisted living” means. With all the terms floating around; board and care, assisted living, residential care facilities, independent living, senior housing etc. it is difficult to navigate. It is also important to educate prospects on payment plans and strategies for finding financial supplements. The big misconception is that Medicare pays for everything, which is simply not the case. There are additional options such as long term care insurance, reverse mortgage and other types of financial planning for prospects who do not fit the bill on government financial aid.

    Another important factor is to sell solutions, not price. Assisted living and most elder care services are an investment in safety and independence. Keep in mind that when dealing with families of seniors, their primary concern most of the time, is safety. For seniors, the main concern is one of independence.

    Whatever the marketing plan is, it is important to be open and honest in the communication. Long term care is a highly personal affair.

    ]]>     http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/24/tips-for-improving-referral-rates-at-assisted-living-and-other-eldercare-facilities/feed/ 0     What Can A Geriatric Care Manager Do for You? http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/19/what-can-a-geriatric-care-manager-do-for-you/ http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/19/what-can-a-geriatric-care-manager-do-for-you/#comments Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:21:30 +0000 CareCrunch http://www.carecrunch.com/?p=1328 If you are having troubling coordinating care for your elderly family member, one option may be to enlist the help of an experienced geriatric care manager. Geriatric care managers are usually people with backgrounds in nursing, social work, and gerontology who have a firm grasp on the financial, medical, and legal problems that people regularly encounter when planning eldercare. Most importantly, a geriatric care manager is able to identify the best situation for your family member with due consideration to safety and independence.

    They are knowledgeable in public policy and benefits, being able to guide you through the financial aspects of long term care. A good geriatric care manager will also be able to identify additional financial supplements such as VA benefits, entitlements, and publicly funded program that can save you money. Most people think that Medicare pays for long term care, but the truth is that Medicare pays for very little long term care and is not suitable for many people who only need assistance with activities of daily living.

    Collaboration between family members is a key element in planning out long term care. This is where a geriatric care manager can play a crucial role in being a mediator or facilitator. If a family meeting is required, the geriatric care manager will be there to answer questions regarding finances, types of care, entitlements, and offer recommendations as they see fit. With the advent of teleconferencing technology, many family members now choose to hold meetings virtually from their own homes using programs such as Skype or Gotomeeting.

    For family members who find themselves becoming long distance caregivers, geriatric care managers can serve a crucial role in coordinating care. Most geriatric care managers charge a fee for the intial consultation and an ongoing hourly rate, so be wise to ask them about their pricing.

    ]]>     http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/19/what-can-a-geriatric-care-manager-do-for-you/feed/ 0     Diversify Your Elder Care Referral Sources http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/14/diversify-your-elder-care-referral-sources/ http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/14/diversify-your-elder-care-referral-sources/#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:03:00 +0000 CareCrunch http://www.carecrunch.com/?p=1324 It’s important to consistently market your community no matter what the occupancy level is. This is a seemingly simple concept, but it is still surprising that many elder care facilities’ lead generation activity falls the the wayside when occupancy rates are up. Here is an exhaustive list of referral sources which can supplement your current outbound marketing.

    Doctors

    Discharge planners

    Home health agencies

    Hospital volunteers

    Nursing homes

    Assisted living communities

    Retirement communities

    Case managers

    Religious Community; Senior Bible study groups, Clergy, Ecumenical groups, Church social gatherings

    Senior Networks, AARP, Area Agency on Aging Senior centers

    All supports groups; Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, SCI

    Senior educational programs (i.e., Donovan Scholars, Elder Hostel, Life Enrichment)

    Legal and Financial Community, Bankers, Trust officers, Financial planners, Estate planners/Attorneys

    Business Professionals

    Employers

    Media officials

    Auctioneers

    Morticians/Funeral home directors

    Library

    Chamber of Commerce

    Real estate appraisers/Brokers

    Philanthropic Groups

    Universities, Vocational schools, College alumni

    ]]>     http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/14/diversify-your-elder-care-referral-sources/feed/ 0     An Inside Look On How Merrill Gardens Operates http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/13/an-inside-look-on-how-merrill-gardens-operates/ http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/13/an-inside-look-on-how-merrill-gardens-operates/#comments Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:38:46 +0000 CareCrunch http://www.carecrunch.com/?p=1322 Merrill Gardens is a consistently a top 20 performer in Assisted Living because of it’s operational excellence. It’s unique structure and the fact that it is a well capitalized private family company allow it to be a leader in the industry.

    Regional Teams:

    Merrill has seven regional sales and marketing teams that work very closely with each group of communities. Each region is grouped into a maximum ten communities. The regional team consists of the Regional Director of Operations, the Regional Director of Marketing, the Regional Director of Dining Services, the Regional Director of Quality services and the Regional Maintenance Superviser.

    The Regional Director of Marketing visits the facility at least once per week and the Director of Operations visits the community a minimum once every two weeks. In order to meet their census goals, the regional team is accountable for all the communities in their region.

    Sales and Marketing:

    Merrill Gardens also does a comprehensive sales and marketing comparison study with new and existing properties. The monthly sales goals are examined including prospect calls, outreach, and home visits. Aggressive direct advertising is implemented to bring each community to stabilization. The regional teams work the with General Manager and the Community Marketing Director to provide additional assistance.

    Communities that have not reached stabilized occupancy rates and lease up communities participate in a weekly call as to monitor the marketing performance. This call includes the General Manager, Regional Marketing, Community Marketing Director, Operations Directors, and Executive Vice President of Operations. During this call, the goal is to monitor progress and identify problem issues. The community is required to participate in the weekly call until one month after the community has reached occupancy stabilization.

    ]]>     http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/13/an-inside-look-on-how-merrill-gardens-operates/feed/ 0     Get Free Local Exposure for Your Elder Care Facility http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/12/get-free-local-exposure-for-your-elder-care-facility/ http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/12/get-free-local-exposure-for-your-elder-care-facility/#comments Wed, 12 Jan 2011 17:52:42 +0000 CareCrunch http://www.carecrunch.com/?p=1318 Here are a few easy ways to promote your eldercare service for free.

    Google Places:

    Go to google.com/places and submit your elder care service by entering the name, addresss, contact information, and business information on the site. You then verify the Google Places submission by answering a phone call or sending in a postcard. In a few weeks, you should have a map listing with all your information there on google ready to land in the top of the search results when people search for elder care services in your area.

    Local Online Directories:

    Many search directories will require you to do reciprocal linking or make you pay a listing fee, but there are plenty of online directories where you can submit your listing for free. Make sure to submit to vertical specific directories as well such as assisted living directories, home care directories, and the like.

    Places to submit your local listing for free:

    Address.com

    Advertise.com

    Advice.com

    Alikelist.com

    Allpages.com

    AOL

    Ask

    B2Byellowpages.com

    Boorah

    Bing

    Citysearch

    DigitalPressConsortium

    DirectoryM.com

    DreamLocal.com

    Elocal

    Fizzlocal

    Google

    HelloMetro.com

    Herald.com

    Hotfrog.com

    Immersfind

    InsiderPages

    JustDial

    Kudzu

    LikeMe

    Local.com

    LocalMatters.com

    LocalSearch.com

    LookSmart.com

    MagicYellow.com

    MapQuest

    MediaPages/Canoe

    Media News Group

    MerchantCircle

    MojoPages

    Montavo

    MyWebYellow

    OpenList

    SeccionAmarilla

    Shop.com

    Superpages.com

    Switchboard.com

    TheRedBook.org

    Topix

    TrafficEngine.net

    US City.net

    Where.com

    WhitePages.com

    YellowBot

    YellowOne

    YellowPages.com

    YellowPageCity

    YellowBook

    YellowUSA.com

    Yahoo!

    Yelp

    YP.com

    Zingy

    Press Releases

    Does your company have interesting news that can help seniors? Do you want to promote a special community event for your assisted living facility? If you are doing something newsworthy and especially if there is a human-emotional element to the story, like its often the case with elder care services, consider submitted a press release to sites like PRWeb.com or PRLeap.com. Follow their strict press release criteria and write very compelling copy. Take time to write an eye catching title. Profile seniors, families, and residents that you work with in order to weave in the human element. If you do submit to a website like PRWeb or PRLeap make sure to check out their article on “Why localizing a press release to a zipcode and city matters.”

    ]]>     http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/12/get-free-local-exposure-for-your-elder-care-facility/feed/ 0     Redouble Your Assisted Living Occupancy Enhancement Efforts http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/11/redouble-your-assisted-living-occupancy-enhancement-efforts/ http://www.carecrunch.com/2011/01/11/redouble-your-assisted-living-occupancy-enhancement-efforts/#comments Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:41:42 +0000 CareCrunch http://www.carecrunch.com/?p=1303 Redouble your occupancy enhancement efforts even if it means spending more money. The rationale for investing more in marketing is to fill your pipeline so that you can avoid the high opportunity costs of vacant units.

    TIMING IS CRITICAL

    Another reason is that timing is critical. Successful assisted living facilities invest continuously in marketing so that they can capture people at their time of need. Unlike, say purchasing a car, people who need assisted living do not have the luxury of delaying their purchase until their financial situation improves. They need assisted living NOW, and if you are not on their shortlist and they are not aware of you, you lose out on acquiring a new resident.

    DIVERSIFY YOUR MARKETING

    A successful outreach program now requires an informed blend of referral based marketing and the use of advertising methods such as internet, direct mail, and email marketing. For operators who are not accustomed to these more advanced marketing strategies, assisted living can be a formidable endeavor.

    Do not limit your marketing to just local advertising. Often, the person making the “buying” decision is the son or daughter who is making the decision on behalf of their aging parent. They may live outside of the state or outside of the local market. For these reasons it is important to have a strong internet presence so that you can be found by people searching from outside the local area.

    And lastly, your marketing efforts should include referral targets who play a crucial role in the assisted living decision.

    Apply to become apart of our referral network  HERE

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