The Caregiver Community

The Alzheimer’s Medical Advisor

In this ACAPcommunity podcast, Frances S. Hall, co-founder and executive director of ACAPcommunity, and Mark Bumgarner, Executive Director of Adult Life Programs in Hickory, NC , talk with Dr. Philip D. Sloane, MD & MPH, the Elizabeth and Oscar Goodwin Distinguished Professor of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, about common medical issues, Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cognitive disorders. The focus of this podcast is how caregivers may best help a loved one who has dementia when a health issue arises. Sometimes, it's hard to determine what the problem is and whether the issue is serious enough to need medical intervention or support. That can become a key issue. Dr. Sloane is a geriatrician with over 35 years of experience managing and researching issues related to older persons, with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease and related cognitive disorders and those who assist them with care and services. Among his many awards are the Academic Award from the National Institute on Aging and the Pioneer Award from the national office of the Alzheimer’s Association. He has authored over 300 publications, including 18 books, including, "The Alzheimer's Medical Advisor."
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Partnering for Mom’s & Dad’s Best Care

In this Caregiver Community podcast, Frances S. Hall, Co-founder and Executive Director of ACAPcommunity, and Mark Bumgarner, Executive Director of Adult Life Programs in Hickory, NC, talk with Julie Packer, RN, MSN, Director of Professional Relations, Catawba Regional Hospice about how caregivers may best help loved ones with a variety of issues related to aging, particularly medical issues and decisions.     As an RN with a Master’s Degree in Oncology Nursing and more than 25 years as a nurse, Julie has spent most of her career focused on end of life care---at the bedside, in management positions, in program development, and most recently, in outreach education.  As a Hospice nurse and the daughter of aging parents, Julie understands -- professionally and personally -- the need for effective communication with parents and their healthcare providers.  This podcast provides strategies to help adult-children become strong caregivers, advocates and partners with their parents, healthcare professionals and others, ensuring loved ones receive the most respectful and effective care possible. 
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Medicare ABCs (and D!)

Medicare provides front-line health cost coverage for most Americans over the age of 65. However, Medicare can sometimes seem complicated and confusing. This podcast will help caregivers gain information about Medicare so they may assist loved ones in making good choices about coverage as well as helping caregivers prepare for their own enrollment in Medicare. ACAP co-founder Frances Hall joins with Tina Miller, Director, Area Agency on Aging in Hickory, NC, and Catherine Fannon, Western Regional Manager, NC Department of Insurance, to help listeners learn more about Medicare and important details related to enrollment, services, benefits, and coverage.
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Technology & Aging

There are an estimated 10 million Americans caring for one or more aging parents, in-laws and other family members.  These caregivers are beginning to look at technology as a way to keep their loved ones more independent, more safe and more engaged with family and friends.  Technology may hold a lot of promise for us as we age, but what is technology and how can we best use it with our aging family members and ourselves?  In this episode, Jane & Frances talk with Susan Adams, an engineer with a second career in gerontology, about these and other questions.  
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Investment Fraud, Scams & Seniors

What is financial abuse? How and why does it impact seniors? What should adult-child caregivers know about financial abuse and the elderly? To help answer these questions, Jane Everson and Frances Hall talk with Lauren Benbow. Lauren is an attorney with the North Carolina Secretary of State’s office where she focuses on investor protection and the promotion of the advance health care directive registry. Lauren is a graduate of the university of Delaware and the William & Mary school of Law.
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Living Confidently with Vision & Hearing Loss

Are you frustrated because your father can’t hear? Are you concerned about your mother’s vision loss? Do you worry about their safety in the home? Do you wish you could help them enjoy reading and watching television again? Perhaps you aren’t even aware that they might have a vision and/or hearing loss! These are just some of the questions and issues that we will be discussing in this session of the Caregiver Community.
Join Jane Everson and Frances Hall as we talk with Paige Berry, National Coordinator for Senior Adult Services with the Helen Keller National Center about vision and hearing losses as we age. Ms. Berry has more than 40 years of experience serving and advocating for seniors with vision and/or hearing losses.
If you are juggling the needs of aging parents and in-laws with spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, and volunteer activities, The Caregiver Community is for you!
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Strategies When Parents Experience Alzheimer’s

Talking with aging parents about sensitive subjects is almost always challenging for adult child caregivers. When parents have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or another other age related form of dementia or memory loss, the conversations can be even more challenging. Nevertheless, discussing sensitive topics – such as living independently, driving, managing finances, and estate planning – often cannot be avoided.
In this session, Jane and Frances talk about the challenges of communicating with parents with Alzheimer’s or other age-related types of dementia or memory loss, along with strategies for making these conversations less challenging and more successful.
Their guest is Meghan Lawton, Regional Manager, Alzheimer's Association – Western Carolina Chapter. Meghan understands dementia and Alzheimer's both professionally and personally, as several family members have or have had the disease
If you are juggling the needs of aging parents and in-laws with spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, and volunteer activities, The Caregiver Community is for you!
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Setting Boundaries & Balancing Family

Our aging population is creating historically unique challenges to families, the workforce, our medical and health care systems, and our caregiving culture. Ten million adult-child caregivers, the majority of whom are working-age adults are hit especially hard by these challenges. In this session, we will be talking about balancing family and setting boundaries while we care for our aging parents – and for ourselves. Every caregiving situation is unique, and of course, every caregiver and every aging parent is unique. However, most of us struggle with juggling our caregiving for our parents with time with our spouses, time with our own children, doing our jobs well, making time for volunteer work, and attending to our own personal health. How do we keep from feeling guilty? How do we set boundaries? How do we juggle it all? These are just some of the questions we will be discussing in this session of the Caregiver Community.
Join Jane Everson and Frances Hall as we chat with Dr. Isabelle Eustice. Dr. Eustice is a board certified psychiatrist with specialization in geriatric psychiatry. She earned her medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and completed a geriatric residency with the University of South Florida in Tampa. Dr. Eustice has been the staff psychiatrist with Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, North Carolina since 2012.
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Housing Options for Seniors

As our parents age, they may need to change their housing arrangements. These changes may be relatively minor, such as modifying their homes to make them more physically accessible or safe or securing home-based medical, health, or companion services to allow them to live in their homes more safely and independently. Changes also may be much more significant, such as moving to a new residence that is more accessible and that provides more substantial medical and assistive services. No matter how minor or major the changes, these decisions will be stressful for everyone!
 
Every community is unique, and every family situation is unique. And of course, every older adult is unique, so the housing choice that is right for one person may not be right for another person. How do we know how to guide our parents? Ted Goins, President and CEO of Lutheran Services Carolinas, understands the range of housing options open to seniors and the difficult questions associated with choosing the best option. Join Jane and Frances as they chat with Ted about housing and aging. If you are juggling the needs of aging parents and in-laws with spouses, children, step-children, pets, work, and volunteer activities, The Caregiver Community is for you!
 
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Journeying With a Loved One With Dementia

Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia sometimes present symptoms (behaviors) that can be difficult to manage. Join host Frances Hall as she talks with Ms. Mary Ann Drummond and Ms. Janie Benton about journeying with a loved one with Alzheimer's, Lewy-Body or one of the hundreds of other forms of dementia. Learn specific strategies for managing the sometimes-difficult symptoms often associated with diseases, exciting new treatments for the conditions, and ways caregivers may take care of themselves. With training and background as registered nurses, Ms. Drummond and Ms. Benton have years of experience working with patients who have dementia as well as helping families better understand how to care for their loved ones. Ms. Drummond is Vice President of Operations at Carillon Assisted Living, an Alzheimer's educator and author. Ms. Benton is the director of clinical services with Carillon Assisted Living and an Alzheimer's educator. (Podcast supports ACAPcommunity Module 3, Program 2)
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