Sunday, April 29, 2018

Senior Bill of Rights

Sometimes when you and your parent are partnering for their care, it seems like an “us against the world” situation.  But since the person you are caring for has very little fight left in them, it seems it’s up to you to make sure that your mom or dad get all they have coming.  Just because a person becomes a senior doesn’t mean their fundamental rights go away.  We deserve and should expect to be treated with respect and for those serving them to live up to expectations.

But just as it was before your parent became a senior a right must be claimed to be a right.  So, while there is no formal “Senior Bill of Rights”, there are laws on the books about how nursing homes must treat seniors.  And even if your mom or dad is in an assisted care facility and not a nursing home, there are some basic expectations that were in that contract and that are fundamentally assumed that the facility will live up to.  And it's up to you as the caregiver to make sure they are living up to what is expected of them.

First of all, the facility your parents, uncle, aunt live at should be reliable to provide the basics of safety and cleanliness.  Look at the evacuation plan for the facility in the event of a fire or another emergency that would mean getting your parent out of the building.  Is it a plan that is clear and is it workable considering the entire facility is full of elderly who may not move very quickly?  And what about emergency power?  In the event of an emergency where the power goes off early, is there emergency backup power to operate elevators and automatic doors so everyone can get out?

If the facility offers food service as part of their package of services and if there is a charge for that service, there is a basic expectation that there will be meals made available three times a day, that it will be healthy food and that your parent will never be denied service.  It is also not out of line to expect that the food could be delivered to the senior citizens' rooms if your parent is ill or injured.  And your parent should be able to get some variety in their diet.   If they are not doing a good job of making foods that your parents like to eat, they shouldn’t be making that additional charge for food service.

As we mentioned earlier, your parent didn’t lose his or her rights as an individual when they move into an assisted care facility.  If your parent is paying to use that apartment, they have a right to live as they please in there.  Within certain constraints, because they are in a community setting such as keeping the noise down after bedtime and the like, your parent should be able to do what he or she wants to do in the privacy of their home without the interference from others in the community or from the staff of the complex.  This includes receiving guests, allowing family or friends to sleep over, how the apartment is decorated and what kind of music your parent enjoys.

A right that really cannot be detailed but can be felt dramatically is your parent’s right to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect.  This is an intangible but how the staff of the facility treats the resident’s means a lot to your parent when they see these people every day.  It's not out of line to expect the staff and management of the facility to know your parent’s names and greet them warmly when they come down to eat or go to a social event. 

If the staff of the facility has to work directly with your parent, it should be done respectfully and pleasantly.  If your parent reports verbal or emotional abuse going on by the staff, that is cause for you to investigate it and hold that facility to accountability for that problem. 

Remember the old saying that the squeaking wheel gets the oil.   So, if the facility needs to be reminded of their responsibilities, you be that squeaky wheel.  Squeak loud and squeak often so your parent can live in a place where they enjoy their days and feel that this is a place they can genuinely call home.

Saturday, April 28, 2018

7 Things You Should Know about Kittens

My grandson has his first pet, which is a kitten. As the kitten is now about six months old, here are some things that he should know or will soon learn about kittens.

1. They are not unlike fast-growing babies.  They start off lying in your arms looking at peace with the world but before you know it they’re at the “toddler” stage and running up drapes and under rugs!

2. They are fussy eaters.  Even the smallest kitten will spit out everything it doesn’t believe to be the very best available – oh and “the best” is very subjective, it depends less on the price/brand and more on the cat’s likes and dislikes!

3. Which brings us to number 3, a kitten will grow into an opinionated cat with strong likes and dislikes.  It won’t care if that’s your chair, your child’s bed, an antique sofa or fragile houseplant.  If your cat likes it, it’s his!  

4. If you have friends and family who don’t like – or even better, are allergic to – your kitten from a very young age will see these as their new best friend and insist on sitting on their lap!

5. Don’t believe what your cat tries to make you think – it is possible to train a cat to do certain things.  Just take potty training as an example, you can train a cat to use a litter box, so it follows a cat is capable of learning.  Unfortunately, an ability to learn does not automatically mean a willingness to learn, especially in a cat!

6. A kitten will grow and grow fast.  Remember this as you think it’s cute to have that tiny ball of fluff curled up next to you on your pillow at night!  Pretty soon that little kitten is going to take up all the pillow, and not be happy when it suddenly finds itself on the cold floor in a property fight over whose pillow it is!

7. A kitten will quickly worm itself into your heart and stay there – so make sure you only take enough money to buy one or you could end up bringing two or three home because you couldn’t choose between two of them, and then the third one looked so lonely!

Friday, April 27, 2018

Resources for Retirement

From time to time, I am tempted to create a resource list of retirement resources, and I never get around to it. I really don't have to, one of the best resources around is from "A Satisfying Retirement". The following is from this page.

Think about your retirement and all sorts of possibilities, problems, and thoughts might pop into your mind. Luckily, the Internet has enough resources to answer most everything, sometimes correctly!

To save you some time, and with just a little bit of exaggeration in the title, I have put together this Really Big Retirement Resources  Link  Guide. Here you will find direct links to some websites and resources, grouped by category. These listings don't serve as a personal endorsement, but appear on several lists of the "best" in each category.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Low or No-Cost Gift Ideas

My last post of being frugal for a while, as it is time to move on to a different focus. It doesn't have to cost anything in the way of money to give a loving gift.  Try one of these frugal gifts and see how thrilled your recipient is.
  • Print them off a handmade coupon for a back massage.
  • Cook a special dinner for a friend or loved one.
  • Give someone a special a day of pampering.
  • Write a poem or a quote in honor of someone's birthday.
  • Create a drawing or painting that has special meaning.
  • Make them a piece of jewelry out of seashells or pinecones.
  • Print off information on a topic of interest to someone.
  • Pass along a family heirloom or something that has sentimental value.
  • Surprise someone with a picnic using food that you already have on hand.
  • Make cookies or fudge and wrap them in tissue paper.
  • Send an e-mail that lists out the reasons why they are special or why you love them.
  • Give them an old photograph that has been tucked away for some time.
  • Create a hobby scrapbook with images, articles, and tidbits about their favorite activity.
  • Give them a seedling to grow using one of your own plants.
  • Find a funky shaped rock and write a story about what it reminds you of.
  • Sew together pieces of old clothing for a truly unique table runner.
  • Create a gift voucher for one hour of doing whatever they want.
  • Weed their garden for them or rake their lawn.
  • Decorate a household utensil with craft items you have on hand.
  • Give them a hug.
  • Give them a kiss.
Don't be embarrassed if you are a little short on cash or if you want to try one of these free gift ideas. The best gifts really do come from the heart.