Tuesday, February 11, 2014
About Me
My name is Trevor. I'm a senior at The University of Idaho and will be graduating this May. I was originally studying Exercise Science and Health, but after last spring semester I decided to go in a whole different direction with my career. I went to Northwest Lineman College in Meridian and received my certificate to become a Lineman. I'm now working in Wyoming as a full-time Apprentice Lineman. I will have 3-4 years of the apprenticeship program before I become a Certified Journeyman Lineman. But I enjoy the type of work and know I can make a great career for myself. I would still like to get my bachelor's degree so that my years in college weren't wasted. So I've switched my major to General Studies and will be finishing my last credits through online courses. In my spare time, I like to do anything outdoors - camping, fishing, hunting, snowboarding.
Sociology is an interesting subject to me. It's about understanding people and how we think and react to different situations. I'm interested in this particular Sociology course because I want to have a better understanding about aging. I have a grandma who is struggling with multiple health conditions and I'm not sure how long she will be with us. I would like to know if there are things we can do for her now or if there are things we could have done differently to help her age more comfortably.
Chapter 9 - Intergenerational Relationships: Adult Children
According to our text, "after spouses/partners, adult children are the most important source of informal support and social interaction in old age" (pg. 358). My widowed grandma is living in her own home just a short walk down the road from my parent's place. She has been a diabetic for most of her life. Although she has two sons still alive, my dad is the only ones who has taken the initiative to care for her.
Recently, she has had more serious health concerns including a heart attack. She also fell and broke her shoulder when she had the heart attack. My parent's believed she needed to have more constant care and even put her into a nursing home for a short time. She was not happy with this situation and once she had recovered enough to return home, they hired an in-home nurse. The doctors also believe she may have cancer, but she refuses to let them test to find out. She says it doesn't matter anyway if she does have it, she isn't going to get treatment for it. She is a very independent and strong person and, in my opinion, she is ready to go. She has lived in constant pain for years. I also think the only reason she hasn't given in yet is to continue to be there for my dad who isn't ready to let her go. My father doesn't care about the inheritance he may get when she passes away. He wants her here as long as possible. This creates stress within their relationship, having different wants and views on the situation.
This has put a lot of responsibility on my parents, emotionally and financially. They visit her on a daily basis. They bring her dinner every night as she is no longer able to cook for herself. They provide ongoing support to her, taking her to the hospital when needed and ensuring she is taking her medications. When my parents plan to be gone for a few days, they have to make sure they have arranged for someone else to check on her every day and bring her dinner every night. When the power goes out, my dad has to go start a generator to keep my grandma's oxygen running. As much as this may seem difficult, they are happy to do this for her at the same time.
My parent's situation is not unique. According to this chart, the highest percentage of marital status in women 85 and over is widowed. This percentage is also very high for women 75-84. Our text states that "widowed mothers are more likely to live with children than are divorced, single, or married mothers" (pg. 342). Although my grandma doesn't live in the home with my parents, they are close enough to be to her house in less than a minute. This shows the commitment and responsibility they, and many other adult children caring for their parents, must provide.
The video below is a dialogue that provides some very useful information on this topic. Jim Comber talks about his experience in caring for his parents and gives advice on how to make the best of the situation.
The link below will take you to a website called "A Place for Mom". It provides information about senior assisted living facilities, in-home care, and nursing homes. It also gives helpful information about many other topics, including nutrition, Alzheimer's, and calculating care costs.
http://www.aplaceformom.com/
"Aging Parents" is another helpful website that gives a lot of information on caring for elderly parents from financial advice to providing emotional support for your parents.
http://www.agingcare.com/
Recently, she has had more serious health concerns including a heart attack. She also fell and broke her shoulder when she had the heart attack. My parent's believed she needed to have more constant care and even put her into a nursing home for a short time. She was not happy with this situation and once she had recovered enough to return home, they hired an in-home nurse. The doctors also believe she may have cancer, but she refuses to let them test to find out. She says it doesn't matter anyway if she does have it, she isn't going to get treatment for it. She is a very independent and strong person and, in my opinion, she is ready to go. She has lived in constant pain for years. I also think the only reason she hasn't given in yet is to continue to be there for my dad who isn't ready to let her go. My father doesn't care about the inheritance he may get when she passes away. He wants her here as long as possible. This creates stress within their relationship, having different wants and views on the situation.
This has put a lot of responsibility on my parents, emotionally and financially. They visit her on a daily basis. They bring her dinner every night as she is no longer able to cook for herself. They provide ongoing support to her, taking her to the hospital when needed and ensuring she is taking her medications. When my parents plan to be gone for a few days, they have to make sure they have arranged for someone else to check on her every day and bring her dinner every night. When the power goes out, my dad has to go start a generator to keep my grandma's oxygen running. As much as this may seem difficult, they are happy to do this for her at the same time.
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| Chart provided by AgingStats.gov |
The video below is a dialogue that provides some very useful information on this topic. Jim Comber talks about his experience in caring for his parents and gives advice on how to make the best of the situation.
The link below will take you to an article called "Family Matters" that was published in the Indianapolis Monthly. The article talks about the importance of family and gives advice on how to prepare for caring for your elderly parents.
Here is another interesting article on the topic. This one talks about parental sacrifices and obligations that adult children face as their parents begin to age.
The link below will take you to a website called "A Place for Mom". It provides information about senior assisted living facilities, in-home care, and nursing homes. It also gives helpful information about many other topics, including nutrition, Alzheimer's, and calculating care costs.
http://www.aplaceformom.com/
"Aging Parents" is another helpful website that gives a lot of information on caring for elderly parents from financial advice to providing emotional support for your parents.
http://www.agingcare.com/
Chapter 6: Dementia
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| Image by Fisher Center of Alzheimer's Research Foundation |
The link below will take you to an article that looks at the effects on kids who have grandparents with dementia. The article was published in the Journal of Family Issues in 2012. It is interesting to see how these changes can effect all generations, from the patient themselves, to the child of the patient, and all the way down the line to the grandchildren. Click on Linked Full Text in the upper left when the window opens.
When Grandparents have Dementia: Effects on Their Grandchildren's Family Relationships
Here is another article that studies the effects on sleep patterns of the person caring for a parent with dementia. Written by Cherie Simpson and Patricia Carter, the article was published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing in 2013. Click on Linked Full Text in the upper left when the window opens.
Dementia Behavioural and Psychiatric Symptoms: Effect on Caregiver's Sleep
The video below called "Identifying the Signs of Dementia" provides some very good information about recognizing and treating, risk factors, prevention, and being a good caregiver when dealing with a parent who has dementia. The video is by Monica Bush, a national certified care manager. She has been a social worker for 23 years and was an administrator for an Alzheimer's Secure Facility for 5 years.
To find more information about dementia, check out http://www.alz.org/what-is-dementia.asp. This website provides helpful information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for dementia.
Also visit http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=391 for helpful tips on how to provide care for people suffering from dementia. It gives advice on communicating with those with dementia and on how to handle troubling behavior like wandering and paranoia.
City of Cody, Cody Senior Center, & Hands 2 Help
The City of Cody and the Cody Senior Center provide classes to the community's seniors free of charge at the Paul Stock Aquatic and Recreation Center here in Cody, Wyoming. Classes include Arthritis Foundation Water Movement Class, Water Workout Hour, and B-Fit, plus body toning, seniorsize, and chi gong.
This is a great benefit to the seniors who live here. They get to take these classes for free and, as the Activity Theory in our text suggests, staying active into older age is a key way to prolong life and increase overall happiness. Staying active helps us age in many ways. It increases strength, mobility, and mood, and decreases the pain of arthritis.
Another local agency that provides service to Cody's seniors is Hands 2 Help. Hands 2 Help provides in-home care for seniors who are not ready to, or refuse to in some cases, live in a nursing home. Their philosophy is "to assist and empower clients and their families to develop strategies which will maintain or improve social, cognitive or physical functioning while in the safety of their own home". Hands 2 Help is licensed by the Wyoming State Department of Health, and are members of the Cody Chamber of Commerce and Wyoming Healthcare Alliance to name a few. They provide services including housework, grocery shopping, meal preparation, and changing bed linens. They also provide nursing services including occupational and physical therapy, nurse aides, bathing and dressing. Their website also offers home safety information, such as carbon monoxide, fire prevention, and fall safety.
I think this is a good resource for seniors in our community who want to hold on to some of their independence, but are in need of care on a regular basis. This also eases the worry of those who would have to care for them and takes away some of the responsibilities that they might have otherwise, like grocery shopping and preparing meals.
For more information, you can visit their website - Hands 2 Help.
This is a great benefit to the seniors who live here. They get to take these classes for free and, as the Activity Theory in our text suggests, staying active into older age is a key way to prolong life and increase overall happiness. Staying active helps us age in many ways. It increases strength, mobility, and mood, and decreases the pain of arthritis.
Another local agency that provides service to Cody's seniors is Hands 2 Help. Hands 2 Help provides in-home care for seniors who are not ready to, or refuse to in some cases, live in a nursing home. Their philosophy is "to assist and empower clients and their families to develop strategies which will maintain or improve social, cognitive or physical functioning while in the safety of their own home". Hands 2 Help is licensed by the Wyoming State Department of Health, and are members of the Cody Chamber of Commerce and Wyoming Healthcare Alliance to name a few. They provide services including housework, grocery shopping, meal preparation, and changing bed linens. They also provide nursing services including occupational and physical therapy, nurse aides, bathing and dressing. Their website also offers home safety information, such as carbon monoxide, fire prevention, and fall safety.I think this is a good resource for seniors in our community who want to hold on to some of their independence, but are in need of care on a regular basis. This also eases the worry of those who would have to care for them and takes away some of the responsibilities that they might have otherwise, like grocery shopping and preparing meals.
For more information, you can visit their website - Hands 2 Help.
References
Homepage
Image - http://www.aging2.com/category/dementia/
Chapter 9 - Intergenerational Relationships: Adult Children
Hooyman, N., Kiyak, H. (2011). Social Gerontology: A multidisciplinary perspective (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Chart - http://www.agingstats.gov/Main_Site/Data/2012_Documents/Population.aspx
Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-njENwgbRI
Article #1 - Indianapolis Monthly. Jan2013, Vol. 36 Issue 6, p84-91. 5p.
Article #2 - Social Theory & Practice. Summer90, Vol. 16 Issue 2, p163-189. 27p.
Internet Site #1 - http://www.aplaceformom.com/
Internet Site #2 - http://www.agingcare.com/
Chapter 6 - Mental Disorders Among Older Persons: Dementia
Hooyman, N., Kiyak, H. (2011). Social Gerontology: A multidisciplinary perspective (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Image - http://www.aging2.com/category/dementia/
Chapter 9 - Intergenerational Relationships: Adult Children
Chart - http://www.agingstats.gov/Main_Site/Data/2012_Documents/Population.aspx
Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-njENwgbRI
Article #1 - Indianapolis Monthly. Jan2013, Vol. 36 Issue 6, p84-91. 5p.
Article #2 - Social Theory & Practice. Summer90, Vol. 16 Issue 2, p163-189. 27p.
Internet Site #1 - http://www.aplaceformom.com/
Internet Site #2 - http://www.agingcare.com/
Chapter 6 - Mental Disorders Among Older Persons: Dementia
Hooyman, N., Kiyak, H. (2011). Social Gerontology: A multidisciplinary perspective (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Image - http://www.alzinfo.org/03/alzheimers/forgetful-dementia
Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM6a-2qLjc8
Article #1 - Journal of Family Issues. Aug2012, Vol. 33 Issue 9, p1218-1239. 22p.
Article #2 - Journal of Clinical Nursing. Nov2013, Vol. 22 Issue 21/22, p3042-3052. 11p.
Internet Site #1 - http://www.alz.org/what-is-dementia.asp
Internet Site #2 - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=391
City of Cody, Cody Senior Center, & Hands 2 Help
City of Cody & Cody Senior Center - http://www.cityofcody-wy.gov/index.aspx?NID=155
Hands 2 Help - http://www.hands2help.com/index.php
Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM6a-2qLjc8
Article #1 - Journal of Family Issues. Aug2012, Vol. 33 Issue 9, p1218-1239. 22p.
Article #2 - Journal of Clinical Nursing. Nov2013, Vol. 22 Issue 21/22, p3042-3052. 11p.
Internet Site #1 - http://www.alz.org/what-is-dementia.asp
Internet Site #2 - http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=391
City of Cody, Cody Senior Center, & Hands 2 Help
City of Cody & Cody Senior Center - http://www.cityofcody-wy.gov/index.aspx?NID=155
Hands 2 Help - http://www.hands2help.com/index.php
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