Tag: Cruising Through Caregiving

Legal But Inappropriate Financial Products – By Jennifer L. FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C, CSP

Posted on by Darlene Snow

Like many investors, my Grandmom lost a lot of money in the late 2000s.  It caused her a great deal of stress…and anger.  After losing so much money, she was told by a representative at her bank that if she wanted to earn some of that money back there was a way. 

Click here for a video of the story:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWBSab0djvM

There was nothing inherently wrong with the product.  But it wasn’t a suitable one for my Grandmom for a variety of reasons.  Maybe it was ignorance on the part of the financial professional.  Or perhaps the financial professional just cared more about making a commission on the sale of the product than serving his client.  While most financial professionals are ethical and knowledgeable, it is critical for older investors and their loved ones to keep their eyes open.  And this is why I recommend the 24 Hour Rule to most older adults.

The 24 Hour Rule means that most older adults should take a day to consider any new “opportunity” to part with their money, particularly when this “opportunity” is presented by someone they don’t know very well.  This includes a new financial product that’s being recommended by a new person.  Or a charity request.  Or lending money to somebody they don’t know very well.   Or buying property… or a vehicle. 

Take 24 hours to talk it over with people you trust.  Sleep on it.  Do some research about what you’re getting into.

Jennifer L. FitzPatrick – MSW, LCSW-C, CSP
The founder of Jenerations Health Education, Inc., Jennifer FitzPatrick has over 20 years’ experience in healthcare and gerontology. The author of Cruising Through Caregiving: Reducing The Stress of Caring For Your Loved One, she is also a gerontology instructor at Johns Hopkins University. She helps you reduce stress and increase productivity, morale and revenue. Jennifer and Cruising Through Caregiving have been featured in Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Reader’s Digest, Univision and The Chicago Tribune. She has also appeared on ABC and Sirius XM.

Working With Difficult Colleagues: The 4 R’s And Other Resources – By Jennifer L. FitzPatrick

Posted on by Darlene Snow

Last week I had the pleasure of presenting Complicated Colleagues and Maddening Managers: How to Cope and Collaborate with Provocative People at the Virginia Assisted Living Association’s Annual Conference. Working with persons who possess strong personality disorder traits is challenging but there are ways to get along with them while providing great service to your customers. You just have to apply the 4 R’s T that we discussed: Recognize, Restrict, Reduce & Release!

Many attendees from the conference–senior living executive directors and regional/corporate staff from senior living organizations–requested a reading list. All of these books offer insight on how to better collaborate with provocative colleagues in your workplace!

I hope you enjoy these resources. And if you think a presentation on Complicated Colleagues and Maddening Managers: How to Cope and Collaborate with Provocative People would help your workplace, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Jenerations Health Education!

Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified (Friedel)
Borderline Personality Disorder: New Reasons For Hope (Mondimore)
Disarming The Narcissist (Behary)
DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association)
Splitting (Kreger & Eddy)
The Gift of Fear (De Becker)
The Mirror Effect (Pinsky)
The Narcissist Next Door (Kluger)
The No Asshole Rule (Sutton)
The Wisdom of Psychopaths (Dutton)
5 Types of People Who Can Ruin Your Life (Eddy)

Jennifer L. FitzPatrick – MSW, LCSW-C, CSP
The founder of Jenerations Health Education, Inc., Jennifer FitzPatrick has over 20 years’ experience in healthcare and gerontology. The author of Cruising Through Caregiving: Reducing The Stress of Caring For Your Loved One, she is also a gerontology instructor at Johns Hopkins University. She helps you reduce stress and increase productivity, morale and revenue. Jennifer and Cruising Through Caregiving have been featured in Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Reader’s Digest, Univision and The Chicago Tribune. She has also appeared on ABC and Sirius XM.

The Power Of Partnership To Help Family Caregivers – By Jennifer L. FitzPatrick

Posted on by Darlene Snow

Last week I had the honor to present continuing education classes for health and mental health professionals at Massachusetts Brightview Senior Living communities. On Friday morning, as I was preparing for the event at the Brightview Senior Living community, a lovely woman approached me holding a copy of Cruising through Caregiving.

This woman, Mary Todd, introduced herself & shared that she and her husband had recently moved into Brighview North Andover. She mentioned that she’d gotten her copy of Cruising Through Caregiving when she and her husband participated in Lori La Bey Alzheimer’s Speaks Dementia Caregiver Cruise back in November 2017. Brightview Senior Living had been generous enough to sponsor copies of Cruising Through Caregiving for every passenger on the cruise.

In addition to receiving the book and information about Brightview, Mrs. Todd told me that she after the cruise she had the opportunity to hear Patrick Doyle (Corporate Director of Dementia Care at Brightview) on Lori’s podcast. When Mrs. Todd decided that she and her husband were ready to move, Brighview was top of mind. It was a pleasure to partner with Brightview Senior Living Lori La Bey and Alzheimer’s Speaks. And Mary Todd thanks for introducing yourself and giving permission for us to share your story!

 

Jennifer L. FitzPatrick – MSW, LCSW-C, CSP
The founder of Jenerations Health Education, Inc., Jennifer FitzPatrick has over 20 years’ experience in healthcare and gerontology. The author of Cruising Through Caregiving: Reducing The Stress of Caring For Your Loved One, she is also a gerontology instructor at Johns Hopkins University. She helps you reduce stress and increase productivity, morale and revenue. Jennifer and Cruising Through Caregiving have been featured in Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Reader’s Digest, Univision and The Chicago Tribune. She has also appeared on ABC and Sirius XM.

 

Assisted Living Week: How We Can Show Appreciation – By Jennifer L. FitzPatrick

Posted on by Darlene Snow

In celebration of Assisted Living Week, Jenerations Health Education, Inc. would like to formally thank all the very generous senior living communities who have sponsored our family caregiver and continuing education programs over the years. It’s been quite a privilege for our speakers to be welcomed into these buildings which house thousands of older residents all over the country.

How can we health, legal and financial professionals who participate in senior living-sponsored educational events show our appreciation this week? Here are 5 ideas:

1. Remember you are visiting a residents’ home. Attending an educational event in a senior living community is not the same as attending one in a conference center. The staff are always striving to make sure you have a comfortable experience but their priority always must be resident care. So if it takes a little time for the free coffee to be refilled, try to be patient!

2. Try to leave the restrooms and event space the way you found it. When a senior living community opens up its doors to professionals, an additional burden is placed on housekeeping and dining services staff. That said, if there is a major spill, be sure to alert staff immediately to reduce both visitor and resident fall risk.

3. Take a tour! Many of us need to run out the door after the event to get back to our busy patient and client schedules. But if you have some time try to join the staff for a quick tour. You never know if a client, patient or even your own family member would be a good candidate for their services someday.

4. Send a quick thank you e-mail to the staff member who invited you. You might mention that you appreciated the presentation topic or the delicious omelet station. But better yet mention something positive you observed or experienced that day. Did you watch a certified nursing assistant patiently assist a resident down the hall? Note the nursing assistant’s name and pass on the compliment! Everyone in healthcare hears so many complaints–make their day by sharing something you saw that was positive.

5. Leave a review on social media! Most senior living communities have a Facebook, Linkedin or Instagram page. Mention your positive experience and include a photo of you enjoying their special event (just be cautious about featuring residents in a photo unless you have explicit permission from the resident and/or his/her power of attorney).

Jennifer L. FitzPatrick – MSW, LCSW-C, CSP
The founder of Jenerations Health Education, Inc., Jennifer FitzPatrick has over 20 years’ experience in healthcare and gerontology. The author of Cruising Through Caregiving: Reducing The Stress of Caring For Your Loved One, she is also a gerontology instructor at Johns Hopkins University. She helps you reduce stress and increase productivity, morale and revenue. Jennifer and Cruising Through Caregiving have been featured in Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Reader’s Digest, Univision and The Chicago Tribune. She has also appeared on ABC and Sirius XM.

Five Secrets Caregivers Wish Healthcare Professionals Knew – By Jennifer L. FitzPatrick

Posted on by Darlene Snow

How much do you know about the caregivers of your patients?  Here are 5 secrets caregivers of your patients are desperate for you to know:

Secret #1: They’re stressed…probably more than you think.  Most caregivers are juggling multiple priorities and usually have little experience navigating the complexities of the healthcare system.  While  formal assessments like the Caregiver Strain Index and the Caregiver Reaction Scale can help you understand specific stressors they are facing, one simple question can quickly uncover their stress level.  Ask the patient’s caregiver to assign a number to his or her stress level (0-low through 100 (high).

Secret #2: They often feel stuck.  Most caregivers report feeling like they don’t have a choice—caregiving is an obligation.  They also often feel trapped with tunnel-vision about what a “good caregiver” is and feel like they have to live up to that image.

Secret #3:  They are constantly being hit with surprises.  There are often unrealistic expectations for how long the caregiving experience will last (usually longer than expected).  Sticker shock occurs over what insurance does not cover.

Secret #4: They feel their loved one’s situation is special.  Of course healthcare professionals recognize that each patient and caregiver’s situation is unique.  But caregivers appreciate when the healthcare professional acknowledges and validates the distinctive circumstances their family is facing.

Secret #5: They need us to be sensitive in the way we communicate with them.  While we must be candid about healthcare information, it will benefit the caregiver as well as the patient if we are culturally and generationally sensitive in conversation.  It’s also critical to breakdown technical healthcare terms and jargon into language the caregiver can grasp and apply to their loved one’s situation.

If you’ve been a caregiver, what else do you think healthcare professionals should know about your experience?  If you are a healthcare leader, how is your organization meeting the needs of your patients’ caregivers?

Jennifer L. FitzPatrick – MSW, LCSW-C, CSP
The founder of Jenerations Health Education, Inc., Jennifer FitzPatrick has over 20 years’ experience in healthcare and gerontology. The author of Cruising Through Caregiving: Reducing The Stress of Caring For Your Loved One, she is also a gerontology instructor at Johns Hopkins University. She helps you reduce stress and increase productivity, morale and revenue. Jennifer and Cruising Through Caregiving have been featured in Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Reader’s Digest, Univision and The Chicago Tribune. She has also appeared on ABC and Sirius XM.