Why we need more services for those without family

By Carol Marak for Next Avenue



Credit: Getty Images



Thriving in a place that’s safe and comfortable, surrounded by cozy memories, is a natural desire of older adults. We treasure independence and want a space to call our own, and we prefer that place to reflect the person we’ve become. We understand that aging bids compromise, and once 65 hits, the changes bring reminders that we’re no longer the same. We don’t move as quickly, we don’t multitask as well, nor do we easily adapt. Those are the simple cues. As we age, the physical and mental challenges delivered through loss, immobility and dependence are the ones that put us at higher risks.

Who Is an Elder Orphan?

However, the effects of aging land harder on an “elder orphan,” because the worry and concern of “what will become of me if I can’t care for myself?” triples when no one is around. An elder orphan has no adult children, spouse or companion to rely on for company, assistance or input. About 29 percent (13.3 million) of noninstitutionalized older persons live alone. The majority of those are women (9.2 million, vs. 4.1 million men).

The stresses of living alone will likely worsen for the boomers as a group since we have fewer children, more childless marriages and more divorces compared to earlier generations.



I am an elder orphan — on my own to decide where, and how, I age.



And it’s the reason I launched the Elder Orphan Facebook group. In just a few months, it’s grown to over 1,100 members. Each person joined for different reasons, but primarily to find community, connection and support — my particular motives for starting the group. Here, we talk about what’s on our minds and state our doubts.

Common Topics for Elder Orphans

These are a few topics that come up regularly among the members:



Legal and care issues: “My husband and I are over 70, and by every measure we are and will continue to be elder orphans. We have no children and absolutely no family or living friends who can attend to our financial affairs and to care for us when we need it. We have read articles on the topics, but they end with ‘find a trusted friend or family member to oversee your affairs.’ We have neither. So, can anyone recommend a group or entity who could handle our predicament? We would like to get a mechanism in place so that we feel secure.”



Affordable housing: “I am 69, and dependent solely on Social Security. I am losing my home after 30 years. I have a mobile home which is my haven, but I can no longer afford it. I have tried all government agencies and found no one who handles mobile home loans. I am alone with my dog and don’t know where to turn. I fear becoming homeless, and I am scared to death. Has anyone here ever been through a foreclosure? How did you handle it and what did you do, step by step? I do not want to go into a senior high-rise and was looking into co-housing. I want to go into some independent living but don’t know where to start or what to do. I hope someone could help me.”



Transportation: “I truly experienced the ‘elder orphan’ dilemma during the recent surgery. I had to use a voluntary car service to get to the hospital only to find out the ride was not able to bring me home. I didn’t tolerate the surgery as well as had been anticipated, so I ended up being admitted because there wasn’t anyone to care for me overnight.”



I’m grateful for the group members and happy to report that concerns like these get handled quickly with useful advice and tips. However, since aging comes with sets of unique happenstances, it’s clear that we need services and supports at the local level to age successfully.

Local City Strategies

We need city leaders and policymakers across the country to develop solutions to improve older people’s lives in communities. With the graying of America, entrepreneurs and business leaders could benefit by seeking opportunities prompted by this massive longevity economy. It’s the local level that holds answers for the elder orphans and the aging populace.



The Milken Institute is answering that call. They work with mayors’ offices to help build awareness of what’s needed for residents to age successfully. Read about the community programs that some cities have taken on to encourage healthy aging in Milken’s Best Cities for Successful Aging.



We all want positive results when growing older. We want it for ourselves, and we want it for our parents and grandparents. I am thrilled to see an organization dedicating efforts on issues and desires that mirror the needs of those who age alone:

• To live in places that are safe, affordable and comfortable
• To be healthy and happy
• To have financial security and be part of a healthy economy
• To have living arrangements that suit our needs
• To have mobility and access to convenient transportation systems
• To receive respect for our wisdom and experience
• To be physically, intellectually and culturally enriched, and connected to families, friends and communities

The Milken initiative is not about the best, or least expensive, place to retire. Instead, they work with local leaders to enhance communities so the aging population can thrive — the same desires I hear daily in the group.



But there’s much more needed to instigate dialogue among thought leaders, decision-makers and stakeholders. The demand for age-friendly communities has far surpassed the current solutions.

Giving Credit to Well-Deserving Cities

The three cities that rank highest in Milken’s criteria:

• Provo, Utah
• Madison, Wis.
• Omaha, tied with Council Bluffs, Iowa

All four rank high to varying degrees in medical health care systems, active lifestyles, vibrant economies, and enriched environments that help older adults remain safe, secure and enjoy a sense of community. However, public transportation needs work and affordable housing ranks low. Accessibility, low cost of living, and healthy lifestyles remain a challenge as well.



I encourage local leaders to become involved in programs like the “Best Cities for Successful Aging in Place,” because only 140 have taken the pledge to participate with the Milken Institute to date. And it’s critical that they do because too many seniors live in the grips of isolation, unaffordable housing, unhealthy situations and immobility.



Here’s how I know: the research from the city data across the country shows that thousands of older adults receive nominal Social Security benefits and live on average incomes. However, for those who are lucky enough to own a home, many still have mortgages. For older adults who rent, in some cities, close to half don’t own a vehicle, and fewer have jobs. The data illustrates the need for local services and more attention from policymakers and thought leaders.

Problems Even Here

Even the highest-ranking cities have challenges. Two examples:



Madison: Residents 65+ represent 10 percent of its population, and 34 percent of those live alone. While 73 percent own their home, 36 percent of those have a mortgage. The remaining 27 percent rent.



Council Bluffs: Residents 65+ represents 13 percent of the population, and of those, 33 percent live alone. Seventy-three percent own their home, and 31 percent have a mortgage. Twenty-seven percent rent.



If cities could provide the much-needed services like public transportation and even provide simple things like sidewalks, then people could get up and move around. Maybe then, chronic diseases would decrease and we’d have few seniors who become isolated and lonely.



I feel confident that organizations like the Milken Institute will hold city officials’ feet to the fire so older Americans can truly age successfully at home.



For those of you aging alone and in need of support, please consider joining the Elder Orphan Facebook group. It is a closed group; your privacy will be respected.



© Twin Cities Public Television – 2016. All rights reserved.

 

By Roberto Muñiz  

 

With Rutgers University in Parker’s backyard (literally), back-to-school time is evident – whether it’s a new round of interns joining us here at Parker – or the increased traffic as 30,000+ students are accessing the many campuses in our area!



This time of year is always an opportunity to think about “back-to-school” opportunities for our own employees. Whether participating in Parker’s internal leadership and management training, utilizing our tuition reimbursement program, or signing up for courses or workshops at industry events, it is vital to keep our employees educated, informed and up-to-date on best practices and future opportunities. When a new resident’s family steps foot into Parker they expect us to be well-prepared to take care of their loved one, now and in the future.



As aging services providers we understand our responsibility to provide and support opportunities for continuous learning for employees – at every level of the organization. But how many of us are thinking about how we can impact training and education on a broader level?



Who else but nonprofit providers are better suited to help train the doctors, nurses, rehabilitation professionals and other clinicians who will be working alongside us as we provide care and services to seniors in a multitude of settings?



I’ve seen many interesting models and partnerships that LeadingAge members, including Parker, are developing with universities, technical schools, and medical centers. Whether by influencing curriculum, providing opportunities to train within our settings, supporting pilot projects, or participating in research, there are many ways we can and should influence and impact the care and services seniors will receive.



It’s time for all of us to become more visible partners in the education and training of aging services professionals. 

 

College students and older adults become 'pals' in this creative arts program

By Linda Bernstein for Next Avenue



“Whom would I meet? What would I say? Would I seem dorky?” These were Rena Berlin’s concerns before she met her Partner in Art Learning, the new “pal” she’d been matched with through a program that pairs a college student with an older adult to create art.



“For the first time in my life I really felt like a senior,” says the 68-year-old educator from Richmond, Va., with a laugh. “They were transporting a small group of us from the Weinstein Jewish Community Center in a van to the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. A van. That mean’s you’re getting old. I was also nervous.”



It turns out she had nothing to worry about. “After my PAL and I got started, it was amazing,” she says.

Erasing Stereotypes

Berlin was recalling her experience with PALETTE, which stands for  Promoting Art for Life Enrichment Through Transgenerational Engagement. It’s a big acronym for a program founded by Sadie Rubin that brings together lots of big ideas to fight ageism and promote artful aging.



A social worker by training, Rubin thought her career trajectory would lead to directing a nursing home. Instead, she initiated a series of classes that connect older adults, students and teachers who, together, create art.



“While building PALETTE, I drew from the philosophy of the late psychiatrist, Dr. Gene Cohen, who believed that creativity enriches our lives at every stage,” Rubin says.



PALETTE’s mission is to connect students with active, older adults and help erase the stereotypes young people may have about aging. The students aren’t “helping” the older adults; rather they’re working together as peers.

Neutral Territory

PALETTE’s main academic partner is Virginia Commonwealth University. Students from the school’s pharmacy, physical therapy, dentistry, social work and dance and choreography departments can earn a credit for signing up to be part of a PAL team. Each cohort involves 20 students, 20 older adults and an instructor. (There have been five cohorts since the inception of  PALETTE, which is funded by the Geriatric Training & Education initiative, administered by the Virginia Center on Aging and appropriated by the Virginia General Assembly, in January 2014.)



“The goal is to eliminate ageism and preconceived notions the participants may have,” Rubin explains. That’s why the classes are held on “neutral ground.”



Says Rubin: “If the university students were traveling to a senior center, they might think, ‘Oh, I’m going to be with old people,’ and that would put the older and younger participants on uneven ground. Forming true relationships would be more difficult.”

Painting and Dancing

The Visual Arts Center of Richmond provides the space for visual arts classes, which include painting, printmaking, clay and fiber arts. Each pair of PALs is set up next to each other with, for instance, two canvasses and two paint palettes.



“Conversation comes naturally when you’re working side-by-side,” Rubin says. “First you talk about what you’re doing, and then as you get comfortable, you go on to different, more personal topics.”



Dancing is offered, too. The PALETTE in Motion program operates slightly differently, with two or three students for every older adult.



“In the beginning I had the idea that having more young people around would bolster the sense of the studio being a ‘safe place,’” says Melanie Richards, an associate professor in the school’s department of Dance and Choreography and the movement instructor for the PALETTE in Motion classes. “But by the second class, I could tell that the seniors felt no sense of frailty, and the students didn’t see their PALs as physically limited either.”



Richards, who is 69 and has been dancing for more than 50 years, found out about the program through an email to faculty and was put in contact with Rubin.

Same Page

“I was afraid my ideas were kind of ‘innocent,’” Richards remembers. But she discovered she and Rubin agreed about everything. To begin with, Richards says, she was specific that she wasn’t envisioning an exercise program.



“I didn’t want the class to be purpose- or task-driven,” Richards explains. “I wanted to explore the potential of everyone in the space to have the experience what it was like to choreograph.”



In each session, everyone comes in as “equals,” Richard says. “With choreography you work with levels, and each makes a statement.”



One time, the class explored pulse, concentrating on how pulse creates accents in movement. Another time the students experimented with “nearing.” People moved in and out of being a leader of the sculptural formation of the small group of bodies.



“I think my age made the seniors realize that anyone can access motion. It can be within your own capacity. It was less intimidating to them that I wasn’t a 30-year-old ballet princess,” Richards observes. “People really encountered a situation with no expectations and no judgment.”



Because people who are moving around are less likely to have conversations about anything other than what they’re doing, Rubin made sure to add a social component at the end of each session. “That helped it become a community,” she says.



The PALETTE in Motion classes culminate with a showcase event where the participants demonstrate the movements and “body sculptures” they have made over the weeks. And Richards has more ambitious ideas.

“I’m thinking of group experience where the class would make a folk dance that would include a movement created by each participant. Each day at the end of the session, they would add another movement, and at the end of the semester, the whole community will dance, young and old together,” Richards says.

Mutual Benefits

The idea of the students working with older adults remains the foundation of the program, and Rubin says it’s marvelous to watch the various young people who have participated. While Rubin will agree that some young people are more naturally drawn to working with older adults than others, she also sees interest and enthusiasm from a wide swath of the students to whom the program is available.



“When I ask the students why they are enrolling, lately a lot of them are saying, ‘My friend says I have to do this,” Rubin says. “That in itself means that what we are doing with PALETTE is working. It means the young people are interested in being with older adults in a non-traditional way, that they have dropped any preconceived negative constructs about how seniors function in our world.”



Matthew Hornsby, a pharmacy student, says he enjoyed a great connection with his grandparents while growing up, but still had to step outside his comfort zone when signing up for the program. “I was a bit nervous the first day — but then I met my PAL, Rena Berlin, and we’re both big talkers, so that helped,” Hornsby says.



Hornsby feels that PALETTE has given him valuable insight that he’ll use in his career. “Knowing that age is really nothing, that you can have great friendships regardless of how old you are means that I’ll have a different attitude,” he says. “I’ll know how to listen and how to develop important interactions.”



In turn, being a PAL with Hornsby has changed Berlin’s attitude toward the pharmacists she has always taken for granted. “I can’t believe how much Matthew knows and how hard he is working. Because I met Matthew, I now have no problem asking a pharmacist questions, and that may affect the quality of my life as I get older,” Berlin says.



For more information about PALETTE or to contact Sadie Rubin for ideas about starting a similar program in your area, visit the PALETTE website.



Photo Credit: paletteprogram.org



© Twin Cities Public Television – 2016. All rights reserved.

When 'social inclusion' includes art, everyone in the community benefits

By Suzanne Gerber for Next Avenue





Credit: Courtesy: The Arts, Health and Seniors Project. 



If social inclusion is an important factor in promoting optimum wellness in older adults, what happens when you add arts to the equation?



Elaine Moody was curious about that question, so the nurse who was working on her Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia-Vancouver at the time, set out in search of an answer. She and her professor, Alison Phinney, went to work evaluating The Arts, Health and Seniors Project, whose goal was increasing community engagement among vulnerable older adults.



Spoiler alert: The three-year program, run by two Vancouver agencies, was profoundly effective at finding new ways for participants to engage with their communities and develop self-identities as artists. Next Avenue recently reached out to Moody to talk about her work and its implications for society at large.

The Arts and Social Inclusion

Next Avenue: How did you get interested in social inclusion?



Elaine Moody: I worked as a nurse in a variety of settings, and I was often struck by how isolated some seniors were. There are a lot of changes in people’s social circles as they get older, yet often they had few opportunities to develop new connections. I really enjoyed having seniors in my life and learned a lot from my interactions with them.



Also, both of my grandparents had cancer, and back then, in the ’80s, there weren’t a lot of social supports for older people as they experienced changes in their health. I saw firsthand how isolating it was for them. My grandparents were quite ill, so that was difficult, but seeing my mother and my aunts helping out was uplifting and something that I was really proud of. So I decided I wanted to focus on the care of older people.



What led you to research the role of the arts in caregiving?



When caregivers talk about older folks, they generally focus on health, but life is so much bigger than that. In nursing, we use a broader understanding of ‘health,’ which includes quality of life. Even when people are dealing with health issues, they’re still trying to make significant connections with other people and enjoy themselves through activities that are exciting and meaningful to them.



Can you describe the three-year program and what you sought to discover?



It was essentially an arts program for senior community members. It got local artists and others, like local schoolchildren, involved. There were also avenues for the seniors’ creations to be shared with the public through exhibitions and performances.



There were four neighborhood groups that worked with different types of expression: digital storytelling, puppetry, visual arts, and writing. We had heard about a great study by Gene Cohen, the late American gerontological psychiatrist, that showed how arts programs can have positive health outcomes, and we wanted to replicate that and see what we could find in terms of how the arts builds social supports, promotes mental health and contributes to physical health benefits.



What were some of the positive experiences that you observed?



People weren’t just sitting around doing crafts; they were working as a group toward a final outcome. Because they had to be accountable, they had to work together. One of the groups created beautiful painted scarves with imagery representing their memories of water.



In the intergenerational project, second-graders visited with older folks who generally didn’t have interactions with young people other than family members. Seeing them interact with the kids was a lot of fun. The seniors shared stories and explained the games they used to play. Then the kids interviewed them for mini-write-ups and drew their portraits, which they then gave to them. And they all laughed a lot at how the kids portrayed them.



Another great experience was seeing a group of women who spoke very little English work together to perform a puppetry show. The audience was absolutely captivated. It didn’t matter what language anyone spoke: They were able to communicate.



Several participants commented that this program was a reason for them to get out of the house — because other people were counting on them. They built new connections in the community and strengthened existing ones, with family members for example.



It was also good for other people to see the seniors being part of the community. The seniors made art that was shared in public buildings, in the streets and in community performances. Some seniors brought a quilt they’d made to the local library to be displayed, and they made flags to be hung on flagpoles lining the streets. Then, when they were walking around, people would ask them about their work. Also their own family members began to see them differently. Their kids and grandkids would see what they made and see them as artists rather than frail elderly people. Their family saw that they were making a significant contribution to the community.



Art is about how it makes people feel and how it relates, and about creating connection between people. Incidentally, ‘community’ isn’t necessarily geographic. Sometimes it’s about shared experiences or shared culture. There were projects among a group of Cantonese-speaking immigrants, LGBT seniors and First Nations communities.



What’s the takeaway for the rest of us?



It’s wonderful to think that you can be in your 70s and 80s and learn something new and be appreciated by your community as an artist in addition to the other things you’ve done in your life.+



What effect do you think creating art can have an on people’s lives?



For one thing, some scholars have said there’s an innate part of us that needs to do this and that it gets our brain working in a particular, beneficial way. Some of the seniors said that expressing their emotions in an artistic or symbolic way helped them understand themselves better. A lot of people said that it was therapeutic and helped them deal with some of their negative emotions.



What can people who live on their own do?



I encourage any older person to become involved in his or her community in some way: art classes at a center, working with peers who are interested in writing, or organizing their own activity or social group, perhaps starting with friends or neighbors.



It seems that intergenerational work can be particularly positive. There might be volunteering opportunities at a pre-school or daycare center. Those with experience in some particular area could bring their expertise to young people and show them the beauty of art or music.



We tend to be dismissive of older people’s relevance and value. I think there are undertones in society saying that once you hit a certain age, your value is diminished. I think this project has shown how important older people are and how they can still contribute to younger people and to vibrant communities.



© Twin Cities Public Television – 2016. All rights reserved.

We need to hear well before the voice is silenced by the disease

By Mike Good for Next Avenue



Credit: Thinkstock

(Editor’s Note: This is the eighth in a series examining and interpreting a commonly used “bill of rights” for dementia patients.) 

People with Alzheimer’s or other dementia are an invaluable part of our society. Millions of them are brilliant, wise and actively advocating for their rights and needs.

As my friend with Alzheimer’s, David Kramer said, “It’s not something that necessarily makes us idiots.” No it doesn’t, but unfortunately the vast majority of people don’t understand the disease, and therefore, don’t know how to listen to the person with dementia.

Just like anyone else with unique challenges and special needs, people with dementia need to be able to communicate their needs, wants and fears without being judged.

Paying Attention — Or Else

Our government officials and medical professionals must stop, listen and make changes based on what the people with dementia are telling us. Otherwise this epidemic is going to continue to alienate millions of families who are affected by dementia.

People with dementia know what is needed to help them fight back against this cruel disease. They understand how communities should be educated and adapted to let them remain included and engaged.

Some people with dementia justifiably argue that their civil rights have been taken because they have been ostracized from society. Despite feeling this way, they continue to advocate for themselves and for the 21,000 new cases every day around the world.

The Best Friends Dementia Bill of Rights states that the person with dementia has the right to be an advocate for oneself and for others.

Many continue to advocate only to be ignored. Despite their daily, if not hourly, challenges, these advocates put on a brave face that leaves observers thinking there’s nothing wrong with them, and therefore, don’t need to be listened to.

By the time symptoms become readily apparent to everyone, the disease will be quieting their “voice” as it ultimately steals their ability to form words and communicate verbally. They will be left unable to advocate for their own basic needs, wants and fears.

‘Dementia Alphabet Soup’

It will be left to their friends and family members to advocate for them as these new, untrained caregivers learn to listen more with their eyes than their ears, by observing non-verbal cues. Understanding dementia alphabet soup takes patience and empathy, but it is critical to maintaining connection.

No matter what a person’s abilities are, it’s important to remember that nobody knows the disease better than they do. While we may not easily understand what they are communicating, we must learn to listen with our eyes, ears and hearts, no matter what stage of the disease they are in.

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are not going away anytime soon. If we as a society continue to ignore the voices of those with dementia, we’ll miss out on an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of people. Together, however, we can learn to speak Alzheimer’s.

© Twin Cities Public Television – 2016. All rights reserved.