Ohio Home Care Provider Sponsors an Intergenerational Learning Program

“Connections between generations are essential for the mental health and stability of a nation.”

              Margaret Mead

Capital Health Home Care in Ashtabula, Ohio is facilitating and sponsoring intergenerational learning between seniors residing in long term care settings and students at River Gate High School, a charter school in Warren, Ohio.  It is one component of a larger community outreach initiative on behalf of Capital Health Care Network known as the Capital Intergenerational Learning Program. 

The program is based on the idea that intergenerational learning is beneficial to seniors and students alike. According to Capital Health Home Care, both generations benefit in the following ways:

·         Improved sense of community and connectedness

·         Greater awareness and understanding

·         Opportunity to bridge the generation gap

·         Opportunity to break down age-based stereotypes 

·         Improved interpersonal skills and communication

“Intergenerational learning compliments our mission to provide seniors with opportunities for social and intellectual engagement,” said Lisa Stockdale, Vice President at Capital Health Care Network.  Stockdale said, “We believe our communities are improved anytime seniors and the elderly are valued, celebrated and acknowledged.  This program gives us the chance to promote intergenerational connections which is a win-win for seniors and students.” 

Erin Williams, Community Liaison at Capital Health Home Care in Ashtabula, spearheaded the Capital Intergenerational Learning Program when she connected students at River Gate High School with older adults via a letter writing campaign. “I thought we should match up seniors who have so much to offer with students looking for learning opportunities outside the classroom by encouraging them to become pen pals as a start,” said Williams.  River Gate High School, like many charter schools in Ohio, has little to no funding for extracurricular activities. 

Williams said Capital Health Home Care in Ashtabula is currently working on setting up other intergenerational learning opportunities including arranging for students at River Gate High School interested in healthcare to shadow nurses at local assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities. 

Assisted living communities, skilled nursing facilities and charter schools in the Ashtabula, Dayton, Steubenville or Columbus areas of Ohio can call 614-357-2965 to learn more or to inquire about participating in the program.  

Volunteer for Purpose

Many of the seniors interviewed on Senior Agenda have reported a fading sense of purpose.  They often share feelings of frustration and disconnectedness. Some have said they feel forgotten while others report feeling useless or invisible.  They aren’t alone.  An accumulating body of research examining purpose across the lifespan has discovered a pattern indicating that a sense of purpose tends to peak during late adolescence and early adulthood and begins to decline throughout adulthood and then drops sharply through late adulthood. 

Why the decline in sense of purpose?  Maybe it’s because we all know what we want to be when we grow up, but we don’t know what we want to be after we grow?  We assume our “want to be” will be done once we grow up.  But that just isn’t the way it plays out. 

Living a purposeful life means continuing to participate, learn, experience and share. The truth is many of us find purpose in the doing and have no desire to rest on what we now know or what we have already accomplished.  Words like growth, potential and opportunity still apply. 

Volunteerism offers a pathway back to purpose for those feeling secluded or out of touch.  It is a wonderful way to stay involved in the community, make new friends, choose meaningful work, share expertise, stay active and help others.  In addition to all that, it feels good and it’s fun.  It is well-documented that volunteering has mental and physical health benefits for the volunteer.  According to the Corporation for National and Community Services, volunteers experience greater life satisfaction, an increased sense of accomplishment, more stress resilience and lower rates of depression.  The National Institute on Aging has reported that volunteering lowers age-related health problems and promotes longevity.  Being a volunteer helps keep the brain and the body active and it provides a sense of purpose along the way. 

Wondering where to sign up?  Contact a community agency doing work that matters to you from boys and girls clubs to animal shelters to religious organizations.  Don’t forget about your local schools.  They are often looking for volunteers to read to the children and more.  You might also consider your local assisted living community, senior center, hospice, or nursing home.  Seniors helping seniors is a beautiful thing!

Remember to listen to Senior Agenda for local opportunities thru- out the year.  As I often say on the radio, you don’t have to go it alone.  

A Different Kind of Amazing...Meet Dale Leon Wood

Almost weekly someone sends us a story about an elder who has accomplished some amazing feat that seems to defy our understanding of aging.  Have you heard about the 92-year-old body builder who may be the strongest man on earth?  What about the 86-year-old  woman who continues to work as a mail carrier?  Do you think you could interview the 77-year-old gymnast whose video has gone viral?  While we appreciate these gestures, we have deliberately and continuously passed on opportunities to contact or interview these "amazing" seniors.  We too are amazed and encouraged by their accomplishments, but our mission is to celebrate a different kind of amazing. 

Meet Dale Leon Wood.  Family and friends gathered yesterday (1/22/2015) to celebrate his life and pay tribute.  Dale, 88, died at home after a valiant bought with cancer surrounding my family in the tiny Ohio village of Ashley (population 1344) where the median household income is $38,239.  Dale will be missed by his wife, four children, fourteen grandchildren and thirty-six great grandchildren.  He served in both the United States Navy & Army and then worked as a machinist for almost thirty years prior to retirement.  He enjoyed fishing, camping, boating and poker.  He lived long enough to celebrate one last Christmas with his family and friends and also to see his Ohio State Buckeyes win the National Championship.  Just an average-Joe, right?  WRONG!!!

There is nothing average about a man who defended his country in both WWII (United States Navy from 1943-1947) and then again during the  Korean Conflict (United States Army from 1948-1952) by choice.  There is nothing average about a man who stayed happily married to the same woman for 61 years while protecting and honoring her with each passing year.   There is nothing average about a man who is truly all about family and community.  There is nothing average about a man who makes each one of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren feel like they are the one and only apple of his eye.  There is nothing average about a man who knows the value of a handshake, a promise, a joke, and a smile.  There is nothing average about a man who on his death bed can still offer words of love and encouragement despite agonizing pain and the knowledge of a rapidly approaching departure.  In fact, if Dale Wood was average, then we obviously need more average! 

Dear God,

Please send us more amazing (average) men just like Dale Leon Wood. Thank you for sharing him with us! We already miss him. 

Sincerely,

The Senior Agenda Family

The Generation Gap & Technology

Are you feeling disconnected with your children or grandchildren due to today's technology? If so, you're not alone. Technology seems to be widening the generation gap at a time when families desperately need to practice cohesion.

Consider the following excerpt written by Genevieve Zook:
While the young are busy posting an apology to their readership blog, before they take an extended summer vacation with their family, the older generations are slow to make use of the latest gadgets and online tools, and are baffled by the reason one would want to post the date you will be absent from your house on the Net.  The resulting clash is being called a new generation gap...While the younger generation has expressed impatience with the older generations's slowness to adopt the latest online product, the older generation is just as bewildered by young people who choose to publish their private information on the Internet.
Read the complete article here.

Social Media is one form of technology that has the potential to exasperate the disconnect between children and parents or grandparents.  In part, because it is wildly popular and has become a fabric of youth culture and then again because too many of us older adults do not really understand how it all works.  Think of social media sites like Facebook as public interactive platforms where folks meet online to chat, exchange information, network, stay connected and play.  What is of paramount importance here is that all of this happens in public.  Every post, comment, like, conversation - even the items one chooses to look at are all for public consumption.  What's worse? Activity on Social Media sites is not only public - but it can also be permanent. These facts set the stage for what is known as cyber-bullying and sexting and also make way for predators and other criminals to profile, study and "get to know" our children online.  Read How to Protect Your Child from the Dangers of Social Media here.  What starts online doesn't necessarily stay online and so Social Media sites are riddled with intrinsic dangers which should cause parents and grandparents to be concerned about and monitor content and activity.

Top 20 Volunteer Opportunities in Franklin County for 2015

 

1. OHIO Grassroots Alzheimer's Project (GAP) - this is a new organization and meetings are held at The Worthington Retirement Community in Gahanna every other month. Call 614-800-5550 for  meeting details. Learn more about their vision & mission here.
2. Military Appreciation Follow this link for details and direction.
3. American Red Cross Call the American Red Cross of Greater Columbus at 614-253-2740  ext 2355 or Follow this link for national details and direction.
4. RSVP This is the nation's largest volunteer organization for seniors 55 + and specializes in matching seniors with volunteer opportunities that tap individual talents and passions.  Follow this link to learn more.
5. The Salvation Army Follow this link for details and direction.
6. Catholic Social Services Friendly Visiting Program Volunteer to visit a senior experiencing loneliness and social isolation in Franklin County.  Visit this link to learn more.    
7. Hospice Organizations  Volunteer at any local hospice including Mount Carmel Hospice.
8. LifeCare Alliance  Volunteer opportunities are endless with this incredible local organization including delivering Meals on Wheels to local homebound seniors. Visit their website for details.
9. Mid Ohio Food Bank Help fight hunger by volunteering today.  Follow this link to learn more.
10. Volunteers of America/ Greater Ohio Volunteer to help the less fortunate today.  Follow this link to learn more.
11. COLUMBUS COALITION for the HOMELESS Volunteer to fight homelessness in our city.  Follow this link to learn more.
12. Good Neighbor Picnic 2014 Volunteer to participate in organization for 2014 effort to provide a day of family fun for the homeless in our city.  Visit their website to learn more.


13. Volunteer Guardian Program Volunteer to be a guardian to a senior.  Free training and supervision offered through COAAA.  Follow this link to learn more.
14. Ohio Department of Aging Volunteer to help seniors through COAAA - Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-589-7277 Follow this link to learn more.
15. Hands On Central Ohio Foster Grandparent Program Volunteer to mentor a child in need.  Call 614-221-6766 or Follow this link to learn more.
16. Ohio Historical Society Volunteer to help preserve our state's history.  Follow this link to learn more.
17. Employment for Seniors  Volunteer to help other seniors find employment.  Call 614-863-1219 or Follow this link to learn more.
18. Columbus Metropolitan Libraries Volunteer opportunities range from clerical duties to participation in the HomeworkHelpCenters where you can tutor children. Call 614-849-1055 or Follow this link to learn more.
19. PAWS Ohio: Public Animal Welfare Society Volunteer to love a pet through adoption, fostering or other agency duties.  Follow this link to learn more.
20. VolunteerMatch.org   For a list of over 400 local individual volunteer opportunities. Follow this link now!

Remember to listen to Senior Agenda for local opportunities through the year. As I often say on the radio program, you don't have to go it alone!!! 

Rhinestone Cowboy Making Us Witnesses to the Truth about Alzheimer's

Glen Campbell's willingness to be a poster child for Alzheimer's Disease makes him a true American/Alzheimer's hero. Reports indicate that his health is now rapidly declining and he is living out his final days in an Alzheimer's nursing home in Nashville "mumbling incoherently" and unable to recognize friends & family.  What's worse?  It will get worse.  Each new day will bring new challenges and losses.  Each new day will bring new anxiety.  Each new day will be a new heartache - for Campbell and his family.  That's Alzheimer's!

Campbell's diagnosis was announced in 2011.  A farewell tour was scheduled for 2012 while the legendary singer/songwriter could still remember the words to his hit songs. He released his final song entitled  "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" last week and a documentary, Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me, will be released on Oct 24.  The documentary focuses on his final tour and fight against Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's kills and the prognosis is epidemic.  According to the Alzheimer's Association 2014 Alzheimer's Fact and Figures Reports Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every 67 seconds someone develops Alzheimer's in the United States. To add insult to injury, studies indicate that Alzheimer's deaths are vastly under-reported which results in a false sense of security and under-funding. Research shows that Alzheimer's was the underlying cause in 500,000 deaths  in the United States in 2010, a figure close to six times the estimate from the Centers for Disease Control.  In other words, in just one year, Alzheimer's killed nearly as many as AIDS - responsible for 636,000 deaths in the United States - had taken in more than three decades.  (Alzheimer's, a Neglected Epidemic. May 2014) 

We salute Campbell!  In the coming days we will see more and more cases of Alzheimer's & dementia.  Today we need more heroes like the courageous Mr. Glen Campbell.  He may not be able to miss us, but we will certainly miss him.  In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with our hero and his family.

Alzheimer's Challenges are Mounting but Together We Can Move Mountains

We are happy to announce the kickoff of a movement we are calling OHIO Grassroots Alzheimer's Project or OHIO GAP. The first meeting will be held on 8/28/14 at 6:30 at The Worthington at 1201 Riva Ridge Blvd in Gahanna, Ohio.  The meeting is open to the public.  We will begin strategizing, forming committees, and discussing our purpose, mission and vision. Please consider joining us.  

Alzheimer's kills and the prognosis is epidemic.  According to the Alzheimer's Association 2014 Alzheimer's Fact and Figures Reports Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every 67 seconds someone develops Alzheimer's in the United States. To add insult to injury, studies indicate that Alzheimer's deaths are vastly under-reported which results in a false sense of security and under-funding. Research shows that Alzheimer's was the underlying cause in 500,000 deaths  in the United States in 2010, a figure close to six times the estimate from the Centers for Disease Control.  In other words, in just one year, Alzheimer's killed nearly as many as AIDS - responsible for 636,000 deaths in the United States - had taken in more than three decades.  (Alzheimer's, a Neglected Epidemic. May 2014)  

So where is the outrage?  

I read an article in The New York Times called Alzheimer's, a Neglected Epidemic back in May that literally kept me up at night. I would lie awake while the wheels in my head went round and round wondering if we should move on what the article was suggesting. In short, the article asserted that the fight against Alzheimer's lacked momentum due to 1) distorted views about aging and 2) a lack of in your face leadership or a "strong inside game."  The sentiments of the article resonated as truth, mirrored my own observations and stirred an awakening inside of me that left me weighing options as I stood on the threshold of what to do next. A few weeks later I read another piece called The Unfortunate State of the Alzheimer's Movement  released by Glenner Memory Care Centers which further cemented my desire to do something.  

From the article: 

"But while public health campaigns to fight issues such as HIV/AIDS and infant mortality gained considerable popularity during their respective eras, Alzheimer's has not gained a similar response...The fight against issues like AIDS, infant mortality, and childhood cancer harvest immense attention because these conditions are considered extraordinarily tragic.  They deny children and young adults the opportunity to live a long, fruitful life.  On the other hand, Alzheimer's affects older adults - mostly over the age of 65. Alzheimer's is indeed a heartbreaking and disastrous illness, no one would  argue that, but a lack of attention combined with society's 'distorted' views of aging fosters a sentiment of indifference that permeates throughout all facets of our community - from legislation to the media to our own personal values."

OTHER CHALLENGES...

Lack of momentum is further complicated and confused by a host of other challenges! The fact that stigmas about mental health disorders and ageism collide in Alzheimer's in a youth-obsessed culture making the Alzheimer's patient even more invisible in the public eye works against us. Caregiver stress, frustration and fatigue make it difficult to mobilize families who would otherwise be leading the fight on the front lines. Misconceptions and a lack of understanding continue to rule pubic opinion and policy.  For example, the media has advanced the idea that healthy living can help prevent Alzheimer's,  but the scientific evidence is unclear.   This type of misinformation can and does give way to victim-blaming.  Fear is also a factor. Studies indicate that Americans fear Alzheimer's more than heart disease, diabetes or stroke.  Patients and caregivers often struggle with fear-related issues in Alzheimer's.  A cousin to fear in the Alzheimer's experience is denial.  Everyone seems to be in denial.   Patient's often hide symptoms during the early stages and family members and close friends do not want to acknowledge Alzheimer's at any stage.  

OUR COMMITMENT...

Senior Agenda will continue to work to raise awareness, demand notice from our politicians, fight for funding for a cure, and encourage treatment options through volunteerism and donation. We will also continue to back those senior advocates, physicians, scientists, families, caregivers, and businesses that participate in the fight against Alzheimer's and dementia.  We will continue to stand with the Alzheimer's Association as we believe they are currently standing alone on the front lines.  Above all that, we will continue to celebrate seniors and the elderly as worthy of the attention and dedication needed to beat this diseases.  I have blogged many times about ageism and we will stay the course!