Healthy AgingPeace of Mind in Supporting Older Adult

Partners and ParentsSponsored by:

Dr. Brandi Eijsermans

Dreijsermans@optimalwellnessglobal.com

www.optimalwellnessglobal.com

https://www.facebook.com/optimalwellnessglobal/

What Is Geropsychology?

Geropsychology is a field within psychology

devoted to the study of aging and the

provision of clinical services for older adults.

(APA)

Agenda

Brain health for older adults

Balancing independence with safety

Communication skills

Effective interventions

Caregiving planning and supports

Caregiving - health and mental health

Key factors for caregiver strain vs. resilience

What resources are right for you?

What is positive aging?

Mindful attitude

Self-acceptance

Engaging fully in life

Keeping fit and healthy

Those who age positively live longer and

healthier lives, and enjoy a good quality of life.Image from GoGraph

What Promotes Brain Health?

Hype vs. Reality

Optimal outlook – Mindful attitude

Stay connected – Interpersonal neurobiology

Keep the mind and body active

Manage stress

Volunteer and/or part-time employment

Manage your health with your physician

Eat well

www.psychische-gesundheit-zug.ch

Department of Health:

10 steps for mental healthAmt für Gesundheit

Brain Health Know How: Spotting Brain

Changes and What they Mean

Warning signs of common ailments

Stroke

Alzheimer’s & Dementia

Heart Attacks

Infections

Hypertension

Diabetes

Multiple chronic illness and chronic pain

Memory and Aging

Most older adults don’t get Alzheimer’s!

<1/5 people age 65+

<1/2 85+

APA Committee on Aging

Alzheimer’s & Dementia

Warnings Signs

“Senior moments” –What’s normal?

Memory and Speech

Behavior and Sleep (Schenck, et al.)

Sundown Syndrome

Detection and Treatment

Early Detection & Trajectory

Screening

Neuropsychological

Assessment

Neurological Assessment

Pseudo-Dementia

Balancing Independence & Safety

Activities of Daily Living (ADL)

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL)

Prevention behavior & risk reduction

Use technology to help - More interventions to come!

Communication skills to ease shifting of

relational roles and stage of life

Lead with values and meaning making

Proactive communication

Non-Violent Communication (Marshall Rosenberg)

Learning to roll with resistance and validate experiences

Process your expectations

Integrate with treatment team

Caregiver Family Therapy

Practical interventions and care from abroad

To stay or to go?

Finding suitable level of care intervention

Memory aids

Best practices

Essential documents

How to create a treatment team

Technology interventions

Memory Aids

Keep “to do” lists

Establish a routine

Don’t rush

Everything in its

place

Use associations

Tag new information

Keep a calendar

Healthy caregiving – Best practices

Expectations and challenges - Mindfulness

strategies

Awareness

Acceptance

Action

Self-care planning is a priority

Support resources

KESB – Office of Child and Adult Protection

Elderly abuse protections

Diminished capacity

Proxy consent

Swiss specific regulations for:

Wills

Living wills

Power of attorney (POA)

Elder Mediation Schweizerischer Dachverband Mediation

(SDM-FSM), ProSenectute offers informal mediation for 60+

Amt für Kindes und Erwachsenenschutz

Forming a treatment team

Form geriatric specialty team

Traditional, complementary and alternative medicine

Cognitive testing and treatment options -Baselines help

Geriatric specialty recognition

Interdisciplinary Professional Organizations

Swiss Society for Gerontology (SGG)

Schweizerische Gesellschaft fürGerontologie

www.sgg-ssg.ch

Swiss Professional Society of Geriatrics (SFGG)

Schweizerische Fachgesllschaftfür Geriatrie

www.sfgg.ch

Utilize Technology

Apps

Wearable technology

Monitoring systems

Smart appliances

Podcasts

Caregiving: A Balancing Act

Positive aspects of caregiving

National Opinion Research Center (2014) found

that 83 percent of caregivers viewed it as being

a positive experience.

Sense of giving back

Satisfaction knowing loved one is getting

excellent care

Personal growth and increased meaning and

purpose in one’s life

Caregiving, health, & mental health

Resilience

High strain vs. Low strain impact

Other factors

Family caregiver well-being is important to care

recipient health (Berry, Elliott, Grant, Edwards & Fine, 2012; Elliott &

Pezent, 2008; Beach et al., 2005; Williamson et al., 2001)

Common caregiving challenges

Mental health concerns

Health concerns

Functional impairment

Secondary strains

Care decisions

Resources and eligibility for services

Family challenges

Advocacy for care

Support & household

Home help

Haushaltshilfe

Spitex

Fiduciary service

Treuhanddienst

Transportation

Fahrdienst

Pharmacy:

Medication advice

Emergency Call Devices

Meal service

Mahlzeitendienst

Nursing care

Connection & Social Support

Illustrations designed by freepic.com

Z.B. Dementia treatment

Talks with

expertsPeer Support, z. B.

Group concerned

Day care and Short-

Term Respite Care

Tagesbetreuung,

Ferienbetten

Timeout & Recovery

Knowledge and empowerment

Volunteer Visiting

Service

Freiwilliger

Besuchsdienst

At work:

Talk to Manager / HR

What resources are available in Switzerland?

Social Service

Amt für Gesundheit

Treatment management Basic care Support House work

Medical services such as

blood pressure

measurement, injections

etc.

Health-related activities

such as help with

physical care, food,

drink

Daily help (non-

professional)

Care

Financed through compulsory health

insurance

Financed by the persons concerned;

Disability benefits can be applied for;

The entitlement to supplementary benefits

should be reviewed.

Health care system in Switzerland

www.info-

workcare.ch

Professional caregiving

www.pro-

senectute.ch

www.infosenior.ch

Advice on all issues in old age

Switzerland-wide search portal for all ages, (providers

of travel services, meal services, groups of talks,

legal advice, etc.)

www.redcross.ch

www.pflege-

entlastung.ch

Relief service for caring relatives

Switzerland-wide search portal for all ages, (providers

of travel services, meal services, groups of talks,

legal advice, etc.)

www.migesplus.ch Platform of the Swiss Red Cross for multilingual

health information

www.spitex.ch Care (treatment and basic care) and care, household

assistance

www.procap.ch Counseling, support and guidance for people with

disabilities and their dependents

How to access the right resources locally

www.proinfirmis.ch Counseling, support and guidance for people with

disabilities and their dependents

www.krebsliga.ch Advice, information and guidance for people with

cancer and their relatives

www.alz.ch/zg Counseling, information and guidance for people with

dementia and their relatives

www.rheumaliga.ch Offers and courses for people with rheumatism

www.palliativ-zug.ch Information on Palliative Care for affected persons,

Relatives, professionals and interested parties

www.psychische-

gesundheit-zug.ch

Resources for mental health, advice and assistance in

the canton, self-help groups, tips and events

How to access the right resources locally

Train to learn to pace oneself

Learn the up-hills and down-hills of the lay of the

land (Illness, transitions)

Learn to replenish along the way

All are essential to successfully finish the race

Healthy Caregiving is a Marathon

References Beach, S. R., Schulz, R., Williamson, G. M., Miller, L. S., Weiner, M. F. and Lance, C. E. (2005), Risk Factors for Potentially Harmful Informal Caregiver Behavior. Journal of the

American Geriatrics Society, 53, 255–261.

Beach, S. R., Schulz, R., Yee, J. L., & Jackson, S. (2000). Negative and positive health effects of caring for a disabled spouse: Longitudinal findings from the Caregiver Health Effects Study. Psychology & Aging, 15(2), 259-271. doi:10.1037//0882-7974.15.2.259

Berry, J. W., Elliott, T., Grant, J., Edwards, G., & Fine, P. R. (2012). Does problem solving training for family caregivers benefit care recipients with severe disabilities? A latent growth model of the Project CLUES randomized clinical trial. Rehabilitation Psychology®, 57, 98-112.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008). Healthy aging: Preventing disease and improving quality of life among older Americans. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/aag/pdf /healthy_aging.pdf

Elliott, T.R. & Pezent (2008). Family caregivers of older persons in rehabilitation. NeuroRehabilitation, 23, 439–446.

Friedman, H. S., & Martin, L. R. (2011). The longevity project: Surprising discoveries for health and long life from the landmark eight-decade study. New York: Hudson Street Press.

Haley, W. E., LaMonde, L. A., Han, B., Burton, A. M., Schonwetter, R. (2003). Predictors of depression and life satisfaction among spousal caregivers in hospice: Application of a stress process model. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 6,215-224.

Haley, W. E., Roth, D. L., Howard, G., & Safford, M. M. (2010). Caregiving strain and estimated risk for stroke and coronary heart disease among spouse caregivers: Differential effects by race and sex. Stroke, 41, 331-336.

Harmell, A. L., Chattillion, E. A., Roepke, S. K., & Mausbach, B. T. (2011). A review of the psychobiology of dementia caregiving: A focus on resilience factors. Current Psychiatry Reports, 13(3), 219-224. doi:10.1007/s11920-011-0187-1

Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Marucha PT, Malarkey WB, et al. (1995). Slowing of wound healing by psychological stress. The Lancet, 346, 1194-1196.

National Opinion Research Center. (2014, May). Long term care in America: Expectations and realities. Retrieved from http://www.longtermcarepoll.org/PDFs/LTC%202014/AP-NORC-Long-Term%20Care%20in%20America_FINAL%20WEB.pdf

Pew, R. W., & Van Hemel, S. B. (Eds.). (2004). Technology for adaptive aging. Washington DC: National Academies Press.

Pinquart, M., & Sörensen, S. (2006). Helping caregivers of persons with dementia: Which interventions work and how large are their effects? International Psychogeriatrics, 18,577-595.

Pinquart, M. & Sörensen, S. (2003). Differences between caregivers and noncaregivers in psychological health and physical health: A meta-analysis. Psychology and Aging, 18, 250-267.

Roth, D. L., Perkins, M., Wadley, V. G., Temple, E., & Haley, W. E. (2009). Family caregiving and emotional strain: Associations with psychological health in a national sample of community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults. Quality of Life Research, 18, 679-688.

Rowe, J. W., & Kahn, R. L. (1998). Successful aging. New York: Pantheon

Schenck, C.H. et al. Delayed emergence of a parkinsonian disorder or dementia in 81% of older men initially diagnosed with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder: a 16-year update on a previously reported series. Sleep Medicine , Volume 14 , Issue 8 , 744 - 748

Schulz, R. S. (2010) Discussant comments. Presented as part of a symposium, “Population-Based studies of stroke and informal caregiving: The REGARDS and CARES projects” (D. L., Roth, Chair), Gerontological Society of America meetings, New Orleans, Louisiana

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2010). Healthy People 2010. Retrieved Nov. 2, 2010, from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2010Haley, W.E., Brown, S.L., & Levine, E.G. (1987). Family caregiver appraisals of patient behavioral disturbance in senile dementia. Clinical Gerontologist, 6, 25-34.

Williamson, G. M., Shaffer, D. R., & the Family Relations in Late Life Project, (2001). Relationship quality and potentially harmful behaviors by spousal by spousal caregivers: How we were then, how we are now. Psychology and Aging, 16, 217–226