You've heard the expression Knowledge is Power.  When it comes to caring for an aging adult, the key to empowerment clearly resides in education.

The dictionary describes a sphere a place or environment within which a person or thing exists;  a particular social world or stratum of society.  How does this relate to how we approach society's challenges on caring for our seniors?

Be honest. The last time you sat in traffic, were you thankful for the fact that you had a car to drive and money for the gasoline to run it?  My guess is that wasn't your first thought.  If you are like me, you were wondering how late you will be for your appointment or asking yourself how you got in this mess to start with.. darn it!

The Message is clear. "We need more innovative, person-centered tools to help those who care for our elders, especially those with dementia."
Our team returned from a whirlwind of fall conventions including the American Health Care Association, Leading Age,  Harmony Healthcare International and many state conferences. Discussions among long term care leaders was a consistent theme of needed innovative tools.
While the industry is faced with many challenges,  how we care for our elders remains a top priority.  Thankfully, for many organizations the transformation to true person-centered care is taking hold.  In order for successful integration and sustainable change, leaders must address these key areas:

How Losing A Pet Is Much Like Losing a Loved One

Our pets are like members of the family. Meet Sadie - our vivacious, furry family member pictured here at 3 months old. Labrador Retrievers at this age are a non-stop ball of energy. Leave a sock on the floor and it instantly becomes a pile of thread, or a new game of hide and seek. Strangers? I don't think Sadie ever knew that word existed. Water? That's meant for swimming.. endlessly.

When visiting someone with dementia, be ready for anything. Things can change day- to- day, even moment- to- moment in dementia care. A little preparation can go a long way to help create a positive experience in dementia care. Have a “magic bag” ready that you can pull things out of that may reach through the dementia to the person inside.