The Caregiver's Corner.

Our NEW Online Support Group is up and running! Come check it out and join in. AlzSupport.com Goes Live There’s a new support group in town, one that is easy to access and requires no driving to get to. As many readers know, the Alzheimer’s Association hosts a number of support groups for caregivers in our community. The support group concept is one of the most effective ways to provide help directly to the caregiver. It puts people together who share a common experience and provides an environment where information on the disease process and its many effects on the patient and the caregiver are readily available. A major problem, however, and one of the ironic dilemmas with a support group, is that the caregiver providing the care for the loved one often cannot get away from providing that care to attend a real face-to-face support group. They feel that they just can’t get away. Now that has changed. The Alzheimer’s Association, in conjunction with elder law attorney Sean W. Scott, has created an online support group that uses the power of the internet to connect caregivers. Local elder law attorney Sean W. Scott has come up with a solution to connect isolated caregivers bound by the demands of care giving. “We saw a need and a big gap in the support group framework and wanted to reach out to those who may be house bound and unable to personally attend a support group,” stated Mr. Scott, the facilitator and host of AlzSupport.com. “Now people can sit in their bath robes and still get the fantastic benefits that a support group provides.” Click here to read more. Great Caregiver Video Site Caregivervideo.org is one of the best sites on the web for information on caregiving. National Public Radio Stories on Nursing Care Please check out the following links from National Public Radio for excellent discussions on long term care issues including choosing the right nursing home, how to pay for the costs of long term care in the nursing home, options to nursing homes, and an informative piece on incontinence. (You will need Real Player to play the programs.) LONG TERM CARE PART I -- In the first of our five part series on nursing homes and long term care, called "Leaving Home For the Last Time: Long-Term Care In America," NPR's Wendy Schmelzer looks at how families choose a home for their loved ones. We look at two scenarios; one with a family sitting on the fence about their decision, and another when a family has only days to find a good placement. (9:30) NURSING CARE, PART II -- NPR's Joanne Silberner reports that the establishment of federal regulations for the nursing home industry has been a long time in coming. Comprehensive studies of nursing home care are limited, but those that have been published suggest that neglect and abuse are still common. The regulations for care that do exist have had an uneven effect in the industry. That's led many experts to call for even tighter regulations, but officials say that these new rules would force many homes out of business -- and leave some of the most vulnerable people in America with even fewer options for care in their later years. (12:30 LONG TERM CARE PART III -- NPR's Neva Grant looks at the financial aspects of nursing care. She examines how some families can be wiped out by the costs. Some families retain lawyers in order to find ways to have Medicaid pay, but those needing care in the future may really only have one good way out... and that's to get long term care insurance. She also talks about broader health care cost and policy issues...particularly about how government programs are being used as a "safety net" for the middle class. (9:30) LONG TERM CARE PART IV -- Experts claim that most families would prefer to keep their ailing relatives out of nursing homes. Many states, burdened by multi-Billion dollar nursing home costs, are also hoping to cut back on, forestall, or eliminate nursing home stays. Over the last few years, the state of Florida has become more aggressive in looking for ways to help families avoid the institutionalization of their loved ones. Florida has a special problem in this area: some 19% of the state's population is over 65, and experts estimate that around 400,000 older Floridians are suffering from Alzheimer's disease...one of the primary health problems that ultimately leads to the need for nursing home care. NPR's Wendy Schmelzer reports that adult day-care centers for Alzheimer's patients and respite care are providing a unique solution to problems Floridians are having finding care for the elderly. (8:30) INCONTINENCE -- NPR's Wendy Schmelzer looks at an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association this week examining ways to treat urinary incontinence. The article details the uses of behavioral technologies coupled with biofeedback to help the millions of adults who have this problem. This behavior therapy works, the authors say. (3:00)

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