The Senior Care Podcast by LivHOME

In this episode, Steve Barlam, LivHOME’s Chief Professional Officer, walks us through some summertime travel destinations that are particularly well suited to seniors. He discusses the attributes that make travel destinations a good choice for seniors, issues to watch out for when planning trips, specific travel ideas for seniors such as national parks, cruises and resorts, and major cities that are worth a visit.

In this episode, Steve Barlam, LivHOME’s Chief Professional Officer, discusses the importance of aftercare following a hospitalization and how to organize an aftercare program to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Topics include dividing the aftercare effort into two components – pre-discharge and post-discharge – how daily caregiving tasks can be impacted by aftercare needs, and ways that families can deal with the pressures of providing aftercare to their loved ones.

In this episode, Mary Beth Hardy, LivHOME’s Midwest Regional Director, discusses the importance of fitness for seniors. She addresses a number of topics including how to incorporate an exercise program into a senior’s overall care, the types exercises recommended for improving fitness, how an exercise program helped one senior achieve an important personal goal, and tips for sticking with a new fitness program over the long term.

In this episode, Darlene Mann, a LivHOME Care Manager in Southern California, discusses the issue of advance directives. She addresses a number of topics including the difference between a living will and a durable power of attorney, what caregivers and care managers can do to assure that advance directives are in place and accurately reflect the senior’s wishes, and tips on raising the issue of advance directives with seniors.

In this episode, Steve Barlam, Chief Professional Officer of LivHOME, speaks to the important topic of protecting vulnerable seniors. He breaks down the vulnerabilities likely to strike seniors into four specific areas: physical, emotional, financial and cognitive. Importantly, Steve addresses these from the point of view of protecting seniors before their vulnerabilities lead to serious problems.

In this episode, Mary Beth Hardy, LivHOME’s Midwest Regional Director, discusses a number of issues related to sexual activity among seniors. The topics Mary Beth addresses include: the relatively high incidence of sexually transmitted disease among seniors; how the lack of both privacy and mobility can impact seniors who are sexually active; tips for adult children and caregivers in dealing with sexually active seniors; and the importance of being an advocate for seniors in this area.

In this episode, Rob Pohls, an attorney who works with long term care insurance companies, explains the ins and outs of this type of insurance. He addresses topics including: at what age someone might consider a long term care policy; understanding the different types of coverage – for example, not all policies cover at-home care; and tips for anyone looking to take out long term care coverage.

In this episode, Steve Barlam, MSW, LCSW, CMC, Chief Professional Officer of LivHOME, presents a number of holiday gift ideas that focus on things family members can do rather than items that must be purchased. Technology enabling gifts such as setting up a computer or combining multiple TV remotes into a single unit can both improve a senior’s quality of life and bring families closer together during the holidays.

In conjunction with Healthy Aging Month, the Senior Care Podcast by LivHOME has released Episode 16 -- Nutrition for Seniors. In the new episode, Mary Beth Hardy, LivHOME's Midwest Regional Director, discusses the importance of good nutrition and how caregivers can help their senior clients achieve it.

As Independence Day approaches, Steve Barlam, MSW, LCSW, CMC, Chief Professional Officer of LivHOME, discusses the idea of independence as an aspiration for seniors. He explains just what seniors mean when they say they want their independence, and points out that what they actually need is interdependence. Steve offers advice for family members seeking to introduce this idea and explains that there is a lesson in this for all who serve as caregivers and friends to seniors.

In this episode, Dr. Douglas Galasko, Director of the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at the University of California, San Diego, discusses advances in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Galasko also provides advice for caregivers, including where to get more information about the disease and how find out about clinical trials for new Alzheimer's treatments.

Rick Alphonso, President and CEO of The Financial Advisory Group in Houston, discusses the financial considerations surrounding paying for care in difficult economic times. Topics include the impact of declining yields on seniors' ability to finance their ongoing needs, advice for trying to get by with less money in today's environment, and the importance of a financial plan that takes ongoing care needs into account.

In this episode, Steve Barlam, LivHOME's Chief Professional Officer, discusses programs and approaches to help seniors and their families pay for care during today's challenging times. Topics include programs such as Medicare Part D, Medicaid and special benefits for Veterans, getting information and guidance for navigating these programs, and how to make sure you are utilizing the right amount of care.

In this episode, Bunni Dybnis, LivHOME's Director of Professional Services in Los Angeles discusses the Holiday Blues, which can strike seniors in particular at this time of year. She addresses topics including what to watch for to identify the Holiday Blues, how to reinvent the holidays to address this issue and places caregivers can turn for help. Bunni has also provided a sheet of practical tips for reinventing the holidays, which you can view by clicking here.

Mary Beth Hardy, LivHOME's Regional Director, Central Region, in this episode discusses the practice of Brain Aerobics and the great value it can have for seniors. She explains how caregivers can help work Brain Aerobics into a senior's everyday life and how it can be beneficial in addressing the decline in brain function that often comes with age. She provides interesting, real-life examples of Brain Aerobics activities seniors and their caregivers have developed and used.