Supporting Independence

in Independence

Personal independence is as American as Fourth of July parades and fireworks. Whether defined as “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” or self-determination or autonomy, it’s the foundation of American culture. It’s what many Americans struggle to retain during old age and end of life. And it’s what many informal caretakers struggle with on [...]

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Long-term care providers

Do you know who provides long-term care for about 80 percent of elders and disabled in the United States? It’s not nursing homes, assisted living facilities or home care agencies. It’s not nurses, physicians or certified nursing assistants. The majority of long-term care in America is provided by informal caregivers. Unpaid and frequently overlooked by [...]

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Discharge planning: care transitions

After Hospitalization: Discharge Planning A hospital stay may feel like respite care once a medical emergency is resolved and an elder’s condition stabilizes. During the hospital stay, the caregiver and elder defer medical decisions to physicians and nurses. For a few days the elderly patient is cared for by round-the-clock paid staff, temporarily reducing the [...]

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Advance directives

What do you want to be when you grow up? What will you do when you retire? What do you want your end-of-life experience to be? Most of us have been asked or have asked others those first two questions. But as we’ve seen in the national healthcare debate, few of us consider the third [...]

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