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When Health Problems Restrict Mobility for Older Adults, VIP Rides Can Help.

February 7, 2012 By

Marlene, 71, heard about VIP Rides from her doctor two years ago while she was being treated for a back condition. He recommended the program when she told him that it was hard to get to appointments because she could no longer drive. Due to her back condition and minor strokes, and her husband’s vision loss, they had sold their cars. They had been using cabs to get around in Fremont but the cost was $40-$50 for each round trip.

She called Lori Vogel, VIP Rides Coordinator, and Lori was able to sign both of them up for the service over the phone. They use VIP Rides mostly for doctor appointments and light grocery shopping. “Every single volunteer driver has been so nice, friendly and helpful,” says Marlene. “We’re not used to asking for help from anyone for anything, we never have.”

Marlene’s husband Michael, 73, currently uses the bus to go to the bank and calls on their daughter and son-in-law to make larger grocery purchases. Michael was forced to retire two years ago from a long career in sales and marketing because he could no longer drive due to myopic degeneration. “The best thing about VIP Rides is that it’s personal and it works according to our specific needs,” he says. “We have never had a problem with the service, ever,” adds Marlene.

Marlene says she usually gives Lori a week’s notice but neither of them have been turned down because of short notice. “Lori has always been able to accommodate use, she’s super.”

They have lived in their Fremont home for 43 years, and feel reluctant to leave the area. “Our only entertainment now is being with our daughter and her family,” said Michael, “we used to have a big social life but all of our friends have moved away and we have no transportation.”

Marlene was a caregiver for her mother for 25 years and also made weekly visits to an aunt in an assisted living facility once a week. “I’m totally amazed by stories about people in their nineties who are getting along so well when we are only in our seventies and life is such a struggle,” said Michael. “Getting old comes up on you so quickly and the health problems are something you never expect; VIP Rides has been a lifesaver for us.”

Filed Under: aging, caregiver, elder care, eldercare, elderly, geriatric care, homecare, life eldercare, nonprofit, senior services, vip rides Tagged With: , , , , ,

Having someone to help means Tri-City residents in their 80′s and 90′s can maintain their independence.

January 9, 2012 By

Virginia, 86, was widowed in 1993 and has lived in her Fremont home for 43 years. She currently lives alone. Her five children live out of the area, the two closest in Marin County. She maintains her independence by taking advantage of three LIFE ElderCare programs: VIP Rides, Friendly Visitors, and Meals On Wheels.

After reading about the organization in the newspaper, she mentioned it to her daughter who lives in Denver. Her daughter called Bernie Thien, Friendly Visitors Coordinator to get more information on how her mom could sign up. Bernie delighted Virginia by matching her up with a Friendly Visitor from her home state of Rhode Island. The two have been meeting every Friday for the past year to take short walks, play Scrabble and enjoy each other’s company.

She uses VIP Rides for grocery shopping and started receiving Meals On Wheels last March after coming out of a rehabilitation center for a fractured vertebrae. Her back problem makes it hard to stand long enough to cook meals or to buy groceries without assistance.

“I highly recommend LIFE ElderCare and often suggest it to people in my arthritis support group at Washington Hospital. Without the services that are available in my community I would probably be forced to sell my home and move into a much more expensive nursing home or assisted living facility.”

For fun, Virginia is part of a birdwatching group and has bird feeders in her backyard, and she watches movies on Netflix. “Politics are dismaying and depressing,” she says, “and I worry about my children not being able to afford health coverage if cuts are made to Medicare.”

Filed Under: caregiver, elder care, elder care programs, elder care services, eldercare, homecare, life eldercare, meals on wheels, nonprofit, senior services, senior transportation Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Volunteers have the magic touch

December 19, 2011 By


LIFE ElderCare’s Annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon drew an enthusiastic crowd of 275 people to the Newark Hilton on December 7 for an elegant meal and entertainment by local magician, Ryan Adler. This year’s theme, “Volunteers Have the Magic Touch,” celebrated the efforts of 574 volunteers who, along with 318 nursing students from Unitek College and Cal State East Bay, donated close to 42,000 hours last year towards helping frail, at-risk seniors in the Tri-City area stay healthy and maintain their independence.

Mary M. Anderson, Executive Director of LIFE ElderCare, welcomed the guests by saying, “Within each of us is a powerful design for living. Every day that you volunteer, your own special magic makes life better on behalf of our community’s seniors.” Janice Futch-Claridge, event sponsor, added, “This is a special time of the year but you are special all year long.”

This year’s recipient of the organization’s Friend for LIFE Award was outgoing Newark mayor, David Smith. Smith accepted the award on behalf of the volunteers by saying, “Through your dedicated service to the community, all of you are MY friends for life. On my last official day of being Mayor, I couldn’t be spending it with a finer group of people.“

Smith moved some people in the room to tears with a heartfelt story about how sharing a candy bar with a classmate when he was in the third grade was remembered more than 30 years later at a high school reunion. “You never know how much you are impacting someone’s life,” he said, “with a just a simple act of kindness.”

One of the guests, Paul Ray Andrus, has been giving rides to homebound seniors through the VIP Rides program for the past two years. “I like the flexibility of being able to volunteer when I have a break or some free time during the week,” he said. Dori Alexander started delivering meals through the Meals On Wheels program three months ago. After she retired, she knew this was what she wanted to do. “When I see people on my route I feel so happy,” she said, “and if they have time to talk, I enjoy visiting with them.”

According to a recent article in the AARP Bulletin, the value of one volunteer hour in California is $23.42. When you add it up, this represents a $900,000 in-kind investment by LIFE ElderCare volunteers. If you would like to join them in building an aging-friendly community, and make some heart-friendly connections along the way, please sign up today.

Filed Under: aging, caregiver, elder care, elder care programs, elder care services, eldercare, homecare, life eldercare, meals on wheels, nonprofit, senior services, volunteer Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Lifetime Risk for Osteoporotic Fracture is 50% for Women Over Fifty

March 8, 2011 By

At the March 4, Osteoporosis Update at Washington Hospital, I learned a few important things about how to protect my bones. The first presenter, Dr. Barry Shibuya, clarified the difference for me between osteoporosis and joint pain. Osteoporosis is painless, (unless you have a fracture), while osteoarthritis hurts. Also, osteoporosis medication does not relieve joint pain; it only helps protect the body against future bone loss.

Dr. Shibuya alerted the audience to the harmful effect of steroid medication such as Prednisone on bone loss, saying, “If you take 5 mg of Prednisone for three months or longer, you will lose 25% of your bone density within one year.” To protect against osteoporosis he recommended exercise to build bones (bones are like muscles, they become stronger through resistive exercises), increasing your intake of calcium and Vitamin D, ending bad habits such as smoking and enrolling in a Fall Prevention program.

Maureen Parent, Coordinator of LIFE ElderCare’s Fall Prevention program, spoke after Dr. Shibuya and reiterated the importance of exercise in preventing falls. She pointed out that falls are the number one reason why seniors lose their independence. After a fall, the fear of falling again restricts a person’s willingness to engage in normal activities. And, the more sedentary and homebound they become, the more likely they are to fall again. People who have completed the 12-week, in-home, Fall Prevention class have reported a significant decrease (up to 70%) in their fear of falling again.

The major risk factors for falls are balance impairments, weak muscles, impaired vision, medications, and home environmental hazards such as inadequate lighting, clutter, throw rugs, as well as the incorrect use of assisted devices such as canes and walkers. The Fall Prevention program at LIFE ElderCare addresses all of the risk factors through a personalized exercise program, assistance with medication management and assistance with reducing hazards in the home. Enrollment is continuous so if you are age 60 and older, and are predominately homebound, this is a great way to keep you free from falls.

Rachael Vander Martin, Communications Specialist

See links for more information:

LIFE ElderCare Fall Prevention
Assess your Future Fracture Risk
Dr. Barry Shibuya

Filed Under: aging, caregiver, elder care, elder care programs, elder care services, eldercare, elderly falls, fall prevention, falls prevention, geriatric care, hip fractures, homecare, life eldercare, lifeeldercare, nonprofit, osteoporosis, prevent senior falls, senior citizens, senior falls, senior services Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fun-Raiser at Sweet Tomatoes, March 9, 2011 from 5-8 pm.

March 4, 2011 By

Please join members of the staff and Board of LIFE ElderCare at Sweet Tomatoes restaurant for our Fun-Raiser. This is our first partnership with a local restaurant to raise money and we need your participation to make it a success. 15% of the cost of your meal will be donated to LIFE ElderCare. Invite friends, family, friends-of-friends—everyone you know who likes to eat fresh, wholesome food.

*** NOTE: (You must present the Sweet Tomatoes Donation Form when you pay for your meal. Be sure to download this form and bring it with you).

Sweet Tomatoes is located at: 39370 Paseo Padre Pkwy (corner of Paseo Padre and Walnut Avenue) in Fremont. For directions to the restaurant visit: sweettomatoes.com

Filed Under: caregiver, elder care, elder care programs, elder care services, eldercare, end senior hunger, life eldercare, lifeeldercare, meals on wheels, nonprofit, senior services Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

An increasing number the “near-elderly” (55-64) in the Tri-City area need our help.

February 23, 2011 By

At 58, Susan has no permanent home, no car, and no valuables other than her loving cat. She lives in a nearby motel where the manager gives her a good rate. She has been getting meals from Meals On Wheels since March 2009 and started using VIP Rides in April of last year.

In November of 2009 she had a stroke that has made her unsteady on her feet and has brought on chronic back pain. Social Security is threatening to cut off her medical benefits if she does not meet their criteria for the medically disabled.

Susan uses VIP Rides on a regular basis to get to the Fremont Food Bank, her doctor visits, and to do necessary errands. After she received notice that her medical coverage might be terminated, she called us to get a ride to her local clinic. Fortunately, a volunteer was available to help her on short notice. They both went to the clinic and the desk attendant told Susan not to fear anything yet, and made an appointment with her doctor for the following day. This brought much relief. After returning home, Susan offered the volunteer a glass of water and thanked her for being so kind. “Without VIP Rides” she said, “I would be stranded.”

Lori Vogel, VIP Rides Coordinator

Filed Under: aging, caregiver, elder care, elder care programs, elder care services, eldercare, elders, geriatric care, homecare, life eldercare, lifeeldercare, near elderly, nonprofit, paratransit, senior services, senior transportation, seniors, vip rides, vip rides program, volunteer Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Forgetting to turn off the stove can make some seniors averse to cooking.

February 18, 2011 By

Last month I did an assessment on a man, close to 90 years old, who came to the US from Ireland. He says he really likes Meals On Wheels because the food is nutritious, and if he’s not hungry when the meal comes, it is easy to heat it up in the microwave later. He tries to make Irish stew at least twice a month but finds that once he walks away from the stove he forgets about it. ”I can’t tell you how many times I make stew and burn it,” he says. ”I use to be a good cook, but not anymore.”

His daughters have warned him about the dangers of both cooking and driving, at age 90, but he pays no attention to them and drives to see his wife who is in a nursing home in Hayward. He has a great need to see her everyday. He left his wife in Ireland with 4 kids to come to California to get a job. She had to raise the kids alone for years before he had enough money to bring everyone over.

Notes from the Field
Barb Proctor, Meals On Wheels Assessment Coordinator

 

Filed Under: aging, caregiver, elder care, eldercare, elders, end senior hunger, geriatric care, homecare, life eldercare, lifeeldercare, meals on wheels, nonprofit, senior malnutrition, senior meals, senior nutrition, senior services, seniors, volunteer Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Have a healthy heart!

February 2, 2011 By

February is American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack. In 2010, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a new coronary attack, and about 470,000 had a recurrent attack. About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and about one every minute will die from one.

LIFE ElderCare’s Meals On Wheels program helps seniors learn about heart healthy eating by including nutrition tips and information on the back of every monthly MOW menu. This month we featured information about diseases and conditions that put the heart at risk and the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. (To learn more about heart disease, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC) website).

Sometimes seniors already know about these signs and symptoms because they learned about them the hard way — by dealing with the disease itself. One gentleman in his 80’s, who recently experienced heart failure and hospitalization, called to tell me that he recognized that his own nurse, while visiting him at his home, had symptoms of a heart attack and he called 911 for her.

You never know when you might be called upon to save a life.

Barbara Emge
Meals On Wheels Coordinator

Filed Under: aging, caregiver, elder care, eldercare, elders, end senior hunger, geriatric care, life eldercare, lifeeldercare, meals on wheels, nonprofit, senior malnutrition, senior meals, senior nutrition, senior services, seniors, volunteer Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

LIFE ElderCare can help older adults meet the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines.

February 1, 2011 By

Meals On Wheels

Meals On Wheels provides one nutritionally balanced, healthy meal a day.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued yesterday by the US Department of Agriculture, focuses on balancing calories with physical activity, and encourages Americans to consume more healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood, and to consume less sodium, saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and refined grains. LIFE ElderCare’s Meals On Wheels program, along with the Fall Prevention program, can help get older Tri-City residents get on track to meet these goals.

Meals delivered through our Meals On Wheels program are specifically designed to meet the nutritional parameters set by the Older Americans Act and the Alameda Area Agency on Aging. Every fresh cooked meal provides one-third of the minimum daily requirements for older adults and includes food that is high in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. The entrees are low fat, contain no added salt, and are delivered with a pint of milk and fresh fruit.

Our Fall Prevention program helps seniors by enrolling them in a 12-week, personalized, in-home exercise program that includes a weekly support visit from students enrolled in Unitek College’s LVN program. Through the use of resistance bands, gentle stretching and strengthening exercises, participants are able to gradually improve their muscle strength, balance and gait. This leads to greater mobility, enhanced functioning and less fear about falling in the future.

Here are some of the tips that will be provided to help consumers translate the Dietary Guidelines into their everyday lives:

  • Enjoy your food, but eat less.
  • Avoid oversized portions.
  • Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
  • Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
  • Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and
  • choose the foods with lower numbers.
  • Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
Filed Under: 2010 Dietary Guidelines, aging, caregiver, elder care, eldercare, end senior hunger, fall prevention, falls prevention, geriatric care, hip fractures, life eldercare, lifeeldercare, nonprofit, senior malnutrition, senior meals, senior nutrition, senior services, seniors, volunteer Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kind and gentle, 90-year-old woman is a favorite with volunteers.

January 25, 2011 By

Just signed up a new client. She is 90 years old, a retired teacher who lives on her own in a mobile home in Fremont. Because she has a speech impediment I went to her home to do the initial interview/assessment. Her name is Myrtle and she learned about VIP Rides from a friend that lives in the same mobile home who had used VIP Rides and was pleased with the service. Myrtle greeted me at the door with a hug and she led me into her kitchen where she had milk and cookies ready for me.

After explaining the program to her she was eager to set up her first appointment. She had a doctor’s appointment later in the week and was concerned that she might not have a ride. I assured her that a volunteer would be available for the appointment. After her first ride, Myrtle was delighted with the service and set up two more appointments. So far, every volunteer that has helped Myrtle would like to do so again. Her kind and gentle ways are a gift.

Lori Vogel
VIP Rides Coordinator
510-574-2096

 

Filed Under: aging, caregiver, elder care, eldercare, elders, geriatric care, life eldercare, lifeeldercare, nonprofit, positive aging, senior services, senior transportation, seniors, vip rides, vip rides program, volunteer Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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