Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2021 i Australian Carers Guide NSW/ ACT

publisher’s message PAUL KOURY – PUBLISHER Hello and welcome to the second edition of the Australian Carers Guide. First thing I’d like to say is a big thank you to all our lovely readers who wrote, emailed and rang us to voice their gratitude for creating this magazine just for you. Your responses confirmed the huge need to have a resource full of practical and educational information for carers. But my highlight was having the privilege of speaking to many of you and hearing your remarkable stories. The proofs in the Print Whatever one does prior to launching a new publication, there is still nothing like subscriptions sales and reader feedback to confirm that there was indeed a huge void in the market for carers to have their own publication.…

Do your homework You’re all excited about renovating for Mum or Dad. Before getting started, here are some things to consider. Current and future care: Assess your parents’ present and projected mobility and need for assistive aids, and consider space for live-in carers. Housing needs: Look critically at the size and layout of the available space. Review your home’s proximity to doctors, clinics and other services, and logistics surrounding participation in social and community activities. Social support: Evaluate the amount of space your parents will need to entertain their own friends; their need for transportation to errands and parking. Talk with your parents about their level of desire to be totally independent versus wanting to share some space, time or meals with the family. Be clear: • Is your whole…

Law How to protect your kid’s inheritance Avoiding family provision claims against your estate BY MICHAEL CLOHESY & ELIZA CAMPAIN I’m often asked how to avoid claims against a deceased estate; particularly by people with estranged children. The only truly effective way I suggest is to spend everything before you go. Unfortunately, that is often not a realistic solution and elderly people struggle with the idea that their disrespectful and absent adult child (who may have caused them great personal suffering) could get a share of their hardearned money after they pass. Parents often wish to reward their ‘good child’ who has spent time and energy supporting, loving and caring for their parents in their twilight years. Unfortunately, parents need to be mindful that a claim may be made against…

Do you know your aged care choices? Seeking additional care for an aging loved one can feel overwhelming. Their loss of independence can be extremely distressing, and expectations weigh heavily on family. PLANNING FOR YOUR NEEDS Being time poor or supporting a family member who is showing resistance to care, means carers often struggle alone. Dana Sawyer from My Care Path explains, “Many carers don’t know their options. Planning together, we consider lifestyle, cultural, family and budgetary considerations, empowering carers to make choices centred around their unique circumstances”. STAYING HOME FOR LONGER Many older Australians prefer to stay in their homes for as long as possible and, increasingly, they can. My Care Path’s expert consultants provide highly personalised aged care coordination with empathy and sensitivity, to help families support the…

Recipes meals that heal BY KARA O’ROURKE & ANNE DIGBY Hi Everyone, Summer is here, more freedoms are here, and it has given us a renewed zest for life. These recipes have been selected for their nutritional benefits and guaranteed to put a spring in your step. I had to include my foodie friend Anne’s refreshing Quinoa salad and her favourite Zucchini bread recipes. Often eaten together and will leave you feeling light and full of energy. Enjoy preparing these meals and don’t forget the secret sauce of ‘love’ which makes all meals taste bellissima. Green Pikelets I have huge respect for baby spinach. It is basically tasteless so you can throw it in almost anything. But its nutritional profile is what makes it so incredible. With a decent amount…

This Issue’s Contributors Maree McCabe AM Chief Executive Officer Dementia Australia Rachel Lane Principal - Aged Care Gurus and Co Author of Aged Care, Who Cares Paul Koury Founder - Publisher Australian Carers Guide Mary Bart Chair of Caregiving Matters Rosie Bourton: Former Centrelink Officer Current Financial Advisor Michael Clohesy Wills and Estates at Gathered Here National Head of Legal Services Pat Irwin BA, AICB, CPCA President of ElderCare Wesley Rush Freelance Journalist Theresa Albert DHN, RNCP Will Richardson Puzzles supplied by Richardson Publishing Group Apology: Dealing with Angry and Emotional Elderly Parents article in our Spring Edition was written by Jennifer Brosnan…

Self Care 10 tips to help you look good and feel great By Marguerite Weir Photos: CanStock Photo The popular saying, “if you look good, you’ll feel good” is true at any age. It’s never too late. Look for those age-defying secrets that will keep you stylish, happy and self-assured. Remember, feeling great isn’t just about your outward appearance. It’s about boosting your mood, improving your health and maybe even jump-starting your love life! Style yourself Putting on a new outfit may give you the pick-me-up you need. You’ll be fresh, clean and prettier in a matter of moments. But sometimes just adding a more affordable accessory such as a colourful scarf, floppy brimmed hat or fashionable pashmina is all it takes. Putting away winter clothes and cleaning out your…

Personal Relationships Sexuality and Aging Photos: CanStock Photo How people experience and express their sexuality will change throughout their lives. Aging brings about natural changes, both physically and emotionally, which can affect our reproductive health, sexual intimacy and sexual response or arousal. As we all approach later life, two of the things which brought us the greatest joy and took up most of our energies and time – our children and/or our careers – are no longer as prevalent in our everyday life. This means that our personal relationships take on an increased importance. While the frequency or ability to perform sexually will generally decline modestly as seniors experience the normal, physiological changes that accompany aging. Reports show that the majority of men and women between the ages of 50 and…

COMIC CORNER Jokes Laughter is good for the soul and a merry heart does good like medicine My partner has put on so much weight over winter, that he can only play SEEK now. My hubby takes two pairs of pants to GOLF in-case he gets a HOLE IN ONE What do you call a dog with NO LEGS? It doesn’t matter because he wont be able to come How many seniors does it take to change a LIGHT BULB? One, but she paid the telemarketer $2000 for the new bulb My dentist told me I need a crown FINALLY someone that understands me Three men walked into a BAR you’d think one of them would have seen it…

expert advice CAUSES OF SARCOPENIA What causes muscle loss? Experts think that several factors contribute to muscle loss (also known as sarcopenia). Physical inactivity is one of them but it’s not the whole story, since active people also lose muscle. Other reasons might include age-related hormonal changes that reduce muscle cell growth, reduced nerve activity, inflammation, insufficient protein or calorie consumption, and a decline in our body’s ability to get energy from protein. Researchers are working to better understand sarcopenia. For example, one recent study looked at whether eating more protein can help prevent muscle loss in older adults (conclusion: Probably yes, but further research is needed). Another study has explored the connection between muscle health and declining nerve activity (conclusion: Regular exercise might help to grow new nerves and…

YOUR FEEDBACK We’ve got mail Hello fellow carers Since publishing our first edition, we received so many emails and dare I say snail mail, that it was hard to choose which 3 to include in this issue. Some wrote simply to express their appreciation but most of you wrote to express the variety of difficulties you were having caring for your elderly loved ones. I was personally touched by your stories and the good news is that there are some wonderful changes coming to our Aged Care sector since the Royal Commission handed down its recommendations. So, stay tuned. AVOIDING BURNOUT A friend was lucky enough to get a copy of your magazine. They were sold out when I tried. My daughter is such a saint and looks after her…

Wandering whys and whens Common triggers can run the gamut from tiredness and confusion at the end of the day (commonly referred to as “sun-downing”) to a change in routine, such as a move from home to a care community. The frequency of wandering typically varies according to the stage of the disease. “I work with many individuals living in the early stages of the disease,” says Moreno. “Typically the challenge during this stage of the disease isn’t wandering, it’s getting lost.” The early stages of Alzheimer’s disease tend to involve more disorientation, while the later stages may involve wandering. Regardless of the whys, those who wander are often looking for safety and reassurance because they are feeling lost, abandoned or disoriented. If the person with dementia wants to “go home”…

Safety tips for drivers BACKING UP Turn your head to look back when reversing - don’t let your car camera do all the work. Maybe hit your horn to alert pedestrians, even roll down your window to listen to what is around you. Parking lots are particularly dangerous places. According to the TAC, 52 percent of all back-over injuries occur in parking lots, and the Health and Safety Council tells us that around two-thirds of drivers are distracted by searching for a parking spot. Try to find a spot that lets you drive right through, to avoid backing up. WEATHER / TIME OF DAY Adjust your driving to the road conditions. Rain, wet weather and slippery roads may cause you to slide or have difficulty stopping for pedestrians. It is…

When a pet cannot stay with its owner Not all circumstances allow pet ownership to continue. Here are some tips to deal with such situations. Get the owner’s input when planning. Do they have ideas or preferences? It will ease their mind to know their furry friend will be cared for. Ideally, the current owner will help the pet transition to its new owner. This might involve visiting with the pet, going on walks and allowing the pet to be cared for part-time in its new home before full-time ownership begins. Once adopted, allow the previous owner to have continued contact with the pet. An older person’s pet should be provided for in a will and a carer named. If a carer is not named in the will, the pet’s…

abbreviations When it comes to Aged Care, acronyms are plentiful…ACSA, HCP, CHSP… But what do they all mean? Fear no more. We’ve compiled a list of the most commonly used ones – how they work and their service to the community. ACAT: Aged Care Assessment Team Helps the elderly and their carers determine what kind of support will best meet their needs when they are struggling in their current living situation. Ever had a chat with someone where the talk is littered with acronyms – but you have absolutely no idea what they’re saying? ACAS: Aged Care Assessment Service (Victoria) Only provides teams who help frail older people and their carers, to work out what kind of care will best meet their needs. After each assessment, a patient’s level of…

Q & A TIME FOR A BREAK I’m going away for a week’s holiday and am worried that my sister won’t be able to manage our dad’s angry outbursts. He has early-onset dementia and his day-to-day care can be difficult. A: Looking after yourself is crucial when you are a caregiver, so be sure to get away! It is often difficult for carers to take a break and depend on others, especially when you don’t know how well someone else will be able to step in and provide care. In the case of a person with dementia, any change can be a trigger for an outburst so familiarity with routines and situations is key. Getting your sister involved ahead of time will help. Your dad needs to become familiar with…