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With ER’s over capacity during the winter, this program was timely. There are new AdvancED Urgent Cares expanding into the North Jersey area and they can often tackle many more procedures than a regular urgent care. We are on the Adult Children of Aging Parents (ACAP) Bergen County, NJ leadership team and we helped organize a presentation all about “When to Use An Advanced Urgent Care vs. an Emergency Room“. While the answer isn’t simple, knowing the difference can save your life in a medical emergency.

Michael Gerardi, MD, an emergency physician and faculty at Atlantic Health System’s Goryeb Children’s Hospital and Morristown Medical Center, discussed the unexpected sudden illnesses or traumatic injuries you or someone you know may face and where to take them for the most prompt and highest quality of care. He talked about primary care physicians, a regular urgent care, an emergency department, and the new option – an advanced urgent care staffed by emergency physicians.

AdvanED Urgent Cares often take Urgent Care to the next level as their services are more comprehensive than regular urgent care centers. Their patients are cared for by emergency department trained physicians and nurses. These providers are trained to treat adults and children. In addition, they are experienced in treating everything from minor injuries to complex conditions. Many AdvanED offer X-rays and laboratory testing services with same-day medical care for mild to urgent health concerns, including X-rays and rapid diagnostic tests. There are times when it is appropriate to use these locations for testing rather than an ER. If you need more information on this program and how to bring it to your community, you can contact our Director of Marketing Laura Marie Huisking at lhuisking@generations-llc.com.

Our next program with ACAP of Bergen County is our “Healthcare Resource Fair” on February 10th at 6:00pm at the Paramus Library. Did you notice any changes in mom or dad over the holidays? Are you concerned for their safety to continue to live independently? If you think your loved ones need help with activities of daily living, companionship or even transitioning into a senior living community, then this is THE event for you. The Generations Staff will have a table and will be answering any questions you have on care management. Registering for this event is required and you can click here to RSVP.

Family owned and operated for over 35 years, Generations Counseling & Care Management, LLC is a full-service geriatric care management firm that provides care management, advocacy, and psychotherapy services with an integrated, professional, client-centered approach to the needs of the elderly, persons with disabilities, their families, and the caregiving community in Northern New Jersey and Rockland County, New York. Our expert staff are available 24/7 and offer a wide range of services that cover all aspects of elder care including: care management, counseling, psychotherapy, elder care planning, transitional service to senior communities & nursing facilities, services for disabled individuals, benefits counseling, assessments, financial services and management, moving and relocation coordination and much more. If you need more information on our services, please call our office at 201-845-7030.

As an integral part of the North Jersey Community, we always strive to be a part of causes that are meaningful to seniors and their caregivers. We founded the Women in Senior Care: Bergen County so that we could partner with like-minded healthcare professionals to figure out ways to make our community a better, brighter place. The mission of our group is to help seniors and the caregiving community navigate the healthcare resources available to them through education and philanthropic endeavors. Each year, we choose different organizations to either volunteer for or shine a light on.

This December we chose to organize a fundraiser for Bright Side Manor. The Bright Side Family is a nonprofit that provides affordable housing, affordable assisted living, and support services that respond to the changing needs and preferences of low-and-moderate-income older adults. We co-hosted the “Cocktails for a Cause” fundraiser with Dellridge Health & Rehabilitation Center in Paramus, NJ. We invited senior care professionals and encouraged them to bring an item from the Bright Side Manor wish list so that we could bring their residents joy this holiday season.

We were so pleased with the generosity of all of those who attended. We collected so many gifts for Bright Side Manor and were able to highlight some of their staff and their accomplishments over the last few years.

Family owned and operated for over 35 years, Generations Counseling & Care Management, LLC is a full-service geriatric care management firm that provides care management, advocacy, and psychotherapy services with an integrated, professional, client-centered approach to the needs of the elderly, persons with disabilities, their families, and the caregiving community in Northern New Jersey and Rockland County, New York. Our expert staff are available 24/7 and offer a wide range of services that cover all aspects of elder care including: care management, counseling, psychotherapy, elder care planning, transitional service to senior communities & nursing facilities, services for disabled individuals, benefits counseling, assessments, financial services and management, moving and relocation coordination and much more. If you need more information on our services, please call our office at 201-845-7030.

by Miriam Zucker, LMSW, C-ASWCM

This article was originally posted on The Aging Life Care Association’s blog.

As an Aging Life Care™ advisor, I know how fiercely older adults want to maintain their independence. Many feel that their adult children don’t understand them or are making something out of nothing — a fall, a burnt pot, a call from the police station. They make promises to ask for help shopping, assure a son they will only drive on familiar streets, and promise to hang up when an unsolicited call for money comes in. The need to be safe and the rejection of that safety in the name of independence and dignity is a real struggle.  So how do you know when safety should outweigh the desire to appear and remain independent?

Here are seven signs that your aging parent may need help:

1. You come for a visit, open the refrigerator to get a glass of juice and the expiration date was three months ago. The refrigerator may have a strong odor, and the kitchen may be full of rotten food.
2. Mail is piling up. Bills may be going unpaid, and utilities at risk of being shut off.
3. You’re not sure that medications are being taken correctly, due to changes in your parent’s vision, dexterity, or memory. Pills are still in their bottles, or medication boxes seem untouched between visits. You may find medications dropped or spilled on the floor.
4. You’re concerned about personal hygiene. You parent may be wearing soiled clothing, bathing infrequently, and not attending to personal care tasks such as oral hygiene.
5. “Mother is absolutely fine,” you hear your father say. And mother automatically agrees. After fifty plus years of marriage, they have learned how to compensate for one another, and they’re arm in arm on the road to trouble.
6. You’re receiving concerned phone calls or emails from friends or neighbors, who may be stepping in to provide help when they can, but are frustrated.
7. The car has noticeable new scratches and dents, maintenance is being ignored, and you’re concerned about your parent’s ability to drive safely.

If you notice just one of these happening with your parent, it is time to have a conversation. If you need help starting that conversation or implementing a plan of care, consider working with an Aging Life Care Professional. Aging Life Care Professionals™ understand the frustration felt by adult children and the desperation felt by older adults who want to hold on to their independence. With an objective perspective on the situation, we can help facilitate difficult family discussions and decision-making to address these and other concerns.

As a member of the Aging Life Care Association, Generations Counseling & Care Management, LLC has had the opportunity to forge relationships with other Geriatric Care Managers who work both in and outside of New Jersey. We learn from each other as well as refer to one another. Miriam Zucker is a licensed New York State social worker and is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, American Society on Aging, and the Central Westchester Geriatric Committee. She is an involved member of the Aging Life Care Association, where she holds Advanced member status and she is the founder of Directions in Aging in Westchester County, New York where she can be reached at mzucker@directionsinaging.com. We would like to thank her for allowing us to repost this.

Family owned and operated for 37 years, Generations Counseling & Care Management, LLC is a full-service geriatric care management firm that provides care management, advocacy, and psychotherapy services with an integrated, professional, client-centered approach to the needs of the elderly, persons with disabilities, their families, and the caregiving community in Northern New Jersey and Rockland County, New York. Our expert staff are available 24/7 and offer a wide range of services that cover all aspects of elder care including: care management, counseling, psychotherapy, elder care planning, transitional service to senior communities & nursing facilities, services for disabled individuals, benefits counseling, assessments, financial services and management, moving and relocation coordination and much more. If you need more information on our services, please call our office at 201-845-7030.

We are long-time supporters of Alzheimer’s New Jersey and walk in the Walk to Fight Alzheimer’s in Paramus every year. We sponsored one of July’s Pizza Wednesdays at the Brightview Wayne and had a lot of fun serving pizza and raising money for a good cause! Both the staff and the residents look forward to the event every week and happily spend a few dollars on pizza and drinks to support this wonderful local organization whose programs and services directly benefit New Jersey families who are dealing with a dementia diagnosis.

We have a lot of experience in long-term care planning and advocating for families who are dealing with a dementia related disease so we understand how important it is to volunteer for local organizations whose programs and services provide essential support to the caregiving community. Fundraisers like this one help keep those programs running.

Family owned and operated for over 35 years, Generations Counseling & Care Management, LLC is a full-service geriatric care management firm that provides care management, advocacy, and psychotherapy services with an integrated, professional, client-centered approach to the needs of the elderly, persons with disabilities, their families, and the caregiving community. Our expert staff are available 24/7 and offer a wide range of services that cover all aspects of elder care including: care management, counseling, psychotherapy, elder care planning, transitional service to senior communities & nursing facilities, services for disabled individuals, benefits counseling, assessments, financial services and management, moving and relocation coordination and much more. If you need more information on our services, please call our office at 201-845-7030.

Our Director of Care Management, Stacey Padva Maines, gave a talk last week on Hoarding for the North Jersey Senior Network (NNJSN) at the Chelsea Senior Living at Washington Township in Bergen County. The talk was organized by Patricia Linard, a member of the Generations Marketing Department. She also sits on the board of the NNJSN.

Hoarding is an often misunderstood disorder and there are a lot of myths associated with it. Stacey spoke about how to differentiate hoarding from other disorders, what to do when you suspect a resident or a client has a hoarding disorder, what steps to take to help that person, and what to do when you feel that the person is in immediate danger. She outlined a list of resources and experts who can help as well as answered a lot of questions.

Stacey joined Generations in January of 2015. For over 20 years, she has used her passion for advocacy and facilitating communication within families along with her strong clinical training to focus on the needs of our seniors and their families. She has worked in all aspects of long term care including Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, Continuing Care Communities, Hospice, and Home care. Stacey has served in management positions in social services and marketing as well as the Executive Director of an Assisted Living after receiving her CALA in 2012.

If you suspect a loved one has a hoarding disorder and needs guidance or help, don’t hesitate to contact our office. Family owned and operated for over 35 years, Generations Counseling & Care Management, LLC is a full-service geriatric care management firm that provides care management, advocacy, and psychotherapy services with an integrated, professional, client-centered approach to the needs of the elderly, persons with disabilities, their families, and the caregiving community. Our expert staff are available 24/7 and offer a wide range of services that cover all aspects of elder care including: care management, counseling, psychotherapy, elder care planning, transitional service to senior communities & nursing facilities, services for disabled individuals, benefits counseling, assessments, financial services and management, moving and relocation coordination and much more. If you need more information on our services, please call our office at 201-845-7030.

Twice a year, the Bergen County Board of Commissioners and Department of Human Services, Division of Senior Services/ADRC hosts a Caregivers Conference. The goal of this conference is to educate caregivers in the Bergen County, New Jersey area about services, support, and county programs that can help them through their caregiver journey.

This year, they have asked Generations to speak about “The Ins and Outs of HomeCare”. We will be talking about the types of different Home Care services that are available in our community as well as what insurance will and won’t cover and county programs that are available to help. Join us on Thursday, April 11th from 5:00-9:00pm.

Family owned and operated for over 35 years, Generations Counseling & Care Management, LLC is a full-service geriatric care management firm that provides care management, advocacy, and psychotherapy services with an integrated, professional, client-centered approach to the needs of the elderly, persons with disabilities, their families, and the caregiving community. Our expert staff are available 24/7 and offer a wide range of services that cover all aspects of elder care including: care management, counseling, psychotherapy, elder care planning, transitional service to senior communities & nursing facilities, services for disabled individuals, benefits counseling, assessments, financial services and management, moving and relocation coordination and much more. If you need more information on our services, please call our office at 201-845-7030.

Few decisions are more important than how we care for our family members who are unable to care for themselves. Our care managers often help families through a dementia diagnoses. They provide care plans that address the physical, medical, psychological and social issues of the client and family as well as their financial resources and goals. We understand how hard a diagnosis can be and that the need for education on dementia is an important part of the caregiving process. Generations is on the leadership team of ACAP Bergen County (Adult Children of Aging Parents) and helped organize this valuable program on “Recognizing Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias” on February 13th at 5:00pm. To register for the program, please click here.

According to the Alzheimer’s New Jersey, Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia now impact more than five million Americans and are a leading cause of death among aging persons.

This program is designed to help adult children understand Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related types of dementia so they can help their parents manage these diseases and choose the resources and supports that best help their aging parents and themselves.

Presenter: Vivian Green Korner, MA, Certified Dementia Care Practitioner

Family owned and operated for over 35 years, Generations Counseling & Care Management, LLC is a full-service geriatric care management firm that provides care management, advocacy, and psychotherapy services with an integrated, professional, client-centered approach to the needs of the elderly, persons with disabilities, their families, and the caregiving community. Our expert staff are available 24/7 and offer a wide range of services that cover all aspects of elder care including: care management, counseling, psychotherapy, elder care planning, transitional service to senior communities & nursing facilities, services for disabled individuals, benefits counseling, assessments, financial services and management, moving and relocation coordination and much more. If you need more information on our services, please call our office at 201-845-7030.