What is Palliative Care? How Does it Work?

If you’ve been advised that your loved one needs palliative care, you may be wondering what exactly palliative care is, and how it will benefit your loved one. Our hospice care team in South Jersey has put together this helpful guide to answer some basic questions about palliative care, and we hope it will help you make the best decision for your loved one and your family.

What is palliative care?

Palliative care is a specific type of medical care for people of all ages who are seriously ill with life-threatening, curable, or chronic illnesses. The primary goal of palliative care is to improve quality of life by relieving pain and suffering.

Is palliative care the same thing as hospice care?

Not necessarily. Hospice care is for people diagnosed with terminal illnesses who don’t have long left to live, while palliative care is for all types of illnesses, including curable ones. Hospice care is palliative in the sense that its goal is to make the person as comfortable and pain-free as possible.

What’s the difference between a palliative doctor and a primary care doctor?

A primary care doctor will focus on overall health and treating diseases and illnesses. Palliative care doctors are focused on eliminating the person’s pain and suffering as much as possible, while also helping the ill person and their family cope with their illness.

If my loved one receives palliative care, will they still have access to their primary care doctor?

Yes, absolutely. Palliative care doctors and primary care doctors work together to ensure the person’s treatment is as comprehensive as possible. If your loved one enters palliative care, both their primary care doctor and their palliative care specialist will work in conjunction to create the optimal treatment plan for them.

How can I find the best palliative care for my loved one?

We recommend asking your loved one’s primary care doctor as a first point of inquiry. Certain hospitals and assisted living communities have palliative care specialists, and there are also medical teams who provide palliative care in the home.

Does insurance cover palliative care?

Coverage varies by state and insurance companies, of course,  but  many private insurance companies and HMOs include certain palliative care benefits. Medicare and Medicaid also have provisions for palliative care, so we recommend checking with your loved one’s insurance provider to learn what they’ll cover.

Palliative and hospice care in Cape May County, NJ

At UMC, we have a dedicated neighborhood called Bridges at The Shores for hospice care and palliative care. Our multi-disciplinary team ensures that residents are as comfortable as possible while meeting their medical needs and providing mental and emotional support. 

Placing a loved one in palliative or hospice care can be a very difficult decision and it’s one that affects the whole family. When your loved one enters hospice care at Bridges at The Shores they’ll have around-the-clock access to pain management specialists, medication support, life enrichment programs, spiritual support, personalized care plans, and customized meal plans. 

For more information about Bridges at The Shores, or if you have any other questions about palliative or hospice care, please contact the team at UMC today.

Original blog posted on https://umcommunities.org/hospice/what-is-palliative-care-how-does-it-work/

Ideas for Father’s Day in Assisted Living

 

As Father’s Day approaches, our South Jersey assisted living teams are preparing to help our residents and their families celebrate the fathers in their lives. This is the most ideal time of year to celebrate – the weather is warm, the skies are sunny and the flowers are in full bloom. There’s really no time like the present to get together with loved ones and acknowledge the important role that our fathers play in our families.

Here are some of our favorite ways to celebrate Father’s Day in assisted living:

Take dad out for a day of activities he enjoys. Whether it’s a walk through your local park, dinner at his favorite place, a game of golf, or something else you know he’ll enjoy, a change of scenery can be fun for your father and can help him feel more revitalized. 

Plan a family BBQ. If weather permits and you live locally, a BBQ is a great way to commemorate Father’s Day while getting the whole family together. You can let your dad plan the menu and even give him a crack at the grill. A day to bond with family outdoors will be fun and memorable for him.

Create a family photo album for dad. Ask everyone in your family to select a few photos of themselves to include in the album. We recommend choosing some serious shots, as well as some funny ones. Don’t forget to include pets – they’re family too! This gift is irreplaceable, and something dad can look back whenever he likes.

Bring him a meal from his favorite restaurant. Mobility and health issues prevent some fathers from being able to leave their assisted living community. If that’s the case for your dad, why not bring the food to him? Call and ask what special treat he would like for Father’s Day, and order enough for the whole family to enjoy.

Plan a day of games. Games are a great way to bring your family together, and most assisted living communities have common areas you can utilize for this purpose. If dad loves the casino, bring a deck of playing cards or Left-Center-Right dice. For a fun change of pace, try out a game like Family Feud or Heads Up for some good belly-laughs. 

Make a surprise visit. Perhaps, not all of your family members live close to your father’s assisted living community. If that’s the case, a surprise visit would really be something special. We recommend calling the community ahead of time to ensure the associates on-site can keep your arrival a surprise from dad! 

Celebrating special dads in assisted living

At The Shores, UMC’s assisted living community in Cape May County, we are happy to work with you to plan something special for your dad. Many of our residents are fathers and we encourage the family to visit if possible. 

We understand that mobility and health issues prevent some of our residents from being able to leave The Shores to celebrate their special day, so please get in touch and let us know how we can best accommodate your plans. We have communal spaces where families can gather and spend time with their fathers, a dining area where you can enjoy delicious meals together, and many other ways to make Father’s Day truly special. 

For more information about UMC at The Shores, or if you have any questions, please contact our team today. Discover why so many South Jersey families choose us as their assisted living community! To learn more, visit our website at: https://theshores.umcommunities.org/

Original blog posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/ideas-for-fathers-day-in-assisted-living/

When Eyes Become Old, Kindle a New Way of Reading

 

Whether curled up by the fireplace in the winter or relaxing poolside in the summer, millions of people read books everyday. Reading keeps our minds active and allows us to learn more about the world around us.

But as we age, loss of vision and other sight impairments often interfere with the ability to read easily and comfortably. Therefore making a once-loved hobby, difficult and inaccessible. 

Luckily, for seniors with sight impairments, there has been a tremendous rise in e-readers like the Amazon Kindle and Kobo Forma, both of which allow users to enlarge the text to a custom size that works for them. Kindles and Formas also provide optimum background light, so it’s easy on the eyes.

E-readers are great for those with mild to moderate vision impairment who often struggle to read the pages of a traditional book. Once connected to the internet, users have access to vast libraries of e-books from around the world! 

Audiobooks are also incredibly popular among those with sight impairments, and many audiobook apps like Audible and Homer Player can be used with a smartphone or a computer. Even those without vision impairments love audiobooks because of the convenience, and because it’s great fun to listen to the voice actors bring the book to life. 

Audiobooks are sometimes narrated by celebrities, and here are five of our favorites:

1. Brother & Sister, written and narrated by Diane Keaton. This memoir from the famous actress explores her relationship with her younger brother, and reflects on the different paths they took in life. 
2. My Name is Lucy Barton, written by Elizabeth Strout and narrated by actress Laura Linney. This best-selling novel details the complicated relationship between a woman and her mother, and was also performed as a play several years back.
3. The Dharma Bums, written by Jack Kerouac and narrated by actor Ethan Hawke. Kerouac, one of the most popular Beat Generation writers, chronicles his relationship with another young writer as they travel across the country searching for happiness, the meaning of life, and everything in between.
4. Year of the Monkey, written and narrated by Patti Smith. The award-winning author recounts a transformative year of her life in this memoir. 
5. Uncommon Type, written and narrated by Tom Hanks. The legendary actor reads his wonderful short story collection.

Enjoying reading in assisted living 

At UMC at The Shores, we believe assisted living residents should be able to continue to pursue and enjoy their hobbies to the best of their ability. Whether it’s reading, sewing, music, or something else, our assisted living community is designed to fully support residents when they can no longer (or choose not to) live at home. 

Many people in assisted living continue to enjoy their interests. When it comes to reading, audiobooks and e-readers have made reading more accessible to older adults with vision impairment and other accessibility issues. This advanced technology allows our residents to continue appreciating the things they love, while our associates are happily on stand-by to assist with any technological issues when needed. 

For more information about The Shores, or if you have any questions about assisted living, please contact our team today. Discover why we’re the trusted assisted living community for so many people in the South Jersey area.

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/assisted-living/when-eyes-become-old-kindle-a-new-way-of-reading/