The Fun Theory and Changing Behavior
The Fun Theory suggests that the easiest way to get people to do something like recycle or get more exercise is to make it more fun. Check out the following video brought to us from Volkswagen:
Dr. Marion is now an iPhone app
At CES last week, it was great to see that caregivers weren't forgotten in the midst of all the flash-bang of techno gadgetry. The concerns and issues of the growing millions of family caregivers who help care for an older relative were acknowledged and discussed at both the Silvers Summit and the Digital Health Summit in Las Vegas.
I had a chance to chat with Marion Somers, Ph.D., better known as Dr. Marion a geriatric care manager who's taken her 35+ years of experience and turned it into accessible iPhone apps. Elder 411 consists of over 500 pieces of advise organized by topic such as mobility, legal, hiring help, and letting go to either prevent issues or solve as they occur, as well as care for the caregiver. The Elder 911 app dispenses info related to elder crisis management such as transfer trauma, dealing with doctors, hospital discharge & the after-care of emergencies.
The apps cost just a couple of bucks. If you don't have an iPhone or iPod Touch, you can download Apple's iTunes for free, then purchase & view apps from any computer.
Dr. Marion's e-advice sounds like a timely resource for the very busy caregiver! ~Helen Rickman
Digital Health: 3 Global Trends
At last weekend's Digital Health Summit in Las Vegas (part of CES, the huge consumer electronics show), three global trends emerged with important ramifications to how we age. Paul Ceverha, director at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Continua Health Alliance member, defined the trends as
1. The evolution of the health system (regulatory reform): Payment reform will move to more bundled payments to encourage coordinated care. This would have big impact & be welcomed by seniors who currently must navigate the complicated world of private insurance, pharma options, medicare, donut holes, etc.
2. Revolution in care: the home as hub concept or medical health home. Personal health records (PHR), a comprehensive all-in-one-place record of one's health history, lab results, stats, etc., can help elders organize their records, especially since as a group seniors tend to be the biggest users of health care, often being seen by multiple providers. While Google & Microsoft have created software to capture PHR data, insurance companies will need to incentivize to get people to use, let alone make it easy to use & access.
3. Impact of new science: New forces such as genomic sciences are collapsing sequencing costs to make customized diagnostics possible & more affordable for the average joe. Healthcare will continue to move towards being evidence-based and consumer-directed. The four Ps will dominate: predictive, participatory, preventative & personalized.
A recurring theme at the summit: the way we think about getting care is going to change. Outlets like retail health, home monitoring, personal coach, and medical home are but a few of the new. All seem to involve or include a technology component. When it comes to health technology, how can we help seniors go from being a passive observer to an active user? Share your ideas here. ~Helen Rickman
Not Part of a Lost Generation - Food for Thought on the Future
This is only a 1 minute, 44 second video and is brilliant. Make sure you read as well as listen…forward and backward. Thanks to Ecumen's Sue Ferguson for sending it this way.
A palindrome reads the same backwards as forward. This video reads the exact opposite backwards as forward. Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite.
This video was submitted in a contest by a 20-year old. The contest was titled "u @ 50" by AARP. This video won second place. When they showed it, everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause. So simple and yet so brilliant. Take a minute and watch it.
The Appeal of Assisted Living - Some States Haven't Caught On Yet
Minnesota has been a national leader in creating less restrictive, non-institutional housing options, primarily assisted living. Some states still haven't gone that route, which is surprising. Our senior housing development team shares new research from two Harvard professors on the states with the most and least supply of assisted living. Read more here.
Jeremy Bloom Creates Wishes of a Lifetime for Seniors
When big-time athletes create a charitable foundation, it's often focused on kids. Not Jeremy Bloom's. The three-time freestyle skiing champion, two-time U.S. Olympian, University of Colorado football star and Philadelphia Eagles draft pick created Wishes of a Lifetime, a nonprofit dedicated to fulfilling the dreams of low-income seniors.
"I just believe that too often in our society, seniors are an afterthought," says Bloom in a recent Sports Illustrated article by former Minneapolis journalist Selena Roberts. "Our focus is to effect change in the way we look at aging."
Good stuff. Read Roberts' article here and visit Wishes of a Lifetime here.
The LEED Christmas Tree in Bemidji Senior Housing Community
It's called the LEED Christmas tree . . .
This unique Christmas tree is in celebration of completing the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) submission process for the new WoodsEdge community in Bemidji, Minnesota, that Ecumen developed for North Country Health Services. The tree is made out of a variety of reused items, such as ice skates, silverware, toaster oven, tricycle, jars and a tobaggan.
Ecumen Talks Future of Nursing Homes in Citizens League Minnesota Journal
Ecumen senior vice president of operations Mick Finn wrote an article in the recent non-partisan Citizens League Minnesota Journal that talks about how senior services are changing and the emerging role of the nursing home in chronic care management:
Chronic conditions, the most common health issue for the elderly, need to be
managed, but most can be managed outside the institutional setting. If the
disease becomes unmanageable, temporary hospital or nursing home services
may be necessary until the person can again manage (perhaps with support)
at home, whether that means a private home or a congregate setting.
The role of nursing homes in long-term care is becoming more specialized,
reserved to treat the very serious medical conditions associated with aging.
At the same time we are creating more and more opportunities to age on
our own terms, in settings and styles appropriate to our specific circumstances.
These two improvements are directly related, and the pace of their
implementation in Minnesota is rapidly accelerating.- Article Excerpt, Citizens League, Minnesota Journal
Read the full article here (you'll need Adobe Acrobat) on page 13. There are also two other articles related to senior services - the first-person experience of the caregiver, and an update on the non-partisan Citizens League's long-term care financing work in Minnesota.
Ecumen Senior Housing Design Extends to Santa Claus
One of the things Ecumen is known for is developing and operating senior housing, and we've put those skills to work for Santa Claus. Ecumen's Glen Glancy, who leads dining services at Ecumen's Maplewood, Minn., community, created another gingerbread masterpiece this holiday season. it includes 160 hours of volunteer time from Glen and contributions from "sub-contractors" Mark Hibbison (electrical), Joyce Aakre (paint) and Kim Sinclair (specialty characters). The work above with architect Glen Glancy aside it is called Santa's "Candy Cove". Among its features:
- Working lighthouse on a fondant rock outcropping
- Illuminated lighthouse Keeper's bungalow
- "Water" powered sawmill
- Santa's tugboat w/working spotlight
- Campsite with a candy lake
- Overall display area 15 square feet
- Approximate weight 85 pounds
- Maximum height 36 inches
- 40 pounds royal Icing
- 1 case of marshmallows
- 10 pounds butter
- 30 types candy
- Assorted cereals and cookies
Cokie Roberts and Steve Roberts Say America Needs the CLASS Plan
Cokie and Steve Roberts are big-time journalists and authors. And they both have mothers in their 90s. Last week, Cokie and Steve co-authored a nationally syndicated op-ed on the need for the CLASS Act. You can read more about Cokie and Steve here. If you get a second, send them a thank you at stevecokie@gmail.com.