By Ken Little

Some people are calling it the “Silver Tsunami.” And when the wave of baby boomers on the verge of retirement sweeps over Central New York, it will be felt in all levels of society.

Those born between 1946 and 1964 are known as the Baby Boom generation. During the course of their lifetimes, baby boomers have had an impact on all aspects of life in America, from the youth culture and societal attitudes, to the healthcare system.

Prepare for the first wave. The youngest members of the Baby Boom generation will reach 65 in 2011. By 2030, nearly one in five Americans — about 72 million — will be age 65 or older.

“We are going to see an onslaught of older adults who are going to age in better health than any previous generation. We’ve helped people live longer and now we’re going to have to manage those consequences,” said Sharon A. Brangman, chief of the division of geriatrics at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.
Brangman is also the president of the American Geriatric Society. She said baby boomers are used to having things their way, and won’t settle for spending their twilight years in a traditional nursing home setting.

There’s much work to be done.

“I think the expectations are going to be great. With aging baby boomers, we’re not going to be able to provide one size fits all,” Brangman said. “The country as a whole and Central New York in particular is not ready to provide care and services to the aging population.”

‘A Coordinated Effort’—A unified response from government, the healthcare field, private business and boomers themselves is needed to make the transition smoothly, Brangman said.

“The whole model needs sort of a coordinated effort. I think baby boomers are going to be demanding individualized services,” she said. “I don’t think we’ve come together as a community to discuss how aging is going to impact all of our services, not just health care.

“What we see are pockets of people doing things here and there,” Brangman said.

Older adults currently comprise about 12 percent of Onondaga County’s population. But that group is responsible for 26 percent of all doctor visits, 35 percent of hospital admissions and prescriptions and 38 percent of all hospital emergency room visits, “so they use up a significant amount of health services,” Brangman said.
Fast forward to 2030, when 20 percent of Onondaga County’s population will be age 65 and older.

“That’s the term I use — silver tsunami. We’re going to be hit by a huge wave and it’s going to have a big impact on all aspects of our society,” Brangman said.

Lisa D. Alford, commissioner of the Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth, said the county is approaching the Baby Boom challenge in several ways.

“Our focus is very much on creating and sustaining livable communities, places where older adults can live for as long as it is safe and feasible for them to do so,” Alford said. “We are achieving this by working closely to educate community planners about the needs of those who wish to age in place.”

Those needs will be many, Alford said, including reliable public transportation, safe and walkable streets, access to expert medical care and a social support system.

“Emphasis within the planning and aging communities is on universal design and livability. We are working to continue and expand that conversation to increase programming around fall prevention and in-home care, both of which increase safety and security at home,” she said.

A primary challenge to government and healthcare providers is long-term care for baby boomers. While healthier than previous generations, a percentage of the generation will eventually need assisted living or more intensive healthcare arrangements.

Brangman said many boomers don’t care to admit the probability of chronic disease. The Alliance for Aging, a nonprofit group based in South Florida that serves as an aging resource center and a “focal point for information and access about service to elders,” reports that by age 65, nearly nine out of 10 Americans will have at least one chronic condition.

Aging At Home —An overwhelming majority of baby boomers prefer to remain at home. That’s an initiative supported by New York state, where the population of those aged 60 and over is projected to increase from 3.5 million to 4.9 million by 2025 — a 39 percent increase in that age bracket that will comprise nearly one-quarter of the state’s population.

Volunteerism and other community-supported initiatives will help keep seniors in their homes and conserve limited government resources, said Michael Burgess, director of the New York State Office for the Aging.

“We have to maximize the informal support to do these things or it’s going to make it that much more difficult to do,” Burgess recently said. “Community-based agencies, local offices for the aging and caregivers are going to lift some of the burden. We have to look at other ways to deal with it because it is overwhelming.”

The demographics of Central New York, along with its rural nature, will create special challenges in terms of providing services for boomers, Brangman said.
“Central New York has a very older demographic and that is projected to continue for several decades. Older people stay here and younger people leave to find jobs,” she said.

The aging of Upstate New York means there will be challenges in fields like healthcare.

“We have an aging workforce. The average age of the nurses is approaching 50 years old,” Brangman said.

In general, she said, “The workforce is just not ready to handle older adults.

There’s a shortage of geriatric specialists, and all doctors need a better understanding of the aging process “and how aging and disease intersect,” Brangman said.

That’s also true for healthcare specialists in fields like nursing and physical therapy, she added.

There is plenty of available housing in Central New York, but many of those homes currently aren’t accessible to those with disabilities. Many boomers expect to live out their years in the limited accessibility multi-story homes they currently occupy.

That fact reinforces another truth about the Baby Boom generation.

“There’s big denial,” Brangman said. “I think people do recognize they are aging, but they consider the superficial solutions like hair dye and Botox and eye surgery. I think we’re in denial and we’re not addressing the things that have lasting impact. In terms of aging, Botox isn’t going to do it.”

Rural Challenges—In rural communities, Brangman said it’s already challenging to provide home health care aides and services like Meals on Wheels, particularly in the winter. There are fewer available doctors and pharmacies.

“It’s kind of difficult to get services out to a home,” she said. “Most people don’t want to be in a nursing home. They want to get services in their own home. People will be shocked to discover Medicare does not cover home health care services, and many people can’t afford it on their own.”

The culture of existing assisted care facilities needs to change in order to be accepted by baby boomers, Brangman said.
“Nursing homes need to change to meet the needs of the Baby Boom population who will want to stay active and do activities that are engaging,” she said.

The Syracuse-based OASIS program offers educational experiences for mature adults “who want to continue to grow, learn and be productive during the best years of their lives,” according to the organization’s website. OASIS offers classes in areas including the arts and humanities, computers, and health and fitness.
OASIS can serve as a model for similar organizations across the state to help engage baby boomers in meaningful activity, Brangman said.

“Not everybody wants to play bingo and make crafts with Popsicle sticks,” she said.

One approach to senior housing is “The Green House” concept, a joint effort between some nonprofit senior housing organizations and the state department of health. The Green House model “creates a small, intentional community for a group of elders and staff” emphasizing “the relationships that flourish there,” according to NCB Capital Impact, a national, nonprofit community development organization.

The Green House concept represents a radical departure from traditional skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities. It alters facility size, interior design, staffing patterns and methods of delivering skilled professional services.

“It’s primary purpose is to serve as a place where elders can receive assistance and support with activities of daily living and clinical care, without the assistance and care becoming the focus of their existence,” the NCB Capital website states.

Brangman said The Green House model is one solution to the challenge of housing aging baby boomers. But there are a host of other issues to consider, not the least of which is transportation and dependable public transit.

“If you don’t drive in Central New York, you become very isolated. Transportation is another example of a system that is going to have to be addressed,” she said.

Those living in rural counties may have to move to cities to receive the services they need, Brangman said.

By the year 2025, the over-60 population in rural areas like Oswego County and other counties across the state will grow by 50 percent.

By 2025, the over-60 population in will be 50 percent larger across the state in Oswego County and other counties across the state.

“In the age 60-plus population, you’re seeing the county demographics change pretty dramatically in what you’re going to see over the next couple years,”

Laurence Schmidt, administrator for the Oswego County Office for the Aging, recently said.

Officials are beginning to realize that solutions with have to be found to stem the tide of the Silver Tsunami.

“I know there’s a lot of cost to this, but these are very big questions that will impact the lives of all of us because we’re all going to experience old age,” Brangman said. “Everyone gets it when it’s their mother or mother-in-law, but soon, they’re going to have to get it when it’s them.”

By Margaret McCormick

Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home. But if you or someone you know is over the age of 70, the question is: Is home sweet home also home safe home?

Surveys show that the majority of elderly Americans wish to remain in the place they call home as long as possible (“you’re never going to put me in a nursing home!’’ is a common refrain) and that many baby boomers plan to stay in the home they own now until retirement and beyond. If they had plans to retire to Sun City, those plans changed a year ago, when the economy took a dive and the country entered a lingering recession.

“It is costly to move to assisted living or a retirement community or a nursing home,’’ says Cynthia Stevenson, director of the Caregiver Resource Center at the Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth. The resource center provides information, education and support to family caregivers of people age 60 and older, and offers a variety of free courses through the Institute for Caregivers.

“We do see more people, especially with this recession, staying in their homes and having family members and friends and neighbors help with this,’’ Stevenson says.

Ron Dimon, owner of Dimon Construction in Fayetteville, calls the trend of seniors staying put “aging in place.’’ The market for “aging in place’’ has grown in the past year, Dimon says, as people tackle questions about their lifestyles and living spaces.

Sometimes, he says, the hardest part about helping seniors be safe in their homes is for adult children to initiate a conversation on the subject.

“There’s emotion involved,’’ he says. “There can be incredible stubbornness.’’

He and his team have been called on to make such changes as replacing old toilets and dishwashers with comfort-height (elevated) models; adding attractive grab bars in bathrooms and along stairways (they don’t have to look institutional, he says); brightening kitchen and desk areas with task lighting; and making shower stalls “curbless’’ for people who don’t get around as easily as they once did — and people who get around with walkers and in wheelchairs.

Dimon Construction also has done additions of large, multi-purpose rooms that double as an accessible space for a parent who can no longer maneuver stairs and a home theater or home office space for younger members of the household.

“Meeting the needs of older people can extend the quality of life for people,’’ Dimon says.

Stevenson says that loss of mobility, combined with poor hearing and eyesight, put the elderly at increased risk for accidents and injuries at home.

There are many elements of safety and security to consider, from assisting with the management of medications, if necessary, so they are administered and taken properly, to helping seniors protect their increasingly fragile skin and bones by taking precautions to reduce the risk of falls.

“So many older homes are built on two or three levels,’’ Stevenson says. “We hear about people sitting down on steps and going down them on their bottoms, and backing up the same way. Having the necessary household equipment on more than one level presents a real problem.’’

A logical first place to begin with home safety and fall prevention, Stevenson says, is to adapt a home’s first floor so it includes bedroom, bathroom and laundry room, which isn’t always an easy task, especially in older homes. Remove all scatter and throw rugs that can cause a person to trip and fall.

Another easy do-it-yourself fix is to make sure there is adequate lighting in all rooms. Install nightlights in the bedroom, hall and bathroom to allow safe access to the bathroom at night.

The home thermostat should have a dial that can be read easily, so the heat is set at 60 instead of 90. Kitchen appliances should have easy-to-read and easy-to-operate controls. Microwave ovens should be at counter level, rather than above the stove, for safety and convenience.

Phones should be in easy reach throughout the house and have large and lighted dials. For peace of mind, Stevenson says, consider paying for an emergency response system, so your loved one has help at the push of a button – in the form of a medallion worn at all times.

How to Make Home a Safer Place for Seniors

Every year in the U.S. about 7,000 elderly people die in home-related accidents, and millions are seriously injured. Falls are the leading cause of injuries, but the elderly are also at risk for being burned by the stove or scalded by hot water. To help make your parent’s home a safer, more age-friendly place to live, here are some tips and resources that can help.

Get Informed—Your first step is to learn where the potential hazards lie in your parent’s house and what you can do to reduce them. A good place to do this is at the Home Safety Council’s Web site (www.mysafehome.net) where you can take a house tour that points out the possible dangers room-by-room. Many of the changes the site suggests are simple and inexpensive, like removing clutter and throw rugs to avoid tripping, installing brighter bulbs in existing light fixtures to improve vision and adding grab bars to the bathroom for support.

Get an Assessment—If you or your parents have medical issues like chronic arthritis or poor vision, ask the doctor to prescribe a home evaluation by an occupational therapist who specializes in home modifications. They can analyze the potential challenges and shortcomings of your parent’s home (or youra) to come up with a plan that you, a handyman or a contractor can easily follow. Many health insurance providers, including Medicare, will pay for a home assessment. However, they will not cover the physical upgrades to the home.

Another option is to contact your nearby independent living center (see www.ilru.org). These are nonprofit centers that provide information on home modifications and assistive living equipment, and many even offer free or low-cost home assessments.

Ways to Pay—If you or your parents need or want to make substantial changes to their home, but don’t have the cash to pay for them, you should consider taking out a home equity loan. Another possibility is a reverse mortgage. Available to people over 62, a reverse mortgage will let your parents convert the equity in their home into cash that doesn’t have to be paid back as long as either one of them are living there. But the fees can be substantial, so be sure to speak with a financial planner before taking out this type of mortgage. For information on ways you can tap into your home equity, go to www.longtermcare.gov, a site run by the Department of Health and Human Services.

If you happen to have long-term care insurance, they should call their insurance agent and ask whether home modifications are covered under their plan and what documentation they need to be reimbursed. A policy will not pay for upgrades if they are still healthy.

If funds are scarce, contact the Area Agency on Aging (call 800-677-1116 or visit www.eldercare.gov to find your local office) near your parents, and inquire about home modification loans and services available to seniors. Many state and local communities have low or no-interest loans, tax credits or other programs to those with low or moderate incomes.

In addition, get in touch with Rebuilding Together (www.rebuildingtogether.org, 800-473-4229), a national nonprofit organization that repairs and modifies homes of older, low-income homeowners to help them age in place. (By Jim Miller)

Is Your Home Safe?

The following home safety checklist is from the American Association of Retired People (AARP).

Steps/Stairways/Walkways
• Are they in good shape?
• Do they have a smooth, safe surface?
• Are there handrails on both sides of the stairway?
• How about light switches at the top and bottom of the stairs?
• Is there grasping space for both knuckles and fingers on railings?
• Are the stair treads deep enough for your whole foot?
• Would a ramp be feasible in any of these areas if it became necessary?

Floor Surfaces
• Is the surface safe?
• Nonslip?
• Any throw rugs or doormats that might slip underfoot?
• Is carpeting loose or torn?
• Are there changes in floor levels? If so, are they obvious or well marked?
• Do you have to step over any electric, telephone, or extension cords?

Driveway and Garage
• Is there always space to park?
• Is it convenient to the entrance?
• Does the garage door open automatically?

Windows  Doors
• Are windows and doors easy to open and close?
• Are locks sturdy and easy to operate?
• Do doorways accommodate a walker or wheelchair?
• Can you walk through the doorways easily?
• Is there space to maneuver while opening and closing doors?
• Does the front door have a view panel or peephole at the right height?

By Aaron Gifford

In the decades to come, more elderly residents will be increasingly likely to live on their own or in small group homes that promote independent living skills, Central New York health care representatives say. With that shift, there will be more doctor visits by seniors and a greater demand for home health aides. There will be a need for more senior housing and transportation services. Improvements may be needed in community-based long-term care, with an emphasis on outreach services, wellness/healthy aging programs and adult day care services.

Part of this change, said Tim Bobo, executive director of Central New York Health Systems Agency, can also be attributed to the fact that today’s seniors are typically wealthier than their predecessors and can afford better options than nursing homes for living out their twilight years.

“The long-term care service delivery system is increasingly being driven by consumer expectations for greater choices and services which are provided at home or in home-like environments. Changing expectations among the elderly are due, in a large part, to life style change and greater wealth resulting from the growth of contribution based retirement plans and changes in inheritance taxation,” Bobo wrote in his agency’s concept proposal for new or expanded services in the region. “It is uncertain what the future will bring, but it is almost certain that the percent of the elderly who will live in institutional settings and the traditional nursing home or adult home bed (currently 7 percent) is likely to decline as more alternatives become available.”

That’s not to say Central New York’s population is graying rapidly, or that drastic changes are needed immediately. Executives in the region’s health care sector will be well-aware of what’s in store for them long before the 2010 Census figures are released.

For Onondaga County, the largest county in the region, the population of those between the ages of 65 and 74 is on track to increase from 30,860 this year to 36,256 in 2014, or 17.5 percent, according to a study commission by Loretto, a Syracuse agency that provides health, housing and rehabilitation services to older adults. The population of those between 75 and 84, however, is expected to decrease by 6.4 percent in the same five-year period, from 21,298 to 19,922. Moreover, the number of those 85 and over is expected to decrease from 10,235 to 9,016, or 11.9 percent.

“There’s a lot of attention given to the aging of the Baby Boom population, since boomers are in better relative health in comparison to previous generations,” said Sally Berry, Loretto’s senior vice president of policy and programs. “Their impact is certainly felt sociologically, but doesn’t really hit long-term care services until 2020 and later.”

Still, physicians should plan on busy times ahead. The average person 65 and over visits a doctor’s office or medical facility seven times a year, roughly twice as much as adults between the ages of 25 and 64, according to the Central New York Health Systems Agency. In Onondaga County, 36 percent of hospital admissions are by persons 65 and older.

“People are living longer and living independently, but they’re utilizing health care services to do that,” Bobo said. “It’s a changing scenario and a relevant topic today. In general, we’ll have a healthier elderly population, but there’s going to be a need for more support services.”

Sandra H. Martin, president of Home Aides of Central New York, said her agency is already experiencing a greater demand for services. Their average number of clients increased from 436 in 2002 to 649 last year — a 49 percent hike.

“At the same time that there has been an increase in the number of people who need supportive services to remain at home,” she said, “there has also been a decrease in the number of workers available to help them.

This is commonly called a care gap, and it is happening right here in our community.”

Martin said serving seniors in rural areas is an additional challenge. In 2002, her agency launched a mobile recruitment office that traveled to outlying areas. Seven years later, the search for enough home health care aids to serve rural residents continues.

“For instance, if someone calls for service in Elbridge at seven in the morning, that may be difficult to service, because of the distance first, and the time second,” Martin said. “The closest aide that we might have to travel to that area might be from a western suburb, but if it for only one client then the cost of providing that service might be restrictive.  It is a complex situation that will become even more pronounced in the next 10 years.”

Meanwhile, the demand for nursing home beds is decreasing. Loretto, one of the largest providers of senior care services in the region, is in the midst of a $40 million overhaul of its housing options. Under its “Green Community” initiative, more than 100 nursing home beds will be replaced by 13 small homes that house 12 elders each. These assisted living facilities are a residential alternative to nursing home care.

With the decrease of nursing homes and the deinstitutionalization of elder care, said Janet Dauley Altwarg, director of the Long-Term Care Executive Council, it will be crucial in the years to come to assure there are options for seniors who rely entirely on Medicaid, which many non-institutional settings don’t accept.

“There will always be a need for skilled nursing home care because many people have care needs that are too significant to care for in the home or community,” Altwarg said.  “However, there is a definite need to support patient-centered care and a transition plan toward home and community-based care.

Unfortunately, there is currently a gap in resources to care for people in the community.  Many people in skilled nursing facilities do not need skilled nursing services, but there are limited options available to them.”

By Mary Beth Roach

If you’re fishing for some volunteer opportunities, perhaps you can get hooked on CatFISH — a service based in Camillus that provides free transportation to medical and dental appointments for ambulatory seniors living in the town of Camillus.

An acronym for Camillus Area Transport Friends In Service Here, CatFISH is a dedicated group of about 35 drivers that transport people on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with 11 dispatchers fielding calls Mondays through Thursdays.

The need for volunteers, according to Nadine Macomber, a senior advocate with the program, is due to several factors, such as summer vacations or wintering down South, for example; and a greater demand for their services.

“We’re a victim of our own success,” she said, “but we’re proud of it.”

Planning for the program began in mid-2005, and they began transporting people in September 2006, according to C. John Henderson, CatFISH board president. He and his wife, Doris, have been involved with the program since its inception.

It started as a collaborative effort between the Town of Camillus and P.E.A.C.E., Inc. Town Supervisor Mary Ann Coogan and Tom Kehoskie, then-director of Camillus Parks and Recreation, brought together a number of agencies and community groups in the Camillus area to develop ideas for a volunteer driving program. Also involved were the county’s department of aging and youth, P.E.A.C.E. Inc.’s Project R.O.S.E., ECHO’s Meals on Wheels, the Camillus senior citizens group, and local churches. They also tapped those involved in similar FISH programs in such communities as Tully, Manlius and Fayetteville, and their experience was invaluable, according to Henderson. The initiative was then turned over to Project R.O.S.E. (Reach Out to Serve the Elderly), which Macomber oversees.

Macomber said that since June 2007, when she became involved with the program, CatFISH has provided 673 rides to 81 people. They use their own vehicles, and while mileage reimbursement is offered, no one recently has taken advantage of it.

“No one has asked — even with these high gas prices — for a penny in return,” she said.

When gas was running about $4 per gallon, not one person stopped driving because of the gas prices, Henderson said.

“No one complained. I think that’s quite a tribute to our overall program,” he said.
While drivers are not allowed to accept money from users, they can provide stamped envelopes with which people can make donations to CatFISH if they wish.

While the program can accommodate seniors who might have special needs, such as a walker or an oxygen tank, Macomber explained, the people need to be ambulatory since the drivers cannot lift them.

Not only do the drivers merely transport, they will stay with them during the visits to make sure they are on hand to bring them home.

Henderson tells of a person he took to a chemotherapy appointment. Knowing that it was going to be long wait, he took a book with him. He said he never opened that book. He went in with the person and learned a great deal about the procedure the patient was undergoing.

“It was an educational afternoon for me,” he said.

While drivers are only required to bring people to and from doctors’ visits, they sometimes will assist in other errands.

Macomber tells the story of volunteer Martha Williams, who worked with a person who had expressed a desire to visit the library from time to time. A retired schoolteacher, Williams couldn’t deny this wish, so she decided to accompany this person to the library occasionally.

Macomber and Henderson both commented on how appreciative users are for the service and the attention.
“It gets to you when you read some of the notes they get,” Henderson said. “They’re so appreciative.”
Those lured in to be a CatFISH volunteer or those interested in learning more about the service can call 701-5949.

Hospice volunteers by the very nature of their service are there until the end. One volunteer has been with the program from the beginning, however. Donna Berrigan is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Oswego County Hospice volunteer program as well as her own time with hospice.

Berrigan graduated from the first class of hospice volunteers in 1989, and was instrumental in bringing hospice services to Oswego County.

“My late husband had family members around the country who were involved with hospice. When he was diagnosed as terminally ill he wanted to be home,” Berrigan said. “We lived in New Haven there was no hospice in this county and we were too far from Onondaga County to have their services up here. So, my husband said ‘somebody ought to do something about this.’”

The county Legislature was supportive, and then director of the health department, Kathy Smith, began the process with Albany to bring a hospice program to Oswego County.

“When they did get the okay around two years later, the health department advertised a volunteer training program and I signed right up,” Berrigan said.

Though the faces have changed since the program’s inception two decades ago, hospice’s mission statement and philosophy remain the same: to provide end of life care and to support both the patient and the family.
Berrigan does not deny that volunteering can be emotionally draining, but still describes being invited into people’s homes as nothing short of a privilege.

“Each time is a new beginning; no family is the same. I don’t think we burn out because of the support we receive from people that work here. We have meetings and we have a sharing time to talk about some of the cases,” she said. “We try to have a little humor sometimes, and it’s the patient that will usually get you in stitches. Maybe because they accept it more than the people around them.”

It is that acceptance that oftentimes proves to be the greatest struggle for a patient’s family. “It starts right when the doctor says ‘we can’t do any more,’” Berrigan said. “ We try to be as much for the caregiver as the patient. Sometimes, when the end is close, families physically can’t stand what is happening and have to leave. It’s that stepping over the threshold. The patient has to take that step by themselves, but we’re not going to leave them to do it alone.”

Berrigan said that death can often prove be a relief of sorts to family members. “Once a family member has been through it, it’s often peaceful and they can say ‘I’m relieved it happened, and that it was beautiful,’” she said. “They really do say that. In your wildest dreams, you never thought you’d hear anything like that about death. What’s beautiful about death? Yet part of one faith’s prayers is praying for a happy death. At first it makes no sense, but you understand what that really means when you see that release.”

Volunteering may not be for everyone at first, though. “You have to be a listener, and you have to leave a part of yourself at the door. Until you really get there and meet everyone, you can’t have preconceived ideas about things, Berrigan said. “Not everyone is suited to do this, and you kind of work your way into it and find that maybe you can do it and can help.”

Dawn Leduc, community/volunteer support coordinator, described the reward faithful volunteers like Berrigan receive for their service. “Our volunteers are very giving and very passionate. They give so much, but a lot of families don’t understand what the volunteers get back for all of that,” Leduc said.

“It’s just such a gift for volunteers to be welcomed into a family’s home. Donna has said many times that it’s a privilege, and anyone who is a volunteer will tell you that it goes beyond words sometimes. It’s a feeling, and a caring, and something you want to do for them.”

A sense of humor goes a long way in this field, according to Berrigan. “It’s a big thing for us. I went to some of the conventions and regional seminars for hospice and there would always be entertainment that had really dark humor, and everyone laughed because it’s true,” she said. “The office support helps greatly. It’s really a team effort. A volunteer isn’t put out there on their own.”

The best part of volunteering for Berrigan is the bond of friendship that forms between a volunteer and the families they support. I’m still friends with so many of the families I’ve met through the program,” she said. “We still go to each other’s birthday parties and graduations – things like that.”

If anything, though, Berrigan said it is not about her, or individual volunteers. “This isn’t really about me at all. I just happen to have been at it for a long time. I’m just an ordinary person,” she said. “It’s about what we can accomplish with this program. All of a sudden you’re faced with it, and there it is: you have to step up.”
Perhaps Berrigan’s work – and the work of all hospice volunteers – can be best described as ordinary people making an extraordinary impact in the lives of those they share a community with.

By Gina Roberts-Grey

About one in six Americans 65 and older will suffer a fall in the next three months, with about a third of those people sustaining injuries such as a broken hip, according to a new report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control,

“Slips and falls are usually completely avoidable,” says Ruth E. Thaler-Carter co-author of “The Who, What and Where of Elder Care: A handy, step-by-step guide to help navigate the maze of caregiving” published by LifeBridge Health.

To prevent you or a loved one from taking a tumble or having an accident, Thaler-Carter suggests increasing the wattage of light bulbs around your home. “As we age, we need more light to see clearly in hallways, stairways, basements and garages,” says Thaler-Carter, who lives in Rochester.
Increase the wattage of light bulbs throughout your house for better visibility. To reduce the chance you’ll trip or fall on your way to the bathroom, install nightlights to illuminate the route you travel.

Once your way is well-lit, turn your attention to your feet. Or more specifically, what might trip up your feet. Make sure your walkways and stairs are clear of debris and all paths in between furniture are wide enough to fit a walker, in case it’s ever necessary. Thaler-Carter says, “Ideally, you should remove all throw rugs, but if you’re attached to them, secure them to the floor with double faced tape.”

Stay off step ladders, another cause of falls, by arranging closets and cabinets putting items most frequently used within reach. “Ridding your home of many potential dangers can usually be done in a weekend,” says Thaler-Carter, “time well spent considering it can save you months of recovering from a nasty fall.”

Getting your “place” ready—Preventing a slip or fall isn’t the only way to get your home ready for the coming years. Aging-in-place remodeling projects preserve independence, increase accessibility and convenience.
Many modifications are minor and include things like placing a bench or chair near all entrances to set down purchases or slip your shoes on and off, or using phones with buttons — like the Ameriphone P300 Picture Phone, which uses photos to represent speed dial numbers of family, doctors, etc, and make it easier to call loved ones or for help The phone is available though www.amazon.com from about $30.

Some of the easiest and most affordable aging-in-place projects, says Andrew J. Borislow, independent living strategist, and certified aging-in-place specialist, are designed to help you keep your balance. “Non-slip strips on your tub or shower floor, non-skid mats on the bathroom floor and ADA approved (www.adaappliances.com) grab bars inside and right outside the tub or shower and by the toilet add steadying support in slippery situations.”

Another element to aging-in-place designs alleviates pain and discomfort in your home. Swap round, interior doorknobs with lever style ones and add easy-to-grasp handles and pulls to all cabinet doors and drawers to make it easier for arthritic hands to maneuver. “Adding sliding shelves and lazy susans in your cabinets make tracking down pot lids and cooking easier,” says Borislow.

Borislow says in addition to minor changes, many boomers are opting to outfit their homes with amenities usually found in extended care facilities to remain in their home no matter what health issues may arise.
“Seniors are making over their kitchens, building countertops that are wheelchair accessible, lowering stair riser heights and making stair treads wider to fit walkers and canes,” he says.

One essential aspect of an aging-in-place kitchen design is raising the dishwasher approximately 10 inches higher than it traditionally sits. “It’s tough to reach down and to the back of a dishwasher, especially for people in a wheelchair or walker,” says Borislow.

Some other elements to consider when outfitting your house with aging-in-place features are installing hand railings on both sides of the stairs to ensure safe travel in either direction, non slip tile flooring made with a slight grit texture in the bathroom for preventing falls due to wet feet and raising electrical outlets so you won’t need to bend over to plug or unplug things.

Borislow says one new aging-in-place device gaining popularity with boomers is a barrier free shower that doesn’t require stepping up into a shower. “It enables wheelchair or walker use, and when paired with a handheld showerhead it accommodates just about any bathing need.”

In-home help

Despite home safety and aging-in-place modifications, it may be time to consider hiring an aide when everyday activities like bathing or showering, dressing, getting in or out of bed or a chair, using the toilet, and eating get difficult. “Many are reluctant to discuss these issues, but find once they do, they’re grateful for the assistance an aide provides,” says Gail Gazelle, a medical doctor and clinical professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Aides help with hygiene tasks like bathing or shaving, light or heavy housekeeping and meal preparation.
Home care aides also provide care for your pet. With locations from coast to coast, FETCH! Pet Care (www.fetchpetcare.com) offers a full range of services that meet every need and budget, including boarding and daycare in the sitter’s home, overnight sitting or daily visits in your home, private and group dog walks, pet taxiing, yard pet waste removal and miscellaneous home care.

Regardless of what you do to get your home ready for your golden years, experts agree it’s best to start early. “It’s easier to make changes at your leisure, than when you’re rushed to do so because of an immediate need,” says Borislow.

By Adele DelSavio

It has finally happened. One of your parents has died. It could have been suddenly or slowly, expected or not. Your remaining parent is clearly suffering — from grief, and maybe from physical or emotional problems — and so are you.

“But,” to paraphrase Harry Chapin, “There are planes to catch, and bills to pay …” You put your grief on hold while you deal with the funeral, the insurance, the paperwork.

You’re a Baby Boomer, a member of the sandwich generation. Boomers’ parents are living longer and their children are staying home longer. “We still have family obligations and jobs of our own. How and when do we deal with our own grief?” asks Anne Costa, a social worker from Baldwinsville.

Costa’s father died in April and her mother lives nearby. “I really want to be there for my mother and help her through this difficult time, but I am still in the early stages of grief myself and sometimes it’s hard to find the energy or focus to help either one of us,” she said.

Children with siblings might envy the autonomy of only children; only children might wish they had the help of siblings. Costa, an only child, sees value in being just one. “There are no disputes with sisters or brothers. There’s just one person to make the decisions,” she said.

Heidi Buda, a youth minister from Mexico, N.Y., needed her sister to make decisions when their father died in Germany. She is still comforted by some of those decisions.

Her mother and sister, who live in Germany, postponed the cremation so that she could say goodbye, and then appointed her to take her father’s urn to his grave and bury him. “My dad had always told me that when I was a baby I had a lot of stomach problems and he carried me around all night. I was so fortunate to be able to carry my dad,” she said.

Buda still counts on her sister to take care of their mother’s day-to-day needs. She talks to her mother once a week, and her sister sends her a picture of their father’s grave every time she plants new flowers. She also sends updates on their mother – actions, Buda says, that help her deal long-distance with her grief for her father and concern for her mother.

But sometimes family and friends are not enough. Donna Lupien of Oswego lost her father in 1972 to a heart attack eight months after her 9-year-old son died in an accident.

“My mom lost her husband and her grandson. I wasn’t much help because I was in such terrible grief too,” she remembered. “Also, my mother needed someone to take care of, and I’m not a person to be taken care of,” she added.

Other family deaths followed, and she became depressed. Then the anger started. “I wasn’t used to anger, as we were not allowed to show it when we were younger. I didn’t know how to yell, hit or kick anything. That just wasn’t me,” she said.

Then her mother died. A cousin put Lupien in touch with a friend who was a psychologist. Two years after starting treatment, she spent a full day crying to the point where her bones ached and her throat was raw. “I was finally able to grieve,” she said.

Lupien has been facilitating bereavement support groups in Oswego and Fulton for the past 13 years. She has seen parents come reluctantly with their grown children and then open up. “People of that generation didn’t believe in support groups. They thought you were weak if you got help. Kids need to understand that,” she said. “Go to a bereavement group and pick up some literature, then encourage your parent to come with you. Tell them that it will help you if they come,” she said.

Costa agrees that that stoicism is a major obstacle to helping an older mother or father. “Our parents don’t go to counselors or take medication. They just buck up,” she said.

Parents’ personalities play into the challenges their children face, too. While Lupien’s mother wanted someone to nurture, Costa’s mother needs a great deal of nurturing. “Part of it is the division of labor in our parents’ marriages. My mom is faced with learning everything from how to use the weedeater, to how to adjust the digital thermostat,” Costa noted.

Parents, already weakened by grief, can panic when faced with even a simple chore that engenders feelings of helplessness and reminds them that the lost spouse will not return. The calls from Mom or Dad can do damage.

“Make sure your family understands you need more sleep. Let your employer know what you’re going through,” Costa advised. She said she goes for regular massages for physical relaxation. A Catholic, she looks to her faith for spiritual solace. “But don’t look to spirituality for an easy out on your grief trip,” she said. “There are no pat answers to explain the mystery of life and death.”

“Take advantage of remembrance events,” she added. These are held by churches, hospices, hospitals, and bereavement organizations. She said she and her mother both found comfort at a Memorial Day service at Hope for Bereaved’s Butterfly Garden in Syracuse.

However, people grieve differently, Lupien warns, and what might bring comfort to one family member might confuse or turn off another. So might the duration of grieving, or the feelings that seem to come from nowhere. “People need to know that these differences are normal,” she said.

The support groups Lupien facilitates are supervised by Nancy Devine of the Office of Family Life Education of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse. Devine was in her mid-30s when her father died more than 40 years ago. Unlike Lupien’s and Costa’s mothers, her mother didn’t force or demand much nurturing.

“I still lived at home and we were more like best friends. She made it very easy for me to help her with her grief and deal with my own,” said Devine, who lives in Skaneateles.

Devine was elected the first female president of Syracuse’s Onondaga Ski Club within a couple of months of her father’s death. “I was very involved with activities and she didn’t try to prevent this. She had an independent personality and, although I knew she was lonely at times, she didn’t feel comfortable showing it,” she said.

Devine showed her concern in non-threatening ways like dinner out every Sunday. “People should remember that every situation and person is different,” she said.

Regardless of the needs of the remaining parent, and the way a child chooses to meet them, it is important to remain true to your conscience and values, says Donna Kalb of Syracuse

Kalb is a grief counselor and community outreach worker for Hope for Bereaved in Syracuse. Her mother was in her 80s when Kalb’s father died, and for six years she and her husband helped her stay in her own home in Syracuse.

“My husband was close to retirement and it was getting harder to keep up two houses,” she said. They welcomed her mother into their home, where she lived until her death seven years later.

“Things were fine until my mother broke her hip. That changed everything,” Kalb remembered.

With her mother no longer able to climb stairs, they turned their dining room into a bedroom. As her mother’s health deteriorated and her physical care became more demanding, Kalb cut back on her hours at work. “Your life isn’t your own anymore. It’s almost like having an infant. The roles are reversed,” she said. “It’s hard to take care of yourself. I woke up tired and I went to bed tired.”

She persevered because her personal code of ethics did not include a nursing home. Now that her mother is gone, she is glad she kept her mother home. “It’s just the way I felt, and now I feel it was a blessing to take care of her,” she said.

When her mother was still in good health, Kalb and her husband included her in all of their activities – not because she demanded it, but because they wanted to be there for her. Still, it took its toll.

“There was no time for us,” Kalb noted. The change in traditions deepened her grief, too. “Things we used to do at their house, like Thanksgiving, were now at our house,” she said.

Another challenge was anger at her siblings. One of four children, she was the only one who didn’t live out-of-state and she feels they could have done more. “They’re far but they’re not that far. It’s still hard to get over the resentment,” she said.

The anger Lupien and Kalb experienced are part of a constellation of reactions that Julie Hall, author of “The Boomer Burden: Dealing with your Parents’ Lifetime Accumulation of Stuff” (2007, Thomas Nelson Publishers), calls “ticking time bombs.”

“They can explode,” she writes, “into everything from arguments to physical illness.” Some examples she gives are guilt over not meeting the needs of children or parents; anger at a spouse, child, parent, doctor or health care professional; depression; fatigue; loneliness; illness from lack of sleep, poor diet, or stress; and fear, for example, about dealing with the parent’s debt, or of making a wrong decision as executor of the estate.

“I call these time bombs because we never know when they will hit … Out of the blue you might snap at your spouse,” she writes.

Spending time with spouse and children can help. “Those who study the effects of stress on marriages report that the death of a parent can put a great strain on a good marriage, so pay particular attention to your spouse. Go on at least one date, and try not to focus on the events surrounding your parent’s death. Your spouse may not fully understand what you are going through, but whatever help he or she tries to give will be done with the best of intentions, so receive it graciously,” Hall advises.

And, although it’s tempting to go on autopilot, Costa advises against it. “Try hard to feel, and honor your feelings,” she said.

One thing that surprised Costa — who has a daughter — was the difference between losing her father and other losses she’d experienced, including three miscarriages and the loss of friends to accident and suicide.
She said, “Your time as a child is ending and mortality is in your face. The family tree has changed; one of the roots has been cut off. I was just a child walking with my dad and now I’m looking at my own child. I want to make the most of the time with my mom.”

Other thoughts bedevil the middle-aged child. She or he is old enough to anticipate their own widowhood.

“My mom and I get home from an outing and my dad’s not there. She knew my dad since she was 14. I can’t even imagine … Now I worry about losing my husband,” Costa said.

“When your child dies eventually you can take their bed down, but when a spouse dies that is a bed you shared together and a remembrance of your emptiness each night,” was Lupien’s realization after her father died.

By Melissa Stefanec

Bridging the age gap isn’t something a lot of seniors are comfortable doing. While seniors grew up with Elvis and Wonderbread, today’s youth are growing up with 50cent and trans fat. Despite those differences some seniors in Central New York are volunteering their time and are reaching across the generations to fill in a gap.

Two programs titled “Project Read” and “Madison County Reads Ahead” connect literacy volunteers with those in need.

Quite often the programs’ volunteers are seniors who work with those much younger to improve literacy and further education for people who want to learn.

The initial project began in 2000 as a one-on-one adult tutoring program. Through the program, trained volunteers work with people over 18 on a number of adult education skills. Tutors work with people in need of literacy improvement, those learning English as a second language and those who want to obtain their General Equivalency Diplomas (GEDs). Most of the volunteer tutors are retired or near-retired seniors and many of the students are much younger individuals.

Linda Kerr is one such tutor. The 60-year-old Bridgeport resident has been a bus driver for 28 years. Although she’s been around young people throughout her career, this is her first time in a teaching role. Her student is 19-year-old Sabrina Fontana, also of Bridgeport. Fontana is working toward earning her GED and plans to take the test this fall.

“I always wanted to be a teacher and I thought this would be a good way to work with people and help them along with their education,” said Kerr.

Kerr and Fontana meet twice a week at the Bridgeport Library. They work on reading, writing, math, science and history so Fontana has the tools she needs to get her GED. They have also formed a relationship, one in which the age difference seems to dissipate.

“We converse about what’s going on in her life,” said Kerr. “I give her a chance to share the good and the bad moments over the past week.”

Being a tutor has also taught Kerr a lot. She now sees the issues many adults face when they don’t graduate from high school. For example, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, more than 18 percent of adults over 25 do not have a high school diploma in Bridgeport. Whether it’s because of a learning disability or other challenges, not everybody is given the education they need. She knows Fontana learns better in a one-on-one environment and she’s happy to supply her with that very thing.

“Some kids need more one-on-one than others and it’s hard for teachers to give these kids what they need,” said Kerr.

Kerr got involved with the program after seeing an announcement in her church bulletin. She was alerted to a very real need in her community. Even though she isn’t retired, she was ready to give back. “It’s satisfying and very rewarding,” she said.

Kerr recognizes the important role seniors can play in their communities. Retired seniors may feel alone or less useful than they once were, but they are a valuable resource.

“Usually when you retire you free up some time of your time and one of the most rewarding ways to use that time is to volunteer.”

Fontana is grateful for Kerr’s commitment and recognizes she has made up a lot of lost time.

“It’s been a really good experience because I like working one-on-one,” said Fontana. “I’ve covered a lot from working with her.”

Kerr has been happy to breach the age gap and make a difference. “We’ve built a good relationship where we can work and talk back and forth even though I’m three times her age,” she said.

Bette Carpenter of Cazenovia is another senior tutor with Madison County Reads Ahead. Carpenter is turning 80 in October, but that doesn’t stop her from giving back to others. She had jobs as a travel agent and as a building manager at a senior housing site, but when she retired she wanted to find a local organization to give her time to. Like Kerr, Carpenter got involved with the program after seeing a listing for tutor workshops in her church bulletin. She had a friend who was involved in literacy initiatives and she wanted to join the cause.

After her retirement last summer, she started working with a literacy student. Her student is a woman in her 30s who lives in Morrisville. The learner has a young family and wanted to increase her education. The two have worked together for over a year and have formed a relationship. Through meeting once a week at the library, Carpenter has seen a lot of improvement in her student’s reading.

“She does a real good job,” said Carpenter of Hall. “It’s always been an enormously worthwhile thing.”

Her experience has taught her there are still things to learn, no matter how old you are. She’s realized some people make it into their adulthood without knowing how to read and a lot of those people want a second chance.

“It’s just amazing that people can get through school and not know how to read,” said Carpenter. “It’s quite startling when you realize how many people need help.”

Carpenter wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives and address a very real problem. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, almost 8 percent of Madison County residents did not complete high school.

“For people to not be able to read it must be just awful. Reading is the most important thing to keep up with,” said Carpenter.

Carpenter believes in the power of volunteering. She also dedicates time to an organization called Caz Cares, which serves as a food pantry and clothing center. When asked how volunteering improves her life, Carpenter is quick with an unselfish answer. She doesn’t understand how able-bodied people don’t give back to their communities. She sees a lot of need and she thinks seniors can play a very active role in filling that need.

“There’s so much need,” she said. “If they aren’t working they can find the time in their daily lives to help people.

Both Carpenter and Kerr look forward to their students’ successes and plan to stay with the program. These two seniors are making a difference by donating their time.

“I want to keep volunteering in some capacity. It’s been a great experience,” said Kerr.

f you are interested in becoming a tutor, workshops will be held at the Sullivan Free Library in Chittenango. Contact Morris Atwood, Madison County literacy coordinator, at matwood@midyork.org or (315) 761-2525 to register or for more information.