CONCERT TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED AT THE STATE FAIR GROUNDS BROUGHT TO MIND ONE OF MY HEROS. It was in the 1960's Jaime was a young red headed man, tall and big for his age. I thought his head alone was the size of a basketball from where I stood at 11 years old. It was followed by a build most weight lifting twenty somethings would die for today, naturally large, impressive, a stand out in a crowd. He had a booming laugh and a constant need to create trouble. One time, just for fun he turned Mrs. Crahan's Volkswagen upside down. He didn't dent it and he had every intention of placing it back in an upright position.

Another time, he took our Volkswagen and road it through the aisles at Haag Drugstore on 56th and Illinois - Jaime was one of those - and my Mom and Dad felt compelled to help him. They took Jaime into their home and considered him my fifth brother. My father decided getting Jaime a job would keep him out of trouble. He talked the priest at St. Thomas Aquinas into allowing Jaime to work on the construction sight when the church was putting an addition on and Jaime went to work. He was young somewhere between 15 and 17 but he loved working there. I can remember how proud he was that he bought his own parents a refrigerator for Christmas.

It was during this time that the Coliseum in Indianapolis had an explosion.
Jaime had always been an ambulance and fire truck chaser and was one of the first to know what was happening. He snuck in and saw that people were pinned down by large pieces of cement and he knew what he had to do. Jaime went to St. Thomas and broke in - he jumped on the backhoe he had just learned to drive (license ? - who knows) and drove it to the coliseum where he spent hours lifting concrete off of victims - saving countless lives.

From that tragedy, after high school, Jaime went on to be a Green Beret. He never spoke to me about that time but one tale was that he was the lead person to try to evacuate innocent people before the fight....After three Vietnam Tours - Jaime became a steelworker and as he was working in downtown Indianapolis a fire broke out and threatened the then Indiana National Bank Tower. Jim scaled the drain pipe with the fire hoses and saved the building....

He later went on to be asked by then President Clinton to head the relief program in Mexico for the American People during the earthquake.

The now in existence American Emergency Relief Task Force which is stationed in Indianapolis was part of his brotherhood from those days.

They needed supplies and Jaime tapped those St. Thomas boys and raised money for the task force. My parents often received little blurps from Jaime with a newspaper article and mention of his name....his life was an inspiration. He was never a "wealthy" man, but he was rich. Jaime died young - cancer- I have often thought from Agent Orange - but we will never know. I do know though that his lesson lives on. I tell my three sons often this tale. I do it to guide them in what is right.

At his funeral the Task Force Came in groves and they also brought "Big Jim" the fire truck named in his honor.

My heart goes out to those who recently suffered another tragedy. My hope is that out of such a horrible event something inspirational will be visited.

Website for Elder Moves, Inc

Excitement is what I am feeling today as we have launched our new website. Thanks to a team of experts Kyle Flatly and Jim Crahan - I feel we have a truly substantial website which will keep you in tune with the Elderly, Seniors, Aging in Place or what the Boomer Generation will be confronted with. We are hoping that you will not only use the site for information about Elder Moves, Inc. but also as an interactive tool to ask questions about the senior lifestyle issues, seek information and respond to our thoughts and ideas regarding Assisted Living, Nursing Home, Adult Daycares, Senior/Elder Services we want you to have the answer.

We are interlinked between our web page, blogspot, facebook, Linkedin and to our e-mail. You can write suggestions about what you think we should explore - what changes in your opinion should happen in the above 55 service world and where we might help.

In return we will attempt to keep you up to date with new and innovated ideas and with resources at your finger tips or a phone call away. Please join us in exploring the Retirement Communities, Assisted Living and a new generation full of new needs for similar circumstances.

RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES AND ASSISTED LIVING

Elder Moves, Inc. is often asked what is the difference between a Retirement Community and Assisted Living. What services can we expect? Retirement Communities can encompass a wealth of services. They often start with Independent Living - basically a protected environment with meals, activities,some transportation and specific number of cleanings per month.

The activities are centered around interests of the majority of the residents and can range from card games, movies, to visits to the symphony, travel options, exercise and more.

Assisted Living offers additional individualized services based on the client's needs. Many Assisted Livings offer Seniors a rating system and charge based on that system. The rating system guides the facility towards what level of care is required to meet the client's needs. For example: A client may only need stand by assistance when bathing; Other clients may need complete assistance and also may need to be helped to the dining room.

The more care required the higher the fee.

Winter Worries for Older Parents

Our concerns for the elderly become more real with winter. In taking care of our loved ones we worry about maintaining their independence, their rights to make their own decisions and try to balance that with our fears that we are needed more or won’t be there for them when we should be. Inclimate weather adds to those fears both for their physical safety and for our ability to assist them quickly.

Combinations of help are placed together and we attempt to rely on the neighbors, meals on wheels, a service we may hire, their church or many other inventive approaches. Are our fears well founded?

Many of the disabilities confronting an elderly person limit their communication to us or leave us not trusting what they say. They may have forgotten to eat, forgotten to take their medications, confuse night from day or left the stove on or off. If they are confused on that level then they are generally confused on whether they should wear a coat and if it is early in the morning or night. So incidents of standing out waiting for the church van at 12 pm occur. We must be cautious at this point of what is happening for in our zealous approach to protect them we can over protect
their rights and under protect their being.

When should I take additional steps for my loved one even though they may oppose additional assistance?

Some of the signs of additional needs that alert us are as follows:

 Answering questions with agreement
 Never being specific - example: Mom when did you eat? Mom says – there is plenty in the house. What did you have for lunch and repetitively you hear leftovers.
 Weight loss that supports the fact that your parent is not eating
 Cleanliness
 Wearing of the same clothes
 Missing Doctor appointments
 Confusion with names
 Repetition of events

Does this mean that a parent must move. Each situation has to be individually evaluated. Involvement of family is a key element. Whether you can afford to hire help for the home and if the person is requiring more help than can be reasonably afforded. Is my loved one an endangerment to themselves or others?

The first step is to have a physician evaluate the person. This will guide you in your decision making process. You may then hire a geriatric professional to come in and assist with placing together services that are appropriate for the care of your loved one. You may find you need less or more help. Their objections should be considered but you must first consider their care. Though this may be a trying time, it is also an opportunity to give back to those who have given so much to you.

Upcoming changes in Indiana

The healthcare industry is forever changing. Most of the time - it plods through the administrative processes and actually changes for the better with time. Currently we are seeing trends to step back and return to patient care. This is happening with challenges through Doctor owned hospitals, Physicians who make home visits, and a need to actually touch another person with care and to be of service.

As the healthcare industry moves in those directions we are receiving directives which will make it more difficult to address the needs of those who do not have money. Those who rely on the system.

For years nursing homes and retirement centers have been receiving monies for beds not used. This sounds ridiculous doesn't it? What a waste - why pay for something to just sit there? Yet, the reality is that by reserving beds for medicare/medicaid options it has created immediacy for placement for those who do not have money.

If the current projections of the baby boomers numbers are correct and boomers live to need those services, the for profit beds will fill and there will be no beds available for medicare and medicaid. Now this may not affect you but my observations (unproven and without scientific study) is that the baby boomer generation is not prepared for this. They may not the ability to be for profit.

The other concern is whether clients who are currently in a medicare or medicaid bed but need a short stay in the hospital, may come out of the hospital to having lost their facility's medicaid/care bed. Facilities may hold those beds or may not and this will be dictated by their financial needs.

An option to change this to a positive approach - what a sales pitch for a facility. They could guarantee bed holds for short periods of time to sell their clients on using their facility. Keep your eyes peeled - we do not know where all all will lead.

The bad me says I need to be good!

Wow what a year! I have neglected my blog, my facebook, my (not signed up yet) twitter, my spam box, my webb page and sometimes it carries over to our life, our selves, our loved ones. Starting off 2011 with thoughts of how I need to get my stuff in gear.....



Even the bad me says I need to snap out of it and do the next right thing. Wow that is serious because like everyone there is that other side always tantilizingly shouting to me to goof off, don't take life too seriously, and go to Aruba for a vacation. Or....better still - backpack through the country for a year. Looking back on the year I realize - I only took 5 days off to be at Lake Mill with my children. So what do I need to do to shape up? I need to recognize that we have a wonderful life, that those that surround us are loving and attempt to do their best. That the economy is what it is and we can move on from that. That a hike in Brown County is as important as the next networking meeting or a trip to Aruba. That enjoying what is here in front of us is what we can shout and sing about. Hey that Bad side isn't so bad.


The things to be thankful for from 2010 - A wonderful family, daughter in law, and daughter in law to be... Memories of laughter and good times....Memories of my Mother who passed Nov 5 - I am thankful that my children had the 9 years that she was with me to share who she was. I am so grateful that Mom was able to die at home...that my employees were patient with me to ease my time through this and I was able to spend more time with her and make her more comfortable.

In 1988 when I started Elder Moves, Inc. I was a whopping youngster of 37. I came into the company with a heart felt sincerity and energy and youth-filled knowledge of everything. Today I have seasoned. I am knowledgeable through experience and time. Today I have even downsized my self and my life - the experience deepens our sensitivities and creates an even better service for all whom we serve. For it is serving others that makes the most out of every day. It is what I am most grateful for whether a client, my family, or a friend. I look forward to being of service. When I am finished I'll go to Aruba.