Grandparents – The Club Sandwich Generation – Smilecast 170
Grandparents are providing care – in terms of time and money – across a continuum that includes adult children, grandchildren and aging parents. And they do so at the risk of their own health and often their retirement savings – regardless of socioeconomic status. It’s pretty scary when you think about the pressure this will put on this generation to continue to generate income long into their 70’s. Many actuaries believe that government estimates of those who will rely solely on Social Security is grossly underestimated. Talk about a delicate balance! Lori will talk about the implications and what grandparents can do to take control and achieve balance in the Club Sandwich Generation.
Read more about our expert – Lori Bitter
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Millennial Caregivers with Michelle Seitzer – Smilecast 169
An incredible twenty-five percent of Millennials are family caregivers. Yes, you read that right. Michelle will talk to us about the challenges unique to millennial caregivers, how can we better support them while offering sound advice to cope as a millennial caregiver.
Read more about our expert – Michelle Seitzer
Before launching her freelance career in 2008, Michelle Seitzer was building her content platform—elder care—while working for the Alzheimer’s Association and in various senior living communities. Since then, she’s written extensively about caregiving issues (along with healthcare, tech, finance, small business, and parenting) for numerous online publications, including AARP, Readers Digest, and US News. She’s a grant reviewer for the Administration on Aging and has written policy reports for international Alzheimer’s organizations. Seitzer was the co-founder of #ElderCareChat—which she moderated for 6 years—and now serves as a moderator for #CareChat. She currently cares for her young daughter with special needs and was also a caregiver for her grandmother, who recently passed.
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The Benefits of Arts Programming for Older Adults
The Benefits of Arts – HOW THE ARTS CAN REDUCE ANXIETY AND BE OF EMOTIONAL BENEFIT TO OLDER PEOPLE
Createquity is an online think tank that helps make sense of the news and research in the arts world. Their review of the evidence that connects the benefits of arts with our emotions reveals four things:
- Participatory arts activities, such as singing, playing a musical instrument, dancing and visual arts, help maintain health and quality of life in older adults.
- Arts therapies contribute to positive clinical outcomes, such as reduction in anxiety, stress and pain for patients.
- Arts participation in early childhood promotes social and emotional development.
- Student participation in structured arts activities enhances cognitive abilities and social skills that support learning.
Sherita Sparrow, owner of The Feather’s Touch, is a firm believer that art projects for seniors can enhance their quality of life while helping them learn a new skill.
Her company brings a professional artist to help residents in care homes to express their talents. Sparrow’s observations of the benefits of art are backed up by scientific research.
Joseph LeDoux, a behavioral neuroscientist at New York University, discovered new learning experiences boost the development and improve the information processing and memory storage in brains in mid-life and older.
People with dementia living in nursing homes that implemented a music and memory program were more likely to cease using antipsychotic and antianxiety drugs and engage in fewer problematic behaviors.
Here are some my takeaways from the benefits of arts research.
Embrace the Arts at Any Age
In Sherita’s classes, people who could not draw a straight line learned to draw. I see that with music. When I perform, once shy people begin to participate. Older folks struggling for purpose might consider taking up some form of art activity to help them carry through life.
Make Art a Social Event
Younger folks are into all kinds of wine events. Wine and music. Wine and painting. Wine and dancing. So, get in on that. Organize a local paint and sip event or something similar.
Make Arts Intergenerational
There is a lot of research on the importance of arts to younger people. So why not make art an intergenerational experience? Learn painting with the grandkids. Learn an instrument. Have children visit care homes and participate with residents in art projects.
Reach Out to Care Homes
The people who need to continue to have purpose and keep their social networks active are older adults in care homes, many still isolated in their rooms. Help bring them out of their shell. Volunteer to teach a class.
The daughter of a woman who continued her love of art in the nursing home thanked the art therapist at her mom’s funeral for the last art piece created by her as it became a treasured gift.
Art, whether in a group or one-on-one can enhance the quality of life for older adults.
Which forms of art interest you? Have you used art or any other form of creativity as a means of expressing the emotions and challenges of getting older? If you are a caregiver, have you used the arts to build and develop a communication framework with your loved one? Please share the art you enjoy and the benefits of arts and how it has helped you in your life journey.
Changing the Workplace Culture toward Caregiving w Don Weber – Smilecast 168
Coming out of the closet with your caregiving can have dangerous consequences, which have been well-documented in research. Don is Founder and Chairman of Logistics Health and was featured in the PBS Special “Caring for Mom and Dad” because of his company’s progressive culture and policies to family caregivers in the workplace. He will enlighten us and empower us to bring this culture shift to more workplace.
Read more about our expert – Don Weber
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