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Summer 2007
The Sandwich Generation is Not About Peanut Butter & Jelly!
The term "Sandwich Generation" , coined in 1981, refers to
the segment of the middle-aged population that provides support to both younger and older family members. This
is not a new phenomenon that is now affecting a larger number of baby boomers every year. Simply stated, this generation
is becoming a prisoner of the clock, 24-hours a day seven days a week. In fact, Merriam-Webster officially added the "Sandwich Generation" to its dictionary in July 2006.
This caregiver population is increasingly being drained in their physical
well being and their mental and emotional states. You are constantly asking yourself, "do I run that errand
leaving my parent alone at home?" When your parent needs to go to the bathroom, can they get on and off the
toilet without assistance? The simple ADL's (Activities of Daily Living) taken for granted when we are healthy now
become issues of great importance. Another toll extracted from the "Sandwich Generation" also encompasses their financial resources.
There is
information and resources available, but where to begin?
The National Alliance for Caregiving is a coalition of national organizations that focuses on issues of family caregiving.
From its founding in 1996, the mission has continued to focus on issues of family caregiving to include grassroots
organizations, professional associations, service organizations, disease-specific organizations, a government agency,
and corporations. There are many resources to
point you in the right direction. From brochures to reports to
additional resources, this organization makes it easy to get prepared.
One of the best resources is
Aging Parents & Common Sense. Now in its 5th edition, this guide should be used by adults who are, or expect
to be providing support or care for aging parents,
other adults, or perhaps friends. There is a glossary of terms
that will help you. Loaded with practical tips and hints from those who have experienced
much of what might lie ahead for you and your family, think of this a road map with a "living legend".
Programs from the National PACE Association may be one place to start. This agency oversees the Programs of All-inclusive
Care for the Elderly (PACE) provide and coordinate
all needed preventive, primary, acute and long term care services so that older individuals can continue living
in the community. Click here for Q & A. The unique facet of PACE is the combination of the different components of the
PACE model. This
includes the work of the Interdisciplinary Team, that results in care and services that are tailored to the individual
needs of each PACE participant.
One key to the PACE model is the combining of dollars from different funding streams in order to deliver
a comprehensive set of services focused on the health and well-being of the individual.
You can locate its link along with many other assorted healthcare management
resources on the Associations and Organizations Resources
page.
The Eldercare Locator links those who need assistance with state and local area agencies on aging
and community-based organizations that serve older adults and their caregivers is a great resource from the AoA's Elders and Families website,
created by the Administration on Aging (AoA)
designed this web site to assist older persons and their caregivers quickly obtain information and resources on
a variety of aging-related topics.
This resides on the Consumer Health
& Education Resources page under Aging, Elder Care,
& Caregiving.
The Medicare Interactive
(MI) Counselor is a new resource recently added to
the Medicare Rights Center,
a website that has been available on the Virtual Medical Library for many years. The Medicare Interactive
(MI) Counselor uses an easy-to-understand language
providing timely information to help you learn the ins and outs of Medicare. Free to use, you only need
to sign up for a
username and password.
Family Caregiving 101
is a great place to find assistance, answers, new ideas and helpful advice. The website's concept and creation
is a collaborative effort of both the National Family Caregivers Association and the National Alliance for Caregiving
with the idea of providing a virtual library of information and educational materials to meet the growing needs
of the "Sandwich Generation".
Future issues will be delving into some of the other life events that
this group will be encountering with their aging parents.
West Nile Virus Will Make a Bigger Splash Than Last Year!
With the end of winter and the advent of spring visions of warmer weather
enter our thoughts. That may mean hiking, gardening, and just getting outdoors! Why not begin with a look at our
West Nile Virus Resources
page located under Infections on the Consumer Health & Education Resources page or Infectious
Diseases on the Medical Professional
Resources page.
Spring also means insects are hatching and getting ready for a visit.
You should look for standing water throughout the yard including birdbaths, gutters, fountains, pails; anywhere
water collects. In fact, garbage and
trash also are breeding grounds for the
carrier of this infectious
disease, the mosquito.
West Nile virus is often first found in dead birds in an area before
it shows up in people. These mosquitoes become infected by feeding on infected birds, and then pass the virus to
other birds, horses, or humans. Most people bitten by an infected mosquito won’t show signs of illness. Some may
develop mild flu-like symptoms that go away without treatment. Not sure what to look for? Click here for the latest information from the Mayo Clinic.
The infection causes serious illness in a small number of cases. People
over age 50 have the highest risk for serious illness.
Websites U-Can Use
Cancer Information Prediction Tools
Cancer Information Prediction Tools
is the creation of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
which has pioneered the use of computerized devices to help patients and their physicians decide among the major
treatment choices for several cancers. To use the prediction tools online, make a selection from the menu found
half way down the page.
This link can be located with many other oncology-related resources on the Medical Professional
Resources page under the Oncology heading.
Clinical Trial Search Portal
This web site from the World Health Organization (WHO) enables users to search a central database that contains the trial registration
data sets provided by Primary Registers. You can learn more about the trial by clicking on a link that will take
them to the relevant record in the source register.
To try it, the link can be located along with many other clinical trial
sites on the Medical Professional Resources
page under the Clinical Trials and Clinical Research
Projects section.
People Living With Cancer
This website is produced by the American Society of Clinical Oncology
(ASCO) provides cancer information to help patients and families make informed health-care decisions.
People
Living With Cancer can be found on the Consumer Health &
Education Resources page under the Cancer heading.
New Books in the Library
Take a moment to check the NEW EDITION! and NEWLY ADDED!
additions on our Online Textbooks page, as well!
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