Author Archives for Herb Weiss

Bridging Generations: Travel Can Bring You Closer to Your Grandchildren

Published in Senior Digest on May 2004

Once upon a time, seniors interests, hobbies or life experiences were major factors in choosing where to go on vacation.

Today, however, the type of households in which their children live is another element influencing vacation plans for active seniors.

Single parents and partners of two-income households, of which there are a growing number can find it difficult to take time off from work. So their parents often step up to the plate and take the kids in the household on vacation. Trips are merging generational lifestyles, giving grandparents and grandchildren time to get to know each other a little bit better.

According to a soon to be released Travel Industry Association study, a growing number of seniors are now traveling with their grandchildren, which also strengthens intergenerational bonds and relationships.

The national travey study found that 17 percent of the estimated 93.2 million adults who took family trips in 2003, included grandchildren on those excursions, says Brian Kightlinger, director of Meredith Travel Marketing. The year before only 9 percent of the traveling adults brought along their grandchildren, he said.

Discretionary income combined with grandparents wanting to spend quality time with the youngsters are fueling the demand for intergenerational travel, says Kightlinger.

“With two parents working, grandparents are taking on a more active role with vacations,” he says.

Even the American Automobile Association’s (AAA) recognition of the emerging intergeneratioal travel niche was clear to see when the nation’s most widely recognized travel club launched its Ready, Set Travel! series.

When Helena Koenig became a grandmother 18 years ago, she created Grandtravel at her Chevy Chase, Md. travel agency to plan itineraries for seniors and their grandchildren. The travel agent combined 34 years of working in the industry with her new experience of being a grandparent.

Koenig says that Grandtravel’s goal is to “help grandparents create lasting memories for themselves and their grandchildren.” To encourage this bonding, no moms or dads are allowed on any of the 24 domestic or international trips, usually scheduled during Christmas and summer school breaks. When Koenig established Grandtravel in 1986, she offered three trips.

Banning parents from Grandtravel trips allows the oldest and youngest generations to get to know each other better. Koenig notes, adding that travel is a gr eat way for grandparents to transmit a “cultural inheritance” to their grandchildren.

Today, Grandtravel’s domestic offerings include the Grand Canyon, Alaska, Western Parks, New York and Dinosaur DIscovery. International offerings include trips to England, Ireland and Scotland, Italy, Australia, Southern Africa.

France, Peru, Kenya and Austria “Grandtravelers” can even take a Transatlantic passage on the Queen Mary 2 to London and Paris or to Ireland, Scotland and England.

Grandtravel trips can last from seven days to two weeks, costing from $ 3,000 to $ 8,000 per person.

For travelers who want to get to know their grandchildren better, only groups of 20 are booked on the company’s worldwide intinerary, says Koenig. These trips accommodate children of similar ages whenever possible.

Other companies are following Grandtravel’s lead. Disney Cruise Lines is placing a greater importance on appealing to multigenerational travel, says Christi Erwin, a spokesperson for the Port Canaveral Fla. company. “More than half of our guests now travel in multigenerational groups, says Erwin.

Responding to customer suggestions, Disney Cruise Lines has created several new areas to accommodate the interest of different ages within the teen and adult groups, says Erwin. The Stack is a new area for teens located in the ship’s forward (faux) funnel atop Deck 11, and on board programming is designed for specific age groups.

Erwin says at Studio C, considered to be the hub for family entertainment, grandparents and their grandchildren can attend dance parties and participate in sing-alongs and trivia-based games.

Day or night, the intergenerational travelers can even see first-run movies in the Buena Vista Theatre, says Erwin, who adds that the recently released Home on the Range just premiered at the theater.

At the larger Walt Disney theater, both old young can watch Disney movies, too, but also can attend special afternoon matinees of stage shows.

A daily schedule of events is delivered to every stateroom. “This type of programming gives grandparents more flexibility to plan the type of activities they want to participate in,” Erwin says.

Even with specific programming geared to children and family-centered activities, grandparent can slip away to recharge their batteries at the Quiet Cove pool, Cove Cafe lounge, Vista Spa and Salon or the Palo restaurant.

Costs for three-day ($ 409 per person), four day ($ 509 per person) and seven-day ( $ 829 per person) cruises included room meals and entertainment. Those prices exclude federal taxes and tips.

Established in 1975, Elderhostel, the nation’s first and the world’s largest, travel and educational organization for adults age 55 and over, views the world as it’s classroom. Each year, 200,000 seniors enrolled in over 10,000 programs offered by this nonprofit organizations in more than 100 countries.

Mary Harrington, Elderhostel administrator at the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, will be offering eight Elderhostel courses from July to October, two specifically designed for grandparents and grandchildren.

Harrington says participation in this program usually ranges from 25 to 45 seniors. Ten slots are put aside for local commuters who wish to attend the program but do not need hotel accommodations.

From Aug. 5-9, Kayaking, Biking and Hiking long the Blackstone River (four nights) allows physically active hostelers and “grandfriends” ages 11 to 14 to explore sections of the 46-mile river. With a naturalist and a historian on the hike, both old and young participants will earn more about the plants and creatures that inhibit riverbanks and local Algonquian history.

No kayaking experience is necessary, says Harrington, stressing that instruction and guidance will be provided. Kayaking, biking and hiking trips are two to three hours long and moderately paced. Bikes, helmets and easy access kayaks will be provided, she says.

Harrington promises that history will come alive in the Elderhostel course, History as a Great Story: Colorfully Told and Not Just for Kids (five nights). Designed for children ages 9 to 12, the course sheds light on Ocean State’s dazzling history. Field trips will take the participants to an 1870 lighthouse and early 19th century coastal fort in Newport. Children will enjoy riding an 1895 carousel at Slater Park and even learn a little bit about the Industrial Revolution that started at Slater Mill in Pawtucket.

Study Finds Caregiving Becomes Second Job for Many

Published in Pawtucket times on April 12, 2004

The demands of caregiving can seem like a 36-hour workday, Alzheimer’s researchers Nancy Mace and Dr., Peter Rabins tell us.

So true. A new study compiled by the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and the AARP that was released last week supports the researcher’s views – that caregiving can consume one’s life, often becoming a second job for many.

According to the 138-page report, entitled, “Caregiving in America,’ more Americans are now holding “second jobs” – functioning as the family caregiver.

The national caregiver survey, which was funded by MetLife Foundation, estimates there are 44.4 million adult caregivers who provide unpaid care to another adult. This care ranges from helping another manage finances, shopping for groceries, doing housework, and assisting others getting in and out of beds or chairs, getting dressed, getting to and from the toilet, bathing, showering and eating.

The study found unpaid care- provided by family caregivers – totaled $257 billion annually. Quite a sum.

Tshe caregiver study, released on April 6, paints a picture of the typical caregiver – 46 years old, married, has some college experience, and provides care to a woman age 50 and older.  The caregiver’s recipient is most likely an older female who is widowed.

The findings are based on a national survey of 6,139 adults, 1,247 of whom are qualified as caregivers. The margin of error for a sample this size is 2.8 percent, at a 95 percent level of confidence.

Almost six in 10, or 59 percent, of these caregivers either work or have worked while providing care, the study found. Moreover, 62 percent have had to make some adjustments to their jobs, from arriving late to work to giving up a job entirely.

Caregiving does not only impact the personal and working life of women, the study says, but it impacts men, too. Almost four in ten (39 percent) caregivers are men, and 60 percent of these individuals are working full-time.

In a written statement announcing the release of this study, the release of this study, Gail Hunt, NAC’s executive director, noted that the study found caregivers need more information and education. “Two-thirds of caregiver respondents says they need help or information on at least one of 14 activities or issues that caregivers commonly face,” she said.

The study’s findings indicate that three in 10 caregivers carry the heaviest load and are most likely to report physical strain, emotional stress and financial hardship as a result of their caregiving responsibilities, compared to caregivers who provide fewer hours of care and perform fewer  demanding tasks.

In addition, the study found caregivers who provide higher levels of care (most likely women) may find their responsibilities complicated by the fact they tend to be older and more likely to say their health is only “fair,” compared to younger caregivers.

Nearly eight in 10 people who need care are age 50 or older (79 percent), the study found. Caregivers say these older care recipients are afflicted with age-related health problems (15 percent), specifically heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s or other mental confusion ailments.

But younger recipients (ages 18-49) of caregiving often face problems of mental illness and depression (23 percent), the study added.

Caregiving may consume a person’s later years.

The study found the average length of caregiving provided is 4.3 years; however, three in 10 caregivers report providing care for more than five years.

Older caregivers (ages 50 and older), who tend to be caring for their mothers and grandmothers, are among the most likely to have provided care for 20 years or more. The survey found 17 percent of caregivers between the ages of 50-64 years and 18 percent of those over 65 have been providing care for more than a decade.

“I think people who are dealing with caregiving are unaware that many of their coworkers are dealing with the same thing,” AARP Board Member Jennie Chin Hansen claimed in the written statement. “This report shows just how common this  is,” she says.

Like the caregiver respondents of NAC/AARP’s caregiver study, tens of thousands of Ocean State caregivers juggle the demands of taking care of an older relative while taking care of their family and working a job. The study’s findings are just another reason why Gov. Doanld Carcieri and state lawmakers must adequately fund the Department of Elderly Affair’s (DEA) copay program and respite programs.

DEA’s co-pay program assists 1,500 frail seniors who do not qualify for the state’s Medicaid program, to partially pay for the services or certified nursing assistants (CNAs) to assist with bathing, meals, shopping, laundry and light housekeeping. In addition, DEA’s co-pay program also provides subsidies for adult day care.

Last October, DEA’s freeze on new admissions to its co-pay program left more than 200 frail seniors  on a waiting list for home and community-based services. Although Carcieri has increased funding for DEA’s co-pay program by $ 200,000 in his 2005 budget, senior groups say this amount is still not enough. The governor’s increase in his budget is estimated to only serve 60 to 80 out of the 200 seniors currently on this waiting list.

DEA’s freeze on new admissions to its respite program, which enables caregivers to take a break from the grueling demands of taking care of frail family members, may adversely impact the health and wellbeing of caregivers who can’t take advantage of this program.

The freeze placed on the respite care program will continue for the rest of this fiscal year- nobody is sure how long the freeze for this initiative will last.

In years to come, we will see a growing number of Rhode Islanders  taking on the role of unpaid caregivers (a second job) to keep a frail family member at home. Lack of access to community-based services and to caregivers oftentimes will lead to placement in  a costly nursing home.

From a budgetary stance, Carcieri and state lawmakers may well want to adequately fund DEA’s co-pay and respite program because of the ultimate cost savings to the state budget. On the other hand, supporting a policy that assists caregivers to keep seniors independent and in their homes is simply the right thing to do.

Rhode Islanders Will Benefit for Long-Term Care Improvements

Published in Pawtucket times on April 5, 2004

An AARP membership application just arrived last week, inviting me to join the nation’s largest senior advocacy group.

AARP’s invitation to join clearly announces my major milestone in my life, when my June birthday officially pushes me into my 50s.

Celebrating my 50th birthday is no problem for me on a personal level, especially with my philosophy that, as with wine, one gets better with age.

But, as a writer on health care and aging issues, I see problems as to how I might access needed home and community-based services or nursing hoe care in my later years, especially if the state does not fix its problematic long-term care deliverly system.

The graying of Rhode Island’s population is taxing the state’s existing long-term care delivery system and will continue to do so for years to come. In response, state policymakers have taken a Band-Aid approach in trying to fix the fragmented system.

Already the Ocean State’s senior population, ages 60 and over, comprises more than 18 percent of the state’s total population. Gov. Don Carcieri and state lawmakers should be very concerned that Rhode Island’s population continues to age at the same time its long-term care delivery system needs an immediate overhaul.

Everyone knows it is extremely difficult for caregivers and seniors to negative the Ocean State’s long-term care system. Just ask any aging baby boomer (persons born between 1946 and 1964), and many will say that it is extremely difficult to find the needed programs and services to k eep mom and dad at home.

Today, many adult children who are juggling careers and raising children are also shouldering additional caregiving responsibilities to their olde parents. Even if their parents have been able to put a little money aside for their retirement, their children see their inheritance quickly being whittled down by thousands of dollars a month, all spent on costly pharmaceuticals and long-term care services.

Money can buy you anything in life, including home and community-based care and nursing home services.  Staying independent at home is still difficult for may moderate-income Ocean State seniors who cannot pay or find providers , especially with the Department of Elderly Affair’s (DEA) co-pay program not being fully-funded.

DEA’s co-pay program aids more that 1,500 frail seniors who do not qualify for the state’s Medicaid program, but who require ongoing services to remain in their homes. This funding helps pay for certified nursing assistants, who assist seniors with bathing, meals, shopping, laundry and light house keeping. DEA’s co-pay program slso provides subsidies for adult day care.

Last October, DEA’s freeze on new admissions to its co-pay program left more than 200 frail seniors on a waiting list for home and community based services.

While Gov. Carcieri recently gave an additional $ 200,000 in funding to DEA’s co-pay program in his 2005 budget, senior advocates have warned this amount is not enough. It is estimated this additional funding will serve 60 to 80 seniors out of the 200 persons currently on the waiting list.

Meanwhile, DEA has even put a freeze on new admissions to its respite program, which enables caregivers to take a break from the grueling physical and psychological demands of taking care of a frail elderly family resident.  This freeze will continue for the rest of this fiscal year, and nobody is sure how long the freeze for this initiative will last.

Hugh Hall, chair of the R.I. Health Care Association, tells All About Seniors that nursing homes will also be especially hit hard as state funding continues to diminish at the same time as  the cost of services and regulatory requirements increases.

“The state’s budget crisis is causing the governor to not meet a commitment in restructuring an antiquated Medicaid reimbursement system that pays for the care provided to 75 percent of the 10,000 frail residents in nursing homes,” said Hall.

This year, Carcieri, citing budgetary constraints, did not keep his promise to move forward with Part Two of the Medicaid reimbursement restricting, said Hall.

“This will have serious effects on the financial viability and quality of care provided in more than 70 small nursing homes throughout the state,” he said.

The huge budget deficient will continue to force Carcieri’s and state lawmakers hacking of many worthy programs and services previously funded in the state budget.  However, the state’s 2005 budget must adequately fund DEA’s co-pay and respite initiatives that keep frail seniors at home in their communities through the use of less costly home and community-based services.

The state must also keep its promise to adequately fund the state’s nursing homes for providing the needed medical care to those who are too sick to stay at home.

Hopefully, in 15 years, when I reach my next milestone – turning 65 – the state policy makers will have hammered out a much improved long-term care delivery system.

A commitment by Carcieri and state lawmakers to fix today’s fragmented long-term care delivery system will have long-range consequences, ultimately beneiting aging baby boomers, their children, and their children’s children.

Indeed, all future generations in this state will ultimately benefit from sound long-term care policy.