Home for Thanksgiving: Aging Parents and Traditions

What are your favorite Thanksgiving Traditions? For many who live far from their aging parents or grandparents, it is time to pack their suitcase and take the trip home either by air or on a road trip.

This is also a time when families bring out their best kept secret recipes, serving sets and setting up the dining room table with beautiful tableware. For some, it is a time of gathering around the kitchen catching up with all the latest news and photos with family members from near and far. And for others, it is cooking together and having a cup of tea or it is watching or playing football.

Here at Keeping In Touch Solutions, it is time for us to unveil our bestselling eBook sold once a year called Home for the Holidays: Creating Happy Holiday Memories for every generation of your family.

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of a month long preparation and celebration of holidays for Americans.

New York City starts the celebration with their tradition, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. The event is telecasted live throughout the country with floats, bands, music, balloons and Santa Claus… families in New York and New Jersey stand in the cold every year to watch the parade.

For some families, it is time to think about the Turkey….to brine or not to brine…fresh or frozen…ten pounds or twenty five pounds?

Are you a ‘do it the same way every year’ because everyone expects the same thing or do you break from tradition sometimes?

Some families make the same Thanksgiving food from generation to generation.

Even the French’s Fried Onions have their tradition! The item is always on sale during Thanksgiving holidays. Most families have adopted their recipe from the can for their side dish year after year.

Family traditions make us feel comfortable and homely yet when it is time to celebrate certain uncomfortable questions may arise.

Are you missing someone in your celebration this year? Have you noticed any difference in your aging parents or grandparents’ appearance and behavior?

This is also a time when reality hits us on issues like caring for our aging parents or grandparents. Are they capable to live alone by themselves in the next year? Is preparation for Thanksgiving meal and the holidays giving them more stress than you have seen in years?

Some people dread going for a visit with their aging parents or grandparents during the holidays. It is hard to see our love ones growing weaker and older.

In our eBook, we outline some important keys for a “stress less” holiday celebration. You will find
•    Convenient, easy to use Holiday planning checklist
•    Understand the demographics of your family
•    How to successfully plan your holiday
•    Tips for reducing holiday stress
•    A gift for you

While family gatherings and traditions are important, it can be a time of great challenges for some. If you are looking for ways to stay in touch with your aging loved ones please go to KeepingInTouchSolutions and find out more about our offerings.
Here is the link to our eBook and KeepingInTouchSolutions.

Happy Thanksgiving!  This is a season of giving and caring…my friend Nina Hershberger would like to share with you her free eBook called 250 Great Thanksgiving Recipes. You can download it at her site.

Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly parents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today.

Happy Veterans Day…I have 1,440 minutes to celebrate with you

Today is a very special day, where we take time to honor and celebrate those who have sacrificed their lives and time with their family to fight for the freedom of our nation and keeping peace in the world. Here in Keeping In Touch Solutions, we are celebrating 1,440 minutes of our day, today, caring for the elderly veterans and recording stories from the veterans.

Veterans and caregivers do have some challenges that keep them sleepless some nights:
Most of the issues are related to health care and financial matters. Do you know where to go for help? Where can you find all the benefits that you heard Uncle Jon is getting in Iowa? Your aging veteran dad and you are in Indiana and you can’t seem to find those benefits?

What can you do right now to help your aging parents who are veterans?

Visit the Veterans Affairs website: The VA operates more than 1,300 facilities caring for veterans including 900 ambulatory care and community-based outpatient clinics, 135 nursing homes, 43 residential rehabilitation treatment programs, 90 comprehensive home-care programs and over 200 Veterans hospitals.

There is one near you! Check out their website for benefits like
Health related care
Education and job training
Home Loan
Counseling
Burial and memorial Benefits
Dependents and survivors’ benefits
Insurance
Veteran’s on limited income
Disabilities

These are just a few that are listed on the website.

State benefits for Veterans: In the State of Indiana we have a separate section on the State’s website devoted to Veterans and helping Veterans sort out the benefits that are applicable to their needs. Their main mission is to help Veterans obtain every benefit and advantage due them under the laws of the State of Indiana and the United States.

The county has certified County Veteran Service Officers. Find out from your state department if they have a division for assisting Veterans. These Certified Officers are available to answer any questions and if you are a care giver to an elderly parent or grandparent who is a veteran, don’t hesitate to contact the state department.

The Veteran’s Administration’s Social Media team: Like any other businesses and agencies in the world today, the VA has gone into social media. This is a great advantage for you to post questions on Twitter or Facebook to the VA’s attention to get immediate help. The government is listening to your need! Ask for help if you need it.

Keeping in Touch Solutions pays attention to the needs of our Veterans…we have been assisting our elderly veterans in the Indiana area by recording their stories all week and giving out information on Veterans’ benefits. We have been doing this for a long time.

If you need more information about Keeping In Touch Solutions care giving services, Veteran’s benefits or just need to touch base with someone who knows about caring for your aging parents or an aging veteran…please give us a call at 1800-788-1280 or send us your email at keepingintouchservices@gmail.com

Do you have a story to share about your experience as a veteran? We would love to hear from you. Here is a link for sharing.

Again, Happy Veteran’s Day!

Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly parents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today.

VETERANS ARE TALKING!

Was Grandma a Rosie the Riveter? Do you have Grandpa’s ration books?

Veterans from all branches of the military are paying it forward by sharing their stories and experiences for posterity by making them available in the Library of Congress. Stories from World War II, Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq veterans are honored and celebrated.

You can pay it forward by learning about the Veterans History Project. The Veteran’s History Project was started in 2000 by The United States Congress to collect, preserve, and making accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

Here in Indiana, where Keeping In Touch Solutions is located, more than 10,000 stories have been recorded for the Library of Congress. With over 500,000 veterans in the state we have a lot more stories to hear…so if you are a veteran, son or daughter of a veteran, care giver or buddy or a veteran we encourage you to tell them about this project and to seek out information about the benefits that are available to many.

Do you have stories from a veteran or civilian workers?

Was Grandma a Rosie the Riveter – or volunteered at the USO -if so please ask them to share all of those wonderful stories for future generations. Did you know the USO is still seeking volunteers to greet and help our soldiers as they return home as well?

Our THANKS AND APPRECIATION to the men and women in the U.S Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines for your service in keeping us safe- may God heap special blessings and abundance on you.

Of special interest to me are the stories of women and how they managed and coped …this is history waiting to be told! This includes stories from the home front and the battlefield!

Story telling has been passed through generations even before the written word was created. Man during the Stone Age era had carved out pictures to expressed stories of their lives. Throughout history, we learned from our predecessors and gleaned from their stories.
It is with this thought in mind and also the appreciation of our veterans who had sacrificed their comfort and lives for the freedom, that we are passionate about the Veterans History Project.

How can you get involved?

Teachers and students: Teachers and students from 10th grade to college levels can participate. You can get a sample interview as a guideline from this link. Students who participate in this program usually know of someone who has served the country and some students are just interested to understand the mindset of a veteran and give back to their community in recording stories.

My friend Claudia’s children attend a public school in Florida where they honor veterans once a year with a special luncheon and sharing of stories with the school children. Students who have relatives or neighbors who are veterans are encouraged to bring them to school for the day in honor of Veteran’s Day.

Relatives of veterans: Children, grandchildren, and spouse of veterans can be involved in this project. If a veteran has passed away, photos, letters, diaries and other mementos are also accepted by the Project. They do not accept second-hand information.

Neighbors and caregivers: If you have a neighbor who fought in a war and is interested to share his/her story or you are caring for a veteran, there are guidelines that you can follow to submit their stories to the Veterans History Project.

In preparation for Veterans Day, Keeping In Touch Solutions is coordinating a Special Veterans History Event in Noblesville Indiana at the Lodge on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 starting at 9:30 at The Lodge Center, 1667 Sheridan Road, Noblesville, IN 46062.

If you would like to know more about starting a Veterans History Project in your area you may call Keeping In Touch Solutions at our Veterans History Project Hotline: 1.800.788.1280. You can share your story with us here by going on the Would you like to share with us page.

If you would like to know more about how we can keep you connected with your aging or elderly loved one while you are away at work …just give us a call or visit our website: Keeping In TouchSolutions

Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly parents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today.

Let’s Get Moving and Feel Better

More and more seniors are finding the benefits of exercise and there is no age limit to moving and having physical activities. Sedentary lifestyle will take a toll for any age group…not just seniors. But breaking away from our normal lifestyle of sitting in front of a TV or just sitting around can be challenging for anyone who has not been active.

Regular exercise and movement have proven to improve our health. However, if we have not been engaging in exercise programs for years, it is best to take precaution when starting a new program.

There are many benefits to having movement and physical activities. It lowers the risk of heart diseases, reduces weight and improves moods and helps fight depression. According to American Heart Association, researchers found that 2 ½ hours of moderate intensity physical activity per week can lower the overall risk of heart disease by 14 percent.

Here are 3 programs that your aging parents and grandparents can start immediately:

Walking: Startwalkingnow.org was started by the American Heart Association to raise awareness of the importance of movement. They have a community of walkers for you to connect with to help with motivation, support, sharing goals and ideas. It is open to any age group and is a great way for your aging parents, your children and siblings to stay connected with an exercise program.

Before starting a program, check with your doctor, start slow and work out the pace as you go along. The most important thing is to stay consistent and enjoy the process. This will help your aging loved ones get out of their homes and enjoy the great outdoors.

Yoga, Dancing and Stretching: All these activities have beginner programs for seniors who are starting out in their programs. These programs offer varieties and require different set of movements and stretches.

According to Mayo Clinic, yoga teaches the art of breathing, meditation and posing are offered and helps in reducing stress, management of chronic health conditions, weight loss and increased fitness. They are now being offered in hospitals, clinics, health clubs some YMCA branches throughout the nation.

There are many types of dances that seniors can engage in. Dancing is often tied to social activities and music and it does bring health benefits like better sense of well-being amongst seniors, increased fitness and movement and having more flexibility. Usually, dancing requires participants to dress up for the occasion and is conducted in a social setting. Your aging loved ones can have time for movement, socializing and time to take care of their physical appearance (like dressing up for the occasion).

Swimming and Aqua activities: Some seniors may prefer water activities. Most YMCAs have an aquatic exercise that caters to seniors that have limited mobility or have disabilities.

As the weather gets colder and the holiday season is coming…are you thinking of ways to help your aging parents stay healthy and create healthy habits? Are you ready to help them start with a program to help them gear towards the holiday season?

Let us know how we can help. For more information about activities, programs and assistance for your aging parents and grandparents please go to www.keepingintouchsolutions.com send us an email at keepingintouchservices@gmail.com.

Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly parents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today.

You Can’t Unscramble Scrambled Eggs…

Even though we live in a technologically advanced country, no matter how hard we try…there is no way we can unscramble the scrambled eggs and make it whole again. Likewise, whatever happened in life, whatever is done…you can’t undo. However, you can let go and live in the present and move forward.

Whether you are the sandwiched generation, aging parents, grandparents or even young adults…we have things in our life we wish did not happen. Wouldn’t you agree it is hard to live with guilt or regrets?

How do we embrace the now…the present and move forward?

As we get older, the pile of regrets and ‘should haves’ multiplies and it is no wonder 6 million Americans above 65 years of age are suffering from depression. Depression is not caused by regrets alone; there are many factors that contribute to this disease in the elderly. Some of the causes may be loneliness, lost of a spouse and loved ones, the effects of medication, immobility, multiple illnesses, aches and pains, malnutrition, lack of social interactions, no purpose or just not challenged like before. All become magnified when we are socially isolated, live alone or perhaps housebound.

Here are 5 ways to help your aging parents or grandparents embrace the present:

Social gatherings and activities: Spend time encouraging and make plans for them to attend social gatherings and activities for seniors or for people of any age. Places to look for: local library, places of worship, senior centers and places to volunteer. I’ve seen the elderly taking time to serve in the soup kitchen and feel a sense of accomplishment. Play it forward, become a school grandparent or be a classroom tutor or teachers helper to offer one on one help to a struggling child.

Social Media: Pew Report wrote, people ages 50 and above using the internet has increased 88% between 2009 and 2010. Social media is a new way for grandma or grandpa to reach out. Grandma posts photos and looks at photos of family members across the country and can chat live with one of the grandchildren. This is a great way for seniors to stay in touch with old friends and chat with family members all day. Grandma just increased her social network using social media…sharing stories, giving responses and posting photos of grandchildren to her friends. Teach other Grandma’s how to post to social media and show them how to upload photos and sent to family.

Read and attend classes: Internet brings the possibilities of distant learning and online learning. Grandpa or grandma has all the options of taking classes without having to leave home. From book discussions to how to use social media…there are plenty to choose from. Reading and learning will help seniors to stay in the present, stimulate their mind, and give them a sense of purpose. It may be a way for them to meet new friends and start a hobby.

Good night’s sleep: Are the medications keeping grandma or grandpa awake at night? Lack of sleep will cause them to feel lethargic and increases stress. Check with their health professionals about their health and the medications prescribed. A little adjustment in combination of medication may help to reduce sleeplessness. A good night’s sleep will help grandma wake up happier.

Thought Pattern: According to WebMD cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective way to help a person’s thought pattern. Negative dysfunctional thinking affects a person’s mood, sense of self, behavior and physical state. So grandma may need professional help to identify her negative thought patterns and move to a road of better thought. Church friends, senior centers or speaking with social worker may be a starting point.

Start a conversation with your aging parents or grandparents and find out more about their thought patterns and lifestyle. Is there something that needs an immediate fix with easy solutions or do they need professional help? Keeping In Touch Solutions often provides the first step, a daily call from a concerned care caller lets them know how much they are valued and supported.

Let go of Yesterday….can’t unscramble or undo yesterday, worry, fretting and dwelling on the past only deepens the problems. So pray and keep moving and thinking forward.

Start the day with gratitude.

Please let us know how we can assist you in your care giving needs. Our clients tell us that they appreciate their daily check in call because it makes them feel safe, and secure knowing some one cares about them.

You can reach us at keepingintouchservices@gmail.com or

Call 1800-788-1280.

Visit our website www.KeepingInTouchsolutions.com

Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly parents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today.

Senior Hunger and Malnutrition

You heard and watched it on TV, skinny kids with huge tummies and without nutritional food outside the United States. Are you shocked to read about senior hunger and malnutrition in our country?

Feeding America reported, nearly 3 million elderly persons are served by their organization each year and 30% of seniors had to choose between food and medical care and 35% had to choose between food and paying heat or utilities. In 2010, there were 3.5 million senior Americans who live below the poverty line.

As caregivers and children living away from your elderly parents or grandparents, do you see signs of hunger or malnutrition when you visit?  How do you know ?

Sometimes it has nothing to do with money. Many seniors are home bound and have no way of going to the grocery store and have no knowledge of ordering food and nutritional products online.

They may forget to eat or help themselves with a balanced diet each day. Or they have no energy or excitement to cook for themselves because they are only cooking for one (themselves). Or some may be physically incapable of doing the food preparation and cooking. They may just resort to canned food everyday.

Of course, there are those who are lacking in money and living in hardship and not sharing with their loved ones about their financial struggles because of pride or they may not want to add extra burden to their children and grandchildren.

Meals on Wheels of Association of America (MOWAA) did a research on The Causes, Consequences and Future of Senior Hunger in the United States. In their findings, senior hunger is not confined to the poor. Hunger problems also likely to arise from young seniors between ages 60-64, high school drop outs and non-homeowners.

How can you help your aging parents or grandparents avoid hunger and malnutrition?

Have regular conversations with them or hire someone who can call them at least once a day to check on them.

Make a schedule with them or with their caregiver for weekly grocery shopping. If they no longer drive, arrange transportation for a trip to the grocery store and to the local coffee shop. This will be a way for them to get out of the house and engaged in a different activity. At the same time, they can choose the food they like to prepare.

Suggest places of worship or local community organizations with activities for seniors that they can participate and meet other seniors. These organizations may have volunteers or workers that make home visitations or do some volunteer work.

Check with their doctors to find out if there are medical issues that need immediate attention. They may be suffering from a ‘silent’ disease and never complain about it. Keep in mind that depression is a constant threat to the lonely and elderly.

Arrange for food delivery like pizza or from restaurants that set up home delivery system. In this internet age, you can order food from anywhere with your credit card or debit card and get it delivered. Think of it like sending flowers to your loved ones who lives for away. You can make arrangements for food deliveries from their favorite restaurants.

Most importantly, spend time talking to them and find out where they are at financially, physically and emotionally. You can refer to our past blog posts about conversations with your elderly parents.  Keep your eyes open for new resources in your community.   http://wwwRozzisCatering.com in Indiana will soon be rolling out a new individual sized meal program that allows you to pick up your food for the week at their kitchens or you may choose to have them ship it to your door once a week. Just heat and eat –delicious!

For more information about getting help for your aging parents and grandparents please go to www.keepingintouchsolutions.com.

Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly parents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today.

6 Ways to Protect your Family from the Flu

To some, the fall season is a time to decorate their homes with pumpkins and Halloween lights, to others it is about the leaves falling in their yards, raking leaves and drinking cider by the fire. The colder weather also brings to mind longer indoor hours and the ‘cold or flu season’.

What do you do to protect yourself and your family and your aging loved ones during this season?

You may have heard of the flu shots and the pills that may protect you from flu bugs. What about preventative measures that mom or grandma ordered years ago? Even the doctors and nurses may have given you some simple ways to stay away from the flu of the season.

Here are 6 ways:

1. Wash your hands. Sounds simple…but many of us forget this instruction. Wash your hands before handling food, eating, touching your eyes, nose or face. Frequent hand washing with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer can take away the germs. Mayo Clinic has an article on hand washing dos and don’ts.
2. Keep your hands away from your face…children like to touch their eyes and nose. Sometimes adults do it as well. Germs spread easily through our nose, eyes and mouth. It is a habit that most of us are not aware of.
3. Get plenty of rest. Lack of sleep affects millions of Americans and it is linked to many types of diseases including heart diseases, diabetes and depression. Sleep deprivation will also cause us to be less alert and weaken our immune system. Make sure your family gets plenty of rest to increase immunity and fight the flu bug easily.
4. Eat a well balanced meal. Our busyness and over scheduled lives can lead to more fast foods and TV dinners which may result in an imbalanced meal. Fresh home cooked meals that incorporate the 6 food groups are the best remedy for a good healthy life. The groups are fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meats and beans, nuts and seeds, grain which includes bread, rice and pasta, milk products and fats. Please check out New York Times’ article on balanced diet.
5. Vitamin D. For most of us in North America, the colder months means less exposure to sunshine, which is the natural way of getting Vitamin D. We need to add to our diet, Vitamin D supplement or foods that are rich in Vitamin D like fortified milk, fish and eggs. Vitamin D is known to prevent several autoimmune diseases.
6. Drink plenty of water and exercise. Our body needs constant rehydration to flush out impurities. Imagine your body without water is like a toilet without water to flush the ‘junk’. An adult needs about 8 oz of water per day. Exercise and constant body movement are known to produce natural virus killing cells. Take a walk or join a local gym to keep your body healthy.

Caregivers, mothers, grandmothers, children, grandpa, fathers… we all need to take care of our own body before we can take care of our loved ones. Remember when you are on an airplane, and the flight attendant comes with safety instruction about the air mask? They instruct you to put the air mask on yourself before helping your child.

Likewise, take care of your health and take natural preventative measures and help your family do the same.

Please contact us for more information keepingintouchservices@gmail.com or call 1800-788-1280.

Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly parents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today.

We can’t predict, but we can prepare!

Almost everyone is born into this world with negative traits. We observe first hand with our children and grandchildren, throwing tantrums and complaining naturally. As adults we have the tendency to complain and also not doing anything to change a situation if it is outside our everyday norm.

But there are some situations that we have to take care of before it is too late. You and I know that we do not live in a perfect world and we have to make ourselves aware and be prepared for changes. One area that we have been focusing on throughout the month of September was to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.

As mentioned in our earlier blog this month, there are many different types of disasters, including (but certainly not limited to) house fires, winter ice/snow storms, hurricanes, tornados, floods, and power outages. Some are common, some are extreme, so it is a good idea to get prepared for all.

Please refer back to our Disaster Planning 101 and print out the PDF on Checklist for inventory of essential paperwork, complimentary from Keeping In Touch Solutions.

Also, refer back to our article on Disaster Planning 101 Part 2 and send us an email (keepingintouchservices@gmail.com) for our exclusive Communications Blueprint checklist.

Today, we will focus on emergency and disaster supplies to collect and keep in a convenient place at home for disasters in case of power outage from an ice storm or other natural ‘inconveniences’.

Before you start buying and collecting your essentials and food supplies, you need to ask yourselves a few questions and also need to know the needs of your spouse, family or pets. Here are a few to guide you:

What type of medical supplies do I need on a weekly basis or daily basis?

Do I need an extra pair of eyeglasses, hearing aids etc?

What type of food do I need to stay healthy and will not go stale in my emergency food supplies box/bag?

What type of nutritional supplements do I need?

Do I have a special diet?

Do I need extra batteries for all the gadgets that I need for emergency?

For complete sets of checklist, please send your request to keepingintouchservices@gmail.com and we will rush a copy to you immediately.

Nothing is more disastrous than knowing and not doing and doing and not knowing what is best for you and your family.

So it is important to determine what should go into the ‘to-go’ bag or box in case of a disaster and you need to leave your home and head to a public shelter.

We live in a land of plenty with all the conveniences of life like microwave, dishwashers, instant food, fast foods and the list goes on. Can we live like a survivor with bare essentials when there is an emergency and disaster? Other than the essential and food in our ‘to-go’ bag how are we mentally? Are we prepared?

Don’t wait for someday. We need to do it now. Ed Foreman said it well:

Someday when I grow up, finish school and get a job, I’ll start living my life the way I want…someday after the mortgage is paid off, the finances are on track and the kids are grown up, I’ll drive that new car and take exciting trips abroad…someday, now that I’m about to retire, I’ll buy that beautiful motor home and travel across this great country, and see all there is to see…someday.

When is your someday to get prepared?

For the complete sets of checklist, please email us at keepingintouchservices@gmail.com. We are here to help prepare you and your aging parents or grandparents.

 Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly parents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today.

Disaster Planning 101 Part 2 

Who do you call before the lights go out?

Whether you come from a family with loving or dysfunctional parents, there comes a time when you need each other. All feelings aside, what would you do if there were a disaster? Do you have a way to communicate with your parents, siblings and children?

What is your family communication plan of ACTION?  According to Pew Research one in eight of Americans between ages 40 and 60 are still raising children and caring for an aging parent. Having to attend to kids at school with after school activities, or aging parents who live miles away or with brothers and sisters scattered in every direction- You need a plan to reach one another in matter of minutes?

The recent disasters like earthquakes, floods and hurricanes were a wake up call for many families who were ill-prepared. But what about ice storms, dust storms, flooding or power outages- will you be prepared?

It is especially important for the elderly family member who may live miles away to have a well-rehearsed plan in place. As a daughter or Mom, you worry that they may be confused or in harms way and you fear that you won’t know how to find them or help them in an emergency.

It is time to get that big family chain letter going with outlines for point person in the family in case of disaster or emergency. We need to plan ahead, don’t procrastinate but DO IT NOW.  Your family communication blueprint will work in any snow storm, hurricane, power outage or every day catastrophe where they must evacuate their home.

Won’t you agree the elderly are extremely vulnerable and become confused easily? They find comfort and security in a step by step plan that lets them know what to expect and what action to take when disasters and emergencies strike.

We have witnessed and heard stories about so many ill-prepared for emergencies and disaster that Keeping in Touch Solutions decided to provide a step by step guide that you can download and print out to share with your family members, to fill out, compile and share with everyone on chain.

You’ll sleep better knowing there is a plan in place for Grandma, you and your children as well as a way to contact everyone quickly. Everyone knows who to call before the lights go out!

For our Disaster Planning 101 Part 2 Communications Blueprint, please send us an email at keepingintouchservices@gmail.com or call us at 1.800.788.1280 and we will rush it to you either by mail or email.
If you would like a free wallet size emergency card mailed to you or your loved one please call us at 1.800.788.1280 (Available While supply last)

Caring for Aging Parents Just got Easier! Let Keeping In Touch Solutions call for you every day and check in services and medication reminders 1.800.788.1280.

Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly parents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today.

Are you one of the 1 in 8 Americans between ages 40 and 60 who is both raising children and caring for aging parents?

Helping aging parents prepare for emergencies and disaster is probably just as difficult as helping your teen learn to drive. Neither is easy- both are over-confident and want to take short cuts.

Just as you have to learn about how to handle different road conditions, different driving situations – so we must help Grandma prepare for different types of emergencies and disaster. This is a monumental task if Grandma lives many miles away.

It is difficult to get excited about disaster and emergency planning…especially when there are so many different kinds of unpredictable situations. Last week, we talked about what you would do if you heard there was a raging wildfire headed your way and you had to leave your home in 4 hours.

What do you take with you in case of emergency? Is there a game plan in place for your family home and what about your aging loved one’s home?

What kind of “stuff” will you need before an emergency and what will you need after to reconstruct your life and your home?
Is there a common denominator with wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, snow storms and ice storms? Yes, the common denominator is your important paper documentation. There will be a check-list for you to share with your loved one as well as for your own family home. Having your important papers together is just as important as having enough auto insurance to cover your teen driver.

So get started today > Print off the attached paper inventory forms (pdf) and get one to every aging loved one you know ….it may save them timeless amounts of grief and suffering after an emergency – many times assistance is denied if you don’t have the necessary paper work……..

If you don’t have a mental or fireproof file folder box….get one ASAP! Starting at around $10 at most from retailers or discount places like Walmart or Big Lots. This is serious!

Disaster Planning 101- Check list for inventory of essential papers.(Click here for PDF)

Next week will be devoted to Communications

Setting up Your family communications network.

If you have a question, email us your question at keepingintouchservices@gmail.com.

Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly parents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today.