A Daughter’s Perspective
A HUNDRED MILES
• A daughter’s story
 FOUR years ago
 April 2012
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
 FEEDBACK7/23/2016
PLEASE
A Daughter’s Perspective
• My brother and mom lived 100 miles south of
my home – Palm Beach County
On April 12, 2012 he was killed instantly
by blunt force trauma at age 52
• An 80 year old man driving a car
pulled out in front of him
• EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
7/23/2016
A Daughter’s Perspective
THE WORLD OF CAREGIVING
In this room are
yes
1.
2.
3.
,
types of people:
Those who are spiritually called to minister to the aging…
Those who are aging…
And those who will be
drafted into caregiving by sudden crisis or
family dynamics.
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
7/23/2016
A Daughter’s Perspective
~ help an older person (family or friend) with chores
~ visit the chronically ill in their home
~ help a disabled family member or different friends with their various
needs during the week
DO YOU ….?
~ help a friend or parent with their laundry, house cleaning or cooking
~ grocery shop for a neighbor
~ spend time making plans to help someone get to their doctor
appointments, or help get their medications re-ordered
~ Perhaps help someone to get dressed for church, or assist them to
shower, groom themselves or manage their incontinence by getting
those supplies…. (ADLS)
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
7/23/2016
A Daughter’s Perspective
DO YOU ALREADY ….?
Then you are CAREGIVING….
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
7/23/2016
A Daughter’s Perspective
CAREGIVING ….
IF so consider yourself drafted !
IT IS A GIFT…
IT IS A CALLING.
10 ”Each
of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,
as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
11 .
. . If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all
things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
To Him be the
glory
and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” ~ 1 Peter 4 10 - 11
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
7/23/2016
A Daughter’s Perspective, My Story
MOM WAS A
HUNDRED MILES AWAY,
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
7/23/2016
A Daughter’s Perspective
The pitfalls of DEMENTIA
• Accused family of stealing things from her
• Had a car salesman pick her up, drive 60
miles south, sold her a car for $7000 more
than it was worth, checked with 21
lenders…she drove home unattended
while we had just decided to call and
report her missing – SILVER ALERT
• Food in freezer and cabinets 4 years old
• Food left on counter 5 hours after delivered
• Encephalitis from tainted spinal injections
• 7 Hip surgeries, same hip – couldn’t
remember improvements or not capable
of deciding when to stop the surgeries
• Accusations of family not visiting her
enough though we were there at least 3 to
5 times per week
• Prescriptions missing (found later
dozen’s hidden)
• Kidney failure
• Called daughter 100 miles away in
terrible pain instead of 911
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
• Estranged daughter-in-law & son who 7/23/2016
had been setting up meds. . . .
A Daughter’s Perspective
More events needing POA
I moved Mom locally to be near me – the BEST decision
• Pancreatitis
• Drug overdose while at well known physical Rehab
facility
• Precipitated heart attack
• Chronic Kidney failure
• heart catheterization & Stent
• Dementia diagnosed
• Hematoma from procedure
• Diagnosed allergy to pain med – caused
more pain
• Code 44
• Mom denied to anyone she had allergy
though confirmed in hospital (dementia
patients not reliable)
• Incontinence
• Nurse was going to remove allergy from
chart
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
• Compression fracture in spine
• Over two year insurance fight with LTC – w/o
advocate rarely will one receive benefits
• BROKEN LEG
 FEEDBACK PLEASE
7/23/2016
A Daughter’s Perspective
HOW to get a parent to move to a safer environment:
~ validation
HOW to get an ELDER off the roadways:
PRE-NEED PLANING
Some caregivers are able to organize and
manage their loved ones’ finances well,
but neglect their own affairs in the
meantime.
Prior to a crisis set your own house in
order before taking on additional
responsibilities.
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
• Living near family members or a willing
church family is another form of
fellowship when transportation is
provided
• Self-evaluation
• Wisdom is recognition that one is
considering the well being of others and
helps dictate when it is time to leave the
driving to others
7/23/2016
A Daughter’s Perspective
ENABLE others to help you.
The birth decade:
influences character and mindset while aging!
RETHINK - independence and private finances
~WWI 1914 – 1918
Decade (1919 - 1929) *current age 97 – 87
~ The GREAT Depression
Decade (1929 to 1939) *current age 87 – 77
~WW II 1939 - 1945
Decade (1939 - 1949) *current age 77 - 67
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
Equip yourself now so
you and your Church can
help others OR maybe at an
unknown time help you in
your own crisis!!
7/23/2016
A Daughter’s Perspective
ENABLE others to help you.
Equip by creating a Home filing system.
Then immediate FAMILY, the CHURCH Family and/or a close friend (s) can help
HEALTH:
you.
Medical history
Long Term Care planning
Home filing system:
Other LEGAL matters:
Current health
Home safety
Important Documents
Will
RX
Driving safety
Valuable Records
POA financial
Allergies
LEGAL for Health:
Net Worth
Valuables
Immunizations
POA for health care
Accounts (and access)
BP
Advance Directives:
Investments (and access)
List of Doctors
Equip yourself now so
DNR , Living Will, organ
donations
Property
you and your Church can
help others OR maybe at an
unknown time help you in
your own crisis!!
Health Insurance
Permissions for health
information, records.
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
Donations & Gifts before death
Pet Care
Household bills & home maintenance
7/23/2016
A Daughter’s Perspective
DO SO WITH THE STRENGTH GOD PROVIDES
• God will not give you more than you can
handle..
• God will direct you to whom you may
minister to..
• “TRUST in the Lord with all your heart and
lean not unto your own understanding…
• Get equipped early – 1 in 9 - learn
about the big D.. It is no longer a bad
secret to be hush, hush about, you must
learn about the disease DEMENTIA
instead. It will get the best of you… so
stand firm in Him…
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
• In all your ways acknowledge Him and He
will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3 5-6
7/23/2016
A Daughter’s Perspective
PREVALENCE OF ALZHEIMER’S (ALZ.ORG)
The number of Americans living with Alzheimer's disease is growing — and growing fast.
An estimated 5.4 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer's disease in 2016.
Of the 5.4 million Americans with Alzheimer's, an estimated 5.2 million people are age 65 and
older, and approximately 200,000 individuals are under age 65 (younger-onset Alzheimer's).
One in nine people age 65 and older has Alzheimer's disease.
By mid-century, someone in the United States will develop the disease every 33 seconds.
These numbers will escalate rapidly in coming years, as the baby boom generation has begun to
reach age 65 and beyond, the age range of greatest risk of Alzheimer's. By 2050, the number of
people age 65 and older with Alzheimer's disease may nearly triple, from 5.2 million to a
projected 13.8 million, barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent or cure the
disease. Previous estimates based on high range projections of population growth provided by
the U.S. Census suggest that this number may be as high as 16 million.
Diane Gierling, A Daughter’s Story
 FEEDBACK PLEASE
7/23/2016