Each year, when our state legislature is in session (February to May) we have a day specifically dedicated to our senior population conducted at the State Capitol. We call this day Senior Day at the Capitol. A quick perusal of the Internet shows several others states conducting them as well. The best way to find out if your state has one is to call 2-1-1 (if you have that service) or call the state Area Agency on Aging.
February 25, 2013 is Senior Day in Oklahoma. It is a free event where you can learn about legislation and issues affecting seniors, share ideas and concerns with your own legislator, visit with many nonprofit agencies and inquire about services available.
Registration begins about 8:30 AM. At 10:00 AM there will be a program in the house chambers where several legislators, including the Speaker of the House, will welcome the seniors and their caregivers to the capitol. From 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM is reserved for seniors and their caregivers to visit with their personal representative or senator about personal concerns. Of course, there are times when a particular person is not in the office and it is always disappointing when someone has driven 300 miles only to be told no one will speak to them that day.
The bad news is that nothing ever gets changed or solidified on that day. The good news is that participating in a rally day at the capitol will ensure that you or your loved one will receive vital information for use in your personal situation whether it is from one of the many social agencies, private agencies, or from a legislator looking into a situation for you.
I work with legislators all the time and call a few my personal friends and they tell me that a face-to-face meeting from a constituent is more meaningful than a letter, a letter is more meaningful than a phone call and a phone call is more meaningful than an email. My advice is, as a constituent, communicate with your legislator in the most meaningful way you can because it will make a difference in your life and in the lives of others.
I also want to recommend the website http://www.care.com for those of you who are caregivers. You may already be aware of it but for those who are not, you can find out a great deal of information through them. Recently, journalist Julia Szcesuil, from Care sent me a media request and interviewed me about certain programs, talked about within my book, Taking Care of Mom and Dad: A Baby Boomer’s Resource Guide found here: Taking Care of Mom and Dad
I researched Care.com before agreeing to the interview and found it to be a very informative site. Please visit if you can! Until next time KD
23 Jan
Senior Day at the Capitol
25 Aug
Free Caregiver Resource eBook: 8/26/12 Only!
Very important for those who are caregivers or know they will be one day soon.
On 8/26/12 from 12 AM to 11:59 PM, my “Taking Care of Mom and Dad” eBook will be free on Amazon.com!
You don’t need a Kindle to get it – a PC, Android, or any number of eReaders will do just fine. Amazon has a free download for you to use. Download the reader and then download the eBook!
This book is regularly $6.99. If you have a need or know any followers that need help with caregiving, please share/tweet/google+ or do whatever you need to. I am happy to give this away for one day.
In order to get the eBook, click on the icon to the right or right here: http://amzn.to/KxtD7B
24 Jul
Professionals in Aging
From Elder Care Channel
This blog has brought many new people into my life, most of whom are caregivers looking for assistance with the most difficult job they will ever do. However, it has also brought many people who call themselves professionals in the aging field. Most are wonderful individuals who are happy to have another resource to use. However, I have found recently that the profession is fraught with those who have a ridiculously long list of nonsensical alphabet letters following their last name and seem to creep other’s blogs and scream “look at me” “LOOK AT ME” while attempting to point out weak points and publicly embarrass said blogger. They get caught up in their own experience, blowing its importance way out of proportion and attempting to minimize the experience and wisdom of others.
All this tilting at windmills like Don Quixote makes me wonder why they got into the profession in the first place. Was it to help those aged 65 and older? Was it to assist a caregiver be the best they can be while providing care for another? Or, was it to shore up sagging egos and huge insecurities? You must stay away from these folks as they are NOT here to help you. They are here to help themselves.
You, as a caregiver, should be aware of these folks. Listed below are a few ways to tell if they are serving the public or serving themselves:
1. Do they begin every email, post, conversation or reply with a rundown of their “credentials”? Often, when a person attempts to dazzle you with their “expertise” they are masking a disingenuous motive. These individuals also seem to have an insatiable need to be right. They are going to tell you the “right” thing to do – that will help them, make them feel like an expert, or put money in their own pocket. They should really be offering suggestions so you can decide what is right for you and your loved one.
2. Do they jab you with little criticisms of inconsequential things you do or say and then follow up with, “I don’t mean to be disrespectful” or “I hope I haven’t offended you” – whatever phrase they use the answer is: Yes, that is exactly what they meant!
3. When you have asked them a question about your situation, do they often turn the conversation around to them and their experience? When a “professional” does that, they want you to do what THEY did in the same situation, not what is right for you.
4. Do they speak in extremes using words like Always, Everything, and Never? Individuals who speak in this manner are not going to help you; they want to control you.
5. If you don’t take their suggestion, do they become silent and sullen? Get angry? Or, shut you out?
Here’s what I know for sure: An education (and I have a stellar one) does not, in any way, make someone an expert. Neither do initials behind your name or owning any kind of business. It is the combination of education and firsthand experience that makes for a subject matter expert. Announcing your so-called credentials does nothing but call attention to your lack of decorum and professionalism.
Food Bloggers have a Code of Ethics. Those who blog about seniors, Caregiving, and family issues should have one too. Without one that those who are really professionals choose to follow, it is the Wild West in Blogland.
Let me introduce you to Kathy Greenlee the new head of the Administration of Community Living. You have to force her to tell you what her “credentials” are – she is an attorney – and you can see, in the following interview, her concern for caregivers and those they care for. THIS is the kind of confident and knowledgeable person you want helping you in making decisions for you and your loved one. It may take you a few tries to find the right one, but keep trying – it’s worth it!
Taking Care of Mom and Dad 