The Free Monthly Ezine for Seniors and Family Caregivers

New Ezine Format
Welcome! New Certified Senior Approved Services!
Contests
Featured Articles
Ask the Expert
February 14 - The Love of A Caregiver
Calendar of Events
Collaborative Partners
Flu and Cold Season
Senior~Preneurs

New Ezine Format

Welcome to our new ezine format - designed especially for seniors and family caregivers! Please note: You currently receive our ezine from signing up on the qualityeldercare site. If you wish to continue receiving this particular ezine, then you will have to re-submit your email address at Free Ezine for Seniors and Family Caregivers Otherwise, this will be the last issue that you receive and by default, you will only receive the Elder Care Professional ezine when it launches in March.

If you are a health care professional, then you will begin receiving the Elder Care Professional free monthly ezine without having to re-sign up for it. The very first issue is scheduled for release on March 1st 2006. This format (currently under development) will focus entirely on matters of interest to the businesses serving the senior population. Employee and staffing concerns, quality issues, marketing tips, ideas and resources and articles of interest to the business of elder care.

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Welcome! New Certified Senior Approved Services

The following companies have passed our survey process and received the required 90% (or higher rating) directly from those seniors and family caregivers that have used these services. Each of these excellent resources is now part of the exclusive network of Certified Senior Approved Services.

From the state of Florida, we welcome Touch of Angels Home Care This is the second home care service in FL to join us in our mission to advocate for the right of all seniors to receive excellent care ~ and most importantly ~ to remain safe in the receiving of this care. Our first Certified Senior Approved home care service in Florida is Visiting Angels To see additional home care services, both medical and non-medical, in Ohio, South Carolina, Arizona, and Illinois, see Home Care

From the state of Ohio, we welcome Denise A. Kotkowski Massage Practitioner. Ms. Kotkowski is the second service in our directory under the category of Alternative Health Practices. Our first Certified Senior Approved service in this category is Advanced Laser Solutions

From the state of Georgia; we welcome The Shearer Group A Senior Real Estate Specialist who is listed under the category of real estate/moving/relocation/downsizing. Other services in this category include Complete Organizational Services and Wales Consulting

From the state of New York, we welcome Cranberry Landing and Park Crescent both feature Independent Living Solutions for seniors. These excellent facilities are featured in the category of Independent Living which also lists in Ohio, Park Creek Center and Sweet Adeline's in Texas.

Welcome to each! And Congratulations! Attaining a 90% or higher satisfaction rating is quite a lot to ask of each business, and we recognize that. Again, we are here to help seniors connect with the very best - not the 'pretty good' and so we maintain our high standards.

In the process of our consumer-driven survey process: A Medical Supply Company that specializes in diabetic and respiratory goods and services and serves all of the United States and a Reverse Mortgage Specialist that also serves all of the Unites States.

If you are an elder care service and want to learn how to help us advocate for seniors, see Certified Quality Elder Care to learn more.

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Contests

The recipe contest has now ended. We are currently compiling all of the wonderful recipes that were submitted over this past year. We plan to have the compiled collection ready in time for Mothers' Day 2006.

If you recall, we asked for your favorite recipes - not just food and menu items. The recipe for raising kids, for a happy marriage, for settling conflicts and the recipe for a happy life. We received hundreds of submissions. Each recipe that we publish will include the winners' first name, last initial and the state - and/or country the person resides. We have submissions from Viet Nam, Mexico, Canada, Japan, India, Australia and the United States. This is really turning out to be a fun project.

The contest to choose a title for this unique collection is also ended. We are currently reviewing all submissions. The winner not only receives recognition, he or she will receive a $100 cash prize. This winner will be announced in the March ezine.

To sneak a preview of some of the recipes submitted, see Recipes

New Contest!

We receive such an enormous amount of inquiries from family caregivers and seniors from all over the United States. We have one obstacle - we do not have enough services to recommend and endorse.

As you know, when you call us, we do our very best to help educate you on what kinds of questions you need to ask prior to contracting with a service. There are many times that this is the only thing we can do for you - because we don't have the service you need in your area to recommend. We always ask you to make your first question - Are you a Certified Senior Approved Service? We explain that we know the more often a business hears - directly from you - the consumer - that you want this level of third party assurance, the more open this business becomes to our certification process.

Well, the inquiries from consumers continue to increase at a far greater rate than we can reach out to your community and let these businesses know we exist. So. To help you - to help other seniors and family caregivers - to help those businesses in your area - (everybody wins with us!) we have developed a fun contest.

See Monthly Contest for details. You have a chance to win $100, $50 or $25 each and every month by simply sending a page via email to local businesses in your area. Help us create that 'buzz' that we need to create to encourage these businesses to at least consider the benefits of being part of our exclusive network.

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Featured Articles

Grandma and Grandpa are Retarded Now
Submitted by Barbara Halpern, Co-Author of the Coalition for Senior Safety

We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa. They used to live in a big brick house but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Arizona. Now they live in a tin box and have rocks painted green to look like grass.

They ride around on their bicycles and wear name tags because they don't know who they are anymore. They go to a building called a wrecked center, Continue Reading

Six Steps to Downsizing
Written by Brenda Scagnetti Clement of Complete Organizational Services, LLC a Certified Senior Approved service.

Do you get stressed just looking around at your accumulation of ‘stuff’? Well downsizing doesn’t have to be stressful and overwhelming. In fact, with some simple planning and preparation, and perhaps some help from a professional, you will be amazed at how stress free, exhilarating and rejuvenating the experience of downsizing can be.

These are the very “six steps” that I follow when I work with clients that need a little help with their downsizing and organizational goals. Continue Reading

There's Some Place Like Home
Written by Rita Phillips of S.A.R.A.H. Adult Day Services, a Certified Senior Approved service.

As our population lives longer, the need for quality care for the elderly is growing and families are frantically searching for creative alternatives that allow their loved ones to be part of the family and community for as long as possible.

Many are also searching for options that help them feel good about their decision and that minimize the inevitable feeling of guilt. Continue Reading

Caregiving ... Taking away some of the stress by being better organized
Written by Jean F. Wales, Author of best selling Do It Now, An Organizing Handbook for Seniors and Family Caregivers a Certified Senior Approved book.

Stress is the name of the game if you are caring for an older adult. It doesn’t matter if the care recipient lives with you, lives alone (with or without needed help) or in a residence where help is provided 24/7, 365.

You know that you are responsible for this person’s well being and health care. Do you feel up to the task? Not to worry … most of us who are caregivers often have days when we know we are not doing the best possible job. So, give yourself a break and take credit for what you are doing well. Continue Reading

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Ask the Expert

Please take note that only a Certified Senior Approved Service is permitted to take part in this service.

Meet Patti Bertschler of Northcoast Conflict Solutions Patti will answer your questions regarding family issues and conflicts and how to solve those problems in your own family.

Kendra Shearer, SRES of The Shearer Group. Kendra will answer your questions regarding real estate - buying and selling - as well as moving questions and relocation issues.

Jean F. Wales, author of the national best selling book, Do It Now! will answer your questions about downsizing and organizing, about what types of documents to find and organize and she will also offer expert advice on self-help books.

Robert Phillips of S.A.R.A.H. Adult Day Services will answer your questions about adult day services and how to help you keep your loved ones living within their own home.

Bobbi Root will answer questions you may have about home care services and also offers some friendly non-legal advice on documents such as; wills and health care directives. Ms. Root is the CEO of Stellar Living Assistance

Each of our current Certified Senior Approved Services is welcome to add to our Ask the Expert Page! We continue to encourage our other Certified Senior Approved Services to participate and hope to offer additional topics soon.

If you have a question that does not fall under one of these categories, please send it directly to Senior Approved Services. We will not guess. If we don't know the answer, we will locate a source to answer your question.

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February 14 - The Love of a Caregiver

Caregivers of the disabled and of the elderly will teach you that love is the ability to laugh at the absurdities of life. Love is the courage to ‘go with the flow’ in un-chartered waters. That love is the willingness to remain kind as you express your feelings without the need to hurt the feelings of another.

You won’t hear the husband say, “I love to spoon-feed my wife,” but you can feel the love as he patiently feeds her, without making her feel like an invalid. The daughter isn’t going to proclaim, “I love to bathe my mother,” but the fact that she does this while helping her mother maintain dignity is evidence of her love.

Love is when you help your child learn about Alzheimer’s disease so that he or she is not frightened when Grandma doesn’t remember her name or his face.

It’s love when your spouse automatically picks up the slack at home, without complaint, while you spend more and more of your time with your parents.

Those working within elder care and hospice are historically the lowest paid professionals compared to other vocations requiring the same education and skill levels. Is it not love when you choose to give of yourself without regard to income or recognition? Those drawn to this profession have a love for our elderly and cannot imagine doing anything else.

When you witness the daughters and sons from a family with a history of abuse ascend above all the pain to unselfishly give to a parent then love manifests itself as an eraser unwilling to keep score of a lifetime of errors.

You learn so much if you are willing to listen with your heart when conversing with an older adult. A wise and journeyed soul will teach you that ‘all is well’ even and especially when it doesn’t appear to be so. That what is ‘is’. And, for many, faith in the Unknown and the Unseen is the element of stability in our chaotic world.

Love brings you the kind of joy that words cannot describe, and at the same time, makes you vulnerable to pain. Though we all want to avoid pain, we come to realize that shielding ourselves from the possibility of it inadvertently blocks the opportunity of love in our life.

Love is an eternal gift - forever rippling from within you ~ to him ~ to her to him ~ to her to him to her, ~ forever and ever ~

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Calendar of Events

Do you have an event that you would like to promote? This is a free community service. To list your event, simply go to Calendar of Events for instructions.

(OH) Northcoast Conflict Solutions is offering Depression Screenings on Tuesdays this month. See for details.

(OH) Chair Yoga Classes are offered on Wednesdays during the afternoon. See for details.

(OH) The Fairhill Center is offering a FREE Day Out for Caregivers! See for details.

(MA) 'Tools for Maintaining Sanity for Family Caregivers' See for details.

(OH) Beginning in February, Senior Lunch and Learn Programs UHHS Richmond Heights See for details.

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Our partners support our mission to advocate for seniors promoting and endorsing Certified Senior Approved Services to their clients. Each of our Certified Senior Approved Services benefit a great deal with this additional exposure - but most importantly - you the family caregiver and senior benefit the most by having these resources available for you.

Life-Ledger – a safe reliable method to record and maintain vital records

The Caregiver’s Resource Helpline – a 24-hour convenient toll free number to empower family caregivers with information and resources

Today’s Seniors – Designed especially for today's active seniors, it is filled with advice, tips, and articles about retirement, personal finances, Medicare benefits, and more -- with solutions to help seniors simplify their lives, eliminate the hassles, and get the most out of retirement.

If you are in the middle of a crisis and decisions have to be made quickly, or are planning ahead for an elderly loved one because of unsettling warning signs, Aging-Parents-and-Elder-Care can help you with a variety of articles and helpful tools, and free checklists.

The Coalition for Senior Safety provides simple how to instructions to start senior safety programs within your own local community.

The Caring for Elderly Family Members On Line Support Group – a place for family caregivers to share and learn from one another

Coming Soon! The National Caregivers Today Magazine

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Thank you for sending your home remedies! We are still receiving them and so have decided to wait until next month to publish them all. Do you have a home remedy to share? See Remedies to submit yours for our readers. Curious as to what the flu virus is doing in your area? See National Flu Reports

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Meet our Senior~Preneurs! Carol Bradley Bursack author of the best seller, 'Minding our Elders'

Robert Weiner inventor of the Handee SoapSack

Tom Begert-Clark speaker and humorist - (Tom's first book is about to be published!)

Final word ...

From one of my favorite songwriters, Janis Joplin, "Love the One You're With" and enjoy a wonderful Valentine's Day! Remember, life is short - too short - and regardless of how long you are on this planet - it will always seem - too short. Read Lydia's page if you need a gentle reminder to stop and tell the person next to you how very important he or she is to you.