May is nationally recognized as Older Americans Month.  In celebration, H.A.N.D. is kicking off a campaign entitled "Respect Your Elders."  We want to encourage community members to take a moment to think about an older adult who has impacted their lives in a significant way and increase awareness of the many gifts and contributions that seniors continue to make every single day.

Oddly, as I was thinking about what to share with you in this post, I found out that my last remaining grandparent, my grandmother passed away this morning.  To say the least, it has made me think about respect even more deeply.  My grandmother was a beautiful woman.  She loved her family with all her being and I remember so many wonderful times in her home with my aunts, uncles and cousins.  She and my grandfather were always there for us.  They never hesitated to help in difficult times- often taking in their adult children and grandchildren to live with them when times were tough.

I recall wonderful times as a child but the greater impact came in my adult years.  I vividly remember conversations with my grandparents where they shared wisdom and support, told me the history of our family, helped me to understand life issues.  You could feel the love in the room and I still remember the touch of my grandfather's hand as he both talked and listened.

So many times, we discount what older adults in our life have offered or can offer in the future.  I encourage you to stop for a moment today and think about someone in your life who has impacted you.  It might be a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, colleague, or friend.  Remember their gifts and wisdom as well as the contributions they still make in your life and in our world.  Take time to thank them, but also take time to support them. 

My grandmother would not have had the quality of life she did in her last years without the support of our family and wonderful programs like hospice and home care.  Because she was respected, loved and cared for, she was able to remain in a home setting till the end of her life and for that I am truly grateful.

Amy Temperley
Executive Director

This past week, I had the pleasure of attending Aging in America in Washington, D.C.,  an annual conference put on by the American Society on Aging.  For 4 days, I attended sessions on the latest and greatest dilemmas and models for providing support to our aging population.  A number of themes ran throughout the conference.

1.  Our population is rapidly aging and we must all work together in collaboration in order to meet the growing need.

2.  There are amazing evidence based programs being tested all around the country.  Evidence-based practice refers to the use of research and scientific studies as a  base for determining the best practices in a field.  The basic premise  of the movement is to provide transparency and to assure the public that  techniques and procedures will provide the best possible interventions or  treatments.

3.  Person-centered care and in-home care are a focus.  Maintaining respect for the individual and ensuring choice are imperative.

4.  Funding streams are limited and changes in Medicare, Medicaid and with the Affordable Care Act will significantly affect the way we provide and pay for services. 

So what does this mean for Austin and H.A.N.D. ? As we move into strategic planning for our agency,  we will be looking at evidence based models that we can replicate as well as ways to collaborate with other agencies and groups.  Our focus is specifically on how to meet the needs of low income and diverse groups.  H.A.N.D. wants to find ways to fill the gaps in services that we are observing so that everyone can live the way they want to with the best quality of care and support.

Lots of information to digest from the conference but so many great opportunities for our community.  We look forward to sharing more as we go forward!

Amy Temperley, Executive Director

This week was the annual celebration of International Women's Day.   In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements. At H.A.N.D. over 70% of our clients and 93% of our employees are women.

Women face unique challenges in our rapidly aging population.  Not only do women live longer, frequently living alone and without support,  women account for over 65% of family caregivers, many who find themselves sandwiched between caring for their parents as well as young children. 

H.A.N.D. extends a warm thank you and celebrates the women we serve as well as the women who serve with us.  Their gifts to our community are abundant!

I had the privilege this weekend of attending the TedX Austin event.  Wow, what a day!  I am always moved by the inspiring stories of those who have an idea and then actually act upon it.  It is so easy sometimes just to sit back and not make a move or expect someone else to do it for you.  It got me thinking a lot about what problems need to be addressed in our community and how we might go about it.

• How do we provide care for a rapidly growing aging population?
• Will we have enough qualified, trained medical and support personnel to meet the need?
• How can we ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live a quality life in the environment of their choosing?
• What attitudes need to be changed in order to develop a true culture of support and respect for seniors in our community?
• How do we engage people of all ages to take an interest in assisting and protecting the wisdom that is available?

Hard questions right?  But what the TedX event reminded me was that one person with a great idea can spur a movement to make a change.  H.A.N.D. is excited to be part of the answers to these hard questions.  We look forward to working with the community to actually jump in and do something.

Have a great idea?  Email me:  amy@handaustin.org                   Amy Temperley, Executive Director

Every day, the staff at H.A.N.D. gets to see the positive effects of the assistance that we provide- clean laundry, a client's full belly, grocery shopping done, the smile on a client's face when they have had a nice warm shower.  The assistance we provide helps maintain dignity and independence.  It allows individuals the chance to remain at home as long as possible and also provides a safety net and support system.

But there is so much more to it than that.

The visits we provide might be the only social contact a person has all day.  The smile on an attendant's face or a kind word might make the day go by a little easier or ease depression.  For the family caregiver, the assistance that is provided may be the only break that they receive all day.  It may be those 2 special hours in which they can run an errand or go get a massage.  It can mean the difference between burnout and health. 

On the outside, it might just look like housekeeping, shopping, bathing, toileting, or meal preparation.  But we know that it is so much more! 

This year, H.A.N.D. is celebrating 40 years of care in the community.  40 years of supporting the elderly and people with disabilities by assisting with daily tasks like bathing, shopping, or meal preparation.  This assistance has often meant the difference between staying in the comfort of home or having to go into a nursing facility. H.A.N.D. was doing this work even back in 1972 when Austin was a lot smaller and our community was a lot younger demographically.

As we celebrate 40 years and the thousands of individuals we have helped, the question inevitably becomes, “what next?”  Though most think of Austin as having a young population, the reality is that according to the US Census Bureau, Travis County will have a population of approximately 100,000 adults over the age of 65 by 2015. This number is expected to grow by as much as 30% by 2030.  Additionally, approximately 18 percent of individuals are living with a disability, which rises to 72 percent for individuals over the age of 80.  The scariest part of this growth is that Austin does not yet have the infrastructure to support a growing population with increased care needs.

Aging in particular can bring to light a host of new problems: physical limitations, medical problems, retirement concerns, housing issues, isolation, depression and loneliness.  Add to this, financial struggles or poverty, and finding the support you need can be daunting.

So where do we go from here?  H.A.N.D. is researching the gaps in elder and disability services in our community and working to forge collaborations with other nonprofits, corporations and individuals to help ensure that individuals can remain in their home as long as possible.  As always, our mission is not only about serving the elderly and people with disabilities but with a particular focus on those who are living at poverty level or on the fringes.  As we enter 2012, H.A.N.D., its staff, board, and volunteers will be working to develop services that deepen and broaden our capacity to help.

We are excited to show you what we come up with and hope that you will join us on the journey!

  

A wonderful article by ElderCarelink.com provides four benefits to helping your loved one stay at home and why in-home care services could be a better option for your elder.

Number One: Home care provides freedom.

Having your loved one at home means they are able to continue their day-to-day routine while getting the care and need that they support. H.A.N.D. provides loving and nurturing attendants to assist where needed.

Number Two: Home care provides for control.

Keeping your loved one at home gives them the ability to stay in control of their lives. They control the final say in their health and everyday actions.

Number Three: Home care is flexible and organized.

Since we all have personalized needs, H.A.N.D.’s attendants are able to adapt and tailor their talents to fit the needs of your loved ones. You are able to establish what times are best for an attendant to visit and how often.

Number Four: Home care relieves the caregiving burden.

Instead of a single family member being responsible for 24/7 care, H.A.N.D.’s attendants help you by sharing the responsibility.

Won’t you consider giving your loved ones the ability to stay home and remain independent by teaming with H.A.N.D. to find you a caregiver that fits your needs?

With the New Year quickly approaching, we all begin to compile a list of goals and dreams that we hope to accomplish within the next 12 months.

Why not resolve to help improve the quality of life for a senior in the community? Not sure how to start?

The first step:  Make time.

Maybe one of your resolutions already is to make more time for volunteering or family. What better way to help fill those new gaps than to spend time with your elderly parents or grandparents or take the time to make a home cooked meal and share it with a homebound senior. If time is something that doesn’t come easy for you, consider sending a card or making a phone call.

The next step: Be creative.

Share common interests with each other and find an activity that you both enjoy. Some ideas might be taking a walk, playing cards, reading together or singing songs. You might also consider taking a tape recorder or video camera to document their life and stories. You’d be surprised what you’ll learn.

One of the last and most important steps is: Cherish your friendship.

Stay involved in the lives of your elderly parents and friends. They have much we can learn and you’ll not only reminisce over the years past, but also create many more memories for the future.

Always remember that H.A.N.D. has wonderful volunteer opportunities for you to connect with the individuals that we serve on a daily basis. Please feel free to contact us with your interest or ideas.

Happy New Year!

For many years, H.A.N.D. has hosted a holiday party to celebrate our clients and the amazing personal care attendants who assist them.  On December 15th, over 150 guests gathered together for a wonderful turkey dinner, a variety of desserts, and door prizes.

This year was particularly special as we dedicated the event to Cynthia Rupprecht, our former HR manager who worked for H.A.N.D. for over 10 years.  For many years, Cynthia put her heart and soul into planning the party but was unable this year due to illness.  We were so pleased to have her and her family at the event and get to honor her dedication to our clients and attendants.

We are so grateful for the wonderful volunteers, donations of desserts and door prizes from the community as well as our event sponsor, St. David's Foundation Health's Angels.  Seeing the smiles on all the faces reminds us all of the importance of our work and how we are all part of a larger family.

You can check out some more photos from our event on Facebook.