Fitness moves across the board!

Hi!

I’m Erna, the author of this newsletter. It is a quick, free read supporting your efforts to care fully for loved one and yourself.

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In this edition, you’ll read about moves for:

• Your fitness

• Eldercare policy

• Caregiver perfectionism

• And, staffing shortages across senior care facilities.

One more thing: Long time subscribers may notice some updates to Care Fully’s look. Let me know what you think by responding to the poll at the end today’s newsletter. Thanks!

YOUR HEALTH

How many daily steps do we really need to stay fit?

Some time ago, a group decided the number 10,000 represented the ideal amount of daily steps needed for optimal health. Since then, it has been revered.

But, where did that number come from? “It was a marketing campaign,” says Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS. “There wasn’t a scientific basis for it.”

A new study from Lancet Public Health gives us clinical information and research details. “The risk of developing serious health conditions like cardiovascular disease, dementia, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and depression was lower in people who logged 7,000 steps a day compared to those who only did 2,000 daily steps.”

My take? Caregivers, I know you are busy with all the things. If you can, exercise for 30 minutes each day and/or get 7,000 steps (you probably already do). If you can’t, do your best. Exercise is good for mental clarity and stress. Read more about the study.

ELDERCARE

Some workplaces are making eldercare policy fit their culture.

Nearly 23 million working adults provide care to older adult compared to 21 million providing care to preschool children. In the recent past, those numbers have skewed higher on the children side. This is no longer the case.

Employers need to retain caregiving employees. And, employees need benefits that help with all aspects of life including caregiving. Are employers meeting the need?

Some are. Anne Oxrider, a Bank of America senior vice president and benefits executive, shares the bank aims to provide “the right support to teammates at the right times in their lives.”

Another key practice is “packaging benefits in ways that make them very easy to understand and access.” These are great ways to support caregivers.

Read about Bank of America, AbbVie, and Microsoft’s approaches here.

My take: Starting with small initiatives and working up to policies can happen across employers of all sizes. Help your organization or employer resource group build the case, and if you need help, send me a note at [email protected].

CAREGIVING

Keep fit and say “no” to perfectionism.

I’m not a half measures kind of gal. I get frustrated if my efforts don’t meet my own expectations, never mind those others place upon me.

Twists, turns, and very few constants comprised my caregiving journey. I had the goal of making things as perfect as possible. Guess what doesn’t mix?

Perfectionism and caregiving don’t share the same workout or breathe the same air. That is ok. Give yourself grace while you grow to accept that. These tips can help.

My take: Eventually, I learned I couldn’t control everything and didn’t have to do so. Letting go of perfectionism freed up the mental, emotional, and physical energy I needed to care for my Mother and eventually myself.

SENIOR COMMUNITIES

Senior care is “working out” staff retention.

Labor shortages are common across health care. Senior care communities experience this as well.

Mark Sanchez from United Hebrew of New Rochelle states, "care teams are under pressure to do more with less, even as resident acuities rise and expectations grow."

Many facilities are using short-term fixes such as temporary staffing services. This specific issue has been in the making for decades. These jobs are important, but they have not always been treated as such.

Some care facilities are taking a thoughtful approach to creating long-term solutions.

One organization creates affiliations with colleges to offer students clinical rotations. This helps the organization build a multi-year talent pipeline. And, it gives students real-world experience.

Another facility partners with trusted community organizations. These include cultural centers, churches and retirement groups. They seek skilled retirees that want to work part-time.

My take: This issue is not disappearing, rather it is expanding. If you’re looking into senior, ask about staffing and planning. Read this article and see if you hear any of the mentioned ideas in your discussions. External care has always been a difficult decision. Today’s issues make it even more so. Do as much research as possible.

Thanks for reading my newsletter. If you like what you read:

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Take care,

Erna