CareNovate Magazine Caregiver's Working Moms Issue -Issue 2

yourverybest,health&care
CareNovate
Magazine
ASOCIALHEALTH&MEDICATIONLITERACYPUBLICATION
w w w . c a r e n o v a t e m a g . c o m
DoctorGraduatesfrom
Chemotherapy!
The
Caregiving
+ Health
Literacy
Issue
Kayak of
Geriatric Care
Cariloop
Expert
Interviews
Denise Brown.
Helen Osborne.
Joni Aldrich.
Role Switch
Caregivers,
Nurses At Home?
Elder Care
Options
Part 2
Gluten Food
Labeling Update
Great News!!!

CareNovate Magazine
raising breast cancer awareness
NotjustinOcoberbut everyday!
FACTS ABOUT BREAST CANCER
BreastCanceristhemostfrequentlydiagnosedcancerin
Womenworldwide
}{}{}{}{}{
ItistheleadingcauseofcancerdeathamongWomenglobally
@@@@@@
Morethan 50%ofwomenovertheageof40failtogetamamogram
onanannualbasis
)()()()()()()()()(
Lessthan5%ofUSbreastcancercasesareinwomenunder40
ooooooooooo
1in8USWomanwillbediagnosed
XXXXXXXXXX
Breastcancerdeathis41%higherinAfricanAmericanwomen
thanCaucacianwomenalthoughtheincidenceislower
==============
Every3minutes,awomenisdiagnosed
::::::::::::::::
Over2000menwillbediagnosedwithbreastcancerin2013
###########
Do your self breast Examinations.
Schedule Your Mamogram Today.
3 Magazine/Issue #2

CareNovate
Magazine
The offical publication
of CareNovate, LLC
Fall/Winter 2013.
issue #2
www.carenovatemag.com
Dr. G. Erowele, Editor in Chief
info@carenovate.com
Mr. K. Erowele, MBA,
Publisher
Dr. Ketra Ikezuagu, Dr. Ojey Ikezuagu:
Medical Editor/Reviewer
Drs. Darlington & Dr U. Ojiaku:
Medical Advisors
CareNovate, LLC - Publisher
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4 Magazine/Issue #2

Many Thanks to Our Contributiors.
~ CareNovate Magazine
IN EVERY ISSUE
6 Editors Note
7 Events -IMPACT80 Virtual Summit 2014
11 Readers of CareNovate Magazine
18 Books That Inspires
HEALTH LITERACY
16 Carenovate Magazine Health Literacy
38 Q & A with Health Literacy Expert. Ms. Helen
Osborne
MEDICATION SAFETY
10 Discover your pharmacist super powers
10 Celebrate Pharmacist Month!
27 Be Medication Smart & Acetaminophen
Awareness Video
28 FDA Update on Gluten Food Labelling
CAREGIVING
12 Senior Care Living Series - Private Duty
20 Being the Nurse At Home: When Family
Caregivers Become Healthcare Workers
FEATURES
23 Dr Gia Siason - Doctor becomes breast cancer
patient and musing on Life 101
29 Micheal Walsh, behind the Kayak of Geriatric
Services
34 Denise Brown on providing the very first online
support to Caregivers
41 Joni Aldrich - Caregiver x 2, to mum & husband
CONTENTS
5 Magazine/Issue #2

EDITOR'S NOTE
Tips for clear health
communication
–Bringafriendorfamily
membertohelp
–Makealistofhealthconcernsto
discusswithyourprovider
–Makealistofcurrentmedications
–Askyourpharmacistwhenyouhave
questionsaboutyourmedications
Dear Reader,
Humbled, gratitude and grateful are the
words that comes to mind when I think
about the birth of CareNovate Magazine
and how it has crawled and now
walking... We are so thankful for your
support, words of encouragement,
suggestions and emails. We love them
all, so please keep them coming.
In this caregiving + health literacy issue,
we introduce to you amazing folks who
are doing innovative things in the
caregiving and health literacy space.
Exciting interviews with Denise Brown, a
pioneer in online support for caregivers
and Helen Osborne, the Health Literacy
expert with accolades to prove it. We
celebrate the lives of all caregivers,
families, women and men who has been
affected by breast cancer. We are
honored to share a survivor story of a
physician, patient advocate who became
a breast cancer patient. Read her
musing on life after graduating from
chemotherapy.
We also bring you Cariloop, dubbed the
"Kayak" of geriatric care service. Learn
about this new innovation. Our awesome
elder care nurse and author continues
to educate on her "Senior Care Living
Options" part 2 of 8, focusing on private
duty home care. Remember all logos and
links are clickable to instant access to
our resource page, contributors
websites, products and services.
Don't forget to take care of yourself.
Remember, in Health & Care
Goldie
Editor in Chief
LOVE - All your emails. Continue to send
them to me: info@carenovate.com
6 Magazine/Issue #2
I hopeyoufindthisissuefilledwithinspiration.
Thank you so much for reading,
commenting and sharing CareNovate
Magazine. Continue to share the
magazine with friends and families via
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and
Pinterest.
Don't forget to take care of yourself.

IMPACT
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Conversations
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February 11th, 2014
*About Caregiving.
Health Care Social Media.
Women's health. Health Literacy.
Cost of Health Care.
Medication Safety.
& Much More
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ou can find us on the bookshelves.
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See Your Name In
Print
Send us your favorite 30 minute
receipe.
We are looking for
easy, quick, delicious, healthy
receipe to share with our extra busy
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It could be a dish, salad, baked goods or
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Email your receipe to:
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October is
CareNovate Magazine Message
Pharmacists are medication experts!
Pharmacists truly are the last line of defense against medication dosing errors, drug
interactions, and allergy screening. It's true. While you are a the drugstore or grocery, take
the time to speak to your pharmacist, ask questions and plan to have them review your entire
medication profile, including over the counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins and herbal
supplements. Inform them of your health conditions, medication and food allergies, and let
them know if you prefer to utilizing cost-saving generic medications. By maintaining an
ongoing relationship with your pharmacist, you can help to protect yourself and your family.
Get to know your pharmacist – always your partner in good health.
10 Magazine/Issue #2
Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to
form and maintain strong bones. Several studies have
debated the adequate dose of Vitamin D. A critical study
finds that Vitamin D 600 - 800 iu per day is sufficient
KEY POINTS:
Before taking any OTC medication, please discuss with your
doctor, provider or pharmacist to make sure that it is safe or
even necessary. To avoid vitamin D deficiency at all ages and to
optimize bone health in adults and older patients, according to
authors of a recent review of randomized controlled clinical
trials.
SOURCES: Bouillon R et al. Optimal vitamin D status: a critical
analysis on the basis of evidence-based medicine. J Clin
Endocrinol Metab. 2013;98:E1283–E1304.
Over The Counter (OTC)
Medication Tip:
Vitamin D

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11 Magazine/Issue #2
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Readers ...Their
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THANK"Carenovate Magazine is a valuable resource for
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Magazine/2013 Issue #2 12
Senior Care Living
Series
Private Duty Homecare
Part 2 of 8
According to the Private Duty Homecare Association, (PDHCA), Private Duty home care
organizations provide broad range of services from medical and nursing care to bill paying
and transportation services. Their goal is to provide whatever the aged, ill or disabled or their
families need in order for their loved ones to remain in independence where they most want
to be-in their homes.
BY ANGIL TARACH-RITCHEY RN, GCM
In part 1 of the series, I provided an overview
of adult day care programs. When families
find themselves in need of care for an aging
loved one many are caught off guard without
knowing much, if any, about the different
types of care options and how to choose.
Education empowers you to make
appropriate decisions and this series is
intended to help you do exactly that. In part
2, we will review private duty home care
WHAT IS PRIVATE DUTY CARE?
Private duty home care is nonmedical care
and is often referred to as custodial care. The
services are provided by caregivers or
certified home health aides, which may vary
by state regulations or the hiring practices of
an individual agency when the state lacks
regulations.
Services are designed to help the patient
remain in their home as independently as
possible or to provide respite (a break
from caregiving) for family caregivers by
providing assistance with
companionship, errands, and medication
reminders. Some private duty agencies
transport clients, some do not. Agencies that
offer both home health and private duty may
offer privately paid nursing, therapy and
social work, but few can afford or utilize
private duty healthcare, so for our purposes I
am only referring to the services of a home
caregiver who does not perform any medical
procedures or services.
Private duty homecare services are
determined by the patient and/or the family.
This type of care is not covered by health
insurance. Private duty homecare may be
on the recommendation or even insistence
of physicians, hospital or rehab discharge
planners, or home health nurses.
Most private duty homecare services are
paid out of pocket, but they may be
covered in part or whole by Long-Term
Care (LTC) insurance or Veterans
benefits. Individual states may have
programs providing limited private duty
home care for low-income residents
generally through a state Medicaid program,
but in my experience, the number of
residents who can qualify for services is very
limited.

There is typically a waiting list for these
programs or they are closed to new
applicants. The agencies that contract
with them provide very limited services as
directed by the Medicaid program. Check
with your local or state Department of
Aging for programs available in your area.
Funding cuts are being made on a regular
basis, so what was available a year ago
they may be very different today.
Private duty care often works in
collaboration with home health agencies
or hospice care because the services are
very different. Patients who are in need of
home health, due to a decline in health,
are recovering from surgery or an injury, or
have an exasperated chronic illness may
also need assistance with activities of
daily living (ADLs), such as assistance with
hygiene, dressing and grooming, obtaining
meals independently, housekeeping,
medication reminders, and/or errands to
obtain groceries or prescriptions. If family
or friends are unable to assist or need
time away from caregiving private duty
can fill those needs.
Many private duty agencies do not involve
themselves with health care at all,
because most private duty agencies are
not owned or directed by health care
professionals and often lack the necessary
knowledge and understanding of health
care needs, but will follow direction and
work well with healthcare professionals
from medical type agencies. Some private
duty agencies are owned by or have
nurses on staff or contract registered
nurse (RN) who are knowledgeable in
healthcare and will often make referrals
for healthcare needs, equipment that will
aid in keeping the client safe or improve
quality of life. They may refer other
services that will improve outcomes and
quality of life for both the client and
family. Some regulated states require
private duty agencies to at least contract
with an RN.
KEY POINTS
Private Duty Home Care – or
non-medical home care – is the fastest
growing segment of Home Care in America
1. Private duty home care regualtions
differs from state to state.
2. Private is not covered by health
insurance.
3. Some services may be covered by long
term care insurance or
Veterans benefits
4. Private Duty services provide
patient home visits by non-medical
care by un-skilled aides
who do light house-keeping, meal
preparation and companion services.
5. Unlike private duty homecare,
Home Health services is covered 100%
by Medicare.

STATE VARIATION IN PRIVATE
SUTY HOMECARE
Private duty home care is
available 24 hours a
day/365 days a year. Clients
can obtain services long-
term or short-term. Some
agencies require a minimum
amount of hours per shift,
per day, or per week. This
varies by
agency, as do the rates, so
check around. Some offer
live-in care but this seems
dependent on the state’s
overtime regulations for this
type of work.
If a patient is in need of 24
hour care, live-in is typically
more cost effective if it’s
available, but you’ll want to
be sure the caregivers are
not assigned too many
sequential days because
burnout is high for these
caregivers who often get
little rest or time to tend to
their personal lives.
Each state determines
whether to regulate private
duty agencies, so check
with your state to determine
whether they license private
duty agencies or
not. There are no standard
protections or standards of
care that are required,
leaving seniors in a more
vulnerable place.
Private duty agencies may
use independent contractors
or hire employees to
provide care, but they
cannot offer both. This is
part of the reason
for the huge range of costs,
in addition to the regional
cost of living. If an agency
provides an independent
contractor, they are not
responsible for providing
workman’s compensation,
unemployment insurance, or
deducting employment
taxes. They have far less
control than employee-
structured agencies, but the
added protection of
employee based agencies
comes with a cost.
Agencies with employees,
whether state regulated or
not are still required to
follow state guidelines for
payroll taxes, Workman’s
Compensation and typical
standards of business in that
state.
Private duty agencies are
not certified by Medicare,
because Medicare does not
cover these services.
Agencies that have both
home health and private
duty may appear to be
certified but they are only
certified in the healthcare
side of the company that
receives Medicare
payments. Their private
duty side is not certified by
Medicare. This can be
misleading to the general
public and to those who
work in healthcare who are
unfamiliar with the
differences, so if an agency
tries selling private duty
services with language like
we’re Medicare certified it is
not true of the services you
are seeking.
Often agencies that offer
both Medicare certified
home health and
noncertified private duty
homecare are run as if they
are distinctly separate
companies with their own
office staff, even if its
overseen by the same
director or administrator
under the same ownership
umbrella.
The biggest challenge with
private duty homecare
across the nation is the lack
of consistency in
regulations, standards,
requirements, training,
pricing, and the services
offered, so it’s very
important to be very diligent
in checking out any agency
you are considering for
services.
Choosing to hire individuals
outside of an agency is not
recommended because
there are no protections for
the senior and family.
Magazine/January, 2012 14

SAFETY CHECK: It’s not unusual for individuals who have criminal backgrounds or
who have been fired from agencies to post ads in the local paper or on websites like
Craig’s List to obtain work. Only consider hiring someone that comes highly
recommended from a trusted source who has used their services in the recent past. It
is highly recommended to request or obtain a county and state criminal background
check, check employment references, interview the person at length, and require
that they hold liability and bonding insurance that you also check with the insurance
company. Consult an accountant, labor lawyer or elder care lawyer about
employment taxes so you don’t find yourself liable with the IRS and state treasury
for not taking and paying taxes from their employment with you.
Long-term care (LTC) insurance companies have been difficult to deal with in
recent years because their policies state that the home care agency must be
licensed or Medicare certified. LTC insurance companies are beginning to
understand that licensing varies by State, and Medicare doesn’t certify nonmedical
care, so they have been quicker to pay claims they tried to deny in the past. If you
are struggling with getting benefits paid due to the inappropriate language of the
policy seek help from an agency that is familiar with your particular insurance
company or is experienced at getting denials reversed. Pull your state’s specific
requirements or lack thereof from your state website to help educate your insurance
company on the specifics of your state as it relates to nonmedical homecare may be
very helpful in getting benefits paid. If you considering a long-term care insurance
policy read every single word and do some investigating into the company’s history
and consumer-satisfaction rating.
RESOURCES:
Home Care Association of America
Private Duty Homecare Association
Accreditation Commission for Health Care
The Academy for Private Duty Home Care
Angil Tarach-Ritchey RN, GCM is a
nationally known eldercare and aging
expert and the best-selling and award-
winning author of Behind the Old Face:
Aging in America and the Coming Elder
Boom. Angil has over 30 years experience
in geriatric care and advocacy. She is
available for speaking engagements and
consulting for families and professionals.
You can reach her through her website
http://www.elderboom.org
Stayed tuned for Part 3
Assisted Living

Health Literacy is the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health
information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Limited health literacy
is associated with poorer health outcomes and higher health care costs. Limited health
literacy affects people’s ability to: Search for and use health information, Adopt healthy
behaviors. Act on important public health alerts.
The Impact! Nearly 9 out of 10 adults have difficulty using the everyday health
information that is routinely available in health care facilities, retail outlets, media, and
communities
The Campaign! On October 1st, CareNovate Magazine team launched their very first
campaign via social media, asking health care experts, educates and patients :How can we
improve Health Literacy" The GOAL: To curate 100 TIPS. See the next page for some of the tips
shared via Linkedin.
According to the National Library of Medicine,
Health Literacy is defined in the Institute of
Medicine report, Health Literacy:
A Prescription to End Confusion, as
"the degree to which individuals have the
capacity to obtain, process, and
understand basic health information
and services needed to make appropriate
health decisions."
Health literacy is not simply the ability to read.
It requires a complex group of reading,
listening, analytical, and decision-making skills,
and the ability to apply these skills to health
situations. For example, it includes
the ability to understand instructions on
prescription drug bottles, appointment slips,
medical education brochures, doctor's
directions and consent forms, and the ability to
negotiate complex health care systems.
Check out our expert interview
with Ms Helen Osborne,
founder of Health Literacy
Month on page
48

17 Magazine/January, 2012
CareNovate Magazine
Social Media
Campaign.
Complete the sentence
below...
"Using more online videos to educate
patients about diseases, conditions,
treatments, aftercare, etc."
Ron
" Adopting 3-5 key plain language messages
about safe care. [ex: Ask Questions, Expect
Answers You Can Understand, Make a list of
all your medicines etc"
Lisa
"...Writing in a way that ordinary people /
patients understand and forgetting FDA
guidelines. "
Ian
"... Using pictures. "
Paul
"Finding universal symbols that can provide
easy to understand information. A stop sign
is the same anywhere in the world, we just
need to develop communications that thinks
globally."
Donney
"We can improve Health literacy by enabling
people to access health in a more empowered
way. Facilitating, giving information,
allowing choice, time, listening, supporting
and encouraging"
Linda
"Speaking to adult social and service groups,
church groups, presenting at conferences in
related disciplines, giving interviews to
television programs and news outlets, raising
the subject in non-professional
conversations, speaking to, emailing, and
letter-writing to politicians........taking every
opportunity to inform, educate, and
advocate."
Sharma
"I've noticed quite a few recent blogs
attempting to reduce major problems to
single points. I prefer to say that we can
BEGIN TO improve health literacy by
FIRST creating a relationship between the
clinician and patient based on clinician
curiosity about the patient as a unique
human being bearing an illness or injury,
and on the patient's trust in the clinician
beyond the clinician's technical skills"
Kathy
"We can improve health literacy by"______________________________
see some of the response below
To see the growing number of responses, tips, please visit
www.carenovatemag.com or click on this bar

The Honest Toddler is written "under the
supervision" of Bunmi Laditan.
Mom of 3 is the creator of the Honest Toddler
and the The Honest Toddler - A Child's guide to
parenting. It provides humorous insight through
quips from a child's perspective. Featured in
Good Morning America, Canada AM, CNBC. Her
significant online following that resulted in a
book deal and optioned TV series by Hollywood
producer Darren Star (producer of Sex & The
City).
Book is available through Amazon
BookS
List
There's nothing a great book.
Here, we share 4 fantastic ones. Hope they help as you journey
in health, wellness & caregiving.
Email us the ones that made a major difference. Email us:
info@carenovate.com
club
BookS

Award-winning journalist Katy Butler ponders
her parents’ desires for “Good Deaths” and
the forces within medicine that stood in the
way.
Caring for declining parents is a reality facing
millions who may someday tell a doctor an
oddly loving thing: “Let my parent go.” This
revolutionary blend of memoir and
investigative reporting points the way to a
new art of dying for our biotechnical age.
The Good Nurse is a true story of medicine,
nursing, madness, and murder. Gripping and
brilliantly written by Charles Graeber. CNN called it
"alarming." Charles Graeber is an award winning
journalist . A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and
Murder
The Silver Lining is part memoir, part guidebook
that combines the author’s professional
knowledge with her firsthand personal
experience.
Hollye Jacobs—a palliative care nurse with
graduate degrees in social work, bioethics, and
child development & award-winning
photographer Elizabeth Messina, Jacobs offers
an informative, therapeutic guide for people
who have been diagnosed with the disease.

Coming Up Soon -
Another
Exciting
Issue
#3
CareNovateMagazine
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MediaKit

Being theNurse athomeWhen Family Caregivers BecomeHealthcare WorkersB Y M I C H E L L E S E I T Z E R
Rising senior care
facility costs.
Increased longevity.
Decreased availability of
financial resources, both public
and private, to pay for
specialized care for a longer
period of time. For these and
other related reasons, many
of today’s seniors stay home,
even with complex care
needs, and family members
are finding themselves
wearing the hats of nurses,
doctors, nutritionists, and
other specialized healthcare
workers normally found
within the walls of a nursing
home.
Released in October 2012, an
AARP Public Policy Institute
report called Home Alone:
Family Caregivers Providing
Complex
Chronic Care indicated that
- 46 percent of family
caregivers surveyed were
performing medical/nursing
tasks for individuals with
“multiple chronic physical and
cognitive conditions;
- 78 percent were managing
multiple medications for those
in their care; 35 percent
provided wound care; and
- 53 percent served as care
coordinators.
From preparing food for
individuals on special diets
to administering IV fluids to
managing incontinence and
more, today’s at home
caregivers are doing it all --
and with little to no support
or training.

Magazine/2013 Issue 2 22
Educate
Check with your local Area Agency on Aging (via the Eldercare Locator’s Caregiver page) to learn about training
opportunities for family caregivers; some may be available online as well. Learning more about the tasks you’re
performing may alleviate some of the stress, anxiety, and pressure you’re feeling (the AARP report revealed that
many family caregivers worry about making mistakes), and will ultimately make you a better caregiver.
Delegate
Reach out to other family members who may have medical knowledge/training and ask for their help. If you’re
part of a church congregation, talk to people who work in healthcare to get their advice or assistance. Find out
if students from a local university’s nursing or pre-med program are interested in providing care, paid or unpaid,
for a few hours a week.
Evaluate
Take a close look at the time, energy, and resources you’re spending in providing this complex care (and at
what expense -- not just in terms of money), and consider whether it’s truly a beneficial arrangement for all
involved. That doesn’t mean a nursing home placement is your only choice and next step; home care is a very
flexible option, with medical and non-medical care providers ready to serve.
Investigate
Eventually, families may still need to discuss the possibility of assisted living or home care, as there may come a
time when the family caregiver will either need respite -- some communities offer short-term stays, and home
care hours can be tailored to your family’s needs -- or to “retire” from the role of medical care provider
altogether.
If you are one of these dedicated caregivers, consider these tips for managing medical care
more efficiently and learn how to access the support and help that may be available to you:
Michelle Seitzer spent 10 years filling various roles at assisted
living communities in Pennsylvania and Maryland, then
worked as a public policy coordinator for the PA Alzheimer’s
Association before settling down as a full-time freelance
writer. Seitzer also served as a long-distance caregiver for her
beloved grandfather, who died of complications from
Alzheimer’s in 2009. She has blogged for
SeniorsforLiving.com, which provides information on assisted
living, home care, and Alzheimer’s care, since November 2008,
and is the co-moderator of the first #ElderCareChat on Twitter,
held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m.
EST. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
& MORE ONLINE! Find more tips, insights and resources
at carenovatemag.com
Over The Counter (OTC) Medication Tip: Cold Medicine in kids
Even with FDA warning, dosing of cough/cold meds in children persist
KEY POINT
The majority of caregivers with children under age 6 presenting to an emergency department (ED) for
treatment of cough/cold symptoms were unable to appropriately select and dose an OTC cough/cold product
for their child in a recent study. Most caregivers were unaware of potential adverse effects, drug interactions,
and recent warnings with these agents
SOURCES
Lazarus SG et al. Cold preparation use in young children after FDA warnings: do concerns still exist? Clin Pediatr. 2013;52:534–9.

When The
Doctor
Becomes
A
Breast Cancer
Patient
By
Dr Gia Siason
Breast Cancer Survivor,
Patient Care Advocate,
Blogger, Writer

I begin my musings
on Life 101
by stating that
I am a proud
Breast
Cancer survivor
having recently graduated from
chemotherapy August 6, 2013.
I share the following
ultra random thoughts
and learnings I have had after my
diagnosis,
which I hope, will be of help to all
women and caregivers.
When I was a child I was always amazed on
how Buddha looked.
I love Buddha's "look"- fat,
jolly and peaceful.
I love Buddha's "outlook"
- positive and practical.
Most of the notes I have
jotted down below
were inspired by Buddha,
simply
because I am an avid fan of
optimism believing always in
better days no matter
how dark its
precedence may be.

1.
Life will be a reflection of what
you expect out of it. Think
negative and your life will just be
negative. The opposite of positivity.
2.
You attract what you want. Thus,
if you truly WANT something
and/or someone, claim it upon
yourself that you already have it and
it truly will. Not immediate though
but trust that it will.
3.
Always say "thank you" to
circumstances and people. Be
generous in gratitude, after all we
will not be the way we are now if not
because of what these
circumstances and people have
taught us- good or bad, there is
ALWAYS a lesson.
4.
Be generous with praise. It will not
cost you a single cent.
5.
Be silent when rendering service
to others, you will be rewarded a
trillion-fold. In every good deed you
do to others just remember that we
are just paying it forward to the God
we believe in who is all GOOD.
6.
Trust in the power of the universe
giving you what is meant for you.
7.
Never burn your bridges. It is
indeed a small world after all.
8.
Stay grounded. The more you stay
grounded the more you will be lifted
up.
9.
Do not stress on the small stuff.
What is small stuff? You and only
you can define it.
10.
Personality can be modified.
Character is indelible. You will
know the difference when you are at
the lowest point in your life.
11.
Peace is not the absence of noise.
It is when you can keep still despite
the turmoils in life.
12.
There is always something good
in all of us. So never judge, unless
you feel you are perfect.
13.
Spend time with people who
matter in your life. 15 minutes in a
24-hour period is not much. It is the
quality of the companionship that
matters.
14.
Always be open to new
possibilities. Remember that
destiny finds a way to turn things
around to lead you to where, who and
what is meant for you. Never
compare the past with what the
present gives you. After all you
might just be facing your destiny in
your face. Take the chance. Life and
love is all about taking risks. The
best things in life happen
unexpectedly. Enjoy it.
15.
Health is wealth. We were blessed
with the body and looks that we have
now. No return, no exchange so learn
to deal with it and take care of it.
Confidence is the key. Beauty is
again defined by you. No accurate
definition.

16.
There are no mistakes in life ONLY
lessons. A lesson will be repeated all over
again and until we have learned from it we
will never "advance" to the next step.
17.
Express your feelings freely and
openly. We only have one life to live so
give it your best shot. The more we avoid
and run away from how we truly feel the
more it will catch up on you.
18.
Live your life to EXPRESS and not to
IMPRESS. Work for a CAUSE and not for
APPLAUSE. You will be more blessed.
19.
Life is an echo. It always gets back to
you. We get what we give.
20.
We are all worthy to be loved, to be
happy and to have the best this world
can and will offer.
21.
In whatever you do passion will
differentiate you with those who are
determined. Determination drives you
but it is passion that sustains you.
22.
No time is ever too late or too early.
In all things you do, the NOW is what
matters.
23.
Learn to forgive. It will release us from
the experience and allow us to move
forward.
24.
Life is meant to be lived forward, never
backward. Growth is inevitable. Never
look back. Focus on the fact that the best
is always meant to come.
)()()()()()()()(
Find Dr. Gia Sison via Twitter -
@giasison
She is a
Thomasian Filipino Doctor.
She is a blogger, a top Kred 1%
influencer.
She is Breast Cancer
Survivor/Advocate. She is a active
contributor to health care Twitter
communities such as #bcsm
#CPHC #hcsm #hcsmanz #hcldr
#meded #hchlitss
·
Her Blog is Sand and Stone
Medical thoughts on life, love and
happiness
giasison.blogspot.com

Be Medicine SmartOctober 2013 is NCPIE’s 28th annual “Talk About Prescriptions” Month
(“TAP” Month). The theme for this year’s TAP” Month is
“Be Medicine Smart.”
The focus for “TAP” Month 2013 improving medication adherence is a core value of
medication safety and appropriate medicine use.
To learn more visit
National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE)
www.talkaboutrx.org
Acetaminophen is an ingredient found in more than 600 different
prescription and over-the-counter medicines, including pain relievers,
fever reducers, and sleep aids as well as cough, cold, and allergy
medicines.When used as directed, it is safe and effective. But taking more
than directed is an overdose and can lead to liver damage. Learn more about
taking acetaminophen safely.
#MedSafety Corner
WATCH
THE
VIDEO

There areonly
4kindsofpeoplein
thisworld
Those who have
been caregivers;
Those who currently are
caregivers;
Those who will be caregivers;
Those who will need
caregivers.
Rosalynn Carter
Former First Lady of
the United States
NewUpdateonGluten
FoodLabeling
Until now, there was no legal definition or
federal standards for the food industry to use
in labeling products "gluten-free." In August
2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
issued a final rule that defines any food label as
"gluten- free." This means that patients,
caregivers with celiac disease can now have
confidence in the meaning of a "gluten-free",
"without gluten,", "free of gluten," and "no
gluten" label on foods. Under the FDA rule, to
use the claim "gluten-free," means a gluten
limit of less than 20 ppm (parts per million) in
foods that carry this label. This is the lowest
level or amounts that can be consistently
detected in foods using valid scientific
analytical tools. 20 ppm (parts per million) is
consistent with food standards set by other
countries. An estimated 5 percent of foods
currently labeled "gluten-free" contain 20
ppm or more of gluten.
Key Things About Celiac Disease
• Gluten means the proteins that occur
naturally in wheat, rye, barley, and crossbreeds
of these grains.
• 3 million people in the United States have
celiac disease
• It occurs when the body's natural defense
system reacts to gluten by attacking the lining
of the small intestine.
• Without a healthy intestinal lining, the body
cannot absorb the nutrients it needs.
• There is no cure for celiac disease
• Avoiding gluten is the only way to manage the
disease
To learn more, visit the FDA website.

29 Magazine/2013 Issue
Introducing
Michael
Walsh
He’s the co-founder and CEO of Cariloop,
founder of the chapter of Health 2.0 in
Dallas, a National Academy of Sports
Medicine (NASM) certified trainer.
As an entrepreneur, he is passionate about
helping other entrepreneurs, which lead
him to create HealthSparx - a podcast, blog,
where showcase the brightest
entrepreneurs and innovations in health
and technology.
When I got the opportunity to chat with
him, I took it. Check out our conversation as
he takes us behind the scene...
By G.Erowele
Photos: MW
Kayak for the
Geriatric Care Industry

CNM: We are always interested in seeking
out new caregiving solutions for
caregivers and families. Talk to us, walk us
through the process – What is Cariloop?
MW: Cariloop empowers seniors and their
families to easily access key information
about geriatric care providers. Think of it as
"Expedia for senior care" - if your mom or
grandmother suddenly falls or develops
Alzheimer’s disease and needs a higher level
of care, Cariloop helps you understand
nearby provider options, availability, pricing,
and services and connect with them
immediately.Our platform launched live to
the state of Texas back in April, 2013.
CNM: What does it do? How can Cariloop
help a caregiver, senior or sandwich
generation caregiver?
MW: We help care for caregivers. Caregivers
have one of the toughest jobs in the world –
managing someone else’s life and health
while trying to still manage their own with
the same detail and precision as normal. It’s
exhausting. It’s important to delegate
sometimes. Yes, they are your loved one, but
caregivers have to think about themselves
and their own wellbeing too!
Cariloop makes things much easier for these
caregivers by giving them a place to finally
understand nearby options that can help
their situation. In just a few clicks, they can
find a variety of providers nearby including
assisted living, home care agencies or adult
day centers that fit their unique situation.
Our search engine makes it easy to narrow
down those options so these people aren’t
overwhelmed. Our belief is that caregivers
don’t want to see a list of 200 providers, they
want to see the best 5 and connect right then
and there.
CNM: What is the cost to caregiver or
senior care providers?
MW: Seniors and caregivers have no financial
obligation whatsoever. The providers pay for
the use of our system to generate new
relationships with needing the care.
Providers can then pay per lead or opt for a
monthly subscription.

CNM: Have current Cariloop users reported any challenges
using the service and how are you addressing them?
MW: Of course, there are always challenges when introducing a new service to the
market. At this point, the providers are getting more and more accustomed to sharing
information about themselves, something they don’t do much of in the digital realm.
We’ve addressed a lot of this by cutting many of the steps out to save them time. They
won’t use it if it’s too tough to figure out or takes too much time to manage. For the
caregiving community, we’ve gotten a lot of good feedback about our search feature
and that there are too many options there.
We’re working on simplifying that in the next month or so.
CNM: Is there a review
system with Cariloop? If so,
how simple is it? Who vets
the reviews?
MW: There is indeed. We
encourage our families to
review and comment about
their experience with Cariloop
providers. We also expect that
providers respond when
appropriate. We all make
buying decisions based on
referrals or the feedback of
others, and healthcare is no
different.
All reviews are checked by
our team to make sure there
isn’t any patient sensitive
information or profanity
before they get posted, but
other then that, it’s an open
forum for discussion!
Transparency is key to our
success.
CNM: There has been a huge
leap forward in mobile
medical technology & digital
health. Where do you see
Cariloop in this space?
MW: Great question! Yes,
healthcare tech is booming
right now. The senior care
industry is particularly ripe for
innovation and change, which
has sparked this huge push
for new products and
services. However, many of
these companies launching
are just marketing themselves
as tools for stakeholders to
use.
This is where Cariloop is
different. During our time
here in the Health Wildcatters
Accelerator, we’ve come to
understand who we want to
be and how we can make a
huge impression on the
market.
We see ourselves as a
company that works hard to
improve a very broken
process – making better
decisions about people’s long
term care plans. We just
happen to have great tools
and technology that go with
it.
CNM: What role(s) do you
foresee Cariloop playing in
the Healthcare reform and
ACOs?
MW: I’m willing to bet that
even most of the direct
players in healthcare reform
and ACOs still don’t know
what their role is, and that’s
because much is still
evolving. In the same spirit of
what the reform was meant to
accomplish, we want to see
our efforts result in better
quality of care available and
higher levels of patient
satisfaction attained.
How? By making it more
transparent for all the people
in the system. Patient (or
“customer”) satisfaction starts
at the very beginning, so if we
can help make it simpler and
faster for people to get the
help they need, the market
should see a higher level of
satisfaction. If we’re
successful in showcasing the
best providers based on pure,
unbiased data, then the
quality of care should adjust
to those standards set.

CNM:
Where can caregivers
and families and more Cariloop
information?
MW:
People can come to our website at
http://cariloop.com to learn more,
check out all the great stuff in our
blog, and try it out for Texas. We are
also very active in the social media
circles on Facebook and Twitter, so
definitely follow us there. If there
are ever any direct questions or
concerns, I can be reached at
mwalsh@cariloop.com.
Reach Michael
Cariloop - www.cariloop.com
HealthSparx - www.healthsparx.com
Health 2.0 Dallas - www.health20dallas.com
Email - mwalsh@cariloop.com
Watch the Cariloop Commercial below

Online Caregiving Support by
DENISE M.
BROWN
She launched Caregiving.com in 1996.
She has authored several books to help family caregivers.
Her insights about the caregiving experience have been featured in The
Wall Street Journal, Time magazine and Chicago Tribune and on
SmartMoney.com. She is also a professional caregiving coach, working
with family caregivers and professionals.
We caught up with her and glad we did ....
Interview by G. Erowele

CNM: You published your very first caregiving
publication in 1995. What was your motivation?
Did have any experience as a caregiver then?
DB: I had been working with family
caregivers since 1990 and wanted to
offer them a publication that felt like a
support group which arrived in their
home. In my work, I saw that family
caregivers were isolated and lonely and
felt I could help solve that problem with
a monthly newsletter that featured tips
from me and stories from family
caregivers.
CNM: Many might not know this but you
pioneered caregiving online support. You
created and debuted Caregiving.com in 1996,
which is one of first online support groups for
family caregivers. How has Caregiving.com
grown since then?
DB: Since I launched CareGiving.com, the
site has grown with the advances of
technology. From the beginning, it was
very important to me that family
caregivers could connect with each other.
Now, members of CareGiving.com can
connect through blogs, support groups,
podcasts and video chats. It's amazing to
me that, at no cost, we can air live
broadcasts on CareGiving.com through
Google Hangouts. And, in those
broadcasts, visitors and members can
watch and listen to other family
caregivers share their stories, worries,
struggles and successes. In the early
days, our connections consisted of simply
email messages. We could never see
each other. It's awesome that now we can
interact live in a broadcast, as if we were
had our own television show.
I love that a family caregiver can join
CareGiving.com and within minutes
publish a blog post, ask a question on the
site, and share privately in a support
group with other family caregivers. The
ability to make meaningful connections
with others who understand is the core
of CareGiving.com.
My goal is to connect family caregivers
and to provide tfind several ways to do
that.
CNM: You have established multiple avenues to
support family caregivers. What do you like
most about your jobs?
DB: I like everything. I love to write, I love
to host video chats and podcasts, and I
love to connect family caregivers. I love
to try out new technology to see how we
can use it to create more meaningful
connections. I love to connect with
family caregivers when I give a workshop
or keynote presentation. In particular, I
love to listen to family caregivers share
their stories.
CNM: You have multiple roles. You are very
busy.
What is a typical morning/day for you? How do
you stay organized?
DB: I have daily habits which help me
stay on top of maintaining
CareGiving.com, social media, my video
chats and talk shows. I start working by
7:30 a.m. and sometimes work until 9
p.m., with breaks during the day to read
and take a walk. I like to walk at least
three miles at least five times a week. I
also schedule certain tasks to take place
on certain days. For instance, I publish a
Weekly Comfort on Mondays, a three-
word prompt for our Community
Caregiving Journal on Wednesdays and a
weekly self-care plan on Thursdays. I also
delegate responsibilities to members of
the site who volunteer. So, I have
volunteers who help oversee our online
support groups, edit our blog posts,
maintain our Facebook fan page, sell
advertising space, and coordinate and
edit our self-published books.
35 Magazine/2013 Issue #2

CNM: How do you stay healthy
and share your top 1-2 tips with
women and caregivers?
DB: I keep simple habits which become
second nature. I eat three meals and two
snacks daily at about the same times. I like to
include a fruit and/or vegetable in my snacks.
I cut out soda and diet soda from my diet four
years ago and have cut down on sugar, which
has made a big difference for me. I also am
aware of portion size, which also helps. I love
to walk and ride my bike. This has been a
busy summer for me so I haven't had a chance
to ride my bike yet. I also think it's important
to remove temptation and keeping healthy
options in the house.
My tips would be: Drink water throughout the
day and do whatevery you can to get sleep.
CNM: Where do you go online
for your health, wellness &
medical information?
DB: I read The New York Times Health
section every day and MedPageToday.com
several times a week.
CNM: What advice will you give a
new caregiver, who happens to be
sandwiched in care (aging parents
and young children?
DB: I would suggest creating a schedule,
which incorporates caregiving
responsibilities and appointments, kids'
actitivities and appointments, and time for
yourself and for your marriage.
DB: I really believe a schedule and routine
can help you manage the stress of trying to
meet so many needs. I also think it's
important to be flexible about your priorities,
knowing that priorities may change daily and,
sometimes, each minute. I also suggest the
flexibility apply to spontaneity--it's hard to
be spontaneous during caregiving so when an
opportunity to have fun happens do your best
to make that (having fun) the priority. Be sure
to schedule activities or events that you and
family members look forward to, like Friday
Night Pizza and Movie Nights. It's important
that everyone has something to look forward
to during the week. Finally, I'll share advice
recently shared by one of my members, Sue,
who cares for her daughter, her parents and
works a full-time job. She makes sure she
spends quality time with her daughter, her
parents, her husband. She focuses on the
moment and the person she's with, letting go
of worrying about who she's not with. For
Sue, it's about about the quality, rather than
the quantity, of time together.

CNM: There has been a lot of
attention & awareness brought to
the caregiving experience here in the
US and globally. What else can we,
as a society do?
DB: We can support family
caregivers in each of our
communities--the workplace, our
hospitals, our doctor's offices, our
houses of worship, our stores, any
place people gather. Family
caregivers are everywhere and yet
still struggle to get what they
need. We can coordinate support
so that family caregivers can take
regular breaks; can easily attend
appointments, programs and
services with their carees; and
have flexibility to be with their
carees during a health crisis
without worrying about losing
their jobs.
CNM: Tell us
one fun fact about Ms. Denise
Brown? &
What is next for Caregiving.com?
DB: In 2007, I rode my bicycle 100
miles over two days, leaving
downtown Chicago on a Friday
morning and arriving 66 miles
later that afternoon in the Indiana
Dunes, and then continuing from
there on Saturdy morning to
Sawyer, Mich. I rode as a part of an
organized bike ride for a local
charity. I also have participated in
60-mile and 50-mile bike rides.
I hope CareGiving.com grows to be
the one-stop community for
family caregivers that offers
everything they need for their
caregiving experience, including
support, training and products.
CNM: There has been a
lot of attention &
awareness brought to the
caregiving experience here
in the US and globally.
What else can we, as a
society do?
DB:We can support family
caregivers in each of our
communities--the workplace, our
hospitals, our doctor's offices, our
houses of worship, our stores, any
place people gather. Family
caregivers are everywhere and yet
still struggle to get what they need.
We can coordinate support so that
family caregivers can take regular
breaks; can easily attend
appointments, programs and
services with their carees; and have
flexibility to be with their carees
during a health crisis without
worrying about losing their jobs.
CNM: Tell us
one fun fact about Ms.
Denise Brown? &
What is next for
Caregiving.com?
DB: In 2007, I rode my bicycle
100 miles over two days, leaving
downtown Chicago on a Friday
morning and arriving 66 miles later
that afternoon in the Indiana Dunes,
and then continuing from there on
Saturdy morning to Sawyer, Mich. I
rode as a part of an organized bike
ride for a local charity. I also have
participated in 60-mile and 50-mile
bike rides. I hope CareGiving.com
grows to be the one-stop
community for family caregivers

Q&AWith
HealthLiteracyExpert
Health Literacy Feature
By G.Erowele
In 1996, Helen Osborne , M.Ed., OTR/L founded and became the
president of Health Literacy Consulting. As a health literacy advocate,
she launched the Health Literacy Month, which so many of us
celebrate every October of the year. She producer and host of the
podcast series, Health Literacy Out Loud and recently authored
Health Literacy From A to Z, Second Edition: Practical Ways to
Communicate your Health Message.: In 2012, She became the
recipient of the
Neil Duanne Award of Distinction and the Will Solimene Award for
Excellence in Medical Communication.
HelenOsborne

HelenOsborneCNM: You are a national health literacy
expert and probably know every single
definition on the subject. As the Queen of this
field, what is your own definition of health
literacy?
HO: Health literacy is about mutual
understanding. It happens when patients
(caregivers, the public, or anyone on the
receiving end of health communication)
and providers (clinicians, public health
specialists, or anyone on the giving end of
health information) truly understand one
another.
CNM: Can you share with us how you got into
this field? What is your background?
HO: In 1995, I read my first-ever article
about health literacy. It was published in
JAMA, by Williams et al. The article
essentially said that half, or more than half,
of the adults in this country struggle to
understand written health information. I
looked at my patients, I looked at my
patient education materials. It was
immediately clear to me: Yes , there is a
problem. What can I do about it? So I soon
left my clinical practice and started my own
consulting business. Health literacy has
been my primary focus ever since.
CNM: Social media is changing health care,
businesses. It is also impacting how patients
now communicates with their providers and
search for health information online. What is
your take on this issue?
HO: I am a big believer that we need to
communicate in all the ways that work.
That includes using technology, the
internet, and of course social media.
From my travels in developing nations,
it seems that mobile phones are
increasingly a way for people to
communi
CNM:What role do you see health care
providers and professional playing in improving
low health literacy?
HO: Have you seen the IOM discussion
paper about 10 Attributes of Health
Literate Health Care Organizations? I
think it is a "game changer" in that the
authors reframe the focus of health
literacy from patients' skills (or lack
thereof) to the alignment between the
complexities and demands of health
care systems with patients' needs and
abilities.
Health care providers and professionals
can help in many ways, that include:
1) speaking, writing, and otherwise
communicating in clear and simple
ways,
2) consistently confirming
understanding by using teach-back and
user feedback, and
3) developing teaching materials in
collaboration with their patients or
other intended users.
CNM: Why is it so difficult for health care
providers to adopt the use of plain language
with patients?
HO: Health professionals spend many years
learning the new language of medicine. It's
hard to learn again the importance of using
lay terminology when communicating w
patients, their families, and the public. And
even harder to do so in a way that is
engaging as well as understandable. I often
teach plain language workshops and refer
to it as both a science and an art.

CNM: You have
authored several
award winning books.
Your latest award-
winning book “Health
Literacy from A to Z:
Practical Ways to
Communicate Your
Health Message” is no
exception. Who would
you say will benefit
the most from this
gem?
HO: I wrote this book for
readers like me -- busy
health professionals who
need to quickly figure out
how to communicate clearly
with patients they are about
to treat. By the many positive
comments, reviews, and
awards, I have learned that
my book is also meaningful
and relevant to an even
larger audience including
those in public health,
teachers and students,
physicians, health educators,
medical writers, and the
general public.
CNM: You founded
Health Literacy
Month in 1999, which
happens every
October. What
motivated this
endeavor and what is
the theme this year?
HO: It may be hard to fathom
now, but years ago few
people had ever heard the
term "health literacy" much
less had any idea why it
mattered or what to do. I
created this annual event as
a way advocates everywhere
could raise awareness with a
louder, collective voice.
Health Literacy Month has
been going strong ever since
with hundreds, if not
thousands, of awareness-
raising events taking place
around the world. The theme
for Health Literacy Month
2013 is "Be a Health Literacy
Hero." It's meant as a way to
inspire individuals, teams,
and organizations to not only
raise awareness but also take
action.
CNM: You are the
President of Health
Literacy Consulting,
which started in 1996.
You have worked with
many organizations.
How do you work with
organizations?
HO: The focus of my work is
helping professionals
communicate health
information in ways that
patients, caregivers, and the
public can understand. One
way I do this is through
speaking and training, giving
keynotes and leading
workshops at conferences,
association meetings, and
within organizations.
Another way is by serving as
a plain language
writer/editor on a wide
variety of health-related
printed and web materials.
And of course, there are my
Health Literacy Out Loud
podcast interviews along
with a monthly e-newsletter.
Plus my book. And Health
Literacy Month, too. This
critical time of change, the
lay public needs to know
more than ever about how to
access and use the
healthcare system. And what
to do when sick and how to
stay well. Health literacy is
essential throughout the
continuum of care.
""I created this annual event
as a way advocates
everywhere could raise
awareness with a louder,
collective voice. Health
Literacy Month has been
going strong ever since with
hundreds, if not thousands,
of awareness-raising events
taking place around the
world.""

43 Magazine/2013 Issue #2
CNM: Where do you see
Health Literacy heading as
the US health care system
changes?
HO: At this critical time of change, the
lay public needs to know more than
ever about how to access and use the
healthcare system. And what to do
when sick and how to stay well. Health
literacy is essential throughout the
continuum of care.
CNM: What’s next for Ms
Osborne?
HO: This is a question I think about a
lot. I continually look at the ever-
changing field of health literacy in
terms of what is needed, wanted, and
how I can help. I also reflect on what
keeps me challenged and enthused.
For now, that includes traveling
(including speaking internationally),
interviewing (for podcasts, videos, and
onstage as part of my presentations). It
also includes tending to the other part
of my life by spending time with family
and friends and enjoying hobbies that
including walking, playing bridge,
reading, and flame-working with glass.
Health Literacy RESOURCES:
To learn more, please visit the
other pages of this Health
Literacy Consulting website.
You also can email Helen Osborne
at Helen@healthliteracy.com or
call 508-653-1199.
5
Way
Socia
Med
has
Impact
Healt
Car
5Ways Social Media has
Impacted Health Care
1
YouTube traffic to hospital sites has
increased 119% year-over-year.
(source: Google’s Think Insights)
2
60% of doctors say social media improves
the quality of care delivered to patients.
(source: Demi & Cooper Advertising and
DC Interactive Group)
3
Parents are more likely to seek medical
answers online, 22% use Facebook and 20%
use YouTube. Of non-parents, 14% use
Facebook and 12% use YouTube to search
for health care related topics. (source:
Mashable)
4
The most accessed online resources for
health related information are: 56%
searched WebMD, 31% on Wikipedia, 29%
on health magazine websites, 17% used
Facebook, 15% used YouTube, 13% used a
blog or multiple blogs, 12% used patient
communities, 6% used Twitter and 27%
used none of the above.
(source: Mashable)
5
30% of adults are likely to share
information about their health on social
media sites with other patients, 47% with
doctors, 43% with hospitals, 38% with a
health insurance company and 32% with a
drug company.
(source: Fluency Media)

By G.Erowele
Photo Provided by JA
She is an author and national
speaker that usually focuses on
difficult subjects such as cancer
and caregiving.
She’s also a cancer widow
who knows the challenges of
being single as a mature adult
as do the millions of singles
over the age of 50
that are left alone
every year by either
divorce or death of
a spouse.
Joni Aldrich was raised in a
home where the words
“I can’t”
were never used in a
sentence, so she learned from a
young age the tools and
tenacity required to persevere
throughout life’s challenges.
She has published six books
designed to help readers
survive cancer, caregiving,
brain illness, and grief.
We thank her for allowing us
in...
Joni
AldrichReal
Life
Caregiver
To
Husband & Mum.

CNM: You have managed million
dollar businesses. You cared for your
Husband and Mom, both died of
cancer. How prepared were you to
provide care and how did caregiving
change your life?
JA: Well, that is somewhat of a "trick"
question, but a good one. The trick is that I
don't think that anyone in any walk of
life--even a seasoned medical
professional--can be adequately prepared
for providing care.
The following work values in my career
helped me to be a caregiver:
1.Attention to details. One of my favorite
sayings has always been "the devil's in the
details". Caregivers are often put into
situations that they are poorly trained for,
yet they have the patient's life in their
hands. It is a heavy responsibility. Talk
about details!
2.Tenacity. One of my friends who had
been a bulldog during her husband's stage
IV lymphoma battle (she was ferocious--he
survived!) told me this: "Above all else, you
have to get Gordon to eat." Gordon had
always been somewhat overweight, so
"forcing" him to eat proved to be a battle
that I couldn't afford to lose. Tenacity
means that you must store and use every
tool in your toolbox to achieve your goal.
3.The ability to juggle priorities. Imagine
getting your husband through three
outpatient stem cell transplants alive, even
while you're 800 miles away from your
home, family, work and support structure.
Add to that working full time remotely. No
one else was trained to do my job. Every
workday started at 6:00 a.m. or earlier, and
then shifted gears mid-morning to feed,
dress and get Gordon to the hospital every
day (even weekends). The next 5-8 hours
were spent in the cancer center with one
eye and ear open to what was being done
to Gordon--or both, depending on the
situation--and a laptop perched on my lap.
Throughout that whirlwind existence
(which I refer to in The Saving of Gordon as
"the eye of the hurricane"), I sometimes felt
like I wasn't keeping all of those balls
juggling in the air efficiently, especially
when my mental and emotional stability
wasn't what it should be. That's really
tough to admit when you're used to giving
125%, and your husband's life is at stake.
Above all else, I knew that caregiving was
my number one priority; it was the one
thing that COULD NOT fail. There were
many priorities, but Gordon was the only
one that mattered.
4.No two situations are alike. When my
mother was diagnosed with stage IV lung
cancer, I thought: "Oh no, here we go
again." However, that is also when I learned
that no two caring situations are alike. Even
though the "monster in the closet" was the
same, the difference between caregiving
for a 43-year-old husband and an 83-year-
old mother was unbelievable. My husband
was a willing patient, determined to do
anything to live. My mother hated the fact
that--because of her diagnosis--her
youngest daughter was once again caring
for a cancer patient. She knew from the
moment of diagnosis that her time was
limited. My promise to Mother was that I
would keep her comfortable and give her
the best quality-of-life that I could. In order
to do that, however, my care for mother
took on a different methodology. Don't
assume that every care receiver is going to
work with you. Find the approach that
works for both of you, then refine the
process as priorities change--which may be
daily.

Job Description of a Cancer Caregiver
BY
JONI ADRICH:
Able to multitask many health-related jobs without any practical training or experience.
Able to read and understand medical jargon without any practical training or experience.
Able to translate medical treatments to the patient so that he or she can understand what
is being done to them.
Able to spend long periods of time with a patient who is not patient and has a tendency to
resemble most of the seven dwarfs—Grumpy, Dopey, Sleepy, and Sneezy.
Able to juggle many prescription drugs without overdosing the patient.
Scheduling experience is preferred; ability to get the patient to fifty doctor appointments
in ten days.
Able to perform under pressure, change priorities upon a moment’s notice, and call 9-1-1
if necessary.
Must not faint at the sight of blood.
Light cooking is required, but the job may necessitate force-feeding the patient.
Should be able to maintain a germ-free work environment even with kids and pets.
When you wake up every day, expect the unexpected and be prepared to act.
Job requires long hours, but includes much appreciation from the patient.
There is no pay, but the benefits are life-changing.

CNM: How did caregiving change
your life?
JA: Caregiving is a gift that you give to
someone you love--even though you
may not have ever expected to give that
gift. With both cancer and caregiving,
you learn that day-to-day small
problems are insignificant. It's the big
problems that are difficult to live
through. On the nights that I stayed with
my mother, I suffered the worst kind of
torture. It still haunts me today--I want
to ask every smoker, WHY? As I lay in the
next room with much more than sleeping
on my mind, I could hear my mother
fight for every breath and cry out for
help, even though she was sound asleep.
There was nothing that I could do except
adjust her medications and pray. God
granted my prayer in a most unusual
way. While my own nightly torture
continued, every morning my mother
wouldn't remember a thing. That was a
huge miracle. Caregiving for Gordon and
Mother taught me a lot about my own
humanity. No matter how hard you try,
you will make mistakes. The Serenity
Prayer kept me grounded: Grant me the
serenity to accept the things I cannot
change, the courage to change the things
I can, and the wisdom to know the
difference. After the caregiving is over
(which I call "empty nesting"), you can't
dwell on the negatives. That's why each
one of my books has a chapter called "If
Only". You have to allow the wounds to
heal before you can focus on the scars.
The scars will fade over time.
CNM: You are the co-owner and
producer of W4CS.com the Cancer
Support Network. When did you
start and what was the driving
force behind it?
JA: I've always loved radio. I had been
producing my own radio shows (M-F 2:00
p.m. ET Cancer SOS, Diagnosis SOS,
Caregiving SOS, Treatment SOS, and
Ladies Who Inspire) five days a week for
six months, when the owner of the
network approached me about an all
cancer network. I told him "no". Then, I
started to think about all of the amazing
shows that I'd already produced on so
many critical topics! Cancer isn't a
simple disease--we all know that. What
struck me from my programs, however,
was that cancer is now about treating the
"whole" patient, along with supporting
their caregiver and family. I changed my
mind, and www.W4CS.com became
reality mid-year 2012. We're just a
newborn, but one with lots of heart and
hope.
CNM: You have multiple roles,
very busy. What is a typical
morning/day for you? How do
you stay organized?
JA: As a one-woman operation, I wear a
lot of hats. Most of my day is spent in
front of a computer--not very exciting,
right? Until you realize that I have close
to 10,000 connections in cancer and
caregiving world. And, you'd be
surprised how many hours it takes to
book, promote and produce five radio
shows a week! My goal is to make every
single guest an awesome one; every
single message a meaningful one. The
shows are my number one priority.
Organized? Sometimes, I just feel like I'm
being pulled along by a flood. It must
work, because I've never drowned!

Magazine/ 2012 Issue #2 46
CNM: You recently launched
Basket of Care. How did you come
up with the idea?
JA: Several years ago, one of my dear
friends was diagnosed with lung cancer.
He had lost his job, and had no health
insurance. Struggling is a mild word for
what Mike was going through. As we
talked, he asked me what types of things
he needed at his house for his treatment.
Although Mike didn't ask, the next week I
started collecting all of those things. I
boxed them up, and sent him what my
Mom would have called a "care package"
or Basket of Care (www.BasketofCare.com).
When someone you know is diagnosed,
you don't know what to do or how to help.
Why not send them a basket of practical
things that they can actually use, such as a
warm shawl, thermometer, pill organizer,
etc. My basket designer is a cancer
survivor, who puts her heart and a
personal note into every basket.
CNM: What do you like most about
your jobs?
JA: The people that I get to meet--those
who have experienced tough times
through cancer and caregiving have the
most amazing souls. Along this journey,
I've hugged so many survivors, touched so
many co-survivors, and held so many
hands as others have cried. On my radio
show, I've interviewed hundreds of
doctors, survivors, caregivers and cancer
foundations. I learn daily of new hope
through diagnostic procedures,
complimentary methods, and treatments. I
love it when I can "connect the dots" to
find help for someone in need through
charitable organizations, or finding the
right cancer treatment facility. My new
Tuesday show with Chris Jerry
(www.emilyjerryfoundation.org) is called
Advocacy Heals U. My work is not a job; it's
my advocacy to support those who need
help--every single person that I can touch
around the world. It has healed me.
CNM: How do you stay healthy and
share your top 1-2 tips with
women and caregivers?
JA: I am a licensed Zumba instructor. For
me, Zumba is for balance and to stay
healthy. My first tip: no matter what your
life holds (and in my work I have to dredge
up a lot of painful emotions), you must
have something to balance the "ying and
yang". Take time for yourself. Find out
what allows you the balance you
need--especially while caregiving. The
second tip: Listen intensely to the care
receiver--whether the message is a verbal
or non-verbal expressed need. Honor your
loved one's personal choice on all
decisions that may affect their future, even
(especially) end-of-life decisions.
Remember, if you interfere or force the
issue, how will you live with a negative
outcome? The only exception is if you
suspect that the patient's thinking is
compromised by either excessive
medications or a brain illness. If this is a
concern, you must step up with their best
interest in mind. Be a tattle-tell only when
there is a solid reason.
CNM: Where do you go online for
your health, wellness & medical
information?
JA: Much of this comes from my shows or
others on the network. When I'm asked to
help others with cancer, the American
Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) is a
great resource, along with the American
Cancer Society. I particularly like being a
member of selective Linked In groups,
which often give the latest and greatest
health information for patients and
caregivers.

CareNovate
Magazine
Mission:To play a crucial role in
empowering caregivers, seniors/elders,
sandwich generation families & women
become their own
health advocate & partner!
Created by sandwich
generation caregivers
for YOU!
Click Here For More Info

Thank You.Till Next Issue.
In the mean time, Lets Connect on
Facebook. Twiiter. Pinterest.
info@carenovate.com
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