Some 57% of adult caregivers have reduced their work schedule, changed jobs or careers or otherwise adjusted their work lives to accommodate the caregiver demands on their schedule. David Wingate, a DC area based elder law attorney at Senior Life Care Planning, LLC wrote a blog post about this, and recently we at Warman Home Care thought was worth highlighting.

He brought together information from studies and professionals in this space that point out how adult children are grappling with new demands on their time and how most employers do not yet accommodate this fact of life. Mary Rose McBride, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Lifespan, pointed out that we need to get to the point that employers appreciate elder care as they now understand child care issues.

As the population continues to age, these issues will only increase. Wingate mentions a growing scenario where adult children leave work and are compensated by their parents instead to act as a caregiver. But unless this relationship is formalized, the monetary “gift” can work very much against you: “The consequences are terrible for your parents, if they enter the nursing home, they will be penalized, that is denied Medicaid, for a time period, calculated by, dividing the amount gifted by $6800 (average cost of nursing home in Maryland).” Talk about unintended consequences! Find out more at Senior Life Care Planning’s blog.

Learn more about how Warman Home Care makes caring for elderly loved ones easier.

Thank you to all who attended our luncheon last week! We are truly bringing together a fantastic group of people – it is the dynamic mix of professionals working on all aspects of senior care that makes these events so worthwhile! There were about 15 of us at the Blair Mansion Restaurant in Silver Spring last Friday. Look how much fun we had!

Special thanks to elder law attorney Mindy Felinton – her firm co-sponsored the event with Warman Home Care. Mindy not only helped make it possible, but her deep experience adds a great dimension to our discussions. As always, good food, great connections. We received several wonderful emails afterwards that really capture what we’re trying to do:

“Most of the time these types of luncheons are typically boring networking events that many of us are forced to attend, however, it is clear that many who attended this past luncheon really cared about being there listening to and learning from one another.  I love what I do and always am excited when I get any opportunity to learn more about how I can make my company the best it can be…”

That is it – we get the right people together, we learn from each other, we make some great connections – yes, many of us will end up working together, but that’s secondary, it’s NOT just about the leads, it’s more about building valuable business relationships! Contact me to make sure you’re invited to our next “CareShare” event!

Warman Home Care is set to host Dementia Care Courses to provide proper training for those dealing with dementia. These courses are ideal for CNA’s, nurses, social workers, long-term care administrators and other staff. Required for many, these courses will teach staff and care takers how to more effectively interact with those who have dementia. This is a crucial and valuable caregiving skill!


These courses, presented by the National Capital Area chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, meet the new state regulations for training requirements. Participants will receive a certificate of completion.

Event Details:

Caring for Persons with Cognitive Impairment & Related Mental Health Issues

600 S. Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 – First Floor Conference Room

Tuesday, October 26, 2010 from 9:30 am – 3 pm. Lunch will be provided.

A five-hour dementia care training program for professional caregivers. Fee: $50 per person.

Dementia Basics, Communication and Behavior

600 S. Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 – First Floor Conference Room

October 28, 2010 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Snacks and refreshments provided.

A two-hour dementia care “refresher” training program for professional caregivers. Fee: $25 per person.

Contact Linda Williams to register by phone or for more details: 1-800-272-3900 or Linda.Williams2@alz.org. Click for the 2 hour Refresher or the 5 hour Course registration forms.

Hospice Cup is a charity sailing regatta that raises funds for hospice programs throughout Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia. Participating hospices use funds raised through Hospice Cup to continue to offer quality, end-of-life care to patients, their families and friends. Warman Home Care was proud to support the cause this year and several members of our team watched the race from one of the large spectator boats and enjoyed the shore party afterwards.

We had a gorgeous day out on the Bay. This is truly a unique event that began in Annapolis 29 years ago. Today there are similar “Hospice Cup” regattas around the world. It’s a great venue for sponsors and hospice supporters to come together in a fun way. Participating hospices enjoy it because it’s so different from the usual fundraising options. The sailors even help raise money and allow caregivers to ride on the racing boats, so there’s something in this event for everyone. There is an awards presentation at the shore party afterwards, lots of great food and beverages overlooking the Bay at Manresa on the Severn River.

Still, no one loses sight of the real reason they came together – to help fund the great work that hospice provides – giving people in our community the ability to die pain-free and with dignity, and giving our loved ones the necessary support to allow us to do so.