Review of November workshop: Redesigning long-term care
The November workshop in our series, Living Well in Later Life, was a two-part discussion moderated by Dr. Robert Kane, director of the Center on Aging and advisor to UMRA Care Guides. Part 1 was a panel of UMRA members who are Care Guides or have been involved in caregiving for another. They were: Ron Anderson, Maggie Catambay, Van Linck, Andy Phelan, and Earl Nolting.
Part 2 of the workshop was an open discussion with the audience, panel, and Dr. Kane on the problem of getting better care with less confusion and hassle.
In Part 1, the panel spoke of the importance of learning as much as possible about the medical problem(s), being willing to ask for help when nothing is working the way you think it should, and being flexible enough to change and adapt to new circumstances created by an illness.
In Part 2 several comments were made about what was important: Independence, Compassion, Control (as much as possible), and Freedom from financial worries.
Several people mentioned the difficulties in conversations with adult children about a present or future illness of one or both parents, especially terminal or life-threatening situations. One person spoke with concern about the current (and future) shortage of gerontologists and neurologists, which makes it difficult to get appointments with physicians in these specialties. Long waits to be seen makes ongoing care difficult.
Finally, all present looked upon the outcome of the recent election with concern, remembering the oft-stated campaign plans to make significant changes to Medicare, Medicaid, and repeal of the Affordable Care Act. These possible changes have created new worries and uncertainties for many retirees as they think about their own personal care needs in the next four years.
—Earl Nolting, chair, Cares Committee
November 15 Workshop: If you could redesign Long Term Care...
Tue, November 15 2016, 1:30pm
Campus Club ABC
In a conversation with UMRA members and representatives from Care Guides/Cares Committee, we will look at how we would change long-term care. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Robert Kane, director of the University Center on Aging.
The workshop follows the luncheon program on November 15; it will be an open discussion about “Redesigning Long- Term Care—Getting the Care We Really Want.”
Often the current care system is a jungle of regulations, specialized facilities, and insurance (private, Medicare, Medicaid) rules—often conflicting and almost always confusing. Dr. Kane consults widely on these challenges and has freely offered his experience and expertise to UMRA members.
As families go about making arrangements for situations that demand different types of treatments or resources for their loved ones, they quickly learn about the problems and dysfunction of the current care system. The format of this workshop is an open discussion on the challenges in achieving care that is healing and satisfying for both patient and family.
“We want to tap your experiences, and concerns as well,” said Dr. Kane. “What lessons have we learned? How would we like to see care changed to bring it more in line with what people really want?”
Whether we are confronting an imminent health care problem of a loved one or considering what we would want for ourselves when the day comes for us to receive special expertise in settings for our own care, improving the current care system is in all our best interests.
Dr. Kane, UMRA Care Guides, and audience members will discuss the options and obstacles to “getting the care we really want.” Join us at 1:30 p.m. on November 15th.
— Earl Nolting, UMRA Cares Committee
Upcoming Events
We are fortunate to have UMRA member and former Minnesota Landscape Arboretum director Peter Moe to lead this approximately 3.7-mile hike at the Arboretum on Monday, May 6. Plan to have lunch together after the hike at the Eatery café inside the Oswald Visitor Center.
This session will continue the discussion begun in the May 8, 2023 session. See that article for details.
If you currently live in your own home or apartment, have you looked ahead to when you might want to consider a senior living option? Do you have any idea what those options might be? How much they cost? What they provide? UMRA’s May 14 workshop will provide an overview of the world of senior living and the basic information you need.
You’re invited to join the final Family History Interest Group meeting for 2023–24. This will be an opportunity to ask questions related to family history, share insights, talk about recent projects, and suggest topics for next year.
Stephanie Daily will lead the discussion of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by best-selling author Mary Roach when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 17.
The May 20 hike will start at the Historic Lift Bridge in Stillwater and go along the river to the new bridge, cross over and then back on the Wisconsin side, a total of approximately 5 miles. Most of the route is paved. We will eat lunch after at Brian's Bar and Grill in Stillwater. Car pooling will be available.
Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley joined the U of M faculty in 1978 and has been a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio since 1992. We are honored to welcome him as our guest speaker for UMRA’s May Luncheon Forum and 2024 Annual Meeting. He is always entertaining and informative.
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club welcomes back, for the second time, author Julie Schumacher, U of M Regents professor of creative writing and English, for a conversation about her novel The Shakespeare Requirement.
We are in for a treat on June 3! Lynn Anderson, will lead us on trails at two parks near her Monticello home. Bring a bag lunch and we will gather in Lynn's yard along the Mississippi River for eating and socializing after the hike.
Get out to the ballpark with fellow UMRA members for the annual U of M Day at Target Field as the Minnesota Twins take on the Oakland Athletics on June 14 at 7:10 p.m.
Please join us at 9:30 on June 17, 2024 for a walk around Lake Como in St. Paul before attending the UMRA Summer Social and Picnic starting at 11 at the Como Pavilion. A perfect opportunity to get in a walk before we gather to celebrate summer.
Picnic under the covered, open-air Como pavilion, gaze at the water, spy some birds, catch up with friends and former colleagues, and meet new members. We’ll have lunch with plenty of time for visiting and then compete in teams as we are challenged by our Quiz master(s)!
Healthy aging, mindfulness, fighting ageism, and more will be the focus of the third annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus.