Geeps, my dad would just do a cross word puzzle or play canasta – isn’t that good enough?  No, no, and no…. why, because it doesn’t work all the different aspects of the brain – cognitively-speaking, if I may?  Short term memory, visio-spacial, word problems (remember them from math?), actual math and so on.    With Dakim, the content is from the person’s earlier life, the long-term memory part!!  It’s high quality, well thought out, and I have to say, after presenting at many, many groups, incredibly well received.  A few months ago, the way to enjoy the brain exercises was to purchase the unit and it’s license fee.  Now – the home computer software makes it’s debut.  All for $249.95 plus shipping and handling of just over seven dollars.  Granted, it’s not touch screen, and it’s presently just for a single user, but what better way to get into the swing of things?  It’s a gift that literally keeps on giving – and, we are authorized to market and sell it!  Watch for the contest offer…………….another great father’s day gift!!!

If I had a dime for each time this question was posed of me … well, I’d have a dime for each tie this question was posed for me.  Matter-of-factly, all companies have the bases covered, quality (yes, expect nothing less); trained (truly?); we work with you (uh-huh) .  You get the picture?  When I’m vetting a company to whom I would refer my clients  I look for those bits and pieces that make them stand out in the crowd. 

True caring and ddication … when was the last time you saw the CEO of a hospital come into your mother’s room and plump her pillows because the night shift RN called in sick?  Well, I’ve seen it here in Illinois.  Time and time again, BrightStar owners have gone in, stayed up, worked late, served as – because that’s what they do.    24/7 MEANS 24/7 – you get a person answering the phone.

There are other differentiators that put Bright Star in a league of their own – this is just ONE.  Stay tuned for the others.

Trying to minimize the costs of care for parents or loved ones?  You might be saving costs but your employer is not.  Employees in the U.S. who are caring for an older relative are more likely to report health problems like depression, diabetes, hypertension or heart disease, costing employers an estimated average additional health care cost of 8% per year, or $13.4 billion annually, according to the MetLife Study of Working Caregivers and Employer Health Care Costs. The report, produced by the MetLife Mature Market Institute® with the National Alliance for Caregiving in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Aging, also found that younger caregivers (ages 18 to 39) cost their employers 11% more for health care than non-caregivers, while male caregivers cost an additional 18%. The survey found that:

• Younger caregivers (18 to 39 years old) demonstrated significantly higher rates of cholesterol, hypertension, COPD, depression, kidney disease, and heart disease in comparison to non-caregivers of the same age.
• Employed caregivers find it more difficult than non-caregivers to take care of their own health or participate in preventive health screenings. For example, women caregivers were less likely to report annual mammograms than non-caregivers.
• Employees with eldercare responsibilities were more likely to report missed days of work. Overall, 10% of caregivers missed at least one day of work over the past two weeks because of health issues compared to 9% of non-caregivers. Differences were mostly driven by the much higher absenteeism among younger caregiving employees, age 18 to 39.
• It also found that eldercare may be closely associated with high-risk behaviors like smoking and alcohol consumption.

“While this news may be distressing, our research points out that coordination of eldercare services and wellness initiatives may open new avenues of innovation to benefit both employees and employers,” said Sandra Timmermann, Ed.D., director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute. “Employers can provide support to their employees and, at the same time, reduce their health care costs by anticipating and responding to the challenges of eldercare.”

According to Gail Hunt, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, “Caregivers have more unplanned absences. Their performance on the job is also compromised by a lack of focus on their work due to distractions, like phone calls and care coordination, that occupy their time. They need solutions so they can be healthier and perform better.”