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good evening and welcome to PBS Fort Wayne.

The name of our show is LIFE Ahead.

If you're a regular viewer you know what we're all about.

Our intent is to provide you with information and education on different topics every week in hopes that as you have to make choices or decisions about your LIFE Ahead of the name of the show, you'll feel a little more informed and tonight is a good night to be watching because we're going to be talking about caregiving and I'd say probably more than 50 percent of you that are watching tonight at some point in your life you will either need a caregiver or you'll become a caregiver.

>> So let's find out what it's all about.

We have AARP representative for us tonight and I'm going to be asking him some questions.

But I want you to also and the phone number for our station here is (969) 27 twenty .

Matt will appear on the screen periodically here in the next half hour so you can give us the call and ask your questions of our guests this evening.

I know you want to meet him so let's do that.

Next to me is Jeff Jeff Hale by away.

>> Nice to have you with us tonight.

You underneath the jacket it's AARP, right?

That's correct.

And then I'd love your pin.

I told you earlier the little girl on her jacket or sweater sweater is AARP also and red and white are your school colors.

>> I guess you do learn a lot that's for sure.

>> Yes.

And it's very distinctive and certainly as we move through this next half hour you become more familiar with what AARP offers many people.

>> Jeff, we mentioned this a little a little bit ago in the green room or break room before the show what people think AARP does and I'm guessing most people think AARP OK travel discounts on hotel rooms, things like that.

>> Is that correct?

That's correct.

And they're certainly one of the benefits of membership is the discount program and so forth.

Sure.

So I like to use it for cruises as an example.

Oh, good for you.

But that's not what we're about.

I know.

And so so I hope that people will look further than just those immediate discounts and see how we can provide information and provide support and provide connection to other resources.

>> And that's what we're really going to be talking about a lot tonight is the AARP caregiver division are a part of AARP like you said that most people don't know that you can provide or you have resources and speaking of working hard for AARP.

>> Karen, nice to have you with us.

Thank you, Andy.

That's Karen Bartram by the way .

>> And I understand you've volunteered for 30 years.

Well, I work in health care and have a nurse and worked with the elderly in my career.

So have seen a lot of families that are struggling, you know, trying to care for their loved one and yeah.

>> Well you we've talked on LIFE Ahead many times about the need for home health care or health care for the family not just the person but the family as well in many different ways because that's very popular now number one, people have finally realized or spoken up and said I know that I've got a lot of recovery to do or I'm really, really sick but I'd rather be at home than in the hospital or their emergency situations.

>> Maybe they've had surgery and then the hospital says OK, we're releasing you tomorrow to a rehab center or something because you can't go home without some help.

So there are a lot of reasons people need some assistance.

It's temporary sometimes and sometimes it's a long time.

>> Yes.

In your experiences, Karen, what do people need the most for home care or from a caregiver?

You know, I think probably one of the biggest frustrations is just the overwhelm of really not knowing how to navigate through all the options that they have available to them and maybe they don't have the training or they feel like they don't have the tools and maybe it's the payer that's really the snag and oftentimes that does cause some issues with what's available to the caregiver.

Yeah.

Around what programs they can participate.

Jeffries Fort Wayne pretty well stocked with agencies or businesses that provide home health care or caregiving services.

>> I think there can always be more.

And our first connection is aging at home and it is, you know, a great clearinghouse, if you will, for what resources are available immediately in the vicinity of where you might live.

But yeah, we can always use more and what we mainly need are people to be aware that those resources are there before they become frustrated from their experience and building in resentment towards family members or friends or the actual person receiving the care.

So yeah, those resources are there and we we would love to see as the community grows that the growth of the resources follow suit.

>> Yeah, I hear you with that.

We have had many different people here on LIFE Ahead from legal services to medical services that have referred people to aging and in-home services.

>> There's sort of like a clearinghouse sort of what is that we have to dial eight one one or something if you're going to dig, you know.

>> Yeah, right.

Or nine one one if you have other issues in aging and in-home services that can help you if you give them an idea of what you're looking for , they can help you find the resources.

>> I know one person whose father needed some assistance but wanted to live at home and aging an in-home services they called and they actually sent to people out to their house to meet them and talk to them and see how their health was, what kind of services they might need.

>> OK, Karen, we're showing a number right now of AARP Caregiver Resource Center.

>> What do you provide there if somebody called that number or went to that website Carrum where are they going to find?

>> Well, they will find a lot of tips and articles and suggestions on supporting the caregiver and it has a plethora of resources in that particular AARP network on that front caregiving.

So I would really recommend that, you know, if you have a need to check that because you can really get lost in a lot of the information there and it's so valuable because it can give you your next step.

>> Your next step.

Yeah.

All right.

Let's talk about Jeff and you've been a volunteer for how long now?

>> Two or three years.

OK, so you've had lots of different experiences in that time.

>> Karen said your first step how many steps are there or what are you looking for ?

>> Sure.

We're leading up to the actual experience.

AARP has five steps.

I'll see if I can remember them all.

The first is to look for an opportunity to hold the conversation.

Also develop a team.

>> So maybe that's family or neighbors or your local church or other social organizations.

The other situations be sensitive to the person's wishes and emotional reactions and feel important.

Yeah, and then the fifth is to be ready and have a plan to take care of yourself as the stresses and in anxiety and tensions occur at times because a lot of times we have a plan.

A plan doesn't always happen or something.

Some part of it breaks down.

So it's always good to make sure that you have a support system for yourself as you give that care.

>> I'm glad you brought that up because that's an important thing we need to focus on and think about if you become a caregiver that's the person who's taking care of the ill person or the person that needs some assistance.

>> You can't burn out or you're not going to win is that they say airlines face mask pressures on the first because if you can't breathe and aren't strong enough you can't take care of the other people.

>> So is that kind of the philosophy with caregiving?

Definitely the caregiver really has to take care of themselves and just I know that AARP estimates there's sixty three million caregivers and United States United States with millions and and fifty nine million girls are taking care of adults.

>> Yeah, So we also know that the caregivers are getting younger and the average age is around one and those caregivers are probably juggling other things like jobs and families while they're trying to make sure that their loved one has everything that they need.

>> Yeah, it's hard.

>> It's hard and they could burn out if they have their own family in their own kids that they're trying to take care of .

>> Speaking of statistics, 63 million.

Wow, that's amazing.

I did hear a statistic that every day every day today, tomorrow, the next day there are 10000 people that turn 65 in the United States every day .

So today we'll have to remember that and wish him happy birthday on this day next year.

But what that means is that there are that many more people again with medical technology now allowing people to live longer and healthier.

>> They're going to be a lot more people that need caregiving and by 2030 this is not a new statistic but by 2030 there will be more people over age 65 than under so.

Oh really?

And so as a result of that this is hopefully it's a timely conversation but certainly it's an important conversation to be having as we start looking at the next five years what's going to look like and what and what about the five after that and so forth.

So we can only we cannot make a mistake if we start planning now.

>> Right.

And we've had bad to recommend so many times as well.

>> But you know, if people think that they are moving in the direction of a nursing home or a rehab center or something like that or assisted living that while they're still young if you will, that they start visiting some of those places and looking websites and begin to make intelligent decisions of what they might want.

>> How do we pick a caregiver though, Kiran, if we're going to stay at home and we're going to need help there?

>> Yeah, you I think that AARP does a wonderful job of really helping seniors age in place and provide these resources and sometimes that's what the caregiver needs.

They just need that additional support so that they can bring in more services and allow that loved one to stay at home.

So there's a lot of work out there just with as Jeff mentioned, companies that are making themselves known.

They're expanding because of how many are in need and we see more home health care agencies.

We see more home care agencies that are not the medical component but it's the companion.

It's someone that can actually come in and give that caregiver a break and you know, in the home and much like with aging and in-home services and the mentioned earlier, they have they have a respite program that is relatively new and I did not know of that.

So that is it's for Stuben in Whitley County.

That's where it's located.

But anyone that lives in any county that's where the services would be delivered.

But they do have the ability to have that caregiver sign up and then have their loved one go up to like I think it's one day but three and a half hours that day.

So their loved one is receiving excellent care but that caregiver can step away and and go do some of the things that they need to do to free their self care just you know, their activities so that is that's relatively new.

>> That's great and much needed I'm sure because if you are a full time caregiver and the person you're taking care of is perhaps not mobile at all and you know they're they're in better need care all the time.

>> That's exhausting.

So if you have somebody that could come in again that what did you call a rest but yeah, it's a respite care program that I'm not remembering exactly the name like a rural respite.

>> It gives a break to the caregiver for a few hours or whatever you need.

>> Yes, OK. That that I think is going to be very key.

I think there's some government funding that is now available because there is a lot of legislation AARP supports that and and seeing what we can do to make sure that if there's caregiving legislation that we're we're right there.

You know, fighting for the Hoosiers and you guys to do that that right.

>> Jeffrey is a volunteer.

>> You guys not only again maybe get companies or whatever to help with your crews well or whatever but to work with the legislation absolutely keep track with things politically.

>> So we we consider ourselves advocates and advocates who will pretty much talk to the most powerful as well as the people who are up and coming leaders.

You know, so we in Indiana we have a legislative team that goes to the Capitol during session and will meet with our legislators and across the state on particular issues that affect people who are 50 and older.

And so sometimes our legislators love to see us coming because that's a welcome face and other times they they know that we're coming in with some real questions and concerns about where something is moving but they're always open to us and they appreciate your honesty and our willingness to to raise issues because they understand that we are coming in.

There's a give or take 20 people in the team if we're coming with questions we are representative sampling of what's happening across the state and it's the team is made up of people from all across the state.

So larger communities like Fort Wayne to smaller communities and so we it's fun you all go together too.

>> Yes.

All right.

And propose your ideas and one one of those times we have what's called coffee cart and we have coffee and pastries or whatever and then we can see which legislators are taking care of themselves and eating healthy.

But we can also offer them a cup of coffee to keep them away because you invite the legislators to come to you and they they talk to us and they always have food, always have coffee and tends to work and get plenty.

>> But we also on those other times will be outside the various chambers waiting for legislators to come out.

We'll send notes into them asking them to come meet with us.

Here's our question.

>> So they have you know, we don't want to surprise them but we they have an idea.

Have an idea.

OK, I get asked about this and it's always specific about a particular bill that's being considered.

>> Yeah.

Or particular question that's being considered by them versus something that's just of interest to us.

>> OK, we have a phone call coming in here.

I want to make sure that I get as many of those on the air that I can.

>> This is from Judy by the way and Judy says this I make too much for Medicaid but I can't afford can't afford to join AARP but I desperately need some of the resources for housing.

>> What do we do with that?

Can you give some advice to Judy?

Yes, it's calling two on one and two one one two one one.

>> This is a clearinghouse for any resources that you might need when you call you can actually tell them what the need is.

They will get you connected and they can also connect you with a navigator so they can walk through the process with you.

So it's not just call this number.

Here's who here's who can help.

You know, it's more is more information than that.

So you know and of course this is free and so easy to remember the number two on one and to get anything that you can possibly think of that would be from housing to transportation to affordability of medications.

>> So it's a it's a fabulous great like a nine one one four two one one Craxi to remember.

>> OK, I appreciate your call by the way, Judy.

Thank you for watching us here on LIFE Ahead.

>> Is this a typical thing people here have needs but are having concerns Judy mentioned by the way that she couldn't afford it.

>> I don't think AARP is too expensive at all.

>> Well, it's a matter of perspective but it's it's under dollars per year.

>> It's more in the neighborhood of fifteen sixteen dollars.

You probably can't even get a magazine interruption for that on occasion there are specials of like eleven dollars I think going on are you get the free merchandise a utility bag or something so so it's exorbitantly expensive to belong but on the other hand you know for some people that's a lot of money and we appreciate that as well.

And our main thing is is if Junior others want to connect with us, we'll see if we can help drive them towards a resource.

>> You know, and depending on what your needs are or what you would use Judy or anybody else watching you might make that up very quickly with some of the discounts that are provided.

>> It wasn't but one time I bought a pair of glasses and I was ready to pay for them and they said if you have an AARP card you can have fifteen percent off oi.

>> You know that was Wunder full so there probably a lot of opportunities for discounts that we don't even know about.

>> Yeah, the discount program is pretty pretty widespread in terms of what what it covers.

But but but again that's that's a benefit of joining our but we hope that people hear what we are really trying to do is to be advocates for people my age older and by empowering them to you know, to make good decisions that are comfortable for them as they age about their housing.

>> That makes sense.

That makes a lot of sense.

I understand Karen, you're kind of an expert on resources so I wonder if you could tell us about some of the local resource that are available.

>> Yeah, of course aging in-home services is a great place to start.

>> Yeah.

And they certainly could hear what the need is and see they've got a program that would marry up to that in their programs or at no cost in it.

You it's they don't factor in your income or anything like that.

It's more if you've got the need and you qualify then you know they want to you know, get those services in place and you there's other agencies throughout northeastern Indiana.

I also think of the senior resource book that comes from the Council on and your services and you know that that book is like a Bible because it literally has every topic has all the facilities and you know, really helps that either the caregiver or that elderly person know where to go next based on, you know, those topics that are listed in that book.

>> And if we went to your website which we talked about a little bit ago, maybe we can look at the phone number and the and the website again.

>> Would we find a lot of this information or links to it?

>> Yeah, it's you know, it's a website full of resources.

Your membership aside, you can still access a lot of information that helps inform you about what's available and hopefully locally as well if she doesn't have a specific local resource, at least you would have an idea of what to look for locally.

>> So yeah.

So even if you're not a member of the AARP you can get that information.

Yes.

Yes.

Oh good to know.

>> I do want to mention by the way because it's coming up here very short like you will be at the senior information fair, right?

>> That's correct.

OK, and we just had a show on that last week by the way their committee was here and talked about that it's the 18th that's Thursday nine a.m. to two p.m. at Turnstone by the way.

>> Easy to find.

It's on cold Water Road just a little bit before you get to Glenbrook.

>> So you'll have I bet we can find you with a red and white.

>> Sure.

Hard to miss.

Yes.

Yes.

OK, what's your focus going to be after seeing your favor?

>> It will be again a lot of caregiving issues because that event has so many different resources from the care providers to insurance companies and so forth so will echo that as well but also is really to make friends as well and to be a part of the community that that's visiting the event.

>> Yeah, and I like that that you said to make friends because a lot of people I've heard that have gone to the senior fair and met business people or organizations or club or people from nursing homes.

>> I mean there's so many different resources.

There are legal services, just lots of things and they make friends and have a good conversation with the people at the booth and then later if they need you, just call you up and say hey Jeff, we talked to Senior Fair right.

>> OK, any you've got about fifteen seconds, Karen to give me any last minute advice or our viewers on AARP.

>> Yeah, I would just encourage caregivers to ask ask your physician ask you know yeah.

You know any make phone calls to nursing facilities there are so many resources and people are so willing to help when there's someone in need it's really just getting out there and asking the questions.

And AARP Doug is a huge website with so much information that you know, you probably will be a one stop shop and be able to get what you're looking for and then know what your next step is.

>> Right.

You have thirty seconds, Jeff.

OK, well just going back to senior information here, the nice thing about that particular event is with our table we're seniors that you're talking to so we actually understand I I don't believe that many of the questions that are asked because we're also asking the same thing for ourselves.

So unlike you know, we're not trying to sell anything.

We're just trying to put our name out there as we're we're available to help.

We're advocating when we for people we don't even know who they are.

Yeah, but that's our whole purpose is to make you know, bring awareness to the situations that we encounter as we age.

>> And I will mention to you, by the way, they're not employees.

They're volunteers.

You're speaking from the heart and I know that you've given a lot of your own time.

>> Well, I'm glad you gave your time tonight to appear on PBS Fort Wayne.

>> I'm Charlie Thompson, the host of the show.

But again I want thank you so much, Karen and Jeff for being here.

>> Thank you, Sandy .

Keep us informed about AARP.

Sure.

Well, thank you.

I'll see you next Wednesday right here with a different topic and different guests.

Good night When I got a call saying my water bill was past due, all I could think about was, “Oh no, my plant babies.” The guy told me I had to go make a payment at a crypto ATM in town.

Recognize fraud sooner with AARP so your money lives longer.

Crypto ATM.