Resources for Seniors and Family Caregivers in Oklahoma City

by Judie Schwerdtfeger

Family caregivers - those who take care of an older Oklahoman - do amazing work. As a Certified Senior Housing Professional - a real estate agent who helps those family caregivers and seniors in the sale of a family home and move to a new phase of life - I regularly come across folks who are engaged in this stressful (yet so important!) part of life.

Real Estate Services and Advice for Seniors and Family Caregivers in Oklahoma City

It's part of my job to know as much as possible about things that can make life a bit better and easier for both those caregivers and their loved ones. I wanted to use this blog post to provide information on some of the community resources available to family caregivers across Oklahoma.

The Lifespan Respite Grant Voucher Program

Respite vouchers help family caregivers in Oklahoma pay someone who has temporarily taken their place as a care provider. The Oklahoma Contracts and Coalition Unit of Aging Services provides vouchers to caregivers who are not eligible for other respite programs.

Contact:

Eleanor Kurtz

Programs Administrator

Phone:    (405) 521-4358    

Fax:       (405) 522-6738

The Voucher Respite Program

This is a voucher respite payment program for caregivers caring fulltime for older adults in Oklahoma with developmental disabilities.

Oklahoma Adult Day Services

Oklahoma City Adult Day Services is a community-based program designed to meet the needs of functionally impaired older persons, generally those aged 60 and over, through an individualized plan of care. The program assists participants to remain in the community, enabling families and other caregivers to continue caring for a senior adult at home.

ADvantage Services of Oklahoma

The ADvantage Program of the Home-and Community-Based Services provides Medicaid services to help people stay at home instead of going to a nursing home. The program assists frail elders and adults who have physical disabilities. The senior must first qualify for Medicaid.

Oklahoma City Veterans Administration Caregiver Support

National VA Caregiver Support Website

Oklahoma City VA Medical Center

If you're the family caregiver of a veteran in Oklahoma, the Veterans Administration provides a wide variety of resources to help not only the veteran, but also YOU - the family caregiver of a veteran. These include respite programs, the free, online workshop "Building Better Caregivers," and plenty of other assistance.


The caregiver Support Coordinators at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center are:

Sandra Nikkel: 405-456-5569

Kelly White, LCSW: 405-456-5556

Oklahoma Respite Resource Network

The Oklahoma Respite Resource Network (ORRN) is a partnership  of public and private agencies 

working to improve support for families and caregivers by increasing the availability of respite care for all ages, including older adults and seniors.

Please feel free to contact me, Judie Schwerdtfeger - a Certified Senior Housing Professional - for advice on the unique needs of seniors and their families when the time comes to downsize to new housing or a new phase in life.

OKC House for Sale: 11900 Kimberlyn Rd, Oklahoma City, OK 73162

Cold Weather Safety Tips for Oklahoma City Senior Citizens

by Judie Schwerdtfeger

While we're clearly used to cold winter conditions in Oklahoma, the nasty temperatures recently have been especially painful. I thought it was worth a reminder that we all need to be extra careful and to pay special attention to the elderly in our communities. Please be kind and check in on your parents, senior family members, and older Oklahoma City neighbors and friends.

Contact Judie S. for Advice on Buying or Selling an Oklahoma City House

Tips on Senior Citizen Winter Safety 

Changes that come with aging can make it harder for you to be aware of getting cold.

Wear several layers of loose clothing when it's cold. The layers will trap warm air between them. Don't wear tight clothing because it can keep your blood from flowing freely. This can lead to loss of body heat.

Ask your doctor how the medicines you are taking affect body heat. Some medicines used by older people can increase the risk of accidental hypothermia. These include drugs used to treat anxiety, depression, or nausea. Some over-the-counter cold remedies can also cause problems.

When the temperature has dropped, drink alcohol moderately, if at all. Alcoholic drinks can make you lose body heat.

Health Problems

Some illnesses may make it harder for your body to stay warm. These include problems with your body's hormone system such as low thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), health problems that keep blood from flowing normally (like diabetes), and some skin problems where your body loses more heat than normal.

Did You Know That:

Those over the age of 65 account for nearly half of all hypothermia deaths. As the body ages, the ability to maintain a normal internal body temperature decreases, creating an insensitivity to moderately cold temperatures. Seniors may not realize they are putting themselves at risk until symptoms appear. Symptoms of hypothermia include: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. If symptoms are present, immediate medical attention is necessary.

Fire Safety in Oklahoma City

Cold weather heightens the risk of house fires as we all strive to find more ways to stay warm. Here's what to avoid:

Never use a stove or oven to heat the home.

If using a space heater, place it on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable at least three feet away – things such as paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs. Turn off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.

If using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.

Use generators correctly – never operate a generator inside the home, including in the basement or garage.

Don't hook a generator up to the home's wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment someone wants to power directly to the outlets on the generator.

Oklahoma City House for Sale: 4124 Cherry Hill Lane, Oklahoma City, OK