Navigating Eldercare in the Coronavirus Era with Barbara Newman-Mannix

Katherine Miller — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 18:00:18 +0000

Special Episode: 3

Barbara Newman-Mannix

Navigating Eldercare in the Coronavirus Era

For adult children with aging parents, the current health crisis is particularly stressful. Some of us are caring for Mom or Dad at home without the help we’re used to. Others are cut off from our loved ones in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. So, what’s the best way to navigate our new role as caregiver if an elderly parent is home with us? Or stay connected to our aging parents if we can’t see them face-to-face?

Barbara Newman-Mannix is the Founder and CEO of A Dignified Life, a consultancy that helps families understand and manage major life transitions. ADL develops care plans for elder parents and loved ones with chronic illness, connecting families with the professional services they need. Barbara is a fierce advocate for families, supporting them through the difficult healthcare, insurance, legal and financial challenges that come with navigating change around eldercare, end-of-life, divorce or special needs.

On this special episode of Divorce Dialogues, Barbara joins Katherine to discuss eldercare in the Coronavirus era. She offers advice on caring for a senior parent while you’re working from home or staying connected to a loved one you cannot visit in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Listen in for Barbara’s insight on managing stress through the COVID-19 crisis and learn how you can keep your elderly parents safe and happy—whether you’re in the same physical space or not.

Topics Covered

Barbara’s advice on caring for a parent while working from home

Create work/entertainment space for senior
Set timer for breaks or set up video camera

Creating boundaries so that you can be productive at home

The special challenge around caring for a parent with dementia

How to stay connected if you’re separated from a senior parent

Share information with family of roommate
Send flowers, photos to enhance environment
Create levity in phone conversations
Use GamePigeon or listen to/read same book

Why it’s crucial to show empathy for the staff at a parent’s facility

Barbara’s insight on managing stress through the COVID-19 crisis

Sleep and eat well, drink water
Limit consumption of negative news
Get fresh air when possible

Why it’s a good time to explore estate planning with your family

Connect with Barbara Newman-Mannix

A Dignified Life

Call (914) 475-7225

Connect with Katherine Miller

The Center for Understanding Conflict

Miller Law Group

Katherine on LinkedIn

The New Yorker’s Guide to Collaborative Divorce by Katherine Miller

Email katherine@miller-law.com

Call (914) 738-7765

Resources

GamePigeon

NY State Health Care Proxy Form

NY State Power of Attorney Form

The post Navigating Eldercare in the Coronavirus Era with Barbara Newman-Mannix appeared first on Divorce Dialogues.

Designing a Care Plan for Your Aging Parents with Barbara Newman-Mannix

Katherine Miller — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 01:00:05 +0000

EP: 012

Barbara Newman-Mannix

Designing a Care Plan for Your Aging Parents

Parents just don’t understand. But neither do adult children! If you have concerns about keeping an aging parent safe, you may be tempted to take over and start making the decisions for them. But Barbara Newman-Mannix argues that there are ways to compromise on common sense solutions that afford your parents their autonomy AND ensure their well-being.

Barbara is the founder of A Dignified Life, a company that helps individuals and families develop care plans for elders and family members with special needs. They assess safety, cultural influences and family dynamics to address individual needs and connect families with the necessary social service professionals, attorneys and benefits specialists. Barbara’s interest in the field stems from her experience navigating the health care, insurance, legal and financial challenges she faced when her husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She established A Dignified Life to fill that gap in the market and help adult children better manage their parents’ lives with compassion and respect.

Today, Barbara joins Katherine to discuss the challenges families face in communicating with aging parents. She walks us through the role A Dignified Life plays in facilitating conversation around care and how their service encourages compromise between parents and their adult children. Barbara addresses the issue of driving, offering insight around using third-party resources to look at the situation objectively. Listen in to understand the distinction between dementia and age-appropriate forgetfulness and learn how A Dignified Life can help you and your parents grow into your new roles.