Fw: handicap Access

Dear Sir,

Jai Hind,

 

We admire your concern for the handicapped. We value your thoughts. We will be happy to have you as our torch bearer on this issue. Kindly formulate a plan and discuss.

 

Col Tejandra Pal Tyagi

 

On 3/2/09, Mr Alok Tholiya <tholiya@yahoo.com> wrote:

Wow. It is a dream suggestion for me. I will take it further and ensure it is implemented in India too.

When in Hongkonk on tour I found sr. citizen and handicapped wheeled around in most tourist places be it garden or other sight seeing but in India we dont find same. They have to live a secluded life. I dont know how one can enjoy without their other incapaciteted members around.If not always then atleast occassionally.
 

Thanks and Regards,
Alok Tholiya (S.E.O.),

 

BRSP shoud take up demand of Handicap acccess.

 

---

From: Porus Dadabhoy <porusdad@yahoo.com>
To: Mr Alok Tholiya <tholiya@yahoo.com>
Cc: Behram Pastakia <bpastakia@aol.com>
Sent: Sunday, 1 March, 2009 10:47:36 PM
Subject: Re: handicap Access

If you review by Web Search Handicap Access you will get information on this issue, federal law, state law, cases, how applied, construction regulations, public access am also forwarding a source in India with information. along with the E mail of Dr. Pastakia in Washington D.C. India has Rent Control in cities similiar to California and some cities based on home rule. Hence you are facing these problems. I built a hotel and by law I needed entrance that a person could enter on a wheel chair, a percent of romms for handicap bathroom and shower facilities,handicap alarm,  and an elevator for the second floor. That is the law..and we follow it. All Federal, State, Public Buildings, Polcie Stations, Municipal houses, court houses, stadiums, universities, schools, railroad stations, airports, hotels, public places ,any public place must be built or modified to provide this access. Japan has taken this further and its entire public transport rail lines are geared to handicap access to the blind. Taxi cabs ,school buses, transport sytem can even handle this. Scholl buses with lifts to take handicap children to school so they become independent. We had a visitor from India and he put her up at the local Hindu Temple as it had hnadicap access. All temples must have it. She stayed there and even found a partner in the U.S. and have returned as a married couple back to serve India. Sincerely, Porus N. Dadabhoy VP India Development Coalition of America. Two of the finest doctors I have worked with and administer health programs at major hospitals had polio and come and work like regular people.     Alexander School in Colaba is geared for handicap access. Porus Flag this message Re: Wheel Chair Sunday, March 1, 2009 8:52 AM From: "bpastakia@aol.com" <bpastakia@aol.com> View contact details To: porusdad@yahoo.com Dear Porus: This is a very pertinent topic to help the Handicapped in India. I have discussed it with Dr Bhushan Punani at the Blind Peoples Association in Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India and reviewed the laws. Do give me a call and we can explore further. Best, Behram ===== Phone: 301 493 9131 --- On Sun, 3/1/09, Mr Alok Tholiya <tholiya@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Mr Alok Tholiya <tholiya@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: handicap Access To: porusdad@yahoo.com Date: Sunday, March 1, 2009, 8:11 AM Great suggestion about petitionong govt. However pl. explain in detail what is handicap access.    Thanks and Regards, Alok Tholiya (S.E.O.), From: Porus Dadabhoy <porusdad@yahoo.com> To: tholiya@yahoo.com Sent: Sunday, 1 March, 2009 9:30:12 PM Subject: handicap Access Senior issue and issue of handicap people in India. In the U.S. all public places MUST HAVE ( mandatory)have handicap access whereas in India all public places may have VOLUNTARY. This law needs to be changed in India. American entities even overseas are bound by this law..i.e. embassy, majority owned corporations, etc. Besides wheel chairs India needs  to make its nation available for Handicap Access. I hope your seniors citizens group will petition the government and the UN for a Universal Law,Also make Mumbai Handicap Access to increase tourist trade. If India wants to shine it needs handicap access. Porus Dadabhoy

Caregivers don't forget to care for yourself

Don't forget to care for yourself. Here

are a few tips:

When it comes to their health, caregivers

are less likely than their peers to take steps

to prevent or control chronic disease.

Taking care of your own health will help you

to better care for your loved one longer.

• Be wise – immunize.

o Influenza (flu) vaccine: The

CDC recommends that

caregivers of the elderly get one

each year.

o Pneumococcal vaccination: For

most caregivers, one will last a

lifetime.

o Tetanus booster: Get one every

ten years.

• Don't neglect your health.

o Get a yearly check-up and the

recommended cancer

screenings (mammogram,

cervical screening, etc.).

o Tell your doctor that you are a

caregiver.

o Tell your doctor if you feel

depressed or nervous.

• Take some time each day to do

something for yourself. Read, listen to

music, telephone friends, or exercise.

• Eat healthy foods and do not skip

meals.

• Find caregiver resources in your area

early. You may not need their

information or services now, but you

will have them, when you need them.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Administration on Aging

• Don't be afraid to ask for help. And

don't do it all yourself. Use your

family, friends, or neighbors for

support. Family may help share

caregiving tasks. Friends and

neighbors may help with other

chores.

Caregiving can take a toll on you!

Research suggests that the physical and

emotional demands on caregivers put them

at greater risk for health problems:

• Caregivers are more at risk for

infectious diseases, such as colds

and flu, and chronic diseases, such

heart problems, diabetes, and

cancer.

• Depression is twice as common

among caregivers compared to noncaregivers.

Caregiver Tip Sheet

- 2 - Administration on Aging | Caregiver Tip Sheet Last Updated: 10/2005

AoA recognizes the importance of making information readily available to consumers, professionals, researchers, and

students. Our website provides information for and about older persons, their families, and professionals involved in

aging programs and services. For more information about AoA, please contact: US Dept of Health and Human Services,

Administration on Aging, Washington, DC 20201; phone: (202) 401-4541; fax (202) 357-3560; Email:

aoainfo@aoa.gov; or contact our website at: www.aoa.gov

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Help for family caregivers

The National Family Caregiver Support

Program (NFCSP) started in 2000 as part

of the Reauthorization of the Older

Americans Act to help older adults and

their families. Managed by the

Administration on Aging, funds are given to

aging service provider networks in all

states and territories to help family

caregivers with:

• Information about health

conditions, resources and

community-based long-term care

services that might best meet a

family's needs;

• Assistance in securing

appropriate help;

• Counseling, support groups and

caregiver training to help families

make decisions and solve

problems;

• Respite care so that families

and other informal caregivers

can be temporarily relieved from

their caregiving responsibilities;

and

• Supplemental long-term care

services on a limited basis.

This could include home

modifications; incontinence

supplies; a microwave; air

conditioner (for a caregiver with

asthma or allergies); nutritional

supplements; washing machine;

assistive devices, etc.

To access services under the National

Family Caregiver Support Program contact

your nearest Area Agency on Aging. The

ElderCare Locator can help you find the

nearest one. Call 1-800-677-1116 or visit

www.eldercare.gov.

Taking care of our caregivers: November

is National Family Caregivers Month.

During this month we recognize the nearly

44 million Americans who care for their

relatives, friends, and neighbors.

Some facts about family caregivers

• Caregivers supply nearly 257 billion

dollars a year in services for their

loved ones, such as transportation,

supervision, financial management,

feeding, bathing, lifting, and

toileting.

• Caregivers juggle many roles.

Besides assisting a loved one, most

are married or living with a partner,

have a paid job, and care for a child

or another elder.

 

Regards,
Alok Tholiya

Problems of caregivers Part 1

 

---

From: hemant thakkar [mailto:hemantat@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2008 3:54 AM
To: expert@poornamwellness.com
Subject: RE: Problems of caregivers Part 1

 

Hi Hitesh,

Please fully read and EDIT the contents of this email before forwarding it to Mr.Alok. I am writing it in a slightly strong language with you as the reader in mind. So, you decide how you want to present it to Mr.Alok.

Firstly, I acknowledge the commitment of the family members to support the caregiver and also empathise with the practical complexities of the situation.

The way I see it, the caregiver needs some respite. When I say respite, I am not talking about few hours a day, I am talking about a complete respite from caring for that person for anything between 3-10 days. I am not sure how the system works in India , but here, they have what they call as respite care centres. So, the way that works is, if a family member is caring for an elderly or disabled member of the family, every now and again depeding upon the individual circumstances of the family, the person who needs care will spend some days in the respite care centre where qualified staff provide them with the full care. That way, it gives the caregiver in the family some time to unwind, relax, catch up with their social commitments, and just spend some time with themselves. If for some reason, it is not possible for the family to send the person needing care to the respite centre, other option is the centre will send staff to the house of the person for what they call as 'home-based-respite'. In this situation, often the primary caregiver goes out of the house for few days, either to a friend's place or on a small holiday to relax and regain their strength. It is really important that the caregiver gets such break every so often especially when caring for a person who needs ongoing long-term care. I insist that the break of just a few hours during a day is not enough. The caregiver needs to physically be away from the person he/ she is caring for. It is vital to the sanity of the caregiver. Also, just a one-off respite is also not enough. The respite should be available at a regular interval throught the care of the person. If there is no such external full time help available, one of the other family members might have to take some days off to give the primary caregiver some respite. Career is important, but probably not more important than the sanity of your family member/s.

As to the father (I assume he also must be in his 80's), why would you want to put him through any sort of course at this stage.  His frustration is quiet understandable. I hear that he gets angry on the caregiver and the other family members, but in some ways it is his anger towards himself, towards his inability to care for his own partner, which he is taking out on others. So long as all the other family members are together on this and are not blaming anybody for the mother's ill health, I don't think father's anger should be their worry. Their focus should be more on the health of the mother and the caregiver, rather than how to deal with father's anger. I know it is easier said than done, but so long as father is not getting physically aggressive towards anybody, he can be safely ignored - i.e. let him do his daily dose of verbal abuse, whilst you train your ears to take them from one end and take it out the other. Make sure that the father's all other needs are met and he has resources available to occupy himself, such as TV, newspaper or whatever else he likes to do. If father is not spending most of the time in the same room as his ill wife, thats even better. If he is physically witnessing the care given by his daughter-in-law all the time, of course, he is going to find faults with it and get angry. If he is in a separate room, even the caregive will be more mentally free and can do her work without the psuchological pressure of being observed all the time.

I honestly, don't know how strongly the family feels for each other, but in some cases, placing the elderly person in a decent rest home, where all their cares can be met by professional staff, is not a bad option after all. I know our samaj says that 'maa-baap buddha thai gaya etle kaadhi mukya', but samaj is not there to see what you are going through. You can still visit the person on a regular basis, and even bring them home every now and again for family functions. So, the family together needs to decide what is best for them keeping in mind that you don't want the person loaded with full time care to fall ill or even worse loose their mental balance.

I am not sure how much of above will be useful to Mr.ALok and his family.

Let me know if I can be of any further help.

Ta
Hemant

 

---

Subject: Problems of caregivers Part 1

 

Dear Doctors,

Namaskar.

Pl. note that my mother 82 yrs is ill.Caregiving to a bed ridden person and then receiving guests who call on such occassion over and above cooking for six persons ( and gusets if any) is itself tremendous job.Though we have now kept bai for 24 hours and we ( myself, and my dentist daughter and Engineer son besides my staff) too try to assist her but ultimte load is on her as during day time we attend to our career. My wife has been doing that all along while even her own parents are not well.My wife and son have done even cleaning my mother , her clothes,bed  and floor drenched in potty and urine and remained awake whole night when required ( when bai was not there or is absent) . Ispite of all this my father has been unhappy with everything we do . Every now and then angrily he fires us specially my wife. blames us saying we are responsible for her health. My eldest sister ( Director: Makers labs. Ltd., our family friend and doctor Shri Satish Gupta ( MD) and some others have tried to reason out with him but all in vain.]

 

The care giver needs some change of mind, relaxation and appriciation.Others in family and friends and neighbourhood can atleast work to give happy and light environment or atleast not spoil same and demotivate caregivers.But my father ( though very learned, simple and gandhian) does exactly opposite.

Dear All,

How can we handle this situation? Can he be treated for anger management?

How do we over come this situation? Everyone always advise us to bear with all this while they have never taken care of their  own ailing parents and parents in law.Newspapers/ society are just talking of problems of senior citizens ( and I am running a whole organisation known as Varishtha Nagrik Seva Sanstha having 150 members for last four years inspite of not being a senior citizen myself) and no one is talking of problem of care givers.However in USA there are groups and sites for welfare and advise of caregivers.I want our media and social organisations to take note of my point of view and highlight the other side of story too. 

Gist of info on one of the site is given here:

 

Entertainment, Entertaining and Travel

Boredom can sap our intellect and spirit, but you can change this by creating activities that you and your care receiver look forward to and by sharing these with others. There are many activities that frail and disabled older people can enjoy. You can:

• Check the TV listings and choose your favorite programs to watch each day rather than having the TV going nonstop.
• Get large print and talking books from the library and read together.
• Check for special events that are low-cost or free. Invite a friend or family member to join you, preferably one who can drive or help you if your care receiver has a disability.
• Go out to lunch or the early-bird specials at restaurants.
• Visit an art-hobby store and see what is available in the way of arts or crafts projects that you and your care receiver can enjoy.
• Invite family or friends over for dinner or lunch. If you have limited funds to entertain or do not have time to prepare food have them over for dessert or snacks, ask each of them to bring something, or to chip in on a carryout meal.
• Plan day trips to local places of interest. Again invite a friend or family member to join you.
• If you can afford to do so, go on a vacation. You can share the adventure and expense with other family members or friends. Many places offer senior discounts. Make sure that they can accommodate your needs, especially if your care receiver is disabled. Large hotel and motel chains now go out of their way to help, if you make your needs known to them. In addition, there are companies and organizations that plan trips for persons with limitations in their mobility. Many travel books have special sections on accommodations, travel, and activities for those with limited mobility.
• If you have the room, invite friends or family members to come and stay with you for awhile in your home.
• Check colleges, religious organizations, and community centers for free courses and other activities.
• Visit museums, galleries, botanical and zoological parks or a petting zoo.
• If appropriate, get a pet. Your local shelter or humane society has many nice pets available for adoption.
• Get a computer with Internet access so that you can e-mail friends, join in chat rooms, learn about things that are of interest to you, and enjoy computer games.
• Ask your local Area Agency on Aging about friendly visitor, volunteer, and telephone reassurance programs.
• Many fraternal, religious, and social organizations have activities specifically for older people. This can be a great way to extend your circle of friends and supportive network.
   

 

 

Don't forget to care for yourself. Here
are a few tips:
When it comes to their health, caregivers
are less likely than their peers to take steps
to prevent or control chronic disease.
Taking care of your own health will help you
to better care for your loved one longer.
• Be wise – immunize.
o Influenza (flu) vaccine: The
CDC recommends that
caregivers of the elderly get one
each year.
o Pneumococcal vaccination: For
most caregivers, one will last a
lifetime.
o Tetanus booster: Get one every
ten years.
• Don't neglect your health.
o Get a yearly check-up and the
recommended cancer
screenings (mammogram,
cervical screening, etc.).
o Tell your doctor that you are a
caregiver.
o Tell your doctor if you feel
depressed or nervous.
• Take some time each day to do
something for yourself. Read, listen to
music, telephone friends, or exercise.
• Eat healthy foods and do not skip
meals.
• Find caregiver resources in your area
early. You may not need their
information or services now, but you
will have them, when you need them.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Administration on Aging
• Don't be afraid to ask for help. And
don't do it all yourself. Use your
family, friends, or neighbors for
support. Family may help share
caregiving tasks. Friends and
neighbors may help with other
chores.
Caregiving can take a toll on you!
Research suggests that the physical and
emotional demands on caregivers put them
at greater risk for health problems:
• Caregivers are more at risk for
infectious diseases, such as colds
and flu, and chronic diseases, such
heart problems, diabetes, and
cancer.
• Depression is twice as common
among caregivers compared to noncaregivers.
Caregiver Tip Sheet
- 2 - Administration on Aging | Caregiver Tip Sheet Last Updated: 10/2005
AoA recognizes the importance of making information readily available to consumers, professionals, researchers, and
students. Our website provides information for and about older persons, their families, and professionals involved in
aging programs and services. For more information about AoA, please contact: US Dept of Health and Human Services,
Administration on Aging, Washington , DC 20201 ; phone: (202) 401-4541; fax (202) 357-3560; Email:
aoainfo@aoa.gov; or contact our website at: www.aoa.gov
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Help for family caregivers
The National Family Caregiver Support
Program (NFCSP) started in 2000 as part
of the Reauthorization of the Older
Americans Act to help older adults and
their families. Managed by the
Administration on Aging, funds are given to
aging service provider networks in all
states and territories to help family
caregivers with:
• Information about health
conditions, resources and
community-based long-term care
services that might best meet a
family's needs;
• Assistance in securing
appropriate help;
• Counseling, support groups and
caregiver training to help families
make decisions and solve
problems;
• Respite care so that families
and other informal caregivers
can be temporarily relieved from
their caregiving responsibilities;
and
• Supplemental long-term care
services on a limited basis.
This could include home
modifications; incontinence
supplies; a microwave; air
conditioner (for a caregiver with
asthma or allergies); nutritional
supplements; washing machine;
assistive devices, etc.
To access services under the National
Family Caregiver Support Program contact
your nearest Area Agency on Aging. The
ElderCare Locator can help you find the
nearest one. Call 1-800-677-1116 or visit
www.eldercare.gov.
Taking care of our caregivers: November
is National Family Caregivers Month.
During this month we recognize the nearly
44 million Americans who care for their
relatives, friends, and neighbors.
Some facts about family caregivers
• Caregivers supply nearly 257 billion
dollars a year in services for their
loved ones, such as transportation,
supervision, financial management,
feeding, bathing, lifting, and
toileting.
• Caregivers juggle many roles..
Besides assisting a loved one, most
are married or living with a partner,
have a paid job, and care for a child
or another elder.

Regards,
Alok Tholiya

Fw: do not delete ....pl. read when free .....Alok on ..role of Caregivers, well wishers and relivers.....If I dont write bitter then who would????

Dear future caregivers or dependants......or may have to change roll time to time .

I am taking out time to explain to those who at best have been relievers and well wishers (and their roll too is equally important) but mix it with Caregiving.  Caregiving is what Nina and Mrs. Aju mama are doing to name a few. Pl. Understand all names cannot be taken in mail so no one left out should take an offence. These are direct hits but in next decade we will be ourselves dependant parents or will have spouses needing/ giving Caregiving. And all those who read these mails will realise worth of the definition of Caregiving given by me. And hired Caregiving (though rough and crude) is costing nothing less than Rs. 20000/- p.m. (includes bai(maid )basic facilities at home, diapers, etc. And excluding medical expenses which will be mind boggling. Are u prepared????? And therefore (though as per my habit I take my own instances) but am writing all this for greater benefit of all at the cost of losing some relatives and friends as rightly said by you Pratima ( C.A.) my youngest sister.

 

 

Caregivers

Caregivers are people who take care of other adults, often parents or spouses, or children with special medical needs. Caregivers help patients with:

 

1.       Shopping and cooking of patient

2.        Taking them out in open ( be it temple, garden or even in varanda )by holding them or in wheel chair etc. 

3.       Patients  Housekeeping   : cleaning patients room and keeping it hygienic and odourless as much as possible

4.        Cleaning of patient's cloths, bed sheets, pan, vessels soaked in urine, potty, blood, spits, sputum etc.). At times smell and site of these things can really be ruinous. And patient can really keep flowing things out and caregiver keeps cleaning.

5.        Giving medicine as per schedule and one mistake like forgetting BP tablet can cause havoc.. But with overlapping of things same can happen.

6.         helping with toilet activities, bathing , combing and dressing  at times even massaging, applying various skin creams and ointments even at private body parts as they are more sceptical  to infections being bedridden  weak and ailing and flooded with servants , healthcare providers and visitors.

7.       time to time replacing diapers soaked in urine and potty.

8.        attending to frequent calls of thirst, urination, at times vomiting, diarrhea  and these symptoms can be persisting for days and months and caregiver is interrupted while sleeping, eating, cooking etc. etc. for doing needful.

9.        feeding, giving food as per chewing abilities, as per digestion capacity, parhej ( like avoiding salt, sugar, chilli ,oil etc. as per patients health requirements).

10.    Providing company and emotional support. When things become routine and visitors stop coming then caregivers have to be friend too.

 

Caregiving is hard, and caregivers of chronically/ long period ill people often feel stressed. They are "on call" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for may be months and years. Who appreciates the sacrifices and seva (human service) of parents of mentally challenged child / paraplegic/ paralytic member for years on?

To motivate the caregivers all housing societies/ mohalla / communities should institute an award for such caregivers or atleast make support groups. What good are these societies if they were to share and meet only on holi, diwali, garba etc. . And that too without those busy Caregiving.  And newspapers should cover such heroes once a week instead of covering only khans, bachhans, tendulkars everyday.

If you're caring for someone with mental problems like forgetfulness, abusive, angry, non cooperative, ever criticising, with open wounds, infections it can be really be difficult. My request for helping caregivers with tight mahole/ atmosphere was only understood probably by Akhil and Suresh Tauji. But Akhil's intervention had effect only for few days on Daddy.

Support groups (which we don't have in India ) or only matured compassionate people can understand what is Caregiving ..

 

Rest are either:

·          Advisors

·          Visitors

·          Passersby

·          Crowd

·          Curious

·          showing presence that we too visited.

·          enemy wants to see suffering of patient or relative

·          Some become additional responsibility like visiting person may himself be old/ fragile /  sick  and needs Caregiving to some extent or is demanding or spendthrift at the cost of patient or is new to the city ( and wants to do shopping/ hoteling / business/ invites too many other guests etc.) .

 

 

Following are useful but are still not the caregivers:

ü   well wishers / sympathisers/ concerned show that they are part of this  phase, ignore some lapses which are possible for 24X7 caring responsibility. Do not make u feel guilty of lapses, do not highlight unnecessary petty things, do not spoil atmosphere by wrong doings/ saying, shouting, passing comments on efforts, facilities etc.. Rather will help in getting right consultant, maid, patients equipments , massager, discounts in many patients purchases, emergency transport etc.  and thus provide a great help,

ü  Darling Palys: They find suitable time and visit patient and do gup shup/ Chit chat read good books for them (religious or otherwise) , play cards or whatever patient likes.

ü   Relievers:  Mrs. Indumati Shedde a member of my sr. citizens association when heard of maa's sickness made following offer: Alok bhai in case all of you have to go out for few hours then give me a ring. I will come with my dabba and look after her. And till even midnight if u can drop me back home. This is called caregiver reliever but still not caregiver. But this is a great human service and person with great maturity and heart can only understand and offer such services. By the way her husband though retired sr. Citizen himself  regularly visits cancer patients sanatorium at Bandra and spends time with cancer patients, reads newspaper for them, plays with them, spends quality time with them while relatives of many patients have stopped coming but he visits them regularly.

 

Thanks and Regards,
Alok Tholiya (S.E.O.),