Recently, Carebuzz  interviewed Mr. Tishkoff at Drew Shoe to find out the story behind the shoe manufacturer and how they have become the number one shoe that has set the standard for beautifully styled footwear that protects and pampers feet in need of special care. Drew Shoe provides fashionable solutions to health conditions that you would gladly wear even without specific foot problems. The shoes give support and comfort to healthy younger feet and help feet stay that way.

Carebuzz: How did the Drew Company get started.. what were the motivational factors to start making the comfortable shoes? Were health related issues a factor for it’s beginning, like it is today?

Marc Tishkoff: Drew Shoe originally started as an orthopedic shoe designer and manufacturer and eventually evolved into therapeutic shoes. As the company has evolved, we’ve refined and mastered the science of therapeutic comfort footwear. Our shoes are significant because they combine structure, function and style to keep feet healthy.

Carebuzz: Do you see baby boomers changing the style of Drew shoes? Most boomers will not accept “getting older”… (me being one) we are determined to stay young. Do you see the styles beginning to change due to the demand of boomers?

Marc Tishkoff: Absolutely, baby boomers don’t want to look like their mothers or grandmothers. We are in a consumer driven business so we have no choice but to evolve our designs to meet the needs of our customers. Drew’s number one priority has always been to design shoes that aid in alleviating foot issues and promoting lower body health, but the consumer still wants to look good. Our shoes address foot issues but they also have an aesthetically pleasing design and a color pallet that our customers want and are more apt to wear.

Carebuzz: What are the health benefits Drew shoes? The linings and removable insoles? Anything else you’d like to mention?

Marc Tishkoff: There are many major health benefits of Drew Shoes and one of the most important is the structure and support that our shoes provide to promote a proper gate. Over the last 135 years we have developed an advanced comfort protection system that has 20 performance features including added depth for extra toe room and adequate space for custom orthotics. Many of our shoes also have Drilex top cover removable insoles and Drilex linings which wicks away moisture from the foot to keep it healthy and dry.

We also offer the widest range of sizes and widths in the industry with fourteen different foot shapes to fit almost any type of foot. The right footwear in the right size actually improves the way your body responds to daily stresses.

Carebuzz: How do the Drew shoes benefit seniors living with diabetes?

Marc Tishkoff: Clinical studies have shown that footwear and doctor prescribed orthotics play an important part in diabetic foot care. By limiting potential ulcer complications, the chance of amputation is diminished. Drew Footwear is often prescribed for people with foot health problems. The shoes are designed with rounded toes and a wide shank area to accommodate the foot. Each shoe also incorporates a long and/or strong medical counter for rear foot stability, extra support and balance. These are necessities in normal maintenance of foot health.

Doctors often prescribe orthotics to reduce and redistribute pressure and pressure points. These specially designed inserts work exceptionally well with Drew Footwear – shoes designed with removable cushion inserts, and extra inside capacity to accommodate custom orthotics.

It’s also important to consult your physician for all questions about diabetes, your symptoms, and your concerns about foot health and maintenance.

Carebuzz: What other medical conditions do the Drew shoe collection address?

Marc Tishkoff: In addition to designing and manufacturing shoes for people with diabetes, Drew Shoes are designed for people with many other foot conditions. The other medical conditions our company addresses in their shoes are ankle valgus, ankle varus, bunions, hammertoes, metatarsalgia, pes cavus, pes planus, and plantar fasciitis plus the shoes are beneficial to people with arthritis. The unique and important thing to make note about Drew Shoe is that our shoes benefit people with all different foot conditions and our age range of customers varies.

A Raving Fan, Twila in California says:

“Thanks, Drew! Five years ago I could barely walk because of a low back issues. I had significant nerve damage, especially affecting my right leg and foot. With surgery, physical therapy, a dorsal spine stimulator, external KAFO hardware and time, I finally got to where I could walk some distance…but it took a Drew “Flash” for me to walk marathons. Thanks for making my athletic-style shoe that works with the KAFO and fits narrow feet. Yesterday was my second official marathon – 26.2 miles in 7 hours, 11 minutes.”

Drew Shoe is the premier manufacturer of medical shoes, specializing in orthopedic shoes, diabetic shoes, and other types of footwear designed to alleviate health problems. Drew Shoe has risen to the top of the medical shoes industry through a tireless commitment to innovation and choice, offering the latest technology in the widest variety of styles, sizes, and widths. These commitments have made Drew Shoe America’s number one choice for orthopedic shoes and diabetic shoes. No matter how big or small your feet, you will always find the medical shoes you need in the styles and sizes that you want.

Whether you’re searching for orthopedic shoes, diabetic shoes, or medical shoes, then you have come to the right place. Drew Shoe is the most trusted name in the medical shoe industry, so start browsing our catalog today and find shoes that satisfy both your foot conditions and fashion needs.

Check out the Drew Shoe website for senior citizens by clicking here. For proper fitting and to find a store nearest you, please use the Store Locator.

Caring for a person with dementia can be one of life’s biggest challenges. It is hard to determine how fast the disease will progress. When a family member is diagnosed with the disease, loved ones may feel at a loss. Many people do not know what to do or where to look for help. Below are some tips that can help people adjust to life with someone who has dementia.

1.    Most patients with dementia are being cared for by a family caregiver. While this is a noble thing to do, it is an extremely stressful position to be in.

2.    Caregivers and family members must read up on the disease. They should learn about how the disease progresses so they can prepare for the stages that will come in the future.

3.    Always encourage the person with dementia to be as independent as possible. Allowing the individual to perform simple tasks can provide a huge relief for a caretaker.

4.    Ask about elder care services in your area. There are many organizations available to offer information and assistance to families dealing with dementia. Do not feel as though this is a battle you have to take on alone.

5.    There are many eldercare providers available that can help care for a patient with dementia. If the disease progresses to a stage that cannot be managed by family and friends, elder care providers can offer a lot of help.

Source: ElderCareABCblog.com

There are a number of challenges that come with caregiving. If you are considering being a primary caregiver, be aware of the following:

•    It is common that caregivers have to retire or change their employment situation.

•    Caregiving is costly.

•    It is very stressful, which can lead to health problems.

•    It can put a strain on your personal life.

Though caregiving is undoubtedly rewarding it is important to be prepared for the challenges that go along with it.

Statistics Pertaining to Caregiving in the United States

For a better idea of some of the challenges associated with elder care read the statistics below:

•    According to Sandra Timmerman, director of MetLife Mature Market Institute, caregivers spend more than $5500 per year on elder care expenses.

•    Long distance caregivers spend at least $8700 per year on transportation, food and supplies.

•    There 65.7 million caregivers in the United States, according to the National Alliance of Caregiving.

•    More than half of those surveyed by www.caring.com are worried about the financial impact caregiving will have on them.

To find out more read this article on BuffaloNews.com.

•    Develop a schedule. Plan how much time you are going to dedicate to a project each day.

•    Have realistic goals. Approach your tasks systematically.

•    Be in an environment that allows you to function at your best.

•    Ask for help if you are overwhelmed.

•    Establish priorities.

•    Take a break when you need one.

Time Wasting

There are a number of negative behaviors you may engage in that produce stress including:

•    Time juggling: This is when you take on too much at once and are unable to complete everything you have to do.

•    Workaholism: If you spend hours working you often ignore time-saving techniques and end up being counterproductive.

•    Perfectionism: Perfectionists want everything to be perfect and will spend hours polishing something. This often takes away from your sense of accomplishment since you never think anything is good enough.

•    Procrastination: By consistently putting off your work, you leave it all to the last minute. This often means a poor end result and an increase in stress.

•    Yesism: This is the inability to say no. Like time jugglers, you often overbook yourself but it is in fear of disappointing others.

Source: HealthwellnessPlans.org

1.    If the elderly family member is still driving, assess their skills. Even though they have been driving for many years, it may no longer be safe for them to do so. Ask if they have had any tickets or small accidents in the recent past. Look for dents on the car. If there is concern about their driving safety, schedule a driving test with the DMV.

2.    Make sure the senior is getting the proper nutrition. Check the cabinets and refrigerator to make sure they have food to make a meal with and not just a snack. If the senior cannot prepare their own meals any longer, arrange something with Meals on Wheels to help.

3.    Check on finances. See if there are unpaid bills lying around. Many seniors become forgetful and will neglect to pay bills on time.

4.    Watch for any balance problems. When seniors have issues with their balance, they will begin to experience many falls. Watch how they walk

and go up and down stairs. Older family members may benefit from a medical alert bracelet.

5.    While talking to the senior, make note of any changes in their memory. Try to talk about recent events to see what they recall. Also check to make sure they are not forgetting to take their medications.

6.    Some seniors will experience loneliness and depression. This can be noticed by changes in behavior. Often, when a senior is depressed, their hygiene will begin to suffer. Check to see that their clothes are clean and they are caring for their personal hygiene.

Source: ElderCareABCblog.com

Her name is Ava, a single mother of a teen daughter, and the primary caregiver for her grandmother. Ava has been caring for her grandmother for the majority of the past 8 years.

At the beginning, Ava lived almost 2 hours away (via subway) until 4 years ago when her grandmother started developing signs of dementia. At the time, her grandmother had mobility issues, heart disease, and was blind in one eye.

At first Ava was just there to help her go shopping, clean her apartment, prepare her medications with increasing responsibilities. She would travel there every day, often times bringing her young teen age daughter with her. City services could only send an aide 3 hours a day, 3 days a week, and they would not touch grandmother’s medication (3 pills and some vitamins).

Ava had researched other options, and started to organize her grandmother’s apartment of 58 years for a move. One evening it was apparent to Ava that her grandmother could not be left alone any longer. Ava had to take her grandmother home that evening carrying nothing but a few suitcases and a walker. Ava’s daughter and friends stayed with grandmother while Ava took the train back to pack the 2 bedroom apartment herself, and drag things home in a cart. She had a friend provide one ride, and had to hire a moving van to move some of her furniture that was important to grandmother. It took months without any other help.

Ava’s grandmother is living with her now and things are much more difficult for Ava now that her daughter has left for college. Her grandmother’s dementia is less severe most of the time, but her short term memory can be very repetitive. They’ve been to the hospital a few times, her grandmother has fallen twice, changed her pacemaker, and 3 bouts with colitis. This has gravely affected her grandmother’s mobility and incontinence. These elderly events has brought Ava’s caregiving role to a higher level.  Ava cannot leave her grandmother alone at all due to her short term memory, risk of falling, and the risk of eating whatever she sees in the kitchen, has made being alone impossible.

In the past, Ava home schooled her daughter until she was in 7th grade and work part time in the home. When her daughter went to school, Ava continued to work at home and still tries to work as a internet consultant despite her 24/7 caregiving. You can often find her online late at night, in between her grandmothers bathroom visits every 2 hours.

Ava is the Founder of a County wide Recycling group, and a local community group in New York. Her Grandmother was a inspiration to her, as she was also very active in her community.  And today, Ava doesn’t get much sleep!

If you can do anything to help Ava, please contact her on our facebook fan page http://www.facebook.com/carebuzz or via her website for busy moms http://www.busy-mom.com or email her at avaontheweb@gmail.com.

Thank you, Ava, for being the caregiver you are today. Carebuzz hopes your story finds people in your community who can help, even if it is for a respite break.