Posted on Wed, Jan 18, 2012 @ 02:56 PM
A recent USA Today article states that there is an increase in seniors living over the age of 90. According to author Haya El Nasser “The number of people living to age 90 and beyond has tripled in the past three decades to almost 2 million and is likely to quadruple by 2050”.
Seniors who live longer generally have some sort of disability or need help at some level of living. Sandy Markwood, CEO of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, indicates that the focus needs to be on being able to help these seniors live at home as long as possible as nursing home cost could rise to average $72,000 a year.
Long Term Care at any level, in the home, assisted living or nursing home can add a tremendous cost to seniors and their families.
Government Programs Only Pay For About 16% Of Long Term Care
Government programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and the Veterans Administration will cover the cost of long-term care under certain conditions. Medicare will cover rehabilitation from a hospital stay or limited care at home if there is a skilled (medical) need. The Veterans Administration will cover the cost of nursing home care indefinitely if the veteran is at least 70% service-connected disabled. The VA will also cover other forms of home-based or community-based care if there is a medical need.
Medicaid will cover both medical and non-medical related long-term care but in order to qualify for Medicaid a person has to have less than $2,000 in assets and income that is insufficient to pay the cost of care.
Funding Long Term Care with your Life Insurance Policy
Drawing cash from life insurance or changing a life insurance policy should only be done after reviewing with an expert advisor. Loss of the policy and death benefit could prove to be a detriment. If, however you have accumulated cash in a life insurance policy and no longer need the coverage you may consider using the cash for long term care or purchasing a LTC rider to your current policy.
New insurance products are being developed to cover both life insurance and long term care insurance. ElderLawAnswers reports:
“A new law makes the purchase of products that combine annuities or insurance policies with long-term care insurance more attractive. These "hybrid" products are gaining in popularity due to a law that went into effect January 1, 2010, making distributions from life insurance and annuities tax-free when used to pay for long-term care. The same law also allows owners of annuities or life insurance policies to exchange their old policies for long-term care insurance or hybrid policies without being taxed.”
Combination sales which include life insurance, annuities and traditional long-term care coverage are becoming popular with insurance companies and may prove a method of financing long term care. Investigate closely, however to find what exactly will be covered. Some policies do not cover home care costs or complete costs of nursing homes.
Long Term Care Insurance Funding for All Long Term Care Needs
The first long-term care policies were offered about 40 years ago. These were primarily nursing home-only policies designed to take over when Medicare rehabilitation ran out. They were not the comprehensive benefit policies we see today.
Long Term Care Insurance policies today are greatly diversified in their coverage. Home care, nursing home costs, adult day care, physical therapy, skilled and non-skilled nursing care are some of the services covered. Policies vary in price and what they cover. There is also a very restricted qualification of physical and mental heath to get a policy. Purchasing a policy at a younger age makes it easier to qualify and also provides cheaper premiums. It is best to consult with a long term care insurance professional about the type of policy that fits your needs and budget.
Pre-Need Burial Insurance
One might ask what Pre-need burial insurance has to do with long term care. The purpose of preneed life insurance is to set aside funds for your funeral, before the need arises.
It is an insurance policy that covers the cost of the predetermined expenses of a funeral, cremation or burial. It gives the purchaser the opportunity to preplan the services and peace of mind in having it paid for. This is usually an insurance policy that pays at time of death for these expenses. There are many insurance companies that offer these packages as well as funeral homes.
The saddest cases of long term care needs we hear are:
“Mother can no longer live alone and she has no money to go live in a care facility.”
“ Is there someone that can come help me take care of my wife? We live on our Social Security and I can not pay what home care costs.”
It is important to make the necessary arrangements to cover long term care and end of life costs. There is no government program that will cover all those needs. The National Care Planning Council at www.longtermcarelink.net strives to educate people about long term care services and encourages the planning that needs to be done to prepare for future costs and needs.
Posted on Wed, Dec 21, 2011 @ 07:17 AM
Caregivers often don’t recognize when they are in over their heads, and often get to a breaking point. After a prolonged period of time, caregiving can become too difficult to endure any longer. Short-term the caregiver can handle it. Long-term, help is needed. Outside help at this point is needed.
A typical pattern with an overloaded caregiver may unfold as follows:
- 1 to 18 months - the caregiver is confident, has everything under control and is coping well. Other friends and family are lending support.
- 20 to 36 months - the caregiver may be taking medication to sleep and control mood swings. Outside help dwindles away and except for trips to the store or doctor, the caregiver has severed most social contacts. The caregiver feels alone and helpless.
- 38 to 50 months - Besides needing tranquilizers or antidepressants, the caregiver's physical health is beginning to deteriorate. Lack of focus and sheer fatigue cloud judgment and the caregiver is often unable to make rational decisions or ask for help.
It is often at this stage that family or friends intercede and find other solutions for care. This may include respite care, hiring home health aides or putting the disabled loved one in a facility. Without intervention, the caregiver may become a candidate for long term care as well.
With the holiday season upon us, caregivers feel even more stress -- with planning, shopping and participating in holiday activities. This is a perfect time for family and friends to step up and provide some respite time and caregiving help. Whether it is provided personally or arranged as a gift of services to be provided by a professional respite company or home care provider, it is a welcome gift.
An article in “Today’s Caregiver” states:
“Nearly one in four caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias provide 40 hours a week or more of care. Seventy-one percent sustain this commitment for more than a year, and 32 percent do so for five years or more. One of the best gifts you can give someone caring for Alzheimer’s is something that relieves the stress or provides a bit of respite for the caregiver.
The Gift of time: Cost-effective and truly meaningful gifts are self-made coupons for cleaning the house, preparing a meal, moving lawn/shoveling driveway, respite times that allow the caregiver time off to focus on what he/she needs.”
It is also important to note that hiring professional care provider services can provide valuable ongoing support to an overloaded caregiver. A financial planner, care funding specialist or areverse mortgage specialist may find the funds to pay for professional help to keep a loved one at home. A care manager can guide the family and the caregiver through the maze of long term care issues. The care manager has been there many times -- the family is experiencing it for the first time.
An elder law attorney can help iron out legal problems. And an elder mediator can help solve disputes between family members. There are also cash benefits for Veterans, who served during a period of war, that pay for home care or assisted living.
If you are the one providing daily care for a loved one, you owe it to yourself to seek help.
Take care of yourself and your needs, both physically and mentally. Seek out professional help that will ease your burden and look for community service organizations that offer respite help.
The National Care Planning Council’s website www.longtermcarelink.net contains hundreds of articles with tips and advice for caregivers and their families. Take a few minutes to find the help you need and enjoy this holiday season.
Posted on Mon, Jul 25, 2011 @ 11:05 AM
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How To Protect The Family Home From Medicaid Recovery
Because the home is the largest asset a couple can keep while still qualifying for Medicaid, it is also usually the main target of estate recovery.
Sidney and Rachel's Story:
Sidney and Rachel had lived in their home since it was new. They built it just after Sidney got a promotion to regional sales manager for a shoe distributor. Through the years, the house was remodeled twice and expanded to add a loft bedroom. Even when their children were grown with families of their own, they all remained close, with frequent family gatherings for holidays and birthdays.
Sidney and Rachel had paid off the mortgage and two second mortgages before Sidney retired. So in addition to being the center of family life, the house had also become the couple's biggest asset.
Rachel always hoped the house would remain in the family when she and Sidney were gone. She often talked about leaving it to their oldest son, Mark, who promised that he and his wife would continue the tradition of hosting the family for holidays and birthday dinners. However, as Sidney's Alzheimer's disease progressed, Rachel worried that Sidney would need to move into a nursing home. With the high cost of long-term care, Rachel knew their savings wouldn't last long. Sidney would eventually need to qualify for Medicaid to pay the bills.
Her biggest question was, "Will I lose my home?"
A Common Question Indeed
For a great many people who need Medicaid benefits for long term care, the home makes up most of their life savings. Often, it's all a couple has to pass on to their children.
You may not know that the home is an exempt asset according to Medicaid. It continues to be exempt as long as the community spouse lives there. However, after both the ill spouse and the healthy spouse pass away, the property may no longer be protected.
What Is Estate Recovery?
According to the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA-93), the state has the right to take back whatever it paid for the care of a Medicaid applicant. And because you have to be "broke" to qualify for Medicaid, usually the only property of substantial value that a person on Medicaid is likely to own when they die is their own home. When OBRA-93 was passed, each state established an Estate Recovery Unit (ERU) to go out and find what assets they can take back from those that received Medicaid benefits!
Because the home is the largest asset a couple can keep (while still qualifying for Medicaid), in most states it is also the main target of estate recovery.
After both the community spouse and the ill spouse die, the state's estate recovery unit has the authority to take just about any property that the Medicaid recipient had their name on. In most cases, that means going back to the house.
For example, if Sidney dies before Rachel after living in a nursing home for two years and Medicaid has paid the nursing home $3,000 per month, the state will have paid $72,000 for Sidney's care ($3,000 per month times 24 months). If the family home where Rachel lives is worth $100,000, the state would have a claim for the first $72,000 that comes from the sale of the house.
So, the house is protected while Rachel is alive. However, when she passes, the state may force the sale of the house. Whatever's left over after Medicaid is paid back ($100,000 minus the $72,000 taken out to repay Medicaid) would go to their children.
A Married Couple Strategy For Protecting The Family Home From Recovery
According to federal law, a married Medicaid applicant is allowed to transfer the home to his or her spouse - without any penalty. Once the transfer is made (meaning the ill spouse no longer has any interest in the house), the community spouse may be able to make some changes to that asset. In some states the community spouse can even give the house away!
That sort of gift, of course, would create a period of Medicaid ineligibility if the community spouse needs nursing home care within the five-year look-back period.
The family home remains one of the most difficult assets to protect because of timing, but there are proven strategies that make it possible to protect the home from Medicaid Recovery.
The Society of Medicaid Planners offers a free download of their report “Medicaid Secrets Revealed by Dan Stemen. The report offers information on qualifying for Nursing Home Medicaid without losing the family home to recovery or spending down your life savings.
The National Care Planning Council provides a resource for long term care planning with educational information and lists of professional elder care service providers.
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Posted on Mon, May 16, 2011 @ 11:54 AM
When Robert and Anne bought their family home thirty years ago, their plan was to live through retirement in this home. They had furnished their home with refurbished antiques acquired from their many trips together. It was one of their cherished antique coffee tables that Robert tripped over, breaking his hip. Now with his return from the hospital in a wheelchair, the overwhelming task of making their home accessible for Robert’s wheelchair and safe for both of them faced Anne.
Remodeling for wheelchair access, organizing home furnishings and daily living items or downsizing and relocating to a smaller living area are monumental tasks that are many times thrust on senior home owners. Sometimes the need to do this is brought on by injury or age related illness. Home and yard maintenance can become a daunting chore for even the healthiest of seniors, requiring them to make a downsizing decision.
There is a large and growing industry of specialists who understand these challenges of elderly homeowners and are ready and willing to help with remodeling, organizing or the sale of the home and with the move to a new location.
A professional organizer provides skills in making the home safe and manageable. Relocating furniture, removing hazards such as electrical cords, throw rugs, heavy objects on shelves that might fall are some of the ways they make a home more senior friendly. They specialize in helping seniors part with items that clutter or have no valued use, so to make rooms less crowded or to make ready for a move to a smaller living space.
Handicap remodeling services and senior safety services offer help in adding wheelchair ramps and widening doorways. Bathrooms are made more accessible and safe, with hand rails, walk-in bath facilities and easier access to toilets.
If moving to a smaller retirement home or care facility is the best solution there is another senior specialty provider to call on called a Seniors Real Estate Specialist.
The Senior Real Estate Specialist concentrates more on a complete service package for the sale of the property and/or the purchase of a new living arrangement. The specialist also arranges for the services of a relocation specialist or Senior Move Manager to provide a complete, stress-free package for the elderly homeowner.
A move often requires downsizing and getting rid of a tremendous number of acquired possessions. The relocation specialist or Senior Move Manager, as they are often called, will typically provide a turnkey operation that includes assessing and identifying items to keep, arranging for auction or other disposal, cleaning the home, moving the belongings and setting up the new residence. The manager may also work closely with a real estate agent to arrange for the sale of the home and may also be involved in the financial transactions necessary to move into a new living arrangement.
All the help available to seniors may in itself be overwhelming. How do seniors choose the right service provider for their needs? How do they know they will hire someone qualified, responsible and honest? Area Agencies on Aging and State Better Business Bureaus are good resources to check out available service providers.
Family, friends and religious leaders can be valuable resources to seniors in referring service providers and helping to manage the hiring and supervision.
The National Care Planning Council’s website
www.longtermcarelink.net provides educational articles and information on eldercare providers throughout the nation.
Posted on Thu, Apr 14, 2011 @ 11:03 AM
By Hal Robertson
If you have an elder that is one of the 23 percent of folks with some degree of hearing loss, you may want to try these top ten tips when trying to communicate with them. There are many things that can frustrate an elder, but not being able to understand what someone is saying to them due to hearing loss is right at the top of the list.
1. Sit or stand within three feet and face the person
Don't attempt to communicate between rooms.
2. Try to talk to the "good side"
Many elders have one ear that is the "good ear" while the other has a greater degree of hearing loss. Find out which ear is the "best" ear and try to speak with them from that side.
3. Always keep your hands away from your face
Having your hands in front of your face can distort your words, making them more difficult to understand.
4. Don't eat or chew while speaking with your elder
As with hands in front of your face, talking while chewing can also distort your words.
5. Make sure your face is in the light
This helps with lip reading, which many with hearing issues become very good at over time.
6. Know that some words are more difficult to hear that other words
Even for those without hearing loss, some words are more difficult to understand. It can be very hard to distinguish between c,d,e,t and v.
7. Enunciation!
Speak slowly and clearly. Running words together can make it very hard to understand what you are saying. Expressions like howzitgoing, or watchdyado taday can be tough for many with hearing loss to decipher.
8. Paraphrasing
When your elder doesn't hear or understand what you've said, don't continue to repeat the same thing over and over again. Try paraphrasing and they will likely understand. By continually repeating something that isn't heard or understood, your elder's frustration will escalate quickly.
9. When sitting in a group, seat your elder where they can see everyone
Sitting at the head of the table at dinner time is a great way to accomplish this.
10. Make sure your elder is wearing their glasses if they wear glasses
This goes back to lip reading as discussed in number 5. If they are wearing their glasses, it will make this process much easier.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3448966
Posted on Tue, Apr 05, 2011 @ 03:15 PM
“My daughter is insisting I move in with her,” complains Martha. “She just wants to control my life and take away my freedom,” she continues.
Jenny, Martha’s daughter worries that her mother keeps falling, and fears one day she will break her hip or hit her head.
“I’ll take my sister to court before I will let her get control of mom and my inheritance,” exclaims Jim about Jenny’s desire to move her mother in with her.
It is amazing how quickly formerly cordial relationships between family members will sour when the family has to deal with care of elderly parents or inheritance at their death. Sometimes the consequence of dealing with the final years of elderly parents can break families apart and create long-lasting animosity.
The National Care Planning Council has seen an increase in requests from caregiving children for help in solving disputes with siblings. In one case, the caregiver was being sued by her sister for abusing their parent and stealing the Social Security checks. In another, the caregiving child would not allow siblings to see their mother, claiming they would take advantage of her.
A lot of times it is a “she said,” “he said” situation with neither party really understanding what the elder person needs or wants.
Some families find it hard to communicate with each other when their parent is in need of care. Perhaps when they grew up together they were not accustomed to come together as parents and children to work out problems. And now those children are older and taking care of parents and they don't have this family council strategy to rely on. It may seem unnatural to them. But that is often exactly what is needed, especially in situations where perhaps one child is caring for the parents and the others are left out of the loop.
Children all have a common bond to their parents and as a result a common obligation or responsibility to each other. When disagreements arise, suspicions begin to grow. Suspicions or distrust often lead to anger and the anger often leads to severing the channels of communication between family members. This can occur between parent and child or between siblings or between all of them.
It is often at this point that a neutral third party can come in and repair the damage that has been done and help correct the problems that have come about because of the disagreement.
A practitioner experienced in elder mediation is a perfect choice for solving disagreements due to issues with the elderly.
WHAT IS ELDER MEDIATION?
Mediation is a non-adversarial approach to solving disputes. Mediation is a process of bringing two or more disputing parties together and having them mutually negotiate a solution to their disagreement. The mediator is not a judge and does not render a decision but is there to make sure that communication flows freely between the disputing parties. Elder Mediators are trained in the art of negotiating resolutions between elderly parents and family members.
Mediation can achieve results that the family by itself may not be capable of realizing or have the expertise of achieving. Here are some reasons that make Elder Mediation so valuable.
- A trained expert on communication gives the family a perspective it could not gain by meeting together on its own;
- All family members involved meet and prevent problems from arising by anticipating situations that may cause disputes;
- Allows for the mediator to invite experts such as care managers or other care providers into the meeting to educate the family and give them a new perspective;
- Allows parents to focus on their abilities rather than their limitations;
- Allows children to come up with and consider options not thought of previously;
- Encourages uninvolved family members to become involved;
- Allows parents to express wishes and desires that had previously gone unuttered;
- Allows for a neutral third party to challenge family members and make them take responsibility for their actions;
- Promotes consensus of all involved which in turn creates a much higher rate of compliance with the plan than with any other process; (the success rate for compliance with elder mediation is estimated to be about 80% to 85%)
- Requires a written plan with specific responsibilities which makes compliance feasible.
There are many organizations and companies throughout the country providing expertise in “Elder Mediation” to help seniors and their families. You will also find that mediators often have many coincident professional accreditations such as, Professional or Geriatric Care Manager, Elder Attorney, Clinical Social Worker or Certified Mediator.
In choosing a mediator, consider your needs. Is there a need for a medical assessment to determine the type of care? Are legal concerns with inheritance or family business or power of attorney, the main need? Perhaps, just bringing the family together to communicate on what needs to be done and who will do it is the agenda for now.
In one case, after months of dispute with her parents over their health and safety issues, Connie enlisted the service of a professional care manager mediator.
“Bringing a neutral person with a professional and compassionate attitude into our disputes was the best thing for all involved,” Connie recalled. “My parents shared their concerns and listened with acceptance to mine. All of a sudden we could communicate and work out a plan that they could live with and I could relax knowing they were safe.”
Seniors Use Mediators to help the family plan for long term care.
In the National Care Planning Council's book, “The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning,” the process of creating your own “Care Plan” before you need it is introduced. Quoting from the book:
“If the current or future caregiver wants the other persons attending the meeting to give support with respite care, transportation to doctors, etc., everyone needs to be aware of this and in total agreement to do it. All must also be willing to work with the member of the family, friend or professional who is designated as the Personal Care Coordinator.
If you feel the communication will be strained, consider having a professional mediator present. The mediator will be able to keep things calm and running smoothly and help work out each person's concerns.”
“The 4 Steps of Long Term Care Planning” book can be found at http://www.longtermcarelink.net/a16four_steps_book.htm
Where to Find an Elder Mediator
- In your local phone book, on the internet or with your community senior services.
- References from friends and neighbors
- Contact the local area agency on aging
- Contact your state bar association
- Contact a local university or college and asked to speak to the department that provides mediation training and ask for a referral.
- On the internet look up mediation in your area
- Yellow pages in local phone books
The National Care Planning Council lists Professional Mediators throughout the United States on its website at http://www.longtermcarelink.net/a7mediation.htm
Posted on Thu, Mar 24, 2011 @ 02:39 PM
Making the decision to hire a home care service to provide care for your loved one is an important decision and can, at the same time, be very difficult. If an illness or recovery from surgery requires nursing care or physical therapy, a physician may order skilled home care services that provide both skilled providers and personal aides. Your decision is then based on the obvious medical determinations made by the doctor. But what if you as the family caregiver must determine the extent of care needed without the help of a doctor?
Each home care situation is unique. In the beginning, family or friends step in to help with simple tasks and support for aging seniors who want to stay in their homes. As long term care needs progress, more time is required to manage those needs. Physical and mental conditions change with aging making usually routine hygiene and daily living activities difficult for an aging individual. Even with the healthiest of seniors, the ability to drive a car, shop for groceries or do general housekeeping eventually needs to be relinquished to the responsibility of another person.
In one example, Karen, would stop by her parents' home on her way to work every morning and again on her way home from work in the evening. She checked in the morning to see that they were up and ready for the day and Karen would take a shopping list for things they needed. In the evening she delivered the needed items she had purchased during her lunch break and sometimes she fixed a meal when one was not prepared by her mother. This worked well until Karen began to notice her father did not shave or dress during the day and both parents were forgetting their medications. Karen felt more time and supervision was needed in their care but with her own family and job, she could not do it. Non-medical or personal home care services would be a good option for Karen to consider.
Before starting your search for a non-medical or personal home care company, determine what the care needs are and how much time each week will be required for assistance from the company. You may want to consult with the family physician and other family members as well as experienced social workers or care managers to determine needs. Most home care companies, as well, will help you do an assessment at no charge. With your care needs in hand, you are ready to begin your search.
The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (http://www.nahc.org/home.html) gives the following guidelines and checklist in searching for a home care company:
- How long has this provider been serving the community?
- Does this provider supply literature explaining its services, eligibility requirements, fees, and funding sources? Many providers furnish their home care clients with a detailed "Patient Bill of Rights" that outlines the rights and responsibilities of the providers, clients, and family caregivers alike.
- How does this provider select and train its employees? Does it protect its workers with written personnel policies and malpractice insurance? Does it protect clients from theft or abuse by bonding its employees?
- Does this provider assign supervisors to oversee the quality of care clients are receiving in their homes? If so, how often do these individuals make visits? Who can the client and his or her family members call with questions or complaints? How does the company follow up on and resolve problems?
- What are the financial procedures of this provider? Does the provider furnish written statements explaining all of the costs and payment plan options associated with home care?
- What procedures does this provider have in place to handle emergencies? Are its caregivers available on notice?
- How does this provider ensure client confidentiality?
If a home care company has not previously been recommended to you, ask for a list of previous clients and call for their experience with this provider.
Following up on these guidelines can help you determine the quality of personal care that is given. Many states license non-medical home care companies and require both legal and health standards to be maintained.
Read about individual home care companies in your area on the National Care Planning Council's website www.longtermcarelink.net.
Posted on Fri, Mar 18, 2011 @ 11:08 AM
We spend our lives making plans and preparing for future events. From the beginning we plan and work towards education, a career, marriage and a family. We work hard and save, invest and build our assets. We insure to protect our home, automobiles, health and medical needs.
Retirement age comes and our plan is finally in place. Finances and time have come together to allow us to enjoy the elder years of life. This is where the planning ends. But life does not end at retirement. There is a portion of life that the majority of us will live through after the retirement years called "eldercare."
Very few of us plan for this part of our life, but yet it is as important if not more important to plan for it. If we don't, we are leaving our last years in someone else's hands. As much as children love us and mean to do right by us, they cannot possibly know what we want if they are not told.
Ruby, age 80, lost her husband. She had cared for him at home after his stroke. Understandably, she felt lost and depressed after his death. An inner ear infection caused Ruby to lose her balance and fall, breaking her hip. While she was in the hospital recuperating from surgery, Ruby's children were deciding her future.
Concerned for her health and safety they moved some of her belongings to an assisted care facility. Upon Ruby's release from the hospital she was taken to her new home at the facility. Between pain medication and the unfamiliar surroundings, Ruby never was herself again. She spent her last days asking what had happened to her home and belongings. Though her children had her best interest at heart, they did not know how Ruby wanted to spend her elder days.
An article on the AARP website titled, "Talking about Independent Living" states, "Research has shown that, as people age, they prefer to continue living independently, preferably in their own homes. While adult children often worry about their parent's situation, it can be difficult to know if parents really need, or want, help from their children."
Children and parents should talk about all these things.
What do you want your children, or friends to do on your behalf? When it comes time for them to help, you may not be physically or mentally able to execute your wishes. This is where your long term care plan comes into effect. You need to be the responsible person for your own personal care in the future.
The time to start planning is now. Don’t wait until the choice is no longer yours!
Posted on Thu, Mar 10, 2011 @ 07:57 AM
By Hal Robertson
As elders continue to age and become dependent on others for all or part of their care, they can feel a sense of worthlessness and low self-esteem or lost dignity.
Following the 7 tips below can go a long way to helping you maintain your elder's dignity.
1. Never demand to help your elder - only offer your assistance.
2. Go out of your way to ensure that your elder always has money in their wallet or pocketbook. By ensuring your elder has money - say 10 $1 bills for example - they will know they are still an adult and one that can be trusted with money.
3. Always be at the same level as your elder when speaking with them. If they are in a wheelchair, be sure that you are sitting in a chair as well. Never give them the impression that you are "above" them because you are always physically looking down to them.
4. When speaking with your elder, do so no closer than 3 feet.
5. Always ask your elder to help with various tasks around the house that they can physically handle. Doing so will let them know that you value their assistance and it will make them feel wanted and worthwhile.
6. Always be positive when discussing their opinions, possessions and preferences for the way things are done around the house.
7. Always encourage your elder to offer suggestions for their care as well as other choices that impact their daily life. Never dictate to your elder. When you have an opposing view, engage them and explain why certain decisions have to be made, but do your best to allow them to have input.
By following these simple tips, you can have a profound positive impact on your elder's life. Not only will they be able to maintain their dignity, but you will both live a happier life.
Posted on Thu, Mar 03, 2011 @ 02:36 PM
Becoming a senior isn’t as carefree and glamorous as the many advertisements suggest. Working full-time might have stopped and the children might all be grown and gone, but with these changes comes the realization that there now are other issues on the front burner. It’s true that the senior years can be filled with pleasure. Yet still, there is much to think about.
Primary among these concerns is housing. It is common to hear talk of “empty-nesters downsizing” and this does happen all the time. The larger homes that were once suitable for raising a family suddenly become huge maintenance issues when the folks are older and money becomes tight.
Yard maintenance alone can be a full-time job, depending on the size of the yard and the amount of landscaping. Inside, it doesn’t get any easier. Besides the basic upkeep there is the never-ending issue of home repair. Regardless of a home’s age, things in and around the home will break down and need repair.
And even when the home is newly-constructed, modifications are often needed to improve accessibility. Ramps are sometimes needed to facilitate wheelchair mobility. Bars on walls and bathrooms are often needed for stability. Uneven surfaces need to be fixed so that the simple task of walking doesn’t become a dangerous activity. And when stair climbing becomes agonizing, electronic lifts may need to be installed. There are also many items available on the web to help with simple day-to-day issues. The Independent Living website offers a huge assortment of items.
Normally, finding qualified professionals to deal with whatever is in need of repair or modification is a simple matter. But for seniors, the process can be filled with risk. Seniors are the primary targets of scam artists. Every day, another unsuspecting senior becomes an unwilling victim of some form of fraud or abuse. And unfortunately, this isn’t something that will change simply by changing an address. In fact, scam artists go where there is money to be made and that, coincidentally, is also where the seniors go – over 55 communities and cities that have a reputation for attracting seniors.
Another common housing issue for seniors is proximity to medical facilities. As seniors age, they will naturally need more medical attention. It is one thing to make sure seniors have the right medical insurance coverage, but seniors also need to be able to get access to the care that is needed. For a while, most seniors will have their own transportation to and from medical appointments. However, this may not always be the case. That is why it’s also important to consider the availability and accessibility of alternate forms of transportation, including public transportation.
And finally, the issue of crime is closely related to the issue of senior housing. Every senior’s first choice is to reside in an area where crime statistics are low or non-existent. Unfortunately this is not always an option.
If you or someone you know is struggling with these common issues for seniors there is help. Visit www.hud.gov/groups/seniors today to learn more about the answers to many of the questions you have about these and other senior housing issues.
Home care offers a solution to many of these issues. Please feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have regarding in home care solutions.
Original article may be found at: http://www.thehomecaredirectory.com/home_health_care/related_articles/common_housing_issues_for_seniors/34/