Senior Caregiving
When considering a nursing home stay, even for a short stay for rehabilitation, learn more about their quality of care. State inspection results are only reported every 15 months and do not provide a full story.
Seniors must remember to checkout options for Medicare coverage changes by December 31st.
Take the time to notice any changes in your senior loved ones as you spend time with them over the holidays.
Remember as you plan for retirement that you will need savings to supplement your Social Security benefit for at least another 30 years, most likely.
A new study confirms that longevity runs in families with children of centenarians having greater odds of also reaching their 100th birthday.
The slowing economy is also impacting the Assisted Living sector with seniors unable to sell their homes, fewer are moving to senior living communities.
A Geriatric Care Manager can be a valuable resource to help manage senior care, especially if you are a long-distance caregiver.
The mini-mental exam offers an easy way to identify real signs of memory loss.
You can now find a guide to quality senior products on the FTC's website and avoid those products which have been reported as frauds or scams.
You are not the only one assisting a senior with memory loss and this website knows just what will help.
Once a diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease is given, it is important to begin the discussions about how care will be provided and who will be providing the care. You should not assume all family members will want to be involved - sometimes there are those who do not want to participate in the care for both real and imagined reasons.
There are various types of memory loss but Alzheimer's Disease presents special challenges and identifying it early can be helpful for the senior and their loved ones.
Every state in the USA offers an elder abuse hotline for anyone to call when they are interacting with a senior who may need more care or assistance or protection from someone who does not have the senior's best interest at heart.
Eating a banana is a natural way to lower blood pressure.
Long-term care insurance can be purchased to prevent a spend-down of assets should senior care services become needed.
News of Barack Obama's grandmother passing just a day before the election brings sadness we can all relate to when losing a loved one.
Seniors, and those at any age, can try this exercise to find out if they are "in balance".
Living well is important at all ages, in order for one to age well. While good genes are always a plus, there are resources for both seniors and their Caregivers to learn about healthy diet, exercise and ways to control stress levels to allow you to enjoy your life.
Detecting the proper form of memory loss a senior is experiencing is vital for proper treatment and to slow the progression.
Early detection of memory loss greatly helps, by allowing the senior and their family to learn how to cope and by possibly slowing down the decline with medications and a daily routine. Take advantage of the upcoming free memory screenings at 2,000 locations nationwide.
Remember there are many ways to cast your vote next Tuesday and most communities have programs to assist seniors with transportation to the polls.
Hospice care provides opportunities for those seeking to volunteer, as well as for those interested in learning more about working as a caregiver.
Senior Home Care agencies offer professional caregiving services which provide the added benefit of protecting the senior from theft and dishonest caregivers while delivering a managed care plan with appropriately trained staff. If a Senior Home Care Agency had been providing the care services, the California caregiver convicted of stealing $304,000 from her client on Friday would not have been named the senior's power of attorney nor had access to the senior's bank accounts.
The movie, "Away From Her" brings to life the challenges caregivers and loved ones face as Alzheimer's Disease progresses.
Presidential Candidate Barack Obama announced he will take time off to spend with his ailing Grandmother in Hawaii.
New survey provides overview of challenges seniors face when evaluating assisted living communities
The Red Cross provides free training videos on CPR.
Today seniors discovered they will receive an increase in their Social Security benefit check beginning in January of 2009.
Medicare does cover hospice care services and can make the journey a little more smoother for the terminally ill patient and their loved ones and caregivers.
Just like with insurance, we all hope we won't ever need a living will. However, if we ever do need it, we will really, really need it. It is also nice to have a living will already created as we grow older to make matters easier for our family caregivers. The Five Wishes simplifies this process, for just $5.00.
Let these Chicago Marathon finishers provide you with inspiration to keep it moving, even if you are in a wheelchair or pushing 90!
Working as a senior caregiver provides an opportunity to make a positive difference for an older adult while earning a paycheck. As the population ages, there continues to be a nationwide need for trustworthy, responsible caregivers.
Monthly Social Security benefits may be enough to cover rent and food but when medical emergencies arise, insurance co-pays and medications can quickly add up to be more than a senior's monthly benefit payment.
The new federal exercise guidelines include suggestions for "Older Americans" to take advantage of the health benefits that exercising delivers.
Exercise provides health benefits to people of all ages. Scientific research from NIH shows the added advantages of physical exercise for older adults.
The Center for Disease Control has annonced there are more than enough flu vaccinations available this year and recommends them for both seniors and Caregivers.
Caring for seniors is stressful and it is important for Caregivers to remember to take care of themselves. Dr. Andrew Weil offers a relaxing breathing technique which is a natural tranquilizer - good for both seniors and their Caregivers.
Testing for a gene mutation which is associated with Parkinson's disease now allows you to find out if you will be more likely to develop the disease.
Even when entering a nursing home just for short-term rehabilitation, it is important to find out if they accept Medicaid as a form of payment.
AARP offers many benefits, beyond just insurance, for anyone age 50 or older. Even though 50 may be the "new 40", it is worth checking out.
Today Paul Harvey, a radio announcer for 57 years, turned 90. Why is this news? Because he continues to work.
Michelle O'bama found inspiration in how her father dealt with his daily living after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
Geriatric Care Managers are able to provide professional guidance to make sure all of a senior's care needs are in place, from medical care to financial planning.
Dr. Sandy Goldberg discusses how to effectively approach senior living options.
When the time comes for Mom and Dad to move, it is never easy. But just like planning for a new baby to be born, you can talk to others who have already moved their parents, read books and research your options.
Research continues to advance in finding tests for early detection of Alzheimer's Disease.
Creating an Estate Plan and communicating the information to your heirs can save everyone added head-aches. We can all learn a few lessons from singer James Brown's Estate Plan mistakes.
Have you discussed with your family and loved ones how you would prefer to receive senior care, should the need arise?
Many times, individuals do not press charges against a person who has stolen items from them or a Judge will allow arrest info to be removed from someone's record if they perform Community Service. This means there are individuals who have multiple arrests for theft, drugs or other crimes, and yet this information will not show up on their Background Check.
Senior Home Care Agencies offer the advantage of a flexible schedule which may be easily adjusted. This allows families to introduce caregiving services to a loved one slowly. Agencis offer an hourly and daily rate for care.
Senior Home Care Agencies have Policies & Procedures in place to insure the senior client will receive quality care and that both the Client and the Caregiver are protected in the employee-employer situation. Independent Contractor Caregivers do not provide clients with this insurance protection nor the layers of professional care management which offer active supervision of the client and the care.
What are the ways you can pay for senior care? Medicare does not provide for long-term care, although many Americans have this perception because Medicaid does pay for long-term care nursing home stays for low-income seniors who qualify for Medicaid benefits.
Sometimes seniors who are experiencing memory loss present unique care challenges, as their confusion about people, places and time of day can present safety challenges in providing quality care and offer an easy avenue to be verbally and physically abusive towards Caregivers.
By understanding the information a Senior Home Care Agency needs to effectively manage elder care, you can more effectively communicate your care needs and insure a successful relationship.
As Medicare only pays for nursing home care for a few months after a major medical incident, and Medicaid provides for nursing care for low-income seniors who have virtually no assets, alternative options are becoming more common. Assisted Living Communities and Senior Home Care Agencies are able to provide for many elder care needs.
The number one form of elder abuse is financial. Many times the abuser is a relative. Professionally managed care, through a Senior Home Care Agency, prevents finanical abuse through proper policies and procedures for the Caregiver to follow.
Assisted Living is a term which does not have a standard definition within the senior care industry. While it usually guarantees there are meals available in a dining room, nurses on staff to monitor medical conditions, appropriate senior activities and transportation, this varies widely depending on the community. At the same time, while more services may be available, they may not be included in the monthly rental fee and result in additional costs.
Ted Kennedy, who can relate to the needs of senior care as he is battling a brain tumor, saved the day by flying to Washington, D.C. between chemo treatments to cast a "Yes" vote for the stalled Medicare legislation. This will prevent the 10.6 rate cut on reimbursements to medical doctors providing care to seniors on Medicare insurance.
Fidelity Investments recently released a study showing that a senior couple should expect to pay $85,000 on average, to cover long-term care insurance premiums.
Caregiverlist.com called nursing homes around the country to find out their daily costs and compares these with the costs of care in the home by a Senior Home Care Agency.
Medicare reimbursement payments to doctors were cut beginning July 1st, offering another reason for doctors to leave the program.
It seems naps provide benefits for more than just children and seniors. More and more corporations are offering nap rooms or a break in the day to boost productivity of workers.
Recent flooding along the Mississippi River and throughout the Midwest have forced quick evacuation of homes. Having an emergency disaster plan in place makes the process a little easier for senior home owners.
We all experience some memory loss at times. Where did I leave my keys? What time was the meeting? But when Alzheimer's Disease sneaks up on someone, it is a challenge for everyone involved.
As tribute stories to newsman Tim Russert aired this week, friends shared stories about how Tim managed all the care needs for his Dad, "Big Russ" from a distance, in order to allow him to stay in the comfort of his own home.
Spouses of Veterans also qualify for the Aid & Attendance Benefit, which pays for caregiving services in the home and sometimes in a nursing home.
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter offers $20,000 award for caregiving to recognize leadership in implementing innovative and creative partnerships between community agencies and researchers.
Providing care for others comes with challenges and rewards. Sometimes it helps to share these stories with others, for both family caregivers and professional caregivers. When John, just 45-years-old, fell from his roof and broke both shoulders, he learned how difficult it is to lose some of your independence.
The unglamorous side of caregiving is shown in this new movie profiling a Caregiver working in London, England.
Background checks come in many shapes and sizes.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows for convictions to be reviewed for the last 7 years but some states have passed their own laws which may alter this if an individual will be working with children or seniors.
Veterans often are not aware of the "Aid & Attendance" Benefit which provides a Caregiver to assist them in their home with Activities of Daily Living. A Medical Doctor must provide approval based on care needs and the Veteran may not have more than $80,000.00 in assets, excluding their homes and cars, to qualify.
It is never pleasant to think about discussing a parent or grandparent's driving capabilities with them. The alternative - an accident which could harm them or someone else - is also not pleasant. The Federal Highway Administration reports that older drivers experience more motor vehicle fatalities than any other driving group, with the exception of drivers under age 20.
With foreign and domestic problems causing gas prices to rise to an all-time high, have you considered how the extra money at the pump effects caregivers? The average caregiver salary is $9.00 per hour, which means to and from work each day could easily cost them an hour’s pay in gas.