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Eldercare Lessons: Quality of Life - Rudy's StoryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
By Rita M FilesThroughout the years of working in the elder care industry, I have had the good fortune to meet a handful of people who have positively impacted my life on both a personal and professional level. The lessons I learned from them have changed my view on my own "golden" years and the true meaning of the quality of life.One person who stands out the most is my beloved Rudy. He and his longtime companion, Helenaafter spending the previous 40 years living in an apartment in New York City in a neighborhood laden with crime and dangerreluctantly agreed to move to a senior living community after much pressure fro...
Source: Aging with Grace - September 14, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

How Safe are Your Medications?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
When Kurt Rauer's doctor suggested he switch heart medications from Digoxin to Digitek he didn't think much of it. But after about a year of taking Digitek, he received a recall warning him of a potential problem with the medication dosage.As it turns out, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had recalled Digitek due to double the dose of medication in a single pill.Yet what's most surprising is that Rauer received the warning not from his physician or pharmacist but from an independent drug safety service.The RX Guardian, a service of Aging with Grace, is designed to keep you, the consumer, informed about the safety of ...
Source: Aging with Grace - April 22, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Learning About Eldercare: It is Never too Soon to StartEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Informal or family caregiving for an elderly loved one when they are ill or disabled is expected in virtually all cultures of the world and is generally accepted as the "norm" in most developing countries. In the US, family continues to provide most of the care and supportive services to older family members. The family contribution to health care represents between 70 to 80 % of all such care in the form of informal caregiving. Family members provide both short-term assistance (e.g. following surgery) and long-term assistance (e.g. for permanent or extended loss function such as loss of sight, mobility or cognitive impair...
Source: Aging with Grace - February 24, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Why Brain Fitness is ImportantEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
You may have seen a link to MindFit brain fitness training on our home page and been curious to learn more about the importance of brain fitness.The importance of brain fitness is something you've probably been hearing a lot about lately. Brain fitness products are based on recent discoveries and developments that have been made in the field of cognitive science. Research shows that brain fitness is as essential to your good health as physical fitness. In fact, the two go hand in hand. Maintaining brain fitness is important because, as you age, some of your cognitive skills begin to decline. Skills such as short-term memor...
Source: Aging with Grace - February 11, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Is the cost of Assisted Living tax deductible?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
With so many seniors living in Assisted Living communities across the United States and many of them paying their monthly fees with their own financial resources, it is important to know that some or all of their costs may be tax deductible. According to the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), "long-term care services" may be tax deductible as an unreimbursed medical expense on Schedule A. Qualified long-term care services have been defined as including the type of daily "personal care services" provided to Assisted Living residents, such as help with bathing, dressing, continence care, eatin...
Source: Aging with Grace - January 22, 2009 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Senior Holiday Gift IdeasEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This wonderful time of year can be both joyous and stressful for many of us. With all the preparations and festivities involved you almost wonder if you will get through the season, let alone enjoy it. Yet we still manage to come away with yet more fond memories of a wonderful holiday season. The holiday season is even more challenging when you're a caregiver, a demanding role at the best of times. As caregivers, we want to enjoy the holidays and make it a special time for our loved ones without feeling overwhelmed and drained. With this in mind, here are gift ideas that families we suggest to help manage the stress the ho...
Source: Aging with Grace - December 8, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Coping with Elderly Depression around the HolidaysEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
For most of us, the holidays are a time to gather with friends and family, celebrate, and reflect on the past and plan for the future. However, for some, especially older individuals, the holidays can be a difficult time. During the holidays, older adults may feel more acutely the passing of time, the absence of parents, siblings and friends who have died, and the distance of loved ones who have moved away. Traditional reunions and rituals that were observed in the past may not be possible and in their absence, the holidays may seem devoid of meaning. It is normal to feel subdued, reflective and sad in the face of these lo...
Source: Aging with Grace - November 5, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Eldercare Issues Impact the WorkplaceEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Many caregivers today are sandwiched between caring for their own families, and assuming the responsibility of caring for aging parents and, in many cases, grandparents or even aunts and uncles.Balancing all the responsibility has truly become a juggling act, especially for working caregivers. Attending a childs final soccer game versus taking an elderly loved one to a medical appointment has become a stressful decision that tugs at the hearts of caregivers. Coupled with working full time, the reality of the days growing longer as the nights grow shorter becomes increasingly evident.Although statistics show the burden of...
Source: Aging with Grace - October 22, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Eldercare Issues: Beware of FREE referral, placement, and directory services: They are not really freeEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
During these tough economic times, more and more stressed caregivers are gravitating to the web for help and guidance. With the plethora of "free" internet referral, placement, and on-line directory services for families in search of eldercare products and services such as homecare and assisted living, it is important to know exactly how these services make their money and how it might affect you and your loved one in the end. Yes, they do provide their service to you at no charge; however the service providers that they refer you to pay them for their services. Since most employees of these "free" services work on a commi...
Source: Aging with Grace - October 10, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Eldercare Issues: NATIONAL SILVER ALERT ACT (H.R.6064)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
NATIONAL SILVER ALERT ACT (H.R.6064)The House of Representatives recently passed the National Silver Alert Act. This act is similar in structure to the Amber Alert for children. It establishes a formal system to quickly locate missing seniors, especially those suffering from Alzheimer's and other dementia related illnesses. The Alzheimer's Foundation reports that approximately 3 million Americans with Alzheimer's disease will wander away at some point in time.The bill which is now heading to the Senate was originally introduced by U.S. Representative Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor, Florida. He brought up the idea after 86-ye...
Source: Aging with Grace - October 6, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Finding Funds for Eldercare: Veterans Benefit for Aid & AttendanceEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The veterans of our country are entitled to health benefit programs from our federal government. However, few take advantage of the Non-Service Connected Improved Pension Benefit, commonly referred to as the "Aid and Attendance" benefits program. The programs purpose is to assist Veterans as well as spouses or widows of Veterans with paying their out-of-pocket medical expenses.Veteran Affairs (VA) considers the program as one of the department's most underutilized offerings. Heres why: most veterans do not know about it, or how to apply.To qualify for this important benefit, the veteran, either alive or deceased, mus...
Source: Aging with Grace - October 1, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

2009 Medicare Parts A and B Costs AnnouncedEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
2009 Medicare Parts A and B Costs for Beneficiaries What you will be paying for Medicare in 2009:Part B monthly premium $96.40Part B annual deductible $135.00Part A hospital deductible $1,068Part A hospital daily co-pay $267.00 for days 61 through 90Part A hospital lifetime reserve co-pay $534.00 per days, days 91-150Part A Skilled Nursing Facility co-pays $133.50 per day, days 21 - 100Part A "voluntary" enrollee premiumFewer than 30 quarters of coverage $443.00 per month Between 30 and 39 quarters of coverage $244.00 per monthThe Part B premium is the same in 2009 as in 2008Aging with Grace, a national eldercare resource...
Source: Aging with Grace - September 22, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Tips for Reducing Eldercare Stress: The Reality of the MirrorEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
For a person with Alzheimer's, time is a matter of mind. Their here and now is often our past and long ago. Daughters become mothers and sons become fathers. For the most part, they are in the prime of their life and the thought of having grown children or grandchildren is often inconceivable.So, when your mother who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, yells out, "Help...someone is in my room" or "there is a stranger in the bathroom," it is the reality of the infamous mirror that is playing tricks. However, as unsettling as this may be for you, her call for help is her reality. You need to respond in a calming and loving ...
Source: Aging with Grace - August 23, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Eldercare Stress: Helping a Senior Make a Smooth MoveEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
When it is time to assist with transitioning a loved one from their "family" home, a place where they may have spent the last 30, 40, or 50 years the physical aspect of the move can indeed be a monumental undertaking. However, it is the psychological aspect that in many cases is the true source of overwhelming stress.Having assisted many seniors with the task of "downsizing" and having to part with many of their treasures, I learned first hand the importance of giving the older person the opportunity to "let go" of their belongings. Often this process includes sharing memories, especially if it is the house where they rais...
Source: Aging with Grace - August 15, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer

Tips for Reducing Eldercare Stress: Caring for the CaregiverEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The added responsibility of caring for an elderly loved one can deplete a person not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. Caregivers very often experience depression, resentment, worry, helplessness, exhaustion, guilt, anger, and sadness.The National Family Caregivers Association reports that 25 percent of caregivers feel "out of control" and "emotionally stressed," and 61 percent became more depressed after assuming a caregiver role.Caregivers caught in a web of guilt, anger, and depression clearly put their own health at risk. So acknowledge these feelings and focus on positive ways to deal with them.On...
Source: Aging with Grace - August 1, 2008 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: consumer