You are here: Home » Assisted Living Blog
Assisted Living Blog
The blog contains many articles with new articles published frequently. Check back often or use one of the methods below to subscribe.
|
|
Latest Blog Posts
October 3rd, 2011, General Info, Long Term Care Insurance, Paying for Assisted Living
The Internet is a valuable tool. Meta search engines, such as Google, provide quick results for questions and search terms typed into their search boxes. Google now has a system in place that can log your general location based on your internet service provider’s number provided for your access point, also known as an IP Adress. That is short for Internet Protocol Address. Your IP lets Google know where you are- your city or town. The search engine can then give you local results for some terms or suggest terms for you as you type in your search words.
This can be beneficial when you are searching for long term care insurance providers. Local results will help you avoid national insurance referral companies which operate much like large Assisted Living referral websites and companies. The website will claim to match you with the insurance provider that is ‘perfect’ for you and your current situation. The truth is, like ALF matching companies, the website is selling your name to the highest bidder and only displaying the companies that pay the highest amount for placement.
September 26th, 2011, General Info, Paying for Assisted Living
Senior citizens are not immune to
credit card debt. The numbers of
seniors that are finding themselves floundering in the deep end of the
debt pool are increasing. Lowered income and not completely understanding the terms of their card(s) contribute to this increased
debt.
No More Paychecks
Older Americans are faced with the loss of a steady paycheck when they retire. Social security payments and retirement payments may not be enough to pay off the monthly credit card statements that some seniors have been keeping current for years. Another factor in debt can be dementia- impaired memory results in missed payments or even forgetting that they have a credit card.
September 19th, 2011, Assisted Living Concerns, Long Term Care Insurance, Paying for Assisted Living
When it comes to
paying for assisted living, not all
seniors are able to afford private insurance. But when an individual cannot safely stay in their home and does not need all of the full care services offered by a skilled nursing facility, their choices can seem very limited. In fact, depending on what state the person lives in, their choices may truly be only family based care or moving into a skilled facility. In home care may be an option for
seniors, but only if they would otherwise need to move into a nursing home.
Low income individuals may qualify for Medicaid, which can in theory pay for some services offered by an ALF. Medicaid is a federally funded health care insurance program that is regulated and administered state by state. People of all ages can qualify for the insurance if their income is low enough, even if they are employed. Married couples may find it easier to qualify for Medicaid when their income is limited, most states ralize that two people are not able to live on the reduced income of social security and afford medical insurance.
September 12th, 2011, Long Term Care Insurance, Paying for Assisted Living
Assisted Living Facilities accept a wide range of insurances from different companies. If you have purchased
long term care insurance, you will need to check with your chosen facility to ensure that they accept coverage from your company.
Long Term Care Insurance
Most employers offer long term care insurance as a part of certain insurance packages. The added cost may seem significant, but when the cost of such care is considered, paying for an insurance premium may be a smart financial decision, even as early as middle age.
September 5th, 2011, Assisted Living Concerns, Long Term Care Insurance
From 30s to 40s
When people are in their 30s or 40s, they are busy planning on the present. Most are buying homes, financing college for their children, or just beginning to save for what they expect will be a healthy retirement. Long term care, such as an Assisted Living Facility is not even on their minds.
This could be a mistake, financially, when they reach retirement age. Many people find that they need some sort of assistance in their sixties or sometimes even earlier. If long term insurance has not been purchased, it is very possible that these individuals will find themselves in a skilled nursing facility well before they had expected. This can be due to running out of savings or having no savings and needing to rely on Medicaid for long term insurance.
August 29th, 2011, General Info, Resident Care
Your
aging mother calls, she just received a large check in the mail. Not just any check, but a check for several thousand dollars! No catch – the senders just ask that the check be deposited and once it clears in about seven day, send them a small few (usually one or two hundred dollars) to cover their processing fees. After a thorough examination and several phone calls, you determine the check is, in fact, a legal check from a real bank account.
What do you do?
August 22nd, 2011, Alzheimers Care, Assisted Living Activities
Residents that are suffering from any type of
dementia benefit from activities that stimulate the brain and body. When activities are instituted to improve the quality of life of residents with
dementia, their overall health can be improved. Behavior that has been affected by the
dementia or ‘acting out’ can be suppressed or even eliminated for some residents.
Even if someone is losing their memory, they can still enjoy many activities. It is not that difficult to find interesting things that anyone with dementia can enjoy. Think of simple, relaxing activities.
August 15th, 2011, Alzheimers Care, Resident Care
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is most often portrayed as a disease of memory. Important dates are forgotten, names of friends and family, and eventually the people that a sufferer of this disease may have know their whole lives are erased from memory.
While the loss of memory is terrible, other symptoms affect the lives of those with AD. Alzheimer’s is a disease that steals not only the memory, but the quality of life from those it affects. Simple day to day activities become difficult or even impossible to perform.
August 8th, 2011, Alzheimers Care, Life in Assisted Living
Some individuals choose to try alternative treaments for
Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Below you will find a list of a few treatments.
Coenzyme Q10-
An anti-oxidant known that is manufactured by the body and is used to promote proper reactions in cells. It has been determined by some studies that Q10 does not have a prfound effect on Alzheimer’s, though some physicians do encourage their patients to use the supplement. Too much Q10 can be detrimental to the body and self treatment without the aid of a physician should not be undertaken.
August 1st, 2011, Assisted Living Concerns, Assisted Living Locations
There are no
federal regulations concerning the operation of Assisted living Facilities. Each state has their own regulations, but even with state by state laws there are some disturbing trends.
Every Can Do It
Directions on how to open ALFs exist on the Internet and in many comments on these articles or ‘how to guides’, you will see people operating assisted living ‘facilities’ out of their homes. Small homes, any size from two to six bedrooms. Each bedroom may house one or two seniors. In some states there are even such so-called facilities based in double wide mobile homes.
July 25th, 2011, Alzheimers Care, Assisted Living Concerns
For years medical science has been researching the various elements that are suspected to play a role in the development of
Alzheimer’s disease (AD). When science understands what causes a particular condition, that brings us closer to treatments for established cases of a disease and one step closer to preventing or curing the condition altogether.
Environmental elements are large players in the development of AD. Heredity poses a large portion of risk, but there have been many instance of Alzheimer’s in patients with no definite family history of the disease. For these diagnosed cases, there may have been an environmental link.
July 18th, 2011, Assisted Living Concerns, General Info
Did you know that every community has
advocacy programs for
seniors? It does not matter if you live at home or in an Assisted Living facility, you are entitled to
advocacy for your concerns. The federal government has a website devoted to locating your local senior
advocate organizations :
www.eldercare.gov
This website lists every advocacy group in your community. You can also find your local Long Term Care Ombudsman by searching your state and zip code.
When you are in need of advocacy your local senior groups can help you. By providing information, speaking to administrative staff on your behalf, or helping you apply for benefits such as Medicaid. Becoming a member of one of these groups also gives you the chance to learn and perhaps become an advocate yourself.
July 11th, 2011, Alzheimers Care, Resident Care
When
dementia is mentioned in conversation, the first diagnosis that leaps to mind is
Alzheimer’s. While
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the top causes of
dementia, it is not the only culprit.
Dementia affects about one in seven Americans over 70. All memory loss is not
dementia and unlike
dementia caused by Alzheimer’s, some dementias can be reversed.
Dementia itself is not a disease. It is a symptom of an underlying condition. Different conditions can mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Thorough testing of the stricken individual’s mental cognition and their ability to complete their activities of daily living (ADLs) can help pinpoint the underlying cause of dementia.
July 4th, 2011, Alzheimers Care, General Info
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has a long list of medications that are prescribed. The type of medication depends on the severity of the disease at the time of examination.
Cholinesterase inhibitors-
These drugs are prescribed for individuals in the mild to moderate stages of AD. Cholinesterase inhibitors may help with certain behavioral issues and may help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease for a short time. All of the cholinesterase inhibitors work the same way, by helping the brain chemical acetylcholine avoid breakdown. As the disease progresses, these drugs may lose their ability to help reduce the signs and symptoms of AD.
June 27th, 2011, Life in Assisted Living, Resident Care
All across the nation there are angels quietly enriching the lives of seniors. Men and women that sit and chat with lonely seniors, walk dogs, clean, and even buy groceries for those that cannot afford them otherwise. These angels may be young, middle aged, or the same age as the people they are helping. Age and sex have no bearing, only their desire to help others.
June 25th, 2011, Assisted Living Activities, Assisted Living Concerns
Irene is retired, she loves to work in her garden. Because she has always spent hours outside, she thinks the heat and humidity of Midwestern summers don’t bother her. Then last year an unusual heat wave hit her area. Five days into the heat wave, her daughter Kim came over because Irene sounded confused on the phone. Kim found her mom passed out on the kitchen floor. Irene’s one large fan wasn’t enough to fight the effect of the heat and humidity on her body. The ambulance came quickly when called, but Irene almost died. She had heat stroke, the most serious form of hyperthermia.
June 20th, 2011, General Info
Even when the economy is in a depressed state, investing can be profitable. Placing money in stocks and bonds now can help secure your future. People are finding it harder to keep up with the high costs of long term care, an additional income from stocks could be the difference between living comfortable in your retirement community or being evicted when your savings run dry. Savvy investors think far ahead and follow their
investments closely. If you are unsure about investing on your own, consult an established stock broker, friends may be able to offer advice on a trustworthy broker in your area.
Stocks and bonds are not the only way to save for your long term care needs. A few ideas include:
June 13th, 2011, Assisted Living Concerns, Resident Care
Recently the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement that the
H1N1 Pandemic had ended. The death toll around the globe is at an estimated 18,000. This is far below what the WHO expected – due to the rate at which the virus spread, the organization originally thought the death toll would reach the millions.
While this is good news on the whole, those that are susceptible to influenza should still receive their flu shots. Swine flu (H1N1) is not wiped out and like any virus, can make a comeback.
June 6th, 2011, Alzheimers Care, General Info
Frontotemporal
dementia (FTD) is a type of
dementia that at one time was very hard to distinguish from
Alzheimer’s disease. Today, medical advances have made it possible to map and see images of the brain. Thanks to these advances, physicians can positively differentiate between
Alzheimer’s and Frontotemporal
dementia without a postmortem exam.
FTD has an average onset age of 60. This is not a concrete number because some cases of FTD have been observed in patients as young as 21 years of age. Alzheimer’s disease is most commonly diagnosed at or after the age of 70.
May 16th, 2011, Resident Care
Parkinson’s Disease is an illness that affects the nervous system. Symptoms do not appear suddenly, there is a gradual build-up. Most people associate tremors or shaking with the disease. Other symptoms include slowness or complete freezing of movements.
May 16th, 2011, Assisted Living Activities, Life in Assisted Living
As we age, we often find that our beliefs grow stronger. Some researchers attribute this new found sense of spirituality to the approach of the end of our lives. They note that the same strengthening in beliefs occurs after a near death experience or after the death of a loved one.
Spirituality Evolves
Not all individuals believe this to be true. They feel that a lifetime of struggle with beliefs, regardless of religious affiliation or lack thereof, exposes a senior to far more choices than younger people. More experience, more choices, and an education on how beliefs can affect their well being.
May 13th, 2011, General Info, Life in Assisted Living
We have discussed regulations regarding Assisted Living Facilities in a previous article. Many questions concerning ALFs and regulations are asked by both residents and their families. The most frequently asked question is “Are ALFs regulated by the Federal Government?”
May 13th, 2011, General Info, Resident Care
Organic food is an expensive addition to any menu, not just in the Assisted Living sector. With more people turning to chemical free food, the cost may be well worth it. Chemical fertilizers have been tentatively linked to health problems from asthma to cancer.
May 11th, 2011, Rehabilitation Care, Resident Care
Vascular Dementia is caused by the blockage of blood flow to the brain. This blockage causes brain cells to die which in turn affects the memory and cognitive ability of the individual stricken. The death of brain cells can cause damage to the area of the brain that controls language, memory, and learning. This area is the cortex.
May 9th, 2011, Assisted Living Concerns, How to Select an Assisted Living Facility
Budgeting your savings to cover assisted living is a major undertaking. It is well known that an ALF can cost upwards of $2,000 a month, depending on the state and what basic services are covered. Once the move into the ALF has been secured, a relief of “Wow, that is done!” sets in. Residents are happy knowing that their payment has been made and each month will continue in the same vein.
May 9th, 2011, General Info, Life in Assisted Living
People are becoming much more aware of how their interaction with the world around them impacts their health. Not only their health but the health of our entire planet. Conserving energy, growing their own food, and doing whatever they can to create a smaller eco-footprint.
Unfortunately not all businesses are on board with this. Big business, such as car makers and even companies that make cleaners have been jumping on the green bandwagon. But hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities are some of the worst offenders when it comes to eco-infractions.
May 6th, 2011, Assisted Living Locations
Five Star Senior Living
Based in: Newton, Massachusetts
Residents: 9,686 (2009)
Number of Facilities: 154 owned or managed
Locations in US: All but AK, AR, CT, HI, ID, LA, ME, MT, ND, NH, NY, NV, OK, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WV
Locations Abroad: None
Company Type: Public, For Profit
May 2nd, 2011, Assisted Living Concerns, Life in Assisted Living
A study earlier this year pointed to an increased risk of suicide for senior in facilities. The facilities included in the study encompassed Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Skilled Facilities. The study can be found online in the May 18th edition of PLoS Medical Journal.
April 28th, 2011, Assisted Living Concerns, Life in Assisted Living, Resident Care
Many of the seniors that moved into an Assisted Living facility did so for the added safety of being ‘watched over’ during the night. They do so with the assumption that ALFs have the same staffing requirements as a skilled facility and that there will be several aides per hallway or floor to answer any calls for assistance late at night in case of an emergency.
