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Americans Will Need Long Term Care, Want It At Home

OurParents — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:44:53 +0000

Nowadays, people are getting older and living longer. Modern medicine has gotten us to the point where a large percentage of people are pushing their bodies’ limits by simply remaining alive. Unfortunately, this has negative consequences.

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, over two thirds of people over 65 will eventually need long term care. Long term care is defined as assistance in daily activities such as eating or bathing. Sun Life Financial has a life insurance policy with stipulations to support this. The policy, available in 39 states, provides long term care benefits to those who end up requiring them before end of life.

Sun Life Financial has found that almost three out of five seniors are worried about being able to afford long term care costs and that 87% want to have their long term care done at home for as long as possible. They are even willing to live a shorter life if independent rather than living an extended lifetime in a long term care facility.

Are Niche Retirement Communities Just A Fad?

OurParents — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 13:39:35 +0000

There are retirement communities for everybody. From RVs to Tai Chi, there are communities designed around the most eclectic interests, and more are being created every day.

Andrew Carle, the founding director of the senior housing administration program at George Mason University, said, “These ‘affinity communities’ are one of the biggest trends in retirement living.”

This rise in communities can be attributed to the aging of almost 80 million baby boomers. Baby boomers define themselves by their unique interests more than any other generation, setting the record for embracing fad products.

What do you do if there’s a Problem at a Senior Care Facility?

OurParents — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:42:52 +0000

Nobody wants to be in this situation. You get a call saying there might be abuse going on where your grandma lives. You hear about problems from others. Sometimes, you might not hear anything, but just stumble upon some of the clues yourself.

All states have an ombudsman program to deal with situations like this. An ombudsman is a government official who investigates complaints made by citizens about facilities like this. For California, for example, this is accomplished by the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.* If you hear about an issue, the priority is to contact the Ombudsman immediately and give them the information necessary to solve the problem.

To pursue resident advocacy in the long term care system, its laws, policies, regulations, and administration through public education and consensus building. Residents or their family members can file a complaint directly with the local Long-Term Care Ombudsman or by calling the Crisis Line. All long-term care facilities are required to post, in a conspicuous location, the phone number for the local Ombudsman office and the Statewide CRISISline number 1-800-231-4024. This CRISISline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to take calls and refer complaints from residents.

Independent Living may be a Real CLASS Act

OurParents — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:58:03 +0000

86% of 50-plus seniors want to stay in their homes (AARP). With an average $29,000 saved up for retirement however, this is not always a viable option. Seniors often need long term services and help with simple daily activities, two problems which are prohibitive to living alone.

So what are the options? Home health aides could be part of the solution. These aides would come to the home and assist the senior in regular activities to allow them to live independently for as long as possible. The problem is, these aides are not always covered by regular healthcare plans.

The Affordable Care Act has a provision to fix this: The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (CLASS Act). Basically, it would work like this: People will pay a premium for at least five years, working at least three of those years. This consumer-financed plan can start at any time, with premiums being lower for earlier starters. For example, students and low income members would pay $5 a month. This money would eventually return as daily benefits estimated around $75.

A possible downside to this system is that it depends on a large pool of people paying in for a long period of time. This may be unrealistic, as many Americans don’t understand, or indeed, want to think about their long term care.

Energy Drinks Boost Seniors’ Drive, Happiness

OurParents — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:30:17 +0000

“You know what 2:30 in the afternoon feels like, right?” asks a television teen in a commercial for 5-Hour Energy.

While these drinks have stereotypically gone to high school students up late writing papers and truckers in between stops, the two ounce shots have found a new market: seniors. Yes, people over sixty are lining up to try the drink that promises to keep their energy up. An ad in the AARP Bulletin said ”Getting older is fine. But not having the energy to do the things I enjoy isn’t.”

These shots are allowing older Americans to age in place more comfortably, now that they have the energy to do all the things they used to do. They can go out every day without worry that they will be too tired to do the things that matter.

With almost three times the amount of caffeine in a Red Bull, these shots pack a punch. Bill Osborne takes one before every golf game. The 66-year-old retired teacher said, “If you feel like you’re feeling better, you got a much better chance of getting through.”

Seniors in the Classroom- But Not the High School Kind!

OurParents — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:00:51 +0000

Did you ever wish you could go back to college? Learn about ethics and literature, about American history? These octogenarians did just that.

Vera Schupack, 88, took the Ethics and Literature class. “It was really challenging,” she said. “[The teacher] forces you to delve in deep, he just keeps pushing you.” Schupack graduated from NYU’s School of Education, but that wasn’t enough: “This was much more interesting.”

Ed Grippe, the teacher had this to say: “Teaching this class was a really great experience. They were really receptive and active, and they bring a whole new mix of thought to the discussion.” Grippe taught the class two hours a week on Fridays in the Socratic Seminar format, where students ask and answer questions. “They were not feisty,” he said. “They would come up with a serious point that challenged me, then afterward they would sort of apologize about it.”

Do You Want a Bomb-Disarming Robot Taking Care of Grandma?

OurParents — Fri, 27 May 2011 14:33:41 +0000

*Not representative of actual robot

I, for one, welcome our caregiving/bomb-defusing robotic overlords.

Non-Profit research firm SRI International believes it has found the next big thing in senior care-giving. Their bomb-disarming robot, Taurus, is able to handle tasks with high precision, which the firm believes it can implement in new ways.

Theoretically, this robot would be able to monitor a senior and even perform simple tasks when the caregiver was away. Taurus is able to be discretely controlled by a non-local individual or company. The implications are endless: It could open doors, control the kitchen, and even defuse bombs left activated.

At least we know grandma will be safe.

Seniors Step Up, Donate Blankets to Less Fortunate

OurParents — Tue, 24 May 2011 18:42:07 +0000

In a world plagued by disasters, our seniors have taken it upon themselves to help their fellow man. Residents of Bountiful, Utah’s Heritage Place Senior Living have organized a two month blanket drive to help those hurt by the recent disasters. They hope to collect 2,011 blankets and quilts to donate to Operation Smile, Doctors Without Borders, the American Red Cross, and LDS Humanitarian Services.

“We are privileged to salute our grandparents by serving those in need,” said DaLynn Case, Life Enhancement Coordinator at Heritage Place. This collection is part of the home’s Handcart Days fair. In the words of one resident, “We have so much. We need to share with others. We need to give comfort to those that are hurting.”

Generation Alzheimer’s

amit shafrir — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:01:06 +0000

This year, the first wave of baby boomers are turning 65 – and with increased age comes increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Association has put out a new report, “Generation Alzheimer’s: The Defining Disease of the Baby Boomers,” which sheds light on a crisis that is no longer emerging – but here.

Some facts:

Many baby boomers will spend their retirement years either with Alzheimer’s or caring for someone who has it.
An estimated 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer’s.
Starting this year, more than 10,000 baby boomers a day will turn 65. As these baby boomers age, one of out of eight of them will develop Alzheimer’s – a devastating, costly, heartbreaking disease. Increasingly for these baby boomers, it will no longer be their grandparents and parents who have Alzheimer’s – it will be them.
“Alzheimer’s is a tragic epidemic that has no survivors. Not a single one,” said Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association. “It is as much a thief as a killer. Alzheimer’s will darken the long-awaited retirement years of the one out of eight baby boomers who will develop it. Those who will care for these loved ones will witness, day by day, the progressive and relentless realities of this fatal disease. But we can still change that if we act now.”
According to the new Alzheimer’s Association report, “Generation Alzheimer’s,” it is expected that 10 million baby boomers will either die with or from Alzheimer’s, the only cause of death among the top 10 in America without a way to prevent, cure or even slow its progression. But, while Alzheimer’s kills, it does so only after taking everything away, slowly stripping an individual’s autonomy and independence. Even beyond the cruel impact Alzheimer’s has on the individuals with the disease, Generation Alzheimer’s also details the negative cascading effects the disease places on millions of caregivers. Caregivers and families go through the agony of losing a loved one twice: first to the ravaging effects of the disease and then, ultimately, to actual death.
“Most people survive an average of four to six years after a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, but many can live as long as 20 years with the disease. As the disease progresses, the person with dementia requires more and more assistance with everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, eating and household activities,” said Beth Kallmyer, senior director of Constituent Relations for the Alzheimer’s Association. “This long duration often places increasingly intensive care demands on the nearly 15 million family members and friends who provide unpaid care, and it negatively affects their health, employment, income and financial security.”
In addition to the human toll, over the next 40 years Alzheimer’s will cost the nation $20 trillion, enough to pay off the national debt and still send a $20,000 check to every man, woman and child in America. And while every 69 seconds someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease today, by 2050 someone will develop the disease every 33 seconds – unless the federal government commits to changing the Alzheimer’s trajectory.
“Alzheimer’s – with its broad ranging impact on individuals, families, Medicare and Medicaid – has the power to bring the country to its financial knees,” said Robert J. Egge, vice president of Public Policy of the Alzheimer’s Association. “But when the federal government has been focused, committed and willing to put the necessary resources to work to confront a disease that poses a real public health threat to the nation – there has been great success. In order to see the day where Alzheimer’s is no longer a death sentence, we need to see that type of commitment with Alzheimer’s.” The full text of the Alzheimer’s Association’s “Generation Alzheimer’s” report can be viewed at www.alz.org/boomers.

Tips for When Your Elderly Parent Refuses Help

Leigh Ann Otte — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 09:00:45 +0000

For aging parents, accepting help can mean letting go of something else—pride, fear, denial, routine. And many just refuse to do that, suggests Carolyn L. Rosenblatt, R.N., B.S.N., P.H.N., author of The Boomer’s Guide To Aging Parents.

To help your aging parent consider home care, assisted living or a nursing home, Rosenblatt offers a few tips at Forbes.com. For example:

If feasible, we always encourage a family meeting, including not only adult children, but caring others as well. A best friend may hold more sway in convincing a stubborn parent to think about safety than “the kids.” (What do they know anyway?) Clergy, or someone the aging parent looks up to and respects, can be invaluable in persuading a change of heart.

Of course, Rosenblatt points out, “There’s no law against adults (even aging ones) making stupid decisions.”

You can read all her tips here: “Helping Aging Parents Who Don’t Want Help.” You may also find these OurParents posts on communicating with your aging parents helpful.

Have you dealt with an elderly parent who wouldn’t accept help? What happened?