Senior Population Expected to Double by 2050

Projections in a recent U.S. Census Bureau report are causing Americans to give more thought to the future of senior care.  Consider this:

• By mid-century, for the first time in U.S. history, there will be more seniors over 65 than children under 15.
• Improved healthcare will let most of us live into our 80s or beyond.
• 20% of U.S. women now aged 40-44 have no children.

So, what does this all mean?  In the near future, there will be a greater number of seniors — but fewer family caregivers.  So, more than ever, Americans should focus on their own healthy aging.  And the need for support services such as in-home care will continue to grow.  For more information on in-home care, click any of the headlines:  http://checkincalls.wordpress.com/?s=in-home+care

Need to Get BPA Out of our Food Packaging

http://www.walletpop.com/consumer-reports/insurance/article/concern-over-canned-foods/770756?icid=main|main|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fconsumer-reports%2Finsurance%2Farticle%2Fconcern-over-canned-foods%2F770756

Flu Symptoms and the Elderly

I heard this week that seniors could have more natural immunity to H1N1 (swine flu) because people over 60 were exposed to similar strains years ago.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cautions, however, that swine flu and the regular seasonal flu can both be very serious, especially for people with existing chronic health conditions.

Typical symptoms of the flu include fever, headache, fatigue, sore throat and muscle aches.  H1N1 may also cause stomach symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting.  (For a full list of the various symptoms associated with colds, flu and H1N1, refer to:  http://checkincalls.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/know-the-difference-between-cold-flu-h1n1/ )

Most people recover from the flu without complications.  But, the CDC says to seek emergency medical care if you or a loved one is experiencing:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion, or
• Severe or persistent vomiting

Prevention is the best treatment.  Help yourself and your loved ones avoid serious flu complications by being informed and following your healthcare provider’s instructions.

Wine Every Day May Be Good in 6 Ways

The list of wine’s benefits is long—and getting more surprising all the time. Already well-known as heart healthy, wine in moderation might help you lose weight, reduce forgetfulness, boost your immunity, and help prevent bone loss.

With America likely to edge out France and Italy in total wine consumption in the near future, according to one analyst, and with women buying more than 6 out of every 10 bottles sold in this country, we’re happy to report that wine may do all of the following:

1. Feed your head

Wine could preserve your memory. When researchers gave memory quizzes to women in their 70s, those who drank one drink or more every day scored much better than those who drank less or not at all. Wine helps prevent clots and reduce blood vessel inflammation, both of which have been linked to cognitive decline and heart disease, explains Tedd Goldfinger, DO, of the University of Arizona School of Medicine. Alcohol also seems to raise HDL, the so-called good cholesterol, which helps unclog your arteries.

2. Keep the scale in your corner

Studies find that people who drink wine daily have lower body mass than those who indulge occasionally; moderate wine drinkers have narrower waists and less abdominal fat than people who drink liquor. Alcohol may encourage your body to burn extra calories for as long as 90 minutes after you down a glass. Beer seems to have a similar effect.

3. Boost your body’s defenses

In one British study, those who drank roughly a glass of wine a day reduced by 11% their risk of infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria, a major cause of gastritis, ulcers, and stomach cancers. As little as half a glass may also guard against food poisoning caused by germs like salmonella when people are exposed to contaminated food, according to a Spanish study.

4. Guard against ovarian woes

When Australian researchers recently compared women with ovarian cancer to cancer-free women, they found that roughly one glass of wine a day seemed to reduce the risk of the disease by as much as 50 percent. Earlier research at the University of Hawaii produced similar findings. Experts suspect this may be due to antioxidants or phytoestrogens, which have high anticancer properties and are prevalent in wine. And in a recent University of Michigan study, a red wine compound helped kill ovarian cancer cells in a test tube.

5. Build better bones

On average, women who drink moderately seem to have higher bone mass than abstainers. Alcohol appears to boost estrogen levels; the hormone seems to slow the body’s destruction of old bone more than it slows the production of new bone.

6. Prevent blood-sugar trouble

Premenopausal women who drink one or two glasses of wine a day are 40 percent less likely than women who don’t drink to develop type 2 diabetes, according to a 10-year study by Harvard Medical School. While the reasons aren’t clear, wine seems to reduce insulin resistance in diabetic patients.

Source:  www.health.com

4 Tips for Preventing Home Fires

Older people are at a greater risk of in-home fires for several reasons:

• They may be less able to take the necessary quick action in a fire emergency
• They may be taking medications that affect their ability to make decisions
• Seniors are more likely to be alone when accidents happen

Whether your loved one lives alone, with you, or in a senior community, here are 4 important things you can do and reminders to share. 

1.  Practice Cooking Safety.  Most kitchen fires occur because food is left unattended on the stove.  Seniors are more likely to become forgetful so share this trick with your loved one:  If you leave the kitchen while cooking, bring a spoon or potholder along to remind you to return to the kitchen.  Also remind your loved one to avoid cooking while wearing loose sleeves that could come in contact with a burner.

2.  Practice Space Heater Safety.  Buy only UL approved heaters.  Only use the manufacturer’s recommended fuel for that specific heater.  Don’t place electric space heaters in the bathroom or around other wet areas.  Keep bedding and other combustibles away from space heaters and don’t dry or store objects on top of them.

3.  Install Smoke Alarms.  Your loved one should have a working smoke alarm on every level of the home, outside sleeping areas and inside bedrooms.  Replace the battery annually — perhaps while resetting clocks for Daylight Savings Time.  And, test all alarms once a month.

4.  Create a Home Escape Plan.  Make sure your loved one knows at least two exits from every room.  If he or she uses a walker or wheelchair, home modifications such as widened doorways and exit ramps add an extra margin of safety.  Remind seniors that in case of fire, exiting quickly is more important than trying to save possessions.  Lastly, make sure your loved one knows how to contact you in case of an emergency.

For more information about fire safety, visit www.FireSafety.gov

Stroke Warning Signs

Similar to yesterday’s ElderCaring blog on Heart Attack Warning Signs, today I’ll print the American Heart Association’s Stroke Warning Signs.  So, if you or someone you are caring for has these symptoms, you’ll be more alert to them and what you should do.

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

If you or someone you are with has one or more of these signs, don’t delay!  Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical services (EMS) number so an ambulance can be sent.  It’s very important to get to the hospital quickly.  If given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke.

 

Source:  American Heart Association’s “Our Guide for American Adults”

Heart Attack Warning Signs

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, but most of them start slowly, with a mild pain or discomfort.  Here are some of the signs that can mean a heart attack is happening.

• Chest discomfort in center of chest that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body like arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
• Other signs, like breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness

If you or someone you’re with has any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately.  Don’t wait longer than five minutes before calling for help.  You need to get to a hospital right away.  (Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment.) 

Source:  American Heart Association’s “Our Guide for American Adults”

13 Things Your Doctor Should Be Watching

Cardiovascular disease is the underlying cause of more than one-third of deaths in the United States. In fact, it’s our nation’s No. 1 killer. Now, doctors have a detailed list of guidelines they can use to assess patient risk, thanks to a joint task force of the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. 

The 13 performance measures can help doctors prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) and improve their quality of care. If you’re at least 18 years old and have a high risk of heart disease, your doctor should complete a comprehensive assessment at least every five years, using the new guidelines. And if you have an elevated risk of CVD because you are diabetic, smoke or are obese, you should be monitored even more frequently.

The performance measures, which were published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, provide specific steps and timetables for doctors to have an impact on heart disease, including:

• Lifestyle/risk factor screening
• Dietary intake counseling
• Physical activity counseling
• Smoking/tobacco use assessment
• Smoking/tobacco use cessation
• Weight and body fat assessment
• Weight management
• Blood pressure measurement
• Blood pressure control
• Blood lipid measurement
• Blood lipid therapy and control
• Estimation of a patient’s global risk for developing heart disease
• Aspirin use in at-risk patients

By monitoring and treating known risk factors, your doctor can better prevent you from experiencing an initial acute event, according to the task force. Of course, you need to do your part, too, by making smart food choices, getting regular physical activity and adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Read the press release about this study

Learn your risk of heart attack or coronary heart disease

Learn the ABC’s of heart disease prevention

Source:  American Heart Association

Close Caregiver Relationship May Slow Alzheimer’s

A new study suggests that a particularly close relationship with caregivers may give people with Alzheimer’s disease an advantage when it comes to retaining mind and brain function over time.  The beneficial effect of emotional intimacy was as great as that of some drugs used to treat the disease.

“We’ve shown that the benefits of having a close caregiver, especially a spouse, may mean the difference between someone with Alzheimer’s disease staying at home or going to a nursing facility,” says Constantine Lyketsos, M.S., M.H.S., director of the Johns Hopkins Memory and Alzheimer’s Treatment Center.  As time progressed through the 4-year study, Alzheimer’s patients whose caregivers felt particularly close to them retained more cognitive function, losing less than half as many points on a common cognitive test by the end of the study, as compared to patients with more distant caregivers.  The “closeness effect” was heightened for pairs in which the caregiver was a spouse, rather than an adult child or in-law.  Patients with close spouses declined the slowest overall.

Source:  Johns Hopkins Medicine.  The study was funded by grants from the National Institute on Aging.

Stop Smoking…

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past several decades, you know how damaging smoking is to your health.  My family has had more than its share of deaths, and close-calls, due to lung cancer.  Other risks include heart disease, stroke, cancers and other serious illnesses. 

• If you smoke, keep track of when and why you light up.  Be aware of the situations and places that make you crave a cigarette.  Try changing what you are doing to avoid those triggers.
• Find out what distracts you when you want a cigarette.  Take a walk or wash your hands — whatever works best to redirect your attention.
• Keep substitutes around to keep your mouth and hands busy.  Try eating carrots, sunflower seeds, apple sections or celery, or chewing sugar-free gum.  Carry a pencil or paper clip to have in hand.
• Decrease your exposure to second-hand smoke.

There are a lot of programs to help you quit smoking.  Whatever you do to quit is better than doing nothing.

 

Source:  American Heart Association

Eating Lots & Still Starving

You may be eating plenty of food but your body may still be starving for good nutrition.  Nutrient-rich foods have vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients and are generally lower in calories.  Choose foods like fresh vegetables and fruits, wild-caught fish and unadulterated meats, whole-grains (in breads, cereals, pasta and rice) and dairy. 

Vegetables and fruits are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber — AND they are low in calories!  Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may help you control weight and reduce risk for cardiovascular disease by lowering your blood pressure.  Deeply colored vegetables and fruits, such as spinach, carrots, peaches and berries tend to be higher in vitamins and minerals than potatoes and corn.

Unrefined whole-grain foods contain fiber than can help lower cholesterol.  Fiber also helps you feel full so you won’t be tempted to eat as much.  Some good choices are whole wheat, oats/oatmeal, rye, barley, corn/popcorn, born rice, wild rice, buckwheat, bulgur, millet, quinoa and sorghum.

Many fish contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids.  Recent research shows that eating oily fish may help lower your risk of death from coronary artery disease.  Fish high in omega-3’s include salmon, trout and herring.  Lean meat, especially free-range organic, is a good source of protein.  Cuts labelled ‘loin’ and ’round’ usually have the least amount of fat.

The Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods can help you identify the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium (salt) and carbohydrates (esp. sugar) in foods.  Next time you think “Snickers,” munch some carrot sticks.  Take a moment to appreciate their vibrant color, their sweetness and crunchiness.  The side benefit?  You’ll bypass the 271 calories and 25% of your daily value of saturated fat lurking in a 2 oz. bar!

Source:  American Heart Association

Act Up to Lose Weight

Getting up and being active can help you maintain your weight, keep weight off and help you reach physical and cardiovascular fitness. Physical activity can help you improve your blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and lowers your risk for other chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, depression, and breast and colon cancer.

How much activity do you need? Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week, or — best of all — at least 30 minutes every day.

• If you can’t do at least 30 minutes at one time, you can add up 10-minute sessions throughout the day.
• Incorporate as much physical movement into your usual daily activities as you can (take stairs, walk dog, etc.)
• Keep a written log of your physical activity to help you figure out how much you get versus how much you need.
• Track and cut down on your “screen” time (watching TV, surfing the Web, playing computer games).

Here’s an example of the calories burned, by a 150 pound person, with 30 minutes of continuous activity:

• Basketball:  282
• Bicycling:  163
• Gardening:  195
• Hiking:  204
• Jogging:  270
• Mowing:  135
• Tennis:  234
• Walking at 1 mph:  68
• Walking at 5 mph:  225

More good reasons to rev up your physical activity:

• Your weight is easier to control when you’re physically active.
• Physical activity can boost your ability to make other improvements in lifestyle such as diet changes.
• You’ll feel more confident and look better when you’re physically active. 
• You’ll have more energy.
• Physical activity is a great way to release stress.
• You’ll serve as a good role model for others.

Source:  American Heart Association

Burn Up What You Eat

There’s no big secret to avoiding weight gain.  Just use up at least as many calories as you eat every day.  Start by knowing how many calories you should be eating and drinking to maintain your weight (http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3040366).  Once you know your number, don’t eat more calories than you need.  You can increase the amount and intensity of your physical activity to match the number of calories you take in.  Adults need fewer calories as they age.  For example, an active 31-year old man needs about 3,000 calories.  But, an active 50-year old man needs only about 2,800 calories each day.

4 Easy Steps Toward Good Health

According to the American Heart Association, these four steps lead to a healthier lifestyle.  Every day you should:

• Use up at least as many calories as you take in.
• Eat a variety of nutritious foods from all the food groups.
• Limit foods and beverages that are high in calories but low in nutrients.
• Stay away from tobacco and tobacco smoke.

The most important thing is to be physically active and develop healthy eating habits.  Also be sure you get all the nutrients your body needs.  This means eating a wide variety of foods that promote good health.  In the next several blog entries, ElderCaring will elaborate on these steps and explain how each can reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease.

An Apple A Day: Some Interesting Facts

Apples are a source of antioxidants which fight cancer.  Eating apples on a regular basis may limit the development of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.  One apple is only 50 calories, 2 grams of fiber and no fat.  Apples can be kept for up to 2 weeks in a refrigerator (removed from any packaging).  The State of Michigan (which names the apple blossom as it’s state flower) grows over 20 different kinds of apples.  Michigan farmers sell over 20 million bushels of apples a year.

Did you know:  “Ate an apfel avore gwain to bed, make the doctor beg his bread” is an old English saying that still rings true today.  With apples’ myriad of health benefits, “An apple a day just may keep the doctor away.”  I feel like crunching into one right now!

 

Source:  Brian K. Rosso, RD, American House Newsletter

Know the Difference Between Cold, Flu & H1N1?

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN COLD, SEASONAL FLU & H1N1 SYMPTOMS
SYMPTOM	COLD	SEASONAL FLU	H1N1
FEVER	Fever is rare with a cold.	Fever is common with the seasonal flu.	Fever is usually present with H1N1 in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 101°
COUGHING	A hacking, productive (mucus-producing) cough is often present with a cold.	A dry and hacking cough is often present with the seasonal flu.	A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with H1N1 (sometimes referred to as dry cough).*
ACHES	Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.	Moderate body aches are common with the seasonal flu.	Severe aches and pains are common with H1N1.*
STUFFY NOSE	Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.	A runny nose is commonly present with the seasonal flu.	Stuffy nose is not commonly present with H1N1.
CHILLS	Chills are uncommon with a cold.	Chills are mild to moderate with the seasonal flu.	60% of people who have H1N1 experience chills.
TIREDNESS	Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.	Tiredness is moderate and more likely referred to as a lack of energy with the seasonal flu.	Tiredness is moderate to severe with H1N1.*
SNEEZING	Sneezing is commonly present with a cold	Sneezing is commonly present with the seasonal flu.	Sneezing is not common with H1N1.
SUDDEN SYMPTOMS	Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.	Symptoms tend to develop over a few days and include flushed face, loss of appetite, dizziness and/or vomiting/nausea. Symptoms usually last 4-7 days, depending on the individual. Diarrhea is common.	H1N1 has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. H1N1 hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains. Symptoms usually last 4-7 days, depending on the individual. Diarrhea is common.
HEADACHE	A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.	A headache is fairly common with the seasonal flu.	A headache is very common with H1N1 and present in 80% of cases.*
SORE THROAT	Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.	Sore throat is commonly present with the seasonal flu.	Sore throat is not commonly present with H1N1.
CHEST DISCOMFORT	Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.	Chest discomfort is moderate with the seasonal flu. If it turns severe seek medical attention immediately!	Chest discomfort is often severe with H1N1.
PREVENTION TIPS:
cough & sneeze into your elbow
wash hands with soap and warm water for a minimum of 15 -20 seconds. (Sing your ABC’s or “Happy Birthday to You”)
use hand sanitizer when soap & water are not available
avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth without washing or using hand sanitizer first

In-Home Care Considerations, Part 5

The following resources provide a good starting place to find help if you and your care-receiver have decided that in-home assistance is needed.

General resources for home care services

Independent Living: Resources That Can Help Seniors Stay In Their Own Home – Provides a variety of links with resources that can help seniors stay independent in their own homes, including Lifeline Medical Alert systems information and Senior Corps Senior Companions program.

American Association for Home Care – Discusses important questions to ask when choosing a home health agency and presents vital Medicare benefit information. (American Association for Home Care)

Home Care Agency Locator – An extensive home care/hospice agency locator database that you can search by service, payment type, and location. (National Association for Home Care)

Household Employers Tax Instructions (PDF) – What you need to know about employment taxes when you hire household help. (Internal Revenue Service)

Find Homecare Providers – A nationwide non-profit searchable database for all types of private home care services. (National Private Duty Association)

Senior Home Care & Home Healthcare Providers/Agencies – Provides a definition of senior home care, home care agencies and home healthcare agencies with searchable database by state for both home care providers and assisted living facilities. (Senior Magazine)

Additional online resources for home care services

Hiring Home Care On Your Own – Evaluation – Describes how to hire home care providers. (National Organization for Empowering Caregivers)

Caregivers – A detailed explanation of the wide variety of assistance caregivers are available to provide seniors to help them remain at home, from companionship to chores, transportation to moving, and more.

In-Home Care Considerations, Part 4

This section of our ElderCaring series on In-Home Care Considerations addresses the touchy subject of money management.  When the demands of managing one’s finances become difficult because of physical or mental disabilities, it is very important for a senior to have an organized, trusted money management program in place. The struggle to manage increasing paperwork, failing health and eyesight, and/or changes in social supports can leave a person overwhelmed and unable to pay bills in a timely manner.

Helping your parents or loved one with daily money management

With your parent’s help or permission, review his or her checkbook, bank statements and canceled checks. Look for:

• Inappropriate payments, such as payments for medical bills that already have been paid;
• Numerous payments to credit card companies, home shopping networks, sweepstakes or other contests;
• Unusually large donations to charitable or fraternal organizations;
• Failure to list or otherwise track deposits and income;
• Failure to record checks or otherwise track expenditures;
• Lost checkbooks or bank statements;
• Numerous transfers from savings to checking accounts;
• Consistent or unusual payments to a person unknown to you, a possible sign that your parent is being exploited financially.

Then review bills and correspondence, watching for letters from creditors or past-due notices. The review may indicate that a daily money manager is needed.

Money management programs available

Programs may be offered in your community to assist with money management.  Trained and closely supervised volunteers provide in-home assistance with:

• Budgeting and bill paying
• Medical insurance claims
• Financial and legal planning
• Income tax preparation
• Handling government benefits

These programs are designed to help maintain the highest possible level of independence for persons who are having difficulty managing their daily financial activities.

Check your local senior services or other non-profit agencies. Some agencies provide the service free, based on financial need, others on a sliding scale or flat fee. Be sure the organization has a good reputation. Ask friends, neighbors, religious or spiritual group members, chamber of commerce, better business bureau and the local area agency on aging what they know about the organization and whether they know of any problems. Before signing up with the program, ask the head of the money management program the following questions:

• What can I expect the volunteers to do for me?
• Who will actually work with me?
• How are these individuals screened, trained, and supervised?
• Is there a financial professional overseeing the program?
• Are the volunteers insured?
• What is the cost of the service?
• Who do I contact if there are any problems?

The senior must feel comfortable and safe with this service. If a non-profit program is not available, consider a reputable bookkeeper or accountant for these tasks.

Limitations of a money management program

The purpose of the service is to assist with, and inform the senior about, ordinary, every-day money and paper-work matters. There should not be any introduction of investments or purchases of financial products made. The money manager’s job is to educate and inform, not to advise, so that the senior makes his/her own decisions regarding financial matters. The volunteer should not be given permission to sign checks or other financial or legal documents.

Resource for daily money management

DMM’s and You – The American Association of Daily Money Managers gives information about daily money management and offers tips on locating and choosing a daily money manager.

 

Source:  Amara Rose and Monika White, Ph.D. contributed to this article.

In-Home Care Considerations, Part 3

Tips for hiring agencies and independent home care providers

Agencies will typically be the most expensive; independent providers will be the least expensive. However, home care agencies are also easier to use, since the agency finds and places the provider, handles payroll and any problems that may arise, and usually provides coverage for sick or absent providers. Agencies that are licensed and bonded are generally a good choice, although there are always exceptions. You have avenues of recourse (complaints, legal action) when dealing with agencies that are liable for problems. There is no real recourse (except firing) when dealing with independent providers or ones found through registries.

Before hiring an independent provider:

• Conduct an in-depth interview with each candidate, preferably in person rather than on the phone;
• Be specific about all of the tasks that the provider will be expected to take on;
• Discuss salary and offer to pay wages either weekly or bi-weekly. Do not pay wages in advance;
• Request both work and personal references, and check them carefully. Ask the references about reliability, trustworthiness, and punctuality as well as the care provider’s ability to handle stress.
• If possible, consider a background check. For around $100-$150 you can have this done professionally. Check with your local police department, legal aid service or your attorney for referrals to individuals or companies that do this or search for “background checks” on the Internet.

Be sure to include the potential care recipient in the screening process if he or she is able to participate, to ensure that both parties are comfortable, and that your loved one’s needs are respected.

Once you’ve hired a capable home care provider, should a problem develop, discuss it with the care provider first. If that does not resolve matters, talk to the agency (if you’ve hired the provider through this route). If the provider is independent and you cannot resolve the problem after repeated discussions, you may need to find a new care provider. If you suspect fraud or other criminal behavior, report it to your state’s Department of Health and the Better Business Bureau. Remember to read contracts carefully, check all references, and consult with someone you trust before signing on the dotted line.

Costs of home care

A number of factors affect cost, including location, competition and the general economy. In addition, what you’ll pay is based on the skill level of service you need and want. Homemakers, personal care assistants and companions will all cost less (typically $7.50 – $15.00 per hour) than home health aides or skilled nursing care ( typically $16-$25 or more an hour). Live-in care is usually priced by the day or week rather than hourly, and can run as high as $200 per day or more through agencies in some parts of the country.

If you are considering adult day care, know that Medicaid will pay most or all of the costs for a licensed adult day care setting, as well as for Alzheimer’s oriented centers, for participants with low income and few assets. Private medical insurance may also cover a portion of adult day care costs when licensed medical professionals are involved in the care. 

 

Source:  Amara Rose and Monika White, Ph.D. contributed to this article.

In-Home Care Considerations, Part 2

For many caregivers, it seems there aren’t enough hours in a day. It’s difficult to care for all of the needs of a family member and still have enough time and energy left for your own family, a job and yourself. Exhaustion and stress can become overwhelming. If this description fits you, it’s time to consider home care services.

Seniors who become home care recipients most often would rather stay in their own homes than move into residential care. And economically, except for round-the-clock nursing care, home care can be less expensive than most board and care homes, skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities. However, this is not always the case, and prices should be compared.

If you or your loved one has the living space and financial resources (since the cost will most likely be out-of-pocket), you might consider hiring a live-in care provider (see below for more details.) This type of home care is very well suited for long distance caregiving situations in which the primary caregiver can’t be there in person and the elder needs full-time assistance or monitoring.

You can research and hire home care providers privately or go through a home care agency. To locate agencies or private providers, check with any or all of the following resources:

• Yellow Page listings for Senior Services, Home Care, Home Health Care and similar subject areas
• Area Agency on Aging (Call 1-800-677-1116 for the AAA in your area)
• Local community and senior organizations
• Religious affiliations including churches and synagogues
• Doctor or hospital referrals from your care recipient’s medical affiliations
• Agencies. These agencies may or may not be state licensed, but they select and supervise their own personnel, and are liable for any staff or care problems that arise.
• Registries. These are employment agencies for home health care providers. Typically, you will pay a fee (if not, then the employee will), and you will be responsible for payroll (including tax withholding) and all other employment regulations. You’ll also be responsible for selecting and supervising your provider. The registry will not be liable for any problems such as no-shows, tardiness or quality of care.
• Newspaper ads. In addition to word-of-mouth, this is the way you’re most likely to find independent home care providers. Hiring an independent provider is like hiring any other employee without going through an agency. You will be responsible for payroll, as well as for selecting and supervising your provider.
• The Internet. The World Wide Web allows you to do vast searches for a number of home care services. Links to helpful web sites are listed in References & Resources coming up in Part 5 of this ElderCaring series.
• Friends and acquaintances. Referrals from people you know who have used an agency or individual for their relative are one of the best sources of trusted help. Ask around.

The Eldercare Locator, a service of the U.S. government, has an online database of senior service agencies. To get more detailed information, call the Eldercare Locator toll-free at 1-800-677-1116 (Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Eastern time). You will speak to an Information Specialist who can provide more specific and useful help.

 

Source:  Amara Rose and Monika White, Ph.D. contributed to this article.