Education

Senior Housing Costs - They are a lot higher than most of our clients expect. When they first call us they are blown away - so I am hoping to educate you before you need to know! I found this information to be a nice breakdown:According to American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (www.aahsa.org)The average daily cost for a private room in a nursing home is $213, or $77,745 annually.The average daily cost for a semi-private room in a nursing home is $189, or $68,985 annually.The average monthly cost of living in an assisted living facility is $2,969, or $35,628 annually. ( I would say this is more like $4000 in the Chicago area.)The average monthly cost of living in a not-for-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) is $2,672, or $32,064 annually. (In my opinion - this is to live in the "independent" section - the rates for AL would be closer to $3500 and for nursing care $200 a day... and this is not including the money you sometimes have to put down upfront which could be $50K-250K)The average monthly rate for assisted living facilities that charge additional fees for Alzheimer’s and dementia care is $4,270, or $51,240 annually. (Again - I would have to say it is closer to 6K here in Chicago. I know one family that has a rather young individual in this and she shares a room and pays around 8K a month.)To move into a community, individuals must also pay an entry fee ranging from $60,000 to $120,000. (Again, as mentioned above by me, this would be for the CCRC - and there are lots of communities in Chicagoland that are purely rental.)The average hourly rate for a certified home health aide is $32.37.The average hourly rate for a uncertified home health aide is $19.00.The national average daily rate for adult day centers is $61. (2007 MetLife Market Survey of Adult Day Services & Home Care Costs)The national average hourly rate for homemakers/companions is $18. (2007 MetLife Market Survey of Adult Day Services & Home Care Costs)

I attended a seminar about long distance caregiving last week and this article about sums up all the things we discussed. I especially like the last point..don't expect your parents to welcome your assistance. The full article can be seen on CNN.com's website here. (Or you can go to their website and search for long distance caregiving and the article should come up on the right hand side called "Caring for Mom and Dad from afar."

New Year’s Resolutions for the Long Distance Caregiver

I just read another article by one of my favorite people Cheryl Kuba. I asked her if I could post it here and of course she said yes, so here it is!Maybe home is where the heart is, but if you are not home and desperately worried about an ailing loved one who lives 2,000 miles away, your anguish can be a ticking time-bomb for your own health and future happiness.Eldercare expert and gerontologist Cheryl Kuba offers strategies that can be adopted as New Year’s resolutions to make long distance caregiving a stress-free success for you and your aging parent. “According to a study by Metropolitan Life (2005), more than 7 million adult children are caring for their parents long distance,” Kuba said. “While the internet and cell phones can put us in immediate contact with our loved ones, there is no substitute for the human touch or being able to see with our own eyes that our parents are safe, and well cared for.” Long distance caregivers live an average of 304 miles away from their care receivers, according to statistics from the National Coalition on Aging (NCOA).In her book Navigating the Journey of Aging Parents: What Care Receivers Want (Routlege 2006), Kuba outlines what the dependent elderly expect from their children who live far away, as well as the concerns that the adult children have about mom and dad not living just down the block. “As we venture into a new year our own new year’s resolutions should include a reasonable, updated game plan for long distance caregiving,” Kuba said.Resolutions to insure the well-being and comfort for a relative who lives miles away:Advance Directives. It’s a new year. Time to revisit the affairsthat are in order, or simply get your parent’s affairs in order.Specifically, make sure that the Living Will, Health Care Power ofAttorney, and organ donation card (if this is your loved one’s choice)are up to date. Too many families wind up in court at the same timethat their ailing family member is dying in a hospital, because nobodychecked the advance directives. In some cases, guardianship needs to beestablished long before a loved one’s dying days.MOST IMPORTANTLY: KNOW WHERE THESE DOCUMENTS ARE KEPT! Whether it is asafe deposit box, file cabinet, a lawyer’s office or a shoe box underthe bed, you should know and should also alert someone who lives closeto your parent how to locate these documents. Some elderly individualschoose to tape an envelope to the refrigerator with the living will anddurable power of attorney inside. If paramedics are called, they willhave the documents in hand in a matter of minutes.Consider Care Management. Eldercare managers or case managerscan be hired to do all kinds of tasks for your parents includingscheduling appointments, doing paperwork, hiring housekeeping and evenpet care services. Care managers are often considered as “the otherdaughter” and can serve as a terrific professional liaison between youand your parent. Contact the National Association of Geriatric CareManagers, www.caremanager.org.Local contacts as back up. It’s time to update that list oflocal contacts. One adult daughter that we worked with was franticbecause her mother’s health care power of attorney had been given to anelderly woman who was now hospitalized with Alzheimer’s disease. Combthrough your parent’s social network of neighbors, church folks, andfriends to see if there isn’t someone who can frequently visit and giveyou an update on how your parent is doing. A good source is theEldercare Locator, www.eldercare.gov. for help in your parent’s community.Family members. It’s hard to believe that just as your agingparent grows older, so do the grandchildren and nieces and nephews.Maybe one of you nieces or nephews is old enough now to do ‘grandmacheck-ins’ as a part time job. Perhaps the situation for your siblingsor Godchildren has changed, and they can help with the tasks of takingyour parent to appointments.In town assessments. During your next visit, do a thoroughassessment of your parents’ living situation. Is their environmentstill safe? Are there spills around the stove that could indicate pooreyesight, or lack of recognition about food spilling over?Do a physical ‘walk around’ with your parent, in their home. Beforeevery flight, the captain or first officer on each commercial flightdoes a physical ‘walk around’ to make sure that the plane is in shipshape. Are the lights and vents working, etc? Have the conversationwith your parent about falling, as the two of you walk through theirliving room, and into the bedroom. Phrase the question by saying, “Whenyou fall….” not, “If you fall…” One third of all falls with the elderlyoccur from hazards in the home. As you pass various locations in eachroom, the question should be, “When you fall over here by the window,how will you get help?” Whether or not you get the best answer to thisquestion, you have started the conversation, and started your parentthinking about the possibilities of a fall. This is also a great timeto talk about emergency alert devices.Telephones. Cell phones and cordless phones can be both ablessing and a hindrance for your parent. Cell phones need to alwaysbe charged; and, with a few exceptions, most buttons and displays oncell phones aren’t user friendly for someone with poor eyesight orarthritic hands. Cordless phones work, but are useless if the powergoes off. Always have a phone with a cord in the home.Time zones. We worked with an adult daughter named Jean, wholived in London, while her 85 year old mother lived in the UnitedStates. Even though Jean told her mother to call on her cell phone, theelderly mom rarely ever called because of the distance, the cost, andthe confusion over the time zones. Jean became so anxious about hermother refusing to call, that she moved back to the U.S. Now Jean’smother uses the same cell phone number and calls her daughterfrequently. The hurdle here was the obstacle in her mother’s mind aboutplacing a transatlantic call.Know that you are doing your best. No two families are alike,and no two situations are alike. What may have been an emergency crisisfor your Aunt Mabel in Omaha may be solved by getting your mom inChicago to take two aspirin.Take care of yourself, celebrate each moment, and 2008 will be a Happy New Year!_______________________________________For information about the right questions to ask as a long distancecaregiver, pick up a copy of Navigating the Journey of Aging Parents:What Care Receivers Want,by Cheryl A. Kuba, MA. - see the link to Amazon on the right side of this blog!!Cheryl's website: www.agingparentsolutions.com

Since there is always so much confusion on this topic I thought I would post this information I received. Its not the best looking website in the world, but it seems to have everything you need to know to navigate Medicare.The Medicare Rights Center has worked with the National Alliance for Caregiving under a grant from the Langeloth Foundation to bring crucial Medicare information to the caregiver community. This tool provides hundreds of consumer-friendly answers on Medicare and includes a special section dedicated to caregivers. The caregiver section includes guidance on getting help caring for a loved one at home, caregiver rights and resources, respite care services and how to advocate on behalf of a loved one.The tool can be accessed at Medicare Interactive Web(remember... Medicare does not care where you live, it does not pay for assisted living or long term care)

Easing the Transition from Driver to Passenger is a guide, published on line by The Hartford, to helping individuals with Alzheimers reduce the need to drive.While this article focuses on early dementia, I think a lot of the suggestions could be used for any elder dealing with giving up their ability to drive.

I have included a link to the IRS website that tells how senior non-taxpayers can get money from the stimulus package that the President signed yesterday.

I just read this article, Geneva Wants Homes Closed online in the daily herald. This is one of the communities we work with. In many states, Room and Board Care homes are very popular and are becoming a preferred choice for senior care. Its sad that this one, which is run by a doctor is having this problem. I really think its because of the neighborhood she chose, but shouldn't the seniors also be able to live in a nice home?I found the comments to be even more interesting than the article and I look forward to finding out what happens. In the meantime we will be routing for Dr. Ross, because we want there to be as many alternatives to care as possible.

It is freezing out and I don't feel like spring is right around the corner. In addition to that, after spending a warm weekend in North Carolina, I returned to Chicago only to fall out of my car because of ice and land flat on my back! With that in mind, I thought I should look for some winter safety tips for seniors. My personal tip to self: don't wear shoes with a slick bottom when you own boots...I found these on winter safety tips for seniors on the Foundation for Health and Aging Website.

One of our favorite communities, Central Baptist Village is hosting a free community event - open to everyone in the community!Edizon Dayao, keyboardist and vocalist, and one of Chicago's favorite performers will entertain you with classic tunes from Perry Como to Don Ho.Date: Wednesday, March 19thTime: 10:00 amLocation: 4747 N. Canfield Avenue, Norridge, IL 60706Refreshments and tours will be offered at the event.Please RSVP to 708-583-8500A flyer about the event can be downloaded by clicking Download edizon_dayao_flyer.jpg

A free teleseminar will be offered this Wednesday, March 12 at 6pm Central / 7 pm Eastern by my friend Barbara Friesner...Has the time come to talk with your aging loved one about making some necessary changes?Is the thought of having these conversations freaking you out?Or have you tried unsuccessfully to have a conversation – leaving you gun-shy at the thought of trying again?If so, then this teleseminar is for you!!!In this free teleseminar you will learn a fun and effective way to get your Aging Loved Ones to tell you what they wantANDHelp them to willingly change so that they can get what they want – and what’s in their best interest!“Attending” this NO CHARGE teleseminar is easy and convenient!At 7p EASTERN TimeJust relax, put up your feet, and call(712) 580-7706 ~ Conference Code: 2484952#Here is the link to her website for more information and resources:www.AgeWiseLiving.com

I have blogged about this organization in the past - they are the company that will pick up unwanted furniture from your home and then turn around and make sure it goes to a needy senior. Perhaps one that ended up in a nursing home, and is now well, but no longer has an apartment to go back to. They help the seniors find a new place and get back into the community. Since they have lost so much they usually need some furniture and H.O.M.E will help. They do a lot more than that, but I love that!Here is the information I received this week:Please watch, this Sunday, March 16th on the 8am ABC Morning Local News..Karen Meyer, (about 8:20am) reports on a story which focuses on the organization, H.O.M.E. (Housing Opportunities & Maintenance for the Elderly) Providing Community, Compassion and Essential Comforts to Chicago's Low-Income Elderly and our housing resources for seniors with disabilities.

I found this great online resource tonight for kids.  If your kids are wondering what is wrong with an aging relative, this is a great article they can read that explains Alzheimer's disease to them. 

• As many as 5.2 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s.

• 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer's in their lifetime.

• Every 71 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s.

• Alzheimer's is the seventh-leading cause of death.

• The direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer's and other dementias to Medicare, Medicaid and businesses amount to more than $148 billion each year.

These are just a few of the facts in the Alzheimer's Associations newest report, 2008 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. You can click on that link to go to the page on their site where you can download the report in PDF format. The report is a comprehensive statistical abstract of U.S. data on Alzheimer’s disease that includes:

• prevalence 
• mortality
• the costs of Alzheimer care
• family caregiving
• a special report on lifetime risk

Recently I was contacted by Fraser Sherman who is writing a book about managing a parent's finances when they're no longer able to do so.  As part of his research he is looking to include case studies from people who've had hands-on experience managing their parent's money, whether it went well or poorly.

If you would like to share your story, please contact Fraser via email at bogatyr5@aol.com

Having a large gut in midlife increases the chance of dementia in old age, according to new research published Wednesday (March 26th) that suggests that abdominal fat is a bigger risk factor than family history.

For those of you who didn't already know...this "body type" has already been linked to higher risk of developing diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

Guess we need to get to the gym and watch what we eat - and now we have even more reasons too!

The complete article can be viewed at:
https://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/hc-belly0327.artmar27,0,4172715.story

I wish I had heard about this sooner, as it is on tonight. If you miss it, hopefully it will repeat as it sounds very interesting. Here is a little bit about it from their website:The first 90-minutes of Caring for Your Parents underscorestoday's struggle to keep parents at home, tensions between siblings,and the complexity of shifting caregiver roles through an intimate lookat five American families. In the end, the documentary contendssuccessful caregiving requires one primary ingredient‒love.Immediatelyafter the 90-minute broadcast, medical correspondent Dr. Art Uleneleads "A Conversation About Caring." This half-hour panel discussionoffers concrete advice and guidance on how to start theconversation‒often the most difficult step in caregiving.If you click on the link above, it will take you to their site where you can learn more and also check local listings for times!

Senior Lifestyles runs a few of the properties that my company works with including the Breakers of Edgewater Beach and the Autumn Green properties.  So when I saw this article about a new young CEO I thought I would share...

Full article from Crains here.

The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) contacted me regarding their consumer guide that they thought some of my readers may be interested in.

Unlike other resources, the guide features a comprehensive list of questions that address various elements of quality, like staff training, resident/client involvement and governance. There are also follow-up questions people can consider after they’ve visited an organization.

They think what’s best about the guide is that it helps people boil down a lot of information to ask themselves the most important question: “Can I trust this organization and the work they do for older people?”

I like it because its "deeper" than most checklists that you can download off the internet.  Not that there is anything wrong with the checklists, I just have not seen some of the questions in this guide on these checklists and I think they are important, especially the follow up questions.

The guide can be found at https://www.aahsa.org/qualityfirst/assessment/documents/consumers_guide.pdf.

Are assisted living communities Government Regulated?While there are federal laws that impact assisted living, the primary oversight of assisted living occurs at the state level. Each of the 50 states and DC regulate assisted living to some degree, but there is a great variation among them.Even in the most highly regulated states, the people developing the standards try not to create a product that is overwhelmed by rules and regulations. Because then you would have a nursing home, and assisted living was conceived as an alternative to the institutional feel of many nursing homes.It is up to the consumer to do their research and ask the hard questions to make sure that the assisted living facility that they are considering will be able to provide the care they need for their loved one now and into the future.For additional information and a state by state listing you can download the Assisted Living State Regulatory Review 2006 published by the National Center for Assisted Living.https://www.ncal.org/about/2006_reg_review.pdf

Are you a caregiver with a story? Well all of you have a story, but do you want to share it with others so they know they are not alone? A friend of mine just started an awesome new website called Caregiverlist.com which will become an incredible national resource for all things caregiving.. in the meantime they are looking for real stories and real pictures, so if you want to share, please click through here to the real caregiver stories part of their site and spill!

We all know today is Earth Day which is great.  We all need to do what we can to save this earth for the future.  Luckily Earth Day has some marketing behind it and its kind of the "in" thing to do lately - go green. 

But I missed telling you about another important day - maybe because there is not as much marketing and hype behind it - and maybe because its scary - but it is what we need to do to "protect" what we really want in the future.

April 19 was National Healthcare Decisions Day.  Just because we missed the day, doesn't mean we can't do something about our future - just like I would hope that you would recycle 365 days a year, not just earth day!

For more information and free forms and free advice and help!!!  visit National Healthcare Decision Day's website.