Wednesday, March 31, 2010

We are Living a Decade Longer Than Our Parents’ Generation Due to Healthy Aging

People today are living substantially longer than their parents’ generation, not because aging has been slowed or reversed, but because they are staying healthier. A demographer writes on the longevity phenomenon in the March 25 edition of Nature and wonders how we can keep in going. 

Read the whole article in The Senior Journal.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Long-Term Care Insurance: You Have Options

The latest offerings provide more coverage and the ability to pick and choose what types of coverage you'll need.

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when choosing a long-term care insurance plan was simple--because there was only one option: a nursing-home-only plan modeled after Medicare LTC coverage. Today, you can choose your coverage and its terms from a plethora of options. But, with all of these choices, careful evaluation of LTC policies is more critical than ever.

Read the entire article at Forbes.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Seniors & Families be on the Alert for Census Scams

Office on Aging warns seniors about census scammers


By KARI HELTON/The Valley Chronicle
Published: Friday, March 12, 2010 1:26 PM CST
The Riverside County Office on Aging this week warned seniors about scammers using the 2010 Census to commit fraud.


In a news release, the Office on Aging reported that scammers have posed as census workers to get personal information from seniors. Such scams have been reported nationwide, though none locally, the news release stated.


“Participating in the census is one of the most important contributions seniors can make for their communities,” Office on Aging Director Ed Walsh said in the news release. “However, we want to ensure that all residents participate safely.”


Tuesday, March 9, 2010

NEW Jobs Created By OLD Age - Press Release



National Job Growth in Booming In-Home Senior Care Industry­­­­­
 
(March 9, 2010) – With the national unemployment rate remaining stubbornly high at 9.7 percent and more and more news of companies going under, where on earth can you find a job? Look no farther than your aging parents and relatives, who are creating one of the biggest economic booms this country has ever seen. In the coming years, two out of ten people in the U.S. will be age 65 or older and there just aren’t enough people to take care of them. That’s why care giving for the elderly is an exploding sector of the growing national health care industry. This year alone, the in-home care industry is expected to grow by 12.5 percent, adding more than 100,000 new jobs.

“Senior care is a thriving industry with no sign of a slow down in sight,” says Peter Ross, CEO of Senior Helpers, the nation’s fastest growing provider of in-home senior care. “We employ more than 6,000 caregivers nationally and we are hiring at most of our 283 locations.  In-home care is recession-resistant, rewarding work that provides peace of mind for families who just can’t be with their senior loved ones all of the time.”

WHY JOB GROWTH IN SENIOR CARE?

  • A recent study by the National Caregivers Association (NCA) shows that over the next 25 years as the Baby Boomers continue to age, the proportion of people needing care will increase while the number of adult children able to take care of them will decrease. Bottom line: There will be fewer American adults able to take care of aging parents! 
  • More than 43 million people in the U.S. – 19 percent of adults – provide care for an elderly family member or friend.
  • The NCA reports the typical caregiver is a middle-aged daughter caring for an elderly parent or grandparent while juggling a family and a job simultaneously. Nearly 100 percent report emotional strain, most report financial strain and 68 percent miss work because of care giving responsibilities.

“The burden usually falls on one of the adult children who already juggles a family, a job and all the responsibilities that go with their own life,” says Ross. “More and more seniors want to stay in their own homes and professional caregivers can make this possible by taking the burden off of adult children.” 

REWARDING WORK FOR AMERICANS – AN ECONOMIC BRIGHT SPOT

Nichole  Henry was out of work when she got the job as a Senior Helpers’ caregiver. She is studying to become a registered nurse (RN) and works helping elderly clients prepare meals, take their medication on time and simply listen when they want to talk. “I wanted a rewarding job and I’ve found my calling,” says Henry. “There is no job greater than helping others who can’t do for themselves. I listen to their concerns with an open heart and it makes all the difference in the world!”


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About Senior Helpers:

Senior Helpers connects professional caregivers with seniors who wish to live at home as opposed to a nursing or assisted living facility. The company has 283 franchises in 39 states and one in Canada offering a wide range of personal and companion care services to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Senior Helpers strives to be the leading companion and personal care provider that offers dependable, consistent and affordable home care.

For more information, please visit: http://www.seniorhelpers.com/
Media Contact
Sue Yannello  syannello@seniorhelpers.com 919.459.8162/919.557.7890
Jon Weiner     jweiner@seniorhelpers.com     919.459.8161/919.557.7890

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Regular Analgesic Use Increases Hearing Loss in Men, Study Finds

ScienceDaily (Mar. 1, 2010) — In a study published in the March 2010 issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers determined that regular use of aspirin, acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk of hearing loss in men, particularly in younger men, below age 60.

Read the whole Article at ScienceDaily.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Senior Helpers Setting Sights to Lead Home Care Industry

Posted on March 2nd, 2010 in Home Care / Home Health
by: Kerry Lynn Nichols

It is no guarded secret that businesses that focus on Senior Care are poised to explode due to the overwhelming numbers of Americans facing their golden years. But, finding the right business to own, or to work for, can be a challenge. Senior Helpers is one company that has managed to find success despite our nation’s major economic downturn. In fact, not only have they been successful, they have grown.

With three hundred franchises across the country, Senior Helpers is the fastest growing in-home care company for seniors.  Their influence on the industry is already indelible, but they plan on becoming the leaders in home care. Peter Ross, CEO and Founder of Senior Helpers, attributes their success to using information gathered from focus groups to create care for seniors that is the “total solution.” He has found that their clients “want one provider to call no matter what the issue is and expect the provider to take care of it.”

But knowing what a client needs and delivering it are two separate issues. Senior Helpers is successful on that front, too. They have a proven process when assessing the needs of a new client that involves an in-home assessment to determine the type and level of care that is needed. Their focus is on providing a higher quality of life not only for the senior but also for their families. “[Our caregivers] are not just caregivers but life givers.  Our owners are dedicated to quality care and are compassionate when it comes to our clients needs,” says Ross.

Senior Helpers has attracted quality caregivers, because they provide quality support. According to Ross, their franchise ownership is set apart because they offer “national advertising programs like no other brand, excellent business consulting support, software tools, and a great corporate support team.” They are also unafraid of challenging the norm in the industry, in the interest of providing the best care for their clients. Ross feels that “seniors in this country should be revered by society; we are indebted to them for all they have done for us.  It is time that our country focuses the proper resources and services to make their life as fulfilled and exciting during their golden years.”