New Drugs to Prevent Strokes

Medical researchers are usually so cautious about characterizing results that when sober cardiologists use phrases like “very excited” and “a home run” and even “a new era,” you pay attention.

How independent is my senior parent?

This 8-question quiz can help you find out.

Developed by senior care expert Dr. John Bowling, the quiz will help determine whether your parent can live independently in his or her own home. 

The questions address a variety of factors that are critical to your parent's safety and well-being, including family support, mobility, memory, social interactions, and personal hygiene. 

Each question can be answered on a sliding scale from "ALWAYS" to "NEVER." Simply move the slider to indicate your response. 

Upon completion of the quiz, you will receive a quantifiable score that will indicate your parent's level of at-home independence and self-sufficiency.

 Take The Quiz Now.

In a Graying Population, Business Opportunity

Now that the oldest baby boomers are turning 65, he says, their sheer numbers may attract industries that had earlier shied away. “If you are a Fortune 100 company, or an inventor in a garage, where are you going to find another demographic that is that large, that robust in spending power, that open to new possibilities, and that underserved?” he asks. “There’s nothing to rival it.” Read the NY Times article

How to turn a $250,000 Hospital Bill into a $17,000 Bill

Following up on yesterday's post "Senior Helpers Can Help Reduce your Medical Expenses up to 80%"where we announced a partnership with Health Care Advocates (HCA) the San Diego Reader has published the best expose on the systematic and institutionalized overcharging for services by the health care system that I have ever seen:

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2010/jul/07/cover/

This article demonstrates the necessity of the service that Health Care Advocates provides and the sheer size of the problems that the average consumer faces when dealing with major medical bills.

Can you imagine your 85 year old mother or grandfather having to deal with this? 

Senior Helpers' FREE program puts a team of professionals behind you to negotiate with hospitals and other medical providers on your behalf.  Learn More ( www.managemymedicalbills.com/sh.html  )






By the way, Chad Deal, the author of the above article is now a huge supporter of HealthCare Advocates, Inc.  so much so that he is an Agent for HCA!

I trust you will be as motivated and educated by this article as I was.

Contact Senior Helpers Today to Learn More about this exciting FREE Program!

Call 512-388-4357 or Visit Our Website www.seniorhelpers.com/RoundRock

Providing Home Care for an Older Adult: A Good Fit?

By Kate Rauch, Caring.com senior editor

What to consider when an older adult needs daily care at home

When someone you're caring for begins to need daily care, one option is to set up systems to provide care in her own home. Whether this will work depends on many factors, including her health and your ability to give or hire care. The first step is to realistically review what's involved.

Will it work on a practical level for her to live at home?

• Start with a medical consultation. When an older adult needs daily assistance, start by consulting with her doctor about housing options. Be sure to ask how her needs could change over time, which may influence your decision.
• Home safety and accessibility. Her house may need adaptations, such as grab bars in the bathroom, handrails, and wheelchair ramps. Are these changes doable? Will stairs, stoops, and narrow hallways make getting around difficult or impossible if she uses a wheelchair or walker?
• Room for overnight caregivers. If she needs 24-hour in-home care, is there sleeping space for an overnight caregiver or room for another bed or large couch?
• Space for equipment or supplies. Does she have enough room for a hospital bed (bulkier than a regular bed), commode, oxygen tank, or other portable medical equipment if needed?
• Bathing. Because they're weak or have trouble balancing, some older adults can only bathe in a bathtub. Others need a freestanding shower stall with handholds. Can these adaptations be made?
• Proximity to you. Does she live close enough so you can assist with her care without long commutes? If she lives far away, can you manage -- and afford -- the traveling back and forth, or can you afford to hire a caregiver and possibly even a care manager?

Can you or she afford it?

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Elderly at greater risk for fire related deaths

Americans over the age of 65 are one of the groups at greatest risk of dying in a fire. People over the age of 80 die in fires at a rate three times higher than the rest of the population. Many steps can be implemented to reduce becoming a fire casualty.

See My Related Blog Post regarding FREE Smoke Detector Availability here!

Older Americans are at risk for fire death and injuries for a number of reasons:

· They may be less able to take the quick action necessary in a fire emergency.

· They may be on medication that affects their ability to make quick decisions.

· Many older people live alone and when accidents happen others may not be around to help.

Free Total Home & Fall Safety Monitoring System for Seniors from Senior Helpers of Central Texas

We've all heard of the personal safety devices (pendants) that seniors wear in case they "Have Fallen & Can't Get Up"!

But what if they have fallen and are unconscious? Or have forgotten to take their Medications on time? Or there is no detectable movement in the primary living areas of the home? A NEW Home Medical Response System from Life Support Medical provides a comprehensive monitoring service for these severe conditions and more, including:

• Flood Detection (bathrooms, laundry, etc.)
• Inactivity Sensors (programmable for multiple time periods per day)
• Medication Reminders
• Accelerometer-based fall detection (fallen & unable to press pendant button)
• Traditional Pendant device (that can also be worn on the wrist like a watch)
• Smoke Detector
• Carbon Monoxide Detector
• Multiple (Large) Medical Alert buttons placed throughout the home in traditional places where seniors typically fall (most seniors are not wearing their pendant device when they fall)

The entire system is monitored in the U.S. by EMT qualified personnel that will Stay on the  line until emergency responders are in control of the situation.

This is by far the best system we have seen for Total Senior Home Safety Monitoring! Senior Helpers of Central Texas provides this system as part of our service @ no extra charge. Check it out at www.lifesupportmedical.com

Senior Helpers of Central Texas is an authorized distributor for Life Support Medical. Please call us for a consult at 512-388-4357. If you are a doctor, pharmacist, DME, Assisted Living Facility or other profession that deals with seniors and/or senior safety. Call us to learn how to become a dealer for this wonderful system - It will change lives for the better!

So call us @ 512-388-4357 or email us at fhayes@seniorhelpers.com to learn more and we will send you all the literature.

Free Smoke Detectors and Installation for Austin TX Seniors

I just spoke with Robert Kimmons of the Austin Fire Department (AFD) this morning. He called to let me know that AFD has a program called ZERO FIRE DEATHS where AFD will go to a Senior's home and install smoke detectors  - FOR FREE.

Here is a link to their Website for more info. DO NOT worry about the income requirements, they will install the smoke detectors for anyone who needs them. The only requirement, as far as I understand, is that the Senior be in Austin. And, they do not even need to be a senior! It can be anyone.

Remember, Seniors with dementia [including Alzheimer's] often loose their sense of smell so this program can be a life saver!

The best way to participate is to call 512-974-0290 and leave a message.

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.

Life Settlements: Getting Cash From Your Insurance Policy. Good or Bad Choice?

Did you know that you can get a lot of cash for selling your life insurance policy? It sounds to good to be true doesn't it?

Well like anything else in the financial market for Seniors there are good and not so good aspects to it. There is a good article on the Financial & Tax Fraud Education Associates blog that goes through many of the details.

In a nutshell, it works like this:

1. Let's say you're 72 years old with a $1M life policy that is current.
2. You are also almost out of cash and facing very high costs associated with in-home care or nursing home care

What are your options?

1. The financial markets have created one for you!
2. They will buy your $1M life insurance policy for , say, $200k (plus or minus depending on the actuarial tables) and continue paying the premiums for you!
3. You get the cash and name them the beneficiary of the policy

Does this make sense? It could in some cases. Depending on how long the senior actually lives will determine if the "Investor" or the Senior actually comes out ahead. The definite loser could be the Senior's heirs however.

If the heirs were well informed it might make good sense for them to "purchase" the policy from the senior by paying for the senior's care needs going forward in exchange for being named beneficiary. Just my opinion though.

Read the article and discuss with your financial advisor as this is just another tool in your financial toolbelt.

Home Caregiving Safety Tips

From ArticlePlugIn

Many seniors live in homes that have not been equipped for elderly care. This makes injuries more likely, which is unfortunate because it takes people longer to recover as they age. However, there are many safety tips that can help prevent a serious injury.

There are some steps that can be taken in any living area of the home.

* All rugs and loose carpets should be either tacked or taped to the ground. This will prevent seniors from tripping on turned-up corners or scrunched rugs.
* Electric cords should be secured to the wall or placed under rugs so no one trips on them.
* Sharp corners on tables or countertops should be covered to avoid serious injury in the event of a fall.
* Staircases should have railings on both sides that are strong enough to support a person’s full body weight.
 Ideally these railings should extend beyond the top and bottom steps.

Bathrooms need some specific work in order to be as safe as possible.
* Place no-slip rugs near the toilet, sink, and shower to help prevent falls.
* A raised toilet seat can help seniors sit down and get off the toilet seat with ease. Adding bars on both sides of the toilet is also beneficial.
* Installing a grab bar in the shower can provide valuable stability. A shower seat is also useful, especially if long showers are enjoyed.
* Shower doors that are made of glass should be labeled with bright tape or decals. This will prevent anyone from stepping through the door because it wasn’t seen.
* Label the hot water faucet or paint it red to avoid scalding.

The kitchen also needs to safety proofed.
* Any appliances that do not work properly need to be replaced. Using them increases the risk of injury. If money is an issue, hiring a repairman may be cheaper.
* Place all appliances at waist level so seniors do not have to struggle to reach things that are either too high or too low.
* Adequate lighting is especially important in the kitchen, where sharp tools are used on a frequent basis.

Replace any burned out light bulbs and consider adding an additional desk lamp by the cutting board.
* Make sure the smoke detector is in good working order and has fresh batteries.

Safety proofing a home can be time consuming, but it is necessary. Consider asking a friend-especially one who is good with tools-for help. Once you have safety proofed your loved one’s home, you can rest assured knowing that you have taken active steps to ensure his safety.

Easy Guide to Long Term Care Insurance

Seeing is believing. And as a caregiver, you've seen long-term care up close. The time. The effort. The expense. You know the emotional, physical and financial impact it can have on families. But, in concentrating on the immediate needs of a loved one, believing you too could one day be in the same situation may not yet even be a consideration-especially when you are fairly young.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 70% of people over the age of 65 will need some services and supports "to meet health or personal care needs over an extended period of time."* So, for the majority of people, it's not as much a question of "if" they'll need long-term care than "when" they'll need it.  However, the sad truth is the need for long-term care can happen at any age. So, what will you do in the future if a chronic illness or disability causes you to need assistance with the activities of daily living such as bathing, eating or even using the bathroom?

• Are you prepared?
• Are you concerned?
• Have you thought about your future?

Read the whole article at Caring Today.

10 Top Items for Senior Travel

These take-along essentials, including daily living aids, make senior travel enjoyable for everyone.

Whether you’re planning a two-week cruise or visiting out-of-town relatives for a few days over the holidays, senior travel can be great for the whole family. Traveling with an elderly loved one can be more than just manageable—you can all enjoy the time away from your usual routine. The secret to successfully traveling with a senior is taking along the equipment and daily living aids, usually in portable formats, that you depend on at home. Some versions are designed to fit flat in a suitcase to make bringing them even easier. Of course, these aids for seniors can also be ordered and shipped to your destination ahead of time.

Read the whole list!

FREE SEMINAR: Navigating the Health Insurance Maze for Seniors

FREE SEMINAR:

Navigating the Health Insurance Maze for Seniors
Call 512-388-4357 for More Info

Learn about the basics of Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap (Medicare supplemental insurance), Medicare Advantage plans, and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

Saturday, November 14th, from 10AM -11:30AM

3710 Cedar Street, Austin, 78705

Presenter: Mary Koffend, President of Accountable Aging, is a specialist in eldercare services and government-funded programs. Having served elder and disabled clients for more than thirty years with the Social Security Administration (SSA) throughout Texas, Mary is in a unique position to now help clients deal with two of the biggest challenges related to aging: navigating the benefits maze and understanding healthcare options.

Please pre-register for this seminar. To pre-register or for more information,

please call Bruce Kravitz at (512) 451-4611 or email at bkravitz@ageofaustin.org.

Top Safety Products for Seniors

Safety devices for your parents’ home can help you delay or avoid hiring personal caregivers. The best also help seniors steer clear of residential dangers deemed most common by the Home Safety Council: falls, poisoning, and fires and burns. Experts at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute tested a variety of home-safety products in its laboratories as well as with elderly consumers at the Carter Burden Center for the Aging in New York City. Here are their top choices.

Read the article in Good Housekeeping