5 Steps to the Perfect Senior Housing Set–Up

by ElderCarelink

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of finding senior care services for a loved one?

While it can be an emotional and challenging process, we’ve broken it down into five simple steps. Take them one at a time, and you should be able to find a solid fit for your loved one.

Consider current and future needs: Moving a loved one from location to location can make the costs add up. Think about the level of care an individual needs now and then try to estimate what their future needs may be to find an option that will meet both.

Review senior housing options: Once you have a good handle on a senior’s individual needs, it is time to review the various housing options. These may include assisted living facilities, nursing homes, community care retirement communities and more.

Compare facility services: After you have settled on a particular type of senior housing, you need to start comparing different facilities within that housing type. You can get matched with nearby facilities by going to ElderCarelink.com and searching by your loved one’s zip code. Then speak with each facility for the type of care and services offered.

Compare pricing: In addition to comparing services, compare costs. Is there an entrance fee? Is the monthly fee all-inclusive or do you have to pay for amenities separately?

Expand your search: If the right senior housing option doesn't exist in your community, then look outside your immediate zip code. You may be surprised at the additional senior housing opportunities that are within a short commute of your ideal location.

You can find more information at ElderCarelink.com, including a free conversation guide that can help you start the discussion with your loved one about their long-term care needs.

Giving Care without Taking Away Independence by ElderCarelink When you're dealing with an aging parent or loved one, it's easy to get wrapped up in feeling like you're parenting a huge child. This attitude can lead to resentment from both parties. It's extremely important to remember that you are providing care to an aging adult you love, not a lost child but a person with hopes, dreams, desires and decades more time walking the planet than you have. Be clear, not condescending. You can't imagine what it's like to lose your cognitive abilities, but you can probably pull up a memory of anger related to being treated like a fool. Choose your words, your demands and your tone with care -- and love -- when communicating with your aging loved one. Be supportive, not judgmental. Losing control of dexterity, losing the ability to bathe, dress and feed yourself, losing the ability to make it to the bathroom in time -- all of these things can lead your loved one to despair. Be kind, and try to understand what your parent or loved one is going through when s/he has an accident. Be firm, not dictatorial. There are decisions you'll need to make for your parent or loved one's well being. Stop there. Putting unnecessary rules and regulations on your aging loved one's behavior will only sow seeds of resentment. Give her/him as much independence as possible, whenever possible. You'll both appreciate it. Remember, too, that your loved one probably doesn't know what you're going through, either. Keep lines of communication open. Talk about getting live-in help or what happens when you can no longer provide the necessary care. Talk about moving you parent or loved into a nursing home years before it's necessary if at all possible. Just talk, and stay respectful. Looking for help caring for your parent or other loved one? Check out ElderCarelink.com where you can find professional caregivers in your area.

Professionals for Seniors Upcoming Schedule of Events + So Much More February is a busy month - there are MANY professional networking events and events for seniors listed below!  Check it out and feel free to post events in your area on Seniors Blue Book any time.   We had an 85% response asking for weekly only emails. I will be sending weekly links and an occasional supplemental email as needed. Please feel free Contact Toni or Contact Mark and they will take good care of you.   Click Here for more information on these and all Professional Networking  2/19 - Chancellor Gardens Lunch and Learn    2/20 -  Marketing with the Masters    2/20 - Professionals for Seniors    2/21 - Larkin Riverton Grand Opening    Click Here for all Job Opportunities - Seeking Employment - Announcements - Classifieds Volunteers Needed Licensed Social Worker Fiscal Officer Marketing Professionals Scheduled Events Professional Networking Job Opportunites - Announcements Join Our Mailing List! Contact Information Toni Polich 801-851-8664 Toni@SeniorsBlueBook.com Mark DeAngelis 801-386-6662 Mark@SeniorsBlueBook.com

Does Your Mom or Dad Need to Go to Day Care?

by ElderCarelink

Does your mom or dad require round-the-clock care?

Do they spend their days at home alone?

 If you said yes to either of these, it may be time to send your folks to day care.

The term day care might have you thinking of plastic toys and screaming toddlers, but some centers cater to more mature crowd. Adult day cares offer an opportunity for seniors to get out of the house and socialize while providing their caregivers some much needed respite.

Depending on the type of facility, you may find day cares in your area that provide:

Social and recreational activities

Door-to-door transportation

Snacks and meals

Personal care assistance

Regardless of whether your mom and dad are relatively healthy or have challenges such dementia, you are likely to find a day care that meets their needs. The National Adult Day Services Association reports there are three categories of adult day care providers.

Specialized centers offering services to individuals with specific care needs, such as those with dementia or Alzheimers.

Social centers focused on recreational and group activities.

Health centers that combine social activities with health and therapeutic services.

Even better, many adult day cares offer flexible scheduling which means you can use them once a week, once a month or however many other times you need.

Ready to find an adult day care for your parent or other loved one? Check out ElderCarelink.com where you can find a list of day cares in your area.

American Society on Aging Website:

http://asaging.org/blog/content-source/13

Seniors Blue Book

Upcoming Schedule of Events + So Much More

February is a busy month - there are MANY professional networking events and events for seniors listed below!  Check it out and feel free to post events in your area on Seniors Blue Book any time. 

Distribution of the January-June 2014 Utah Seniors Blue Book is complete - if you know of someone who could use some books, please Contact Toni or Contact Mark and they will take good care of you. 

2/7-Cottonwood Place invites you to a Model Sneak Peek

2/12 - Atria Sandy's Over the Hump Social

 

2/21 -  CEU Luncheon

 

2/5 - Red Hat Society Tea Party

2/12 - Mountain Ridge Sweetheart Ball

2/24 - Heart Health Screenings for Seniors

Click Here for all Job Opportunities - Seeking Employment - Announcements - Classifieds

Certified Hospice Chaplain

Marketing Director

Marketer/Community Liaison

Clinical Secretary

Scheduled Events

Professional Networking

Events for Seniors

Job Opportunites - Announcements

Join Our Mailing List!

Contact Information

Toni Polich

801-851-8664

Toni@SeniorsBlueBook.com

Mark DeAngelis

801-386-6662

Mark@SeniorsBlueBook.com

How Health Care Reform Can Help Pay for In-Home Care

by ElderCarelink

Love it or hate it, the Affordable Care Act is opening up new ways for seniors to receive Medicaid coverage for in-home care.

The law includes a provision for the Community First Choice Option, a state plan designed to provide community- and home-based services for Medicaid-eligible recipients.

Although not exhaustive, the general eligibility guidelines are rather simple.

Seniors must have incomes that make them Medicaid-eligible. Depending on the state, that amount could be as high as 150 percent of the federal poverty limit.

Seniors must meet a state determination that they would require skilled nursing care in a facility if they did not receive in-home care or community-based services.

States that participate in Community First must provide the following services among others:

• Assistance with daily living tasks such as bathing, dressing and eating
• Assistance with other living tasks such as cleaning and shopping
• Training for care attendants
• Back-up systems (e.g. beepers) to maintain a continuity of care for seniors
• States may also provide optional services such as funds to cover transition costs from a nursing facility to community-based or in-home care.

Home care and community-based services can be provided not only by agencies but family members as well. However, family members must meet definitions outlined by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Because this is a state-based plan, not all states may participate in the program. Be sure to check with your state's Medicaid office to learn more about the Community First Choice Option. Then, go to ElderCarelink.com to find home care workers in your area.

In This Week's Issue ·  NAIPC 2014 Priorities ·  Council of Chapters Updates ·  NCOA Aims to Help 10 Millions Seniors by 2020 ·  NAIPC Board of Directors Special Election ·  Save the Date! ·  Upcoming Events NAIPC 2014 Priorities Policy & Strategy Council of Chapter representatives are currently reviewing the final report from our Aging in Place Summit, which includes an extensive list of policy initiatives we need to pursue in Housing, Healthcare & Wellness, Personal Finance, Transportation, and Community & Social interaction. We are awaiting feedback and intend to post the report and distribute it to the press and government officials by mid-February. 2014 Policy Initiatives We intend to create long-range (5 and 10 year) plans to tackle all the issues identified by the Summit to improve the Aging in Place environment for aging Americans. But for the current year, members have identified the following initiatives as priorities: 1.    Advocate for renewal of the Older Americans Act. 2.    Prepare for the possibility of tax reform discussion in Congress by compiling a list of items that encourage aging in place. 3.    Housing—Protect the current Low Income Housing Tax Credit system, and advocate for zoning benefits to encourage construction of mixed use housing. 4.    Health & Wellness—Increase availability of caregivers by advocating for passage of immigration reform and increase the point value of caregiving in citizenship process. 5.    Personal Finance—Launch a “Social Worker as Financial Concierge” program with a pilot and curriculum designed by the deans of social work graduate programs. 6.    Community & Social Interaction—Encourage the growth of community structures including Villages and Senior Housing and the role of resident service coordinators by issuing a research report on the value of community to aging Americans. NAIPC is establishing committees of members to work on these initiatives. Currently we are forming committees on: ·  Senior housing ·  Caregiving ·  Personal Finance ·  Community If you would like to participate in these initiatives, please contact Ashley Krapacs as akrapacs@ageinplace.org. Your Plan for Aging in Place The term Aging in Place has become more familiar. But one consensus observation coming out of our 2013 Annual Meeting and Policy Summit is that few aging Americans can tell you, how do you age in place? What does it entail?  In response to this, we have created a template that aging Americans and their families can utilize to walk through all the needs one might have to Age in Place, evaluate what they have and what is missing. Your Plan for Aging in Place is currently being reviewed by experts in each of the main subject areas (housing, health & wellness, personal finance, transportation, community & social interaction). Our next step will be to share it with the membership for a comment period. And then we will post it on ageinplace.org. Council of Chapters Updates Each month, NAIPC holds a Council of Chapters conference call. Participants include NAIPC staff and a representative from each of the current and forming NAIPC Chapters. The purpose of the monthly meetings is to keep Chapters informed of the latest news from the NAIPC National office, and vice versa. The last Council of Chapters call was held January 28, 2014. Highlights of the meeting include: The Columbus Chapter is now up to nine members. The Pittsburgh Chapter is making great progress. The Greater DC Chapter held a meeting this week and attendance was strong. NAIPC National had a successful meeting with the members of the recently formed Central Coast of California Chapter last week. NCOA Aims to Help 10 Million Seniors by 2020 Improving the health and financial security of 10 million older adults in the next six years is a weighty goal...but an achievable goal, according to the National Council on Aging. The NCOA, through initiatives like the Economic Security Initiative,BenefitsCheckUp, and EconomicCheckUp, has assisted more than 1.5 million seniors thus far, and they continue to provide additional resources to seniors as they work to achieve their goal of reaching 10 million by 2020. The NCOA recently launched the Economic Security Initiative, a nationwide program that assists communities with establishing Economic Security Service Centers, facilities where seniors can get a complete assessment of their situation, economic case management, referrals to community resources, and follow-up on various issues they may need assistance with, including job training, financial management, foreclosure assistance, and assistance with applying for benefits. To learn more, or to bring an Economic Security Service Center to your community,click here. NAIPC Board of Directors Special Election The deadline for members to vote in the NAIPC Board of Directors Special Election is Friday, February 14, 2014 at 5:00 pm EST. If you have not yet done so, click here to cast your vote. Save the Date! Mark your calendars: the Second Annual National Aging in Place Council Meeting is scheduled for June 12-13, 2014 in Washington, DC. All members received discounted registration and are encouraged to attend. Upcoming Events 2/3/2014 Baltimore Chapter NAIPC Monthly Meeting 2/19/2014 Eastern Shore Chapter Monthly Meeting 2/19/2014 Central Coast of California Monthly Chapter Meeting 2/19/2014 Boston Chapter Members Only Event 2/21/2014 Greater DC Chapter Monthly Meeting 3/12/2014 Boston Chapter Breakfast Meeting 3/19/2014 Eastern Shore Chapter Monthly Meeting 3/27/2014 Orange County Chapter Monthly Member Meeting 3/27/2014 Greater DC Chapter Monthly Meeting

Save the date!!

Please come support the gerontology program at our annual gerontology conference on Wednesday, March 12^th at 7 pm. (There will be lots of BYU brownies during the reception after the speaker!)  These events help spread awareness for our program and help the gerontology program grow through funding by donors and research with other universities.  Please mark your calendars and attend if you can. 

This year, Dr. Patricia Grady, Director of the National Institute of Nursing Research, is coming to BYU! She will speak about the state of current research for the aging population on Wednesday evening.  On Thursday at 11 am she will present about “The Role of Nursing Science in Health Research.”

One Way to Avoid Alzheimer’s

by ElderCarelink

If you want your senior parents to stay mentally sharp, you may want to buy a gym membership for their next gift.

While there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, new research is uncovering how we may be able to prevent it. Among the research is a study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. It found those who achieved at least a medium state of fitness were less likely to die from a dementia-related death.

Although exercise is beneficial, seniors should be cautious. The National Institutes of Health warn that elders who haven't exercised in a long time should consult their physician before starting and slowly increase their activity levels.

To get the senior in your life more active, consider these tips:

Find exercise programs or activities that can be incorporated into their daily lives.
Activities should appeal to the individual and suit his or her lifestyle, budget and health.
Create a schedule or routine in which exercise takes place several short times during the day such as stretching in the morning, walking to the mailbox and using cans as light weights before cooking.
Of course, your loved one might be more likely to exercise if you join in. Heading to the local superstore to walk a few laps with your mom can be a great way to not only improve her physical health but also break up her day and give her the social interaction she probably craves.

If it isn't practical for you to help with physical activity, check out local senior centers and adult day cares which may arrange for activities designed to help older individuals stay active.
You can find more information at ElderCarelink.com including a list of day cares and other resources in your area.

Three Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing an Assisted Living Facility

by ElderCarelink

When it comes to making a decision about an assisted living facility for a parent or loved one, making an informed, timely decision is important. Making this decision is challenging and, for many, intimidating. After all, handing over the care of your parent or loved one to others is not an easy step for anyone to take.

When starting your search for the right assisted living facility, be sure to avoid the following three common mistakes.

1. Rushing a decision. Often, families choose the first open room or facility they find or visit. Taking the time to compare and visit several assisted living facilities provides you with the opportunity to see a range of services, costs and approaches to care.

2. Not being realistic. Remember, you are not only making a decision about the current parent or loved one you know, but the one they will become down the road. Is the facility equipped to deal with chronic health issues or assist individuals with dementia? Can the facility adapt its services to care for your loved one not only one year into the future, but 5 or even 10 years later?

3. Skipping over the details. Each assisted living facility is different, which means different options, different services and different costs. The cost structure varies facility by facility, so reviewing a contract before signing is paramount. Is there an entrance fee? Are all services covered? Are certain services, such as laundry, extra? Before putting a name on the dotted line, it makes sense to consider having a legal professional review the contract.

As you and other family members make a decision about assisted living, do not be afraid to solicit feedback and advice from others including your loved one's physician or geriatric care manager. By taking your time and doing your research, you can minimize the possibility of moving a loved one or parent into a poor or ill-fitting living situation.

More information on these and other care options is just a click away at www.ElderCarelink.com.You can not only access a comprehensive database of planning resources, you can also find a list of local long-term care providers.
Stop by today and help your parents or loved one make the right housing decision.

For a schedule and list of activities offered by Provo Parks & Recreation go to:

http://provo.org/home/showdocument?id=2693