How to Handle the Medicare Maze

Open Enrollment begins TODAY! Change your Medicare health or prescription drug coverage for 2013. Open Enrollment: October 15 - December 7, 2012.

Be A Santa to a Senior 2012

The Impact Fraud Can Have on Seniors: Protect Seniors from Fraud (2 of 5)

Mary Alexander from Home Instead Senior Care® talks about why seniors become targets of scams and the impact of this fraud.

A number factors increase a senior's risk of being victimized, including isolation, loneliness, loss, physical or mental disabilities, difficulties dealing with financial matters and having a family member who is unemployed and or has a substance abuse problem.

Understanding these causes and characteristics of senior fraud can help you to help prevent your senior from becoming a victim of these horrible crimes.

Protect Seniors from Fraud (1 of 5)

Mary Alexander from Home Instead Senior Care® introduces a video series on scams and fraud and how to help your senior loved one from becoming a victim.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation lists several common scams that you should watch out for. They are health care or health insurance fraud, counterfeit prescription drugs, funeral and cemetery fraud, fraudulent anti-aging products, telemarketing fraud, internet fraud, investment schemes and reverse mortgage scams.

Vestavia to host E-Recycling & Shredding Event

E-Recycling & Shredding Event

Saturday, September 15, 2012 9 am - 1 pm

WALD PARK POOL PARKING LOT

This is very important to keep down chances of your identity being stolen!

The Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce and the city of Vestavia Hills invite community residents to donate certain electronics for recycling at this event at the Wald Park pool parking lot, 

1973 Merryvale Road. 

Acceptable items include

 computers, 

monitors, 

desktop CPUs,

 LCD display laptops, 

notebook computers, 

CD/DVD players, 

scanners, 

printers, 

fax machines, 

adding machines, 

cell phones, 

corded phones, 

cordless phones, 

answering machines, 

pagers, 

pocket PCs,

 digital cameras, 

routers, 

remotes, 

PDAs,

 stereos, 

Discmans, 

Walkmans, 

VCRs, 

radios, 

tape players, 

keyboards, 

cables, 

mice, 

game hardware, 

modems, 

external hardware, 

small kitchen appliances, 

can openers, 

blenders, 

large white kitchen goods, 

refrigerators, 

dishwashers, 

stoves, 

washers, 

dryers and microwaves. 

For more information, call the City of Vestavia Hills at 978-0100 or Vestavia Chamber of Commerce at 823-5011.

For more information and tips on how to protect yourself from fraud, visit our website http://www.caregiverstress.com/senior-safety/con-cheat-seniors/

10 Signs of Alzheimer's

10 Signs of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease: what is and what isn’t? It’s sometimes difficult to tell.

Dementia is the umbrella term for the variety of conditions that can cause the brain to fail. One of those is Alzheimer’s disease, which represents the majority of cases, noted Dr. Jane F. Potter, chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. 

“It’s safe to say that the thing that Alzheimer’s and other dementias have in common is a high risk of behavioral disorders – change in personality, people behaving in ways counter to their prior personality,’’ Dr. Potter said. “Normal old age does not cause memory loss. It’s not normal when people can’t take care of daily business, such as paying bills and writing checks.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, following are 10 warning signs* of Alzheimer’s compared with what are typical age-related changes:

Memory loss that disrupts daily life: One of the most common signs is memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information. Typical age-related change? Sometimes forgetting names or appointments, but remembering them later

Challenges in planning or solving problems: Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. Typical? Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.

Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure: People sometimes may have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game. Typical? Occasionally needing help to use the settings on a microwave or to record a television show.

Confusion with time or place: Losing track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. Typical? Getting confused about the day of the week, but figuring it out later.

Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships: For some people, having vision problems is a sign. They may not realize they are the person in the mirror, for instance. Typical? Vision changes related to cataracts.

 New problems with words in speaking or writing: There is trouble following or joining a conversation. Typical? Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.

Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps: Placing things in unusual places. Sometimes they may accuse others of stealing. Typical? Misplacing things from time to time, such as a pair of glasses.

Decreased or poor judgment: Experiencing changes in judgment or decision-making. Typical? Making a bad decision once in a while.

Withdrawal from work or social activities: Some may start to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports. Typical? Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations.

Changes in mood and personality: Some can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work or with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone. Typical? Developing specific ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted.

The Home Instead Senior Care^® network is a corporate member of the Alzheimer’s Association Alzheimer’s Early Detection Alliance, whose goal is to educate about the warning signs of Alzheimer's, the importance of early detection and the resources available to help them.

* Source: http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_10_signs_of_alzheimers.asp.

Our franchise owner discusses how to protect seniors from scams on CBS 42!

www.protectseniorsfromfraud.com

A Day in the Life of Peter

A day in the life of Peter

A franchise owner in Green Bay, WI, shared this success story written by his CAREGiver Shawn C.  This story shows the powerful role that CAREGivers play in enhancing the lives of seniors each day. When I arrive at 9 a.m. Peter is usually at the table, completely dressed, shaved and ready for the day. He'll be reading his paper, and eating his breakfast. After breakfast I'll walk with him, and we'll talk as we make our way out to the sunroom for his morning exercises. At least a half hour of squats, leg lifts, marching in place and exercises with an arm band and balls, Peter is ready for the day and eyeing the sunshine outside. "Where are we going today?"  Peter often asks. Good question! What haven't we done recently? A drive in the country, or a farmer's market? The wildlife sanctuary, pet store or zoo are all options as are the amusement park, beach, or a museum. He also enjoys the marinas and boat landings, art galleries and dining on the deck (eating lunch outside on the river walk while we listen to live music.) The sky is the limit with Peter. In fact, as we stand up to leave, he will often sing "Off we go, into the wild blue yonder...", and we laugh because that's all the words to the song either of us remember. Our day is usually spent out of the house. We use a transfer chair now, but it doesn't limit our choices. This particular morning we start at the cemetery and mausoleum where Peter talks about his family while I water plants and clean off the markers of those he loved so well. Then we might stop at the Home Instead office for a cup of coffee and a cookie on our way to Lambeau Field to see how far they've gotten with the renovations. At lunchtime, you might catch us having a picnic at Jackson Square Park. After that, we'll take a drive along the Bay, stopping often to look at the scenery. Sometimes Peter will nap for about 10 minutes while we drive from one place to the next. But ever interested in life, Peter won't nap long. Soon his eyes will open and he'll be part of the conversation again. Late afternoon will usually find us back at the house (or at a park) for his afternoon exercises and supper. TV at 7? Not for Peter! Usually we are on our way out to the Dairy Queen and boat landing to watch the sunset on the river. We've been there often enough now to recognize the "regulars" and are glad to count ourselves among them. As the last of the sun's rays light the sky, we head for home. When we get there, we'll get dressed for bed and I will download pictures of our day onto the computer. Then we'll watch our "movie" for the day, a slideshow on the computer of everywhere we've been and all the things we've done that day. We'll talk about the beautiful scenery and laugh at the children playing. We'll discuss where we went and what we enjoyed the most. At 10 p.m. Peter goes to his room to get ready for bed. He'll sleep well tonight. It was a day well spent. You might wonder why I wanted to share this day with you. It is not an unusual day for Peter. But a year ago this wasn’t the case. On May 21, 2011, Peter lost his wife of over 71 years - his beautiful Janey. With Jane's passing, Peter lost his family, his wife, his traveling companion and many of his memories. She was the one who could tell him names of people in pictures and fill in gaps of memory his dementia had stolen. Peter was the last of the children in his family and he had no children of his own. With heart problems - both physically and spiritually - and declining physical strength, he was placed on Hospice care on January 13, 2012, his 99th birthday. But Peter's story doesn’t end there. His CAREGivers were still with him and we changed his diet to the low fat, low sodium diet recommended by the hospital almost 15 years before. Restaurant meals were replaced with homemade soups, daily salads and fruit. High protein yogurt and cottage cheese replaced creams and gravies. The mild winter allowed us to take Peter out more often, and we started exercising regularly at home. As winter melted to spring, and spring to summer. Five squats a day became twenty twice a day, and before long he was lifting his knees above the bars of his walker while marching in place. He started to lose weight and napped less often. His nighttime sleep pattern improved and his daily activities kept him more alert. Even though he has had dementia for years, he recently started making comments that indicate he is making new memories. Best of all, we were told this week that he might not qualify for Hospice care anymore. At 99 1/2, he is doing well and is proof that some things really do get better with age.

Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed early, study says.

At the 2012 Alzheimer’s International Conference, held in Vancouver, B.C., researchers said recent research has shown that, “Over the course of two decades, doctors in the United States have been diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease earlier—perhaps reflecting development of treatments for the disease.” This study—which involved 1,464 Alzheimer’s patients—looked at two well-established instruments for diagnosing the disease: the “Mini-Mental State Examination” and the “Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale.” It found that over the past 20 years or so, average patient scores on these two tests have changed in ways that, according to researcher Cynthia Murphy of Boston University, “Would indicate that doctors are, indeed, diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease earlier.” In fact, she suggests that these findings—taken along with those of another recent such study of the “Activities of Daily Living” scale—indicate that Alzheimer’s patients are now being “diagnosed one to two years earlier in the disease process.” 

Link:

http://main.pslgroup.com/news/content.nsf/medicalnews/852571020057CCF685257A42000887D6?OpenDocument&id=&count=10. 

Cookout Time & YOU are Invited!

STROKE...what you should know.

STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters... S.T..R ...
My friend sent this to me ...and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree. If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks.

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
During a party, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. (they offered to call ambulance)

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00pm , Ingrid passed away.)
She had suffered a stroke at the party . Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today.

Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead. It only takes a minute to read this...

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn!
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster.
The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions :

S * Ask the individual to SMILE ..
T * = TALK. Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (eg 'It is sunny out today').
R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS .

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call the ambulance and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

NOTE : Another 'sign' of a stroke is
1. Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue.
2. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.


from a facebook post 

Extreme Heat! How to survive!

Despite that it was supposed to be 94 today, the thermometer on my screened-in porch said 100. Either way...it is hot hot hot in Birmingham!!! The next few days are supposed to bring even more heat. 
If you have elderly neighbors it is a good time to check on them and make sure they are well hydrated.


The CDC's website has some great information on extreme heat and suggestions on how to make sure you don't end up with heat exhaustion.


What happens to the body as a result of exposure to extreme heat? 
People suffer heat-related illness when the body’s temperature control system is overloaded. The body normally cools itself by sweating. But under some conditions, sweating just isn’t enough. In such cases, a person’s body temperature rises rapidly. Very high body temperatures may damage the brain or other vital organs. Several factors affect the body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather. When the humidity is high, sweat will not evaporate as quickly, preventing the body from releasing heat quickly. Other conditions that can limit the ability to regulate temperature include old age, youth (age 0-4), obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug use and alcohol use


Who is at greatest risk for heat-related illness? 
Those at greatest risk for heat-related illness include infants and children up to four years of age, people 65 years of age and older, people who are overweight, and people who are ill or on certain medications. 

What is heat stroke? 
 Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. It occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature: the body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. Body temperature may rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided. 

What are the warning signs of a heat stroke?

Warning signs of heat stroke vary but may include the following:
An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F)
Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)
Rapid, strong pulse
Throbbing headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Confusion
Unconsciousness

What should I do if I see someone with any of the warning signs of heat stroke? 
 If you see any of these signs, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Have someone call for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the victim. 
Do the following:
Get the victim to a shady area.
Cool the victim rapidly, using whatever methods you can. For example, immerse the victim in a tub of cool water; place the person in a cool shower; spray the victim with cool water from a garden hose; sponge the person with cool water; or if the humidity is low, wrap the victim in a cool, wet sheet and fan him or her vigorously. 
Monitor body temperature and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102°F.
If emergency medical personnel are delayed, call the hospital emergency
room for further instructions.Do not give the victim alcohol to drink.
Get medical assistance as soon as possible.


What is heat exhaustion? 
 Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, those with high blood pressure, and those working or exercising in a hot environment. 
 
What are the warning signs of heat exhaustion? 
 The warning signs of heat exhaustion include the following:

Heavy sweating

Paleness

Muscle cramps

Tiredness

Weakness

Dizziness

Headache 

Nausea or vomiting

Fainting

The skin may be cool and moist. The pulse rate will be fast and weak, and breathing will be fast and shallow. If heat exhaustion is untreated, it may progress to heat stroke. See medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than one hour.

Make sure you stay hydrated during this heat wave...and let's pray it ends soon!

SOURCE: CDC.GOV

Greatest Generation Likes Where It Is In Life

OMAHA, Neb., Feb. 7, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- A multigenerational quality of life poll shows that Americans retain a positive outlook despite economic hardships and 76 percent believe "the best is yet to come," and when they think about the quality of their life in the future, many are optimistic.

These results are part of a new GOLD Indicator (Gauging Overall Life Dimensions), the first of an annual survey to assess how Americans view their lives based on the ten indicators of satisfaction – family, neighborhood safety, housing situation, spiritual life, health, friends, work or how days are spent, free time, finances and community involvement. On average, Americans rate their overall quality of life as a 72 on a scale from zero to 100.

Some groups are more satisfied with their lives than others, including America's oldest generation, which gives higher marks than their younger counterparts in 6 out of the 10 GOLD Indicator dimensions, according to the study titled, "Generation to Generation: Gauging the Golden Years," which was conducted for Home Instead Senior Care by the Marist Poll. 

Despite their personal optimism, an overwhelming majority of Americans (74%) think the country is headed the wrong direction, including 76% of Baby Boomers, 79% of the Greatest Generation, 77% of Gen X, and 65% of Millennials.

Americans said that what's good about their lives includes: Family, neighborhood safety, housing, their health and spiritual life.  But weighing on optimism are the lack of community involvementand free time as well as challenges with personal finance.

"We also found that life after 65 doesn't always match expectations," said Paul Hogan, Chairman and Founder of Home Instead Senior Care.

"The data in our GOLD Indicator allows us to understand the expectations of younger generations for what retirement will be like," Hogan said. "We find that it is not always reflected in what older generations say their reality is.  So, do younger generations have unrealistic expectations OR are these, in fact, a window into the future of retirement?"

The results also showed that Americans, particularly those under 65, are woefully unprepared in the event that they can no longer make their own medical decisions or live independently. Roughly half of those who have already reached retirement age, over 20 million seniors, acknowledge they have not completely prepared for a time when they may not be able to live independently.

"There is clearly a need among younger generations of adults for education about what to expect as they age – and more importantly how to prepare for it," said Hogan.

For many, there's one more piece of good news:  While 29% of those under age 65 worry about enjoying an active sex life after age 65, that simple pleasure of life is a reality for 57% of those over 65 years of age.

"Home Instead is in the business of caring for people in the later stages of life," said Hogan, "so it's important for us to understand how they view life. It's also important for us to understand the perceptions of aging that younger generations possess."

For the complete survey results and research methodology, see:http://www.homeinstead.com/News/Pages/Article.aspx?Filter1Field=ID&Filter1Value=85.

For more information on Home Instead Senior Care, visit www.homeinstead.com.

Contact: Dan Wieberg, Home Instead Senior Care402.575.5970dwieberg@homeinsteadinc.com

SOURCE Home Instead Senior Care

Do you know a Senior Hero making a difference?

Know a senior hero that’s making a difference in your community? Salute that senior’s volunteer efforts by filling out the nomination form below. Nominated Senior Heroes℠ have a chance to become a national Salute to Senior Service℠ winner. Home Instead, Inc. will make a $5,000 donation to each of the national winners’ designated non-profit charity of choice. 

To recognize seniors for the impact they make in their communities by volunteering their time and talents, the Home Instead Senior Care® network is conducting a contest search for the most outstanding senior volunteer in the U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec).

Recognize the efforts of a senior hero you know by nominating them for a chance to become a national Salute to Senior Service℠ winner. Home Instead, Inc. will make a $5,000 donation to each of the national Salute to Senior Service winners’ designated non-profit favorite charity of choice. 

Tips for Nominations

When describing your nominee’s volunteer activities and why he or she deserves recognition, be sure to cover the following details:

1. How did the nominee get involved in volunteering?
2. What does the nominee enjoy about volunteering?
3. Who is impacted by the volunteer’s service?
4. What has the volunteer’s service accomplished?
5. If you have a story that illustrates your answer to these questions, feel free to share it.

Judges Read All Comments

Judges will evaluate each nomination based on your description of the nominee’s service and all content posted to the nominee’s “wall.”

We encourage you to invite friends and family to add their thoughts, stories and words of praise to further recognize the nominee and increase his or her chances of winning.

Nominee Qualifications

Nominees must be at least 65 years of age, complete at least 15 hours of volunteer service per month, and be a resident of the U.S. or Canada (excluding Quebec). You may nominate yourself.

ENTER HERE!

Funny, again!

Florence has a wedding to attend, but isn’t interested in buying a new dress like her daughter suggests. Mary explains why she sides with Florence’s daughter, and offers some suggestions on what to do with the old dress.