Travel, Leisure & Fun for South Valley Adults
Travel, Leisure & Fun for South Valley Adults
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I had to quit my job to care for my father. His income is very low and the cost of caring for him is coming out of my savings. Are there any programs that can help? The government offers benefits for seniors. Many government programs can help to provide financial assistance to seniors who need additional financial support. The following programs may make the financial aspect of caregiving easier. 1. Money for Veterans to Modify their Caregiver's Home If your family member is a retired service member with service-connected...
Question: I am a senior and want to stay in my home for as long as I can. My daughter said there are too many hazards for me here. How can I live safer in my home? Your daughter is correct. What used to be a safe zone for you when you were younger can become extremely hazardous. As you age, your home should be someplace where you feel safe and secure. A 2014 study conducted by the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention found that 28.7% of adults over 65 reported fallin...
Question: I was fully vaccinated and boosted for COVID, yet I still got it. Now that I have recovered, I am still fatigued, get short of breath easily, and have a foggy brain. Why is that? The CDC recently reported on a large study conducted in the USA, where they used 30,000 people who received the vaccine. They found that “Long COVID” (lasting effects of the virus) can occur for many months after recovering from COVID. Long COVID results in lingering symptoms such as respiratory problems, loss of taste and smell, fog...
Question: My mother has decided to move to an assisted living and wants to sell our family home to supplement the payment for her care. The family doesn’t want the home sold. What are the options? Many families have a difficult time letting go of the home where they grew up. The bottom line is that it is her home. Her home is one of her assets and it will help her in the next chapter of her life. She may feel like she is not safe, needs more socialization or feels like the upkeep is too much for her. There are options, h...
Question: My friend wants me to be her Power of Attorney. Why is it so important to have one and are there any pitfalls that I need to be aware of if I do become her Power of Attorney? Power of Attorneys are very important to have in place before a crisis occurs. If you are not able to make your own health and financial decisions, your Power of Attorney can step in and handle your medical and financial decisions for you. They can manage your finances, medical care and legal issues that might arise if you are incapacitated....
Question: How do I handle speaking with the doctor at the hospital if my husband has dementia and the doctor wants to speak in front of him? Answer: That is a great question! Many family members have difficulty when their loved one has dementia, and the hospital staff want to speak about medical issues in front of them. It is too overwhelming for them to hear the quick conversation that the doctors are trying to convey to update both of you on his medical condition. Many times, the doctor or nurse will ask your loved one...
I am looking into moving to a Senior Independent/Assisted Living community. Does insurance pay for it? Independent living and assisted living communities in Tulare County are private pay. If you were wise enough to get a long-term care insurance policy that includes residential care facilities, it will help you pay the assisted living fees. Long-term care insurance policies are purchased separately from health insurance and have hefty premiums, but they are life savers when...
Wheelchairs How often can I get my wheelchair replaced and does Medicare cover motorized scooters? That is a really great question and I want you to get the most accurate information possible. I reached out to Nourlie Carlos, FNP-BC at Optimal Medical Care in Visalia, whom I have heard is very successful at getting his patients wheelchairs and scooters. He shared the most often asked questions along with his comments. When should a wheelchair be replaced? A well-cared-for and well-maintained active wheelchair can last from...
What chronic illnesses should I watch out for as I get older? Seniors who live in the U.S. can expect to live longer than ever before. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), once you pass the age of 65, you can expect to live another 19.3 years. For many of us, we can expect to manage chronic conditions to stay healthy by making healthy lifestyle choices. The question is, are you among the 41% of people over 65 who can claim their health is very good or excellent? Your healthcare team can help you...
I am a 73-year-old woman who just lost her husband of 50 years, and I am having a difficult time getting up in the morning. My children say that anxiety, stress and grief can be harmful to my health, is that true? YES! Many aging adults come face to face with changes such as loneliness and isolation once a spouse dies. It can cause stress, depression, anxiety and grief. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sees loneliness as a serious public health risk affecting a significant number of people in the United...
I live in Tulare and I am a Caregiver. I don’t have time to travel to Visalia for your Caregiver/Dementia In-Person Support group. When will you be having a Support group in Tulare? Finding a location in Tulare for an In-Person Caregiver/Dementia support group brought many challenges for us in the past few years. Alas, we have found a location. The First Baptist Church, located at 469 N. Cherry St., Tulare is allowing us to start our monthly support groups on the third Thursday of the month from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. We w...
Questions: I always get depressed before, during and after the holidays. My husband passed away and my children live out of the area. Is it normal to feel this way even after the New Year? Holiday traditions and memories are very deep in our hearts. Memories of times gone by can bring up both the good and bad times that we have experienced. It is especially difficult if you are spending a lot of time in the home where those memories occurred. The home that was once filled with...
My friend’s mother is staying in her home with in-home care 24 hours a day. Is this more expensive than living at an assisted living community? Licensed and bonded in-home care agencies cost between $26 and $38 per hour. If someone needs a caregiver for 24 hours a day, then it could cost anywhere from $18,720 to $27,360 a month. Assisted livings provide 24-hour care to residents at a fraction of that cost. Included in the rent of assisted livings are meals, utilities, social activities, housekeeping, cable and maintenance. M...
Question: I have a dear friend who is the caregiver of her mother who has dementia. My friend is angry and frustrated all the time. How can I help her? People who are caregiving for a loved one with dementia go through great emotional and physical strain. It starts off very slight. At first their loved one just needs simple reminders to take medication or to shower, however, as the caregiver goes through greater dementia needs of their loved one, it becomes overwhelming. Famil...
Question: Why do I see some people not wearing masks and gathering in places while we have a COVID virus? COVID has taken a dramatic decline in recent weeks. Kaweah Health Hospital posted, as of April 13, that they only had eight in the hospital with COVID and none in the ICU. More and more seniors are finally feeling comfortable coming out of their isolation. Churches are now open, senior centers are starting to have gatherings throughout the nation. A record number of seniors are now taking this opportunity to move into...
It is tax time again, and I am getting quite a few inquiries regarding whether assisted living costs can be deducted from your taxes. My first step would be for you to discuss this with your accountant to get his professional advice. I have found the following information, courtesy of Kathleen Leahy, CarePatrol, that might be helpful. The majority of the one million American seniors living in assisted living communities pay the fees with their own money. With a monthly median cost of nearly $4,000, assisted living is a...
My mother is living in her home alone. When I went to visit her for Thanksgiving, her home was a mess. When do I know when it is not safe for her to be living alone? This year, I received more calls than usual regarding what families found when they visited their parents living alone. Elders can sound fine when you are checking in on them on the phone. It can be very hard to know from a distance when a relative is losing his or her independence. The following are things to look out for: Missed Appointments: Contact your...
What is a Form 602 and why is it important to have it completed before moving to assisted living? A Form 602 (better known as a Physicians Report) is a state-mandated report that needs to be filled out by the primary doctor. It asks questions about primary diagnosis, dementia diagnosis, allergies, and a plethora of other important items that caregivers in the assisted living facility need to know before they can create a care plan, or even accept the resident. It is basically the doctor saying, “This is my patient and here ar...
Question: I am a veteran and served during a period of war, are there any benefits to help me with assisted living costs? First, I would like to thank you for your service! Millions of honorably discharged veterans and their families are not aware of a little-known benefit called Veterans Aide and Attendance. This benefit can help veterans and their spouses pay for in-home care, and assisted living facility or nursing home care. It pays up to $2,169 a month, in addition to the monthly pension benefits. To qualify, you must...
My mom has been living by herself during the COVID pandemic, and I am noticing she is getting extremely forgetful. Does she have dementia? The fear of getting COVID has been very detrimental to the mental health of our seniors. Older adults who are socially isolated show more rapid cognitive decline than those who are in a social senior setting. Loneliness has been found to increase the risk of developing dementia exponentially, especially when there is a loss of a spouse (who used to bring much needed companionship). In fact...