Aging in place (AIP) costs considerably less than assisted living care, but it’s not free.

Though funds are dwindling for many senior-related programs (Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security have all spent ample time on the chopping block lately), there are still a number of federal, state, local and private organizations that offer financial support to seniors who want to stay where the heart is.

To begin – because first you might need to sell the idea to skeptical family members, or just figure out what modifications are needed before getting the capital to do it – get to know what services and resources are offered in your home state via these helpful sites:

• Search for home repair and modification resources in your region at Eldercare.gov.
• HomeMods.org is a national information clearinghouse on all things related to home modifications. Professionals and consumers alike can peruse an extensive resource directory on the site.
• Not sure if your own home or a senior loved one’s residence is adaptable for AIP? Most are, but the WellCome Home site helps you clearly see the potential and know where to direct your energies and efforts when it’s time to transform the home.
• Download this Home Safety Checklist from Rebuilding Together, Inc. to remove fall hazards and resolve accessibility issues, many of which may be implemented without spending a dime.

Should the need arise for assistive equipment (such as power chairs or stair lifts) or home modifications (like wheelchair ramps or door-opening systems), here are a few ways to ease the burden of purchasing or installing these costly components.

Claim a deduction. Russell Glickman, a DC-based home design and remodeling expert, recommends conferring with a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to find out whether you or a loved one is eligible to deduct the cost of home modifications on your federal income tax. You need a written recommendation from your doctor as proof that the modifications are medically necessary. Glickman also states that you can claim a deduction for the costs of operating and maintaining the modifications, whether or not the stair lift, ramp, or other equipment qualified as a medical expense. Home improvements (or capital expenses) that may be deducted per the IRS.gov are as follows:

• Constructing entrance or exit ramps for your home.
• Widening doorways at entrances or exits to your home.
• Widening or otherwise modifying hallways and interior doorways.
• Installing railings, support bars, or other modifications to bathrooms.
• Lowering or modifying kitchen cabinets and equipment.
• Moving or modifying electrical outlets and fixtures.
• Installing porch lifts and other forms of lifts (but elevators generally add value to the house).
• Modifying fire alarms, smoke detectors, and other warning systems.
• Modifying stairways.
• Adding handrails or grab bars anywhere (whether or not in bathrooms).
• Modifying hardware on doors.
• Modifying areas in front of entrance and exit doorways.
• Grading the ground to provide access to the residence.

Note: You can only itemize these deductions if the main purpose of installation is medical care for you, a spouse or dependent (modifications made for aesthetic, architectural or other personal reasons do not qualify). Permanent improvements that boost your property’s value may be partially included as a deduction; in this case, the cost of the home modification is reduced by the amount of the property value increase (whatever the difference is what your qualified medical expense to deduct will be). If the home modification does not increase your property value, you can deduct the whole cost as a medical expense.

Visit the Area Agency on Aging. Every state offers different incentives, programs, and benefits to their senior residents. The best way to learn about them all, in addition to any tax credits or federal monies available through Medicare, Medicaid (in some states, you may be able to qualify for funding via the Medicaid HCBS – home and community-based services – waiver), HUD, the VA, or the USDA that would be disbursed through the state, is at your local Area Agency on Aging. The AAA is a one-stop-shop neighborhood branch of your state’s department that handles senior care (i.e. Department of Aging, Department of Public Welfare, etc.). Go to Eldercare.gov or N4A.org to find your AAA by zip code, city or county.

Apply for grants or take advantage of state assistive technology projects to make your home wheelchair accessible. According to HomeMods.org, funding is available for this specific modification through the Department of Veteran Affairs (call 800-827-1000 or your local VA for more details) and via the United Cerebral Palsy Association (call 800-872-5827). The IRS also permits those with disabilities to claim some of these expenses as a tax deduction. Check in with the National Council on Independent Living Center (call 703-525-3406) to get local funding information and referral services.

Get a loan to add a room. If Mom is moving in and she has health needs or disabilities, you may be eligible for government funding. FannieMae offers the HomeChoice program, Home Keeper program, and the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (get more details at http://www.efanniemae.com, or visit the local office). In Texas, New Mexico, California and Illinois, residents can apply for a Home Modifications Loan for Homeowners (with fixed interest rates and low minimum loan amounts) via Bank of America, under the “Access Loans” category. For more information, call 800-843-2632 (in CA, IL) or 800-900-9000 (in TX, NM).

Contact local foundations and non-profit organizations. Some may offer financial assistance or services referrals for those providing care for someone with disabilities or diseases like Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis. Easter Seals and Rebuilding Together both offer low- or no-cost community-based home modification and repair programs.

Take out a second/reverse mortgage. If you have the equity, this is a good way to secure a loan for a home modification, which, if done well, should add value to the home as more people will be seeking homes where aging in place is possible. You must be over 62 to secure funding via a reverse mortgage. (Learn more about reverse mortgages here.)

Check your insurance policies and healthcare plans. The National Association of Home Builders says that some programs – auto insurance, worker’s compensation, long term care policies (some will cover the cost of major modifications in lieu of a transition to a long-term care facility), state catastrophic accident insurance plans, and medical trust funds – might cover the costs of a home modification.

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, check with your care/case manager to find out if some home modification costs may be covered in the plan (note: those that do generally require participation in a care management program).

Move your parents in. If you have decided it’s best for Mom and Dad to just move in with you so you can provide care more readily, Glickman says you may be able to use proceeds from the sale of their home to make an accessible suite at your residence. He adds that adult children can avail themselves of the space in the future too, as their own care needs change.

Ready to consider a home modification for a family member’s residence, or your own? 101 Mobility has a full line of products (stairlifts, auto lifts, ramps, and more) and a team of highly-trained professional installers standing by to get AIP construction underway. Learn more about their services and find the local office serving you at http://101mobility.com/locator/.

Additional Sources:

• http://www.homemods.org/FAQ/index.shtml
• http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=89799

Not surprising, the most popular was a post I wrote about how to help an aging parent who refuses help.  As family members and caregivers, I imagine we’ve all faced this situation, and may likely face it again in the future.

I encourage you to take a few minutes now to read these short blog posts, reflect and gain insight on some of the key issues that you may face now or in the coming year.

1.  How to Help an Aging Parent Who Refuses Help

One question I hear over and over goes something like this, “We see our parents struggling with their living situation, and we have tried every way possible to talk with them about it, but they refuse to accept help in their home.  What can we do?” In this post, I explore the situation from our parents’ perspective, and then provide some suggestions.  Click here.  

2.  Transitioning An Aging Parent to Assisted Living – When & How

Although our aging parents may wish to age-in-place in their homes, the day may come when we need to think about a move to Assisted Living.  In this post, I provide key criteria that would indicate consideration of a move to Assisted Living.  As always, I encourage us (adult children and families) to be thinking ahead and to become knowledgable about local options in our community now.  Don’t wait for a crisis to occur when you have to abruptly choose an Assisted Living facility for your parent.     Click here.

3.  Safety and Innovation – Bathroom Design for the Elderly

If you’re a caregiver to an older adult, you know that bathing is a difficult challenge.  In this post, you’ll read about innovative bathroom equipment for older adults.  You don’t have to have a huge budget or grand remodeling scheme to consider some of these items.  Open your mind to some of the new possibilities (in showers, tubs, toilets) supporting safety, independence and quality of life for your aging parents.  Click here.

4.  Validation Technique – Communicating with Those with Dementia

The Validation technique, created by by Naomi Feil 30 years ago, is a tested method of communication with disoriented elderly that helps reduce stress, and enhance dignity and happiness.   In this post, I share the principles behind the Validation Technique and key benefits.  Both families and professionals can utitlize this powerful technique and ensure that older adults in their care never reach a vegetative state.  Click here.

5.  How to Deal with a Difficult Sibling in Decision-making for an Aging Parent

Why is it so hard for a family to listen to Mom or Dad, consider the options and then, in a unified way, make the right decision in Mom or Dad’s best interest?  In this post, I share key reasons I believe to be true and then a few possible strategies.   Click here.

*************************

NOTE:

If you’re new here, you may want to request my Free eCourse, “Five Essential Strategies to Help Your Aging Parent Face Change”.  Click here.

If you’d like to continue this conversation, please join us on Facebook at our ‘Transition Aging Parents’ page. Click here.

Many of us live across the country from “aging in place” parents. A lot can happen in one year, in terms of your parent’s health and home. If you find yourself in a home that’s in disarray or facing someone who is in frail health, you may find yourself in a reactive mode, wanting to jump at a solution. You may want to immediately ask direct questions. But that will likely put the your parent on the defense. There’s a better way to approach the situation.

Before you leave for to visit your aging parents, here is a simple checklist and suggestion on how to approach concerns with your parents.  And, by all means, if you face a deteriorating or emergency situation with your parent, take a step back (and some deep breaths)…and try to frame the situation with an empathetic and loving approach.

Here are the main points of the checklist:
1. Look in the frig (is there outdated food in it?)

2. Drive their car (check the state of the tires, oil, antifreeze)

3. Take a peek at the mail (keep an eye out for unpaid bills)

4. Investigate the bathroom (check for cleanliness)

5. Take a note of how the pets are doing

6. Talk to the neighbors (a bonus is establishing a relationship with the neighbors and also someone to keep an eye on their home and them, even if just from the outside)

7. Identify some benchmarks ( consider marked declines from the previous year)

8. Go to the source. This is probably the most important ‘next’ step. Take the time to sit down with your parent, listen to their concerns, worries and perceptions. Ask what you can do to help. As when dealing with any of life’s difficult problems, oftentimes an individual (young or old) needs time to process a conversation, suggestions, etc. Give your loved one time to let your conversation sink in. Then, after the holiday, you can (as a family and ‘team’) engage in devising plan for solutions that meet your parent’s needs.

If you’d like to continue this conversation, please join us on Facebook at our ‘Transition Aging Parents’ page. Click here.

• Do you have an aging parent?
• What would help you at time of the next crisis or transition?
• How about several key resources & tools at your fingertips?

Then, there is a no-cost teleseminar just for you!  Tuesday, November 8th at 8pm Eastern.  You’ll be able to listen over the phone in the comfort of your home!

I’ll share

• 3 key resources to turn to in the event of any crisis or challenge
• AND
• a preview of my upcoming 3 evening seminar … featuring the simple but powerful ADAPT framework for caregivers and families.

So, come and join us!

Find out how you can

• become the guiding force in your family
• bring your family together,
• find the right resources and professionals to help your parent
• and, create and sustain balance in your own life.

I had the privilege of attending Silverado-Lake Zurich’s Grand Opening Celebration last Thursday.  Sure, it was a 4 hour drive through traffic and rain, but once I arrived, I was so very glad I persevered.

Here are some of the highlights of the event and my observations about what differentiates Silverado from other senior living – care communities:

• The first thing you notice as you walk in is that this does not even look like a senior living community.  You feel as if you’re in someone’s home.    There’s a lovely Great Room with fireplace.  Residents were gathered around on couches, playing a Trivia game.  It was noisy.  I saw lots of smiles, and something else.  Dogs sitting up on the couches with residents petting them.  It was like being at a large family celebration around holiday time.

• The assistant administrator, Susan, who gave me a tour said, in a genuinely joyful voice, “I love coming to work each day.  In fact, it doesn’t feel like work.”  Then she introduced me to her daughter (probably around 12 years old) who introduced me to 5 month old kittens they had rescued and brought to live at Silverado.  As I watched mother and daughter chat, I realized this is what Loren had talked about on my show.  Multi-generational living.  Staff children arrive each day after school, naturally interact with the residents and form friendships.

• Susan pointed out that their is no nurse’s station, medications or equipment in sight.  In fact, all of that is locked away in an office nearby.  The residents’  rooms, personalized shadow boxes by each door and and architectural design, all made it seem like “home.”

• One big and very welcome surprise!  Family members are encouraged to come at meal time, and best of all, they eat f.ree  This is important in several ways.  First of all, many senior living communities charge up to $40/meal for a guest which is certainly a deterrant to family eating.  Secondly, residents are much more likely to enjoy eating and eat well when a family member is with them.  And, as Susan pointed out,  it helps the non-resident spouse tremendously by having a nutritious meal with their loved one.

• All of this would not be possible without the vision of the founding CEOs, Loren and Steve.  As Loren spoke during presentation time, I realized it was leadership “from the top” that shaped and nurtured the culture at Silverado Senior Living.  As he shared the history and stories of the many special residents and families who had walked through their doors and had their lives transformed and enriched, I found myself wishing I could bring Silverado to  where I live!

• Just as leadership is a key success factor, so is recognition of the many, many people who support the Silverado communities and residents each and every day.  As Loren was recognizing the Lake Zurich team, he turned to thank the culinary staff.  They were all there, working hard, in the open kitchen.  He recognized each one by name.  I wished you could have seen them beaming.  They clapped and supported each other.   When employees are recognized, treated with respect and honored, they will pass it on to the residents and families.  I think we all know this in our heads, but to see this in action was amazing.

But, there is one thing we each can do that will change our caregiving experience in a very profound way.

Interestingly enough, I realized ‘this one thing’ as I was reading an unrelated article about entrepreneurs.  The key point of the article is that entrepreneurs try so very hard to hide what’s going on.  But, successful founders understand/confront their weaknesses and fill those gaps with people from their network.

The light bulb went on for me!  How often, as caregivers, do we consciously or unconsciously hide what’s going on?

It may be due to one or more of the following:

• some distorted sense of personal responsibility – “I’m my parent’s child. I have to be the one who cares for our parent”
• sense of guilt - “My parent refuses to let a stranger in their home.  They only want me there to help”
• lack of knowledge what to ask for or who to reach out to – “I’ve never been a caregiver before.  But, I can figure this out on my own.”
• perhaps simply taking the path of least resistance at a given moment in time – “I am so tired and don’t have any extra time or money, so I’ll just manage and deal with problems as they arise.”

Can you see yourself or perhaps a sibling in one of the statements above?  Whenever I am coaching a caregiver and I hear a sentiment such as those I’ve listed above, I remind them that “caregiving is a marathon, not a sprint.”  A caregiver cannot sustain the kind of long-time care that will be a reality for so many of us with our aging parents.

We need to become “transparent.”  Share our needs and seek out those who can help and support us.  This past week, I wrapped up a 3 part seminar with the final evening focused on community-based and national resources.  We spent 2 hours discussing the incredible resources available to caregivers, many of which are no-cost.  Every time I share this type of information, I see looks of surprise.  I see attendees start to relax, and then it’s as if a dam has broken.  Everyone starts sharing resources that have been most powerful for them.  And, it’s all because, in that room, at that time, they are “transparent” in sharing their situation and their experience.

My advice to each caregiver out there.  Don’t wait!

• Reach out to your family members, share your concerns and challenges.  Ask for their ideas and support!
• Reach out to organizations (such as the Alzheimer’s Association) and take advantage of their education classes and support groups
• Check out the many online resources that can help!  eCareDiary is a fabulous resource, helping families stay in touch and on the same page with their ‘medication & appointment management tool’ (and private calendar.)  This is a great aid for families who are spread across the country!.
• A terrific go-to resource is your Area Agency on Aging.  Funded by the federal government and staffed by senior advisors, help with your caregiving questions and challenges is just a phone call away.  You can find them online at www.eldercare.gov

Have you found a way to help your aging parent?  Please share it with our community of caregivers at our Facebook fan page, ‘Transition Aging Parents’

CLEARWATER, Fla., Sept. 7, 2011 — /PRNewswire/ — 1 in every 5 adults in America is in a caregiving role taking care of a family member or friend. That represents 60 million Americans, many of whom are in crisis stages of stress, burn-out and depression. But in areas with more dense senior populations, as many as 1 in 3 are giving care to another person. It is estimated that 1 million caregivers who live in greater Tampa Bay are in need of support critical to their physical and mental well-being.

For this reason, numerous municipalities in the region have declared September 23, 2011 as Caregiver Day. They have issued proclamations to rally area caregivers to attend the first annual New Age of Caregiving Symposium on September 23, 2011 at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida and to make everyone in the area aware of the impact the plight of caregivers has on the overall community, businesses and government.

The event is being has been created by The Caregiver Hour Radio Show which airs on Tampa radio station WHNZ 1250 AM every Monday from 11 AM to 12 Noon. The symposium’s keynote speaker is Gail Sheehy, acclaimed author of 16 best-selling books including her latest offering, Passages in Caregiving: Turning Chaos Into Confidence.

Kim Linder, host of The Caregiver Hour Radio Show, is also the symposium’s organizer. Linder is a certified senior advisor who believes in the importance of helping caregivers through holistic methods. The symposium will provide integrative resources vital to caregivers’ physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. It will also contribute a portion of the proceeds to the Area Agency on Aging, Pasco-Pinellas, Inc. Tickets are available at www.newageofcaregiving.com.

For more information, contact Kim Linder, The Caregiver Hour Radio Show, at 727-798-2663 or email kim@thecaregiverhour.com.

SOURCE New Age of Caregiving Symposium

At age 86, Cleo L. is a survivor. She has outlived three children and her husband. She has beat back a drug addiction and remains clean and sober. She has been in and out of the hospital more times than she can count and, about as many times, has come down to her last dime.

Today, she lives in an apartment on Roosevelt Island and stays out of the hospital. She pays her bills on time and has even managed to save a little money. She has also, for the first time, gained peace of mind by planning for the future — she’s even organized pre-paid burial arrangements that include a plot beside her parents down South and a limousine to take her body to JFK Airport for the final flight home.

This turnaround is thanks in large part to Sherri Zabko, who has been called a miracle worker and an angel. But as far as she’s concerned, she’s just doing her job. Sherri is a social worker — one of approximately 650,000 men and women across the country who are becoming known as the “unsung heroes” of our health care system — connecting individuals and families in need to resources that create real change in real lives.

“I think of my job as giving voice to people who have none,” says Sherri, who works for VNSNY CHOICE Health Plans, the managed long-term care plan offered by the Visiting Nurse Service of New York. Sherri’s clients range in age from 55 to 102 years old and she is part of a coordinated care team that includes nurses, physical therapists and home health aides who work to ensure that each client lives with dignity and independence in their own home as long as they wish and safely can. As the Boomer population ages, managed care programs like our CHOICE Health Plan are fast becoming the way of the future. “I’m an advocate for people who don’t know how to go through the system,” Sherri says. “I help people break through the obstacles that could keep them from getting things done and help them negotiate to get what they need.”

Needed: Social Workers for an Aging Population
This year marks the year Baby Boomers begin turning 65, a milestone that at once heralds an upcoming boom in the senior population and redefines what it means to get old. By 2030, one in five Americans — or, 70 million — will be over 65, more than double the numbers in 2000. The vast majority of these seniors will age in place, in their homes and/or in the community. Experts estimate that we are falling exponentially short of our current need for 60,000 to 70,000 social workers with an expertise in aging; just imagine what this might look like as we approach 2030. Clearly, social workers specializing in the needs of our aging population will continue to be in demand as this fast-growing profession expands to meet the needs of a generation defined by its hard-won independence.

Social workers like Sherri help seniors navigate their entitlement benefits; secure affordable housing; gain access to the physical and mental health care they need; manage their finances; find translators and transportation and connect to community resources such as senior centers, religious charities, or community centers that can empower and enrich their lives.

Many of Sherri’s clients have very little in the way of family support and while some do have families nearby or at a distance, they need extra help navigating and accessing health care and community resources. In addition to assisting single Boomers, social workers can ease the burden for adult children who are looking after their aging parents. They can provide an array of services, from Meals on Wheels, to someone to help manage bills, to counseling for anxiety and depression.

When Sherri began working with Cleo in 2000, Cleo had just moved into stable housing after a life on the streets and was facing complex challenges, including significant physical and mental health issues and overwhelming debt. “She had no family, no support system and no back-up plan,” says Sherri, who worked with credit card companies to reduce or eliminate debt and who visits Cleo once a month to help her pay bills and gain control of her finances. “I try to get her to live within her means, rather than buying on QVC for the instant gratification. For someone who’s had no control of money her whole life, saving up to purchase something she wants is a new concept.”

Many Cultures, Many Languages, Many Needs
In New York City, seniors — particularly those from other cultures — often find themselves aging alone in their apartments, limited in their mobility, estranged from their children, whether by proximity or by the younger generation’s busy schedules and long work hours.

Johnny Hsu, a social worker with VNSNY, connects elderly Chinese-Americans to services by helping them translate and understand mail regarding their benefits, advocating for them if something goes wrong and helping them cut through the red tape that can accompany social services. The barriers may begin with language, but they don’t end there. “Even though the HRA is trying to print benefit literature in Chinese, many of my clients grew up in a culture where they didn’t go to school, so they don’t read Chinese,” he says. “Or they speak a different dialect. And even if they understand Chinese, they don’t understand the system.”

Government agencies often provide field translators, but for those who speak no English, the process of connecting to someone who speaks your language can be daunting. “There are so many options before you get to a representative who speaks Russian,” says Luba Dvirts, a VNSNY social worker in Brooklyn who works with immigrants from the former Soviet Union. “So I’m always next to my clients when they make the call.”

Social Worker Eva Rivera helps Spanish-speaking communities in the Bronx navigate not only the language barrier, but an even “stickier” obstacle as well: human nature, sometimes better known as procrastination. Eva’s clients often know they need to recertify their Medicaid, keep meaning to complete a housing application, or need to find transportation to the doctor’s office. But life intervenes. “They’ll put things off, like we all do — ‘I’m going to do it tomorrow,’ they tell me; or they need help with transportation, but they’re preoccupied about how sick they feel,” Eva says.

Isolation often follows immigration. Johnny provides counseling to seniors suffering from depression, an all-too-common outgrowth of aging, illness and isolation — a condition that, for many of his clients, comes with a cultural stigma. “A lot of Chinese, especially that generation, don’t want to go to a counselor or psychiatrist,” he says. “They don’t want to feel mentally ill.” Day by day, week-by-week, he talks and listens, helping his clients with their benefit services, translating their mail, explaining their entitlements — slowly, but surely, establishing and building up trust.

Johnny tells the story of one client, who, when they first met, was depressed, anxious, unable to sleep. “She worried a lot, about finances, about her children. She sat alone all day and just worried — she was in bad shape,” he recalls. “I went to her home and spent time with her, talked to her, helped take care of her needs and she started to trust me. Once someone starts to trust you, they’ll listen to you.” Eventually, Johnny’s patient got counseling and some medication from a psychiatrist and things improved for her dramatically.

Shedding Pounds, Embracing the Future
One of Sherri’s success-stories-in-progress is 74-year-old Janet, a Queensbridge widow whose serious chronic health problems — including arthritis, cancer, obesity and depression — kept her from leaving her apartment, which itself was a minefield of buckling floors and lack of adequate heating. Sherri helped connect Janet to a weight management program at Brookhaven, where she lost almost 100 pounds and has kept it off for almost a year. It was Janet who dubbed Sherri a “miracle worker.”

“Before I met Sherri, I could barely make it to the bathroom,” says Janet. “When I needed help, I’d bang on the walls to get my neighbor’s attention. Sherri and her team have brought me back to life.”

For those who are aging alone at home, depending on neighbors or family members may not be enough. If someone you know is becoming more and more isolated, if your your aging parents or spouse need more help than you are able to provide, ask a doctor about help from a social worker. Chances are, you’ll soon be singing the praises of your own “miracle worker.”

(To connect with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, click here.)

********************************************

Choosing senior care for your loved one can be a daunting task. There are so many types available, it can be difficult to determine which is the right one. By understanding what each type of care entails, making the right choice for your elderly loved one can be a little easier.

Companions/Caregivers

They assist seniors in their own homes with things like shopping, driving, chores, and in some cases, light housekeeping. They also provide much-needed social interaction.

Respite Care Providers

In the absence of a primary caregiver, this person will provide short-term emergency care. Care is provided in-home, and is immediately available when an emergency situation arises.

Alzheimer’s Care

These facilities offer specialized programs for seniors suffering from this disease, and other degenerative and cognitive disorders. The programs are often offered by nursing, residential, or assisted living facilities.

Visiting Nurses

Registered Nurses (RNs) can visit the patient’s home, and provide medical care, hospice services, and rehabilitation. If qualified, the nurse can also diagnose illnesses and conditions.

Retirement

This kind of housing provides seniors with the opportunity to live independently, while still offering low levels of care, such as meals, activities, and transportation.

Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)

These full service communities offer long-term care such as assisted living and nursing services, as well as retirement. Everything is located on one campus, so travel is not necessary.

Assisted Living Facilities/Congregate Housing

These establishments provide some care, meals, and social interaction. Dining rooms and other facilities are shared so seniors are able to network and socialize more often, and more easily.

Hospice Care

For those seniors who are terminally ill, hospice care helps them and their families come to terms with impending death, while providing end-of-life care to the patient. Nurses can help patients and families make the most of the days they have left together.

Nursing Homes (also known as Skilled Nursing Facilities)

Medical care, meals, housekeeping, and activities are provided on a full-time basis at these facilities. The care is constant, and is provided by a professional staff of physicians and nurses, as well as volunteers.

.
If you’re still unsure which type of senior care is right for your loved one, talk to a geriatric management professional. Most importantly, try to involve your loved one in the selection process, if possible. Taking an active role in choosing their own care will help make the transition to managed care easier on your loved one, and on you.

I am happy to say that today Medicare unveils its newly re-designed “Ask Medicare” website (replacing the existing site for caregivers.)  They listened to and incorporated feedback from caregivers, just like you and me.  The result is an intuitive, content-rich site that is a “one-stop online resource for high quality information about Medicare.”

Those of us who are caregivers or advocates for caregivers know that caregivers are faced with 3 big challenges, a lack of time, being isolated and struggling with increasing costs.  The site was designed with those needs in mind.

Let me walk you through some of the functionality and features that I think will help adult children.

• The home page puts key items of interest at your fingertips, including Medicare Basics (the first stop for anyone new to Medicare), Paying for Care, Condition-specific Information, Support for caregivers (including links/resources outside of Medicare) and Care Options.
• A new feature and one that Medicare is putting a lot of emphasis around is the “Real Caregiver Story.” You’ll be able to submit your story and photos.  Each and every submission will be carefully reviewed for inclusion.    Think of how compelling our stories and ‘lessons learned’ can be for others.  I love this feature of sharing.
• Caregiver videos will be offered, such as “making the transition from hospital to home.”
• You’ll have access to several trustworthy compare tools, including the Hospital Compare tool, and the Home Health agency compare tool.
• You’ll find a whole list of external resources, including VA and the ElderCare Locator (to find an Area Agency on Aging anywhere in the country.)
• And, you’ll have the option to sign up for the “Ask Medicare” newsletter that will be published 6 times a year.

Now that you know why I think the newly designed “Ask Medicare” website will be a very helpful tool for you, I encourage you to visit Marti Weston’s site, AsOurParentsAge.net, to check out screen shots of the new website and Marti’s insight on what “Ask Medicare” can do for you as you care for your aging parents.

To reach Marti’s post, click here.

To reach the new “Ask Medicare” site, click here.