Be Ready Financially When Alzheimer's Strikes

One in 10 people over the age of 65 suffer from Alzheimer’s, & another victim joins their ranks every 65 seconds. These are sobering facts that should encourage you to start planning financially for long-term care. There are ways to pay for care, as long as you’re prepared in advance. Here are a few suggestions.

SERVICES

During the early stages of the disease, the most expensive types of facilities aren’t always necessary as patients can get the level of care they require from home health aides, who visit patients to administer medication, change bandages & check vital signs under the supervision of a registered nurse. This is not cheap, however, costing as much as $45,000 per year, according to USA Today. As Alzheimer’s progresses, so does the likelihood that more intensive care becomes necessary, & that generally means an assisted living facility or nursing home, which can be significantly more expensive.

MEDICARE

Though Medicare doesn’t cover long-term care, only stays at a nursing home of less than 100 days, there are some benefits for Alzheimer’s patients. They include coverage for annual wellness visits, diagnostic testing if requested by a physician, along with home health services & even caregiver training for family members in some states. Medicaid, on the other hand, offers more significant coverage but only for those below a certain income threshold.

OTHER GOVERNMENT AID

There are other programs available to help patients pay their medical bills, including for long-term care. Information is available from area agencies on aging as well as state departments of health & human services. Some locales even offer funding specifically for those who suffer from Alzheimer’s such as Alaska Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Dementias mini grants.

INSURANCE

There are policies specifically for long-term care, though you may not qualify with a pre-existing condition, & you’ll get the best rates if you apply in your mid-50s. Don’t fret if it’s too late for you as you can also tap into your life insurance plan via a living benefits rider, which pays out your death benefit early to pay for medical care. As a last resort, you could sell your policy via a third-party broker.

SAVINGS

You’ve heard of 401(k) plans & IRAs, but recently financially investors have begun touting the benefits of Health Savings Accounts, which are designed to pay for medical treatment, including long-term care. They’re tax-advantaged but only available to those who are already enrolled in a high-deductible health plan, with a limit on contributions that you or your employers make each month.

REVERSE MORTGAGES

Reverse mortgages allow you to tap into your home’s equity & collect payments from your lender rather than the other way around when you were buying the property. However, it’s important to do your research before taking the plunge.

DOWNSIZING

You could always sell your house & buy a smaller one, using the difference to pay for long-term medical care. Downsizing allows seniors to maintain their independence, especially if some of the profits from the previous property are used for home modifications.

Downsizing seniors can save substantially, but they will also need to consider the cost of moving. Whether moving furniture into their new place, a storage facility, or a family member’s home, they’ll likely need to hire furniture removal services. Before choosing to work with a moving company, it’s a good idea to explore reviews & feedback from previous customers.

CONTACT CHARITIES

People all over the country are helping Alzheimer’s patients by donating their time & money to numerous organizations that are there to help you. One of the largest & most well-known is the Alzheimer’s Association, which provides information & support to patients & caregivers alike. You’ll find similar resources via the Alzheimer’s Family Services Center.

It’s vital to put a plan in place & tap into resources to help you get through any complications. The better prepared you are, the easier it will be to get through the challenges that an Alzheimer’s diagnosis brings.

Quality Care of Howell assisted living offers exceptional care & supportive services for seniors who can no longer live independently. Schedule a tour today!

Written by:

Jim McKinley

Teaching Old Dog New Tricks

LEARNING NEW LESSONS

We’ve all heard the phrase, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!” In fact, the saying is 300 years old; first appearing in Divers Proverbs, by: Nathan Baily, 1721. It could be therefore argued that it’s all too accurate & habits really do die hard. However, in order for such a turn of phrase to last for as long as it has is because people still keep trying to teach- which more importantly means people are continuing to try to learn.

BUILDING THE BRAIN

Before we’re even born our brains are already busy at work building itself. We begin development of the brain at just 25 days into gestation, & this growth isn’t complete until we’re about 25 years old. Just like everything else in the human body, the timeframe can vary per individual. No two brains are the same; not even identical twins. Identical twins may share the same genetic code, but in the case of each person, the brain makes anatomical changes & forms to fit that individual’s learning path & life interactions. So, in essence, we are teaching our own brains on how to be who we are.

THE TEACHING TIMELINE

Each age group has specific skills that they absorb best based on where their brain is in its overall lifespan. For example: if you’re learning how to swim you can begin lessons as early as 2 years, if you’re hoping to add playing an instrument to your repertoire than 9 is prime time, & if you’re wishing to acquire a second language the best age to do so is 12. While you may be noticing that most growth seems to occur early in life it would be poor thinking to count the elderly out. In this day & age 25 years old is only a fraction of someone’s life. Discoveries in the chemical & medical professions occur most at 41 years old, an age when many people have wrongly been deemed over the hill. Additionally, the average age awarded to Nobel Prize winners in the field of science is 58.

There is a reason for this too. With life experience comes an intricately designed better & larger labyrinth of neural pathways already mapped out for your cerebrum; the part of the brain that holds the lion’s share of responsibilities including movement, speech, body regulation, judgment, logical & emotional thinking, & the basis of this newsletter; learning, under its helm.

MEMORY IS THE MVP

Overall, the life lessons that we accumulate over time are invaluable & make the elderly among us excel past their younger peers in creativity & knowledge. Unfortunately, the one area that youth tends to trump their older counterparts in is memory. Memory & learning go hand in hand like peanut butter & jelly (or if you’re like me a peanut butter, banana, & jelly) sandwich. This explains why when it comes to absorbing new skills, as opposed to the older generations’ ability to use known skills to create new material, youth seems to encapsulate them. The trouble with knowledge is being able to remember it. Memory starts slipping almost immediately after the brain is done fully forming- starting with recognition of faces. Long term memory starts fading along with those faces shortly after around 30; short term close to follow, after a brief plateau of efficiency, around 44. Against popular belief the brain is not a muscle but instead an organ. Like any organ in the body, we need to keep it healthy through healthy habits. What makes this difficult is what we’ve already established: the brain is unique & cannot be replaced with another should we fail to maintain it. Furthermore, memory does not function within our traditional idea of maintenance. When we think of maintenance, we think of keeping something in the same way we got it for as long as possible. Herein lies the problem: brains are not a machine, they’re an organic material that needs to grow as we do. If done properly, brains will look nowhere near the same towards the end of life as they did before the beginning. Think of a brain like hot wax: when we’re young & newly poured the brain is hot, pliable, & malleable to change. As we age & cool, we harden with the ideas that have set into place. In order to soften the material to make room for new impressions i.e. in order to improve our memory it’s not enough to just continue completing & conducting the same skills that we already know. If we want to stimulate our minds & brains, we need to challenge it by learning new skills that require new thought processes: we need to pave new pathways within the labyrinth.

This is where the young take their lead. In our earliest stages of life we are constantly learning different material, constantly feeding our brain new information, which most importantly means the brain is constantly stimulated & working. There’s far less room to forget to continue running when you never stopped. Humans’ invaluable ability to never have the brain tire, as it would were it any other organ or muscle, is integral in keeping the neurons firing. Individuals who continued working past retirement, whether that be physically, mentally, or both showed higher signs of memory retention. Individuals who continued working on learning new skills showed the greatest retention of all. While continuing to read, write, complete puzzles, & have social interaction are by no means chopped liver in terms of value in brain food, the steak & potatoes are fresh new skills.

NEW TRICKS FOR OLD DOGS

It has been proven that certain fields of study increase brain activity & memory recollection to benefit the elderly. Notably: technology & coding done by individuals 65 & older was shown to be 87% accurate after 3 months of dedicated learning. Conversely, only 34% of participants followed through. For those that did there was a 96% increase in quality of life daily use. Yet as stated, it is difficult to gain participants. The question of can we teach them becomes how we make these lessons readily available. While what you’re learning doesn’t necessarily have to be tech related, it should be unfamiliar. Old dogs are perfectly capable of learning new tricks, & while repetition may be on the menu, something to remember for the young is that every trick we know is because of these so called “old dogs.” Every new idea needed the discoveries made before them to lay the foundation for what we know now.

Until next month, Haley Brewer

For more information on the topics above please feel free to peruse the sources below:

• https://dnalc.cshl.edu/view/1200-Identical-Twins-Not-Identical-Brains.html

• https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/EHP2268

• https://www.apa.org/education-career/k12/brain-function

• https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/learningnew-skills-keeps-an-aging-mindsharp.html

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4192712/

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3383816/

• http://esl.fis.edu/eltern/advice/myth2.htm

• https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/atplay/Pages/Swim-Lessons.aspx

• https://petersonfamilyfoundation.org/music-therapy/best-instruments-learn-based-age/

• https://www.pnas.org/content/108/47/18910

When is Financial Help Needed for Seniors

How to Recognize When Your Senior Loved Ones Need Help with Finances

We don’t always like to think about it but we will get older one day, and when that happens, we may need help with our finances. If you are a child of a senior, then it’s especially important that you recognize when your loved one may need help and step in. Today, Quality Care of Howell has some advice on how to determine when your parents need help and how to assist.

It Is Important to Recognize the Signs

A major indicator is seeing piles of unopened mail or that they have not brought in the mail for a long time. There could be overdue bills in there, so investigate and open them all to see where they stand. When you open the bills, check for any strange or unnecessary charges, as that is another red flag. Another more obvious sign is when you notice that they are beginning to have memory issues. If you call on the phone and it takes them longer than necessary to remember who you are then you should stop by to check things out.

Also, keep an eye out for potential vision problems. Even if they open the mail, if they can’t see what is due, then they could be in trouble.

What to Do If the Situation Gets Out of Hand

In the case that your loved one is becoming too forgetful, or they need more help than you can provide, then you may have to consider moving them into a senior living facility. Take the time to research facilities around your area, read customer reviews, and check the price to see what fits into your budget.

During this process, it may be necessary to sell their house and you can use those profits to pay for the senior living budget. Again, research is necessary. Go online and use a home proceeds calculator that allows you to enter the sale price of the home and all taxes and closing costs, and it will give you an idea of the final profit that you will make after the sale.

If your parents own a business, then you may need to consider selling that as well. The first step is to get a professional business valuation so you can get a good idea of its true value. In addition to seeing the profit, this valuation will also tell you a good asking price and shows potential buyers that you are making an honest deal. After that, gather all necessary documentation so you can provide it upon request.

Immediate Changes to Make If You Notice an Issue

If you believe that your parents need some help, then you can step in and take over some processes, so they don’t have to worry about them. For instance, you can change their mailing address so that the bills are delivered to your home instead and then you can pay them when necessary. Also, you should ask them about their monthly utilities so you can pay those, too.

Obviously, it can be sad to see that your senior loved one needs help, but by following these steps, you can provide the care they need and solve their financial situation. If you are selling a house or business, get a valuation so you can save money in the process.

---

Quality Care of Howell is a family operated, assisted living facility licensed as an Adult Foster Care. Call (517) 579-2019.

Author: Andrea Needham

Eldersday.org

Written on 10/05/2022

The Affects of Daylight Savings Time

It’s Time to Spring Ahead Again

Daylight Savings time (DSL) is just around the corner. On Sunday, March 13, we will set our clocks ahead one hour, beginning at 2 a.m. While it is exciting to embrace the change of seasons and the warmer days of Spring, “springing ahead” affects all of us, especially those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

We have all experienced those first few days of feeling tired when we change our clocks. Our brain feels foggy, and it seems harder to wind down at the end of the day. Now imagine suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s where navigating through daily living already experiencing confusion can be challenging enough.

Sundowning and DSL

One of the biggest affects is the occurrence of “sundowning.” Sundowning is a condition defined as, “a state of confusion occurring in the late afternoon and spanning into the night.” Sundowning can cause a variety of behaviors, such as confusion, anxiety, aggression or ignoring directions. Sundowning can also lead to pacing or wandering.” (Mayo Clinic) Often the time changes exacerbate sundowning syndrome even more. Symptoms that can occur include:

•                     Heightened irritability

•                     Confusion

•                    Fatigue

Keeping Routines Help Ease the Transition

As we prepare to visit our loved ones during the day or even weeks that follow, there are several ways we can help make our resident’s transition smoother. The Mayo Clinic offers the following suggestions, such as:

•                     Maintaining routines such as meals, bedtime, waking and other daily activities

•                     Discouraging daytime naps until their bodies adjust

•                     Limiting sugar and caffeine intake to morning hours.

Activities to Ease the Transition and Embrace Spring

Additionally, after a long winter, DSL is an opportunity to begin focusing on fun Spring activities or even slight wardrobe changes to help transition into the season. Some suggestions include:

•                     Swapping out winter clothes for spring clothes. While we live in Michigan, where winter weather can last well past DSL and with the vernal equinox scheduled for Sunday, March 20, warm weather clothing probably isn’t an option. However, we can help residents swap out darker clothes with traditional pastel-colored sweaters and sweatshirts.

•                     In anticipation of spending more time outdoors, have residents paint wooden planter boxes. When the weather warms up, they can look forward to planting flowers in the newly painted boxes.

•                     Decorate your facility for spring with flowers and butterfly decals or hire a professional window painter. Let the residents direct and contribute suggestions about the painting subjects.

In addition to redirecting with new activities and daily routines as we adjust to longer days, often compassion and care can also go a long way in helping our families and residents with the transition.

~ Colleen Buehner

For more information on the topics above please feel free to peruse the sources below:

Citations

Not Just Bingo.

https://www.ssww.com/blog/5-senior-activity-ideas-celebrate-daylight-savingstime/

Radford-Graff, J. Sundowning: Late-day Confusion.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/expert-answers/sundowning/faq-20058511#:~:text=The%20term%20%22sundowning%22%20refers%20to,lead%20to%20pacing%20or%20wandering

RESIDENT CARE AIDE DIRECTOR SPOTLIGHT

Linda joined the QCOH team in August, 2019

She has had a very diverse career history including sales and marketing. Linda says that her favorite thing about QCOH is getting to know our residents.

Linda will soon be transitioning to the role of QCOH’s activity director. She is looking forward to planning and participating in fun activities with our residents.

Linda Ramirez

In her spare time, Linda enjoys hanging out with her grandson, Asher. Family is especially important to Linda and when she is not here with her QCOH family, she likes being up north with her brothers, sisters, children and nieces and nephews.