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17 July, 2014

Aging In Place With “Virtual Villages”

2020-05-22T19:19:47-07:00July 17th, 2014|Categories: Elder Care|

Getting older can be an isolating experience. Children grow up, move away and start families of their own. Spouses and friends may get sick or pass away. After a while, many elders start to see their social circles dwindle. What's more, even elders who have loved ones nearby often don't want to rely on their families all the time. This is especially true for people who would prefer to age in place and maintain a sense of independence. Enter the "virtual village." Valuable, but underutilized, these communities allow elders to access shared resources and connect with each other for socialization ...

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13 May, 2014

What Is The Role Of A Guardian When Selecting Housing?

2020-05-22T19:51:47-07:00May 13th, 2014|Categories: Elder Care, Guardianship|

Being someone's court appointed guardian is a big responsibility. You want to do what is best for your loved one, while still respecting their wishes. This can be a hard balance, especially when it comes to deciding where your loved one will live. What are a guardian's responsibilities? Under Washington law, every guardian of the person has two main responsibilities when it comes to selecting housing: To safeguard a protected person's health and safety To enable the protected person to exercise his or her rights to the maximum extent under the law, consistent with his or her capacity Exactly how these responsibilities ...

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22 January, 2014

Should You Use Medicaid To Pay For Long-Term Care?

2020-05-22T19:52:21-07:00January 22nd, 2014|Categories: Elder Care, Estate Planning, Long Term Care|

Over the course of their lives, many seniors will end up needing some form of long term care. Whether it's a nursing home, in-home caregiver or something else, long term care is expensive. Few people have enough in savings to pay for all of the costs out of pocket. For some people, Medicaid can be a very good tool to pay for long term care. However, not everyone qualifies for Medicaid, and using Medicaid can have some unexpected financial consequences. Here are a few things you should know if you are considering Medicaid for yourself or a loved one. Eligibility ...

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15 January, 2013

Little-Known Program Offers Big Help To Aging Veterans

2021-09-24T14:39:07-07:00January 15th, 2013|Categories: Elder Care, Long Term Care, Veterans|

Paying for long-term care is rarely easy. When it comes to affording in-home care, assisted living or nursing home care, most people will need to think creatively about their financing options. For Veterans and their surviving spouses, this could mean taking advantage of long-term care benefits offered by the Veterans Administration. Many people aren't aware that Veterans and their surviving spouses can qualify for Aid and Attendance benefits, even if the Veteran does not have a service-connected disability. Qualifying for Aid and Attendance Aid and Attendance benefits are available to Veterans, and the surviving spouses of Veterans, if the ...

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23 November, 2012

Elder Abuse Is More Common Than You Realize

2020-05-22T19:54:26-07:00November 23rd, 2012|Categories: Dementia, Elder Abuse, Elder Care, Guardianship|

After so many years of taking care of us, we hope that our elderly loved ones will be well cared for into their old age. The sad truth is that this doesn't always happen. Elder abuse is a real and persistent concern. A study published earlier this month in the New England Journal of Medicine found that at least 10 percent of elderly people will be abused. Because the study's data was based on self-reports, this number may actually be much higher. What is elder abuse? When most people picture abuse, they think of physical violence like hitting or shoving. ...

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16 July, 2012

Let’s Talk About Senior Driving

2020-05-22T19:54:55-07:00July 16th, 2012|Categories: Dementia, Elder Care, Health & Wellness, Hearing Loss|

In our society, we sometimes forget that driving is a privilege, not a right. Safe driving depends upon the ability to see, think and move. While many older drivers continue to drive safely, the ability to drive safely can be severely impacted by dementia or other medical conditions that cause confusion, memory loss or cognitive impairment, vision and hearing loss, alcohol use, and medication side effects. It's a difficult issue to face, but ignoring it won't make the problem go away. I hear lots of older drivers diminish the risks involved, saying that they only drive to places they ...

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19 March, 2011

Excuse Me, Could You Repeat That?

2020-05-22T19:56:56-07:00March 19th, 2011|Categories: Elder Care, Hearing Loss|

In our practice, we meet a lot of folks who are coping with hearing loss. For those who are hard of hearing, communication can be a frustrating and daunting task. The following tips are very helpful in improving communication: Speak slowly and enunciate clearly. Pause between sentences. Do not shout. A loud voice may increase distortion without improving comprehension. State the topic of discussion as you begin. When you change the topic, make sure the listener is aware of the new topic. Allow the person with hearing loss to choose their seating first, and ask what you can do to ...

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