by Shelley | Feb 16, 2024 | Caregiving, Dear Donna
Dear Donna:
My mom is almost 80 years old and starting to require more help than our family can manage in her home. My husband, children, and I have been providing support to my mom every day for over two years now. She needs assistance with household tasks, transportation, meal preparation, and laundry. Some days, mom even needs a helping hand to take a shower and do her hair.
My father passed away several years ago, and he was a veteran. I’ve been told there is a special benefit that veterans and surviving spouses can qualify for, but I’m not familiar with it. While my mother and father were always good at managing their money, my mom lives on a fairly tight retirement budget.
We hope to find some financial assistance to help pay for in-home care for her while we search for an assisted living community. What types of care does this benefit cover and would my mom qualify?
Sincerely,
Theresa in Williamsburg, MI
Learn More about the Aid and Attendance Benefit
Dear Theresa:
I’m glad you wrote to me about this benefit that helps qualifying veterans and surviving spouses connect with the senior care they need. It isn’t very well known, so it is frequently overlooked.
Let me start by saying it sounds as if your family is on the right track. People often use home care services as a short-term solution. It provides support that gives families time to look for an assisted living community that best meets their senior loved one’s needs.
In addition to assisted living communities and nursing care centers, home care services may be covered by the VA Aid and Attendance benefit. That’s because having professional caregivers visit the senior’s home to perform tasks such as bathing, grooming, meal preparation, laundry, and light housekeeping improves safety, health, and quality of life.
Requirements for Aid and Attendance Benefit
To qualify on the physical needs side of the benefit, the veteran or surviving spouse must meet at least one of the following physical requirements:
- Need another person to assist with everyday tasks, such as grooming, meal preparation, bathing, and dressing.
- Be bedridden or spend long periods of time in bed due to an illness or disability.
- Be a patient in a nursing home due to a disability that led to the loss of physical or mental abilities.
- Have limited eyesight, such as 5/200 with glasses or contacts or a concentric contraction of visual field to 5 or fewer degrees.
Answering how a veteran or surviving spouse qualifies to receive additional money through the Aid and Attendance benefit is a little tougher. There are income and net worth limits, dates of service requirements, as well as other factors. One of the Heritage team members can likely walk you through this part of the process.
I hope this information is useful to you, Theresa. I invite you to call one of our Heritage Senior Communities locations near your Michigan home. We’ll be happy to schedule an in-person meeting to answer your questions about this benefit and assisted living.
Kind regards,
Donna
by Shelley | Feb 6, 2024 | Healthy Aging
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Research shows one person in this country loses their life to a cardiac-related disease every 33 seconds. That translates to one in five people for an estimated 695,000 deaths each year.
While genetics can play a role in your risk for developing heart disease, so can lifestyle choices. In honor of National Heart Month, which takes place every February, we are shining a spotlight on the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
Know Your Genetic Risks for Heart Disease
When a doctor assesses a patient’s genetic risk factors for a heart-related disease, they’ll usually start by asking questions related to family medical history. These are some examples of what they’ll look for:
- Relatives with heart attacks or heart surgeries: Has a first-degree relative (a parent or sibling) had a heart attack or required stents or bypass surgery at a younger age? This includes men who are under the age of 55 and women younger than 65. If so, you may have a higher risk for heart disease.
- Family history of heart abnormalities: Certain types of heart-related abnormalities and conditions can be genetic, too. Those include amyloidosis, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, and bicuspid aortic valve disease. Being diagnosed with some connective tissue disorders, such as Marfan Syndrome, can also impact risk. If you aren’t sure of your family medical history with regard to these conditions, talk with loved ones before your doctor’s appointment.
- Loved ones with certain health conditions: There are some medical issues that can make you predisposed to cardiac disease. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are a few of the most common ones.
While the conditions outlined above can increase a person’s likelihood of experiencing heart disease, lifestyle factors can also play a role.
Lifestyle Choices Linked to Heart Disease
Here are some of the steps you can take to lower your risk for heart disease:
- Control cholesterol: An estimated 86 million adults over the age of 20 in the U.S. have high cholesterol, a leading contributor to heart disease. A healthy cholesterol can often be maintained with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Unfortunately, for some it will take more than healthy lifestyle choices. Work with your primary care doctor on a plan to regularly monitor and manage cholesterol.
- Avoid tobacco smoke: Lung cancer is the disease most closely associated with smoking or being exposed to secondhand smoke. But experts at the CDC say tobacco use is also linked to heart disease. Living with or being around smokers on a regular basis can be dangerous too. If you are a smoker or live with one, talk with a doctor about a cessation program.
- Limit alcohol consumption: This is another lifestyle choice that many people are unaware is linked to heart disease. Consuming more than moderate amounts of alcohol increases blood pressure, a risk factor for cardiac disease. It also adds empty calories to your diet. That can lead to weight problems and obesity, which also raises the odds for heart disease. If you aren’t sure what constitutes a safe amount of alcohol, check with your doctor or the CDC’s Dietary Guidelines for Alcohol.
- Be active: Exercise plays a key role in heart health, as does staying active throughout the day. A sedentary lifestyle is linked to diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and more. By limiting the amount of time you spend sitting, you may be able to protect your heart’s health. If you have a job that requires you to sit, try to get up and move around at least once every hour. Do some simple stretching movements, make a lap around your office, or even march in place. Just keep moving.
Enjoy a Healthy Retirement at Heritage Senior Communities
From well-balanced meals and daily fitness opportunities to life enrichment programs that promote activity, we strive to create a healthy environment at Heritage. The best way to learn more is by calling a nearby Heritage community to set up a time for a personal visit soon!
by Shelley | Jan 29, 2024 | Healthy Aging
Diet can impact how much age-related muscle loss we will experience as we grow older. Poor choices can cause a host of problems, including a loss of strength that leads to balance problems and falls. But a healthy diet rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, and protein can lessen or delay a decline in muscle strength. That can help older adults avoid a disabling fall.
Research shows some people begin losing muscle mass as young as age 30. Each decade, we lose an estimated 8% of our muscle mass. It’s a condition known as sarcopenia. Because muscle burns more calories than fat, many people also begin to see their weight creeping up in their thirties and forties.
But there are steps you can take to minimize sarcopenia. In addition to adopting an exercise routine that includes weight training, eating the right foods can help. While it’s important to plan healthy menus for every meal, breakfast is the one many people skip. That can leave you feeling tired and less motivated to exercise and eat well-balanced meals the remainder of the day.
Protein Intake and Older Adults
The experts from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Nutrition suggest adults of any age should consume about 7 grams of protein for every 20 pounds of body weight. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed a Dietary Reference Intake calculator. You can use it to calculate how much protein you need in a day, as well as a variety of other vitamins and nutrients.
To help you determine the appropriate amount of each type of protein you should eat, here are a few general guidelines:
- 3 ounces of meat typically contain an average of 21 grams of protein
- 1 cup of milk will deliver 8 grams of protein
- 1 cup of dry beans equates to 16 grams of protein
Breakfast Foods with Protein
Some breakfast foods that can help seniors meet their recommended daily protein goals include:
- Low-fat yogurt
- Reduced-fat cheese
- Reduced-fat cottage cheese
- Nuts, such as almonds and walnuts
- Peanut butter
- Eggs
- Tofu and soy products
A great way to make the most of your breakfast is to combine several forms of protein with fruits, vegetables, fiber, and other essential elements. Here are a few options:
- Breakfast bowl: Create a breakfast bowl that contains Greek yogurt, fruit, and a fiber-rich cereal, like shredded wheat or raisin bran.
- Oatmeal: Top steel-cut oatmeal with an egg or nuts and yogurt.
- Protein smoothie: Whip up a quick smoothie with low-fat yogurt, peanut butter, fruit, and spinach.
- Avocado toast: Another suggestion is toasted sourdough or whole grain bread topped with smashed avocado and an egg or dollop of Greek yogurt.
Healthy Meals at Heritage Senior Communities
One reason many older adults choose to move to a senior living community is to have easy access to nutritious meals. At Heritage Senior Communities, residents have their choice of menu options at every meal. Each one is prepared on-site at our communities.
Learn more about our commitment to healthy meals by calling the Heritage community nearest you today. We’ll be happy to schedule a time for your personal visit and even invite you to join us for a meal!
by Shelley | Jan 22, 2024 | Caregiving, Dear Donna
Dear Donna:
I’m hoping you have some ideas that might help me care for my 83-year-old mother long distance, at least for a while. She lives alone in northern Michigan in the house my siblings and I grew up in. Until my dad passed away 6 months ago, it seemed like a safe and happy place for her to live. After his passing, I’ve become more concerned.
My mom has macular degeneration that is somewhat controlled with treatment. While she isn’t able to drive, she manages fairly well at home. The retina specialist she sees tells us that could change fairly quickly, however.
I don’t want to try to force her into moving to a senior living community so soon after losing my dad. However, I feel like we need a plan for managing her care now and once her vision worsens. My dad always handled tasks like filling her medication tray and driving her to the doctor for her treatments.
I live on the West Coast with my family but visit my mom every few months. It’s the time in between that concerns me. Do you have any tips for supporting a parent long distance? When will I know it’s time to be more forceful in encouraging her to move?
Sincerely,
Justine
Caring Across the Miles: Tips For Long-Distance Caregivers
Dear Justine:
First, please accept my condolences on the loss of your father. I’m sure that is difficult on many levels, not the least of which is concern for your mother.
We often hear from adult children whose parents have been able to compensate for one another’s challenges and can live safely at home. Once one parent is on their own, however, the need for change becomes more pressing. A few factors I would encourage you to consider and plan for are:
- Finding transportation: For many older adults, especially those in rural communities like northern Michigan, finding reliable transportation to and from appointments and errands is a challenge. If your mom doesn’t have a friend or family member who can help, contact your local agency on aging. Many maintain lists of either volunteers or professional services who assist seniors with transportation.
- Investigating prescription packaging: Since you mentioned your dad always filled your mom’s pill box, I’m sure this is a worry for you now. You could try calling the pharmacies she uses to see if they offer packaging services. They are sometimes referred to as punch cards. Pharmacies pre-fill these in the order/time of day a dose should be taken. That helps prevent older adults from making dangerous mistakes with medication. If that isn’t an option, try a tech service like the MedMinder pill organizer.
- Creating a local support system: Another suggestion is to try to assemble a local support team for your mom. This could include friends or family who are willing to check on her and could get to her quickly in the event of an emergency. If you don’t feel comfortable relying on them, consider hiring a geriatric care manager. These care management professionals can usually help with everything from overseeing people you hire to clean your mom’s house or mow the lawn to beginning the process of downsizing a senior’s home.
- Utilizing video chat: Don’t underestimate how valuable video chatting with your mom every few days can be. It will allow you to see her face-to-face to assess how she is doing and even how her house looks. If she doesn’t already use a device like an iPad, it’s probably worth investing in one and helping her set up Zoom or Skype.
- Trying home delivery services: Investigate which local stores and services are available to support independence. For example, many pharmacies will deliver to older adults at no additional cost. See if her favorite grocery store delivers or works with a service that does. If funds permit, maybe hire a personal chef who comes right to the home. Some will prepare meals for clients and stock their freezer.
- Exploring vision support resources: Lastly, try to connect with an organization that advocates for and assists people with vision loss or a vision impairment. Most communities have nonprofit agencies that fill this role. They will likely be a good resource for assisting with your mom’s unique needs.
Assisted Living for Adults with Vision Loss
One final suggestion is to consider helping your mom transition to an assisted living community while she still has some of her vision. Though most people with macular degeneration don’t experience complete vision loss, it will be more challenging to move to a new environment with severe vision loss. Getting relocated and settled in before that happens is a definite advantage.
Other benefits of assisted living for adults with vision problems include transportation services, housekeeping and laundry, medication management, and healthy meals. We invite you to call one of our Heritage Senior Communities to learn more about how assisted living can help an older adult with vision loss remain more independent!
I hope this is helpful, Justine, and I wish you and your mom the best of luck!
Kind regards,
Donna
by Shelley | Jan 15, 2024 | Caregiving, Dear Donna
Dear Donna:
While my kids were home from college on holiday vacation, we visited my parents for the first time in over a year. I call and video chat with my parents several times a week, and they always tell me they are managing everything just fine. That’s why we were so shocked at what we found when we got to their house.
Both my mom and my dad have lost weight they didn’t need to lose. I checked their refrigerator and cupboards, and it’s obvious they are relying on frozen dinners and canned soups. Both parents are walking with canes they bought at the drugstore. My mom had bumps and bruises on her arms and legs, and my dad admitted that she’s had a few falls lately. That frightens me as I know how dangerous a fall can be for seniors.
The condition of their house was equally surprising. Their bedroom had a large pile of laundry waiting to be done. The floors badly needed to be vacuumed. The bathroom shower obviously hadn’t been cleaned in a while. My parents always kept their house and yard neat and tidy, so this was definitely not typical of them.
After a long discussion, they reluctantly told us keeping up the house has become a real struggle. They are both having a difficult time caring for their personal needs. My mom has been experiencing frequent falls and is afraid to get into the shower. While my dad is doing a little better physically than my mom, he seems to be having a tough time too. We all agreed it’s time for them to make a change. After some preliminary research online, it seems like assisted living might be a good solution.
My parents and I agreed that I would start calling assisted living communities near their house. We want to ask some initial questions to screen out places that don’t seem to be a good fit. I’ll fly back to town in a few weeks to take my parents to visit the assisted living communities that seem like good options. As I’m preparing my list of calls, I’m trying to figure out what to ask. I’m new to this process so I don’t really know how to get started.
Any suggestions?
Sincerely,
Bonnie in Douglas, MI
Questions to Ask an Assisted Living Community
Dear Bonnie:
It sounds like you are on the right track! But the search for an assisted living community can be overwhelming, especially if you aren’t familiar with senior housing options. Call communities in the area of town your parents would like to live in to learn more about them.
I do have a few suggestions for questions you’ll want to ask:
- Availability: Since it sounds as if there is some urgency to transition your parents to a safer environment, it’s a good idea to ask about availability. Some of the best assisted living communities are full and have a waitlist. If there is a waitlist, inquire about how long it is expected to be before something opens up and what the process is to get on the list. You may be required to make a deposit and fill out an application.
- Affordability: If your parents are like most people, they’ll have a budget. Try to get an idea of how much they can afford to pay for assisted living each month before you start calling. Keep in mind, there might be options for financing care. For example, if one of them was a veteran, they might qualify for some financial assistance. Or if they purchased long-term care insurance, the policy may include assisted living coverage. Some assisted living expenses might even be tax-deductible.
- Other questions: Finally, on your initial screening call, think about factors that may impact whether your parents would consider a particular community. For example, if your mom and dad have a pet, will they be welcome? Another one might be transportation. Since it sounds like you live far from your parents, finding an assisted living community that has a transportation team or can make arrangements for getting to and from appointments might be important.
Once you’ve narrowed your list, the next step is to schedule in-person visits and assemble questions to ask. “Important Questions to Ask on an Assisted Living Tour” will be a good resource to review when you are ready to move forward in the process.
Good luck with your search! Please keep the Heritage Senior Communities in your area in mind as you make your calls.
Kind regards,
Donna
