With open enrollment for Medicare starting in just a few days (enrollment spans October 15 through December 7), it is important that your senior understands which plan is best suited to their needs. Eldercare professionals know that there are many details to consider when choosing the right care for seniors, and Medicare plays a major role in the financial aspect of this issue. But senior health professionals believe that with the right information you and your senior can make choosing the best Medicare plan easy. Below are some of the highlights of Medicare Part C and D, two of the most popular plans.
Medicare Part C
Formerly called Medicare + Choice and often referred to as Medicare Advantage, this plan is a supplement to Parts A and B. As such, seniors must have Parts A and B in order to qualify for enrollment in Part C. Part A covers services that are paid for by Social Security, including inpatient care at the hospital, hospice care, and skilled nursing. Part B, which is funded by monthly premiums and supplemented by the U.S. Treasury, pertains to fees regarding appointments with doctors, outpatient hospital procedures, and other medical attention that Part A does not cover.
Part C allows for the ability to choose the provider organization through which all of these services are offered. Ultimately, having Medicare Part C can result in lower medical costs and additional benefits, so it is worth looking into depending upon your senior’s individual needs.
Medicare Part D
Prescriptions are, for many seniors, a major financial burden. Medicare Part D helps to alleviate this burden by covering prescription medications. Completely optional in nature, this aspect of the Medicare program is covered by monthly premiums and requires seniors to opt in through an application and enrollment process.
Choosing the Right Plan
The plan that will best cover your senior depends upon their unique needs, as elderly individuals require differing levels of medical care and support. Talk with your senior and their doctor to ensure that they are signing up for the right plan, as this can help save them a great deal of money and financial stress.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Inspiring and Exciting Home Activities for Your Senior
Even if your elderly loved one has lost the mobility they once enjoyed, there’s no reason that they have to sit at home mindlessly watching television all day. According to eldercare professionals, there are plenty of inspiring and fun activities that a homebound senior can enjoy with family and friends. Some of these choices include:
If you’re looking for ways to keep your senior engaged even when they can’t leave the home, these easy, inspiring activities are perfect. Work together with your elderly loved one so they have some company as they pursue a new hobby.
- Studying genealogy: Family members can bond with their senior as they take some time to research the family’s ancestry. It’s often eye opening to learn about distant relatives, and to track the family’s progression to America.
- Painting: Even if your elderly loved one struggles with fine motor skills, painting can be the perfect pastime. They can find a brush size that works for them, and create paintings that allow them to express themselves. Regardless of whether the work is museum-worthy or not, seniors will get a kick out of turning broad brushstrokes into their own unique piece.
- Learning about new subjects: Thanks to the Internet, seniors can learn about any subject they please without having to venture to a museum or library to do it. Is your loved one interested in woodworking? Watch some videos on the topic. Does the elderly individual love exotic places? Take them on a Google Maps tour of Mount Everest or the Amazon. They’ll get the thrill of seeing a new place and learning about an unfamiliar subject without having to leave the comfort of their home.
- Scrapbooking: Home care professionals encourage seniors and their loved ones to work together to create a scrapbook. The book can detail family vacations, milestones, or the elderly individual’s childhood. The finished product is beautiful to look at and has sentimental value, making it the perfect project to work on together.
- Catching up with friends: For seniors, loneliness can become a problem. To ward off feelings of isolation, encourage your elderly loved one to catch up with friends. The two can discuss their families, and can provide each other with emotional support. Having someone to care for and think about helps to keep a senior feeling fulfilled.
If you’re looking for ways to keep your senior engaged even when they can’t leave the home, these easy, inspiring activities are perfect. Work together with your elderly loved one so they have some company as they pursue a new hobby.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
The Must-Know Points About Palliative Care
Palliative care refers to highly specialized medical care that is used for elderly individuals who are facing a serious illness. This method of care giving is committed to providing relief from pain for these seniors, regardless of their diagnosis. Ultimately, palliative care is about boosting an elderly loved one’s quality of life, keeping them comfortable and at peace. Palliative care is provided by a team of highly trained home care professionals, and can also include treatment from doctors, nurses, massage therapists, nutritionists, religious figures, pharmacists, and others. These individuals offer support and care for elderly individuals and their family members.
Some common illnesses that may require palliative care include:
The goal of this kind of eldercare is to eliminate unpleasant symptoms like:
Together, the palliative care team provides expert pain management, assistance navigating the healthcare system, and emotional and spiritual support for a senior and their family.
What is the difference between palliative care and hospice care?
Though hospice care and palliative care share many similarities, they are also quite different. For instance, palliative care is typically administered in a hospital, extended care facility, or nursing home. Hospice care, on the other hand, usually takes place at home. Hospice care is typically reserved for a senior who has been deemed terminal or is thought to be within six months of their death. Palliative care has no time restrictions, and can be administered at any stage of illness, regardless of whether the elderly individual is terminal or not.
Another major difference between hospice and palliative care comes with the approach to treatment. Most hospice programs focus on comfort instead of prolonging life. However, palliative care does not work off of the assumption that life-prolonging treatments will be avoided. In many cases, palliative care is covered by insurance, whereas hospice treatment may have some policy restrictions.
For elderly individuals who are dealing with a serious illness, palliative care is often a useful tool in order to keep the senior comfortable while allowing the family members to enjoy emotional and spiritual support.
Some common illnesses that may require palliative care include:
- Cardiac disease like congestive heart failure
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Kidney failure
- Cancer
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
The goal of this kind of eldercare is to eliminate unpleasant symptoms like:
- Trouble sleeping
- Pain
- Shortness of breath
- Depression
- Constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Fatigue
Together, the palliative care team provides expert pain management, assistance navigating the healthcare system, and emotional and spiritual support for a senior and their family.
What is the difference between palliative care and hospice care?
Though hospice care and palliative care share many similarities, they are also quite different. For instance, palliative care is typically administered in a hospital, extended care facility, or nursing home. Hospice care, on the other hand, usually takes place at home. Hospice care is typically reserved for a senior who has been deemed terminal or is thought to be within six months of their death. Palliative care has no time restrictions, and can be administered at any stage of illness, regardless of whether the elderly individual is terminal or not.
Another major difference between hospice and palliative care comes with the approach to treatment. Most hospice programs focus on comfort instead of prolonging life. However, palliative care does not work off of the assumption that life-prolonging treatments will be avoided. In many cases, palliative care is covered by insurance, whereas hospice treatment may have some policy restrictions.
For elderly individuals who are dealing with a serious illness, palliative care is often a useful tool in order to keep the senior comfortable while allowing the family members to enjoy emotional and spiritual support.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Programs that Assist Seniors with Health Care Costs
Homecare and other forms of care for elderly individuals can become quite costly, although they are imperative to the wellbeing of many seniors. Despite the critical nature of such eldercare, though, many seniors find themselves having to forgo the support that they need due to financial limitations.
If your senior needs care but cannot afford it, there may be hope yet. There are actually several organizations that provide assistance to seniors who need help paying healthcare expenses. According to an article published by the Huffington Post, Medicare Savings Program and Extra Help are two initiatives that can assist elderly individuals in paying down their medical costs and maintaining the level of care that they need to stay as safe and healthy as possible.1
Medicare Savings Program
The Medicare Savings Program, or MSP, is an initiative that serves to assist Medicare beneficiaries who are at lower income brackets to pay for the costs associated with Medicare Parts A and B. With several different levels, MSP offers differing amounts of support based upon several factors.
Qualifying for this support occurs under the direction of Medicare. Seniors must make less than 135 percent of the federal poverty level and are subject to an asset test. The requirements may vary from one state to the next, though, so it is important that seniors get information from the local Medicare organization.
Extra Help
Prescription medications are often extremely costly, and many seniors have a difficult time keeping up with their prescriptions because they are so expensive. The Extra Help Program is able to assist with Part D prescription drug deductibles and premiums, as well as co pays, depending upon the level of income that your senior receives each month.
Qualifying for this assistance requires seniors to make less than $1,436 per month and to hold less than $13,300 in assets. To apply, seniors can contact the local Social Security office.
Paying for healthcare is something with which many elderly individuals struggle. With the assistance of these two programs, though, your senior may find it easier to keep up with the financial aspect of their physical wellbeing.
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1 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-t-miller/assistance-programs-that-help-seniors-with-health-care-costs_b_3809723.html
If your senior needs care but cannot afford it, there may be hope yet. There are actually several organizations that provide assistance to seniors who need help paying healthcare expenses. According to an article published by the Huffington Post, Medicare Savings Program and Extra Help are two initiatives that can assist elderly individuals in paying down their medical costs and maintaining the level of care that they need to stay as safe and healthy as possible.1
Medicare Savings Program
The Medicare Savings Program, or MSP, is an initiative that serves to assist Medicare beneficiaries who are at lower income brackets to pay for the costs associated with Medicare Parts A and B. With several different levels, MSP offers differing amounts of support based upon several factors.
Qualifying for this support occurs under the direction of Medicare. Seniors must make less than 135 percent of the federal poverty level and are subject to an asset test. The requirements may vary from one state to the next, though, so it is important that seniors get information from the local Medicare organization.
Extra Help
Prescription medications are often extremely costly, and many seniors have a difficult time keeping up with their prescriptions because they are so expensive. The Extra Help Program is able to assist with Part D prescription drug deductibles and premiums, as well as co pays, depending upon the level of income that your senior receives each month.
Qualifying for this assistance requires seniors to make less than $1,436 per month and to hold less than $13,300 in assets. To apply, seniors can contact the local Social Security office.
Paying for healthcare is something with which many elderly individuals struggle. With the assistance of these two programs, though, your senior may find it easier to keep up with the financial aspect of their physical wellbeing.
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1 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-t-miller/assistance-programs-that-help-seniors-with-health-care-costs_b_3809723.html
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Important Issues to Remember on International Day of Older Persons
Care for elderly individuals is an important consideration of the United Nations, which is an organization that strives to ensure that all populations around the globe are treated with dignity and respect. Eldercare professionals are happy to celebrate the International Day of Older Persons on October 1 of each year. A day dedicated to the needs of the aging population, this particular event is popular among senior care providers.
International Day of Older Persons: A Brief History
The International Day of Older Persons was created on December 14, 1990. On this day, the United Nations General Assembly created this holiday under resolution 45/106. Ultimately, the goal of the initiative is to bring greater awareness to the needs of elderly populations and to call attention to the unique challenges that this demographic faces.
The United Nations has a strong history of advocating for the needs of seniors, and the International Day of Older Persons is just one example of the effort that this organization has put into helping elderly individuals achieve a higher quality of life through awareness and diplomatic initiatives.
This year, the theme is “The Future We Want: What Older Persons Are Saying.” Ultimately, the goal of the day is to call attention to the need to ensure that aging is a part of the international development agenda.
Celebrating Seniors
On this day, it is a great idea to think about what today’s seniors need. The United Nations invites individuals to vote on the issues that are most important at www.myword2015.org.
In addition to giving important feedback to this international organization, you can talk to your elderly loved one about any issues that may be bothering them. For instance, healthcare is an issue that is continually evolving and that could be improved for many populations. If this is a concern of your senior’s, take a look at their insurance plan and see if there are any ways in which you can improve their coverage based upon new policies and offerings. International Day of Older Persons is a wonderful time to celebrate your senior and really pay attention to what they need.
International Day of Older Persons: A Brief History
The International Day of Older Persons was created on December 14, 1990. On this day, the United Nations General Assembly created this holiday under resolution 45/106. Ultimately, the goal of the initiative is to bring greater awareness to the needs of elderly populations and to call attention to the unique challenges that this demographic faces.
The United Nations has a strong history of advocating for the needs of seniors, and the International Day of Older Persons is just one example of the effort that this organization has put into helping elderly individuals achieve a higher quality of life through awareness and diplomatic initiatives.
This year, the theme is “The Future We Want: What Older Persons Are Saying.” Ultimately, the goal of the day is to call attention to the need to ensure that aging is a part of the international development agenda.
Celebrating Seniors
On this day, it is a great idea to think about what today’s seniors need. The United Nations invites individuals to vote on the issues that are most important at www.myword2015.org.
In addition to giving important feedback to this international organization, you can talk to your elderly loved one about any issues that may be bothering them. For instance, healthcare is an issue that is continually evolving and that could be improved for many populations. If this is a concern of your senior’s, take a look at their insurance plan and see if there are any ways in which you can improve their coverage based upon new policies and offerings. International Day of Older Persons is a wonderful time to celebrate your senior and really pay attention to what they need.
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