Quality of Death: Inside Out Documentaries

Last night I was listening to NPR in my car and they had a really interesting piece on Hospice and Palliative Care. It seems this is a series ....a radio documentary if you will. Here is the LINK to the program. The website is very interesting. It gives a map of state ratings for hospice and palliative care. Massachusetts got a C. NH and Maine got an A. I will have to delve further to understand why this is....

The segment that I listened to spoke about the irony that a man had to choose whether to stay in long term care to die, or go home with hospice care BUT he would need private services as well. He could not afford to have private services, so he had to go to long term care. Medicare will not pay for long term care "rehab" and hospice, so it was an either/or situation. This is really tough, as he would have benefited from hospice services. Really interesting discussion....

Understanding Memory Loss in Marblehead, Massachusetts

Understanding Memory Loss

What is memory loss?

Memory loss is something we all experience in life. We forget familiar names, we cannot remember where we left our wallets and purses the previous evening, and we can’t remember everything needed at the grocery store without having a list. This type of memory loss is perfectly normal and as we age, such mild forgetfulness may start happening more and more.

Continue reading HERE. Visit us at www.rightathomemass.net if you need help for an aging loved one in the Marblehead MA area.

Prepare for the Care of Aging Parents in Marblehead, Massachusetts

Here is a great article for anyone who is starting to prepare for the future care of aging parents and loved one. Visit us at www.rightathomemass.net if you need help in the Marblehead MA area.

Baby Boomers and Aging Parents - Six Tips to Prepare For Their Care

By Katie B. Marsh

Although there is some debate over the exact age range of the Baby Boom generation, the US Census Bureau identifies most Boomers as those who were born between the years 1956 to 1965. In any case, whether you were born within that time frame or fairly close to it, chances are you are beginning to deal with end-of-life issues regarding your elderly parents. Your many considerations run the gamut from the practical to the spiritual and everything in between. So, where do you begin?

Caregivers. Imagine if we ended our lives as babies, completely dependent on a caregiver tending to all of our needs: loving us, feeding us, changing our diapers. Imagine now that we are not as cute as little babies but still have the same need to be cared for gently with love and respect. Who would you want to take care of you in this situation? Who do your parents want to care for them? This question should be posed directly to your parents. Don't assume you know the answer. What they may have said 10 to 15 years ago may not still hold true today as they are closer to facing their mortality.

Finances. As we know, in our society it's considered impolite to ask someone about their finances. Many adult children hesitate to inquire about the exact state of their parents' finances for fear that their parents will think that the real questions is about potential future inheritance money. But it's extremely important to have an honest discussion about finances at this point in life. First of all, you need to know if your parents have long-term care insurance. This is the only type of insurance that pays for future assistance that may be needed in the performance of activities of daily living. And, as the name implies, it helps cover the cost of long-term care usually for an undetermined length of time. Long-term care insurance combined with your parents' net worth, any financial assistance from family, and personal preferences will all factor in to determining where and how your parents live out their final years.

Memoirs. The written word is a way for us to live on beyond this lifetime. Encourage your parents to share their unique stories on paper. My great grandfather actually typed his life story and had it bound in leather and embossed in gold leaf. My brother, sister, and I cherish it and each wish we had our own copy.

Legal Instruments. A living trust is a very important instrument for any family with assets to bequeath. Its main purpose is to avoid probate. Much of a family's estate can be lost through probate; setting up a living trust is a way to prevent such a loss. It is best to hire an attorney to set up a living trust tailored to your family's specific needs.

The next consideration is to find out to whom your parents have given or intended to give power of attorney. Power of attorney assigns power to an individual to act on your behalf to handle all of your legal and business matters in the event that you are unable to do this for yourself.

Lastly, an advance directive is a legal instrument prepared in advance by an individual. It gives health care instructions to your care providers in the event you are unable to conduct such matters on your own. A living will, power of attorney, health care proxy, and Five Wishes are all forms of an advance directive.

Possessions. A Last Will and Testament is the instrument to be prepared by your parents to assign care for their dependents, if any. This can include pets as well. Also, this is the legal mechanism through which they can identify one or more persons to manage their estate and provide instructions for the distribution of their personal possessions. This includes everything from real estate and expensive jewelry to the simplest sentimental items. Funeral and burial instructions can also be outlined here. Although this is a legal document, completing one can give great comfort to your parents, giving them control and certainty over one aspect of their lives.

Final Messages. Encourage your parents to write letters to each of their children if they feel comfortable doing so. Some families even make audio or video recordings of their elders. It can be about anything - a full life story, funny anecdotes, family stories, or loving good-byes to each of their children. My husband's grandmother came to this country from Armenia and she recounted her tumultuous life on CD. He cherishes it and plans to share it with our children when they are older.

Your parents are entering a time of life where many people feel particularly vulnerable. This can be especially difficult for parents who are used to being in charge and may not be comfortable at all with the reversal of roles. Please keep that in mind as you gather information from them and help them create a plan for the future. If done tactfully and respectfully, this time of life can bring you closer to your parents than ever before.

Katie B. Marsh is co-author of The Birth of Dying: A Sensitive Workbook to Help You Broach and Explore End-of-Life Issues with Your Terminally Ill or Elderly Loved One http://BooksForSharing.com/

(c) Copyright - Katie B. Marsh. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katie_B._Marsh

Senior Fraud Prevention in Marblehead, Massachusetts

Senior Fraud Prevention

“Seniors can make easy targets for fraud, whether it’s for unbelievable investment returns or fraudulent sweepstakes prizes. Fraud on seniors can happen by phone, mail, in person, or, less commonly, the Internet (because seniors are online in smaller numbers). It can happen to wealthy seniors, and those of limited means. According to the Federal Trade Commission, studies show con artists are more likely to target senior citizens than other age groups because they believe seniors are more susceptible to such scams. The FTC reports that fraudulent telemarketers direct from 56 to 80 percent of their calls at seniors. The need for senior fraud prevention has become greater than ever.”

Follow this LINK to read the rest of this very informative article. If you have any questions or need help in the Marblehead MA area, visit www.rightathomemass.net.

Baby Boomer Generation Fears Memory Loss in Marblehead, Massachusetts

Baby Boomer Generation Fears Dementia, Alzheimer’s and Memory Loss

“The words dementia, Alzheimer’s and memory loss instills fear of aging in the retiring baby boomer generation. Scientific research now shows that the causes of memory loss can be prevented or delayed. The studies also confirm that memory loss is not a normal process of aging.”

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Visit us at www.rightathomemass.net with any questions, or if you need help for an aging loved one in the Marblehead MA area.

Safe Home Tips for Seniors to Prevent Accidents in Marblehead, Massachusetts

Here is a great article with easy tips for keeping our seniors safe at home. Visit www.rightathomemass.net if you need help for an aging loved one in the Marblehead MA area.

10 Easy Ways to Prevent Falls at Home

Safe home tips for seniors to prevent falls and accidents

By Gina Roberts-Grey

According to a new report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, about one in six Americans age 65 and older will suffer a fall in the next three months, with about a third of those people sustaining serious injuries, such as a broken hip. The critical takeaway point is that most of these falls are preventable.

About half of the tumbles that seniors experience occur in their homes. It only takes a few simple modifications and improvements to your home, however, to eliminate many of the common hazards that can cause such disabling, even fatal, falls. Armed with the pointers below, you (or a caregiver or family member), along with someone who's handy with a few power tools, can accomplish these safety modifications over the course of a weekend. These adjustments can make your home safer for not only an older person, but also for everyone who steps inside — especially grandchildren who often fail to watch where they're going!

Continue reading HERE.

The Causes of Elderly Stress in Salem, Massachusetts

Stress and the Elderly

Contrary to what we’ve been led to believe, senior living isn’t always the way it’s portrayed in glossy sales brochures and magazine advertisements. Rather than being a carefree period of life spent on the golf course and traveling around the world, for many of today’s seniors those “golden years” are incredibly stressful times.

What causes seniors so much stress? Change is a huge trigger for stress and seniors definitely experience plenty of change. It can be in the form of declining health, death of friends and loved ones, moving, a bad financial investment, and the list goes on. Here are some other reasons why senior living is stressful.

Continue reading here. Visit us at www.rightathomemass.net if you need help for an aging loved one in the Salem, MA area.