Proposed Changes to the VA’s Home Aid And Attendance Program

Posted on March 9, 2015August 28, 2015 by admin

The VA is proposing changes to the Aid and Attendance program. It is an attempt to streamline the system to award it faster while preventing those without economic or physical need from receiving it.

In January of this year, the Department of Veteran Affairs made some suggested changes to programs that it offers to veterans in need, including the Aid and Attendance program.

You can find the proposed changes in their entirety here. The changes come because of a 2012 report issued by the GAO.

Reasons for the change:

Pension Used By Those Not In Need Financially or Physically: The VA had concerns that veterans and others were attempting to hide assets in order to gain access to the programs that were meant for needs-based veterans and their surviving spouses. Also, they felt that people were using the pension who did not really need it as they do not need care in the home.
Excessive Care Costs: The VA desired to put a cap on the amount per hour that care companies charge for home care standards to come more in line with industry standards.
Slow Response Time For Help: The VA realized that the speed at which they were able to award the pension was hindered by the complexity of the current application process, both to the VA and to those applying for the program. They feel the new regulations will allow the VA to award the pension in a more timely manner.

Proposed Changes:

Establish a 3-year look-back for claimants to see if they are trying to hide assets through “gifts.”
Deny any expenses related to independent living facilities as care costs UNLESS the veteran and/or spouse requires assistance with two or more activities of daily living (eating, bathing, getting dressed, etc).
Impose penalties for up to 10 years for claimants who transfer assets before applying for pension to create the appearance of economic need where it does not exist
Create a bright-line net worth standard of $119,220, which includes annual income (not including their residence – the goal is to streamline the process so qualified veterans and their spouses can get the award faster)
Require veterans to sell their homestead property if the lot coverage exceeds 2 acres.
Create a maximum amount that care companies can charge per hour for services.

We at 1 Assist Care have seen veterans and their spouses struggle as they have had to wait for approval for a program. Anything the VA can do to speed up the process, we are highly in favor of.

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Alzheimer’s in East Idaho: A Slight Breakthrough?

Posted on March 12, 2014February 25, 2015 by admin

With Alzheimer’s Disease being the sixth leading cause of death (1) in the United States – with the statistics only getting worse, any signs of a breakthrough are a great thing.

This week, a team from Georgetown University may have done just that.

The team have found a blood test that just might help with detecting Alzheimer’s disease up to three years before the onset of symptoms.

While, there is still no cure for the disease, this may help individuals and families prepare to cope with the disease and may help with research. Also, the test is only 90% accurate in its current form – meaning that up to one in ten people could be wrongly diagnosed. But more tests are coming.

There is Help
Alzheimer’s does not just impact the individual diagnosed. In Idaho alone, there are 76,000 family members (2) caring for someone afflicted with the disease. The emotional toll is difficult. One in three residents in assisted living in Idaho are suffering from Alzheimer’s (3).

The Alzheimer’s Association offers support groups to families and friends providing care to those inflicted with the disease as well as support groups for those at the early stages of the disease.

The toll is also economic in nature. These are unpaid caregivers, whose care is 87 million hours of care (4). When monetized, that equals $1 billion a year (5). That is a B. And that is just in Idaho alone. Those are also hours that are not spent at work. No wonder scholars are calling this an economic crisis.

The numbers should be sobering, but with the knowledge, researchers can continue to work towards a cure.

The Numbers May Be Worse
On the other side of knowing is denial or misinformation.

A reports has also just come out in the journal Neurology that suggests that Alzheimer’s is often under-reported as a cause of death. It may even contribute to nearly as many deaths as heart disease or cancer. According to the study author, there were “approximately 503,400 deaths from Alzheimer’s in the U.S. in people over the age of 75 in 2010 (6). This is five to six times higher than the 83,494 number reported by the CDC based on death certificates.”

Why the error? Because death certificates often do not list multiple reasons for death.

Remember, There is Help
If you are afflicted with or care for someone afflicted with Alzheimer’s, there is support. The Alzheimer’s Association was in Idaho Falls last week training elderly specialists and working hard to start support groups to help people in Idaho Falls, Rexburg, Rigby, Ashton, Driggs and beyond.

These are support groups for both those suffering from the disease or those caring for someone with Alzheimer’s.

If you are interested in a support group or are needing help caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, fill out your information below.

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How To Talk To A Parent About Assisted Living

Posted on February 25, 2014February 25, 2015 by admin

Life is full of stages. From birth to college to marriage to children to empty nesting.

Often these are the stages we look forward to.

There comes a time in most of our lives when we are going to enter another stage of life – that of needing long term care. There is nothing to be ashamed of – 70% of people will need long term care in their life. That would be most of us. But for some, the discussion can be a difficult one. Whether it is difficult as a child of an elderly parent to bring up the topic, or it is difficult as a parent to hear your children or others ask the question.

However, if you simply postpone having the discussion until an emergency occurs, then your choices are often far less as you have less time to make them. The best time to have these discussions is today, no matter the health of your loved one or the age.

Here are a list of items to consider when planning the discussion.

The facts
Your parent is not alone in receiving assisted living care in their home. And receiving care can be a great boost to their health. Consider the following:

Seniors who receive home visits are twice as healthy after two years as those who do not
According to research by a Brown University professor, elders who receive care services such as meals are less likely to later be admitted to a nursing home
Over 1.5 million seniors receive assisted living care in the home
70% of people will need long term care in their life
Over 90% of seniors want to live in their home for the rest of their lives. And they can.
Elderly care has changed dramatically over the past two decades – There are many more technologies than “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” and there are many more choices than simply being put into a nursing home.
As long as they are able, they will have a significant say in the care that they receive in their home

Multiple conversations are often better than one
This does not have to be “The Talk.” If you can make it a series of conversations, it can be less traumatic. And some of those conversations can be brief. Questions like “Dad, how is it living at home since Mom died?” allow him to explain how he feels about his surroundings and living alone. Other questions include:

I hear Mrs. Smith is getting help with her housework. How does she like that?
When you told me you fell last moth, I was really scared for a week. Is there anything we can do to help when I live so far away?

The more you talk with your loved one, the more you will understand their desires and will be able to craft the best “assisted living in the home” plan for them.

Make no assumptions
Your loved one just might agree with you but was unsure how to ask for help. Or they might not see a problem in the way that seems so obvious to others – this is not necessarily denial.

Focus on their quality of life and independence
You all want her independence. It is a great place to remember you have common ground.

Go somewhere that they are comfortable – with as many family members as possible
When coming to a point when final decisions are being made and final discussions are being had, be somewhere that your loved one feels at home. In their home is best. If there are family members cannot be there in person, schedule a conference call. Skype and Google Hangouts allow for video conferences for free.

Go in with a listening ear rather than a knowledgeable mouth
Often Seniors have insight that we may not have. And most of us struggle when we feel that someone thinks they know more about our situation than we do. Listening changes hearts. When they express their feelings or thoughts, do not be afraid to follow up with, “I want to make sure I understand” and then restate what they said. Then affirm it.

Put yourself in their shoes
Talk to them in the same loving, respectful manner that you would want your children to talk to you. Understand that this might be hard for them.

Own your feelings rather than your loved one’s “problems”
Use phrases like, “I get so worried” or “I am so concerned when I see….” Those types of phrases tend to be much more effective than “You need to” or “We have decided that it best that….”

Give them information and options
The more they feel that they are part of finding the solution, the more likely they are to welcome it.

Do not express to your loved one that what you are doing compares to what they did for you when you were a child
Your loved one does not want to be viewed in that manner. And it does not indicate independence, your common ground. As an adult who has lived a full life, they would hope to be respected and honored.

Keep calm – even if they do not
If you fail to remain calm, the conversation could have very negative effects on relationships – and potentially the health of the one you are trying to help – for a long time.

A Defensive Loved One
Sometimes no matter how hard we try, the conversation goes in the wrong direction. It is important at that point to bring the conversation back to your feelings, both your own feelings and the feelings you have for your loved one.

A fantastic question to ask is, “Mom, if you knew I needed help, but refused to take it, how would that make you feel?” Then follow up with “How would you feel if I let you send someone to take care of me?” Using this kind of a question shifts the conversation from a battle of the wills to one focused more on the care and tender feelings that you have for one another. Generally, she will say something along the lines of

She just might say “I would be supportive.” Affirm that by saying “Oh Mom, you are wonderful. You have been so supportive in our life.” Then clarify further with two questions:

“That is what you would do, is to be supportive, but how would you feel deep inside?”
“As you think about our lives, what has brought you the greatest joy? When you have supported us in decisions that have made our lives easier or those that made life more difficult?”

A Defensive Loved One – Part 2
If the conversation still continues down a different direction than you would like, invite them to join other seniors from Idaho Falls to Driggs at a monthly meeting hosted by 1 Assist Care of the Valley where seniors have the chance to discuss ways they have been able to age with grace and dignity.

When you are ready to take the next step of finding the right person to come into your loved one’s life, give us a call at 208-557-4215 and we will work with you to create an atmosphere where your loved one will be able to enjoy the independence you all desire with the assisted living care services in the home that you all love.

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Two Simple Secrets Seniors Can Do To Be Twice As Healthy

Posted on February 24, 2014February 25, 2015 by admin

Want to be twice as healthy as others your age?

Sweden has your answer*.

A study out from the Scandinavian country found that people aged 80 and older that did one of two things were twice as healthy as those their age in two years.

That is a lot of twos.

But what are those two things? They were:

Receive home visits from care workers
Attend senior group meetings

The other positive outcome of those who participated in the group meetings was that after a year they were less likely to rate their health as having deteriorated.

The results “amazed” Gerontologist Gwen Yeo, a former director of the Stanford School of Medicine Geriatric Education Center.

As seniors attended group meetings, they learned from their peers, which boosted their self esteem – as did seeing how others were able to age gracefully.

While Yeo said she did not see American health system providing these types of meetings, starting in April, 2014, 1 Assist Care of the Valley Senior Care: Assisted Living At Home In East Idaho will partner with Phoenix Media Enterprises of Rexburg and others to provide monthly group sessions for seniors and their families to gather together. The meetings will be two fold. First, to learn from other seniors and their support network on how to age gracefully. The second will be to learn from experts on how to prepare for and to know the options available to them when aging.

Essentially, these will be the types of meetings that the Swedish study has shown to help the health of the elderly.

Seniors that are less comfortable or unable to attend group meetings also have the option of using 1 Assist Care of the Valley to receive home visits and receive the same kind of care in their home as they would in an assisted living facility. 1 Assist Care of the Valley Senior Care of Rexburg sends caregivers into the homes of seniors living in Idaho Falls, Rexburg, Ashton, Driggs and between.

Yeo pointed out that home visits are becoming more commonplace in the U.S. as hospitals are working more closely with families to reduce trips to the emergency room and to reduce readmission rates, which hospitals can be penalized for.

Swedes live on average two years longer than those living in the United States. When it comes to life expectancy, the U.S. ranks 35th in the world while Sweden ranks tenth. Sweden’s elderly also have access to meals on wheels, help cleaning and shopping, personal-care assistance, transportation and home healthcare.

To find out more about assisted living care you can receive at home or about the monthly meetings starting in April, fill out your information below. Or you can call us at 557-4215.

* This information was originally reported by the Chicago Tribune.

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More Dangerous than Obesity For Seniors

Posted on February 20, 2014February 25, 2015 by admin

43% of seniors suffer from the ailment that is twice as deadly as obesity.
Overcoming it is not as hard as you think.

A recent study suggests that loneliness is twice as dangerous to the elderly as obesity is. In this article 1 Assist Care of the Valley discusses how to help either yourself or your loved one overcome it.

A recent study has been completed – and its findings are worrisome, especially when you consider that 43% of seniors suffer from what the study warns us of.

According to a University of Chicago Professor, John Cacioppo, feelings of loneliness can cause premature death in seniors by 14%. That is twice the risk of obesity.

He went on to explain that the effects are quite dramatic in that they:

Disrupt sleep
Elevate blood pressure
Increase levels of the hormone cortisol – which can lower immunity levels, slows the body’s ability to heal from wounds, and impairs cognitive performance
Increase depression
Lower overall subjective well-being

So what does that mean for your parent – or even yourself?

Traditional Options

Does that mean that retirement cannot be enjoyed the way that was envisioned? Absolutely not. Retirement can bring an added sense of drive to do those things that were difficult to do earlier, be that traveling or gardening or family history work, and so on.

Does that mean that the best choice is to put them into an assisted living home in Idaho Falls or in Rigby where they are certain to be surrounded by people?

For some, that is a great choice. When you consider the average employee to resident ratio at such homes is 10 to 1, and most residents spend much of their time alone in their own rooms, that may not be the best option either.

So what to do? – The solution is simple.

Professor Cacioppo suggests staying in the social circle that they have spent the past decades developing.

What better place than in the home where:

Family can visit in a warm place
They are surrounded by the neighbors that they became friends with
They can go to church and serve in new ways and in ways that they know
They can look forward to coming back to when they travel
They can continue to beautify inside and out

But living alone can be dangerous! I mean, if your loved one lives in Driggs or St. Anthony, that is so isolated.

Not so much anymore. With technologies like smart homes, electronic response systems, and Skype, family and professionals can know they are safe.

But I live far away or simply cannot spend the time with my loved one the way that they need! They cannot even remember what they had for breakfast, so I am not sure if they are even eating.

1 Assist Care of the Valley Senior Care in Rexburg helps to overcome these concerns. By sending caregivers to the home, there is the one on one interaction that helps to overcome loneliness – and they help with those tasks that make a house a home. Whether that is preparing a meal and eating with them, or reminding them to take the correct medication, or exercising with them, or gardening with them, or taking them places. You can know that your loved one is safe and taken care of.

We will even keep you informed with what we have done every day and how it went.

And if 43% of seniors are suffering from loneliness, there is a pretty good chance your loved one just might need it.

To schedule a free home visit with us or to discuss some options for a senior you care about, give us a call at 208-557-4215, or fill out your information below and we will be in touch with you.

If your loved one is a veteran or the spouse of a veteran, be sure to ask about our program that can provide financial assistance for these types of services.

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Your Mother’s Greatest Fear About Aging – And What She Loves

Posted on February 1, 2014February 25, 2015 by admin

1 Assist Care of the Valley sponsors free monthly educational sessions in East Idaho to prepare families and individuals for aging in graceful and happy ways.

You know your parents. You know them well. Age changes people. And that is not a bad thing. With age comes wisdom, experience, and a beauty only the elderly can claim. But things happen to the body and the mind as we age. Here are four statistics you may not know about the elderly.

<img class=” ” alt=”Elderly woman climbing a wall with the text ” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LiX01VmZvD8/UYf-6RyNH7I/AAAAAAAAHLU/dIW-WRUmrbM/s1600/Sorry-Grandma-No-Bingo-Today-Funny-Old-Lady-In-RussSe Financial</a>, is that they are going to be a burden on you. Yeah, they are more concerned with putting you out than they are worried about death. Talking about what is in store for the future does not have to be gloomy or depressing. The time will come when age will impact your family’s life. Wouldn’t you rather face that time prepared with a plan that you have all discussed and understand what everyone is to do – and what the desires of both your parent and yourself are?

3. Your loved ones may not know what is coming
According to that same report by GenWorth, 49% of those who receiving long term care had not even considered the possibility that they might even need long term care. That represents almost half of those receiving care.

4. You may not know what is coming
This is probably the most surprising, as it represents well over half of those who were providing support to their loved one. Of those providing support, 57% had to dip into their own retirement funds or personal savings to take care of their parents. What does that mean? It means that not only did their loved ones not plan for or realize what was coming, but neither did the family member providing the support.

Conclusion – Be Prepared Now
Does that mean retirement does not have to look like what you hope it looks like? Absolutely not. Go and travel the way that you want. Let your loved one do the same. Read the books that you all want to read. But in order to make that happen, you need to sit down and plan. Understand the reality of what may come and prepare for it. There are options out there to help you prepare for the unexpected – and expected. The time to start is today. As in now. Schedule some time as a family. You will all pat yourselves on the back later for making the right choice now.

<a href=”www.valleyhelpathome.com”><img alt=”Picture of a frustrated woman – the greatest concern for the elderly is being a burden on their children.” src=”http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2013/05/11/1226639/918334-frustrated-woman.jpg” width=”312″ height=”176″ /></a> Your mother’s greatest concern about aging? That this is how your are going to feel about making sure she is taken care of as she ages.

To find out more about this and other topics to prepare your family for aging, fill out the form below and we will update you on the free monthly informational sessions. <a title=”Our Services” href=”http://www.valleyhelpathome.com/our-services-east-idaho-teton-jackson-hole-in-home-care/” target=”_blank”>1 Assist Care of the Valley</a> also provides assisted living services to seniors who desire to stay in the comfort of their own home throughout East Idaho. To find out more, fill out the form below and we will reach out to you.

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