Medicaid getting harder to tap into...

Recently, families that hoped to use Medicaid for long term care expenses are facing tougher challenges.  Depending on where you live, some states are tougher than others.  In addition, the services you were counting on may have been eliminated or drastically scaled back in scope.

Medicaid, a jointly funded state and federal program intended for the poor, is now shouldering 40% of the country's long-term-care spending.  To be eligible for Medicaid in most states, you generally can have no more than $2,000 in cash and investments, along with a house and a car.  In 2006, a new federal law increased the "look back" period for most applicants to five years, which means the above requirements had to exist for five years prior to approval.

In an effort to address funding reduction, some states are now proposing Medicaid cuts to routine dental care in nursing homes, the elimination of adult day-health programs, and increasing the number of daily living activities that patients need help with to qualify.  With no real funding increases in sight, and more cuts likely, Medicaid-funded long-term care may not provide the options you had hoped for, if at all.

To learn more about the changes surrounding Medicaid (and Medicare), contact your local Council on Aging office.  You can find information on the offices near us by visiting our Online Resources Page and clicking on the county closest to you.

Home Helpers has been Making Life Easier for over a decade.  Call us today to see how we can help you!

Caring for Parents

Caring for an aging or ill parent can be emotionally as well as physically draining.  National Public Radio's 'Family Matters' series recently ran a very informative program on this topic, with interviews from people who have found themselves in the position of family caregiver.  The interviews are very poignant and offer good insight on dealing with the challenges of care-giving.   Click on the image of the player to listen to their report.  You'll get a lot of information in this brief documentary...

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.

Parkinson's Disease Awareness - Diet

Two new studies have confirmed that adherence to a particular type of diet may reduce odds of having Parkinson’s. Previous research suggested that a diet high in vegetables, whole grains, fruits and legumes along with moderately high levels of fish but low to moderate levels of dairy, meat and poultry — the so-called “Mediterranean-style diet” — is linked to a lower chance of developing Parkinson’s. However, these studies often focused on one specific food item or nutrient.  In the new studies, researchers from a Japanese consortium followed up on those findings to understand the impact of the total diet. They recruited groups of people with and without Parkinson’s, and used surveys to collect data on what people in each group ate.  Their findings:

• Both studies found that eating a Mediterranean-style diet is indeed associated with significantly reduced odds of developing Parkinson’s.

• The New York study found that, among people with Parkinson’s, those who did not follow the Mediterranean-style diet developed the disease earlier in life than those who did follow the diet.

• In the Japanese study, a diet that was characterized by a high intake of vegetables, seaweed, pulses, mushrooms, fruits and fish was inversely associated with the risk of PD with a border-line significance.

To learn more about diet and Parkinson’s disease, visit www.pdf.org.  Home Helpers has provided in home care and senior care for over a decade.  Call us at 704-909-7958, or visit our website if you have any questions.

April is Parkinson's Awareness Month

Did you know it’s estimated that there are nearly one million people in the United States living with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), and 4.1 million sufferers worldwide?  Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder that is chronic and progressive, meaning that symptoms continue and worsen over time. The cause is unknown, and although there is presently no cure, there are treatment options such as medication and surgery to manage symptoms.
Parkinson’s disease occurs when a group of brain cells that produce a chemical called dopamine begin to malfunction and die. Dopamine, which acts as a messenger, sends information to the parts of the brain that control movement and coordination.
When a person has Parkinson’s disease, their dopamine-producing cells begin to die and the amount of dopamine produced in the brain decreases. Messages from the brain telling the body how and when to move are therefore delivered more slowly, leaving a person incapable of initiating and controlling movements in a normal way.  Two common symptoms include shaking or tremors, and a shuffling walk.  Left untreated, these symptoms can significantly diminish a person’s quality of life and overall health.
To learn more about Parkinson’s disease and Parkinsons Awareness, visit The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, or call our office at 704-909-7958.

Planning Ahead

 We all like to put aside planninging ahead.  Finances, tough topics, or just the fact that we always like to think that everything is "fine" and nothing will happen causes us to procrastinate. 
 This seems to be especially true when the topic of planning for senior care comes up.  Assuming that all is well and no plans are needed is far from realistic.  In addition, the assumption that Medicare will see to all of our healthcare needs after retirement couldn't be farther from the truth.
 USAToday has put together a brief video that gives some quick advice and pointers on what should be considered.  Take a moment to view it.  It's worthwhile...


Home Helpers has been a premier provider of In Home Care and Senior Care services for over a decade.  Visit our website by clicking here, or call us today for more information at 704-909-7958.

Another reason to stop smoking...

Are you a smoker looking for a good reason to kick the habit?  Here’s one that you should consider.  Smoking in midlife is associated with a 157% increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s, and a 172% increase in the risk of developing vascular dementia. These findings were recently published by Kaiser Permanente in the Archives of Internal Medicine. This was one of the first studies to look at the long term health affects of heavy smoking on dementia.
This study is the latest in a series of published Kaiser Permanente research to better understand the modifiable risk factors for dementia. This ongoing body of research adds to evidence base that what is good for the heart is good for the brain, and that midlife is not too soon to begin preventing dementia with good health. View the video below for additional information…

The preceding information provided by Home Helpers of LKN & Central NC.  Making life easier for over a decade.  Visit our website for more information, or call us at 704-909-7958.