The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced that veterans will no longer have to complete an annual Eligibility Verification Report or EVR.  Historically, this report was required in order to maintain Veteran's benefits. This elimination will allow more Veterans Aid & Attendance Benefits Newsthan 100 VA staff to focus on the compensation claims backlog.
  In lieu of requiring the report,  VA staff will now work with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Social Security Administration, essentially establishing a partnership between the two agencies.  This will allow them to verify continued eligibility for pension benefits.  The current backlog of benefits claims is nearly 900,000 applicants. Any moves taken towards reducing that backlog is a step in the right direction.

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.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

Reducing Dementia Risks, Part II

In our first installment of this two part series, we discussed 3 tips on how to reduce the risk of developing dementia.  This installment continues on that topic with 3 additional tips:
4. Alcohol in moderation
You knew this one was going to pop up, didn’t you?  There are a host of dangers associated with drinking too much, and dementia can be added to the risks. Surprisingly, alcohol abuse is the second leading cause of adult dementia in Western countries! Men consuming six drinks daily and women who have four drinks daily place themselves at a higher risk of developing dementia.
5. Spend More Time with Friends and Reduce Stress
An active social life is linked to longevity, happiness,and good health, but it also associated with a lower risk of developing dementia. Experts are not clear about the reason for this, but there appear to be definite benefits!  And, it’s fun.
6. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep and dreams have been fascinating research topics for years. While much is understood about sleep, much of it remains a mystery.  For instance, we still don’t have a concrete answer as to what dreams really are. We do have a pretty good picture of what happens to people who don’t get enough sleep though. In the short term, sleep deprivation can change your mood, decrease reaction time, and make you more prone to simple mistakes.  Going without sleep for 24 hours or more can lead to hallucinations and other signs of mental distress. Even modest disruptions to sleep cycles could be linked to Alzheimer’s.  Studies have shown that when older people sleep poorly, it can prevent them from “storing” memories and lead to dementia symptoms.  Bottom line, get some rest.

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.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!

Reducing Dementia Risks, Part I

Anyone who has witnessed someone deal with Alzheimer’s disease knows how cruel it can be. Although it can strike anyone and there isn’t a cure,  there are steps one can take to minimize the odds of developing the disease. There are factors under our control that are linked to a higher likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. By looking at published research, we can adopt healthy lifestyle changes that may decrease our chances of developing dementia. Simultaneously, we are also improving the quality of our lives. There is always contradictory advice available about diet and lifestyle.  For instance, we see articles that proclaim eggs should be avoided because they cause heart disease. You can also read that eggs are the greatest food since vegetables because they contain all 20 protoeogenic amino acids. It can be hard to make sense of it all, but one shouldn’t tune out entirely.

Let’s look at some easy steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s or at least help you live a healthier life.
1. Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
The leading cause of death in America is heart disease. However, risk factors such as smoking and eating a high-fat diet are under an individual’s control. A heart-healthy lifestyle also lowers your risk of developing memory loss, particularly vascular dementia. Research suggests that vascular dementia can be caused by high blood pressure and heart disease. With that in mind, here’s the first advice:
Exercise regularly
Eat a healthy diet (low fat, low sugar, lots of vegetables)
Don’t smoke
Simple enough, but it’s not always easy. It is hard to break longstanding habits, and our hectic lives often aren’t conducive to healthy eating and exercise. Knowing this, try to incorporate increased activity into your daily routine. Take a walk at lunch and use the stairs instead of elevators. Simply parking at the rear of a parking lot is a great way to squeeze in more walking. And stay away from the couch & TV.
2. Use Your Brain
Research has shown that higher education levels are linked to decreased risk of cognitive decline.  This doesn’t mean you have to return to college!  Reading, puzzles, crafts, etc., activities that make you think help to exercise the brain.
3. Head Protection
The Alzheimer’s Association is very clear here: “There is a strong link between future risk of Alzheimer’s and serious head trauma, especially when injury involves loss of consciousness.” While you may not be involved in contact sports, that doesn’t remove all possibilities of injury. To minimize head injury risk, always wear a seat belt in a car and a helmet when cycling. Falls are also a cause of head injuries. If you or a loved one have limited mobility or vision problems, take extra precautions that assure the home is without fall-hazards.
To be continued in Part II.
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.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!