Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Seniors & Credit Cards - Family Advice

We were recently approached by someone who's parents credit card habits were creating grave concern.  The debt was piling up just from the interest, and they were at a loss as to anything that
could be done.  There are some steps you can take to help get the ball rolling in the right direction.  Let's look at a few of the most common:
1) Make sure your parent isn’t still using the cards so that they don't accrue additional debt.
2) Review every credit card to see if any other individuals besides your parents are associated with each account. If so, request that their names be removed from any applicable accounts if possible – this will help the other person(s) to retain or salvage their own credit rating.
3) Call each credit card company and request a settlement, which would allow your parents to repay less than what they currently owe, and to do so within a reasonable payment structure.
4) If you’re unable to reach a settlement, seek legal advice. Since your parents are in debt and likely cannot afford a lawyer, you can look for pro bono assistance.  Senior Centers and the local Council On Aging offices are a great place to start with this.
Open and frank discussions will be needed, but remember to not be harsh.  Credit card spending is a temptation that is easy to succumb to.
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 websiteFacebook and

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Seniors & Driving, A Great Video Documentary

  Make no mistake, everyone in the U.S. has a love affair with a car. Freedom, independence, and just the pure fun of driving envelopes our society.  If you think about it, it's likely that everyone you know can relate a fond story from their lives that includes a car, from that first kiss as a teenager to loading up the family for the big vacation.  The car is a part of who we are.

But, as we age, concerns about safety behind the wheel need to be recognized.  According to the National Highway Safety Administration, on newly licensed teenagers have a higher accident rate than seniors in the U.S.


Old People Driving from Doran Danoff on Vimeo.
The documentary Old People Driving, directed by Shaleece Haas, is a short film released in 2010 about, well, old people driving. The film explores the subject of elderly drivers by examining the lives of two men, Herbert Bauer, age 99, and the filmmaker’s grandfather, Milton Cavalli, age 96.
The film could be insightful for families with an older driver, as well for professionals working with such seniors. It turns the conversation away from stereotypes about crashing codgers, and powerfully humanizes the older drivers in a way that’s remarkable for a short film.

Although Old People Driving may be of special interest to those somehow involved with seniors, it was an enjoyable movie in its own right. It’s charming without being sappy and succeeded because the presence of two very interesting and likable characters.

If you think this may be a good tool to address the topic with a group, a DVD is available for purchase.  You can obtain the full DVD here.

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 websiteFacebook and

Make no mistake, everyone in the U.S. has a love affair with a car. Freedom, independence, and just the pure fun of driving envelopes our society.  If you think about it, it’s likely that everyone you know can relate a fond story from their lives that includes a car, from that first kiss as a teenager to loading up the family for the big vacation.  The car is a part of who we are.
But, as we age, concerns about safety behind the wheel need to be recognized.  According to the National Highway Safety Administration, on newly licensed teenagers have a higher accident rate than seniors in the U.S.
The documentary Old People Driving, directed by Shaleece Haas, is a short film released in 2010 about, well, old people driving. The film explores the subject of elderly drivers by examining the lives of two men, Herbert Bauer, age 99, and the filmmaker’s grandfather, Milton Cavalli, age 96.
The film could be insightful for families with an older driver, as well for professionals working with such seniors. It turns the conversation away from stereotypes about crashing codgers, and powerfully humanizes the older drivers in a way that’s remarkable for a short film. Although Old People Driving may be of special interest to those somehow involved with seniors, it was an enjoyable movie in its own right. It’s charming without being sappy and succeeded because the presence of two very interesting and likable characters.
You can watch the movie below. If you think this may be a good tool to address the topic with a group, a DVD is available for purchase.  You can obtain the full DVD here.
- See more at: http://homecarehuntersvillenc.com/blog/#sthash.lrPpYUmX.dpuf
Make no mistake, everyone in the U.S. has a love affair with a car. Freedom, independence, and just the pure fun of driving envelopes our society.  If you think about it, it’s likely that everyone you know can relate a fond story from their lives that includes a car, from that first kiss as a teenager to loading up the family for the big vacation.  The car is a part of who we are.
But, as we age, concerns about safety behind the wheel need to be recognized.  According to the National Highway Safety Administration, on newly licensed teenagers have a higher accident rate than seniors in the U.S.
The documentary Old People Driving, directed by Shaleece Haas, is a short film released in 2010 about, well, old people driving. The film explores the subject of elderly drivers by examining the lives of two men, Herbert Bauer, age 99, and the filmmaker’s grandfather, Milton Cavalli, age 96.
The film could be insightful for families with an older driver, as well for professionals working with such seniors. It turns the conversation away from stereotypes about crashing codgers, and powerfully humanizes the older drivers in a way that’s remarkable for a short film. Although Old People Driving may be of special interest to those somehow involved with seniors, it was an enjoyable movie in its own right. It’s charming without being sappy and succeeded because the presence of two very interesting and likable characters.
You can watch the movie below. If you think this may be a good tool to address the topic with a group, a DVD is available for purchase.  You can obtain the full DVD here.
- See more at: http://homecarehuntersvillenc.com/blog/#sthash.lrPpYUmX.dpuf
Make no mistake, everyone in the U.S. has a love affair with a car. Freedom, independence, and just the pure fun of driving envelopes our society.  If you think about it, it’s likely that everyone you know can relate a fond story from their lives that includes a car, from that first kiss as a teenager to loading up the family for the big vacation.  The car is a part of who we are.
But, as we age, concerns about safety behind the wheel need to be recognized.  According to the National Highway Safety Administration, on newly licensed teenagers have a higher accident rate than seniors in the U.S.
The documentary Old People Driving, directed by Shaleece Haas, is a short film released in 2010 about, well, old people driving. The film explores the subject of elderly drivers by examining the lives of two men, Herbert Bauer, age 99, and the filmmaker’s grandfather, Milton Cavalli, age 96.
The film could be insightful for families with an older driver, as well for professionals working with such seniors. It turns the conversation away from stereotypes about crashing codgers, and powerfully humanizes the older drivers in a way that’s remarkable for a short film. Although Old People Driving may be of special interest to those somehow involved with seniors, it was an enjoyable movie in its own right. It’s charming without being sappy and succeeded because the presence of two very interesting and likable characters.
You can watch the movie below. If you think this may be a good tool to address the topic with a group, a DVD is available for purchase.  You can obtain the full DVD here.
- See more at: http://homecarehuntersvillenc.com/blog/#sthash.lrPpYUmX.dpuf
Make no mistake, everyone in the U.S. has a love affair with a car. Freedom, independence, and just the pure fun of driving envelopes our society.  If you think about it, it’s likely that everyone you know can relate a fond story from their lives that includes a car, from that first kiss as a teenager to loading up the family for the big vacation.  The car is a part of who we are.
But, as we age, concerns about safety behind the wheel need to be recognized.  According to the National Highway Safety Administration, on newly licensed teenagers have a higher accident rate than seniors in the U.S.
The documentary Old People Driving, directed by Shaleece Haas, is a short film released in 2010 about, well, old people driving. The film explores the subject of elderly drivers by examining the lives of two men, Herbert Bauer, age 99, and the filmmaker’s grandfather, Milton Cavalli, age 96.
The film could be insightful for families with an older driver, as well for professionals working with such seniors. It turns the conversation away from stereotypes about crashing codgers, and powerfully humanizes the older drivers in a way that’s remarkable for a short film. Although Old People Driving may be of special interest to those somehow involved with seniors, it was an enjoyable movie in its own right. It’s charming without being sappy and succeeded because the presence of two very interesting and likable characters.
You can watch the movie below. If you think this may be a good tool to address the topic with a group, a DVD is available for purchase.  You can obtain the full DVD here.
- See more at: http://homecarehuntersvillenc.com/blog/#sthash.lrPpYUmX.dpuf

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, June 15th

We are usually taught to respect our elders, for they have spent their lives caring for us and contributing to community, our elders deserve the utmost care and appreciation. Unfortunately, seniors continue to be victims of abuse, neglect and exploitation. The most recent statistics are disturbing, and sad:

Elderly Abuse Statistics Data
Number of elder abuse cases in 2010                  5,961,568
Percent of elder population abused in 2010              9.5 %
the society in which we live today. As valued members of our
Breakdown of Reported Elder Abuse Cases
Neglect                                       58.5 %
Physical Abuse                          15.7 %
Financial Exploitation                 12.3 %
Emotional Abuse                         7.3 %
Sexual Abuse                              0.04 %
All other types                              5.1 %
Unknown                                     0.06 %
The well-being of the elderly must be brought to the forefront of societal concerns. Their health, safety and rights must be protected, and they should be treated the same way we would hope to be treated ourselves.
June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. We all have opportunities to reach out to our families, friends, neighbors, and places of employment and worship. This June, take a stand against elder abuse! Awareness of the problem is a powerful tool.

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 websiteFacebook and Google+!