Category: Health and Safety
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Medicare 101
Many of us – especially if we’ve been paying high premiums for insurance – look forward to the time when we are eligible for Medicare. Getting enrolled, understanding what’s covered and what’s not, and choosing between original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan can be a bit confusing, however. Here are some basics to get…
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Medicare Open Enrollment
If you are enrolled in Medicare, your annual opportunity to make changes to your coverage is between October 15 and December 7 this year. Changes will be effective January 1, 2019. During this period, you can choose to: · Keep everything the same, in which case you do not need to do anything · Switch…
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Clear Your Clutter – the Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning
Let’s face it. We Americans are up to our eyeballs in stuff. I heard a statistic recently that 1 in 7 of us has at least one room in the house filled with stuff we never use. And, according to the Department of Energy, 25% of people with two-car garages have no room in the…
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New Medicare Cards Coming!
To better protect seniors from medical identity theft, the Social Security Administration will be issuing new Medicare cards – without the Social Security number – to all Medicare beneficiaries starting in April. The Social Security number will be replaced by a Medicare number, unique to each beneficiary, and used only for Medicare coverage. If you…
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When It’s Time for a Home Care Provider
You’ve had “the conversation” with your aging parents and they’ve made it very clear that they want to age in place. As time goes by, however, you notice that they’re having increasing difficulty with some basic activities – meal preparation, remembering to take their medication, or housecleaning, for example. You want to honor their desire…
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Memory Loss: Normal Aging or Dementia?
“You know what they say, the memory’s the first thing to go.” How often has a friend jokingly said that to you when you can’t remember the name of an actor, or have forgotten something (again) at home? The thing is, memory is often one of the first things to falter as we age. But…
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Starting “The Conversation” with Your Aging Parents
If you were visiting your aging parents over the holidays and took my advice about checking for health and safety issues, the next natural step is to have “the conversation.” The content of that conversation will differ based on what you found, and your parents’ situation, but there’s a general consensus among adult children that…
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Visiting Aging Parents for the Holidays? Look for These Signs of Concern
The holidays are a wonderful time to catch up with family and friends, and celebrate the season together. They are also an opportune time to do a loving check up on your aging family members. If you are only able to see your parents once or twice a year, you are in a good position…
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Home Safety for your Aging Parents
AARP reports that most people want to stay in their own home as they age. The challenge for their adult children, however, is honoring that wish while ensuring the safety and well-being of their loved ones. The elderly are particularly vulnerable to injury from accidents at home. According to the Center for Disease Control, one…
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Home for the Holidays? Signs of Concern?
The holidays are a great time to do a loving “check up” on your aging parents or relatives to identify areas of their life where they may need some help. If you are only able to see these folks a few times a year, you may actually be in a better position to notice subtle…
Love & Order 