Category Archives: Caregiving – General

Aid and Attendance Benefit from the VA

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Aid and Attendance Benefit from the VA

This blog post in the New Old Age section of the New York Times focuses on a veterans’ benefit called Aid and Attendance.  You can read general info on the A&A benefit on the VA website here:

www.benefits.va.gov/pension/aid_attendance_housebound.asp

According to this blog post, the A&A benefit “is worth as much as $2,019 monthly for a veteran and spouse, and up to $1,094 for the widow of a veteran.”  But, it can take up to 18 months to receive word from the VA as to whether someone is approved for the benefit!

There are two resources mentioned in this article:

#1  veteranaid.org, a nonprofit group.

#2  veterans service officers.  The author notes:  “V.A. policy… prohibits veterans from paying a lawyer or other consultant to help with the complicated and confusing paperwork — even if the help comes from other veterans or individuals accredited by the V.A. Consequently, many veterans depend on veterans service officers, the well-intentioned volunteers and employees of nongovernmental organizations trying to help veterans navigate the V.A. bureaucracy.  But insufficient training regarding A&A is common among these officers.”

The blog post mentions some ins-and-outs of applying:

* “Even if A&A has been approved for both members of a couple, for example, the V.A. cancels the entire pension benefit when the veteran dies. To reclaim it, the surviving widow or widower has to start over, filling out forms and sending the same documents the V.A. already has.”

* “If a veteran or spouse dies before receiving the benefit, the family gets a condolence letter saying, ‘Your case is now closed.’ That letter may arrive within days of the death. … If relatives can prove that the application would have been approved, they qualify to be reimbursed for any expenses for care since the time of applying for the benefit.”(The form can be found here: Application for Accrued Amounts Due a Deceased Beneficiary – www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-601-ARE.pdf)

Here’s a link to the May 2013 post:

newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/the-long-and-unacceptable-wait-for-a-veterans-benefit/#more-15267

The ‘Long and Unacceptable’ Wait for a Veterans’ Benefit
The New York Times
By Susan Seliger
May 15, 2013, 6:00 am

And here’s a link to the September 2012 post in the NYT about the A&A benefit:

newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/few-know-of-benefit-to-help-aging-veterans/

A Little-Known Benefit for Aging Veterans
The New York Times
By Susan Seliger
September 19, 2012 6:42 am

Sounds like a great benefit for those who can persevere through the application process!

Robin

Anti-constipation recipes (from MSA support group)

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Vera James, one of the moderators of the ShyDrager Yahoo!Group, has compiled a list of “constipation recipes” over the years. (Shy-Drager Syndrome is the old name for multiple system atrophy, MSA.) She re-posted it again yesterday. I’ve copied her compilation below.

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Anti-constipation fruit paste

1 pound pitted prunes
1 pound raisins
1 cup lemon juice
1 pound figs
1 cup brown sugar
3-1/2 or 4 ounce package Senna Tea (can be found in health food
stores)

Steep tea 5 minutes in 3-1/2 cups boiling water. Strain tea to remove
tea leaves.

To 2 cups tea, in a large pot, add fruit and boil for 5 minutes.

Add sugar and lemon juice.

Cool.

Use food processor or blender to turn mixture into a smooth paste.

Place in plastic container and put in freezer. (the paste will not
freeze and will keep a long time)

Take 1 or 2 tablespoons daily.

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Special Recipe

one cup applesauce
one cup oat bran
1/4 cup prune juice
and spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. to taste

May be stored in fridge or pre-measure servings in ice cube tray and
thaw as needed.

Begin by having 2 tablespoons each evening followed by 8 oz. glass of
water—-after 1 week increase this to 3 T, after third week, increase to
4 T…..also, remember to discuss this with your doctor when deciding
to go on this regimen.

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YaKima Valley Anti-constipation Fruit paste

1 lb pitted prunes
4 ozs senna tea leaves (at health foods store)
1 lb raisins
1 lb figs
1 cup lemon jucie

1. Prepare tea;use about 2 1/2 cups boiled water, add to tea leaves
and steep for 5 minutes.
2. Strain tea and remove tea leaves.
3. Place 2 cups of tea or amount left in large pot.
4. Add all of the fruit to the tea.
5. Boil fruit and tea for 15 to 20 minutes until soft.
6. Remove from heat and add lemon juice . Allow to cool.
7. Use hand mixer/blender or food processor to turn fruit and tea mix
into a paste.
8. Place in glass jars or tupperware and place in freezer (paste will
not freeze but will keep forever in freezer also ver long in fridge).
dosage 1-2 tablespoons per day. ( does seem to work if used regularly)

Note:
You can also add a few tablespoons of ground flax to recipe.

Suggestion for use: can be spread on toast, english muffin, bagel,
bran muffin or rice cake. Good breakfast, lunch or snack — toasted
bagel or english muffin, spread with low fat cream cheese or goat
cheese and topped with fruit paste. For a change of flavor mix in
some raspberry or strawberry jam.

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Natural Laxative Fruit Paste for Parkinson Disease

l lb. pitted prunes
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup brown sugar
1 lb. raisins
1 lb. dried figs
1 pkg. of Sienna Tea (3 or 4 oz. pkg) usually found in health
food stores (note: Senna leaf tea does come in tea bags but,
this recipe suggests using the loose leaf tea and it would be the
whole box that is used)

Steep the tea for five minutes in 3 1/2 C. of boiling water.
Strain. Cut the fruit into small pieces. To two cups of tea, add the fruit
and boil it for 5 minutes. Add the sugar and lemon juice. Cool. Put mixture
in food processor. Divide into small portions (1 or 2 T.), wrap in foil
or place in tiny containers and freeze. Take 1 or 2 T. daily.

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Recipe

1 cup applesauce
1/2 prune juice (you may want to try pear juice )
2 t bran

mix & refrigerate. Take 1 Tablespoon daily.

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Recipe
from Doug Peterson

1 cup all bran
4 tsp ground flaxseeds
3 tsp psyllium seed husks

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Recipe
From Elizabeth

Grind Golden Flax Seed in the coffee grinder and take 3 tablespoons in juice or soy milk. Or else I put 3 tablespoons of whole flax seed in apple sauce stir it up & chew the little seeds good.

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Recipe
From Joyce Connor
My husband’s neurologist at the University of Louisville Movement Disorders Center recommended. He started on this regimen and it immediately helped him. The doctor said to eat 1 tablespoon of the following recipe 3 times a day (after meals), and after every meal either take 1 Sennecot or have 1 dosage of Miralax in juice, water, etc.

Here’s the recipe:
1 Cup Oat Bran (uncooked)
1 Cup Prune juice (we’ve also used Plumsmart juice, cranberry juice and cranberry grape)
1 Cup applesauce

The recipe lasts for about 5 days, and it couldn’t get much simpler to prepare! Hope this is of help to others. It sure made a huge difference for Marc.

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Prune Bars for Constipation
from Rush Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago

10 Oz of Prunes
10 Oz of Raisins
10 OZ of Figs
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup lemon juice
3 cups sienna tea (use 3 or 4 bags)

After you heat all of this together just put it in the blender. We portion pack it in 3 or 4 Glad Containers and use everyday for my husband. It really helps him keep regular as he has a constant constipation problem. Also, I give him a tablespoon of flax each day.

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Prune Whip
by Eileen Jurek

Yield: 10 portions
Serving Size: 4 Tablespoons (2 ounces)

Ingredients:
Wheat Bran – ¾ oz
Applesauce – ½ cup
Prune Juice – ½ cup
Cooked/Pitted Prunes – 4 oz
Topping, whipped/non-dairy- ½ cup

Recipe:
Puree cooked/canned prunes until they are smooth, with no lumps of fruit left.
Whip the prepared topping until soft peaks are formed.
Fold the bran, applesauce and prune juice and pureed prunes into the whipped topping.
Check for consistency. Pudding should be soft and fluffy.
Divide pudding into 10 equal portions.
Refrigerate.

Analysis/Serving: 64 calories; 3 gram fiber; 1.2 gram protein; 181 mg potassium; 0 cholesterol; 6.3 mg sodium; 0.5 gm saturated fat

“Doctor’s Orders: 20 Minutes Of Meditation Twice a Day” (WSJ 4-15-13)

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This is an interesting article from last week’s Wall Street Journal on the benefits of meditation, and that some MDs at a Boston medical center are prescribing 20 minutes of meditation twice a day.   Here’s the link:

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324345804578424863782143682.html

Your Health
Doctor’s Orders: 20 Minutes Of Meditation Twice a Day
Wall Street Journal
By Sumathi Reddy
Updated April 15, 2013, 8:38 p.m. ET

Many medical centers and clinics in Northern California offer MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction) classes.  They can be fairly expensive but it sounds like the health benefits outweigh the upfront cost.  There are lots of less expensive meditation classes or no-charge gatherings in Northern California as well.

Happy meditating,
Robin

HIPAA Law Often Misinterpreted

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Based upon this article in last Wednesday’s New York Times, the medical community (and therefore we laypeople) doesn’t understand HIPAA requirements.  The article says “the law doesn’t prevent health care professionals from sharing relevant information with family members unless the patient specifically objects.”

The article refers to a fact sheet by the United Hospital Fund.  Here’s an excerpt:

“Suppose your mother is a patient in the hospital or Emergency Room.  You are her family caregiver and when you ask about her treatment, the doctor or nurse says, ‘I can’t tell you that because of HIPAA.’  That answer is wrong.”

Here’s a link to that United Hospital Fund fact sheet about HIPAA:

www.nextstepincare.org/next_step_in_care_guides/4/HIPAA/english

Personally, I think it will be a challenge to educate all the medical community about what what HIPAA regulations really mean!

Here’s a link to last week’s New York Times article.

newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/27/a-privacy-law-often-misinterpreted/#more-15011

The New Old Age: Caring and Coping
A Privacy Law Often Misinterpreted
New York Times
By Paula Span
March 27, 2013, 6:00 am

Here’s a 2007 New York Times article on the fact that health professional think they will be sued over HIPAA “violations”:

www.nytimes.com/2007/07/03/health/policy/03hipaa.html

Money & Policy
Keeping Patients’ Details Private, Even From Kin
New York Times
By Jane Gross
July 3, 2007

Robin

“The Hazards of Leaving the Hospital” and Planning for a Caregiver Emergency

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This short article is about “post-hospital syndrome,” or the “wide range of adverse health events and complications” that result from the physical and emotional stress of being in the hospital.  Nearly one-fifth of Medicare patients end up being re-admitted to the hospital within 30 days.  Those who have been in the hospital need a long time to recover from the experience.

Part of the reason I’m sending out this article is to share the recent story of a local support group member who is the caregiver to her husband with Lewy Body Dementia.  The woman was experiencing bowel pain, and saw her doctor.  He ordered immediate surgery.  She was supposed to be in the hospital for 10 days but is still there 30 days later.  When she is finally discharged from the hospital, she will have to go to a skilled nursing facility.  Their son has had to step in to take care of both parents, neither of whom can really help now with decisions or planning.  The woman did not have a medical power-of-attorney that included her son; it had only included her husband.  And the woman had never thought about what might happen if she were in crisis.

It’s really important for caregivers to plan for the scenario of their ending up in the hospital on an emergency basis!  At least think about this.  Include your adult children or close friends in your thoughts.  Whose in charge?  Will this person have access to money?  Will this person know about your medical insurance?  What agency should be hired to care for the person with a neurological condition?  What care facility should the person with a neurological condition be moved to?

Here’s a link to the article on post-hospital syndrome:

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323826704578353131038599350.html

Journal Reports
The Hazards of Leaving the Hospital
The days and weeks after patients are sent home can be dangerous. Here’s how to avoid being readmitted.
Wall Street Journal
By Laura Landro
Updated March 15, 2013, 4:14 p.m. ET

Robin