Category Archives: Caregiving – General

“Long-Term Care Insurance Can Baffle, With Complex Policies and Costs”

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A social worker shared this New York Times article about long-term care insurance with me today.  As she says – it’s really nothing new but nicely put together in one article.

Here’s a link:

www.nytimes.com/2015/12/19/your-money/long-term-care-insurance-can-baffle-with-complex-policies-and-costs.html

YOUR MONEY
Retiring
Long-Term Care Insurance Can Baffle, With Complex Policies and Costs
New York Times
By John F. Wasik
December 18, 2015

Often there are seminars in the community about long-term care insurance.  These seminars are often led by HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program). HICAP is a service provided by county in California.  To find a HICAP counselor near you, do a web search for HICAP and the name of the county in which you live.

Happy holidays,
Robin

“Dementia and Alzheimer’s Caregiver Conference” – video available

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Brain Support Network hosted a “Dementia and Alzheimer’s Caregiver Conference” in mid-November in Santa Rosa. A volunteer recorded the half-day conference and another volunteer created a YouTube playlist.  You can find the playlist here:

youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQke7hCaMaCo_dsB4ccz2BIHokENZiYy_

In particular, I’d like to highlight these four presentations:

* “Caring for a Family Member with Lewy Body Dementia” – by longtime LBD group member Helen Medsger  (13 minutes)

* “Coping with Behavior Change in Dementia” – by longtime BSN friend Laurie White, LCSW  (14 minutes)

* “Importance of Estate Planning” – by attorney Steven Goldberg  (9 minutes)

* “Parallels of Dementia and Improv” – by actor Mick Laugs  (31 minutes)

I don’t list Dr. Ali Atri’s presentation as a highlight mostly because I’ve heard so many neurologist presentations on Alzheimer’s and dementia.  But your ranking may be different!

Happy viewing,
Robin

 

“Over-the-Counter Medicines’ Benefits and Dangers” (NYT, 11-30-15)

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This article on the benefits and dangers of OTC (over-the-counter) medication might be of general interest.

According to the article: “one in five adults who self-medicate admit to taking more than the recommended dose or using the medication more frequently than the label indicates.  […] Even if O.T.C.s are used correctly, there can be problems. Some drugs should not be taken by people with certain health conditions, or be combined with other drugs–prescribed or over the counter–because of the possibility of adverse interactions.”

Two pieces of advice are given:

  • “People who have underlying health problems or who routinely take one or more prescription drugs would be wise to consult their doctors before taking an O.T.C. drug. At the very least, check with the pharmacist. […C]arry with you a list of all the prescription and O.T.C. medications you take to show the pharmacist.“
  • “Among other sensible precautions when using an O.T.C. drug: Read the entire label, including ingredients, dosages, time limits and warnings; note whether the drug should be taken with food or on an empty stomach; don’t mix medicines with alcohol; avoid taking vitamin-mineral supplements at the same time; and, if you experience an allergic or adverse reaction, write down the likely cause so you can avoid that ingredient in the future.“

See the article here: well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/30/over-the-counter-medicines-benefits-and-dangers/

Personal Health
The New York Times
“Over-the-Counter Medicines’ Benefits and Dangers”
By Jane E. Brody
November 30, 2015 8:35 am

Robin

“The Caregivers’ Guide to Sainthood” (New Yorker, 12-5-15)

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A social worker friend who is also a caregiver sent me this New Yorker article titled “The Caregivers’ Guide to Sainthood.”  This is a tongue-and-cheek examination of “caregiver sainthood.”  Personally, I didn’t find it so funny but my sense of humor is not sophisticated!  Maybe you’ll find it funnier than I.

www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/the-caregivers-guide-to-sainthood

Daily Shouts
The New Yorker
The Caregivers’ Guide to Sainthood
By Joyce Wadler

December 5, 2015

Robin

Special Report on Caregiving, including article on tech gadgets (AARP Bulletin, Nov 2015)

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The AARP Bulletin has a special report on caregiving in its November 2015 issue. November is national family caregivers month.

There’s a good article on tech gadgets, such as fall-prevention lighting and a floor-mat alarm, here: www.aarp.org/home-family/caregiving/info-2015/caregiving-gadgets-technology-caregiver.html

In the print version of the AARP Bulletin, there are short articles on these topics:

  • The Demands and Rewards of Dementia Patients
  • Millions of Millennials Are Giving Back
  • Dealing with Veterans’ Invisible Wounds
  • More Men Fill Traditionally Female Role
  • Squeezed Between Two Generations with Needs
  • When Caregiving is Round the Clock
  • Taking on Complex Medical Tasks

Each article is short. For me, the most interesting were about round-the-clock caregiving and taking on complex medical tasks.

You can find a link to the articles here:  www.aarp.org/home-family/caregiving/info-2015/caregivers-profiles-depression-cancer-arthritis.html  (Online, it appears as one long article rather than several smaller articles.)

And there’s a link to a list of resources and services:  www.aarp.org/home-family/caregiving/info-2015/caregiving-help-resources-caregivers.html

Robin