Parkinson's Didn't Stop an Astronaut From His Space Walk

This is an amazing story about astronaut Rich Clifford, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease when he was 42 yrs old. He went on to fly in another space shuttle mission and complete a lengthy space walk in spite of his diagnosis. After 15 yrs of staying silent on the subject, he now tours the country to raise awareness for Parkinson's and to tell his own fantastic story.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/14/parkinsons-didnt-stop-his-space-walk/

Want to Improve Your Memory? Eating smart really can help you keep your brain sharp.

Antioxidants! Omega-3s! Anti-inflammatory diets! Can something you eat really help you remember — again — where you put your cellphone or reading glasses? If you add blueberries to your morning oatmeal or sip a glass of red wine at dinner, will your brain cells stay healthier longer?


http://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-06-2013/worried-about-your-memory.html?intcmp=HPBB1J

What Good is Long Term Care Insurance?

I have heard countless horror stories about insurance. It seemed to be ubiquitous during the debate leading up to the passage of the new healthcare law. Insurance companies are out to get us! Evil corporations are profiteering on the misfortune of others!

Unfortunately, the positive aspects of being insured never receive the same fanfare as the tales of woe which are politically useful when public servants are attempting to push an agenda. I suppose they don't make for interesting news stories. "Stay tuned to hear about how a father purchased insurance for his family and then received the benefit to which he was entitled when his son broke his arm at a middle school soccer game." Next.

At Home Instead Senior Care, I have the opportunity to visit with families each day who are faced with the fiscal reality of what it takes to provide quality care for their aging parents. Most are thrust into being a family caregiver without any warning or forethought. They wake up at 3am to a phone call letting them know that their relationship to their parents has forever changed. They thought they had more time. Many have no plan in place. As a result, they will spend the years to come in a constant tug-o-war between the desire to give their parents the best care available and the financial reality of providing that care. Sacrifices will be made. Compromises will be agreed upon. Regrets will endure.

Other families will never face that music. They will likely wake to the same phone call at 3am. Their lives will probably also change with little or no warning. They also thought that they had more time. But they have a plan in place. Years ago, their parents saw the proverbial writing on the wall and purchased a Long Term Care Insurance(LTCI) policy for themselves. Their children will still work to give them the best care available but will never be forced to make the same heartbreaking decisions as others in similar situations. They will have tools and resources at their disposal as a result of their parents' foresight.

There are horror stories about every type of insurance policy not providing benefits in the way in which it was expected but those stories are the rare exception and not the rule. The reality is that most of us go through life paying for insurance policies which protect us against things from which we will likely never suffer.  Most people will live their lives without ever suffering a catastrophic injury or illness. And yet there is a tremendous sense of urgency to be insured 'just in case.' A LTCI Policy is the one type of policy that is not a 'just in case' arrangement. You will get older. You will need help. It is only a question of when. And when that time comes, how will your children provide for you?

The Difficult Choice of Caring At Home

Yesterday, NPR ran a segment entitled “The True Cost of At-Home Caregiving.” The article brilliantly paints a portrait of what our clients and their families face each and every day. For many years, the accepted norm with regards to aging was that seniors would move in with their families when they were unable to live by themselves without assistance. Then the culture shifted. Parents began to place their children into daycare facilities and mother’s day out programs so that they could free themselves to pursue the all-important American dream. In return, when those parents aged, it became customary for their children to place them into nursing homes and facilities. As my father is fond of saying, “We placed our kids in institutions as soon as they were old enough so that we could be free to live our lives. Why are we surprised that, now that we are older and need assistance, they aren’t hesitating to return the favor?” However, the pendulum has swung back the other way. More and more families are making the difficult decision to move an aging parent into their homes and provide care themselves. This is due in no small part to the tremendous rise in the cost of caring for a senior in a facility. At first glance, a multi-generational living arrangement would seem to be a cost saver but, as any family caregiver will freely tell you, the cost is not always easy to see.
One of the things we recognize at Home Instead Senior Care, is the importance of the family caregiver. Many agencies address the needs of the client but largely ignore the person who many times needs our help the most, the family caregiver. It is one of my favorite questions to ask during an initial meeting. “How are you?” It is amazing to witness the reactions people have when they haven’t been asked that question in so long that they no longer know how to answer. Most of the time the family caregiver will deflect the question and continue to speak about the condition of their loved one. I ask again. “How are you?”
Caring for your loved one at home is a beautiful gift. It is also an extremely difficult task particularly where Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias are present. Home Instead Senior Care can help. We work to give the respite care that families need on a short-term or recurring basis. We want daughters to be free to be daughters again.