Elder Care ABC

Most people are astonished to hear that many homecare workers do not have any formal education in caring for an elderly adult. Certified nurse aids and nurses must hold a license or a certification in all 50 states. Homemakers, sitters and companions, on the other hand, do not have to be certified or licensed. A [...]

by Mary Jane Stern On Tuesday, September 29th many seniors enrolled in Medicare protested at the local Humana Insurance office here in Palm Beach County Florida because of a letter recently sent out by Humana. The Humana letter used scare tactics and warned seniors that health insurance reform could cause many to lose benefits, which, [...]

by Joy Loverde You live in your own little world and your aging parents live in theirs. So when you start talking to them about anything related to their future, what you are saying and how they receive the information is very often different than what you might think. When discussions between a parent and [...]

Welcome to the November 11, 2009 – Veteran’s Day  Edition of the EldercareABC Carnival “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself” ~Joseph Campbell Derrick Grant presents Twenty Safe Driving Tips for Senior Citizens posted at ElderGuru.com. Edie Dykeman presents Caregivers – Plan Your Holiday Meals Ahead [...]

by Joy Loverde Put yourself in this situation for a moment. Your Mom is rushed to the emergency room. She’s too ill to speak and the doctor asks you if she is allergic to any medications. a)  You don’t know the answer and fear what may happen next. b)  You try to recall her doctor’s [...]

by Mary Jane Stern Medicare Part D offers a Low Income Subsidy (LIS) or extra help to pay for part of the costs associated with the plan.  The Part D costs include your deductible, premium and copayments.  Some beneficiaries may qualify for all or a partial subsidy. Of course this isn’t easy to understand because [...]

Taking care of my mother for nine years taught me about caregiver stress. My mother had progressive dementia and, as the years passed, she turned into a stranger. I didn’t know her any more. Though my husband often helped with caregiving tasks, most of the responsibilities were mine. Caregiving became a lonely experience. “Many caregivers [...]