Only Four Kinds of People in the World...

I was reminded of this quote when reading my ezine from The Intentional Caregiver today...

"There are only four kinds of people in the world - those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers". ` Rosalyn Carter.

Medicare Open Enrollment 2011

Open Enrollment for Medicare in 2011 is coming up very soon. The dates this year are from October 15-December 7, 2011. This is an earlier time frame than in the past so please take note. You don't have until Dec. 31 to decide as was the case in past years.

If you need to enroll or change Medicare plans, it must be done during this time open enrollment frame. All changes take effect January 1, 2012 and cannot be changed again until Open Enrollment in 2012.

For unbiased information about Medicare and all of the options to be considered such as Gap coverage, Part D Prescription Drug coverage and whether or not to enroll in an HMO plan is available from the source itself...Medicare.gov. There are differences in the various plans and comparisons are available from this site. Specific Open Enrollment instructions are available: Click Here

Choose carefully the plan that meets your needs now. Understand that your needs can change over time and what was best in the past may not be best for your future health care.

Consider Scrubs When Caregiving

For anyone providing care to an elderly relative, friend or patent, scrubs are a great option for attire. They are comfortable, allow for ease of movement, and they are designed to live through being beaten up by frequent laundering. Street clothes can hamper the caregiver, and run the risk of being ruined in the course of a normal day of care giving.  Blue Sky Scrubs has been a loyal sponsor of this blog. I encourage you to check out their lines. They offer a variety of great scrubs and even provide custom made scrubs.

Understanding the High Cost of Medical Care

Here's a great article explaining why medical care can cost so much. What it neglects to explain in detail is that the negotiated insurance rates are usually SO LOW that the MD office has to increase the cost just to make enough to stay afloat in the office and pay each of these people. (Same with any medical office or facility.)

Some of the procedures could be shortened and made more cost effective of course, but then someone has to consult with the doctor or his medical group to set up a more efficient office practice, and that costs lots of money too that has to factor into your bill. Interesting.....

Never Forget 9-11-01

In September 2004 I stood at Ground Zero with my husband and oldest daughter. There is nothing that compares to the feeling looking in to that destruction and realizing how the world was changed that day. Never Forget!

Keeping Aging Parents Hydrated and Cool this Holiday and Summer

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July! This can be a terrific holiday because it's more low key than some of the others. Picnics, BBQs, potlucks, pool parties. Time to relax and enjoy the summer that stretches out before us. Take time to enjoy yourselves and refresh yourselves.

This is also a time to take note of the HOT weather we can expect over the next few months. Older people tend to "run cold" and may not notice that it's really HOT until they are overheated. I've visited many an elderly patient who kept the heat on in the summer with a median temperature of 80+ degrees inside! So make note of your aging parent's habits and have them turn down the heat and step up the fluid intake to stay hydrated.

Watch for signs of dehydration such as increased confusion or forgetfulness, slurring of words and increased fatigue. Most older people are resistant to increasing fluids as then they have to urinate more often and sometimes this keeps them up at night. Encourage them to start drinking fluids when they wake up and decreasing them late afternoon and to slow intake after 6 PM. This will help with the "up all night" aspect.

Coffee and tea are dehydrating and if 8 cups of coffee is Mom's idea of increasing fluids, you might see more dehydration. Juices, flavored waters and of course plain water are best. Ice chips, frozen ices, popcycles and jello are also excellent sources of fluids and may be more palatable than plain water. They can also be a great way to sneak in extra fluids without alerting them to the process.

If your aging parents have pets, be sure they give the pet more water during the summer months as well and a shady place to rest.

Close draperies and blinds, use fans to circulate the air. And cool damp rags or a baggie of crushed ice on the head, neck or even in the lap can help to keep them cooler and replace or cut down on air conditioning.

Keep activities to a minimum during the middle of the day when it is the hottest. And remind them to eat. Cool foods such as fruits and fresh veggies may be most appetizing on a hot day. Small frequent snacks or meals work well with hot summer days as opposed to large heavy meals, but remind them to not skip meals.

Have a great holiday weekend and enjoy this time with your aging parents.

Some Stylish Aids for Daily Living

photo: Omhu.com

One of the hardest problems is getting our loved ones to use devices to keep them safe with their activities of daily living such as canes and walkers. They just won't use them! Grrr!!!

If they could have a cane with some flair and style perhaps they would be more likely to use it. Here's a site that offers some stylish canes as well as other great ideas to assist with everyday living.