What is Long-Term Care?

Long-term care is a variety of services that includes medical and non-medical care to people who have a chronic illness or disability. Long-term care helps meet health or personal needs. Most long-term care is to assist people with support services such as activities of daily living like dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living or in nursing homes. It is important to remember that you may need long-term care at any age.

You may never need long-term care.  However, this year, about nine million men and women over the age of 65 will need long-term care. By 2020, 12 million older Americans will need long-term care. Most will be cared for at home; family and friends are the sole caregivers for 70 percent of the elderly. A study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that people who reach age 65 will likely have a 40 percent chance of entering a nursing home. About 10 percent of the people who enter a nursing home will stay there five years or more.

While there are a variety of ways to pay for long-term care, it is important to think ahead about how you will fund the care you get. Generally, Medicare doesn’t pay for long-term care. Medicare pays only for medically necessary skilled nursing facility or home health care. Skilled care is given for a short period of time when you need skilled nursing or rehabilitation staff to manage, observe, and evaluate your care. Examples of skilled care are intravenous injections and physical therapy.  However, you must meet certain conditions for Medicare to pay for these types of care. Most long-term care is to assist people with support services such as activities of daily living like dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom. Medicare doesn’t pay for this type of care called "custodial care". Custodial care (non-skilled care) is care that helps you with activities of daily living. It may also include care that most people do for themselves, for example, diabetes monitoring. Some Medicare Advantage Plans (formerly Medicare + Choice) may offer limited skilled nursing facility and home care (skilled care) coverage if the care is medically necessary. You may have to pay some of the costs.  On the other hand, some people have Medigap which is a private insurance that helps pay for gaps in Medicare coverage such as deductibles and co-insurances. Most Medigap plans will help pay for skilled nursing care, but only when that care is covered by Medicare. Some people use employer group health plans to help cover nursing home costs.  However, the majority of this type of “custodial care” will be self-pay, while some long-term insurance plans may reimburse you for the care.

Medicaid is a State and Federal Government program that pays for certain health services and nursing home care for older people with low incomes and limited assets. In most states, Medicaid also pays for some long-term care services at home and in the community. Who is eligible and what services are covered vary from state to state. Most often, eligibility is based on your income and personal resources.

Planning for long-term care requires you to think about possible future health care needs. It is important to look at all of your choices. You will have more control over decisions and be able to stay independent. It is important to think about long-term care before you may need care or before a crisis occurs. Even if you plan ahead, making long-term care decisions can be difficult.

Excerpts taken from Medicare.gov.

 Hill Country Care Providers can help YOU and YOUR family member CALL US 512-402-1119

What Is A Geriatric Care Manager?

JackieVerdoorn is one of the few certified Geriatric Care Managers in Austin.

A Geriatric Care Manager is a professional who has been specifically trained and is experienced in any of several fields related to care management. These include, but are not limited to, nursing, social work, physical or speech therapy, gerontology or other health service areas. Jackie is a registered nurse who has received both her Bachelor of Science as well as Master of Science in Nursing. She has received special certification from the National Academy of Certified Care Managers which reflects her additional training and knowledge in dementia and other geriatric-related issues.

The Geriatric Care Manager’s role is to assist elderly people and their families meet day-to-day needs and long-term care needs associated with caring for an aging family member. The unique function of a Geriatric Care Manager is to develop a cohesive plan of care for each “client” and to see that the care plan is followed throughout the care. Modifications may need to be made to the care plan as the condition of the client changes. At Hill Country Care Providers, individualized care plans are developed by Jackie on all clients, and the plans are carefully monitored to see that the caregivers adhere to the various tasks set forth in the plans.

Jackie uses her knowledge of all the disciplines of health and human services and numerous resources available to strive to improve the client’s quality of life while maintaining their independence as long as possible. Some of the duties she performs are as follows:

• Integrates the services of home health agencies, medical specialties and other medical supply groups to coordinate the necessary nursing, psychological, and medical care.
• Works as a liaison for family members living at a distance to provide vital information on their family member.
• Provides crisis intervention in emergencies situations.
• Works as an advocate for her clients.
• Coordinates assistance with legal and financial planning.
• Assists with relocating clients to the next level of care once identified.

As you can, see it is to your advantage to select an in-home care agency for your loved one that uses Geriatric Care Managers!

Which Type of Caregiver Should I Use?

Why do I need to work through an agency to get assistance with caregiving instead of working with a private caregiver??

      AGENCY                                                       PRIVATE CAREGIVER

Screening & background checks on caregivers are done by the agency.	Screening & background checks are the responsibility of family hiring the caregiver.
Wages paid by agency. Adhere to state & federal guidelines in employment practices: withholding taxes; providing workers’ compensation or self insured; conducting background & reference checks.	Wages paid by family. All of these practices are the responsibility of either the family hiring the caregiver or the caregiver (if independent contractor).
Develops individualized plan of care with input from client & family.	Care plans are typically not required or done.
Have 24/7 back-up on-call availability by professionals.	No one available for back-up unless special arrangements are made.
Monitors caregivers’ services & makes regular visits to the clients’ home.	No one to monitor services or to make visits.
May offer caregiver’s benefits such as medical insurance, time-off & etc.	Families do not typically offer these benefits.
Greater stability, variety and an opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues.	Responsibility of finding own clients and working on their own.
Provide training programs upon hiring and are typically provided as on-going programs.	Not known as to what type of training the caregiver has had.
Agency must follow strict guidelines for state licensing and receive required audits to ensure the agency is operating to requirements.	Independent caregivers are not required to adhere to state requirements.

Please let Hill Country CareProviders provide in-home care for your family member! CALL US we can HELP YOU 512-4021119

ANOTHER GREAT SENIOR TRIVIA…

1. What year was the bikini swimsuit unveiled to the public?

a. 1943, Casablanca.
b. 1947, Honolulu.
c. 1946, Paris.

2. Which Paris designer gained fame in the 1940s for his "New Look?"

a. Lewis Comfort Tiffany.
b. Christian Dior.
c. Yves St. Lurant.

3. How did famous '40s bandleader, Glenn Miller, die?

a. Pneumonia caught when his trombone's spit valve backfired.
b. Heart attack when hearing that June Allyson was to play his wife in a movie.
c. Plane crash over the English Channel.

4. What was the nickname given to the women who worked in the USA's war production plants during W.W.II?

a. Contentious Clara, the commander.
b. Bodacious Betty, the blue-collar bomb.
c. Rosie the Riveter.

5. Who was Bill Haley and what was the name of his group?

a. World War II General, wounded leader of the Italian Campaign.
b. Democratic candidate for Congress in 1958.
c. 1950s Rock and Roll singer and guitarist, leader of "Bill Haley and the Comets."

6. What was a DA?

a. Hairstyle featuring hair combed into a "duck ass" in the back.
b. District Attorney.
c. The name of a '50s rock group.

7. What does LSMFT stand for?

a. Lets Share More Fun Times
b. Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco
c. Leisure Strides Make Feet Tingle

8. During the Korean War, name the date of the US Marine assault on the port of Inchon?

a. July 4, 1949
b. September 6, 1951
c. October 1, 1950

9. Name the two stars of "The African Queen," and the year the movie debuted.

a. Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, 1950
b. Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, 1956.
c. Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, 1951.

10. What phenomena made popular in the 1950s allowed everyone to become an artist?

a. Paint-by-Number sets.
b. Paint Rollers.
c. Feathery brushes.

11. In the early days of TV, how was program audience size measured?

a. Viewers would call the Roper Poll.
b. Water pressure was measured in various cities to see when the most toilet flushes occurred, thus indicating when the most popular program ran its commercials.
c. George Gallup had all early TVs wired to his "GallopingMeasuraBoard."

ANSWERS:
1. c) 1946, Paris. The bikini got its name from the South Pacific atoll where the atomic bomb was tested.
2. b) Christian Dior. After the war years with their masculine fashions, Christian Dior designed a line of clothing featuring nipped waists and long "Flower Petal" skirts topped with head-hugging hats. Mamie Eisenhower adopted this style and, along with her bangs, became the world's most avid fan of the "New Look."
3. c) Plane crash. It has never been established whether his plane was shot down, or crashed due to weather or mechanical failure.
4. c) Rosie, the riveter. These wives, mothers, and girlfriends of the men fighting overseas become the deciding factor in the production of war material, and share in America's final victory.
5. c) "Haley and the Comets," early rockers. They debuted on American Bandstand and helped usher in the Rock and Roll age, much to the consternation of parents and clergy worldwide.
6. a) High school boys' hairstyle popular in the 1950s. Hair was worn long, greased up, and combed into a V formation at the back of the head. Elvis wore his DA well.
7. b) Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco, an advertising slogan used after the cigarette's wartime, "Lucky Strike Green has gone to War." Because Luckies and Camels were given to GI's during the war, they were the most popular brands for many years after.
8. c) October 1, 1950. This audacious invasion behind enemy lines closed the port and helped push the North Koreans north of the 38th Parallel.
9. c) Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. One of Hollywood's most tender love stories, Bogart's Mr. Olnot remains one of the screen's most enduring and endearing characters.
10. a) Paint-by-Number sets. Complete with brushes and pots of oil paints, and a picture, with numbers corresponding to the colors, these masterpieces were destined to hang in living rooms all over the country, until, like all fads, it thankfully died out.
11. b) Water pressure was measured in various cities to see when the most toilet flushes occurred, thus pointing out when the most popular program ran its commercials.

Taken from Suddenlysenior.com

Look Out For Seniors...

True story from a Kansas State Highway Patrol officer:

I made a traffic stop on an elderly lady the other day for speeding on U.S. 166 Eastbound at Mile Marker 73 just East of Sedan, KS. I asked for her driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance. The lady took out the required information and handed it to me.In with the cards I was somewhat surprised (due to her advanced age) to see she had a conceal carry permit. I looked at her and ask if she had a weapon in her possession at this time.She responded that she indeed had a .45 automatic in her glove box. Something---body language, or the way she said it---made me want to ask if she had any other firearms. She did admit to also having a 9mm Glock in her center console. Now I had to ask one more time if that was all. She responded once again that she did have just one more, a .38 special in her purse. I then asked her what was she so afraid of. She looked me right in the eye and said, "Not a damn thing!"