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Search Results for: falls

Falls are the #1 Cause of Long-Term Care Need

October 17, 2016 by Honey 2 Comments

Elder FallFalls are the #1 cause of injury among seniors; they are a slippery slope to decline, but with appropriate care, can often be avoided.  Many people do not report them.

This article describes what I routinely observe in my practice. LTCi ownership can make accessing appropriate, high quality care quicker, less stressful, and easier.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/falls-leading-cause-of-injury-and-death-among-older-americans/

Filed Under: Long-Term Care Awareness Month Tagged With: fall risk, LTCi

Continued Medicaid Payment Shortfalls Are Very Scary

December 21, 2012 by Honey Leave a Comment

ShortfallsHere’s a link to the December 2012 Report on Shortfalls in Medicaid funding. This is an annual report commissioned by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and performed by Eljay, LLC.

Not surprisingly, the report (page 6) states that:

  • “Between 2010 and 2012, the… projected (Medicaid) shortfall climbed to $22.34 from $18.54 in 2010, a 20.5 percent increase in the shortfall amount.”
  • “We estimate that in 2012, state Medicaid programs, on average, reimbursed nursing center providers only 88.9 percent of their projected allowable costs incurred on behalf of Medicaid patients. This means that for every dollar of allowable cost incurred for a Medicaid patient in 2012, Medicaid programs reimbursed, on average, approximately 89 cents. This represents the lowest percentage since the inception of this study in 1999.

This is very scary stuff!

Obviously, the government is less and less capable of providing long-term care.

I hope that those of you who do not already own reasonably priced long-term care insurance (LTCi) will take heed and plan responsibly for your long-term care. LTCi is the reasonable – and sure – way to ensure you will have all the options you’ll prefer if long-term care is needed.

Filed Under: Helpful Information About LTC, I'll Just Self-Insure, Information About LTC Tagged With: ACHA, American Health Care Association, Eljay LLC, Honey Leveen, Long Term Care insurance, LTCi, Medicaid, www.honeyleveen.com

Pro-Act, Don’t Re-Act

September 17, 2019 by Honey Leveen Leave a Comment

At long last, we have a string of incredibly positive articles featuring LTCi news! Writers are really doing their homework and digging into the research. They are reporting on the many benefits of long term care insurance (LTCi).

1. When to Move to Assisted Living

It can feel tricky when to make that decision. At what point do we need to leave traditional independent living and move into an assisted living community? This article in U.S. News & World Report (Aug. 9, 2019) gives some simple indicators to look for:

  • Has there been a decline in medical conditions? Is there overall weakening in personal strength or more falls happening?
  • Are personal finances becoming more difficult to manage? Are there more money-related problems?
  • Is the home no longer kept clean? Is personal hygiene falling off? Are there healthy meals prepared daily?
  • Are there signs of depression or social isolation?

As we age, it is more common to experience multiple medical conditions at the same time. Degrading vision along with a neurological disease like Parkinson’s creates a formidable challenge in maintaining independent living.

And, as I’ve often discussed, the brain deterioration of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease can result in forgetfulness (taking prescriptions properly), poor decision-making and poor motor skills (prone to dangerous falls).

Have That Conversation EARLY

When that time comes, will we be able to recognize the signs? And with all those signs staring us in the face, will we be willing to accept the decision ahead of us? Roxanne Sorensen, an Aging Life Care specialist, reports that, “Families are making some of the most important decisions of their life while they’re emotional. They don’t have time to think about it. They’re in a crisis situation, and now they’re faced with the decision of where mom or dad is going to be institutionalized for the rest of their life.”

Once again, we’re reminded that the time to make these plans is before the decisions have to be made. When we’re less emotional and more level-headed. Plus, having this conversation early provides extra time to research local community options and make the best possible choice. What a luxury to have the time to join a waiting list for the more popular places instead of taking “whatever we can find”.

2. Assisted Living Improves Quality of Life

The very same week, the same publication printed a separate article on LTCi news. They list some of the great benefits of moving to assisted living. Here’s a sample of offerings from some communities:

  • DAILY TASKS: This includes support for regular grooming, bathing and preparing healthy meals that support specific dietary needs (diabetes, blood pressure, etc.).
  • SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT: One of the easiest remedies for social isolation and depression is the feeling of belonging that comes from living in a supportive and active community.
  • RECREATION: Exercise, movies, walking clubs and reading groups can rapidly fill the calendar of residents.
  • MEDICATION MANAGEMENT: Assuring prescriptions are taken at the right time, in the correct dosage. Also coordinating timely delivery from local pharmacies.
  • EDUCATION/CULTURAL PROGRAMS: Guest lecturers, educational curriculum and culturally-themed events adds tremendous richness.
  • SAFE ENVIRONMENT: Having staff on hand to assist in difficult tasks, living heavy objects or just taking a walk around the grounds.
  • MEMORY SUPPORT: Daily interaction with therapeutic recreation, under the supervision of trained professionals, from memory classes to art classes.

Of course, these benefits will vary from facility to facility, so be sure to do your research EARLY to find the best match for your needs.

3. Boomers As Caregivers

In more LTCi news, the Baby Boomer generation is facing the hard decisions as they try to manage the long term care needs of their parents. In fact, 9 out of 10 boomers who expect to be caregivers recognize that they’ll be making significant sacrifices in their own lives for the sake of their parents’ care.

These sacrifices range from cuts in personal spending and travel to reducing work hours or completely leaving their careers.

The good news is that the boomer generation is more willing to have the important conversations with their children when it comes to planning for their own care in later life. They recognize how likely it is that they will need long term care. And they are making the necessary plans to prepare themselves and their family for that future.

The article cites a study that concludes, “With one-third of caregivers tapping into their nest eggs to pay for health care expenses, it’s vital that payment planning for future caregiving is considered and prioritized in equal measure.”

Striking Gold With LTCi News

Reading these 3 recent articles completely align with the themes that drive my passion for my work in long term care insurance. I believe it’s better to stay ahead of problems. The time to act is when “the writing is on the wall”, not when the wall is crumbling down around you.

I know how important it is to have these difficult conversations with our loved ones (and ourselves!). It is my mission to support people in creating the best possible environment in their later years. One of quality living, dignity and independence.

To begin, click here to receive your free no-obligation quote for your own LTCi policy.

Filed Under: 3 in 4 Need More, Age related brain loss, Age related cognitive impairment, Helpful Information About LTC Tagged With: assisted living, caregiving, Caregiving in the US, Coping with Caregiving, long-term care, LTCi

Falling to Your Death

July 8, 2019 by Honey Leveen Leave a Comment

falls lead to deathsFalls are the #1 cause of long term care need. They are typically a result of decreased body strength, balance issues, vision problems, home hazards or foot pain. Usually it’s a combination of two or more of these factors.

As we age, falls become more complicated to bounce back from. While most falls don’t lead to permanent injury, one out of five do result in serious injury, like broken bones which don’t heal as well or brain trauma.

Falling By the Numbers

  • In 2017, unintentional falls led to over 36,000 deaths in the US.
  • The National Council on Aging reports, “Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall; every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall.”
  • One in three adults over 50 years of age dies within 12 months of suffering a hip fracture.
  • For older adults, the risk of a hip fracture leading to death is 5 – 8 times higher. Death can occur as quickly as 3 months after suffering the fracture.

What’s Behind the Falls?

The National Council on Aging explains how preventable most of these accidental deaths are. So if we have the means to avoid the injuries, why are they continuing to happen more frequently?

In my experience, many fall-related deaths are caused because people fail to accept the fact that they need to slow down and/or need help in their simple, daily tasks. They shrug off stumbles or occasional falls as “part of getting old”. As their needs rise, they continue to deny their declining capacity. As if this denial of reality will postpone the worsening of their situation!

I see this in my new community at Shell Point Retirement Community and, I must admit, I expected my neighbors to be more in touch with the reality of their true needs. We live in an environment where the full spectrum of care is available and paid for. And that level of care is above average.

I have a neighbor who resists using her walker even though she admits to having great difficulty with her arthritis. She admits to her difficulties with opening jars and dressing herself because of her arthritis. And there are many similar examples of this “head in the sand” avoidance.

The simplest way to reduce falls is to be brutally honest about your actual need and circumstances, and then taking the appropriate action. People evidently have huge difficulty doing this.

Denial of the facts is something I’ve written about extensively. I understand that resisting the truth of our declining health is part of our survival instinct (or maybe just our ego?). It’s just a shame that so many intelligent people are unable to override this instinct more often.

In doing so, they may suffer the ultimate consequence.

Take the first step to proactively plan for your future care and well being. Click here to receive your free, no-obligation quote for long term care insurance.

 

Filed Under: Age related brain loss, Age related cognitive impairment, Elephant in the Room Tagged With: Denial, Fall deaths, falls, Living in Denial, national council on Aging, Shell Point Retirement Community

Falling Down is no Joke for the Elderly

December 8, 2018 by Honey Leveen Leave a Comment

Man helping Woman who has fallenThe World Health Organization (WHO) announced that falls are the second highest cause of injury in seniors. Falls trail just behind traffic-related injuries. In fact, over 37 million of these falls are serious enough to require medical attention, globally.

Here in the U.S., the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that one in four seniors, aged 65+, fall each year. Those falls mean more than 2.8 million visits to the emergency room. Tragically, there are over 27,000 deaths each year from falls.

Preventing Falls

The WHO lists multiple fall prevention strategies to help reduce risk, including:

  • Muscle strengthening and balance retraining
  • Introduction and use of physical devices to assist those with physical and/or sensory impairments
  • Thorough assessment of the living environment for potential falling hazards

The rest of the list, along with a discussion of other risk factors can be found here on the WHO website.

The Cost of Falls – not just in dollars

The CDC explains that the total cost of the injuries from falls was about $50 billion in 2015. By 2020, these costs are expected to be over $67 billion.

There has been a lot of work raising awareness around preventing these falls. Unfortunately, many seniors react in fear, so they change their regular activities. They choose to stay home and “play it safe”. However, reducing their social interaction and physical routines creates their own problems. They often experience an increase in alienation and depression.

You don’t have to hide in fear of falls! A thoughtful long term care insurance (LTCi) policy can help you easily prepare to navigate this road. Perhaps you want to hire trained home healthcare professionals.  Maybe you’re looking for a facility that is properly equipped with safety features to reduce your risk. These options become available to you, especially when you plan in advance for your future needs.

The first “step” is beginning your research. Click here to receive your free, no-obligation quote for your own LTCi policy.

 

 

Filed Under: Helpful Information About LTC, Information About LTC, Uncategorized Tagged With: fall risk, LTCi

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Honey Leveen, LUTCF, CLTC, LTCP
“The Queen, by Self-Proclamation, of Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCi)”
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Phone: 713-988-4671
Fax: 281-829-7177

Email: honey@honeyleveen.com

Email: honey@honeyleveen.com

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