Dear Linda:
My mom’s an ailing widow. Until now, I’ve been able to call everyday to make sure she’s okay, but I’m being deployed and won’t be able to for the next year. She wants to remain in her home and is well enough for that, but she needs to be checked on. The problem is that all her other relatives and friends have passed on. What can I do?
A Concerned Son
Dear Concerned Son:
Your mother must be very proud. To have a son care so much about his mother and his country speaks volumes about the job she’s done raising you.
Before you leave, be sure all her legal (i.e. Last Will and Powers of Attorney), medical (i.e. Insurance and Living Will and Directives), and financial (i.e. Trusts and Bank Accounts) documents are in order. Put all her important papers in a fireproof box. Make duplicate copies for yourself in case you need to confer about them long distance.
Develop a Care Plan to accomplish her Activities of Daily Living (like trips to doctors, pharmacy, grocery store and hairdresser), and identify any special needs she has. Then ask for help from people in the community—her neighbors, members of civic, religious and social organizations. Contact the National Eldercare Locator (800-677-1116) for help in identifying local service and aging agencies.
Her level of independence should determine the amount of support she needs. There are in-home agencies that handle housekeeping and meal preparation chores, personal care and grooming needs, and therapy and nursing requirements.
If all she needs are phone calls, there are agencies that provide only that service. No special equipment is necessary. Any touch-tone phone can receive agency calls, and you should be able to choose call times—generally made twice a day. Follow-up calls should be made if Mom doesn’t answer, and the agency will need a contact list for emergencies. Contact Call Reassurance Center at 602-265-5968 (ext. 7) for information.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Silver Sneakers
What is the SilverSneakers Fitness Program?
"SilverSneakers is a fun, energizing program that helps older adults take greater control of their health by encouraging physical activity and offering social events.
Unlock the door to greater independence and a healthier life with SilverSneakers. Health plans around the country offer our award-winning program to people who are eligible for Medicare or to group retirees. SilverSneakers provides a fitness center membership to any participating location across the country. This great benefit includes:
■access to conditioning classes, exercise equipment, pool, sauna and other available amenities
■customized SilverSneakers classes designed exclusively for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance
■health education seminars and other events that promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle
■a specially trained Program AdvisorSM at the fitness center to introduce you to SilverSneakers and help you get started
■member-only access to online support that can help you lose weight, quit smoking or reduce your stress
■SilverSneakers Steps for members without convenient access to a location. Please call 1-888-423-4632 (TTY: 711) to find out if your health plan offers SilverSneakers Steps.
How do I start using SilverSneakers?
SilverSneakers offers three easy ways to enroll. Simply choose one or more of the following options that best suits your lifestyle and begin enjoying your benefit today!
1. SilverSneakers at a participating location
Simply take your SilverSneakers Member ID card to a SilverSneakers participating fitness location. No SilverSneakers card? Bring your health plan ID card with you to tour the location and to see all the amenities you’ll enjoy as a SilverSneakers member. There are more than 11,000 fitness centers, gyms, YMCAs and Curves® to choose from.
Find a participating location
2. SilverSneakers Online
We make it easy for you to be part of a thriving and secure online community. At www.silversneakers.com/member we provide a comprehensive, easy-to-use wellness resource for eligible members of health plans that include SilverSneakers as part of their benefits.
Once you've signed up you will have access to all the features including:
■nutrition, fitness and health improvement plans and trackers
■health-related articles and recipes
■virtual exercise video demonstrations
■streaming video of SilverSneakers classes
■advice from experts in exercise, nutrition and life skills, and much more!
3. SilverSneakers Steps
SilverSneakers Steps is a personalized fitness program for members who don’t have convenient access to a SilverSneakers location. After registering as a Steps member on www.silversneakers.com/member you’ll receive a kit with tools to help you get fit, including resistance bands, an exercise DVD and “how-to” material. Call 1-888-423-4632 (TTY: 711) to find out if your health plan offers SilverSneakers Steps.
The sooner you start, the quicker you can take part in the fitness and the fun."
Healthways Silver Sneakers Program
"SilverSneakers is a fun, energizing program that helps older adults take greater control of their health by encouraging physical activity and offering social events.
Unlock the door to greater independence and a healthier life with SilverSneakers. Health plans around the country offer our award-winning program to people who are eligible for Medicare or to group retirees. SilverSneakers provides a fitness center membership to any participating location across the country. This great benefit includes:
■access to conditioning classes, exercise equipment, pool, sauna and other available amenities
■customized SilverSneakers classes designed exclusively for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance
■health education seminars and other events that promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle
■a specially trained Program AdvisorSM at the fitness center to introduce you to SilverSneakers and help you get started
■member-only access to online support that can help you lose weight, quit smoking or reduce your stress
■SilverSneakers Steps for members without convenient access to a location. Please call 1-888-423-4632 (TTY: 711) to find out if your health plan offers SilverSneakers Steps.
How do I start using SilverSneakers?
SilverSneakers offers three easy ways to enroll. Simply choose one or more of the following options that best suits your lifestyle and begin enjoying your benefit today!
1. SilverSneakers at a participating location
Simply take your SilverSneakers Member ID card to a SilverSneakers participating fitness location. No SilverSneakers card? Bring your health plan ID card with you to tour the location and to see all the amenities you’ll enjoy as a SilverSneakers member. There are more than 11,000 fitness centers, gyms, YMCAs and Curves® to choose from.
Find a participating location
2. SilverSneakers Online
We make it easy for you to be part of a thriving and secure online community. At www.silversneakers.com/member we provide a comprehensive, easy-to-use wellness resource for eligible members of health plans that include SilverSneakers as part of their benefits.
Once you've signed up you will have access to all the features including:
■nutrition, fitness and health improvement plans and trackers
■health-related articles and recipes
■virtual exercise video demonstrations
■streaming video of SilverSneakers classes
■advice from experts in exercise, nutrition and life skills, and much more!
3. SilverSneakers Steps
SilverSneakers Steps is a personalized fitness program for members who don’t have convenient access to a SilverSneakers location. After registering as a Steps member on www.silversneakers.com/member you’ll receive a kit with tools to help you get fit, including resistance bands, an exercise DVD and “how-to” material. Call 1-888-423-4632 (TTY: 711) to find out if your health plan offers SilverSneakers Steps.
The sooner you start, the quicker you can take part in the fitness and the fun."
Healthways Silver Sneakers Program
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Gratitude
Dear Linda:
My father was married for 52 years, had a wonderful career, and fathered well three children. Five strokes stole is ability to walk, swallow, and read—his favorite pastime. I’d like to help him stay positive, but his present condition seems to eclipse all that was good in his life. How can we refocus and find something for which to be grateful?
Sad for my Dad:
Dear Sad:
Though you can’t fully grasp the magnitude of your father’s feelings, treat him with as much empathy as possible. People are far more receptive to change when their present circumstance is understood and validated.
You father’s losses have been terrible, so expect some of the same grief stages people experience when a loved one dies—denial, anger and depression, emotions that can hinder making even the most beneficial changes. Be sure he’s had a complete examination and that appropriate medication has been prescribed.
Prevent isolation and inactivity. Discourage too much sleep, daydreaming, and watching TV. They are as much an escape as alcohol or drugs. Taking action instead is the best remedy.
Begin projects that don’t require the skills he’s lost—a new hobby, a coin or stamp collection, puzzles and crafts. Regularly attend worship services and take field trips to museum, the theater, or the library, where you can both listen to and discuss books on tape.
Set the example for gratitude for your dad. Express how much you appreciate all he’s done for you. Be very specific about how his help and guidance has impacted your life. Then ask him to share his stories—the mentors in his life, the pivotal moments, the best and most memorable times. Suggest writing them down in a gratitude journal, and read them aloud periodically. Read Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach for inspiration.
Be sure to honor his past by writing letters of gratitude to family and friends. You will find that expressing appreciation and focusing on the blessings will impact attitude, create a sense of well-being, and produce peace of mind.
My father was married for 52 years, had a wonderful career, and fathered well three children. Five strokes stole is ability to walk, swallow, and read—his favorite pastime. I’d like to help him stay positive, but his present condition seems to eclipse all that was good in his life. How can we refocus and find something for which to be grateful?
Sad for my Dad:
Dear Sad:
Though you can’t fully grasp the magnitude of your father’s feelings, treat him with as much empathy as possible. People are far more receptive to change when their present circumstance is understood and validated.
You father’s losses have been terrible, so expect some of the same grief stages people experience when a loved one dies—denial, anger and depression, emotions that can hinder making even the most beneficial changes. Be sure he’s had a complete examination and that appropriate medication has been prescribed.
Prevent isolation and inactivity. Discourage too much sleep, daydreaming, and watching TV. They are as much an escape as alcohol or drugs. Taking action instead is the best remedy.
Begin projects that don’t require the skills he’s lost—a new hobby, a coin or stamp collection, puzzles and crafts. Regularly attend worship services and take field trips to museum, the theater, or the library, where you can both listen to and discuss books on tape.
Set the example for gratitude for your dad. Express how much you appreciate all he’s done for you. Be very specific about how his help and guidance has impacted your life. Then ask him to share his stories—the mentors in his life, the pivotal moments, the best and most memorable times. Suggest writing them down in a gratitude journal, and read them aloud periodically. Read Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach for inspiration.
Be sure to honor his past by writing letters of gratitude to family and friends. You will find that expressing appreciation and focusing on the blessings will impact attitude, create a sense of well-being, and produce peace of mind.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Giving Gift Cards
The holidays are approaching and it is always a dilemma to buy for those who have everything. Gift cards can be the solution.
Gift cards are simple to buy, reduce shopping time, and alleviate guess work. They allow the recipient to buy whatever they want or need in a time frame that may take advantage of after-holiday sales.
Because the stigma of cards being the lazy man's gift is gone, and they're readily available from banks, credit card companies, and a variety of retailers, they have become a popular solution. They are also a great gift for the person who may not need anything frivolous but does need the basics like groceries or gas or a splurge like a manicure or spa day.
There are drawbacks, however. They're easy to lose, can be stolen and are often allowed to expire. Fees and restrictions erode their value, and buyers aren't protected by regulations. In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, Representative Joe Barton wrote "that consumers will be confused by the different rules that retailers have for their cards, and some have been and will be deceived about card restrictions."
To avoid difficulty, buy from a reputable merchant (avoid fraudulent cards often sold on websites). Purchase from a retailer rather than a credit card company to avoid restrictions and purchase fees that range from $2 to $10.95.
Some gift cards carry inactivity fees that reduce card value or maintenance fees (as high as a one-time assessment of $25 or $4.95 a month). Other cards expire in six months, and some merchants tack on a surcharge, which means a $25 gift card could cost you as much as $35. Be informed. Visit www.bankrate.com where all major credit card gifts cards are analyzed.
Consider a gift card from the local pharmacy, hair salon, book store or favorite restaurant. The likelihood for card use is greater.
Explain any restrictions to the recipient, and include the receipt when giving the card. It will be easier to get a replacement if the gift card is lost or stolen.
Gift cards are simple to buy, reduce shopping time, and alleviate guess work. They allow the recipient to buy whatever they want or need in a time frame that may take advantage of after-holiday sales.
Because the stigma of cards being the lazy man's gift is gone, and they're readily available from banks, credit card companies, and a variety of retailers, they have become a popular solution. They are also a great gift for the person who may not need anything frivolous but does need the basics like groceries or gas or a splurge like a manicure or spa day.
There are drawbacks, however. They're easy to lose, can be stolen and are often allowed to expire. Fees and restrictions erode their value, and buyers aren't protected by regulations. In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, Representative Joe Barton wrote "that consumers will be confused by the different rules that retailers have for their cards, and some have been and will be deceived about card restrictions."
To avoid difficulty, buy from a reputable merchant (avoid fraudulent cards often sold on websites). Purchase from a retailer rather than a credit card company to avoid restrictions and purchase fees that range from $2 to $10.95.
Some gift cards carry inactivity fees that reduce card value or maintenance fees (as high as a one-time assessment of $25 or $4.95 a month). Other cards expire in six months, and some merchants tack on a surcharge, which means a $25 gift card could cost you as much as $35. Be informed. Visit www.bankrate.com where all major credit card gifts cards are analyzed.
Consider a gift card from the local pharmacy, hair salon, book store or favorite restaurant. The likelihood for card use is greater.
Explain any restrictions to the recipient, and include the receipt when giving the card. It will be easier to get a replacement if the gift card is lost or stolen.
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