The other day I was talking to a friend who shared that he becomes depressed around the holidays. Over the years, he has lost many family members and friends. Growing up he celebrated Christmas with extended family–approximately 40-50 relatives. It has now dwindled down to a few people. Some family married or moved away, but the foundational members that originally brought everyone together, have long since died.

Holidays often remind people of the past. Some may be excited about the changes that have occurred in their lives, while others may wish to return to a happier time. One of my previous clients, often talks about her parents around the holidays. At 88, she still longs to return to the “good ole days” when she lived in Ohio and rode her sled on snowy days. These were happier times…before she and her parents had a falling out, and then she moved far away.

This client is one of many that have spoken out about their depression, especially around the holidays. Most older adults have lost some type of significant relationship over the years. Unfortunately,this is a normal part of growing older….for any age.

After talking at length to my friend about his “holiday depression,” we agreed on one point. The only way to manage the losses incurred, is to be open to new experiences. As he ages, he may one day be a foundational figure in his family. Where new family members come together, and spend quality time over the holiday season. One day his future grandchildren may look back at these times (like my previous client) as the “good ole days.” Happy Holidays to you all!

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I know quite a few people who begin to slow down in their fifties and sixties, especially after they retire. Sometimes then their health begins to deteriorate. What if retirement was only the halfway point? For Edna Parker at age 55, she hadn’t even lived half of her life. She truly is an inspiration to us all–proving there doesn’t have to be age limitations.

The full article can be found by clicking on this link.

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Edna Parker, wheelchairs, nursing home

One of the fastest growing senior housing niche markets are for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals (GLBT). A member of the new GLBT community points out that she feels “more at home with people who share her (my) values.” This is especially so for those abandoned or disowned by family due to their sexuality. With the rising popularity of these communities, individuals who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender now have somewhere to live and grow old with their peers.

Another area on the move is university-based retirement communities (UBRC). While living in Austin, the University of Texas was making plans to open one of these facilities on campus. Currently, there are about three dozen university based retirement communities (UBRC) open in the United States. Most of the UBRCs meet the following criteria:

- The community must be located within a mile of the main campus.
- At least 10% of residents are expected to have affiliation with the University, whether as alumni or retired faculty.
- The community should be a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) providing all types of care, whether it’s independent, assisted, Alzheimer’s and/or skilled nursing.

Various cultures have also created niches for themselves. For instance, one Asian American nursing facility in California has two stone lions marking their entrance. No where in this facility will you find the number “4″, which signifies death to some Asian Americans. Also, the color blue is absent from the decor, because it is considered “undesirable.” These facilities have gained popularity because some prefer to be among those that have similar beliefs or customs.

Some seniors choose more non-traditional methods of retirement living. Since the year 2000, Bea Muller has been living on the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship. Her “assisted living” choice runs about $100,000 dollars per year. This cruise ship visits twenty-five countries per year. A study done by the American Geriatric Society (2003) discovered that the average cruise ship only costs around $11 dollars more per month than an a assisted living facility.

These days it’s not uncommon for cruise ships to have a “Bea Muller” type staying long-term. A cruise line called Residen Sea, has introduced “The World,” a ship that allows retirees to buy high-end apartments. Since cruise lines already have nurses and physicians on staff, it makes sense why some consider this type of retirement living.

With the large number of Americans retiring, it’s no wonder the options continue to grow. There is no doubt that Baby Boomers will reinvent the previously generic term “retirement.”

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niche housing, older adults, long-term care, University of Texas, university based retirement communities, Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), American Geriatric Society, retirement living, Baby Boomers

Currently there are five Alzheimer’s disease medications available to the public. However, all of these drugs treat the symptoms such as confusion and memory trouble. They do not cure or even slow down the disease. A study published earlier this year concluded that these drugs produce few, if any, meaningful benefits. From my experience, I have seen positive results from these drugs (i.e., Aricept), but whose to say if the results are largely induced by a placebo effect.

Although researchers remain optimistic, other candidates that could provide a cure appear to be in the distant future, 2010 or beyond. For example:

- A drug called bapineuzumab, which uses antibodies to clear beta-amyloid is about to enter Phase III trial. Results of this drug are due in 2010.

- Another drug, Dimebon, discovered more than two decades ago has completed Phase II trial in Russia. So far results from this study have found that patients seem to have improved thinking processes and ability to function. It will be interesting to see how this drug continues to do in Phase III trial.

While we wait for a cure, Congress has been trying to pass a bill entitled the “Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act” (used to be called the Ronald Reagan Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act) that would increase research funding.

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To qualify for this program a veteran must have had 90 days or more of active duty, only one day of which was during wartime. It is not necessary that they saw combat. They must not have had a dishonorable discharge.

In addition, the veteran or spouse must be determined to be “permanently and totally disabled.” This includes but no limited to: trouble dressing/undressing him or herself, blindness, and mental or physical incapacity.

The veteran or spouse does not need to be house bound or considered helpless. You just have to prove the person is in need of aid and attendance on a regular basis. The V.A. will generally accept a letter from a physician, which should state that the person has an incapacity that requires care or assistance on a regular basis to live safely at home.

There is a net worth requirement for this program. This is something the V.A. could assist you with since it changes on a routine basis. The last known net worth cutoff was $80,000, not including your home.

In addition to the net worth requirement, there is also an income requirement. The veteran’s countable income should not exceed the maximum annual pension rate which is currently $1,673 (adjusted periodically), or $869.00 per month for the spouse. However, some items may be deducted from income in order to meet this criteria. For example: doctor and dental visits, co-payments, medical supplies, therapy, transportation to the doctor, ect.

It can take up to ninety days to receive approval. However, once approved payments are made retroactively from the first month after the month that you apply. So, funds you previously spent on home care may be reimbursed to you when the V.A. aid and attendants coverage starts.

This information was provided by Interim Healthcare Private Services (Ocala, Florida), which provides quality home care to veterans and others needing assistance. To view their website, click on the link: www.interimhealthcare.com

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Here is the URL:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/financial-planning/family-estates/
article/10-things-assistedliving-facility-wont-tell_167068_30.html

Although I think the article has a lot of relevant information, and could be useful to many people, it is key to remember that the article completely focuses on pointing out all the negative aspects of assisted living. I also want to say that I don’t necessarily agree with all the information.

For example, one of the “10 things to remember” is that assisted living facilities stop spending when the beds are full. While, I cannot speak for all facilities, this statement is largely overstated. I do know of several places where this is the case, but I know of more facilities where this is completely untrue.

Largely, I think several other factors should be considered such as:

- Does it provide a high level of quality of care to the residents?
- What type of reputation does the facility have in the community?
- How well did the facility do in recent inspections?

These are all things to think about…

Overall, I thought the article was worth reading and good “food for thought”. Just remember, the article was written in the negative (to point out problems). While it does give you 10 things to remember, what it doesn’t remind you of is the thousands of things that assisted living facilities do right everyday.