Page 7 - Reedley Exponent 9-6-18 E-edition

“Aging with dignity is the ability to live life to its fullest in the place you call home, regard- less of age, illness or disability. “ So starts an article by Victo- ria R Ballesteros and Athan G. Bezaetis. Both are communi- cation professionals with the SCAN Foundation. e article they wrote covers 10 points on the topic of aging with dignity. ese are good points to use to look to the future. Here is a summary of those points with some comments of my own.
Number 1: You are not alone We have been hearing for a while now that the huge number of baby boomers are now reaching retirement age. ere are not enough retire- ment communities, assisted living buildings or skilled nurs- ing facilities to accommodate the numbers of people who will need care. It is important for you to talk to your family. Share with them what aging with dignity means to you on a personal level and listen to
what it means for them. Number 2: Di erent people need di erent kinds of support Most folks need someone to socialize with, some need help with medication manage- ment and others need some help to make sure they eat nutritious foods. Older indi- viduals with health conditions that make routine activities di cult need specialized help. ere is help for giving care in the home. Contact your Area Agency on Aging, Medi-Cal o ce, and your doctor to nd out what help is o ered in your area. ere are no free services; however, there are people who are willing to volunteer occa- sionally. A good place to look
for volunteers is your church. Number 3: Support that
family members give counts. Family is a vital part of ag- ing with dignity. Family mem- bers do many kinds of hands on care for individuals who have health needs. Someone in
By Ro Linscheid
do not necessarily talk to each other.
Number 8: Build a circle of
support
e Durable Power of Health agent is certainly an important person in the life of someone who is aging. It may also be important to have dis- cussions with your loved one’s attorney, nancial planner, insurance provider and other family members. It is never an easy task to bring everyone together, but it is important to bring all people involved into the decision-making process to honor your loved one’s wishes
and desires.
Number 9: We all want to
age with dignity, choice and independence
To live life to the fullest regardless of age, health care issues or ability is something we all want. Be sure you un- derstand how your loved one de nes aging with dignity and make that part of the master plan.
Number 10: Your voice is important
Decisions are being made at the state and federal level that could impact the servic- es available to you and your loved ones. Stay informed and speak up by talking to your lo- cal, state, and federal o cials. SCAN Foundation has a web-
site that can keep you updated. Aging with dignity is important and creates less fear in the aging process. At Sierra View Homes Retire- ment Community, we strive to do person-centered care to increase dignity in the lives of the people we care for. We care-plan the resident wishes in the Residential Care Facil- ity keeping the resident center in the plan of care. ere are activities for the independent living to help foster friendships and a sense of belonging and to stay physically agile. e goal is to provide an outstanding en- vironment that promotes dig-
nity and a sense of wellbeing.
The Reedley Exponent A7 Thursday, September 6, 2018
Health &Fitness Health &Fitness
Living a Digni ed Life–All Your Life
Locally Owned & Operated
the family often helps with - nances either managing money or helping to pay for needed help. Emotional support is an important family contribution. is can be challenging when you also have to grieve the loss of health and vitality.
Number 4: Long-Term Care Expense
Hiring people to provide care in your home can get very expensive. I understand a certi- ed nursing assistant is being paid more than $15 per hour in most cases. In-home support organizations are charging $25 per hour and above. Nursing Homes are trying to keep costs to the resident as low as pos- sible, but ever increasing envi- ronment regulations keeps the cost to provide care increas- ing. Many nursing homes cost $7000 a month and above.
Number 5: Medicare does not pay
I get a number of calls each week with the ques- tion does Medicare pay for my loved one’s stay in Skilled Nursing or Assisted Living. ey are so surprised when I have to tell them Medicare does not pay. Medicare will only pay for a short-term re- habilitation stay not for custo- dial care. If you stay longer in a Skilled Nursing Home, you will have to pay out-of-pocket. If you end up spending all of your assets, you may then ap- ply for Medi-cal, California‘s version of Medicaid. Medi- Cal has several programs to assist you in paying health care costs.
Number 6: Talk to your
Now What?
loved ones.
Planning is important.
Decisions are extremely di - cult when a crisis happens. Has a Durable Power for Health Care been established? If it has how old is it and are the agents listed in the document still able to ful ll the functions assigned to them? Are health care wishes spelled out in the document or have there been explicit conversations with the Durable Power agent so the wishes can and will be hon- ored when that time comes.
Number 7: Talk to your loved one’s doctors
Aging brings health care changes. Being a strong advo- cate for someone who is aging means you need to know about what the doctors feel is the right treatment. Do you have the right specialists? Are there contradictory issues or treat- ments going on? e doctors
Tamyra Glass, M.D.
Family Practice
Pediatric, Adolescent, and Adult Medical Care in a private of ce setting
Accepting new patients, including Medicare
Call for an appointment today! 559-638-2210
Of ce Location: 1141 I Street • Reedley
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