Senior Living

Moving to a smaller house or apartment in a retirement community almost always involves a certain degree of trauma, both for the elder who’s moving and for family members. However, by planning ahead you can reduce the discomfort involved and turn what might well become a nightmare into a pleasant event.

Begin by Planning for the Move

Where is the elder moving? Go to the actual house or apartment with tape measure, pad and pencil and write down measurements. Floor space is important, but don’t forget about ceilings. Many elders own large pieces of furniture that may not fit into rooms with low ceilings. Your work here will determine which pieces can move with your elder.

And while you’re at the actual location, talk to several other elders who already live there. What is their life style? Do they go outside the property on frequent trips? How do they dress? Casual lifestyles will require an entirely different style of dress than more formal ones.

Gather Supplies and Contact Helpers

Having all the supplies you will need in one place will speed your task. You’ll want a number of storage bins; five or six should be sufficient to hold sorted items. Plastic bags can be used for discarded belongings and as a container for articles to be donated to charities. Packing boxes and supplies such as padding materials and wide sealing tape are must-haves. Labels and dark marking pens are essential to ensure that boxes go to their intended location.

While you’re in the gathering stage, begin to contact helpers you’ll need. Among these may be:

• estate sale professionals

• certified appraisers

• moving companies

• house cleaners

• repair specialists (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, painters)

Ask friends, relatives, and senior real estate specialists for recommendations. Also, check with the Better Business Bureau to ascertain whether problems have been reported about particular companies or individuals.

Approach Your Task One Room at a Time

Who should help? The elder and one family member should assume responsibility for sorting all items and some packing. Do not include everyone in the family if you want to make the job quick and easy because distractions increase in geometric proportion to the number of persons doing the sorting.

Sort all the items in one single room at once, beginning and ending in the kitchen. Why start there? Because kitchens in small houses and apartments typically are short on storage space, and the elder needs time and experience to determine which items are true necessities, and which may never be used. If you reduce kitchen items to a bare minimum at the beginning, your elder can determine what’s needed and what’s not by living with them ahead of time. After living with fewer items, your elder may find that items once thought essential may not be needed. Complete work in the kitchen at the very end of your tasks.

Even though you intend to stay in only one room, distractions will occur. Resist them by stacking items that belong in another room at the door. A bin or box placed just inside the door can contain all the items that have homes elsewhere.

Make your motto One Thing at a Time; One Time for each Thing. Once you’ve picked up an item, decide then and there what its fate should be. Place it in one of the bins you’ve labeled:

• Discards

• Donations

• Distribution to Relatives

• Keepers

• Uncertainties

• Large collections of books may require their own bins. You might have bins for Collectors’ editions, books to be stored, books to be sold to book dealers.

When you have finished categorizing all the items in the room, start the packing process. Items in the Uncertainties bin can be packed for storage.

If an unbreakable item is to be moved only a short distance, don’t waste time on elaborate packing and padding. Items like crystal and china, however, require excellent packing, regardless of the distance they will be moved. If you can’t do a great job, leave packing fragile items to professionals.

Mark boxes as you go.

Mark boxes as you go.

Mark boxes as you go.

Nothing is more frustrating than finding that you’ve shipped your elder’s bed linens to Aunt Minnie and kept a silver salver you meant to send your nephew.

Don’t try to do everything at once. Do only one room on any given day, and take the time to enjoy reminiscing as you sort items.

This is also the perfect time to have a certified appraiser come in to appraise items that may be of significant value. Very expensive items may be auctioned at an auction house such as Christy’s or Sotheby’s. Less expensive items can be sold to local antiques dealers. By having an idea of their value before going to dealers, you reduce the chance that dealers can scam you.

You could also consider selling items through an on-line auction. If you do so, remember that you will be responsible for shipping items and ensuring their condition to successful bidders.

Distribute Items to the Intended Recipients

Schedule a single day for distribution of items. In-town relatives can come to pick up items intended for them; they may also be helpful by taking bags to charities, books to resellers, boxes to storage, and trash to dumps.

Use this day for shipping as well. Small items can be shipped via UPS or FedEx; large pieces of furniture and antiques may require special handling by movers. Once you’ve finished distribution, you should have a considerably reduced pile of boxes and furniture. These boxes should contain only items to be moved to the elder’s new residence or to storage. Remaining items should be those to be sold in an estate sale.

Move the Elder to His New Residence

Will the mover actually show up on time? Will the mover actually show up at all? Increase the probability of a good outcome for the move by contacting the mover to confirm arrangement a week ahead and the day before the actual move is scheduled. Of course, missed appointments may still occur, but if you’ve checked out the company with the Better Business Bureau and reminded the company of your appointment, the chances are good that the move will go as planned.

Accompany your elder to his new residence and help him with the moving-in process. Even if not all boxes can be emptied in a single day, he will feel more comfortable if a few items that are meaningful to him are unpacked and placed where he can find them.

Hold an Estate Sale

Once the movers have left the premises, the estate sale professionals should come in to evaluate and price items for the estate sale. Give them a key to the house, and then get out of their way. If you have chosen well, these professionals can do a great job of pricing items to sell and clearing the house of whatever remains. They will take a percentage of the sale receipts as compensation.

The days of the sale are good days to keep your elder busy elsewhere. A tearful elder does nothing to help sales.

Schedule a professional cleaning service to clean the house once the estate sale is over. When that has been completed to your satisfaction, turn the keys over to your senior real estate professional and give yourself a big pat on the back. You’re done!

Click here for a checklist to help you through this process. Or copy this address into your browser address bar.
http://www.thebestisyet.net/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/pando19/start.cgi/movechecklist.htm” target=”_new

pando19 @ yahoo .com

Scaling Down (almost) Painlessly

I finally went to the doctor this morning for my bad cold. My appointment was for 9:30 am and yet I didn’t get home until after 1:00 pm.

I’d asked the doctor to call in my prescription so I stopped at the store to pick it up on my way home. I was standing in line coughing and making people frown at me when I noticed this elderly couple. The woman got out of line and took her husband (he was blind) to sit in one of the chairs that are off to the side. And she started walking away. Well, I’m not paying much attention to them, I just want to get my medicine and go home and get back in the bed. I get my prescription and go to my truck to leave. WHY I SEE THE LITTLE OLD LADY OUTSIDE INCHING ACROSS THE PARKING LOT USING AN OLD UMBRELLA AS A CANE?????????? Geez!

So I pull up next to her and ask her where she was going. She said she had to go to the bank to get some money to pay for the medicine and their groceries. Now keep in mind that the bank is across this busy azz street which accesses the interstate. So?I get out of my truck and help her into the passenger seat. I drive her to the bank. While driving, she tells me that this elderly bus thing picked them up and dropped them off at Safeway and would be back to pick them up at 2:00. WHAT THE HECK?????????

Oh…she’d given her cane to someone “who had nothing” so they could use it and had to use the umbrella until she got another one. *sigh*

Okay?so I take her back to the store?I’m hacking the whole way sounding like a water egress or a crane but there was no way I could leave those two old people sitting out front of the store until the bus thing showed back up. *sigh*

So?..I helped her get her groceries. (IT TOOK FOREVER!!!!!) and then I put her and her husband in my truck and took them home. I stopped at Eckerds and bought her a new cane. It was only $19.99 and she was gonna bust her butt with that umbrella.

Now here’s the sticker. It turns out that they have a son who is a doctor. His azz lives in Ohio. He bought them a house?but they have absolutely no help. NONE! The woman has heart problems and the man is blind and they have to rely on the elderly bus to take them around to doctor’s appointments, etc. I’m thinking to myself?there would be no way I’d let my mama and daddy live like that. I’d either move them to Ohio or I’d move and be closer to them. I mean dang?a doctor can get a job anywhere.

Anyway?you KNOW I gave them my number?and this voice that sounded like mine told them to call if they ever needed something. *sigh*

But listen to this?after I unloaded them and their groceries?the lady tried to give me some money for gas. I was like?ma’am please?my heart would hurt too much if I took something from you. Then she said?well..only God can repay you. How may I pray for you? I said to pray that I have healthy babies one day. And she said?better than that?I’ll pray you have healthy babies whom will take care of you in your old age. Wow. That said a lot.

*sigh* I’m sad for them. Their son sucks.

http://www.MonicaMingo.com
http://www.DragonflySmooches.com

Whos Gonna Take Care of You When Youre Old?

Do you worry about whether your aging parents have their “affairs in order?” You should. After all, you’re the one who will have to pay unnecessary taxes and endure time-consuming court procedures if your parents don’t have an effective estate plan. Without some forethought on their part and your part, you could be facing a lot of wasted time and money in addition to a lot of frustration. All of the waste and frustration can easily be avoided.

Experts predict $10 trillion will be transferred in the next two decades from parents to baby boomers. The average inheritance will be $200,000. The parents have spent all of their lives saving to leave something to their family. For most boomers, their inheritance will be the largest single financial transaction most they will ever handle. Depending upon the planning done today, the amount actually transferred could be doubled.

During the final years of a parent’s life, the family can lose a lot of the estate in rest home expenses or legal fees. Too often the family has to get a court order to have a parent declared incompetent and get permission to manage their affairs. After both parents die, probate will eat 2-5% of the estate, and estate taxes can take another 37-50%. Additionally, the estate mess can take many days of time out of the boomer’s busy life. Not only money is lost, but life styles often have to be altered just to work through the mess.

Good planning is worth every effort made and every dime spent, not just in the money and timesavings, but also in the peace of mind it will give to both the parents and the kids. Boomers need to help get the planning done. However, discussing money, especially in this context, is very unpleasant for most families. The kids don’t want to appear grabby or look like they are just waiting for their parents to die so they can get their inheritance. The parents don’t want to face their own mortality, and they don’t want the kids nosing in their financial affairs. The bottom line is nothing gets done.

The sooner this discussion takes place the better. Everybody has to recognize that planning is good business and financial management. The parents have an obligation to take care of it for the children’s sake, and the children have an obligation to help their aging parents. The discussion will take place at some point. The worst time to have the discussion is when a parent is in intensive care.

The following six tips will help protect a parent’s hard-earned money, transfer the maximum amount of inheritance to the family, and ease the family’s legal and emotional burden.

1. Review current wills and/or living trusts. Do the documents reflect the parent’s current wishes? Have there been changes in family relationships, such as divorces, marriages, or new grandchildren?

2. Look into living trusts. All wills that transfer property must go through a court process called probate. Probate eats time and money – lots of both. Today, many families use living trusts to avoid probate, reduce legal fees, and pay the least possible taxes. Living trusts work well, provided they are handled properly during the parent’s life. Is the living trust being used properly?

3. Dodge family disputes. Make sure either the will or trust distribute personal items with a list describing the item and the intended recipient. Most states allows distribution of personal items through a "personal letter," which is just a list of items and their intended recipient. The letter is not part of the will until death, and then it essentially becomes part of the will. Thus, the letter can be rewritten or updated as often as desired without a trip back to the attorney. The letter must be "authorized" by the individual’s will in order for it to be effective. If specific distribution of personal items like the shot gun, wedding ring, and the family stamp collection is made in the letter, family fights will be avoided.

4. Split trusts to save taxes. If mom and dad have over $1.5 million in their estate, including the life insurance, retirement money, and business, they should either have an individual trust for each or have a trust that "splits" into two trusts when the first one of them dies. This shields up to $3 million from estate taxes that eat away at a family’s wealth.

5. Protect life insurance. Life insurance is taxed. The family doesn’t have to pay income tax on the money they get, but the money is taxed in the departed loved one’s estate and the IRS will routinely take up to 50% of it. A living trust can help in smaller estates, and an irrevocable insurance trust can totally eliminate the tax in bigger estates.

6. Solve the incompetency problem. Use a durable power of attorney to transfer power to someone when the parent can no longer take care of their own business affairs. The power of attorney has to have language in it that states it will endure the incompetency of the individual making the power of attorney. With the power of attorney, there isn’t any need to have the parent declared incompetent and have a court appoint a guardian. It removes a lot of frustration.

The parents need to soften up and realize that estate planning is something they need to talk about and be taking care of. If they cannot do it for themselves, they need to realize that their children are the ones that they have to turn to. The boomers need to take their parents’ estate planning very seriously. The boomers have a lot at stake – a lot of money, a lot of time, and a lot of frustration.

Attorney Lee R. Phillips is a nationally recognized expert in the field of finance, http://www.diyestateplanning.com, and http://www.diyassetprotection.com. Lee is licensed to practice law before the United States Supreme Court and also holds licenses in insurance and securities. Lee is an engaging, dynamic speaker and has spoken to over a half million people throughout the United States, Canada and the Pacific Rim helping them understand the law and how to use it to their benefit.

His goal is to reposition you in the law so you can actually use the law to make more money, and keep it! His ability to present critical information in a clear manner has made him a highly sought after guest on hundreds of radio and television shows.

His specialty is in creating easy to understand, do-it-yourself legal systems. For more information, visit http://www.diyestateplanning.com.

Baby Boomers: Will They Be Able to Afford Their Parents?

Every year we hear stories of seniors falling, ending up in hospitals and never fully recovering. Unfortunately, these falls often result in death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of injury related deaths for seniors age 65 and older. Every year, approximately 35% to 40% of seniors over 65 years of age fall at least one time. The following are five ways to help reduce the risk of you or a loved one from falling:

1. Keep Indoor Pathways Safe- Remove throw rugs or use double sided tape to prevent rugs from becoming loose. Keep telephone and electrical cords out of walkways as well as items such as shoes, blankets and books. Move furniture out of walkways to ensure the path is clear. Always keep stairways free from clutter.

2. Review Medications- Visit with your doctor or pharmacist about the medications you or a loved one is taking. Some prescriptions and over the counter drugs can cause one to become drowsy, dizzy or unsteady. In addition, make sure to get your vision checked once a year to reduce the risk of falling due to poor vision.

3. Exercise Regularly- It is important to improve your muscle flexibility and strength to reduce the risk of falling. Balance and coordination are also important to help prevent falling, and these can be accomplished through regular exercise.

4. Add Safety Features to Bathroom and Bedroom- Install mats or suction cups in the bathtub. Place grab bars near the toilet, shower, and tub area, as well as bench or a stool in the shower. Consider using an elevated toilet seat to help reduce the risk of falling. In the bedroom, keep a lamp or light switch that can be easily reached without getting out of bed. Use night lights in the bedroom, bathroom and hallways.

5. Improve Outdoor Walkways- Paint the edges of outdoor steps, especially steps that are narrow or are higher or lower than other steps. Paint outside stairs with a mixture of sand and paint to help with traction. Keep walkways well lit and clear from debris, snow and ice.

In addition to keeping the home safe from hazards, always try to maintain good health and exercise habits. It is important to wear rubber soled shoes that fully support your feet. Furthermore, limit the consumption of alcohol, and use walking devices such as a cane or a walker if extra support is needed. By reducing the risk of falling, one is increasing the chances of living a happy and safe life.

—————————————————————————You have permission to use this article as long as the author’s full bio is present as well as any hyperlinks to author’s website.

Torey Farnsworth has over 12 years of experience working with seniors. Ms. Farnsworth’s vast expertise encompasses a wide variety of senior issues ranging from adult care to elder law. Her legal experience includes long term care planning, estate planning, ALTCS eligibility and Medicaid planning. Ms. Farnsworth is also a certified caregiver with the State of Arizona as well as a Certified Senior Advisor. Ms. Farnsworth has spent her career in senior care as her family owns and operates assisted living homes.

Ms. Farnsworth owns and operates a senior care placement business in Arizona called Horizon Senior Care Referral. Her placement services are free to seniors and their families. For information on placement services in Arizona, visit http://www.adultcarecentral.com

Senior Living: 5 Ways to Help Reduce the Risk of Falling

I’ve just made another Photoshop video. This one is about colour tinting (or “colorizing”) an old photo. You may not know this, but back in the 1800′s – long before colour photography was invented – people used to hand-tint black and white photographs with coloured inks or water-colour paints, and I wanted to achieve that type of effect. Tinting monochrome prints using Photoshop is considerably less messy!

The photo I decided to use was a recently restored photo of my maternal great-grandmother (my mother’s, mother’s, mother). It was taken sometime in the late 1880′s when she probably in her late teens. It’s a typical Victorian studio portrait: Great-grandma is wearing her best dress, is standing against a painted background of a garden, and has one hand resting on a rustic looking chair.

The only thing I knew for certain was that Great-grandma had blue eyes, every other colour was a conjecture. Her dress was a dark colour, and after experimenting with a few different colours, I decided that navy blue looked best. I coloured in the background light green – although it could have been cyan. The bamboo chair was obviously a bamboo colour. That just left the colour of her hair to try and figure out.

My maternal grandmother had strawberry-blonde hair in her younger days (I’ve seen colour photos of her when she was young) but when I tried to colour her mother’s hair that colour, it just didn’t look right. Too light. Auburn? No, that didn’t look right either. I asked my mother, but she had no idea. Great-grandma was a white-haired old lady by the time my mother came along.

The only thing I could do was just to play about with the colour sliders until her hair looked “right”. That’s when I made a profound discovery: my great-grandmother’s hair was brown – like mine! It was the only colour that looked natural.

My great-grandmother and I never met, but thanks to Photoshop, I now have a better idea of what she looked like than would have been possible just from a black and white photo.

I’ve posted her picture on my webpage.

Shaun Pearce is a writer and video maker.His latest production “Photoshop Master” shows you how to get the most from Photoshop, and can be downloaded from http://www.learnphotoshopfast.com?=art03

What Colour was Your Great-grandmothers Hair?

Whether you’re at home or somewhere else, a sudden fall can be startling and upsetting. If you do fall, stay as calm as possible. Take several deep breaths to try to relax.
Remain still on the floor or ground for a few moments. This will help you get over the shock of falling. It will also give you time to decide if you’re hurt before getting up. Getting up too quickly or in the wrong way could make an injury worse.
If you think you can get up safely without help, roll over onto your side. Push yourself up into a seated position. Rest again while your body and blood pressure adjust. Slowly get up on your hands and knees, and crawl to a sturdy chair.
Put your hands on the chair seat and slide one foot forward so that it is flat on the floor. Keep the other leg bent so the knee is on the floor. From this kneeling position, slowly rise and turn your body to sit in the chair.
If you’re hurt or can’t get up on your own, ask someone for help or call 911. If you’re alone, try to get into a comfortable position and wait for help to arrive.
If you have problems with balance or dizziness and are often alone, consider getting a personal emergency response system. This service, which works through your telephone line, provides a button or bracelet to wear at all times in your home.
If you fall or need emergency assistance for any reason, a push of the button will alert the service. Emergency medical services will be called. There is a fee for medical monitoring services, but your personal safety may be worth the cost.
Carrying a portable phone with you as you move about your house could make it easier to call someone if you need assistance. You might also put a telephone in a place that you can reach from the floor in case you fall and need help.
Be sure to discuss any fall with your doctor. Write down when, where, and how you fell so you can discuss the details with your doctor. The doctor can assess whether a medical issue or other cause of the fall needs to be addressed. Knowing the cause can help you plan to prevent future falls.
Many older people who have fallen are afraid of falling again. Even if a fall doesn’t cause injury, the fear of falling again might prevent you from doing activities you enjoy or need to do. Fear of falling also might cause you to stay at home away from your friends, family, and others.
Your muscles and bones can weaken over time without the physical activity that comes with doing daily tasks or exercise. As a result, you could become more — not less — likely to fall.
After a fall, your doctor might refer you to other health care providers who can help prevent future falls. A physical therapist can help with gait, balance, strength training, and walking aids. An occupational therapist can suggest changes in your home that may lower your risk of falls.
If you’re at high risk for falls and hip fractures, your doctor might suggest that you wear a padded “hip protector.” A hip protector is worn over the hips under clothing. It absorbs some of the force of a fall and lessens the impact of the fall on the bones.
source : http://www.nih.gov

The picture used to be locked in to an antiquated version of crafts for the elderly: they were relegated to cutting out construction paper Christmas tree chains and Valentines, making doilies, and fussing with clay or paints. Maybe crafts for the elderly were thought of as siblings to crafts for the mentally challenged, or maybe crafts for the elderly meant—since the elderly were completing the circle of life and returning to regressed stages—that only that which children were allowed to handle was acceptable for the patients in an elder care facility.

Guess what? Times have changed along with people, and crafts for the elderly are much more “advanced”…they are, too, as varied in medium and message and skill level as the individuals are. Yes, our elders are still offered the options of pipe cleaners and papier-mâché, but they are also invited to continue what they did when they were younger. Some elders still work as jewelers, making jewelry, for instance, while others still quilt, knit, and crochet. Many enjoy finely detailed needlepoint. Others sew. Elders make clocks, build birdhouses, craft workshop items such as dolls and toys.

And why can’t crafts for the elderly also include arts for the elderly? My mother paints in oils and watercolors; my friend who is retired restores antiques. Other elders I have worked with in memoir-writing workshops have continued to write and make their own books (the hand sewn kind) but have also published their own memoirs with small presses. In addition, some have made planters and plant terrariums, while others have done decoupage and wood-burning projects that have yielded family trees, poems, and images as gifts and honors for their loved ones.

Other possibilities as crafts for the elderly include (but are not limited to) hand-made greeting cards, pictures, and posters; arts and crafts kits; ceramics; weaving; cooking and non-cooking activities; gardening; gift ideas and baskets (from dream catchers to edible bouquets); miniature models and kits (airplanes, cars, trucks); etchings (in brass or on tiles); scrapbooking; science crafts; sand painting; paper dolls; botanical and other 3-d sculpting.

Granted, those with debilitating conditions or mental deterioration will not be able to nor have interest in gold-flaking the ceiling. But many of our so-called elders are still as active and engaged as they ever were, so they need not be limited to our idea of crafts hour in the rec room. The idea is that the elderly should continue to do what they did, what they love to do, and whatever they can do to keep their minds and souls healthy and happy. If that means rejecting a popsicle stick for a paintbrush, all the better!

For more information on the best Arts and Crafts For Elderly try visiting Arts and Crafts located at http://arts-crafts-magazine.com where you will find valuable information on art, crafts and other information..

Are your clients pleased by the fine quality service that you provide? Validating your clients’ endorsement of you through Certification as a Senior Approved Service will increase your client base. Senior Approved Certification leads a family towards a service like yours side stepping the possibility of connecting with a less than desirable service.

If you serve the older adult, the disabled or those with chronic illnesses you may qualify for an independent consumer-driven survey process leading to certification as a Senior Approved Service.

You will not pay for clients, leads or referrals. You will not violate HIPAA or the Anti-kickback rulings. You will not pay for membership or advertising space.

Certifications are offered for medical, non-medical, alternative healing practices, housing, elder-law, and financial planners – virtually any type of business that reaches this population. "We are building the ultimate one-call solution,” states Barbara Mascio, founder. "Seniors are need of many kinds of service, including lawn care, handyman services and so on. We save the headache of shopping around and completely remove the guess work."

Confident business owners recognize the benefits of being part of an exclusive network of Certified Senior Approved Services. See http://www.qualityeldercare.com/senior-services.html

Jean F. Wales, President of Wales Consulting LLC and Author of “Do It Now! An Organizing Handbook for Families and Senior Citizens writes Becoming a Senior Approved Service instantly raised the credibility of my book “Do It Now! An Organizing Handbook for Families and Senior Citizens. http://www.seniorsapprove.com/organizing.html

Ester Whitney, owner of Sweet Adeline’s Home writes I feel I have been given a great opportunity to be the first Residential Home Care Provider to be approved by Senior Approved Services in the Dallas Area ? everyone has been impressed ? http://www.sweetadelineshomes.com/

Tony Latina and Peggy Schmidt, co-owners of Advanced Laser Solutions writes We have had nothing but positive feedback from the referrals from Senior Approved Services. They have been excellent to work with and we strongly recommend them. http://www.seniorsapprove.com/stop_smoking.html

Paul Stone, owner of Occasional Help for Seniors a general cleaning and handyman service writes We are so proud to be Certified as a Senior Approved Service. Putting this on our brochures, business cards and other advertisement pieces has clearly, without a doubt, increased our client base. Barbara is right; seniors need services but are afraid or confused about which one to call. http://www.seniorsapprove.com/occasional-help.html

See http://www.qualityeldercare.com/providers for details. Mention Savings Code 0630 when you apply for certification.

Barbara Mascio, Founder of Senior Approved Services – a National Network of Products, Resources and Services Endorsed by Seniors

Marketing, Selling, and Serving the Older Adult, Senior Citizens, Family Caregivers

Good news! You no longer have to risk chance when it comes to selecting a reputable elder care service for yourself or for a loved one. Senior Approved Services has certified a select number of businesses in our area serving the elderly and disabled populations.

Senior Approved Services was founded as a method to actively advocate for the right of all seniors to receive excellent quality care and most importantly, remain safe in the receiving of that care. Rather than report and warn senior citizens of known unsafe services (products and resources), they take the positive approach of highlighting businesses that are willing to prove that they deliver what is promised.

"No one should have to risk the safety of their loved ones when it comes to selecting a service," states founder and president of Senior Approved Services, Barbara Mascio, a devoted advocate for seniors.

Families that want to secure an in home care service, an elder-law attorney, financial planners, long-term care health insurance representatives, bill-paying services, general handyman and cleaning services, adult group homes, adult day services, assisted living facilities, specialized Alzheimer’s and dementia care services, self-help books, health care directives and living will services, alternative healing practices (including stop smoking programs), elder mediation, home medical equipment, and so forth – can now select the best of the best through the exclusive network of Certified Senior Approved Services.

Seniors and those searching for verified excellent services access this valuable program free of charge by visiting www.seniorsapprove.com or by phoning 216-883-3163 during business hours.

Businesses that offer a product, resource or service for the senior citizen (or those with disabilities) may apply for certification. It is proof that they indeed put the client first. "We’re responding to three years of research and focus group studies," offers Barbara, referring to results that clearly show the consumer of elder care services wants an unbiased third-party entity to verify the history of care and service.

In the last twelve months alone, Senior Approved Services has received nearly 3,000 inquiries from families that have asked to be connected with a Certified Senior Approved Service. "I only hope that other business owners serving this precious population will respond and request certification so that we may continue helping seniors avoid services that are known to be less than desirable," affirms Barbara Mascio.

Businesses may request Senior Approved Certification by first visiting http://www.qualityeldercare.com/seniors

Senior Approved Services advocates for the right of all seniors to receive excellent care and most importantly, remain safe in the receiving of that care. We are building a national network of products, resources and services endorsed by seniors and their families.

Local Businesses Serving Seniors Prove Commitment to Quality Care

Many employees today are calling in sick – not to care for themselves or their children, but to care for their aging parents. Baby boomers are rapidly moving into the role of caregivers for their parents, but with a few extra challenges due to the changing face of our workforce. Nearly 25% of U.S. households are now involved in caring for a senior family member, spending an average of 20 hours a week in caregiving services. Nearly 65% of those individuals providing the caregiving are employed outside of the home. According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, approximately 15 million days of work per year are lost due to these circumstances. These numbers are forecasted to increase since the longevity of life is being extended by modern medicine.

The workforce is also aging with more people moving toward retirement age and fewer young people filling the ranks. The median age of workers has risen by five years since 1986, making the average worker 40 years old. Women in this age group, who are primarily the caregivers for their parents, continue working full time in order to support their family, pay their children’s college tuition, or save for their own retirement. These situations are even more compounded because many baby boomers have relocated away from their senior family members to pursue job opportunities.

Another issue facing baby boomers and their families is the cost of care for their senior family members. Many members of the sandwich generation will be shocked to find out what the cost of prescription medications really run, especially since many of the medications are not covered by Medicare. This will cause many retired seniors and some baby boomers to continue their pursuit of a career, and not enjoy their Golden Years.

When faced with these issues, it is always best to have some future plan in place. Do not wait until mom or dad is in the critical care bed or is being discharged from the hospital. Here are a few suggestions for the potential or current caregiver to contemplate:

1. Talk to your parents and/or family members before a crisis. This will help you and all those involved to truly understand their wishes. Discuss with them the topics of Medicare, health insurance, long-term care insurance, and if they have other important legal documents regarding medical treatment (i.e., Living Will, Durable Medical Power of Attorney, etc?).

2. Locate any community resources that may be available to you and your family. The Valley of the Sun has numerous services available for the elderly (i.e. Area Agency on Aging, Meals on Wheels, Adult Day Care Facilities, Housing, etc?). You can access many of these services via the local hospital or skilled nursing facility discharge planners, senior citizen centers, or even the local clergy.

3. Ask your employer if they can help. Many employers are willing to help employee caregivers in order to retain valuable workers. Find out if your employer offers paid leave benefits for flex hours. Some employees are even beginning to include long-term care insurance or caregiver respite programs in their benefit package.

4. Ask friends and family for help. Ask them what experiences they have had with some of the community services. Many of these people may have already gone through this and can be of assistance.

5. Talk to your local clergy. Many local churches and synagogues have family assistance programs or have access via their denominations. If these services are not available, most clergy are familiar with what can be obtained by you or your family.

Caring for our aging parents may be one of the more challenging roles we undertake in our adult lives. With forethought, consideration and a little planning on everyone’s part, it can actually have a more positive outcome.

Hearts of Joy Senior Care provides an affordable, non-medical, in-home companion care service for seniors, which enables them to maintain their independence, as well as dignity and self-respect. Marc and Susan speak around the valley on numerous topics regarding senior care, with a primary focus on fall prevention and home safety. Hearts of Joy Senior Care Inc. can be reached at (480) 948-4655.

As the Baby Boomers Age