Senior Q & A – August Edition
Q & A: Answers to Common Senior Living Questions
Q. How do I deal with angry behavior from my senior loved one?
A. First, it’s important to know that it’s not your fault. Don’t take it personally. Your senior loved one may be angry because he or she feels a loss of control over their life. They may feel frustrated or helpless at times. And their personality and behavior may change because of the emotional and physical changes they’re experiencing, or due to the medications they’re taking. Second, note that you can’t always control the other person’s behavior but you can control your response to it. Try to remain clam. Focus your response on the behavior and avoid blaming the behavior on his or her personality or condemning them as a bad person. Third, give yourself plenty of breaks and enjoy downtime away from the behavior when possible.
Q. What are some of the signs that a person is having a stroke?
A. Stroke symptoms include sudden: numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, or trouble seeing in one or both eyes; difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; severe headache with no known cause. If you fear a person is having a stroke, ask the person to smile, speak, and raise their arms. If they’re having difficulty doing any of these, call 911 right away. More info can be found at strokeassociation.org.
Q. Who is eligible for Medicare?
A. Medicare is a health insurance program for people who are: age 65 or older or under the age of 65 with certain disabilities. Those of all ages who have end-stage renal disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a transplant) are also eligible. You can get Part A at age 65 without having to pay premiums if you already get (or are eligible to receive) retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board, you or your spouse had a Medicare-covered form of employment for at least ten years. If you are under 65, you can get Part A without having to pay premiums if you have, received Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for 24 months or you have end-stage renal disease and meet certain requirements. For more information, visit Medicare.gov.
Q. What’s a good way to compare senior living residences?
A. If you’re in the process of evaluating senior living residences for yourself or a loved one, alternativesforseniors.com provides a number of helpful tools. Use the Independent Living Checklist to help determine if an independent living situation is the right choice. Use the Assisted Living Checklist to help with information gathering when visiting various senior living residences. Use the Nursing/Rehab Checklist to heighten your awareness of what to look for as you assess different nursing or rehabilitation homes. The site also offers a powerful and easily-to-use search function that helps you find a senior apartment, independent-living, assisted-living, or other continuing-care community in your area. You can also call a Senior Specialist at Alternatives for Seniors at (888) WE-ASSIST (888-932-7747) to ask questions and receive free placement assistance.
BLOG Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Writer: Ryan Allen