To be a free resource for Baby Boomers and Senior Citizens regarding Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap policies, Discounts for Senior Citizens and other essential information for independent living.
There are many referral services available in order for you to not only find a local doctor, but the right doctor for you.
Many of these services allow you to obtain basic information regarding the doctor’s education, practice, expertise, experience and any reports of claims filed against him/her.
Some services are free, while others require you to pay a fee for receiving the information so we encourage you to investigate each service to determine which one is right for you
There are many referral services available in order for you to not only find a local doctor, but the right doctor for you.
Many of these services allow you to obtain basic information regarding the doctor’s education, practice, expertise, experience and any reports of claims filed against him/her.
Some services are free, while others require you to pay a fee for receiving the information so we encourage you to investigate each service to determine which one is right for you
Some of the changes you experience as you get older can affect your ability to drive safely. These include:
·The slowing of our reflexes
·The ability to make quick decisions
·Loss of muscle and bone
·Lost or diminished hearing as we age
·Our vision declines
These are some of the facts that are currently facing the 28 million senior citizen drivers in the United States. This figure is expected to grow to over 40 million by 2020. And with the exception of teenagers, senior citizen drivers have the highest crash death rate per mile driven. With that in mind, some senior citizens do make changes to their driving patterns, which include:
·Not driving at night
·Not driving in bad weather
·Not driving during rush hour
·Avoiding major highways whenever possible and taking the ‘back roads’
Most of all, we want to encourage you to stay safe and be aware of your limitations. Do not be afraid to ask for help from your family or neighbor is you feel that a situation is unsafe for you. This may be difficult to admit at first, but will be far safer for you and those around you.
Consider how a disaster might affect your individual needs.
Plan to make it on your own, at least for a period of time. It's possible that you will not have access to a medical facility or even a drugstore.
Identify what kind of resources you use on a daily basis and what you might do if they are limited or not available. Get an emergency supply kit, with one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation, food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food, a battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both, flashlight and extra batteries, first aid kit, dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place and a can opener for food (if kit contains canned food).
If you must evacuate, take your pets with you, if possible. However, if you are going to a public shelter, it is important to understand that animals may not be allowed inside.
Plan in advance for shelter alternatives that will work for both you and your pets; consider loved ones or friends outside of your immediate area who would be willing to host you and your pets in an emergency.
Without a doubt, the single most beneficial exercise for senior citizens, or anyone else for that matter, is walking. The advantages of walking are obvious:
If you start out slow, it is almost impossible to get injured.
All you need is a good pair of walking shoes, some loose fitting clothing and a zest for life. But start out slow. If you’ve been a couch potato for too long, you don’t want to start out and try and walk miles at a time. AND YOU DON’T WANT TO START A FITNESS PROGRAM WITHOUT YOUR DOCTOR’S APPROVAL.
But after speaking with your doctor, start out slow. Go around the block. Then, go around the block twice, and so on and so on and so on. Your goal is to get to 30 minutes a day of endurance exercise a day. This will build muscle, keep your bones strong, promote flexibility, balance, and even boost your immune system and energy.
And if you up for a greater challenge (AND IF YOUR DOCTOR APPROVES) you can choose to start a weight training program. Many senior citizens experience even more benefits from the muscle conditioning that a weight training program can offer. As always, start out slow and with your doctor’s approval.
When you are with your grandchildren, you want the peace of mind of knowing that they are safe, and more importantly, exactly where they are. You can achieve this level of comfort my having a child locator with you when you watch your grandchildren.
A child locator is to help prevent your grandchild from wandering off, or child abduction. They can come in several different forms. Some serve as a small electronic device that is clipped onto a jacket, belt or stroller. Some are worn as wristwatches, and others are disguised, often as a bear, that can be clipped onto the front of your grandchild’s shoes.
While each of these devices can offer a solution for you with your grandchild, each solution is unique and you should investigate each product in order to determine which will work best for your own individual circumstance.
Medicare will help cover home health care costs for people with Medicare who meet the following four conditions:
·Your doctor must decide you need medical care at home, and make a plan for your care at home.
·You must need at least one of the following: intermittent skilled nursing care, physical therapy, speech-language therapy, or continue to need occupational therapy.
·You must be homebound. This means that you are normally unable to leave home unassisted. Being homebound means that leaving home is a major effort. When you leave home, it must be to get medical care, or for short, infrequent nonmedical reasons such as a trip to get a haircut, to attend religious services, or adult day care.
·TheMedicareprogram must approve the home health agency caring for you.
Quality of care can differ among home health agencies. To make the best decision, talk to your family, health care provider, or discharge planner. Call agencies and ask questions about their services. Some services may not be covered by Medicare. Ask whether the agency:
·offers the specific health care services you need, such as nursing or therapy
·has staff available to provide the hours of care your doctor ordered, and can start
·when you need special needs, such as language or cultural preferences
·offers the personal care services you need, such as help bathing and dressing
·offers the support services you need, such as help with laundry, cooking, or shopping
·can help you arrange for additional services, such as Meals on Wheels
·has staff available at night and on weekends for emergencies
·is Medicare-certified
·will explain what your insurance covers, and what you must pay out-of-pocket
While many people tend to focus on high-tech methods in offering identity theft protection for seniors, the oldest method still seems the best. Hang onto your wallet or purse and make sure never to carry information like your social security card in them.
Be cautious when shopping online. A disreputable site or a site with poor security can put your credit card numbers in the hands of an identity thief. Keep your shopping restricted to secure sites. When you visit a secure site, your browser should show an image of a locked padlock, and instead of the usual http, the site's address will start with https.
There are many paper shredders available today, but you do not necessarily need the industrial-strength one that shred CD’s and credit cards. An average paper shredder that will shred credit card statements, pre-approved credit card offers, bank statements and receipts can purchased for as little as $20 and is sufficient for the majority of senior citizens looking to shred these basic documents.
Phishing is the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy source in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular social web sites (YouTube, MySpace), auction sites (eBay), online banks (Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Chase), online payment processors (PayPal), or IT Administrators (Yahoo) are commonly used to lure the unsuspecting.
Phishing is typically carried out by email, and it often directs users to enter details at a fake website that looks and feels almost identical to the legitimate one. The important thing to remember when you are dealing with some of these popular sites, such as eBay, is that they will never send you an email asking you ‘update your account information’.
If you EVER receive an email such as this, either delete it or go DIRECTLY to the website in question, not through the link provided in the email you receive, and send an email to their security center asking them to investigate the suspicious email that you received.As with everything else in life, if something seems ‘fishy’ it probably is, and deal with it accordingly.
Regularly monitor your credit reports and credit card statements. If you do become the victim of identity theft, this is an easy way to catch it before too much damage is done. Consumers are entitled to a free credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, once every 21 months. You can request your free credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com. This is the official site for requesting your report.
There are other sites that offer free reports, but they will only provide them if you input your credit card and sign up for extra services. These services, such as credit monitoring and knowing your credit score, will cost you approximately $15 per month through these sites.
Lift chairs are designed for seniors who have difficulty get into and out of a chair.
They typically come in several models:
A two position chair is classified as such because they have two major positions; straight and a slight recline of approximately 45 degrees.
A three position lift chair goes one step further than the two position lift chair in that it can almost reach a full recline.
The infinite position lift chairs have dual motors, one for the back and one for the legs. This allows for an "infinite" amount of positions that can be achieved.
For many seniors living alone, the companionship that a pet can offer can lead to wonderful feelings for yourself and your pet. Unfortunately, when your pet is sick, the cost of treatment at a veterinarian can be excessive to a senior living on a fixed or limited budget.
This is why health insurance for your pet may be the answer you are looking for. A Pet Insurance policy provides reimbursement coverage for your pet's eligible medical treatments, surgeries, lab fees, X-rays, prescriptions and more, so that you can make optimal healthcare decisions for your pet based on your veterinarian's recommendation, rather than on the cost of treatment. Rates vary with different companies, so it pays to be an informed shopper and compare rates and policies.
Finding senior care assistance for yourself or an aging loved one can seem overwhelming, but Sittercity.com can help.Sittercity.com gives you access to hundreds of thousands of senior care providers across the U.S. and can help you find a qualified senior care provider in your neighborhood.
Whether you or your aging loved one needs a little extra assistance or full medical care, Sittercity’s senior care providers will gladly step in to run errands, administer medicine, help around the house and more – you name it, Sittercity caregivers can provide it.
Search for a senior care provider by your specific needs, or post a “senior assistance needed” ad and let qualified Sittercity care providers find you.
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