Good News for everyone! There are fewer Reasons to fear getting older.
Myth one will be reveled today and two next week and so on.....
Myth 1: You'll get frail.
Mythbuster: No necessarily. You can hang on to much of your muscle function and cardiovascular fitness if you strength-train consistently over the years, sys Michael Roizen, chief wellness officer at
Cleveland Clinic. Many seniors have already received the message. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 43% of adults ages 65 to 74 meet the federally recommended 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and two muscle strengthening sessions per week. It's never to late to start: Researches at the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that people in the 60s and 70s who start resistance training can develop muscle strength comparable to that of an untrained adult age 40 or younger.
Tip: Check with your doctor, then do strength training twice a week on non-consecutive days, says Ann Norwich, director of the adult gerontology nurse practitioner program at York College.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Stay tuned next week for Myth #2!
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Friday, March 17, 2017
SAVE THE DATE!! APRIL 6, 2017
SAVE
THE DATE
DEMENTIA WORKSHOP
APRIL 6, 2017
9am – 12pm
GOODWILL
EASTER SEALS
AUDITORIUM
2440 GORDON
SMITH DR.
MOBILE,
AL 36617
“Legal aspects of Dementia”
“Teepa Snow GEMS”
Google Eventbrite mobile to register
or follow the link below:
For more information call Gina @
251-445-4204
Advertising sponsor, Senior’s Blue
Book
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
TOUCHING HEARTS SENIOR CARE
CERTIFIED DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS
The caregivers you see in the above photo have passed the Care and Compliance Dementia course tests with 80% or higher. This training course includes the following segments:
- Introduction to Dementia
- Sundowning
- Medication in Dementia Care
- Encouraging Good Nutrition & Hydration
- End of Life
- Aggressive Behaviors
- Sexuality & Promoting Dignity
- Assisting with ADLs
- Therapeutic Interventions & Communication
- Wandering and Elopement
- Health Complications
- Positive Physical Approach and Hand under Hand techniques
After a caregiver completes these courses, they understand Dementia, know how to recognize the disease, and know how to respond appropriately to a person with Dementia.
Alabama is still falling short on resources for individuals with Dementia, and there is a huge need for education for the public at large. Many people do not understand Dementia, and think it is the same as Alzheimer's. Many people do not know how to recognize Dementia, and think their family member is just mean or uncooperative; nor do people know how to approach someone with the disease.
Touching Hearts Senior Care is taking caregiving to the next level by providing this comprehensive Dementia program to its caregivers. The caregivers study for 6 months to 1 year to complete the 12 segments to qualify for their certificate. The staff and caregivers at Touching Hearts take this disease and the training very seriously, and are moving forward to be recognized as the experts in the community on Dementia.
If you are interested in getting more information on how to become a Certified Dementia Caregiver or if you are needing assistance with care of a loved one with Dementia, please call 251-445-4204.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Identity Theft Prevention Information
Information provided
by the Federal Trade Commission
In the course of a busy day, you may write a check at the
grocery store, charge tickets to a ball game, rent a car, mail your tax
returns, change service providers for your cell phone, or apply for a credit
card. Chances are you don’t give these
transactions a second thought. But an
identity thief does.
Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can
spend months or years-and thousands of dollars-cleaning up the mess the thieves
have made of a good name and credit record.
In the meantime, victims of identity theft may lose job opportunities,
be refused loans for education, housing or cars, and even get arrested for
crimes they didn’t commit. Humiliation,
anger, and frustration are among the feelings victims experience as they
navigate the process of rescuing their identity.
The following are some tips on how to protect your
information:
·
Read your credit reports—you have the right to a
free credit report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit
reporting companies, or you can try www.creditkarma.com
·
Read your bank, credit card, and account
statements and the explanation of medical benefits from your health plan. If a statement has mistakes or doesn’t come on
time, contact the business.
·
Shred all documents that show personal,
financial, and medical information before you throw them away.
·
Don’t respond to email, text, and phone messages
that ask for personal information.
Legitimate companies don’t ask for information this way. Delete the messages.
·
Create passwords that mix letters, numbers, and
special characters. Don’t use the same
password for more than one account.
·
If you shop online, use websites that protect
your financial information with encryption.
An encrypted site has “https” at the beginning of the web address; “s”
is for secure.
Red Flags of Identity Theft
·
Mistakes on bank, credit card or other account
statements
·
Medical Benefits mistakes from your health plan
·
Your regular bills and account statements don’t
arrive on time
·
Bill collection or notices for products or
services you did not receive
·
Calls from debt collectors for debts that don’t
belong to you.
·
A notice from the IRS that someone used your social
security number
·
Mail, email or calls about accounts or jobs in
your minor child’s name
·
Businesses turn down your checks
·
You are turned down unexpectedly for a job.
Monday, March 2, 2015
VA TO IMPOSE THREE YEAR LOOKBACK PERIOD IMMINENTLY! By Kyla Kelim
BREAKING NEWS! VA TO IMPOSE THREE YEAR LOOKBACK PERIOD
IMMINENTLY!
Under current law, Veterans and
their spouses are entitled to a much needed stipend, Aid and Attendance, to
offset the rising costs of their healthcare needs and avoid nursing home
placement. The current monthly needs
amount of $2,120.00 for married veterans and $1149 for surviving spouses are in
jeopardy.
The Veterans
Administration recently released new regulations that are currently subject to
a period for public comment. One of the
proposed regulations will impose a three year “look-back period”, similar to
that imposed for Medicaid benefits, upon Veterans. What this means is that those veterans who
are able to get benefits, have sacrificed by serving during wartime and have
counted on the VA to fulfill their promise to take care of the Vets and their
families, will find it difficult, if not impossible, to qualify for the
benefits without substantially eroding their personal savings. Monies transferred would result in a period
of ineligibility for benefits, up to a TEN year period.
It is
important to note that Congress has made several attempts to have this type of
rule put into place in the last several years but political pressure has
stranded the unpopular measure. The
agency is under no such pressure.
I encourage
EVERYONE to immediately review their plans with an elder law attorney in order
to avoid being disqualified for much needed benefits. You should also call or email your
Congressman immediately to let them know that this regulation, which will impoverish
those that have sacrificed, should not go into effect. You can find your congressman here: http://www.opencongress.org/people/zipcodelookup.
Suggested text should be:
RE: Loan Guaranty: Adjustable Rate Mortgage
Notification Requirements and
Look-Back Period, 80 Fed. Reg. 4812
(January 25, 2015)
Dear Congressman (or Senator):
I am aware that the Veterans
Administration has issued regulations that are now undergoing a period of
public comment. I am outraged that the
VA will impose regulations that are designed to impoverish our Veterans after
their years of service. The regulations
are not carefully constructed to ensure the Veteran and his spouse are not left
impoverished, quite the contrary. In
addition, there are no hardship provisions, no provisions to leave property for
the Veteran’s disabled children, and goes further to impose a draconian 10 year
penalty.
This is not the way to treat our
Veterans. All this is being done without
the input of our elected representatives and I am outraged. I am requesting that these regulations be
withdrawn and that the Veterans Administration keep their commitment to
honoring and serving those who have already sacrificed so much for our freedom.
Signed, Your name
Please call Aging in Alabama with
any questions, always a free telephone consultation: (251) 281-8120 or (855) ELD-RLAW.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Finance & Consumer Resources
Finance
& Consumer Resources
Into Reverse with Caution: Details about Reverse Mortgages
In the past, you
handed over a monthly payment to your mortgage lender. Now there's a mortgage
product, aptly named, that reverses the payment process. In a reverse mortgage,
the lender pays you an amount of money that depends on your age, your home's
value, and the loan's interest rate. To qualify for a reverse mortgage, you
must be at least 62 years old, have equity in your home, and your home must be
your principal residence. If more than one person owns the home, the youngest
owner must be at least 62.
Under this plan,
you make no monthly loan payments as long as you continue to live in your home.
Ultimately, the loan—including the amount you borrowed, plus interest and any
loan fees you rolled into the loan—will be paid off when you or your heirs sell
your house.
Who could benefit?
Borrowers perhaps
best suited to a reverse mortgage are those who are seeking financial security.
They have plenty of money in their house, but they can't afford a home equity
loan because they'd have to make monthly payments. They're on a fixed income.
Being house-rich and cash-poor, these borrowers often face difficulties in
meeting ordinary living expenses, medical bills, home repair costs, and
property taxes. Selling their home seems the only way to make ends meet. A
reverse mortgage offers another option.
However, there
are tradeoffs and pitfalls. Opting for a reverse mortgage is a complex, often
difficult decision.
Things to Consider
Your house may be
the biggest asset you have to pass on to your heirs. But in a reverse mortgage,
the payments you receive come from your home's equity. Your heirs will get less
of that asset, based on how much you end up borrowing against your home equity.
Only you can decide how important this issue is.
Keep in mind,
too, that reverse mortgages come with sizable fees that may be as much as 5% to
6% of the home's value. You can roll these fees into the loan. Still, that
increases the amount you'll borrow and adds to the amount of interest you'll
pay. Because of the high fees, reverse mortgages aren't a good option if you
think you'll be selling your home in the next couple of years, advises Bronwyn
Belling, reverse mortgage specialist with AARP, Washington, D.C. "You want
to be sure you're going to stay in the house," she says, "so you can
amortize those fees over a longer period of time. Then the effective cost to
you is less.” “Also," Belling adds, "it’s better to consider this
type of loan when you're older, rather than younger." You can borrow a
larger percentage of your home's value based on your age, or the age of the
youngest borrower among the home's owners.
Still other
factors affect how well this loan will work for you. Typically, reverse
mortgages are adjustable-rate loans, with a lifetime cap. Interest rates can
climb. Your home's value can change, as can your health and your ability to
continue living in your home. All of these, Belling points out,
"ultimately drive what the real costs of a reverse mortgage are to you in
the end." You'll also need to find out whether
receiving this money will affect your Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income
benefits.
Much to learn
Which type of
reverse mortgage is right for you? In the U.S., the Home Equity Conversion
Mortgage (HECM), which is federally insured, is the most common. More than 95%
of reverse mortgages are HECMs, according to Belling. Another type is Fannie
Mae's Home Keeper®.
Other key
decisions include: Do you want your money in a lump sum, as monthly payments,
as a credit line to draw on as needed, or some combination of these?
All U.S.
prospective borrowers who wish to apply for a HECM must talk to an independent,
objective housing counselor who works for an agency (some charge a fee)
approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Belling
concludes, "For some people, a reverse mortgage is not a good idea. For
others, it's a godsend."
—By Dianne
Molvig
Home & Family Finance Resource Center
http://hffo.cuna.org/331/article/930/html
Friday, March 14, 2014
Your Elder Law Attorney Expert
BIOGRAPHY:
Kyla Kelim is an elder law
attorney and principal of Aging in Alabama, an elder law firm, in Fairhope,
Alabama, and prolific regional and national speaker, dedicating her practice to
topics of interest to seniors, their families, caretakers and professionals
assisting them, to protect their life’s work.
Mrs. Kelim provides consultation and advocacy for older Americans, their
families, caregivers and professionals. The firm and aims to protect their
clients' life's work by proactive planning and assisting those in need due to
catastrophic illness or injury as they navigate the often treacherous
administrative schemes of nursing home Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.
Ms. Kelim provides consultations throughout the Southeast United States. She is
a prolific speaker and has practiced in Alabama and Florida for more than 20
years. Ms. Kelim earned her B.S. degree from the University of New Orleans and
her J.D. degree from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in
Birmingham, Alabama.
She lives in Fairhope with
her husband, Patrick and their two boys, Payton and Pierce.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:
Speaking engagements for
2012:
·
Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid 2012, NBI Seminars, national CLE
all day course, February 2012
·
Medicaid Update 2012, NBI Seminars, national CLE all day course, June and
November 2012
·
Fundamentals of Elder Law, live all day seminar, Pensacola, FL, November
2012
·
Alabama Medicaid Update 2012, NBI Seminars, teleconference, August 2012
·
South Carolina Medicaid Update 2012, NBI Seminars, teleconference, August
2012
·
Sandwiched In: Taking care of your
parents, your children and your business without losing your shirt, a
roundtable seminar presented by the Women’s Business Center of South Alabama,
Spanish Fort, Alabama, and Gulf Shores, Alabama, October 2012
·
Estate Planning Seminar: End of
the year tax tips: Giving and Receiving:
A Holiday Tale, hosted by The Haven no kill shelter, Thomas Hospital, Fairhope,
Alabama, November 2012
·
Simple Truths About Aging, Presented at the Mobile Area Senior Citizen
Center, December, 2012
Speaking engagements for
2013:
·
Advanced Elder Law, NBI Seminars, national CLE all day course, March 2013
·
Estate Planning Seminar: hosted by The Haven no kill shelter, Fairhope,
Alabama, March 2013
·
Protecting your Assets while Qualifying for Medicaid, NBI Seminars, all
day course, April 2013, to be re-aired November 2013
·
Estate Planning Seminar: Protecting your intentions, hosted by The Haven
no kill shelter, James P. Nix Centre, Fairhope, AL April 2013
·
Planning for Dual Eligible Medicare/Medicaid, NBI Teleconference, June
2013
·
Estate Planning Seminar: hosted by The Haven no kill shelter, Fairhope,
Alabama, July 2013
·
Estate Planning Seminar: hosted by The Haven no kill shelter, Fairhope,
Alabama, November 2013
·
Advanced Elder Law, NBI Seminars, Birmingham, Alabama, December 2013
Speaking engagements for 2014:
·
The Sandwich Generation: How to take care of your parents without losing
your mind..and your business. Women’s
Business Center, Inc., Quarterly Quorum, Mobile, Alabama, January 2014
·
Top Elder Care Strategies, NBI Seminars, all day course, April 10, 2014
·
New Medicaid eligibility requirements under the ACA, NBI Seminars
teleconference, April 15, 2014
·
Medicaid planning, M.Lee Smith, August 15 2014
Sample of presentations:
·
Medicare issues
·
Long term care planning
·
Medicaid qualification
·
Protecting your estate plans
·
Preserving your home
·
Preparing a care plan
·
Coordinating benefits
·
ACA planning
·
Elder protection laws
·
Consumer protection
·
Estate planning demystified
·
Protecting the disabled
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