Medicare Advantage Premiums To Drop 11% In 2020

A nurse is smiling next to an older woman.


According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage plans are expected to decline by 11% in 2020 to $21 (from $23.63 in 2020).  About 42% of Medicare participants are expected to enroll in the plans, as many of those have added new services.  There are also a wide array of plans available, 47 in 2020 compared to just 39 in 2020.

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver : ICU Situation Bleak

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There were 238 new cases of coronavirus reported in Monterey County, bringing the total up to 16,640.  There were eight new hospitalizations and no new deaths.  Speaking to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors today, health officer Dr. Ed Moreno said the ICU situation in this county is critical, with only 20.5% of ICU beds available.  CHOMP announced today it would start providing daily updates on ICU availability, with 18 of its 20 beds full, six of them from COVID-19.  Across the U.S., 15,813 people have died over the last week, breaking a record that we have had since April.  There were 189K new cases for a total of 15.114 million, while deaths rose by 2,170 (almost double the total of 1,100 the day prior) for a total of 285K.  In California, we were below the record of 34K set two days before, but at 21K the number of new cases were still very high.  The total number of cases in our state rose to 1.402 million, while deaths rose by 110 to 20,076.  Please avoid travelling whenever possible!

Pebble Beach, CA If Seniors Are Feeling Lazy, Try Giving Them Resistance Bands For Exercise

Three older women are holding pink dumbbells.


If you have a senior loved one who you are struggling to find a Christmas present for, try resistance bands.  They are great to give them some exercise while watching TV or just sitting around.  You can find them on amazon.com and other web sites in the $10-$20 range.  An easy exercise is to put the resistance band under both of your feet and hold the handles at your sides with the palms facing up.  Then slowly curl your hands to your shoulders, keeping your elbows at your sides.  Then slowly lower to the starting position, repeating as many times as it feels comfortable.   Once COVID-19 leaves us, The Fitness Club at The Beach  & Tennis Club at Pebble Beach has classes and a personal trainer.  The Spa at The Lodge at Pebble Beach is also a great place to relax and get a massage.

https://www.pebblebeach.com/activities-and-sightseeing/fitness-and-tennis/the-beach-and-tennis-club/fitness/

Monterey, CA Alternative To High Carb Diets For Diabetics

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The September/October Issue of Diabetes Forecast (page 30) had an article about how important carb counting is when you are diabetic.  It had another article about alternatives like having a quarter cup of nuts instead of a carb heavy snack.  They’re full of healthy fats and protein that will do a better job of keeping you full than having those extra carbs.  Eating 2.5 ounces per day of nuts instead of a high-carb snack is much more healthy.  A study in the Journal Diabetologia found that people who did this improved their A1C levels significantly.  For more information, contact the Diabetes and Health department at CHOMP, Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver

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There were 256 new cases of coronavirus reported in Monterey County, bringing the total up to 16,602.  There were ten new hospitalizations and two new deaths.  Across the nation, there were 166K new cases, for a cume total of 14.925 million, while deaths rose by 1,100 to 283K.  In California there were 25K new cases, for a total of 1.381 million, while deaths rose by 80 to 19,966.  Please avoid travelling whenever possible!

Carmel, CA Carb Counting Important For Diabetics

A blood glucose level chart showing the optimal levels.


The September/October Issue of Diabetes Forecast (page 30) had an article about how important carb counting is when you are diabetic.  Compared with protein and fat, carbs have the greatest effect on your blood glucose.  By counting how many grams of carb you’ll be eating, you can more accurately dose mealtime insulin and keep your blood glucose level stable.  Read the labels on prepared foods that you buy, many of them will already have this information.

Monterey, CA Social Security Policy For Spouses Who Haven’t Worked

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The November 2020 issue of Kiplinger’s Retirement Report (page 18) went over some of the tricky parts of Social Security.  One reader wrote in and asked when his wife can receive benefits and how much will she get given that she has not worked and, therefore, has not paid anything into the Social Security Fund.  The answer?  Like anyone else, she can start receiving benefits starting at the age of 62.  If she does, she would get 33.5% of her husband’s full retirement benefit.  However, if she waits until her full retirement age, she will receive 50% of his benefits.

Gilroy, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available

A woman is helping an older person in the bathroom.


Gilroy,  CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available (Also Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral-de-Tierra, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzales, Greenfield, Hollister, King City, Marina, Monterey, Morgan Hill,  Moss Landing, Pacific Grove, Pacific Grove, Paicines, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, San Juan Bautista, Seaside, Soledad and Tres Pinos

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

 

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

 

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.fhcofm.com, click on home care aides, then careers where you can fill out an application online.

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver

A close up of many viruses on a red background


There were 159 new cases of coronavirus reported in Monterey County, bringing the total up to 16,349.  There were eight new hospitalizations and two new deaths—bringing the total to 130.  Across the United States, cases were up by 213K to 14.760 million, while deaths rose by 1,721 to 281,800.  In California, the number of cases rose by more than 2% again (+33,752) to 1.356 million, while deaths rose by 92 to 19,886.  Please wear a mask and stay at home as much as possible.

Monterey, CA Get Help Dealing With Long Term Care LTC Companies


There was an article in the November 2020 Kiplinger’s Retirement Report (page 18) about the difficulties that many people are having getting their LTC provider to pay up.  At Family inHome Caregiving we have dealt with a lot of LTC providers, and each one is different.  We assist our clients by filling out the proper paperwork and giving the LTC provider the reports that they need in order to process the paperwork quickly.  We have found that typically, it takes a couple of claims to figure out exactly what the LTC provider is looking for.  However, once you get the kinks worked out, it is smooth sailing.