Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver : California Outlook Is Bleak

Many businesses are irritated that Monterey County health officer Dr. Ed. Moreno issued a stay-at-home order effective on Monday even though the ICU bed capacity had not fallen below 15% in the Bay Area, which would have required a shutdown.  It turns out he was only a few days early—ICU beds in the Bay Area fell to just 12.9% today meaning the entire Bay Area is now locked down.  There were 286 new cases of coronavirus reported in Monterey County today, bringing the total to 18,507.  There were 15 new hospitalizations, and two more deaths.  Nationwide, there were 202K new cases, bringing the total to 16.891 million, while deaths rose by 3,620 to 305,934.  The number of new cases was up by 60% over yesterday.  In California, the numbers were bleak.  There were 37,474 new cases (up 47% from yesterday) bringing the grand total to 1.663 million so far.  Deaths more than doubled from yesterday’s 161 to today’s 354. These numbers are disturbing, please stay at home as much as possible.

Monterey, CA Artificial Intelligence Programs May Help Predict Alzheimer’s Disease

An Artificial Intelligence Program, AI, analyzed the language of study participants and found it could be able to predict whether people with no memory or thinking problems would develop Alzheimer’s disease later in life.  Funded by Pfizer and conducted by IBM, the program accurately predicted up to 74% of participants that were diagnosed with the disease later in life.  The study which was published in the journal EClinicalMedicine, analyzed 700 written samples from 27 participants in another study conducted decades ago.  Based on written samples, the study more accurately predicts Alzheimer’s disease than other research.  Experts say that tracking language over time could be done as part of routine medical exams. Regular readers of my blog know that both my grandmother and my father died from this terrible disease, and I am a big fan of our local Monterey chapter of Alzheimer’s Association.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/10/22/ibm-study-found-program-analyzing-language-predicts-alzheimers/3728608001/

Monterey, CA Elder Abuse Alert : Coronavirus Scams

Signs for elderly financial abuse

Experts warn that the rapid expansion in coronavirus cases is going to result in a big increase in elder abuse scams.  Scams are being developed that promise to deliver you a COVID vaccine—it will be a fake just like Gucci bags that are commonly counterfeited.  Some are posing as being from Medicare or the Social Security Administration.  Neither will ask you for sensitive information.  In fact, I just got one the other day.  I picked up the phone and they asked my name, which I gave to them, then they asked for my date of birth to “verify my identity.”  I asked who was calling and they hung up!

https://www.maa-usa.org/About-Us/News-Article-Display-Copy/scams-likely-to-heat-up-after-covid-19-vaccine-rollout

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver California Cases Alarming

There were 289 new coronavirus cases detected in Monterey County today, bringing the total to 18,209.  There were six new hospitalizations and seven new deaths reported.  Nationwide, there were over 200K cases, bringing the total to 16.689 million, while deaths rose by 2,263 (versus 1,402 the day prior) for a cume total of 302K.  In California, there were 25,433 new cases, bringing the total to 1.626 million while deaths rose by 161 (versus 78 the day prior) for a total of 21,215.  These numbers are alarming, please stay at home as much as possible.

Pebble Beach, CA Elder Abuse Alert : Creepy Santa Scam

There are always myriad elder abuse scams revolving around the holidays, but the most recent one is a revamp of an old scam, something of a pyramid scheme.  The scam goes like this : buy a $10 gift card and send it to your secret sister, then you will receive 6-36 gifts in return.  It actually works in the short term, similar to a pyramid scheme.  But over time, the holidays end and people no longer participate, and the scheme crumbles.  In addition to being potentially bilked, your friends will hate you if you catch them up in this scheme!  Stay alert and be careful this holiday season!

Monterey, CA COVID vaccine not ready for the general population but testing is

A man covering his mouth and nose with N95 Mask

Although the initial doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are targeted towards health care workers, anyone can get a coronavirus test and it is free.  See the below sites, which have COVID-19 testing from Tuesday through Saturday all day (from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.).

Soledad High School Drive Through at 425 Gabilan Drive in Soledad

Castroville Library at 11160 Speegle Street

Cesar Chavez Library at 615 Williams Road in Salinas

Seaside High School at 2200 Noche Buena Street

Make an appointment at https://lhi.care/covidtestin or call 1-888-634-1123.

Walk ins are welcome from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

 

Monterey, CA Avoid Taxes on Required Minimum IRA Distributions By Giving To Non-Profits

Although the IRS requires us to withdraw a certain amount each year from our retirement accounts in order to satisfy the Required Minimum Distribution requirements.  However, if you don’t need the money, you can transfer money directly to a non-profit via a qualified charitable distribution.  This can be done for a total of up to $100K per year and meet the IRS guideline.  You can split your contributions between as many charities as you want under IRS rules, although some banks do place a limit on this.  Talk to your bank and a local accounting firm like Hayashi & Wayland.

https://www.hw-cpa.com/

Pebble Beach, CA Seniors Turning To Telehealth Amidst Coronavirus Pandemic

More and more seniors are turning to Telehealth programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  “When you’re not feeling well, having to get up, get dressed and drive all the way to the hospital and then get in line and then possibly get sick from someone else is not all that appealing,” Marla Jo Fisher, a writer, told AARP Bulletin (November 2020, page 44).  Medicare is expanding coverage of telehealth visits during the pandemic, changes which hopefully will remain in place.  The Department of Health and Human Services recently reported that less than 1% of primary care visits in February were via Telehealth, a number which jumped to 43.5% in April.  California has a bill going into effect on January 1 requiring all insurers to pay for Telehealth visits.  If your doctor isn’t using Telehealth, talk to Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, CHOMP, on suggestions.

https://www.chomp.org/find-a-doctor/doctor-search-results/?termId=a826e4db-730c-e611-9cf8-005056a462a1#.X9fgodhKjcs

Social Security Benefits To Rise 1.3% In 2021

The cost of living increase (COLA) for seniors and others receiving Social Security will rise only 1.3% in 2021, down from the 1.6% increase in 2020.  This works out to an average of $20/month for those receiving the benefit.  The Social Security Administration (SSA) sets the increase based on the Labor Department’s consumer-price-index for urban wage earners and clerical workers, also known as the CPI-W.

Monterey, CA Aging At Home Is Now In Vogue : Assisted Living On The Outs

A caregiver smiling and holding the woman

COVID-19 has made aging at home in vogue.  The Wall Street Journal recently wrote an article on how coronavirus is changing the way Americans face retirement by “accelerating developments already under way,” physician Bill Thomas said to the reporter.  “It’s going to make people rethink retirement altogether,” Laura Carstensen, director of Stanford University’s Center on Longevity said.  Most people will age at home, and remain independent, she said.  I believe that her view is true.  With roughly 40% of COVID-19 being staff and residents of nursing homes, nobody wants to go into a facility these days.  We have been getting a number of calls from fearful children who want to get their parents out of assisted living and back home, where they can reduce the risk of coronavirus exposure.  Although COVID-19 will eventually be wiped out, there will clearly be more devastating diseases in the future which makes these facilities dangerous.   

https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-covid-19-will-change-aging-and-retirement-11605452401