1 Million Nursing Home Patients Drugged Excessively

caregiver laughing with elderly client -monterey in home caregiving

80% of nursing home residents on Medicare were prescribed psychiatric drugs during a recent nine-year period, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (AARP Bulletin, January/February 2023, page 4).  It is well known that there is a labor shortage and nursing staffs are cut pretty slim, but unfortunately this often results in nursing home residents being overmedicated with anti-depressants and anti-psychotics so that they rarely get up and move around or socialize.  This is unfortunate as we have seen many of our clients put into nursing homes because of the high cost of home-care, and many of them pass away shortly thereafter.  I believe this is due to a number of factors including depression, lack of social interaction, and a desire to remain in their own home. Psychotropics have long been criticized by nursing home resident advocates as “chemical straitjackets” used to sedate unruly residents, including those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.  I have seen this first hand and it is very unsettling.

Medicare Savings On Drugs And Immunizations Will Kick In During 2023

A number of changes have been made to Medicare which hopefully will save you money!  For instance, as of January 1, the Shingrix vaccine to prevent shingles is free for those with a Part D prescription drug plan, a significant relief since it cost almost $200 last year.  If you are diabetic, your copay for a 30-day supply of insulin for Part D enrollees is capped at $35.  During the pandemic, the cost for a month’s supply was hundreds of dollars.  Public awareness of many of these changes are low because they were passed as part of a massive legislation.  However, you will definitely notice it at your pharmacy’s cash register!

Corral-de-Tierra, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus

cargivier sitting with elderly man - pacific grove in home caregiving

Corral-de-Tierra, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus (Also Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, Seaside & Soledad

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade and have recently expanded into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz 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.familyinhomecaregiving.com, click on careers where you can fill out an application online or go to https://tsc221.ersp.biz/index.cfm?event=Apply.index

We have immediate openings all over Monterey County.

Pharmacies Reduce Hours Due To Pharmacist Shortage

caregive hugging elderly client - Monterey In Home Dementia Care

My local Safeway pharmacy began closing for lunch between 1:00 and 2:00 every day more than a year ago.  I find this annoying as many times I have forgotten that they would be closed and have shown up at 1:00 just as they are closing.  Even more annoying is coming back at 2:00 as there is always a long line of people who have been waiting around since 1:00 or 1:30.  The Wall Street Journal reported today that this is a phenomenon all across the country as there is a shortage of pharmacists.  CVS has announced that starting in March it will cut or shift hours at about two-thirds of its 9,000 U.S. locations.  Walmart also announced it will close at 7:00 p.m. rather than 9:00 p.m. at most of its 4,600 stores starting in March.  Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. recently stated it was operating thousands of stores on reduced hours because of staffing shortages.  Some customers have complained that pharmacies are cutting hours sporadically.  An online community message board for Holliston, Massachusetts—a small town about 30 miles from Boston—was flooded with messages from frustrated customers of the Holliston CVS.  “I would go in and there was a note on the door saying, ‘Sorry, pharmacy closed,’” Audra Friend told The Wall Street Journal.  She said it would be better to have consistently shorter hours if that means fewer unexpected closures.  “At least that way we’re not just showing up at CVS to find out the pharmacist isn’t there.  “

Investing In Aging In Place Companies

caregiver smiling at senior man - Pebble Beach companion care services

Nobody wants to spend their final years in a nursing home, which is why I founded Family inHome Caregiving, which focuses on helping seniors remain in their own home safely and healthy.  The Wall Street Journal recently ran an interesting story about seniors wanting to invest in stocks which are focused on this growing market of providing goods and services to those aging in place.  Here are a few of your options:

Hartford Funds launched the Hartford Longevity Economy ETF (HLGE).  The ETF tracks the Hartford Longevity Economy Index, an index of companies that support aging in place, home modification, working longer, performance health, social connections, financial freedom, mobility, human enhancement and entertainment.  The fund has an expense ratio of 0.44%.

Global X Aging Population ETF (AGNG) invests in the services side of aging with positions in healthcare companies, pharmaceuticals, senior-living facilities and age-tech companies.  The fund has an expense ratio of 0.5%.

BlackRock’s iShares Aging Population UCITS ETF (AGED) offers a global play on the longevity theme.  The fund invests in developed and emerging markets companies focused on aging.  The fund’s expense ratio is 0.40%.

Castroville, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus

cargivier sitting with elderly man - pacific grove in home caregiving

Castroville, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus (Also Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Corral-de-tierra, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, Seaside & Soledad

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade and have recently expanded into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz 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.familyinhomecaregiving.com, click on careers where you can fill out an application online or go to https://tsc221.ersp.biz/index.cfm?event=Apply.index

We have immediate openings all over Monterey County.

Take Online Classes with AARP Online Classes

AARP has partnered with Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) to take advantage of the power of online learning.  Senior Planet has hundreds of online classes in multiple languages including English and Spanish which can help you broaden your horizons.  Among the classes are weekly fitness and health classes, all taught by a live instructor on Zoom and can be found at www.seniorplanet.org/fitness

Caregiver Turnover A Huge Problem For Seniors

A woman holding an old woman's hand and walking

The Wall Street Journal today ran an article on Mary Barket, a 66-year old widow with a degenerative muscular disorder and no family to help her.  She has had seven different caregivers come through her house in the last six months.  On a recent Saturday morning, the home care agency called her and told her the caregiver wasn’t coming that day and they had no substitute.  Ms. Barket had only one meal to last her until Monday when the next caregiver was scheduled to arrive.  “My hands don’t work.  I can’t even open a box.  It’s a very tenuous situation, Ms. Barket told The Journal.  She has ALS and can’t survive without help.  The median turnover in 2021 was about 65% last year, according to Home Care Pulse.  This is an improvement from the peak of 81.6% in 2018, but is still a huge number.  At Family inHome Caregiving, we are fortunate to have one of the lowest turnover rates in the industry.  We do this by supporting out caregivers with training and financial incentives like bonuses, insurance, a profit-sharing plan and an annual thank you dinner.  It’s still difficult to recruit caregivers given the tight market.  However, hanging on to the excellent caregivers is a huge priority for us.

Carmel Valley, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus

caregiver helping client out of car - Monterey Senior Transportation Service

Carmel Valley, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus (Also Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Highlands, Castroville, Corral-de-tierra, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, Seaside & Soledad

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade and have recently expanded into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz 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.familyinhomecaregiving.com, click on careers where you can fill out an application online or go to https://tsc221.ersp.biz/index.cfm?event=Apply.index

We have immediate openings all over Monterey County.

AARP Program Can Help You Get In Shape

AARP has an online fitness program powered by LIFT (an industry leader in quality online fitness) session which can help you achieve your fitness goals.  You will receive access to expert webinars and personalized workouts for all fitness levels.  They also offer live small-group and one-on-one coaching classes.  Check it out at www.AARP.org/onlinefitness.