Monterey, CA Retinal Implants To Restore Sight In Macular Degeneration Patients Shows Promise

A woman and an older man sitting next to each other.


A treatment where surgeons implant a tiny device in the retinas of patients which contain stem cells looks extremely promising for those with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).  Although it has only been done with 15 patients, many participants have passed the one-year mark with improving vision.  One woman who had the treatment said, “Shortly after the surgery, I turned to my husband while we were watching TV and said, ‘I can see all of their faces!’â€Â  Doctors say FDA approval is about five years away.  To see local specialists in macular degeneration, see links below.

https://news.usc.edu/trojan-family/stem-cell-therapy-macular-degeneration-usc-clinical-trial/

https://www.montereyeye.com/our-services/retinal-care
https://www.peninsulaeyecarecenters.com/low-vision.htm

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver

A man wearing a mask with yellow warning tape around his mouth.


There were no new cases of COVID-19 announced for Monterey County, which may be due to the holiday.  There were eight more people in the hospital and no new deaths.  Nationwide, there were 169,641 new cases for a total of 24.071 million, while deaths rose by 2,247 to 398,838.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention forecast that another 90,000 Americans could die of coronavirus over the next three weeks.  That could bring the total close to half a million people in the U.S.  In California, there were 45,648 new cases for a cume total of 3.022 million, while deaths rose by 249 to 33,642.  These numbers are sad, please stay home and stay safe.

Carmel, CA Seniors Need A Solid Exercise Routine

A group of people doing different exercises together.


At Family inHome Caregiving we emphasize to our clients the importance of a healthy diet, the proper amount of social interaction—difficult during the pandemic—and the right amount of exercise.  Most seniors put walking into their routine but experts say they need to add strength training.  As you age, loss of muscle strength and power leads to declining activity, increased frailty and functional dependence, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.  Resistance training is an easy way to add strength training to a daily regimen.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that seniors participate in activities at least two weeks that strengthen muscles along with a minimum of 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking.

 

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


Pacific Grove, 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, Gilroy, Gonzalez, Greenfield, Hollister, King City, Marina, Monterey, Morgan Hill, 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.  We have immediate openings all over Monterey County.

Monterey, CA Online Caregiver Support Group

A nurse is smiling next to an older woman.


Please join Lory Carriedo, Julia Cruz-Moreno and Maria Quiroz on the second Monday every month from 5:30 to 7:30 for a caregiver support group sponsored by Natividad Medical Center.  It can be lonely and depressing during the COVID-19 lockdown so all are encouraged to join in.  Call 1-800-624-8304 for more details.

Monterey, CA Artificial Intelligence Reshaping Healthcare

A person holding a stethoscope in their hand.


Artificial Intelligence could completely reshape how medical care is given to seniors in many different ways.  For instance, Michael Recht, chair of radiology at NYU Langone, is spearheading a partnership between NYU Langone and Facebook’s AI’s research group with a goal of reducing the time it takes to conduct an MRI by a factor of 10.  The project, dubbed FastMRI, could enable MRIs to replace x-rays, avoiding radiation exposure.  Imagine going into CHOMP for a quickie MRI.  On the prescription drug side, Michael Frank, director of R&D strategy within Pfizer’s Worldwide R&D group is hoping to leverage machine learning to accelerate drug discovery.  On average, it takes 14 years and $1.6 billion to develop a new drug!

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver

A close up of a cell with viruses inside


There were 496 new COVID-19 cases announced for Monterey County, bringing the total up to 34,959 with no new hospitalizations and 1 new death for a total of 249.  Nationwide, there were 238,390 new cases for a total of 23.409 million, while deaths rose by 3,040 to 389,944.  In our state, there were 36,642 cases for a cume total of 2.904 million, while deaths rose by 601 to 32,287.  These numbers are bleak, please stay home and stay safe.

Monterey, CA Feeling Depressed? Try A Senior Geropsychologist

A woman looking out of the window at her home.


If you are feeling down and depressed, you should see a counselor and, in particular, one that specializes in treating seniors.  Called a Geropsychologist, this specialty first arose in 2010, according to the American Psychological Association.  There are few of them around, unfortunately, with only 3% of licensed psychologists cite this as their primary or secondary specialty.  The nearest one is in Santa Cruz, Lily Rich, although she does do both in-home visits and video calls.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/elderly-persons-disorders/california/246342?sid=6002314487532&ref=10&tr=ResultsProfileBtn

Pebble Beach, CA Elder Abuse Alert

A pile of money sitting next to stacks of cash.


Although anyone can be a victim of the many scams that criminals are carrying out now, data from the Federal Trade Commission shows that consumers age 80 and older are far more likely to be scammed by phone and lose the most money, a median of $1,250.  “Even if you do everything perfectly, you can still be susceptible to fraud,†Shameka Walker, a fraud and identity theft program manager at the FTC, told Kiplinger’s Retirement Report.  Most scammers are hacking in to find your email address and hawking you products that you may have been searching for.  Other popular scams are selling fake COVID-19 vaccines and PPE equipment to protect against the virus.

Monterey, CA Tips On ROTH IRA Conversions

A jar of coins with the word retirement written on it.


Tax rates are likely to go up under the Biden administration, and one hedge against this is to convert an existing IRA or 401(k) to a Roth IRA.  You will have to pay taxes on the amount converted but then the IRA grows tax free.  Talk to a tax advisor—and make sure you wait closer to year-end before doing it in case tax rates increase this year.  Or let Monterey Bank or one of our other local banks walk you through the rules.  There are few—for instance, there are no Required Minimum Distributions from this type of IRA.