Monterey, CA Seniors Turning To Telehealth Amidst Coronavirus Pandemic : By Derek Baine


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.  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

Salinas, CA Genworth Long Term Care LTC Premiums To Go Up


One of the few remaining companies in the long-term care industry, Genworth, sent out a brochure to policy holders signaling rate hikes are coming.  Said the company:

Our policies are generally held for 30-40 years, which means when they were initially priced, a lot of assumptions were made future costs for claims that would be made decades later.  Many of those assumptions were incorrect because the cost of and demand for care have both skyrocketed since.  Insurance companies, including us, have had significant losses as a result.  Many have left the business.  Despite losing $3.6 billion on our older legacy policies, we’ve decided to stay in the business and file for rate increases on these older policies and select newer ones to cover the cost of future claims.  To learn more, call 1-888-479-6889 or go to Genworth.com/LTCpremiums

Carmel, CA Elder Abuse Alert : Coronavirus Scams

An older woman holding a pink string in her hand.


Experts warn that the rapid expansion in coronavirus cases is going to result in a big increase in elder abuse scams.  Although new cases of slowed recently, we are still seeing scams that 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.â€Â  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

Carmel, CA Tip For Diabetics : Exercise Frequently : By Derek Baine

A blood glucose level chart showing the optimal levels.


If your job requires you to do a lot of sitting, make sure you take frequent breaks especially if you are diabetic.  The ADA’s 2020 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes recommends doing a light activity for every 30 minutes of uninterrupted sitting.  Sitting increases insulin resistance, and it also increases blood pressure and impedes blood flow.  I know that this is tough to do now after the state has been on lockdown for so long.  But give it a try go down to Point Lobos or the beach, and even try taking a walk around the block!

Pebble Beach, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available CNA or HHA Preferred

A woman and an old lady smiling at each other.


Pebble Beach, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available CNA or HHA Preferred (Also Aromas, Big Sur, Carmel, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral-de-Tierra, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Prunedale, Salinas, Seaside and Soledad

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.

Pebble Beach, CA Estate Planning In A Coronavirus World : By Derek Baine


AARP Bulletin in their November 2020 issue (page 22) had an interesting article about more and more couples looking at estate planning now that the coronavirus is making the future outlook bleak.  Keep in mind that you can write a will at any time, even if you are sick in the hospital.  Most estate planners recommend setting up a living trust, which gives you a lot of flexibility on how your assets are distributed following your death.  Experts warn that doing a joint will for a couple is a terrible idea—they aren’t even legal in some states.  Leaving more to one child than another almost guarantees that the will could be challenged.  Stepchildren aren’t automatically treated as children for legal purposes.  There are a lot of moving pieces in an estate plan so consult with your attorney.

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver

A close up of many viruses on a red background


There were only 23 new COVID-19 cases reported in Monterey County during the last five days, with just one new death.  Business owners are relieved that we were moved into the Yellow Tier yesterday, which means an increase in capacity for restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, the aquarium, etc.   Bars that do not serve food can reopen outdoors.  Nationwide, the numbers have also moderated significantly.  There were only 17,119 new cases reported today.  Over the past week, there have been only 96,911 new cases.  By comparison, just a couple of weeks ago we were reporting over 75K new cases per day.  Deaths over the past week have been fairly modest at 3,168.  The CDC released data on “breakthrough infections†which are people that get COVID-19 after being vaccinated.  There were only 9,245 breakthrough cases out of more than 95 million fully vaccinated Americans as of April 26.  Studies suggest immunocompromised people or those on medications that interrupt their immune system (such as those on chemo or who have had an organ transplant or are on dialysis) are less likely to be protected by the COVID-19 vaccine. In California, there were 10,114 new cases in the last week, versus 3,348 in just one day on May 14. Deaths over the last week were 356, which is still considered modest.  It sure looks like we are quickly coming out of the woods. Please, if you have not been vaccinated, do so right away!

Pacific Grove, CA Elder Abuse Alert : Fed Ex And UPS Tracking Alerts Could Be Fake : By Derek Baine

A woman helping an older person with a blue object.


Unfortunately, elder abuse scams continue to abound.  The latest; fake package notifications from Amazon.com, FedEx, UPS and others.  With e-commerce sales hitting an all-time high due to the coronavirus, more and more email delivery alerts are popping up but they may not all be legitimate.  Fake email messages often contain the logo of the shipping company, making them look more legitimate.  Getting you to click on a link is the main objective of these scams.  Others send an attachment with malware in it, so never click on an attachment from an unknown sender.  Most come with a call to action such as purporting there is a problem with the shipping address or the payment method, attempting to get you to click through.  Always go to where you made the purchase to check on the order status. 

https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20283-scam-alert-dont-be-fooled-by-a-fake-package-delivery-scam

Salinas, CA Aging At Home Is Now In Vogue : Assisted Living On The Outs : By Derek Baine

A woman with grey hair sitting in a chair.


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

Congratulations To Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System : By Derek Baine


Congratulations are in order to SVMH, which was awarded Magnet recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center this month.  The award is for meeting rigorous standards of nursing excellence and is given to only 8% of hospitals in the U.S.  There are now 34 hospitals in California identified as Magnet hospitals.  “Achieving Magnet recognition, especially in the face of COVID-19, is a testament to our staff and high standard,†SVMH President & CEO Pete Delgado said in a statement.