Is It Too Late To Buy Life Insurance?

A stethoscope laying on top of papers.


Many seniors believe that they are at an age at which they have passed life insurance eligibility.  Although most major life insurance policies require health underwriting (many smaller policies do not) and they won’t automatically deem you ineligible for insurance if you have pre-existing conditions, but you will pay more.  For instance, a 70-year-old male in excellent health would pay an average of $3,295 with a $100K death benefit, while an applicant with a condition like controlled diabetes might pay about $5,449 per year.  Before applying, experts recommend that you proactively manage your health.  For example, if you have high cholesterol, bring it down through medication and diet.  You can even pay to have a blood test run prior to applying to make sure your medical condition is under control (Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, August 2021, P8).

Marina, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Certified Nursing Assistant CNA or HHA Designation A Plus

A heart shaped word cloud with words related to caregiving.


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

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.

Explaining Spousal Social Security Benefits

A blue and white logo of the social security administration.


Spousal Social Security benefits can be hard to decipher, so I was glad that Elaine Floyd, the director of retirement and life planning at Horsemouth, sat down with USA Today reporter Robert Powell to explain some of the innuendos.  “What we seem to be dealing with most these days are people who want spousal benefits and don’t understand the conditions under which they can receive them,†she said.  Here are some tips:

  • The higher earner must file first—this hasn’t always been the case. You can’t claim a spousal benefit until your spouse has claimed their own benefit.  Before the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 became law, a dependent or the lower earning spouse could claim a benefit right away and take advantage of something called the file-and suspend strategy.  That loophole is gone.  You’re not eligible for a benefit until you are age 62 or have a qualifying child under your care.
  • You can’t receive a spousal benefit unless your own benefit is less than 50% of your spouse’s benefits. There is an exception for those born before January 2, 1965.  Those individuals can claim a spousal benefit and then claim their benefit as late as age 70.
  • The spousal benefit can be as much as half of the higher earner’s “primary insurance amount,†or PIA. If a spouse files for a spousal benefit before reaching full retirement age or FRA, he or she, unless caring for a qualifying child, will receive a reduced benefit.
  • Spousal benefits are only paid until the death of the first member of the couple.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/retirement/2021/08/01/retirement-5-things-to-know-about-social-security-spousal-benefits/5430601001/

Pacific Grove, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Certified Nursing Assistant CNA or HHA Designation A Plus

A woman talking to another person in a room.


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

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.

Salinas, CA Exercise Is Critical For Those With Early Onset Alzheimer’s

An older woman holding a pink string in her hand.


We have written repeatedly on our blog about the importance of proper nutrition, social interaction and exercise is key to keeping the mind and body healthy for seniors.  A new study from Arizona State University Edison College of Nursing and Health Innovation had participants either ride a stationary bike or do stretching exercise for six months.  Those who took part in the regular exercise program had significantly less memory loss than those who don’t follow a particular exercise regimen.  The results were published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s disease. Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are wonderful people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you need support at 800-272-3900.

Monterey, CA Dealing With A Loved One With Alzheimer’s Disease Is Always A Struggle : Try The Montessori Method

A woman in a wheelchair with two men.


Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are wonderful people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  It is always a struggle figuring out how to deal with a loved one, as the symptoms can seem to change from day to day.  And unlike most other chronic diseases, there is little that can be done in the way of treatment.  One relatively new method has been used for more than a century on special needs children and is being tried out on those with dementia.  It’s called the Montessori method for memory care, and it involves teaching a “new†skillset to someone.  Just as children need to know how to dress themselves, go to the bathroom, and communicate their needs, so do those with dementia who eventually may completely forget these skills which you and I take for advantage.  Using the Montessori Method you will find that it:

  • Respects a person’s dignity, personhood and lived experience;
  • Allows freedom within your provided structure (essentially allowing a senior to be an improvisational artists of sorts);
  • Changes the environment to suit the individual and not the other way around; and
  • Takes into account that an individual benefits by serving their community.

Source: HomeCare Magazine, 03/21 P.40

And when all else fails, don’t forget that the Alzheimer’s Association has a 24-hour hotline.  If you need some additional support you can reach them at 800-272-3900.

https://www.alzheimers.net/montessori-method-dementia

Salinas, CA Elder Abuse Alert Related To Roku Devices

An old woman with a bruised eye and hand on her face.


There was a story in USA Today about a woman who fell for the latest scam and lost $190.  While setting up her new Roku device, a message flashed on the TV screen telling her to call an 800 number to activate service.  When she called the 800 number, they offered her a lifetime full service plan for about $190, which she signed up for.  Months later, the person that she had spoke to on the 800 number called her and threatened her if she didn’t give another $190.  At this point she realized it was a scam.  How her smart TV was infiltrated with software having her call scammers remains a mystery.  However, scammers continue to target those on the Monterey Peninsula since areas like Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach have a much higher net worth than the average household.  Be on the lookout!

https://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2021/03/31/roku-activation-setup-tech-support-scam/6996289002/

Carmel-by-the-sea, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Certified Nursing Assistant CNA or HHA Designation A Plus

A woman and an old lady smiling at each other.


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

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 Many Nutritionists Recommending Vitamin B12 And Vitamin D3 For Seniors

A table with many different types of pills on it.


There have been debates over whether it is prudent to take just one multivitamin per day versus taking a variety of different vitamins.  Part of it depends on what your diet looks like.  Some believe supplements are not that effective.  “When you take things out of the food matrix and you put a single ingredient into a pill, it doesn’t have the same effect,†Katherine Tucker, director of the Center for Population Health at the University of Massachusetts Lowell told AARP Bulletin (June 2021, page 32).  In regards to B12 and D3, experts say that you can’t get them from plants.  In addition, as we get older, we begin to develop difficulty absorbing them in their natural form.  Vitamin B12 plays an essential role in nerve function.  A shortfall has been associated with depression, dementia, decreased cognitive function and anemia.  If you don’t get out in the sun much, a D3 supplement can be helpful.  It’s needed to maintain a healthy immune system, bones and muscles while protecting us from cognitive decline.  If you have diabetes, with a doctors note you can enroll in diabetes nutrition classes here at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP):

https://www.montagehealth.org/locations/profile/diabetes-nutrition-therapy/

They also publish a monthly schedule in the Monterey Herald with classes on fitness, estate planning, cancer and other subjects.  Many of the classes are free.

Alzheimer’s Association Shares Learning From Annual Conference

A purple background with the alzheimer 's association logo.


Last week, nearly 12K people attended the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, both in-person and digital, and they shared the results from the world’s largest and most influential meeting dedicated to advancing dementia science.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are wonderful people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you need support at 800-272-3900.  The key issues discussed at the conference were:

What is the Long-Term Cognitive Impact of COVID-19?

Improved Air Quality May Decrease Dementia Risk

Transgender Adults Experience Higher Rates of Subjective Cognitive Decline

Global Prevalence of Alzheimer’s Predicted to Triple by 2050

Clinical Trial Diversity is Crucial

For a more detailed analysis of these issues, click here:

https://www.alz.org/blog/alz/august-2021/x?WT.mc_id=enews2021_08_05&utm_source=enews-aff-20&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=enews-2021-08-05&utm_content=homeoffice&utm_term=Story2