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

A woman looking out of the window at her home.


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

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 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.

Pacific Grove, CA Many Nutritionists Recommending Vitamin B12 And Vitamin D3 For Seniors

Three older women are holding pink dumbbells.


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.

Monterey

Carmel, CA Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease The Greatest Risk For Your Portfolio In Your Golden Years

A close up of some blue and yellow cells


There was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal that talked about prudently investing your retirement funds.  However, it noted that the greatest risk was not stock prices or interest rates.  Rather, it was a slow cognitive decline.  One big mistake or a series of smaller ones can wipe out your entire life savings.  To guard against this happening, investment firms like Charles Schwab, Fidelity Investments and Vanguard Group are strengthening the ways they detect possible signs of cognitive decline.  This includes making web sites more difficult to navigate for someone with an impaired memory, and monitoring for frequent password changes.  Some are notifying a designated family member when they see these signs.  Good for them!  Many people who start slipping into dementia or Alzheimer’s disease try to hide this from friends and family as they are embarrassed.  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.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/baby-boomers-biggest-financial-risk-cognitive-decline-11622942343

Social Security CPI Forecasted To Be Up 6.1%

A blue and white logo of the social security administration.


There is good news and bad news in a new report coming out from The Senior Citizens League, a non-partisan senior group, which raised their forecast for the Social Security from 5.3% to 6.1%.  That’s a huge increase from prior years.  However, it’s based on a basket of goods cost of living (COLA) increase, which means that the increase will likely just make up for a 6.1% hike in goods and services that you buy every day.  In addition, some things like real estate and rental prices, medical costs and long-term care are skyrocketing.

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidrae/2021/07/14/how-big-will-the-social-security-cost-of-living-adjustment-be-for-2022/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=personalized&cdlcid=607e1442fe2c195e916f3bb4&sh=433b142b52fa

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

A doctor and patient looking at a book


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.html

http://vantageeye.com/services-macular.html

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

A heart shaped word cloud with words related to caregiving.


Watsonville, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available Certified Nursing Assistant CNA Designation A Plus (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, 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 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.  Service areas include:

Monterey, CA Family Caregivers Face Heartbreaking Journey With Alzheimer’s Disease, Often Ending Up In Hospice

A purple background with the alzheimer 's association logo.


There was a heart breaking article in the Wall Street Journal recently.  It featured Nick Clement, age 78, who has cared for his wife Lucy for the past decade.  Lucy has Lewy body dementia as well as Alzheimer’s disease.  Nick wanted to take care of his wife, however, he quickly found out how difficult it is taking care of someone who is slipping rapidly into dementia.  As her disease progressed, she was unable to brush her teeth or comb her hair, so Nick did that too.  He said that some friends stopped calling, which can be heartbreaking.  Eventually, after Lucy had dropped from 125 pounds down to 90, it took its toll on Nick who was gaunt and depressed.  He had to call in hospice which took over Lucy’s care.  Hospice asked Nick if he had told Lucy it was OK for her to go.  He had not, but went to her room and looked into her eyes and told her he would be alright, it was OK to go.  Sadly, she died the next morning.  Unfortunately, most of us will have to go through this with a family member.  If you need help, CHOMP has a service called Hospice of the Central Coast, as does the Visiting Nurses Association (see links below).  Please reach out for help if you need it, they both have compassionated caregivers.

 

https://www.montagehealth.org/care-treatment/hospice/

 

https://ccvna.com/

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/one-familys-lessons-learned-from-a-decade-of-caregiving-11623691961

 

Carmel, CA Check Out CHOMP’s Diabetes Self-Management Series

A blood glucose level chart showing the optimal levels.


Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, CHOMP, has a great Diabetes Self-Management Series and the cost of the sessions may be covered by Medicare if you have a referral from a physician.  Learn more about your diabetes and the day-to-day skills needed to live a healthy life and prevent complications.  Registered dieticians and nurses will hold one-on-one sessions with you and talk about monitoring your blood sugar levels, the best diet, medication and non-medication options to keep you healthy.  Call 649-7220 for more information.

https://www.montagehealth.org/care-treatment/diabetes/

 

Pacific Grove, 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. Seniors living in Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach are particularly vulnerable as these crooks target high-income areas.

Pacific Grove, CA Tips On ROTH IRA Conversions


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.  Talk to Monterey Credit Union, Monterey County Bank or many of the other local financial institutions to open an account, or a financial advisor for advice.