Long-Term Care Worries? We Have You Covered

$85,000 to $100,000. That is the current estimated cost per year to pay for long-term care.

Don’t think you’ll need it? Think again. There is a 70% chance that someone turning 65 today will need some type of long-term care. Those numbers will go up, as people live longer each year. Those care needs may be in the home or a senior living community.

While these numbers can be intimidating, there are options available right now to prepare you for your long-term care needs.

A Place At Home recently sat down with Matthew Hooker, a financial advisor with Edward Jones. He shared there’s not a specific age to start planning for long-term care. “I’ve seen people do it as early as 40-45. Because they have seen it, and they are willing to pay to avoid it.” He advises if you start early, then you can address it before it’s an issue. And that’s the best assurance you can get. In the past, long-term care policies were a use it or lose it proposition. It was incredibly expensive to carry a plan, and the rates would go up. Often when people transitioned to a fixed income.

Fortunately, that’s not the case these days. According to Matthew, now there are great options for long-term care policies.

Some of these are hybrid policies, encompassing coverage for both assisted living situations as well as life insurance. He explained some of the options available to help you prepare for your long-term care needs:

 

  • Integrate long-term care into your budget (self-insuring): This allows you the most flexibility in choosing your care providers, but paying out of pocket for long-term care can be costly and can be a gamble for your financial goals.
  • Long-term care insurance – If you choose to go through an insurance company, you have a couple of options:
    • Traditional long-term care insurance:
    • Policies and costs vary quite a bit, based on different things, such as your health, age, location of care, and more. It can ensure you won’t deplete your assets and income if you need long-term care. It also offers flexibility and possible shared benefits between two people. However, premiums are not fixed or guaranteed. You do still have to pay them, even if you don’t need care later.
    • Life insurance with long-term care benefits: these policies are newer and can allow you to use the death benefit to pay for long-term care if you need to. Premiums here are generally fixed, and if no care is required, it provides a life insurance death benefit. There are additional costs with these hybrid policies, and the long-term care coverage is often less than with a traditional long-term care policy.

 

Saving for your potential long-term care needs can be like a roulette wheel. How you decide to plan for your future depends on your individual needs.

Matthew advises that whatever you decide to do to prepare for long-term care as you age, make sure you have a game plan that makes sense. “I take people’s priorities, their picture of retirement, and give them different vehicles to get to where they want to go.” He also shares that a large part of his role is interpreting what people’s needs really are. “Long term care, assisted living, nursing home care, people use all these words interchangeably, and none of them mean the same thing.” Matthew knows the difference between all of these, as well as the ever-changing rules and regulations, changes in legislation, and especially long-term care and assisted living. Everyone’s situation and goals are different. “I work with people and interpret whoever they are as a person.”

“Their experience? That experience is what you have to get down to, and really understand.”

Matthew will help you plan for how you envision your future. He does comprehensive planning, including full-blown insurance and investments, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, 401k’s, cash accounts, money markets, refinancing your home (which he does not recommend), estate planning, and trusts. Helping people is something Matthew has a passion for. He shares, “I truly love this profession, this job. I get paid for it, thank God because I would do this anyway. I love helping folks.”

Whatever your current situation or future goals are, A Place At Home recommends speaking with Matthew to ensure your needs are met. And to ensure you are set up for any potential long-term care needs you may have in the years to come. You can reach him by visiting his website, sending him an email, or calling him at 402-630-7379. With all the uncertainty, especially with what we’ve seen this year, reaching out to Matthew might be one of the best things you can do to prepare for your future.

Need guidance looking for in-home care, or choosing an assisted living community? Reach out to us today to explore your options!

 

 

Caregiver of the Month: Brandi Thomas – A Life Spent in Service to Others

Brandi Thomas, June’s Caregiver of the Month, comes from a long line of nurses in her family. She shares, “The bar has been set really high for me for a long time.”

If you were to try to get a hold of Brandi Thomas- to say, interview her for winning Caregiver of the Month, it would be immediately apparent that she has little time to sit and chat. For her clients at A Place At Home, she works seven days a week. One might think that’s excessive.

For Brandi, her whole life has been about caring for others since she was eight years old.

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Brandi spent her childhood following her mother, who provided nursing care for seniors. She spent time with the people her mother cared for, providing companionship to those that didn’t have family members in their lives. That companionship was the start of a lifetime of caring for others. She gained more experience, including working for the state of Nebraska for five years. The people she was caring for suggested she take her knowledge and use it to become licensed. That’s what she did, and she says, “I’ve never regretted it since.”

Brandi is working on furthering her education to get a degree in nursing, following her family members’ footsteps. Though she’s put her plans on hold because of the pandemic, she will be enrolling in the nursing program at Metropolitan Community College. She comes from a family of CNA’s, RN’s, and Nurse Practitioners. COVID-19 upsetting the timeline for her plans doesn’t phase her at all.

“I was raised not to be a quitter.”

Brandi enjoys working with individuals who have dementia, the most. They can be challenging, but she feels that working with them betters herself as a nurse and an individual. She takes great pride in the trust she’s built up with her clients. Taking time to find out what they’ve been through in life, their experiences, and who they are as individuals. “When they talk about certain things, and they just light up, it makes me so happy, because they know there’s somebody there to listen to them.”

“I want it to be a memorable experience for them, where they want me to come back, and they feel comfortable with me being there.”

Her advice to new caregivers? “Build that rapport, that relationship. Over time you’ll understand why they act the way they do.” For Brandi, she has a long, passionate future ahead of her. She finds joy in caring for others, and for her, the impact she makes in the lives of others is what counts. “This kind of work is more than just a paycheck. It is about true care and compassion and understanding.”

If you have a passion to care for others and a desire to make an impact, apply with us today!

Quality of Care – Keeping Hospital Readmission Rates Low

Hospital readmissions are expensive – costing 41.3 billion dollars per year. A Place At Home is making an impact in the industry by utilizing Quality of Care – and striving to reduce readmission rates across the nation.

As an aging adult, your goal is to stay healthy and independent in your own home. A hospitalization can negatively impact your independence. If you get sent to a rehabilitation center after being discharged from the hospital, it can be weeks before you return to your home. Once you are finally home, the last thing you want to do is end up back in the hospital days or weeks later. At A Place At Home, your goals are our goals. That’s why we use Quality of Care for all of our clients. Our software allows your caregiver to record any change in your condition, in real-time, reducing hospital readmissions.

We track your recovery and report concerns so they can be addressed safely and timely in your home.

What does Quality of Care look like? Let’s say you have diabetes, and recently suffered a heart attack. You spend five days in the hospital, then another three weeks in a rehabilitation center. You’re happy to be home. Social Work sent you home with home health, as well as caregivers from A Place At Home. At home, you find that you often feel dizzy and out of breath. Your blood sugar is all over the place, and you feel confused a lot of the time.

Your caregiver is noticing these things as well, and she’s recording them.

Each time she marks a change in condition, your Care Manager at A Place At Home receives an alert in real-time. Your Care Manager reports these changes to your health care team, including your home health company, as well as your primary care doctor and cardiologist. Your health care team issues guidelines to treat your symptoms at home.

You continue to get stronger and have a better quality of life, staying in your own home.

How would this situation look without A Place At Home and Quality of Care? What are the chances that you would readmit to the hospital if you didn’t have someone there, addressing any changes in your condition? Fairly high. The readmission rate for patients with comorbidities after a heart attack is 20% within the first 30 days after being discharged home. It’s 50% for six months after. Each hospitalization is a setback for your health, independence, and quality of life. Not to mention how costly it is. 

Those setbacks make it unlikely that you’ll be able to stay in your home long term.

A Place At Home’s Quality of Care program is more than just a term to describe what we do. It’s a calculated, consistent plan of action that prevents you from being readmitted to the hospital. Your quality of life is of the utmost importance to us. Our passion is senior-focused care, and we center the care we provide to you on your long-term goals. Contact us today to discuss your goals and how we can help.

Pearl Miller – One of a Kind

From War-Torn Liberia to Omaha Nebraska, Pearl Miller is one of a kind.

If you ask Cheryll, who Pearl Miller cares for through A Place At Home, you’ll have no doubt about why she was chosen as Caregiver of the Month for May. Pearl has been caring for Cheryll full time for nine months, and the impact she’s made on Cheryll’s life in that short time is evident.

“I appreciate everything about Pearl. She’s an angel, she looks after you, every little detail. She has a sense of humor. She pushes you when you need to be pushed.”

While Cheryll is the most recent person Pearl has cared for, she is far from the first. Pearl’s experience as a caregiver started when she was a young girl in Liberia. She and her siblings took care of their grandparents, and great aunts and uncles. Helping those that couldn’t do for themselves. “At the time, I didn’t know anything about ‘caregiver’. I was just helping a family member.”

Pearl’s caring nature comes to her honestly; her mother was the town doctor. Pearl shares that her mother went to medical school but didn’t finish. Instead, she used her skillset and knowledge to serve the people in their community. No one at that time could afford to go to a hospital. And when war came to Liberia, at the age of 13, Pearl followed behind her mother, caring for the sick and wounded. It was then Pearl decided what she wanted to do in life.

“From there, I started learning how to care for people when they are hurt, when they are wounded…and so I started thinking, this would be a good thing to do, to help people.”

Pearl came to the US when she was 17, to escape the war. She started her CNA career in Maryland, and started medical school, but didn’t finish. She got married, and gave birth to her son, who is now in his fourth year of college studying cyber security. In Maryland, she worked in a nursing home for years. When she came to Nebraska, she went back to school for phlebotomy, and travelled with the American Red Cross. The traveling was difficult for her son, who was young at the time, so Pearl started working in homes as a CNA.

Pearl has been working with A Place At Home since the first year they opened their doors. While she’s taken time away over the years, they are grateful that she keeps coming back. Pearl says that she’s encouraged working for A Place At Home, because the employers “are very friendly and kind, they talk with me like we are on the same level.”

“They make me feel like I am a part of it. And that plays a major role.”

Pearl says her favorite thing about being a caregiver is seeing the results of her work. She’s worked in all kinds of settings, including caring for people in a mental health facility. And when she sees progress in those individuals, she feels satisfaction. “When I’m working, and I see results, I’m like, okay, I’m doing something.”

Her advice for those just getting into the field? Patience, and empathy. “If you put yourself in their shoes, and you also have patience, you will work forever, and everything will go well for you. I always put myself in the patient’s shoes. And by doing that, we are loving ourselves and taking care of ourselves more.”

For Cheryll, Pearl is definitely producing results. Not just physically, but in a way that means even more: “I consider her a friend, too. She’s one of a kind.”

If Pearl’s advice on patience and empathy strike a chord with you, apply to be a caregiver with A Place At Home today!

 

 

 

 

Elder Abuse – Do You Know What to Look For?

Elder Abuse Awareness

June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

This day was conceptualized in 2006 by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse to promote awareness and understanding of the prevalence of elder abuse across the globe. In this blog, we explain some signs of abuse, and what you can do if you see or suspect it’s happening.

Each year, an estimated 5 million older adults suffer some kind of abuse.

Some signs of abuse can be obvious and easy to spot. When an aging adult is being physically abused, you might see things like broken bones, bruises or welts, or cuts and scrapes. But there are less obvious signs of abuse in a lot of cases. Financial abuse or exploitation is a perfect example of this. There may be signs such as large sums of money missing from bank accounts. Or the senior may be “gifting” monetary compensation in exchange for companionship. Perhaps the senior no longer has access to their financial records and accounts. This particular type of abuse is one of the most common.

On average, older Americans lose 2.6 billion dollars a year to financial abuse and exploitation.

Along with financial abuse, neglect is another of the most common types of elder abuse. Physical signs of neglect include bed sores or pressure wounds, or a lack of necessary medical equipment. You may also notice a case of neglect if the senior has poor hygiene, or weight loss due to a lack of proper nutrition. Dehydration and unsafe living conditions are also indicators of neglect in aging adults. Neglect isn’t always intentional. If the individual doesn’t have a support network, the neglect may be circumstantial, but it still needs to be addressed.

Another type of abuse that doesn’t present physically is emotional abuse.  If you notice your loved one’s caregiver speaks to them in a demeaning, dismissive, or aggressive way, if they don’t allow you to be alone with your loved one, or over explain concerns about injuries or social withdrawal, don’t brush it off. Be concerned. If you notice something, say something.

You might question what’s going on behind closed doors if your loved one seems hesitant to speak freely to you, if they seem withdrawn, or express new anxiety, depression, or fear.

If you find yourself questioning whether or not an aging adult is safe in their situation, there are things you can do to help. First, if the abuse or danger is immediate, call 911. If you’re not sure, but suspect abuse or neglect, call your local Adult Protection Services agency. You can make your report anonymously, and they will follow up with you once they’ve investigated the situation.

None of us ever want our loved ones to be in a situation where they are vulnerable to abuse. While it’s generally not possible to be with our parents or grandparents 24 hours a day, we do have the option of bringing in a caregiver to help. But you want to be sure that person is someone you can trust. At A Place At Home, all of our caregivers are fully vetted with background checks and drug testing, and are bonded and insured to ensure you can be confident in the safety and well-being of your loved one. To learn more, visit us here.

Touching Lives is Something Different: Patricia Mbianga

Patricia Mbianga is April’s Caregiver of the Month. Patricia’s passion for caregiving stems from her faith. She shares, “I pray every morning before I leave my house – let me make a difference in anybody I meet on my way”.

For her clients at A Place At Home, her prayers have certainly been answered. Being a caregiver for three years with A Place At Home, Patricia has made a difference in numerous lives. She laughs as she talks about one client in particular, whom she no longer provides care for. They run into each other occasionally at the grocery store. She hears her name being yelled across the aisles when she’s spotted, the woman racing across the store in her wheelchair for a hug.

Patricia was in school when her parents passed away, both from cancer. She wasn’t able to be there to care for them. Now she’s compelled to care for other people. When she first came to the US, she started out as a volunteer caring for others. She shares that she treats each of her clients as if they were family. “I take care of them like they are my parents… when I’m with a client, I do it fully, with everything in me.” She says if you can care for others with love and respect, everything flows.

“She’s one of the most committed and dependable caregivers we have” – Kris Perkins, A Place At Home – Omaha’s Executive Director

While Patricia wishes she could stay scheduled with all of her clients permanently, her schedule does require change occasionally. She’s currently working toward her PhD in Microbiology and has a young son who is currently in middle school. Her three older daughters are grown and out of the house. Two of them are in college, and one works in public administration. Patricia says she’s grateful for the flexibility she’s able to have working with A Place At Home.

When she found out she had been chosen as Caregiver of the Month, she says she was shocked. And really happy that her work is appreciated. Patricia likes working for A Place At Home; she appreciates the work that we do.

“I really love A Place At Home, they’ve really given me the opportunity to do what I love doing”.

At A Place At Home, we are grateful to have Patricia who says with a passion that you can see and feel, “it’s not just the money, we can always make money. Touching lives is something different.”

Does Patricia’s story resonate with you? Apply for a job with A Place at Home today and join the ranks of essential personnel that are so desperately needed, where they are needed – in the lives and homes of seniors in the Omaha community! Consider becoming a caregiver and apply to join our team today.

 

May 12th is International Nurses Day

International Nurse Day 2018

International Nurse Day is May 12, 2020. Nurses are an integral part of our lives in general and here at A Place At Home, but often we don’t think about them until there’s an immediate need. In the moment of an emergency, we rely on nurses to care for us, answer questions, and provide us with compassionate care. How often are we thinking of our nurses outside of those emergency situations?

International Nurse Day – A Day to Celebrate all the great nurses in our lives

Sure, we thank them in the moment, but do they receive our thanks the rest of the year? On International Nurse Day; a reminder to show our appreciation for the care they provide. International Nurse Day became recognized by the White House in 1974; 21 years after the idea was initially proposed. The date of observance was chosen to commemorate Florence Nightingale’s birthday, the founder of modern nursing.

Nursing is of course a career that these professionals voluntarily chose, but what a compassionate profession to choose! It takes a special person to give their all to care for people every day, and these people deserve to be commended.

Here are some ways you can show your appreciation:

  1. A simple ‘Thank You’ goes a long way! Especially if it’s out of the blue
  2. Omaha business owner? Offer a discount for those hard-working nurses that use your services!
  3. Drop off Starbucks cards at your local hospital or nursing home for a little pick-me-up during the 12-hour shifts
  4. Crafty kids? Handmade crafts or drawings can put a smile on any nurse’s face
  5. Volunteer at your local senior care facility or nursing home. Have the residents make cookies and distribute to the nurses
  6. Send catered lunch to the hospital. Short on cash? Bring extra veggies from your garden for an afternoon shift break
  7. Don’t forget about nurses in home care; they deserve special thanks as well!

There are plenty ways to show these individuals your appreciation. For more info about International Nurse Day, visit www.nursingworld.org.

 

Arbor Day – Love For Our Planet and Those We Hold Close

Arbor Day 2020

Arbor Day – it’s one of those holidays that we don’t take off work for, or exchange gifts. But for our planet, it’s one of the most important holidays of the year. The founder of Arbor Day, Julius Sterling Morton, had a passion for nature, and trees in particular. Originally from New York, Morton settled down in the Midwest, founding this holiday dedicated to trees in Nebraska, the same state A Place At Home was founded. It is estimated that one million trees were planted in Nebraska at the first Arbor Day celebration in 1872.

Impact on our Health and Environment

Trees have a major impact on our environment, and our health. Most people know that trees clean the air. But did you know that each year they remove over 46 million tons of air pollution, just in the United States? In the same amount of time, one mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In exchange, it releases oxygen. It’s no wonder then, that 20 percent of the earth’s oxygen overall is produced in the Amazon Rainforest. And trees don’t just affect our air quality. Studies have shown that just being able to see a tree significantly reduces stress levels and improves quality of life.

Impact on our Heart

Traditionally, people across the world celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees. Not just to be kind to the environment, but to honor loved ones who have passed away. It’s for this reason that Arbor Day, and the Arbor Day Foundation, is near and dear to our hearts. At A Place At Home, trees represent powerful meaning.  Like others, we think of trees as the symbol of the vitality of life, and those that came before us, and those that will carry on after we are gone. It stands for families and ancestors. It stands for strength, stability, and nourishment.

Rooted in Care

For every client we have been honored to care for that passes away, A Place At Home plants trees in their memory. Since 2014, A Place At Home franchise network has planted almost 2,000 trees. Memorials to our clients are growing in Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Superior National Forest, Chippewa National Forest, Custer-Gallatin National Forest, and Klamath National Forest. Each tree we plant reminds us of how grateful we are to have been touched by the lives of those families and clients.

If you’d like to celebrate this Arbor Day by planting a tree, why not go the extra mile and become a member of the Arbor Day Foundation. First time members get 10 trees free and you can sign up here.

If you or someone you know can benefit from extra support in the home, please reach out to us to see how we can help.

Arbor Day – Love For Our Planet and Those We Hold Close

Arbor Day 2020

Arbor Day – it’s one of those holidays that we don’t take off work for, or exchange gifts. But for our planet, it’s one of the most important holidays of the year. The founder of Arbor Day, Julius Sterling Morton, had a passion for nature, and trees in particular. Originally from New York, Morton settled down in the Midwest, founding this holiday dedicated to trees in Nebraska, the same state A Place At Home was founded. It is estimated that one million trees were planted in Nebraska at the first Arbor Day celebration in 1872.

Impact on our Health and Environment

Trees have a major impact on our environment, and our health. Most people know that trees clean the air. But did you know that each year they remove over 46 million tons of air pollution, just in the United States? In the same amount of time, one mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In exchange, it releases oxygen. It’s no wonder then, that 20 percent of the earth’s oxygen overall is produced in the Amazon Rainforest. And trees don’t just affect our air quality. Studies have shown that just being able to see a tree significantly reduces stress levels and improves quality of life.

Impact on our Heart

Traditionally, people across the world celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees. Not just to be kind to the environment, but to honor loved ones who have passed away. It’s for this reason that Arbor Day, and the Arbor Day Foundation, is near and dear to our hearts. At A Place At Home, trees represent powerful meaning.  Like others, we think of trees as the symbol of the vitality of life, and those that came before us, and those that will carry on after we are gone. It stands for families and ancestors. It stands for strength, stability, and nourishment.

Rooted in Care

For every client we have been honored to care for that passes away, A Place At Home plants trees in their memory. Since 2014, A Place At Home franchise network has planted almost 2,000 trees. Memorials to our clients are growing in Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Superior National Forest, Chippewa National Forest, Custer-Gallatin National Forest, and Klamath National Forest. Each tree we plant reminds us of how grateful we are to have been touched by the lives of those families and clients.

If you’d like to celebrate this Arbor Day by planting a tree, why not go the extra mile and become a member of the Arbor Day Foundation. First time members get 10 trees free and you can sign up here.

If you or someone you know can benefit from extra support in the home, please reach out to us to see how we can help.

Self-Care in the Midst of a Pandemic – Essential Now More Than Ever

Self-Care during pandemic

Self-care has become an often-touted buzz word in the last few years, and for good reason. As the world spins around us, we find ourselves taking care of our children, our jobs, our houses, our parents… the list goes on and on. There is one thing that remains the same as our lives evolve: you cannot effectively care for others if you’re not taking care of yourself. In the year 2020, with the world seemingly tilted on its axis due to the global pandemic that is COVID-19, self-care is even more relevant than before.

All of us have found ourselves at the mercy of the uncertainty of what will come next. Indeed, we are in a situation that few, if any of us, have any familiarity with. Now more than ever, we need to practice self-care. This is true if you’re an essential employee, or an essential family member trying to hold your life, and the lives of your loved ones together. Even in the surrealness of today’s world, there are things you can do to find balance.

 Fuel Your Body

With restaurants across the nation closing their dining rooms, and grocery shopping whittled down to a once-weekly affair, it’s easier than ever to ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. Much of our mental health is connected directly to the physical health of our bodies. It’s easy to slip into a routine of shopping for non-perishables right now. However, ensuring you and your family are consuming lots of fruits and vegetables keeps your immune system strong and your mind balanced.

Staying active is another great way to fuel your body. You don’t need fancy equipment to stay active; get out and explore your neighborhood with your pet, or a hike in nature.

 Fuel Your Mind and Spirit

Even if you’re considered an essential employee, your time outside of work has likely opened up as recreational and social activities have closed down. Use this time wisely. Dive into all the things you might have complained about not having time for in the past. Read books, learn new recipes, write, get back into an old hobby that you haven’t had time for. The activity itself doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you enjoy it, it fills your cup and keeps your thoughts occupied on something other than COVID-19.

 Fuel Your Relationships

Now isn’t the time to get together with your friends – but you can still stay in touch with them. We have the opportunity now to utilize technology and social media for more than scrolling. Start a weekly group chat and do a virtual “happy hour”, or use zoom to play a virtual game of Pictionary.  Reconnect with those living in your household now that you all have time. You’re in the same place, go for walks together. Take advantage of having nowhere to be and cuddle up on the couch for a movie night.

 The world is far different than it was just a couple of months ago, and it can be easy to let the pandemic and all that comes with it consume your thoughts. Instead, we invite you to turn your TV off, put your phone down, take a breath, and take care of yourself in a way that allows you to focus on all the things you have in your life to be grateful for.

If you’re still finding yourself in need of extra help, there are still ways to make every day life easier. Contact us to set up a free consultation.