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Where Do You Go When You Need Help?
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Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia can tax all of your abilities. When taking care of a loved one on your own, it can be difficult to know where to get help or who can assist. While we don't have all of the answers, we do have some great resources that we wanted to share with you.
In this newsletter you will find this helpful information:
- Details about the upcoming Town Hall Forum on May 25 - Making a Plan: The Smart Approach to Alzheimer's Care Needs.
- Links to some great services that are available to you.
- Understanding what Medicare covers and what it doesn't.
- The Perfect Answer when someone asks if they can help you.
- Plus, some fun trivia about our hometown that you might not know.
Read on.
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May Day, Mother's Day, Memorial Day and More
May has a lot of celebrations throughout the month. In addition to those listed above, there's Cinco de Mayo, Armed Forces Day, plus who can forget Chocolate Chip Cookie day. Click the button below for the full activity calendar.
Next Caregiver Support Group
meetings are May 2 and
May 16
at
10:30 am.
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Next Town Hall Forum is May 25
Making a Plan: The Smart Approach to Alzheimer's Care Needs
At this free educational event for family caregivers, Alzheimer's disease experts will provide practical advice for your caregiving journey.
Learn how to prepare for the progressive nature of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Get tips for how to plan for the changes expected at each stage and how to keep your loved one safe. Learn about care options available for meeting the needs of the individual and family.
Speakers:
Dan Sewell, MD - Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, UCSD
Todd Shetter - ActivCare Chief Operating Officer
More information is available
here or by calling 1-888-636-5677.
Thursday, May 25, 2017 - 10 am to 12:30 pm (Note special start time)
Complimentary continental breakfast at 10 am.
Rancho Bernardo Library
Community Room
17110 Bernardo Center Drive
San Diego, CA 92128
This event if free, but reservations are required. You can
register online or call 888-MEM-LOSS (888-636-5677).
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Where Can I Find Information About...
As a family caregiver, you are wear many hats: Behaviorist, Health & Wellness Manager, Nutritionist, Companion and Financial Guru. And, more than likely, without formal training, you have learned by doing.
In this issue, we are going to share some of the many resources we rely on to provide insight for the caregiver..
Southern Caregiver Resource Center (SCRC) - Not only can SCRC offer assistance to family caregivers in person, but they have one of the best
libraries of factsheets for family caregivers available online. From holding a family meeting to coping with combative behavior to legal issues to financial planning, they have information on several topics that can be helpful to you.
Alzheimer's San Diego - This resource focuses on helping San Diego families affected by Alzheimer's with information, education, care and vital support. If you haven't signed up for their newsletter, you are missing out on learning about important programs and offerings like free enrollment in the San Diego MedicAlert Found program.
Alzheimer's Association - They have an online network devoted just to caregivers. You can find practical advice for many situations via this source. Or, try posting a comment on their
AlzConnected message board to get input from other caregivers.
Alzheimer's Reading Room - This site provides blog posts addressing common issues faced by caregivers. Does this sound familiar, "What to Do When Dementia Patients Wear the Same Outfit Day After Day"? They have a post about that. Other articles that can address some of the unusual behaviors that you face can also be found there.
Besides these online sites, another source for relevant information can be a Caregiver Support Group. Individuals in these groups are perhaps your greatest local information resource and provide an empathetic ear and support to fellow caregivers. If you have not attended a meeting, we encourage you to try it.
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What Medicare Covers and Doesn't
Disclaimer: This article is designed to provide a cursory overview of this governmental program and is not comprehensive. For specifics, please consult the Medicare website.
In a nutshell, Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older, and people under 65 with certain disabilities including those with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) (permanent kidney failure). The program
helps with the cost of health care, but it does not cover all medical expenses or the cost of most long-term care.
The Medicare website can help you identify what care and tests are covered. It also addresses s
ome of the items and services that Medicare does not cover including:
- Long-term care (also called custodial care)
- Most dental care
- Eye examinations related to prescribing glasses
- Dentures
- Cosmetic surgery
- Acupuncture
- Hearing aids and exams for fitting them
- Routine foot care
As stated by the first bullet point above, long-term care such as retirement living, assisted living, memory care, and in-home care are not included in Medicare. This is a common misconception about this benefit. To learn more about Medicare, check out the 2017 guide.
Medicare and You 2017
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How many times has a friend asked if you need help? How many times have you said, "No Thanks, I'm Fine."
According to an article in Psychology Today, people who offer to help are:
- Sincere; they want to assist you.
- Waiting for your permission and an assignment. You need to react.
- Going to help you best when given a specific task to do.
With our magic wand, we are granting you the right to ask for help and we have a creative solution for you.
- Take an ordinary piece of paper and stick it to your refrigerator.
- Throughout the day, jot down something that you didn't get a chance to do, that you could really use help with. This could be: grocery shopping, gardening, picking up stamps, picking up pet food, or any errand that you cannot get to.
- Next time someone, anyone, asks if they can help. Share the list with them and ask what they would like to do.
- Not only will you cross a task off your list, you will provide an opportunity for a friend/family member to contribute, which is rewarding for them.
So the next time someone offers you help, say, "Yes!" Try it.
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Did You Know...?
Here's a little trivia about San Diego.
The first person to drive across the Coronado bridge was Ronald Reagan in 1969.
May 29th in San Diego is Tony Hawk Day.
WD-40 was invented in San Diego in 1953 by the Rocket Chemical Company.
San Diego airport is the busiest single runway airport in the U.S.
Fallbrook claims the title of the Avocado Capital of the World.
San Diego's average year-round temperature is 70 degrees.
The country's first drive-in restaurant, Oscar's, was opened in San Diego by Robert Oscar Peterson who later founded the fast food chain Jack In The Box in 1951.
The Hotel Del Coronado is the country's second largest wooden structure and is 129 years old.
The Star of India is one of the world's oldest Windjammer sailing ships; built in 1863.
The Old Globe and the La Jolla Playhouse have successfully sent more shows to the bright lights of Broadway in New York City than any other city in the country.
In 1867 San Diego land was selling for 27 cents an acre. Today, the median home price is $515,000. My, have times changed.
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ActivCare at Rolling Hills Ranch | 850 Duncan Ranch Road | Chula Vista, CA 91914
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