Dr. Mauk’s Boomer Blog

When seniors develop diseases affecting cognition, like the various kinds of dementia, caregivers typically make an effort to make their living environment as safe and comfortable as possible.  Sometimes caregivers make lots of changes to a senior’s living space, with the best intentions of helping them.  However, this can have a two-sided effect, because seniors with mentally deteriorating illnesses can find change to be a confusing or frightening thing.  Caregivers might change the entire layout of a house, remove everything that could be a hazard, or add numerous locks to provide security.  Changes like these can actually prove to be disorienting for a senior, in addition to being helpful.  So the question becomes, how much change can seniors with Alzheimer’s handle?

It’s typical to find instances where seniors have lived in the same home for decades, and have a curious ability to navigate the living space with a sort of muscle memory after memory-harming diseases like Alzheimer’s set in.  Routine is very important to the delicate psyche of an elder with dementia, so finding the perfect balance of what to change for their own good can be tricky.  Making abrupt overwhelming makeovers to their home’s layout can make them flustered and end up actually making  it more difficult for them to get around, adding to their impaired cognition. So it is best to maintain an environment that is familiar as much as possible.  And make any alterations subtly and slowly over time.

The necessity to make changes will depend of the severity of a senior’s individual case.  If the Alzheimer’s is in the mid to late stages and a senior is wandering out of the home constantly, then immediate action to prevent hazard is surely appropriate.  Installing door alarms or adding locks can be great helps. If a senior with dementia typically kept a messy household, then the mess may add to their unease or make it easier to trip and fall.  De-cluttering their living space can be advantageous in these cases.

Thus, change will surely be necessary at times.  Though it is advisable to make changes as gradually and calmly as possible, to avoid overwhelming or distressing what was comfortable, normal, and assuring to the mind of a loved one with dementia.  Routine is key for security in these instances.  It may also be helpful to make sure you let them see when you move something, or set their things some place, to help then more easily adapt to the change.

Becoming a senior citizen is a time in one’s life where things begin to change, sometimes drastically, and when it comes to important things like insurance, there are quite a few things to consider making sure you have the right insurance and that you can stay within a budget for your medications and general practitioner visits.

If you have ever sat down to compare health insurance plans, you already know how stressful it can be to choose one. There are so many different HMO’s, PPO’s, government plans and private plans and other plans to consider. It can be confusing to understand if you don’t work in the insurance business. Before choosing a plan, you need to determine a few things including:

• Make a list of any pre-existing conditions, if any, that you may have.
• Figure out what you can realistically afford to spend on health care.
• Check into healthcare options offered through work if you still work.
• Check into what Medicare offers, and whether you are eligible based on income for Medicaid or other assistance programs for health care.

Know What You Want
You also need to know the difference in various types of insurance plans.

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO’s)– HMO’s require you to have all your medical care handled by a provider that is in the HMO’s network.

Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO’s)- a PPO will let you pick your caregiver even if they are not in the network, but the deductible and co-payment will be higher for out of network providers.

Point of service Organizations (POS)– A primary provider will take care of your services, but again, if out of network, the amount you pay will be higher than an HMO.

The best way to compare health insurance plans to choose the one that is right for you is to speak to an insurance agent who can offer the facts for the coverage you need most. Calling a company like Taylor Benefits Insurance, an insurance company that works nationwide, is a good idea to get started on the path to the right insurance plan when you hit those senior years. A good agent can walk you through each plan, explain insurance terms and let you know how much you will spend for covered services that you may need for regular care or even emergencies that may arise.