Don’t Delay Filing for Medicare
Did you know that there is a penalty if you don’t file for Medicare in your 65th year? I didn’t. According to this article, the government will penalize you 10 percent per year for every year after 65 that you delay filing. If you’ve filed for Social Security, you’ll be automatically enrolled, but if you are continuing to work, be sure to check on the rules and file on time.
Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com/Patrick Doheny
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Life Alert or Lifeline
If you’re a long distance caregiver for an elderly parent, you’ll want to contract with one of these services for emergency medical alert service. You’ve seen the commercials or ads. The client wears a push-button system on a neck cord or bracelet. If she needs help, she simply pushes the button and the service responds. It can then call an ambulance or a contact person. Some of the services even have a fall monitor so if they client falls and loses consciousness, the service is alerted.
So here’s the question: how do you decide? Let me share our experience to give you some insights. My mom sprained her ankle a few years ago while we were traveling. My brother had to make some quick decisions. He called Life Alert and signed up for their service. They required a three-year contract and payment of almost $300 for their equipment, plus almost $60 per month. I don’t think he realized there were options, so he signed. Fortunately, she never had to use it, but we rested better knowing she had it.
The three-year contract period was recently over, so we decided to see if we could find something less expensive. We had seen cheaper services advertised. I talked to a local home care provider, who recommended Lifeline. I learned that Lifeline is managed through the local hospital, so we’re dealing with a local representative. They don’t charge an equipment fee. They don’t require a contract. They install for free. And their monthly fee is considerably less than that of Life Alert. Of course, we signed up. Then the “fun” began.
I called Life Alert to cancel the service. I was immediately transferred to the customer retention department, where I was promptly offered the same service for $29.95 per month rather than $60. I asked why, and the rep said because we had been with them for three years. I asked why they hadn’t called or alerted us? Why did we have to cancel to get that rate? No response. So I cancelled. I was told we needed to return the equipment that we had bought. They sent a box for the return. Meanwhile, Lifeline did their installation and all was well.
So Mom returned the equipment, but received another bill for the next month plus a bill for $94. Seems she hadn’t returned the smoke detector that they had apparently installed. She called customer service to find out the problem and was sent from department to department, ending up in India. Mom doesn’t hear well or understand well on the telephone, so the Indian accent made it impossible for her to understand the problem. The rep was very rude. VERY rude.
So of course, I had to take over. I called and got the same run around. I'm sure the smoke detector didn’t cost them more than a few bucks, but they were willing to hold the old lady hostage until she returned it at her expense. I'm usually pretty good at dealing with customer service, but this rep (also in India) hung up on me. We returned the silly smoke detector and put the credit card charge in dispute. I guess it’s been settled. But what a nuisance!
So make your own decision, but whatever you do, investigate thoroughly.
Friday, December 23, 2011
A Very Different Christmas
Merry Christmas to you! I hope that this season finds you and yours in good health, good cheer, and good company.
We’re enjoying a very different Christmas. For the first time in 27 years, we don't have our son with us. His wife’s father passed away this week, so they are staying close to home and her family. We support this decision wholeheartedly, and in fact, encouraged it. But we sure miss them! It doesn’t feel quite like Christmas.
We took the opportunity of the empty house to bring Mom over for the holidays. Our house is too small to host all of them together, so she hasn’t been here in many years. We surprised her with the trip as her Christmas gift. To my surprise, she didn’t even argue. She does love to “go someplace” and I guess our house is “someplace.” It’s been interesting having a 90 year old here. I tend to move in double time most of the time. Fortunately I was much further ahead this year – presents bought and wrapped, menus planned, shopping lists made — but there are still many things I could only do this week. Or that I didn’t get to last week. We’ve found a nice balance. I get a lot done while she’s napping, a bit more while she’s reading, and she can help with some things. The weather has been lovely (cold, but clear) so we’ve walked every day. And we’ve planned one excursion a day. I do believe she’s having a good time and I'm cherishing the time with her.
It’s a year of transitions. I know there will be Christmases without Son. This, the first, seems the hardest. And I know the time will come, probably soon, when there will be no more Christmases with Mom. And I know that each year it gets harder for hubby and I to do all we’ve loved to do – the entertaining, the decorating, the treks to the City. So today, this week, I'll cherish what we have, who we’re with, and what we can do. I hope you can do the same. Live in the present, enjoy what you have, and decide to have the best Christmas ever. Merry Christmas! And God bless us, every one.
Thursday, December 08, 2011
Beware of Visitors (Part 2)
Me:
"You did what?"
Mom:
"Just a little. And I had my foot against the door so I could slam it if I
needed to."
She had
thought of everything... My mom is 5'4" and just over 100 pounds. She also
has peripheral neuropathy and is unstable on her feet. I reminded her of the
size and strength of her delinquent great nephew, whom she fears.
Me:
"Do you really think you could keep him out with your little foot? He
could push that door open with one hand and knock you over! What were you
thinking?
Mom:
"I know... I know..."
But does
she know? How do get her to think more clearly? To think in terms of safety?
Maybe I
don't.
Obviously
I don't.
Maybe
it's time to consider moving her to assisted living. She's right at that in
between stage--too active for assisted living, but not quite safe on her own.
The wrong decision could be devastating.
What
would you do?
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Beware of Visitors (Part 1)
My mom
lives alone.
She has a
hearing aid and doesn't hear well on the phone.
She is
nice person.
She is 90
and naive.
So when
she received the following call, guess what happened... (Identifying info
changed for obvious reasons).
Caller:
"Hi, how a you?"
Mom:
"Fine..."
Caller:
"I haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?
Mom: “Fine…”
Caller: “Want some company?"
Mom:
"Umm, I guess so."
Caller:
"It's been awhile. Remind me where you live."
Mom:
"XYZ Mobile Home Park, over on Grove Street."
Caller:
"Right. I remember now. And what number?"
Mom:
"Space 34."
Caller:
"That's right. Well, I'll head over in a few minutes."
Mom:
"OK."
Seriously!
After all the times I've warned her about phone scams, her pride and naive
niceness took over once again. She later said she felt she should have
recognized the voice and didn’t want to embarrass herself by letting on that she didn’t.
Fortunately,
my brother called right after she hung up and realized what she had done. After
chastising her, he called the local police and explained the situation. They
promised to send an office by and keep an eye on her place that night.
People,
please remind your elderly loved ones to make sure they know who is on the
phone before giving out ANY information.
Tomorrow,
the conclusion of this story...
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
Living in the Present
This year has been a steep learning curve for me. If I thought I was busy before, this year, with medical issues for three people rather than just one, has taken my schedule to a whole new level. Plus grad school and work. And trying to be a human being. And with the increased busyness has come an increased level of stress. I have more details to remember and juggle. More appointments to squeeze into fewer days at Mom's. More calls to make. As I've faced this, I've watched Mom increase in her worry and fretfulness, to the point where I want to scream. It doesn't make a lot of sense. I'm busier so she frets... This, of course, is a sign of the fuzzy boundaries she's always had, now on steroids, as she feels less in control about the rest of her life.
But as frustrating as it's been, I'm using the opportunity to learn some new skills. The most important of these is what I call "living in the present." While I do have to do some pretty fancy juggling, the reality is that I only have to touch one ball at a time. I only have to attend one appointment, make one phone call, solve one crisis at a time. I may have to move fast and be creative, but I only have to do one at a time. I've learned that to the extent that I can keep this in mind, to that extent I can live in the present rather than the future.
The thing that keeps Mom exhausted is trying to keep everything in her mind at the same time. She literally lives in the past, the present, and the future at the same time. No wonder she's tired!
Especially tiring is the living in the past. I had an incident last night that made that real for me. A conversation didn't go well. Two people were left hurt (I was one of them…). As I keep replaying it, it get overwhelmed and exhausted. I see once again how important it is to resolve that which can be resolved and let go of the rest. It's the mental rehearsal that consumes my energy.
How do you cope with multiple demands? What techniques do you use to live in the present? And what happens when you don't?
Monday, October 24, 2011
Dare to Live: Devotions for Those Over The Hill, Not Under It
Dare to Live: Devotions for Those Over The Hill, Not Under It! is a jolt of spiritual inspiration, a quick boost for your soul. Rediscover God's grace, hope, and power for living—regardless of your place or age in life. In Dare to Live, 87-year-old author Elizabeth Van Liere leads readers through a thirty-day journey to a fuller understanding of what it means to "season slowly with a mighty and loving Savior." This journey pursues a life characterized by relevancy not regret, generosity not grumpiness, and compassion to the end.
This delightful book will first catch your attention with its VERY LARGE print. It’s clearly aimed at seniors. Van Liere captures the joys, sorrows, memories, and complaints of her generation. She poignantly expresses the losses and challenges of aging, but like David, quickly turns her attention to God and gratitude. Each chapter includes a devotional, Scripture verses for “A Step Further,” a memorable quote, and a question. I love her spunky attitude. It would make a great gift for the senior in your life.
To celebrate this blog tour, Elizabeth is offering a Dare to Live Gift Box of Local (Durango, CO) products from Honeyville. Leave a comment here for your chance to win this wonderful prize.
