New Website to help Alzheimer's Caregivers

Weill Cornell Medical College has created an interactive, multimedia website to help people who care for individuals who have Alzheimer's or dementia. This website is called "This Caring Home" and it has a virtual home tour that provides solutions for home safety and daily care issues.  Home safety issues include stove safety, bathroom safety, and lighting to prevent falls.  Daily care issues include wandering, advice about meals, suggestions about how to deal with agitated behavior, dementia-friendly activities, and memory aids.  In addition, they have information about home safety products, such as shower chairs, lift chairs, bed handles, safety burners, and wandering monitors.

Here is one of the videos from the website:
Oliver Sacks talks about Alzheimer's and the power of music

Health Reform Information for Seniors

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) has just published a 2 page fact sheet about the health reform plan which has recently passed in the House of Representatives.  The fact sheet is called "Straight Talk for Seniors on Health Reform". This fact sheet describes how health reform will effect Medicare benefits and premiums, long-term care, and prescription drug costs. It states that:

• The plan will not cut any traditional Medicare benefits.
• The plan will help those who fall into the prescription drug "doughnut hole".
• The plan will help you to afford long-term care at home.
• The plan will help prevent and combat elder abuse.

For more information, please access the fact sheet here.

Help with Medicare Copayments and Prescription Drug Costs

If you have Medicare and want financial assistance with its costs and those of your prescription drugs, the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas may have some great news for you!  If you meet income and asset requirements, the Social Security Administration can provide help with your Medicare co-payments, prescription drug costs, and your deductible—up to $3900 a year. Additionally, if you are eligible, the Department of Children and Families may pay for the cost of your Medicare Part B premium--$96.40 a month!

Applications can be done over the phone, by mail, or in person.  Call the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco Pinellas Senior Helpline and ask for a Medicare Beneficiary Outreach and Assistance (MBOA) consultant.  It might take 20 minutes—and it can save you up to thousands a year.  The service is free and unbiased.
   
Call the Senior Helpline at 1-800-963-5337 for more information

New "Life after Cancer" Information

The National Institutes of Health NIH SeniorHealth website has added a new section about "Life after Cancer".  According to the National Institutes on Health, approximately 12 million people in the United States have a history of cancer and 60% of these cancer survivors are 65 years of age or older.  This website helps older cancer survivors to learn what to expect after cancer treatment, including:

• follow-up care
• physical changes
• relationships with family and friends
• and a very useful "frequently asked questions" (FAQ) page

Volunteer Trends for Older Adults

The Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College recently published a fact sheet on volunteerism among older adults. Here are some of their findings:

• Estimates of volunteerism in older adults vary from 28% to over 50%.
• Over 40% of older adults expect to increase their time spent in volunteer work in the next five years.
• Older adults are more likely to continue to work for organizations that offer managerial or professional opportunities.
• Older adults tend to prefer flexible volunteer schedules.

There are many ways you can help out in our community. Here is a list of volunteer opportunities in Pasco County:

• Pasco County Agency Volunteer - Meals on Wheels, Animal Services, Parks and Recreation, etc.
• Library Volunteer
• Area Agency on Aging - SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), Senior Medicare Patrol Project, and Victim's Advocate Program.
• Pasco County School System - Retired and Senior Volunteer Program

You can also search for more local volunteer opportunities at VolunteerMatch, which connects people to over 75,000 non-profit organizations throughout the United States who are looking for volunteers.