Proposed Service Tax Will Hurt Michigan Seniors

I received this press release/letter to the editor today from the National Private Duty Association’s Michigan Chapter.  I thought you would appreciate seeing the honest truth about Michigan’s proposed service tax.  Though it will raise funds, it will hurt many for generations to come.

 

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Dear Editor:

 

The voice of Private Duty Home Care, The National Private Duty Association – Michigan Chapter, finds it appalling that our lawmakers are considering a service tax in an effort to overcome spending short-falls from years of poor fiscal responsibility.  Though raising taxes is a viable way to tackle the deficit, the strain of higher costs will be felt by a rapidly aging population.

 

The so-called “luxury tax” currently being debated holds its greatest flaw in that the majority of services to foot the bill are far from the category of luxurious.  For seniors, taxing needed services which help the elderly age in place begs the question, “If a service tax is implemented, how many seniors will no longer be able to afford basic care services they require to live in their homes?”

 

A recent survey, which had its results published in the New York Times in August, found that in America a full ninety-percent of seniors desire to live, and age, in their homes.  For many, this can only happen with the help of businesses who specialize in keeping seniors safely in their place of residence.  From basic home maintenance to in-home care, the cost of living at home continues to rise for seniors.

 

Over the next fifteen years, the number of seniors in Michigan will increase by 41%, bringing a full 500,000 adults above the age of 65 by the year 2020.  According to the Michigan Community for a Lifetime study completed by Michigan State, “…communities must make a commitment to ‘ease the way’ for this population group.”  The proposed service tax does not ease the way for seniors to continue living independent and productive lives in the State of Michigan.

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Your Senior Advisor: Older Men Who Cope with Stress Have Better Cholesterol, Study Says

By Shannon Wygant, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and owner of the Waterford and Walled Lake, Michigan franchises of Home Instead Senior Care. 

1. My 68-year-old father discovered at his last physical that his cholesterol is up.  He watches what he eats and is very active.  However, it seems that he’s always stressed out and angry about something.  Are there any studies that link stress and cholesterol?

 As a matter of fact, a study just released in August at the 115^th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (APA) found that older white men who are better able to cope with stress do in fact have more “good cholesterol” than those who are more hostile or isolated (http://www.apa.org/releases/cholesterolC07.html). According to the APA, this study gathered data from 716 men—average age of 65—to look at hostility, stress and coping processes, and cholesterol levels.  The subjects were given a questionnaire that asked them to rate how often they used 26 coping strategies.  The study found that:

• Individuals high in hostility were more likely to perceive problems as stressful and react with negative behavior, self-blame and social isolation.
• Men who were better able to cope could make a plan of action and pursue it.

Following an overnight fast, the subjects’ blood was tested for high-density lipoproteins (good cholesterol), low-density lipoproteins (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides.  The authors had theorized that hostility would have an effect on all three lipoproteins, but what they discovered was a direct effect on HDL and triglycerides, but not on LDL.  

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Is There a Link Between Dementia and Tooth Loss?

There was some interesting research done in London this past year in whihc no deinitive answers were found, but raised several new and rather complex questions on the issue of dementia and it’s causes.  However, this may again call for a deeper understanding of the importance fitness and nutrition factors in trying to prevent dementia.

Here is a snip from the article as reported on Scientific American.com:

By Anne Harding

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Older people who have lost their teeth are at more than three-fold greater risk of memory problems and dementia, UK researchers report.

“This study essentially raises questions rather than answering them,” Dr. Robert Stewart of Kings College London, the study’s lead author, told Reuters Health. “The measurements were taken at the same time, so we are not able to say what caused what.”

It’s possible that people with cognitive impairment simply take worse care of their teeth, he added, but there are also mechanisms by which poor dental health itself could harm the brain. “One message still stands regardless of what caused what,” he said. “Particular attention may need to be paid to the health and nutrition of people with cognitive impairment because they may also have dental problems.”

You can read the entire article by clicking here.

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Your Senior Advisor: Seniors with Celiac Disease Should Watch Diet, Seek Support

By Shannon Wygant, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and owner of the Waterford and Walled Lake, Michigan franchises of Home Instead Senior Care. 

1. After years of suffering from digestive problems, my 74-year-old mother was recently diagnosed with celiac disease.  What can you tell me about this condition, and how I can help?  She lives alone and needs a lot of support?

 According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (http://celiac.nih.gov/), celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients.  People who have this disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten—found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats.  When ingesting gluten, the immune systems of those with celiac disease respond by damaging the small intestine’s villi, fingerlike protrusions that allow food to be absorbed into the blood stream. October is National Celiac Disease Awareness Month, a good time to learn more about this disease, which impacts about 2 million people (1 in 133) in the U.S., according to the Clearinghouse.  The disease also is known as “celiac sprue,” “nontropical sprue” and “gluten-sensitive enteropathy.” According to the Clearinghouse, researchers are studying the reasons celiac disease affects people differently.  Some who have this disease may not have symptoms, while others may not know their symptoms are from this disease.  Some common symptoms of those with celiac disease can include gas; recurring abdominal bloating and pain; chronic diarrhea; weight loss or gain; fatigue; tingling or numbness in the legs; muscle cramps; and itchy skin.   The only treatment for celiac disease is to follow a gluten-free diet.  For most people, following this diet will stop the symptoms and heal existing intestinal damage and prevent further damage, according to the Clearinghouse.  Following are some resources to help provide more information:

• Celiac Disease Foundation, www.celiac.org
• Celiac Sprue Association/USA Inc., www.csaceliacs.org
• Gluten Intolerance Group of North America, www.gluten.net
• National Association for Celiac Awareness, www.celiaccentral.org

 Your mother’s doctor may have asked her to work with a dietician on a food plan that can help heal her body.  If your mom needs more support at home, consider encouraging her to hire a companion—such as a Home Instead CAREGiver—who could provide assistance with grocery shopping and meal preparation.  CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured, and offer other services to seniors such as medication reminders, light housekeeping and errands.  —Editor’s Note:  This is a continuation in a bi-weekly series which will be emailed every other Monday to regional press affiliates to help promote health, welfare, and advocacy for our senior population.  Bert Copple, Director of Community Relations, can be reached via email at dcrcommerce@inspireseniors.com, or via cell at 248-953-9916.

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Your Senior Advisor: Technology and Companionship Helping Seniors Stay Home Longer

By Shannon Wygant, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and owner of the Waterford and Walled Lake, Michigan franchises of Home Instead Senior Care. 

1. As an 80-year-old woman who lives at home alone, I am interested in doing whatever I can to stay here.  My grandson has told me that there is technology being developed that can help me do that by letting my family “monitor” me.  I’m a very independent person.  Would I have to give up some privacy if I accepted these new-fangled ideas? 

 Your grandson is right.  Here are some interesting innovations designed by Georgia Tech College of Computing (http://gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/newsrelease/privacy.htm):

• “Cook’s Collage,” which photographs people during meal preparation and displays the cook’s six most recent actions on a flat-panel display mounted over the countertop. The idea is to prevent distracted chefs from forgetting what actions they’ve already taken. To reduce “Big Brother” appearances, cameras are mounted out of sight and only show the chef’s hands.
• “Digital Family Portrait” helps out-of-town family members keep an eye on aging relatives. A display monitor hangs in the caregiver’s home and displays a static photo of the older relative. The photo is surrounded by a digital-image frame whose icons change daily to reflect information about the older adult’s life, such as general activity level.
• “FaceBot” is a communication device that interacts with other home technologies. It features two cameras for eyes, microphones as ears and a speaker as its mouth.  Instead of giving voice commands to an empty room, such as “turn up the temperature,” residents can talk directly to FaceBot.

Researchers at the school invited 44 adults ages 65 to 75 to tour the residential laboratory and view these new age-in-place technologies.  Overall the seniors who were surveyed said they didn’t mind giving up some privacy to be able to remain independent, researchers reported.   The results of their poll show how important it is for seniors to remain at home.  While technology is of value, there is no substitute for human contact.  A few hours a week with a Home Instead CAREGiver can keep older adults in their homes longer as well. CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured, and equipped to provide that human touch that technology can’t.  CAREGivers are even matched with seniors to share their same interests and hobbies.  Services are provided from a few hours a week up to 24 hours a day—including weekends and holidays. —Editor’s Note:  This is a continuation in a bi-weekly series which will be emailed every other Monday to regional press affiliates to help promote health, welfare, and advocacy for our senior population.  Bert Copple, Director of Community Relations, can be reached via email at dcrcommerce@inspireseniors.com, or via cell at 248-953-9916.

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Your Senior Advisor: Tips Can Help Seniors At the Doctor’s Office

By Shannon Wygant, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and owner of the Waterford and Walled Lake, Michigan franchises of Home Instead Senior Care. 

Q.    Since my wife died last year, I’ll be going to the doctor alone for my annual physical this year.  I’m nervous and don’t know what to ask.  And, at age 78, I’m hard of hearing.  Do you have any suggestions?      

We thought you might find the following information helpful.  U.S. Preventive Medicine, a private company that works with hospital and physicians groups, recently released tips to help consumers get the most from their annual physicals. 

Prioritize and verbalize personal concerns and goals.  Before you go to the visit, identify all of your concerns and what you expect, and write those down. 

Review family medical history.  Many diseases are hereditary.  Make sure you know your family history and provide a detailed outline to the doctor. 

Get an examination the old-fashioned way.  A thorough physical must include a thorough examination, no matter how uncomfortable, for early detection and prevention. 

Find out about metabolic syndrome.  Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease and is easily diagnosed through a cholesterol or lipid profile, blood glucose (sugar), blood pressure readings and measurement of waist circumference.  Metabolic syndrome is not routinely addressed by many doctors during a physical. Take the initiative and ask if you should be assessed. 

Ask about screening for chronic diseases.  Early detection leads to improved prognosis for many of the most common chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.  Talk to your doctor about a schedule of recommended preventive screenings. 

Review the list of prescription and over-the-counter medication you currently take. While medications and supplements may have life-saving benefits or provide symptom relief, all may induce detrimental side effects in some individuals under certain circumstances.  Provide your doctor with a complete list of all prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, herbs or other supplements that you are taking or have   recently taken. 

Another suggestion, from the non-medical caregiving company Home Instead Senior Care, is to take a trusted friend or family member with you to the doctor’s appointment.  That individual can help you understand what the doctor is saying if you can’t hear his/her comments and instructions.  If you don’t have anyone like that, consider hiring a professional caregiver, who not only can accompany you to doctor’s visits but help you maintain a healthy lifestyle as well. 

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care, contact Shannon Wygant at 866-922-1400 or visit www.homeinstead.com. 

—Editor’s Note:  This is the second in a weekly series which will be emailed every Monday to regional press affiliates to help promote health, welfare, and advocacy for our senior population.  Bert Copple, Director of Community Relations, can be reached via email at dcrcommerce@inspireseniors.com, or via cell at 248-953-9916.

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