Guides to Care Choices
Assisted Living Today, a Web publishing company thatæ
specializes in information about senior living, hasæ
published a series of guides about choosing theæ
best care setting for a loved one.æ
æ
They are worth a look.
Assisted Living Care Guideæ
ææ
Memory Care Guideæ
æ
Nursing Home Guideæ
æ
Care Home Guideæ
æ
Independent Living Guideæ
Sitting Causes Cancer!
 |
| Get off your… @Robert Daly, Getty Images |
According to an article in USA Today, more than 90,000 new cancer cases a year in the United States could be due to physical inactivity and prolonged periods of sitting.
Research presented at the American Institute for Cancer Research cites about 49,000 cases of breast cancer and 43,000 of colon cancer.
The calculations were based on physical activity data and cancer incidence statistics.æ
Alpa Patel, an American Cancer Society epidemiologist who looked at the data, says the numbers äóìseem like very reasonable estimates.äó
äóìA brisk daily walk of at least 30 minutes could lower a personäó»s risk over time for breast cancer and colon cancer,äó says Alice Bender, a registered dietitian with the cancer research institute.
In post-menopausal women, physical activity appears to decrease the risk of cancer by increasing insulin sensitivity and reducing body fat, inflammation, metabolic hormones and sex steroids hormones researchers say.
In any case, get off your butt, talk to your doctor and start an exercise program.
2011 LTC Costs Met Life
The Met Life Market Survey of Long-Term Care Costs published recently.
This survey, conducted in conjunction with LifePlans, Inc., contains daily private-pay rates for private and semi-private rooms in licensed nursing homes, monthly base rates for assisted living communities, hourly rates for home health aides from licensed agencies and agency- provided homemaker companion services, and daily rates for adult day services across the United States.
Nursing Homes
- National average rates for a private room increased by 4.4%, from $229 daily or $83,585 annually in 2010, to $239 daily or $87,235 annually in 2011.
Assisted Living Communities
Monthly private-pay base rates, which are defined as room and board and typically include at least two meals per day, housekeeping, and some personal care assistance, were obtained for one-bedroom apartments or private rooms with private baths in assisted living communities.
- National average assisted living base rates increased by 5.6%, from $3,293 monthly or $39,516 annually in 2010, to $3,477 monthly or $41,724 annually in 2011.
Home Care Services
Hourly private-pay rates were obtained for home health aides from licensed agencies and for agency-provided homemaker/ companion services.
- The 2011 national average private-pay hourly rates for home health aides and homemaker/ companion services remain unchanged from 2010 at $21 and $19 respectively.
Adult Day Services
- Adult day services national average daily rates increased by 4.5% from $67 in 2010 to $70 in 2011.
Read more at my about.com blog post.
Behind the Old Face
Behind the Old Face is a vision to change the perception of seniors, particularly in the medical community. Angil Tarach-Ritchey RN, GCN, Author, Speaker, Consultant and Senior Advocate hopes to change the thoughts, hearts, and minds of those working in healthcare, which will improve the dignity, respect and care of our societyäó»s elders.
On her website she shares this: äóìMy vision is the hope of every senior who has been unheard, neglected, abused, and tossed aside as something less than a person, like you or me, but with many more years of wisdom, struggles, accomplishments, achievements and service to you, and I, our generation, and those after us. One day, if weäó»re blessed enough to live to old age, we will be seniors, hoping we will be heard, validated, respected and cared for. Weäó»ll hope weäó»ve made some kind of contribution while we were here, and those that look at us will see Behind the Old Face.äó
Great work Angela.
