Senior Caregiving Blog- Elder Care & Caregiving News & Tips – Caregiverlist.com

Senior Hunger in America

Julie Northcutt — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:04:27 GMT

When I saw my mother this Mother’s Day, I made sure to ask all the right questions: Was she taking her medication? Did she get out to see friends often? Was she getting enough to eat? A quick check of her fridge assured me that she was in no danger of malnutrition, but it got me wondering — how many seniors can say the same? Her elderly neighbor, for example, would be actively fighting hunger if it were not for Meals on Wheels.

On May 8, 2012, TV Icons Linda Evans of Dynasty and Linda Gray of Dallas joined Congresswomen Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) at Capitol Hill for MoWAA’s second annual Mother’s Day Event, “Meals for Mom”. The Congresswomen are honorary co-chairs of the newly created National Alliance of Women Against Senior Hunger (NAWASH). Joining them were other members of Congress, who signed Mother’s Day cards for constituents, which were delivered along with nutritious meals by Meals On Wheels program volunteers in their Congressional districts.

The Meals on Wheels Association of America has made its mission to eradicate senior hunger by 2020. According to its latest research, 8.3 million seniors in the United States face the threat of hunger. The majority of those affected are women. For those living alone, and especially those without family, the volunteers for Meals on Wheels bring not only food, but may be these seniors’ only contact with the outside world.

Enid Borden, President and CEO of the Meals On Wheels Association of America, is calling for help in the form of volunteers and donations in order to help her reach her lifelong goal — making sure that no senior goes hungry, especially in this land of plenty. Check out the Meals on Wheels website to read about their initiatives and projects to check out the myriad of opportunities available for you to help.

In these times of government budget cuts, it’s more imperative than ever that we pull together as a community and make sure that no senior lives without proper nutrition or ever goes hungry.

senior, caregiving, nutrition MealsOnWheels, hunger, volunteer

Women Serving as Caregivers Receive Less Social Security Than Men

Julie Northcutt — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:47:18 GMT

Social Security benefits should be updated to reflect women serving as caregivers, say three national organizations who presented to Congress last week. And, all senior caregiver employees should also receive Social Security benefits through their payroll deductions - - - all caregivers should make sure they are working for a licensed senior care company providing this benefit which will allow them to retire and collect Social Security benefits.

Caregivers are usually women. This is not news for anyone. Senior home care agency owners can tell you that the majority of their caregiving employees are females. Nursing homes and Assisted Living communities will also agree that the majority of people applying for their jobs are women. Men simply are not as attracted to this type of work. My own brother has amazing talents from hunting to cooking to being very accomplished in his career - but he says he just can't take the hands-on care duties for our Grandmother. Yes, he'll plug her hearing aid into his ear and adjust it and make sure the batteries are working well, where I sort of am not attracted to doing that. But he isn't comfortable with assisting with caregiving duties such as bathing and toileting. Guys are just wired differently than women and science confirms this for us. We can accept this and play to our strengths. But not receiving the same pay and retirement benefits is not acceptable.

After a lifetime of lower wages and time out of the labor market for child-rearing and caregiving, women typically receive less pay from their Social Security check than men. Widows and women of color often fall into poverty in old age. This is a problem.

But what successful married man with children would not be half as successful in his career without his wife keeping the household running? My girlfriends and I joke about a board meeting of Venture Capital guys who were comfortable, in the company of women, bragging about being proud their wives were ‘stay at home’ because this meant their wives could do all of their chores and errands and scheduling for them. Yes, without a wife to do these things for them, they would need to use their own work hours, or after-work hours, to actually do these types of things. Or, they would need to hire a housekeeper or nanny to do these tasks. Even these professional men are admitting these duties are very needed and necessary in order for them to be successful.

I also heard Jack Welch, the former GE Chairman and CEO, speak once. He was on one of his book tours with wife #3, Suzy Welch (for the book titled “Winning”). I will give him credit for being very honest when he was asked this question by an audience member: “how did you balance raising your kids while growing your career?” He answered: “I didn’t. You would have to ask my first wife how she did that. I wasn’t around.” He is trying to do the balancing act now with his third wife who writes his books with him and goes on book tours with him, so we'll also give him credit for this.

Life is a balancing act. Whether women engage themselves in a career or work in the home raising children, they are managing the household and part of a team. Social Security payments should honor this work and recognize this labor.

This is also why Caregiverlist advocates for all caregivers to only be hired as employees, through senior home care agencies, insuring they are receiving Social Security benefits and payroll tax contributions along with Worker’s Compensation Insurance and Professional Liability Insurance. This protects the senior and the caregiver and it is only right and fair that someone working as a senior caregiver will be able to collect Social Security benefits when they retire.

A team of leading advocates for women, including a UCSF social scientist, are seeking to correct the inequities through new proposals to reform Social Security - our nation's financial safety net for senior citizens.

Last Friday, May 11, 2012, their report was presented at a Congressional briefing in Washington, D.C. The authors represent three national organizations for seniors and women: the National Committee to Preserve Social Security & Medicare Foundation, the National Organization for Women Foundation (NOW), and the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

“This is an urgent call for our retirement system to catch up with the changing needs of women,’’ said the lead author of the report, Carroll L. Estes, PhD, founder and former director of the UCSF Institute for Health & Aging. She is the chair of the board of directors of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security& Medicare and its foundation.

“Social Security is crucial to the future of our children and grandchildren,’’ Estes said.“It is there for Americans when catastrophic events befall them, such as 9/11 when about 2,600 children lost a working parent. We must keep the social contract that it represents, and improve the lives of women and other workers who have paid into Social Security for decades.’’

The report, “Breaking the Social Security Glass Ceiling: A Proposal to Modernize Women’s Benefits,’’ examines the changing role of women in the workforce as well as the smaller incomes women receive in retirement as a result of lower wages on average and time spent out of the labor market for unpaid caregiving of children and aging parents. Retired women of color are particularly vulnerable, experiencing two to three times the poverty rates of whites.

Social Security benefits may begin as early as age 62, however, the benefit amount will be reduced and you may wait until age 70 to begin collecting in order to receive the maximum benefit based on the amounts you contributed from your paycheck.

Social Security benefits are adjusted for cost-of-living increases and your benefit amount may be impacted by military service or pensions.

The Social Security Administration provides a “Retirement Estimator” tool on their website to allow you to calculate your expected Social Security check when you retire. The maximum benefit is around $2,100.00 per month, if you paid in the maximum amount for 35 years. The average monthly benefit is around $1,230.00 as of January, 2012.

Caregiverlist provides the daily costs of nursing homes nationwide along with senior home care costs to allow you to plan for your retirement care. You may view nursing home daily costs in each state and compare the nursing home ratings based on costs.

Caregiverlist's FindtheBest Comparison tools also allow you to compare hospitals, compare Medicare plans and more, to allow you to be ready for senior care needs.

seniorcare, SocialSecurity, caregiver

USA Today Article on Senior Care Ignites Caregiver Pay Conversation

Julie Northcutt — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:54:55 GMT

USA Today reported earlier this week that the Franchise Business Review market research firm found senior home care agencies to be one of the most profitable franchises, even as the industry is fighting the Department of Labor's potential new rule which would allow over-time pay for senior caregivers providing live-in care services.

The senior care industry continues to grow, as seniors are living longer and prefer to age-in-place. It is true that more and more franchise companeis are offering senior care services. However, the profit levels reported in the article may not be exactly accurate. It is important to remember the numbers are based on a survey and it is also important to remember that senior clients may pass away or get better and no longer need senior care services. This makes the "lifetime value" of a client a very real scenario. Unlike a Subway sandwich franchise, you will not win clients forever.

This means there is a revolving door of clients and a revolving door of caregivers. This impacts costs and profits.

The USA Today article also lead to some confusion by those commenting claiming the senior home care agencies were billing Medicare. They do not. Senior home care must be paid for privately or by long-term care insurance. Because of this, you will not find any fraud - - - believe me, sweet elderly ladies and gentleman comb through every detail of their invoices and will make sure it is correct - - - it is too bad they are not working on Wall Street or for the banks in this country!

Medicare home health agencies are different from senior home care agencies. Medicare home health has experienced a huge amount of fraud, even by public companies, partly because the Medicare home health services were set-up in such a fashion that fraud was easy. However, this is changing. Medicare invoices are going to be easier to read and there will also be more incentives for reporting fraud.

In the meantime, it is important that senior caregivers receive benefits such as healthcare and fair pay for the work they perform. WIthout quality caregivers, proper senior care cannot be delivered. Senior caregivers should receive all the benefits of any employee, which includes Worker's Compensation Insurance, Professional Liability Insurance and Social Security benefits.

Learn more about working as a professional senior caregiver and share with us your feelings on how much caregivers should be paid. You may also take a sample Certified Nursing Aide test to understand some of the skills trained nursing assistants learn. Caregiverlist offers a 10-hour online caregiver training course for non-medical caregivers.

The Exemption to Overtime Regulations for Caregivers was set in 2007, allowing companion senior caregivers to be excluded from wage-and-hour standards which would provide for overtime pay. The 18th Initiative in Obama's "We Can't Wait" campaign would over-ride this exemption.

seniorcare, caregiverpay, seniorhomecare

Navigating the Senior Care Maze: Free Webinar from American Society on Aging

Julie Northcutt — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:32:44 GMT

American Society on Aging (ASA) is hosting a free webinar titled: Navigating the Senior Care Maze, as part of the Family Caregiver Support Series.

Senior care can be overwhelming for both seniors and their family members. Understanding the costs of care, the senior care options and keeping up with the latest medical care for age-related diseases can be a full-time job and is a full-time job for professional caregivers.

Navigating the Senior Care Maze webinar will outine the critical medical information needed, including document gathering and doctor and medication mnagement so that caregivers can better manage the senior's care and be prepared for potential emergencies.

Caregivers can obtain professional caregiver training online, accessing a 10-hour online Caregiver Certification course that meets the training guidelines established in a few states which is the basic training for non-medical caregivers (caregivers who are not Certified Nursing Aides). As more caregivers are constantly needed in the senior care industry, individuals may also learn about caregiving careers and apply for a senior care job near them.

seniorcaregiver, caregivertraining, seniorcarejob

Alzheimer's Alone

Julie Northcutt — Wed, 09 May 2012 01:32:05 GMT

Seniors prefer to age at home in familiar surroundings; it's a fact. The comfort derived from familiar routines and environs can be encouraging and reassuring. Many diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia feel the same and choose to remain independent for as long as possible.

In March, the Alzheimer’s Association released 2012 Facts and Figures: Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, and includes a Special Report on People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias Who Live Alone. According to the report 800,000 or 1 in 7 of those diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease lives alone.

Distance caring is the result of a mobile society — family members may live too far away to give sufficient supervision. Spouses pass away and the once tight-knit family disperses. Someone with early onset dementia or Alzheimer’s may find themselves alone.

While the desire for independence remains strong, the body may have other plans. An overwhelming aspiration to stay in one’s home and remain vital in one’s community can can turn even the most stalwart person into an ostrich, hiding their head in the sand from the disease.

The population is aging and we all need to consider that this could be our fate, or the fate of someone we love. An estimated 5.4 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's or dementia. That number is expected to reach up to 16 million by 2050. But if independence and home aging is a priority, there are things we can do to help manage.

Those who live alone, either by choice or necessity find they need to adjust their expectations.

Driving Miss Daisy. Until the self-driving car is readily available, a good choice would be to drive less. and when driving, perhaps keep drives short and to well- known routes.

Note to self: leave more notes to self. This is especially important when safety is a concern. A note by the stove with a reminder to shut off burners and oven, a note by the door with a reminder to lock, a note near the medicine cabinet with gentle reminders of which meds to take and when, could help prevent disaster.

Everything in its place. Designate a spot to place keys or sunglasses. If you ever see items that have strayed, return them immediately to their home.

Also, consider an id bracelet with address and a phone number of someone who will come to your aid. No one expects to wander off, but it happens.

The Alzheimer’s Society UK also provides a helpful factsheet with more information and suggestions on living alone with dementia.

It is important to begin to plan for the escalation of care. A quality Home Care Agency will work with finding assistance for your level of need — from simple companionship and housekeeping, to medication management to possible live-in care. A Geriatric Care Manager can consult with you to help determine the health markers that might indicate you should step up the level of care.

Early detection is so important, so discuss it with your doctor. Give yourself time to plan accordingly, especially if you intend to live alone with Alzheimer's or dementia, as so many others already do.

Caregiver, Senior, AlzheimersDisease

Diabetic Seniors: Fraud Alert for Supplies

Julie Northcutt — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:53:05 GMT

Diabetes involves many care needs, including supplies for glucose meters, test strips and lancets to prick the skin for blood sugar testing. Seniors who need to monitor their blood sugar and take medication for diabetes may be targets by professional fraudsters.

The National Legal Resource Center (NLRC) has issued an alert for those seniors with diabetes to be aware of telephone solicitors who are really just looking to gain their personal information by pretending to be providers of "free" diabetic supplies.

What is the Diabetes Medicare Fraud Scheme?

Someone pretending to be from the government, a diabetes association or from Medicare will call the diabetic senior to offer "free" diabetic supplies. The caller may offer a heating pad or foot orthotics in exchange for the senior's Medicare or financial information. As the cost of these supplies can become an extra expense burden for seniors, many times there is temptation to accept the "free" items by exchanging the personal information to qualify.

Then the diabetic senior may receive items in the mail which they never ordered and the supplies are billed to Medicare under the person's Medicare number. They are not free.

The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, advises you about what to do if you or your aging parent receives one of these suspicious calls:

Do not provide your medicare number or other personal information to anyone over the phone when they call with an "offer". Medicare and other legitimate agencies do not call to solicit sales of supplies.
Report the Call: 1-800-HHS-TIPS
Check your Medicare Summary Notice and Billing
Refuse Delivery of Items You Did Not Order

If you notice any items on your Medicare summary which you are not familiar with, you should always call to question them.

Senior caregivers should also monitor suspicious calls and provide another set of eyes to review Medicare statements.

senior, care, benefit

Google's Self-Driving Car Could Become Seniors' Chauffeur

Julie Northcutt — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:36:07 GMT

It's a wonderful thing to see our beloved elders embrace technology. I've gifted my in-laws with a digital photo frame so they can always see their favorite family pictures. My mother Skypes with her family half a world away. And as our society ages, the gap between the population and the ease and familiarity of use with technology will narrow. Google, popular leader of all things digital, recently posted a YouTube video depicting its experimental self-driving car on the road in California.

What makes this test drive even more remarkable is the driver, Steve Mahan, who said that "95 percent of my vision is gone. I'm well past legally blind."

Google introduced the technology in 2010, hopes is now in talks with Detroit car manufacturers and car insurers in order to gauge the excitement and viability of their self-driving car project. They are looking to get the technology could be ready within the next decade. The car uses laser scanners, heat sensors and satellite navigation to "see" other vehicles. According to Auto World News, at a recent Society of Automotive Engineers conference, Google “sent out a message that an experimental project of self-driving cars for senior citizens and physically challenged can be made possible given a support from global car makers.”

Of course the implications for elderly drivers are far-reaching. This breakthrough would give untold independence to those who can no longer drive due to age or age-related diseases, such as Macular Degeneration or Parkinson’s Disease. Many more hours of development and testing are ahead, but according to Anthony Levandowski, product manager for Google's self-driving car project, the development of the self-driven car is more than cool and convenient, it has a moral imperative. He said it could eliminate a "huge chunk" of the more than 30,000 fatalities that occur in vehicle accidents every year in the U.S. "Every year we don't have this technology built, more people die."

We’ve discussed senior driving safety in previous posts and we always advocate hiring a qualified caregiver to chauffeur and run errands if mom or dad can no longer drive. And until Google’s self-driving technology is commonplace, Caregiverlist provides you with the driving laws by state — many states require vision tests more frequently after a certain age and some states do require an in-person driving test.

senior, care, SeniorDriving, Google, SeniorSafety, senior, ElderSafety, ElderDrivers

Medication Management Podcasts for Senior Caregivers

Julie Northcutt — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:10:52 GMT

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the United Hospital Fund's Next Step in Care campaign have collaborated on a series of podcasts on medication management for family caregivers and health care providers.

Designed to assist senior caregivers and family members think about the steps involved in medication management, the 6 free educational podcasts are free.

Medication management can be a challenge and especially difficult during transitions to or from a hospital or nursing home or Assisted Living community. Short and long-term care needs can vary and the organization of medications is necessary to help caregiving services go smoothly.

Medications can become confusing for people at any age, but then when you combine the switching in and out fo generic medications and changes in doses with memory loss, medication management is even more of a challenge.

Senior caregivers, clinicians and senior care companies may all click to hear the podcasts:

Helping Patients and Caregivers Take the Next step in Care: Medication Management

Senior caregivers can find tools for caregiver skills and apply for a caregiving position in their area on Caregiverlist.

seniorcare, medicationmanagement, benefit

Daily Activities Can Help Stave Off Alzheimer's and Dementia

Julie Northcutt — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:46:55 GMT

Exercise for seniors is a good idea. It promotes healthy aging, improves health and increases longevity. Now a recent study published in the journal Neurology, shows that exercise can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, even in those over 80 years old.

We’re not talking about lifting weights or running for miles. Simple daily chores such as cooking, cleaning, washing dishes — even moving around more, showed that active seniors are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than their less active counterparts.

According to Dr. Aron S. Buchman, lead author of the study and associate professor of neurological sciences at Rush, “These results provide support for efforts to encourage all types of physical activity even in very old adults who might not be able to participate in formal exercise, but can still benefit from a more active lifestyle.”

Doctors at Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center monitored the daily activity of 716 people without dementia by use of a device called an actigraph, on their nondominant wrist for 10 days. All activity was recorded and subjects were given annual cognitive tests for the next 3.5 years.

Results showed that those test subjects in the bottom 10 percent of daily physical activity were more than twice as likely (2.3 times) to develop Alzheimer’s disease as people in the top 10 percent of daily activity.

So much of the fear associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia comes from the feeling that one has no control over the disease. This study gives the hope that there is something we can do to prevent the onset of those devastating conditions. My 82-year-old mother still washes her kitchen floor every other day, sometimes on her hands and knees. She refuses my help, insisting that it’s her activity that has kept “Old Timer’s disease” at bay. It looks like once again, mom may be right.

The Study on Frailty in Aging (SOFIA) is a sub-study of the ongoing Rush Memory and Aging Project. Rush is still actively recruiting participants for the SOFIA study. Those interested in becoming part of the Rush Memory and Aging Project and SOFIA can contact study coordinator Tracey Nowakowski at (312) 942-2214. Participants must be 65 years of age or older with no previous diagnosis of dementia.

If you are already caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia, Caregiverlist has partnered with the leading producer of training videos for the caregiving industry, Terra Nova Films, to assist our caregiving community with understanding how to care for the physical, emotional and psychosocial needs of older adults.

AlzheimersDisease, seniorcare, dementia, diseasePrevention, healthyAging, exercise

Hearing Aid Challenges: Costs and Convincing Dad to Get One

Julie Northcutt — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:18:24 GMT

Hearing aids.....just mention the word and a lively conversation will begin - even if you can't hear every word spoken because you are the person who needs ones. Senior caregivers know the challenges of assisting someone who just cannot hear and witness the isolation this can cause for them.

My Father very much needs a hearing aid. We have been trying to get him to buy one for the last 5 years. We even did a suprise visit to a hearing aide clinic one year at Thanksgiving and he was actually very impressed by the state-of-the art hearing aids. Did you know they even have ones now that will fit inside the ear and nobody will ever see it?

He heard the Chicago El trains going by for the first time while he was in the hearing aid clinic - and they are loud! Without the hearing aid, he didn't hear the trains which ran right by the outside window of the hearing aid clinic. If that is not reason enough to purchase one, what is, right?

Every excuse you can imagine has been given. I even asked him what the real reason might be and he did admit to me that once he turns this corner he feels like he is headed down a road where he doesn't want to go. I can understand this. It is an acceptance of growing older that you begin to develop age-related problems.

However, there are many younger people who need hearing aids and wear them. When hearing becomes impaired, it can also place a person's safety at risk and it impacts their relationships as they simply misunderstand things sometimes.

Finally, at the holidays this year, I convinced my Dad to get a hearing aid and we set it as a goal to accomplish in January. He did find yet another hearing doctor to visit (this is another excuse - you just want to shop around for price and options and find one more hearing aid clinic). He did this the last week of January...........but then he wanted to go to one more and so this task was accomplished but still no hearing aid was ordered. He said he was going to do a demo where he had it for 1 month first.

Fast forward to April. My Dad still does not have a hearing aid. I mention it each time we talk - at the end of the conversation. And he says he is working on it and hangs up.

My niece knows she needs to yell when she is on the phone talking to Grandpa. I can only imagine the confusion that has been caused when he is with others, just because he does not hear them right. Our family will keep trying. And I will keep you posted.

In the meantime, it helps to know you are not alone if you are a caregiver who assists someone who needs a hearing aid. The New York Times brings us an entertaining and informative report below.

Separtely, as this article mentions, hearing aids do cost a few thousand dollars. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging to find out about special loaner programs for hearing aids and for recycled hearing aids.

The Starkey Hearing Foundation in Minnesota provides hearing aids to those who cannot financially afford them and also will recycle hearing aids, just in case you have a loved one who passes away who has a hearing aid. Your donation can assist others to have the gift of hearing.

Let us know if you know about other programs to assist seniors with obtaining hearing aides.......or know how to get my Dad to finally get one! He also won't use e-mail or the internet and he doesn't use voicemail on his cell phone but we are just tackling one battle at a time.

From the New York Times:

Why Won’t They Get Hearing Aids?

By SUSAN SELIGER

While visiting my parents recently, I overheard a conversation between them that went something like this.

Mom, in the dining room: “Did you take out the trash?”

Dad, in the living room: “I have plenty of cash. What do you need money for?”

“What? I don’t want any money.” “Why did you ask for it?” “What did you say? You’re mumbling again.”

I felt as if I was in the middle of that Abbott and Costello routine. The only difference is that after a while, the daily misunderstandings and frustrations of having to repeat yourself become a lot less funny.

When I suggested to my parents that they might want to get their hearing tested, their first reaction (after exasperated sighs) was that they didn’t want to be bothered. Turns out, they’ve got a lot of company.

“The average person has been having trouble hearing for 7 to 10 years before they come in — they say it’s only been a few months, but we’ve found it’s years,” said Dr. Eric Hagberg, an audiologist in Youngstown, Ohio, and president of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology.

Of the 26.7 million people over age 50 with a hearing impairment, only one in seven, a meager 14 percent, use a hearing aid, said Dr. Frank Lin, assistant professor of otolaryngology and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University. “If you think you have a hearing loss, you probably do,” he said.

Why so much resistance to getting hearing impairment diagnosed and treated? First, denial. Many older adults just don’t think they have a problem.

“The No. 1 thing I get from patients is ‘I hear what I want to hear,’ ” said Dr. Linda S. Remensnyder, an audiologist in Libertyville, Ill. “What they don’t understand is that in order to be fully engaged in life, you have to be fully engaged everywhere.”

The person with a hearing problem is often the last to notice it, because the change comes on gradually over years and starts subtly. Adults with hearing loss typically say, “I can hear just fine if people would just stop mumbling.”

They’re half right. It isn’t that they can’t hear — they can. The problem is that they can’t understand. The first clue to a hearing impairment is mixing up consonants. Age-related hearing loss often occurs in the high-frequency ranges that, in English, tend to carry the consonants.

And many older adults think it’s normal to lose some hearing ability. If a majority of older people have hearing loss – and 55 percent of those over age 70 do — then it can’t be that harmful, right?

Wrong. Because the ear plays a role in balance, hearing loss can lead to falls. “Even mild hearing loss can triple the risk of falling,” said Dr. Lin, citing his own research as well as a study of Finnish twins.

And then there is the mysterious link to dementia. Some studies have suggested that mild hearing loss is linked to a doubling of dementia risk, and that moderate hearing loss can triple it. With severe hearing loss, the risk can be five times as high, according to Dr. Lin’s 2011 study in Archives of Neurology and a report last month in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

It is possible that hearing loss leads to social isolation, itself a risk factor for dementia, said Dr. Lin.

In addition, few people realize that delayed treatment may make hearing loss worse. “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it,” said Dr. Remensnyder. “I have a retired nurse, age 90, who has lived alone with no auditory stimulation for years. She doesn’t understand 50 percent of the words, and I can’t reverse that now.”

Even among the enlightened, hearing aids still carry a stigma. “Men think, ‘It’s a sign of weakness,’ and women think, ‘It’s showing my age,’ ” said Dr. Hagberg. Anyone over 60 remembers when the words “deaf and dumb” were always uttered together – and “dumb” was not used to mean “mute.”

Vanity, too, is still a deterrent. But that may be receding now that new hearing aids are smaller and less visible than ever. Besides, it’s increasingly commonplace to see young and old alike walking around with devices plugged into their ears. (A good thing, too, because the bigger, more noticeable devices tend to produce better sound.)

Money can also be a serious obstacle. Hearing aids can run from $1,800 to $6,800 or more per pair, according to Consumer Reports. They are not covered by Medicare or most insurance. (Caregivers should ask if the audiologist will set up a payment plan – many do.)

Bottom line: Caregivers have a lot of obstacles to overcome, but they also have a lot of ammunition to explain that the health pros in getting hearing help outweigh the cons.

Start with something simple. “Stop being a living hearing aid,” Dr. Hagberg advised. “Everybody has one — a seemingly helpful caregiver, husband or wife who feeds back the information so the other person doesn’t need to seek help.”

Second, “I tell patients who deny they have a problem, even after testing, to go home and pay attention to every time they say, ‘What?’ or they miss the punchline on TV or ask people to repeat something,” said Dr. Hagberg. “They usually come back in a week” – ready for a hearing aid.

Primary care doctors often fail to test for hearing loss. It helps to line up a certified audiologist who is patient and passionate about working with the elderly. Interview certified audiologists (listed here and here) until you find one you like.

Don’t be fooled by the misconception that hearing aids are plug-and-play. “There’s still an art to programming hearing aids,” said Dr. Remensnyder. “I spend 80 percent of my time making adjustments and showing patients how to use them properly.”

Caregivers and patients alike should be realistic about their expectations. Hearing aids won’t solve everything. “I am absolutely pro-hearing aids, but there is vast room for improvement in them,” said Richard Einhorn, whose use of hearing aids and other high-tech devices has enabled him to continue his successful career in New York as a classical composer. Mr. Einhorn pointed out that the sound quality can be especially disappointing in noisy restaurants, where the devices cannot filter out much of the background clatter.

Still, a majority of those who finally get hearing aids — and do the necessary follow-up visits with an audiologist — experience positive results.

“It’s thrilling,” said Barb Merry, age 68, from Appleton, Wis., describing life after she got hearing aids — especially the improvement in watching TV. She uses an additional device in the TV area that operates much the way metal induction loops installed in many theaters, concert halls and public institutions do – transmitting sound directly into a telecoil in her hearing aids.

“When I used to watch ‘Downton Abbey,’ that English series, my understanding was maybe 40 percent at best — I thought the problem was their English accents,” Mrs. Merry said. “But now I understand 95 percent. Only 5 percent is the English thing.”

She continued, “I want to talk to everyone I know and say, ‘Get over the shyness about hearing aids – life can be better.’

SOURCE: CLICK HERE

hearingaid, seniorcare, StarkeyFoundation