Senior Living August 4, 2022

Exploring Medicare

Medicare and Medicaid have been a mystery to many. Until we begin to reach the age where it matters to us or our family members, most of us don’t take the time to research and explore the program and it’s options. Recently, I was contacted by a representative from RetireGuide. When I explored RetireGuide, I found a lot of useful information about retirement planning and Medicare. This sparked my interest.  For those curious about Medicare, this blog post was created.  I have also included a link to information on Medicaid which will also apply to many. I’d like to start with a little bit of history. The History of Medicare– The Medicare program was signed into law in 1965. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the bill that led to Medicare and Medicaid. The original Medicare program included the Part A (Hospital insurance) and Part B (Health insurance). This was the original Medicare. Over the years Congress has many changes made to Medicare including who is eligible, expanding benefits, and adding the prescription coverage benefit known as Part D. In addition, The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was created in 1997 to give health insurance and preventive care to nearly 11 million, or 1 in 7, uninsured American children and the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) brought the Health Insurance Marketplace, a single place where consumers can apply for and enroll in private health insurance plans.  If you are interested in a brief video describing the system please see the video below provided by CMS– The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
For more information on Medicaid, please see Medicaid
My goal is to educate my readers. I am always on the lookout for interesting information that will make us better informed and prepared for the future. I hope you found this information useful.

Please feel free to contact me to discuss your real estate needs.

www.hellersells.com

I am a Licensed Realtor in both Ohio and Kentucky. I work with buyers and sellers of all ages. In addition, I have earned the Designation of Seniors Real Estate Specialist and have a Masters Degree in Social Work.

I have not verified any of the information contained in those documents or websites that were prepared by other people.
Photo by Rodnae Productions

 

Senior Living April 27, 2022

Caregiver Stress

Caregiver Stress 

This blog post is for all the people going through life stresses associated with caregiving.

As a CABR Seniors Real Estate designee, I am trained to help my clients prepare for housing transitions for their senior loved ones. My background as a Masters Level Individual, Couples and Family Therapist coupled with my SRES designation lends itself to this specialty in the world of real estate.

I find that the clients that seek me out for this type of work are dealing with many types of stress. They are often faced with very busy schedules, care of children young and old, and the stress of caring for loved ones that are beginning to make decisions about their future living situations. Clients often reach out because they need help developing a plan to address these issues. My expertise is helping them navigate their particular situations, beginning the work of starting conversations with their loved ones, preparing their loved ones current homes for the marketplace-downsizing-organizing-donating, looking through the many housing options available in their communities and providing valuable resources to help with the process.

You can find many articles related to Seniors in my blog, A Real Estate Guide, that address each of these steps.  https://www.hellersells.com/guide

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Caregiver stress is real

This quote from the Caregiver Assistance Network is a window into the stress of caregiving.

“Nearly one out of every three people in the United States are caring for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend. Many of them need resources to learn how to take care of their family members, as well as themselves, in order to avoid isolation, burnout or illness.”

Please see the following resources available for caregivers

https://www.help4seniors.org/programs-services/caregiver-support

Do you frequently help an older loved-one with housekeeping, grocery shopping, errands, meal preparation, transportation, paperwork, or personal care (bathing, getting dressed)? If so, you are one of more than 65 million Americans who provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend.

Many caregivers do not identify themselves as such. They tend to see themselves as just doing what they are supposed to do as a spouse or child. However, they are more inclined to seek help and become more skilled if they identify themselves as a caregiver.

Council on Aging’s Caregiver Support Program can help. The program provides one-on-one support for family or volunteer caregivers.

The program works to:

  • Reduce caregiver stress, burden and injuries
  • Increase caregiver confidence and knowledge
  • Improve the quality of care
  • Help caregivers balance their lives and caregiving responsibilities
  • Provide respite care (time off/away for the caregiver) in an appropriate, safe environment (not available in Clermont County)

Program qualifications

To qualify, the caregiver or care recipient must be at least 60 years old and the caregiver must live in Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton or Warren counties. There is no age requirement for family caregivers who provide care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders with neurological and organic brain dysfunction.

For more information, review the Caregiver Support fact sheet or

Call Council on Aging at (513) 721-1025 or (800) 252-0155, Option 2.

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AARP provides helpful information in the link below

*For information on Caregiver Burnout and Ways to Cope with Stress- See link below provided by AARP.

https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/life-balance/info-2019/caregiver-stress-burnout.html?CMP=KNC-DSO-CAREGIVING-SelfCare-10905-GOOG-CaregiverBurnout-Exact-NonBrand-ENG&ds_rl=1288354&gclid=CjwKCAiAgvKQBhBbEiwAaPQw3CJpqDwVgTGEgmabRb3R0xU2Q7RKZ2sPPCcojK713GhlWthTzN0TFBoCAvkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

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Cleveland Clinic Resources are also available on their website

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9225-caregiver-burnout

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As I discussed above, caring for our loved ones can be challenging but there are resources out there to help. 

If you are feeling the effects of caregiver stress and want to seek help, you can also seek out a counselor or join a caregiver support group. You don’t need to feel alone. There are so many people that would love to connect. 

  • CAREline (513) 869-4483 – a helpline providing resource information, referrals and support.
  • https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/life-balance/info-2021/support-groups.html
  • https://www.help4seniors.org/programs-services/caregiver-support

Please feel free to reach out to me any time.  https://www.hellersells.com

Photo by MART PRODUCTION

 

Introduction November 23, 2021

Introduction to my BLOG

Hello! My blog focuses on providing resource information for individuals and families who are preparing for or who are currently experiencing the stress of family transitions. Read on and you will see you are not alone!

So… your children are transitioning into an independent life and/or you are realizing your parents are transitioning into a more dependent life.  Each comes with a specific set of challenges and some of us are right in the middle of both!

Life is an interesting circle of changes and transitions. Perhaps you are entering the time when your children begin moving out of your homes to purchase their first house. Likewise, as our parents get older and needing to evaluate where they are, the time arrives to explore the many options available to them and you. We are in a unique position of being privy to both, and finding the balance between them.

It can be very overwhelming and difficult.

Our personal struggles begin to blend with our responsibility to those around us. More and more, we find ourselves discussing with our friends our new aches and pains, our struggles with less energy, and the ever popular forgetting everything. The extra contribution of supporting our children and parents in their adjustments to life’s circumstances can seem daunting. But is there a way for us to be prepared?

We need to get a handle on this! All of this responsibility is challenging and we need answers – quick.

You probably find yourself asking friends, family, google, where do I find help?

How do I help my children leave their family home and become independent?

How do my adult children get qualified for a mortgage without a work history?

Who can I trust to work in my child’s best interest and take the time to help them understand how the process of buying a home works?

Who will take the time to educate and prepare them for the responsibilities that come with home ownership?

How do we help them with down payments, monetary gifts etc. to help them qualify to buy a house?

What do we do with all their stuff?

Do we get rid of all the lovely and sweet gifts we have treasured all these years; all the pottery, artwork, cuteness, that at the time was our world and is now clutter?

Are their ways to preserve all that stuff without throwing it out?

How can my parents afford the astronomical prices of assisted living, private pay nursing, medical bills, medical equipment, and all the things we need as we age?

This can quickly become overwhelming! But what can we do about it?

The resources are out there.

But how do you pay for them? What if you don’t have time to be on the phone for hours, to drive elderly parents to doctor’s appointments, to visit every house your child wants to look at while still working full time? Is there a simpler way?

I created this blog because many of my friends are going through similar experiences with their newly adult children and their aging parents. Navigating the system can be overwhelming and very frustrating and I want to help.

This is the purpose of Family Resource Page with Tracy Heller

My goal is to use my background as a social worker, individual, couples,  and family therapist, researcher, and my knowledge as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist to create a place where you can go to find answers, learn something new, explore resources, ask questions, and find shared experiences with many others in the same position as you.

For more information on my background and experience, click the link below.

https://hellersells.com/2021/11/23/my-background

Photo by Kampus Production from Pexels