ProAging Information Network

July 28, 2008
Washington, D.C. – Landmark housing legislation (H.R. 3221) passed by Congress this weekend will make substantial improvements to the federally-insured reverse mortgage program and greatly benefit senior homeowners who may want to utilize home equity to help finance their retirement years.

“Instantly, reverse mortgages have become a more viable retirement finance option for a broader audience of seniors who could receive higher benefits at a lower cost,” said Peter Bell, president of NRMLA. During the last federal fiscal year, ending September 30, more than 107,000 homeowners took out a reverse mortgage, compared to 76,351 the year prior and 7,781 in 2001.

Improvements to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program, which will take approximately 60-90 days to implement, will include:

A single national loan limit of $417,000 that can increase up to as much as $625,500 in high cost areas. (Currently, limits vary by county and range from $200,160 to $362,790.)
Ability to use FHA-insured reverse mortgages to purchase homes.
Ability to get a HECM on a co-op property.
Reduced origination fees of 2% on the initial $200,000 of maximum claim amount (lesser of the home value or county lending limit) and 1% on the balance thereafter with a cap of $6,000. (Lenders’ fees are currently capped at 2% of maximum claim amount.)
Prohibitions on requiring the purchase of annuities and other financial products.
Restrictions around cross selling financial products.
Requirements on counseling protocols, funding and practices that promote independence and quality in counseling.
“Seniors recognize the value of using reverse mortgages to access the wealth they have accumulated in their homes to pay off existing mortgages and other debts (thus avoiding foreclosure in some situations), pay for healthcare, make needed repairs, or to supplement retirement income,” added Bell.

Reverse mortgages are becoming a more mainstream financial planning tool for older homeowners. A reverse mortgage enables older homeowners (generally age 62+) to convert part of the equity in their homes into income without having to sell the home, give up title, or take on a new monthly mortgage payment. The reverse mortgage is aptly named because the payment stream is “reversed.” Instead of making monthly payments to a lender, as with a regular mortgage, a lender makes either one or more payments to the borrower. The loan is repaid when the borrower moves out of the property.

About NRMLA
National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) represents the reverse mortgage industry, serving as an educational resource, policy advocate and public affairs center for lenders and related professionals. NRMLA was established in 1997 to enhance the professionalism of the reverse mortgage business. For more information, visit www.nrmlaonline.org.

By ALLYSON T. COLLINS
ABC News Medical Unit
July 28, 2008 

RSS “It’s been a long road,” Luanne Baron says of caring for her 77-year-old mother, Phyllis.

Adult language rather than “baby talk” for elderly can improve quality of life.Baron, of Revere, Mass., took on the role of caregiver nearly three years ago, beginning at home and now during daily trips to visit her mother at a nursing home.

Phyllis has Alzheimer’s disease, which has dramatically worsened over the past year, Baron says. “The conversations were becoming more difficult in terms of making sense of things.”

And even though her mother continues to ask about Baron’s grandparents, who died about 30 years ago, Baron says that her own end of the conversation hasn’t changed, in spite of her mother’s disease.

“I try to speak to her and any other patient in the nursing home as the human beings that they are,” Baron says. “Whether or not it’s even comprehended, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re providing an answer that you would give to any other person who asked the question.”

But not all caregivers communicate the same way as Baron does.
Williams, who has more than 20 years of experience as a nurse working with older adults, says that based on this assumption, many hospital and nursing-home caregivers communicate in “elderspeak.”
This includes using basic vocabulary and grammar, speaking in a high-pitched or loud voice, sounding overly caring or controlling, and using terms of endearment such as “honey” and “sweetie,” Williams says.

“Elderspeak is a kind of talk or communication that is common between younger adults and older adults in a variety of settings,” she says, adding that it’s not too far from “baby talk.”

“As health-care professionals, we talk like this to older adults all the time, and we think that in doing this we’re giving them a message that we care about them,” she says.

But her latest study, presented Monday at the 2008 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease, shows that this language might have the opposite effect.
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Originally published July 28, 2008
By Karen Gardner
News-Post Staff
 
  
 Photo by Doug Koontz

Buddy, a Lab-shepherd mix, is a resident at Sunrise Assisted Living in Frederick. He has kept the residents company for almost nine years.
 
  

  
Buddy is a 9-year-old Lab-shepherd mix who takes his job very seriously.
Buddy provides entertainment, companionship, or just a warm body to sit with at Sunrise Assisted Living in Frederick.

The residents, mostly senior citizens, as well as volunteers and staff treat him as one of their own.

Buddy has his own chair in the lounge off the main lobby, a leather Queen Anne-style with just enough room for his furry 80-pound body. Sometimes, he sits on the sofa or the ottoman, or curls up on the floor in front of the receptionist.

That’s when he’s not in a resident’s room or being walked by a staff member or volunteer.

About the only place off limits to Buddy is the dining room. During meals, he stations himself outside the kitchen door, hoping for scraps.

Sunrise adopted Buddy eight years ago from the shelter at Frederick County Animal Control. He was a year-old stray, scheduled to be euthanized later that day.

All the assisted living homes in the Sunrise chain have resident dogs, executive director Fay Kaufman Sanders said. “Dogs are good therapy for residents,” she said. “It makes our community very home-like.”

Dianne Block, a volunteer, walks Buddy three or four times a week. He also spends a lot of time with Block’s mother, Shirley, a resident at the home.

“I think he enriches their lives,” Dianne Block said. “He gives them something to think about besides themselves.”

Volunteer Peter Pearl walks Buddy at least once a day.

Medium-size to large dogs are best in homes for older people, Sanders said. Older people can trip over small dogs. Calm, friendly dogs do best in a busy atmosphere with lots of new people, and Buddy fits the bill.

“He knows which residents will feed him, even in the middle of the night,” she said.

Buddy has been known to get on the elevator by himself to visit his friends on upper floors. Once he got stuck and it took several rides up and down before staff realized he was in there.

Buddy never barks, but he does make friends. He has several canine pals in the neighborhood around Sunrise where he walks. He once escaped and found his way to the home of Donna Porreco, Sunrise’s director of community relations and one of Buddy’s favorite people, who lives in nearby Tasker’s Chance. Now Buddy wears a collar that alerts staff if he leaves, similar to the bracelets that residents with Alzheimer’s disease wear.

Block brings her own dog to visit her mother, and Buddy is always welcoming to other canine visitors, she said.

“This is his place.”
 

 
Last update: 11:58 a.m. EDT July 23, 2008
ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 23, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/—The model for person-centered long term care can be found in assisted living communities according to testimony submitted today to the US Senate Special Committee on Aging.
“Assisted living is a philosophy of care that embraces choice, independence and the opportunity for seniors to live enriching lives with dignity, respect and privacy,” said Richard Grimes, the President and CEO of the Assisted Living Federation of America, in testimony on the need and value of person-centered long term care for American seniors.
The nation’s leading assisted living association told the Committee that assisted living has become the fastest growing long term care option in the United States because it puts the individual first.
Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-Pa) called the hearing to explore reforms needed to create a system of health care and long term care for elders that is “person-centered.” The Committee will hear testimony on new nursing home models. Nursing homes provide round the clock nursing care while assisted living communities provide assistance in the activities of daily life, such as bathing and dressing, so frail seniors can continue to live independently in their own rooms and apartments. Assisted living is also cost-effective at about half the cost of nursing home care.
“We commend Senator Casey for recognizing that person or resident-centered care should be the goal of all long term care providers,” said Grimes. “The rapid growth and popularity of professionally managed assisted living communities proves that this approach enhances the quality of life for seniors.”
In his testimony, Grimes said that assisted living is, by definition, a person or resident centered alternative to institutional care. Consumer surveys of assisted living providers, including those conducted by state regulators, repeatedly show satisfaction rates of more than 90 percent.
ALFA’s complete statement can be found at www.alfa.org.
The Assisted Living Federation of America is the largest national association serving companies operating professionally managed assisted living communities for seniors. ALFA is the voice for senior living and advocates for informed choice, quality care and accessibility for all Americans needing assistance for long term care.
SOURCE Assisted Living Federation of America

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The health benefits of an animal’s companionship can be significant, experts say
Posted July 24, 2008
 By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News)—When the elderly woman first arrived at Brooke Grove Retirement Village in Sandy Spring, Md., some of the staffers were skeptical when they saw she had brought her cat along.
The woman, in the early stages of dementia, “floated in and out,” according to Jackie Carson, the assisted living administrator at Brooke Grove, a center specializing in Alzheimer’s care.

Staffers had to help the woman remember to feed the cat, and some were initially resentful, saying their job was to care for people, not animals, she added.

But slowly, the staff came around, when they saw all the benefits that the cat conferred on the residents, Carson, a registered nurse, said.

“The cat grounded her,” she explained.

Brooke Grove is now among a growing number of assisted-living facilities that are actively encouraging seniors to bring along their well-behaved pets—or inviting them to “adopt” resident pets.

The practise of encouraging seniors in such facilities to interact with pets has many benefits.

Just ask Loren Shook, CEO of Silverado Senior Living, the San Juan Capistrano, Calif.-based company that operates 17 assisted-living facilities in four states for residents with dementia.

“Pets are useful in reducing depression, anxiety and re-engaging people in life,” Shook said. “We are committed to making it work.”

Often, when a resident has seen many friends pass away, he or she considers their dog or cat a good friend and part of the family. “It is so important for a person’s general happiness in life not to have to give up on one of their last friends,” he said.

Pets offer proven health benefits. They can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reduce feelings of loneliness, and increase opportunities for socializing, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About 10 percent of Silverado’s 1,030 residents arrive with their pets in tow, Shook estimated. Staff members - Shook included - often bring their dogs to work, and the facilities also have pets-in-residence.

Shook recalls one dog, a black lab named Asher, who lived at the Newport Mesa community in Costa Mesa, Calif. One resident there wasn’t eating or communicating and was losing weight.

“Asher sees this guy walking around with his hands hanging down,” Shook said. “He goes over and puts his head under his hand. In 15 minutes’ time, that man is down on one knee, petting Asher and talking to him.”

“The staff jumped in and redirected the man from the dog to them,” Shook said, adding that the man was soon eating regularly, talking and engaging with other residents.

Another woman with dementia had stopped communicating. So staffers put a cat in her lap. “She began talking to the cat in about a week,” Shook said. Not long afterward, she was accompanying her daughter to the race track, cheering on her favorite horse.

Dennis Hunter, vice president of Brook Grove Retirement Village, said it’s important to keep the environment in a retirement community as normal as possible. “For most people that includes pets,” he said.

And when a resident passes away? “We make sure the pet is taken care of,” Shook explained. If family members can’t take the pet, a staff member may adopt it, or the pet may become a “pet in residence.” Or, the facility will find a good home elsewhere, he said.

More information

To learn more about the benefits of pets, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 

 Baltimore County firefighters say no one was injured during a fire early Monday at an assisted living building in Reisterstown.
  
The fire was reported about 4:30 a.m. Monday in the walls of a bedroom at the house in the first block of Main Street. The residents were evacuated.

Fire at Assisted Living Home
 The fire broke out after 4am at Worthington Assisted Living on Main Street.

Residents were evacuated from the building.
    
The fire is now under control.
    
The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Aspen Day Treatment, a new partial psychiatric hospital program, is opening for the treatment of older adults with psychiatric and behavioral needs. An Open House Reception for the public is scheduled for July 31, 3 PM through 5 PM to view the facility at 1634 Sulphur Spring Road in Halethorpe.  Patients can begin to enroll for treatment on Monday, August 4, 2008.

The new day treatment program is the first of its kind in the Baltimore area.  Established by Geriatric Psychiatrist Jeffrey Lafferman, MD and Internist Christine Lafferman, MD,  Aspen Day Treatment is a ‘free-standing’ hospital, not affiliated with a general hospital.

“We believe that as an independent partial hospital, Aspen Day Treatment has the freedom and flexibility to provide services that respond to patient needs and will go the extra mile to be effective in helping our patients.”, says Dr. Jeff Lafferman.

Aspen Day Treatment will be providing care to adults over 55 years old.  Group, family, and individual therapies will be provided on weekdays from 10 AM through 3 PM. A psychiatrist will be on site during these hours and will be providing medication management and oversight of care.  Up to thirty treatment days can be provided for each patient and most medical insurances will be accepted.  For information or to make a referral to Aspen Day Treatment, prospective patients and their families can call 410-242-0920.

The opening of Easter Seals Adult Day Services Center in Arlington now provides County residents with an additional day placement option for loved ones experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s, dementia or physical handicaps.  Located in the Walter Reed Community Center, this newly licensed facility has partnered with Arlington County to offer quality medical and therapeutic recreational services to disabled adults and seniors who need extra support and assistance to safely continue residing in the community and post-pone or avoid nursing home placement.  The Center also strives to provide support for family members who often bear the burden of caring for disabled or aging family members.

The facility is fully secured and locked to prevent wandering or elopements.  It also contains a secured out-door garden area where participants can pace or just enjoy nature.

Nursing services include personalized care plans, medication administration and personal care assistance. Care plans and activities are designed to maintain clients at their highest level of functioning to maintain their dignity and independence. Recreational therapy services are structured and include adaptive equipment, if needed.

This pet-friendly Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. Meals include a light breakfast, catered lunch and afternoon snack.  For more information, or to arrange a tour, please call Deborah Greenbush, Center Director at 703-228-0965.

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New Benefit for County Employees
Walter Reed Adult Day Health Care Center Services Available for Family Members of County Employees
Do you worry about leaving your loved one home alone?  County employees will have a new benefit when the Easter Seals Walter Reed Adult Day Health Care Center opens this summer. Employees caring for family members with medical and cognitive disabilities are eligible to enroll them at the Center.  The Center will provide services and activities to help adults with functional limitations maintain or enhance  independence. It will also provide support and respite for caregivers.

The Walter Reed Center, located at 2909 16th Street South, and the Madison Center, located at 3829 North Stafford Street, provide a structured, comprehensive program of activities to stimulate and challenge the participants. Care Plan are individualized to meet each participant’s specific needs. In a supportive group setting, participants are encouraged to achieve their highest level of functioning.

The Easter Seal Walter Reed Adult Day Health Care Center is part of the Walter Reed Community Center.

Services include:

• Medication monitoring
• Nursing care and support
• Personal care
• Therapeutic recreational activities
• Access to physical and occupational therapies
• Podiatry services
• Nutritious lunch and snacks
• Support for family members and caregivers

The Center will offer:

• Physical activities that improve and maintain flexibility and mobility.
• Mentally challenging activities that encourage creative expression, communication, and stimulate memory.
• Social activities that encourage interaction with others and reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
• Activities that provide a sense of connection within and contribution to the community.  These activities include inter-generational activities and community service projects.

Cost: For more information on the Center and how to enroll your family member, contact:  Deborah Greenbush, Center Director at 703-228-0965.  Partial scholarships are available for county residents

Managing the home after a parent dies can be fraught with difficulties. Here’s a guide to bringing about a successful sale.

Nancy Loyd, left, and Mary Ann Brewer run Busy Buddies. “We cry with our clients,” Brewer says.
By Mara Lee
Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, July 19, 2008; Page F01

Carylin Waterval’s mother had no will—and no time to prepare one.

At 63, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and died within three weeks, leaving behind a small business and a four-bedroom house in Ashburn. Waterval, who lives in Alexandria and whose brother lives in Texas, found herself in charge of all the financial paperwork—bank accounts, stock holdings, tax records and unpaid bills. Even though Waterval, 42, is an accountant, she found the volume overwhelming.

Selling a house after a parent’s death can be a lengthy and daunting undertaking. Household bills still have to be paid. Then there’s the matter of deciding who wants what, how to ship it to them and how to dispose of the rest. There’s finding a real estate agent, deciding how to present the house and arriving at a price. And all this work may have to be done from out of town.

Until you sell the house, you have to manage it.

Elinor Ginzler, senior vice president for livable communities at AARP and an author of “Caring for Your Parents: The Complete Family Guide,” said you have to “get an enormous number of death certificates” to get utilities shut off or put in your name.

When Ginzler had to take care of her father’s house in New Jersey after he died, she immediately took things that were valuable and portable to her home in the D.C. area and changed the locks.

Rhonda Macdonald, an estate lawyer in Vienna whom Waterval and her brother hired, said that if the adult children give her the account statements from the month their parent died, last year’s tax return and a summary of all the accounts, she prepares everything from there.

Managing the household bills isn’t the only concern. Macdonald said it shocks most executors to find out that the house’s insurance lapses automatically at the policyholder’s death. If there were a burst pipe or a fire during the months between the death and the sale, it would not be covered, even if the premiums were up to date.

Often, that company will not insure the house for the adult children because vacant houses are more subject to mishaps, she said. “You need to shop around for someone who will cover it,” Macdonald said.
Once you have the management in hand, it’s time to think about clearing out the house, which is likely to be the most time-consuming step.

Many people handle the work themselves, but if you want to hire help, there are two models—an estate sale and a senior move manager.

Estate-sale companies cull items and organize a sale. They generally take a 25 percent cut, but there has to be at least $6,000 worth of possessions for them to take a job. If a lot of the furniture is being passed to relatives, an estate sale may not
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