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January 2018

Recognizing Signs Of A Stroke

By Health

Every year, almost 800,000 people in the U.S. experience a stroke. A stroke occurs when the blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off, depriving brain cells of oxygen. If a stroke is not caught early, permanent brain damage and death can result. The first step to preventing a stroke is being able to recognize its warning signs.

The most common symptoms of a stroke are:

  • Loss of vision in one or both eyes
  • Loss of speech
  • Sudden confusion
  • Trouble speaking or understanding what another person is saying
  • Severe headaches with no known cause
  • Loss of balance or unstable movements
  • Weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg on one side of the body

If you observe any of these symptoms or believe that an individual may be having a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately.

 

January 30, 2018
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How to Prevent Falls

By Health

As we get older, our physical and mental faculties begin to decline. This is perfectly normal and does not affect everyone in a heavily detrimental manner, but it does increase the risk of falling. Falls can be quite dangerous and put any person at risk of serious injury, but this is especially true when it comes to elder Americans. To help elderly individuals avoid falls, we have developed a list of fall prevention tips.

 

  1. Make An Appointment With Your Doctor

Whether or not you have fallen before, it is advisable to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss whether any medications you are on or are about to start taking have been known to have adverse side-affects such as dizziness or fainting. You can also discuss with your Doctor whether any health conditions you may be afflicted with increase the likely hood of a fall (ex: an eye or ear disorder may throw off balance).

 

  1. Participate In Physical Activity (At Any Level You Are Comfortable With)

Physical activities such as walking, water aerobics, biking or yoga can increase your balance and coordination, while also strengthening your muscles. Additionally, participating in activities such as these allows you to maintain a high level of activity, which will make everyday tasks easier.

 

  1. Wear Comfortable Shoes

Consider changing your footwear and gearing your wardrobe towards casual outfits that involve wearing tennis shoes or other secure footwear. High heels, flip flops and shoes with thin or slick soles can be uncomfortable and greatly increase the risk of a fall.

 

  1. Complete A Safety Check In Your Home

As most falls occur in an individual’s own residence, completing a safety check and “fall-proofing” your home can go a long way in regard to fall prevention. Start by checking for loose or missing handrails on any staircases and make sure to get them fixed. Additionally, make sure all rugs in your home are secured to the floor and won’t slide or curl up. In your bathroom, implement non-slip strips in the tub or shower, mount grab bars on the walls and install adjustable height shower heads.

January 26, 2018
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Hasbro’s “Joy For All” Companion Pets: Could They Be A Vital Tool for Boosting Morale In Nursing Homes?

By Long-Term Care

Hasbro has created a new brand of product entitled Companion Pets that are designed for purchase and utilization by elderly individuals. On the Companion Pets website you are presented with two options; you can either purchase a Companion Cat or a Companion Dog (The Companion Cat comes in multiple colors). These “pets” are actually robotic animals complete with fur as well as the abilities to move, fall asleep, roll over and make noises. They have been used in therapy settings to comfort dementia patients and given as presents to aging friends or parents that are in need of companionship but cannot take care of an actual animal. Additionally, these Companion Pets are commonly used by nursing homes to bring joy to their residents and calm them down should they become agitated. In some cases, Companion Pets have calmed nursing home residents down from a panic and prevented staff from being forced to utilize a tranquilizing agent on them. These robotic animals are battery operated, but can complete realistic movements that an actual cat or dog would and even make animal sounds. These pets will even fall asleep after a few minutes of an individual not petting them or giving them attention, only to wake back up as soon as they are touched or held. If a nursing home or assisted living facility does not allow pets or, at the very least, has strict rules regarding them, this may be an option for an elderly individual who lives alone in a place such as this and lacks companionship.

January 23, 2018
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Virtual Reality Lets Younger Individuals Experience What It Is Like to Be 74

By Health

Embodied Labs, a company that develops virtual reality labs for healthcare training, has created a virtual reality program entitled “We Are Alfred” that allows young medical students to feel what it is like to be an elderly individual who is experiencing macular degeneration and hearing loss. Perhaps this will be able to bring higher levels of empathy to the field of healthcare and will facilitate the creation of positive relationships between younger medical professionals and their elderly patients.

This program utilizes a virtual reality headset, along with headphones and a hand-tracking device to engage users in a live action story from the perspective of a 74 year old man named Alfred. The “We Are Alfred” lab consists of six different scenes, each approximately seven minutes in length, that demonstrate Alfred’s experiences. The same company that developed this lab is also in the process of creating “The Betty Lab”, which will arrive in September of 2017 and highlight formative experiences of a woman afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease.

While the population of individuals over 64 is steadily increasing, the average medical student is only 24 years old. The team at Embodied Labs that is continuing to create these types of programs is striving to bridge this age gap and make it more likely that younger medical professionals will be able to empathize with older patients and deliver care that caters more to their needs.

January 19, 2018
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Beware of Marriage Scams

By Asset Protection Planning, Elder Law

If you have an elderly loved one that is newly involved with a significantly younger partner, this may arouse some suspicion. Do not ignore these feelings; it is not uncommon for individuals to prey on vulnerable elderly people in order to gain access to their finances or personal assets. As much as it is difficult to believe anyone would want to manipulate your loved one in this manner, it is important to address this issue and ensure their safety as well as financial security. A way to do this is to look for warning signs, which come in a variety of different forms.

First off, look out for an individual that seems too interested too quickly, especially if your loved one met this person online. If you think they are acting a little too eager, advise your loved one to let their relationship develop slowly and not to rush into anything.  If they don’t listen to your concerns and express a desire to marry or get engaged to this individual after only a brief amount of time, insist that they at least have their partner sign a prenuptial agreement. This may help prevent the younger partner from taking a large portion of your loved ones assets and leaving them in a financially desolate situation.

Another warning sign is any form of deceptive behavior or perceived feigning of emotions. Although you may think it will be easy for your older loved one to recognize that their potential life partner is not being genuine, they may not always see the same signs that you do. The risk of them not realizing their partner’s true intentions is increased if they have memory problems or any debilitating disorders, as these can affect their ability to think clearly. If you believe that your loved one’s partner is hiding their true intentions, express this clearly to your loved one. If they don’t listen, talk to other family members or trusted friends of theirs who may be able to get the point across. If you need to further convince your loved one, you can research their partner online and look for anything that demonstrates a questionable pattern of behavior. If you present them with findings that support your argument, it will make your points more difficult to refute.

Marrying for money is a form of elder exploitation, and can be extremely detrimental to individuals that fall victim to it. To help stop this form of elder abuse, recognize the signs and know what to look for.

January 16, 2018
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How Does Remarriage Affect Estate Planning?

By Estate Planning

As our society has increasingly high divorce and remarriage rates, more individuals are faced with the task of updating or revising their Estate Planning documents to account for their change in partner. However, remarriage can make Estate Planning quite complicated, especially if each or either spouse has children by a previous partner.

The first step in updating your estate plan if you plan on getting remarried is to review yours and have your current partner review theirs. If you both decide that you would like to continue to keep your assets separate and leave everything to your respective children, then you will need to contractually agree to this by entering into a prenuptial agreement or “prenup”. At this time you may want to amend your advance health care directives and medical release forms as well.

If you have further inquiries, the skilled attorneys at Bach & Jacobs can assist you with Estate Planning. Please call our office at 941-906-1231 to schedule an appointment.

January 12, 2018
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My Elderly Loved One Has Recently Been Hospitalized and Assigned a Case Manager. What does this Mean?

By Long-Term Care

It is important that, should your elderly loved one become hospitalized, you understand how each individual member of the hospital staff contributes to their care. While most people are familiar with the general duties of doctors and nurses, many have never heard of the role of case manager (sometimes referred to as a discharge planner). A case manager is someone who works with senior patients that have been hospitalized and develops a plan of care for them. Essentially, they are an advocate for their patients, working closely with them to determine their medical needs and wishes in order to ascertain what the best care strategy is for each individual. Talk to your elderly loved one and ensure that they understand the case manager’s role. Additionally, advise tell them to communicate honestly and openly with their case manager so that this individual will be able to get as accurate an idea as possible regarding the type of care plan that needs to be implemented. If you are someone’s healthcare surrogate, you may also need to be involved in planning with a case manager.

January 9, 2018
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Can Alzheimer’s be Prevented?

By Health

Alzheimer’s is a devastating terminal illness that occurs due to generalized degeneration of the brain and that has the ability to severely impair an individual’s mental as well as physical faculties. A cure for Alzheimer’s has not yet been discovered, but many health professionals have turned their focus towards lifestyle changes that may prevent Alzheimer’s from ever afflicting individuals’ in the first place. On that note, here are several tips regarding changes that you or a loved one can make that may prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

 

  1. Participate In Physical Activities.

Exercising regularly can be a beneficial strategy if you want to lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Exercise has the potential to positively affect brain cells by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain. Additionally, exercise has cardiovascular benefits and, as several conditions known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease also increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, having a healthier heart may also lead to avoidance of Alzheimer’s.

 

  1. Consume Healthy Foods

Studies have demonstrated that heart-healthy eating can help protect the brain and reduce the risk of one getting Alzheimer’s disease. Following a dietary regimen that includes limiting intake of saturated fats and sugars while also eating larger amounts of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is a good way to stay healthy.

 

  1. Maintain Strong Social Connections

Whether it’s choosing to spend more time with children and grandchildren or going out weekly with close friends, studies have shown that maintaining social connections and being mentally active can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. Social and mental stimulation fortify the connections between nerve cells in the brain, which may be the reason that a healthy amount of social interactions can prevent the development of Alzheimer’s.

 

  1. Get Lots of Sleep

New studies have emphasized that long-term sleep issues or disrupted sleep may be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s. Numerous studies have linked poor sleep to higher levels of beta-amyloid, a brain clogging protein that interferes with the deep sleep necessary for memory formation. Studies have also demonstrated that uninterrupted sleep is important because it allows for the flushing out of brain toxins.

 

  1. Keep Stress Levels Low

Chronic, persistent stress can have a strong, negative impact on the brain and can even lead to shrinkage in an area of the brain that is key when it comes to memory. This alone increases the risk for Alzheimer’s, but stress can also be detrimental to nerve cell growth, which only furthers the likelihood that an individual will develop this. If you find yourself stressed-out often, try to participate in activities that relax you and will alleviate some of your stress. Examples of relaxing activities to participate in are: meditation, reading a favorite book, going for a walk, taking a hot bath, getting a massage, writing down daily thoughts in a journal, listening to soothing music and taking a nap.

 

  1. Prevent Head Trauma

Researchers and medical professionals have suggested that there is a strong positive correlation between risk of Alzheimer’s and serious head trauma. Although you may not think you will ever be exposed to head trauma, it can be caused by fairly normal occurrences such as falls or car accidents. You can reduce your risk of head trauma by “fall-proofing” your home, being aware of your surroundings, wearing your seatbelt anytime you get in a car and using a helmet if you plan on participating in sports or any physical activity that may require head protection.

January 5, 2018
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Recent Survey Has Found That More Than Half Of Americans Currently Do Not Have A Will

By Estate Planning

A survey of approximately 1,000 adults, conducted by the Princeton Survey Research Associates International in January of 2017 indicates that only approximately 42% of Americans adults have created Estate Planning documents such as a Wills or Living Trusts. Furthermore, it reports that, out of American adults who have children, only 36% have developed estate plans. While it is understandable that many Americans do not want to think about their deaths and likely put off writing a Will or participating in Estate Planning due to this, it is important to remember that processes such as these can help ensure that your loved ones have financial security after you are gone.

Another reason that individuals many not create Wills is because they do not believe that they have an amount of assets that is substantial enough to have value to anyone. However, regardless of age or economic status, you should create a Will so that your wishes regarding your property and personal belongings are followed. Additionally, making a Will can help bring any individual peace of mind and a sense of certainty.

If you have any inquiries regarding Wills or other Estate Planning documents, please contact our office at: 941-906-1231 to set up an appointment with one of our talented attorneys.

January 2, 2018
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