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Long-term care refers to ongoing services and support needed when people can’t care for themselves. Those extended care costs can be significant: In 2021, the average cost of skilled care at home was $216 per visit, the monthly rate at an assisted living facility was $4,500, and a monthly stay in a nursing facility was $9,034.2 Let me tell you the average costs here are much higher. You may think government programs will pay for your long-term care, but consider this: • Medicare only pays for long-term care in specific circumstances. • Medicaid, also known as medical assistance, has certain restrictions, based on your income and assets.
If you think you’ll pay for long-term care, ask yourself:
That’s why it’s so important to start planning for your long-term care today. Start a long-term care conversation with your family and financial professional today. We have partnered with community resources to provide you the best in support. Ask our intake team how to complete a Care Plan screening so that you can get your resources. Find out more by registering for an upcoming class. |
Category: Legacy Living
Dad comes home and damages the other car in the driveway again. You know that he shouldn’t be driving but he refuses to discuss it. You are at that point where you need to talk to him but have no idea what to say or how to handle. It is time to gather all of the family together and discuss because he is refusing. Where do you even start?
My name is Lisa Doyle and I am a nurse, the founder of CayCare, Elder Care & Senior Living Advisors and a Geriatric Care Manager. Explore this stressful topic with me on a podcast, I Don’t Need that Yet. I take difficult subjects and discuss them in under 15 minutes.
If you are going through this stage in life where you need to think about your aging parents or a spouse with a critical condition then this podcast is for you. There is a subscription base that is month to month for an affordable way to get questions answered and a support system with other families.
Last Minute Gift Ideas
Trying to grab a gift that will make those around you smile? Here are a few last-minute gift ideas you can buy.
- Smart Lighting – This is a surprisingly quick purchase that will delight. It is easy to set up and only needs google, alexa or an application on your phone to work.
- Law of Attraction Planner – This simple gift will help those you love find their 2022 and thank you for it.
- Frame an old photo – Take the meaning of a past memory and give it away as a special gift.
Side Dishes for Christmas
Chili Dip (The Founder of CayCare’s personal and quick recipe)
- 5 Cans of your favorite chili
- 8 oz of cream cheese
Heat in crock pot. Serve with corn chips
Christmas Cranberry Cake –
- 3 Eggs
- 2 cups Sugar
- ¾ cup Butter (softened)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (see note below for gluten-free alternative)
- 12 ounces Fresh Cranberries
Heat 350 for 1 hour
Aromatherapy – What does it mean to use aromatherapy as part of self-care? On a basic level there are smells that remind you of things. Your brain registers the memory with a scent. I have a distinct “home” smell. There is a specific smell when I have gone to a spa. When I smell it, I am reminded of relaxation and comfort. Our mind registers the smell information into our brain and helps connect it to certain sensations.
Research has shown that certain essential oils will help certain portions of our brain and body.
Dr Brent Bauer from the Mayo Clinc says,
Research on the effectiveness of aromatherapy — the therapeutic use of essential oils extracted from plants — is limited.
However, some studies have shown that aromatherapy might have health benefits, including:
- Relief from anxiety and depression
- Improved quality of life, particularly for people with chronic health conditions
- Improved sleep
Smaller studies suggest that aromatherapy with lavender oil may help:
- Reduce pain for people with osteoarthritis of the knee
- Improve quality of life for people with dementia
- Reduce pain for people with kidney stones
Essential oils used in aromatherapy are typically extracted from various parts of plants and then distilled.
The highly concentrated oils may be inhaled directly or indirectly or applied to the skin through massage, lotions or bath salts. Some essential oil manufacturers have oils that can be taken internally, but research on the safety and efficacy of this method is extremely limited.
Aromatherapy is thought to work by stimulating smell receptors in the nose, which then send messages through the nervous system to the limbic system — the part of the brain that controls emotions.
Many essential oils have been shown to be safe when used as directed. However, essential oils used in aromatherapy aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Risk of allergies – When oils are applied to the skin, side effects may include allergic reactions, skin irritation and sun sensitivity. In addition, further research is needed to determine how essential oils might affect children and how the oils might affect women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, as well as how the oils might interact with medications and other treatments.
Meditate – What exactly does it mean to meditate?
First, let’s explore what it means to meditate. The basic definition – Meditation is a practice of concentrated focus upon a sound, object, visualization, the breath, movement, or attention itself in order to increase awareness of the present moment, reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance personal and spiritual growth.
To meditate is to think deeply or focus one’s mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation.
Let’s explore the benefits of meditation. A meditation study done by the National Institute of Health shows to improve the following conditions –
1. Stress
2. Anxiety
3. Cardiovascular Health
4. Depression
5. Insomnia
6. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
7. Addiction
American Psychological Association concluded that Transcendental Meditation had relatively strong effects in reducing anxiety, negative emotions, trait anxiety and neuroticism while aiding learning, memory and self-realization.
The bottom line is that exploring meditation has many well-being benefits. Where do you actually start? We have how-to meditate cards going around for self-care week 2. Here are the simple tips now.
One article reads, put simply, meditation is a tool for stress relief, Fletcher says, adding that by relieving stress, you’re setting yourself up to be able to perform at the top of your game. “I believe we meditate to get good at life, not to get good at meditation,” she says. Many people have the misconception that meditation is about focusing on the present, but Fletcher actually considers that to be mindfulness (which we’ll get into later). Meditation, on the other hand, is about getting rid of all of the stress the body has stored from the past.
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