It’s hard to believe that we are in the second half of the year!
Of course, in July, we celebrate the birth of this country. We are truly honored to feature Veteran’s Stories here. Listening to them, we are humbled by the sacrifice that our men and women made in the military to fight for us. We hope you will take a moment and listen to some of the stories that the veterans at Patriot’s Landing share.
Also — as July comes upon us, we are likely knee deep in the hopes of some great summer activities and vacations. We often times will have family reunions or company picnics.
Tourism is at its all-time high in Washington State, and we are truly blessed here to have so much beauty surrounding us.
For our seniors, summer can mean other things. If they don’t have help, it can mean overgrown gardens, getting overheated, not getting enough hydration, and with their skin being more tender, we find their risk of sunburns increasing as they age.
For family holidays, we sometimes forget that seniors aren’t as flexible as those who are younger are. If you are having a picnic, make sure that your senior loved one can easily access your area. Do they have comfortable seating? (Not a picnic bench with no back support.) Can they sit in the shade? Bring an extra blanket to protect them against gusts of wind, or sun exposure. Make sure seniors drink plenty of water and minimize their risk of falling by serving them, or have even ground for them to walk.
If you are traveling with them on a road trip, they likely will need to stop more often. Don’t overdo. Make the trip easy and minimize the stress. Enjoy the time with them, whether in the car, or at your destination. Bring some snacks like bananas, applesauce, or a fruit salad. Great ways to hydrate can be through juices or bottled water.
For family gatherings, likely the day will be a long one. Make sure that your senior loved one always has a place to lie down and rest. Make sure you have the schedule for, and their medication for that day. Don’t talk over each other. Instead, each of you should take the time to have individual visits with them.
On the show this month, we know how overwhelming it is to fund long term care financially. Much of this has to do with adequate preparation and setting up a financial portfolio that can help sustain you throughout your life. Yet, even if you don’t have the ideal setup today, there are resources for lower income seniors that can fund the cost of their care. We will delve deeply into programs like Medicaid, Healthcare Supplemental Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance and Veteran’s Aid and Attendance Benefits.
In closing, we at Answers for Elders wish you a great summer. It’s the time to celebrate our independence and our community. For us, we feel blessed to have you as our listeners and our community.
Warmest Regards,
Suzanne
