What's the Popular Scam?

The WV Attorney General's Office warns us that the Social Security Scam is making its way around West Virginia. These scammers may give a warning that your Social Security Number has been compromised in illegal activity in (some state). They may have the last 4 digits of your Social but do NOT ...more

HOW ARE YOU SLEEPING?

So - how ARE you sleeping? Quality sleep - note that QUALITY sleep - is such an important part of our overall health. Remember that quantity does not mean quality! This past year has played havoc with sleep patterns. There have been so many reasons that we've stared at the ceiling ...more

How Can I Develop an Attitude of Gratitude Part 2

This is a two-part post of having an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. It has been a difficult year. Everyone has endured some type of loss. Being able to see the good and express thanks can strengthen us mentally, spiritually, and physically! * Appreciate people who annoy you. This is challenging! But - ...more

How Can I Develop An Attitude of Gratitude? Part 1

An attitude of gratitude means that you operate from a place of abundance instead of a place of scarcity and fear. Researchers Stephen M. Yshimura and Kassandra Berzins explored the connection between expressing gratitude and psychological and physical well-being. They concluded that "Gratitude consistently associates with many positive social, psychological, and ...more

How is Your Pandemic Health?

It's been a tough year. Plus a few months. The pandemic, the losses, the worry, the economic concerns, the snow, the ice, the shoveling, more snow, more ice, more shoveling, working from home (trying to adjust to working from home), rethinking how to do our jobs when so much was ...more

We're in for nasty weather

We have had a LOT of snow this year. I was getting a little spoiled with the milder winters. This year, however, we've shoveled a lot of snow and used a lot of ice melt. Tonight - February 15 - the weather gurus are predicting up to 1/2" of ice. ...more

HOSPICE BENEFITS for END OF LIFE CARE

The hospice benefit was created for people with limited life expectancy (6 months or less). Hospice care is a benefit of Medicare, Medicaid, and many insurances, and most cover the benefits at 100%. Hospice services are geared toward care receivers as well as caregivers and their families. Hospice care includes ...more

DON'T CLICK ON THAT LINK!

Once again the topic is scams. The information bears repeating. Scammers have gotten more savvy, more sophisticated, and have had more fodder. This past year has offered ample opportunity for people who may be lacking in character, honesty and integrity to take advantage of us. There are increases in the incidence ...more

Aging

I have spent most of my social work career working with people who are over 55, offering tools to help them through the aging journey. Case management, resource information, workshops, community programs, and support groups - all provided to give older adults and caregivers information to help them with issues ...more

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We at Altenheim Retirment Community would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. May the light of the season be a source of strength, a source of peace, and a source of hope. 2020 was a challenging year. We are continuing to face a pandemic like nothing most of us have ...more

Alzheimer's Blood Test Released

NBC News recently reported that C2N Diagnostics of St Louis, Missouri, has released a blood test for Alzheimer's Disease. The product which is not FDA approved, is sold in all but a few states and was just cleared for sale in Europe. The test measures two types of amyloid particles plus ...more

Watch Out for Scams!

I post a lot about scams. That's because they are everywhere. That's also because people continue to fall prey to scams. It's also because so many of the people in our area are vulnerable. We have a lot of older folks. There are a lot of people who have some memory ...more

Isolation Continues

As we see our COVID numbers rising exponentially across the country, strong recommendations are made for us to remain vigilant, remain isolated as much as possible (or remain socially distant), and continue to wear a mask. Experts in the fields of immunology and infectious diseases support wearing masks and work ...more

Thank You to Our Veterans - Our Heroes!

Today is Veteran's Day. This is the day we set aside to honor those who have served in the military and those who are serving. They have served to protect our country. They have served all over the world. These men and women have served unselfishly so that we may live ...more

HELP! I AM SO STRESSED OUT!!

Caregiving is difficult. Unless you are or have been a caregiver, you may not realize how every aspect of your life is affected by that role. As we wind our way through this pandemic, many caregivers are sharing how much the isolation is impacting them. In the best of times, providing ...more

Caring for Yourself as You are Caring for Others

When we're taking care of someone, it's difficult to think of caring for ourselves. Here are some ideas to help you do a little self-care. Laugh about something every day. Keep a humor file - something you can go to for a quick giggle. Talk with someone every day. It's important to ...more

Should Your Loved One Live Alone?

Not long ago, I posted some signs that may indicate that your loved one needs help. There are many other signs that may indicate that extra help is needed. Medication problems such as taking too many, taking too few, mixing up pills or using expired prescriptions Changes in weight Depeleted financial resources "New" friends ...more

Does Your Older Relative Need Help?

It has been difficult to monitor our loved ones during the pandemic. We may not live close. We may not be able to visit as frequently as we did not so long ago. We may not be able to visit due to underlying health issues of our loved ones or ...more

PANDEMIC POUNDS - THE QUARANTINE 15

We have had to make many adjustments to adapt to doing our jobs at home. We have had to make sure we have supplies. We have had to make sure we have access to the information we need to serve our consumers. We have had to update our computers. We've had ...more

Caregivers: Are You Ready for an Emergency?

Have you made an Emergency Plan for your care receiver? We are coming on fall with an increased risk of storms, electrical outages, flash floods, and tornadoes. Often, we can shelter in place but there are times that we need to evacuate or move to another place in the house ...more