Do you want to hire privately for in home care?

Caring for someone is difficult. Doing it alone or when you're working ups the 'degree of difficulty' scale. We have in-home non-medical agencies available to assist. Costs range around $25 / hour and up. There are also programs through senior centers or aging offices which may offer limited amounts of time. ...more

What do we do with belongings after someone dies?

When we lose a loved one, we have to deal with the grief and at the same time, handle the funeral, settle the estate, take care of medical responsibilities, settle any insurance (life insurance, long-term care insurance, medical insurance), and liquidate possessions. We may want to keep everything but that's ...more

Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a rule to allow consumers access to hearing aids without the need for a medical exam, prescription, or a fitting adjustment by an audiologist. This new category of over-the-counter hearing aids will enable consumers with "perceived mild to moderate hearing impairment to ...more

Habits That Lead to Happiness

I read an interesting article in Spirituality and Health, May / June 2021 on the 7 habits that can influence our happiness and the qualities that we associate with happiness. The author, Victor M. Parachin, is a Protestant minister and Buddhist meditation teacher. He identified the habits that can lead ...more

Reading Your Way Through Retirement by guest blogger - Jeanette Wojcik

We have a guest blogger! Thanks to Jeanette Wojcik, retired Executive Director of Faith in Action Caregivers, Inc. ******************* So often these days we hear about people having a Bucket List of things they want to do or places they want to go. I have a Bucket List, too. However, my list ...more

Scam Updates

WVU Medicine posted on its Facebook page that consumers should be aware of calls from spoofed in-house numbers. Consumers have reported receiving calls showing as WVU organization numbers (304 598-4000 and 304 598-6000) and "at times being subjected to aggressive and threatening language." Ir you receive one of these calls, ...more

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

June 15 has been declared World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. This observation calls attention to elder abuse across the globe. Abuse comes in many forms The abuser may use physical force on an older adult. They may be emotionally abusive. They may be exploiting the older adult financially. There may be ...more

Crime Stoppers Upper Ohio Valley

We have a new program that engages citizens to provide anonymous information about criminal activity in Upper Ohio Valley neighborhoods. The tipline is answered 24/7/365 by local law enforcement, and tips are confirmed and passed to proper authorities. The program assists law enforcement in keeping Upper Ohio Valley citizens safe. The Anonymous ...more

MEDICARE FRAUD PREVENTION WEEK

Medicare enrollment in the United States is over 64 million beneficiaries. This includes those beneficiaries under 65 who qualify for Medicare based on disability. Medicare Fraud Prevention Week calls attention to fraud, abuse, and errors in Medicare which accounts for over $60 BILLION in losses. The loss may be due to a ...more

Military Romance Scams

Thank you to all who have served and are serving in our military to keep us free. Thank you for fighting for our democracy! It is timely to remind people that there are scammers out there who will pose as a member of our military or a veteran. They will tell ...more

May is Older Americans Month

The theme for Older Americans Month 2022 is Age My Way. What does that mean? Aging my way is getting older on my terms. Or, as much as possible. I don't know many people who want to leave their home - whether it's a house, a condo, a townhouse, or an apartment. We ...more

Have You Been Scammed?

Getting scammed calls up a lot of emotions and thoughts. It's natural to be angry - with yourself and others. You may get scared. You're full of self-recrimination. You feel like you're the only person to have fallen for a scam. But you're not. And you need to let others know. Your ...more

Scam Alert: You Have NOT Won a Prize

The latest scam we're hearing about is a text message saying that you've won a free prize. The text says something like "Your account is paid" or "We have received payment", then the text goes on to say that you are being rewarded. All you have to do is click on ...more

March is National Social Work Month

I'd like to take a moment to give a shout out to my social worker colleagues! The Time is Right for Social Work. This is the theme for the 2022 observance honoring social workers across all disciplines. There are nearly 720,000 of us in the United States, and that number is ...more

Scams Involving Ukraine Assistance

Please be aware that the terrible situation in Ukraine has opened the door for scammers. Local organizations and churches are collecting all types of items to be shipped to Ukraine and the countries that are helping. There are many honest efforts to help in this humanitarian crisis. BUT - Fake charities are ...more

Storm Clean Up Scams

This past week's freezing rain and sleet left trees covered in ice. Standing on our back porch Thursday night was so eerie. It was very quiet except for the sounds of branches cracking, and limbs hitting the earth as they fell from the weight of the ice. When morning came, ...more

Beware of COVID DMV vaccine card scam

The WV Dept of Health and Human Resources has warned West Virginians about a spam message regarding their vaccine status and their drivers licenses. The message asks people "to validate their driver's license through the state's Deparatment of Motor Vehicles in partnership with the US Centers for Disease Control and ...more

Happy New Year 2022

When we entered 2021, we were all hopeful that we would have achieved a new "normal" by the end of the year. To a degree, we have. It's not what we hoped for but we're moving forward. Many of us automatically stick a mask in our pocket and put it one ...more

Thank You for 130 Years

As we come to the end of 2021, the Altenheim Retirement Community family would like to say "thank you" for 130 years. Anton Reymann established an endowment that allowed the purchase of the Mount Belleview Hotel which became Altenheim Home for Aged Women, officially opening in May, 1891. Altenheim has continued, ...more

Home for the Holidays: How Are the Relatives Doing?

There's no place like home for the holidays. No matter how old we get or where we live, most of us have a soft spot in our hearts about being home for the holidays. Home may mean a place and it may mean being with those we love. Last year ...more