Kansas Senior Press Service Weekly Newsletters Kansas Senior Press Service Weekly Newsletters By: Don Carter
Kansas Senior Press Service
I have learned that the popular term for accessible home planning is aging-in-place.
In plain English, aging-in-place means living in one’s home safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level. It means the pleasure of remaining in a familiar environment throughout one’s maturing years, and the ability to enjoy the familiar daily rituals and special events that enrich all our lives. It means the reassurance of being able to call a house a home for a lifetime.1
For we seniors and the approximately 3.2 million others who will turn 55 this year, aging in place can provide an alternative to assisted living. Multiple elements will make our existing homes work for us well past the nimble years. Presented here are some helpful tips that will enhance the ability to age in place.
People often believe that aging-in-place modifications make a home look like an institution, but that’s not true. Trained professionals can seamlessly implement such changes into the existing look of a home so that most visitors will not even know their ultimate purpose.
1 Source: The National Association of Home Builders (www.nahb.org). Supplementary information for this article was obtained from the American Society of Interior Designers (www.asid.org).
Don Carter is a licensed structural engineer and managing general partner of Foundation Engineering Specialists LLC, a company specializing in residential design and assessments: don@fdnengineering.com.
By: Kansas Senior Press Service
Medicare prescription drug coverage is insurance that covers both brand-name and generic prescription drugs at participating pharmacies in your area. Medicare prescription drug coverage provides protection for people who have high drug costs and protection from unexpected prescription drug bills in the future.
Everyone with Medicare is eligible for this coverage, regardless of income and resources, health status, or current prescription expenses.
When can I get Medicare prescription drug coverage? You may sign up when you first become eligible for Medicare (three months before the month you turn age 65 until three months after you turn 65). If you get Medicare due to a disability, you may join from three months before to three months after your 25th month of cash disability payments. If you don’t sign up when you are first eligible, you may pay a penalty. If you didn’t join when you were first eligible, your next opportunity will be Nov. 15–Dec. 31, 2007.
How does it work? Your decision about Medicare prescription drug coverage depends on the kind of health care coverage you have now. There are two ways to get Medicare prescription drug coverage: a Medicare prescription drug plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare health plan that offers drug coverage. Whatever plan you choose, Medicare drug coverage will help you by covering brand-name and generic drugs.
As with other insurance, if you enroll in Medicare drug coverage, generally you will pay a monthly premium, which varies by plan, and a yearly deductible ($0–$265 in 2007). You will also pay some of the costs of your prescriptions, including a co-payment or co-insurance. Costs will vary, depending on which drug plan you choose. Some plans offer more coverage and additional drugs for a higher monthly premium.
If you have limited income and resources and therefore qualify for extra help, you may not have to pay a premium or deductible. To apply for help or get more information, call Social Security at 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778) or visit www.socialsecurity.gov.
Comparing plans and enrolling is easy. The Web (www.medicare.gov) offers information to help you locate plans available in this area, a comparison of plans, and an interactive tool that allows you to narrow your search based on personal preferences. You may even enroll at Medicare’s online enrollment center. Simply click on “Prescription Drug Plan New!” (on the Medicare site) to explore information and options.
To reach a customer service representative, call 800-633-4227 (TTY 877-486-2048). In Kansas, you may also call 800-860-5260 to talk to a Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) representative.
By: Rebecca “Beck” Malcolm Schubert
Kansas Senior Press Service
“It takes as much strength to follow as to lead…”—From the movie “Time to Lead”
When I heard this statement, I immediately made a mental note that this was a subject to be pondered. As I started mulling over the words, I remembered the old joke about the husband who says, “She asks me my opinion; then we do what she wants.” If only it were that easy!
Following is a virtue not much admired or glorified in our society. The subject of following has many implications religiously, spiritually, politically, and socially. But it doesn’t matter whether we are at home, at work, volunteering, or playing a sport; if we are interacting with several people, someone is the leader.
Health care is a good example of leading and following. The patient ought to be the leader of the health care team, health care providers serving the patient. But as in everything else, this is very easily forgotten.
Following is not a natural human trait. Maybe I am the only one with this challenge, but I have had to work hard on my following skills. Some of my associates might even observe that learning to follow could be considered my life’s work.
It is a grace to be a willing and supportive follower. I have to admit that I loved being the line leader when I was a child in school, but I have realized that with leadership comes great responsibility. Responsibility is also necessary when being a true and willing follower.
What are the qualities of a willing follower? A book by Warren Blank, titled The 108 Skills of Natural Born Leaders, lists this quality second: “Willing follower skills, including the ability to influence others and create a motivating environment.” I might put it a little differently and say that a good follower has the ability to become a “loving leader.”
Does being a willing follower mean to just go quietly and keep all of your thoughts to yourself? I don’t think so! Willing followers trust the leader enough to share their opinion, have a good discussion, and then set out jointly to achieve the goal. Willing followers are trusted companions for the journey. Sometimes the path picked may not be the path the follower wants to take. But if one cannot support the leader, then it’s time for that person to change leaders.
So many elements of our society depend on our ability to follow. We are in training from the time we start to share toys to the day we share a room in a long-term care facility. There is always a leader, and it is usually not you or me
My grandchild, during a “play date,” was upset with a new friend who had not learned the art of sharing. It was reported that, when my grandchild picked up a toy, the host child would whine and ask, “Are you going to take it home?” My grandchild and his mother decided that the next time, they would bring more toys so it was obvious that he had come to share.
My grandson’s parents, who have helped him think through this challenge, are developing a child who is building important skills. This experience will help him learn that sometimes, by listening and following, you are leading. We start our training in preschool as we take turns being the line leader. Then something new is added to the mix as we join a team or group and take turns being the captain. As we grow, we develop our ability to follow the instructions of the adult leader or the coach.
Where does spirituality enter this discussion of following? I’ll start by asking whether you think it is easier to be a follower as we age. If so, why? Aging seems to have the ability to gently, and sometimes not so gently, assist us as we come to terms with our lives. For some people, this means finally living peacefully in their skin. But, alas, some never achieve that goal. Becoming comfortable in your skin and being a willing follower are deeply connected.
Heartfelt peace arrives when you can look over your life’s garden and be as content with the fertilizer as you are with the flowers. When we realize the truth about ourselves, we’ve taken a major step in spiritual growth. We finally see ourselves as we truly are, warts and all. Having the ability to admit our faults and acknowledge our successes comes from spiritual strength. Here we find a deep root for spiritual wisdom and here is the germ necessary for making a strong, happy, and willing personwho leads by following.
Beck Schubert, MA, BCC, is chaplain at Grace Hospice in the Kansas City area.
These articles are also available electronically at the Center on Aging Website: http://www2.kumc.edu/coa/Senior_Press_Article/Topic_Index.htm