Arizona Senior Law » Assisted Living

Memory Care

tgranado — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:30:40 +0000

Did you know that there are special residential settings for those with a Dementia? Times are hard enough when you are faced with the realization that your loved one needs more care then you add the pressure of finding a setting that has availability, in close proximity to you, which you can afford and that understands mom’s sun downing. Memory Care is available in both the assisted living and nursing home care settings. As a social worker myself, I have visited multiple Memory Care communities. I am comforted in the fact that all the staff have been trained and receive continued education on the many things that make this disease unique. Wandering, aggression, disruptive and resistiveness can all be symptoms of this disease. Memory Care staff will be able to address the issue from a “redirect don’t correct” standpoint. Its okay that “Jim” thinks its Saturday and he needs to get ready for work. Memory Care staff may assist “Jim” in picking out his work gear and prepare his sack lunch for the day. The mere fact that “Jim” was not corrected on the day and reminded that he is retired adds quality to his life. There comes a time when it is more effective for us to join their reality.

So don’t forget to include in your search those communities that offer Memory Care. And don’t forget to explore other possible payer sources such as Arizona Long Term Care (ALTCS). If your loved one is financially and medically approved for ATLCS a portion of their room and board can be covered by the program. For more information on Memory Care options and ALTCS please call JacksonWhite toll free at 1-800-243-1160 and ask to speak with one of our Elder Care Coordinators.

Justa Center

kburns — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:13:00 +0000

Did you know that individuals 55 and older are the fastest growing population of homeless? One answer for homeless seniors in the Phoenix area is the Justa Center. The Justa Center is a day resource center designed to help those over the age of 55 find housing, employment, and other needed services. The staff and volunteers are there to reassure, assist, and problem solve with the homeless individual until he or she is able to be self sufficient. The Justa Center is not a shelter, but a place where seniors can find the resources they need to get back on track. About 100 seniors a day seek help at the Justa Center and since it opened in 2006, it has helped approximately one person a day get out of homelessness.

If you know someone who could benefit from this service, or for more information please contact Scott Ritchey.

1001 W. Jefferson Phoenix, AZ 85007

602-254-6524

saritchey@hotmail.com

www.justacenter.org

Congratulations to Arizona’s Best Nursing Homes

jpreston — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:07:15 +0000

According to U.S. News and World Reports (February 2010 Edition), the following four nursing centers in Arizona were considered Arizona’s best! The results are based on health inspections, amount of nursing home care and the performance in a range of quality measures. Congratulations to these facilities! JacksonWhite is proud to be your partner within the health care community.

Christian Care Center, Phoenix

Classic Residence by Hyatt at Grayhawk, Scottsdale

Lingenfelter Center, Kingman

Sonora at Splendido, Tucson

WE ARE PROUD OF YOU AND THANK YOU FOR

YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE SENIORS OF ARIZONA!

You’re Invited! Health Fair Saturday, March 20th

ltownsend — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:30:19 +0000

JacksonWhite is proud to participate in Synergy Home Care’s 1^st Annual Northwest Valley Sunset Health Fair this Saturday, March 20^th from 9am to 1pm at Sunset Ford on the corner of 91^st Avenue and Bell Road in Peoria.

Vendors from across the spectrum of healthcare will be on hand to discuss products and services available in our community. Representatives from home health care, assisted living, hospice, insurance, and medical equipment companies are just a few of the providers who will be onsite.

Healthcare professionals will also be on hand to offer free blood pressure checks, optical screening, body fat testing, and seated massages. This event is open to the public and there is no charge for admission. Opportunities to win raffle prizes from the vendors will take place every 15 minutes.

Health fairs are a great way to explore available resources while spending time with loved ones. A casual, fun environment allows participants to obtain general information on the topics that they are most interested in. Vendors are always happy to offer follow-up contact if you would like to discuss a more personal situation with them based on your specific needs or circumstances. It is never too early to take charge of your health!

Do I Have to Be in a Nursing Home?

ltownsend — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:12:29 +0000

Question: Is it true that I have to go into a nursing home in order to get onto ALTCS?

Answer: While skilled nursing facilities certainly have their appropriate place along the continuum of care, it is not the only option for someone in order to receive ALTCS benefits. Other settings include assisted living communities and group homes as well as home and community-based services, which allows an individual to remain in their own home for as long as possible.

Recently, we have been hearing this question more often. When an individual inquires about services from the ALTCS office, they sometimes hear that they need to be ready for nursing home placement. This is true in that there are specific medical criteria that must be met in order for someone to be approved for ALTCS. Part of the medical assessment involves determining if an individual is indeed at risk for nursing home placement. Many individuals, however, interpret this to mean that they have to move into a nursing home right away in order to be considered for or to receive services.

If you have questions about ALTCS eligibility requirements, whether medical or financial, feel free to call our office at 1-800-243-1160 and ask for a free pre-screen from one of our Elder Care Coordinators. You may also wish to check out our interactive ALTCS program online at http://www.MyALTCS.com

Prescott – VA benefit presentation for health care professionals

jpreston — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:22:57 +0000

Please join JacksonWhite and Hospice Family Care for a presentation about an important but often misunderstood benefit for Wartime Veterans. Find out how the VA Aid and Attendance benefit can help your clients pay for needed care.

Wednesday, Dec 16th at 12:00-1:30pm

Hospice Family Care- 100 E. Sheldon Street- Prescott

RSVP to Ned Dagle, Hospice Family Care to reserve your spot. 928-541-1740

Need a Group Home?

kburns — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:00:33 +0000

Group homes are an alternative setting for those who do not want to look into larger communities such as Assisted Living or Nursing Homes. Many group homes are now licensed for directed care, meaning that they are able to care for those with a higher level of care. If you are ever told that you or someone you know needs a group home, you might be scratching your head and wondering where to start. My advice would be to ask for a referral to a placement agency. They are agencies that offer services free of charge. They will do the ground work for you and find several appropriate group homes for you to tour, based on location, cost, and level of care. Many of them will even drive you around from place to place! If you ever find yourself in this situation, please call us and ask to speak to one of our Elder Care Coordinators. We would be happy to give you a few names of placement agencies we have worked with and had great success.

Arizona Cremation Laws

jallen — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:52:18 +0000

Individuals who want to be cremated should be aware of fairly recent changes to Arizona cremation law. The Arizona legislature passed A.R.S. §32-1365.01 to provide guidance in disputes arising from cremation. It used to be that if a mortuary cremated an individual against the wishes of a loved one, the mortuary was left open to potential legal action for causing emotional distress. This of course caused mortuaries to hesitate before proceeding with a cremation. Now, individuals wishing to be cremated can remove any uncertainty from the situation by simply executing a cremation certificate, which expresses their desire to be cremated. By executing a certificate, individuals can be certain that their final wishes are respected.

For more information on other end-of-life legal issues, visit the JacksonWhite End-of-Life Transitions Blog or the JacksonWhite Web site.

Joint Bank Accounts and Long-Term Care

jallen — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:35:17 +0000

Using joint bank accounts when financing long-term care can be beneficial for many reasons. For example, it can be helpful to establish a joint account from which a son or daughter can draw to help an aging parent with shopping or paying bills. Likewise, seniors in nursing homes might find it useful to establish a joint account so that a child can purchase amenities for them outside of the facility.

However, simply placing a child’s name on a bank account does not completely transfer the account to the child. This is true even if the child’s name has been on the account for several years. Assets in a joint account are generally counted for purposes of determining ALTCS eligibility. Generally, ALTCS counts the entire amount unless the applicant can show the child contributed the resources to the account. This rule applies to savings and checking accounts, credit union and share draft accounts, certificates of deposit, and other similar financial accounts.

For more information about ALTCS financial eligibilty requirements, please contact a JacksonWhite Elder Care Coordinator at 1-800-243-1160.

Elderspeak

rwhite — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 01:04:30 +0000

Ever heard of the term “elderspeak”? Well, in short, elderspeak is speaking down to the elderly and oftentimes, not even noticing you are being condescending. A recent article in the New York Times addressed the negative implications of elderspeak which I found quite alarming.

The article showed that elderspeak takes many forms: A daughter goes out to eat with her elderly mother and the waiter only addresses the daughter. A salesperson addresses an elderly customer slowly and in loud voice. A paid caregiver routinely addresses a senior as “sweetie.” While all of these examples may appear harmless on the surface, research has shown that the effects of elderspeak on seniors can be quite detrimental. Perhaps worst of all, elderspeak can contribute to seniors having a negative self-perception, which is thought by some researchers to decrease life-expectancy by an average of 7.5 years!

As with most wide-reaching social dilemmas, the elderspeak problem won’t be resolved quickly, but we can each do something on an individual level. Our Elder Law team has found that basic common courtesies go a long way towards developing meaningful relationships no matter what the age is of the people we are serving. What have you noticed about elderspeak? What can we as a community to get rid of it?