Senate Votes to Maintain Quality Health Care for Seniors

Seniors who were worried about physicians refusing to treat Medicare patients in the future due to a huge government pay cut for doctors, which was scheduled to begin in January, can breathe a little easier--at least for the next year.

The U.S. Senate yesterday voted unanimously to block the pay 25 percent reduction in Medicare payments to physicians for one year. The measure now goes to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to gain final passage and be signed into law by President Obama before Congress breaks for the holiday, well before the January 1 deadline. That's great news for seniors residing in a San Diego assisted living retirement community.

"Stopping the cut for one year will inject some much needed stability into the system for seniors residing in assisted living retirement communities in San Diego and physician practices who have spent this year in limbo because of five short-term delays," said Dr. Cecil B. Wilson, president of the American Medical Association, in a statement following the Senate vote. "This one-year delay comes right as the oldest baby boomers reach age 65, adding urgency to the need for a long-term solution before this demographic tsunami swamps the Medicare program."

The legislation would pay for the $19.2 billion fix by diverting money previously allocated to support state-run insurance exchanges, which were created by the healthcare reform law.

The new legislation also extends a number of Medicare provisions, including an extension of the therapy caps exception process through Dec. 31, 2011, to help ensure seniors continue to have access to sufficient physical therapy and speech-language pathology services.

In addition, the bill would repeal a delay in the implementation of the new Medicare payment structure for nursing homes, making the new structure retroactive to Oct. 1, 2010 rather than delaying it until Oct. 1, 2011. Saving doctors 25% in medicare payments will ensure that excellent care will continue for seniors at their local assisted living retirement community in San Diego.

The White House pushed hard for passage of the temporary fix, and urged the Senate and House to use the next year to develop a permanent solution to what has become a perennial problem for seniors and their physicians.

Holiday Events For San Diego Active Seniors

Spending the Christmas Holiday Season in San Diego has its benefits: the weather is usually mild - in fact December is one of the sunniest months of the year. Which means unlike other parts of the country, we miss out on rituals like shoveling snow -although the nights can get pretty darn chilly this time of year. But that doesn't mean San Diegans lose out on traditional holiday activities...San Diego has plenty of traditional things to do. With all the excellent assisted living retirement communities in San Diego, active seniors are encouraged to ask their transportation directors about organizing a trip highlighting these activities:


1. December Nights in Balboa Park:
The holiday season kicks off with a grand celebration in Balboa Park. Balboa Park December Nights is a holiday gift to the community that brings out the holiday spirit in all. The beloved San Diego event features sparkling lights, theatrical and musical entertainment, and exotic Food/Spirits throughout the Park.

2. Holiday of Lights:
Simply spectacular - they claim it's the largest animated, drive-through light show on the West Coast. It's held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds north of La Jolla and runs nightly from Thanksgiving through early January. On Fridays, they offer a special hayride tour through the lights.

3. San Diego Botanic Garden:
This is a must see for all seniors residing in a San Diego assisted living retirement community. Their holiday display boasts more than 100,000 sparkling LED lights, providing a backdrop for activities that include horse-drawn-wagon rides, marshmallow roasting and visits with Santa.

4. San Diego Bay Parade of Lights:
The city of San Diego's only Christmas parade happens on the water and it is scheduled to run December 12 and 19, 5:30 - 9pm. The route runs along a long stretch of waterfront and you'll find plenty of places to watch it from. This year's theme theme is "The Sounds of Christmas" and it promises to be better than ever. Best vantage points are from the shore along the Embarcadero, Seaport Village, Harbor Island and Coronado.

December in San Diego is a great place to celebrate the Holiday Season. We are so blessed to live, work and play here. Check with your San Diego assisted living retirement community for their schedule of events - enjoy the Holidays in beautiful San Diego.

Tips to Decrease Risk of Falling - San Diego Assisted Living Retirement Communities

Are you concerned about the agility of an aging loved one and think it may be time to look into a San Diego assisted living retirement community for him/her? It’s true that as people age, the risk of falling increases, especially if they have medical conditions such as arthritis, cataracts or issues with their hips.

If your loved one is not in an assisted living retirement community in San Diego, or any other city for that matter, there are some things that you can do in the home to help decrease the risk of falling. Some things to consider according to familydoctor.org include:

• Have good lighting. This could help avoid tripping over unseen objects. Use night lights throughout the house, especially on stairs.
• Keep electrical cords out of walking areas.
• Fasten rugs to the floor – loose ends and corners are tripping hazards. Use rugs with nonskid backing.
• Install hand rails in the bath, shower and next to the toilet for support.
• Have rails on both sides of stairs.
• Keep kitchen items within reach so that stools are not necessary – do not store anything too high or too low.
• Make sure they wear shoes that fit snugly and have nonskid soles.

Taking preventative measures will help ensure a safer environment for your loved one. If you believe that your loved one would benefit from some extra assistance with daily living there are many quality San Diego assisted living retirement communities to choose from.

Tips for Finding a Quality San Diego Assisted Living Community

There are so many San Diego assisted living communities. How do I know which is best for me/my loved one?

It’s true. There are many to choose from. So how do you narrow your list of choices? Here are a few things to consider as you begin your search.

1. What help do you/your loved one need with ADLs? ADLs, or Activities of Daily Living, include such things as using the restroom, bathing, grooming, and dressing. The first step in evaluating a community is to have a clear idea of what ADLs the resident of the community will need help with (currently and possibly in the near future) so that you can find a community that caters to those needs.
2. Financially, what is affordable? Know how much you/your loved one can afford each month to pay for living expenses at an assisted living community. Then spend some time with a representative of each community to understand costs. Ask about extra costs that may arise in the future that you should be aware of. The fees for different communities may help to narrow your list. There are some very high-end, resort style assisted living communities in San Diego that are absolutely gorgeous and very expensive. And there are other communities that are less expensive and possibly covered, in part, by the government. Also, ask for a copy of their contract to review.
3. Do you like the community? Once you narrow your list down to your top candidates, spend some time at each. Talk with the residents and their family and friends. Get an honest feel for how residents like the community and what their friends and family think. Talk with the staff. Are they friendly and caring? What training or credentials do they hold? Ask questions about what is important to you. If possible, ask to observe and event or class hosted by the community.
4. Is it licensed by the State of California? Consider requesting a copy of their file from the licensing agency which will contain information on past evaluations conducted by the agency as well as substantiated complaints about the community. You can get further information at www.ccld.ca.gov.

Finding the right assisted living community in San Diego for you or a loved one is an important task. Taking the time up front to conduct your research is a good step towards making the best decision.

San Diego Assisted Living - Resources for Alzheimer's

With approximately 5.3 million people with Alzheimer’s chances are you may know someone who has the disease. The person that you know could even be a loved one. And, with 10.9 million unpaid caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s, it wouldn’t be a surprise if you were that caregiver.

If the condition of your loved one has progressed and respite care or in-home care is no longer the right option for you then you might consider making arrangements for your loved one to reside in a San Diego assisted living community that specializes in Alzheimer’s disease.

There are many assisted living communities in San Diego that specialize in Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, a high percentage of residents in assisted living communities and nursing homes usually have some form of dementia or cognitive impairment. Many communities have Special Care Units that are specifically geared towards residents with dementia with specifically trained staff as well as specialized activities tailored to strengthen cognitive abilities of residents.

If you are looking for resources or San Diego assisted living communities try www.alzheimerhelp.org and www.sanalz.org. For a quality and highly respected community in Chula Vista check out www.frederickamanor.org.