Dealing With Chronic Disabilities

One false step on a cellar staircase, an automobile accident, a stroke, and overnight, any of us could end up with disabilities that make us dependent on others for the simplest tasks. We are all vulnerable to the effects of disability, whether it's a matter of caring for an elderly parent devastated by a stroke, supporting a co-worker who has Parkinson’s, or hearing about a neighbor's baby born with mental retardation. Many San Diego assisted living facilities employ staff that are specifically trained to help you live with a chronic disability.

According to Chronic Care in America, "In 1995, one in six Americans--41 million people-- had a chronic condition that inhibited their lives to some degree." Among the conditions counted are arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, emphysema, Alzheimer's disease, blindness, hearing impairments, mental retardation, mental illness, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injuries. The report says, "At least 9 million people with disabilities need help either with personal care or home management (40 percent are under age 65)."

Disability rates increase with age. According to the report, in 1994, nearly 40 percent of the elderly not living in institutions--12 million seniors--were limited by chronic conditions. Of these, 3 million (about 10 percent of all elderly) were unable to perform such activities as bathing, shopping, dressing, or eating.

Heart disease accounts for 13 percent of all activity limitations, and injuries cause 13 percent of all disabilities. These two facts, alone, point to the large potential to reduce disabilities by convincing Americans to adopt better nutrition, health and exercise habits and to think ahead about building or retrofitting homes to make them safer and more convenient. Getting the proper medical care you require is important and that is what assisted living San Diego provides seniors with disabilities. Living at home with a chronic, life changing disability requires expert care and treatment.

Services for seniors with chronic conditions, however, are still concentrated in the periods when they need acute care rather than in phases when prevention or rehabilitation services would be beneficial. Costly hospitalizations might be avoided if certain types of services were more affordable and available--transportation to the doctor; installation of railings and ramps; physical therapy to strengthen muscles to prevent falls; education in use of assistive devices; counseling to prevent malnutrition; and provision of home care aides to shop, prepare meals, and assist with personal care.

Working together, the aging and disability networks can make a difference in where and how comfortably Americans spend the last decades of their lives. It is important that you get the care you need, whether in home care or at a San Diego assisted living facility - there are networks out there ready to help you with your lifelong disability.

Assisted Living For Dementia

The loss of basic cognitive functions has the potential to create danger for any senior living on his own. If you are suffering from dementia in San Diego, there are several San Diego assisted living communities that specialize in this type of disease. This can also be the case even when such ability to function is in an impaired state. As the older person's state declines, the danger in his everyday environment increases. In addition to the very real threat of harm to the person who is losing his ability to look after himself and take sensible precautions, there is also the element of frustration-- especially for the senior who is accustomed to an independent lifestyle of doing everything for himself and not needing to rely on anyone.

There is a solution. There are a number of options for assisted living in San Diego which provide all of the essential benefits in the least-restrictive manner. Your loved one will have all of the help and supervision that he needs in order to be safe, secure, and comfortable-- but without the full-scale supervision of a skilled nursing facility if it is not compatible with his current needs.

As most seniors pride themselves on self-sufficiency, two options which will promote this are San Diego assisted living facilities and board-and-care homes. These styles of living arrangements will give your family member every possible opportunity to feel independent and exercise his independence, while at the same time ensuring his overall comfort and safety.

A board-and-care or an assisted living facility will provide your loved one with a home-like atmosphere. Depending on the degree of his needs, he will have help with his basic everyday grooming routines. The pleasant environment which he will share with other seniors will include the opportunity for social interaction, if he wishes, as well as healthy, tasty meals.

Board-and-care homes and assisted living communities both offer the option of single or shared rooms in a variety of price ranges. Whichever arrangement is best suited to your family member's needs and personal preferences, they are quite affordable. Assisted living for dementia does not have to be unduly expensive; and you will be glad to know that affordability does not mean cutting corners. It is designed to accommodate your family member's special needs.

At most San Diego assisted living communities your loved one can reside in a lovely home-like setting, tailored for his comfort and safety. You will know that he is in a secure environment where attention is focused on helping him to do the most for himself while helping him with any daily tasks that are necessary. He will have the highest degree of self-suffiency, and that all-important feeling of independence, with the supervision and assistance that he needs in his everyday life.

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.