Long-Term Care Insurance: a free seminar

On November 29th, I'll be hosting a free seminar about Long-Term Care Insurance. Paris Nose, a financial advisor at Edward Jones Investment, will be the guest presenter. This event is in Ottawa, Ontario.

Long-term care insurance is a well-known insurance product in the U.S., but is only beginning to be introduced as a financial option for retirees and boomers who are thinking about how to pay for the services they may need as they age.  Everyone hopes to be healthy throughout life but a serious injury or simply getting older could prevent you from enjoying the things you do today.  People who can no longer perform "activities of daily living," such as eating, bathing  or getting dressed or someone living with a severe cognitive impairment, such
as Alzheimer's disease, may have a need for ongoing care.  Long-term care insurance pays you a tax-free income that you can use to help offset the costs of long-term care services, whether they are received in a facility or in your own home.  Long-term care insurance can help cushion the financial, emotional and physical costs associated with chronic care.

Here are the details of the seminar:

Date:   Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Time:   3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Place:  Keller Williams VIP Realty
           245 Stafford Rd. W., (at Moodie)
           3rd Floor Training Room
          
Refreshments will be served.

The seminar is free, and there is free parking.  But I do ask that people register so we know how many people to expect.  You can register by emailing Emma McLennan at Emma@EmmaSellsHomes.com, or calling me at 613-795-6891.

Please join us for an important and informative seminar.      

Feud-Free Estate Plans

Most families would rather put off discussions about what happens as their parents age, become critically ill or incapacitated, or pass away unexpectedly. But it is important for aging adults to make the effort to lay out a plan while they are healthy, lucid and still able to articulate their wishes. This includes dealing with such isses as downsizing to a smaller home or moving to a retirement home, preparing a will and powers of attorney for property and personal care, drafting a financial plan to ensure that their money outlasts them.

Leaving these issues unresolved can lead to division and conflict within families.  A recent article in the National Post ("Last will and testiness") makes an unfortunate link between the growing debt load carried by Boomers and their unseemly desire to get their hands on their inheritances as soon as possible. Reports indicate that Canada's baby boomers are expected to inherit approximately $1-trillion dollars over the next 20 years. This will be one of the largest wealth transfers to a generation of Canadians in history.  But there are some pressures on that inheritance. And fights among siblings over who gets what are becoming more common. One important way to minimize and tone-down fights among siblings over their inheritance is to prepare, in writing, solid, clear estate planning documents.

Here are some tips for feud-free estate plans.

Eight tips for feud-free estate plans

Time for the 'talk'
James Pasternak, Financial Post  Published: Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Successful family gatherings are those in which family members know what not to say. Family restraint, after all, leads to civility. But in matters of estate and financial planning, silence and delay may not be golden.

"You want [a conversation] when the parents are healthy and still able to articulate their own wishes and desires and are still comfortable in having this type of conversation with their own adult children," says Lee Anne Davies, head of Royal Bank's retirement strategies. "You could leave it too late. And then it becomes impossible to have because someone has become ill."

And even when health holds out, increasingly complex family arrangements, sibling rivalries, second marriages, car accidents, among a host of other curve balls, can make a mess out of a retirement and financial planning strategy that seemed so simple just months before.

There are countless strategies and options that parents and their children should discuss to reduce the risk of turning retirement into a nightmare and estate planning into a fiasco. But following are eight things every family should discuss sooner rather than later.

1. WHERE TO NEXT, MOM AND DAD?Just the hint that a parent should consider a retirement facility can sour any family gathering. But absence of a game plan can result in the depletion of an estate and cause deep acrimony among siblings.

Sons and daughters of aging parents should consider the scenario of Stephen Smith, a financial advisor with Port Hope, Ont.-based Yorkminster Insurance Brokers. Mr. Smith and his wife purchased longterm care insurance in 1997, paying a premium of about $400 per month. In declining health, Mrs. Smith had to be institutionalized in 2006 due to Alzheimer's disease. Mr. Smith is no longer paying premiums and is now receiving a $6,000 cheque each month from their insurance carrier for the $4,000 per month cost of his wife's institutional care. "[Long-term care planning] is a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned," says Mr. Smith.

Nevertheless, many parents balk at long-term care insurance, so sons and daughters could suggest a plan that includes the kids paying the premiums. And why not? This is a great hedge against depleting an estate and most plans have a "return of premium" provision if a claim is never made.

2. HOME CARE INSTEADIf the discussion about long-term institutional care doesn't go very well, there's always the less expensive option of home care and home-care insurance. Some long-term care plans have a built-in home-care option and dad can stay parked in his La-Z-Boy.

Home-care plans provide services ranging from registered nursing care to visits from an in-home personal companion. One need not be disabled or critically ill to be eligible for benefits. But while home-care insurance is less expensive than long-term care insurance, a home-care policy holder who is transferred into a nursing facility would not be able to carry any unused benefit.

3. END OF EARNINGSBy choice or necessity, more and more Canadians are working into their late 60s and 70s. Disability insurance replaces about 60% of lost income due to injury or illness. Disability can occur at any age, but the best time to consider buying this insurance is when someone is at their earning peak as a salaried employee. Even if one's income drops during "retirement" working years, the benefit paid will be based on earlier-recorded income level.

A weakness in disability insurance is that one can have a life-threatening illness and not be disabled. That's when critical care insurance comes up.

The bad news with critical care insurance is that to qualify you have to be stricken with one or more illnesses, such as cancer, kidney failure, heart attack or stroke. The good news is that you'll receive a tax-free lump sum. Toronto-based insurance broker and financial advisor Yirmi Cohen delivered a $300,000 cheque to a policyholder who had a benign brain tumor. Not only did the client receive a windfall, he recovered, went on a vacation and went back to work.

4. WHO GETS THE COTTAGE?No family wants the last memory of the cottage to be of a brother and sister hitting each other over the head with a fishing pole. Ms. Davies says that clearing the air early is essential: "What you might find is that some children are not interested in a certain property because they live somewhere else or it doesn't fit their lifestyle. Why not understand that before hand?"

Bruce Gilboord, a Toronto-based Sun Life retirement income specialist says that the most efficient way to buy out family members -- and settle any estate taxes -- is through the purchase of a permanent life insurance policy. And to make sure this solution runs smoothly, sons and daughters should consider sharing the cost of the premiums.

5. FAMILY REFEREEThere are few easier, cheaper and effective financial planning options than getting all family members to execute a power of attorney for property. Estates and wills lawyers Barry Fish and Les Kotzer, of Toronto- based Fish and Associates, urge families who have not executed a power of attorney to visit www.familyfight.comand read the horror stories. In the absence of a power of attorney, the public guardian might step in. Not a good move. The 2004 Annual Report of the Office of the Provincial Auditor of Ontario found that there were numerous examples of poor investments and the draining of estates in that province's Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee. Fish and Associates sell power of attorney kits for $50.

6. LOOKING OUT FOR NO. 1Designating a power of attorney for personal care reduces the guesswork and arguments that arise when a parent is incapacitated. It assigns someone the power to express wishes, values, religious beliefs or preferences toward medical intervention and long-term care.

7. YOUR WILL IS MY COMMAND"Creating a will isn't the most enjoyable thing you do with your time," says RBC's Ms. Davies. However, the consequences of the absence of a will are far more serious.

An out-of-date will can be worse. First and second marriages, step children and common-law arrangements can make for some complex inheritance situations. "Family structures change and as they change you want to make sure the right people are getting the right information so your intentions are well understood," says Ms. Davies.

8. HANGING UP THE CAR KEYS"Other than a death in the family or being evicted from your home, there are few life events more upsetting than hanging up your car keys for the last time," says Bob Paterson, a retired sergeant with the Ontario Provincial Police. But a low-speed collision involving a senior driver can result in medical bills, litigation and loss of income.

When a parent just won't let go of the keys, suggest a third-party diagnostician such as DriveAble. This fee-based service provides substantial data on whether a person should still be on the road, and their results may be easier for a parent to digest.

We MUST face the health care crisis

Ontario has just lived through another provincial election, with more tenuous results than we normally achieve.  Living with a minority government likely means we'll face another election within the next two years.  The question is, will any of the political parties choose to actually acknowledge, never mind address, the elephant in the campaign room?  Neither the Liberals, nor the Conservatives, nor the NDP gave any serious thought or discussion to the crisis facing our health care system in this most recent election.  They're all afraid to tackle the issue head on.  They all cower in fear that the health care issue will cause them to lose an election. Yet, really, this is the biggest, most serious issue confronting this province today.  And it will only get worse as our aging population puts increasing pressure on the system.

I've recently started reading a book by health care analyst, Michael Rachlis, called Prescription for Excellence.  The book was published in 2003.  As I started to read it, I was astounded that the problems in the health care system that he identified way back then are exactly the same problems our health care system is facing today:  emergency room backlogs;  chronically sick older patients taking up beds in hospitals because there's no place else for them to go; not enough long-term care facilities; an inability to properly manage and treat individuals with chronic illnesses; too little attention paid to palliative care; centralization of health care delivery in the hospitals, rather than in the communities where people live; a focus in our hospitals on what's good for the administration, rather than what's good for the patient; very little attention paid to the need for home care. 

The cost of health care is rising every year, but the problems within the system don't get better. In fact, they're getting worse and approaching a critical level.  And older patients are often the ones who feel the brunt of the problems. My 91 year old mother-in-law recently was forced to spend hours on a gurney in a hospital emergency room with a broken hip while she waited for a doctor to look at her. Another elderly lady in the Niagara Falls area was told to call for an ambulance after she fell and broke her hip in the hospital lobby. 

Christie Blatchford, a reporter and columnist with the National Post, recently wrote about the abysmal way our health care system treats older patients.   Read her column, The plight of the unbending health care system.


Please feel free to comment about your experiences with the health care system. 

12 Steps to Chair Safety at Home

Many seniors who live in their homes often worry about being injured as a result of a fall.  This is a concern to their children too, especially in homes with staircases.  Falls are caused by a lack of balance, or an inability to recover when the senior loses his/her balance.  Poor balance can be related to side effects from medication, some physical or cognitive diseases, environmental hazards or impaired mobility or vision. 

Statistics show that falls present a significant health risk for seniors.

• 1/3 of people aged 65+ typically fall once a year or more
• falls are the most common cause of injury and the 6th leading cause of death in seniors
• the Canadian health care system spends about $6-billion a year on injuries sustained by seniors because of falls
• almost half of admissions to long-term care facilities are related to falls
• most falls occur in seniors' homes, while they are doing normal daily activities
• 40% of falls that require hospitalization involve hip fractures
• women are 3 times more likely than men to be hospitalized for a fall

Seniors are at particular risk of falling on stairs, and more likely to suffer severe injury when they fall. In fact, seniors aged 65+ account for 70% of the deaths resulting from stair accidents.

The Public Health Agency of Canada offers 12 tips on how to improve your safety on stairs in your home. 
1.  Have well lit staircases.  Install lighs and switches at the top and bottom of your stairs.
2.  Make sure your steps are in good repair.  There should not be an uneven surfaces, cracks, bunched-up carpeting or protruding nails.  Hardwood stairs can be slippery when walking in stocking feet, and can cause more injury if you fall.  Consider adding a well secured runner down the staircase.
3.  Make sure all the steps are the same size and height.  Uneven steps are a hazard.
4.  Enhance the visibility of each step so you can clearly see the edges.  This can be done by painting the edges a contrasting colour or by applying special strips to enhance the visibility of the step.
5.  Make sure your carpeting or runners are well-secured.
6.  Have a solid, well-attached handrail that you can get your hand around.
7.  There should be a handrail on at lease one side of every staircase, and the height should allow you to comfortably hold it with your arm slightly bent at the elbow.
8.  Avoid leaving any clutter on the staircase.
9.  Remove throw rugs and loose carpeting from the landings.
10. Don't rush on the stairs.  Go slowly, holding the handrail.
11. Limit what you carry up or down the stairs.  You should be able to see the stairs, and have a hand on the handrail.
12. Remove your reading glasses when going up or down stairs.

For more information about the prevention of falls in seniors:
Injury Research in B.C.
Public Health Agency

Exercise and Fitness Tips for Gen-50plus

The following article about the benefits of exercise for Gen-50plus adults is an exerpt from a longer article found on the HelpGuide website. Walking is one great type of exercise for aging adults, but so are aquafit exercises and yoga. 

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The whole-body benefits of exercise for seniors

As you age, regular exercise is more important than ever to your body and mind.

Physical health benefits of senior exercise and fitness

• Exercise helps seniors maintain or lose weight. As metabolism naturally slows with age, maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge. Exercise helps increase metabolism and builds muscle mass, helping to burn more calories. When your body reaches a healthy weight, overall wellness improves.
• Exercise reduces the impact of illness and chronic disease. Among the many benefits of exercise for seniors include improved immune function, better heart health and blood pressure, better bone density, and better digestive functioning. Seniors who exercise also have a lowered risk of several chronic conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, and colon cancer.
• Exercise enhances mobility, flexibility, and balance in seniors. Exercise improves your strength, flexibility and posture, which in turn will help with balance, coordination, and reducing the risk of falls. Strength training also helps alleviate the symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis.

Mental health benefits of senior exercise and fitness

• Exercise improves your sleep. Poor sleep is not an automatic consequence of aging and quality sleep is important for your overall health. Exercise often improves sleep, helping you fall asleep more quickly and sleep more deeply.
• Exercise boosts mood and self-confidence. Endorphins produced by exercise can actually help you feel better and reduce feelings of sadness or depression. Being active and feeling strong naturally helps you feel more self confident and sure of yourself.
• Exercise is good for the brain. Exercise benefits regular brain functions and can help keep the brain active, which can prevent memory loss, cognitive decline, and dementia. Exercise may even help slow the progression of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Senior exercise and fitness: Tips for getting started safely

Are you ready to begin an exercise program? Congratulations! Committing to a routine of physical activity is one of the healthiest decisions you can make. Before you get moving, consider how best to be safe.

• Get medical clearance from your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you have a preexisting condition. Ask if there are any activities you should avoid.
• Consider health concerns. Keep in mind how your ongoing health problems affect your workouts. For example, diabetics may need to adjust the timing of medication and meal plans when setting an exercise schedule. Above all, if something feels wrong, such as sharp pain or unusual shortness of breath, simply stop. You may need to scale back or try another activity.
• 
• Start slow. If you haven’t been active in a while, it can be harmful to go “all out.” Instead, build up your exercise program little by little. Try spacing workouts in ten-minute increments twice a day. Or try just one class each week. Prevent crash-and-burn fatigue by warming up, cooling down, and keeping water handy.
• Recognize problems. Exercise should never hurt or make you feel lousy. Stop exercising immediately and call your doctor if you feel dizzy or short of breath, develop chest pain or pressure, break out in a cold sweat, or experience pain. Also stop if a joint is red, swollen, or tender to touch.

Senior fitness and exercise: Tips for building a balanced exercise plan

Staying active is not a science. Just remember that mixing different types of exercise helps both reduce monotony and improve your overall health. Here is an overview of the four building blocks of senior fitness and how they can help your body.

The 1st building block of senior fitness: Cardio endurance exercise

• What is it: Uses large muscle groups in rhythmic motions over a period of time. This type of exercise increases your body’s ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues and to remove waste over sustained periods of time. Cardio workouts get your heart pumping and you may even feel a little short of breath.
• Why it’s good for seniors: Helps lessen fatigue and shortness of breath. Promotes independence by improving endurance for daily activities such as walking, house cleaning, and errands. Cardio includes walking, stair climbing, swimming, hiking, cycling, rowing, tennis, and dancing.

The 2nd building block of senior fitness: Strength training

• What is it: Builds up muscle with repetitive motion using weight or external resistance from body weight, machines, or elastic bands.
• Why it’s good for seniors: Helps elderly people prevent loss of bone mass, builds muscle, and improves balance—both important in staying active and preventing risk of falling. Building up strength will help seniors stay independent and make day-to-day activities easier such as opening a jar, getting in and out of a car, and lifting objects.

The 3rd building block of senior fitness: Flexibility

• What is it: Challenges the joint’s ability to move freely through a full range of motion (ROM). Can be done through static stretches (stationary), and ballistic stretches (moving or bouncing) to keep muscles and joints supple so they are less prone to injury.
• Why it’s good for seniors: Helps body stay limber and increases range of movement for ordinary physical activities such as looking behind you while driving, tying shoes, shampooing your hair, and playing with grandchildren.

The 4th building block of senior fitness: Balance

• What is it: Maintains standing and stability under a variety of conditions including static (stationary) and dynamic (moving) balance.
• Why it’s good for seniors: Improves balance, posture, and quality of walking. Also reduces risk of falling and fear of falls. Try yoga, Tai Chi, and posture exercises to gain confidence with balance.

Types of activities that are beneficial to seniors:

• Walking. Walking is a perfect way to start exercising. It requires no special equipment, aside from a pair of comfortable walking shoes, and can be done anywhere.
• Senior sports or fitness classes. Keeps motivation alive while also providing a source of fun, stress relief, and a place to meet friends.
• Water aerobics and water sports. Working out in water is wonderful for seniors because water reduces stress and strain on the body's joints.
• Yoga. Combines a series of poses with breathing. Moving through the poses works on strength, flexibility and balance. Yoga can be adapted to any level.
• Tai Chi and Qi Gong. Martial arts-inspired systems of movement that increase balance and strength. Classes for seniors are often available at your local YMCA or community center.

Nutritional Risks: The Warning Signs

The following article appeared on the Caregiver Stress website.

There are many benefits for those older adults who are able to maintain their independence and remain in their homes for as long as possible.  From the point of view of the caretaker of these adults, there can be some worries and challenges, including the question about how well the loved one is eating.  This article presents some warning signs to alert the caregiver to the possibility that their loved one is not eating properly.

Elderly Nutritional Health Faces Multiple Challenges.

You’ve just arrived at your elderly mom’s house and, once again, the fridge is empty and your mother is eating toast for dinner. “Why cook,” she asks, “when I’m all alone?” Or, perhaps, Dad has quit eating altogether since Mom – the gourmet cook in the family – died last year.

Family caregivers know how difficult it can be to ensure older adults are eating properly. After all, seniors often face multiple challenges. Much can stand in the way of good nutrition and maintaining elderly health.

For instance, illnesses and diseases can dampen taste buds. Seniors on multiple medications or recovering from an illness may lose interest in eating. The conditions of aging sometimes make shopping and preparing food difficult. And then there’s loneliness. All of these issues can mean your mom or dad could fail to thrive like they should.

Two of five seniors who live alone (44 percent) have at least four warning signs of poor nutritional health such as eating alone, taking multiple medications and having an illness, according to research conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care® network.

“Nutrition is certainly a key factor to an individual’s overall health and well-being,” said Sandy Markwood, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a). “If someone is at risk, their health is impacted. When you see the warning signs, it’s indicative of a larger risk. Combine that with loneliness and you’re looking at increased mental and physical health risks.”

Following, from the Home Instead Senior Care network’s research and Markwood, are warning indicators that a senior could be in trouble.

1. The loneliness. Who wants to eat alone? Not only are seniors at more risk of poor nutrition, loneliness can lead to depression, which could make problems worse. More than three-fourths (76 percent) of seniors who live alone eat alone most of the time, according to Home Instead Senior Care network research. Suggestion: Try to make sure your older loved one has companionship at home or in a congregate meal site.
2. The multiple meds. Nearly three-fourths (71 percent) of seniors take three or more different medications a day, according to this research. Suggestion: Talk to your senior’s health care team about how medications might be impacting your older adult’s appetite and discuss with them what to do about it.
3. The lack of healthy staples. For a number of reasons, important staples for a good diet are not always found in a senior’s kitchen. Nearly half (46 percent) of seniors who live alone consume few fruits, vegetables or milk products, this research revealed. Suggestion: In season, why not find an affordable, local farmer’s market? Talk with your older loved one about their favorite recipes – or yours – that incorporate healthy products.
4. The illness. Many older adults are struggling with health conditions. Some don’t feel like eating as a result. Others – 31 percent in the Home Instead Senior Care research – say that an illness or condition has forced them to change the food they eat. Suggestion: Discovering favorite recipes from the recipe box and making mealtime a social event may help.
5. The physical problems. 25 percent of seniors who live alone encounter issues getting to a grocery store, causing more stress on shopping or cooking for themselves. Suggestion: Your local Area Agency on Aging office has staff to help and your local Home Instead Senior Care office can arrange for a CAREGiver^SM. Try, also, to tap into neighbors and compassionate friends. If you know of older adults who live alone, cook extra at mealtimes and take it to them.
6. That smelly fridge. Check out expiration dates of food in the refrigerator when you’re visiting a loved one. Have you noticed an increase in spoiled food? Remember to check the freezer for outdated frozen items or foods that have not been packaged appropriately. Suggestion: Help a senior by packaging food in small portions and labeling in big letters with the date.
7. The suspicious grocery list. If you go to the store for Mom, and the list is mostly sweets, then she may be headed in the wrong direction with her diet. Suggestion: Help her put together a grocery list, reminding her of all the wonderful foods she used to cook for you. Make it a happy time of memories. Why not buy the ingredients and make that recipe together?
8. Those important details. When you’re visiting a senior, check out things like skin tone – it should be healthy looking and well-hydrated – as well as any weight fluctuations. A loss or gain of 10 pounds in six months could be a sign of trouble. Suggestion: A visit to the doctor can help ensure your senior is healthy.
9. The empty cupboard. An emergency could trap a loved one home for days. Suggestion: Prepare by stocking back-up food, water and high-nutrition products such as Ensure® in case a trip to the store isn’t possible.
10. The support. Isolation is one of the biggest threats to an older adult. Encourage your loved one to invite friends to dinner. If you can’t be there, develop a schedule of friends and neighbors who can stop by for lunch or dinner.

Resources:
www.CaregiverStress.com
www.homeinstead.com
www.n4a.org.

Safe Driving

For many older adults, their driver's licence is a symbol of independence, mobility and freedom. I recall my elderly father-in-law continuing to drive even when his physical weakness barely allowed him to climb in and out of the car, and when his reflexes were so poor he crashed into the front window of a gas station. That event frightened him so much that he finally realized he should no longer be behind the wheel of a car.  He was well into his 80s when he finally stopped driving, and it broke his heart. In the years prior to this, he did make alteratons to his driving habits to try to compensate for his declining abilities.  He would only go out during daylight hours, stayed on lightly travelled roads and avoided rush hour traffic.  We never really had the discussion with him about giving up his licence, nor did his doctor who was well aware of his weakening physical and cognitive condition. It's a tough conversation to have with a strong-willed, independent man, which is why so many of us put it off and hope for the best..

Age is not the sole reason for giving up a driver's licence.  Health-related factors that can affect a person of any age certainly contribute to that decision. However, it is just a fact that as we age we may experience changes like hearing loss, vision problems that may make it difficult to drive safely, slower reaction times, difficulty judging distances or disorientation when facing a complex traffic situation. Following are some questions to consider if you, or a loved one, appears to be having some difficulty when driving.

• Am I experiencing an increasing number of collisions?
• Have I been directly involved in minor collisions?
• Do I have difficulty driving through intersections, judging distances, or seeing pedestrians, road signs or other vehicles?
• Do I have difficulty concentrating while driving?
• Do I get lost or disoriented on familiar roads?
• Do I have difficulty co-ordinating hand and foot movements?
• Am I experiencing vision problems, especially at night?
• Do I get nervous behind the wheel?
• Do other motorists frequently honk at me?
• Do family members express concern about my driving ability? 

How you answer these questions can help you decide if you should change your driving habits or give up driving completely.  There are several ways in which an older driver can make some changes to their driving habits that will make them safer on the roads.

• Plan your route.
• Always wear your safety belt.
• Drive during daylight hours if possible, especially if your night vision is limited.
• Avoid driving in bad weather.
• Use familiar roads. Avoid heavily travelled roads and peak traffic periods if these conditions make you nervous.
• Stay alert. Be aware of pedestrians, bicycles and other vehicles that share the road and be ready for unexpected actions.
• Pay attention to traffic signals and other vehicles when approaching intersections.
• Leave enough distance between you and the vehicle ahead that will allow you to stop quickly if needed.
• Stay in your lane.
• Avoid medications that make you drowsy, and don't drive when you're tired, ill or under stress.
• Use alternatives to driving such as public transit, car pooling, volunteer driver programs, friends or family who drive, taxis or walking.

Ontario has a Senior Driver Licence Renewal Program for drivers 80 years of age and older, which requires them to renew their licence every two years. This program requires the individual to pay the application fee, complete a vision test, a written test on the rules of the road and signs, and take part in a group education session. A road test will be required only if an individual is deemed to pose a risk to road safety. This determination is made by a trained counsellor based on a review of the individual's driving record and performance in the group education session.  

It may also be helpful for older adults to brush up on their knowledge of safe driving practices by taking a drivers course.  In Ottawa, the Senior Citizens Council regularly offers a 55-Alive Mature Driving Course.  This is an informative classroom course to help 55+ adults gain more confidence behind the wheel, improve their awareness of traffic hazards, update their knowledge of traffic laws and new technology, identify and correct bad driving habits and voice their concersn in a friendly  relaxed environment.  For information on when the 55+ driving courses are being offered, call the Senior Citizens Council at 613-234-8044 or go to their website at www.seniorcouncil.org.

When it comes to safe driving as we age, it is important to be honest with ourselves about any health risks that my impact our driving ability, or our general decline in physical, cognitive and perceptual abilities that accompany the natural aging process.  We must also be more foreright with our loved ones when we see their driving skills decline to the point where they might be a risk to themselves or other road users.  It's a tough discussion to have, but it is certainly important.  Let's all do our part to keep everyone safe on the roads.

Discussion Question:  What role should doctors play in deciding when an older adult should give up their driver's licence?  If the doctor feels the older adult poses a serious risk to him/herself or others, should the doctor be obligated to notify the drivers licencing bureau to have the licence revoked?

widowed.ca - an online resource for widows, widowers & their loved ones

I recently had a call from a representative of widowed.ca, an online resource for those who have lost a loved one.  They wanted to know if I might be interested in having a profile page on their website, because of my work with the 50plus market, and my SRES designation.  I decided to take a look to see what they are all about, and was impressed with the type of information available on the website. There are links to the Government of Canada and to each of the provinces where people can get information about what they need to know and do when a loved one passes away.  There is a section of frequently asked questions, which covers such topics as gov't benefits and documents, home care, financial concerns, legal questions and grief/bereavement assistance.  People can also find local businesses that offer services for older adults and those who have been widowed.  This includes real estate agents, which is why I was called. 

The company that started this very useful website is located in the Mississauga area, so many of the business links are to southern Ontario companies.  They are, however, beginning to expand and are looking for businesses in the Ottawa area.  I will be profiled on the website starting in the next few days.

For those who have recently lost a loved one and need information or services, please go to www.widowed.ca.  Feel free to add a comment on this blog about what you think about this website.

TRAVEL - Signature Experiences Destinations in Canada

Following up on my recent post about travelling to exotic destination, the Canadian Tourism Commission has just released its preliminary "Signature Experiences Collection".  This list of 48 unique and exotic destinations in Canada is designed to tempt international travellers to our county, but definitely offers some interesting choices for Canadians who crave adventure right here at home. 

I'd love to hear your stories of exotic travel, in or outside of Canada.  Do you have a bucket list of places you'd like to visit?

Travel to "exotic" destinations may come with some health risks

No longer satisfied with lounging on the beach in some Florida resort, today's Gen-50plus are opting for more exotic destinations when they travel. Trips to Asia, Africa, South America are on the bucket-lists of many Boomers seeking to experience new cultures, adventures and personal challenges.  Opportunities to live, work and play anywhere in the world are the reality for today's generation of young adults, and an increasing number of their parents also want to play in and explore the global village.

Today's Boomers are already beginning to dominate the foreign travel market, and that shift promises to increase exponentially as the Gen-50plus population grows.

"This generation is more educated, has more disposable income, has more available time for leisure and travel and is more likely to have engaged in international travel earlier in life than preceding generations. Data suggest that seniors are neither deterred from travel by chronic health conditions, nor adequately prepared," says a recent report by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

A report sends out a cautionary note to Boomers planning to travel to foreign shores.  Older people travelling abroad face a number of health risks, including more danger of blood clots on long flights, negative reactions to tropical disease vaccines, greater vulnerability to infectious diseases, diminished immune systems that weaken the protection offered by vaccines and increased complications for seniors with chronic health problems.  For example, the threat of serious complications from malaria nearly doubles to 61% among those over 60 comparabled to adults generally. And the vaccine for yellow fever, which is recommended for travel in Africa, can cause rare but potentially fatal neurological side effects, with the risk almost tripling for those over 70. 

Do these increased health risks mean older adults should go back to the quiet beaches of Florida?  Not at all. They do, however, need to be more aware of the risks and better prepared when they travel.  They should, for instance, carry detailed medical information with them about their health conditions and make sure they have enough medication to last their entire trip.

This information appears in a National Post article by Tom Blackwell, July 22/11 that can be read at: 
Bucket-list pensioners packing health risks.
Read the Public Health Agency of Canada report.

It's time for Gen-50plus to press for reforms to Canada's Health Care System

Recent studies of Canada's ailing health care system are showing that too many hospital beds are being taken by older adults waiting to get into a long-term care home, or who are staying in hospitals because there are insufficient community support services to care for them if they return home. These older adults are known ingraciously as "bed blockers". They are taking beds that are needed by acute care and post-operative patients whose own access to timely health care is being postponed due to a lack of a bed. It's a vicious cycle that is not benefitting anyone, and turning our precious health care services into a nasty mess.

Pouring more money into the system really isn't the answer. In Ontario, we already spend about 48% of the government's budget on health care. A recent article in the Ottawa Citizen notes that many seniors waiting for a spot in a nursing home are languishing in expensive and scare hospital beds, and that that number is getting worse, in spite of all the extra funding that is being put into community health services designed to keep the seniors in their homes.  In Eastern Ontario, 16% of hospital beds are occupied by seniors who should be elsewhere, up from 14% in 2008.

It's time for Gen-50plus to start speaking up in favour of reforms to the health care system that will truly make health care more easily accessible to themselves, and to everyone else. Dealing with the question of how to manage the health care services of this growing demographic must be a priority. And it should not include throwing more money into the black hole that has become Ontario's health care system. The province needs to address the shortage of long-term care beds as well as making it a priority to improve community-based health care services that enable the aging population to remain in their homes for as long as possible. It's got to be far cheaper to provide services to people in their homes, than in a hospital - which is the most expensive alternative.

A recent column by Barbara Kay in the National Post talks about today's Zoomers (Boomers with Zip) and notes that "health care is uppermost in our minds. Wellness spas are hot. And Google "discount heart surgery" : you'll get two million hits. Look for Boomer selfishness to end medicare as we know it: if we can't get the care we want here, we'll buy it in India."  If we can buy it in India, why don't we start demanding the right to buy it in Ontario? Why don't we have the right to choose our own health care services and providers?  It's time for Gen-50plus to stand up and start demanding the kind of health care we want and deserve, and for the right to pay for it ourselves if we want to. 

Comments?

Hydration / Dehydration

By Nancy Roberts | Information Specialist, Library Service, Leslie Whittington-Carter, Nutrition CoP Lead 

Environment Canada confirms sizzling summer nationwide (1.) This can prove to be extremely dangerous for our seniors in all care settings. Seniors at the highest risk are those who do not drink enough or sweat frequently or severely.
Older adults tend to have a diminished thirst sensation, making them less likely to notice when they need to drink, and sometimes will consciously restrict fluids to avoid trips to the washroom which can be difficult due to mobility issues.
Dehydration can also be caused as a side effect of medications such as diuretics or laxatives or some medical problems such as diarrhea, vomiting, heat stroke, high blood sugar (hyperglycemia), infections, excessive exercise and general malnutrition (2.) Early detection and intervention by care providers can prevent hospitalizations and even death.

1. Global News June 1, 2011. Environment Canada confirms sizzling summer nationwide. Cited June 3, 2011
2. Caring For Aging Parents. Dehydration in the elderly. Cited June 3, 2011

Source:  Seniors Health Research Transfer Network Newsletter, June, 2011

Aging In Place

Source:  October 2010 Newsletter from the Senior Real Estate Council

This Senior Real Estate Council Newsletter highlights a major September, 2010 study undertaken by the Mature Market Institute examining the very important issue of “Aging in Place”. Established in 1997, the Mature Market Institute (MMI) is MetLife’s research organization and a recognized thought leader on the multi-dimensional and multi-generational issues of aging and longevity.

“Aging in Place” is staying in one’s own home even when age- or health-related changes make it difficult to care for oneself easily and safely. Though almost everyone says they want to Age in Place, individuals or families trying to assist an older relative may find it difficult. Organizing, confirming, and managing care and services can be a daunting task because the delivery system is often fragmented, and needed services may be difficult to find or not always available in an individual’s local area. While acknowledging that steps are being taken by agencies, government, and businesses to make it easier to Age in Place, the real challenge is answering “What strides do we need to create a system that is good and easy enough for Aging in Place to reach its promise?”

Aging in Place has three goals.

1)  happier, more satisfied older citizens living in homes of their choice with control, dignity, and respect — essentially independence.

2)  better, more economical use of available resources to make it is less expensive for people to stay at home with services rather than move to residential care facilities if they do not desire to do so.

3)  the creation of a coordinated, comprehensive, and collaborative relationship between businesses and service providers to support Aging in Place. This would also enhance the creation of business opportunities and jobs to provide the services older individuals need to remain in their homes.

While the study identifies several things that homeowners can do to help themselves right now.  And that entails incorporating universal design in their homes. It's something everyone can do when contemplating renovations and upgrades. "One problem is that most home were not designed and built for the needs of aging residents or care giving," says the report. 

Moreover, most families don't consider upgrades for aging in place until a crisis hits. Then they're planning and building in a panic, which doesn't always yield the best, most efficient results.

Here's one way to prioritize projects.

1.  Falls Prevention - Remove throw rugs, especially in  bathrooms
- Install grab bars and grips in the bathroom
- Install sturdy handrails on both sides at steps
- Provide good lighting and switching, especially at stairs, halls, and entries
- Secure or remove carpets at stairs
- Install soft path lighting for nighttime mobility

2. Safe & easy flow of movement into, and around, the house- Remove or reduce the number and/or height of steps
- Increase the width of steps for easy side stepping. Wider steps also allow the use of both hands on one rail
- Create clear and open paths to the bedroom and bathroom.
- Rearrange furniture, entertainment systems, and spaces to improve the ability to move easily.

3.  Substantial renovations - Install a no-step shower or bath lift mechanism
- Install a sink that allows the adult to sit
- Create more space around the toilet to allow for a caregiver to provide assistance
- Provide seated and/or multi-level food preparation areas in the kitchen
- Create sun- and rain-protected outdoor areas
- Install backup power sources (e.g. a generator) in case of power outages

Links:

www.seniorsrealestate.com

http://www.maturemarketinstitute.com/

www.metlife.com/assets/cao/mmi/publications/studies/2010/mmi-aging-place.pdf

Working in Retirement

Is retirement a thing of the past?

The road to Freedom 55 is increasingly marred by financial potholes that are creating delayed retirements and paring down expectations, plans and dreams for the kind of lifestyle that individuals can afford to enjoy as they enter the golden years. Some of these potholes include: some job insecurity for those in the 45-60 age group as a result of our fragile economic environment; rising personal debt levels; escalating costs for basic necessities like home heating and hydro, car fuel, food, housing and insurance, and; the requirement to provide financial support for adult children and care for aging parents.

With these financial realities, it may well be that Gen-50plus will opt to stay in the workforce far longer than previous generations. Indeed, a survey of Americans by the American Association of Retired Persons found that 40% of Boomers plan to work "until they drop"- not because they want to, but because they have to.  Another survey by the Boston College's Centre for Retirement Research found that 60% of Boomers intend to keep working past the traditional retirement age of 65.  And in Canada, provincial and federal governments are acknowledging this reality and have started to eliminate legislation that requires people to retire at the age of 65.

Jonathan Chevreau, writing in the National Post, recently identified a number of books talking about the non-retirement of Boomers (Full retirement a thing of the past).  Many Boomers will continue to work because they have to, but they may opt to re-invent themselves by pursuing new careers or employment opportunities that are personally rewarding and fulfilling. If they've been unhappy in their "jobs", they may choose to look for opportunities in new fields that interest them, even if they don't pay as well.  Because Boomers can expect to live longer and be healthier, many will choose to stay in the workforce as much to maintain their social, intellectual and physical well-being as to make money.

Following is the list of the books mentioned in Chevreau's article:

• Keith Davies, Avoid Retirement and Stay Alive
• Julia Moulden, RIPE: Rich, Rewarding Work after 50
• Peter Grandich, Confessions of a Wall Street Whiz Kid (soon to be published)
• Sherry Cooper, The New Retirement
• Dennis Blas and Heather Compton, Retirement Rocks!
• Mahara Sinclaire, The Laughing Boomer
• Jonathan Chevreau, Findependence Day

 Discussion Questions.  What are your feelings about retirement?  Is it your goal to retire at or before age 65? How do you plan to spend your time?  Or, do you see yourself working well past the traditional age of retirement?  Would you like to continue in your current type of employment, or would you look for something more rewarding? 

Boomers sandwiched between adult children and aging parents

Boomers (defined as the 45-65 age group) are feeling increasingly stressed by their obligations toward children who still rely on them for financial and other supports, and their need to care for aging parents who have healthcare, housing and social challenges. The Boomers are making personal sacrifices to manage all their responsibilites. A poll done in January 2010, found the following:

• 6 in 10 Boomer parents provide an average $3,675 a year to their grown children
• 1 in 3 Boomers provide some care to aging parents. 40% of those Boomers give financial support, an average of almost $6,000 a year
• 34% postponed or cancelled travel plans
• 32% are unable to focus on their own interests
• 39% admit they have reduced their retirement savings
• 24% have adopted a less comfortable lifestyle
• 24% worry their own retirement security may be jeopardized

The Boomers are more stressed by having to financially prop up their adult children then caring for their aging adults. Advisers recommend that Boomers must ensure that their support of adult children is as temporary and short-term as possible.  Otherwise, their own financial well-being during retirement could be less comfortable and secure than they had planned and hoped for.

Boomers feeling squeezed by 'sandwich' Jonathan Chevreau, The Financial PostPublished: Wednesday, January 06, 2010

How PERSONAL CHEFS can help "aging in place"

Many, many members of Gen-50plus desire the opportunity to age in place. They prefer to stay in their homes as long as possible, and there are lots of benefits for the aging adult if they can continue to live independently in the comfort and familiarity of their homes.  Even when they are no longer able or willing to do all the chores involved in independent living, they may be able to afford to hire someone else to those jobs for them. As the 50plus population grows, many private entrepreneurs will begin businesses that cater to seniors who want to age in place, and in fact, we're already seeing that happen.  Home care, chauffeuring, yard work, housecleaning, personal care and a host of other services are becoming increasinly available in the community through private companies.  Another such business is the personal chef.  Personal chefs offer meal preparation services, and this may be something of value to those 50plus individuals who want to live at home, but who either cannot, or do not want, to cook for themselves.  Below is an interesting article about how roving, personal chefs are serving the aging population.

The Senior Real Estate Monthly Newsletter, April 2011, includes an article about roving personal chefs.

Roving Chefs Deliver Seniors' Daily Bread

By Elyse Umlauf-Garneau

Most personal chefs can turn out gourmet  fare, like Chilean sea bass and roasted pheasant or lemongrass shrimp pate, but the bread and butter of many such chef's repertoires are daily meals--stews, soups and meatloaf--for clients who can't or don't want to cook.

Increasingly, that clientele includes seniors. Daily food preparation is often the one aging-in-place stumbling block that seniors and their families can't leap, and hiring a personal chef often removes that roadblock.

Personal chefs Carol Wood of the Occasional Chef, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Brenda Huard of Dinners Done, in Calgary, Alberta, both have elderly clients who simply can't cook for themselves and would be in assisted living without their services.

Better than take-out

Huard is often contacted by seniors' time-starved children, who are at wit's end trying to shop and cook daily meals for elderly parents and simultaneously tend to their own children and jobs.

In addition, many have found that other meal delivery strategies have failed, according to Huard. Some seniors end up not eating much at all, or they rely on salty, unhealthy boxed food or on pricey, calorie-laden take-out. 

Still others are managing parents' care from afar.  Michele Figueroa calls the personal chef she hired for her dad, living in Florida, a godsend. A couple years ago, he'd been hospitalized with a serious illness and returned home with a restricted diet in hand. Cooking for himself was impossible and Figueroa couldn't do it because she lives in Illinois.

The service works like this. The chef visits a client's kitchen on a regular basis--sometimes weekly, sometimes every couple weeks--and cooks a series of meals that seniors or their caretakers can warm up.

Huard, for instance, has a client for whom she cooks 20 meals at a time and then he's set for nearly a month.

The chefs also do all the shopping and prep work in clients' houses, and bring their own pots, appliances, and utensils. They also clean up.

Serving special needs

Before starting the relationship, chefs sit with clients to assess their likes and dislikes and dietary restrictions. Often doctors have told clients to swear off fat, salt, and so forth, and chefs develop menus based on those restrictions. Fiqueroa says her dad's diet was extremely specialized and entailed detailed measurements of certain ingredients and the elimination of others. "The chef was able to tailor the diet to my dad's needs. For me, it was great to know that he was eating the right food," she comments. 

They're also able to accommodate special requests, such as vegetarian, vegan, and Kosher diets, and they'll work clients' favorite family recipes into the meal rotation.

Pricing for personal chefs varies, depending on the location and level of service. Some, like Wood, will do extra shopping and pick up kitty litter, cleaning supplies, and so forth, for an extra fee.

And if someone wants gourmet fare, such as fancy cheese or lobster tails, costs tick up because such raw ingredients are pricier than routine staples.

But many regard the costs as small, especially when they compare it to having to move to an assisted living or nursing facility. "I have a client whose father is in assisted living, and he pays $4,400 per month," comments Huard.  Huard's price for 20 meals is $350.  Sure, that $4,400 tab includes numerous other services, but chefs would argue, "Why choose a costly institutional option, if a senior really only needs assistance with meals?"

"It's not inexpensive," acknowledges Fiqueroa. But without the service, she says her dad could have ended up back in the hospital.

Short-term solutions

Such chefs also do special events for seniors. That could include setting the table and  cooking a lunch for seniors' friends or preparing  a full Thanksgiving dinner so that a senior can host a holiday. "It allows them to continue having a social life," Wood comments, who has one client she helps every Thanksgiving.  "She can still have company and enjoy her beautiful china," she adds.

Sometimes, relationships with personal chefs are temporary. Chefs can step in during an emergency and cook for a few weeks or months for those in physical therapy or for people recovering from a medical event.

Broader safety net

There are subtle benefits too. Seniors look forward to chefs' visits and enjoy the social interaction. One of Wood's clients, for instance, likes to watch the preparation and to chit-chat with Wood. And often Wood prepares an extra treat or brings the lady's favorite tea and shares a cup with her. 

Such chefs also serve as something of a safety net, offering an extra set of eyes and ears to identify emergencies and any troubles that emerge with clients.

Just recall the February news story involving a Memphis, Tenn., pizza delivery person who saved an elderly woman's life. The Domino's employee called the police when she noticed that the client had veered from her normal ordering habits. It turns out that the woman had fallen and wasn't able to call for help.

That personal connection is one reason Huard says it's important for the chef and senior to meet and to relate to one another.

Beyond liking the chef and his or her food, there are several other considerations, including:

-Background and training-- Ask chefs about their culinary experience and whether they belong to a professional chef organization.

-Food safety--Has the person been trained and certified in proper food handling?

-Insurance--Is the chef insured?

-Due diligence--Given that a chef will be coming in and out of the house, it's wise to check references and do the same level of background checks you would do on other service providers.

Chef Finding

A number of organizations provide training and certifications to chefs, and they also offer ways to locate chefs and research their specialties. For more information, see: 

·         Canadian Personal Chef Association, www.cook4me.ca