hospice rowan county

Are you helping support a loved one? Perhaps you and several family members are each giving a little bit. Don't overlook a potential tax benefit. One of you may be able to claim the elder as a dependent. First, your loved one must meet IRS guidelines to qualify as a dependent:

Hospitals have changed a lot in recent years. At the bedside, there is a new doctor in charge: the "hospitalist." Hospitalists specialize in the care of patients in the hospital. They are experts in handling serious illness. Unlike a community doctor, hospitalists are part of the hospital's staff. They can help your loved one recover faster and return home sooner because of their:

As Bette Davis said, "Old age is no place for sissies." Aging often brings loss and change. Usually people can adjust. But sometimes the changes can be too much and trigger depression. (See last month's article about the signs of depression.) Left untreated, depression in older adults can lead to other serious problems.

180 DAYS. Six months. That’s the number of days we wish our patients and their families could benefit from our care. Unfortunately, most patients and families who experience hospice care wish they had called sooner. In fact, nearly eight out of 10 families express this sentiment. That’s the bad news. The good news is that once patients and families do connect with hospice, they immediately feel the burdens ease physically, emotionally, and often, financially.

Are you stretched thin, trying to work and care for your family member? You may be able to take job-protected time off. You won't get paid. But you are assured that you can come back to your same (or nearly the same) job. The national Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives eligible workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave time each year. You can use this time to address family or personal medical issues. It covers time off to

We all get the blues now and then. But depression is different. It is more than a passing mood. Depression is actually a biochemical imbalance in the brain. It's not something you can just "snap out of." It requires treatment. In general, there are nine symptoms of depression. If a person experiences four or more of these symptoms every day, for most of the day, over a two-week period, medical professionals would call it "major depression":

In past newsletters, we've talked about the holiday blues as you anticipate a loved one's final season. This year, we present touchstones for coping with the holidays after a loss. For instance, you may be comforting your mother as both you and she grieve your father's absence. Or you may be expecting a visit from a bereaved aunt or uncle. This is a fragile time of year. Use these tips to help support your loved ones through the season.

As we face our mortality, whether death is in fact weeks or decades away, we inevitably come up with questions about life's mysteries: Is there meaning to life? What is the point if we are ultimately going to die? Do we simply vanish when we die, or is there an afterlife? Is there a Being, Existence, or Force that is larger than ourselves? Will we be judged for how we have lived? Why have we been given the conditions we've been given? If we are in pain, why are we suffering? If we know we are dying, what reason is there for hope?

October 15 through December 7 is the Medicare open enrollment period. This is the time of year when seniors can change their coverage for Medicare Parts C and D. Part D is prescription insurance. Part C involves Medicare "Advantage" plans. These plans provide coverage through special provider networks, for example, an HMO. You'll find a quick description of Medicare Plans in our November 2011 newsletter.

Hearing loss affects 50% of people over age 85, most commonly men. Poor hearing diminishes quality of life. It may bring on frustration in daily interactions with others. It can even be at the root of withdrawal from social activities. Hearing loss also carries risk, because your relative may not notice a shouted warning or may misunderstand a doctor's instructions.