Wow, I hated to see this!!!!!!
You know how much I love dogs and am always preaching their benefits. However the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has identified pets as one of life's hazards!! Following are a few excerpts from an article by David Brown in the AARP BulletinToday on March 27.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that an average of 86,629 Americans visit the emergency room each year after a fall caused by pets or their paraphernalia.
About one-third of the falls broke bones, about one-quarter caused bruises, one-fifth caused sprains and a little more than one-tenth caused cuts. About 62 percent of the dog-related falls and 86 percent of the tumbles involving cats occurred at home.
About one-quarter of the dog-related falls occurred during walks, about 3 percent while running away from a dog and one-half of 1 percent while breaking up a fight. In one-third of the falls, a person tripped over the dog. Being pulled by the animal caused a fifth of the falls.
About 12 percent of the cat-related injuries involved chasing the animal. In two-thirds of the falls, a person tripped over the cat.
The full article can be read at:
http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/healthyliving/articles/cdc_analysis_tracks.html
So, enjoy your pets but be careful!!!
Have a great day.
Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Design for Older Folks
Ever have a problem opening a packaging?? I think we have all struggled with this, and as we get older, it just seems to be getting tougher. But we are not being ignored.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is working on technologies used for designing products for Seniors. A project, AGNES, which stands for Age Gain Now Empathy System, involves a special suit which allow engineers to experience what it is like to be in their 70s. Exercise physiologist Rozanne Puleo helped a team of mechanical engineers develop AGNES. The goal: To teach engineers in their 20s and 30s how to design products that are easy for people in their 70s to use.
"There hasn't been one person who's put on this suit who hasn't said, 'Wow, I didn't know opening a package could be this difficult,' " Puleo said. "You can be somewhat empathetic, but you really never understand."
Joseph Coughlin founded the AgeLab to help businesses tailor products and services to the world's older folks. Coughlin says "It's about designing the lifestyle of the future"
You can read the article at http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2009/03/23/at_mits_agelab_growing_old_is_the_new_frontier/
After reading this, we Seniors can feel better about technology not just being for new video games for our grandkids!!
Have fun today.
Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is working on technologies used for designing products for Seniors. A project, AGNES, which stands for Age Gain Now Empathy System, involves a special suit which allow engineers to experience what it is like to be in their 70s. Exercise physiologist Rozanne Puleo helped a team of mechanical engineers develop AGNES. The goal: To teach engineers in their 20s and 30s how to design products that are easy for people in their 70s to use.
"There hasn't been one person who's put on this suit who hasn't said, 'Wow, I didn't know opening a package could be this difficult,' " Puleo said. "You can be somewhat empathetic, but you really never understand."
Joseph Coughlin founded the AgeLab to help businesses tailor products and services to the world's older folks. Coughlin says "It's about designing the lifestyle of the future"
You can read the article at http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2009/03/23/at_mits_agelab_growing_old_is_the_new_frontier/
After reading this, we Seniors can feel better about technology not just being for new video games for our grandkids!!
Have fun today.
Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Little-Known Government Program Pays the Cost of Elder Care
WHAT IF 33% OF ALL SENIORS IN THIS COUNTRY could receive up to $1,949 a month in additional income from the government to help cover their elder care costs? THEY CAN!
Under the right circumstances, a little-known federal program will pay additional income to cover long term care costs for at least 1/3 of all US senior households -- that's how many war veterans or their surviving spouses there are in this country. But the provisions of this program are such a well-kept secret that only 4.7% of US seniors are actually receiving the benefit. The great news about this program is the Department of Veterans Affairs will pay you to hire your family, friends or just about anyone to take care of you (Caregiving spouses can't be paid under this program). The program is called "Veterans Pension."
Most people who have heard about Pension know that it will cover the costs of assisted living and, in some cases, cover nursing home costs as well. But the majority of those receiving long term care in this country are in their homes. Estimates are that approximately 70% to 80% of all long term care is being provided in the home. All of the information available about Pension overlooks the fact that this benefit can also be used to pay for home care.
It also comes as a surprise to most people that the Department of Veterans Affairs will allow veterans' households to include the annual cost of paying any person such as family members, friends or hired help for care when calculating the Pension benefit. This annual cost is deducted from household income and used to calculate a lower "countable income" which in turn enables families to receive this disability income from VA. Even though VA claims the benefit is for low income families, because of the special provision in the regulations -- allowing for deduction for care costs -- households earning between $3,000 to $6,000 a month or more can still qualify for Pension under the right conditions.
Read entire article at: http://www.longtermcarelink.net/article-2009-3-17.htm
I hope this will help many of you.
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY !!!!!
Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist
Under the right circumstances, a little-known federal program will pay additional income to cover long term care costs for at least 1/3 of all US senior households -- that's how many war veterans or their surviving spouses there are in this country. But the provisions of this program are such a well-kept secret that only 4.7% of US seniors are actually receiving the benefit. The great news about this program is the Department of Veterans Affairs will pay you to hire your family, friends or just about anyone to take care of you (Caregiving spouses can't be paid under this program). The program is called "Veterans Pension."
Most people who have heard about Pension know that it will cover the costs of assisted living and, in some cases, cover nursing home costs as well. But the majority of those receiving long term care in this country are in their homes. Estimates are that approximately 70% to 80% of all long term care is being provided in the home. All of the information available about Pension overlooks the fact that this benefit can also be used to pay for home care.
It also comes as a surprise to most people that the Department of Veterans Affairs will allow veterans' households to include the annual cost of paying any person such as family members, friends or hired help for care when calculating the Pension benefit. This annual cost is deducted from household income and used to calculate a lower "countable income" which in turn enables families to receive this disability income from VA. Even though VA claims the benefit is for low income families, because of the special provision in the regulations -- allowing for deduction for care costs -- households earning between $3,000 to $6,000 a month or more can still qualify for Pension under the right conditions.
Read entire article at: http://www.longtermcarelink.net/article-2009-3-17.htm
I hope this will help many of you.
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY !!!!!
Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist
Monday, March 16, 2009
Time to buy a new home??
The Real Estate market has been clearly in a “buyers” market for over a year. This means that it is a very good time to be buying a home. As seniors, we typically don’t think about actively looking for a reason to buy a new home; however, there are many circumstances that can make it attractive, maybe even necessary, to buy a new home and relocate. And now might be the time.
Although surveys show that most seniors want to stay in the home that they have lived in for many years, there are some very practical reasons to make a change.
LOCATION: Although a long distance from family might have been no problem in the past, as we age it can become more important to be close to family. This could mean more frequent visits, and maybe even some level of required caregiving. Or, convenient access to services and easy transportation could be more important now that we can't easily drive all over town anytime we want.
HOME SIZE: That large 4 bedroom home where we raised our children might be just too much for us now. Maintenance could be too costly now that we need to hire a handyman to do the work; that second story might be inaccessible because of the difficult stairs; maybe retrofitting to make it more useable by the elderly isn’t possible.
CAREGIVING: Now that we need almost full time caregiving, maybe a duplex, with “next door” availability of our primary caregiver, is the best solution.
INCOME: All of the asset equity in the home that we bought 30 years ago is not generating income for us as our expenses increase. Selling this home and investing the net proceeds in a safe, income producing asset could solve our current cash flow problems.
With the high level of available housing inventory, this might be the very best time to find a much more appropriate house to fit our needs today, and maybe in a better location.
Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist
Although surveys show that most seniors want to stay in the home that they have lived in for many years, there are some very practical reasons to make a change.
LOCATION: Although a long distance from family might have been no problem in the past, as we age it can become more important to be close to family. This could mean more frequent visits, and maybe even some level of required caregiving. Or, convenient access to services and easy transportation could be more important now that we can't easily drive all over town anytime we want.
HOME SIZE: That large 4 bedroom home where we raised our children might be just too much for us now. Maintenance could be too costly now that we need to hire a handyman to do the work; that second story might be inaccessible because of the difficult stairs; maybe retrofitting to make it more useable by the elderly isn’t possible.
CAREGIVING: Now that we need almost full time caregiving, maybe a duplex, with “next door” availability of our primary caregiver, is the best solution.
INCOME: All of the asset equity in the home that we bought 30 years ago is not generating income for us as our expenses increase. Selling this home and investing the net proceeds in a safe, income producing asset could solve our current cash flow problems.
With the high level of available housing inventory, this might be the very best time to find a much more appropriate house to fit our needs today, and maybe in a better location.
Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Farewell to Falls
Thousands of older adults fall each year, with many of them experiencing multiple falls. And many of these can be prevented; research shows that the home environment is responsible for about 1/3 of all falls.
If you have fallen recently, within the last 30 days, you may qualify for a free, fall prevention program offered through the Trauma Service and Emergency Department at Stanford University. This program includes 2 initial home visits by a registered occupational therapist, and a third visit one year after enrollment. The program includes a balance and mobility assessment, a home safety survey, recommended fall risk reduction methods, and an exercise program.
You must be 65 years or older and have a television with VCR or DVD. For more information, call the Farewell to Falls Program at Stanford: 650-724-9369. And information can be found directly at the Stanford Hospital website:
http://www.stanfordhospital.com/newsEvents/newsReleases/2008/farewellToFalls
We should all use every available resource to help us with safety and health as we age.
Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist
If you have fallen recently, within the last 30 days, you may qualify for a free, fall prevention program offered through the Trauma Service and Emergency Department at Stanford University. This program includes 2 initial home visits by a registered occupational therapist, and a third visit one year after enrollment. The program includes a balance and mobility assessment, a home safety survey, recommended fall risk reduction methods, and an exercise program.
You must be 65 years or older and have a television with VCR or DVD. For more information, call the Farewell to Falls Program at Stanford: 650-724-9369. And information can be found directly at the Stanford Hospital website:
http://www.stanfordhospital.com/newsEvents/newsReleases/2008/farewellToFalls
We should all use every available resource to help us with safety and health as we age.
Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Elder Financial Abuse Scam
Notice on the Willow Glen elist-March 5, 2009
We’ve gotten word from Willows Senior Center of a potential Elder
Financial Abuse Scam in the area. Individuals identifying themselves
as representing our centers are calling Seniors Citizens asking them
about their financial assets and offering to go to their homes to
discuss their assets. If asked for more information they hang up. We
would appreciate it if you could please alert your constituents.
Additionally;
> We’ve reported the incident to PD’s Financial Crimes Division We’ve
sent a Scam Alert to the media We are posting notices on the website
and at our facilities We’ll keep you posted if we receive any reports
of additional incidents.
> Thank you
Mona Favorite-Hill, Communications Manager Parks, Recreation &
Neighborhood Services City of San Jose
We’ve gotten word from Willows Senior Center of a potential Elder
Financial Abuse Scam in the area. Individuals identifying themselves
as representing our centers are calling Seniors Citizens asking them
about their financial assets and offering to go to their homes to
discuss their assets. If asked for more information they hang up. We
would appreciate it if you could please alert your constituents.
Additionally;
> We’ve reported the incident to PD’s Financial Crimes Division We’ve
sent a Scam Alert to the media We are posting notices on the website
and at our facilities We’ll keep you posted if we receive any reports
of additional incidents.
> Thank you
Mona Favorite-Hill, Communications Manager Parks, Recreation &
Neighborhood Services City of San Jose
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