Everlasting Place
  • Home
  • One way
    • Proof
  • Sadie Sparrow
    • Sadie Sparrow Excerpt
    • Author Chat
    • Articles
    • Book Reviews
  • Memoir
    • Memoir Excerpts
    • Reviews, interviews & endorsements
  • Blogs
    • Eternal eyes: a blog about forever
    • Golden years: a blog about the elderly
  • Old folks
    • Planting tips for Christians
  • Messages from Chris Carrillo
  • Library
  • Bookstore
  • Contact

Taking the aged for granted

1/21/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
A couple of years ago, we lost an ancient shagbark hickory. It was my favorite tree, with its great twisting branches, enormous leaves, dangerously heavy nut casings and captivatingly craggy bark. It was a tree of great interest, if not beauty, every season of the year. 

Remembering that tree this morning, I searched my "trees" folder for a photo of it. Astoundingly, I couldn't find a single one. 

I have photos galore of every ornamental tree we've planted over the last 25 years -- pagoda and Cornelian cherry dogwoods, Japanese tree lilacs, weeping cherries, crab apples, magnolias and mountain ash as well as stunners like a Camperdown elm, weeping katsura, paperbark maple and a shy but graceful American redbud. I even have multiple photos of gone-but-not-forgotten trees that didn't make it, from an adorable dwarf willow to the risky sourwoods we planted in 2001; they managed to limp along in my pH-neutral soil for only a few years before refusing to bud out in the spring of 2004.

But there wasn't a single photographic record of that great old shagbark hickory.

In fact, the only grand old tree represented in this collection is the giant red oak now growing precariously close to our roof. Estimated by arborists to be at least 150 years old, it keeps the house cool in summer and protects us from the worst of winter. It is truly beautiful in every season, and arresting in its great old age -- if one bothers to look.

There were precisely two photos of this tree in my folder, including the one shown here. 

I have apparently taken the older things in my little world for granted, treating them as backdrops for all those beautiful young things clamoring for my attention.

I wonder how many of us do the same thing with the elderly in our lives, spending time with them on special occasions like Christmas and Easter, maybe even taking a photo or two of them with the rest of the family, but reserving our day-in, day-out attention for the shiny new youngsters in our lives -- self and children, pets and homes and even careers. 
 
I'm ashamed to admit that I was guilty of such not-so-benign neglect myself, as my photo folders attest. I have literally thousands of shots of dogs and cats and perennials at every stage of the growing season, and many hundreds of my favorite roses -- but fewer than 50 of my parents, and only a handful of my beloved Granny.

They were too often, it seems, mere backdrops for what I considered the main show.

It's too late for me to do anything about it. But for many of you, it's not; I hope you're doing a better job than I did of lavishing the aged in your lives with the love and attention and respect they deserve. 

Please don't take them for granted. Because indeed, one day it will be too late.

Originally published 1/25/14
0 Comments

Good news for Medicare patients?

1/16/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
Back in January of 2014, Golden Years joined others in sounding the alarm on Medicare coverage of hospital admissions: 

"Here's an important warning about Medicare payment (or lack thereof) for patients who are hospitalized merely 'for observation.' It can end up surprising senior citizens with thousands of dollars in unpaid medical bills -- bills that are the patient's responsibility. 

"I'm guessing this is just a symptom of things to come as the working population dwindles and the ranks of Americans on Medicare and Medicaid continue to swell. 

"In the case described in this video, long-term care insurance probably would have helped the patient to some extent. 

"But with or without such insurance, it's up to each of us to pay attention -- especially if we hear the word 'observation' being bandied about.


Some background: Since October of 2013, Medicare had based its Part A coverage on the "Two Midnight Rule," which said that Part A would cover hospitalizations that included at least two midnights -- a classification that in turn determines other coverages, including for skilled nursing care. 

It was apparently a hard-and-fast rule, and it generated a lot of provider "concerns." But finally, there's some good news: In a 12/31/15 update, Medicare announced that it has relaxed the rule a bit, allowing inpatient admissions to be covered under Part A on a case-by-case basis based on the admitting physician's judgment.

The change doesn't give healthcare providers a blank check; the documentation has to prove the necessity of inpatient status, and it's all subject to "medical review." But it sounds like providers will have at least a little leeway in formally admitting patients who may not satisfy the Two Midnight Rule. 

Still, Medicare patients would be wise to check and double-check their admission status whenever hospitalization is recommended and Part A coverage is not crystal-clear. Most people have better ways to spend their hard-earned savings than on medical bills that they'd assumed would be Medicare Part A no-brainers.   
2 Comments

What a gift! 

1/2/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
I just received a Christmas gift that may be the most brilliant yet – a gift that was made possible by a particularly loving and thoughtful relative of my dear friend Sadie.  
 
Here’s the scoop -- only the names have been changed.
 
A recently retired resident of the American southwest, Felicity is an absolute artist when it comes to hand-crafting greeting cards of all kinds, from birthday and Christmas cards to “Thinking of You” notes. And she keeps her elderly Aunt Sadie well stocked with a lovely array of these cards, complete with matching envelopes. In fact, she sends Sadie a large box of handmade cards each year around Thanksgiving, for Christmas greetings as well as general correspondence well into the new year.
 
But Felicity encloses more than cards and envelopes in her Thanksgiving box. She also includes seasonless handmade gift bags, each containing festive tissue paper, each adorned with colorful decorations and an elaborate “Thank You,” and each bearing a tiny envelope and notecard for her aunt to personalize. This, in fact, was the brilliant present Sadie just gave me -- one of these pretty gift bags with a warm handwritten note and a selection of gorgeous handmade cards.
 
The point being, of course, that Felicity not only fuels her aunt’s letter-writing activities at Christmas and throughout the year, but also enables Sadie to share these unique cards with her friends whenever the occasion warrants.
 
It’s far from the only way that Felicity shows her love to her favorite aunt. But it certainly is one of the most practical and memorable. It’s also one of the most highly coveted, not only by Sadie, but also by all her friends who are fortunate enough to receive one of these special gifts! 
0 Comments

    Kitty
    Foth-Regner

    I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, a freelance copywriter, a nursing-home volunteer, and the author of books both in-process and published -- including
    Heaven Without Her.

    Archives

    December 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Care to subscribe?

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from Anas Qtiesh, quinn.anya, skippyjon, gagilas, ulrichkarljoho, Schleeo, djpoblete09, 00alexx, NathanPeck, Riccardo Palazzani, MaartenEyskens, jfinnirwin, romana klee, bundesinnung_ha, theglobalpanorama, Street Photography Addict, StockMonkeys.com, Robert Agthe, Genista, Neillwphoto, frankieleon, RamónP, National Eye Institute, Pink Dispatcher, Tony Webster, quinn.anya, Peter23394, anna gutermuth, neovain, Keith Allison, lewisha1990, Phú Thịnh Co, byzantiumbooks, avlxyz, eastmidtown, 593D ESC, simpleinsomnia, mcohen.chromiste, Pictures by Ann, Stampendous, loop_oh, tedeytan, TipsForComputer.Com, ssilberman, pedrosimoes7, forayinto35mm, Never Edit, GlasgowAmateur, weiss_paarz_photos, Borya, The Graphic Details, robynejay, allenthepostman, quinn.anya, u.hopper, fallingwater123, Alyssa L. Miller, Vincent Albanese, homethods, ponyQ, Braiu, CNE CNA C6F, oakenroad, Tim Evanson, medisave, irinaraquel, Steve Ganz, Nieve44/Luz, roscoland2, One Way Stock, Film Star Vintage, ulrichkarljoho, anieto2k, meaduva, Homini:), campbelj45ca, Nicolas Alejandro Street Photography, Hades2k, Alyssa L. Miller, Carlos Ebert, @Tuncay, kms1167, Petful.com, m01229, jonrawlinson, Brian Smithson (Old Geordie), Blogging Dagger, fechi fajardo, SurfaceWarriors, Leah Abernathy, evans.photo, brianna.lehman, mikecogh, Ejuice, christine.gleason, Free Grunge Textures - www.freestock.ca, Derek Bridges, ulrichkarljoho, One Way Stock, Matt Cunnelly, nandadevieast, cathyse97, quinn.anya, faungg's photo, Lars Plougmann, C Jill Reed, johnthoward1961, mcohen.chromiste, hardeep.singh, physiognomist, ulrichkarljoho, 401(K) 2013, Very Quiet, BromfordGroup, garryknight, Official U.S. Navy Imagery, acasasola, mrbillt6, simpleinsomnia, johanSisno, GollyGforce, Jo Jakeman, Mire de rien, Chris Mower, lotopspin, Marlene Rybka Visualizing & Photography, RLHyde, jez.atkinson, orionpozo, quinn.anya, global.quiz, Public Places, alubavin, drs2biz, espensorvik, ♔ Georgie R, h.koppdelaney, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Images_of_Money, ttarasiuk, TheArches