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Will there be nursing homes for us?

1/29/2018

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Where will you be living circa 2040 or 2050? 
 
Okay, so if you’re a born-again believer, you’re probably gleefully envisioning heaven or are at least adding “if the Lord tarries” to the question. And if you’re not, and you’re over 40, you may be counting on moving in with your children or enjoying a living arrangement like the Golden Girls’ of 1980s TV fame.  
 
But just say none of these alternatives pans out, and you find yourself unable to live on your own. Will a decent nursing home be an option for you? 
 
The truth is that only God knows for sure. If our economy crashes and the Huns 
overrun our country, all bets are off. But let’s keep playing make believe and pretend that America’s still the Beautiful and we still have some viable financial resources to work with. What’s likely to be available?

It turns out to be a disturbing question.

On the one hand, the demand for nursing-home care is expected to more than double by 2050, according to a study by JAMA and the Kaiser Foundation. 
 
On the other hand, the supply looks like it’s destined to dwindle. A long-term-care insurance expert in Green Bay, Wisconsin, points out that a third of U.S. nursing homes are already, at best, showing no profit. The rest are losing money, thanks to dwindling Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates. 
 
And don’t count on the government. County-owned nursing homes across the country are already losing money, with many struggling to survive and some already closing their doors. 

What will happen when we're ready for these services?

As one columnist put it several years ago, the question is "literally schools versus nursing homes." 
 
Who do you suppose will win in this contest? Will the "elderly problem" ultimately move the U.S. ten steps closer to being "just like Europe"? 
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A reminder about memory loss

1/22/2018

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I know a woman who asks, during every pause in the conversation, “What time is it?” Yet her recall of the Bible is uncanny – instant, complete, accurate, and almost always 100% pertinent to the discussion.
 
Another sweet old friend comments repeatedly about the beauty of her surroundings and the kindness of her caregivers – same words, delivered with the same radiantly engaging smile, time and time again. But show her an 80-year-old photo of her extended family and she’ll fill you in on all the details of each member’s life.
 
If you’ve spent much time with the very aged, you’re no doubt familiar with this sort of collapse of short-term memory. And if you’re getting up there in years yourself, you’re probably beginning to identify with those who are already well into this journey.
 
For those who have yet to experience it, it’s hard to describe.
 
Maybe it’s like losing your Random Access Memory (and probably some other kinds of memory, too. I used to understand all this but I forget.) You can’t instantly recall what was said 10 minutes ago, or even 10 seconds ago. That information is available only via a thorough search of your memory bank – except that before long, you can’t remember what you were searching for.
 
Or maybe it’s more like when you’re falling asleep and random, disjointed thoughts begin cascading through your mind, each one blotting out the last, making you wonder repeatedly, “where was I going with that thought?”  Except that when you’re suffering from short-term memory loss, you can experience this when you’re wide awake.
 
Can anything be done about it?  Simply trying harder doesn’t help; either there’s no longer a viable storage spot for new information, or the librarian in charge of storing and retrieving that information is on permanent hiatus.  There’s some hope that mentally stimulating exercises like crossword puzzles will at least delay memory decline, but the jury still seems to be out on that score.
 
I say all this because I’ve lately been noticing some eye-rolling and whispering in the presence of such mental lapses – the same sort of eye-rolling and whispering I no doubt did in my younger days, when the possibility of personal aging never crossed my mind.
 
This is just a gentle reminder, for those whose memories are still intact, that there but for the grace of God go any of us.  Please be kind.
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Long Term Care costs continue to climb

1/16/2018

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​The costs of Long Term Care (LTC) continue to climb across the U.S. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who are likely to need it before this life is over, now would be a good time to determine how you are going to pay for it.
 
Genworth Financial provides a handy tool for evaluating the cost of LTC in your area. If this is the first time you’ve looked into it, you’ll find the numbers pretty frightening; and even if you checked it out in the past, you may be shocked by the latest figures.  
 
For example, in 2017, the average nursing-home charge in the Milwaukee area was nearly $111,000 for a semi-private room, and more than $132,000 for a private room. And these costs are currently rising by 2% and 4% per year, respectively.
 
Think it won't affect you? Think again: According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, “The lifetime probability of becoming disabled in at least two activities of daily living or of being cognitively impaired is 68% for people age 65 and older.” That means there’s a good chance most of us will need some level of LTC assistance.
 
Nevertheless, relatively few have given much thought to how they'd pay for it.

Of those who have considered the possibility, some plan to cover it with their own funds – a great plan for those with millions in the bank. 

Others figure that the government will take care of them. But that sort of help begins only after you’ve depleted almost all your own resources. And then there’s the issue of finding a bed set aside for what is, for the providers, a losing proposition; I know people who have been in desperate search of government-sponsored LTC beds. And we baby boomers haven’t even begun to be a factor in the rationing that’s sure to come.

Still others purchase private LTC insurance policies. They’re not cheap, but for those of us of modest means, it may be the only solution that makes sense. 
 
If you have any concerns about how you’ll survive your golden years financially, I hope you'll take a serious look at the alternatives sooner rather than later. 
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10 tips for nursing-home evangelism

1/6/2018

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Want to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with nursing-home residents? Bless your heart! You’ll of course want to begin by praying for soft hearts and personal wisdom before (and during) each visit. Then, to bring the Lord into the conversation, consider these idea starters:  

  1. Interject a Bible passage related to the subject at hand – why He allows suffering, for instance, or what we must do to be saved, or how this life is a blink of an eye and the best is yet to come. A personal favorite: 2 Corinthians 4:17-18.
  2. Talk about what Christ has done in your own life. Just one example: describe a recent experience that would have devastated the “old” you, but has presented the “new” you with an opportunity for reflection, repentance, or rejoicing.   
  3. Comment on the message delivered by a secular TV program – for instance, one that denied the existence of God, or illustrated the collapse of biblical values in our culture.
  4. Ask the resident what he or she thinks heaven will be like, and who will be there. Be prepared to share what the Bible has to say on the subject.
  5. Offer to pray for him or her, and segue into the power of prayer – and perhaps into the attributes and character of God, and how much He loves this world and everyone in it.
  6. Search out and biblically address an area of particular interest. For instance, if an elderly man enjoys discussing current events, be prepared to show him how much of today’s news first appeared on the pages of the Bible -- in Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38, for example. 
  7. Invite residents to an upcoming, on-site Christian event. Many facilities conduct their own worship services or hymn sings, or allow local churches to do so. Familiarize yourself with these opportunities and spread the word.
  8. Offer to read from the Bible—perhaps using an easy-to-understand modern translation. Consider starting with gripping and easy-to-follow books like Genesis or Ruth, or begin with a beloved and familiar passage such as Psalm 23 or the Sermon on the Mount.
  9. Be ready to share the gospel using your favorite approach – Evangelism Explosion’s, the Way of the Master’s, or some other orderly, memorable and proven technique for leading the lost to the Lord.
  10. Keep some large-print gospel tracts on hand as leave-behinds. Ask your church to order some; or use a favorite tract as an outline to create your own, printing it out on heavy paper or card stock.  
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"Christ: Born To Die"

1/1/2018

2 Comments

 
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Here’s another wonderful message from Chris Carrillo, delivered on New Year’s Eve day at Care-age of Brookfield. Examining the gifts of the magi, he explains how those who have yet to receive the greatest gift of all can make this the most meaningful Christmas ever.

(If you’re reading this via email, please click on the title above to be taken to the audio recording.)
Want to hear more of these five-star Care-age messages? Visit our Chris Carrillo page!
2 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.

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