Two of my favorite people in the world -- Chris Carrillo and Dorothy Hendrix -- after the September 2018 Christian Music Hour at Care-age of Brookfield.  

Volunteering at a nursing home is not for everyone. But oh, if you are among those the Lord is calling for this ministry, you will be rewarded a thousand times over for every second you put into it.
 
Exhibit A: See the photo above.
 
On the left is my friend Chris Carrillo, a computer expert by day, and a preacher extraordinaire on weekends. He’s the Lord’s faithful servant who brings a wonderful, biblical message to the residents of Care-age of Brookfield every month – a message that invariably exhorts and encourages everyone within earshot, but especially the residents for whom he has tailored his insights. (For a sampling, visit our Messages from Chris Carrillo page.)    
 
On the right is my dear sister in Christ Dorothy Hendrix, who hails from Alabama. Dorothy is giving me a real education in Southern Belle Speak. (For the first couple months I knew her, when she told me that her son had “carried” her to the doctor or out to eat, I pictured him literally picking her up and toting her to the day’s destination. It took me quite a while to figure out that, to a Southern Belle, “carried” means “took” or “brought.”) Always ready to greet you with an encouraging word and a smile as bright as the sun, Dorothy makes your heart grin every time you see her.
 
Chris and Dorothy are just two of the absolutely terrific people I’ve gotten to know at Care-age over the years. I have a digital folder filled with photos of many of them, and one of my favorite ways to spend a spare hour or two is to look through those shots, reminiscing about the times we shared on this earth and anticipating all those joyful reunions “beyond the sunset.”
 
I know beyond any doubt that the Lord has called me to this ministry; it’s the only explanation I can think of for the sheer joy I feel every time I set foot in this facility.
 
Do you think He might be doing the same for you?  
                                                                  
If this brief glimpse into nursing-home volunteerism moves you at all, perhaps there are some equally amazing folks in your future. Check out some of the possibilities here. If any of these ideas appeal to you, or if you have some thoughts of your own on the subject, I do hope you’ll consider calling the Activities Director at a nearby nursing home to see how you might be a blessing to those who live there.     

First Impressions, Lasting Effect:
DIY Projects that Can Sell a Home Quickly
​

By June Duncan

If your parents are ready to downsize, chances are that they’re having a hard time managing their home and need to move as soon as possible. The faster you can get their home in shape and ready to sell, the better for all concerned. Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to grab the attention of potential home buyers and help your parents’ home sell quickly. With banks showing a continued reluctance to lend, competition can be very tight as buyers try to strike a compromise between the home of their dreams and one they can afford. The more you can do to make a strong initial impression, the better your chances of winning over a motivated buyer.

Maintain the clean
As soon as it’s decided to put your parents’ house on the market, give the entire place a deep cleaning, and be careful to keep it that way by cleaning thoroughly on a regular basis. You’ll need the tools necessary to keep the whole place spick and span, including a solid, quality vacuum cleaner with high-suction capability, and consider using microfiber wash cloths capable of getting up the worst grime and dust behind appliances and furniture, and keeping hardwood floors gleaming.

An engaging entryway
If it’s true you only have one chance to make a good first impression, you should place particular emphasis on the front entryway. A blase entryway makes it that much more difficult to win over a buyer once they’re inside, so spend some time and thought on creating a welcoming entrance. Keep any plantings well-trimmed and the area around the door weeded so as not to give the impression of neglect or seediness. If your house numbers are looking faded and worn, replace them with shiny, reflective numbers, and consider repainting or replacing your front door if it’s seen better days - an attractive front door will give buyers a positive initial impression they’ll carry with them as they move throughout the house. Once they’re inside, visitors shouldn’t see any shoes, jackets, keys or pieces of mail lying around.
 
Kitchen cabinets
Along with the bathroom, the kitchen is one of the most important rooms and is always of interest to buyers. With kitchen cabinets being such a dominant feature, it’s important to make sure they’re attractive and well-surfaced, so consider removing all drawers, doors and fixtures, cleaning each surface, deglazing with liquid sand and cleaning each surface once more, then repainting with the color of your choice. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to really make your kitchen pop.

Baseboards
Chances are that your parents’ baseboards have taken a pounding over the years, especially if they’ve been exposed to kids and pets. Fortunately, they can be repaired on a DIY basis fairly easily. Patch all holes, cracks or dents with wood filler, sand them, and repaint or refinish. If baseboards have separated from the wall, simply add caulk at the top where the trim meets the wall. Make sure all nails are flush with the face of the trim board using a nail punch.

Clean out the closets
Rest assured that attentive buyers will check into every nook and cranny of your parents’ home, which means closets and drawers too. A clean, well-organized closet is a sign of a truly well-cared-for house and will impress even the most discriminating buyer, so take the time to declutter each closet, getting rid of everything you can, and carefully organize what’s left behind. This will also help buyers see that your parents’ house has ample closet space, a very important point for anyone looking for a new home.

Appliances
If your appliances are showing their age, consider replacing knobs (easily done with a pair of needle-nose pliers) and any other fixtures that might help spruce them up. Make sure the facings of your oven, refrigerator, and microwave are sparkling clean.
​
A first impression is rarely more important than when you’re trying to sell a home. Focus on the front entryway to your parents’ home and keep the exterior area around the front door trim and well-kept. Before you invest a lot of money into your preparations, bear in mind that most staging tasks can be taken care of relatively easily and inexpensively.
 
About the Author
 
June Duncan is the co-creator of Rise Up for Caregivers, which offers support for family members and friends who have taken on the responsibility of caring for their loved ones. She is author of the upcoming book, The Complete Guide to Caregiving: A Daily Companion for New Senior Caregivers.

There’s one characteristic shared by nearly all elderly women living in American nursing homes – and that’s the fact that most are widows.

The statistics are there for anyone to see: Our men are living to an average age of 76; women, to 81. And women usually marry men who are two or three years older than we are. Ergo, most of us wives  are likely to outlive our husbands by a number of years.

I think about this fact often when I visit my friends at what my mom called "the old ladies' home." These women are my heroes. They have survived what must surely be one of life’s greatest trials -- losing not just their mates and their caretakers but even their identities, as Joe's wife became Joe's widow.

Some, however, are spared the worst of it. And guess what: It's not those independents with feminist leanings, but those who count themselves children of God. 

These, in fact, are the widows who seem to have recovered most successfully from their losses, in my experience. Sure, they miss their husbands greatly and speak of them fondly. They keep pictures on their night tables and walls to remind themselves of their happy lives together. And they are definitely looking forward with great delight to their impending heavenly reunions.

But for the time being, they are positioned solidly in the present, living new lives  sans spouse, and gratefully accepting whatever help they need from their brothers and sisters in Christ. 

I remember wondering about this before I became a Christian myself: How do you do that? How do you face tomorrow without your beloved companion at your side? Which is why I look at these women with awe, knowing that they have gone through this dark tunnel and somehow came out the other end smiling.

I remember my mother saying, after my dad’s death at age 59, that she had now turned the page to a new chapter in her life. She didn’t say that right away, of course; it took some months for her to heal enough to view her life in those terms. But she did ultimately say it, and mean it, and live it. 

I wonder how well the women of my generation will fare in this department. I'm sure the born-again Christians will be fine, but we are a dying breed, according to surveys I've seen over the last decade.  How will the once-happily-married widows who are not born-again manage? 

If the Lord tarries, it's going to be very interesting to find out. ​

By June Duncan

There are many reasons why someone would need long-term care, whether it be in the form of in-home nursing care, time at an assisted living facility, or actual nursing home care. As US News notes, “people are living longer, but they aren’t necessarily living healthier.” Couple that with accidents that cause disabilities, hereditary disease, and mental decline and you can see why long-term care is an inevitability for over two-thirds of seniors.

Affording Care If You Need It
If you spot risk factors early in your life you can begin to prepare in advance - this is the best method for putting yourself in a position to afford care. Early on, you can begin to put money away for this possibility/inevitability. While simply tucking income away in a savings account is ok, you should diversify with an IRA, 401k, Health Savings Account, and other investments. You should also look into long-term care insurance (but it’s not for everybody).

While Medicare will not cover long-term care, Medicare supplemental insurance like the Humana Medicare Advantage plan can offer help with prescriptions, dental, vision, fitness services, caregiver support, and a 24/7 nursing advice line -- things anyone in long-term care will probably need. It’s important to learn about Medicare open enrollment so you know all the crucial details, such as when to sign up (October 15 to December 7) and what’s required to do so.

If you fail to store enough away early on and the sudden need for long-term care arises, there are still things you can do. This includes steps like taking a reverse mortgage on your home, activating illness riders on a current insurance policy and cashing out your life insurance policy.

How to Know If You’ll Need Long-Term Care
Very few people can predict, with absolute certainty, whether they will need some sort of long-term care. But there are factors that make it much more likely. These include:

• Being a woman
• Being over 65
• Smoking, heavy alcohol use, and drug abuse
• Family history of illness
• Mental decline (Alzheimer’s)
• Chronic health conditions
• Serious illness
• Disability and/or mobility issues
• Lack of close family support

If you check one or more of these boxes, it may be smart to begin to plan for eventual long-term care. But even if you (smartly) begin to plan, there are lifestyle changes and other measures you can undertake to reduce your chances of needing long-term care. A good diet, proper exercise, and reducing your intake of unhealthy chemicals (nicotine and alcohol) can help you prevent illness and decline.

Another crucial focus should be on preventing falls as you age. Nothing increases your chances of needing nursing care more than a major spill. Dealing with vision issues and getting fitted for a walking aid can help. So can home modifications like ramps, handrails, grab bars, non-slip floor replacements, and increased lighting in dimmer areas.

Will you need long-term care? The statistics say it is probable. So consider your risk factors, take stock of your lifestyle choices, and begin to plan financially.

About the author

June Duncan is the co-creator of Rise Up for Caregivers, which offers support for family members and friends who have taken on the responsibility of caring for their loved ones. She is author of the upcoming book, The Complete Guide to Caregiving: A Daily Companion for New Senior Caregivers. 

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 modern-day Huns overrun our country, all bets are off. But let’s assume 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 scenario.

On the one hand, the demand for nursing-home care is expected to more than double by 2050, according to a study released in 2013 by JAMA and the Kaiser Foundation. 
 
On the other hand, the supply looks like it’s destined to dwindle. Skilled nursing facilities are becoming less and less profitable, according to a recent report.  The reasons include sagging occupancy and reimbursement rates--with occupancy declines perhaps related to a boom in building for the assisted-living arm of the eldercare industry.  
 
What will happen to those of us who eventually need skilled nursing care, 24x7?
 
“It’s literally schools versus nursing homes,” columnist Robert J. Samuelson wrote a few years ago. “We need a better balance between workers’ legitimate desire for a comfortable retirement and society’s larger interests. Instead, our system favors the past over the future. Things could be done to mitigate the bias. None would be easy or popular. But it’s first necessary to acknowledge the bias and discuss it openly. This we are far from doing.”

If you don’t find this commentary chilling, you might want to ponder exactly what this columnist has in mind. Let's hope it won't ultimately turn into yet another case of our wanting to be "just like Europe," birthplace of a brave new world that exalts eldercare "solutions" from assisted suicide to euthanasia.  

There’s a very nice documentary available from some kind folks in Seattle. Called “The Growing Season,” it features the interaction of very young children and very old nursing-home residents. ​

(Reading this via email? Please click on the title above to be taken to the original post, where you'll be able to access the video trailer.) 

It's bad enough that there are people who support assisted suicide. As sick as that is, at least it's supposedly voluntary. Far more troubling are those who think it'd be a great idea to put old people "to sleep" in order to reduce healthcare costs. Think it couldn't happen here? Take a look at this 2013 "man on the street" video from Mark Dice; then think again.   

I suppose this shouldn't be surprising, considering what the polls reveal about Americans' willingness to play God. A 2017 Gallup poll, for instance, found overwhelming support for euthanasia for "terminally ill" patients--shockingly, even among church-goers. 

It really makes you wonder how far we can be from the end of time. As the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:1-2, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron..."

In the meantime, fellow seniors, look out! Way too many people figure it's our duty to die just as soon as we become a drain on the healthcare system. Even worse, many of them seem to be happy to help us do it.