Denton County Living Well Magazine Fall 2013 | Page 17
Getting Old is Harder Than It Used to Be
s Baby Boomers get older, many of them are suffering because they weren’t fully prepared for the hardships of aging. These days, getting old seems to be harder than it used to be––families live farther apart and aren’t always able to care for each other the way they did in the past. There are many of us in the Sandwich Generation––trying to raise our kids and take care of our parents at the same time and that’s a lot to juggle. People are living longer, and providing quality care for them is getting tougher, but there are some things we can do to make it a little easier. Fraud Awareness: I have seen too many older women and men who were manipulated by someone they thought they could trust: a son, a daughter, a family friend, a teller at a bank, or even a caregiver. These people each befriended an elderly person and then abused their position to exploit them, almost always in ways that were financial or material. Take the time to talk to your elderly loved ones regularly about their lives and daily activities and listen carefully for hints that they are struggling to manage on their own. Remind them that there are many unscrupulous people and countless scams perpetrated every day. Make sure they know you are available to help and that you care about their well-being and financial security. Know Your Health Care Options: There’s another important way to prepare for aging: get the facts on your health care coverage and available public benefits. Many people don’t know what private health insurance and Medicare will and will not cover. People are often shocked to find out that Medicare or their health insurance will not pay for long-term skilled nursing or assisted living ca ?K ?X??[???? ?\?[? ???\??H[? ???YH [?H?[??]??\??Y[??[?Y?] ? ?X?\?YYX?ZY??]\?[???&H?[?Y?] ??]??]?\?[?H ]X[Y?Y\??? \?H X?X? ???[\?Y? [?H]?H HY ?[?Y?H? [YH ? [?[?Y ?[??K??]\?H?\?H[??\?[??K?] ?\]Z]?[[? ?[?XZ?H[ HY??\?[??K???]\?H?\?H[??[??]?\?H ?YZ? ?H\?H\??Y ?[ ?[Z[Y\? ??\?H?X?Y ?] H?[[??\??[ ?Z[Y\??&\?[??\???\??[Y[?XK?\?H\?H ?] X][????H?HK?]H[?\?[??Z\??B??B??]?[??H ?X[ H\??]?\?[?H[??? ?Y ?X?[]][??[?\???[??X??YH H?[?? ??? X?\?H ??[?\?[? ]X]?\?H?[Z[ H[??[?[??X[ ?Z[? YH ???[???YKYYX?[^ [??\?[??\??[???\?H??? ?]8?&\?[\???X?H ? [???]?\?H [?^ X?Y?\??[\?[??H ]??[\?\?H[? H?] \?K?]]?[?? [?\?\?]H [??[????[Y[? ?[??\?\? ???\? ???X?H ?[Y?[?][ H[ ?YYX?[[? \?X?H ??\???] ??^H ?\?Y?]HY?[? ? ?\??\? ?]YYX?[X?\?[??[??[?[??X[X] \??\?H ?][ ?]??Y[?? H?YY???X\?X[??\ ??X\?X[??\ ???Y][Y\?]?X??Y\??X\? ]H \???????\?\? H?\X?] H ??\?H??? ??X? [\?[ ?\?H?Y?H?[?\ ?[?HY?[?X\?X[??? ??Y[?H ??\? ?Y??\?[?????H[Y[?XH?[?H?\?\?X?[] H ][\Z\???Y?Y[?[?X?\?[?[XZ?[??H\ ?[?Y?X\?X[? ?[ \X?[ H?\??YH \???[Y??Z\??[??[?[??\??X\?X[??\ ??[??HY??X?[ ?]\?H ??Y][Y\??X?\??\?H ? ??X?H?Y?H???H^ ?]][??H [???\ [?\??Z\??ZYY [?K??H? H? H ?^\? ?[??\?H [?H]?H ??YH?? ??[? H ?[X?[??H?X\?X[?\? ? ?Y?HX?\?][???X\?X[? ?[H [?H]?H?\X?] K?HX?\?][???X\?X[?[??? [?H ?????H ?? [?H????? ?[?\ ?[?Y\? [?\??X\?X[?Y? H [YH]?\???Y\? ?[? ]8?&\??X?\??\?K?H] HY ?[??H [??[???[?XZ?H [???H?X\?Y\??? H ??Y ?] [?? [?\? ?\?\??H???ZXY? [YH?[? ?]?[?H??X\?X?H[??Y? [???[? ?\?YY ?\????]\? [?x?&\?H[ [?? [?\? \?[? ???\??[Z[ HY[X?\??X[ ?]Y?[????X?[?? ??H?[[??\? [?\??[???&]??][?K??YZ? ]X[Y?YY ??\??[?[Y ?X?H?X[ ?\?K[??\?[??KY?[??[Y[? ?[??[?[??X[ [??[??\?H\?HX[?H ?\? ]?? H ??\??[?[ ?[??\???[][?] x?$??$?Z?H H [YH ??Z[ ?[][??\ ? ?] [?H [?H ?\? ?[ [??? [?\??] \?K?[?x?&\?H?[?? [?\??[Z[ HH Y?H?]?? ?[? [?H ]H [?[? X?H ?[?Y??H [?H?YY] ??HK?]H[?\?[??Z\??H\?H[\?]?] ??^\? ?]?HK?]H ?\????X]\?[???[\?\?XK?^H[ ?Y[? ? ?? ??Y? \?H\??Y\?]?\?H^H[??[??H ?XX?Y]M?NNM?L?M ???[????[? H]?[???[XY?^?[?H8?(??[ ? L??MB??