I was having coffee with a friend earlier last month, and they seemed unusually tired. They had spent the morning working in their garden on a very hot and humid day. The next day, she texted me to let me know she had tested positive for COVID. A few days later, I heard her husband was positive too. They had both been at a party where at least ten other people also contracted COVID. I had heard about a summer COVID wave, but seeing it happen around me was a wake-up call. I was glad I followed the CDC recommendations last spring and got a second COVID booster. I know vaccines aren’t perfect, but I want to do anything in my power to avoid getting sick and staying out of the hospital.

In June, the FDA announced there would be an updated COVID-19 vaccine in the fall. This new vaccine aims to reduce hospitalizations and deaths, especially among older Americans. Adults 65 and older account for two-thirds of COVID hospitalizations and 82% of in-hospital deaths. People aged 75 and over are at the greatest risk if they contract COVID-19. Most of the older adults hospitalized due to COVID-19 were not vaccinated, highlighting that the biggest risk factor for severe illness is age.

Plan now to get both the updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall before the respiratory virus season hits. You don’t need two separate appointments; you can get both your flu and COVID-19 shots at the same time. Both COVID and the flu tend to increase during the winter months, known as “cold season.”

If you want to avoid getting sick, get your vaccines. The pandemic may be over, but COVID-19 is still affecting people. Like the flu vaccine, you need the COVID vaccine every year. This past year, the CDC recommended that older adults get an additional booster shot. They anticipate doing the same this coming year as well.

COVID vaccines are available for free to everyone six months and older living in the US, regardless of immigration or insurance status. August is National Immunization Month. Celebrate it by making your vaccine plan for this fall.

Key Takeaways:

1. Get Vaccinated: Follow CDC guidelines and get the updated COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot this fall.
2. Plan Ahead: You can get both vaccines at the same time, saving you a trip.
3. Protect Yourself and Others: Vaccines reduce the risk of severe illness, especially for older adults.
4. Stay Informed: Keep up with CDC recommendations for any additional booster shots.
5. Accessibility: Vaccines are free for everyone in the US, regardless of immigration or insurance status.

Stay safe and healthy this season by ensuring you’re up to date with your vaccinations. Your health and the health of those around you depend on it.

If you or someone you love needs help managing their medical appointments or needs other support related to their health care needs, contact the experts at JF and learn how our team of Geriatric Care Managers can help you and the ones you love live better, longer.

Every year, during open enrollment, you have the opportunity to review and make changes to your current Medicare coverage.

Even if you have been with the same insurance plan for a long time, what you pay and what coverage you have can change. As you grow older, your medical needs may change, and your current plan may not be right for you.

Here are some reasons to review your coverage:

• You notice that you are paying more for your prescriptions.
• You are now wintering in Florida or spending your summers up in Maine.
• Your income has dropped.
• You have a new diagnosis of a chronic condition.
• You are in a Medicare Advantage plan and your doctor is no longer in network.
• Changes to your former employer’s retiree health benefits
• You are very healthy, and only see a doctor infrequently
• Your plan has changed or removed some benefits.

Contacting your local senior center and to schedule an appointment with a SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) counselor. These highly trained volunteers can review your current coverage with you and help you evaluate whether it still meets your needs. If not, they will review your options.  SHINE offers free, unbiased health insurance information and counseling to people with Medicare and their caregivers.  Any changes you make will become effective on January1, 2024.

Common Medicare mistakes we see:

Thinking that an AARP membership card provides you with prescription coverage under Medicare Part D.

Not signing up for Medicare Part B. You get Part A automatically. By not signing up for Medicare Part B in a timely manner, you may delay coverage and need to pay a late enrollment penalty for the rest of your life.

Thinking that Medicare Advantage plans cove prescriptions in  the “donut hole”

Thinking you earn too much to get help paying for prescriptions. You can earn $70,000 as an individual and $98,000 as a couple and be eligible for the Massachusetts sponsored prescription drug program for older adults and people with disabilities.

The Care Managers of JFS Allies in Aging can answer your questions about Medicare help you understand your health insurance needs so you can make wise decisions during this year’s open enrollment period.

Register Here!

As summer approaches, it is important to be prepared for the heat, especially older adults. With higher temperatures and longer days, the risk of heat-related illness and dehydration increases.

Here are some tips to stay safe, comfortable and active during the summer months:

1. Drink water! Avoid alcohol and caffeine as these can lead to dehydration. Carry a water bottle with you and take frequent sips throughout the day.
2. Dress for the weather! Light colors and loose-fitting clothing is the way to go. A hat with a wide brim can protect your face and neck from the sun’s strong rays.
3. Plan your outside time before 11 and after 3. Avoid the strongest sun in the middle of the day.
4. Keep your home cool: Air conditioning is no longer a luxury. Use fans to circulate air and keep the temperatures cooler. Close your curtains or blinds during the day to block the sun’s rays.
5. Careful! Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. These include heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting. Heat stroke can increase body temperature, cause confusion, seizures or even loss of consciousness. If you or loved one experience these symptoms, Get help immediately.

By following these tips, older adults can enjoy the summer months while staying safe and healthy.

If you are concerned about yourself or your loved one, call the experts at Allies in Aging, JFS Elder Care Solutions. We can help you and your loved ones stay safe this summer and throughout the year.

Kindness and Caregiving 

What does kindness have to do with caregiving? Caregiving is a relationship between two people, both with their own feelings, thoughts and needs. Because of the demands of caregiving, a caregiver often loses sight of the relationship, and caregiving becomes a series of tasks to be accomplished, boxes to be checked on a to-do list. Unlike other relationships in our lives, the relationship between a caregiver and their loved one often lacks reciprocity. A caregiver has the experience of giving, giving, giving, doing, doing, doing without acknowledgement or thanks. Where does kindness come in? 

Caregiving demands kindness and radical empathy… Try to imagine that you have dementia, and in your confusion, you don’t know where you are. The familiar house you have lived in for decades appears strange to you, and you want to go home. You are panicked. Only your long-term memory is intact, and you long for your old room in the house you grew up in. As caregivers, our natural impulse is to say, “Honey, we are home. This is our house that we have lived in since 1986! This is not convincing to a person with dementia. If you came upon a stranger who told you they were lost, and wanted to go home, how would you react? Kindly, with reassurance. You might put your arm around them and tell them that you will help them get home or you might say that you will stay with them and not leave them alone. To respond with kindness and patience each time you are asked “When are we going to go home?” as if this is the first time you are hearing this question. 

There is nothing worse than feeling alone in a marriage. Because of this lack of reciprocity, a caregiver often feels alone, abandoned by their spouse, even though they know if is the illness that is the cause. As friends, neighbors, and family we are called upon to be kind. Anything we can do alleviate the social isolation of a caregiver is welcome. A card, sending flowers on a birthday or holiday, dropping off a meal, shoveling a walk, picking up some groceries, a gift card for house cleaning, taking the dog for a walk, giving a gift of respite, whether it is you offering to spend time with their loved one with dementia or providing an aid for a few hours these random acts of kindness and 10’s of others, can make a huge difference in the life of a caregiver. 

Kindness begets kindness. The kinder you can be to a caregiver, the kinder they will be to their loved one. Caregiving doesn’t take place in a vacuum. Let us create a community of kindness, one act of kindness at a time. If you want more information on how to support the caregivers in your life, contact Allies in Aging 508-808-3263.

AARP.org 

It can be challenging to follow the CDC’s recommendations that encourage older adults to limit their travel and close interactions with other people as much as possible. To many, this translates into staying at home for the duration. For those who were starting to feel as if it was safe to venture out again, the surging infection rates have forced many back into isolation, deepening feelings of loneliness and depression. 

Maintaining social connections is key to maintaining health and well-being. Elder care expert and Director of Allies in Aging JFS Elder Care Solutions Malka Young suggests, instead of social distancing, think physical distancing + social connection. She was recently quoted in the aforementioned AARP blog, a national organization that advocates for older adults. 

During World War II the planting of victory gardens, and the rationing of gas, food, and clothing connected Americans of all ages, classes, and cultures in a shared effort to save these precious resources for soldiers. Now, mask wearing, sheltering in place, washing our hands frequently, and limiting the spread of the virus allows us to connect to neighbors, friends and family no matter where they are. 

Here are 10 actions that you can do every day to keep your spirits up: Call someone* (keep a list of family, friends, neighbors by your phone) 

1. 1. Call someone** (keep a list of family, friends, neighbors by your phone) 
   2. Move your body (CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly) 
   3. Straighten up one area in your home 
   4. Eat something healthy and stay hydrated 
   5. Get outside 
   6. Get a good night’s sleep 
   7. Limit how much news you listen to (15 minutes 2x/day is more than enough!) 
   8. Name one thing you are grateful for 
   9. Learn something new 
   10. Do something creative (listen to music, bake, make something, etc.) 

**At Call2Talk 508-532-2255 someone is available to listen 24 hours/day/7 days/week. 

For more ideas, read AARP’s article 6 Ways to Overcome Social Isolation During Another COVID Winter. 

Are you or a loved one struggling with social isolation due to the pandemic? Are you worried about managing the coming months amidst the ongoing COVID-19 crisis? Contact Malka Young to learn how a Geriatric Care Manager can assess your concerns, arrange services and provide critical support to ensure that you or your loved ones are safe and cared for during the coming months. 

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“When talking with my friend Linda the other day, she commented that she feels more alone when she and I talk over Zoom than she does when we just speak on the phone. “Somehow, talking on the phone just seems more normal…”, she said.  

My friend Linda has never married. She hadn’t planned to be alone at age 75, but here she is. These past 10 months alone in her condo have really shown Linda that she is on her own. Linda is part of the more than 20% of older adults in the U.S. who do not have a family caregiver available in case they become ill or incapacitated.

The changes Linda has had to make because of the pandemic will help her as she grows older. She now has her medications and groceries delivered. She’s set up automatic online bill payments for all her regular bills so she can skip the trip to the post office. With no other distractions, she has started to declutter her apartment; getting rid of clothes she doesn’t wear anymore, giving away books she’s already read, and in many ways simplifying her life. 

Before the pandemic, Linda went to the gym most days, was part of a book group and had weekly Friday morning coffees with a past colleague. She feels she has had a preview of what her life might be like if she were to become sick or incapacitated and unable to leave her house.

Things she has not figured out yet:

• Who should be her emergency contact?
• Who will be her health care proxy? Durable Power of Attorney?
• Who would care for her if she needed help?
• How can she build her social network, so she does not feel so isolated?

But, Linda is not alone. The experienced care managers at Allies in Aging JFS Elder Care Solutions can help her plan for her future. A year ago, staying at home for 10 months would have been unimaginable. Now Linda thinks about her future and wants to be ready for anything. I am confident she will!

Contact us and get support today!