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Holidays: Unique Opportunity
for Families to Connect

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Holidays: Unique Opportunity
for Families to Connect

MORNINGSTAR SENIOR LIVING | November 23
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Assisted Living, Independent Living, Lifestyle, Rooted Blog, Senior Care, Senior Health, Senior Living |
Holiday merry-making is a wonderful thing. In a stressful world, we welcome a season of refreshment for body and soul.

Deck the Halls


Over the river and through the woods, To Grandmother’s house we go; The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh; Through the white and drifted snow.

And haven’t we all been part of this colorful scene?...Multiple generations gathered in the family home, animated conversations everywhere, settling in at the dining table where a flushed cook scurries in and out of the kitchen. It’s a Rockwell painting. It’s the quintessential American scene. It’s the Holidays.

All the fuss and bustle are worth it. For reunions satisfy our core need for connection with those we love most. For many, this is rare time of togetherness for all those called Family.

Age Happens

In such moments, the conversation often turns to the health of its most senior members. “So, Dad, how are you getting on these days?” “Jack, just how do you think Mom is doing lately?”

Nothing brings home the realities of aging like seeing it at work in our own parents. The prospect of our mortality calls for insight, resources and courage. Most of all, we are called to walk the road together as Family.

Great Conversations

The holidays are full of opportunities to savor the time. In these relaxed settings, a family can begin to explore possible next steps for aging parents.

Start with a light topic, then resolve to focus on your parents’ agenda at their own pace. Only when we first hear and speak to a senior’s concerns, can we hope for a real exchange of ideas. Issues of Control and Legacy will rise in every conversation. Listen for them. Respond with open-ended questions that gently:

  • Emphasize your sincerity to hear and understand
  • Suggest ways for the senior to maintain control and dignity
  • Acknowledge a senior’s wealth of experience and wisdom
  • Posture yourself as an advocate for them and their priorities
  • Unite the family as a whole in finding a solution
  • Seek not just facts, but context and emotion
  • End on an upbeat note, paving the way for the next healthy conversation

Be Observant

While respect for your parents’ independence is consummate, do all you can to ensure they are healthy, safe and enjoying life to the fullest. While visiting in their home, be aware of signs that they may need some additional help—indicators that your loved one could be struggling in a changing landscape.

Housekeeping: If you notice that your parent’s house looks more cluttered or is not as clean as it once was, it could mean they’re not physically able to clean up anymore or their eyesight has deteriorated. Consider the resulting tripping or sanitation hazards.

Home Environment: Evaluate whether the layout of the home itself is no longer conducive to safe and easy movement. Stairs can be one of the chief culprits.

Weight Loss or Gain: Loss of appetite can be a sign of a medical problem. Perhaps they are having trouble working the stove, can’t get to the grocery often enough, or are simply forgetting to eat. Weight gain may also be precipitated by a medical issue. Reaching for extra snacks could be a way of coping with depression.

Hygiene: If you’re noticing your loved one has body odor, bad breath or even sores, it suggests that they may need someone to help with activities of daily grooming.

Wounds: If your loved one always seems to have bruises or scrapes, especially on the head, it’s cause for concern. It could mean they are experiencing falls due to poor balance, missed medications or alcohol use.

Financial Irregularities: Is your parent forgetting to keep up with finances and household paper-work? They may be falling victim to aggressive salesmen or scammers. Is it time for you to take over some of their financial matters? Discuss which charities are important to them and remove their name from the rest to better steward their resources.

Forgetfulness and Mood Changes: While only a neurologist can diagnose dementia, unusual changes in mood, like increased agitation, prolonged silences or uncharacteristic behavior, together with forgetfulness could point to a loss in cognition.

Is it Time for a Life Transition?

If you’ve just begun researching senior living, MorningStar can help make you a conversational expert in no time. If you’ve already read much and shopped much, we’d be honored to share the distinguishing marks of MorningStar, the reason why our reputation and family satisfaction are second to none.


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BRIDGE LOANS

It’s not uncommon for families to be short on funds when transitioning a loved one into a senior community. The ElderLife Bridge Loan allows you to pay for rent and care in the short term while waiting for other funds to come in. Common financial shortfalls include the time that it takes to list and sell a home, or the waiting period before receiving VA Benefits.

The Bridge Loan is designed like a line of credit, bridging the financial shortfall for up to 12 months. The loan is unsecured (no collateral needed) and approved quickly with no penalty for early payoff and affordable interest payments as low as $8 per $1000 borrowed.

To learn more about the ElderLife Bridge Loan, call 877.664.1710 or Click Here.

REVERSE MORTGAGE

When one partner needs assisted living, and the other partner chooses to remain living in a private home, a reverse mortgage may be a good solution to help pay for increased expenses. Without affecting Medicare or Social Security benefits, reverse mortgages allow a homeowner to stay in the home and withdraw from the equity that the couple has built. Mortgage holders get tax-free cash flow as a loan against that equity, a loan that doesn’t need to be repaid until the house is sold or the owner moves out or dies.

Be sure to vet lenders and their terms thoroughly before making any decision. If you would like to be connected to a trusted, licensed reverse mortgage partner, call 877.664.1710.

LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE

Long-term care insurance helps pay for senior care and protect personal assets by covering expenses up to the amounts set forth in the policy. LTC insurance pays for a variety of services in senior communities, and can offer care options that may not be covered through the federal subsidies of Medicare and Medicaid (see below section).

LTC policies can be complex and it may be difficult to understand and activate your policy. If you have questions about your Long-term Care policy, call 877.664.1710 to be connected with an expert for a free policy review.

SELLING THE HOME

The equity built up in a private home is typically a retiree’s largest asset, making the proceeds from selling extremely helpful when transitioning to a senior community. However, selling a home in a timely manner can be challenging and time-consuming. This is especially true when adult children are not living near to assist.

Many families find it helpful to work with a Real Estate Professional experienced with all aspects of selling a senior’s home. From packing and cleaning to listing and selling, ElderLife’s agents are ready to assist with the entire process to simplify a senior transition. To be connected with a local agent, call 877.664.1710.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Approach Social Security (SS) benefits tactically. Historically, it was wise to take SS benefits early and invest them. Today, that’s not necessarily so. Maximized benefits may best be found through delayed retirement credits. Depending on your birth year, benefits increase by 3-8% annually. If you wait until age 70 to collect, that monthly check could increase by 25% or more. And a surviving spouse receives the entirety of that benefit upon the worker’s death, making delayed retirement credits even more valuable. Study the new rules to choose your best course.
Click here for original source info.

MEDICARE

Think of Medicare as health insurance for those 65 years and older, regardless of income. While Medicare never pays for assisted living, it is designed to help fund certain postacute expenses in the first 100 days, namely hospitalization and rehab, as long as the person’s health is improving.
Once you’ve plateaued, Medicare stops paying.

Benefits may be available for home health care, but only if certain conditions are met. Medicare Part A covers hospice (palliative care) for the actively dying, regardless of income, including in a senior living community. Click here for original source info.

In contrast, Medicaid is a federal government program that subsidizes the medical expenses (including certain health services and nursing home care) for low income people of all ages. MorningStar does not accept Medicaid. Click here for more information.

LEVERAGE LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES

Whole life and universal life policies build a reserve of cash through interest-earning excess premiums (known as the policy’s “cash value”). In some situations, life insurance can be a source of ready funds through cash surrender, death benefit loans, accelerating death benefits, life (or viatical) settlements, or even selling the policy on the open market for immediate cash.

Before acting on any of these methods, consult a financial advisor, as there may be tax consequences. Life Care Funding can also help you determine whether a policy can be converted. Click Here

TAX BENEFITS

The IRS allows certain deductions on a federal tax return for the cost of housing and meals of those receiving long-term care in a senior community due to chronic illness or the inability to live alone.

Assisted living residents may qualify for these deductions if a physician certifies that they have been unable to perform at least two activities of daily living (such as eating, bathing or dressing) without assistance for at least 90 days. The same deductions can apply to those who require substantial supervision due to memory impairment.

An adult child paying for a parent’s care may also qualify for the tax deductions, if the child can claim the parent as a dependent. Consult a tax advisor for further information or visit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Click Here.

COMPANION LIVING

MorningStar offers Companion Living in all of our communities, where two unrelated people of the same sex share a suite, whether in independent living, assisted living or memory care.

Not only does this living arrangement enhance life by its camaraderie, it also extends savings.

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