New Treatment For Macular Degeneration On The Way

A doctor showing the report to the senior female patient

AARP The Magazine had some amazing stories in its October/November 22 issue regarding innovations in health care.  One new device on the market are eye implants for age-related Macular Degeneration which would avoid the need for regular injections right into the eye.  The Susvimo eye implants, on the other hand, release a steady dose of the anti-VDGF drug ranibizumab (Lucentis).  They are about the size of a grain of rice and they are implanted under the eyelid where it can’t be seen and won’t impair vision.  The FDA approved the device in October of 2021 and research has shown that it works as well as monthly injections, although it has a higher rate of side effects including redness, pain and light sensitivity.

 

Pacific Grove, CA Elder Abuse Alert : Beware Of Online Dating

A stack of gold color coins and dollars on the table

There are a plethora of elder abuse scams out there, and one recently discovered by AARP was first initiated when a woman joined an online dating site.  After some weeks of chatting, he touted his success at day-trading and convinced her to invest $70,000 in a legitimate crypto exchange.  He buttered her up and eventually talked her into transferring that cryptocurrency to his “investment platform.”  You can guess the rest.  Her online beau quickly disappeared along with her $70,000

Carmel Valley, HCA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus

Elderly lady holding caregivers hand - In home dementia care Pebble Beach

Carmel Valley, HCA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus (Also Aromas, Big Sur,  Carmel, Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Highlands, Castroville, Corral-de-tierra, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, Seaside, Sand City, & Soledad

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade and have recently expanded into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.familyinhomecaregiving.com, click on careers where you can fill out an application online or go to https://tsc221.ersp.biz/index.cfm?event=Apply.index

New Treatment For Parkinson’s Disease And Essential Tremor

Doctor Robert Califf in white color coat and colorful tie

Parkinson’s Disease and Essential Tremor, a nervous system disorder that also causes involuntary shaking, can be very debilitating and to date, there have been few effective treatments.  Recently, many patients have obtained relief by having incisionless brain surgery, called focused ultrasound.  A recent study found that focused ultrasound reduced tremors by 38-50% for people with essential tremor and for those with Parkinson’s disease it eased tremors, muscle rigidity and uncontrolled movements caused by the Parkinson’s medication levodopa by 76%.  The therapy is currently FDA-approved for treating symptoms on one side of the body, and studies of bilateral procedures are on the way.

Carmel, CA Elder Abuse Alert : PayPal Scam

A stack of gold color coins and dollars on the table

It never ceases to amaze me the crazy scams that seniors fall for.  We are always on the lookout for the newest, and one I had had not heard about before involves a bogus email which is supposedly coming from PayPal.  They tell you that there is an incorrect charge on your PayPal account and that you were overpaid and have to pay it back.  You are then texted a QR code and told to scan it in at an ATM and transfer the money.  The funds are then rerouted to a Bitcoin account which is untraceable and your money is now gone.

Bad News On The Required Minimum Distribution RMD Front For IRA And 401K Owners

There is no question that this has been a terrible year in the stock market.  If you have the majority of your holdings in stocks, this can cause big problems as you may have to sell stocks at a loss in order to pay your RMD.  In addition, many seniors believe that since the stock market went down significantly this year, so too will their RMD.  This is not necessarily true.  Your RMD for this year is based on the retirement account balances at the end of 2022, not 2023.  That’s why it is always a good idea to have some cash or money market funds in your retirement accounts so that you don’t have to liquidate stocks at an inconvenient time.  If you have cash outside of your IRA, one way to avoid selling stocks is to transfer stocks equivalent in value to the RMD from the retirement account to a regular brokerage account.  That way, you can hang onto the stocks and hopefully they will recover.

Carmel-by-the-sea, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus

caregiver smiling at senior man - Pebble Beach companion care services

Carmel-by-the-sea, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus (Also Aromas, Big Sur,  Carmel, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral-de-tierra, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, Seaside, Sand City, & Soledad

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade and have recently expanded into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.familyinhomecaregiving.com, click on careers where you can fill out an application online or go to https://tsc221.ersp.biz/index.cfm?event=Apply.index

We have immediate openings all over Monterey County.

You Could Be Dehydrated And Not Even Know It

cargivier sitting with elderly man - pacific grove in home caregiving

Most people wait until they are thirsty to get a glass of water or another cold beverage. This can be a big mistake. By the time you feel thirsty, you are probably already dehydrated. In addition, experts say that as we age, our internal mechanisms for triggering thirst become less sensitive. About 70% of adults between the ages of 51 and 70 may be chronically under-hydrated, Nutrition Epidemiologist Jodi Stookey, told AARP Bulletin. This can increase the risk of Urinary Tract Infections, she said. Drink enough water so that you need to urinate every two to three hours, experts recommend.

Carmel, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus

caregiver helping client out of car - Monterey Senior Transportation Service

Carmel, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours: $2/Hour Extra On The Weekends CNA or HHA Designation A Plus (Also Aromas, Big Sur,  Carmel-by-the-sea, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Castroville, Corral-de-tierra, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale, Salinas, Seaside, Sand City, & Soledad

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade and have recently expanded into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.familyinhomecaregiving.com, click on careers where you can fill out an application online or go to https://tsc221.ersp.biz/index.cfm?event=Apply.index

We have immediate openings all over Monterey County.

Skin Cancer A Risk, But We All Need To Get Some Sunlight

Group of older people showing thumbs up

Of course, it has been proven that spending too much time in the sun without proper covering and/or sunscreen increases your risk of skin cancer.  But don’t avoid sunlight altogether, or it can put your circadian rhythm (which acts like a clock to keep nearly every organ and system on a 24-hour cycle) off.  Sunlight tells your body to start the day and keeps you awake and feeling energized.  It also helps regulate the appetite.  As the sun sets, your circadian clock releases sleep-promoting hormones.  Studies have shown that people in their 50’s and 60’s get less than an hour per day of sunlight.  At a bare minimum, experts recommend you go outside every morning for 15-30 minutes and again in the late afternoon or early evening.