senior care
Nursing Home Red Flags: How to Tell if Your Loved One is Getting Good Care
When someone you love lives in a nursing home or long-term care facility, you cannot be there every hour of every day. That is one of the hardest parts of being a family caregiver. Here is the good news. Care leaves clues. This article explores the top nursing home red flags. We asked three patient…
Read MoreWhat do Assisted Living Costs Include?
Understanding Base Rates, Levels of Care, and Hidden Costs When families start looking at assisted living for a loved one, the monthly price tag can seem manageable. But many discover that the number on the brochure is just the starting point. The services they assumed were included often cost extra. We talked with Lori Maloney,…
Read MoreDoes Medicare pay for nursing homes?
The Truth About What Is (and Is Not) Covered One of the most common and costly misunderstandings about senior care is that Medicare pays for nursing home stays. Many families assume that after a lifetime of paying into Medicare, it will cover long-term care when they need it. This is not true. Understanding what Medicare…
Read MoreSenior Loneliness Is a Health Crisis
This Mental Health Awareness Month, Let’s Treat It Like One. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s a good time to talk about something many older adults are quietly struggling with: senior loneliness. Loneliness might sound like just a feeling. It’s actually a serious health risk for seniors. It can hurt the brain, the heart,…
Read MoreState-by-State Long-Term Care Costs
A Reference Guide for Families Planning Senior Care Understanding Long-Term Care Costs Long-term care costs vary dramatically by state and care setting. Use this guide to understand what families in your area typically pay for different levels of care. Remember: these are averages. Actual costs depend on the specific facility, location within the state, level…
Read MoreUnderstanding Long-Term Care
A Complete Guide to Your Options When a parent starts struggling at home, missing medications, falling, or just seeming less like themselves, families often find themselves thrust into a world they know little about. What is long-term care? What’s the difference between assisted living and a nursing home? Will Medicare pay for any of this?…
Read MoreMeet Amanda DiGiovanni, OTD, BCPA
Amanda DiGiovanni, OTD, BCPA, is a patient advocate with Umbra Health Advocacy and a Doctor of Occupational Therapy with more than 25 years of experience. She is also a Certified Aging in Place Specialist and holds an Executive Certification in Home Modifications, so she can set up a home to work for someone with disabilities…
Read MoreReal Help for Caregivers: Guide to state and federal programs
If you are a caregiver for your mom, dad, spouse or elderly loved one you are probably exhausted. You love your mom (or dad, or spouse). You want to take care of them. But it is a lot of work and you are drained and approaching burn out. Maybe you have kids or a job…
Read MoreHow Do I Get Paid to Take Care of Mom?
Are you caring for an aging parent while also working full time, raising kids and running your own household? Perhaps you have wondered “how can I get paid to take care of mom, dad, or an elderly loved one?” You are not alone. More than 53 million Americans provide unpaid care for a family member.…
Read MoreMeet Barbara Gaynor, RN, LNC, BCPA
Barbara Gaynor, RN, LNC, BCPA, is a registered nurse and patient advocate with Umbra Health Advocacy. She has more than 25 years of nursing experience across hospitals, long-term care, home health, hospice, and case management. Barbara supports patients and families as they navigate the healthcare system and make confident, informed decisions. She is also a…
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