The Vibrant Life

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In This Issue

• From the President's Desk
• Notes of Interest: Featured Products
• Industry Rates on Falling and Cause of Death
• Is Your Home a Safe Haven?
• Caregiver Tips
• Safety Tips for the Home
• Feature Article: Steps Toward Independence
• LifeFone in the News News Excerpts Medicare Today
• News Items Congress and Social Security Medicare Footcare Coverage

Notes of Interest

LifeFone has recently introduced a notable product we feel will interest our clients and friends.

A LifeFone smoke detection unit reacts to the presence of smoke or fire by sending a direct signal to a LifeFone specialist who monitors the detector 24/7.

If you are interested, give us a call now at 1-800-882-2280, or go online to www.lifefone.com and order these special life-saving products right away.

From the President's Desk

LifeFone values the special relationships we have with our clients. This first issue of our new newsletter, The Vibrant Life, is written with great appreciation for how LifeFone affects the daily lives of our clients and their loved ones.

The quality of life of our clients is of the utmost importance to everyone at LifeFone and to our partners who deliver LifeFone's services. LifeFone's staff appreciates that we are saving lives when seconds count, and the dedication of everyone to this important responsibility is evident in each area of our organization.

The close relationships of our staff members and partners can be appreciated by our clients in the supportive, collaborative way our team works to provide excellent customer care. Our clients know that we are there for them 24/7, and our employees are always there for each other, ready to help in a spirit of cooperation. We remain focused on our common goal of superior customer service.

I know how important close relationships are to personal satisfaction. My father started LifeFone over 30 years ago. My brother and I are proud to carry on his philosophy of close client and staff relationships. Working with people we care about makes our lives more vibrant.

I offer this issue of The Vibrant Life to you, our clients and friends, as our way of staying in touch. We think that you will find these articles to be useful and of interest, and we hope that you agree.

As always, LifeFone is here 24/7 to ensure we save lives when seconds count. And, I am always available at your convenience should you have comments or questions.

Best Wishes! Ron Maggio President, LifeFone rmaggio@lifefone.com 800-882-2280

Is Your Home a Safe Haven?

“We tend to see our home as our safe haven. The data tell us it's not,” said Alan McMillan, CEO of the National Safety Council. For many seniors, every day is tainted with paranoia and fear of a fall that could leave them hospitalized, in a nursing home, severely debilitated or even dead. For caregivers, this fear is just as real. With advanced medical technology, some basic education and the plethora of consumer products on the market, there is no need to live every day in fear.

How common are falls in the elderly?

• One out of every three people aged 65+ fall each year. ¹
• In 2005, falls caused 70% of the accidental deaths in people aged 75+² and killed 15,800 Americans aged 65+.³
• An additional 1.8 million went to the emergency room for non-fatal injuries after a fall.⁴

What other risks does a fall pose for my loved one? ⁵

• The CDC says falls are the leading cause of Traumatic brain injury.
• Over 95% of hip fractures are caused by falls. One quarter of the people with hip injury die within 6 months and over 50% are discharged to a nursing home.⁶
• Injuries to internal organs caused 28% of deaths.⁷

What can I do to help prevent falls from happening?

• A health care practitioner can run the following non-invasive tests to determine accidental fall risk factors: Computerized Dynamic Posturography (tests balance), an electronystagmography (inner ear) and an audiogram (tests dizziness). An optometrist can determine failing eye sight and depth perception.
• You can purchase consumer products like: non-slip bath mats and rugs, orthopedic shoes, corner protectors, grab bars for bathrooms and a safety alert device like LifeFone.

Age Adjusted Fatal Fall Injury Rates Among Men and Women Aged 65+, United States, 1994-2003

Age Adjusted Nonfatal Fall Injury Rates Among Men and Women Aged 65+, United States, 2001-2005

Source: National Vital Statistics Report, Volume 53, Number 5 (October 2004)]

More Seniors Falling Victim to Escalator Injuries

By Nicholas Mulcahy HealthDay Reporter Medicinenet.com

FRIDAY, March 21 (HealthDay News)

Older Americans are being injured during slips and falls on escalators at increasing rates, a new study finds.

The rate of injuries to older adults riding escalators more than doubled from 1991 to 2005, said study lead author Dr. Joseph O'Neil, an associate professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and an expert on injury prevention.

Tips for the Caregiver

1. Take Care of Yourself First

Caregivers tend to deny their own needs. By doing this, caregivers are often unable to give the quality of care that they would hope to give. Caregivers must learn to put themselves first, particularly when it comes to long-term caregiving.

If caregivers do not take good care of themselves, they are likely to become ill, depressed, or "burnt out". These are bad for both the caregiver and the person receiving care.

If caregivers do take good care of themselves, they avoid health problems, they feel better about themselves, they have more energy to help others and can continue to give good care.

Must-dos: get regular exercise, maintain a healthy diet, make time for an activity you enjoy, recognize stress and take steps to manage it.

2. Don't Help Too Much

The biggest mistake caregivers make is providing too much care. A caregiver's highest goal should be giving the person the person they're caring for the power to have control over their own life. Every time you do something that the person could have done without help, there are two losses. First, your effort may have been wasted. Second, the person has missed an opportunity to help himself or herself. Caregivers must remember to do what they can to empower the person they're helping to do things independently, and this often means not helping too much.

3. Don't Do It Alone

Caregivers often live under the impression that they are the only available source of help. However, there are indeed other sources of assistance. If you want to give the best help you can, find out where to get help when you need it. When people offer to help, accept the offer and suggest specific things that they can do. In addition, special services are available to provide the support necessary to be a successful caregiver. A few that may be useful are respite centers, adult day centers, nursing homes, hospice programs, and support groups.

Information gathered from: http://www.webmd.com/balance/tc/caregiver-tips-overview http://www.nfcacares.org/caregiving_resources/tips_and_guides.cfm

Safety in the Home

Simple home improvements help keep older people in charge and preserve their independence. Physical changes for you or your loved one happen over time and can include vision or hearing loss, limited use of hands, disorientation, and trouble getting around. Certain safety modifications should be done before the physical conditions that come with aging affect daily living. Conditions such as poor lighting and slippery surfaces increase the risk of falls, although there are plenty of products and ideas to make homes safer and more convenient:

• Keep floors clear and clean
• Equip all rooms with bright lighting
• Use night-lights in dark hall ways and rooms
• Install handrails in stairways and grab bars in bathrooms
• Make sure to use only non- skid throw rugs
• Install adjustable shower seat, hand-held shower head, & non-skid bathroom mats
• Keep a telephone in the bath- room
• Invest in a sturdy stool to use when items are out of reach

Half of all falls occur during routine, daily living. Prevent accidents by planning ahead and safe-proofing your home!

Information gathered from: http://assets.aarp.org/external_sites/caregiving/preparing/is_your_home_safe.html http://www.nsc.org/library/facts/eldfalls.htm

Steps Toward Independence

A good caregiver takes the steps necessary to empower the person receiving care to do things independently. How does a caregiver foster this independence? The following is a list to help guide the caregiver in empowering the person they are caring for.

• Expect more. If you expect the person to get dressed, get the mail, or prepare snacks, the person often will.
• Limit your availability to help. This will force the person to do more on his or her own.
• Allow for mistakes and imperfect results. The most difficult thing about letting someone do something on his or her own is knowing that you could do it better or faster. Be okay with mistakes.
• Reward the effort and the result. Help the person feel good about doing things independently.
• Let the person make as many decisions as possible, such as what to wear, what to eat, or when to go to bed. Help the person maintain as much control as possible.
• Give the person responsibility to care for something. Those who are asked to care for pets or plants become more independent.
• Match tasks with abilities. Identify the person's skills, and match them with tasks that the person can do independently.
• Take appropriate risks. A few broken plates or a few bruises are a small price to pay for letting some one explore what he or she can do.

Information gathered from: http://www.webmd.com/balance/tc/caregiver-tips-overview

LifeFone in the News

As a caregiver, the heaviest questions weighing on your mind are usually:

How much longer can my loved one live on his or her own? Will I have to transfer my parent or grandparent to a nursing home eventually?

Article Excerpts

“Living Independently Partners with LifeFone to Offer Seniors Greater Security with Peace of Mind for Families” - Business Wire

“With the rising cost of healthcare and the financial burden of home health aides and the struggles of families caring for their elder loved ones, the need for secure, reliable home health monitoring is paramount,” explains Lifefone President Ron Maggio. “This new, unique, comprehensive service helps to ensure a constant connection between elders, their family, and caregivers.”

“If You Fell And Couldn't Get Help, Could You Get Up? Maybe A Portable Alarm Is Right For You” - WebMD

Lifefone also encourages its subscribers to use the device at least once a month just to check in with the center.

Maggio says most of their clients call in once a week. A lot of our subscribers live alone. Being able to push the button to check in gives them some reassurance,” he says adding that the psychological boost this provides also contributes to their physical health.

The company also provides pamphlets and community seminars to teach people how to make changes to their physical environment and make certain lifestyle changes so that they can remain in their homes longer.

“For Seniors Only: Pushing the Panic Button” - Daily News

Lifefone was one of the first to market a “personal response device,” equipment designed to rescue subscribers in a medical emergency.

Most systems work the way Lifefone's does: Subscribers wear a pendant or bracelet bearing a “panic button” they can press in a medical crisis. The button connects with a radio-size console hooked up to the subscriber's telephone line.

News Items you Might have Missed...

CONGRESS IN NO RUSH TO FIX MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY

A new report projects a $42.9 trillion shortfall for the two entitlement programs over the next 75 years.

By Gail Russell Chaddock - Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers are preparing to get serious about the long-term solvency of America's Social Security and Medicare programs - but not until the next Congress convenes.

The latest annual report on the prospects for Social Security and Medicare projects a $42.9 trillion shortfall over the next 75 years, at current levels of benefits and taxation.

The message Congress is taking away from the report is that there's still time to build bipartisan consensus for reform.

“I believe that we must get serious about addressing the long-term challenges to Social Security and Medicare,” said House majority leader Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, in a statement. “To that end, we must begin to lay the foundation for bipartisan action on this issue in the next Congress....”

MEDICARE PROVIDES LIMITED COVERAGE FOR FOOTCARE

The Medicare statute limits coverage of both medical services and supportive devices related to care of the feet. Medicare program rules concerning coverage of such items and services are quite detailed, as the following discussion explains.

Items and Services Excluded from Payment

Specific exclusions of footcare coverage set out in the Medicare statute at Social Security Act (S.S.A.) 1862 (42 U.S.C. §1395y). The exclusions include:

(a)(8) where such expenses are for orthopedic shoes or other supportive devices for the feet, other than shoes furnished pursuant to section 1861(s)(12) [shoes with inserts for diabetics]; [and] . . .

(a)(13) where such expenses are for -

1862(a)(13)(A) the treatment of flat foot conditions and the prescription of supportive devices therefore,

1862(a)(13)(B) the treatment of subluxations of the feet, or

1862(a)(13)(C) routine foot care (including the cutting or removal of corns or calluses, the trimming of nails, and other routine hygienic care) . . .

Note: The Medicare statute does, however, expressly authorize payment for extra-depth and custom molded shoes with inserts for individuals with diabetes.[1]

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