Helping a Loved One Navigate Medicare Open Enrollment
By Cynthia WalkerOctober 16, 2020
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Articles
What to Know for Medicare Open Enrollment
Every year, Medicare’s Open Enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7. As a caregiver, you undoubtedly know how important insurance coverage is to securing your loved one the affordable care they need when they need it. What can be less certain, however, is knowing which exact program and options your loved one is qualified for and would most benefit from. As much as you want to help them through the process of enrolling in Medicare, you may be struggling to understand it yourself. The good news is that by learning the various benefits covered by different plans, you can put yourself in a better position to care for your loved one’s health needs and find the right plan for them.
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Open Enrollment or Open Season?
The signs of fall: Football. Turning leaves. Pumpkin spice. And advertisements for Medicare plans. Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period, the time when Medicare beneficiaries can compare coverage options and choose health and drug plans, began on October 15, 2023, and ends on December 7, 2023. If you watch television, or pass a billboard, you have seen them—ads promoting various...
Articles
What to Consider When Helping an Older Loved One Choose a Medicare Plan
With Medicare’s Annual Open Enrollment ongoing from October 15 to December 7, you may have already begun discussions with your loved one on the basics of Medicare, such as differences from Medicaid and what the different plans and options are. But before such an important decision is made, it’s important to go more in depth by preparing the right questions with your loved one to guide the conversation and exploring the different points of consideration that will help determine which plan is best for your loved one’s individual needs.
Articles
Helping a Loved One Maintain Good Credit
While it’s important for all of us, at any age, to keep our finances in good condition, issues of credit card debt are growing among older adults. If we are caring for a loved one struggling with debt and maintaining good credit, it is important for us to understand credit scoring and how to help a loved one improve their credit so they can better manage debt.
Articles
Helping an Older Loved One with Housekeeping
As caregivers, we may need to step up and lend a hand with keeping the household tidy, especially if clutter becomes a tripping hazard or important areas of the house such as the kitchen or bathroom are becoming unsanitary. However, we should also be sure to empower a loved one to continue doing the household tasks they are still capable of doing by trying different strategies that allow them to stay both safe and independent.
Articles
Helping an Older Loved One Living Alone with Dementia
Many assume that older adults who live alone inevitably transition into assisted living when diagnosed with dementia, but this is not the case. Around one third of people with dementia live on their own, in their own homes. While it does not pose as many concerns in the early-stages of dementia, this arrangement may become increasingly risky in the middle- and late-stages. As a caregiver, you may feel pressure to move in with your loved one or vice versa, or else find them an assisted living arrangement, even if your loved one does not want to leave their home.
Articles
Helping an Older Loved One Maintain Good Oral Health
When caring for an older loved one with a chronic health condition or serious health concern, you most likely take them to regular appointments with doctors or specialists to assure that they are healthy and in the best possible condition. But with all these important appointments to manage, do you remember to bring your loved one in for a biannual appointment with their dentist? Though oral health may seem like a smaller concern compared to taking care of a loved one’s chronic health condition or other health issues, a healthy mouth can play an important role in their overall wellbeing, self-image and nutrition.
Articles
Walking Tips to Support a Loved One
There are many health benefits for older adults who walk on a regular basis. If a loved one has mobility issues, they can still benefit from walking, even if it's just a little bit. Here are some tips to help a loved one remain mobile.