 KB Times
Katten & Benson, Your Elder Care Law Specialists
November 2011
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| Did You Know? |
- By 2020 there will be 54 million people over the age of 65, and many will be driving.
- Older drivers are more likely to practice good safety precautions, like wearing seat belts and avoiding dangerous intersections.
- Despite better safety judgment, older people are more prone to collisions, and fatality rates are 17% higher than for those under the age of 65.
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| Medicare/Social Security Update | |
Good news for Medicare beneficiaries: the Medicare Part B premium is going up, but only to $99.90 for most people. The Medicare Part B deductible will decrease $22, and I've already reported that most Part D plans are decreasing about 4%.
If you haven't reviewed your Medicare D plan for 2012, open enrollment doesn't close until December 7. And, if you haven't heard, there will be a Social Security Cost of Living adjustment for 2012 of 3.6%. |
| K & B Happenings | |
Presentations
Kim will be doing a presentation on hoarding at Elmcroft Assisted Living in Arlington. Please call the office for more details.
Time Off
Dana will be out of the office November 1.
Monica will be out of the office November 1--14.
Kim will be out of the office November 3, and again November 10-11.
Holiday Schedule
The office will close on November 23 at noon for Thanksgiving. We will reopen on Monday, November 28.
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To Drive or Not To Drive: That's the Question
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One question we frequently get is how to deal with the issue of older adults who may need to consider giving up the car keys. This is a really hard conversation to have, because every situation is different, and because there is no one way or best way to deal with the issue. The best case scenario is that the older adult realizes that driving is becoming difficult, and they make the decision on their own to stop driving.
I have just learned about a tool that may be helpful in some situations (thanks to Officer Cox). The Driving Decisions Workbook was developed at the University of Michigan. It includes a series of questions in five different categories that have to do with driving. The five categories are On The Road, Seeing, Thinking, Getting Around and Health.
As you work through the questions, the workbook provides feedback related to the answers given. At the end of the workbook, there are some commonly asked questions, with suggestions on how to address the concerns that are raised. 
The workbook is available in a printable format (Warning: It's 47 pages long) or it can be done online. Doing the test online takes about 15-20 minutes, and at the end you will get feedback that identifies potential problem areas with recommendations. I tried to be honest as I worked my way through the questions, and it found that divided attention is my biggest problem, which is indeed an issue I'm aware of. This is why I can't listen to audio books when I drive.
I don't think the workbook will help in every situation; I certainly think a lot of people who have dementia will not be able to answer the questions accurately, but for many people I think it can provide a way to start talking to loved ones about giving up the car keys.
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| Building Community to Support Older Adults | |
A couple of weeks ago I was at one of the many meetings I go to, and there was a Fort Worth police officer there, and this is not a meeting where that has ever happened before.
So let me tell you why there was a Fort Worth police officer at the Tarrant Area Gerontological Society meeting. The Fort Worth PD recognizes that older adults and their families have unique needs, and that the police can help older adults and their families with some of these issues. Because the police department knows this, they have assigned a special Public Affairs/Community Liaison Officer to work with the older adult population.
Officer Julie Cox #3256 is that officer, and she was at my meeting. I had the chance to talk to her a little that day, and we've talked a little more in the meantime, and I can tell you that she is enthusiastic and eager to do what she can to help older adults in Fort W orth.
I have already talked to her about older adults and driving (never an easy topic to address), and how to deal with possibly abusive situations involving older adults and family members. She will be doing disaster management training for skilled nursing homes and assisted living communities. She can even go check on an older adult who lives alone if there's no family who can do that.
I am so very impressed with Officer Cox, and with the Fort Worth Police Department for recognizing that older adults and their families have unique needs that the police department can help with.
If you need help, Officer Cox can be reached at 817-851-2520, or you can email her at Julie.Cox@fortworthtexas.gov. She assured me that it was OK to give her information out; she also said it's OK to call her any time, day or night.
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Don't forget that we are always here and ready to help with your long term care planning needs.
Sincerely,
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Kim Olmedo, LCSW, CCSM, CSW-G
Elder Care Coordinator
Katten & Benson
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