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Dementia Caregiver Support Group Forms In North County

A new caregiver support group has been formed in the north county for those caring for someone with dementia. Dine & Dish meets the second Thursday of each month. The county Office for the Aging is offering a support group for caregivers in the north county beginning Nov. 9 at 9:30 a.m. The group will meet at different restaurants each month. Participants are responsible for the cost of their own meals. Respite for your loved one may be provided with advance notice. Come join in the conversation and connect with others dealing with similar situations. We can learn a lot from one ...

What Is Consumer- Directed Care?

Have you seen commercials or Facebook postings for an amazing program called Consumer Directed Personal Care Program (CDPCAP)? It sounds amazing and it is a service available for people in our community. CDPCAP is a program that allows home care consumers to hire the caregiver of their choice, including most family members and friends. So if the advertisements picqued your interest, let us share some information about the service in Chautauqua County. Let us start with what it is. It started as a Medicaid program and the commercial you see and hear are from licensed providers in New ...

Caregivers Provide A Valuable Service

October is National Family Caregiver’s Month, the time to recognize caregivers and the tremendous service they provide to their loved ones and society. Many people do not recognize themselves as a caregiver. Instead, they just see themselves as helping out a friend, neighbor or family member who is having trouble getting around or cannot do certain tasks on their own. Getting groceries, shopping, driving to medical appointments, or chores like laundry, food preparation, and paying bills are all considered caregiving. Caregiving does not mean the person you are helping cannot do ...

Learn The Benefits Of Eating More Vegetables

October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, a national celebration of reducing meat intake and putting fruits and vegetables front and center of your plate! There is much to be gained from eating a more plant-centric diet including health benefits, environmental sustainability, and delicious foods for experimenting. Research shows us that those following a vegetarian diet are one-third less likely to die or be hospitalized for heart disease. A vegetarian diet has been linked to lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure levels. There is a significant reduction in risk of developing ...

Medicare Open Enrollment Is Starting, What If You Miss It?

Once you’ve been enrolled into Medicare, you’ll have various opportunities to change your coverage. Here is a brief overview: During the annual Medicare Open Enrollment period (Oct. 15 to Dec. 7), you can make a variety of changes to your current Medicare plan for the following year, including: ¯ Switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare or vice versa. ¯ Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another. ¯ Switch from one Part D prescription plan to another. It is highly recommended that all beneficiaries use the Medicare.gov planfinder each year to compare ...

Scams That Dupe Senior Citizens Into Taking Unnecessary Medical Tests Can Cost Thousands

Genetic testing scams can cost you thousands of dollars! Cardiovascular genetic testing fraud can occur when Medicare is billed for a cardiac test or screening that: ¯ Was not ordered by your physician ¯ Was not medically necessary Medicare can deny the cardiovascular test claim, leaving you responsible for the cost of the test. The average cost of the cardiovascular test is between $9,000 and $11, 000. If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from an official sounding organization, that claims to be providing free genetic testing kits that will tell you if you ...