Posted on Monday, February 16, 2015

My Precious Dad and Assisted Living

I imagine many girls say they have the “best Dad in the world.” But I REALLY did!

My Dad, Rev. William (“Tex”) Rickard was a United Methodist pastor, an athlete, a jokester, the father of 6 amazing children and an all-around great guy. He was the guy you wanted to be with to watch a ball game or to tell your deepest fears. As a single mom, he helped me raise my two beautiful girls and even put up with our crazy dog, Chloe.

So when he had emergency surgery on his back at the age of 88, after taking great care of himself his whole life, he and I were unprepared to suddenly move him into an assisted living facility. After all, as a proud, strong minister, he took care of other people – he certainly didn’t need people to care for him. And yet, after looking at the possibilities, assisted living seemed like the right choice for us.

So we approached the move head on by:

Touring local facilities and making a list of costs and services
Talking to staff to find out how they interact with residents
Eating at the facility to see how the food was and getting a sense of community at meal times

We learned a lot during a journey. We made some good choices along the way and also made some mistakes. The most important thing we learned was that communication is the key. You and your loved one have to be prepared to communicate with your family and the facility about your priorities. Remember there is no perfect choice. However, if you are choosing an assisted living facility with the right information – the choice can work out great.

For more information about what my Dad and I learned, see HealthSpin’s Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility.

I hope this post helps you Spin Your Healthcare Your Way!

Posted on Friday, January 2, 2015

Helpful Health Care Links: January 2, 2015

Happy New Year! We start 2015 with no shortage of healthcare news you can use.

Our helpful health care links focus on a variety of topics — a report the high rate of influenza and the deadline for using health flexible spending accounts. We also include an article from The Dr. Oz Show with a quiz to discover your resolution personality. All are worth your time. And, as always, if you ever come across a healthcare story that you think merits more attention, please send it our way!

What’s Your Resolution Personality?

A new year is a time to make good on the goals we’ve been meaning to accomplish. Take this quiz to find out if your personality type will make you more likely to keep your resolution, partially achieve it or abandon it completely.

Health Plan Enrollment Numbers Show Importance Of Coming Supreme Court Case

The subsidies that the court may eradicate are helping a large majority of HealthCare.gov customers pay for their medical insurance.

This Season’s Flue Activity Has Reached The Epidemic Threshold, The CDC Says

Fifteen children have died across the country from influenza, as the number of states reporting a “high” level of influenza activity jumped from 13 to 22 in one week.

Deadline Looms For Spending Health Flex Account Money

More than 15 million workers have employer-sponsored health accounts, which gave customers a chance to set aside up to $2,500 in pre-tax wages this year for health-related expenses not covered by insurance. But these accounts come with a big catch: Often you have to use the balance before the plan year ends or you lose it.

Federal Funding Bill Includes Alzheimer’s Accountability Act

Congress recently signed a funding bill including the Alzheimer’s Accountability Act, enabling scientists at the National Institutes of Health to tell Congress the amount of funding they need on an annual basis to reach the national goal to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025.

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Want to avoid unnecessary grief and expense when you get sick? Then you need this essential guide to the business behind your healthcare decisions. HealthSpin’s “Easy Healthcare: Before You Get Sick” ebook guide gives you all of the practical advice you need to take charge of your healthcare options!

Available for download NOW!

Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2014

What Should You Consider When Choosing An Assisted Living?

There are many things to think about when choosing an assisted living facility. Your loved one has many needs that must be considered during this transition. In this video, Lori-Ann discusses the importance of starting the process by talking with your loved one to keep them involved. This will not only help make the move easier for them, but your other family members as well.

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How do you make the right decision about moving yourself or a loved one into an Assisted Living Facility without being overwhelmed? How do you even begin talking about it? MyHealthSpin’s “Easy Healthcare: Choosing an Assisted Living Facility” ebook guide gives you all of the practical advice you need to make the right choice.

Available for download NOW!