Resource Advocate
Carol Ringle
( 810) 626-2139
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday – Thursday
Email Carol Ringle
Our Resource Advocate can provide help with questions re: housing (nursing home, assisted living, adult foster care (home/chore services, insurance (Medicare/Medicaid, Medigap) or other problems.
Carol’s Corner:
Ten Warning Signs of Dementia
How often have you forgotten someone’s name, missed an appointment, or said to yourself, “I have to write everything down or I’ll forget it”. Does this mean you have dementia or Alzheimer’s – following are some warning signs.
1. Memory Loss – While it’s normal to occasionally forget appointments., names , etc., those with dementia will forget such things more often & not remember them later.
2.Difficulty Performing Familiar Tasks – People with dementia often find it hard to perform everyday tasks, i.e., steps for preparing a meal or how to use a household appliance.
3.Problems with Language –People with dementia cannot often remember simple words or use inappropriate fillers – making it hard to understand their sentences.
4.Disorientation to time and place – It’s normal to sometimes forget the day of the week. People with dementia can become lost on their own street, forget where they are and not know how to get back home.
5.Poor or decreased judgment. Sometimes people with dementia, may wear inappropriate clothing, such as a heavy sweater on a very hot day or a bathrobe to go out to church. Often they give large amounts of money to telemarketers or pay for home repairs they don’t need.
6.Problems with abstract thinking – things like balancing a checkbook could be a challenge because they could have forgotten what the numbers are and what needs to be done with them.
7. Misplacing things – Forgetting where you put your keys is one thing but putting them in an inappropriate place-like in the freezer is another. They will sometimes accuse someone of stealing or hiding an item from them.
8.Changes in mood or behavior – Everyone can have a few bad days or mood swings, but with dementia, their mood can rapidly change from calm to angry – with no reason.
9.Changes in personality – About 15-20% of people with Alzheimer’s become anxious, suspicious or fearful.
10.Loss of initiative – People with dementia can also become very passive, sitting in front of the TV for hours, sleeping all the time and not wanting to do usual activities.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association
Reverse Mortgage Borrowers:
If
you are having difficulty paying property taxes and insurance the
National Council on Aging (NCOA) is conducting a pilot project
News You Can Use:
A new Residential Income Assistance Credit is
available for customers to assist in maintaining continuous electric
and gas service all year. If you meet the income guidelines * you
can get a $6.00/month bill credit or $12.00/month credit if you have
both Detroit Edison & Mich Con.
To qualify you must have received a Home Heating Credit within
the last 12 months. Call
1-800-545-8046.
*Income for one person is $16,245 and 2 people no more than $21,855.
House cleaning Help is
available for those women undergoing chemotherapy. “Cleaning for a
Reason” will provide cleaning services once a month for 4 months
while someone is undergoing chemotherapy. All you have to do is sign
up and have your doctor fax a note confirming the treatment.
More info is available on
http://www.cleaningforareason.org .
Emergency Preparedness:
During an emergency you need to have the
ability to communicate with family members. Make sure your
emergency contact number is programmed into your cell phone.
Have a car charger in your car for extended power outages if you do
not have a landline phone.
Wanted:
One of our seniors needs a vacuum cleaner that is in good working
condition. If you have one you would like to donate, please
contact Carol Ringer @ (810) 626-2139.
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The Hartland Center provides outreach services to Senior Citizens
in the community with the help of a Resource Advocacy grant from the
Area Agency on Aging 1-B and through the support of our local
community. Our Resource Advocate can assist older adults and their
families in obtaining the following services:
- Legal services
- Nutrition Care giving
- In-Home
counseling.
- Tax Form Assistance.
- Long distance care.
- Home
chores and repairs.
- Prescription drug assistance.
- Various food programs.
- Volunteer respite.
- Information regarding assisted
living, adult foster care and nursing homes.
- Emergency needs.
- Transportation
- Lawn cutting and snow removal.
- Medicare/Medicaid