Hands to Help Seniors

View From A Nonprofit Serving Carmel, Carmel Valley, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside And Soledad California

The Veterans Administration continues to struggle with a backlog of disability claims, and the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs has resisted calls by the American Legion for him to step down.  Eric Shineski has told a reporter that his department continues to strive to improve its communication and collaboration with veterans-advocacy groups.  He's a retired Army General who knows the system well, having taken over the agency back in 2009.  "I serve at the pleasure of the president.  I signed on to make some changes, I have work to do," he said.  He's got more than his work cut out for him.  In addition to the paperwork backlog, whistleblowers have told the House Committee on Veterans Affairs that the the Phoenix VA Health Care System had a secret waiting list for patient appointments to make it appear as if there were short wait times to see a primary care physician.  The Director has been put on administrative leave and hopefully this will turn out to be an isolated incident.  Our veterans have risked their lives for very low pay and deserve the best care once they return home.

Please note that this blog reflects my personal opinion and may or may not reflect the opinion of Hands to Help Seniors and the individual members comprising the Board of Governors.

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View From A Nonprofit Serving Carmel, Carmel Valley, Gonzalez, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, Seaside And Soledad California

The increased number of Americans eligible for Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California) under President Barack Obama's health care reform act will, over time, dramatically change the health for the better for millions of Americans.  In the short-term, however, it will come with a cost.  A study done at the University of Michigan found that surgery patients on Medicaid/Medi-Cal arrived at the hospital in poor health.  This resulted in more complications from surgery, longer stays and higher costs than those on private insurance or Medicare.  The Medi-Cal/Medicaid patients were twice as likely to smoke and many had diabetes, lung disease and blood vessel blockage which came from years of living in poverty.  Published in the journal of JAMA Surgery, the study analyzed almost 14,000 patients over a one-year period.  The study found that the Medicaid/Medi-Cal patients were twice as likely to die as those who had private insurance. Although these are sad statistics, the medical community is hopeful that once people have been on Medicaid or Medi-Cal for a long period of time, their lifestyle will improve and their odds of making it through surgery will be better.  .

Please note that this blog reflects my personal opinion and may or may not reflect the opinion of Hands to Help Seniors and the individual members comprising the Board of Governors.

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The paltry increase in Social Security has done little to help seniors make ends meet when one of the biggest components of spending, on food, continues to put pressure on their pocketbooks. The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently reported that the cost of groceries in March of 2014 were up 0.4%, although it said that it's hopeful that food price inflation will return to a ranger closer to the historical norm.  The category which the USDA calls food-at-home has already increased more in the first quarter of 2014 than it did in all of 2013.  The ongoing drought in California is expected to have large and lasting effects on the prices of food, vegetable, dairy and egg prices while the drought in Texas could drive beef prices higher.  Beef and veal prices are already at or near record levels all across the country.  Fresh Fruit prices are up 5.0% in March 2014 over March of 2013 and citrus fruits are up 7.2%.  Egg prices are up 9.9% year-over-year and many other dairy products have soared in price.  There was not much good news in the report and, looking out the window, it's hard to believe the drought in California will be over anytime soon.

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Many seniors become anti-social in their older years, particularly as friends and often times a spouse passes away, leaving them feeling depressed and alone.  It's important that seniors get proper nutrition, exercise and social stimulation in order to keep both the body and the mind active.  Even if it's just taking a short walk around the neighborhood or going to the mall, make sure that you get out and about and aren't sitting around the house feeling depressed.  One place to meet other seniors and jump-start your social life is at the luncheons which are held bimonthly on Wednesdays at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepard at 301 Corral de Tierra Road in Corral de Tierra.  The next one is this Wednesday at noon.  The speaker will be Dr. Brian Ellinoy, an integrative pharmacist who has training and experience in acupressure, aromatherapy and guided imagery (imagery exercises to help people prepare for hospitalization, surgery, chemotherapy, etc.).  The church requests a $5 donation for the Good Shepherd's pie luncheon, but the donation isn't required if you can't afford it.  For more information call 831-484-2363 or go to their website at goodshepherdcorral.org.

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Meals on Wheels of Salinas is looking for drivers to help seniors and other homebound individuals get a hot meal and a bit of conversation.  Many of these people get little to no outside social stimulation, so it's helpful if you are friendly and outgoing.  Although the job doesn't pay in dollars, it can be very fulfilling and gives you a payback in so many other ways.  Currently, the biggest need is for drivers on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  If you don't have time to do it every week, give them a call anyhow, they often work around people's schedules.  They can be reached at 758-6325 or you can download an application form and email it to them from mowsalinas.org.

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