In light of recent winter weather, national and local dementia specialists encourage caretakers to reinforce safety precautions for loved ones who are prone to wandering.
As another West Virginia winter roars on, state and national specialists remind residents to reinforce safety precautions for their loved ones with dementia.
Individuals with dementia face more safety risks in periods of inclement weather, like the snowstorms that swept the Midwest and East Coast this weekend. Wandering away from home without preparing for low temperatures and icy conditions can increase the risk of falling, getting lost or becoming seriously injured outside.
The AFA underscored the importance of keeping watch over home exit ways and developing a customized safety plan for each individual. These plans should take into account the makeup of a person’s home, the times of day when their condition worsens and the locations they might visit while wandering.
Taking advance precautions during spells of intense weather helps protect West Virginia residents with dementia, according to Joanie Maloney, family caregiver program manager for Kanawha Valley Senior Services.
Maloney explained that wandering can occur year-round, but that “it’s just a lot more on the dangerous side if the weather is extremely cold or extremely hot.”
Dressing loved ones with dementia appropriately for the weather — regardless of whether they plan to go outside — is another way family caretakers can reduce the risks of unexpected wandering, she said.
By providing these individuals cold-weather clothing and foot coverings, Maloney said that caretakers safeguard their loved ones from frostbite and other weather-related risks associated with cold-weather wandering.
“Definitely go ahead and dress them for the occasion,” she said.
Maloney added that the winter months are a good time to reinforce house locks and at-home safety features, ensuring that precautions are in place to support loved ones during the winter months and beyond.
“Safety is key,” she said. “ No one ever wants their loved one to be exposed to any kind of harsh weather, especially the cold.”
A real problem facing many older adults is having enough money for their retirement. News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Josh Hodges, the chief customer officer for the National Council on Aging, to learn about the help that is available for retirees and caregivers.
A real problem facing many older adults is having enough money for their retirement.
News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Josh Hodges, the chief customer officer for the National Council on Aging (NCOA), to learn about the help that is available for retirees and caregivers.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Douglas: Do me a favor, start out by giving me a quick introduction of who you are and what you do.
Hodges: Josh Hodges, I’m the chief customer officer at the National Council on Aging, or NCOA. We’re a national nonprofit, have been around for about 75 years, focusing on helping people age well. That can mean a bunch of different things. We have programs on the health aspects, focusing on helping people live healthy, planning for that stage of their life. We have employment opportunities.
We also have a lot of opportunities around economic security to help people have the money they need in retirement, help them stretch their dollars. I’ve been at NCOA for about four and a half, almost five years. Before that I spent over 10 years with the federal government doing aging programs.
Douglas: What are some of the tips that people need to know, as they’re getting older, as they’re getting into retirement age, to care for themselves and plan for the future?
Hodges: Well, they are two major drivers of running out of money. First, longevity. People live longer than they expect. For a 65-year-old, there’s a decent chance you’re gonna live to be 85. That’s especially true for women. There’s also long-term care costs of longevity, and then the cost of care later in life.
As any caregiver knows, long-term care is a series of caregiving opportunities that you need to help older adults continue to live in a home, or in an assisted living facility type place. And long-term care can be extremely expensive. It’s one of the things people don’t like to talk about, we don’t like to talk about the fact that we may need help getting around our community, we need help getting around the house, or making meals. We don’t, as a society, like to talk about those things.
Long-term care is really driving the fact many older adults age into poverty, again, especially true for women. So, one thing we like to do in NCOA is really focus on — how do we help you stretch your dollars? There are federal programs out there and state programs out there to help you really make your money work every month. These are programs that you can apply for that have certain qualifications about their age, or income qualifications, that really help people make those daily expenses possible.
Douglas: Let’s talk about some of those programs, some of the ways that seniors can stretch their dollars to survive 20 or 30 years without a direct income stream other than retirements and social security.
Hodges: I would use some of these programs as supplements, opportunities to help you make those dollars do more. For example, Medicare is not free. Many people think it’s free, it’s this free program at the end of their life where they have access. There are premiums, there are co-pays, there are drug costs to it, and each of those areas have programs to help low-income older adults pay for those things.
One program to help pay for prescription drugs can save somebody an average of $5,000 a year. Now imagine you’re an older adult living in poverty, living at, you know, $12, $14, $15, $20,000 a year — $5,000 in your pocket is pretty significant and it gives you access to the drugs. What we don’t want is what happens in this society, is that people trade off their medication for their food, for their housing, they’re making these incredibly challenging tradeoffs. Having the opportunity to actually connect to these programs to help pay for food, pay for housing, pay for electricity, pay for your Medicare, are our opportunities that we really want to make sure older adults understand.
Douglas: What’s the scale? I mean, when you see TV advertising, you see happy senior citizens out traveling the world and going on vacations. I think we all know in the back of our heads that, that’s not reality for most people. But do you have any sense of the scale of how many people are just kind of eking by versus the ones who are living their best retirement?
Hodges: Our data shows tens of millions of older adults are barely making ends meet. You’re describing the idealized retirement. You get your gold watch after 40 years in a corporate job, then you move off to the Bahamas and you have a nice drink with an umbrella. That’s not the reality for many, many people in this country, because there are just so many different costs at play here. And because again, people are underestimating how long they’re going to live and definitely underestimate how much things cost.
These programs I’m talking about, there are $30 billion, that’s billion with a B, left on the table every year. These are dollars that older adults do qualify for but aren’t actually applying and getting benefits because many of them don’t even apply.
Douglas: In trying to care for my mom, that was one of the issues that I kept running into as a caregiver, I didn’t have a clue how to even get started with that kind of stuff. Where does somebody go to learn about these programs and get signed up for or get registered to take advantage of them?
Hodges: I think you really identified the first major hurdle, just knowledge of these programs. So NCOA runs a website — benefitscheckup.org. It helps people understand what benefits they may qualify for. We’re a nonprofit, we’re not trying to sell you anything. We’re not trying to collect your information, we’re not going to even ask you for your email address. We’re just going to ask you some basic demographic information about yourself, what zip code you live in, how many people live in your household, whether you’re a veteran or not. Some of these programs are dependent on veteran status.
This website gives you a sense of what coverage you may qualify for, then we connect you to where you actually apply for the benefits, because so many of these benefit programs are actually on state websites, are on third party websites. We want to connect you right to the programs themselves.
Douglas: What are the numbers we’re talking about? What does the average older adult qualify for?
Hodges: Average is a hard thing to do. We see many older adults who qualify for a Medicare savings plan or extra health. These are programs, they’ll pay for your Medicare. Extra Help is a program to help pay for your prescription drugs, we see numbers above $5,000 a year. Now it depends on what prescription drugs you’re on, it depends on your individual situation. But we’re not talking about pennies here, we’re talking about hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
The bottom line for an older adult or a caregiver: take a look. If you don’t qualify, you don’t qualify, but there are many programs out there designed to help older adults. Some of them are not income dependent. There are programs to help in different parts of the country, too, for local transportation that’s age specific, but not income specific; programs like the National Parks Pass to let you get into the national parks. Many people don’t know these things exist, but they’re out there to save you money.
Douglas: What haven’t we talked about?
Hodges: I think there are really two things to stop people from applying for these benefits. The first is knowledge, and so that’s one of our goals, get information out there. The second is this thought that there are people out there who need the benefits more, so I shouldn’t apply, because I’m doing okay. But these programs expand to meet the eligible individuals. If you don’t apply for the benefit that you would qualify for, somebody else doesn’t get more money. So don’t let that stop you, don’t prevent you from applying for these benefits. These benefits are there for people at all sorts of different income levels. And again, it takes about five minutes to see if you’re qualified for them.
If you prefer a one-on-one approach, we run a national call center. And you can give them a call between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. eastern, seven days a week to talk to folks. That number is 1-800-794-6559. You can call them, and they’ll actually walk you through what benefits you might be eligible for or connect you to a local resource.
Crimes of elder financial exploitation damage more than a senior citizen's bank account.
Crimes of elder financial exploitation damage more than a senior citizen’s bank account.
James Lindsay is a financial exploitation attorney for Legal Aid of West Virginia and a leader in a multi-agency state task force fighting elder financial abuse.
Lindsay addressed the West Virginia Legislature’s interim meeting of the Children and Families Committee Tuesday. He said about half of the state’s 16,000 elder abuse and neglect cases involve financial exploitation.
“Financial exploitation is what we call the biggest ‘silent crime’ in the United States,” Lindsay said. “One study from the Government Accountability Office found about $5.5 million in assets from about 158 incapacitated victims, most of whom were seniors. The estimated cost of financial exploitation in the United States is approximately $3 billion.”
Lindsay listed the usual suspects in elder financial exploitation, including computer hackers, identity thieves, IRS scams, government impostors and impostor businesses. However, he focused his remarks on nearly half of all state and national scam artists, calling them the ‘“unusual suspects.”
“These people come from diverse professional backgrounds. We’ve had engineers, bankers — these are trusted agents, consumers, friends, family, people who the elderly trust with their finances,” Lindsay said. “A lot of family members, spouses, caregivers, needy children, grandchildren, best friends and neighbors, guardians and conservators.”
He said several recently passed West Virginia laws have greatly aided in investigation, prosecution and returning millions in lost assets.
“Judges can award double or treble damages under the statutes. There is a fee shifting statute to the preponderance of the evidence standard,” Lindsay said. “We have a two year statute of limitations in West Virginia. Judges also have the power to freeze assets, provide injunctive relief, appoint receivers, void contracts or require security be posted.”
Lindsay told lawmakers that creating a state consumer protection penalty and restitution fund would bolster the criminal battle and aid victims in recovery.
“The fund would provide consumer enforcement actions and distribute compensation to eligible consumers and victims,” Lindsay said. “This is something that could be administered by a state agency.”
National studies show elder financial crime victims are twice as likely to die at an earlier age.
Citing record high inflation and higher food costs, the Social Security Administration announced Wednesday an 8.7 percent increase in benefits set to begin in 2023.
Citing record high inflation and higher food costs, the Social Security Administration announced Wednesday an 8.7 percent increase in benefits.
In West Virginia, nearly half a million social security recipients will see about $145added to their benefits starting in January 2023.
This is the largest one-time increase since 1981.
Gaylene Miller, state director of AARP WV, said the announcement was “welcome news” for the state’s social security recipients. The average monthly social security benefit is $1,500 in the state, she said.
“Inflation has hit everyone hard, but people who are on a fixed income, particularly that rely solely on social security, are really having a hard time making ends meet and being able to pay rising utility costs, rising price of groceries and rising cost of prescription costs,” Miller said.
About one fourth of the state’s social security recipients 65 and older rely almost entirely on their benefits, according to Miller.
She also noted that social security recipients use their benefits to inject $7.9 billion into the state’s economy every year.
The announcement comes on the heels of news that Medicare Part B premiums will drop 3 percent next year.
Kilolo Kijakazi, acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration, said the changes “will give seniors more peace of mind and breathing room.”
“This year’s substantial Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is the first time in over a decade that Medicare premiums are not rising and shows that we can provide more support to older Americans who count on the benefits they have earned,” Kijakazi said in a news release.
West Virginia health experts expect a bad flu season this year. There are special higher dose vaccines available for people 65 years old and over.
West Virginia health experts expect a bad flu season this year. There are special higher dose vaccines available for people 65 years old and over.
The Department of Health and Human Services said local health departments will not carry the high-dose seasonal flu vaccines. Instead, the DHHR recommends those 65 and over go to the vaccines.gov website, follow the flu prompts, insert your zip code and see the list of retail vaccine providers closest to you.
People 65 and older should try to get one of the three recommended higher-dose vaccines. However, if one of these vaccines is not available, people in this age group should get a standard-dose flu vaccine instead.
If you’re not sure, talk to your physician or your pharmacist and they can help you navigate through the vaccine process.
Jefferson County resident Keryl Rustin is an avid 5K runner, recently winning a gold medal at the West Virginia Senior Sports Classic and also qualifying for the National Senior Games after competing in the Maryland Senior Olympics. What makes her stand out, though, is that she’s successful despite having lost her ability to see.
Jefferson County resident Keryl Rustin is an avid 5K runner, recently winning a gold medal at the West Virginia Senior Sports Classic and also qualifying for the National Senior Games after competing in the Maryland Senior Olympics. What makes her stand out, though, is that she’s successful despite having lost her ability to see. Reporter Shepherd Snyder spoke to Rustin about her unique experiences as a blind athlete.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Snyder: Starting off, I was wondering if you could introduce yourself.
Rustin: My name is Keryl Rustin. I began running during the month of November 2020. And during that time, I wasn’t participating in any marathons, I was just actually running. And I enjoyed it so much that I decided that I would like to participate in 5K runs. With me beginning this entire path of running, it started with my granddaughter, who was seven years old at the time, and her name is Gabbi. And she would actually run with me. And she would tell me if there was gravel in the road, or if cars were coming, and also, when to actually not run so fast, whereby there were obstacles in the road. And the reason for this is because I am blind.
Snyder: What organization did you get involved with as far as going out for competitive running?
Rustin: Well, I actually did not get involved with any organizations. I began running, as I said, with my granddaughter. And then when I decided that I wanted to run marathons, I knew I needed a trainer. And I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to get a trainer. I made many, many calls. The calls weren’t returned. And I don’t know whether or not it’s because of my age, because with me being blind, I’m also 73 years of age. And I would call various running organizations and explain to them that I am trainable, and this is something that I really wanted to do. Just the courtesy of a return call would have been appreciated. But I didn’t get any return calls. And being the determined person that I am, I decided that I’m gonna go ahead and try running competitively, regardless. And that’s how I ended up being where I am now.
Snyder: And what competitions did you end up running for?
Rustin: The competitions I began becoming involved with were actually fundraisers. So I ran for veterans, I did runs for (the) homeless, I also did runs for abused women. So in other words, from November of 2020, until now, I have actually participated in over 10, maybe 12 runs, which I have medals for. But one of the ones that I want to point out, which is of great significance, is that I did my first official, documented run for the Maryland Senior Olympics. I did that run last year, and I am the first blind person, 73 years of age, who has ever done a 5K run (in the Maryland Senior Olympics).
Snyder: That’s incredible. I was also curious, what was the training process for that like? Can you take me through the process of training for running for a 5k?
Rustin: Since it was just my granddaughter and I, there really was no process for me. What I did is that I went on my intuition the majority of the time. So I would begin my mornings, usually around 6:30 in the Morning. And that’s all contingent upon whether or not she was in school. Six thirty in the morning would be during the summer months. Of course, with her being in school, I would start at a later time. And then with me starting at a later time, she wasn’t there to run with me.
So my runs, my training, for me, consisted of – the first thing I always do is say a prayer. I always say a prayer before I get out there to run. And from that point on, I’ll do some stretching. So for an example, I’ll do some lunges, I will go ahead and I will do some squats, then what I would do is various arm exercises. I included some yoga with those stretches in the mornings as well. And then when I usually get out there to run, I usually run for about 90 minutes. I actually am doing over a 5K run in the morning when I’m doing the 90 minutes. And there is no particular course or anything. I just get out and I run.
Snyder: Did you set out to win anything when you first started? Or was this just a way to take care of your health and stay in shape?
Rustin: I did not have any goals in mind other than I enjoyed it. What was important to me is the enjoyment of running. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard people talk about the runner’s high you actually get, that’s what would happen to me. So with me actually getting out there in the mornings and doing my runs, it actually rejuvenated me for the remainder of the day.
Snyder: I was also wondering if there were any kind of unique challenges in preparing for the 5K. I’m sure a lot of people assume that it must be harder for you to prepare for an athletic event like this because A, you’re a senior, and B, you’re blind. So how did you overcome these challenges in preparing, if there were any at all?
Rustin: Well, I still haven’t overcome them, to be perfectly honest with you. Every time I get out there and run – every, every time I get out there and run, and I’m emphasizing that, I still have challenges. So for example, before I get out there and run, as I said, I always do a prayer. But even with me doing the prayer, I still feel intimidated. I start thinking negative thoughts. For example: “Okay, Keryl. Can you really do this? Is it really worthwhile? Why have you decided to do something like this? Why are you putting so much stress on yourself?” So I still have my challenges every single day before I do a run. I have never, and I don’t think there ever will be a time that I can honestly say that I have overcome the challenges. And not because I am blind. And not because I’m 73 years of age. I think with any athlete, when you’re out there and you’re beginning to participate in whatever your choice of athletics is, you’re always gonna have that feeling of intimidation and trepidation. That feeling of, you know, questioning whether or not you can actually achieve it.
Snyder: What emotions were going through your head when you ended up completing that 5K?
Rustin: I cried. I cried because, for me, it was surreal. After all that I had gone through as far as training myself, as far as my granddaughter being so attentive and encouraging me, because when I would be out there running, she would run with me at seven years old. She would be saying things to me like, “Grandma, you can do this. You got it. I know you can,” things like that. And that was my cheerleader. I didn’t have anyone else. It was just surreal because I couldn’t believe that I actually did it. Particularly since I did not have a trainer.
Keryl Rustin
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Rustin at the National Senior Games in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. She qualified after participating in the Maryland Senior Olympics.
Snyder: Completing this qualified you for the National Senior Games. Is that correct?
Rustin: Correct.
Snyder: What was that experience like?
Rustin: That experience was just a very positive experience for me. Because what it did, it gave me the confidence in knowing that, ‘Hey, you know what, Keryl, you did the Maryland Senior Olympics, you qualified for the Maryland Senior Olympics, you can go even further if you choose to. So it gave me that enormous push, as far as that confidence that I needed, in order for me to participate in the National Senior Games.
Snyder: Did you have any other closing remarks before we go ahead and finish?
Rustin: In order to win, you have to begin. And I want to thank everyone as far as my granddaughter and also thank (my guide) Kriya. She was the one who actually did that run with me, in order for me to receive this gold medal from the West Virginia Senior Sports Classic. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know if I could have achieved it. That was the most difficult run that I had ever done. That one was done at Kanawha State Forest. And to do a run in a forest was very, very challenging for me. So this medal is not all about me, Keryl Rustin. This medal is about all of those many, many people who are visually impaired, who are physically challenged, who are seniors. This medal represents them. These are the people who definitely need to know that, no matter what, you can still get out there, find something that you enjoy doing, become active in it, and just go for it.
