Take control. Establish a regular “worry time”. Start by setting aside half an hour every day. Write down all your concerns in specific terms. For example: “I felt nauseated this morning. Do I have stomach cancer?” Assign a score on a scale of 0 to 100% to estimate how distressed this possibility makes you feel. Next, list all the possible explanations for your concern, then rank each one according to how likely it is to be correct. Make use of external sources if necessary, but stick with reputable websites and professionals. Finally, score your worry for the level of distress it is causing you now. Gradually, you will be able to reduce the amount and frequency of worry time.

A look at catastrophizing and how to stop it. Included is detail on the related psychiatric conditions, medical treatments, and the outlook. Here is one tip that may help.

Accept yourself. Anxiety is energy: if you are an anxious person, celebrate! However, why waste that energy feeling uncomfortable and preparing yourself for circumstances that will almost certainly never occur? Look for enjoyable ways to challenge yourself and use your energy more positively: taking regular aerobic exercise; learning something new; taking up a creative passion.

Question:  Are there medical eligibility requirements for IHSS?

Reply:  Yes, people with disabilities must meet Social Security’s medical eligibility criteria to qualify for IHSS.

Researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden get to grips with the molecular basis of the saying “sound mind, sound body.” The key appears to be how muscles reduce levels of stress markers in the blood. Studies have shown that exercising not only promotes burning fat but also benefits the mind.

Even before science understood why, carrying out physical activity was already considered useful in reducing depressive symptoms for some people.

There are limitations on the number of hours provided per task that your care provide can do. For example, your care provider cannot spend more than 6 hours per month on domestic services or more than 1 hour per week shopping for food. If you can show that you need more time for a specific service, your county IHSS worker will see if additional hours can be authorized to meet your needs.

The GAO report shines a long-overdue light on Medicaid-funded assisted living. Federal funding of assisted living is large and growing, but to this point the federal government has not adequately ensured the quality of assisted living care. This lack of oversight has had tragic consequences for an unfortunately large number of older Americans. The GAO report was requested by a bipartisan group of senators, and its publication should prompt Congress and CMS to take action

After the needs assessment, IHSS will send you a letter called a Notice of Action that will let you know if you have been approved or denied services. If approved, you will be notified of the services and number of hours authorized for each service. If services are denied or you are not happy with the number of hours authorized, you have the right to appeal by requesting a State Hearing. The back of the Notice of Action has information about how to appeal.

A new study has discovered that adding virtual reality cognitive behavioral therapy to the standard treatment for psychotic disorders is safe and can reduce paranoia and anxiety.

In a paper published in The Lancet Psychiatry, the researchers state that to their knowledge, theirs is the first randomized controlled trial of virtual reality (VR)-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that has attempted to improve social functioning and decrease paranoid thoughts in people with psychotic disorders.

Depending upon your circumstances, you may be eligible to get up to 283 hours of IHSS each month. The county will do a needs assessment to figure out the services you need and how many hours you qualify for.

Today at least 5.5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, and that number only continues to grow. A recent study conducted by the Rand Corporation revealed that by the year 2019, nearly 15 million Americans will be living with mild cognitive impairment, which could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

Currently, there are no disease-modifying treatments, but results from recent trials indicate there could be one or more therapies available as early as 2020. The federal government set a goal in 2012 to achieve prevention and disease-modifying treatment by 2025.

In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) are financed by state, county, and federal funds. Depending on your countable income, you may have to pay for a portion of the cost of services. This is known as share of cost.

If you work, you may qualify for no-cost IHSS even if you think you have to pay a share of cost. That’s because if you have a disability, you could sign up for Medi-Cal’s Working Disabled Program (WDP).

Sooner or later, science will deliver medicines to prevent, slow or cure Alzheimer’s disease, but America’s health care infrastructure is woefully unprepared to deliver such innovative treatments to the millions of people who would need access. Unless the health care system accelerates its readiness for a breakthrough treatment, patients could find it difficult or impossible to get access to life-changing, perhaps life-saving, medical advancements when they are ready.

Some counties have contracted IHSS care providers. Community care providers, friends, neighbors, and relatives can provide services as well. You are responsible for hiring, firing, and supervising your IHSS caregiver.

Anasarca is general swelling of the whole body that can occur when the tissues of the body retain too much fluid. The condition is also known as extreme generalized edema.
Accumulation of fluid may occur due to any illnesses and conditions that change the proteins of the body, affect the balance of fluids, or create abnormalities in the blood vessels or lymphatic system.

Often, if anasarca is present, it is a sign of severe organ damage or illness.

Low Income Subsidy (LIS) 

Helps to pay for Medicare Part D for people with low to moderate income and resources. Also known as “Extra Help”.
There are two levels of the LIS:

Full Subsidy

• The full subsidy is for people who also get Medi-Cal coverage or who are in a Medicare Savings Program (MSP). You may also qualify if your countable income is less than $16,281 per year and your resources are less than $7,560, if you are single (the limits are higher for larger households).
• With the full subsidy, you will not have to pay a Part D premium or deductible, there will be no donut hole, and there may be lower co-payments.

  Partial Subsidy 

• The partial subsidy is for people who can’t get the full subsidy, but have less than $18,090 in countable income and less than $12,600 in resources, if you are single (the limits are higher for larger households).
• With the partial subsidy, you will pay 0%, 25%, 50%, or 75% of the Part D premium, depending on your income, and will only have to pay a $83 deductible before you get help paying for drugs. You will have to pay coinsurance and co-payments for your medications, but they will be lower than they would be without the partial LIS.

  Note: Not all of your income and resources are counted when you apply for the Low Income Subsidy. You can apply for the LIS even if you are not sure that you will qualify.

Because dental insurance is usually acquired as part of a job benefit package, most persons lose their dental insurance coverage when they retire. In some states, Medicaid provides limited dental coverage for routine dental care for low income and disabled elderly persons.

Medicare, on the other hand, does not cover routine dental care for older adults, but provides a few, very limited services considered to be “medically necessary.” With only 22 percent of the adults 65 years and older covered by private dental insurance in 1995, most dental care expenses for the elderly were paid out of pocket.

This website offers affordable low cost dental insurance that will greatly help with dental care cost. Take a moment to review our dental insurance plan options and call member services if you should have any questions at 310-534-3444 M-F 8-5. We are always happy to help you with any of our dental insurance plan options.