| Today I spent some time with one of my | | | | Well worth the $6000 per year premium!!!!In |
| favorite clients. | | | | Jan 06, Cela was diagnosed with lung cancer |
| | | | which |
| Cela is 90 yrs old and full of life --a real | | | | |
| fireball. | | | | spread to her liver. This news and the |
| | | | pneumonia she was |
| Cela was a classical violinist whose concert | | | | |
| career | | | | experiencing, took the wind out of her sails |
| | | | for a few |
| took her all over the world.There are many | | | | |
| things that make Cela special -- | | | | weeks.During one of my visits, she said to |
| | | | me |
| her sense of humor, | | | | |
| | | | "Alice I don't know how to do this; this |
| her ability to keep up with current events, | | | | dying stuff is hard, |
| | | | |
| her fierce determination to live every day | | | | what do I do"?? |
| and | | | | |
| | | | My response to her was ,"Do whatever you |
| her courage to never give up.At age 79, Cela | | | | want to do. |
| purchased a long term care insurance policy | | | | |
| | | | You are not dying today . Go swimming, go |
| to assist her in her frail years and to aid | | | | shopping- |
| her in | | | | |
| | | | continue with your life"!! Well, she has |
| her quest to be independent as long as | | | | done just that!!It took her awhile to get |
| possible. | | | | over her pneumonia and |
| | | | |
| Cela's idea of life is to keep shopping till | | | | regain some of her strength but then she |
| "The Day I Die". | | | | went |
| | | | |
| She pays $6,000 per year for the | | | | swimming....My point to all of this is BE |
| policy.After a few years, Cela had the need | | | | PREPARED..... |
| for help at home. | | | | |
| | | | Stop with the thinking "IT WILL NEVER |
| She developed severe arthritis and had a | | | | |
| knee replacement. | | | | HAPPEN TO ME". |
| | | | |
| Macular Degeneration developed leaving Cela | | | | (In the near future I will be addressing |
| legally blind. | | | | LongTermCare |
| | | | |
| This was extremely troublesome for Cela as | | | | Insurance--keep watching)In the middle of |
| her life's | | | | this, Cela's daughter was diagnosed with |
| | | | |
| desire is to be as active and independent as | | | | breast cancer. We never know what life will |
| possible. | | | | bring!! |
| | | | |
| Without sight, Cela could no longer drive | | | | What will happen to Cela if her family |
| and she was | | | | preceeds her in death??When I want to see |
| | | | Cela I have to ask her to stop by my |
| dependent on others. | | | | |
| | | | office as she is so busy that she is never |
| Cela's idea of life is to keep shopping till | | | | home. In she comes |
| "The Day I Die".To Cela, staying active | | | | |
| means: | | | | walking with her cane in one hand and |
| | | | holding her |
| getting out of the house as soon as possible | | | | |
| after her caregiver | | | | companion's arm ( her term of choice for her |
| | | | caregiver).She is always, impeccably dressed |
| arrives; | | | | with perfect make |
| | | | |
| going shopping-she loves consignment | | | | up on and not a hair out of place. |
| shopping but needs | | | | |
| | | | If you look carefully you will see a small |
| her caregiver's eyes; | | | | grimace, remnants |
| | | | |
| going to the YMCA daily for water aerobics; | | | | of the pain that her pain patch doesn't |
| | | | completely remove. |
| having her packed lunch on a park bench or | | | | |
| picnic table | | | | Cela always wears a smile and is ready for |
| | | | a joke.When I saw Cela today I told her I |
| somewhere; | | | | wanted to write this article |
| | | | |
| volunteering at her favorite consignment | | | | and asked her what name she would like me to |
| shop using | | | | use. |
| | | | |
| the eyes of her caregiver. | | | | "My stage name of course....Cela |
| | | | DeGamba"!!!! |
| (she has turned many a caregiver into a savy | | | | |
| buyer)My agency has been caring for Cela for | | | | So here you are Cela--Keep on |
| 5 years, providing | | | | performing!!!Dedicated To Eldercare |
| | | | |
| her with a home health aide 10 hrs/day-7 | | | | NurseAliceAlice Endy is a Registered Nurse |
| days/week. | | | | with a certification in Gerontology.Alice has |
| | | | spent her entire career in the field of |
| All this is paid for by her longterm | | | | eldercare. Being a sought |
| insurance. | | | | |
| | | | after speaker and consutant , she spends |
| She has a lifetime of benefits--paying | | | | most of her time researching |
| over$70,000/year. | | | | |
| | | | trends and changes in eldercare. |