| Consider the options for long-term care insurance
With medical advances and improved nutrition, the average American now has a life expectancy of about 77.9 years. Many surpass that average. That's good news. But with a longer life span, there's a greater chance of facing serious health problems later in life. Right now, the average daily rate for nursing home care is about $181 a day or $66,000 a year according to recent industry survey. Home care can be more or less costly, depending on needs. With inflation ahead, these costs could have a significant impact to anyone on a fixed income. While there's no way to know just who will face long-term health challenges, it is easy to see the associated costs could wipe out your savings or place a burden on other family members for your care. Most health insurance policies don't cover long-term care expenses.
Outbreak sickens hundreds across SJ, Calaveras
Four senior care facilities remain under watch after a countywide outbreak of the gastrointestinal illness known as norovirus, which has sickened 323 care home residents in the past six weeks, according to San Joaquin County's Department of Public Health Services. The department released the list of skilled-nursing and assisted-living facilities in San Joaquin County that have reported outbreaks of the virus after The Record requested the documents via the Freedom of Information Act. Eight facilities since Dec. 14 have reported norovirus affecting numerous residents, including more than 100 sick seniors at the Manteca Care & Rehabilitation Center at 410 Eastwood Ave. Somerford Place, at 3531 Deer Park Drive in Stockton, has had two separate outbreaks since Dec. 22 and has not received its latest clearance from the Health Department.
Bill to protect nursing home residents introduced
A bill to make the reporting of abuse of elderly nursing home residents compulsory has been introduced into federal parliament. The new arrangements will come into effect on April 1. MInister for Ageing Senator Santo Santoro says the legislation is a major step forward for aged care. "The standards of care in our aged care sector today are generally very high, but the legislation will make them even higher," he said. "Residents and their families can rest assured that any concerns they have about standards of care will be investigated fairly and promptly." The new compulsory reporting arrangements mean residential aged care providers must report any suspected sexual abuse or physical assault of residents. The report must be made to both the police and to the Department of Health and Ageing.
Senior citizens quarantined in assisted living facility
BALTIMORE - The highly contagious stomach virus that shut down a hotel near Dulles Airport last weekend cropped up in an Annapolis assisted living facility, which quarantined 15 elderly residents. “There is no story here. I recommend you don't come in. I don't want you to get sick with what they have," Elona Myers, director of the Sunrise Senior Living facility in Annapolis, told The Examiner. Sunrise quarantined 15 patients with gastroenteritis — an inflammation of the intestines and stomach, said Megan Lublin, spokeswoman for Sunrise Senior Living. “Quarantined patients are suffering from gastroenteritis and stomach-flu," she said. Gastroenteritis is caused by norovirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The highly contagious norovirus is the same infection that caused the Hilton Washington Dulles Airport hotel to close for a floor-to-ceiling disinfection after 120 people were infected.
'Nevermore' not a good way to run a city
First, the city's auditors issued a recent report that slammed the municipality for failing to keep track of cash. The report covering the fiscal year ending in September 2005 said that the city's control of money was so poor that auditors couldn't track cash it collected.
The amount of money that was supposed to be in the bank was short by $2.9 million when compared against what the city books said should be there.
This is no small math error. This is a case of Amateur Hour in the finance department. This is what auditors call a "material weakness" in handling public money because the city's records are so sloppy that it's almost impossible to determine whether error or fraud is at work.
But la-de-da-de-da. Nobody talks about this at City Commission meetings.
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