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Williamson Herald Editor, Mindy Tate with Cliff Barnes, Director of the JL Clay Center

What are you doing to celebrate the fourth of July?

I always think of hamburgers, barbeque, corn on the cob, blueberry pie and lemonade. But this year I am thinking about a lot more than what will be on the table.

Today I went to the Fourth of July picnic with the JL Clay Senior Citizens Center in Franklin, TN.

It was a pretty important event. Attended by a wonderful group of citizens and veterans as well as city, county and State of Tennessee government officials.

The festivities began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a host of songs representing the various branches of our military. When each group was recognized in song, the veterans from those branches stood proudly. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most pleasant experiences I have had recently was at the Noon Rotary Club of Tullahoma.

They invited me to speak to them about Family Staffing and how we can help families decide when the right time is to have those difficult conversations such as: “Where should my mother and father live now that I have moved out of state?” and “I can’t cook because my kitchen is not suited to my needs,” As I told my Rotary friends, I am often asked, “ Is it safe for Mom or Dad to stay in their home?”

Many different groups are addressing these questions.  72% of all adults over 60 own their own homes so it is important that we find a way to help them stay there. The National Association of Homebuilders is even finding ways to help. They have a training program set up to address the needs of older homeowners. In group classes,  they teach contractors how to audit a home for potential issues concerning safety;  Where to place  handrails, how to build ramps and how to create a workable special-needs kitchen.  The National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Health have free literature they can send you that helps understand the aging processes, health conditions, nutrition, and etc.

One important question we are always asked is,  “Dad had a fall and I’m worried about him, can he stay in his home?” I am happy to give them a resounding,” Yes!”  With the right care providers, your loved ones can remain in their home as long as they want. A recent poll by AARP stated that 83% of seniors they interviewed stated emphatically that they wanted to remain in their home until their death.

The most important thing is that this allows our loved ones to remain in the driver’s seat, independent and making their own decisions. Don’t we want that for them?

Family Staffing Solutions has more than a decade of experience in helping people stay independent, in charge and in their own home.

I loved sharing that with the Rotarians. Their ideals are mine.

Think about it and give us a call.

Love,

Nancy

37% of our Veterans may not be aware they are entitled to benefits under the Veterans program named Aid and Attendance? That is a fact.

According to the Veterans’ Administration, there are available benefits of almost $20,000 per year to pay for personal care services and other needs. And the benefit is higher for a Veteran and spouse.  Isn’t that terrific news? A qualified veteran must have served at least 90 days in the military. A very common misconception is that pensions only go to those who served in wars overseas. In fact, the benefits are available to anyone other than those dishonorably discharged who served even one single day during a war, even if the service was stateside.

Regarding those seeking medical relief, there are 15 long-term conditions that are considered to be service-connected for our Veterans. Many are not aware of how they can find this information, let alone apply.

According to AARP, many Veterans think military pensions are only available to those who are considered “low-income”. The big surprise is how much Veterans are allowed to deduct from their income to meet the standard.

The Veterans’ Benefits Administration allows Veterans to subtract all care-related costs, including the costs of personal home care assistance, Medicare premiums and ongoing medical treatment costs. There are also considerable benefits available for surviving spouses and dependents under this program. Widowed spouses may be entitled even if they remarried. The staff of Family Staffing Solutions works closely with our clients to help them understand the application process so they can get it right the first time.

Our Veterans richly deserve their benefits. Please call the Family Staffing Solutions office toll free at 1-866-383-5670 for more information.

As always, I hope you’ve been helped by these Notes.

Be well,

Nancy