Seniorliving0429

SENIOR

Living

IN NEVADA COUNTY MAY 2014

Doing good is good for you Submitted by Hospice of the Foothills

W

hen Hospice of the Foothills was founded it was as an all volunteer organization.

Today, 35 years later, volunteers still significantly support Hospice of the Foothills commitment to offer a wide range of high quality services that our patients and families expect and deserve. They do this by leveraging and complementing our greatest asset - our people - in making a difference. Our more than 460 volunteers have diverse backgrounds, coming from many careers and occupations, and bring the skills and knowledge from lifetimes of good works.

Whether it’s volunteering for our Gift and Thrift stores, directly helping care for our patients, supporting our administrative team, acting as an Ambassador in our speakers program or, as a Friends of Hospice member, helping with fundraising events,

fect vehicle to rediscover something you are really good at or to develop a new skill. It is never too late to learn new skills and no reason why you should stop adding to your knowledge just because you are working or are retired. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

But more importantly, volunteering provides more than just social or knowledge benefits.

THINKSTOCK People who volunteer When researchers examined the relationship between volunteering and mea- report they feel better in sures of happiness in a large group of adults, they found the more people numerous ways. When volunteered, the happier they were. researchers examined the relationship between volWe provide the training Hospice of the Foothills unteering and measures of and a schedule that will has volunteer opportuhappiness in a large group accommodate your timenities that can meet the of adults, they found the table. interests and skills of more people volunteered, All that’s needed is a everyone and anyone. We the happier they were. desire to help . . . and be make sure our volunteer Numerous studies have helped. Because as much opportunities are a good also established a strong as volunteering benefits fit. The best volunteer relationship between experiences are interesting our work and our comvolunteering and health: and rewarding and benefit munity, it also has many those who volunteer live rewards for the volunteer. both the volunteer and longer, and have greater Volunteering is the perHospice of the Foothills.

functional ability and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer. And people who volunteer manage their stress better and feel a stronger connection to their communities.

With busy lives, it can be hard to find time to volunteer. But remember, volunteering is a gift twice over. Making new friends, learning new skills, living longer, feeling happier and helping Hospice of the Foothills patients and their families - some things really are a winwin.

If you have questions, would like more information about volunteering at Hospice of the Foothills, or would like to make an online donation, visit our website www.hofo.org or call 530-272-5739.

Got time? Got talent?

Share your gifts, skills and experience as a Hospice of the Foothills’ volunteer. There are so many ways you can help! Call TODAY to register for volunteer training in May. “Volunteering has given my life deep significance. During volunteer training, when I wondered how I could contribute, I was told ‘YOU are the gift.’” —Susan Martin

of compassionate care

Compassionate care for patients, families, and the community

www.hofo.org 530.272.5739

FREE LUNCH AND LEARN Complimentary Lunch Provided Reverse Mortgages & Reverse Mortgages for Home Purchase Thursday May 8th 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ~ Humpty Dumpty Kitchen

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assisted living for your loved ones.

• Companionship • Housekeeping • Activities • Laundry • Medication Administration • Meals and much more Since 1984 Assisted Living Residence

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• Reverse mortgage fundamentals: establishing a credit line: life time income or periodic payments, payoff of your mortgage, and understanding the new Hybrid Reverse Mortgage, we are among the first to have it!

• Have questions answered that are important to YOU. • Hear about changes coming to the program in May of 2014.

• Discover little known reverse mortgage program customizations that could make a difference in deciding if this is a good fit for your retirement goals.

• Learn how to shop lenders to compare fees, interest rates and service.

With an office conveniently located in Grass Valley, Shawna McDonald has specialized in real estate and reverse mortgages for over 25 years. In 2012 Scotsman’s Lending Industry Guide named Shawna the # 1 nationwide reverse mortgage loan officer; in that year no other loan officer in the nation completed as many reverse mortgages as she did.

“The most gratifying part of my work is helping seniors to “age in place”, retain complete home ownership rights, with more financial security and independence then they ever thought possible.”

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2 | April 29, 2014 | Senior Living | The Union

Seniors caught in lobbyist crossfire

by David Unterman, Best Policy

D

oings in Washington D. C. will have an impact here. Now, folks older than 65 in Nevada County can choose from dozens of insurance companies for Medicare Supplement plans and drug plans. This type of coverage is relatively stable.

Medicare Advantage is the other kind of coverage that some find convenient, and for that there’s only one choice in Nevada County.

With this, you may have to cover $6,300 of medical bills yourself, even though you pay $80 a month for the insurance. I’ve been searching the news and talking to industry contacts, to see if these Medicare Advantage deals will improve. It looks like they’ll either stay the same or get worse.

Ever since private insurance companies started competing with Medicare in 1997, they’ve been lobbying intensely to get paid more.

Medicare still pays the private companies slightly more per senior than it budgets for itself, but that subsidy is expected to drop.

This year, a reduction was planned, and analysts were predicting that more Medicare Advantage plans would fold, like our situation in 2011 when Anthem closed its popular “Freedom Blue” Medicare Advantage.

As Washington tries to cut costs, privatization plus

Kaleidoscope of colors offered at Soroptimist Garden Tour Submitted by Soroptimist International of the Sierra Foothills

W

e are happy to announce that our 21st Annual Garden Tour is just around the corner on May 17 & 18, so mark this fabulous event on your calendars.

We have six incredible gardens that will be featured on our tour this year, all located in Grass Valley. This is a self-guided tour, which SUBMITTED PHOTO takes approximately 4 A wonderful blend of Japanese gardens will be included in the to 5 hours, but you are Soroptimist International of the Sierra Foothills 21st Annual Spring Garden Tour, taking place on May 17 & 18. welcome to go at your own pace and divide with a collection of great garden next year. the gardens up between ideas, but the one thing For the past 21 years, the two days. A raffle you will all walk away this had been Soroptiand free refreshments with is garden envy. mist of the Sierra Footwill be offered at garWe are always hills’ largest fundraiser den no. 2. looking for gardens for and we are proud to say We have a wonderful future tours. Contact we have given back sevblend of gardens this Linda Sanderson at eral hundred thousand year, from Japanese to 273-7989 if you think dollars, all to support rose gardens, to pristine, you might be interested women and children in manicured landscapes in showcasing your our community. to small country gardens. The first thing you Soroptimist International of the Sierra will notice when you Foothills 21st Annual Spring Garden Tour walk through the garden Date: May 17 & 18, 10:00 to 4:00 each day gates is a kaleidoscope Cost: $20.00 in advance/ $25.00 at the gardens of colors, the unique Tickets can be purchased: Grass Valley: Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply, Hills Flat Lumber, SPD Market, Weiss Bros. landscape that the garA to Z Garden Center. Nevada City: Harmony Books, den owners have created Nursery, Prospectors Nursery, SPD Market. Penn Valley: Nevada Country themselves, and an array Farm Supply & Nursery. Lake of the Pines: CVS Pharmacy.

Auburn: Eisley’s Nursery. Colfax: Hills Flat Lumber. of exotic plants. Most For more information call 273-7989 visitors will come away

Spring Hill Physical Therapy & Stillpoint StudiosStudios Spring Hill Physical Therapy & Stillpoint

a subsidy is hard to support. In an area like Nevada County with little health care competition, Medicare Advantage benefits to Seniors are likely to become even less generous.

2015 spending plans were finalized this month, including a small nominal subsidy for Medicare Advantage.

But when analysts looked at the fine print, they saw looming losses for Med Ad. “This is a tough series of cuts,” John Gorman, executive chairman of Gorman Health Group, a consulting firm in Washington, said.

“2014 and 2015 from a rate standpoint are likely to be the two worst years in Medicare Advantage in well over a decade,” Businessweek. com, April 8.

Free chat line available for seniors living alone Summer is almost here and it’s time to travel. When you go out of town, do you worry about a significant other, parent of friend being alone? HelpLine Senior Information & Assistance has a Telephone Reassurance program that provides a senior with scheduled morning or afternoon telephone calls Monday through Friday. The call offers the reassurance that someone will be checking with them on a regular basis. If the participant would like, a procedure of safety checks can be set into place. The call provides an opportunity for participants to feel connected with the outside world. Although the program is intended for long term use, if you feel someone would benefit from the program on a short term basis (ie. while you are on vacation), please call HelpLine at 273-2273. Applications can be taken over the telephone. This service is FREE and confidential. A caring person is only a phone call away!

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Celebrating 11 Years of Elder Law in Nevada County • • • • • •

Senior Wellness It’s Spring!

Get ready for gardening, walking, hiking, and biking!

Specializing in treatments & programs for Balance, Dizziness, and Fall Prevention.

Gentle & safe Pilates movements to stimulate bone building for osteoporosis and osteopenia conditions.

Fall Prevention Class Wednesdays 9-10AM May 14-June 11 (5 weeks)

What does this mean for local seniors? First, understand your current plan and its gaps, and learn the alternatives – probably Medicare Supplement rather than Medicare Advantage, and maybe less expensive than you think. Second, be alert in October, and if your plan’s terms get worse, call an agent who specializes in Seniors and Medicare Supplements.

We’ll review all these subjects in the meeting room of Siena’s Grill ( formerly Perko’s) at 1000 Plaza Drive in the Glenbrook area, Monday May 12 and Monday, July 14, at 2 and 7 p.m. Feel free to attend, or to call David Unterman at 272-4650 to ask any questions about Medicare.

He answers emails to David @bestpolicyhealth.com also.

Wills & Trusts • Probate Estate Administration Special Needs Trusts Medi-Cal for Long-Term Care Conservatorships VA Benefits for Assisted Living & In-Home Care

FREE 38-Page Nursing Home & Assisted Living Guide & Free Information on Veterans’ Benefits For more information

530.274.2320

300 Sierra College Drive, #165, Grass Valley, CA 95945 530-274-2370 www.springhillpt.com

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Senior Living | The Union | April 29, 2014 | 3

It has been a tremendous life!

By Molly Topp, Senior Consultant, Hilltop Commons Senior Community

L

anell Lee was born in Glen Allen, Ala on December 14, 1925, and grew up in Winfield, Alabama. Lanell was the eighth child in her family, and her childhood was not so great; her father died when she was 7 years old, and her older siblings left home to try and survive on their own. That left Lanell and her mom to try to survive on their own. The only person Lanell had while she was growing up was her mother and she looked up to her.

“My mom was my idol, she taught me to help other people, and she lived to be 101,” Lanell stated.

Lanell had a sad childhood but she had a tremendous life, she got married and had a family, has lived in Grass Valley for 70 years and was a part of Soroptimist for 45 years.

Lanell went to a country school until she was a

freshmen, and then she went to high school where she met her husband-tobe. Her husband graduated from high school in 1942 and was going to be drafted into the war, so they decided to get married in Fulton, Miss. Lanell’s husband was drafted into the army, and was stationed at Camp Beale, and that is how they ended up moving to Grass Valley in 1944. Camp Beale is now called Beale Air Force Base.

After Lanell’s husband was discharged from the army he was offered a job with the Grass Valley Post Office, so they decided to stay in the area. Lanell and her husband had two childen, a boy and a girl.

Their daughter Jan, and her husband started a theatre company in Nevada City called Off Broadstreet, they have owned it for 25 years and it is still going strong today!

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Lanell Lee moved to Hilltop Commons Senior Community in 2013 and considers everyone there as family.

Lanell is very involved in the community. She was president of the PTA in 1955. During this year, the PTA planted two big redwood trees in front of Hennessey School on Auburn Street, in memory of all the past presidents.

Lanell was also a part of Cub Scouts – she would

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bring the kids to the hill where Hilltop Commons Senior Community is now located and fly kites, it was known as Murphy Hill.

Lanell also got the gymnasium named for Albert Ali at Nevada Union High School. She supported all the sports programs.

Lanell went back to school to beauty college in Marysville and received her cosmetology license on her 37th birthday and opened a beauty shop in her home. Lanell has also been a member of Soroptimist International of Grass Valley for 45 years.

In 1968, Lanell went to the old Nevada County Hospital and cut hair and did perms for the patients there for free. Soroptimist helped her put a beauty shop at Spring Hill Convalescent Hospital for 18 years and a beauty shop at Golden Empire, so that she could give free

haircuts to the patients at the hospital. She recently received an Elderly Award sponsored by the Gathering of the Women, the honor was given to her

by Soroptimist for all the community service she has done over the past 60 years. Lanell moved to Hilltop Senior Community in Grass Valley in June 2013 and she loves it.

“I feel like it is a big family, I would consider everyone at Hilltop to be my own family.”

Lanell had a sad childhood, but she has a very positive outlook on life and is a very happy person. She spent more than 60 years of her life giving back to others and she has made a huge impact on many lives. She still does to this day.

“Life is what you make of it, if you make it happy, you are happy, if you are sad, you will be sad.”

Senior chorus beginning in May

Submitted by Falls Prevention Coalition of Nevada County

H

ave you been told you can’t carry a tune in a bucket?

Or maybe you sing in the shower, but can’t imagine singing with others. A brand new senior chorus, for people 65 years of age and older, is beginning, with a vision of bringing together all of us, male and female, who may have been told we can’t sing or who haven’t sung with others in years. And if you can sing, even read music, and want to join other seniors, you are welcome, too.

Singing has wonderful health benefits, as researchers are finding out, including reducing our risk for falling. The Falls Prevention Coalition is beginning to recruit seniors for the chorus. Don’t worry if you can’t read music or don’t know if you’re a soprano or alto, tenor or bass. And no audition necessary!

We will be getting together to have fun by singing and enjoying each other…though we will work toward doing some performances.

We will focus on pop and rock music, from the 1960’s on with forays into folk. We are loosely modeled after the Young@Heart chorus from Western Massachusetts (You-

Tube has trailers of the “Young@ Heart” documentary about the chorus). The chorus director, Colleen Bond, has worked with seniors and untrained voices. She is excited to be taking this on and understands this is not a sing-along, a choir or anything like the Master Chorale.

We will meet weekly for an hour of rehearsal. The first meeting will be at 10:00 am on May 14. Eskaton is generously providing space for the rehearsals. Come to the first meeting (the receptionist will tell you where in Eskaton we’ll be) and bring your friends, spouses, etc. You can learn more about what we have in mind and find out if it’s for you.

Our first songs may be one by the Beatles and one by Dylan, with the goal of having our inaugural performance at the Falls Prevention Coalition’s annual event in mid-September.

If you have questions, please call HelpLine Senior Information and Assistance, 273-2273, and leave your name and contact info and we’ll get back to you. Otherwise, just come to Eskaton on May 16. We hope to see you there!

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4 | April 29, 2014 | Senior Living | The Union

Medi-Cal eligibility for long-term care

by Edward E. Hawkins, Attorney at Law

M

edical eligibility for nursing facility services is determined based on a comprehensive “needs assessment” which demonstrates that the recipient requires skilled nursing facility services. Medi-Cal eligibility requires that the care being provided by the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) must be medically necessary.

Assets. As a general rule, Medi-Cal will not begin to pay SNF bills until the assets of the applicant are spent down to the resource limits. For an individual, the resource limit is $2,000.

For a couple, the resource limit is $3,000.

However, where one spouse is the “community spouse” (the spouse not residing at the nursing home), that spouse is entitled to retain $117,240 in non-exempt assets (for 2014). In addition, $2,000 can be retained for the “institutionalized spouse” (the spouse

THINKSTOCK

Medi-Cal eligibility requires that the care being provided by the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) must be medically necessary. residing in the nursing home), for a total combined resource limit of $119,240.

The resource limit only applies to countable assets.

Assets that are excluded include the family home, one vehicle of any value, prepaid funerals, burial plot, and IRA’s in payout status.

Share of Cost (SOC).

Each institutionalized person on Medi-Cal must pay almost all of his or her monthly income to the nurs-

NEVADA CEMETERY DISTRICT

ing home. This is known as “Share of Cost” (SOC). SOC is generally calculated by taking the Institutionalized person’s monthly income, deducting $35 for a “special needs allowance,” i.e., toothpaste money, and deduction of amounts paid for medical insurance, (including the Medicare Part “B” premium, $104.90 for 2014). The remainder is the SOC that must be paid to the nursing home.

ELSTER MEMORIAL Elster Memorial Cemetery VETERANS SECTION Veterans Section

18 PUBLIC CEMETERIES

In Nevada County

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Nevada Cemetery District 10523 Willow Valley Road Nevada City, CA 95959 530-265-3461 nevadacemeterydistrict.com

In-ground plots for burials and cremation Columbaria, scattering gardens, ossuaries for cremains Plot and Niche vaults, openings and closings Canopy and chairs for services Weekday and Saturday services

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Estate Recovery. Medi-Cal, through the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), will attempt to collect any amounts paid through the Medi-Cal program once the individual or, if married, both spouses have passed away. Estate Recovery will be sought against almost all assets in which the decedent had an interest at the time of death. In devising a Medi-Cal plan, it is important to ensure that there are no assets remaining in the estate upon death.

Edward E. Hawkins is an Elder Law Attorney in Nevada County. For more information on using Medi-Cal to pay for long-term care, please contact the office at 530-265-3952. In addition, information on Veteran’s Benefits to pay for Assisted Living, and new editions of the free “Nursing Home And Assisted Living Guide For Nevada And Placer Counties,” will be sent out promptly upon request.

Submitted by Nevada Cemetery District

As a public cemetery and a special District of the State of California, the Nevada County voters in 1942 formed the Nevada Cemetery District. Under the direction of a five-member board of trustees the “endowment care” cemetery district is able to provide a wide variety of interment and service choices in 16 active public historical natural cemeteries and 2 new beautiful park-like lawn cemeteries. The District provides affordable choices and a distinctive place of interment for residents of Western Nevada County.

• • • • •

Lookback. At the present time, there is a 30-month lookback for transfers in California. This means that California can examine your records going back 30 months from the date of application to determine whether there have been any gifts of assets. If there are such transfers, Medi-Cal will divide the transferred amount by the penalty divisor of $7,628 (for 2014-2015) and determine the number of months of disqualification (up to a maximum penalty of 30 months). It is important to note that transfers of less than $7,628 incur no transfer penalty.

Effective Date of Benefits. Applications may be submitted up until the last day of the month for which benefits are being requested.

If the application is approved, benefits will start as of the first day of the month in which the application was submitted.

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Eskaton Village Grass Valley was voted BEST Assisted Living and BEST Alzheimer’s Care Community for 2013 by readers of The Union — and that’s the 10th year in a row!

THANK YOU! And may we humbly admit that the reason we are number one is because our residents are number one with us.

fter having worked their way upstream from a local stream in the Grass Valley and Nevada City areas, three gold prospectors discovered a rich gravel deposit of placer gold. The year was 1851.

Finally in need of supplies, one of the prospectors was sent back downstream to Nevada City with gold nuggets to purchase the supFILE PHOTO The mining camp of Humbug, and later North Bloomplies, along with instructions not to is now a state park known as Malakoff Diggins divulge the source of his gold, least of field, and several of the original buildings are still standing. all the location of the gold source.

But being a stereotypical miner, he But by then Humbug was a term allegedly visited a local saloon, and for “played-out” creeks and empty soon was boasting of the find. Fellow mining claims during the gold rush. gold seekers later apparently folThe mining camp of Humbug and lowed him up the creeks. Rumor has later North Bloomfield is now a state it up to 100 followed, but that may park known as Malakoff Diggins and be pretty far-fetched. But whatever several of the original buildings are the true circumstances, later estistill standing. In celebration of this mates quoted more than 100 miners legacy, once a year there is a gatherhad soon settled in the area and ing of history seekers at “Humbug worked the nearby South Yuba River Day.” The local park ranger tops off and the local feeder creeks. Soon the the festivities with a demonstration three gold prospectors’ Placer gold of hydraulic mining by firing off one had played out. Many other prospec- of the old hydraulic water cannons in tors did not find their fortunes either the middle of town. The hills are still and left the area calling the original barren from those hydraulic water Placer creek a “Humbug,” but know- cannons. ing how Placer gold accumulates, Visitors want to be sure to visit the there was plenty of gold in the hills still stocked country store, working surrounding Humbug, but if only blacksmith shop and historic cemthey had a means to get at it. etery a short walk or drive form the With a little ingenuity, in 1853, main townsite. There are crafts, food hydraulic mining was invented just booths, games for the young-uns outside Nevada City. The remaining and a unique not so “huge” parade. prospectors had already begun callSometimes an old miner and his ing their new mining camp “Humfaithful burro lead the parade, but bug City,” and soon learned of the he is careful about those wanting hydraulic mining technique. to follow him back to his personal These miners soon employed the diggins. This year “Humbug Day” is hydraulic methods and found gold in on Saturday, June 14. sufficient quantities to justify settling For more information call 530and expanding the miner’s camp into 265-2740. Malakoff Diggins State a full-fledged town-site.

Historic Park is located at 23579 In 1855, Humbug City was a small North Bloomfield Road, Nevada City. town with even a “Hotel de France,” User fee is $8.00 per vehicle. and more than 400 residents. In This article is courtesy of the Neva1857 a post office was established da Cemetery District to honor those and the town-site became known as hard-luck miners and their families North Bloomfield for mail delivery. at the North Bloomfield Cemetery.

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