While we still have a couple of months away before the filing deadline, somehow it always seems to sneak upon us and before you know it April 15 is here. Here are some tips for seniors that will help filing taxes run easier.

• Collect all your records early. Start by gathering all your documents, records and receipts that you may have that will help with your return.   

• Contact your current/past company to make sure you are getting your W2s. Follow up with your statements from any investments that you may have i.e. Roth IRA’s, 401k etc. 

• Consider E-File. Filing electronically will lessen the math mistakes, the software will handle all your math calculations for you.  

• Get your refund quicker and hassle free by considering direct deposit.

• Educate yourself, know your tax credits. Be aware of all the tax code changes. Seniors may qualify for the credit for the elderly or disabled if you are 65yrs. old. There is a certain income requirement to be eligible and the long form 1040 or 1040A has to be completed.   

•  Don’t rush! Be thorough… One of the most common mistakes that seniors make is overlooking  something and they end up missing out on a credit that they were entitled to.  

• Make sure it’s legible, if you aren’t able to write because of a disability ask someone to help you. 

•  Double check everything.  A simple mistake on your social security number can slow the process of getting your refund quicker. 

•  Know that you have options. If you don’t feel comfortable filing your own taxes contact a professional. There are many different establishments that seniors can go to. H & R Block,  Jackson Hewitt to just name a few. If it’s a simple return you might be able to get a discount of the processing fee. Also consider TCE Tax Counseling for the Elderly. They provide free tax help to people over the age of 6o years old.   

• Visit IRS.gov for a FREE file. If your income is limited you may be eligible for free tax preparation software and free electronic filing.

Caring for your parents when you are far away can be quite a task to manage. It is even harder when you don’t live in the same city, let alone the same state. There are caregivers that can do it all from a distance and ones who are eager to lend a hand even when they aren’t the ones that are in charge.

Below are some helpful tips for the caregivers that live long distance who wants to try to do it all:

• Avoid the relocation reaction.  Before moving your elder to your home allow extra time for them to consider other options.
• Do an on-site comprehensive assessment of your elder’s situation.
• Arrange for home health care providers and special programs like Meals on Wheels and transportation services for the frail elderly.
• Ask for help from family members, friends and even neighbors.
• Ask neighbors, friends, or relatives to visit your elder regularly to spot problems that are impossible to know over the phone, such as mail or newspapers piling up outside the home.
• Contact the local post office, informing the local letter carrier that a frail elder is on his/her route and to report any worrisome signs on the property.
• Tell the local police department that an elder lives alone in the community. This may encourage officers to give a little extra attention, especially during heat waves, cold spells, earthquakes and any other natural disasters.
• Check with local utility companies as they may have “elder watch” programs

Tips for the far-away caregiver that isn’t quite the one in charge but nevertheless wants to help:

• Save vacation days and personal holidays for emergency visits.
• Set aside emergency money for those unexpected travels.
• Call often and visit often, don’t wait until the last minute.
• Offer the primary caregiver a welcome break. 
• Be diplomatic. Offer your help and let the primary caregiver know that you are there to lend a helping hand. Don’t overstep your boundaries, the primary caregiver knows the situation more than you do.

Article provided by Rachele Zukerman

 As your elders get older, it gets harder and harder for them to maintain any kind of friendships. Friends move away, or end up in nursing homes and yes of course some pass away.  It has been said that friends are “good medicine”. New friends and old friends have the potential to enhance the quality of your elders life. Here are six reasons why:

A friend makes an excellent audience to reminisce about past experiences and relationships, which help your loved ones come to terms with their lives. Sharing such pastimeswith friends is easier than sharing it with family members who often have a vested interest in denying their loved ones past or avoiding sensitive issues.

A friend can bring fun again to your loved ones life. Family members are often consumed with providing care and financial assistance, they forget that distractions can be a good thing .  Friends just want to have a good time.

An old friend helps an elderly person maintain a sense of continuity. Friends who have known each other for decades look at each other’s faces don’t see old people.  They see each other as they were when they met. Your loved one can look at their friend and remember their first meeting whether it was in high school, college or their first roommate.

Having a friend forces an older person to be less self-absorbed and more altruistic. Friendship  compels an older person to forget about their own worries and instead worries about their friends well being.

A new friend will provide an opportunity to explore new things. There’s no need to maintain an old image with a new friend. Because there’s no common past to share, exploring new things with a new friend can be more exciting.

Having a friend to confide in helps an older person cope with problems more effectively.  When you have someone that shares the same issues, little things don’t seem so bad.  Friends can offer support, encouragement, new ideas and often just a different perspective.

Information provided by Rachel Zukerman

Growing up is never easy and without our parents most people would agree that we wouldn’t be where we are without their support.  They have been there to help us through our awkward years and even through our adult life guiding us to be who we are today.  As a child the thought doesn’t come to mind that you have to take care of your parents. As we get older, so do our parents and it is when we realize that we have to be there for them too.  While it’s never easy to discuss when a good time for your parents to get help it is a conversation that needs to be discussed.  We owe it to them to look out for their best interest.

Signs that your parents may need help:

• Forgetfulness
• Household chores have been neglected, house is messy
• Has a hard time moving around, loss of balance i.e. walking, going up the stairs
• Decrease or increase in weight due to poor malnutrition
• Financial problems, missed payments
• Excessive spending habit
• Loss of social skills, alienating friends & loved ones  
• Change in mood, erratic behavior
• Disregards medications or forgets
• Hygiene becomes a problem
• Loss of speech
• Inability to perform basic skills such as eating or drinking

Elder abuse has always been an issue but has increased over the last decades.  We can only guess at the number of elders who are being abused every year. The cases that are being reported are making a difference, it means that more people are aware of the issue.  But for every case that is reported there are many that go unreported.  Caregivers need to be diligent in their role as a caregiver. Take initiative, speak up.. so that you can take care of your client and yourself….

Ways to protect yourself from being charged with :

• Follow your client’s care plans making sure all their request and needs are met
• Report any signs of abuse or neglect immediately, if you don’t, you might be charged for neglect
• Listen to your clients carefully especially when your client is of a different culture. A slight misinterpretation might cause problems for your client’s needs. 
• Take care of yourself  and if the work becomes too much, seek help right away. You are no good to your client if you aren’t fully rested.
• Stay calm & relax. Your client is relying on you to take care of them. Take a deep breathe and count to ten. Repeat the exercise if you have to.
• Communicate with your Supervisor if you don’t feel comfortable with the task.  If you feel that you need more training tell your supervisor so that proper training can be given.
• If a client refuses to do anything i.e.  eating, bathing drinking report it to your supervisor right away.  If you don’t you might get charged for neglect abuse.
• Be professional don’t take personal issues to work
• Treat your clients with respect and kindness.  Patience goes a long way when working with a difficult client.   

Don’t forget what is important…taking care of someone is a very important job.  Your client needs you!!

Neglect is another type of abuse that seniors face and it is one that is a serious problem in our communities.  People are most at risk when they get older and become sick and aren’t able to take care of themselves. The job of care giving usually falls on their loved ones or a hired caregiver. While most families will do whatever it takes to make sure their loved ones are taken care of, not all agree.  Most are left with feelings of resentment, burden and in some cases don’t feel that they have to take care of their parents at all. The hired caregivers are often overworked, stressed out or poorly trained. It is important to learn about neglect so that we know the signs of abuse to protect our loved ones or patients.

What is neglect?

Neglect is when someone refuses or fails to take care of someone for whom they are responsible.

Examples of neglect:

• Refuses to take an elderly person to the bathroom.
• Leaves an elderly person in the same clothes for a month.
• Leaves an elderly person in a dirty and unsafe environment that smells of urine or feces.

 Signs of neglect:

• Stays in an environment that has health or safety hazards such as no heat or no running water.
• Have rashes, sores or lice.
• Don’t have enough clothes to stay comfortable or warm.
• Seem poorly fed or dehydrated.
• Have a medical condition that is going untreated.
• Don’t have the medications they need.
• Have a dirty appearance.
• Have ripped clothing.
• Are lying in soiled bed linens when you arrive.
• Complain of not getting enough sleep.
• Never seem to have to urinate. They may be dehydrated.
• Beg for food constantly.
• Have muscles that are contracted.
• Have bed sores, especially if the sores don’t seem to be getting treated.  

Ways to prevent neglect:

• Keep a close eye on your loved one or client. Report any suspicions of neglect to the proper authority.
• Encourage your loved one or client to be as independent as possible but never refuse help if they ask you for assistance.
• Follow your loved one or client’s care plans carefully.
• Listen to your loved one or client’s needs. They depend on you for their most basic needs.

Follow these suggestions and you will help your loved one or client live a happier and more comfortable life.

Financial Abuse is a growing concern in the senior community. In this day in age and with the economy being the way that it is people have become more desperate and have turned to other means of living.  Seniors need to be more aware of their surroundings as they are vulnerable to these types of abuse. 

What is Financial Abuse?

Financial abuse includes the theft or misuse of someone’s money by a trusted individual.  This includes the following activities

• committing fraud
• getting money by lying what is needed
• forging checks
• cashing someone else’s check without permission
• using someone’s ATM card without permission
• forcing someone to transfer property
• keeping someone away from his or her own home or money
• providing healthcare services to a patient that are not really needed

Signs of financial abuse

• Can’t pay their bills for housing, food, basic clothing or medications even though they seem like they have enough money to do so.
• Get credit card bills for stores they have never been to.
• Seem anxious about or don’t know where their money is going.
• Talk about having to give money to others.
• Have a family member who complains constantly about how much the patients care is costing.
• Have family members who appear suddenly and claim they have a right to the patient’s money.

What can you do about financial abuse?

Watch your loved ones carefully for signs of financial abuse.

Call Elder Abuse Hotline at (866)800-1409

 Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) Director Charles D. Johnson today launched the fifth annual statewide “Break the Silence” campaign and announced that July is Elder Abuse Awareness Month in Illinois, with a proclamation from the Governor. It is estimated as many as 80,000 older adults in Illinois are elder abuse victims each year. Elder abuse is defined as neglect, physical injury, mental, sexual, or financial exploitation to an adult 60 years of age or older.

 If you are a victim, know or suspect someone who is being victimized, pick up the phone to get them some help. No one should have to go it alone.

Signs of elder abuse:

• Untreated injuries, sprains or dislocations, scratches and cuts
• Sudden changes in behavior and/or withdrawal in social settings
• A caregiver’s refusal to allow visitors
• Dehydration, malnutrition, poor personal hygiene, untreated health problems, hazardous or unsafe living conditions
• Sudden changes in bank account or banking practices, the inclusion of additional names on a victim’s bank signature card, unauthorized withdrawal of the victim’s funds using the victim’s ATM or credit card and abrupt changes in a will or other financial documents.

 If you are a victim, know or suspect someone who is being victimized, pick up the phone to get them some help. No one should have to go it alone.

 Information provided by Illinois Dept. on Aging