Economical Update for 2011

Two Alzheimer's medicines have almost bankrupted us. Not taking them is not an option. See Research.

"The combination of the current symptomatic treatments for Alzheimer's disease improved the patients' quality of life, since those who used concomitantly cholinesterase inhibitors -- donepezil, galantamine, or rivastigmine -- and memantine had a diminished risk of institutionalization compared to those who used no medication or used cholinesterase inhibitors alone." -- Dr. O. L. Lopez, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

I once e-mailed Dr. Newport (lady who introduced me to coconut oil) and she said to not discontinue either medicine as we continue with the coconut oil. I was not consistent on the Exelon Patch and that is when we went to Exelon pills. DH has to eat when he takes his twice-a-day Exelon pills or he will vomit.

Does Prescription Solutions from the AARP plan really help save in the new year? Absolutely not! For several years we have been going beyond the donut hole and into catastrophic coverage for my husband with them. One recent year when we maxed out our credit cards due to prescriptions from AARP, we used the line of credit on our house to pay off the credit cards. We are about to do that again and I do not want this. We have until December 31st to decide.

We went with WellCare at 1-888-888-9355. Gene was great in helping us. Got our new cards. They are excellent. However it meant a change in doctors, but much more savings.

Wait folks. News just in! In the dash for the best plan for 2011 by December 31st, an insurance representative Ned called. I research and listen to all possibilities and it is not yet December 31st. Possibly we could keep the same doctor. He took time to see us last Saturday. We didn't go with his plan that would keep my husband's current doctor, however, because Ned had a different idea--a plan with a higher amount until we would go into the donut hole ($3500  compared to $2840 with WellCare). Preferred Care Partners, Gold Plan, at 1-866-231-7201. They also offer dental coverage and eye coverage. I visited the local doctor's office and chose another doctor for us, unfortunately not keeping our same doctors, but bringing those other fabulous benefits.

All we save a month that we used to spend on the AARP plans (over $400) a month, we can use to pay down our credit cards and not go into our line of credit on the house. Thank you Lord, for answering prayers from the women at church who were praying about this and for the rest of you in blogland who pray for us.

Oh God, I beg two favors from you;

let me have them before I die.

First, help me never to tell a lie.

Second, give me neither poverty nor riches!

Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.

For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say,

"Who is the LORD?"

And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus

insult God's holy name.

Proverbs 30:7-9, TLT-- What I heard today on The Daily Audio Bible,

my third year going through the Bible with this podcast. 

Which Magazine Gets It Right?

Last Sunday's Parade Magazine (November 21, 2010) has an article called "Unlocking the Silent Prison" by Christine Wicker. Ms. Wicker reports on work that focuses on what alzheimer patients can do rather than what they cannot do. Speech-pathology professor Michelle B. Bourgeois in the 1980s started creating memory albums and sentences to go along with pictures. The reason?

Spoken words literally go through one ear and out the other. Patients understand, but they can't store the memory. That's why they ask the same question again and again.  

Bourgeois also advises to write things down. I notice my husband likes to do that--write down when I will be home, for example, and also he checks with our large FlyLady calendar. He likes to label things around the house. Boureois is also quoted saying:

We find that if caregivers aren't stressed and in a hurry, if the patient is well cared for, and if they feel safe and in a good environment, they think their lives are good.

The picture with the article shows a sign "MOM--IT'S SUSAN."

Another magazine came to our house this week--AARP for December. At the top of the cover is "Exclusive Personal Portraits of Alzheimer's" and for a moment I thought AARP, The Magazine, might do something right. (AARP the supplemental insurance and prescription "help" have been fired for 2011.)  NOT SO WITH THE DECEMBER ISSUE OF AARP.

The photographer Gregg Segal just exploits real people with pictures from The Alzheimer's Photography Project.You can see the complete slide show at AARP's Alzheimer's Pictures. I will contact the young editor, N. P. Graham, with my thoughts on this exploitation. Is AARP, The Magazine, about exploiting old people as AARP, The Insurance and Prescription supplement is!!!!

Saga Four

Sally and I went to the ALZ care group while Jake helped DH plant plants in the circle in our front yard. They have a fence that needs painting. I wonder if I can send DH over there to help with that.

I participated in the Memory Walk for the Alzheimer's Association on Saturday. Thanks to Lisa, Jane, Sherry and Phyllis who contributed funds for my team.

We appreciated the other primary care doctor my husband had, but it turns out the PPO such as AARP is more expensive. We will save so much more with an HMO. Today, after researching programs to supplement Medicare,  I signed us up for an HMO with WellCare for 2011. This wll help tremendously with the cost of medicine I wrote about in July. This involves a change of doctors for my husband, but I can keep the same doctor. I talked with the business manager in my husband's new clinic and we chose a new primary care physician.