Freedom Eldercare Blog

"Hearing Loss Support Devices"

Due to technological advancements, today’s hearing aids do an excellent job of helping people meet many of their communication needs. However, sometimes there are situations where additional technologies may be needed.

Some hearing aid users may continue to experience difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, when watching TV or attending a movie or play, or while listening on the telephone. At bedtime, a person with even a mild to moderate hearing loss may not hear the smoke alarm located down the hall. This same person might miss a doorbell chime while listening to the TV.

Alerting Devices

Complete Alerting Systems

Alerting devices can be purchased individually to warn a person of a specific event or as complete systems that warn a person of a variety of events. For example, someone living in a one-room studio apartment might need just a simple device that flashes a single light when someone presses the doorbell or knocks on the door, whereas another individual living in a large house with many rooms may need a system that triggers flashing lamps in every room of the house when the doorbell is pressed, the telephone rings, or the fire alarm is activated. Some systems use coded flashing lights (e.g. five flashes for the doorbell vs. one flash for every time the phone rings) whereas others use a vibrating body-worn pager that vibrates and displays a number corresponding to the event.

There is usually a base unit that has its own outlets in which you can plug in a lamp and a bed shaker. If a lamp is used for alerting, it can be used for regular lighting as well and will flash regardless if the light appears on or off. Some systems use their own special lamps or strobe lights.

Alerting devices sometimes use a combination of signals. For example, a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm might simultaneously trigger flashing lights throughout the home, a loud horn and a vibrating device (pager, bed shaker) or a fan.

Alarm Clock, Timer and Watch

There are many alarm clocks and timers available with adjustable volume and pitch, flashing light, or vibration. There are also several wrist watches available that use vibration as an alarm, on the hour alert, medication reminder or countdown timer.

Assistive Listening Devices

Auditory assistive listening devices can be thought of as “binoculars for the ears.” These devices bring the desired sound “closer” to one’s ear(s) before it has a chance of being mixed with noise and reverberation.

Telephones

The ability to hear a telephone ring will depend on a number of factors such as the severity of the hearing loss, the frequency of the telephone ring and the distance from the telephone to the person. There are a few different types of telephone amplifiers to attach to a regular telephone as well as a wide variety of available amplified telephones.

Amplified telephones come in both standard and wireless models and most have options for volume, pitch and pattern as well as a small flashing light to indicate the phone ringing. Very often, a lower pitch ring can make it easier to hear. If the hearing loss is severe, there are devices that will cause a light in the home to flash, a body-worn unit to vibrate, or a bed shaker to vibrate when sleeping.

For those that use a hearing aid, it is important to consider hearing aid compatibility. When a telephone is noted to be “hearing aid compatible,” this means that the ear piece of the phone emits a magnetic field. If a hearing aid is equipped with a telephone coil or “T-coil,” this coil is able to respond to the magnetic field, allowing the hearing aid to pick up and amplify the voice from the phone directly. This also blocks surrounding sounds while the individual uses the telephone. The T-coil feature may also be used with a variety of assistive listening devices.

Cell Phones

Many cell phones will note that they are hearing aid compatible. In addition, most cell phones can be used with a cell phone amplifier as well as have a text message option. For those who cannot understand over the voice telephone, even with amplification, there are other options such as the “voice carry over” (VCO) or “read and talk” telephone. Used with the telephone relay service, VCO allows you to talk directly to the other party while an operator translates what the other party says to you into print that is displayed on a small LCD screen.

 

TTY

TTYs are small typewriters that allow two individuals to communicate with one another over a standard telephone line by typing text back and forth. When one party does not have a TTY, a relay operator acts as the typist during the conversation.

TTYs are available with memory and answering machine capabilities. These TTYs can store conversations as well as greeting messages. In addition, some TTYs have a built-in printer that can print the conversation as it proceeds. There are also portable TTYs available that have direct connect and can be used with cell phones.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has implemented the toll free phone number of 7-1-1 for access to all Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). TRS permits deaf or hard of hearing individuals to use the telephone system via a TTY or other device.

Television

For many individuals, the frustration associated with watching television may simply be one of distance. As one listens to a TV from a distance, not only does the sound signal become weaker as it travels from the television to the ears, but the acoustical characteristics of the room make the sound less distinct.

Some TVs come with jacks into which an earphone or a transmitter can be plugged. There are many other options including various wireless transmitters and receivers.

Theater, Cinema or House of Worship – Wide Area Systems

Most hearing aid users have a difficult time understanding conversation when in a noisy environment. There are a few ways of dealing with this. Some hearing aid users are able to plug an extra microphone into their hearing aid(s). The hearing aid must be equipped with either a “telecoil” or a feature called “direct audio input” (DAI). DAI allows very tiny FM receivers to be plugged into the bottom of the hearing aid.

For others, wireless headsets are usually available at theaters. Some individuals choose to buy their own headsets or receivers to be used at home as well. In addition to various listening systems, some movie theaters and live theaters also present special performances or showings that are captioned.

Places to Purchase Hearing Loss Support Devices

Below are just a few examples of places to purchase hearing loss support devices.

• Harris Communications: http://www.harriscomm.com
• Silent Call Communications: http://www.silentcall.com
• Products for the Deaf: http://www.productsforthedeaf.com
• NexGen Productshttp://www.nexgenproducts.com
• HITEC: http://www.hitec.com

   

“Holidays with My Grandparents” By, Nicole Brierty, Media Coordinator of Freedom Home Healthcare

    Once Thanksgiving comes along, my family is in “Holiday Mode”.  It is now time for everyone to pull out the decorations from storage and put up the tree. I would say fight the holiday rush in the stores, but my family usually got the bulk of their shopping done a month or two in advance.  Most importantly its time to start planning the holiday festivities.  Thinking about how my family celebrated in the past and how we celebrate today, it was my grandparents who built the foundation for our Christmas celebrations.

      First, of course, comes Christmas Eve at my Father’s parent’s house in Palisades Park, New Jersey.  My father’s family would get together, open gifts, and of course EAT; all typical of a family gathering. There was one part to that night that was my absolute favorite and that was Santa coming around on the fire truck.  I remember getting so excited hearing the sirens and screaming, “They’re coming! They’re coming!”  My Grandmother, who I call Brama, due to not being able to pronounce Grandma when I was younger, would tell me over and over again that I need to come inside because they were still far away.  My poor twin cousins, who were always in my Grandfather, Pepa’s room, which was filled wall to wall with Disney movies and model airplanes, would come running downstairs every time I screamed, also excited that Santa was coming.  My Brama would also have to tell them to go upstairs because it’s not time yet.  We would go through this several times before Santa actually rolled down First Street. 

    While the actual event of Santa passing by was quick, I have taken the tradition, implemented by my Brama and Pepa and use it today.  They have been out of New Jersey for quite some time now, therefore not being able to relive that childhood custom for years.  I happened to marry a firefighter who plays Santa on the fire truck on Christmas Eve (go figure).  I have started the tradition again of having family over the house while I have a huge spread of hors d'oeuvres.  Even better, Santa and the fireman stop by and come in the house.  Having twenty firefighters walkthrough while five fire trucks lined the block was never a tradition when I was growing up, but I was able to create my own customs while still enjoying what I grew up with.

      Christmas Day itself was BIG!  My entire family went over to my Mother’s parent’s house, also in Palisades Park.  As a big Italian family, the meal courses were never-ending.  We had antipasto, followed by escarole and meatball soup, followed by pasta, followed by the main course, followed by fruit and nuts, and finally ending with a tremendous selection of desserts.  Planning the food was a two month preparation in itself.  As we ate, my Papa would always sit at the far end of the dinner table while he observed everyone’s joy around him. 

      At the end of dessert, when everyone was stuffed, my uncle would make everyone watch a scene 
from Monty Python’s “The Meaning of Life” in which an extremely obese, gluttonous man would explode after eating an excessive amount of food in a restaurant.  I am completely aware that this is not a typical holiday tradition, but everyone laughed, especially my Papa.  We all have a very unique sense of humor to say the least.

    After the movie was turned off, my Nana would hand out packets with lyrics to Christmas songs on them and Papa would play Mitch Miller on the stereo while we would all sing along while wearing reindeer antlers that my aunt would bring.  One year during a toast, my aunt stood up and joked with my Papa about having another mouth to feed next year because she was pregnant.  One wouldn’t think a bunch of Italians could get any louder, but they did once they heard the news and yelled with joy.  It was wonderful and something I will never forget.  

    Just like my Brama and Pepa, my Nana and Papa also moved out of Bergen County, but moved to South Jersey.  Today, my mother has taken on the tradition and has everyone over to celebrate Christmas.  Although the group has gotten a little smaller over the years, we still do almost everything my grandparents did.  While I am not quite ready to host Christmas, perhaps one day I will take over.

     I can write so many stories from past holidays.  Each and every Christmas was more special than the last, but nevertheless, it were my grandparents who built the foundation to these memorable, amazing holiday celebrations.

     

"Lessons in Communication" By, Melissa Sirola, BSN, RN, MBA, Director of Clinical Services of Freedom Home Healthcare

        My favorite quote about communication is by George Bernard Shaw, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”  We are all talking and texting and e-mailing and blogging all the time, but are we truly communicating?  What does it take to really, effectively communicate?   I learned everything I know about effective communication from my grandmother. 

        My grandparents came over from Italy in the late 1800’s.  They were poor immigrant children barely sixteen years old who were coming to America to build a new life.  What a terrifying prospect.  I look at my own teenagers and try to imagine putting them on a ship to a foreign land where they do not even speak the language, hoping they can build a better life for themselves.  It is not something I can wrap my mind around.  Yet that is exactly what my grandparents, and many other immigrants, did.  Amazing!

        They had to navigate their way through Ellis Island and get jobs and find housing, all without speaking a word of English.  Yet somehow they managed to do all these things.  With hard work and determination they started their lives.  Before they knew it they had 9 children.  My mother was number 7.  All their children spoke Italian at home and learned English at school.  The kids were not allowed to speak English at home.  My grandparents thought this was disrespectful.  Their kids moved easily in these parallel worlds of Old Italian traditions and modern American ways.  Before long the kids got married and at last count there were 27 grandchildren.  I am the youngest of the brood.

        Holidays at Grandma and Grandpa’s were interesting for the grandkids.  Not a single one of us was taught to speak Italian.  I only knew a few curse words I learned watching my uncles play cards at the dining room table after dinner had been cleared away.  But my grandma always talked to me.  She loved pulling us on her lap and telling us stories about the old country.  I understood almost none of the words she spoke but I understood the beauty and joy in her tale from the cadence of her voice.  I knew she loved me from her smiles and frequent hugs.

        Many years later I would become a registered nurse and start working with developmentally disabled

 

 
children and adults.  Many of these patients were non-verbal and some were very low functioning.  I found a way to communicate with all of them.  Sometimes all they could do was blind once for “yes” and twice for “no.”  It is amazing how long and complicated a conversation you can still have.  With other patients I learned to read facial expressions, body language, different sounds they made, or how they responded to my touch.  Every time I found a unique way to communicate with my special patients, I would remember Grandma and all she taught me about communicating through touch and the sound of her voice.  I know I have reached many of my patients because of the lessons my little Italian grandma taught me so many years ago.  My patients and I thank you Grandma. 

   

“Why I Chose a Career In Geriatrics – Searching for Grandparents Perhaps?” By, Barbra London, MSW, LCSW, LNHA, Senior Vice President of Freedom Home Healthcare

        I was named after a deceased grandmother and great grandmother – Barbra Eva.  My brother was named after 2 deceased grandfathers –John Lewis.  My one remaining grandparent, Dora died when I was 9 years old on Christmas Day.  I don’t have particularly warm, wonderful or especially happy memories of this one grandmother.  When other grandmothers baked cookies and took their grandchildren to the park, my “nana” came over and gave me a metronome for my 7^th birthday.  After winding it up, she placed it on the grand piano in the living room and made me “do my scales” in time with the metronome.

        It was probably at this moment that I started my search for grandparents. Real grandparents.  The kind that told of stories of great adventures when emigrating from foreign lands to this country.  The kind with sourballs of many colors in their old wrinkly pants pockets.  The kind that got in trouble with your mom ‘cause they bought you a puppy for your birthday without first getting permission.  These were the grandparents my friends seemed to have- and though I had many wonderful great aunts, uncles and cousins, somehow I felt cheated that I had no sleep -overs at grandma’s and she never made a doll house with me.

           Then long before the women’s movement or “take a daughter to work day” became a banner for the liberal feminist movement, my mother would take me to work with her on an occasional Sunday or holiday.  My mother, you see, didn’t work in some stuffy office with rows of typewriters and copy machines.  My mother was the administrator of a sub acute long term care facility in the early 60’s.  Instead of typewriters, she had rows and rows of old people. Some in the recreation room learning how to work a loom or were found stuffing monkeys and elephants for sale in the gift shop.  Other’s were in physical and occupational therapy either screaming in pain as they were encouraged to walk or squealing with delight at walking 50 feet post stroke.  Many of these wall to wall elderly people spoke English  with “funny accents” and would tell me stories  of coming over in ships too crowded for a mouse, seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time and kissing the ground at Ellis Island.  These old people had little round hard candies in their wrinkled pants pockets.  Mrs. Kohn even had Almond Joys that were all mushy in her apron that she always wore around the facility.

        And so, I knew at that young age that I had found my grandparents.  It was then that my career path  
became clear. I am grateful to this day for the privilege it has been to be welcomed into their lives over the past 35 years and getting to know them.  I knew there had to be a reason why I had no grandparents.  It was because I needed to make room in my life for the hundreds of your grandparents that I shared- and you never even knew why!

   

“My Grandfather and the Shopping Cart” By, Lydia Dushaj, Office Manager of Freedom Home Healthcare

    As a little girl growing up in Dumont, New Jersey, one of my favorite memories of my grandfather was when he would walk to Shop Rite, get a shopping cart, and walk back to the house.  I remember my brother and me patiently waiting, looking out our bay window for Grandpa to come back and take us for a “ride”. The walk to Shop Rite was probably only a 10 minute walk to get there and back, but for us it felt like forever.

    You could hear the shopping cart coming down the street, rolling along the sidewalk, which was paved with small rocks. It was then I could hear “ time to go for a “ride”! As children, of course, we thought of this as so much fun, riding up and down Knickerbocker Road in a shopping cart, laughing, giggling and smiling. Who would have thought that this would just be a wonderful memory so soon?  Sadly, my grandfather had a stroke which left him paralyzed on the left side of his body.  My mother then became his caretaker, but couldn’t manage on her own for too long.  It was a difficult decision, but it came time to send him to a nursing home, where he remained for several years.

    I find it ironic that now I work for a Home Health Aide Agency and yet at the time, having a caregiver come into  our home was never even considered.  I strongly believe that if he had stayed in his own home and had a caregiver care for him, with his family around, he would have stayed with us a little longer.  

    Unfortunately, he passed November 12, 1992.  I was only 12 years old and felt that a part of me left with him. Nevertheless, one great memory that stayed with me was the “ride” in the shopping cart.

     

"10 Years Later" By, Janet Pincu, MSW, LCSW, CALA, Senior Director of Client Services of Freedom Home Healthcare

    As the 10^th Anniversary of 9/11 approaches I have found myself looking at this anniversary as I have the past nine – with the same heavy heart and profound sadness.  I have thought of this year as no more and certainly no less meaningful than previous years.  I, and my family, had been fortunate enough to have not lost anyone close or dear to us.  Yet we, as most, have grieved as if we did.

    And yet this morning while reading newspaper article after article of survivor experiences, first responder stories, and thoughts of families left behind to grieve I was slammed by flooding memories of my own of that horrific day in a very different way than in the past.  The day plays back as if watching a slow moving slide show - Sitting at my home office desk with Charlie Gibson in the background making the stunning announcement of a plane hitting the first tower, speaking to my office receptionist relaying this information.  Urgent calls to my husband as the second tower was hit.  Frantic phone calls to our youngest daughter working midtown as we were all concerned as to what might happen next.

    I push to move ahead with my day as I peel myself away from the television and the perceived safety of the womb of my house to go off to visit elder clients to whom I provide psychotherapy.  Slides move forward – feeling numb, frightened, I go through the motions of a “normal” day.  Stopping for gas along the way, the station attendant announcing that the towers had fallen, sharing tissues with him as we both cried.  Moving on to visit an elderly client, recently widowed, as she sat transfixed in front of her TV.  No one speaks, no words are there to describe what we are watching, hearing, feeling.

    I received an emergency request to visit a Middlesex County Assisted Living Facility.  Many of their residents have family members working in the World Trade Center towers.  The slide show continues -  As I make my way South on the NJ Turnpike I pass convoys of National Guard trucks, fire trucks, State police rushing North on the now closed portion of the Turnpike.  Every time I ride that stretch of the Turnpike these years later this slide reappears.

    In the midst of all the chaos, our eldest daughter, due to be married that Saturday evening, September 15^th, calls.  “I guess I’m not getting married – how can I knowing this has happened?”  We tabled that discussion until later that evening and for the days to follow. 

    The slide of the beautiful gardens of the Assisted Living facility appears.  I still visit that facility and those gardens trigger the visions of that day.  I spend most of the afternoon with the residents.  More slides – the faces of my friends, wrinkled by age, usually filled with laughter, now expressing shock, sorrow, fear.  These are the faces of men and women that had survived so many challenges in their lifetimes, witnessed the atrocities of the Holocaust, fought in WW II and suffered the losses of family, friends, spouses and children through their lifetimes.  These are people who have no patience for talk about what is happening but rather wish to sit in front of the TV as the news evolves in front of them.  More tissues shared.  They find comfort, as do I, in being together in that big common room.  Some can’t be bothered with the TV, the gathering - they are consumed with their own physical ailments or concerns.  They are shunned by the others.

    I hold the hand of one of my clients – her grandson works in Tower 2.  She is unable to reach her daughter, her other grandchildren.  Each year since I have watched as her grandson’s widow reads his name aloud at the 9/11 ceremonies.

    The ride back home – slides of other drivers in the cars I pass, looks of shock remaining.  The echoes of the newscasters on the radio reverberate.  The faces of my daughter, her fiancée, my husband as they greet my arrival home.  The continued phone calls from our youngest daughter who has walked from Midtown up to the Upper East Side apartment of her friend.  The slide of her relieved face the day that she is finally able to step off the train back home safely from NYC.

    We chose to move ahead with the plans for our daughter’s wedding.  Our family and friends welcomed this opportunity to find something to rejoice in amidst this time of sadness.

    The loop of these slides continues endlessly today as I’m sure they will on Sunday.  I doubt they will ever disappear.   And I don’t believe I ever want them to - we must always remember.

   

     

“Nana, Papa and the Mission of the Wedding Dress” By, Nicole Brierty, Media Coordinator at Freedom Home Healthcare

            After a three year engagement, my wedding day was finally upon us.  It was time for the planning to begin and for my family and I to start pulling our hair out.  Before booking the venue, picking out the photographer, all the fun little details for the big day, I bought my wedding dress over a full year in advance.  After a day out with my mother and sister and trying on my very first gown for fun, I had to have it and bought it right then and there.

            Once we got it home to my apartment, in which I still resided with my parents, we overlooked one minor detail…WHERE TO PUT IT!  My mother and I were brainstorming for ideas because there was no way we can keep it hanging from the curtain rod in my parent’s room until November 2010.  Eventually the light bulb went off.  “Let’s bring it to Nana and Papa’s!”

            My grandparents, who live down in South Jersey in a senior housing development had a spotless spare room I figured I could use.  I called my grandmother to discuss this grand idea and they made this their ultimate mission.  While on the phone, one thought came to my mind that I had to discuss with my grandma.  My grandfather, a hyper and zealous Italian man cooked quite often using ingredients with potent aromas like garlic. Due to my fear of walking down the isle smelling like a meatball, I asked if they can keep the door closed more often than not.  In a serious tone, my grandmother abruptly stated that I am not to worry because they had a plan.

            My family and I took the ride down South to deliver the dress.  My father bought a hook to put in the wall.  I am not even allowed to chew gum in my grandfather’s car, so you could imagine my anxiety asking permission to drill holes in his ceiling.  We walked into the house and went directly into the spare room.  The air smelt so fresh and clean.  When I walked into the room there were at least four open 5-pound bags of baking soda in every corner of the room.  I guess it’s nice to have a neighbor whose son works at Arm & Hammer.  I knew my dress would be completely fine with them because they made it their duty to protect the dress and keep that room off limits. 

            After months of my gown residing in Lakewood, New Jersey, my mother gets a call from my grandmother with an interesting story to tell.  The night before at around two in the morning, while my grandparents were fast asleep, the fire alarms went off!  My grandfather woke in a panic, grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran out of his bedroom, straight into the spare room to save the dress!  He forgot one thing…my grandmother who happened to sleep through the entire thing!  Fortunately, it was just a malfunction in the system, but god forbid it was something serious, my grandfather would have been outside with the dress while my grandmother was being rescued by firefighters.

            Needless to say, my dress was unharmed by fires and I didn’t smell like a fresh sauce all thanks to my Nana and Papa.  Bottom line, all the bags of baking soda and the thought of my grandfather with a fire extinguisher running around the house in the middle of the night is something I will never forget.

   

"Memories of My Grandparents" By, Janet Pincu, MSW, LCSW, CALA, Senior Director of Client Services

    I was fortunate enough to have known all 4 of my grandparents as well as two of my great-grandparents.  As the oldest grandchild on both sides of the family, and the oldest granddaughter for some years until my sisters were born, I was the recipient of a great deal of doting attention.  I will always hold close these rich and wonderful memories of the times spent with all of my grandparents.

    My paternal grandparents were the “fun” grandparents.  My father worked with his father in the family manufacturing business so I spent many outings visiting the factory and sharing a desk with Grandpa Steve.  It was literally at his knee where he taught me to add numbers on the adding machine, to play pinochle and gin rummy and answer the company switch board.  Grandma Peggy showered attention on her oldest grandchild and when her twinkling blue eyes shone on me, my world was right.  They were both immigrants from Hungary and when they didn’t want me to know what they were talking about they would often speak in Hungarian.…..Somehow I never learned to speak or understand a word.

    They downsized from the rambling house in Queens, NY to a “cool” apartment in NYC’s Greenwich Village.  Weekend visits with them included exploring museums, art galleries and the little bistros of the Village.  Once retired, they moved for the winter months to Florida and it was there that many special memories were made for my sisters and me.   Our family’s long plane journeys to the Miami, FL of the 50’s and 60’s culminated in days and weeks spent in their swimming pool amongst my grandfather’s orange and grapefruit trees, smashing open coconuts, waking to the smell of his famous French toast that he learned to cook while serving in WWI, learning to sail and learning to speak Spanish taught to us by their many Cuban friends. 

    Their yearly summer visits north were filled with gifts, fun outings to the beach or to the mountains, and feasts of Hungarian pastries and sweets. 

    It Grandpa Steve who taught me to fish off the waters of Montauk Point, NY or in the swamps of the Everglades.  It was Grandma Peggy who taught me to knit and who knew me best…..who told me, before I even knew it, that I was pregnant with my first child, who knew when to show me the attention I was missing when I was feeling jealous of my new baby sister.  My memories of President Kennedy’s assassination will forever be linked to the comforting hugs of Grandma Peggy who was caring for my sisters and me that week while my parents were away. 

    And it was Grandma Peggy who taught me about caregiving as my grandfather battled a brain tumor that had caused Parkinsonian and dementia symptoms.  He died on the operating table.  Grandma Peggy’s patience, dedication, and the humor she showered on him help to erase the memories of the decline I’m sure she abhorred.  And as she aged, moving into assisted living, she continued to display that grace and dignity that I will always remember.

    My maternal grandparents were the “not so fun” grandparents.  They would make the weekly visit from the city to the suburbs where we lived next door to my mother’s sister and her family.  There they would decamp between the two houses spending time with my sisters and my 4 cousins.  We were a large brood clamoring for their attention.  Because their visits were quite frequent I probably took them for granted.  They were often the surrogate parents providing discipline and order when our parents were gone from home.  

    Grandpa Sidney was small in stature, a stern yet sweet man who had little to say.  Yet when he spoke one listened to very wise and insightful comments.  Grandma Eleanor was nicknamed “Duchess” by her housekeeper and it was the name that my father fondly continued to use.   She epitomized the family matriarch for my sisters, cousins and me.   It was she who for years to follow my grandfather’s passing continued multiple family traditions including the preparation of Thanksgiving dinner for our extended family. 

    It was Grandma Eleanor we relied on to sew our costumes for the school plays or Halloween.  She was a formidable woman who provided wisdom and structure to our time together.  She had an opinion on everything, often provocative, and was sure to evoke strong emotions when current events were a topic.

    As a woman before her time she led the entire Queen’s, NY region of Hadassah for many years where she garnered many awards and accolades, and led many delegations to Israel.  Well into her 80s and 90s she attended and led meetings and conferences. 

    It was Grandma Eleanor who I now look back on as the person who most validated me, inspired me and has been the role model whose example I have looked to both personally and professionally.  As I embark on my own role as Grandma to my grandchildren it is my memories of her that I look to mirror.

    And as I look back on these wonderful times I know that one of the most important legacies that all of my grandparents left for me, my husband, my sisters, my cousins and now my children is that of the importance of family.  It is this legacy that I hope to continue to pass on to my children and grandchildren.

   

“Let’s Celebrate Grandparents Day!” By, Nicole Brierty, Media Coordinator of Freedom Home Healthcare

            When I think about my grandparents, all I can do is smile.  I am fortunate to still have all four of my grandparents and to have known three of my great-grandmothers.  The memories that I have of them and the experiences we have shared are precious because they have contributed to shaping the woman I am today.  Besides myself, I have met so many others who cherish their grandparents.  I have seen my own family share the love and bond between each other and it is certainly a joyous sight.  Having worked in assisted living and eldercare for a combined seven years, I have seen and heard stories from grandchildren, who express the utmost dedication and devotion to their grandparents.  Their ultimate goal is to make sure that their grandparents are being taken care of and being supportive to preserve their dignity.

            Grandparents play a tremendous role in most of our lives, which is why a West Virginia housewife in 1970, set a campaign to bestow a day to grandparents.  Marian McQuade was the mother of 15 children, had 40 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.  Her efforts to establish this day extended to businesses, churches and political venues, eventually becoming statewide.  In 1973, Governor Jennings Randolph introduced the first Grandparents Day to the state of West Virginia.  Furthermore, Randolph also presented the idea to the United States Senate that same year.  After assembling a team and reaching out to governors, senators and congressman throughout the U.S., McQuade and Randolph’s hard work paid off.  After five years, in 1978, the United States Congress passed legislation declaring National Grandparents Day, which was to take place the first Sunday after Labor Day.  Why chose the month of September, you may ask?  They chose it appropriately to symbolize the “autumn years of life”. 

            On September 11^th, 2011, we will celebrate Grandparents Day and pay tribute to the loving spirit we  
endure from our elders.  This year, Freedom Home Healthcare staff members will honor Grandparents by posting stories on our Official Blog, about the memories we hold near and dear to our hearts.  We will look back and reflect as we share with you all, the recollections that have touched us throughout our lives.  We hope that you find these stories heartwarming and relate to them on an intimate level.  This year, reflect on your most precious memories.  Whether your grandparents are here or have passed, remember that one moment that has touched your heart.

From Freedom Home Healthcare,

HAPPY GRANDPARENTS DAY!

 

   

“Common Questions on Home Equity Conversion Mortgage”

When a reverse mortgage is being explored as an option to pay for care at home, it is beneficial to better understand how these types of non-traditional mortgages work.

 

  

1)   What is a reverse mortage?

  

A reverse mortgage is a special type of home loan that lets the owner convert a portion of the equity in the home into cash. The equity that is built up over years of home mortgage payments can be paid to the owner. But unlike a traditional home equity loan or second mortgage, no repayment is required until the borrower(s) no longer use the home as their principal residence. FHA’s HECM provides these benefits.  

 

2)   Who qualifies for FHA’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) reverse mortage?

 

To be eligible for an FHA HECM, the FHA requires that homeowners be at least 62 years of age, own their home outright or have a low mortgage balance that can be paid off at closing with proceeds from the reverse loan, and they must live in the home. They are further required to receive consumer information from an approved HECM counselor prior to obtaining the loan. Contact the Housing Counseling Clearinghouse at (800) 569-4287 for the name and telephone number of a HUD-approved counseling agency and a list of local FHA‑approved lenders. 

3)   Can a person apply if he didn’t buy his present house with FHA mortgage insurance?

 Yes. That doesn’t matter. The new FHA HECM will be FHA-insured.

 

4)   What types of homes are eligible?

 To be eligible for the FHA HECM, the home must be a single family home or a 1–4 unit home with one unit occupied by the borrower. HUD-approved condominiums and manufactured homes that meet FHA requirements are also eligible.

 

5)   What’s the difference between a reverse mortgage and a bank home equity loan?

 A reverse mortgage is different from a home equity loan in that it pays the borrower, and is available regardless of current income. The amount available to borrow depends on the borrower’s age, the current interest rate, and the appraised value of the home or FHA’s mortgage limits for the area, whichever is less.

Generally, the more valuable the home is, the older the borrower, the lower the interest, and the higher the amount available to borrow.

With HECM, payments are not made because the loan is not due as long as the house is the principal residence. Like all homeowners, borrowers are required to pay real estate taxes, insurance, and other conventional payments like utilities.

With an FHA HECM, borrowers cannot be foreclosed or forced to vacate the house because the mortgage payment was missed. 

6)   Can the lender take the home away if the owner outlives the loan?

 No. The loan does not need to be repaid as long as one of the borrowers continues to live in the house and keeps the taxes and insurance current. The owner can never owe more than the value of the home at the time the heirs sell the home.

7)   Will there still be an estate to leave the heirs?

When the home is sold, the estate will repay the cash received from the reverse mortgage, plus interest and other fees, to the lender. The remaining equity in the home, if any, belongs to the owner or the heirs.

8)   How much money can a homeowner get for his or her home?

As previously stated, the amount available to borrow depends on the homeowner’s age, the  
current interest rate, and the appraised value of the home or FHA’s mortgage limits for the area, whichever is less. Generally, the more valuable the home is, the older the homeowner is, the lower the interest, the higher the amount available to borrow.

An online calculator like the one on the AARP Web site rmc.ibisreverse.com//rmc_pages/rmc_aarp/aarp_index.aspx can be used to get an idea of what may be available to borrow.

9)   Should an estate planning service be used to find a reverse mortgage?

FHA does NOT recommend using any service that charges a fee for referring a borrower to an FHA lender. FHA provides this information free, and HUD-approved housing counseling agencies are available for free or at very low cost, to provide information, counseling, and a free referral to a list of FHA-approved lenders. Search online at www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hecm/hecmlist.cfm or call (800) 569-4287 toll-free for the name and location of a HUD-approved housing counseling agency.

10)   How are payments received?

There are five options:

• Tenure – equal monthly payments as long as at least one borrower lives and continues to occupy the property as a principal residence.
  
• Term – equal monthly payments for a fixed period of months selected.
  
• Line of Credit – unscheduled payments or installments, at times and in amounts of the homeowner’s choosing until the line of credit is exhausted.
  
• Modified Tenure – combination of line of credit with monthly payments for as long as the homeowner remains in the home.
  
• Modified Term – combination of line of credit plus monthly payments for a fixed period of months selected by the borrower.