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The Caregiving "Burden"
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
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The Caregiving "Burden"

 

Family caregivers often have to make huge sacrifices to be able to take care of a spouse or relative in need. These sacrifices most commonly involve missed time at work, less time to spend with the rest of their family and friends, and fewer hours for themselves. Over time, these daily sacrifices can leave the caregiver feeling both physically and emotionally drained. Recognizing the caregiving "burden" for what it truly is can help a caregiver take the necessary steps to prevent burnout. Read more on our blog!

Heart Healthy Recipe

The temperatures are falling (slightly!) and squash is in season--so now is a great time to try this recipe for Turkey & Squash soup from the American Heart Association! Squash is low in fat and packed with carotenoids (which protect against heart disease), fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamin B6.

Turkey & Squash Soup

Dates to Remember

October 14: Columbus Day

October 19: Lowcountry Race for the Cure

October 31: Halloween

 

We've moved again!

  

Our new address is:

 

2036 eWall Street

Mt. Pleasant, S.C. 29464

 

 

 

 

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Home Care Plus is Hiring!

Are you or someone you know interested in joining the Home Care Plus team as a caregiver?  If you are compassionate, dependable, and have a current CNA certificate from an approved program in South Carolina, we are looking for you!  Visit our website for a complete job description. Make a difference in someone's life today--become a caregiver!

Our September Caregiver of the Month was Sukinah K!
 
Home Care Plus would like to recognize Sukinah K. as our September Caregiver of the Month. Her client's physical therapist called us to tell us what a wonderful job Sukinah has been doing with her client. She is very attentive to her client's needs and truly interested in his well-being.

 

Congratulations Sukinah!

October 2013
Autumn's Arrival
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
 
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States, accounting for nearly 1 in 3 cancer diagnoses. By the end of the year, over 230,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and nearly 40,000 women will die from this type of cancer. Breast cancer risk increases with age, with nearly 90% of deaths occurring in women age 50 and older.
 
Thanks to improved treatments, early detection through screenings and wider access to health services, breast cancer death rates have fallen 34% since 1990 according to the American Cancer Society. 
 
For more information, visit the American Cancer Society's website or komenlowcountry.org.
Help for Housebound Veterans:  Aid & Attendance
  

The Veterans Administration has a program that pays a benefit that can be used for long term custodial care. It is called Improved Pension (for the Veteran) and Death Pension (for the surviving spouse) and is often referred to as "Aid & Attendance." To qualify, the veteran must have served 90 days of continuous active duty military service, 1 day of which was during a period of declared war, but service in combat is not required. Further, the Veteran had to have received any discharge other than dishonorable, be at age 65 or older, and be declared 100% disabled by the VA.  Additionally, the doctor will need to certify that the Veteran or spouse is housebound or needs assistance with at least two activities of daily living.

 

The benefit can provide up to $2054 per month for a married veteran or $1113 to the spouse of a veteran.Veterans and surviving spouses who are ineligible for basic pension based on annual income may still be eligible for Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits because a higher income limit applies. The eligibility rules are similar to Medicaid, but the income is calculated net of current health expenses. Currently, unlike Medicaid, there is no look-back period.

 

The application process can take 6 months or more; however, it is retroactive to the first of the month following the date the application is received. We work with a highly respected attorney who is proficient in elder law, is accredited with the VA to assist with these claims and who can help you apply for this benefit. Her name is Catherine LaFond with the Catherine E. Lafond, PA Elder law firm. Her website is www.lafondlaw.com and the contact information is 544 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407 - telephone: 843.762.3554 - fax: 843.377.0111. For more information, contact Hannah Ball, the VA coordinator,

 

Things To Do Around Town

 

There is a lot to do around town this month! Mark your calendars for these fun events:

 

 Fall Tours of Homes & Gardens Oct 3rd-27th
Get a glimpse inside some of Charleston's most historic privately-owned homes and gardens during a themed tour of the residences. Themes range from architectural overview tours to Charleston history tours and even day-long bus tours to explore the historic churches and planations of Edisto Island and the Cooper River.  Trained guides offer unique insight into the history of these buildings and lawns.

That Big Book Sale Oct 11th-13th 
With over 60,000 used books, CDs, DVDs, audio books, and videos up for grabs, this is one book sale you won't want to miss! The sale is being held at the Omar Shrine Auditorium in Mount Pleasant.
 
 Songs for Sound Oct 18th
Nashville's elite songwriters team up to bring you an entertaining evening of music, hearing miracles and cochlear implant awareness.
 
Lowcountry Race for the Cure
Oct 19th
Come on out to support breast cancer survivors and help fund community health grants in our area. The 20th annual Komen Lowcountry Race on Daniel Island is a 5k run or walk.
 
The World of Bebop Oct 26th 
The Charleston Jazz Orchestra presents an evening of toe-tapping jazz.

This year's tour is being held along the Cooper River. Beautiful plantations and churches line the route of the tour, and all Society members are invited to enjoy these sites.
Recommended Reading 

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell 

 

  

Editorial Review from Barnes & Noble:  

 

Apparently, Malcolm Gladwell doesn't blink. For more than a dozen years, the author of The Tipping Point, Outliers, and What the Dog Saw has continued observing topics astutely, in each case discerning meaningful patterns that the rest of us have missed. In his latest bestseller-to-be, he probes the often deceptive contests between giants and apparent underdogs. As usual, his research covers a vast terrain; in this case, from Cold War battlefields to the minutiae of microscopic cancer research; and as usual, his findings are as telling as they are surprising. David and Goliath reminds us again that with the proper guide, almost everything can be seen anew.