Medcy.org

04/25/2026

How to use your cane.

99% of the time, cane users should be holding your cane on the opposite side of your weaker leg.I catch heat every time I share this, but as a physical thera...

03/14/2026

Did you know?
People lose their long term care benefits because they wait too long! This actually happens more often than people realize. It's pretty common issue with long-term care insurance policies, including ones sold by companies like State Farm. A lot of older adults pay premiums FOR YEARS but the benefits only start if the policy is formally activated, and that process can be slow and confusing.
Here’s the key thing about how these policies usually work:
1. The benefit doesn’t automatically start
Even if someone clearly needs help, the insurance company typically won’t start paying until a claim is filed and approved. That usually requires:
A doctor’s statement saying the person needs long-term care
Proof they can’t perform
2 out of 6 “Activities of Daily Living” (ADLs) like bathing, dressing, eating, etc.
A care plan from a nurse or care coordinator
The official claim paperwork
Until that process is completed, no cash benefit starts.
2. There’s often an “elimination period”
Many policies have something like a 30-, 60-, or 90-day waiting period after approval before payments start. So the clock only begins after the claim is approved, not when the person first needs care.
3. If someone passes away before activating it
In most traditional long-term care policies:
The benefits don’t pay out to heirs
The policy simply ends
So yes—sadly, people can pay premiums for decades and never collect anything if they never activate the claim.
4. Why this happens so much
A few reasons:
Seniors don’t realize how early they should start the claim!
Families wait until the situation is really severe!
The paperwork process can take weeks or months!
Sometimes the person who knows about the policy isn’t the caregiver!
5. A smart move for families,
If someone has a policy, the best thing to do is call the insurance company as soon as care is even being considered. They can open a pre-claim file and start the medical evaluation early!
💡 Interesting side note: Some newer policies now include “hybrid” long-term care benefits tied to life insurance so the money doesn’t disappear if it’s never used. But the older policies many seniors have don’t work that way.
What you’re noticing is actually a huge financial issue nationwide—billions of dollars in unused long-term care benefits!

11/12/2025

FYI- Social Security payments starting month of November- Payments will be disbursed on Wednesday, November 12, for beneficiaries whose birthdays occur between the 1st and 10th of any month.
Individuals born from the 11th to the 20th will obtain their benefits on November 19, whereas the last group—those born from the 21st to the 31st—will receive their payments on November 26.
The SSA recommends that recipients allow three business days for their payment to arrive before requesting assistance, as weekends and federal holidays are not included in this timeframe.

11/09/2025

Strengthen your balance.

🔥Older Adult Stop Walking! These 6 Exercises Do Much More (Do Them at Home)Are you over 60 and still think that walking is enough to stay strong and healthy...

06/24/2025

Heat and certain medications don't mix! Be aware!

The danger of heat related illness and commonly prescribed medications can pose an added danger.

06/06/2025

How to use Incourage vest therapy.

www.respirtech.comLearn about how the Philips InCourage system works so you are comfortable and ready to use it for airway clearance therapy, as prescribed b...

06/03/2025

What you can do with your walker?

05/19/2025

CNN
—
Former President Joe Biden was diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer, according to a statement from his personal office Sunday, and it has spread to his bones.

“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone,” the statement said.

05/12/2025

Fyi- paralyzed?

An Ironman athlete, told she'd never walk again after an accident more than six years ago, is now part of an early clinical trial, in which skull and spine implants help patients move paralyzed limbs.

04/30/2025

78 yr old swindled, solar panels.

A 72-year-old Northside Village man with memory issues was allegedly tricked into signing a nearly $100K solar panel loan. His family is now sounding the alarm.

04/18/2025

Possible new weight loss pill.

The drugmaker said that in a phase 3 clinical trial, the experimental drug orforglipron reduced A1C levels and led to weight loss of up to 16 pounds after 40 weeks.

04/10/2025

Coffee Nap
Updated March 11, 2024
By Christine Pydych

A coffee nap involves drinking coffee and immediately taking a short nap to increase the following effects on alertness.
A nap lasting around 15-20 minutes should give the caffeine necessary time to kick in.
Coffee naps can be particularly beneficial to night shift workers and drivers.
Napping can enhance performance and mood, but cannot replace a quality night of sleep.
A coffee nap is just what it sounds like, coffee combined with a nap. It might seem counterintuitive to combine caffeine with sleep. But caffeine followed by a brief nap has been shown to improve alertness and mental acuity in several studies.

For coffee naps to work, both timing and sequence are important. Coffee naps are most beneficial when taken after lunch
sometime during the mid-afternoon. Drinking coffee first, then napping for no more than 20 minutes, is key. Some research has shown that coffee naps may be better for helping people stay awake
than just drinking coffee or a nap alone.