If I had my life to live over again

I'd try to make more mistakes next time.

I would relax, I would limber up.

I would be crazier that I've been this trip.

I know very few things I'd take seriously anymore.

I would take more chances, I would take more trips.

I would scale more mountains, I would swim more rivers.

And I would watch more sunsets.

I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans.

I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones.

You see... I was one of those people who lived prophylactically and sensibly and sanely, hour after hour and day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had to do it all over again, I'd have many more of them. In fact, I'd try not to have anything else, just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of my day. I've been one of those people who never went anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat and a parachute. If I had it to do all over again, I'd travel lighter, much lighter than I have. I would start barefoot earlier in the spring, and stay that way later in the fall. And I would ride more merry-go-rounds, and catch more gold rings, and greet more people, and pick more flowers, and dance more often..... If I had it to do all over again, But you see, I don't.

Screening Save Lives

The US preventive services task force recently recommended screening for detection of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in men between 65 and 75 who smoke or were former smokers. Many experts advise that anyone 50 or older, including women and nonsmokers, with a close relative who has had this type of aneurysm should consider screening.

A leading cause of death, AAAs tend to grow slowly and remain asymptomatic for years. Yet an inexpensive ultrasound ($75-$100) can be lifesaving. Screening for cerebral aneurysms is more problematic. Experts recommend that anyone 50 or older with a family history of cerebral aneurysms consider an MRA screening. If you experience a sudden excruciating headache, along with nausea, vomiting, vision problems or a stiff neck, seek immediate medical attention.

De-stress for Success

It's true, stress is bad for your health. Some stress is normal, but too much can raise blood pressure and damage your immune system. Take time once or twice a week to simply sit quietly for a few minutes. Concentrate on breathing deeply, and then just let your mind wander freely. Such a small investment of time can yield great physical and mental benefits.

Exercise - Make it Sneaky

Exercise is so important, but it doesn't have to feel like a burden. Try sneaking in a walk on lunch breaks, just before breakfast or whenever you can. Commit to 10 minutes a day and keep building on that. Other creative ways to get exercise in your life include walking the dog, taking the stairs and parking farther away from your destination.

Friday Funny - Hard of Hearing

An old man decided his old wife was getting hard of hearing. So he called her doctor to make an appointment to have her hearing checked. The doctor said he could see her in two weeks, and meanwhile there's a simple, informal test the husband could do to give the doctor some idea of the dimensions of the problem.
"Here's what you do. Start about 40 feet away from her, and speak in a normal onversational tone and see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response."
So that evening she's in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he's in the living room, and he says to himself, "I'm about 40 feet away, let's see what happens."
"Honey, what's for supper?"
No response.
So he moves to the other end of the room, about 30 feet away. "Honey, what's for supper?"
No response.
So he moves into the dining room, about 20 feet away. "Honey, what's for supper?"
No response.
On to the kitchen door, only 10 feet away. "Honey, what's for supper?".
No response.
So he walks right up behind her. "Honey, what's for supper?"
"For the fifth time, CHICKEN!"

Elements of LTC Insurance - Other Options

There are a number of other options you may have depending upon which company you are working with. Some of these may be standard on some policies and additional on others.

Restoration of Benefits - This is not usually a very expensive addition. They way it works is if you are eligible for benefits and use some of your pool of money and then get better and are not eligible for benefits for 180 days, then the amount of coverage you used is restored to your pool of money.

Survivorship - For a couple, this could mean free long term care insurance for one of you. If you have both had a policy (same type and same company) for 10 years and you have no claims in those first 10 years, then when one of you passes away, the survivor's policy is paid in full.

Spousal Waiver of Premium - Most policies have a waiver of premium that says when you are receiving benefits, you don't pay your premium. With this option, when your spouse is receiving benefits, you don't pay your premium either. Both premiums are waived when one person is receiving care.

Shared Policy - This varies widely across companies, but basically how it works is that you each have a pool of money to use. If you use all of yours, then you can access your partner's pool of money. This gives you access to more benefits that you would have had on your own. The downside is that you are taking that amount of benefit away from your spouse.

Return of Premium - There are multiple versions of this. The basic one says that if you die and have not used benefits that amount to the premium you paid, you would get the difference back (to your beneficiary). This ensures you never waste your money on the coverage.

Elements of LTC Insurance - Elimination Period

The easiest way to describe the elimination period is that it is a waiting period or deductible. It is the period of time between when you are eligible for benefits and when benefits are actually paid. It can range from 0, 20, 30, 60, 90, 180 or 365 days. The shorter the elimination period, the more you reduce your risk.

Our recommendation is that you go with the shortest period you can afford. The reason being is that if the cost of care right now is $5000/month, then a 90 day elimination period means that if you are in a nursing home, you will pay $15,000 before benefits start. In 15 years this becomes $30,000 and in 30 years, $60,000. This is a big chunk of money to have to pay out prior to your policy beginning to pay.

The other and more important thing to think about is that the elimination period in most cases is measured as 'days of covered care'. What this means is that if you are at home receiving care and your elimination period is 90 days, it may take longer to satisfy it. Typically you don't get care every single day at home. It may only be 3 days per week. If that's the case, then it will take over 6 months before you've satisfied your elimination period. In our opinion, that's a long time.

Ask your specialist to show you the lower elimination periods if they only show you the 90 day option. You might be surprised at how little the difference is. What we have found is that most agents recommend the 90 day period because Medicare could pay up to 100 days. Medicare's average is less than 20 days they pay. If you're not old enough for Medicare, then your health insurance probably only covers 30 days or less. Make sure you ask the questions of your agent. If they don't know the answers or don't mention things like this, then find a more experienced one.

Elements of LTC Insurance - Inflation Protection

One of the more important aspects of a long term care policy is inflation protection. What it does is grow your daily or monthly benefit each year so that in the future it will pay for the same things that it does today. It is an option that most people should add.

There are a number of choices you have available to you:

• None - This means your daily benefit does not grow at all. The amount you have today is the same amount you will have in the future.
• GPO - Guaranteed Purchase Option. Your policy does not start with any inflation protection, but you have the option of adding some every 2 to 3 years (depending upon the company). Your premium will increase each time you add to the benefit. This option is good if you are older and live longer than you thought you would.
• Simple or Equal - You benefit will increase each year by 5% of the original amount. For example: if your benefit is $100/day, then it will grow by $5 each year. Your benefit will double about every 20 years. Your premium does not increase just because your benefit is growing. The cost for these increases is built in up front.
• Compound - There are multiple flavors of compound inflation protection. The most common one is 5% lifetime. Your benefit will grow at 5% of the previous year's benefit. For example: if your benefit is $100/day, then it will grow by 5% of $100 the first year and 5% of $105 the second year and 5% of $111 the next year, and so on. Your benefit doubles approximately every 15 years. There are two variations of the compound worth mentioning. The first is 3% compound, meaning your benefit grows at 3% of the previous year's benefit. The other is Two-Times Compound. With this option, your money grows until it has doubled (about 15 years) and then stops growing.

How do you know which one to go with? Work with a long term care specialist. It's really a matter of your current financial situation and affordability of premium. A rule of thumb is that if you think you'll need care in 7 years or less, then get a decent daily benefit and go with None or GPO. If it will be less than 15 years, then simple or equal. If you think it could be 15 or more years then go with compound.

Quarterly Newsletter Available

I know you may be somewhat disappointed in not having a Friday Funny today, but then maybe you're relieved as they aren't that funny. :)

I'd like to take the opportunity to point out that AM Warner Insurance provides a quarterly newsletter packed with all sorts of interesting articles. You may view it on our website and subscribe from there or click here to opt in. http://optin.verticalresponse.com/?fid=368aa96132 You can unsubscribe at any time and your email is NEVER shared with anyone else. Topics include:

• Summer Travel Tips for Pets
• Colorful Fruit and Green Salad
• ABCDs of Skin Cancer
• A Little Humor
• Exercise Like a Kid
• Alzheimer's Memory Walk Donations

Claims History on Benefit Period

These statistics speak to our topic yesterday on the benefit period. For a major carrier in the business, this is their claims history on policies for a 30 year period of time.

The youngest claimant was 37 and the oldest was 105.

The average and longest length of claim for the types of care was:

• Assisted Living Facility - Average = 1079 days or 2.9 years; Longest = 10 yr and 5 mo
• Home Health Care - Average = 523 days or 1.43 years; Longest = 10 yr and 7 mo
• Nursing Home - Average = 721 days or 1.97 years; Longest = 14 yr and 5 mo
• All Benefits - Average = 690 days or 1.89 years; Longest = 14 yr and 5 mo

Percentage of Total Claims by Benefit Type

• Assisted Living Facility = 10.6 %
• Home Health Care = 77.9%
• Nursing Home = 11.2%
• Other = .3%

The top 5 Claim Types by Benefit Dollars Paid:

1. Dementia (Alzheimer's, Senility) = 36.6%
2. Stroke = 14.6%
3. Parkinson's Disease = 3.9%
4. Hip Fracture = 3.7%
5. Fractures - Other = 3%

Elements of LTC Insurance - Benefit Period

The benefit period is the length of time that benefits will be paid. Most companies offer 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 or Lifetime benefit periods. The actual amount of time your policy will last is dependent upon the cost of care and your benefit amount. For example, if you have a $5000/month benefit and 4 years of coverage and the cost of your home care is only $2500/month, then your benefit will last 8 years.

The benefit amount and benefit period work together in most policies to create a pool of money to draw from. Your policy will last until the money is gone. The minimum amount of time a policy will last is the benefit period you select as you cannot receive more than your benefit amount.

How do you pick a benefit period? I suggest you look at your family history and your own health as a starting point. If you have a history of Alzheimer's or strokes, then a longer period of time may be appropriate. The main concern is that your policy should be affordable. Get a benefit period that makes the premiums affordable. The longest you can afford to get, the better. My rule of thumb guideline would be a 4 to 6 year policy will be sufficient for most people. There is always the chance you'll need longer than 6 years, but a majority of people's care is less than that.

Elements of LTC Insurance - Daily or Monthly Benefit

This will be the first in a short series on the elements that make up a long term care insurance policy. Today we'll focus on the daily or monthly benefit. Choosing the amount of the benefit is one of the reasons you should work with a long term care specialist (not your accountant or financial planner or auto insurance agent). The reason is that if you choose an amount too low, your policy may not pay for the things you need it to in the future.

Knowing the average daily rate in the area you may need care is very important. For example, the national average rate is $150/day for a semi-private room and $180/day for a private room. If you have a policy that only pays $100/day, then you are only insuring 2/3 of the cost of a nursing home. The other $18,000/year comes out of your pocket. That difference doubles every 15 years. That means that 30 years from now you'll be shelling out $73,000 per year to make up the difference. Will your income be able to support that?

The cost of care varies across the country. You need to work with someone who works with facilities on a regular basis. A long term care specialist can help you work through an issue like this to help you determine the most appropriate daily benefit.

Some companies pay a monthly benefit vs a daily benefit. The advantage is increased flexibility in spending your benefit dollars. A monthly benefit is better than a daily benefit.

Exercise Like a Kid

The more you enjoy exercising, the more likely you'll stick with it, says personal trainer Debi Pillarella, of the American Council on Exercise. Kids play these games just for fun, but you can get a healthier heart and slimmer body:

Jump Rope: Even without the "A, My Name is Allison" song, you'll tone your calves and build agility, strength and endurance. Just 15 minutes of vigorous jumping burns almost as many calories as a half-hour jog.

Hula Hoop: This targets your abs and obliques for that sculpted-waist look. For a tougher workout, try a weighted version.

Scooter: The standing legs gets stronger, while the pushing leg gets an endurance workout. "It's a great cardio and will firm up the legs," says Phillarella. Balancing works the core, trimming abs.

Trampoline: Not recommended for children, but a high-intensity session on a mini-tramp burns about the same number of calories as running, without knee-jarring impact - just be sure you don't fall off.

Friday Funny - 50th Anniversary

Longtime friends were celebrating their 50th anniversary. One of their sons gave a loving toast, finishing with, "and thank you for having such a beautiful marriage."

"Thank you for making it necessary," the father joked.

In the silence that followed, his wife whispered, "Not him. He's the second son."

Sensational Summer Sippers

Fruity ice cubes made from one part fruit juice and one part soda water add pizazz to summer drinks. Try cherry or lime cubes in lemonade; peach or mango in iced tea, or add them to these thirst quenchers:

Pomegranate Punch

3 cups pomegranate juice
2 quarts brewed tea
1 cup honey
1/2 cup lemon juice

Mix all ingredients and chill. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Iced Ginger Tea

3" piece of ginger, peeled, sliced thin
1 cup mint leaves
6 green tea bags
1/2 cup honey
Juice from two lemons

Add ginger to 6 cups water; bring to boil. Remove from heat; add mint and tea bags; cover. Steep half an hour. Strain in pitcher; add honey and lemon; chill.

Veggies Vs Cholesterol

There's more to lowering your cholesterol than simply eating a low-fat diet. While fat-free milk and skinless chicken help, the best way to go is by loading up on vegetables and other nutritious, fat-free fare.

Researchers compared two low-fat diets, one plant-based and one consisting of foods more typical of the American diet. Those on the plant-based diet had twice the reductions in both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol that has been linked to cardiovascular disease, as those on the basic low-fat diet.

This research points out the problem with most American diets, scientists say. Simply going "low-fat" is not enough in the fight against cholesterol and other diet-linked health problems. The better choice is to begin moving away from animal-based foods such as meat and dairy products and toward a plant-based diet filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and legumes.

The health benefits, nutritionists say, come from the combination of natural cholesterol-fighters found in plant-based foods, including fiber and plant sterols.

Afraid you won't enjoy a diet of veggie burgers and cheeseless pizza? So did those subjects assigned to veggie diets in the study. But the researchers report that in the end, both groups gave high ratings to their diets

Prostate Cancer Prevention Pointers

What's the best way to screen for prostate cancer? There seems to be as many answers to that question as there are doctors to ask. The fact is prostate cancer screening is an inexact science. However, new research suggests that it's better to screen yearly than to wait two or more years between tests.

Yearly screening for men over age 50 has always been the recommendation of most guidelines. However, because screening tests such as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test are often inaccurate or difficult to judge, some health experts have suggested extending the prostate cancer screening interval to every two to four years for men with low initial PSA levels.
But that would substantially delay the detection of advanced prostate cancers, says research in the April 2005 Journal of Urology.

"Even though a relatively small percentage of men have rapidly rising PSA levels, they are the ones with life-threatening prostate cancer," researcher Dr. William J. Catalona from Northwestern University told Reuters Health. "The widespread use of infrequent screening intervals could lead to delays in the detection of these potentially lethal cancers until the opportunity for cure is missed."

Be sure to ask your doctor about regular prostate cancer screening and stick to the recommended schedule.

Friday funny - I wish I was a bear

I wish I was a bear!

Bears get to hibernate and do nothing but sleep for six months. I wish I could do that.

Before they hibernate, they eat themselves stupid. I wish I could do that.

Bears' offspring are walnut-size and are born while the mother is asleep. Mother bears wake to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I definitely wish I could do that.

Everyone knows mama bears mean business. They swat anyone who bothers their cubs. If their cubs get out of line, they swat them too. I wish I could do that.

Papa bears EXPECT their mates to wake up growling. He EXPECTS them to have hairy legs and excess body fat.

Yep… I wish I was a bear!