ARE YOU OR IS SOMEONE YOU KNOW A CAREGIVER FOR AN ELDERLY PARENT?

AARP reports that there are 43-million caregivers taking care of elderly family members in the US.  When illness strikes a parent, it is most often the siblings upon whom the care giving falls.  They can divide up the responsibilities, write up a contract as to who handles finances, daily care, research, and all other immediate and anticipated future needs.  Elder care mediators are available and website or blogs can be set up for each sibling to record daily events so all siblings are “on the same page” and up to date on care provided.

When a caregiver’s own finances are at peril, the family can get together and each compensate the care giving sibling who lives in with or nearby the elderly parent.  Author Francine Russo calls this period in a family’s life, “The Twilight Transition.”  Read the Amazon.com reviews and perhaps you will find this book helpful regarding sibling issues.

There are 16,000 Nursing Homes in the US, with about 1.5-million people living in them.  The US News & World Report article on Best Nursing Homes explains the rankings, with 11 homes that have received perfect ratings for four consecutive quarters.  The article also directs you to Nursing Home Compare, on the Medicare site, to find a local nursing home.  A family can find a Geriatric Care Manager to help.  

The new health care plan includes The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, otherwise known as CLASS.  CLASS provides for a national insurance program to help cover the cost of long-term care -- something 70 percent of people over 65 will need at some point along the way. The premiums will be much lower than those for private plans, and you won't get screened out because you've already had some health problems. Once vested after five years, enrollees unable to care for themselves will be able to claim cash benefits for as long as needed.  Nursing homes will face more transparency requirements.

As the benefits of the CLASS program become clear, you will read about them on this blog in the near future.  Licensed Advisor/Independent Insurance Agent Marilyn Jacobs can provide details about Long Term Care Insurance and explain what Medicare, Medicaid and the newer Long Term Care Partnership (which protects a portion of assets) can and cannot do to help with expenses.

Sunday, March 28th

 7:00 pm in the Laurels

"The Blind Side" 

starring Sandra Bullock

ROBERT L. HOWARD, ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST DECORATED HEROES

It is important for future generations that we remember our military heroes and the great sacrifices they have made for us in the name of Freedom.  Only 3,448 Americans have been awarded Medals of Honor.  Today only 91 of them survive.

Wounded 14 times in 54 months of combat duty in Vietnam, Robert Howard was awarded 8 Purple Hearts and was believed to be the most decorated living American.  He served five tours in Vietnam and is the only soldier in our nation's history to be nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor three times for three separate actions within a 13-month period. Although it can only be awarded once to an individual, men who served with him said he deserved all three. 

President Richard M. Nixon awarded him the Medal of Honor at the White House in 1971.  Other awards included the Distinguished Service Cross - our nation's second highest award, and the Silver Star - the third highest award. He received his decorations for valor for actions while serving as an NCO (Sergeant First Class).

Robert L. Howard grew up in Opelika, Alabama and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1956 at age seventeen. He retired as a full Colonel in 1992 after 36 years service. During Vietnam, he served in the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) and spent most of his five tours in the super-secret MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and Observations Group) also known as Special Operations Group, which ran classified cross-border operations into Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam. These men carried out some of the most daring and dangerous missions ever conducted by the U.S. military. The under-strength sixty-man recon company at Kontum, in which he served, was the Vietnam War's most highly decorated unit of its size with five Medals of Honor. It was for his actions while serving on a mission to rescue a fellow soldier in Cambodia, that he was submitted for the Medal of Honor the third time for his extraordinary heroism. 

In later years, as a larger-than-life figure on the national military scene, he appeared at many patriotic events, encouraging people to remember our troops.  He was also an advocate for troops missing in action and believed there were more than 100 troops living in captivity in south east Asia.  He died in 2009 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Robert L. Howard is said to be our nation's most decorated soldier from the Vietnam War. He was the last Vietnam Special Forces Medal of Honor recipient still on active duty when he retired on Sept. 29, 1992. His story is told in John Plaster's excellent book, SOG The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam.  

Excerpt from John Plaster's recent book SECRET COMMANDOS Behind Enemy Lines with the Elite Warriors of SOG - pg. 303:
"The day that President Nixon draped the Medal of Honor's pale blue ribbon around Howard's neck, I sat before the TV in my parents' living room watching the evening news. Coming on top of his previous decorations - the Distinguished Service Cross and multiple Silver and Bronze Stars, plus eight Purple Hearts - Howard's combat awards exceeded those of Audie Murphy, America's legendary World War II hero, until then our most highly decorated serviceman. At last, Howard would get his due. I flipped station to station, but not one of the networks - not CBS or NBC or ABC - could find ten seconds to mention Captain Robert Howard or his indomitable courage. I found nothing about him in the newspapers. Twisted by the antiwar politics of that era, many in the media believed that to recognize a heroic act was to glorify war. They simply chose not to cover the ceremony. It might as well not have happened." 

Let's pass these stories of valor, bravery and dedication to the United States of America on to our children and grandchildren. 

Sunday, March 14th at 

7:00 pm in the Laurels

 

"Say Anything (1987)"

starring John Cusack.

POLO CLUB Security Committee Update 3/12/2010

We have been advised by the Sheriff’s Dept that in recent weeks there has been a rash of home burglaries throughout Palm Beach County including a number of gated communities. 

During this period of time there have been no burglaries at Polo. Incidents have occurred at Addison Reserve, Broken Sound, Mizner Country Club (2), The Oaks, Kings Point, Cameron Park, Delray Garden Estates, and in Jupiter there were 6 burglaries at Admirals Cove. 

The most common point of entry was through a rear door/slider or window and the common method of entry was to pry or smash open the door/window. In the other incidents, doors were left unlocked. There was no indication that alarms, where present, were actually activated. Most of the incidents occurred after 6pm.
These are professional burglars.. They are in and out of a home in less than 3 minutes. They primarily look for cash and jewelry and small items like cameras, I-pods, etc. They know just where to look for things. 

We all need to be security conscious at all times. If you see anything that looks out of place or suspicious call 911 and then call Polo Security Emergency at 995-1111.

The sheriff urges all Polo residents to make sure they do the following:
1. ALWAYS SET YOUR ALARM. It is the first and most important line of protection Turn it on whenever you leave home. Put it on and by-pass the motion detectors when home at night. If you don’t know how to use your alarm system let Devcon know and they will show you how to use it. 

2. Make sure all doors and windows are locked. This requires criminals to take more time to gain entry, which they don’t like. 

3. You can have a locksmith insert a lock into your back sliders so they cannot be lifted off the track. 

4. Keep the your alarm system chime alert on at all times so it chimes when anyone opens a door or window when you are home. 

5. Keep exterior lights on at night. 

6. Cut back landscaping and shrubbery from windows and doors as landscaping helps criminals avoid detection.

31ST ANNUAL HATSUME FAIR AT MORIKAMI SATURDAY MARCH 20, AND SUNDAY MARCH 21

Morikami’s largest annual event transforms the usually tranquil Morikami Park into a unique  Japanese spring festival.  Featured will be three stages of continuous entertainment ranging from martial arts demos, drumming, children’s activities, presentations of Anime History, Japanese folk tales, artisan booths, plant sales and Asian and American food vendors. 

Ensemble Otodama will present arrangements of Japanese traditional folk music and their original works, blending jazz, classical, Japanese and other world  music.

Tickets can be purchase online before Thursday Mach 18^th, $10 for adults, $$5 for ages 4-17, children 3 and under and museum members free.  Admission at the gate is slightly higher.  Free on-site parking is provided.  The Morikami Cornell Café will be serving an a la carte menu.  

Sunday, March 7th at 7:00 pm 

in the Laurels.  

 

"Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince"

WATCH THE POLO CLUB ON “GOLF AMERICA”

Our Equestrian Course has been selected as "The Course of The Week" and will be featured on national television 14 times over the next few weeks. Not only will you see our golf courses, but our entire community, amenities and Clubhouse. Also, watch the video of our Club Course, which was chosen as the "Online Course of the Week" by Cyber Links Golf, watch it now at www.cyberlinksgolf.com.

Saturday, March 6th 
12:00 PM SUNSHBHD
653 (DirecTV)/ Golf America
(New, Sports)

Monday, March 8th
4:30 PM SSUNSHBHD
653 (DirecTV)/ Golf America