Varian Law LLC

What Benefits are Available for Older Veterans?

“In addition to all the standard VA benefits, turning 65 opens up several additional benefits that younger veterans cannot get.”

All the Usual VA Benefits

Turning 65 does not take away your right to receive benefits that are available for veterans of all ages. Just like any other U.S. veteran, if you meet the qualifications, you can receive standard VA benefits like these even if you are age 65 or older:

• VA disability. The requirements for VA disability are quite different from Social Security disability (SSD). SSD will not pay you any benefits unless you are 100 percent disabled, but the VA will send you a monthly check if you have a total or partial service-related disability.
• VA pension, which also has different requirements than Social Security retirement income.
• Education, training, vocational rehabilitation, and employment assistance.
• Health care at a VA facility.
• Home loans and insurance.
• Limited burial

Bonus Round for Elderly Veterans

In addition to all the standard VA benefits, turning 65 opens up several additional benefits that younger veterans cannot get. Some of these include:

VA Extended Geriatric Health Care. If you are an older military veteran with complex medical needs, the VA can provide long-term daily support and assistance in your home, at a VA medical center or in the community. The VA offers assistance with:

• Adult day health care in the community
• Primary care in your home, along with homemaker and home health aide care
• Hospice and palliative care

For those who cannot live at home due to significant medical needs, the VA can help with the cost of nursing homes in the community, state veterans nursing homes, adult family homes and assisted living facilities. Depending on the VA program, factors that determine your eligibility for long-term care benefits include your income and assets, the status of your service-related disability, your medical condition, your need for daily medical care and personal assistance, and the availability of services in your area.

Aid and Attendance (A&A). This benefit adds a supplemental amount to your monthly check if you currently receive or are eligible for a VA pension. You must be:

• Unable to perform daily functions, like feeding yourself, dressing, or grooming without someone’s help, or
• A resident of a nursing home, or
• Bedridden, or
• Have low vision as the VA defines it (with correction, your vision in both eyes is 5/200 or less, or you have concentric contraction of the visual field to five degrees or less).

Housebound is another program for elderly veterans that tacks on an additional amount to the veteran’s monthly pension check. If you are confined to your home much of the time because of a permanent disability, you might meet the requirements to receive this benefit.

References:

U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. “Veterans.” (accessed August 30, 2018) https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-ageing-robots-widerimage/aging-japan-robots-may-have-role-in-future-of-elder-care-idUSKBN1H33AB

Ways to Protect Your Older Parent’s Finances

“There is almost no limit to the possible ways your loved one can lose his life savings, but he is more likely to hold on to his hard-earned assets, if you are informed and looking out for his interests.”

After working for decades and rearing a family, many seniors find themselves destitute because of financial abuse or mismanagement. There is almost no limit to the possible ways your loved one can lose his life savings, but he is more likely to hold on to his hard-earned assets, if you are informed and looking out for his interests. Here are some ways to protect your older parent’s finances.

Know the Most Likely Risks

The best way to prepare is to be aware of the financial dangers your parent faces. You cannot devise a strategy, if you do not know the potential threats.

Your parent’s mismanagement. Face it; not everyone is good at handling money. If your parent does these things, he might be his own worst financial enemy:

• Resists following a budget
• Will not live within his means
• Does not pay his bills on time
• Falls for every get-rich-quick scam or hard-luck story
• Makes unwise investment choices
• Fails to file his taxes
• Forgets to deposit checks
• Does not open his mail reliably

Some of these behaviors might be the result of cognitive decline or dementia. Others could be merely a matter of her life choices. In these situations, you might be able to get your parent to agree to give you control of his finances. You will need a power of attorney document, but your local elder law attorney can prepare that for you. Another option is to hire a service to pay his bills and manage his money. Some older parents would rather pay a modest fee to a third party than be embarrassed by their adult child having to take over their finances.

The Usual Suspects

Every year, unscrupulous people and organizations swindle millions of dollars from unsuspecting older adults. Seniors frequently lose their money to:

• Strangers running cons like home improvement swindles, telephone fraud or internet scams. Talk with your parent about these dangers, so he can recognize and know how to handle them. Place your parent on the “Do Not Call” registry and sign up to OPT OUT of pre-approved credit cards and similar offers that come through the mail.
• A caregiver or someone at the nursing home might steal your loved one’s valuables and claim they were gifts. Make it clear before this can happen, that your parent will not be giving away his possessions and that you will treat all transfers of property as theft, which you will refer to law enforcement. Elderly people who are confused or suffering from Alzheimer’s are at great risk of this scam.
• A trusted friend might offer to run errands for your parent, then use his check or credit card to pick up a few things for herself. Over time, this embezzlement can add up to a large sum. Require receipts from everyone who has access to your parent’s checkbook, credit card or another form of payment.
• Professionals, like accountants or asset managers, might charge your parent unreasonable fees that will erode his principal. Insist upon getting a copy of all statements and have your own financial advisor review them.
• Some spiritual advisors, charities, and “causes” can be particularly heinous, when siphoning off the assets of an older person. Using words like “legacy” and “memorial,” these charlatans sweet-talk elderly people into writing six-figure checks to their organizations, sometimes leaving the senior without enough money to pay for his own care.
• A “gold-digger” new spouse can make a claim to a sizeable share of the estate. We have all heard stories of 80-year-old wealthy men who marry 20-year-old girls, and leave the man’s children and grandchildren with no inheritance. Setting up the estate beforehand, through trusts and other legal documents, can prevent this from happening.

Be sure to talk with an elder law attorney near you to set up legal protections for your aging parent.

References:

A Place for Mom. “Early Stage Dementia: How to Protect Your Parents’ Assets.” (accessed August 30, 2018) https://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/2013-02-18memory-loss-retirement-savings/

Tony Robbins. “Strategies to Protect Aging Parents.” (accessed August 30, 2018) https://www.tonyrobbins.com/wealth-lifestyle/ways-to-protect-aging-parents/

Does Your Aging Loved One Need an Elder Abuse Order of Protection?

“The legal remedies will depend on your state’s law, but if the senior qualifies, she might get an order of protection (restraining order) that the abuser has to stay away from her and not harass or threaten her.”

Sadly, some people are violent toward seniors because they are vulnerable.  Instances of possible elder abuse can be emotional situations, in which it is difficult to know if you are doing the right thing. This article will try to help you answer the question, ”Does your aging loved one need an elder abuse order of protection?”

What Constitutes Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is a matter of state law, not federal law, and the law is different in every state. The general principles underlying elder abuse are similar in most states, and involve someone doing any of these things to a person of advanced age (usually age 65 or older):

• Physical abuse
• Abandonment
• Isolation
• Neglect
• Depriving the adult of things she needs, like food, nutrition, medication and hygiene
• Financial Abuse
• Abduction (taking him out of state against his will)
• Other actions that result in pain, mental suffering or physical harm

Why Many Seniors Do Not Take Action Against Their Abusers

Although there are laws to protect them, often a third party, like a home health care worker, neighbor, friend, relative or primary care doctor, is the one who calls the authorities to stop the abuse of an older adult. When officials question the suspected victim, the senior might deny the neglect or abuse, for the same reasons that she did not seek help for herself. These motivations include:

• Fear of retaliation from the abuser
• Fear that the abuser will kick her out of the house and she will be homeless
• Shame that her own child or some other trusted person abuses her
• Feeling hopeless to do anything about the situation or to make it on her own at her age or in her current health.

Remedies for Victims of Elder Abuse

The legal remedies will depend on your state’s law, but if the senior qualifies, she might get an order of protection (restraining order) from a judge that the abuser has to stay away from her and not harass or threaten her. If the abuser is a close family member or someone with whom the older adult has had a romantic relationship, she might be eligible for a domestic violence restraining order. Your attorney can advise you on the protections your state provides.

Who to Contact if You Suspect Elder Abuse

You have several options of where to go for the protection of your older loved one. Fear of immediate danger is a matter for a 911 call. If the situation does not amount to the level of an emergency, but you have a concern about violence, call the non-emergency number for your local law enforcement. Some police and sheriff departments have special task forces that focus on protecting the elderly from abuse.

Adult Protective Services (APS) in your area can connect abused older adults with social services that can help them stay safe. Every state has an office of APS, with additional regional offices throughout each state.

You might be able to take legal action against an abuser. Sometimes a lawyer can help you get back some of the money lost due to financial abuse. Talk with your lawyer about the legal options available in your area. Every state has different laws, and they might vary from the general law this article discusses.

References:

Judicial Council of California. “Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse.” (accessed August 30, 2018) http://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-elder.htm

Does Your Parent Need to Stop Driving?

“It can be hard for both you and your parent to be objective about whether they should keep driving.”

If your parent has experienced some “near misses” behind the wheel, you might start to worry about whether he or she needs to give up the car keys. Many people eventually face this decision.  However, the issue requires careful thought and sensitivity. You do not want to be hurtful or disrespectful to your dad or mom, but you also cannot in good conscience let them operate a vehicle, if they might be a danger to themselves or others.

Can You Make This Decision?

It can be hard for both you and your parent to be objective about whether he or she should keep driving. Adult children might:

• Be uncomfortable standing up to their parents
• Not want to face the possibility that their parents are losing essential skills
• Be overprotective
• Be in denial because they do not want to think about the mortality of a loved one
• Want to punish a parent for perceived wrongs of the past

An aging parent can struggle with seeing the reality of the situation because:

• Fear of the “slippery slope” of losing independence
• Stubborn refusal to allow his or her child (who is now an adult) tell him or her what to do
• Misperception of the actual level of his or her skills
• Denial of changes in functional abilities

Professional Assessment of Driving Performance for Seniors

Many different factors can impact an older adult’s driving ability. Cognitive decline, slowed reflexes, slower processing/decision-making time, deteriorating eyesight, medications and fatigue can all affect a person’s skills behind the wheel.

AAA offers comprehensive driving assessments for older adults. It can also devise strategies for seniors to drive safely despite some challenges.

Clinical assessments involve the performance of a cognitive evaluation, a review of the personal medical history and on-the-road functional testing.

Driving skills evaluations focus solely on how well your aging loved one can drive a car and respond to on-the-road situations. The professional will explore the senior’s ability to follow traffic laws and notice and react to conditions on the road. These assessments do not delve into any underlying medical or cognitive issues.

Transportation options

If you decide that your parent should no longer be driving, you need to explore his or her available transportation options. He or she still needs to get to the grocery store, doctor appointments and perform other errands. Luckily, there are more ways for non-drivers to get around today than ever before. A few of these options are:

• Transportation programs offered through senior centers
• Uber, Lyft, and other ride-share services
• Call a ride for older Americans programs
• A friend who is lonely and would love to accompany someone who is running errands
• Taxis, which can be less expensive than maintaining a car

References:

AAA. “Professional Assessment.” (accessed August 30, 2018) https://seniordriving.aaa.com/evaluate-your-driving-ability/professional-assessment/

Ways to Prevent the Bank from Foreclosing on Your Aging Parent’s Home

Sometimes people find out that their older parents have not been paying their mortgage or other bills. This situation might be the result of cognitive decline or it might be that your loved one can no longer afford to pay her bills. After the initial panic and distress wear off, you need to discover ways to prevent the bank from foreclosing on your aging parent’s home.

 Do Not Delay

If you contact the lender before the company starts legal proceedings, it might be willing to work with you. When you spare the lender expenses, such as attorney and court filing fees, it may be more likely to enter into a solution that does not involve your parent losing her home. Once the lender incurs some foreclosure costs, however, it may have no incentive to be lenient.

Another reason to take action right away, is that the lender or court might have sent your parent notices. You need to find out if the lender filed a lawsuit, and if so, what the deadlines are and when the court has scheduled hearings. Missing a foreclosure hearing can mean the judge will enter a default judgment against your aging loved one.

Most states require lenders to go through the courts to foreclose on mortgages, in order to protect borrowers. Lenders have to give notice and have hearings.  However, if your parent does not follow the procedures, she can lose her legal protections. You should hire a lawyer to try to find valid defenses that would prevent the lender from being able to foreclose on your loved one.

Predatory Lending Scams

Anyone in the home buying/selling industry can be involved in a predatory lending scam. In these rip-off schemes, lenders, mortgage brokers or even real estate agents work with unscrupulous con artists to trap people in mortgages they cannot afford, charge outrageous upfront fees and then foreclose, without any concern for the damage they do to people’s lives. If your parent got a loan for which she should not have qualified and she suddenly finds herself in financial distress, she might have one of these loans. If so, a lawyer might be able to help.

Defenses to Foreclosure Actions

Seniors are frequently the victims of predatory lending schemes. Legislators have created protections for people in this situation. The court might not allow the lender to foreclose, if the loan violates the law.

You might be surprised at how many mortgage documents contain errors. If your parent’s loan papers have sufficient flaws, you might have a defense against foreclosure. Mortgage companies can also make other mistakes that might save your parent from losing her house, if you can discover the errors.

Another defense is that the loan terms are grossly unfair and one-sided. The court might feel that the mortgage company took advantage of your parent’s age or cognitive decline. If the lender violated any state or federal unfair lending practices laws, you might be able to stop the foreclosure. 

How to Get Legal Help for Your Aging Parent

An elder law attorney can help you to protect your parent’s finances by attempting to prevent foreclosure and drafting legal documents that will reduce the risk of a future financial crisis. The earlier you talk with a lawyer, the better, since some remedies will not help your parent if the delinquency is too far gone. Every state has different laws, so be sure to talk with an elder law attorney near you, to find out how your local regulations vary from the general law of this article.

References:

New York State Department of Financial Services. “Help For Homeowners Facing Foreclosure.” (accessed August 30, 2018) http://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumer/mortg.htm

How to Keep Your Aging Loved One’s Medication Doses on Schedule

“Managing a senior’s drugs can get complicated, since some must be taken in the morning or at bedtime, on an empty stomach or after eating. Others cannot be taken in combination with other things, like grapefruit juice or other drugs.”

If your older relative lives independently, you might worry about whether she is taking all of her medicine when she should, and not missing doses or accidentally taking too much. This is a valid concern, since about 125,000 older American adults die every year from medication errors. Many people over the age of fifty take three or four different prescription drugs, and quite a few over-the-counter preparations.

Managing a senior’s drugs can get complicated, since some must be taken in the morning, at bedtime, on an empty stomach or after eating. Others cannot be taken in combination with other things, like grapefruit juice or other medications. Keeping track of this, can make you feel like a choreographer arranging a ballet. Here are a few tips on how to keep your aging loved one’s medication doses on schedule.

Striking a Balance

The amount of assistance your loved one needs will depend on his current level of cognitive function. His status can change over time, due to progressive cognitive decline from normal aging or things like Alzheimer’s. He might also need more supervision with his medications on a temporary basis during an illness or after an injury or surgery.

You want to ensure that she receives her correct doses, but you do not want to patronize her. This “sweet spot” can be difficult to achieve, and it is a moving target.

Organize and Remind

Do not discard the original pill bottles from the pharmacy. They contain essential information about dosing and warnings about drowsiness and other side effects. Even if you take pills out of the containers to put them into pill organizers, always keep an empty bottle on hand.

Read the packaging inserts. That way you will be alert should your relative exhibit unusual symptoms and will know if he might:

• Have missed a dose,
• Have overdosed, or
• Be having a side effect.

Pill organizers. You can buy plastic pill boxes with multiple compartments to arrange the medications. Get a box with the day or time for the dose printed on each divided area.

Timed reminders. You can set an alarm clock to remind the senior to take her pills, but most older adults take more than one drug. Therefore, an old-school alarm clock might not be adequate. You can, however, set multiple alarms on a cell phone. The only problem is that the alarms will not say which medicine she is supposed to take at which time. For that, you can write the doses with the times on a calendar, so that she can check the calendar when her cell phone alarm goes off to see which pill to take at that time. There are also several cell phone apps that can help your loved one keep track of her medications.

We want your loved ones to be safe. Make sure they have the legal documents they need to protect them. You should talk with an elder law attorney in your area to prepare these papers.

References:

Elder Care. “Senior Safety: Caregiver Sanity.” (accessed August 18, 2018) https://eldercare.com/senior-safety-caregiver-sanity

20 Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Caregiver

“Although it might feel as if you are prying, you need to know a great deal of information about the person to whom you will entrust the safety and well-being of your aging loved one.”

When you are interviewing candidates to serve as a caregiver for your loved one, it can be hard to know what questions to ask. Few of us are professionals in the field of human resources, and you might feel uncomfortable inquiring about a candidate’s personal life.

Although it might feel as if you are prying, you need to know a great deal of information about the person to whom you will entrust the safety and well-being of your aging loved one. To help you, here are 20 questions to ask when interviewing a caregiver. Use these prompts as a starting point and supplement them with additional topics that come to mind.

Training and Experience

You do not want someone with no training or experience to take care of your aging loved one. Inquire about these things to discover how well prepared the person is to serve as a caregiver of an older adult:

1. Do you have training as a nurse, nurse’s aide, or other medical professional or paraprofessional? Are you certified or licensed?
2. Are you trained and certified in CPR and first aid?
3. How many years of experience do you have in elder care?

Current Position and Future Goals

4. What is your current position and why are you leaving? When would you be available to start this position?
5. What are your long-term goals?

Job Description

6. Do you feel comfortable and competent managing the medications and providing all the personal care of an elderly person, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting and feeding?
7. Are you trained and experienced in transferring a person the size and weight of my loved one in and out of a bed, chair, and bathtub?
8. What strategies would you use, if an elderly person became confused or aggressive, began choking or wandered away from the home?
9. Are you willing to perform specified housekeeping duties, such as light housework, meal preparation, changing bed linens and doing laundry?
10. Are you willing and able to take an older adult to medical and other appointments? If so, do you have a driver’s license, your own car and comprehensive automobile insurance?

Your Mindset

11. Describe what it means to be a nurturing caregiver.
12. Tell me why do went into the field of elder caregiving?
13. What are you looking for in your next position?

Employment Details

14. Are you willing to sign a contract?
15. Can you provide two references who are not related to you by blood or marriage?
16. This job has a 30-day trial period. Is that acceptable to you?
17. Here are the hours the job involves every week. Can you commit to this schedule?
18. This is the salary we are offering. Is this acceptable to you?

Concluding Questions

19. Is there anything else you would like us to know about you?
20. What questions do you have about the job and the person for whom you would be caring?

Every situation is unique, and your circumstances might require additional questions. When in doubt, ask more questions. You should talk with an elder law attorney near you to make sure you are complying with the legal requirements of your state for hiring a caregiver.

References:

Elder Care. “44 Elderly Care Provider Interview Questions.” (accessed August 18, 2018) https://eldercare.com/44-possible-interview-questions-for-an-elder-care-interview

Ways to Cut the High Cost of Senior Living Facilities

“You can reduce the amount you pay for long-term care significantly by adjusting the services the facility provides.”

Long term care communities are expensive, so it makes sense to choose a facility that does not make you pay for services and amenities you will not use. You would not knowingly agree to pay for unlimited drinks at a bar if you do not consume alcohol. Therefore, you should avoid wasting your money on assisted living center options that do not fit your lifestyle.

If you find out what the total monthly bill at the assisted living center includes, you can usually come up with ways to cut the high cost of senior living facilities. Certain essential costs, like rent, are not optional at these centers.  However, many other items might be open to negotiation.

Meals

If you never want to cook another meal, a full meal plan will be a wise choice. If, however, you really enjoy cooking at least some of your meals, you should not have to pay for facility-prepared meals you will not be eating. Talk with the assisted living center about your options for meals. Some allow residents to choose among several meal plans, such as:

• Eating all of your meals in the dining hall of the facility
• Eating one or two meals a day with the group and the others on your own
• Not eating any facility-prepared meals

Services

You can reduce the amount you pay for long-term care significantly by adjusting the services the facility provides. If you want the retirement center to do all your house cleaning and laundry, for example, you can expect to pay for that level of service. If, however, you want to maintain your independence for as long as you can and save some money, you might start out with a services package that does not provide these options. Just make sure the center will allow you to change your services package when you want to in the future.

Amenities

If living in an older adult community that has a golf course is your idea of a dream retirement, you have plenty of locations available. If, on the other hand, you do not play golf, there is no reason for you to shoulder that expense for the benefit of others. If an amenity is not important to you or is not part of your lifestyle, consider looking at facilities that do not provide that item.

Since assisted living centers now boast such things as on-site bowling alleys, hair and nail salons, spas, Olympic-size swimming pools, fitness centers and gourmet restaurants, it is easy to fall into the trap of moving into a place that will be a waste of your money. By all means, live as comfortably as you want and can afford, but be on guard for gimmicks that will increase your expenses.

Location, Location, Location

Just as with real estate and nearly everything else, the cost of retirement communities varies a great deal depending on location. Centers in the suburbs tend to cost less than ones located in large cities. While it may have been essential to live in a particular part of the country because of your job and schools for your children, you might be more flexible about location at this point in your life.

Economical Alternatives to Senior Living Facilities

It is often possible to meet all your needs without moving into an assisted living center. Staying in your home, especially if you have paid off your mortgage, can be more desirable and economical than moving into a long-term care development. You can arrange home health care, housekeeping, yard services and other types of assistance. Having someone move into your home and provide these services in exchange for rent or a reduction of rent can be an economical option.

Be sure to discuss your options with an elder law attorney in your area and to prepare the legal documents that can make your retirement worry-free.

References:

Elder Care. “Why is Senior Housing So Expensive and What Can We Do About It?” (accessed August 18, 2018) https://eldercare.com/why-is-senior-housing-so-expensive

Assisted Living Facilities Are Not As “Expensive” As You Think

Most of us do not have several thousand dollars of excess income every month when we are retired.  An assisted living center, however, eliminates several of your ongoing costs.

People often experience sticker shock when they find out how much it will cost to move into an assisted living facility.  Many places charge $6,000 a month or higher.  In many of them you really do get a lot for your money.  However, others charge a great deal and do not deliver as much as others. It can help to understand why assisted living facilities cost so much, so that you can comparison shop and make an informed choice.

If you view the price tag of the long-term care facility as an expense that you will have to pay in addition to your existing expenses, very few people could afford to live in a facility.  Most of us do not have several thousand dollars of excess income every month when we are retired.  An assisted living facility, however, eliminates several of your ongoing costs.

The Costs of Maintaining Your Own Home

Let’s say that you rent an apartment in the community. You will probably spend around $1,500 a month in rent.  Your groceries can run about $125 to $150 a week, and healthcare for seniors averages about $375 a month.

Transportation is another significant cost when you include a car payment, auto insurance, driver’s license and registration, annual state fees, personal property taxes, inspections, maintenance, repairs, gasoline and parking.  However, an assisted living facility that provides shuttles can save you $600 or $700 a month.

Participating in even a small portion of the entertainment the center offers could easily cost you a couple hundred dollars out in the community.  Without including utilities, renter’s or homeowner’s insurance, and the other numerous costs of maintaining your own home, an assisted living facility could provide around $3,500 of your current expense items.

What Assisted Living Centers Can Offer

Depending on the meal and services plan you select, the center can provide:

• Your meals, which eliminates the costs of your groceries
• Grounds maintenance, which gets rid of the hassle and cost of yard work
• House cleaning, making the expense of cleaning equipment, supplies, and a house cleaning service unnecessary
• Rent or mortgage, home repairs, homeowner or tenant insurance, real estate taxes, utilities, cable television, internet, and other costs of maintaining a household
• Safety and security
• Memory care
• Onsite medical care and transportation to offsite medical facilities
• Staff to assist in the event of a crisis
• Activities and entertainment to keep you socially engaged and to preserve cognitive function

What you might pay for all these items in the community can add up to as much as or more than the monthly cost of an assisted living center. When you are pricing several facilities, get a printed list of the services they provide. Do not accept vague terms, such as “some meals” or “light housekeeping.” Have them specify precisely what you will get for your money. You can then evaluate your options and get the best value.

Talking with an elder law attorney near you can help you prepare the legal documents that you should have before moving into an assisted living facility.

References:

Elder Care. “Why is Senior Housing So Expensive and What Can We Do About It?” (accessed August 18, 2018) https://eldercare.com/why-is-senior-housing-so-expensive

Can Robots Help Your Older Relative Age in Place at Home?

“People in Japan are combining care sensors and robots to keep a nurturing, watchful eye on their older loved ones.“

Experts in Japan are using robots to care for older adults, so it is only a matter of time before these electronic companions hit the American shores. The Japanese utilize robots in nursing homes and in the seniors’ own homes. Whether you live far away from your aging parent or in the same town, you might be wondering, Can robots help your older relative age in place at home? With our senior population growing and the number of working-age people decreasing, robots could fill a vital need for elder care.

A Tokyo nursing home uses 20 different versions of humanoid robots. Some lead exercise classes, including yoga poses. They offer encouragement in gentle voices. Other models have conversations with lonely older adults. The Japanese popular media portrays robots as helpful and friendly, so people view them positively.

The robotics gurus will have to find ways to overcome several challenges before robots are likely to find wide acceptance in either Japan or America:

• Robots are expensive. With most seniors living on limited budgets, the devices will need to be affordable. Of course, if they can take the place of some other expenses like a paid companion, home health care worker or housekeeper, they could pay for themselves in time.
• Safety concerns. Some people fear what could happen if a robot malfunctioned and injured a senior. This issue is particularly troubling for elders who live alone.
• Functionality. We will have to wait and see if, over time, the robots can perform their tasks as intended in a variety of situations. Among other things, they will have to be user-friendly for an aging population that might not be extremely tech-savvy and that often suffers cognitive decline.

Robots and Care Sensors

People in Japan are combining care sensors and robots to keep a nurturing, watchful eye on their older loved ones. The country’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry posits that by the year 2025, there will be 20 times as many elder care robots in use in Japan than there were in 2015. The government is allocating a significant amount of capital into the development of these robots. Since they expect that by 2065, 40 percent of Japan’s population will be age 65 or older, this policy might be a wise investment.

Here are a few of the elder care robots already in use in Japan:

• Paro looks like a baby seal. The cuddly robotic device calms people with special needs, including dementia and Alzheimer’s. It helps facilitate communication between older patients and their caregivers.
• Robear is a gentle bear-like robot that can assist a senior to stand up or sit down. The bear is strong enough to pick up an older person.
• Telenoid has a microphone and a camera. People can visit remotely with their elderly loved ones.

Robotics engineers have also created some care sensors to keep an eye on your aging relative. Care sensors are less expensive than robots. These devices can:

• Track elders who are at risk of wandering off, like dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, and notify all users within 20 kilometers, if the person walks away from the home.
• Combine three sensors – one above the bed to measure the senior’s vital signs and movement, a second that is a motion sensor to evaluate the older person’s vital signs, and a third sensor that detects whether a door is open or shut.

References:

Reuters. “Aging Japan: Robots may have role in future of elder care.” (accessed August 18, 2018) https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-ageing-robots-widerimage/aging-japan-robots-may-have-role-in-future-of-elder-care-idUSKBN1H33AB

Venture Beat. “Meet the robots caring for Japan’s aging population.” (accessed August 18, 2018) https://venturebeat.com/2017/11/14/meet-the-robots-caring-for-japans-aging-population/