Veterans Day

Veterans Day is approaching and here at Senior Benefit Services, we’re very appreciative of those who have served this great country of ours. 

The SBS family would like to take this moment to thank the 20.4 million veterans and the 1.3 million active duty members this Veterans Day. 

We were curious about the origins of Veterans Day and thought you might be too...
Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. holiday to honor the end of World War I. In 1938 United Sates Legislation approved Armistice Day, a day “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day." In 1954, after World War II and the Korean War, Congress amended the Act of 1938 by removing the word Armistice and inserting the word Veterans. Veterans Day honors military veterans with parades, speeches, and other celebratory events across the nation to honor and celebrate those who have served.

Senior Benefit Services would like to recognize and thank our team members, Tom and Brett, for their service to our country:

Tom Weislocher

Tom was drafted during the Vietnam War and served in the United Sates Army from 1970-1972. Tom was a Spec4, radio and radio-teletype operator, cryptographic communications specialist.  Tom was stationed in Vicenza, Italy, and had the opportunity to return on a bicycle tour in 2011 and reconnect with the country and old friends.




Brett Winter

Brett enlisted in the Navy in 2008 and is currently enlisted in the Navy Reserves. Brett is 2^nd Class Petty Officer. Brett worked as a Plane Captain and assisted pilots in takeoff and landing, and repaired planes. Brett has worked several air shows, and has performed maintenance on the Blue Angels Fleet. Through the Navy Brett has been stationed in New Orleans, Guam, and several other locations including Naval Air Station Fallon also known as “TOPGUN.”




Thank you for all you have done for your country, families and the SBS Family!

Senior Benefit Services
Written by Olivia Helmandollar
11/10/17

Long Term Care Awareness Month

LTC Awareness Month >>>
Eight Things People Should Know

*REPOST* Brought to you by: Mutual of Omaha

November is LTC Awareness Month – time again to devote your efforts to helping people understand the importance of planning for their future long-term care needs.

This can be challenging...especially for those who find it hard to see themselves needing help with the most basic daily activities, like bathing or dressing. Yet, taking accountability for their future care and planning for that day is something everyone should do.

Here are eight things they should consider when developing a plan for long-term care:

1. Planning for long-term care is important. Most people will tell you they plan to live a long life. But with age comes the need for help with some of the things they always did for themselves. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 70 percent of people who reach age 65 will need LTC services at some point in their lives
2. LTC services are expensive. Mutual of Omaha’s cost-of-care survey revealed that just one year in a nursing home can cost nearly $80,000 (based on national averages). Home health care is less expensive, but people still can expect to pay over $36,000 per year on average for care they receive at home.
3. You can’t rely on Medicare. Many people mistakenly believe their LTC needs are already covered. In reality, Medicare only covers services for a short time – typically just long enough to help people get back on their feet after an illness or injury.
4. Medicaid isn’t for everyone. It’s true. Medicaid does cover LTC services. But it’s important to remember that Medicaid is a program for people with low incomes and limited resources. That may mean your clients would have to spend down their assets just to qualify. Not an attractive option for people who want to protect the assets they worked a lifetime to accumulate and leave a legacy for their children.
5. There’s a hidden cost to family caregivers. It’s easy to say, "My family will take care of me." But a spouse may not be physically able to provide all the care that’s needed. And children have their own family and career obligations. The fact is family caregivers frequently suffer from stress and illness themselves. Not to mention lost wages if they have to give up a job or reduce work hours.
6. The best time to start planning is now. How will you pay for the care you need? Where will you live? Who will take care of you? These are questions people need to ask themselves now while they’re young and in good health. The need for LTC services can arise at any time. Having a plan in place when that day comes can help alleviate the emotional strain many families face. It also can help ensure your clients get to make the important decisions about the care they receive and the setting they prefer.
7. The cost of waiting can be high. The ability to obtain an LTCi policy is based on age and good health. So it’s important for people to understand that if something happens to cause a change in their health status, they may not be able to purchase LTCi at any price.
8. Some coverage is better than none. Many people who think they can’t afford an LTCi policy neglect to consider what would happen if they didn’t have one. Without a policy to help pay the bills for LTC services, they may have to liquidate assets, sell stocks, dip into savings or retirement accounts or sell property to come up with the cash they need. Even a modest LTCi policy offers some protection for their important assets.

Read More @: http://www.mutualofomaha.com/yourchoice/tips-tools-training/article-eight-things-people-should-know.php