by Guinness World Records

Inspiring Senior: 106-year-old Texas man retakes oldest skydiver record

Alfred “Al” Blaschke (b. 4 January 1917) from Texas, USA, has officially reclaimed his status as the world’s oldest person to tandem skydive.

Al was 106 years 327 days old – over three years older than the previous record – at the time of his jump.

He first broke the record in 2020, aged 103, when he jumped out of a moving plane at 14,000 feet to celebrate his twin grandsons’ college graduations. 

“That was my dream […] I never thought I’d be around this long,” Al said at the time.

That was his second skydive ever; his first took place three years prior, on his 100th birthday.

Al decided to do his most recent skydive after his record was broken in 2022 by a Swedish woman named Rut Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson, who was aged 103 years 259 days.

He was joined by the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, who had agreed to skydive alongside Al when they met after Al first broke the record.

Bad weather and scheduling issues caused the jump to be postponed four times, but on the morning of 27 November 2023, Al and Governor Abbott geared up and boarded the aircraft.

They were carried to an altitude of 9,000 feet, where they each attached to their expert instructors and exited the plane into free fall.

Watching on from below were all of Al’s children and grandchildren, as well as various media members and government officials.

Al’s main parachute was deployed at 5,500 feet, whereupon he glided down to a safe landing with his instructor.

After catching his breath, he shook hands with Governor Abbott and congratulated him on his first skydive.

Al said to the press in attendance: “If you think you can’t, you’re just underestimating yourself. Everyone is more capable than they think. They just need to make the decision to try.”

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7 Ways to Pay Homecare Costs

Aging at home is an increasingly popular alternative to assisted living facilities or nursing homes for aging adults. Many seniors now live comfortably at home with professional home care aides, who perform tasks ranging from meal preparation and light housekeeping to personal hygiene, bathing, and dressing, as well as socialization and companionship. Some caregivers are trained to provide specialized care for clients who have Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. In other situations, professional caregivers provide respite for family caregivers. Depending on the senior’s specific needs, services may range from short-hour shifts a few days a week to live-in services or round-the-clock 24-hour care.

This article examines options for people to pay their home care costs.

Using Long-Term Care Insurance to Pay for Home Care Services

Most health and medical plans do not cover long-term care; however, a specific kind of insurance called long-term care insurance will cover a person for their future senior care requirements. 

As with most insurance policies, the cost of the policy and the benefit it pays out will depend on your age, health, and the policy start date. If you already require care, it is unlikely you would be eligible for long-term care insurance. But, if you are planning for aging, as we recommend, there are tremendous benefits to long-term care insurance. 

Generally, long-term care insurance will cover various options, such as in-home care, senior care, and nursing home care. It can also cover medical care, specialist care, and personal care. 

You can purchase long-term care insurance through an insurance agent or broker. Some states may offer “Partnership Programs,” which sell long-term care insurance partnered with Medicaid through their Department of Insurance. Your employer may also offer long-term care insurance as a voluntary benefit. 

Here is a link to an article that reviews the top companies offering long-term care insurance in August 2022. 5 Best Long-Term Care Insurance Companies of August 2022 | Money.

In-Home Care Costs Covered by Veterans’ Benefits

The Department of Veterans Affairs runs programs that may provide financial assistance for in-home care.

In-home care services, including palliative and respite care, help chronically ill or disabled veterans of any age remain in their homes. 

The department also runs programs called Aid & Attendance and Housebound that provide additional financial assistance for beneficiaries who are home-bound or need assistance. 

To qualify, the veteran or surviving spouse must be eligible for a Veterans Affairs pension and require the aid and assistance of another person (or be housebound). 

The veteran must have served at least 90 days, with at least one day during wartime. The veteran or spouse must have less than $80,000 in assets (excluding the home and vehicle).

To apply for Veterans Affairs health benefits, call 1-877-222-VETS (8387) or click here to visit the website. 

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Navigating Vacation Plans with Elderly Loved Ones: Safety and Support

Inspiring Senior

7 Ways to Pay Home Care Costs

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The Missing Piece of Managing Caregiver Stress

When caregivers go above and beyond while caring for their client, we love to acknowledge and thank them with a gift.

These caregivers were most recently Caught in the Act of Caring!

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Breakfast Smoothie

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Seeking a fulfilling change this summer? Visiting Angels Newton is looking for compassionate individuals ready to make a positive impact as caregivers for seniors.

If you're passionate about Making a Difference and want a rewarding career in caregiving, we want to hear from you! Join our team and become part of a supportive community dedicated to helping the lives of seniors.

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This Missing Piece of Managing Caregiver Stress

The issue is that the frontal lobe, or the thinking part of our brain, often overrides the communication from the limbic side, which doesn't use language, but rather creates sensations in the body to send its messages.

If Self-Care Alone Isn't Enough, What Do We Do?

First, we can recognize signs that we've slipped into survival mode – shutting down when we're home alone or with loved ones, scrolling mindlessly on social media/binge-watching Netflix, or not taking care of our own needs – and not judge it as a flaw. Second, we can establish an NSR practice.

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