Thursday, August 17, 2023

Change your life by ditching these habits

Change Your Life By Ditching These Habits 

 

Maybe you haven’t been happy with how things are going in your life. You might feel like your social life is lacking, you never have enough time for your hobbies, or you’re always talking down to yourself. Thankfully, making small changes gradually can help you turn things around. These tips from Alta Vista Long Term Care will help you leave your bad habits behind! 

Poor Time Management 

If you don’t manage your time well, you’ll never be able to fit all of the things you want to do into your schedule. It’s important to avoid distractions during the workday so that you can complete projects efficiently. Also, be sure to use tools that cut out unnecessary steps and issues, like PDF editing tools. For example, an online tool can be used to convert a PDF to Word for easy editing. This makes changes more convenient, which saves time and money! 

 

Furthermore, if you’ve been taking on lots of unpaid obligations, putting an unofficial price on your time can help you figure out what’s really worth it. You can assess whether you’re really being compensated fairly for everything you do and say no to things that aren’t worth your time. 

Canceling Plans 

Have you felt lonely lately? Sometimes, it’s tempting to cancel plans or turn down invitations when you’re busy or tired — but it’s usually worth saying “Yes” when someone invites you out. Not only do you get to savor the event, you never know who else you’ll meet when you say “Yes” to plans! Whether you bump into someone new or hear from an old friend who you haven’t seen in a while, try to make plans and stick with them so that you can deepen your friendships and expand your social network. 

Living in Unhealthy Conditions 

People can be very affected by our surroundings, from the cleanliness of the space to the memories it contains. If you’re living in a space that is overly cluttered and disorganized, make a change! With an organizational strategy, you can get most spaces cleaned up in around 30 minutes. Find some storage containers and set up a few shelves so that everything will have a place, which will help you to clean up and stay organized.  

 

If the unhealthy aspect of your living situation is more complicated, consider moving. Bad relationships, abuse, pain, and addiction can all color your memories of a location. You will never be able to fully move past those influences while living in that space. Instead, look at nearby homes for rent or consider moving to a whole new area for a brand new start!  

Not Getting Enough Sleep 

Not getting enough sleep will quickly derail your energy levels and overall well-being. However, there are steps you can take to improve things. For example, going for a walk in the morning can be an excellent way to reset your sleep schedule and help get your circadian rhythm back on track. Not only do you benefit from taking some time outdoors, the sunshine helps to wake you up and provide energy while the physical exercise encourages relaxation and deeper sleep at night.  

 

You could reap even more benefits if your neighborhood has a high walk score; having nearby parks can make going for walks even easier and give you access to different environments that will help stimulate mental well-being. So, look for ways that can easily help you improve your sleep routine. 

Negative Comparisons 

If you’ve hit a rough patch in your life, it can be hard not to compare yourself to others. You may wonder why other people are hitting certain milestones before you or if you’ll ever be able to achieve what your friends have. But engaging in negative self-talk can distract you from your strengths and hold you back from going for what you really want.  

 

To avoid comparing yourself to others, Tiny Buddha recommends logging off of social media for a while, recognizing that imperfection is human, and identifying when your past mistakes have actually led you to something good in the long run. 

Not Planning for the Future 

When you’re young, it's easy to put off things like life insurance and retirement savings. But it’s best to start these practices when you’re young so that you are stable and prepared for when your health declines or your needs change. Alta Vista Long Term Care provides long term care options that can safeguard your care when the need arises. Visit them online to learn more about their services and how you can protect yourself now and in the future. 

Eating an Unhealthy Diet 

When you’re juggling work, family life, domestic responsibilities, and other commitments like volunteering, taking classes, and hobbies, it can be hard to find the time to cook. But eating a healthy diet is the foundation of your overall mental and physical well-being.  

 

To improve your home cooking skills, Mr. Porter recommends starting with basic recipes that you already enjoy, keeping kitchen staples handy at all times, and experimenting with tasty herbs and spices to bring out stronger flavors in each dish. 

 

You can also check your health insurance policy to see if you can consult with a nutritionist. This service is often covered because it is seen as preventative care. If you don’t have insurance because you are self-employed, look into affordable options provided by your state. 

Make Strides Towards Positive Change 

You can’t change your whole life overnight. But by letting go of habits that no longer serve you, it’s possible to create a brighter future. With these tips on time management, changing your inner dialogue, fixing your sleep schedule, and more, you’ll be able to achieve your goals. 

Friday, February 4, 2022

 Two Midnight Rule and Three Day stay for Medicare

I have been asked for clarification on the "Two Midnight" rule and the requirement for a three-day inpatient stay to qualify for a skilled nursing facility.  These are actually two different rules.

For a stay in a skilled nursing care facility to be paid by Medicare Part A, the enrollee must have an inpatient stay of three-consecutive days. This three days does not include the day of discharge or any time spent under outpatient observation. A patient may be in the hospital and not realize that they have not been admitted as an “inpatient.” 

 The “two-midnight rule” originally adopted by CMS in 2013 (and revised in 2016) provides a benchmark for medical providers to determine if it is appropriate to move a patient from “observation” to “admitted” status for Medicare purposes. In general, the rule provides that payment under Part A is appropriate if the admitting practitioner expected the patient to require a hospital stay that crossed two midnights and the medical record supported that reasonable expectation. The rule also provides flexibility to the provider, but states that services expected to last less than “two midnights” are generally not appropriate for coverage under Part A.

Once it is determined that a hospital stay is eligible for Part A coverage (i.e., the patient is admitted as in inpatient), the stay must cover three consecutive days in order for Part A to cover a stay in a skilled nursing facility. 

For more information about Medicare rules or to get help on your coverage, you can contact Alta Vista Benefits at 614-889-0934.


Monday, August 16, 2021

How to handle unsolicited Medicare calls

 A lot of my clients are calling me asking about the number of unsolicited phone calls they are getting and how to stop them.  Please remember that this is strictily forbiddem for someone to call you without your written permission.  

Here is a suggestion on how to handle this.  Immedicately ask "do you have my written consent to contact me"? They will hang up immediately and make a note not to call you back.  

This may not stop the illegal calls, but it will slow them down.



Monday, July 27, 2020

Virtual appointments with Alta Vista Benefits

With the advent of COVID-19, Alta Vista Benefits is changing the way we do business.  Many of our Medicare clients no longer want to meet in person.  To accommodate the needs of our current and future clients, we will be using a secure meeting to discuss plans and answer questions. This is effective immediately.  

All our clients will need is a smart phone, tablet or computer to access the online meeting. We can share our screen and give control to the client to sign any applications.  This is compliant with Medicare marketing guidelines.  

To check out our complete list of services, go to www.altavistaben.com