Obese seniors are less able to exercise the way younger people are, though it is certainly possible. However, they need to be careful of high impact workouts, and carefully monitor their diet so they do not lose vital nutrients and minerals. Medicare has not addressed the obesity problem in seniors in a comprehensive way, but that is about to change. Medicare has announced that they will begin paying for obesity screening and counseling as part of its services to seniors. This is intended to help the obese and prevent future recipients from becoming obese. It will make new forms of treatment available to those that previously could not afford help, and address all the complications from obesity, not just weight.

Obesity in America

Obesity has reached near epidemic levels in the United States, forcing medical providers and insurance providers to address new problems and seek new treatments for obesity. People who are obese face many complications that can endanger their lives and their quality of life. It is estimated that obesity costs the United States around 147 billion dollars a year, and will only continue to rise. This accounts for almost 21 percent of all healthcare costs. While obesity is a serious issue and impacts children and adults, seniors are some of the most vulnerable. Given their age and any other medical complications they face, obese seniors face some unique challenges.

Controversy over Medicare’s New Obesity Coverage

Not everyone is supports Medicare’s decision to expand its treatment for the obese. Some detractors argue that obesity is a self-inflicted condition and taxpayers should not be held liable for an individual’s choices. Other critics have a proposed a more sweeping approach to the obesity problem in the United States, instead of just focusing on Medicare. Some of the proposed solutions include stricter regulation of restaurants and fast food businesses, as well as more complete nutrition labels. There are also concerns that doctors and other healthcare providers are not sufficiently trained in weight-related issues to offer effective counseling or solutions to patients, and that they may not seek the proper training on top of their other responsibilities.

Common Weight-Loss Treatments

Private and public insurance companies are often willing to pay for some additional weight-loss treatments, as it is seen as preventative or curative and can ultimately keep health costs down. Each company and policy varies on what will be covered, so specific questions should be addressed to the insurance provider or broker. However, some of the most common treatments generally covered by insurance include:

• Bariatric surgeries, including Gastric Bypass and Adjustable Gastric Bypass surgeries. These procedures create a small stomach punch that is connected to the large intestine, bypassing some of the small intestine. This allows for less food intake and better absorption of nutrients.
• Nutritional counseling. Private or group sessions with a licensed nutritionist can help people learn to properly portion their meals and make sure they are eating healthy food instead.
• Therapy. For some, obesity is the result of poor choices brought on by psychological problems. Therapy with a psychologist may be able to determine the underlying problems, and then treat the symptoms.

Could Four Minutes Cure Osteoporosis?

It turns out that Osteoporosis is not a disease. You can cure Osteoporosis. How do I know? My friend has figured out the cure. He has developed a bioDensity machine that cures Osteoporosis and provides a good workout in only four minutes. I had the opportunity to experience the filming of a video that will be distributed to health insurance companies across the globe and listened to the amazing stories of all the people that use this new technology.

Filming a Break-Through in Senior Health Science

Sometimes film is unable to capture all aspects of an event. This is apparent when there are no actors and actresses; just people telling their story. The goal of the film is basically to show doctors and health insurance companies that there is a simple cure to Osteoporosis and that people are able to prevent it while improving upon their posture and bone density.

I listened to an 80-year old woman, who told me how the bioDensity has changed her life. She loved to scuba dive and, as she grew older, her doctor told her that her bones were becoming too weak to be scuba diving. Her twin decided not to try the bioDensity machine and you can see the difference. The posture of the one that chose to utilize the machine is dramatically different from her twin sister.

Is this the Future of Exercising for Seniors?

Whoever said that exercise had to take place at a gym? New machines that send your workout information through a computer to your insurance company are beginning to appear in some of the top senior living facilities around the world. The bioDensity machine combined with a “Powerplate” is all one needs to stay healthy while building bone density and toning muscles. A ten-minute workout is the equivalent of running four miles everyday and then going to the gym for a few hours and using all of the machines. The new equipment should be arriving at a senior living facility or fitness center near you within the next year.

Healthy and Active in Your Golden Years

This is not one of those products that you see on TV at 4 o’clock in the morning, which often sounds too good to be true. The future is here and scientists along with some of the biggest names in the fitness industry have been working on a machine rather than medication that will cure Osteoporosis. Most people think that Osteoporosis is a disease that is a result of a lack of Calcium D in the body.

Surprisingly, while researching the disease for a thesis paper in college, my friend discovered that if a person puts “load” upon the body and builds up their bone density in this way, they will reverse the development of Osteoporosis. After writing the thesis paper, he decided to devote his life to creating a machine that would allow people of all ages and sizes to put “load” upon their bodies through three different exercises without injuring themselves. It is hard to imagine a machine that can simplify working out and cure Osteoporosis. I guess you will just have to try it out some day.