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Senior Households Lack Trauma Buffer

August 9th, 2011

Living beyond your available resources and slipping into poverty is a growing problem for senior citizens of today. This information comes for a recently released report from the Heller School’s Institute on Asses and Social Policy along with the public policy research and advocacy organization, Demos.

According to researchers, the situations could continue to deteriorate if the much talked about cuts are made to Social Security.

In as little as four years, the number of seniors in danger of outliving their available resources went up by as much as two million households. According to the Senior Financial Stability Index, financial uncertainty among seniors went up from 27% in 2004 to 36% in 2008. Such a dramatic and steady increase was in play prior to the onset of the current recession.

Affected By The Recession

Although the recession affects all demographic groups, the financial stability of seniors has gone down more than any other group. Not only is one out of three seniors financially insecure, but also forty percent of seniors are economically vulnerable. Therefore, somewhere around seventy-five percent of seniors have little or no buffer to protect against financial ruin if a traumatic life event or severe illness should strike.

Hardest hit are seniors of color or single women, fifty percent of which fall into the category of financial insecurity. Many are finding it difficult to pay for even the most rudimentary needs.

Research director for the Institute on Assets and Social Policy, as well as co-author of the recent report, Tatjana Meschede said, “It’s simply a crime that in our wealthy and vibrant nation 36 percent of seniors live in a state of uncertainty – unsure of whether they can afford basic necessities.”

Save Medicare

She also said, “Instead of working to fix this crisis, the debate in Washington is dominated by those who argue that the only way to reduce the deficit is by dramatically altering Medicare and Social Security.”

Creative Commons License photo credit: longislandwins

Life Transitions

August 4th, 2011

What better time to retire than when the economy is struggling and your boss offers you a severance package.  This is your chance to begin thinking about the next stage of your life.  Settling into a new living community can be a very difficult transition.  The process of putting all of our precious belongings into boxes and preparing for a new living situation can be stressful and depressing.  The home you grew up in is just another structure for another family to move in and make it their home.  You find yourself wondering whether this is the last stop along the journey of life?

Pleasant Experience

If this is the last stop, then let’s make sure it is a pleasant experience.  Most importantly, does it have the facilities and activities that you want to spend the rest of your life doing.  If golf is your sport, make sure that your new community has a golf course that you can walk out your door and tee off.  The same goes for everything from having a pool and workout facility to having health professionals on-site in the event of an emergency.

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Community

One exciting thing about retiring and moving into a senior living community is that the new philosophy is to make sure that everyone that lives in the community gets involved in activities that create a social aspect to the community.  The facilities have become more like resorts than hospitals which is a wonderful thing.  It is great to know that a health care professional is available on-site if needed, but not feel like you are in a hospital bed the rest of your life.

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Are You Involved?

The more involved you become in the community, the less you think about the aging process and your health.  The people around you become your friends and the community continues to grow.  The transition of moving and no longer working becomes insignificant as you allow your time to become more occupied with your passions.

Creative Commons License photo credit: Windsor Senior Living and Mosman Council

Help May Be On the Way for Leukemia Drug Shortage

June 16th, 2011

leukemiaFresenius SE, a German-based drug manufacturer, has announced it will resume shipping of cytarabine, a valuable leukemia medication.

Cytarabine, a chemotherapy drug used to treat leukemia and certain cases of lymphoma, is facing such a severe shortage that major medical centers have begun rationing the medication. A number of hospitals out of the drug are scrambling frantically to obtain more.

The drug is critical for patients suffering from acute myeloid leukemia. Without the medication, doctors say the condition could prove fatal.

Why Production Problems Could be Fatal

Three different companies manufacture cytarabine. Of them, two have been plagued with production problems and the third is not producing enough supply to satisfy increased demand. Currently, Hospira Inc. of Lake Forest, Illinois, is the only company still shipping the drug, but quantities are limited.

Last year, Hospira Inc. had problems obtaining the active ingredient used to produce cytarabine. This issue slowed down production immensely. Then, Fresenius’s APP Pharmaceuticals, another Illinois-based drug manufacturer, was forced to halt shipments due to particles found in the product. The particles were later found to be innocuous portions of the active ingredient dried into tiny clumps. However, when it comes to injectable medication for patients who are suffering from leukemia, any size particles are cause for concern.

Creative Commons License photo credit: ninasaurusrex

Health Care Law Exemptions for Nursing Homes

June 7th, 2011

An idiosyncrasy in American health care, several home care agencies and nursing homes do not offer health care insurance to their employees, or the wages that they pay are so low that the employees are not able to afford any coverage that may be offered.

The numbers are unambiguous. One out of every four workers providing hands-on care for residents in nursing homes do not have health care insurance. Among those providing care to individuals still living at home, only one in three are Nursing Home not covered by health care insurance.

The problem should be remedied with the new health care law that guarantees access to affordable health care coverage for everyone. However, a number of home care agencies and nursing homes, alarmed by the expense of offering health care insurance to hundreds of thousands of workers, have begun to lobby for some sort of special treatment or exemption.

Problems with Medicare Reimbursement Rates

Mark Parkinson, the president of the American Health Care Association, which is the biggest nursing home trade group, believes the problem lies with reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid, which government agencies have the responsibility of setting, do not provide enough funds to allow them to offer health insurance coverage to their employees. Parkinson said, “We do not have much ability to increase prices because we are so dependent on Medicaid and Medicare.”

In addition, Parkinson admitted the fact that even when the nursing homes do provide health care coverage for their employees, the benefits often have considerable limitations. He says that the coverage “is probably not up to what will be required [by federal law].”

Medicaid provides coverage to more than sixty percent of residents in nursing home facilities. Medicaid rates are set by the state, and with so many states plagued with problematic budgets payments have been significantly reduced to nursing homes.

Beginning in 2014, employers with fifty or more employees working full time will be required by law to offer affordable health care benefits or risk being charged a penalty.

Creative Commons License photo credit: simaje

New Senior Health Chair Appointed

June 2nd, 2011

President Obama appointed Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas to spearhead the health care initiative in the United States. One of the biggest challenges she faces is the health care reform campaign funded by the economic stimulus package and how influential she will be in implementing the use of electronic health records in health care facilities across America.

In a dual nomination, Kathleen Sebelius and Nancy-Anne Deparle will tag team health care reform in a way that the Clinton administration failed to implement. Governor Sebelius will be the secretary of health and human services while Deparle is the new chief of the White House office health reform. At the forefront of the initiative will be tackling the Medicare and Medicaid programs and trying to insure millions of Americans that are without insurance coverage.

How will this Affect Senior Citizens?

The goal is to provide affordable prescription drugs for the medicare program in which seniors are able to afford some of the very expensive medications for illness. Prescription drugs that are generic are not always as good as the brand name ones and a sacrifice is made when someone chooses a generic brand just because it is less expensive. Affordable prescription drugs will create a healthier America where the sick will be able to afford to take care of their needs.

Creative Commons License photo credit: tuppusSenior Health Care

Medicare Health Checkups Exclude End-of-Life Counseling

May 26th, 2011

On a NooseThe White House has said that the Obama administration has decided not to include end-of-life counseling in the ground rules for the new Medicare annual checkup. The recent alteration came just before a vote in the new House, which is led by the GOP, to repeal Obama’s landmark healthcare reform.

It is doubtful that this decision will have much of an impact on doctors and patients who are already talking over options for care during the final stages of their lives. For instance, voluntary end-of-life counseling is covered under the Welcome to Medicare doctor visit, which is available to seniors for their first year after joining the program.

The initial House version of the legislation intended to expand coverage, leaving room for discussions every few years. However, after Republicans, including Sarah Palin made a noise by talking about “death panels” that would decide the fate of seniors who are vulnerable. Non-partisan groups checking facts debunked those charges later.

End of Life Counseling Emerges as Medicare / Medicaid Option

Late in 2010, end-of-life counseling surfaced once again in a Medicaid regulation, spelling out what is covered under the new wellness visit, or annual checkup, as authorized by the new health reform law. The regulation, which was issued with a lack of fanfare, said that these voluntary discussions between the patient and their doctor could be included in the annual visit.

According to Robert Gibbs, a spokesperson for the White House, the Obama administration remains in favor of end-of-life planning. However, there was not enough time for everyone from all sides to make comments on the change, so the language was pulled from the regulation. He said, “We did not think that the process [gave] the public an adequate space in a public comment period to debate these kinds of things.”

The New York Times was the first to report the new regulation.

Creative Commons License photo credit: Alex E. Proimos

Finding Senior Insurance if You Don’t Qualify for Medicaid

October 22nd, 2009

Even though Medicaid and Medicare are available all over the country, you’re unlikely to ever find quotes for these services online as you do with insurance sold by private companies.

This is because Medicaid and Medicare are federally-funded programs that offer standardized health care. These programs provide health care insurance for people in special situations, so applying for these isn’t exactly the same as applying for private insurance.

Medicare Insurance Quotes

What are your Medicare options? You can choose between Medicare Original (Parts A and B) and Medicare Advantage (Part C). If you opt for Medicare Original, you can buy supplemental private insurance, called Medigap, to fill in the coverage gaps.

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COBRA, Retirement and Unemployment: A Guide for Seniors

February 20th, 2009

The days of having to get up early for work are slowly coming to an end. Thinking about settling down in a few years and accepting the fact you are close to 65 years old. This may be a good time to begin thinking about retirement. After 40 years of working hard, you deserve a little rest and relaxation. Hopefully, you saved up some money and can afford a nice house by the beach where you can begin focusing on the things that you did not have time for and dreamed of doing once you retired.

With Senior Health Care, Timing is Everything

Ten years ago, the economy did not have an effect on people the way it does today. Unfortunately, people thinking about retirement are barely hanging on to their jobs due to a high unemployment rate and recession. The most difficult aspect for some is getting laid off before turning 65 years old and having to determine whether to go with COBRA or an alternative.

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Ensuring the Health of Your Relationship after Retirement

February 13th, 2009

Does the flame feel like it is fading in the relationship? This time of year sparks the question of love and how to give love. Relationships are being developed everyday and some may need a spark of rejuvenation after decades of being together. Once the nest is empty and the home is seeming too big just for two birds, it is time to consider your emotional health and your loved one.

Reflect on the Health of Your Relationship

Take this opportunity to reflect on the current state of your relationship, as well as the fond memories you have of the first time you felt love for your significant other. The current state of your relationship may not be exactly what you had dreamed of — and that is perfectly healthy — but if it is causing sadness or depression it may be a good idea to speak with a mental health professional.

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Witnessing First-hand a New Discovery in Senior Health

January 30th, 2009

One of the best things about retiring and growing older is that you have time to do the things you always wanted to do. This is your chance to begin enjoying life to its fullest and now you can! Some people choose to waste time by watching television all day, but this will only cause the aging process to accelerate. You have 24 hours in a day in which you can really begin taking advantage of every second.

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.


Seniors Live Longer than Ever

Living longer means paying more for health care.

A woman who retires at 65 can expect to maintain her health until the age of 84, on average.2

Retire Earlier with Peace of Mind

Men who expect high health costs after they turn 65 end up retiring – on average – 13 months later than those who don't.3