Eldercare, Aging and Long Term Care

Nearly one-fourth of seniors with heart failure return to hospital - McKnight's Long Term Care News

2009-11-13T09:08:30-08:00

Nearly one-fourth of seniors with heart failure return to hospital - McKnight's Long Term Care News.

Roughly one out of every four seniors who experience heart failure wind up back in the hospital within 30 days, according to a new report.

Every year, approximately 23% of heart failure patients with Medicare return to the hospital within a month, according to researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Over the course of the three-year study, that rate did not significantly change, despite the increased focus on reducing hospital readmissions, according to lead researchers Joseph Ross, M.D., M.H.S. The average age of patients who participated in the study was 80 years old.

The researchers argue that one barrier to improved care is the fee-for-service payment system, which pays out more money for hospitalized patients than for preventive care measures. The report appears in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure, which is published by the American Heart Association.

Phys Ed: The Best Exercises for Healthy Bones - Well Blog - NYTimes.com

2009-11-12T18:05:36-08:00

Phys Ed: The Best Exercises for Healthy Bones - Well Blog - NYTimes.com.

Several weeks ago, The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study that should give pause to anyone who plans to live a long and independent life. The study looked at the incidence of hip fractures among older Americans and the mortality rates associated with them. Although the number of hip fractures has declined in recent decades, the study found that the 12-month mortality rate associated with the injury still hovers at more than 20 percent, meaning that, in the year after fracturing a hip, about one in five people over age 65 will die.

Vital Signs - Study Suggests Skim Milk With Cocoa May Reduce Inflammation - NYTimes.com

2009-11-12T08:10:10-08:00

Vital Signs - Study Suggests Skim Milk With Cocoa May Reduce Inflammation - NYTimes.com.

Move over, red wine. Make room for chocolate milk. A new study suggests that regular consumption of skim milk with flavonoid-rich cocoa may reduce inflammation, potentially slowing or preventing development of atherosclerosis. Researchers noted, however, that the effect was not as pronounced as that seen with red wine.

Current 'Death Panel' Uproar Echoes Decades-Old Controversy - Kaiser Health News

2009-11-10T08:40:23-08:00

Current 'Death Panel' Uproar Echoes Decades-Old Controversy - Kaiser Health News.

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver details events similar to this summer's "death panel" controversy, but that happened decades ago. "It was early summer. A senior federal health official wrote a memo suggesting that living wills -- documents that can convey patients' wishes about when to end life support -- could help curb health-care costs. The memo leaked to the media. By August, a New York Times' column said the official 'likes euthanasia.' Sound like this year's angry August? Well, this story unfolded in 1977, and the official in question was Robert Derzon, the first administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration, now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Democrats Confront Challenges After House Reform Vote - Kaiser Health News

2009-11-09T08:01:54-08:00

Democrats Confront Challenges <br />After House Reform Vote - Kaiser Health News.

Now comes the really hard part. After a brief celebration of House passage of landmark health legislation, House and Senate Democrats and President Barack Obama face weeks, if not months, of difficult negotiations in constructing a final package that will win congressional approval.

Unboxed - Digitally Tracking the Elderly to Help Prevent Falls - NYTimes.com

2009-11-08T07:10:27-08:00

Unboxed - Digitally Tracking the Elderly to Help Prevent Falls - NYTimes.com.

More than one-third of people ages 65 or older fall each year. About one fall in 10 results in a serious injury, like a hip fracture. Roughly 20 percent of older people who suffer a hip fracture die within a year. The estimated economic cost of falls ranges widely, up to $75 billion a year in the United States, if fall-related home care and assisted-living costs are added to medical expenses. For years, a small group of geriatric experts has studied falls and suggested preventive programs. Most of the work has relied on visits to doctors and self-reported surveys of volunteers. But now, researchers are beginning to apply the digital tools of low-cost wireless sensors in carpets, clothing and rooms to monitor an older person’s walking and activity. The continuous measurement and greater precision afforded by simple computing devices, researchers say, promise to deliver new insights on risk factors and tailored prevention measures.

Patient Money - Getting Medical Help for the Mind as Well as the Body - NYTimes.com

2009-11-06T09:34:27-08:00

Patient Money - Getting Medical Help for the Mind as Well as the Body - NYTimes.com.

In this column I will explore how to make the most of your mental health benefits. In a future column, I’ll discuss how to find free or low-cost mental health care if you don’t have insurance. THE CHANGES You might have noticed in the materials your employer handed out recently during open enrollment that your mental health benefits will look different in 2010. For instance, rather than being given a set number of visits, you may have unlimited visits now, but possibly with additional administrative hurdles before you can have access to the care. That’s because of that Mental Health Parity Act mentioned above, which Congress passed last year.

Highly deadly, antibiotic-resistant MRSA targeting older patients, study finds - McKnight's Long Term Care News

2009-11-06T09:32:57-08:00

Highly deadly, antibiotic-resistant MRSA targeting older patients, study finds - McKnight's Long Term Care News.

A tough, virulent strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is five times more deadly than other MRSA strains, and typically affects older patients, according to new findings.

While most strains of MRSA hit adults with an average age of 52, this strain, called USA600, tends to infect those around 64 years old, say researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital's division of infectious diseases. At least partially resistant to common antibiotic treatments, USA600 infects the bloodstream. In a study of patients infected with the strain, roughly half died within one month of developing the infection, according to their report, which was presented last weekend at the annual gathering of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Other studies presented at the IDSA conference found that antibiotic-resistant bacteria continues to be a major health concern as resistance grows and new treatments become harder to find. C. Difficile, usually found in nursing homes and healthcare settings, has begun infecting those who have never been to the hospital, according to one report. Another study found a 211% increase in the rate of MRSA infection in emergency rooms between 2000 and 2008.

Research shows Tai Chi exercise reduces knee osteoarthritis pain in the elderly

2009-10-31T06:26:30-07:00

Research shows Tai Chi exercise reduces knee osteoarthritis pain in the elderly.

Regular sessions improve physical function, depression and overall health

Researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine have determined that patients over 65 years of age with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who engage in regular Tai Chi exercise improve physical function and experience less pain. Tai Chi (Chuan) is a traditional style of Chinese martial arts that features slow, rhythmic movements to induce mental relaxation and enhance balance, strength, flexibility, and self-efficacy. Full findings of the study are published in the November issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.

The elderly population is at most risk for developing knee OA, which results in pain, functional limitations or disabilities and a reduced quality of life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there are 4.3 million U.S. adults over age 60 diagnosed with knee OA, a common form of arthritis that causes wearing of joint cartilage. A recent CDC report further explains that half of American adults may develop symptoms of OA in at least one knee by age 85.

For this study, Chenchen Wang, M.D., M.Sc., and colleagues recruited 40 patients from the greater Boston area with confirmed knee OA who were in otherwise good health. The mean age of participants was 65 years with a mean body mass index of 30.0 kg/m2. Patients were randomly selected and 20 were asked to participate in 60-minute Yang style Tai Chi sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. Each session included: a 10-minute self-massage and a review of Tai Chi principles; 30 minutes of Tai Chi movement; 10 minutes of breathing technique; and 10 minutes of relaxation.

"Tai Chi is a mind-body approach that appears to be an applicable treatment for older adults with knee OA," said Dr. Wang. Physical components of Tai Chi are consistent with current exercise recommendations for OA, which include range of motion, flexibility, muscle conditioning, and aerobic work out. Researchers believe the mental feature of Tai Chi addresses negative effects of chronic pain by promoting psychological wellbeing, life satisfaction, and perceptions of health.

The remaining 20 participants assigned to the control group attended two 60-minute class sessions per week for 12 weeks. Each control session included 40 minutes of instruction covering OA as a disease, diet and nutrition, therapies to treat OA, or physical and mental health education. The final 20 minutes consisted of stretching exercises involving the upper body, trunk, and lower body, with each stretch being held for 10-15 seconds.

At the end of the 12-week period, patients practicing Tai Chi exhibited a significant decrease in knee pain compared with those in the control group. Using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain scale, researchers noted a –118.80 reduction in pain from baseline between the Tai Chi and control group. Researchers also observed improved physical function, self-efficacy, depression, and health status for knee OA in subjects in the Tai Chi group. "Our observations emphasize a need to further evaluate the biologic mechanisms and approaches of Tai Chi to extend its benefits to a broader population," concluded Dr. Wang.

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Article: "Tai Chi Is Effective in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial." Chenchen Wang, Christopher H. Schmid, Patricia L. Hibberd, Robert Kalish, Ronenn Roubenoff, Ramel Rones, and Timothy McAlindon. Arthritis Care & Research; Published Online: October 29, 2009 (DOI:10.1002/art.24832); Print Issue Date: November 2009.

Economic Scene - $250 Checks for Social Security Recipients Overlook Reality - NYTimes.com

2009-10-28T04:42:23-07:00

Economic Scene - $250 Checks for Social Security Recipients Overlook Reality - NYTimes.com.

The president has proposed sending a $250 check to every Social Security recipient, which sounds pretty good at first. The checks would be part of his admirable efforts to stimulate the economy, and older Americans are clearly a sympathetic group. Next year, they are scheduled to receive no cost-of-living increase in their Social Security benefits. Yet that is largely because they received an artificially high 5.8 percent increase this year. For this reason and others, economists are generally recoiling at the proposal.