Aging with Grace CareConnection

Pennsylvania enhances protection for older and disabled adults

2012-05-31T08:38:00.000-04:00

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will soon require electronic fingerprinting for people who work in home care and long-term care settings. The requirement will cover those applying to work in a long term care facility or home health agency, the state Department of Aging announced this week, and as of June 4, background checks submitted manually will no longer be accepted.

“In addition to enhancing the protections provided to our older adults, electronic fingerprinting will help us to more quickly process background checks,” said Secretary of Aging Brian Duke. “This is important because it will help people obtain jobs in Pennsylvania’s valuable health care industry.”

Prior to the new requirement, the department processed fingerprints manually. It is teaming up with Cogent Systems to provide the processing, which can be done through online registration.

The Older Adults Protective Services Act requires applicants working in long term care and home care capacities to undergo criminal background checks and the fingerprinting is another step toward this protective measure, the department said.

Will home equity augment retirement income?

2012-05-29T11:49:00.002-04:00

Social Security at one time provided a reliable source of income for Americans post-retirement. For the first time in history though, future outlooks show that while more Americans hope to rely on social security as a major income source, less money will be available, and alternative sources of income will need to be established.

For some, that will mean more reliance on the home equity they have built.

In a May Gallup Poll, the percentage of non-retirees who say they plan to rely on social security funds post-retirement has increased from 27% before the recession to 33% today.

This means more baby boomers will be relying on Social Security funds to supply their monetary needs once they have retired and are no longer contributing to the workforce.

With a large population of baby boomers and the increasing percentage of people expecting to rely on Social Security, the funds being distributed to retirees will be greater than the funds coming in from current payroll taxes.

All of these factors contribute to a problematic situation as people continue to assume they can rely on Social Security to fund their retirement when they could be seeking alternative ways to support their expenses after retirement.

Despite a drop in home values since the recession, 21% of Americans expect to rely on the equity built up in their homes as a source of income.

Funding retirement without social security requires attentive planning to the future and saving and investing in a 401(k) or other retirement savings account, increasing the size of stock portfolios, and an establishing a pension plan with a place of employment.

In addition to these supplemental ways to fund a retirement, an increased number of Americans plan to simply continue working until a later age than in the past. According to Gallup’s annual Economy and Personal Finance survey conducted in April, the average age at which Americans expect to retire is up from 60 in 1996 to 67.

Additionally, there has been no change in the percentage of people who plan to rely on annuities or insurance plans to supply post-retirement funds.

For some, that will mean more reliance on the home equity they have built.

In a May Gallup Poll, the percentage of non-retirees who say they plan to rely on social security funds post-retirement has increased from 27% before the recession to 33% today.

This means more baby boomers will be relying on Social Security funds to supply their monetary needs once they have retired and are no longer contributing to the workforce.

Despite a drop in home values since the recession, 21% of Americans expect to rely on the equity built up in their homes as a source of income.

Additionally, there has been no change in the percentage of people who plan to rely on annuities or insurance plans to supply post-retirement funds.

The history of Memorial Day

2012-05-25T19:01:00.001-04:00

Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service to our country. It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers, by proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of former sailors and soldiers.

During the first national celebration, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers who were buried there. This event was inspired by local observances that had taken place in towns throughout America in the three years after the Civil War. By the late 1800s, many more cities and communities had begun to observe Memorial Day, and after World War I, it became an occasion for honoring those who had died in all America's wars.

Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery each year with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave. Traditionally, the President or Vice President lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. About 5,000 people attend the ceremony annually.

Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated on the last Monday of May.

This could happen to you...

2012-05-24T19:19:00.001-04:00

The adult son of a former nursing home resident has been determined responsible for paying his mother’s $93,000 bill by a Pennsylvania appeals court, writes Howard Gleckman of Forbes, and this might be the beginning of a new trend.

Many states have filial responsibility laws, but few have traditionally enforced them. That may be changing, says Forbes, as nursing home costs increase and residents have less ability to pay them.

“While these laws don’t directly apply to Medicaid recipients, they may force children to pick up their parents’ long-term care costs long before mom is ever eligible for Medicaid,” says the article. “Such a step could still shift significant costs from states to families.”

Read full article...

Is It Ever Too Late to Restore Your Health Through Proper Alignment and Improved Posture?

2012-05-23T13:01:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Danielle Gray, Restore Chiropractic

The answer is no, it is never too late. Did you know that your posture and being misaligned has a direct affect on your overall health and not just neck pain or back pain? You can take steps today to improve your overall health by improving your posture and making sure that you are in proper alignment.

It’s all connected.

Poor posture and being misaligned affects your health from your head to your toes because your body is interdependent. It’s all connected. Misalignments create a domino effect with your health. When your head is shifted off center (either forward or sideways), your body becomes imbalanced because it’s center of gravity has been shifted. For every inch of Forward Head Posture, it can increase the weight of the head on the spine by an additional 10 pounds. Imagine trying to carry a bowling ball and your head on your neck!

If your head is not on straight, the rest of your body will compensate to keep itself balanced over the feet with the eyes level to the horizon. This is accomplished by the head, shoulders and hips tilting or twisting which distorts the spine. As this progression occurs, the body must compensate elsewhere to alleviate the stress/tension created from the imbalance. This improper body alignment develops unstable environments structurally and decreases the function of the nervous system.

The nervous system controls everything in your body. When there is interference to the nervous system’s function, it can cause or contribute to all kinds of symptoms and illnesses. This means that a misalignment in the spine can disrupt the body’s function leading to symptoms of pain, organ dysfunction, decreased range of motion, balance issues, arthritis and just an overall loss of health.

90 percent of the brain’s energy output is used in relating the physical body to gravity. Only 10 percent has to do with thinking, metabolism, and healing. Consequently, poor posture and being out of balance will cause the brain to rob energy from thinking, metabolism, and immune function to deal with abnormal gravity/posture relationships and processing. Published research studies indicate that when body balance is restored, the body enters a healing cycle that alleviates pain and symptoms, elevates the immune system, increases blood and oxygen circulation, improves balance, normalizes nervous system communication and creates more optimum body performance.

As described in a paper published in conjunction with the White House Counsel on Aging, “Chiropractic is a health care discipline that emphasizes the inherent recuperative powers of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinated by the nervous system) and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health.

What can you do at home to improve your posture and body balance?

1. Be mindful of your posture

· Evaluate areas where you spend the most time to make sure that your environment is ergonomically sound.

· Post a note or set a reminder to check your posture regularly. Chin up, shoulders back, back straight, feet on the floor. Imagine a string attached your chest and it is being pulled up from the ceiling.

2. Take frequent breaks.

· If you are reading or watching TV or other activities that are more stationary, move around and change positions frequently.

· Limit game playing, personal computer work and tablet time to 30-60 minutes. If you are going to spend more time, take a break every 30-60 minutes and do something else for a few minutes.

· Spend 10-15 minutes one to two times per day resting on your back with a pillow under your knees. Resting for even a few minutes, especially in the middle of the day can have profound effects on your nervous system function and on your posture.

3. Stretch and Strengthen.

· Stretches such as shoulder rolls or neck stretches can be incorporated into your daily routine. Stretch and strengthen both your front and back muscles for even balance.

It is important to understand that poor posture and being misaligned may not cause pain right away. Do not wait until the symptoms arise. Take control of the situation before it controls you. If you are experiencing health problems, it is never too late to restore your health through improved posture and alignment. Visit a Chiropractor today for a complete balance, posture and alignment examination.

Fewer physicians accepting Medicare and Medicaid

2012-05-23T10:12:00.001-04:00

A national survey has found that thirty-six percent of doctors are no longer accepting new Medicaid patients due in large part to declining reimbursements.

The survey of 2,232 physicians across all specialties conducted in late April by Jackson Healthcare in Atlanta — the fourth-largest health care staffing company in the U.S. — further found that broken down for specialty, 66 percent of dermatologists, 64 percent of endocrinologists, 58 percent of internists, 57 percent of physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors and 53 of adult psychiatrists said they are no longer able to take on more Medicaid patients.

Other specialties in the survey with a high percentage of doctors who reported stopping accepting Medicaid patients include orthopedic surgeons (50 percent), family practitioners (45 percent), gastroenterologist's (47 percent), neurologists (43 percent), cardiologists (39 percent) and urologists (35 percent).

Currently 26 percent of physicians see no Medicaid patients at all, the survey reported.

According to the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the constitutionality of which is currently under consideration at the Supreme Court), Medicaid enrollment could increase by 22.8 million by 2019.

According to Richard L. Jackson, chairman and CEO of Jackson Healthcare, the low reimbursement rate paired with the large influx of new Medicaid patients will be a problem.

“This is creating the perfect storm that will make it very difficult for the poor and elderly to access a doctor,” Jackson said. “Physicians say they just can’t afford to be part of a system that generates so many patients for so little compensation.”

The survey further noted that 17 percent of physicians said they could no longer afford to see new Medicare patients and 10 percent reported not seeing Medicare patients at all.

How to be your own patient advocate

2012-05-21T12:36:00.003-04:00

Studies have shown that patients who help their doctors by providing important health information and preparing themselves for appointments tend to get better care than patients who don't. Here are some simple things we can all do to help maximize our next visit to the doctor.

Before the appointment:
Gathering your health information and getting organized before your appointment are the key steps to ensuring a productive meeting with your doctor. This is especially important if you're seeing multiple doctors or are meeting with a new physician for the first time. Specifically, you need to:
Get your test results: Make sure the doctor you're seeing has copies of your latest X-ray, MRI or any other test or lab results, including reports from other doctors that you've seen. In most cases, you'll need to do the leg work yourself that may only require a phone call to your previous doctor asking them to send it, or you may need to go pick it up and take it yourself.
List your medications: Make a list of all the medications you're taking (prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements) along with the dosages, and take it with you to your appointment. Or, just gather up all your pill bottles and put them in a bag and bring them with you.
Gather your health history: Your doctor also needs to know about any previous hospitalizations, as well as any current or past medical problems, even if they are not the reason you are going to the doctor this time. Genetics matter too, so having your family's health history can be helpful. The U.S. Surgeon General offers a free web-based tool called “My Family Health Portrait” that can help you put one together.

Prepare a list of questions: Make a written list of the top three or four issues you want to discuss with your doctor. Since most appointments last between 10 and 15 minutes, this can help you stay on track and ensure you address your most pressing concerns first. If you're in for a diagnostic visit, you should prepare a detailed description of your symptoms.

During the appointment:
The best advice when you meet with your doctor is to speak up. Don't wait to be asked. Be direct, honest and as specific as possible when recounting your symptoms or expressing your concerns. Many patients are reluctant or embarrassed to talk about their symptoms, which makes the doctor's job a lot harder to do. It's also a good idea to bringing along a family member or friend to your appointment. They can help you ask questions, listen to what the doctor is telling you and give you support.

Also consider taking some notes or ask the doctor if you can record the session for later review. If you don't understand what the doctor is telling you, ask him or her to explain it in simple terms so you can understand. And if you run out of time and don't get your questions answered, follow up by phone or email, make another appointment, or seek help from the doctor's nurse.

The revolving door of dementia care

2012-05-15T09:54:00.003-04:00

Most elderly dementia patients are cared for and die in their homes rather than in an institutional setting, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

The study’s findings go against a widely-held belief that most dementia patients end up moving into a nursing home and dying there, according to Dr. Christopher Callahan, of the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute in Indianapolis, and his research colleagues. In fact, according to the study, about 19% died in nursing homes while nearly half (46%) died at home.

After following about 1,500 dementia patients, researchers found that 74% of those who were sent to a nursing home after a hospitalization didn’t stay there; rather, many ended up either being re-hospitalized in under 30 days (about 25%) or returning home.

Dementia patients did not move straight from home to hospital to nursing home, as the researchers expected. Instead, dementia patients moved back and forth between settings, which can make managing patient care even more complex and add stress for family caregivers.

The study appears in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and confirms that families provide the majority of care for dementia patients.

"Our study is the first to track movement of individuals with dementia until death regardless of whether the cause of death was ... dementia or another condition," Callahan said in a journal news release. "A better understanding of the relationships between sites of care for older adults with dementia is fundamental to building better models of care for these vulnerable elders."

The findings challenge beliefs "regarding the permanence of nursing-home care for persons with dementia," Dr. Robert Kane, of the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota, and Dr. Joseph Ouslander, of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, wrote in an accompanying editorial.

"More research is needed to understand how this impacts the quality of care for dementia patients and how we can improve care transitions and management for dementia patients and their families," they noted.

Learn more about dementia...

Coffee...good, bad, good again

2012-05-09T12:32:00.002-04:00

Your morning cup of coffee...not only good, but good for you.

We tend to forget that coffee is fruit, looking very much like a red cherry when ripe. Typically, when coffee is harvested, the coffee “cherry” is stripped and its pulp discarded leaving only the bean to be roasted and consumed.

Like many other superfoods such as blueberries and green tea, coffee “fruit” is an excellent source of antioxidants. In fact, a recent study from the University of Scranton found that coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet.2 Antioxidants are molecules that are believed to protect cells from free radicals - harmful oxygen molecules thought to damage cells and perhaps be the underlying reason why we age.

When an oxygen molecule becomes electrically charged, or “radicalized,” it tries to steal electrons from other molecules, causing damage to the cell’s DNA. Over time, such damage may become irreversible and lead to disease. The job of antioxidants is to “mop up” free radicals, meaning that they neutralize their electrical charge and prevent the free radicals from taking electrons from other molecules.

The importance of antioxidants to the diet cannot be overestimated. Dr. Richard Cutler, the former director of the National Institute on Aging, has said repeatedly that the amount of antioxidants in your body is directly proportional to how long you will live. Just as importantly, antioxidant levels have a major impact on the quality of life – freedom from illness, mental acuity, improved physical appearance, enhanced flexibility and increased energy – enjoyed by seniors.

Antioxidants can come from healthy eating or in the form of supplements, and they include a family of naturally formed components like vitamin A, beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin E and more.

According to the Linus Pauling Institute, as we age, our cellular production of energy becomes less efficient, leading to age-related diseases that affect the function of the eyes and all types of muscles, including the heart.3 This loss of energy production associated with aging also increases the generation of free radicals and other oxidants, which are capable of damaging essential cellular components, including lipids, proteins and DNA itself.

With this in mind, increasing a senior’s dietary antioxidant intake can play a critical role in maintaining his or her good health. Dietitians understand that half the battle of delivering nutritional value is in finding a food or drink that people enjoy.

According to a recent survey by the National Coffee Association, 69 percent of Americans age 60 and older reported drinking coffee daily, which peaks at 3.8 cups per day on average for those ages 40-59.4 Foodservice research group Technomic also reports that coffee is the drink most widely consumed by seniors, coming in ahead of fruit juice and tap water.5 For this group, coffee-drinking may be one of the best ways to combine nutritional value and health benefits with a simple daily pleasure.

So, how good is coffee for you, anyway?

A wide body of scientific research indicates the major benefits of coffee-drinking, particularly in improving health-issues frequently encountered by seniors.

Memory and motor skills:

2009 study from Finland and Sweden showed that, out of 1,400 people followed for 20 years, those who reported drinking 3 or more cups of coffee per day were 65 percent less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease than non-drinkers or occasional coffee drinkers.6
The Harvard School of Public Health acknowledges that in study after study, the data have always shown a consistent link between higher coffee consumption and a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease.7
The antioxidants and vitamins found in coffee are known to be excellent anti-depressants and memory and performance enhancers.

Heart disease and stroke:

In a study of 130,000 Kaiser Permanente health plan members, those who drank 1-3 cups of coffee per day were 20 percent less likely to be hospitalized for abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia) than non-drinkers.8
In a 2009 study of nearly 84,000 women, those who drank two or more cups of coffee per day showed a 20 percent lower risk of stroke than those who drank less.9

Cancer:

A 2008 study published in Planta Medica looked at the effects of long-term coffee consumption on the immune system in cancer tumors and found coffee inhibited the growth of cancer cells by reducing the cancer cell-induced suppression of the normal immune response.10
Recent studies from Harvard University and other public health groups have shown that the risk of developing certain types of cancer, including liver, breast, prostate, esophageal and colon actually decreases with the consumption of coffee.11

Type 2 diabetes:

Coffee contains minerals such as magnesium and chromium, which help the body use the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar (glucose).
Australian researchers recently looked at 18 studies of nearly 458,000 people. They found a 7 percent decrease in the odds of having type 2 diabetes for every additional cup of coffee drunk daily.12
Coffee has the ability to reduce the release of histamines from mast cells, thereby having anti-allergic properties.13
Coffee contains theophylline which may protect against respiratory problems, such as asthma and COPD.

Arthritis:

Several studies have shown that foods high in antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help alleviate arthritis pain and increase freedom of movement.14

While much of this research focuses on the benefits of long-term coffee-drinking, there is also a body of evidence that suggests the benefits of short-consumption on memory, immunity, energy, cholesterol levels, range of motion, activity levels and positive moods.

So, even those who have never had coffee before might consider including it in their daily routine - in moderation, of course.

With all this in mind, it is important that dietitians and senior living professionals understand the important role coffee can play in preventing disease and improving the quality of life of seniors and to look for the healthiest and most beneficial coffee products available to meet the desires of their palates and the demands of their bodies.

Asthma often misdiagnosed in older Americans

2012-05-07T10:49:00.001-04:00

People over 65 also have asthma and often face an uphill health battle as a result, a new study suggests. Once hospitalized, these individuals are 14 times more likely to die from asthma than younger adults. What's more, asthma increases their risk for impaired lung function and a worse quality of life.

Part of the reason for the poor outcomes is that asthma is often misdiagnosed and undertreated among older adults. When an older person becomes short of breath or has tightness in their chest, they -- as well as their doctors -- may attribute it to age, being out of shape, or even to their heart, instead of asthma.
According to the study, just 53% of older adults with asthma reported using a steroid inhaler in the past month. Inhaled steroids are the standard treatment used to control asthma.

The study included 77 people aged 60 and older with and without asthma. Of these, 89% of people with asthma also had allergies to allergens including mold, animals, and dust mites. Individuals with asthma were also more likely to report poor health and body pain compared to those without asthma. Hay fever, arthritis, and diabetes were also more common among people with asthma, the study shows.

The findings appear in the May issue of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

Social networking making inroads with seniors

2012-05-02T12:07:00.000-04:00

The mHealth community, despite its obvious love of at-home monitoring for those with chronic conditions, is missing a major opportunity to create apps for seniors, according to Eric Dishman, who complained about the problem at length to Forbes magazine in a recent interview.

"No one is building apps for seniors," Dishman said. "Look at the number of seniors and disposable income. We don't like to think about getting old." He added that such trends could very soon translate into a generation of older Americans hungry for mobile apps, software, devices to keep them from feeling old.

Additional trends, according to Dishman and some other experts, included:

Social networking making inroads with seniors: Once considered too complicated for seniors, social networks are evolving quickly into micro-networks, or bounded communities that seniors are learning to navigate, according to Dishman. Combining it with easy-to-use tablet technology, he said, is appealing more and more to senior consumers.
"Your mom can wake up with a simple-to-use touch tablet, look at the screen to check the weather; the device asks how she's doing, reminds her to take medication," Dishman said. "A caregiver or nurse is alerted to needs, since they're on the social network."

Michelle Amodio, in a blog post for TechZone360, agreed, pointing to a Pew Research Center study showing that social network use is growing fast among seniors. "Young adults continue to be the heaviest users of social media, but their growth pales in comparison with recent gains made by older users," Mary Madden, senior research specialist and author of the report, told Amodio. "E-mail is still the primary way that older users maintain contact with friends, families and colleagues, but many older users now rely on social network platforms to help manage their daily communications."

Cost playing a major role: Price, more than ease-of-use or utility, may be the final factor in whether seniors buy and use smartphone or tablet apps, according to a Clinton News blog post.

"Many seniors have avoided smartphones because of the cost of their monthly plans," Maria Smith, who works in Mississippi State University's Computer Applications and Services department, said. "Smartphones, which include iPhones and Androids, require a data plan that can cost $50 to $75 per month depending on the options and the carrier. Many budget-conscience seniors have opted to stay with the lower-priced cell phones for calling and text messaging."

However, she noted, the screen-size of smartphones and tablets is a definite plus for the elderly, and so may yet convince seniors to get on board.

The true cost of at home caregiving

2012-05-01T11:10:00.000-04:00

The following is an excerpt written by Marilyn Geewax, Senior Business Editor, National Desk, NPR.

Few people want to turn over a loved one to institutional care. No matter how good the nursing home, it may seem cold and impersonal — and very expensive. But making the choice to provide care yourself is fraught with financial risks and personal sacrifices.

Those who become full-time caregivers often look back and wish they had taken the time to better understand the financial position they would be getting themselves into.

"I used to hear about people saying, 'Oh you know, we've got to put our parents in a home; we can't deal with it anymore,' " said Yolanda Hunter, 43, a Maryland resident who is struggling with her decision to drop out of the human resources field to become a full-time caregiver for her grandmother. "And I used to think: 'Oh, how cruel are you?'

"You know, but now? I understand," she said.

Hunter belongs to one of three families being profiled in NPR's eight-week series, Family Matters: The Money Squeeze, which airs each Tuesday on Morning Edition. Each family is struggling with how to afford care for an older generation. The do-it-yourself approach is both common and costly.

Read full article...

Anxiety disorder closely connected with arthritis

2012-04-30T14:07:00.000-04:00

Depression or anxiety affect one-third of Americans with arthritis who are aged 45 or older, a new study shows.

Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also found that even though anxiety is nearly twice as common as depression among people with arthritis, doctors tend to focus more on depression in these patients.

The study included nearly 1,800 people with arthritis or other rheumatic conditions who took part in the CDC's Arthritis Conditions and Health Effects Survey. Among the study participants, 31 percent reported anxiety and 18 percent reported depression.

One-third of the patients reported at least one of the two conditions and 84 percent of those with depression also had anxiety. Only half of those with anxiety or depression sought mental health treatment in the previous year, according to the study, which was published in the April 30 issue of the journal Arthritis Care and Research.

"With so many arthritis patients not seeking mental health treatment, health care providers are missing an intervention opportunity that could improve the quality of life for those with arthritis," she added.

In the United States, 27 million people age 25 and older have osteoarthritis, and 1.3 million adults have rheumatoid arthritis, according to the American College of Rheumatology.

Need for respite programs continue to grow

2012-04-27T09:09:00.001-04:00

The following article written by Jessica Marcy, appears in today's Kaiser Health News.

Family caregivers provide 80 percent of long-term care needs in the U.S., but many need time away from that job so they can continue to care for their loved ones. Respite can provide short-term relief through several options, including a paid home care worker or providing temporary stays for patients at a residential care facility or adult day care center. Some families pick up the cost of such care out-of-pocket, but many must rely on state and community programs.

However, as states face tough budget decisions, such programs are increasingly on the chopping block.

“These services have just come under pretty serious attack at the state level,” said Jill Kagan, program director of the Access to Respite Care and Help (ARCH) National Respite Network and Resource Center. “The current economic climate that we’re in and that every state is facing has made it really difficult to expand any services at all. This comes on top of the fact that there was not enough respite for family caregivers to begin with.”

Full article...

Can the LTCi industry survive?

2012-04-25T10:50:00.000-04:00

Could private long-term care insurance policies stop being sold? That's a distinct possibility, according to an article that recently ran in Investment News. The author notes that many of the companies that once offered the product no longer do so. In the past three years alone, Unum Group, Guardian, MetLife and Allianz have left the business.

One challenge is that many companies did not know how much they would have to pay out once the policies were needed. Add in the low fixed-income returns insurance companies are making on the premiums, and the challenge becomes clear. According to some experts, insurers will have to revise coverage and increase premiums if they are to stay in this sector.

Don't worry...be happy!

2012-04-23T11:17:00.002-04:00

Scientists (and Bobby Mcferrin singer/songwriter - Don't Worry Be Happy) have long known that Type A personalities and people who are chronically angry, anxious or depressed have a higher risk of heart attacks. Now a Harvard review of the flip side of that psychology concludes that being upbeat and optimistic just may help protect against heart disease.

Rather than focusing only on how to lessen heart risks, "it might also be useful to focus on how we might bolster the positive side of things," said lead researcher Julia Boehm of the Harvard School of Public Health.

Boehm reviewed dozens of studies examining a positive outlook — as determined by various psychological measurements — on heart health. Optimism in particular seems key, as a number of studies found the most optimistic people had half the risk of a first heart attack when compared to the least optimistic, Boehm said.

Why? Previous work shows the stress associated with negative psychological traits can lead to damage of arteries and the heart itself. Boehm found that people with a better sense of well-being tend to have healthier blood pressure, cholesterol and weight, and are more likely to exercise, eat healthier, get enough sleep and avoid smoking. But she cautioned that it will take more research to tease apart if a positive outlook makes people feel more like taking heart-healthy steps — or whether living healthier helps you feel more positive.

More research is needed but that link between psychological and physical well-being makes sense, said Dr. Elizabeth Jackson of the University of Michigan and American College of Cardiology, who wasn't involved with the review. Among her own heart patients, she has noticed that those who feel they have some control over their lives and are invested in their care have better outcomes.

What if you're by nature a pessimist? "That's a hard question. There's no magic happy pill," Jackson said. "Sometimes it's hard, particularly in tough economic times, but taking a moment to just relax and enjoy a sunny day might be good heart health," Jackson said.

April 22, National Jelly Bean Day

2012-04-23T11:00:00.000-04:00

National Jelly Bean Day on April 22, giving us another reason to celebrate these colorful treats.

This fun little confection has come a long way. Based on a Middle Eastern candy called Turkish Delight (yes, that’s what Edward was so fond of eating in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), the jelly bean has been popular in the U.S. since just before the turn of the 20th century.

Today, some manufacturers, like Jelly Belly and The Jelly Bean Factory, keep the world of jelly beans exciting with unique and fun flavors available at multiple stores. Jelly Belly, for example, makes over 50 flavors in addition to specialty flavors like Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, popularized by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels, which features jelly bean flavors like mashed potatoes, gravy and ear wax.

5 Fun facts about jelly beans

It takes seven to 21 days to make a single jelly bean.
In the early 1900s, the term "jelly-bean" was a slang term for a stylish man with no other positive qualities (like a "dandy" or a "drugstore cowboy").
Jelly beans were President Reagan’s favorite candy and Jelly Belly created the blueberry-flavored jelly bean especially for his inauguration.
Jelly beans were the first candy to be sold by weight, rather than by the piece.
During Easter season, an average of 16 billion jelly beans are manufactured -- enough to circle the Earth more than three times.

National Garlic Day

2012-04-19T11:42:00.002-04:00

April 19th is National Garlic Day and promotes the many uses of Garlic. You probably know it’s a herb but did you know it’s also a vegetable. Garlic has ben used medicinally for thousands of years. I’m sure Marie Laveau used quite a bit in her lifetime warding off evil spirits. About the only negative thing you can say about it, is that it can negatively affect an otherwise romantic evening.

Some fun facts:

•Garlic is believed to ward off heart disease, cancer, colds, and flu. The consumption of garlic lowers blood cholesterol levels. and reduces the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

•It was even once used to treat acne, warts, and toothaches.

•The psychological term for fear of garlic is alliumphobia.

•The origin of National Garlic Day is unknown and it is not recorded in congressional or presidential proclamations.

•Garlic is said to fight off evil spirits and keep vampires away.

•If your garlic has sprouted, it is still usable although it has lost some of its flavor and health benefits.

•The smell of garlic can be removed by running your hands under cold water while rubbing a stainless steel object.

•Garlic is a member of the onion family which also includes leeks and shallots.

•Its pungent flavor is due to a chemical reaction that occurs when the garlic cells are broken. The flavor is most intense just after mincing.

•The majority of garlic (90%) grown in the United States comes from California.

•If your rose garden is being attacked by aphids, an excellent home remedy to get rid of them is to spritz the leaves and blooms with a mixture of crushed garlic and water.

• When picking out garlic at the grocery store, choose firm, tight, heavy dry bulbs.

•Garlic has been used to infuse vodka and as an ingredient to make cocktails.

•Finally, to tie garlic into Wedding week here on the Sugar Network: at ancient Greek and Roman marriages the brides carried bouquets of garlic and other herbs instead of flowers.

Medically speaking…

Phytochemicals in garlic are believed to provide protection against heart disease and cancer. Specifically, stomach and colorectal cancers.
Garlic helps to fight off colds and flu.
Garlic lowers blood cholesterol levels.
Garlic reduces the buildup of plaque in arteries.
Garlic is used as a treatment for acne and warts.
Garlic can be used for toothaches

Alliumphobia is the fear of garlic. Don’t be afraid of garlic today, embrace the garlic in you. Eat lots of garlic and live long…with bad breath!

Vaccinations...not just for kids

2012-04-16T17:52:00.001-04:00

Most people think that vaccinations are just for kids, but adults, especially seniors, need their shots too. Here's a breakdown of what vaccines the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for adults age 50 and older, and how they're covered by Medicare.
Influenza (flu): While you already know that seasonal flu shots are recommended to everyone age 50 and older, you may not know that seniors over 65 now have the option of getting a new high-potency flu vaccine instead of a regular flu shot. All annual flu shots are covered under Medicare Part B.

Pneumococcal: Pneumonia causes more than 40,000 deaths in the US each year, many of which could be prevented by the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine. Everyone age 65 or older needs to get this one-time vaccination, as well as those under 65 who smoke or have chronic health conditions like asthma, lung and heart disease, diabetes, or a weakened immune system. This vaccination also is covered under Medicare Part B.

Zoster (shingles): Recommended for everyone age 60 and older, shingles is a painful, blistering skin rash that affects more than 1 million Americans each year. All Medicare Part D prescription drug plans cover this one-time vaccination, but coverage amounts and reimbursement rules vary depending on where the shot is given. Be sure you check your plan. If you aren't covered you can expect to pay between $150 and $250.

TDP (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) A one-time dose of the Tdap vaccine, which covers tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) is now recommended to all adults. If you've already had a Tdap shot, you should return to getting a tetanus-diphtheria (Td) booster shot every 10 years. Most private health and Medicare Part D plans cover these vaccinations, but if you have to pay, they cost between $20 and $100.

Talk to your doctor during your next visit about what vaccinations you should get.

Americans planning for long term care...less than 40%

2012-04-13T11:21:00.002-04:00

A recent study reveals that many Americans acknowledge their potential need for long-term care, but do not understand their options to afford such care. Many consumers who had overseen the long-term care of a loved one recognize the impact and financial strain long-term care can cause their family, and 36 percent of survey respondents with assets of less than $100,000 fear they will be a burden to their family.

Only 39 percent felt confident that they have planned for the costs of long-term care. Of those over 65-years old who have planned for these costs, 55 percent say they feel more confident generally.

The Lincoln Financial Life Stages Survey: Long-term Care found, through a survey of 1,002 Americans, that 65 percent felt it was important to plan for long-term care, yet less than half (44 percent) actually have a plan. Of the survey respondents who did have a plan, they were primarily dependent on increasing some form of savings. Nearly three-fourths, or 73 percent of Americans, said their lifestyles would change in order to pay for long-term care. Over half said they were willing to sell their homes, while 21 percent said they would be willing to accumulate debt, and 18 percent said they were willing to declare bankruptcy in order to qualify for government aid like Medicaid.

“The survey shows consumers are not aware of all of the funding options they have to pay for long-term care. Unfortunately, many do not realize that programs like Social Security simply will not cover all those costs,” said Mark Konen, President of Insurance & Retirement Solutions, Lincoln Financial Group.

With an average savings of $120,000, most American families could not afford long-term care for an extended period of time, since costs can easily exceed $60,000 in a year. However, the majority of respondents, at 75 percent, said they would use their savings to pay for the costs of long-term care, revealing that many Americans are simply unprepared for such financial burdens.

For those who had overseen the long-term care of a loved one, 26 percent said their loved one had to sell their home in order to pay for their own long-term care. Others sold their cars (21 percent), stopped donating to charity (32 percent), and stopped going out to dinner (33 percent). While some of the survey respondents had heard of long-term care insurance, it ranked seventh amongst likely sources for long-term care funding.

“As Americans live longer and healthcare costs continue to rise, the issue of long-term care takes on greater importance,” said Lou Moore, a Lincoln financial planner with Lincoln Financial Advisors. “The emotional burden of taking care of a loved one is difficult enough without having to also worry about the financial impact. The good news is there are funding options that can provide the flexibility consumers need when planning for unexpected long-term care needs.”

Finally...a room of their own

2012-04-10T11:04:00.003-04:00

Phyllis Spielberger, a retired hat seller at Bendel’s, picked at a plastic dish of beets and corn as her husband, Jason, sat at the foot of her hospital bed, telling her to eat. Although she had been rushed to Manhattan’s busy Mount Sinai Hospital by ambulance when her leg gave out, the atmosphere she encountered upon her arrival was eerily calm.

There were no beeping machines or blinking lights or scurrying medical residents. A volunteer circulated among the patients like a flight attendant, making soothing conversation and offering reading glasses, Sudoku puzzles and hearing aids. Above them, an artificial sun shined through a skylight imprinted with a photographic rendering of a robin’s-egg-blue sky, puffy clouds and leafy trees.

Ms. Spielberger, who is in her 80s, was even getting into the spirit of the place, despite her unnerving condition. “It’s beautiful,” she said. “Everything here is wonderful.”

Yet this was an emergency room, one specifically designed for the elderly, part of a growing trend of hospitals’ trying to cater to the medical needs and sensibilities of aging baby boomers and their parents. Mount Sinai opened its geriatric emergency department, or geri-ed, two months ago, modeling it in part after one at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, N.J., which opened in 2009.

Read full New York Times Article...

Perfection...US News Honor Roll for Best Nursing Homes

2012-04-09T19:34:00.005-04:00

U.S. News Best Nursing Homes aims to make one of life’s most difficult decisions a little easier. For the 3.3 million Americans who move into a nursing home each year, and for their caregivers and loved ones, the realization that a move is inevitable can be just the beginning of an agonizing process: figuring out where to go. Everyone deserves a home that will take care of their health needs and treat them with dignity. But only some nursing homes consistently deliver.

The 39 nursing homes listed alphabetically below make up the 2012 Honor Roll. They were the only homes, out of more than 15,500 that U.S. News reviewed, to receive four straight quarters of perfect five-star ratings from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in all three areas—health inspections, nurse staffing, and quality of care—in which CMS evaluates these facilities. While that’s no guarantee a home is free of shortcomings or that it’s ideal for a specific person, it can provide some peace of mind.

2012 Honor Roll Includes:

Alzheimers Resource Center of Connecticut Plantsville, Conn.
Avalon Nursing Home Warwick, R.I.
Bethany Skilled Nursing Facility Framingham, Mass.
Catherine Kasper Home Donaldson, Ind.
Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital Greenville, Maine
Covenant Shores Health Center Mercer Island, Wash.
Dahl Memorial Nursing Home Ekalaka, Mont.
De La Salle Hall Lincroft, N.J.
Duxbury House Nursing Home Duxbury, Mass.
Elmhurst Extended Care Center Elmhurst, Ill.
Heywood Transitional Care Center Gardner, Mass.
Hillhaven Nursing Center Adelphi, Md.
Island Nursing Home Honolulu, Hawaii
J. Arthur Dosher Memorial Hospital Southport, N.C.
Jamaica Hospital Jamaica, N.Y.
Jeanne Jugan Residence Newark, Del.
Katahdin Nursing Home Millinocket, Maine
Little Sisters of the Poor Pittsburgh
Lourdes Health Care Center Wilton, Conn.
Matulaitis Nursing Home Putnam, Conn.
Menig Extended Care Randolph, Vt.
Passavant Area Hospital Jacksonville, Ill.
Peconic Landing at Southold Greenport, N.Y.
Pioneer Lodge Coldwater, Kan.
Providence Seaside Hospital Seaside, Ore.
Quyanna Care Center Nome, Alaska
Rady Children’s Hospital Bernardy Center San Diego
Rehabilitation Pavilion at the Weils Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Riverview Lutheran Care Center Spokane, Wash.
South Mountain Restoration Center South Mountain, Pa.
St. Mary’s Hospital for Children Bayside, N.Y.
St. Vincent Care Center Emmitsburg, Md.
Sub-Acute Saratoga Saratoga, Calif.
The Colony at Eden Prairie Eden Prairie, Minn.
Tockwotton Home Providence, R.I.
Vi at Grayhawk Scottsdale, Ariz.
Westchester Meadows Valhalla, N.Y.
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, Lakeshore Manor Racine, Wis.
Wibaux County Nursing Home Wibaux, Mont.

The student loan debt impacts Boomers and beyond...

2012-04-03T12:18:00.002-04:00

The Washington Post reports some interesting data regarding student loans and seniors. The article reports that new research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that Americans 60 and older still owe about $36 billion in student loans, providing a rare window into the dynamics of student debt. More than 10 percent of those loans are delinquent. As a result, consumer advocates say, it is not uncommon for Social Security checks to be garnished or for debt collectors to harass borrowers in their 80s over student loans that are decades old.

That even seniors remain saddled with student loans highlights what a growing chorus of lawmakers, economists and financial experts say has become a central conflict in the nation’s higher education system: The long-touted benefits of a college degree are being diluted by rising tuition rates and the longevity of debt.
Some of these older Americans are still grappling with their first wave of student loans, while others took on new debt when they returned to school later in life in hopes of becoming more competitive in the labor force. Many have co-signed for loans with their children or grandchildren to help them afford ballooning tuition.

Read full article...

Most US cities are not equipped to Age in Place

2012-04-02T09:53:00.001-04:00

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging conducted a survey six years ago that showed less than half of participating cities were prepared to deal with the needs of older folks, says the article, and said at the time the results should “serve as a wake-up call” for communities to begin planning. Five years down the road, the same group revisited the survey—and found that little has changed.

Because of the tight economy, many communities have had to curb or even eliminate programs providing meals to the homebound or transportation services for shopping or doctor’s visits, according to the AP:

These cuts, advocates for older Americans say, are coming when the services are needed more than ever. And those needs will grow tremendously over the next two decades.

The nation’s population of those 65 and older will double between 2000 and 2030, according to the federal Administration on Aging. That adds up to one out of every five Americans — 72.1 million people.

Just eight years from now, researchers say, a quarter of all Ohio’s residents in half of the state’s counties will be 60 or older. Arizona and Pennsylvania project that one in four of its residents will be over the age of 60 by 2020.

Six years ago, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging said less than half of cities it surveyed at the time were preparing to deal with the needs of older folks. It said the results “should serve as a wake-up call for communities to begin planning now.”

Finding ways for people to remain in their communities will be crucial, with top concerns including adequate transportation and renovating homes and apartments to allow for aging in place.

The growing issue of cheating...

2012-03-29T15:03:00.001-04:00

Shameless! Cheating Is Now Mainstream in America

We expect people to cheat on their taxes, to cheat on freeway speed limits, to barge into line without challenge. We no longer feel surprised when people cheat in business, sports, in their personal life, and in politics.

Our elders wax poetic about the erosion of values in our nation compared to their youth. However, many older Americans don't think twice about impoverishing themselves to qualify for government funded programs. Is that cheating? I'll let you decide.

The following is an excerpt from an excellent article that appears in The Fiscal Times about this growing moral issue.

Read full article...