Seniors Stop Medicine When Donut Hole Hits
Under Medicare, people had to pay for their own medication after Medicare paid $2400. Then seniors had to pay the next $3850 from their own money and once they have paid out that amount the Medicare coverage kicked in again. The out of pocket is what’s referred to as the donut hole.
What ended up happening 15% of these people stopped their medication, 5% switched medications, and 1% cut down on their medicine.
This donut hole was made so the government could save some money, but when people stop taking their medicine they tend to get sicker and require even more hospital care. In the long run it seems the donut hole may end up costing more than it’s saving.
Maybe they need to rethink the structure of this medication coverage so people will actually be able to maintain health and stay out of doctors offices and hospitals. Just a thought.
Why We Shouldn’t Detect Cancer Early
I am reading this article from the New York Times and I am blown away by what I’m seeing. I always was told and believed that detecting cancer early was a good thing so that treatment could be given before the cancer becomes so advanced as to metastasize and kill its victim.
Unless I am not understanding correctly, this article seems to be saying that some doctors and a government committee feel that some cancers can live and grow in the body, but if you are older you will probably die of something else before the cancer really becomes a health concern for you.
It further seems to say that by detecting it early you would undergo treatments that would prove to be unnecessary because you’re going to die soon anyway. WHAT?
I don’t know about anyone else but I do not want cancerous tumors anywhere in my body whether they are causing me pain or not. These doctors seem to be saying that they are affecting the quality of life by treating and testing the cancer, rather than the cancer affecting the quality of life.
Of course I have to ask once again where do the insurance companies and money fit in to all this. After all look at how much can be saved if we just all forget about testing high risk groups of people for cancer, and even more money can be saved by ignoring it and not offering treatment.
Honestly, sometimes I feel like I woke up on the wrong planet. See the whole article here and throw me a comment, I’d love to know what you think about all this.
New Jersey Elders Getting The Shaft?
New Jersey Assisted Living Facilities are under investigation after it was found that several residents of these homes have been “kicked to the curb” after their saving ran out.
Seniors and their families are being told that once the seniors savings run out to pay for their stay, that medicaid will kick in and take care of it without interruption of residence. However in one home the resident and her family were told that the home had changed owners and policy and that they no longer accepted medicaid. In this instance the woman’s family fought it and she got to stay, but as her daughter points out, there are many seniors who do not have family or friends to stand up for them, and they will be turned out on the street or to who knows where.
New Jersey officials are investigating to see how big and widespread a problem this is and hopefully will have a solution for those who need to be looked after.
Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s
The French have concluded a study on men and women who had mild cognitive impairment and them examined them two years later and then again four years later.
Those that suffered from depression, or taking anticholinergic drugs were more likely to go on to develop dementia.
It was also discovered that men and women have different risk factors. Men who have had a stroke were almost three times more likely to progress to dementia. Women who suffered from depression were two times as likely to get dementia.
Not all the people in the study went on to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. There was a small percentage that recovered to normal cognitive ability.
Tips for Fitness Training and Elderly Health
Everyone knows how important it is to be in good shape and to stay fit. However, there are things that you should keep in mind if you are in the elderly population and desire to get fit. Fitness training can be done on many different levels and with different types of activities.
Talk to your health care provider before you begin your fitness training. Find out if there are any type of activity restrictions that you should follow while fitness training. Have the health care provider write down the specifics of any activity restrictions for you in as much detail as possible. For example, instead of light lifting have the provider write down how much you can lift and your weight lift maximum.
Find a fitness center that has trained and worked with other seniors and the elderly. You can give your list of restrictions that your health care provider wrote down to the fitness trainer. Make certain that they understand that you want to get fit but do not want unnecessary injuries or accidents.
Warning Signs of Elder Abuse
Abuse on the elderly is horrible and often does not get reported. This silent crime really takes it toll on the elderly and is a shame that it even should be discussed. If you have relatives or friends that attend senior activity centers, assisted residential living centers, full care residential centers or have a home care assistant, you should be aware of the warning signs of elder abuse.
One warning sign that many people do not think about is a change in appetite. The senior might suddenly eat more as a comfort or eat less because of depression. Find out if changes in appetite are due to changes in medication or a possible warning sign of mistreatment.
Unexplained bruises, contusions or marks on the senior can also be an indication of abuse. If the senior is falling a lot or bumping into things a lot someone is not keeping a close enough eye on them. It is imperative that you find out the cause for the bruises and other signs on the skin.
Abuse is not just physical. If the senior becomes suddenly depressed, someone might be emotionally abusing them by calling them names, treating them disrespectfully or even belittling them.
Drop in un-announced at different times of the day and the night to check in on your senior relative or friend. Let the management know that you are concerned about probably abuse and ask for some type of assistance to find out what is going on to cause the changes and bring you concern. Get a solution for the situation or go to the state board and have the facility investigated.
Advantages of Vitamins for the Elderly
It is a challenge for most of us to get all the different vitamins, trace minerals and other elements that our bodies crave and need to stay nutritionally healthy. Can you imagine if someone else is preparing your meals or you eat out a great deal how difficult it is to get all the different nutrients that our body needs? Many seniors and elderly are not in complete control of the types of foods and drinks that they consume daily. They eat out, cook for one or have their meals prepared by others.
Vitamins are very important and advantageous for the elderly. A multi-vitamin that also has trace minerals is excellent because this is a chance to make-up for any nutrients that are not in the diet on a daily basis. If the senior cannot take pills you can crush the vitamin and add to apple sauce or yogurt. There are even liquid vitamins available.
Choosing a Senior Activity Center
Choosing a senior activity center is an important decision for people to make in their lives. This is a chance for seniors to socialize and be involved in the community. It gives them a chance to get away from being isolated in their homes all during the week. You can find a senior activity center that is available during the week or even on weekends.
Select a senior activity center that is located near the senior’s home. This way there is often an activity bus that is willing to come and pick up members of the center if they can’t drive on a particular day. A close by center increases the chances that the senior will leave home to go to activities that are scheduled.
Select a senior activity center that has a registered nurse and several CNAs on the staff. Provide them with a list of special diet needs, activity restrictions and medications for the senior. Make certain that all medications are packed and ready to go with the senior on days of activities.
Are the seniors addressed by name? Does the staff remember the seniors? What are the qualifications of the staff? These are all important considerations. Take the time to visit the center at different time intervals on different days of the week to get a feel for how they operate.
The obvious that many people over look is select a senior center that actually has activities that the senior will enjoy. If the center is a sports theme and your senior family member or friend is into crafts they won’t spend much time at the center and vice versa. Go over the monthly calendar with the senior and have them select activities. If there is nothing for them to select consider a different center.
Mental Benefits of Senior Centers
Selecting a quality senior center near the senior’s home is very important. Many people find that once they retire from their jobs, they have too much time on their hands. They don’t have enough activities to keep them busy and active like they were prior to retirement. This can lead to negative emotions of frustration, resentment and even cause mild depression in some seniors.
The majority of senior centers provide transportation and meals for its members. The primary advantage to a senior center is emotional support. Seniors get to know one another and can chat sharing common experiences with one another. You’ll be amazed at how quickly the seniors get to know one another and become friends instead of just acquaintances. If one person has a difficult situation, the other members are very supportive, helpful and understanding. Seniors know that in this community setting they are no longer alone or have to completely rely on family members for emotional bonding, support and care.
People can become lonely and frustrated if there isn’t enough to do. Let’s face it. You can only re-arrange your home so many times. You can only clean so much. And before you know it, the yard can only hold so many different flower beds, new trees and other new plants. Senior centers provide activities that are fun, mentally engaging and exciting for seniors to participate in. Seniors are less likely to become bored with retirement and remain more active than they would’ve been at home.
One of the challenges as a senior is the loss of driving or restricted driving. It can be challenging to drive at night, in the rain or at all for some seniors. The majority of centers provide transportation to and from the center. They also set up shopping days, field trips and other things for seniors. Instead of relying on family members, seniors now have more freedom than before.
Exclusivity makes people feel special and part of a group regardless of age. The big advantage to senior centers is that the members are exclusively a member of a specific group. This means that even though they no longer have their work identities, seniors now have a new identity. There are activities and events that the rest of the family won’t be able to participate in. This gives seniors a part of life that is not only enjoyable but they are able to call their own.
Non-Profit Elder Hostel for Senior Travel for Mental Health
Just because you’re a senior does not mean that you are ready to sit home alone and do nothing during your retirement years. Many seniors have saved money throughout their working years to be able to travel and explore the world during their later years. Elder Hostel is a non-profit organization that makes it possible for many seniors to see the world or even their local state through travel and exciting adventures.
There are some very popular programs that are set up by Elder Hostel. One of them is the Music on the Mississippi Travel Tour. You will board the River Explorer and listen to all types of music. This hotel barge is full of fun and excitement as you take in the musical history of the region and enjoy hours of fun entertainment.
There are many different packages in the US, Canada and all around the world that Elder Hostel provides specifically for seniors. Their philosophy is that no-one is too old to keep learning in life. Being a senior is a new sense of freedom and a chance to learn even more about the world around us with exciting and adventurous tours for virtually any senior and virtually any interest.