“Report finds few seniors are getting routine memory checkup,” AP “Few seniors get their thinking and memory abilities regularly tested during check-ups, according to a new report from the Alzheimer’s Association that raises questions about how best to find out if a problem is brewing. Medicare pays for an annual ‘wellness visit’ that is supposed to include what’s called a cognitive assessment — a brief check for some early warning signs of dementia, so people who need a more thorough exam can get one. But doctors aren’t required to conduct a specific test, and there’s little data on how often
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“Ages When Long-Term Care Insurance Claims Begin,” Advisor Magazine “Nearly half of all newly started long-term care insurance claims begin for policyholders age 86 or older according to a new study released by the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI). … According to the Association’s analysis of new long-term care insurance claims that began during 2018, 25 percent of new claims were initiated by policyholders between ages 81 and 85, 27.2 percent were between ages 86 and 90, and 17.5 percent were age 981 or older. … Click here to see latest Long-Term Care Insurance Data – Facts – Costs – Statistics”
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“How To Plan The Legal And Financial Needs Of A Loved One With Dementia,” by Christopher Berry, Forbes “If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, there are certain things that your family needs to plan for both legally as well as financially. … There are six main ways to pay for long-term care, so it is up the family to best determine how to use the following options. … 6. Finally, Medicaid may help pay for the cost of a nursing home. However, there are certain requirements to qualify for Medicaid, including an
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“House passes measure to create long-term care program,” by Rachel La Corte, AP “A proposal for a new employee-funded program that would create a benefit to help offset long-term care costs was approved by the House Thursday. The measure passed on a bipartisan 63-33 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): This plan will fail because it is based on a false premise we exploded in a report every Washingtonian should read before it’s too late:  What We Don’t Know About Medicaid and Long-Term Care is Hurting Washington
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“National Health Expenditure Projections, 2018–27: Economic And Demographic Trends Drive Spending And Enrollment Growth,” by Andrea M. Sisko, et al., Health Affairs (gated) “ABSTRACT: National health expenditures are projected to grow at an average annual rate of 5.5 percent for 2018–27 and represent 19.4 percent of gross domestic product in 2027. Following a ten-year period largely influenced by the Great Recession and major health reform, national health spending growth during 2018–27 is expected to be driven primarily by long-observed demographic and economic factors fundamental to the health sector. Prices for health care goods and services are projected to grow 2.5 percent per year,
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“Untangling the Mysteries of the Brain,” by Sarah Lai Stirland, Senior Living Executive “A growing body of research suggests that reducing risks of developing dementia—or at least slowing its progression—can be accomplished through diet and exercise. Some researchers say specific diets and exercise regimes can to a limited extent restore brain health. Human biology and the brain are complex systems that interact with their environments, though. No scientifically rigorous studies have definitively proved that dementia is 100 percent preventable.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):  Excellent, very long article summarizing latest research and limited
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“Resident who kissed woman in iconic WWII photo dies at 95,” by John O’Connor, McKnight’s Senior Living “he sailor shown kissing a woman in Times Square celebrating the end of World War II has died. George Mendonsa, who lived in a Middleton, RI, senior living community with his wife, was 95. When the iconic photo known as “ The Kiss” was taken, Mendoza was on leave in New York City.  Photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt snapped the photo, which was published in Life magazine. The woman in the photo was Greta Zimmer Friedman, an Austrian-born Holocaust refugee and dental assistant. Mendonsa spoke
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“The Link Between Menopause and Alzheimer’s,” by Sumathi Reddy, Wall Street Journal (gated) “Women make up nearly two-thirds of patients with Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S., in part because they live longer than men. Now, researchers are exploring whether hormonal changes related to menopause affect the development of the disease. … Most people think of how menopause affects fertility. But Dr. Mosconi says its effect on the brain is what results in night sweats, hot flashes and even memory changes. Those symptoms are caused by declining levels of estrogen and other hormones. Estrogen protects the female brain from aging and stimulates
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“Experts: Home equity is key to solving the country’s looming retirement crisis,” by Jessica Guerin, HousingWire “As Baby Boomers continue to retire en masse without sufficient savings to support their later years, it’s become glaringly apparent that the country is on the brink of a retirement crisis. Pensions have dwindled, Social Security is insufficient, health care costs are rising and people are living longer than ever before, carrying little resources with them into retirement. But many older Americans do have one major source of wealth at their disposal: their house. And for some, utilizing their home equity could be the answer
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“If I Ran AARP for One Day: Here’s What I’d Do to Redefine Aging, Fix Health Care, Balance Generational Equity, Eliminate Ageism in the Popular Culture, and Create a New Social Role and Purpose for Elders.” by Ken Dychtwald “Back in 2004, at the annual national conference of the American Society on Aging, I gave a somewhat edgy speech entitled, “If I Ran AARP for One Day: Here’s What I’d Do to Redefine Aging, Fix Health Care, Balance Generational Equity, Eliminate Ageism in the Popular Culture, and Create a New Social Role and Purpose for Elders.” The session was moderated by Joanne Handy,
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