“Gout Linked to Higher Risk of Dementia,” by Janice Wood, PsychCentral “A new study finds that gout is associated with a 17 to 20 percent higher risk of dementia in the elderly. A common condition, gout is caused by deposits of crystals of uric acid (also known as urate) in the joints, which leads to inflammation. Symptom flares can be unpredictable and debilitating, developing over a few hours and causing severe pain in the joints. … In an analysis that was adjusted for various potential confounding variables, including demographics, comorbidities, and commonly used medications, the study’s results showed that gout
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“AMA adopts policy to make long-term care more affordable,” by Alaina Tedesco, Healio “The AMA announced new policies to help combat the issues associated with long-term services and supports. The policies support: Improving access and affordability of private long-term care insurance; Making long-term care insurance transferrable and portable with an opt-out option; Innovating product design of long-term care insurance; Allowing limited or optional supplemental benefit for long-term services and supports under Medigap plans; Permitting Medicare Advantage plans to offer long-term services and supports; Offering a respite care benefit as an optional benefit through Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans; Initiating a
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“Association between systolic blood pressure and dementia in the Whitehall II cohort study: role of age, duration, and threshold used to define hypertension,” by Jessica G Abell, et al., European Heart Journal “Systolic blood pressure ≥130 mmHg at age 50, below the conventional ≥140 mmHg threshold used to define hypertension, is associated with increased risk of dementia; in these persons this excess risk is independent of CVD [cardiovascular disease.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): More evidence health and behavioral factors influence dementia risk. Association between systolic blood pressure and dementia in the Whitehall II cohort
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“Visual Association Test, MMSE Highly Predictive of Dementia in Older Adults,” by Brandon May, Neurology Advisor “The 3-minute Visual Association Test (VAT), which tests associative memory, is a highly sensitive and valuable tool for detecting dementia risk in patients with a small decline on the 30-point Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), according to a study published in the Annals of Family Medicine.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): One more way to look around the corner at what may lie ahead. Visual Association Test, MMSE Highly Predictive of Dementia in Older Adults #dementia #goldencareagent
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“China Oceanwide’s $2.7 Billion Takeover of Genworth Financial Passes U.S. Security Review,” by Kate O’Keeffe, Wall Street Journal “A U.S. national security panel approved a Chinese conglomerate’s $2.7 billion takeover of Richmond, Va.-based insurer Genworth GNW 2.42% Financial Inc., after the companies convinced authorities they would take extraordinary steps to secure Americans’ personal data. The approval by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. for China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co.’s deal marks the largest publicly reported Chinese deal to win CFIUS’s blessing during the administration of President Donald Trump. … Proponents of the deal billed it as a way
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“Millennials and retirement: How bad is it?,” by Alicia H. Munnell, Politico “Concern about the financial health of America’s younger generations is growing—especially millennials, a demographic boom that came of age in an environment of unstable work and record levels of student debt. Experts worry that millennials are falling so far behind previous generations that their retirement may be at risk. My research suggests that those concerns are real, and millennials really are building wealth more slowly than the other working generations. But they are not insurmountable—as long as millennials are willing and able to work longer than their parents
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“Planning for Retirement as a Single Person,” by Kaitlin Pitsker, Kiplinger “Aging presents uncertainties for everyone, but single, childless seniors are missing the backup that many people take for granted: a spouse or adult children who can step in when needed. Many of the usual basics of saving, investing and long-term financial planning apply to those aging without a life partner or adult children, but they also need special strategies for retirement saving, health care and estate planning. … No matter how carefully you’ve planned or how much you’ve saved, if you don’t have long-term-care insurance, a chronic illness could
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“Long-Term-Care Insurance Isn’t Dead. It’s Now an Estate-Planning Tool,” by Leslie Scism, Wall Street Journal “Such policies that combine long-term-care coverage with a potential life-insurance benefit are called ‘hybrids,’ and they are reshaping the long-term-care niche of the U.S. insurance industry just as it had appeared headed for obsolescence, financial advisers say.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, Administrative Coordinator, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Leslie Scism writes again about LTCI, this time tipping favor toward hybrids. An earlier article, “Millions Bought Insurance to Cover Retirement Health Costs. Now They Face an Awful Choice,” attracted comment including this LTC Bullet
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“No, Medicare Won’t Go Broke In 2026. Yes, It Will Cost A Lot More Money,” by Howard Gleckman, Forbes “Let’s get right to the point: Medicare is not going ‘broke’ and recipients are in no danger of losing their benefits in 2026.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, Administrative Coordinator, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): What’s the expression? Lipstick on a pig. Of course Medicare is broke even if it can pay partial benefits after 2026. Any private carrier in the same straits would be out of business already. The difference is Medicare has no guaranty association to back it
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“‘Invisible workforce’ of caregivers is wearing out as boomers age,” by Jackie Crosby, Star Tribune “Growing numbers of Americans face the immense and often overwhelming challenge of caring for an aging parent or other loved one, a burden that will skyrocket as 76 million baby boomers move into their 80s and need help coping with dementia, cancer, heart disease or just plain frailty and old age. … Soon, Minnesota and the nation will reach a demographic crossroad. In 2030, the first wave of the baby boom generation will turn 85, an age when people are twice as likely as those
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