“65% of Baby Boomers Are Making a Huge Financial Mistake That Could Leave Them Broke,” by Christy Bieber, Motley Fool Quote: “Many pre-retirees think they don’t need to worry about healthcare because they anticipate care costs will be covered by Medicare. But the reality is that Medicare makes seniors responsible for picking up a significant percentage of their cost of care. Seniors may face high deductibles, coinsurance costs, premiums, and coverage limitations. … There are also many services Medicare doesn’t cover, including hearing aids, long-term care, and dental care. … Qualifying for Medicaid could also help you afford care costs by
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“Report identifies seven ways to prevent dementia,” Medical Xpress Quote: “Anstey has estimated that close to 50% of dementia cases can be attributed to seven key modifiable lifestyle factors; midlife hypertension, diabetes, low educational attainment, smoking, physical inactivity, midlife obesity, and depression.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):  This does not mean those seven factors “cause” dementia, but it does show we suffer several parallel epidemics the resolutions of which are highly likely to have mutual benefits. Report identifies seven ways to prevent dementia #dementia #goldencareagent
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“Improper payments, bad data threaten access to long-term care, GAO health leader testifies,” by Kimberly Marselas, McKnight’s LTC News Quote: “Despite efforts to reduce improper payments in Medicaid, they continue to increase — rising to about $37 billion in fiscal year 2017,  the Government Accounting Office’s healthcare director told members of Congress Thursday. ‘The Medicaid program alone accounted for 26.1 percent of the fiscal year 2017 government-wide improper payment estimate,’ Carolyn L. Yocom testified before the House subcommittees on Government Operations and Intergovernmental Affairs. ‘It is critical to take appropriate measures to reduce improper payments, as dollars wasted detract from
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“Breakthrough: Researchers fix Alzheimer’s gene,” by Ana Sandoiu, Medical News Today Quote: “Groundbreaking research shows, for the first time, how the most well-known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease causes signs in human brain cells. Also, the scientists managed to correct the gene and erase its harmful effects.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):  After so much heart-breaking news about Alzheimer’s research, it’s hard not to be dubious now. But hope springs eternal. Breakthrough: Researchers fix Alzheimer’s gene #alzheimer’s #goldencareagent
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“Is There Such A Thing As Normal Aging?,” by Bruce Horowitz, Kaiser Health News Quote: “Drawing on their decades of practice along with the latest medical data, Gill and three geriatric experts agreed to help identify examples of what are often — but not always – considered to be signposts of normal aging for folks who practice good health habits and get recommended preventive care.” LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):  If you’re older, read this article to see how you’re doing in comparison to others. If you’re younger, find out what you have
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“Kaiser Study: Nursing homes have fewer residents, but those residents need more help,” by Kimberly Marselas, McKnight’s LTC News Quote: “Though occupancy rates fell between 2009 and 2016, the needs of nursing home residents have grown considerably — placing more demands on sometimes unprepared nursing staff, according to an in-depth analysis published by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. In 2016, nearly half of nursing home residents had a dementia diagnosis, and just under one-third had other psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, mood disorders or other diagnoses. … Medicaid is the primary payer source for most certified nursing facility residents,
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“Group Defends Stand-Alone Long-Term Care Insurance With Infographic,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor Quote: “The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance is using a new infographic about long-term care insurance (LTCI) claim payments to try to increase consumer confidence in stand-alone LTCI coverage. Jesse Slome, AALTCI’s director, says in a statement that he prepared the infographic in an effort to counter some consumers’ mistaken belief that LTCI issuers fail to pay claims. Slome used previously published data, from AALTCI’s own LTCI issuer survey, to show that issuers paid at least $9.2 billion claims in 2017, and that 295,000 people were using LTCI benefits
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“Older Pre-Retirees Worry a Lot About Social Security: Gallup,” by Michael Fischer, ThinkAdvisor Quote: “Fifty-one percent of pre-retirement American adults in the 50-to-64 age group are very concerned about the Social Security system, Gallup reported Friday. In contrast, only one-third of young adults expressed a great deal of concern about the system. … As for Americans in the 30-to-49 age bracket, the percentage expressing a lot of concern about Social Security has held steady in the range of 46% to 52% since 2005, according to Gallup. In the current poll, 49% said they worried a great deal. Unsurprisingly, majorities of
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“New way of defining Alzheimer’s aims to find disease sooner,” by Marilynn Marchione, AP Quote: “Government and other scientists are proposing a new way to define Alzheimer’s disease — basing it on biological signs, such as brain changes, rather than memory loss and other symptoms of dementia that are used today. The move is aimed at improving research, by using more objective criteria like brain scans to pick patients for studies and enroll them sooner in the course of their illness, when treatments may have more chance to help. But it’s too soon to use these scans and other tests
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“Do You Have What It Takes? A Workbook in Preparation for Caregiving,” by Judith M. Ashley, Today’s Caregiver Quote: “Twenty years ago, for the last six weeks of her mother’s life, the author was her mother’s primary caregiver. Her mother wished to die at home and, at that time, there was little in the way of resources to prepare the author for, or guide her through, such a responsible and emotionally-charged experience. In this, her second book, the author set out to create a practical, self-help workbook to support those who find themselves considering taking on a caregiving role and,
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