“An ‘Epidemic of Loneliness’ in America? Maybe Not,” by Amy Norton, US News & World Report   Quote: “Despite media stories about a ‘loneliness epidemic’ plaguing the elderly, two new studies find that they feel no more lonely than their peers from past generations. The studies — one in the United States, one in the Netherlands — reached the same basic conclusion: Yes, people tend to feel more lonely after age 75 or so. But today’s older adults are no more likely to feel isolated or lacking in companionship than previous generations.”   LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President,
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“Canada Throws China Oceanwide-Genworth Deal a Lifeline,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor   Quote: “Canadian regulators have made a decision that could increase the odds that Genworth Financial Inc. will be able to sell itself to China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co. Ltd. — or that Genworth will have the cash to survive on its own if the China Oceanwide deal falls through.”   LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Frustratingly slow, but progress nonetheless.
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“Move from fee-for-service to managed care ‘a disaster’ for long-term care, Parkinson says,” by Liza Berger, McKnight’s LTC News   Quote: “Changing payment models have made the last decade ‘an incredibly bad time’ for long-term care in many ways, the leader of the nation’s largest nursing home group said Monday. Mark Parkinson, the president and CEO of the American Health Care Association, made the damning assessment during opening remarks at AHCA’s inaugural population health summit. Over the last 10 years, the change has been ‘seismic,’ he noted, pointing out that in 2010, over 70% of post-acute volume was fee-for-service and
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“The Medicare Change That Could Cost Your Clients Thousands of Dollars,” by Margie Barrie, ThinkAdvisor   Quote: “After Dr. B leaves, the case manager calls me on my cell phone and insists that we sign the form. I reply that we need the status to be changed to admitted. She says it is the responsibility of the admitting doctor. I explain that the admitting doctor said it was her responsibility. At that point, I mention that I write a column in a national newsletter that has a large circulation.”   LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term
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“Alzheimer’s incidence varies significantly by location,” Healio   Quote: “Research published in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society highlighted significant geographic variation in the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in the United States. … The researchers found that the overall diagnosed incidence of Alzheimer’s disease decreased from 1.53% in 2007 to 1.09% in 2014, with similar trends for most population areas. Rates of incidence in 2014 ranged from 0% to more than 3% across population areas. Areas of the Midwest and South experienced the highest observed incidence rates. Desai and colleagues noted that little of the geographic variation can be explained by statistical
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