“Life-LTC Hybrid Sales Level Off: LIMRA,” by Allison Bell, ThinkAdvisor “LIMRA found that the number of ‘individual life insurance combination’ policies sold in the United States increased 2% in 2018, to 404,000. The total amount of new premium revenue associated with those combination policy sales fell 2%, to $4.3 billion. In 2017, LIMRA reported an 18% increase in the amount of new premium revenue associated with new combination policy sales. …  A copy of the LIMRA life-LTC combination products survey summary is available here.”   LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): More policies, less premium.
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“Survey: Where assisted living is most expensive, least expensive,” by Lois A. Bowers, McKnight’s Senior Living “Average monthly assisted living costs nationwide range from $4,136 for a studio apartment to $5,148 for a two-bedroom unit, but costs vary greatly based on location, according to the results of Lincoln Financial Group’s annual What Care Costs study, released Tuesday. … The whatcarecosts.com/Lincoln website includes long-term-care cost information for home health aides, assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities for states and metropolitan areas across the country. Data can be sorted by type of care and geography. To see the data, enter the code ‘Lincoln’
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“New standards aim to improve surgery for the oldest patients,” by Lauran Neergaard, ABC News “The American College of Surgeons launched a program Friday to encourage hospitals around the country to adopt 30 new standards to optimize surgery on patients who are 75 and older — information seniors and their families eventually will be able to use in choosing where to get care. Seniors account for more than 40% of surgeries, which is expected to grow as the population ages. Certainly there are plenty of robust elders who can withstand major operations.”   LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President,
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“Frequent Sleeping Pill Use Linked to Increased Dementia Risk,” by Megan Brooks, Medscape “Older adults who reported taking sleep medications ‘often’ or ‘almost always’ were 43% more likely to develop dementia than those who never or rarely used sleep medications (hazard ratio [HR], 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 – 2.02). White participants reporting frequent use had a 79% higher dementia risk (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.21 – 2.66). There was no association in blacks (HR = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.38 – 1.83). The association did not differ by sex. … The associations were independent of age, sex, education, socioeconomic
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“In the Lingering Light,” Today’s Caregiver  “In the Lingering Light is a valuable field guide for Alzheimer’s caregivers, written by one who has gone before you. Cynthia Fantasia packs courage and faith to help sustain you on the uncertain road ahead. You will receive practical guidance throughout the progression of Alzheimer’s, stories from traveling companions, nuggets of truth to care for yourself along the way, and prayers to guide you. In the Lingering Light will become a treasured resource and reminder that you not alone.”   LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform): Brief book review and
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