RSSCategory: Senior Health

U.S. launches plan to prevent Alzheimer’s and improve care

U.S. launches plan to prevent Alzheimer’s and improve care

The Obama administration is moving forward with an ambitious agenda to improve the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and unlock a method to prevent it by 2025. The plan also sets up a wide-ranging effort to improve the care that Alzheimer’s patients receive and support families.

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May 16, 2012 | By | Reply More
Weekend Reading: Why we’re losing the fight against obesity, the big profits of non-profit hospitals . . .

Weekend Reading: Why we’re losing the fight against obesity, the big profits of non-profit hospitals . . .

Selected articles on health: Care of the elderly falling on shoulders of the young. Why we’re losing the battle against obesity? Whither the AMA? The big profits of non-profit hospitals.

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May 12, 2012 | By | Reply More
Medicare trustees predict funding will fall short by 2024 – updated

Medicare trustees predict funding will fall short by 2024 – updated

Once again, trustees forecast that Medicare’s hospital fund would begin to run out of money beginning in 2024, but, overall, the outlook for the social insurance program that covers nearly 50 million elderly and disabled people was only slightly worse than findings from last year.

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April 23, 2012 | By | Reply More
Medicare now covers annual depression screening

Medicare now covers annual depression screening

Older people have lower rates of depression than younger groups. But depression often goes undiagnosed in the elderly, who feel the stigma of mental illness more acutely than younger people and are often less likely to seek help. Medicare began to cover annual depression screening in primary-care settings.

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April 8, 2012 | By | Reply More
Weekend Reading: A doctor and the right to die, med students shun primary care and other stories

Weekend Reading: A doctor and the right to die, med students shun primary care and other stories

Last interview with a doctor who fought for the right-to-die. Young doctors are turning away from careers in primary care. A solo practice sells out to the local hospital.

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March 17, 2012 | By | Reply More
Weekend Reading: Santorum’s flip on health reform, malpractice and EHRs, talking about AIDS and sex

Weekend Reading: Santorum’s flip on health reform, malpractice and EHRs, talking about AIDS and sex

Santorum once wanted more government involvement in health care, not less. Electronic health records and medical malpractice. Making the best of old age. Talking about AIDS and sex.

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March 10, 2012 | By | Reply More
Swedish Visiting Nurse Services to close

Swedish Visiting Nurse Services to close

Swedish Visiting Nurse Services will cease operating in April. The service provides in-home medical care to about 300 home-health patients, about 125 hospice patients and 80 home-infusion patients. Swedish said the service is projected to lose $12 million in this year, which would put its total loss since 2009 at $51 million. Swedish blamed losses on the high cost of wages, benefits and overtime and low reimbursement from commercial payers as well as “productivity issues.”

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February 17, 2012 | By | Reply More
Weekend Reading: Interesting online health articles

Weekend Reading: Interesting online health articles

Sarah Palin on special needs. When doctors treat their family members. The neurology of ethics. Not all memory loss is Alzheimer’s. And the politics of the Komen-Planned Parenthood controversy.

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February 11, 2012 | By | Reply More
How often should women have bone tests?

How often should women have bone tests?

A study of nearly 5,000 women suggests that women with healthy bone density on their first bone desity test might safely wait 15 years before getting tested again.

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February 1, 2012 | By | Reply More
The coming nursing home shortage

The coming nursing home shortage

The latest casualty of the Great Recession may soon be the nation’s elderly. Cuts in government payments for patient care and less construction of new nursing homes are already taking a toll. Add to this the aging baby boom generation and you have a worst-case scenario.

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January 27, 2012 | By | Reply More
Long-term care insurance can come up short

Long-term care insurance can come up short

Will it cover your needs? Can you pay for it? Can you afford not to have it?

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January 24, 2012 | By | 1 Reply More
Tips for buying long-term care insurance

Tips for buying long-term care insurance

Don’t buy if the out-of-pocket cost for the coverage would be more than you can afford. Policies differ greatly so know what you are buying. Shop around.

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January 24, 2012 | By | Reply More