What exactly is Swine Influenza? Learn the facts about the virus that’s catching the
attention of the news media and concerned citizens all over the US from The Center of
Disease Control and Prevention website and share your thoughts.

1.) How should this outbreak be handled?

2.) What can adults and seniors do to prevent exposure?

Please comment below with your opinions!

Image Source:
-New York Times

For many seniors, their necessary prescription drug costs can be as great as half of their annual incomes, but by investing in prescription drug cards some of the financial burden of their medications can be alleviated without ever having to sacrifice healthcare. However, for many of these programs, offered primarily by major pharmaceutical companies, the discount available varies for each prescription medication and ranges anywhere from a 1% to 20% savings; which forces seniors to pay into multiple discount card programs and shop around for the best price every time they are ready to fill a prescription.

According to an examination completed by Susan Dentzer for NewsHour, by making use of multiple prescription drug programs, an elderly couple with senior drug costs of $16,000 per year could save anywhere from $500 to $1,600 per year. The discount may seem insignificant when compared to the total annual drug cost, however, the annual savings can add up to a substantial nest egg for seniors who feel the efforts are worth the prescription savings. Recently, a $4 discount prescription program was released by Walmart; to offer even more substantial drug savings for seniors, with hundreds of prescription drugs available at $4 for a 30-day supply.

Seniors can benefit from using discount prescription drug programs, including Medicaid’s prescription subsidies for the elderly who have reached their $4,000 quota. However, the US still has a long way to go to catch up to other countries, like Canada, which have provincial drug subsidy programs automatically available to all senior residents who face the financial reality of retirement.

Sources:
1. Online NewsHour

2. Walmart.com

3. Makoa.org

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

Prescription costs for seniors without healthcare and prescription coverage may find that their medication costs make up a substantial part of their daily living expenses, and during the recession an increased number of seniors may be choosing to go without their required medication to keep money in the bank.

According to a study completed by The Society of General Internal Medicine in 2001, pre-recession 8% of seniors were not taking some or all of their prescribed medication, as a result of the costs, when paying out of pocket without prescription coverage. With the Commonwealth Fund projecting that healthcare costs for seniors will be as great as $5,000 by 2011; funding medical and senior prescription costs is becoming increasingly more unaffordable for seniors without benefits living on a fixed income. During these tough recessionary times, many elderly people may be more fearful that their retirement income will not last; so they might be hesitant about taking on even necessary medical costs like prescriptions. According to Kenneth Schafermeyer, Director of Graduate Studies at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy “for some [seniors], it’s either eating, or paying the mortgage, or paying for healthcare” and that is an unfortunate reality of the economic situation today. Seniors are forced to make tough decisions that impact both their health and their livelihood.

Sources:  CourierJournal.com

Self-Restriction of Medications Due to Costs in Seniors Without Prescription Coverage

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

Most seniors and their families have heard of Meals on Wheels, but many don’t understand specifically what it does or exactly who is eligible to receive assistance from the program. As one of the original food delivery services for seniors, Meals on Wheels makes sure that all seniors receive nutritious healthy meals at home when their medical status prevents them from preparing their meals themselves.

The Meals on Wheels meal delivery program for seniors is available in most major cities across the US and Canada. Many will deliver hot or cold meals to senior’s homes to ensure that their physical and medical limitations don’t prevent them from eating well. Many of these programs do accept suggested donation amounts for their meal services for seniors, but will continue to operate and provide meals whether or not seniors’ income levels enable them to contribute. For those who are not medically bound to their homes, Meals on Wheels also provides regular meals to seniors at a community setting, like community center, or community living facility for older adults.

Those seniors who live independently at home still struggle to manage the responsibilities of daily living, can continue to rely on meal delivery services like Meals on Wheels, but should also consider receiving assistance from a professional caregiving organization like Home Instead Senior Care, to help out with the non-medical responsibilities of home care.
Source:  Meals on Wheels   (Wikipedia)

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

Eating healthy on a budget at any age can be easily accomplished; a limited income doesn’t have to limit the variety of foods that you consume at any age. While junk foods many seem convenient, they are not budget friendly for seniors. Instead, seniors should work with their families or caregivers to plan their meals for the week, choosing ingredients which are rich in nutrients and vitamins like lean meats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

When the elderly go to the grocery store, they should ensure that a grocery list is in hand based on their healthy meal plans. Buying fresh fruits and vegetables in season is a great way to save money, while ensuring they maintain a well-balanced diet; when their favorite produce is more expensive and not in season, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are an economic way to get the nutrients needed in every senior diet.

Seniors and their caregivers can also shop for inexpensive non-perishable items that are convenient for quick meal preparation; including beans and lentils, brown rice, pasta, frozen or canned sources of proteins like lean meats and fish, and many condiments which can make even the most economic meal taste gourmet and flavorful.

When preparing meals, seniors can also make extra portions which can be frozen and heated up for fast and wallet-friendly meals. Older adults eating on a budget don’t need to sacrifice health or taste; by planning meals in advance, and making economic healthy food choices; seniors can have it all.

Source:  Eating Healthy on a Budget    Author Rebecca Pratt

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

As we age, our bodies begin to process vitamins and minerals less efficiently, which can result in deficiencies of necessary vitamins in seniors. Taking vitamin supplements to increase intake of calcium, vitamins B & D, iron, etc. seems to be many seniors’ answer for the lack of nutrients they’re getting, but the benefits are still up for debate. According to a study released by the Archives of Internal Medicine, vitamin supplements may not do anything when it comes to improving senior health.

Studies have proven that vitamins, minerals and nutrients derived from fruits, vegetables and whole grains do promote healthy aging, however, when these vitamins are extracted and taken as vitamin supplements, they don’t have the same affects upon preventing cancer and cardiovascular diseases as they do in their natural forms. While the belief is that there are no adverse affects from taking vitamin supplements, there is little medical data that supports there is a benefit to regular use.

Seniors looking to improve their overall health and prevent the onset of potentially fatal diseases and illnesses should not rely on vitamin supplements alone; in order to receive the 15 minerals and 13 vitamins required for healthy living, the elderly should focus on proper nutrition and receive their vitamins directly from the source.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/17/vitamins-health-effects-lifestyle-health_0217_vitamins.html

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

Every year when March rolls around, so does National Nutrition Month which is sponsored by the American Dietetic Association. National Nutrition Month focuses on encouraging the media and ADA to inform the public about healthy living through nutrition education and the importance of fitness.  National Nutrition Month is meant to educate people of all ages about how making simple healthy food choices, according to the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, can improve health and well-being when combined with physical activity.

While National Nutrition Month doesn’t focus upon educating people about nutrition and fitness for any specific age group; seniors in particular need to pay attention to their diet and lifestyle in order to maintain a healthy weight, keep their immune system strong and help prevent the onset of illnesses and chronic diseases.

As spring approaches, there’s no better time than now to start incorporating healthy eating and regular physical activity. You may not be worried about getting back your bikini body to hit the beaches as you were in your 20’s; but health is about much more than just appearance; it’s about living. National Nutrition Month is just the beginning; aging doesn’t mean your life stops, so seniors get out there, get active and make healthy lifestyle changes that really will change your life.

Sources: http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/nutrition_4920_ENU_HTML.htm
http://www.dietitians.ca/public/content/eat_well_live_well/english/nutritionmonth/index.asp
http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=4&tax_level=2&tax_subject=256&topic_id=1348

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

Q1 – What is hybrid long-term care insurance?
A1- Hybrid long-term care insurance helps seniors fund their long-term care costs as they age with more flexibility and affordability than typical long-term care benefits. Seniors can invest a lump sum into their hybrid benefits in order to fund any future needs in LTC.

Q2 – How do seniors benefit from investing in hybrid long-term care insurance?
A2 – Seniors pay a lump sum amount based on what they can afford, so when it comes to funding any future long-term care costs, they don’t have to pay unaffordable rates out of pocket when staying at long-term care facilities. Unlike with LTC insurance, where seniors are forced to pay expensive monthly premiums even if long-term care or custodial is never needed; hybrid insurance sits in wait until the need for long-term care arises; and funds can be returned if they are never used.

Q3 – How are hybrid long-term care benefit amounts determined?
A3 – Seniors determine how much they want to invest into their hybrid long-term care insurance, and the benefit amount available to fund long-term care under the policy is determined based on age and health at the time it is purchased. Hybrid long-term care benefit amounts are always greater than the initial investment; for example, an $85,000 investment could turn into $120,000. Life insurance benefits also work the same way; a greater amount than initially invested could be returned to the senior’s airs at the time of death.

Q4 – How much does hybrid long-term care insurance cost?
A4 – With hybrid long-term care insurance, seniors determine how much they can afford to pay. However, typically hybrid long-term care insurance is a better investment for the elderly with a large lump sum amount of funds available; since the idea is that the amount of the policy funds all or of the majority of their long-term care needs. Typical hybrid long-term care insurance policies start around $50,000; with some insurance carries enforcing minimums and others making recommendations based on funding projected costs at long-term care facilities.

Sources: http://youandyoursblawg.blogspot.com/2008/06/hybrid-long-term-care-insurance.html
http://personalinsure.about.com/od/longtermcare/a/aa082006a_2.htm

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

On a recent episode of ABC’s “What Would You Do”, the TV show setup a scenario to determine how bystanders would react to an elderly driver exhibiting signs that he shouldn’t get behind the wheel of a car. The aging driver, an actor, aged 92, approaches people on the street asking for help getting out of his parking spot (his car is parallel parked on the street) since his son who was supposed to meet him has failed to appear. Three of the four people featured in this first segment of the episode, which tests what people would do when faced with an elderly driver with impaired abilities, help the senior into his car. The bystanders help the senior driver with starting his ignition and putting his car in reverse; only to direct him from the spot to have him run down the motorcycle parked in the spot behind.

Watch “Driving While Disoriented”

What would you do when faced with the same situation? While statistics show, that apart from drivers under 25, drivers over 70 are involved in the most driving related accidents; family members in particular are very reluctant to take away a senior’s main source of independence. And while some states do mandate stricter licensing standards for drivers who have reached old age, very little mandatory testing is in place to ensure that older adults can drive without impairment so the decision of when to take away the keys is often left up to the family to determine.

If you’re starting to wonder whether it might be time to take away a senior’s right to drive, look at the following factors to determine if they might be a hazard behind the wheel:

• Does a loss of hearing acuity affect their ability to respond to sirens or honking horns?
• Has the old driver’s sight been tested? Do they have trouble seeing lines on the road, especially during night driving?
• Is the senior driver physically able to control the vehicle safely? Do they have any conditions, like arthritis, which might affect their reflexes?
• Do they take any medications that could affect their driving abilities? Do any medicines interact to make driving unsafe?

Sources: http://www.abcnews.go.com/whatwouldyoudo - February 17 (Driving While Disoriented) Episode
http://www.troubledwith.com/Relationships/A000000656.cfm?topic=relationships%3A%20caring%20for%20elderly%20parents

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.

Q1 – Fact or fiction; seniors are at a greater risk for cancer?
A1 – As we grow old, the risk of developing cancer does increase slightly. The aging process lowers stress tolerance, which can impact the functioning of major organ systems and seniors may have weaker immune systems which puts them at a higher risk for cancer than younger generations. Statistics indicate that the elderly are at a much greater risk for certain types of cancer than younger Americans.

Q2 – Are there specific times of cancer that are more prevalent in seniors?
A2 – The number one form of cancer that elderly women are at risk for is breast cancer. Statistics show that by age 80, 1 in 10 women are likely to be exposed to breast cancer; a great increase compared to 1 in 2,212 at age 30. For every decade of life, the risk of developing breast cancer increases in women. Studies have also shown that men with diabetes are more likely to develop rectal or colon cancer. Since the risk of contracting diabetes increases with age, especially in senior men who struggle with obesity, the risk of colorectal cancer also increases with age. Other types of cancer, like cervical cancer, are actually more prevalent in younger generations; however the risk does still exist for women and seniors over the age of 40, with an increased risk for those struggling with other health problems.

Q3 – Is there any way for seniors to determine if they have risk factors that could contribute to the development of cancer?
A3 – Family history and overall health both play a major role in preventing cancer. Older adults should be aware of their relatives’ history with cancer so a physician can setup appropriate screening. Seniors can reduce their risk factors with diet and exercise; maintaining a healthy weight and keeping their immune system strong. Seniors can reduce the likelihood of cancer with knowledge and healthy living.

Sources: http://www.imaginis.com/cervical-cancer/risk_factors.asp
http://seniorhealth.about.com/od/cancer/a/br_cancer_age.htm
http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=3701&channel_id=12&relation_id=30096
http://www.springerlink.com/content/l7630l71t816g513/

Home Care Oakland and Alameda County provides senior care and elder home care in East Bay Area and Alameda County, including Alameda, Berkeley, Castro Valley, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton and Union City. For more help, please call Home Instead Senior Care Oakland at 510-663-3652.