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Senior Citizen Alerts
Walmart Adds Generic for Plavix on Saturday, More Generics on Way
The company that led on making generic drugs more affordable, more pop
ular with seniors will roll out a dozen
more this year
May 17, 2012 – Walmart, the company that was the first to make drastic reductions in the price of generic drugs for
senior citizens, announced yesterday that it will be among the first retailers to offer Clopidogrel, the generic version of Plavix.
Clopidogrel will be available at all Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies on May 19.
Read more...
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
Does Coffee Deserve Credit for Boom in Senior Citizen Population?
Massive study declares coffee drinkers have lower risk of death; seniors have declared coffee more important that sex -
see video
May 17, 2012 – No wonder the U.S. is being over-run by old people. Research from the National Cancer Institute and AARP
says the senior citizens that drink coffee - caffeinated or decaffeinated - have a lower risk of death. Combine that with earlier research
that says seniors had rather give up sex than coffee drinking and you have a an explosion of older people.
Read more, see video...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Obama Administration: A Plan To Prevent Alzheimer’s By 2025
Plan has been through months of
development since President Obama signed National Alzheimer’s Project Act
in January 2011, funding, however, an issue - see video
By Christian Torres, KHN
May 16, 2012 - The Obama administration is moving forward with an ambitious, fast-moving agenda to improve the treatment
of Alzheimer’s disease and unlock a method to prevent it by 2025. The
final draft of the plan, released yesterday, also sets up a wide-ranging effort
to improve the care that Alzheimer’s patients receive and support families.
Read more, see video...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
National Plan to Fight Alzheimer’s Presented by Obama Administration
HHS Secretary outlines research funding, tools for health care providers, awareness campaign and new website
May 15, 2012 – An aggressive national plant to fight Alzheimer’s disease was released by the Obama Administration today.
The plan was called for in the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), which President Obama signed into law in January 2011. The National
Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease sets forth five goals, including the development of effective prevention and treatment approaches for
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias by 2025. Read more...
Features for Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens Recognized Nationally, Locally During Older Americans Month
Never Too Old to Play is theme for 2012; encourages seniors to be active; Census Bureau issues facts about senior citizens
May 15, 2012
- When Older Americans Month was established in 1963, only 17 million living Americans had reached their 65th birthdays, according to the
Administration on Aging. About a third of older Americans lived in poverty and there were few programs to meet their needs. In April of 1963,
President John F. Kennedy met with representatives of the National Council of Senior Citizens to discuss growing concern about older Americans
– a result was the start "Senior Citizens Month" each May. Read
more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Increasing Numbers of U.S. Seniors Face Threat of Hunger
Finds 10-Year Study
Majority of older Americans facing hunger have incomes above the poverty line and are white
May 14,
2012 – The threat of hunger for U.S. seniors increased by 78 percent from 2001 to 2010 and it is still on the increase, finds a new study. In
2010, the last year in the research, 14.8 percent of seniors – one in seven – faced the threat of hunger. This translates into 8.3 million older
Americans. Read more...
Social Security News
Coalition Says Saving Social Security Critical to
Elderly Women, Families
‘Congress should examine the inequities that have created a poverty rate for senior women and widows that is 50% higher than
other retirees’
May
14, 2012 – Three advocacy groups joined forces to make a presentation to congressional staff today on their research examining the challenges
facing elderly women and their families and the importance of Social Security. Their report, Breaking the Social Security Glass Ceiling, proposes
initiatives to ensure Social Security benefits are adequate for all Americans, particularly for women and women of color.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Key Topics for Many Seniors Presented at American Heart Association Session
Heart attack patients treated faster at PCI hospitals, pharmacists on telemonitors help control blood pressure, physically
fit in mid-life saves money in aging, stroke patients on blood thinner warfarin can be treated with clot-busting tPA, Romney health plan made
no big difference in heart attack readmissions
May 10, 2012 - The American Heart Association's Quality of Care and Outcomes Research 2012 Scientific Sessions is off to
a running start with several research reports of interest to senior citizens presented today. These included studies that found heart attack
patients get much faster treatment if taken to a properly equipped hospital, patients getting telemonitoring support from pharmacists are more
likely to control their blood pressures, physically fit middle-aged adults have significantly lower healthcare costs as they age, and the
Romney health care bill did not improve heart attack readmission rates. Read more...
Medicare News
Medicare Perplexed: Spotlights Hospitals Where It Costs Most to Treat Patients
New Medicare figures show wide variance among hospitals around the country, even ones just a few miles apart
By Jordan Rau, Kaiser Health News
May 10, 2012 - The government has identified hundreds of hospitals whose Medicare patients are incurring especially high
bills, a first step toward using bonuses and penalties to encourage more efficient care. The new Medicare figures show wide variance among
hospitals around the country, even ones just a few miles apart. Read more...
Retirement News
Couples Retiring in 2012 Need $240,000 for Medical Bills, $20,000 More if Obamacare Overturned: Fidelity
Senior citizens relying on Social Security to pay medical bills will have only 39% of payment left for other expenses
May 10, 2012 - A 65-year-old senior couple retiring this year is estimated to need $240,000 to cover medical expenses
throughout retirement, according to the latest retiree health care costs estimate calculated by Fidelity Investments. And, if the health care
reform bill – “Obamacare” – is overturned by the Supreme Court, seniors can add another $20,000 to their costs, according to a report by
Bloomberg.com. Read more...
Senior Citizen Alerts
Combating the Rise of ‘Polypharmacy’ – Tips for Seniors on Risk of Many Medications
Each year, about one-third of seniors experience serious adverse effects as a result of drug interactions, says CVS
executive pharmacist - see video
By Papatya Tankut, vice president, CVS/Pharmacy
|
 Papatya Tankut, vice president, professional pharmacy services,
CVS |
May 9, 2012 - If you’re over the age of 60, chances are you’re taking multiple medications. In the last 10 years, the
percentage of people over 60 who take five or more medications has jumped from 22 percent to 37 percent. Right now, there are more than 30
million Americans taking five or more prescription drugs regularly, often called “polypharmacy.”
Read more, see video...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Reducing Brain Activity Improves Memory in Amnestic
Mild Cognitive Impairment
Reducing the elevated activity in the hippocampus may help to restore memory and protect the brain
May 9,
2012 – Stop thinking so much – excess brain activity may be doing more harm than good in some conditions that cause mild cognitive decline and
memory impairment. This could be a new therapeutic approach for improving memory and modifying disease progression in patients with amnestic
mild cognitive impairment. Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Elderly Women with Irregular Heart Beat at Higher Risk for Stroke Than Men
Most common anticoagulant to prevent stroke in Atrial fibrillation patients may not be as effective in women, 75 or older,
as in men
May 9, 2012 - Older women who have been diagnosed with an irregular heart beat are at higher risk of stroke than men. A
new study led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) shows that warfarin, the most common anticoagulant
therapy used to prevent stroke in patients with Atrial fibrillation (AF) may not be as effective in women, 75 years or older, as in men.
Read more...
Sex and Romance for Senior Citizens
Doctors' Advice Key in Heart Attack Victims' Return to Healthy Sex Life
Underscores need for doctors to address sex as important part of overall physical function, even after a life-threatening
event
May 9, 2012 - Older
people who were sexually active before suffering a heart attack were one and a half times more likely to recapture their sex lives if they
received guidance on the topic before leaving the hospital, a new study finds. Read
more...
Medicare News
Few Seniors Getting Medicare Wellness Visits; Few Doctors Offering Them
Survey says majority of doctors not prepared to meet demand for Medicare wellness visits; boomers stretching ability to
serve Medicare needs
May 8, 2012 – One of the key strategies for Medicare implemented by the Obama health reform bill is a shift away from
treating illness to a focus on preventing illness through efforts such as increased preventive health screening and paying doctors for
advising senior citizens on how to live healthier lives. A new national study says, however, that a majority of healthcare practices across
the country aren’t prepared to meet the demand of the 46.6 million Medicare beneficiaries who are now eligible for these wellness visits.
Read more...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Depression in Middle Age or Later Linked to Increased
Risk of Dementia
Chronic depression during the life course may be etiologically associated with an increased risk of dementia, particularly
vascular dementia
May 8, 2012 –
Depression and dementia are common in older people and often occur at the same time. A new study has determined that depressive symptoms in
midlife or in late life are associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.
Read more...
Social Security Q&A
Social Security Rep Answers Questions About Help
Paying for Medicare Drugs
Also offers information on other questions about Social Security and Medicare - people who never worked, when do payments
start,
May
3, 2012 – There may be as much as $4,000 in financial help available to people on Medicare who need help paying for their prescription drugs,
according to Oscar Garcia, Public Affairs Specialist with the Social Security Administration. He also answers questions about Social Security for
those who have never worked and when a senior’s benefit begins payments. Read
more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Older Adults with Diabetes Live Long Enough to Benefit from Interventions
‘…with the exception of patients over age 76 with the poorest health status, all showed strong survival rates’ - U-M
study
May 2, 2012 - Middle-aged and older adults with diabetes showed substantial survival rates in a new University of
Michigan Health System study of retirees. Survival rates were strong even for adults living in nursing homes or who have multiple health
issues like dementia and disabilities that make self-managed care for diabetes difficult.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Doctors Put Too Much Emphasis on Age When Choosing Which Patients to Treat
Researchers recommend considering other illnesses, as well as age, before starting treatment
By
Steve Tokar
May 2, 2012 - In a study of senior citizen patients 65 and older with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), younger
patients were more likely to receive treatment than older patients, regardless of overall health and prognosis.
Read more...
Retirement News
Many Older Americans Postponed Retirement After Great Recession
People who decided to postpone retirement also expect to leave less for their heirs, study finds
May 2, 2012 - New research on the retirement plans of a nationally representative sample of Americans age 50 and older
shows that 40 percent of older Americans postponed retirement in the wake of the Great Recession.
Read more...
Social Security News
Personal Social Security
Statements Now Available Online for Your Planning
Simple, easy to use tool for
planning your retirement with better knowledge of your Social Security account
May 1, 2012 – Your Social Security
account – or statement – is now available online to help in planning your retirement. The program is “simple” and “easy-to-use,” said
Commissioner Michael J. Astrue in making the announcement today.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Travel & Leisure
Unique New Zealand Travel Program Offers Memorable Stays for Senior Travelers
“Look After Me” treats visitors to Kiwi hospitality through vetted hosts and virtual hotel program - see video
May 5, 2012 – A unique vacation concept designed to appeal especially to senior travelers is spreading across New
Zealand. Named “Look After Me,” this new accommodation concept is connecting mature travelers with authentic Kiwi hosts to create a unique and
memorable travel experience. Read more, watch video...
Medicare News
$18 For A Baby Aspirin? Hospitals Hike Drug Costs for Some Medicare Patients
Price patient was charged for insulin during her 18 hour stay at St. Luke's
Hospital would have covered her out-of-pocket expenses for a three-month supply under her Medicare Advantage plan
By Susan Jaffe, Kaiser Health News
May 1, 2012 - Sudden chest pains landed Diane Zachor in a Duluth, Minn., hospital overnight, but weeks later she had
another shock – a $442 bill for the same everyday drugs she also takes at home, including more than a half dozen common medicines to control
diabetes, heart problems and high cholesterol. Read more...
Aging News & Information
Decision for Senior Citizen to Stop Driving Impacts Mental State, Well-Being
‘Aging is a process where so many things are lost. Part of what seniors try to hold onto
is their independence.’
May 1, 2012 - If a senior citizen’s driving raises concerns, approach the matter
compassionately to preserve the person’s dignity and keep them and others safe, recommends a geriatric specialist with the Harris County (Tx)
Hospital District. The decision to end driving for a senior can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life, affecting the person’s
mental state and overall well-being. Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Two Year Trial Finds Avastin, Lucentis Effective in Restoring Vision for Elderly with AMD
Age-related macular degeneration is leading cause of vision loss and blindness for senior citizens - see video on AMD
April 30, 2012 – At the conclusion of a two-year clinical trial, good news was reported for the treatment of age-related
macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in senior citizens. The study concluded the two widely used treatment drugs –
Avastin (bevacizumab) and Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) – are both effective in producing “a robust and lasting improvement in vision.”
Read more, see video on AMD...
Aging News & Information
Older Adults Maintain Youthful Brains by Staying Mentally, Socially Stimulated
Engagement is the secret to a brain that appears younger than its years
April 28, 2012 - Aging may seem unavoidable, but that's not necessarily so when it comes to the brain. It is what you do
in old age that matters most when it comes to maintaining a youthful brain, now what you did earlier in life, according to new research.
Read more...
Aging News & Information
Falls Too Often Fatal for Senior Citizens; Tips Offered to Prevent
Falls
Falling is the leading cause of injury-related deaths among older Americans.
April
27, 2012 - For senior citizens - those 65 and older - falling can too often be fatal. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports
that falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths among this age group, and some 40 percent of seniors fall at least once each year.
Read more...
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Senior Wii Bowlers Head to LA Thursday for California Championship
Bowling by waving a remote control at a television screen is catching on with senior citizens across the country with many
participating in National Senior League - see great video by Erickson Sports at bottom
April 25, 2012 – Thursday is a big day in the booming world of Wii bowling. Teams from across the state will be
representing their senior community in the National Senior League’s California State Championship. The Wii remotes will be swinging at Vintage
Westwood Horizons, 947 Tiverton Ave., Los Angeles. Read more, See Video...
Medicare News
Trustees Say Medicare Stable But Action Needed
to Assure Its Future
Health care reform bill added longer life to
Medicare; prescription drug program, had an average growth rate of 7.2 percent over the last 5 years
April 23, 2012 – Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as “Obamacare,” the Medicare Hospital Insurance
Trust Fund (HI) has eight years added to its life. The bad news is it is still expected to expire in 2024. Generally, the annual trustees
report to Congress finds Medicare “stable” but needs work to guarantee its future.
Read more...
Social Security News
Social Security Trust Funds’ Survival Projected to be Three Years Shorter Than Last Year
Social Security Trustees annual report to the Congress contains troubling, but not unexpected, projections about Social
Security’s finances
April 23, 2012 – The combined assets of the Social Security Trust Funds will be exhausted in 2033 – three years sooner
than projected last year by the Social Security Board of Trustees.. At that time, there will be sufficient non-interest income coming in to
pay about 75 percent of scheduled benefits they project in their annual report to Congress.
Read more...
Social Security News
AARP Says Social Security, Medicare Trustee Reports Show 'Long-Term' Challenges
2012 Reports underscore the need for a national conversation on strengthening retirement security for Americans; action
soon by Washington
April 23, 2012 – AARP’s statement on the Social Security and Medicare Trustees Reports for 2012 emphasized that there is
time for action on the looming financial crisis for senior citizens and called for a “national conversation on strengthening retirement
security,” which is a campaign it recently launched. The statement emphasized Social Security funding appears secure until 2033.
Read more...
Caregiver & Elder Care News
Fewer Antipsychotic Drugs, More Nurses Will Improve
Care, Save Money in Nursing Homes
Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing focuses on long-term care for senior citizens; The Center for Medicare Advocacy
offers ideas
April
23, 2012 - The Center for Medicare Advocacy issued a statement last week saying that huge savings in nursing facility costs, and advances in
resident care, could be achieved if facilities eliminated the inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs and provided sufficient staff to meet
resident needs. Read more...
Opining of a Cranky Old Man
Oh No! IBM CEO Is A Girl! What Will Augusta National Do? Follow Our Gang?
The little rascals of “Our Gang” could teach the boys of Augusta a thing or two about equality
By Bill Kalmar, Retiree
April
20, 2012 - Back in the 40’s, when us boys were in our formative years, so to speak, we resided in a “girl free” atmosphere, which was not
uncommon during those days. Our game playing, our bike rides, our hours of comic book reading was devoid of girls. We even had a clubhouse
that was not friendly to members of the opposite sex, who we considered having “cooties”, whatever that was.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Girls Born in 2009 Face Shorter Lives Than Their Mothers,
Blacks Increase Longevity Most
New study of longevity looks at U.S. counties, geographic influence; finds wide variance in how long people will live in
certain counties
April
20, 2012 -
Nationwide, women’s lifespans are improving at a much slower pace than men, and in hundreds of counties women are living shorter lives today
than they did two decades ago, according to new county-by-county estimates of life expectancy released yesterday by the Institute for Health
Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). Read more...
Medicare News
Seniors Get New Help to Compare Services of Home Health Care Agencies
CMS adds report on patient experiences with Medicare-certified home health care agencies to Home Health Compare
April 19, 2012 - Senior citizens just got another helpful informational tool from Medicare. Home Health Compare, an
online tool for checking the performance of home health care agencies, has added survey results on what patients say about the care they have
received from these agencies. Read more...
Social Security Q&A
Big Questions About Social Security: Age to Draw Benefit, Survivor Benefit Amount
The decision for senior citizens about early retirement is a common one; few know how survivor benefits are determined
- video on how to enroll online
April 19, 2012 – Social Security is of critical importance to most older Americans, but few really think about it until
the time comes to make a decision about when to apply for the retirement payments, which can be as early as three months before turning age
62. What a surviving spouse will receive is another question most never consider until they lose their loved one. Below are answers from a SSA
spokesperson and help on getting more information. Read more..See video
Features for Senior Citizens
Benefits.gov Has Helped 50 Million in U.S. Since Launch 10-Years Ago
Benefit Finder allows citizens to quickly find benefits they may be eligible to receive out of over 1,000 Federally-funded benefit and
assistance programs
April 18, 2012 - Over 50 million U.S. citizens – many of them senior citizens - have turned to Benefits.gov for
life-altering government assistance information since its launch in 2002, according to a statement in the monthly eNewsletter, Compass,
of the government website on its 10th anniversary. Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Positive Attitude Appears to Offer Protection from Heart Attacks, Strokes
Greater well-being related to better biological function - lower blood pressure, healthier lipid (blood fat) profiles,
normal body weight
April 17, 2012 – The most optimistic individuals had an approximately 50% reduced risk of experiencing an initial
cardiovascular event compared to their less optimistic peers, according to a new study that concludes that positive psychological well-being
appears to reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Seriously Injured More Likely to Survive if Transported to Care by Helicopter
Patients transported by ground were more likely to be discharged from level I centers to a nursing home
|
See Video |
April 17, 2012 – Speed is better, when it comes to getting badly injured adults to trauma care. A large study of the
cases involving 200,000 adults with serious injuries who were transported to trauma centers finds that those who traveled by helicopter had a
better chance of survival than those carried by ground emergency medical services.
Read more, see video...
Reverse Mortgage News for Seniors
So, What’s Your Problem with Reverse Mortgages? Industry Leader Has Answers
A leader in the reverse mortgage industry debunks myths and criticisms of the
government program for older Americans
By Michael
Branson, All Reverse Mortgage Company
April 17, 2012 - Reverse mortgages are a financial product that has received a lot of bad press over the years, leaving many people who
could potentially benefit from this type of loan with negative associations and a bad taste in their mouth.
Read more...
Caregiver & Elder Care News
Study Recommends Ways to Evaluate End of Life Care in Nursing Homes
Discussion begins about need to create end of life quality measures to inform consumers and provide nursing homes with
incentive to improve care
April 16, 2012 - While nursing homes are the place where an estimated 30 percent of Americans die, there currently exists
no way to compare which institutions do a better job at managing end of life care. A new study appearing this week in the
Journal of Palliative Medicine
is starting a discussion over the need to create end of life quality measures in order to both inform consumers and provide nursing
homes with incentive to improve care. Read more...
Senior Citizen Alerts
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Aspirin’s Ability to Prevent Cancer Gets Attention of American Cancer Society
‘Exciting opportunity to reconsider the potential role of aspirin in cancer prevention’
April 12, 2012—A new report by American Cancer Society scientists says new data showing aspirin's potential role in
reducing the risk of cancer death bring us considerably closer to the time when cancer prevention can be included in clinical guidelines for
the use of aspirin in preventative care. Read more...
Caregiver & Elder Care News
Majority of California's Medi-Cal Caregivers Live in or
Near Poverty
UCLA study finds that most lack access to health insurance, adequate food
April
11, 2012 – If you have an elderly relative living in a California and being cared for by Medi-Cal caregivers, the odds are the caregivers live
near the poverty level and have poor access to personal health care and food for themselves, says a new study from the UCLA Center for Health
Policy Research. Read more...
Senior Citizen Alerts
Sam’s Club Offers Free Memory, Brain Health Screening Saturday, April 14
Screenings targeting older people available to members and guests from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
April 10, 2012 – Everyone sometimes forgets. A certain degree of memory problems are a common part of aging. There is a
difference, however, between changes in memory and memory loss from Alzheimer's disease. One in eight adults over the age of 65 is diagnosed
with Alzheimer’s, and 20 percent of the elderly population suffers from some form of dementia.
Read more...
Medicare News
Health Care Law Cuts Red Tape, Saves $4.6 Billion for Care Providers, Health Plans
Important simplifications mean doctors can spend less time filling out forms and more time seeing patients
April 10, 2012 - A proposed rule that would save health care providers and health plans up to $4.6 billion over the next
ten years, was announced Monday by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The estimated savings were
included in a proposed rule that cuts red tape and simplifies administrative processes for doctors, hospitals and health insurance plans.
Read more...
Medicare News
Say What? Most Insurance Covers Little of the Cost of Hearing Aids
Medicare generally doesn't pay anything, though hearing loss is a common concern among senior citizens - Medicare does cover
surgery to install a
cochlear implant
By Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News
April 10, 2012 - Only a quarter of the 35 million U.S. adults
who could benefit from hearing aids actually get them, and one of the main
reasons is money. A hearing aid typically costs a few thousand dollars, sometimes much more, and most insurance plans don’t cover that.
Medicare generally doesn't pay anything, though hearing loss is a common concern among its beneficiaries. Faced with a hefty expense, many
people decide that hearing what’s going on around them is a luxury they can’t afford. Read
more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Life Expectancy May Be Driving All of Your Major Decisions
When you marry, when you divorce, how long you stay in school could be motivated by how long you expect to live
April 9, 2012 - Major decisions in life, such as marriage, divorce, abortion, having a child and seeking a university
education, may be subconsciously influenced by how long people believe they will live, according to a Queen’s University study.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Alerts
Heart Patients Warned of Using Drugs to Block ‘Flush’ from Popular Niacin Pills
Questions blocking DP1 in patients prone to cardiovascular disease, especially those taking niacin to treat cholesterol
April 9, 2012 - Niacin, or vitamin B3, is the one approved drug that increases "good" cholesterol (high density
lipoprotein, HDL) while depressing "bad" cholesterol (low density lipoprotein, LDL), and has thereby attracted much attention from patients –
seniors in particular - and physicians. Niacin keeps fat from breaking down, and so obstructs the availability of LDL building blocks.
Read more...
Medicare News
Revamping Medicare: A Guide to the Proposals, Politics and Timeline
Immediate pressure is to reduce the deficit by the end of this year to stop automatic 2 percent spending cuts from going
into effect in 2013
By Marilyn Werber Serafini, KHN Staff Writer
April 5, 2012 - Congress is unlikely to consider legislation that would fundamentally restructure Medicare until a new
Congress - and possibly a new president - are seated in 2013. But politicians have sought to tackle the growth in Medicare costs several times
in the past two years, most notably in the 2010 health care law and, then again, in last year's budget deal.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Politics
Physicians Wade Into Efforts To Curb Unnecessary Medical Treatments
Groups suggest one third of health care spending is for unnecessary treatments; Dr. Donald Berwick, the former head of
Medicare, called the campaign "a game changer."
By Julie Appleby, KHN Staff Writer
April 4, 2012 - Nine prominent physician groups today released lists of 45 common tests and treatments they say are often
unnecessary and may even harm patients. The move represents a high-profile effort by physicians to help reduce the extraordinary amount of
unnecessary treatment, said to account for as much as a third of the $2.6 trillion Americans spend on health care each year.
Read more...see video
Sex and Romance for Senior Citizens
Spanish Study of Sex Life of Elderly Finds Men Much More Active Than Women
Sex life appears to take dramatic drop after age 75 – illness, lack of partner among causes cited
April 4, 2012 - A new study published in one of the world's largest sexuality journals, the Journal of Sexual Medicine,
analyses the factors that influence sexual activity amongst elderly people in Spain. The results show that among senior citizens age 65 and
older 62.3% of men and 37.4% of women are sexually active. Read more...
