Features for Senior Citizens

Hospital Report Cards are Growing on the Web, But Can You Use Them to Make a Choice

May not be perfect, but they can offer clues to the care you might receive

By Becky Ham, Science Writer, Health Behavior News Service

Oct. 10, 2008 - Consumers are awash in information they can use to find the best deals on everything from dishwashers to car insurance. But is it possible to comparison shop for a hospital? Read more...

Health & Medicine for Senior Citizen

Surgery to Prevent Strokes in Patients Age 80 and Older Now Considered Safe

As elderly population surges, it’s crucial to identify ways to limit the devastating strokes

Oct. 10, 2008 - New research published in the October issue of Journal of the American College of Surgeons challenges the current opinion that patients in their eighties, who are often deemed "high-risk" due to their advanced age, should not undergo carotid endarterectomy – a stroke-preventing surgical procedure that clears blockages from the neck's carotid arteries. Read more...

Medicare Drug Program News

Medicare Drug Plan Data for 2009 Now Available Online for Senior Citizens to View Options

Open enrollment is Nov. 15 through Dec. 31 – Links below to key information at Medicare

	Links below story to Medicare

Oct. 10, 2008 – The data on the Medicare Part-D prescription drug plans for 2009 has now been loaded into the computers and senior citizens can begin exploring their options for the new year. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has been relentless in warning seniors that the cost of their current plan may increase significantly in 2009 and it is important they explore all the options, including other drug plans or Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage. (See below story for help in finding information at Medicare) Read more...find links to Medicare data

In ‘Sweetie’ and ‘Dear,’ a Hurt for the Elderly New York Times writer John Leland looks at the consequences of “elderspeak” in article published October 6, 2008 Bea Howard, 77, of Berkeley, Calif., said she had been ignored by restaurant workers while dining with a younger friend. Professionals call it elderspeak, the sweetly belittling form of address that has always rankled older people: the doctor who talks to their child rather than to them about their health; the store clerk who assumes that an older person does not know how to work a computer, or needs to be addressed slowly or in a loud voice. Then there are those who address any elderly person as “dear.” “People think they’re being nice,” said Elvira Nagle, 83, of Dublin, Calif., “but when I hear it, it raises my hackles.” >> Read the full story…

Reverse Mortgage News for Seniors

Real Estate Scammers are Using Reverse Mortgage Program to Flip Depressed Homes

Senior citizen gets a free house, scammers get the money, but senior can’t afford the home

Oct. 9, 2008 - There is a new scam involving reverse mortgages that everyone needs to be aware of because it doesn’t affect just senior citizen borrowers, according to Cliff Auerswald of All Reverse Mortgage Company. It seems that in their effort to find new ways to beat the system, there are some who are looking for ways to use senior borrowers and reverse mortgages to flip properties. Read more...

Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors

Dementia Won’t Improve for Older People by Taking Procaine but Health Might Suffer

A topical anesthetic, normally, procaine has been touted as anti-aging drug that might prevent or even reverse dementia

Oct. 9, 2008 - Procaine, a medication that is normally used as a topical anesthetic , has been touted as an anti-aging drug that might prevent or even reverse dementia. A new Cochrane Review, however, suggests that the risks of bad side effects outweigh any benefit. Procaine is also known as novocaine. Read more...

Medicare Drug Program News

More Than a Million Low-Income Seniors Being Moved to New Medicare Drug Plans

Avalere Health says low-income beneficiaries will again see choices shrink in 2009

Oct. 9, 2008 – More than 1.3 million low-income senior citizens will find themselves automatically reassigned to new drug plans for 2009, according an analysis by Avalere Health, which says there will be fewer options for low-income Medicare beneficiaries trying to choose a Part D drug plan. Avalere notes this is a trend that has increased every year since the drug benefit began. Read more...

Medicare Drug Program News

Senior Citizen May Get a Shock When They See Medicare Drug Plan Premiums for 2009

	Kerry Weems, CMS

Medicare administrator urges every senior to check their plan and other options

By Tucker Sutherland, editor, SeniorJournal.com

Oct. 8, 2008 – Senior citizens may be in for a big surprise if they just renew their Medicare Part D drug plan this year, without checking the details – like the premium, co-pays and deductibles. The cost for 2009 may be substantially higher than it was in 2008. This seemed to be the message being delivered today by Kerry Weems, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in a telephone news conference. Read more...

Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors

Vitamin C May Help Old Men Maintain Stronger Bones, Fight Osteoporosis

Did not see significant effects of vitamin C intake on bone in old women

By Rosalie Marion Bliss, ARS

Oct. 8, 2008 - Findings from a new study suggest vitamin C may be protective against bone loss in older men. Researchers funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) reported the findings in the October issue of the Journal of Nutrition. Read more...

Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health

Forgetting an Appointment or Name of Friend is Not Necessarily the Beginning of Dementia

Maybe there are just too many things to remember for the size of your brain

Oct. 8, 2008 – Most older people that occasionally struggle to remember the name of a friend or totally forget an appointment are quick to conclude this embarrassment is caused by aging - the early signs of dementia. They may be wrong, according to a study published yesterday in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, which finds this happens to people without dementia, too. Read more...

Elder Care News

End-of-Life Discussions with Physicians Produce Benefits for Patients and Caregivers

Knowing death is near allows patients, caregivers and physicians to focus on clarifying patient priorities and managing pain

Oct. 7, 2008 - Terminally ill patients who had end-of-life discussions with physicians had a better quality of life near death, compared to patients who did not have these discussions, according to a study in the October 8 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association. These patients also received less aggressive medical care in their final week of life and were not more likely to experience emotional distress. Read more...Video link in story.

Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens

New Physical Activity Guidelines Say Seniors Should Try to Keep Up with Younger Adults

Adults – including senior citizens – need two and a half hours a week of aerobic physical activity, says Health & Human Services

Oct. 7, 2008 – Adults  - even senior citizens – need two and a half hours a week of moderate aerobic physical activity, which will return substantial health benefits, according to the new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which were released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Read more...

Medicare News

Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors

Red Wine Lowers Lung Cancer Risk in Older Men, Especially Smokers

Two percent lower lung cancer risk with each glass of red wine consumed per month

Oct. 7, 2008 – Moderate drinking of red wine may lower the risk of lung cancer in older men, particularly if they are smokers, according to a report in the October issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention¸ a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Read more...

Features for Senior Citizens

Gay, Lesbian Senior Citizen Organization to Hear AARP President at National Conference

Ad campaign

SAGE launches new ad campaign: "There’s no expiration date on a full and active life.”

Oct. 7, 2008 – The leading organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender senior citizens kicked off a new advertising campaign in New York yesterday, and today announced the program for the Fourth National Conference on LGBT Aging, which will be sponsored this year by AARP and MetLife. Read more...

Health & Medicine for Senior Citizen

Colon Cancer Testing Should Continue Consistently Through Age 75, Task Force Says

U.S. Preventative Services Task Force issues new guidelines on how, when to test for colorectal cancer

Oct. 7, 2008 - New findings from a Decision Analysis for the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) suggest that routine colorectal cancer screenings can be stopped in patients over the age of 75. The results are based on patients who began screenings at age 50 and have had consistently negative screenings up to the age of 75 resulting from annual screening with sensitive Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT), ten yearly colonoscopies, or five yearly sigmoidoscopies with a mid-interval sensitive FOBT. Read more...

Health & Medicine for Senior Citizen

New Guidelines to Reduce Internal Bleeding Risks Issued for Taking Antiplatelet with NSAID

Medical groups join to improve patient safety when taking the most widely used class of medications in U.S.

Oct. 6, 2008 – The good news is that Americans continue to live longer. The bad news is the longer we live the more medical challenges we face. New guidelines were released today for reducing the risk of ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding among those senior citizens using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) along with antiplatelet agents. Read more...

Health & Medicine for Senior Citizen

Women Should Have Breast Exams at Least Until Age 85, Says Breast Cancer Expert

More than half of breast cancers are found in women 65 or older, 45% diagnosed after age 70, death more likely when found late

Oct. 6, 2008 - Despite recent examples of young and middle-aged celebrities being diagnosed with breast cancer, more than half of breast cancers happen in women over age 65. Concerned that many older women are not taking the threat of breast cancer to themselves seriously, an expert at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center is urging seniors to continue annual breast screening at least until age 85. Read more...(also link to video)