Life After 50 Expo

Medicare Reminder !

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Many people are confused about which part of Medicare will cover their drugs. To answer this question, follow these general rules of thumb:

  • Part A will continue to cover the drugs you need during a Medicare-covered stay in a hospital or skilled nursing facility.
    Note: If you are getting skilled nursing care that is not covered by the Part A benefit, your drugs may be covered by the Medicare drug benefit (Part D) (if you are enrolled in a Medicare private drug plan).
  • Part B will continue to cover drugs administered by your doctor or at a dialysis facility, but the doctor or facility has to buy the drugs themselves. Part B also covers a limited number of outpatient prescription drugs, mainly certain oral cancer drugs (chemotherapy). Outpatient drugs previously paid for by Part B will continue to be paid for by Part B. Part D (see below) cannot pay for any drugs that are covered by Part B.
  • Part D covers outpatient drugs through Medicare private drug plans. If you join a Medicare private drug plan (Part D), it should cover most of the prescriptions your doctor writes for you to fill at the drug store. Check to see if your Medicare private drug plan includes the drugs you need on its list of covered drugs (formulary).

While some drugs are covered only by Part B, there are a few drugs that can be covered by either Part B or Part D depending on the circumstances.

Is breaking diet rules healthy ?

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Getting a healthy body through weight loss is great!  But what about all those rules you run into on lots of diets?

When you want to lose weight, their might be a number of rules you will want to follow in order to shed the pounds as quickly as possible That said, some rules just don’t work. No matter how great they sound or how many experts can show you the results following these rules will bring you, there are a number that should just be broken, at least some of the time. When you know which weight loss rules to break, you have a better chance of losing the weight you’d like to lose and keeping it off.

First, certain items used to “motivate” you simply won’t work. Although having a size 2 pair to jeans in your closet might seem like a good way to motivate yourself towards your weight loss goals, for most people this is just depressing and frustrating, especially if you’re a size 10 currently. Get rid of anything that does not fit. Also, stop weighing yourself every day. As you exercise, you’ll build muscle, which weighs much more than fat.

Another weight loss rule to break is the one that says you should cut out all of the junk food in your life. If you are currently drinking a six-pack every night or eating fast food every day, suddenly stopping this behavior won’t last long. When the cravings kick in, you’ll simply be too frustrated to continue with any diet. Instead, break this rule. Cut back on your calories and watch what you eat, but allow yourself to have sweets and other bad food a few times a week, gradually continuing to cut back until you don’t need those foods any longer.

Also, if a diet tells you to completely cut out one food group or another in general, break the rules. You need proteins, even if you are a vegetarian. You need carbohydrates, even if you do go on the Atkins diet. You even need fats, even if you are overweight. All the nutrients in your body have to work together on a daily basis to regulate your body’s function, and cutting out completely one link to that chain will ruin your entire health. Instead, learn which foods to eat in moderation and follow that rule instead.

Don’t be afraid to question weight loss rules that you come across. It is simply better to do that than to follow rules that you’re likely to break or that you don’t understand. Not all rules are good for your body, and that’s what weight loss should be—a healthy new lifestyle change. Talk to your doctor for more information on rules you should break.

Alzheimer’s / Dementia Depression Seniors / Aging Group activities reduced depressive symptoms among older people with dementia

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Both a high-intensity functional exercise program and a non-exercise group activity, conducted among older care facility residents with dementia, reduced high levels of depressive symptoms. However, exercise had no superior effect on depression, according to a dissertation from Umeå University.

“Unfortunately, depression is common among older people, especially in people with dementia,” says Gustaf Boström, doctoral student at the Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation and author of the dissertation. “Treatment with antidepressant drugs is often ineffective in older people and people with dementia. In addition, the risk of drug-related side effects increases with higher age and poor health, which is yet another reason to find other treatments.”

In his dissertation, Gustaf Boström investigated whether 45 minutes of high-intensity exercise, every other weekday for four months, had a better effect on depressive symptoms than a seated group activity, performed with the same duration and frequency, in older people with dementia. The exercise programme included balance- and leg strengthening exercises that mimicked everyday movements, e.g. rising up from a chair, step up and down from a step board, or walking on a path with obstacles. Participants in the seated group conversed, sang, or listened to readings, all with varying themes such as season, wild animals or well-known authors. There was no difference in effect between activities, but high levels of depressive symptoms were reduced in both groups.

“Previous studies have shown that people with dementia at residential care facilities have few social interactions, which can negatively affect a person’s well-being. The positive effects could therefore be the results of social interactions in these kinds of group activities. However, more research is needed to confirm this,” says Gustaf Boström.

 

Survey Highlights Prescription Drug Use Among Older Adults!

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This week, AARP released the results of a survey that examined consumers’ prescription drug use and opinions regarding cost. The survey captured common struggles consumers face with the cost of prescription drugs and consumer views on legal strategies to reduce prescription drug costs.

The online survey reached over 1,800 adults over the age of 50. Among survey respondents, 75 percent of take a prescription medication on a regular basis, with an even higher percentage for those ages 65 and older. Of these, over 80 percent take at least two prescription drugs and over 50 percent take four or more. African American and low-income individuals tend to take more medications.

Nearly 30 percent reported that out-of-pocket prescription drug costs are increasing, and 33 percent had a monthly expenditure of $50 or more. Over four in ten adults age 50 and older are concerned about being able to afford their medication. About one-quarter (23 percent) of those surveyed did not fill a prescription they were given within the last two years, and over 55 percent of those reported that cost contributed to the decision not to obtain the medication.

Most adults age 50 and older reported that prescription drugs are too expensive and most say it is important for policymakers  to support efforts to make prescription drugs more affordable. For instance, three-quarters of survey respondents thought that there should be more government regulation limiting the cost of prescription drugs.

Does Aging Affect Our Sense of Smell ?

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An individual’s sense of smell can decrease as they get older, but these changes are not noticeable right away. It is important for people to protect their sense of smell because it plays an important role in alerting them to danger such as spoiled food, gas leaks, and smoke from a fire. Smell disorders can also be indicative of other health conditions. To protect the sense of smell, the National Institute of Health (NIH) Senior Health recommends the following:

  1. Treat sinus and nasal conditions. Swollen sinuses and nasal passages may contribute to a decreased sense of smell.
  2. Avoid head injuries, and seek treatment if you suffer such an injury. Head injuries can lessen an individual’s sense of smell.
  3. Avoid exposure to toxic chemicals. Wear a respirator when using paints and insecticides.
  4. Treat other conditions. Individuals with diabetes, thyroid abnormalities, or certain vitamin deficiencies may experience a loss of smell or taste.