Life After 50 Expo

The Seniors Explanation !

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Brains of older people are slow because they know so much. People do not decline mentally with age, it just takes them longer to recall facts because they have more information in their brains, scientists believe.  Much like a computer struggles as the hard drive gets full, so, too, do humans take longer to access information when their brains are full.

Researchers say this slowing down process is not the same as cognitive decline.   The human brain works slower in old age, said Dr. Michael Ramscar, but only because we have stored more information over time. The brains of older people do not get weak. On the contrary, they simply know more.

Also, older people often go to another room to get something and when they get there, they stand there wondering what they came for.  It is NOT a memory problem, it is nature’s way of making older people do more exercise.

SO THERE!!


I have more friends I should send this to, but right now I can’t remember their names.   So, please forward this to your friends; they may be my friends, too.
Happy 2015!
Thanks to a dear friend for sharing this.

AARP Public Policy Institute Highlights Medicare ACOs

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In December, the AARP Public Policy Institute published an article on Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Established by the Affordable Care Act, ACOs are networks of hospitals, doctors, and other health care providers. These networks share a primary goal— to coordinate and improve the quality of, expand access to, and reduce the cost of care for beneficiaries with Original Medicare.

Medicare ACOs are unlike Medicare Advantage (MA) plans in two important ways. First, MA plans have defined provider networks and may impose utilization controls, like prior authorization, on access to particular services or prescription medicines, but ACOs do not. Beneficiaries who receive care from an ACO are encouraged to see doctors within their ACO, but have the option to seek care from any doctor that is part of Original Medicare. Second, Medicare beneficiaries proactively enroll in an MA plan. Original Medicare beneficiaries who are “attributed” to an ACO, however, may not know they are part of the ACO.

Medicare beneficiaries’ quality of care measures appear to have improved for those beneficiaries receiving care from ACOs. Citing empirical research, AARP notes that quality of care improved on multiple measures, including timely access to care, coordination between specialty and primary care, and whether the patient was offered the doctor’s visit notes at the end of an appointment.

Tai Chi Gentle but with Strong Physical Benefits

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You may be acquainted with tai chai from seeing a group of people in a park doing slow movements with their arms and legs, looking more like a synchronized ballet or modern dance than any kind of exercise you are familiar with. Yet this ancient Chinese martial art has real physical benefits—and without the physical stress that other forms of exercise, even yoga, can have on aging bodies.
Its low-impact and gentle movements put minimal pressure on your muscles and joints, and the risk of injury is low. Instead of going to a gym, you can do it anywhere, and it doesn’t require any special clothing or props (a yoga mat, for example, or exercise machine).
In fact, tai chi (pronounced “tie chee”) may be a better exercise option for older adults than strength training, even though such exercises combat the wasting effects of aging. That’s because strength training tends to stiffen arteries. A recent study in Europe compared the health of older adults who practiced tai chi and those who did not practice. Though the study did not directly test tai chi, it did find that tai chi practitioners’ large and small vessels were more flexible (“Why Tai Chi Makes Sense for the Elderly,” June 2012, Atlantic Monthly). And the more flexible the arteries the better one’s overall cardiovascular health generally is. Poor arterial flexibility is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disorders— diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels.
Although most people no longer use it as a martial art, you can think of tai chi as a way to fight back against the effects of aging: losing flexibility, balance and muscle strength.
What Is Tai Chi?
The centuries-old Chinese martial art is descended from qigong, an ancient Chinese discipline that has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine. It is based on the concept of qi — an energy force thought to flow through the body — and yin and yang — opposing elements thought to make up the universe and that need to be kept in harmony. Tai chi is said to unblock and encourage the proper flow of qi and to promote the yin-yang balance.
Both yoga and tai chi are said to have meditative benefits. But unlike yoga, another Eastern form of exercise in which you hold a pose, tai chi involves a series of slow, continuous and meditative body movements that incorporate a series of motions named for animal actions—for example, “white crane spreads its wings” — or martial arts moves, such as “box both ears.” As you move, you breathe deeply and naturally, focusing your attention—as in some forms of meditation—on your bodily sensations.

Tai chi differs from other types of exercise in other respects. Its movements are usually circular and never forced, the muscles are relaxed rather than tensed, the joints are not fully extended or bent, and connective tissues are not stretched. Tai chi can be easily adapted for anyone, from the fittest athletes to people confined to wheelchairs.
Often described as “meditation in motion,” tai chi, like yoga, demands concentration, so breathing and movement are coordinated. Many tai chi proponents say this promotes calm feelings and thus a reduction in stress. Others say tai chi interweaves the mind and body into one.
Benefits of Tai Chi
In China, it is believed that tai chi can delay aging and prolong life, increase flexibility, strengthen muscles and tendons, and aid in the treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, digestive disorders, skin diseases, depression, cancer and other illnesses. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a significant amount of scientific evidence to support all of these claims but several small studies show a positive connection between tai chi and many chronic diseases. Most of the studies offer tai chi as an intervention for a short duration, and long-term results or benefits of tai chi may vary by individual over time.
Balance and flexibility. Most of the research on the impacts of tai chi on older adults has studied balance and fall prevention. This is especially pertinent to older adults because fall-related injuries are the leading cause of death from injury and disabilities among older adults, as well as the leading cause of loss of independence and need for long-term care. Because tai chi often involves shifting weight from one leg to the other, it can increase both balance and leg strength in older adults. One researcher says that tai chi strengthens weak muscles in legs and improves the ability of ankles to flex on uneven surfaces, and repeated movements improve reaction time. Tai chai also counteracts the loss of balance as we get older, because it improves the sense of one’s physical position in space (known as proprioception).
In one study, adults in their 60s and 70s who practiced tai chi three times a week improved, after six weeks, their balance, muscular strength, endurance and flexibility. Another study compared men age 65 and older who had more than 10 years of tai chi with similar-aged who were sedentary and found that the men who did tai chi performed better on tests of balance, flexibility and cardiovascular function. Another study involving people with mild balance disorders found that eight weeks of tai chi training significantly improved function on a standard balance test.
Even people with Parkinson’s disease found improved balance and function after 20 to 24 tai chi sessions, according to two studies.
To help older adults improve their balance, the National Institute on Aging includes tai chi in its Go4Life exercise program as a lower-body strength exercise.
Heart disease. In a study at Harvard Medical School, 12 weeks of tai chi reduced blood levels of B-type natriuretic protein, an indicator of heart failure, and improved participants’ ability to walk and quality of life. Another study suggests that tai chi may improve quality of life, mood and exercise confidence in people with chronic heart failure.

Cancer. A 2008 study at the University of Rochester found that quality of life and functional capacity (including aerobic capacity, muscular strength and flexibility) improved in women with breast cancer who did 12 weeks of tai chi, while declining in a control group that received only supportive therapy.
“It does not cure cancer, but restores function, strength and energy, helps people deal with symptoms, and improves resiliency,” says Dr. Yang Yang, who works with cancer patients at the Integrative Medicine Center of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (quoted in Senior Planet).
Cognitive aid. Studies show that among people with early dementia or mild cognitive impairment, exercises such as tai chi can have positive effects on cognitive performance and memory, says Dr. Peter Wayne, co-author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart & Sharp Mind.
“Tai chi can not only reduce stress and depression, but also relieve pain, build strength, and improve cognitive function, perhaps even delaying dementia” says Wayne, who is director of research at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, jointly based at the Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston (“Tai Chi for Older Newbies,” Senior Planet).
Walking. One study found that individuals who practiced tai chi walked significantly more steps than individuals who did not; this is good news for older adults whose walking speed decreases with age.
Aerobic capacity. After reviewing seven studies focusing on the effects of tai chi on aerobic capacity in older adults, researchers found that individuals who practiced tai chi for one year had higher aerobic capacity than sedentary individuals around the same age.
Muscle strength. Stanford University researchers tested women and men, average age 66, who had below-average fitness and at least one cardiovascular risk factor. After taking 36 tai chi classes in 12 weeks, they improved in both lower-body strength (measured by the number of times they could rise from a chair in 30 seconds) and upper-body strength (measured by their ability to do arm curls).
Arthritis. A Tufts University study found that an hour of tai chi twice a week for 12 weeks reduced pain and improved mood and physical functioning more than standard stretching exercises in people with severe knee osteoarthritis.
Low bone density. A review of six controlled studies by Dr. Wayne and other Harvard researchers indicates that tai chi may be a safe and effective way to maintain bone density in postmenopausal women.
Hypertension. A review of 26 studies in English or Chinese found that, in 85 percent of trials, tai chi could decrease blood pressure.
Sleep. In a University of California—Los Angeles study of healthy older adults with moderate sleep complaints, 16 weeks of tai chi improved the quality and duration of sleep significantly more than standard sleep education.

 

Stroke. A study conducted at the University of Illinois compared patients who had suffered a stroke at least six months earlier. In the 12th week of the tai chi program, participants demonstrated improved standing balance.

 

Sources
“How the Ancient Martial Art of T’ai Chi Is Prolonging Seniors’ Lives,” Fight Ageism
“Tai Chi for Older Newbies,” Senior Planet
“Introduction to tai chi,” Medicine Net
“Tai Chi Exercises Both Mind and Body,” Web MD
“The health benefits of tai chi,” Harvard Health Publications
“The 12 Benefits of Tai Chi for Seniors,” March 2010, Inside Elder Care
Reprinted by Always Best Care Senior Services with permission from
Senior Spirit, the newsletter of the Society of Certified Senior Advisors
The Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) program provides the advanced knowledge and practical tools to serve seniors at the highest level possible while providing recipients a powerful credential that increases their competitive advantage over other professionals.  The CSA works closely with Always Best Care Senior Services to help ABC business owners understand how to build effective relationships with seniors based on a broad-based knowledge of the health, social and financial issues that are important to seniors, and the dynamics of how these factors work together in seniors’ lives.  To be a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) means one willingly accepts and vigilantly upholds the standards in the CSA Code of Professional Responsibility. These standards define the behavior that we owe to seniors, to ourselves, and to our fellow CSAs. The reputation built over the years by the hard work and high standards of CSAs flows to everyone who adds the designation to their name.  For more information, visit www.society-csa.com.

U.S. Senators Reflect on the Continued Importance of Medicare and Medicaid after 50 Years

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Last week, Senator Ron Wyden, on behalf of 45 fellow Senators, submitted to the Congressional record a resolution commemorating the 50thanniversary of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The resolution states, “…as a result of President [Lyndon] Johnson’s call to action and Congress’ bipartisan initiative that created the Medicare program, 54,000,000 seniors and people with disabilities have access to guaranteed health care benefits.”

The resolution also highlights 50 years of work in Congress to protect and improve the Medicare program for all current and future beneficiaries, and states that all future efforts should “build upon President Johnson’s vision ‘to assure the availability of and accessibility to the best healthcare to all Americans, regardless of age or geography or economic status.’ ”

Sen. Wyden reflects on the importance of Medicare and Medicaid and recalls why these programs were created. Fifty years ago less than half of older Americans had health insurance, and “many aging Americans without family to care for them ended up destitute, without necessary health care, or on the street.”

Sen. Wyden concludes, “…that despite sharp differences and partisanship, the Congress of Johnson’s day was able to rise above that culture and those challenges to find agreement and make America a much better place. As this new Congress begins, I hope we can use that 50-year-old spirit to strengthen, protect and improve Medicare and Medicaid to keep the guarantee strong and ensure health care to those who need it most.”

Dear Marci,

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Dear Marci,

Can you give me a brief summary of any major changes to Medicare in 2015? I have read information in a few different places, but I want to make sure I am not missing anything at the start of the New Year.

– Ruth (Wilmington, DE)

Dear Ruth,

In 2015, Medicare benefits and costs will remain stable, although some small changes occurred when the year began. For example, Original Medicare costs mostly stayed the same. For Part B, the monthly premium and deductible will remain the same in 2015. You can expect to continue paying $104.90 per month for your Part B premium. The deductible remains at $147. Additionally, if you pay a higher Part B premium due to income adjustments (called IRMAA), these premiums remain the same as well.

For Part A, most people do not need to pay a monthlypremium because they have or their spouse has worked in the United States for 10 years or more. If you have worked in the U.S. for 7.5 to 10 years, you pay a premium of $224 per month for Part A in 2015. If you have worked in the U.S. for less than 7.5 years, you pay a premium of $407 per month for Part A. The Part Adeductible is $1,260 in 2015. Once you meet this deductible, days 1-60 spent as a hospital inpatient in each benefit period still have a $0 copayment in 2015. Remember, a benefit period begins the day you enter the hospital as an inpatient. It ends when you have not received inpatient hospital or skilled nursing facility care for 60 days in a row. Days 61-90 as a hospital inpatient have a daily copayment of $315. Your copayment during your 60 lifetime reserve days is $630. Remember, these days can only be used once in your lifetime; they are non-renewable.

It is important to know that to the costs listed above relate to Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage planscan change their premiums, copayments, and deductibles, as well as their plans, from year to year. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, confirm your cost sharing amounts for 2015 directly with your plan. Remember, your Medicare Advantage plan’s networks and list of covered drugs (formulary) may have changed in the new year as well. You should also confirm these changes with your plan. If you find that you are dissatisfied with any changes in your Medicare Advantage plan for 2015, you can use the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period (MADP) to switch to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan. Going from a Medicare Advantage plan to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan is the only change you can make during this time. Remember, the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period occurs each year from January 1 to February 14.

As with Medicare Advantage, make sure you understand any other changes to your Part D plan’s costs, pharmacy networks, and formulary. Contact your plan directly to get their information. If your plan changes its coverage of a drug you took in 2014, it must provide you with a 30-day transition supply of this medication during the first 90 days of 2015.

In 2015, your costs and coverage for your Part D plan may have changed. Medicare beneficiaries with Part D plans pay less in 2015 when they hit the coverage gap, also called the doughnut hole. In 2015, you enter the doughnut hole after your total drug costs reach $2,960. Once you are in the doughnut hole, you pay 45% of the cost for brand-name drugs, and 65% of the cost for generic drugs. You exit the doughnut hole and enter catastrophic coverage once you have spent $4,700 in out-of-pocket costs. Remember, the Affordable Care Act is closing the doughnut hole in Medicare Part D plans and ensures that beneficiaries pay no more than 25 percent of the costs of their prescription drugs throughout the year by 2020.

-Marci