A Practical To-Do List For Family Caregivers
In order to maximize the important role they play, family caregivers must be proactive in speaking up, planning and documenting their ability to meet their loved one’s health care needs.
Judith Graham
Judith Graham was a contributing columnist for KFF Health News until January 2025.
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Column
Key Steps Can Help Patients Recover From A Stay In The ICU
Chances of recovering after an ICU stay rise when families keep patients oriented, stay on top of care plans and encourage seniors to get moving.
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COLUMN
How To Fight For Yourself At The Hospital — And Avoid Readmission
This new column explains what older adults and their families can do to avoid hospital readmission.
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Medicaid, Private Insurers Begin To Lift Curbs On Pricey Hepatitis C Drugs
Over the past few months, Massachusetts, Florida, New York, Delaware and Washington have lifted restrictions on the expensive medications, and private insurers around the country are also making the changes.
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New Insurance Policies Must Cover Mental Illness
Anyone who buys a plan through the new online marketplaces will find mental health services covered as one of 10 "essential health benefits."
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Pittsburgh Researchers Look For Ways To Prevent Depression In Seniors
The study is examining whether offering support for older adults with chronic illnesses, pain and cognitive problems can stave off the serious mental health issues.
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Getting Help For Depression Is Important
Recommended interventions for seniors include prescription drugs, problem-solving therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and interpersonal therapy.
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Minnesota Ranked Best State For Seniors
Mississippi, Oklahoma are least healthy states for people over 65, according to a United Health Foundation analysis of 34 measures of health.
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Kidney Sharing System May Change To Better Accomodate Older Patients
The United Network for Organ Sharing system for allocating kidneys is considering ranking the ages of donors and potential recipients. Kidneys with the lowest expected survival would be distributed more widely across the country, a move that would help older patients whose life expectancy is limited.
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Kidney Donation Over Age 70? Desperate Patients Saying, ‘Yes, Please’
While most of the nation's kidney transplant centers don't have an upper age limit for recipients, more than three-quarters don't accept the organs from people older than 70. Some doctors and patients are pushing to change that.
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Mayo Clinic Seeks To Extend Its Reach With Series Of Affiliations Around The Country
The Minnesota-based medical center once looked to grow by building facilities outside its region but now is focusing on cooperative agreements with other hospitals.
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Ohio Medicaid Program Raises Stakes For Nursing Homes
The state sets the largest financial incentive program in the country, tying about 10 percent of reimbursements to facilities' meeting quality standards.
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Medicare Studying Plans To Pay Nursing Homes Based On Quality
The 2010 health law directs the health program for seniors to create an incentive pay program for nursing homes.
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U.S. Should Make ‘Life-Long Homes’ A Priority, Says Henry Cisneros
Former HUD secretary helps lay out plans for independent living in "an aging America" in a new book.
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Some Patients Can Choose To Be Hospitalized At Home
These innovative programs -- available in only a few areas -- allow some chronically ill patients to skip the hospital and opt instead for similar care at home.
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Doctors And Insurers Are Key To Fighting Obesity
IOM report says physicians need to be more rigorous in dealing with patients' weight, and insurers should reverse stingy reimbursement policies and help develop evidence-based programs that can help curb the epidemic.
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War On Smoking Offers Some Lessons For Obesity Fight
But the scope of the nation's weight problem is much more extensive than tobacco ever was and public health campaigns must address issues as complex as food and beverage choices, television viewing, exercise routines and even the design of cities.
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