Some Dialysis Patients Give Medicare Failing Grade On Ambulance Trial
A Medicare trial aimed at averting billing fraud and waste in nonemergency ambulance service in eight states is drawing complaints from patients’ families and ambulance companies.
Buying Supplemental Insurance Can Be Hard For Younger Medicare Beneficiaries
Congress left it to states to determine whether private Medigap plans are sold to the more than 9 million disabled people younger than 65 who qualify for Medicare. The result: rules vary across the country.
Hospitals Step Up To Help Seniors Avoid Falls
Falls are the leading cause of injuries for adults older than 65, but they don’t have to happen. A number of new initiatives are designed to make seniors stronger and less likely to take a tumble.
LA Chapter Splitting From National Alzheimer’s Association
The local group is one of several regional affiliates breaking away because of fears about losing flexibility as the national group begins a consolidation effort to gain more efficiency in operations.
Baby Boomers Set Another Trend: More Golden Years In Poorer Health
Medicare faces sharp cost increases as more baby boomers reach 65, and their life expectancies grow, as well as their chronic conditions, say researchers at the University of Southern California.
Rising Obesity Puts Strain On Nursing Homes
Residences for older adults are increasingly overwhelmed, and unprepared, for huge patients, and facilities rarely accept more than a few.
Add This To Challenges Of Old Age: Keeping Your Teeth
Many seniors either resist or can’t afford regular dental care, putting them at high risk of gum disease, tooth loss and other serious health complications.
Who Are America’s Caregivers? Nearly A Quarter Are Millennials
About 40 million Americans considered themselves caregivers in 2013, according to an AARP report.
Deficiencies In End-Of-Life Care Extend Across Ethnicities
A small study in the San Francisco Bay area suggests that various ethnicities share some of the same goals when it comes to end-of-life care. Often, though, they don’t get what they want.
Fewer Medicare-Subsidized Drug Plans Means Less Choice For Low-Income Seniors
The number of Medicare plans that cover medications with a subsidy provided for low-income beneficiaries is declining in 2016 by 20 percent.
Aid-In-Dying Advocacy Group Girds For Battles After California Victory
Compassion & Choices counts on human-interest stories to shape debate as 23 states weigh aid-in-dying bills this year.
New Brain Institute Plans To Refocus Third World’s Attention On Dementia As ‘Societal Issue’
The institute, which is being launched by the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Dublin, aims to help developing countries deal with rising numbers of cases.
Doctors, Lawyers And Even The Bank Can Help Identify Elder Abuse
According to a New England Journal of Medicine research review, about 10 percent of older Americans may face some form of abuse, and primary care physicians are often positioned as the first line of defense.
It’s Never Too Soon To Plan Your ‘Driving Retirement’
Experts say families should re-think how seniors give up the car keys. Planning transportation options way ahead of time can avoid often painful conversations and confrontations.
Suing A Nursing Home Could Get Easier Under Proposed Federal Rules
Many families must sign a binding arbitration agreement when a loved one is admitted to a nursing home, pledging not to sue if something goes wrong. Proposed rules would ban that requirement.
Seniors Who Don’t Consider Switching Drug Plans May Face Steep Price Rise
For beneficiaries, staying in their current plans could prove costly so advocates urge them to check out the alternatives.
Nursing Homes’ Residents Face Health Risks From Antibiotics’ Misuse
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges homes to improve their policies in fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
Dementia Also Takes Toll On Unpaid Caregivers, Study Shows
The research shows 77 percent of those with dementia receive routine help with household tasks or personal care such as bathing and dressing. Only 20 percent of the 33 million people without dementia received similar help.
California Gov. Brown Signs Aid-in-Dying Bill Into Law
Brown said that he weighed the controversial issue carefully, and in the end decided that it would be a comfort to know the option was available if he were facing a painful, prolonged death.
