TSA Help for Those with Disabilities and Medical Conditions

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a new toll-free helpline number, 855-787-2227, to provide information for passengers with disabilities and medical conditions and their families before they fly. 

They recommend calling 72 hours in advance to learn what to expect at security checkpoints. 

They will also be able to coordinate your security screening ahead of time when they know about your disability.

Nursing Home Quality Improving (VIDEO)

Here's a Good Nursing Home Story

The following is a guest blog by Linda Dickey.

After 15 years of widowhood, at 89, my mom sold her condo in Lake Worth, FL, and moved to a rental apartment in a nearby retirement facility. For a few months, everything seemed to be fine. Then she had a sudden onset physical problem that meant she needed full-time help with walking, bathing, and so on. Because she had excellent long-term care insurance, she was able to have a caregiver with her 12 hours a day. But it soon seemed that there was more than a physical problem: Her mind was going, too.

A few months after moving, Mom was diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s Disease. My sister and I were soon aware that she’d been hiding the symptoms for a while (one glance at her checkbook told the tale). Now we knew why she’d sold her condo. We had to take action. Her mental condition was deteriorating rapidly, way faster than her physical condition. Her doctor advised us to line up a skilled nursing facility and move her quickly; she’d need 24-hour care soon, and change becomes progressively harder for AD patients.

My guilt over not having Mom come live with me was pretty bad, but I worked full time and had other responsibilities as well; my sister’s situation was similar. So we decided that Mom would come to live in a highly recommended nursing home near where I live in New York City, and with her caregiver’s help, explaining as much to Mom as she could reasonably understand, we managed to move her north.

At this point, from the way she acted, we thought she was close to death. The nursing home told us the average stay was about two years, but the nurse who evaluated her for admission thought she’d never make it that long.

The actual move was a challenge in itself, but we did it. Then the amazing thing happened: Mom got better. She still had AD, but, because the nursing home provided a variety of social interactions—with CNAs, doctors, nurses, recreation pros, physical therapists, and most of all, other residents, her symptoms receded. She couldn’t play bridge as she once did, but she became a Bingo star (winning nickels made her giddy). She did artwork. She enjoyed concerts and religious services. She made friends.

We got better, too: Our worries about Mom’s physical safety were over, and she was back in our lives again. I visited daily after work and the rest of the family came very often. With all the attention, she’d become her extroverted self once again. She remembered things she’d so long forgotten I had never heard about them: stories from her childhood more than 85 years earlier. The narrative of her wedding day. The names of her childhood neighbors.

She lived five years in the nursing home, long enough to meet and enjoy her great granddaughter—and those years were among the best of our relationship. I really enjoyed visiting her; she was so glad to see me. She’d lost her critical side. She was truly grateful for all the care she got—so the staff loved her. In her case, AD was a blessing in a beastly disguise.

I hope I’m as lucky.

Nursing Home Quality Improving

New government health data shows that quality in America’s skilled nursing centers is improving, while scores for facilities receiving the lowest rankings are on the decline.

Examining over 15,000 facilities, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reported that its Five-Star Rating System (Five-Star) for skilled nursing care centers showed the proportion of both 4- and 5-Star centers has increased 4% and 4.1% respectively. Alternatively, the proportion of 1-Star facilities is down 7%. Both staffing and quality improved.

“The long term and post-acute care profession has improved in nearly all meaningful quality measures in recent years, including staff and customer satisfaction,” said Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of the American Health Care Association. “We’re excited about this positive trend, and will continue to work with CMS to do more in these critical areas.”

A Five-Star score is a composite rating based on scores in three domains – Staffing, Quality Measures (QM) and Health Inspections – with a score of five stars serving as the best ranking.

• Staffing –5-Star nursing centers have increased slightly by 1.7%; the number of 1-Star facilities is down by 9%.
• Quality Measures – There was a 6% increase in 5-Star centers and a 9% drop in 1-Star rated facilities.
• In 2011, 16% of nursing homes received a 5-Star Rating; 27% a 4-Star; 41% a 2 or 3-Star Rating; and 16% received a 1-Star Rating.
• Non-Profits performed better particularly in the staffing category.
• Data suggests the smaller the size of the home, the better the rating.

Expect more data to be added to the Nursing Home Compare site in the future. Obviously, the increased transparency is good for consumers in choosing a nursing home. So I encourage you to go to Nursing Home Compare as one of your first stops in evaluating a nursing home for a loved one.

Reasons to Take an Online Course After Retirement (VIDEO)

Drunk Driving Infographic

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Poor Senior Oral Health : Why It happens (VIDEO)

101-Year-Old Paraglider

Top 3 Reasons to Take an Online Course after Retirement

The following is a guest post by Maria Rainier.

(Editor's Note: I thank Maria for calling attention to lifelong learning. The seniors I spend time with and who lead a quality life incorporate this philosophy in their daily lives.)

We all know that learning doesn’t stop once our traditional schooling ends. If that were the case, anyone in retirement now would have stopped learning anything new over thirty years ago. And learning certainly doesn’t stop once your time in the working world has ended, either. So, what do you do when your daily habits have changed, but your mind is still craving engagement? One of the best ways to cure your intellectual cravings is to take an online course in a subject you love. Many retirees may see going back to school as an unnecessary time-constraint, but there are plenty of reasons taking an online course or two can meet your schedule and intellectual interests perfectly. Here are a few of the top reasons every recent retiree should consider trying an online course:

1. Learn from Anywhere in the World

There is no need to worry about driving to campus locations, being late for classes, or dealing with younger (i.e. less… mature) fellow students in person when you take an online course. Students can access course documents, communicate with students, submit homework, listen to lectures, and participate in course discussion at any time, from anywhere with an internet connection. Most online students are able to determine their own study schedules and are not required to be online at particular times, as long as they get their required work finished on time. This means you won’t have to curb travel plans or limit yourself to courses available only in your area.

2. Fulfill a Lifelong Goal

There are things that each and every one of us has always wanted to do or learn about but just never had the time. This is the perfect opportunity to fulfill goals you thought you may have never been able to meet. Have you always wanted to learn Chinese or become an art history buff? Or maybe you’ve always wondered what it would be like to flex your old science muscles, but have spent your entire working life doing sales. Online courses have expanded to include pretty much any discipline you can think of, so why not try your hand at a lifelong dream?

3. Stimulate your Mind

Just like any other muscle, if our brains are not active, they begin to weaken and eventually shut down. Optimal brain health is one of the most important factors in full-body health over the course of our later years, so it’s helpful to figure out as many ways to stimulate the brain as possible. You can break out of your old habits (or at least add a few more) by learning something new in a completely novel educational environment, which is a huge mind refresher. Also, not only will an online course provide new knowledge, it can also help anyone learn to use the internet in ways they never thought to before. You may finish an online course with tons of new friends and more social media profiles than you can count.

Author Bio:

Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online colleges, online degrees etc. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

More on Texting and Driving

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Health Clubs Evolving for Seniors

National Alzheimer's Plan Finalized

5 Cool Ways Health Clubs are Shrinking Seniors’ Waistlines

Guest post by David Roddenberry.  

David Roddenberry is co-founder of HealthyWage, (www.HealthyWage.com),
the only company that pays Americans cash to lose weight while offering social
and expert-based support, tools and resources, and goal-setting and tracking
technologies to address our nation’s obesity epidemic and improve America’s collective health.

Health club memberships in the U.S. have leveled out over the last 20-years while the obesity epidemic has ballooned. Many health clubs are adopting unconventional programs to bolster their older membership base and better motivate the senior marketplace to get fit, trim and healthy.

“Amid the growing rate of obesity in the U.S. and the aging population of boomers, health clubs are continually challenged to drive new memberships and inspire current members to visit their facilities for workouts with some regularity to get, and keep, them on a healthy track,” notes Kelli Calabrese, international fitness, nutrition and lifestyle specialist twice named “Personal Trainer of the Year.” “I applaud the health club community for integrating new, exciting and innovative ways to attract and engage members to keep their fitness lifestyle fresh, fun and frequent…and even profitable!”

Here are a few cool new programs now underway:
           

1. Whole-Life Training.  Health club facilities are now looking beyond just the exercise component of fostering a healthy lifestyle.  In addition to personal training staff, today’s progressive health clubs are boasting on-site nutritionists and other allied healthcare professionals like physical therapists and even psychologists.  These value added services holistically address all areas of a member’s life that impact their overall well-being, health and happiness. Engaging and assisting members in this comprehensive way maximizes member results, retention and referrals.

2. Kicking Members Out. For outdoor fitness, that is.  Some health clubs are utilizing their external real estate to promote fitness activities al fresco. Club owners are realizing that many people get bored with the indoor offerings—even depressed or deterred—so they are offering running and cycling clubs, parking lot boot camps and spin classes, and more. 

3. Weight Loss Wagering.  Diet contests and weight loss betting programs, like that offered by HealthyWage.com, are exploding in popularity as both individuals and employee groups from coast to coast “diet for dollars.”   More than 4,500 health clubs nationwide now serve as  “weigh in locations” for HealthyWage.com contest participants, with many opting to also purchase a club membership as they shed pounds with their eye on the $10,000 team prize. This financial weight loss incentive approach is so effective Fortune 500 companies nationwide have integrated such programs into their corporate wellness initiatives to benefit both employee groups and their own bottom line. 

4. Clubs Go Retro. Nostalgia evokes emotion and emotion drives action. With this in mind throwback 80's fitness classes, in which participants dress in period-inspired spandex and leg warmers and do aerobics to music by Michael Jackson, George Michael, and the like, are bringing the neon headband sporting, leotard-wearing enthusiasts to health clubs in droves.   Originating in hipster 'hoods like LA and NYC, this 80’s fitness craze is sweeping the nation, proving to be a fun, creative and, like, totally awesome way to attract new members – and keep current members coming back for more. 

5. Patriotism Personified. While military discounts are nothing new in the business landscape, full-scale, week-long national programs offering completely free benefits to any and all active, reserve and retired military members, and their families, throughout the U.S. is wonderfully above and beyond the norm. This is exactly what one large national change is doing, for five consecutive years having provided complimentary week-long club access to America’s extensive number of active, inactive and retired military personnel—and dependents—in observance of Veterans Day.  This same sentiment-oriented national health club chain also celebrates “Active Aging Week” by offering free week-long workouts for older adults age 50 or above.

It’s time for fresh approaches, innovative thinking and even risk taking to trim the waistline of America’s seniors. Novel health club programs can tactically and effectively address obesity in new and compelling ways on the front line.

(Editor's Note: We do not in any way endorse Healthy Wage but do believe that incentive plans for losing weight can be effective.)

National Alzheimer's Plan Presented

Back in the winter, a draft of a National Alzheimer's Plan, called for in the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), was released. More than 3,600 people or organizations submitted comments on the draft plan including the Consumer Consortium for Advancing Person Center Living, of which I am on the board.  We wrote about efforts at the time to refine the plan.

At that time the administration announced that it would take immediate action to implement parts of the plan. Then in May, the Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced additional specific actions, including the funding of two major clinical trials; the development of new high-quality, up-to-date training and information for clinicians; and a new public education campaign and website to help families and caregivers find the services and support they need.

The initiatives announced include:

• Research – The funding of new research projects by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will focus on key areas in which emerging technologies and new approaches in clinical testing now allow for a more comprehensive assessment of the disease. Two major clinical trials are being funded. One is a $7.9 million effort to test an insulin nasal spray for treating Alzheimer’s disease. A second study is the first prevention trial in people at the highest risk for the disease.
• Tools for Clinicians – The Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded $2 million in funding through its geriatric education centers to provide high-quality training for doctors, nurses, and other health care providers on recognizing the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and how to manage the disease.
• HHS’ new website, www.alzheimers.gov, offers resources and support to those facing Alzheimer’s disease and their friends and family.
• Awareness campaign – The first new television advertisement encouraging caregivers to seek information at the new website was debuted.

In 2013, the National Family Caregiver Support Program will continue to provide essential services to family caregivers, including those helping loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease. This program will enable family caregivers to receive essential respite services, providing them a short break from caregiving duties, along with other essential services, such as counseling, education and support groups.

This funding will be extremely important especially in light of one recent study that found that one-third of Alzheimer's disease diagnoses were incorrect. Researchers working on the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study — an ongoing study that's been in progress since 1991 — have been studying the brain changes caused by Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. When pathologists studied the brains of 852 men diagnosed with Alzheimer's, they found that the diagnosis was wrong in one-third of the time; correct one-third of the time; and partially wrong one-third of the time, the Detroit Free Press reported.

"Pulling these things apart and the need for a real diagnosis -- that's important so people can live the best quality of life as possible for as long as possible," Jennifer Howard, executive director of the Alzheimer's Association's Michigan Great Lakes Chapter, told the Free Press.

Howard recommends consultations with interdisciplinary team with both geriatricians and neurologists to gain more accurate diagnoses.

For more information on the national plan to address Alzheimer’s disease, visit: www.alzheimers.gov.

To read the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, visit http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/napa/NatlPlan.pdf.

Acupuncture Can Help COPD (VIDEO)

Acupuncture Can Help COPD

Could help COPD!

Acupuncture appears to help the labored breathing that accompanies chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Japanese investigators tracked 68 COPD patients over a 12-week period. Half of the participants received acupuncture plus daily medication, while the other half was assigned to a placebo in which the acupuncture needles used did not breach the participants' skin.

Subjects treated with real acupuncture needles improved their breathing, while there was no improvement seen in the sham acupuncture group.

As with most studies, the researchers called for further study! Check with your doctor.

Are Accredited Nursing Homes Safer? (VIDEO)

Obesity Burns Gas (VIDEO)

Are Accredited Nursing Homes Safer?

A new study in The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety entitled “Safety Culture – Relationship Between Nursing Home Safety Culture and Joint Commission Accreditation” suggests that nursing homes accredited by The Joint Commission have a more robust culture of resident safety than non-accredited facilities and has a beneficial impact on resident safety issues such as staffing, teamwork, training, non-punitive responses to mistakes, and communication openness.

Check out my blog on about.com for more.

Joint Commission accreditation appeared to be associated with a more favorable resident safety culture in nursing homes. Assessing a nursing home’s safety culture is an organization’s first step toward improving the culture of safety.

Very few nursing homes in the United States seek accreditation beyond what is required to receive payment under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Fewer than 15% of nursing homes are accredited by The Joint Commission or other independent accreditation organizations.

Stay Hydrated as the Heat Rises

Provided By: InsuranceQuotes.org

Obesity Burns Gas

Here is a fascinating statistic courtesy of The Atlantic.

Thanks to the startling rise in obesity, every year Americans consume at least a billion gallons more gas today than they would have if people were as trim as they were in 1960. 

For every additional pound of passenger weight, the United States uses up another 39 million gallons of fuel each year.

Those results come from a 2006 study when over a quarter of the populations in 21 states were obese. Now more than 35 states boast that statistic.

Heavier people means heavier cars.

And The Atlantic notes that research suggests that the more car-dependent a society becomes, the greater the likelihood of its members becoming obese. 

How much can you say? Search our blog and you will see the numerous posts on obesity and physical health that we cite. Remember that how you take care of yourself today will very much affect how you age. And now, this has become a societal problem that is weighing everyone down.

Distracted Doctoring - One More Thing to Worry About (VIDEO)

Distracted Doctoring - One More Things to Worry About

I had not heard of this until the New York Times article late last year – distracted doctoring. That’s scary!

All of the technology hospitals now have is great. And while the article does mention that the technology can distract practitioners, it also pointed out that doctors and nurses may not always be doing work.

From the Time, some examples: “a neurosurgeon making personal calls during an operation, a nurse checking airfares during surgery and a poll showing that half of technicians running bypass machines had admitted texting during a procedure.”
 

In response, some hospitals have begun limiting the use of devices in critical settings, while schools have started reminding medical students to focus on patients instead of gadgets.

“My gut feeling is lives are in danger,” said Dr. Peter Papadakos to the Times. He is an anesthesiologist and director of critical care at the University of Rochester Medical Center in upstate New York.

Technology has help reduce medical error. And....

Scott J. Eldredge, a malpractice lawyer in Denver, was cited in the article. He represented a patient who was left partly paralyzed after surgery. The neurosurgeon was distracted during the operation, using a wireless headset to talk on his cellphone,

Certainly something to be aware of if nothing else. Caregivers and patient advocates who accompany patients to procedures should be mindful of this. Asking the right questions, such as whether the hospital has an OR policy regarding devices, will at least alert the staff that you know about the issue and send a reminder to them to always keep the patient front and center.

Distracted Driving - There's An App for That (VIDEO)

Home Invasion - Keeping Our Elderly Safe (VIDEO)

Distracted Driving - There's an App for That

The Safety Report Magazine recently featured apps that can essentially lock down your phone while driving, cutting down on distracted driving. Now this may not be as big an issue for elders but it is for my boomers friends, their kids and grandkids. And there are way too many horror stories out there to not pay attention to the issue. Here are the apps if you are so inclined. I am not supplying links as you will want to access these from your application down-loader on your tablet or phone.

• FleetSafer Mobile
  The software automatically locks the phone during driving to prevent calls, texts and emails. It also sends auto-reply messages for incoming texts and emails.
• iZUP
  This application holds incoming and outgoing calls, texts and emails when it detects that users are moving more than 5 mph.
• Textecution
  Once you exceed 10 mph this app feature locks out incoming or outgoing text messages.
• Cellcontrol Application
  This prevents distracted driving not just on phones but also laptops and tablets.
• DriveSafe.ly
  This reads text messages and emails aloud in real time and automatically responds without drivers touching the phone.
• DriveFirst (Sprint)
  When the car is in motion, this activates and prevents texts, calls and other unsafe distractions.
• DriveMode(AT&T)
  This app sends an customizable reply to incoming texts, notifying the user is driving and unable to respond.

Home Invasions - Keeping Elderly Safe

One of my new favorite magazines is called The Safety Report. In a recent edition it addressed home safety and particularly what to do to prevent a home invasions. While written for all audiences I think it is important that caregivers and elders heed some of the advice.

• Install a wide-angle peephole in your door and always check before answering. Obviously do not open for strangers.
• Some invaders pose as police officers or utility workers and dress the part. Call the police to verify that there is supposed to be an officer there. And utility workers do their work outside remember.
• Resist the urge to be helpful if someone tries to say they need to use the phone. Tell them to give you the number and you will place the call for them.
• A digital lock is the best kind of lock.
• Besides deadbolts there are other devices that can be used to hold back people from coming through doors and windows.
• Carry a cordless phone or cell phone to the door in case you need to dial 911 and have it on speed dial.

Putting Obesity in Perspective

The world's population is 16.5 million tons overweight. If everyone on the planet had the same average weight as Americans, it would be equivalent to having 935 million additional people on earth. 

Happy 5th of July!

Source: BBC

Alzheimer's Infographic

Senior Home Care

Grim Report on Our Retirement Savings Habits (VIDEO)

Low Physical Activity in Youth May Mean Increased Dementia Rates in the Future (VIDEO)

Grim Report on Our Retirement Savings Habits

According to an article in The Week, half of all workers have put nothing away for retirement. Baby boomers have a median savings of only $78,000 while experts say to sustain a middle-class lifestyle across 15 or more years a retiree needs nearly one million dollars!

At the same time Medicare and Social Security trust funds run out of money, boomers may be without anything to fall back on. If it sounds scary well it is scary. And you should be scared. 

The average balance in all 401(k) accounts is $60,000 so generations coming next are doing little to help their cause as well. A third of the people ten years from retirement have saved less than $25,000!

And to make things worse, people tend to stop funding their retirement or even borrow against it when they change jobs or have debt to pay. Of course the latter is somewhat understandable. 

Consider in 1980, 60 percent of private sector employees had pensions. By 2006, only 10 percent did.

Maybe this is a lesson for future generations about savings. Because the harsh reality is that many of us will have to postpone retirement and keep working if the workforce will have us that is. And we'll have to downsize our housing, our travel and most of all our expectations.