A new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposal would screen more Medicare beneficiaries for depression, according to a recent memo.æ The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force determined that that such screening for depression in adults is äóìreasonable and necessary for the prevention or early detection of illness or...
Archives: August 2011
Alzheimer’s Preventable with Lifestyle Changes
New research suggests that nearly half of worldwide Alzheimer’s disease cases can be prevented by making healthy lifestyle changes that are often associated with preventing other chronic health conditions.Researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center concluded that the following contributed to the disease: physical inactivity, depression, smoking, mid-life hypertension,...
Give Forward – a Social Solution for Out of Pocket Medical Care
Here’s a new way to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses with crowdfunding that is worth checking out. GiveForward is a Chicago startup that provides personalized fundraising web pages to help Americans cover out-of-pocket medical expenses like travel to treatment, medical equipment and co-pays.ææ Recent studies show that Americans are struggling to...
Boomers – The Fattest Generation
According to an Associated Press-LifeGoesStrong.com poll, boomers are more obese than other generations and even those who aren’t obese need to do more to stay fit. Most adults are supposed to get 2_ hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. Only about a quarter of boomers polled report working up...
More on Caregiving Costs and Toll
The AARP Public Policy Institute has released a new paper updating the national and state estimates of the economic value of family caregiving.ææ In 2009, about 42.1 million family caregivers in the U.S. provided care at any given point in time. 61.6 million provided care at some time during the...
Living in Denial
A White Paper by Catalyst Healthcare Research – LIVING IN DENIAL – is absolutely eye-opening in its revelations. There has been a huge push on wellness programs, particularly in the workplace. Yet often times the people who use them are the same health-conscious people who really don’t need them as...
Blood Pressure Drugs Safe in Older Adults
@Dale Wilson, Getty Images Because hpertension in older adults is more difficult to treat, physicians often are hesitant to prescribe blood pressure-lowering medications in adults over 80. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association have released new recommendations regarding which medications are safest and most effective for...
New Guide For Male Caregivers Available
A new book, Who Says Men Don’t Care? is written specifically for four generations of male caregivers. The premise of the Guide is that men care differently than women, and these differences present both opportunities and potential problems in all male caregiving situations. Knowing better who you are can make...
Smoke? Overweight? High BP? You Are More Likely to Have Cognitive Impairment Later in Life
@Nisian Hughe, Getty Images Those who smoke, are overweight, or have high blood pressure are more likely to have cognitive challenges later in life say researchers from the University of California at Davis. Examining MRI scans of approximately 1,352 people researchers found that: people with diabetes in mid-life lost brain...
Guide to Hospice Available to Caregivers
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization has created several new resources, including a worksheet that individuals and family caregivers can use to decide which hospice to use.ææ The worksheet encourages people to call hospices and ask questions regarding the type of services that are important to them as a...