Archive for August, 2010

Old Age in America, By the Numbers

The population of older Americans is growing faster than ever and living longer than ever, but not as long as in much of Europe and elsewhere in the developed world, according to “Older Americans 2010: Key Indicators of Well-Being,” a report compiled by 15 federal agencies.

The full report, with tables detailing senior demographics, economics, health status, health risks and health care, is available at agingstats.gov. It contains a number of surprises, and raises a number of questions, for those interested in how Americans are aging.

Americans who live to age 65 can now expect to survive on average 18.5 more years, four years more than in 1960, according to the report. Of those who survive to age 85, women have an average 6.8 years to live, and men, 5.7 years. But life expectancy is even longer in most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cuba and Costa Rica.

In 2008, an estimated 39 million people in the United States were 65 or older — just over 13 percent of the population. By 2030, when all surviving baby boomers will be over 65, the report projects there will be 72 million seniors, about 20 percent of the population. (Seniors already make up 20 percent of the population in Germany and 21.5 percent in Japan.)

The 85-and-over United States population, the fastest-growing cohort in the country, is projected to rise from 5.8 million today to 19 million in 2050.

Living longer does not come cheaply. After adjustment for inflation, annual health care costs for the average senior increased from $9,224 in 1992 to $15,081 in 2006, the report says.

Heart disease remains the leading killer of people over 65, but now patients die of the disease at only half the rate (1,297 deaths per 100,000 people) they did in 1981. Cancer, strokes, lower respiratory diseases and Alzheimer’s disease were the other top killers. The reported rate of death from Alzheimer’s rose almost thirtyfold, from 6 per 100,000 in 1981 to 176.9 per 100,000 in 2006. Officials said the increase mostly reflected improvements in diagnosis and reporting in the 1980s.

…continue reading at The New Old Age 

If you need care and assistance for a loved one in the Palm Bay FL area, visit www.ageadvantagepalmbay.com.

Caring for Senior Veterans – VA Long Term Care Benefits
By Thomas Day

The United States has fought many wars throughout the world since that time to keep freedom here at home and continues to do so. From the beginning our country has established a program to care for the men and women of our military who fought in those wars.

The veterans assistance program goes back to 1636 when Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony fought with the Pequot Indians. The Pilgrims enacted a law from English law that reads, “If any man shall be sent forth as a soldier and shall return maimed, he shall be maintained competently by the colony during his life.” In 1789 U. S. congress passed as law that pensions were to be provided to disabled veterans and their dependents and in 1811 the first domiciliary and medical facility for veterans was completed.
Since that time the Department of Veterans Affairs has opened a multitude of care facilities nationwide.
An article from the US Department of Veterans Affairs website states:

“VA’s health care system has grown from 54 hospitals in 1930 to 157 medical centers in 2005, with at least one in each state, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia . More than 5.3 million people received care in VA health care facilities in 2005, a 29 percent increase over the 4.1 million treated just four years earlier.  VA operates more than 1,300 sites of care including nearly 900 ambulatory care and community-based outpatient clinics, 136 nursing homes, 43 residential rehabilitation treatment programs, nearly 90 comprehensive home-care programs, and more than 200 Veterans Centers.”

State veterans homes have been built or are approved for future construction in many states. For a list of state veteran nursing homes go to www.longtermcarelink.net

Here are some of the benefits provided for Veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs:

• Health Care Clinics
• Mental Health
• Counseling
• Job training
• Burial and Memorial benefits
• Education
• VA Home Loan
• DIC
• Compensation
• Pension
• Care Management
• Home Renovation for Disability
• Assisted Living
• Prosthetics
• Rehabilitation
• Weight management
• Nursing Homes
• Prescriptions
• Hospitals and much more

Read More…

For information about how Age Advantage can help you care for a senior veteran in the Palm Bay FL area, visit www.ageadvantagepalmbay.com.

Keeping Track of Seniors With Alzheimer’s

The e-mail alert shouted its message: "Missing Person with Alzheimer’s. PLEASE HELP." It was sent to Alzheimer’s Assn. chapters and to law enforcement officials within hours after an Orange County woman disappeared while on a short trip to visit a friend…

That story has a happy ending, but many confused seniors who become lost are never found again. The Alzheimer’s Assn. estimates that 60% of individuals with Alzheimer’s will wander at least once during the progression of the disease. Up to 70% of these individuals wander more than once, and up to several times. One study reported that nearly half of those not found within 24 hours die — usually from dehydration, exposure or injury.

Read more…

For information about how Age Advantage of Palm Bay FL can help you and your family care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, please visit www.ageadvantagepalmbay.com.

Senior Online Gamers: Passing the Time and Fine-Tuning the Mind

Farmville. Boggle Bash. Spades. Bejeweled Blitz. Scrabble. Mafia Wars. If you’re on Facebook, you probably recognize these games (and if you’re like me, you have hidden more than your share of the feeds of your gamer friends). Though online games are enjoyed by people of all ages, one group has emerged as the most fervent fan base of popular online gaming Web site Pogo.com: baby boomers and senior women.

I had a chance to chat with a few of these gaming aficionados about their passion for Pogo – in between games, of course.

What They Play … and Why

Caryl Derenfeld is a certified laughter yoga leader and teacher trainer and the owner of Learned Conversations, Inc., a business dedicated to seniors. Every night before she goes to bed, the 52-year-old plays Scrabble; Spades; and Poppit, an arcade game. “It keeps my mind working,” Derenfeld says, “and my goal is to get more than 400 points, which I have on many occasions.”

Ann Middleman, a 50-plus fan of online Sudoku, has played the game all night long on more than one occasion. Intermittently, she’ll complete crossword puzzles online, but, as she puts it, “you do one and it’s done.”

The continuity of Sudoku is what draws her in, and she’s constantly trying to beat her best time. Middleman prefers online games to watching TV – after a long day at work, her way to veg is with a good game of Sudoku on her Netbook. “It takes some thinking and skill. You don’t need anyone else to play, and you can put it down anytime (ha!).”

For 51-year-old blogger Susan Tordella, online bridge is her obsession: “I’m totally hooked,” she says. “I  play several times a week and don’t care if I play bridge ‘live’ anymore.” Tordella has been a fan of the game for most of her life, but she could never play as often as she liked. To play a good game, she
says, you need four people of somewhat equal ability — and coordinating four people on a regular basis is a complex game in itself. Enter online bridge: “There’s no planning. Just sign on, a few clicks and I’m in a game – fantastic!”

“I play on Pogo every day,” says S. Arnold. Arnold’s son signed her up for the site after she had surgery for breast cancer, and gaming became an effective form of physical therapy. “I love it,” she says. “I play Word Search, Boggle Bash, Monopoly Slots, Yahtzee Party, Lottso Express, and Keno every day, as well as any other weekly games for badges.”

…continue reading HERE

If you are looking into in-home assistance for a loved one in the Palm Bay FL area, please visit  www.ageadvantagepalmbay.com.

Senior Care Giver Services: When It Becomes Too Much
By Gordon Petten

Caring for an elderly family member can be overwhelming, especially if that family member is unable to live independently. There are many important decisions that must be made, some of which are revised on a daily basis. Caring for an elderly family member takes great commitment, and the ability to expect the unexpected. Often times, however, it becomes too much and families turn to care-giving facilities for assistance.

Since the goal is most often to keep the person at home as long as possible, thus avoiding a residential facility until absolutely necessary, it is a good idea to seek the advice of a care manager. This involves seeking the services of a professional coordinator who helps individuals remain at home or living in the residence of another family member who will assist with home care by addressing all aspects of life. These include: medical care, personal care needs, medication monitoring, home safety, and socialization.

The care manager then coordinates with doctors and other medical professionals, family members, trust officers, accountants, and other important members of the client’s community. The goal of care management is to the client receives the necessary care while improving the overall quality of life.

There are many services offered by care management facilities. The first, which is also the first step toward acquiring the necessary home care, is a clinical interview set up between the care manager and the client. The client’s family is also usually present, since various members will likely be helping with the home care process.

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At Age Advantage Senior Home Care, we help many families care for loved ones in the Palm Bay area. Visit www.ageadvantagepalmbay.com for more information.