Studying the “super memory club”
An ongoing study of a retirement community, which analyzes people ages 90 and over, is helping scientists figure out what keeps the human brain sharp and dementia-free into old age.
Older people seem to be safer from swine flu
People born before 1957 appear to have antibodies that attack the virus.
PA Health Care Association to Senate Banking Committee: State should help adults plan for long-term care
Many Pennsylvania seniors find themselves unprepared for their healthcare needs, says PHCA.
U.S. Senate considering proposal to allow 55 to 64-year-olds to buy into Medicare
The plan would target people who purchase insurance on the individual market or have no insurance because of unemployment, says Kaiser Network News.
Two major changes coming to Medicare
Seniors covered by “Medicare Advantage” plans will see changes to those plans. Medicare will also begin using competitive bidding to purchase medical equipment for seniors.
New allowance increase for personal care home residents has cheerers and jeerers
The state has increased by $25 the minimum amount of money a personal care home reisdent must be permitted to keep for personal expenses after charges for rent and other services.
Patients with multiple chronic conditions pose a big problem
Research and treatment options for patients with multiple chronic diseases, a condition called multimorbidity, are largely overlooked by the healthcare industry, reports the New York Times.
PANPHA: Use federal stimulus money to create a better long-term living system for seniors
The organization represents home-based care services, long-term-care nursing facilities, personal care homes, housing providers and continuing care retirement communities.
AARP: PA is lagging on efforts to expand community based services for seniors; preventing them from entering nursing homes
Pennsylvania still lags behind most other states in keeping seniors out of nursing facilities, despite an ongoing push to help them stay in their homes, reports the Morning Call.
Study: Most seniors did not make the best possible financial decision in choosing Medicare Part D drug plan
The study examined seniors’ drug claims for 2005 compared to their plan cost for 2006.