Monday, June 15, 2009

White House Reassures Medicare Beneficiaries

Reducing Medicare and Medicaid spending by an additional $300 billion over the next 10 years will not affect coverage or quality

Following are excerpts from an article by Barbara Basler in AARPBulletinToday, June 9, 2009:

President Obama’s call to reduce Medicare and Medicaid spending by an additional $200 billion to $300 billion over the next 10 years to help finance health care reforms will “absolutely not” affect coverage, benefits or quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries, says Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform.

Older Americans “can rest assured these are proposals that will help strengthen the Medicare Trust Fund and strengthen the Medicare program for beneficiaries,” DeParle said yesterday in an interview with the AARP Bulletin.

Obama originally had called for cost savings in Medicare and Medicaid totaling $309 billion over 10 years.

But in a letter last week to the heads of two Senate committees working on health care legislation, the president suggested squeezing an additional $200 billion to $300 billion from the programs, for total savings of up to about $600 billion. The new savings, Obama said, would come through such measures as better management of chronic diseases, elimination of duplicate tests and providing more preventive care.

The full article can be seen at:

http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/medicare/articles/medicare_beneficiaries.html?cmp=NLC-RSS-DAILY-BULLETIN

Sounds like good news, although none of us really know what's going to happen, regardless what is said!!

So let's hope for the best!!!

Have a great day.

Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Older Adults Increasingly Turn to Yoga for Health

Yoga can relieve back pain, improve sleep quality, boost overall fitness

Excerpts from AARPBulletinToday, June 9, 2009; by John Hanc.

The idea that older adults are involved in yoga shouldn’t really come as a surprise. After all, while it may sound as trendy as Twitter, as new and shiny as your next laptop, this form of mind-body exercise has been around, by some estimates, for 5,000 years. What’s more, many of the most influential Indian yogis are nonagenarians, notably 90-year-old B.K.S. Iyengar, founder of an eponymous style of yoga that is practiced worldwide.

Yoga as practiced in America today is different from what it was in the peace, love, consciousness-expanding days of the ’60s. The emphasis for most devotees now is on the physical, as opposed to spiritual, aspects of the practice.

More older adults are now taking their place on the mats. According to the study, 18.4 percent of practitioners are now over 55.

Health benefits have been reported in numerous studies, most of them done in the past few years, involving “yoga interventions” with older adults here and abroad. Researchers have found that regular practice led to reduced incidence of chronic back pain; improved sleep quality and mood; a better sense of well-being and quality of life; improvement in heart health, rheumatoid arthritis and type 2 diabetes; and greater overall physical fitness.

The full article can be seen at: http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/healthyliving/articles/older_adults_increasingly_turn_to_yoga_for_health.html

The number of older adults in yoga has definitely increased, says one Yoga teacher. “I would say half of our level-1 students are 55 and over. Just five years ago that wouldn’t have been the case … maybe 10 percent would have been in that age group.”

So, if you're not already actively exercising, maybe a Yoga class is the place to start addressing your physical well being.

Have a great day.

Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist

Monday, June 8, 2009

The Hidden Secret of Elder Abuse

Excerpts from article from "Planning from Eldercare" June 5, 2009:

Many elderly people rely entirely on family or other trusted individuals to help them. Whether it is for physical needs or emotional needs, as people grow older they tend to need more and more help from others. This dependence on caregivers or family members makes an older person more vulnerable for abuse.

It is estimated that 5% to 10% of elderly Americans are suffering abuse.

According to the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse,
“Spiraling rates of elder mistreatment are reported by both practitioners and researchers. In a recent national study of Adult Protective Services (APS), typically the agency of first report concerning elder abuse, there were 253,421 reports of abuse of adults age 60+ or 832.6 reports for every 100,000 people over the age of 60 (Teaster, Dugar, Otto, Mendiondo, Abner, & Cecil, 2006). The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study (National Center on Elder Abuse, 1998) found that more than 500,000 persons aged 60+ were victims of domestic abuse and that an estimated 84% of incidents are not reported to authorities, denying victims the protection and support they need.”

The following is a list of indicators of abuse, neglect or exploitation. It is important to note that the following lists are merely indicators and may not always be violations.

Signs of Abuse:

Unexplained bruises, welts, fractures, abrasions or lacerations
Multiple bruises in various stages of healing
Multiple/repeat injuries
Low self-esteem or loss of self determination
Withdrawn, passive
Fearful
Depressed, hopeless
Soiled linen or clothing
Social Isolation

Read the entire article at:
http://www.longtermcarelink.net/article-2009-6-4.htm

This is not a fun subject, but something we need to be aware of.

Take care

Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Computer and Internet Security Help

Excerpts from Seniorresource.com E-zine, dated June 2.

As a public service, the government has established a web site to address issues related to computer and internet security. OnGuardOnline.gov provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on watch against Internet fraud, how to secure your computer and protect your personal information.
You can minimize the chance of an Internet problem using "awareness" as your first line of defense. Being alert while online helps you protect your information, your computer, and your money.

Here are seven elements that should be part of your online routine

1. Protect your personal information. It's valuable.
2. Know whom you're dealing with.
3. Use security software that updates automatically.
4. Keep your operating system and Web browser up-to-date, and learn about their security features.
5. Keep your passwords safe, secure, and strong.
6. Back up important files.
7. Learn what to do in an emergency.
8. Learn more about these elements at http://www.onguardonline.gov/topics/computer-security.aspx

In an effort to aid our readers we will from time to time provide a few excerpts from the government site.The first of these topics is "Email Scams."

We all get spam in our email inbox. However, some of these are bogus offers looking to take some of our money. Con artists know how to make their claims seem legitimate. Some spam messages ask for your business, others invite you to a web site with a detailed pitch.
Either way, these tips can help you avoid spam scams:

- Protect your personal information. Share credit card or other personal information only when you're buying from a company you know and trust.

- Know whom you're dealing with. Don't do business with any company that won't provide its name, street address, and telephone number.

- Take your time. Resist any urge to "act now" despite the offer and the terms. Once you turn over your money, you may never get it back.

- Read the small print. Get all promises in writing and review them carefully before you make a payment or sign a contract.

- Never pay for a "free" gift. Disregard any offer that asks you to pay for a gift or prize.

Learn more about these elements at http://www.onguardonline.gov/topics/email-scams.aspx

The internet is an incredible resource that can make our lives a lot easier. But, like many resources, we need to use it appropriately and safely (think of your car!!) So arm yourself with the best practices and use them to avoid problems!!

HAVE FUN ONLINE!!!!!!

And have a great day,

Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist