Anxiety and Elders

Most of the recent posts to this site have been reports of pertinent studies. All the recent postings detail trends in healthcare, not only for seniors, but also the population as a whole. However, this post is more personal. Working in the eldercare industry, I have seen plenty of anxiety among the senior population. However, in the last several weeks, I have witnessed a heightened level of anxiety in my parents and parents-in-law. When it is close to home, it is difficult to handle. However, the same strategies hold true no matter the person.

I hope this posting will begin a dialogue between those of us facing this anxiety issue among our loved ones. My advice when facing a situation of heightened anxiety among your parents is compassion. Inquire of the person what they are feeling and why they feel this way. Of course, ask these questions in a non-threatening or judgemental way.

One thing I know is that it can be frustrating to deal with a person you feel is worrying about nothing. Take each situation with patience and understand that much of this behavior is a result of some other variable. Be truthful. Be patient. Try to expand your vantage point to gain some perspective.

Please share your thoughts by clicking on the comment line on this entry. Lets get a dialogue started to help others.

Fewer Small Businesses Offering Group Health Insurance

More than 65% of businesses with 10 or fewer employees say high cost is the most significant barrier to their offering health insurance, according to a survey released by the National Association for the Self-Employed. Only 19% of businesses with 10 or fewer employees currently offer coverage for full-time employees, down from 46% in 2005. One in 10 respondents spent 25% or more of their gross revenue on health insurance, up from 10.1% in 2005. NASE called access to health care the single biggest barrier to people joining and remaining in the ranks of the self-employed. Read the press release.

New Rating System For Nursing Homes

Acting Administrator of the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services Kerry Weems announced that CMS will add a nursing home ranking system to its Nursing Home Compare Web site in December. “The new ‘five-star’ rating system will provide a composite view of the quality and safety information currently on Nursing Home Compare to help beneficiaries, their families and caregivers compare nursing homes more easily,” said Weems. The agency said it plans to work with other health care providers and consumers to make similar rating systems available for hospitals. Read more with the CMS announcement.

Health Savings Accounts Increasingly Popular

More than 6.1 million Americans were covered by Health Savings Account-eligible insurance plans in January 2008, America’s Health Insurance Plans reported yesterday. That’s 1.6 million more people than in January 2007. The average annual deductible was $2,600 for single coverage and $4,846 for family coverage, while the average annual out-of-pocket limit was $3,661 for single coverage and $7,057 for family coverage. HSA products accounted for 31% of new coverage issued in the small-group market, and 27% of new purchases in the individual market, AHIP said.

Rate Of Growth For Family Coverage Premiums Eclipses Income

The amount employees pay for family coverage increased an average 30% between 2001 and 2005, according to study released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. That’s 10 times the average pay increase for family policyholders over the period, the study adds. “As costs continue to go up, fewer people can pay their portion of the premium, and fewer employers are able to offer insurance benefits,” said RWJF President and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D. “This research shows that an ever-increasing number of people will join America’s uninsured unless our nation’s leaders act to reform our health care system.” The study was released in conjunction with Cover the Uninsured Week (April 27-May 3), an annual campaign led by RWJF to raise awareness about the 47 million Americans without health insurance. The AHA is a national partner in the campaign, which includes events to help those who are eligible enroll in low-cost or free health coverage programs.

Recent Congressional Actions On Medicare

As required by the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act, House and Senate leaders yesterday introduced legislation proposed by the administration to respond to a Medicare funding warning issued by the program’s trustees last April. According to the administration, the legislation (H.R. 5480/S. 2662) takes an approach to strengthening Medicare that includes limits on means testing for Part D premiums and medical liability costs; improved health information technology and electronic medical records; transparency in price and quality information; and incentives for providers to deliver and Medicare beneficiaries to choose high-quality, low-cost health care. At the same time, the president’s fiscal year 2009 budget proposes more than $182 billion in cuts to the Medicare program over five years, $137 billion of which would come from hospitals.

Good News About Cognitive Health

Rates of cognitive impairment among Americans over 70 are on the decline, according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health. Researchers tested memory and judgment among people age 70 and older and found cognitive impairment dropped from 12.2% in 1993 to 8.7% in 2002. They found higher levels of education were associated with better cognitive health, but said more research is needed to pinpoint the factors influencing the ability of older Americans to think, learn and remember. Read more by clicking on the study link.