Tag Archive for senior living

admin | 05/30/2012
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Shingles Vaccine, Medicare, and You

Shingles Vaccine

You may have noticed pharmacies advertising that the shingles vaccine is in stock and available. The CDC’s list of recommended immunizations is constantly evolving and the most recent addition is the shingles vaccine for all adults age 60 and over. This has many seniors wondering if they should receive the shot and if Medicare covers the cost.

Should you get the shingles vaccine?

Over 95% of the people in the United States are infected by the Varicella zoster virus at some point in their lifetime. The virus causes the common childhood disease of chickenpox and then lies dormant within the nerve cells. In approximately one third of the population the virus will re-activate later in life as shingles: a contagious, nasty, blistering rash that can cause severe, debilitating pain that may last for weeks, months or even years (called post herpetic neuralgia). It can also attack the eyes and permanently damage vision (though this is less common).

These numbers equate to over 1 million people being affected by this virus. So it’s no surprise that the CDC recommends a single dose of the zoster vaccine Zostavax for men and women 60 years of age and older, even if they have had a prior episode of shingles.

Recently, a study published online in the Journal of Internal Medicine has shown the vaccine to be safe, and well tolerated in a controlled study of 193,000 adults age 50 and over. Studies have also shown the vaccine to be effective; with results similar to those found in clinical trials in 2006 it was first approved. The vaccine reduced the risk of developing shingles by more than half, and minimized the effects of the disease in those that developed it.

The over 60 crowd is often the higher risk group for contracting disease due to declining immunity, co-existing health issues, multiple diagnoses, or even increased stress factors. The CDC recommends the immunizations, but you should consult your doctor to determine if the vaccine is right for you.

How much does it cost and will Medicare pay for it?

Currently, the only vaccines covered under Medicare Part B are: Flu, H1N1, Pneumococcal, and Hepatitis B. So if you have strictly traditional Medicare the answer is no.

Technically, Part D plans will cover the vaccine and administration, but it may require some advance planning and organization on behalf of the beneficiary to ensure the claim gets paid.

In fact, Medicare.gov states:

“Except for vaccines covered under part B, Medicare drug plans must cover all commercially available vaccines (like the shingles vaccine) when medically necessary to prevent illness. Contact the plan for its current formulary.”

According to Merck, the manufacturer of Zostavax:

“Medicare Part D = Prescription Drug Benefit 90% of Medicare Part D insured individuals are in plans that have ZOSTAVAX on formulary. The availability and amount of reimbursement will depend on a patient’s insurance benefit design, including applicable co-pays, coinsurance, deductibles and/or limits.”

The vaccine is usually around $200, so the time and homework required to ensure re-imbursement is worth the investment.

Check specifically with your Part D plan carrier as a first step. Some plans may require prior authorization, which means your doctor must first get approval before you can receive it. Your doctor may need to state that the drug is ‘medically necessary’ because he feels you are at high risk for contracting the disease for any reason. Some plans and/or some states may also authorize your pharmacist to administer the vaccine in the pharmacy and can bill insurance plans directly if they are in-network.

To date, the shingles vaccine has been underutilized. Past stocking issues by pharmacies and physician’s offices, cost, and challenges with ease of reimbursement under Medicare part D plans are all to blame. Medical spending to treat shingles or its complications totaled $566 million in 2005 or an average of $525 per patient. When these expenses are projected on the sheer number of people who are subject to developing the disease, it seems the recommendation to receive this vaccine is a prudent one.

As more patients request and file claims for vaccine re-imbursement, hopefully the process will become more routine to claim handlers and the confusion or misinformation regarding whether or not the vaccine is paid for and how, will diminish over time.

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Understanding Medicare plans and their coverage can be confusing. If you need to discuss any questions or concerns you may have regarding your current Medicare insurance needs, the knowledgeable, licensed staffs at Medicare Solutions is available to assist you. Call us at 1-877-614-2333

Category: Original Medicare, Prescription Drug Coverage, Senior Healthy Living | Tags: , , , , , ,
ElizabethGHoward | 12/21/2010
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Working After Retirement Provide Both Money and Satisfaction

She works hard for her money!

If you are considering adding “work” to your retirement “to do” list, you are not alone.

A recent report by the Families and Work Institute and Boston College’s Sloan Center on Aging and Work stated that a growing number of older Americans not only feel they need to work after retirement – for additional income – but are looking for work to because it makes them feel good.

The study further reported that the part of the graying population that goes back to work tends to find more rewarding jobs than they previously held.  These so-called working “retirees” found themselves with a better “family-life” balance than those who had not yet retired.

Two of the three primary reasons for continuing to work after retirement were:

To keep earning money to retire more comfortably.

To keep working because income from other sources is not enough.

However, 31 percent reported their main reason was to avoid becoming bored. In fact, almost half of cited reasons for working went beyond the bank account. Instead they were linked to maintaining a joyfully, active and fulfilling life.

Additionally, those employees working in jobs after retirement were committed to their work: the study found that age did not affect employee engagement. Retired workers were just as “a positive, enthusiastic and emotionally (connected) with work” as workers prior to retirement. Employee engagement measures what “motivates an employee to invest in getting the job done, not just ‘well’ but ‘with excellence’ because the work energizes the person.”

The Department of Labor calls this the “demographic metamorphosis” of America. The department expects between 2006 and 2016, the number of workers 55 and over is projected to increase by 36.5 percent. The Department of Labor’s Aging Worker Initiative has underwritten grants to develop multiple programs in areas of the country that face possible labor shortages. The programs also help train older workers in regions with high-growth industries.

For many retirees, the challenge first is understanding retirement and handling the transition. Such support sites as Workforce50.com and the “Working After Retirement” channel of the AARP website offer support and information.

Category: Medicare Tips, Senior Healthy Living | Tags: , , , , , ,
ElizabethGHoward | 12/07/2010
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Favoritism: Emotions impact caregiver choice

Which one of YOUR children is your favorite?  (It’s OK, just whisper in my ear. I won’t tell.)

You may want to start pondering this. Researchers at Cornell University studying family favoritism are finding that the favored child –particularly the favored daughter – will likely land the star role of caregiver in your waning years.

As seniors feel they might be losing their autonomy, they will most likely to ask their favorite child to be in charge of their care. And often middle-aged children don’t know which person in the family that will be.

Research led by Karl Pillemmer, the Director of the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA), finds that mothers in their post-retirement years were quite happy to name favorites.  The lucky child that mom liked best, according to research, is “the one the mother feels emotionally closest to and thinks is most similar, who shares her attitudes and values. And she is the one who has provided support and help for her mother in the past.”

Moms, in this case, chose daughters more often because they were “more like” them—not just in values, but in emotional similarity. Moms saw themselves more in their daughters, the research showed, than in their sons.

Pillemmer noted parents are not as likely to care, either, whether that the favored child is a busy parent themselves, overscheduled, or even employed. The research reflects that the decision is more likely to be an emotional one, rather than a pragmatic one.

The only factor that seemed to matter was location: kids who live too in geographically unsuitable places tended to be discounted.

Category: Senior Healthy Living | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Lucy Dylan | 11/04/2010
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Chair Yoga for the Rest of Us

The health benefits of traditional yoga are well known throughout the United States.  Millions of Americans regularly attend yoga classes, improving both their physical and mental well being.  People of all ages can practice yoga: however, many people fear that they are not flexible or strong enough to go to a traditional yoga class.

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Chair Yoga

Chair yoga is a great alternative to traditional yoga, providing seniors with an easy way to get more active even if they’re less mobile than they used to be.  There are many chair yoga classes structured for seniors from age 60 to even 90 that are more accessible to people who can’t get down on the floor.  These classes also simplify difficult movements while still offering tremendous health benefits.

Chair yoga allows seniors to move and exercise their entire bodies, helping to prevent falls by strengthening the body just as in regular yoga. Seniors who practice chair yoga regularly see benefits like improved circulation and flexibility.  Sometimes, chair yoga allows seniors to build up the strength, flexibility, and stamina necessary to practice traditional yoga. Chair yoga is a very gentle way to move around and get active, yet also helps people build muscles and helps diabetics maintain their blood sugar levels.

Plus, you can practice chair yoga anywhere, from the privacy of your own home to your desk at the office. There are classes and tapes that make chair yoga an activity everybody can do—plus, you can even find videos on Youtube if you want to check out the exercises without the commitment of a class.

While chair yoga is undoubtedly a great activity for seniors, it is also a beneficial exercise for people of all ages.  People with conditions like Multiple Sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and other movement-limiting conditions have also reaped the benefits of chair yoga.  For MS patients, chair yoga helps battle muscle fatigue as well as depression.  Chair yoga also relieves the symptoms of anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome, carpal tunnel, hypertension, and arthritis.

For people who work primarily in an office setting, chair yoga can be a simple way to get active at your desk. (Little known fact: the Health Plan One office break room has a guide to chair yoga on the refrigerator!) There are many chair yoga movements that you can do while seated, providing you with stress relief. Plus, you can stretch out the muscles and joints in your back, neck, and throughout your body, which can all get stiff while spending extended periods of time at a desk.

No matter what your age, physical activity is a key aspect of leading a healthy lifestyle. Whether you have limited mobility or spend hours daily at a desk, chair yoga can help add activity into your daily routine. Plus, chair yoga is great for stress relief. If you find that you really love chair yoga, try out chair tai chi or chair pilates to mix up your activities a little bit. All three of these exercises allow you to move around while staying seated, injecting movement and activity into sedentary lifestyles.

Category: Senior Healthy Living | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Lucy Dylan | 10/19/2010
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One Vision Issue All Seniors Should Know About

If you’re over the age of sixty, chances are that you’ve already heard about cataracts.  The word “cataract” refers to a condition where the lens of your eye grows cloudy, affecting vision by decreasing your visibility.  The lens of the eye is comprised of protein and water. As time goes on, the protein in the eye begins to bundle together, making it more difficult for light to pass through your eye and fogging up vision.  Consequently, cataracts “fog” vision, preventing sufferers from seeing as clearly as they used to.

Over half of people over the age of 80 have or will develop cataracts in their life time.  Three fifths of people over the age of 60 will eventually develop cataracts as well. This does not mean that younger people don’t get cataracts—you can actually develop cataracts during your 40s to 50s, but the cataracts generally do not actively impact your vision until you reach your 60s or 70s. Why? Well, during middle age, cataracts are much smaller and do not block as much light from entering the eye, and in older age, cataracts have had the time to grow much larger and therefore block out more light.  The good thing is that you can’t “catch” cataracts, and just because you have cataracts in one eye doesn’t mean it’ll “infect” the other eye.

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Diagram of Cataract in the Eye

Generally, cataracts develop because of old age, but can also form in other ways. Cataracts are linked with diabetes and steroid use. Researchers have also found links between cataracts and steroid use, diuretics, tranquilizers, and smoking.

Other people develop cataracts after surgery for other eye diseases, or after injuries to the eye itself.  Radiation exposure is also linked to cataracts.  Babies can even be born with congenital cataracts!

Most practitioners agree all people, regardless of age, should protect their vision by wearing wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses when they’re out in the sun—some studies have shown connections between UV rays and cataracts.  Other providers suggest eating a diet high in antioxidants to cataracts.  Once you hit the age of 60, you should also go for eye screenings at least every two years to keep your eye health intact.

If you notice changes in your eyesight, you may have cataracts. Common symptoms include blurry vision, “faded” color spectrum, a persistent glare, and eyesight that gets worse at night.  These symptoms are also shared with a number of other eye diseases, so it is important to visit your eye care practitioner to confirm your diagnosis.

If you’re one of the many people who develop cataracts, you’re in luck.  Cataract surgery is a very painless, effective surgery with new developments in eye medicine. In the past, doctors would simply remove the faulty lenses, leaving patients without a lens to focus vision. As a result, patients reported poor, blurry vision.  Now, surgeons replace the old lens with a clear plastic artificial lens, which can actually eliminate the need for glasses.  In fact, the new lenses are so effective that 90 percent of people who have had surgery report improvement in eyesight.

Category: Senior Healthy Living | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Lucy Dylan | 10/12/2010
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Yummy Meals with ALL Your Food Groups

Let’s face it, eating a balanced diet isn’t necessarily at the top of our priority list. The official United States guideline to a health diet changes from year to year. While many Americans do work on eating a balanced diet, many others have fallen victim to over processed junk foods and fast food. With the obesity epidemic raging on and heart disease rates skyrocketing, encouraging healthy diets has never been more crucial in the United States.

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She's got veggies covered, but are the other food groups in there?

By consuming nutritionally rich food, you can encourage the proper growth and development of your body.  In order to maximize diet benefits, it’s important to eat food from a variety of different groups and sources.  The US Department of Agriculture frequently updates its guidelines to healthy eating, and the most recent model emphasizes balancing food groups and physical activity.

There are six different food groups that you should consider when planning your and your family’s meals. You should aim to eat around 3 ounces of whole grains—including breads, rice, pastas, and cereals—every day, focusing in on whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice. Try to avoid white, refined grains, which have less vitamins, fiber, and iron.  If you’re eating white rice, white bread, or white flour products, you’re eating refined grains—unless the product is enriched.

You should also aim to eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day to stay healthy.  You can eat fruits and vegetables dried, cooked, and raw, and can easily incorporate them into your diet as snacks throughout your day.  For vegetables, try to eat more dark, leafy greens and orange vegetables like carrots. As for fruit, try to change up what you eat and try more delicious fruits.

To incorporate more bone-strengthening calcium into your diet, try do incorporate 2-3 cups of milk products into your daily diet. Drinking milk itself is an easy way to get the dairy you need.  Cheeses, yogurts, and even the occasional ice cream cones are also alternatives for adding dairy to your diet.

Don’t forget to add oils to your diets! While at first you may feel the urge to cut fats completely out of your diet, a limited supply (around 5-6 teaspoons, depending on your age and gender).  However, avoid “solid” fats like butter, which contain saturated and trans fats that can increase your cholesterol levels. You can use cooking oils like olive oil or sunflower oil, and can also eat foods like avocado, nuts, olives, and fish that naturally contain the oils you need.

Finally, make sure your diet is full of protein! To do so, cook meals full of lean meats and beans.  Beef, ham, pork, chicken, turkey, eggs, and fish are all examples of quality lean meats.  Beans, peas, and nuts are also excellent ways of boosting your protein intake.  Depending on your age and gender, try to eat around 5-6 ounces of protein daily.

If you’re still unsure when it comes to balancing your diet, try the USDA Balanced Meal Planner. It’s a great tool that visually shows you how much of each group you’re eating.

If you’re looking for ways to add healthy foods into your family’s diet, check out  Fix Me A Snack, a great blog by Cindy Rowland, which promotes healthy snacking and shows a variety of easy recipes for all the food groups. It’s Not About Nutrition by Dina R. Rose, PhD is a great resource for nutrition as well.

Category: Senior Healthy Living | Tags: , , , , ,