“Falls are the No. 1 cause of accidental death in people 65 and older and a major cause of disability.” Photographee.eu/Shutterstock.com
“Baby boomers, who once viewed themselves as the coolest generation in history, are now turning their thoughts away from such things as partying and touring alongside rock bands to how to they can stay healthy as they age. And, one of the most important parts of healthy aging is avoiding a fall, the number one cause of accidental death among people 65 and older.
“The issue is growing more pressing each day. More adults than ever – 46 million – are 65 and older, and their numbers are increasing rapidly.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in four older adults will fall each year. ”
by Anahad O’Connor
“Everyone knows that exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. But most people ignore one crucial component of it: resistance training. According to federal researchers, only 6 percent of adults do the recommended minimum amount of at least two muscle-strengthening workouts each week. Neglecting resistance training – any type of workout that builds strength and muscle – is a big mistake. It increases your metabolism, lowers your body fat and protects you from some of the leading causes of early death and disability. You don’t have to lift like a bodybuilder (or look like one) to benefit from resistance training. And it’s never too late to get started. Here is everything you need to know … ”
This article is so important — not only for the people we serve — but for everyone you know. We’ve already posted it at the Link to Aging and Disability Resources facebook pages.
“Ever get a phone call from a number that looks suspiciously like your own? This video explains them, and what you should do about them.”
by Hazma Shaban
“Nearly half of all cellphone calls next year will come from scammers, according to First Orion, a company that provides phone carriers and their customers caller ID and call blocking technology.
“The Arkansas-based firm projects an explosion of incoming spam calls, marking a leap from 3.7 percent of total calls in 2017 to more than 29 percent this year, to a projected 45 percent by early 2019.
“’Year after year, the scam-call epidemic bombards consumers at record-breaking levels, surpassing the previous year, and scammers increasingly invade our privacy at new extremes,’ Charles Morgan, the chief executive and head data scientist of First Orion, said in a blog post last week.”
Read this article in The Washington Post in its entirety, click here.
According to the current issue of The Voice, “On Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule impacting a wide range of Medicare providers that includes revisions to the new emergency preparedness regulations. According to a CMS press release, the proposed rule is part of the agency’s efforts to ‘relieve burden on healthcare providers by removing unnecessary, obsolete or excessively burdensome Medicare compliance requirements for healthcare facilities.’ The emergency preparedness requirements are targeted for rollback even though they were only implemented less than a year ago.
“A preliminary review by Consumer Voice shows that most changes involve a reduction in the frequency with which nursing homes must perform certain activities. For instance, the facility would only have to review and update its emergency preparedness plan, policies and procedures, communication plan, and training and testing program at least every two years instead of annually. In addition, after providing initial training, the facility would be required to provide emergency preparedness training at least every 2 years instead of every year.
“As the country watches the devastation caused by Hurricane Florence, Consumer Voice is concerned that the proposed revisions will make nursing homes less ready when disaster strikes and subject residents to greater danger. In addition, significant turnover rates among both staff and administration in nursing homes raise concerns about staff readiness if emergency preparedness training is extended to every two years.
“To read the proposed rules released for public inspection prior to their publication in the Federal Register, click here.”
“The CDC estimates that 20% of Americans suffer from chronic pain.” (Getty/smartstock)
by Paige Minemyer
“Nearly 20 million Americans suffer from chronic pain that interferes with their daily activities, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The CDC reviewed the 2016 National Health Interview Survey, which includes responses from more than 17,000 adults, and found that 1 in 5 Americans, or about 50 million people, suffer from chronic pain.
“Of those, 8%, or about 19.6 million, suffer from pain that interferes with their daily lives.”
Click here or on the graphic to register.
Each week the Office of the Secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Aging releases a Friday newsletter with information relevant to activities, issues and events for older Pennsylvanians and persons with disabilities across the Commonwealth.
Click here download the newsletter as a .pdf file.
DHS continues to provide access to high-quality services serving more people in the community
Harrisburg, PA – Department of Human Services (DHS) Deputy Secretary for the Office of Long-Term Living Kevin Hancock today at the Capitol Media Center provided an update on the implementation of the Community HealthChoices (CHC). CHC launched in southwestern Pennsylvania on January 1, 2018, and is rolling out to the Southeast on January 1, 2019.
CHC is Pennsylvania’s managed care program for individuals who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare, and for individuals with physical disabilities requiring long term services and supports. CHC has been developed to improve access to and coordination of medical and person-centered long-term services and supports in which people have choice, control, and access to a full array of quality services that enable them to live independent and healthy lives in the setting they choose.
“The Department of Human Services has seen great success with the CHC rollout in the Southwest. The phased rollout of CHC has given us time to listen to participants and hear their experience with the program so that by 2020 we will be delivering the best local care possible to hundreds of thousands of seniors and participants across the commonwealth,” said Hancock. “We look forward to expanding the service offerings to Southeastern Pennsylvania in January 2019 and are preparing providers and eligible participants for this transition.”
In preparation for the launch of CHC in the Southeast region, the department has coordinated efforts with the CHC managed care organizations (CHC-MCOs) to host provider information sessions as well as community stakeholder sessions. These community stakeholder sessions offer potential CHC eligible community members the opportunity to learn more about CHC, gather resources, and ask questions that will enable an individual to choose a CHC-MCO that will best meet their needs.
“One of our priorities is to continue to enhance the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the supports and services available to serve more people in communities, giving them the opportunity to work, spend more time with their families, and experience an overall better quality of life,” said Hancock. “This continued investment demonstrates a commitment to supporting elderly Pennsylvanians and individuals with physical disabilities.”
The rollout in the Southeast will include approximately 128,000 individuals. When fully implemented across the state, CHC will serve 450,000 Pennsylvanians, 94 percent of whom are dually eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare.
For more information on the CHC program, visit www.healthchoices.pa.gov/info/about/community/
To register for a Southeast Pennsylvania community informational session, please visit www.HealthChoices.pa.gov. You can also register by telephone by dialing 1-888-735-4416. Telephone registrations will be accepted Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
SOURCE: news release
“More and more older Pennsylvanians are hospitalized for heroin overdoses, according to a state report released Wednesday.” (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)
by Binghui Huang, Contact Reporter of The Morning Call
“A survey released Wednesday shows a troubling rise in the number of Pennsylvanians 55 and older being hospitalized for heroin overdoses, an increase that several public health officials linked to the deadly opioid epidemic sweeping the state.
“But, they cautioned, additional study needs to be done to explain why more older adults are resorting to heroin.
“According to the survey by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, the heroin overdose hospitalization rate among those 55 and older increased 36 percent from 2016 to 2017, the greatest increase of any age group.”
Click here to read this Morning Call article in its entirety.
