In the News

Impaired Thinking Increases Risk of Falling

According to new research, walking requires more thought than you might think, and cognitive decline—at least in the elderly—can make the travel that much harder. Researchers gave cognition tests to 186 people aged 70 and older in an effort to measure how the brain affects walking. They found that the fastest walkers had higher scores on certain cognitive tests, including those that measure memory, planning, and verbal abilities. The findings help to explain how cognitive rehabilitation could help boost walking skills and prevent falls.

Walking is, of course, a routine part of everyday life. But older people in particular are prone to falls—the leading injury among elderly people. Among other things, falls can cause hip fractures and lead to long-term residential care, hospitalization, and even death. This research suggests new ways to design diagnostic tests that can help spot seniors at risk of falling. Read More

Assisted Living and Home Care Costs on the Rise

Older Americans in need of care face sharp increases in the cost of assisted living and home health aides, according to a survey of 9,000 nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home care providers conducted earlier this year. The average price tag for a private one-bedroom unit in an assisted living facility rose 7 percent in 2006 to about $33,000/year, while the average hourly rate for home health aides spiked 19 percent to $22.15/hour. By contrast, the average cost for a private room in a nursing home rose only 2 percent this year.

The increased costs reflect the growing demand for home health care and assisted living, which typically provide meals, help with everyday tasks, and some medical care. Assisted living centers cost less than nursing homes and attract patients who do not need more intensive medical treatment offered by nursing homes. The majority of patients who use assisted living centers pay out of their own pockets and through long-term care insurance. Medicare, the federal health insurance plan for the elderly, does not provide much support. Read More

Be Careful of Investment Scams Aimed at Seniors

The Securities and Exchange Commission has launched a nationwide program to work with local regulators to combat what it sees as a rising wave of fraudulent investment scams being pitched to older Americans. In recent years, more and more investment seminars (known as "free lunch" seminars because many begin the enticement with the promise of a free meal) have been exposed as high-pressure sales pitches designed to get older Americans to put their assets into unsuitable investment programs.

SEC Chairman Christopher Cox, in a speech to the Consumer Federation of America, said that with baby boomers turning 60, protecting seniors from investment scams was an issue of mounting concern. "The impending retirement of the baby boomers will mean that very soon, the vast majority of our nation's net worth will be in the hands of the newly retired," he said. "Scam artists will swarm like locusts over this increasingly vulnerable group." Reflecting that concern, the Senate Committee on Aging plans to hold hearings on the matter. Read More

New PBS Special on Navigating the Medicare Drug Benefit

With the deadline for enrolling in a Medicare prescription drug plan approaching, many of the state's 4.2 million Medicare beneficiaries find themselves confused and unprepared. Faced with choosing from among at least 50 drug plans in every county, they have questions about drug coverage options and how to select the right plan.

To help Californians navigate the complex new Medicare drug benefit, KQED-TV (San Francisco) has produced for California Public Television Medicare Forum: Making Sense of Part D. The show is available online and will air on all 14 of the state's public television stations through May 9. Made possible with support from the California HealthCare Foundation, this half-hour program includes useful information on Medicare Part D, including information on who is eligible, the benefits of enrolling, penalties for late enrollment, and how to choose the right plan. To find airtimes in your area, or to watch the program online, visit the KQED website. Read More

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