MATURE MARKET HEADLINES updated 1/27/2000
Health Plan Management of Healthcare Unhealthy
Half of the nation’s premature deaths are linked to unhealthy diet, inactivity or substance abuse, says the Center for the Advancement of Health. Unhealthy diets are especially dangerous. For example, Dr. Karen Glanz, University of Hawaii's Cancer Research Center, says that "Five out of the 10 leading causes of death for Americans relate to dietary practices." Heart disease, some cancers, stroke, diabetes, and atherosclerosis are the five causes of death that are linked to unhealthy diet.
The main issue here is the health behavior of Americans. Poor health behavior leads to disease and death. So, you might imagine that everyone, health consumers and health plan managers, will do everything they can to reduce high-risk health behavior. Ironically, few managed care plans use proven strategies to help their enrollees change these health-damaging behaviors, according to a new report from the Center for the Advancement of Health(CAH).
The CAH report, "Health Behavior Change in Managed Care", shows that while most health plans offer some services to help members better manage chronic conditions or modify health risk behaviors, the majority of these efforts consist of handing out brochures or pamphlets. Such superficial practices are known to be ineffectual in producing sustained change.
The CAH report, which was funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, also found that most HMO medical directors believe health behavior powerfully influences health outcomes. In fact, behavioral health risks are tied to higher ambulatory care and hospitalization costs and account for as much as 70 percent of all medical care spending. However, health plan managers said they were reluctant to incorporate behavior change interventions into their systems of care, in part because the cost impact of doing so is unclear.
"It's mind-boggling when health maintenance plans are not fully committed to the concept of ... health maintenance", says AgeVenture News editor, Dr. David Demko. "Health plan management of healthcare shouldn't be unhealthy. Here's the point. The first step to curing what ails Americans is getting health plan managers to practice what they preach."
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
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New Docs Avoid HMOs Like the Plague
Gerontologists Seek Longevity Prescription
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Clinton Triples Long-Term Care Tax Credit
The Clinton Administration confirmed that the President’s budget will include a $3,000 tax credit for people with long-term care needs or their caregivers. That action triples the credit over last year’s proposal. Presently, less than 2 percent of all Americans have private long-term care insurance of any kind. That's the bad news. But it gets worse. You see, today's huge long term care problem is destined to become tomorrow's crisis of epic proportions. Read on and find out why.
The President's initiative tackles the complex problem of long-term care that affects millions of elderly, people with disabilities and families who care for people in need. AgeVenture editor, Dr. David Demko believes "that makes perfect sense because 80% of elder care is provided by the family. If the government fails to preserve the family as a fully functional resource for America's elders, then the government's programs on aging would have to increase 80% in order to pick up the slack. No one wants the additional tax burden that such a government undertaking would cost." Demko served as a delegate to the 1981 White House Conference on Aging which struggled nearly two decades ago with the very same elder care issue.
In addition to the tax credit, the initiative will
- provide funding for services which support family caregivers of older persons
- improve Medicaid eligibility for people in home and community-based settings
- encourage partnerships between low-income housing for the elderly and Medicaid
- encourage the purchase of quality private long-term care insurance by Federal employees
The latter initiative regarding Federal employees is, in the opinion of AgeVenture News, a less pressing issue since Federal employees already enjoy retirement and health benefits that are far superior to the very citizens they serve. A sort of tail wag the dog phenomenon. As long as Congress and Federal employees remain immune to the hardships suffered by the general population, the public can expect a less than empathetic federal response to social ills.
Back to why we need the tax credit initiative. Families, who are the primary caregivers for people with long-term care needs, pay a big price for this care. One study found that the economic value of care giving for families ranges from $4,800 to $10,400 per caregiver. As such, this new $3,000 tax credit could cover up to 60 percent of families’ costs. In addition, this is more than just an economic issue. Many caregivers of the elderly are elderly themselves. Frequently, these caregivers are providing physically demanding and psychologically exhausting care which places their own health and mental health at risk.
Here's the point. American families should not have to go physically, emotionally and financially bankrupt trying to care for the nation's elderly. If the family unit sinks under the weight of caregiving, then the ship of state is gonna have to build a lot of life-boats to pick up the slack in eldercare resources. Yes, there is a genuine cost-benefit to supporting the caregiving efforts of the American family. And the cost-benefit of the President's long term care initiative will pay even bigger dividends in the future as America's older population begins to double in just a few decades. Like the man said, "This is an investment" ... in a better future ... for the family and our nation.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
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Long Term Care Insurance Short on Consistency
Tax Credit May Trigger LTC Insurance Boom
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Magnetic Shorts Claim Lower Prostate Risk
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. This year, the American Cancer Society projects 184,500 new cases of prostate cancer in the U.S. and 39,000 deaths.
In response to the cancer threat, Bio-Magnetic World, a company with headquarters in Salina, KS, has created
"sport shorts" for men who suffer from prostate problems. These magnetic shorts are made out of 92 percent cotton and 8 percent Lycra, and have a comfortable fit despite the fact that there are six magnets sewn in the bottom of the shorts.
Sounds strange, but the manufacturer claims the new magnetic sport shorts really work. "We've been testing these shorts for two years," said Dean Reinke, a representative of Bio-Magnetic World. "In the past two years, it has been known that these men's sport shorts are capable of reducing prostate-specific antigen levels in the wearer."
The test for prostate-specific antigens [PSAs] measures the level of a substance produced by prostate cells in the blood stream. PSA levels, although commonly present in non-cancerous cells, generally rise when the prostate is infected. A screening testing for the antigen can yield results which suggest that a higher than acceptable risk of prostate cancer is present in the patient.
Reinke says that "...six magnets, with gauss-strength of 4,500, are strategically placed near the prostate. The results are a very comfortable pair of shorts that do not ride up and they stay in place for almost any type of activity such as jogging, biking, tennis, basketball, or handball.
For all those "Doubting-Thomas's out there, Bio-magnetic World maintains a toll-free consumer hotline (1-800-579-8633) and Internet website (www.bio-magneticworld.com) to answer your questions about their new magnetic sport shorts.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Critics Give PSA Prostate Test "two thumbs up"
Need for Prostate Testing Questioned
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Power Pants
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Older Husband Caregivers Report Increased Stress
Older husbands who transition into the caregiving role are less happy, more depressed and more inclined to think that their marriage is in trouble than married men who do not transition into this role. That's the conclusion of a new study, based on data from the National Survey of Families and Households. Researchers Betty J. Kramer, PhD, of the University of Wisconsin at Madison and James David Lambert, PhD, of Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin conducted the study and reported their findings in the December 1999 issue of The Gerontologist, a publication of The Gerontological Society of America.
The study found that husbands who entered the caregiving role showed evidence of potentially detrimental changes in their marital relationship. They showed a decline in marital happiness and a feeling that their marriage was in trouble. "We do not know how many later-life marriages end in divorce as a result of illness," but suggest that more attention be given to potential implications of these findings for later-life families, Kramer and Lambert urged.
Caregiving most often is characterized as a traditional role that women fulfill, but men do provide care in substantial numbers, making up nearly 30 percent of all caregivers and 36 percent of spouse caregivers. Husbands who became caregivers, according to the study, showed significant changes in two aspects of social integration. One, they showed greater increase in participation in religious events, and two, showed a marked
decline in emotional support for their spouse.
On the other hand, caregiving husbands, however, did not spend more time in social and recreational activities. One reason for this maybe that "although women are often found to cut back their social activities to care for their husbands, men might not cut back to care for their wives, possibly because they do not have an extensive and active social life to begin with," Kramer and Lambert noted.
Finally, "the study found evidence of reduced psychological well-being among husbands" who are caregivers. These husbands, the study found, are less happy, more depressed than those with well spouses. While not surprising, the findings do suggest that men caregivers are vulnerable and that caregiving does not come easily to older men.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Women Continue Caregiver Tradition
MOMS the Word for Caregivers
Faced With Stress, Men Drink and Women Think
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Keiser Institute Launches Fall Prevention Campaign
Trips and falls are often and erroneously believed to be an inevitable consequence of normal aging. Such is not the case, says the Keiser Institute on Aging. Falls can be prevented through exercises designed to improve an elder's strength and balance.
To raise awareness and encourage “fall prevention” programs, the Keiser Institute on Aging will host an awareness week, March 6-10, 2000 by providing free access to information, research, and prevention strategies on its website www.keiserinstituteonaging.com. During the awareness campaign, the Keiser Institute on Aging will also reach out to senior housing facilities nationwide, offering practical strategies for educating older adults about fall prevention, and for creating effective fall prevention programs. Facilities will be encouraged to join the campaign by hosting fall prevention events.
During the week of March 6-10, Keiser Institute on Aging will provide a comprehensive fall prevention campaign, from assessments; to how to implement a balance class or program; to an in-depth look at risk factors in the home and other environments. It will also provide detailed discussions on medication interaction, balance physiology, etiology of falls and proven intervention programs.
For more information or to learn how your facility can host a “fall prevention” event, contact the Keiser Institute on Aging at 800-336-8133 or via the web at www.keiserinstituteonaging.com.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Gender Biased Trips Favor Men
Smart Home Technology for Senior Living
Help With Homework Helps Home Work Well
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Chilly Winter Prompts Elder Hypothermia Alert
Chilly air and blustery winds can be deadly cold, especially for older people who are at higher risk for hypothermia than are young adults. Hypothermia is a below-normal body temperature, typically 96 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
Surprisingly, hypothermia can threaten the health of older people in cool indoor temperatures such as 60°F to 65°F. As people age, they may lose their natural ability to keep warm in the cold, and inactivity, illness, and certain medications make it even more difficult. “Usually we think of hypothermia as something that happens to people outdoors,” says Dr. Terrie Wetle, Deputy Director of the National Institute on Aging (NIA). “It is important to know that some older people may have a dangerous drop in body temperature inside their own home.”
According to Dr. Wetle, elderly poor people are at an increased risk for hypothermia because they may keep indoor temperatures low to save on heating costs. Signs of hypothermia include any unusual change in behavior, confusion, sleepiness, clumsiness, slurred speech and shallow breathing. The sure way to detect hypothermia is by taking a person's temperature. A temperature below 96°F will not register on many oral
thermometers. If the temperature reading is at or below 96°F, call 911 immediately.
Hypothermia can be prevented. The NIA recommends that if you are an older person you should do the following.
- Ask your doctor if the drugs you take can affect body temperature regulation.
- Dress warmly in layers of clothing even when indoors.
- Hypothermia can occur in bed, so wear warm clothing to bed and use blankets.
- Ask friends or neighbors to look in once or twice a day if you live alone.
- See if your local community has a telephone check-in or personal visit service.
- Use alcohol moderately, if at all. And avoid alcohol altogether near bedtime.
- Eat hot foods and drink hot liquids to raise your body temperature and keep warm.
- Set the thermostat in your home at least 68°F - 70°F in living or sleeping areas.
- Ask your doctor if you should set your thermostat higher.
- Look into fuel-assistance programs and home winterization programs.
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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