#Seniors Health.

[jay-wasstuff]

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Bonus: the old man (+insp)

[reasonsforhope]

"Vice President Kamala Harris is proposing to provide federal funding to cover home care costs for older Americans, aiming to help the “ sandwich generation " of adults caring for aging parents while raising their children at the same time.

Appearing Tuesday on ABC’s “The View,” Harris talked about taking care of her mother when she was dying and personally experiencing the challenges many families face when seeking affordable in-home care for their aging loved ones.

She promised that if, elected in November, she will seek to expand Medicare, the federal health insurance program for older Americans, so that it covers long-term care and includes services like in-home aides. Harris said aides could help seniors do things as simple as preparing meals or putting on sweaters because it is “about dignity for that individual. It’s about independence for that individual.”

Her proposal is a new one just a month out from Election Day but the issue is one that President Joe Biden's administration has been working on for years.

In an effort to soften the effects of inflation, the White House promoted as part of Build Back Better, its legislative agenda that stalled on Capitol Hill years ago, steeply increased federal spending for child care as well as for seniors. After Build Back Better collapsed, the Biden administration continued to promote increasing spending for what it calls “the care economy,” a cause Harris has continued to mention after replacing Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket.

“These plans are common sense. They can help family caregivers work and save both families and the federal government money by allowing seniors to stay in their homes instead of being sent to nursing homes,” the Harris campaign said in a fact sheet detailing her proposal. “Medicare at Home will also reduce hospitalizations.”

As part of a blitz of media interviews she’s been doing in recent days, Harris sat down after her appearance on “The View” with radio personality Howard Stern, who said that his mother is 97. Taking care of an elderly parent, he said, “will bankrupt you.”

Such costs have increased pressure on adults caring for their parents and kids simultaneously. In 2019, roughly 30% of family caregivers of older Americans lived in households that included children or grandchildren, according to AARP.

Harris would likely have to work with Congress to achieve key parts of her proposal. Harris’ campaign points to past, similar proposals projected to cost $40 billion annually, but says much of that can be offset by savings achieved through efforts begun by the Biden administration to expand Medicare’s ability to negotiation prices with major drug manufacturers.

Harris is also promising to further expand Medicare to include hearing and vision coverage, while changing existing rules that can allow federal authorities to seize a deceased beneficiary’s home to recuperate costs. [Note: I'm sorry the current rules fucking what] The campaign fact sheet says that practice “means that those homes are not passed on to the seniors’ children, which particularly harms rural and minority families.”"

-via AP News, October 8, 2024

[l3irdl3rain]

save me senior cat on petfinder, save me

[lookingforcactus]

A big cost and concern for many seniors in the U.S. is the price of prescription drugs and other healthcare expenses—and this year, thanks to The Inflation Reduction Act, their costs may go down dramatically, especially for patients fighting cancer or heart disease.

I learned about the new benefits because my ‘Medicare birthday’ is coming up in a couple months when I turn 65. I was shocked that there were so many positive changes being made, which I never heard about on the news.

Thousands of Americans on Medicare have been paying more than $14,000 a year for blood cancer drugs, more than $10,000 a year for ovarian cancer drugs, and more than $9,000 a year for breast cancer drugs, for instance.

That all changed beginning in 2023, after the Biden administration capped out-of-pocket prescriptions at $3,500—no matter what drugs were needed. And this year, in 2024, the cap for all Medicare out-of-pocket prescriptions went down to a maximum of $2,000.

“The American people won, and Big Pharma lost,” said President Biden in September 2022, after the legislation passed. “It’s going to be a godsend to many families.”

Another crucial medical necessity, the shingles vaccine, which many seniors skip because of the cost, is now free. Shingles is a painful rash with blisters, that can be followed by chronic pain, and other complications, for which there is no cure

In 2022, more than 2 million seniors paid between $100 and $200 for that vaccine, but starting last year, Medicare prescription drug plans dropped the cost for shots down to zero.

Another victory for consumers over Big Pharma affects anyone of any age who struggles with diabetes. The cost of life-saving insulin was capped at $35 a month [for people on Medicare].

Medicare is also lowering the costs of the premium for Part B—which covers outpatient visits to your doctors. 15 million Americans will save an average of $800 per year on health insurance costs, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Last year, for the first time in history, Medicare began using the leverage power of its large patient pool to negotiate fair prices for drugs. Medicare is no longer accepting whatever drug prices that pharmaceutical companies demand.

Negotiations began on ten of the most widely used and expensive drugs.

Among the ten drugs selected for Medicare drug price negotiation were Eliquis, used by 3.7 million Americans and Jardiance and Xarelto, each used by over a million people. The ten drugs account for the highest total spending in Medicare Part D prescription plans...

How are all these cost-savings being paid for?

The government is able to pay for these benefits by making sure the biggest corporations in America are paying their fair share of federal taxes.

In 2020, for instance, dozens of American companies on the Fortune 500 list who made $40 billion in profit paid zero in federal taxes.

Starting in 2023, U.S. corporations are required to pay a minimum corporate tax of 15 percent. The Inflation Reduction Act created the CAMT, which imposed the 15% minimum tax on the adjusted financial statement income of any corporation with average income that exceeds $1 billion.

For years, Americans have decried the rising costs of health care—but in the last three years, there are plenty of positive developments.

-via Good News Network, February 25, 2024

[thashining]

My mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was the district attorney of San Francisco. I remember cooking meals for her and taking her to her appointments. I did what I could to make her comfortable. I figured out which clothes were soft enough that they wouldn't irritate her, and told her stories to try and make her laugh.

Caregiving is about dignity—not just for the patient, but also for the caregiver. We must lower the costs and ease the burdens faced by our caregivers to make it easier for them to provide care while pursuing their aspirations.

Today, I am announcing a new historic Medicare at Home benefit as part of my plan to help families with caregiving needs and strengthen Medicare for the long-term. Over 67 million people are covered by Medicare, yet many Americans don’t realize that Medicare does not cover long-term services and assistance like home health aides.

As a result, many American families face challenging and sometimes impossible choices.

My plan will strengthen Medicare to cover home care services and support for seniors. This will include providing care workers with better wages, improving the quality of care for seniors and those with disabilities, and treating our seniors with the dignity they deserve.

Kamala Harris

[thedungeonbat]

another round of studying for my math exam📓

everything I knew yesterday seems to have left my brain. Yay. Back to zero I guess. I’m back to solving problems and trying to memorise the procedures🫠besides that my anxiety about buying concert tickets tomorrow is killing me. Add brain fog on top and then you have the mixture for todays study session. Let’s hope tomorrow will be better…

but hey I managed to take a walk with my dog :)🐕

[shitacademicswrite]

[afriblaq]

Black Health

@theconciouslee

[bunabi]

I was once again adopted by an old woman on the bus on my way home (she was very sweet and needed directions)

[eaudera]

just bombed my statistics exam think im gonna drop out and pursue art full time

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

What supportive care do senior snakes require? Like, as they reach their later years, what should a responsible keeper do to keep them comfortable and thriving?

Great question!

The single most important thing that can be done for a senior snake is ensuring they have regular vet visits. A good yearly (or even twice yearly) check-up can do wonders for spotting common issues before they cause the snake any discomfort.

In general, here's what I do for senior snakes to make sure they stay healthy and happy!

Senior snakes will often have mobility issues. Their skin and muscles aren't as stretchy as they used to be! Thicker climbing branches that are easier to hold onto, shorter vertical enrichment that's closer to the ground, and softer substrate (working moss into your regular substrate is easy and effective) can help prevent injury from falls.

Senior snakes might have trouble digesting large food items. Cutting down on the size can help the snake digest comfortably and prevent regurgitations.

Taking them out for short handling sessions to get their bodies moving encourages exercise and keeps those muscles healthier for longer!

Senior snakes often have trouble shedding. Extra humidity boosts during shed cycles are often appreciated.

Senior snakes' immune systems aren't as strong as they used to be, so it's important to make sure your enclosure stays clean!

Supplementing their meals with vitamins can help keep their bones, muscles, and organs going strong! Ask your vet about good liquid multivitamins that can be injected into their meals. Even just an occasional calcium supplement can help keep their bones healthy.

With any senior pet, it's important to keep track of how they're doing. I recommend keeping a journal to track their feeding habits, shedding, and activity levels. Be sure to watch for any signs that your snake is in pain. Many senior snakes still have many happy and healthy years ahead of them, so it's important to do all you can to keep them comfortable and thriving!

[peanutposting]

peanut had an excellent vet visit

the vet said his blood results looked “beautiful”

they were “good not only for a dog his age, but a dog in general”

[juney-blues]

the main selling point of another term for biden is "there are worse options." this is not a particularly inspiring campaign platform but people get mad when you point that out for some reason

[study-diaries]

A Reminder To Those Who Need It.

I got this question a lot and I'm absolutely tired of hearing it...

"What are you doing in college?", "What are your plans after senior year?"

Like, I don't even know what I'm gonna do over the break or the next whole year, so, i thought maybe it's like this for everyone. People are expected to decide everything like it won't actually impact their life. Most of my class is damn sure about what they wanna do while me? I just wanna pass senior year with good grades and think about it slowly and with a clearer head.

For me, the main thing that matters is that i shouldn't regret taking something i don't like and I don't wanna rush the whole decision up. And i just got like such judgy eyes... ugh... Like, I don't know what i want... Why is that not okay nowadays? Why is taking time to figure it out not alright?

So, to everyone who's in a situation like me...

You don't have to have everything figured out, if you don't know what you're gonna do, that's completely fine. Take your time, it's not a race.

Honestly, it can be quite confusing and you may feel like you might be kinda lax about it but honestly, it's definitely okay :)

You're not obliged to rush your decisions just because another person has already made theirs.

Just wanted to say that... okay, bye.

[thedungeonbat]

Started working on my term paper ✦

Topic: The effects of competitive sport on mental health using the example of Robert Enke