#healthy aging

[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

[allwhiterain]

Margaret Qualley in The Substance (2024) directed by Coralie Fargeat

[wahroh]

Kinda like a time zone for the aging.

[melisssg99]

I can't believe girls my age and younger are getting

"preventative botox"

I just hope I get the chance to grow old with my partner without too much pain,

embrace my gray hair I'll inevitably grow

and maybe someday even hold my grandchildren with wrinkly loving hands.

We shouldn't be scared of looking our age🩷

Growing older

is a privilege

[lemonbombsfjl]

VP Kamala Harris will create an economy of care! 🫶💙

I know from personal experience how much this issue matters to you all.

Please share so others know this welcome change is coming!

[alteredstatesstuff]

a long life

[searchingsilk]

Ocean Reverie Kimono by Jan Kirstein Rigor. From my “Aging Gracefully” Series. The Kimono Series is available as giclee prints here: https://janis-kirstein.pixels.com #kimono #abstract art #contemporaryart #giclee prints #painting #drawing #artcollectors #ipastelspro #aginggracefully #jankirsteinrigor #mixedmedia #collage

[barbwillbrb]

Your resident nutcase reached level 29 today.

It is the dawn of the final year of my 20s.

Those bitches who whine about life being over at 23 can go suck my nuts. While you are busy bitching about aging I am here getting cooler.

Anyhoots— I am gonna work on my first cosplay, do some writing, finish some arts, and maybe get a bubble tea.

Also gonna thirst some more about Ketheric, Ethel, and Yurgir but that’s just your regular scheduled programming.

[silvermoon424]

I believe in Emilia Clarke supremacy

[fandomshatewomen]

Halle Berry's Statuesque Dress Celebrates Female Strength

I hate the title of this article but I loved this bit

[alazarrr]

MYA

…..aging with grace.

[wahroh]

Gauge marks of life and aging.

[rosielindy]

I’m coming up on a major milestone birthday next month, just came across this message today and I really needed it. 🥰

[eatclean-bewhole]

One of the most significant lessons I’ve learned is the importance of maintaining muscle mass, which is one of the factors of longevity. This isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about overall health and quality of life!

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, a leading expert in the field of muscle-centric medicine, emphasizes that muscle is the organ of longevity. It plays a critical role in metabolic health, immune function, and even brain health. As we age, muscle mass naturally declines, which can lead to increased fat gain, and reduced strength.

To counteract this, adequate protein intake and consistent resistance training are crucial. According to Dr. Lyon, most adults need at least 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight daily to support muscle health. This ensures that our bodies have the necessary building blocks to repair and build muscle tissue.

Resistance training, on the other hand, is essential for stimulating muscle growth and strength. It’s not just about lifting weights; it’s about challenging your muscles in a way that promotes growth and resilience. Even just 2-3 sessions per week can make a significant difference.

I’ve personally noticed and reaped these benefits. At 41 and in perimenopause, prioritizing protein and resistance training has helped me feel stronger, more energized, and better equipped to handle the changes that come with aging.

It’s never too late to start, and the benefits are truly life-changing. 💪🏽

#healthyaging #muscle #longevity #musclehealth #protein #strengthtraining #resistancetraining #agegracefully #fitover40 #longevity #musclematters #weightloss #healthjourney #hormonebalance #hormonehealth #proteinintake #fitnessover40 #healthylifestyle #strengthandhealth #musclemass #strongatanyage #fitnessmotivation #wellnessjourney #healthyliving #nutrition #food #healthyeating #health #heathy #healthyfood

[secretagentsagainstwhatever]

I’m rewatching Arrested Development. I’ve just got to S4, and it’s got me wondering in your opinion

[gray-griff]

04-07-2024; travels with epicurus, daniel klein

"Beauty is equilibrium, and equilibrium is beauty."

popping into bouquiniste books in st. andrews i saw a book sale and obviously had to nab a few, and while i recognised neither the title or author, at the mention of epicurus i decided to grab this one! i’ve absolutely supremely enjoyed klein’s “meditations on old age”, and while it has taken me almost a year to get to reading them, the timing alongside my transition to uni made this experience even more valuable. overall, to really penetrate the academic language and deeper philosophy concepts i think i would deeply benefit at reading it again. the book is not exceptionally lengthy, but it still took me a bit to get through as i often had to sit back and ponder each section as i read.

My Sartrean Ethics Crisis of 2024

this was, admittedly, a very small section of the text, but i’ll talk about it at length here because i found it incredibly impactful (believe it or not, for a book on old age I was not the target audience!).  foreword: i had not yet had the privilege of reading a single word of satre’s before this book. one of klein’s strengths is being able to cover a myriad of concepts and authors/philosophers n such a short time, but obviously doing so limits the depth and span of which he can discuss; tldr, he has sparked a great interest of satre in me, so if you have any recommendations besides his most famous (which i’ve already added to my tbr) or your own takes on his writing, i’m dying for more and would love to hear xP

to continue:

klein writes as such; “In Sartrean ethics we are directed to live authentically— “authenticity” being Satre’s take on the almost universally accepted injunction “To thine own self be true.” A person lives authentically if he operates from the principle that his existence precedes his essence. He is not essentially, say, a waiter or a Democrat or a daytime drinker, these are roles he may choose to play, but not innate qualities that he cannot transcend. For example, an authentic person cannot in good faith say, “I drink two scotches at lunch because that is just the way I am.” He would be treating himself as an object with immutable characteristics, not existing as a subject with the ability to choose who he is and what actions he takes.”

this concept i’m well acquainted with, and i liked to think i understood and internalized. however, what he follows this with has completely shifted my sense of self, and has deepened this concept to the point that i think i can now actually begin to comprehend non-essentialism.

he goes on to say “For me, the most relevant piece here is Sartre's warning against treating oneself as an object. This is a rare bit of moral philosophy that I can actually feel: treating myself as an object makes me feel less alive, less myself. When, say, I find myself in the frame of mind where I am convinced that I am essentially an inconsiderate person and there's nothing to be done about it, I not only feel defeated, I feel that in denying my ability to willfully change I have stopped being truly alive. But at the same time it would be ridiculous not to accept what is beyond my control: I can no more choose to be a young man than I can choose to be tall and blue eyed.

Basically, most of us want to be as responsible for our lives as we can be—it is fundamental to making our lives our own. I choose, therefore I am who I am.”

i could not for the life of me understand the concept of “there is no essential, one true ‘(y/n)’”, i was limiting myself because i didn’t connect that letting our roles invade our essential beings goes beyond my job, or my hobbies, i didn’t connect anything! i feel much freer now, i am essentially nothing, and therefore i am free to change, it is not a betrayal of self. i may have done a horrible job of explaining my thoughts just there, i apologise, it’s far too wrapped up in my emotions to be clear and concise.

another conclusion i reached after only being able to make connections to the midnight gospel: i need to read more philosophy. my catalogue is so small that its an 8 episode mini series made by some guy with a podcast.. i mean its a fantastic series but that cannot be it for me. i’ve had a lovely taster of some of the thoughts of so many of the big ones in this, as well as some of his personal favourites and i feel so inspired now to learn!! 

this book is amazing in that i feel like its enforced my positive view on life! i’d really love to go back to this after a lifetime of studying philosophy and aging and seeing how much more deeply I understand the text, i hope i do

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