Invest In I Bonds With Inflation High

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With the stock market extremely volatile and interest rates low, many seniors are trying to figure out what to do with their nest egg.  A nice safe investments are I bonds, which are U.S. treasury bonds which pays interest based on the consumer price index (CPI).  They currently are paying 9.62%.  Any I bond that you purchase from now through October will pay that rate for six months, at which point it resets.  You can buy up to $10K in I Bonds per year.

Reduce Stress, Reduce Insomnia

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As we grow older we often sleep less.  However, if you are having trouble falling asleep, it may be stress related.  About a third of Americans suffer from at least periodic insomnia, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).  In most cases, sleep issues resolve on their own.  But if it lasts for a month or longer, it’s considered a chronic condition (which affects about 1 in 10).  Lack of sleep can feed on itself.  Lying awake night after night can create anxiety about falling asleep, which serves to exacerbate the insomnia.  “This is something I see in almost all of my patients with insomnia,†Joshua Tal, a clinical sleep and health psychologist, told AARP Bulletin.  Avoid anything with caffeine after noon, and try not to eat late as our bodies digest food more slowly as we age.

Monterey, CA Elder Abuse Alert : FCC Targets Robocall Scammers

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The Federal Communications Commission is accelerating rules aimed at curbing robocalls, many of which are scams targeting senior citizens. The requirements are focusing on “gateway providers,†which are smaller companies that move calls between larger networks. Scammers often use what is known as spoofing, which automatically picks a fake number in your area code. The rules will not allow this, as they require verification that the originating phone number shows up on caller ID.

New Study Says COVID-19 Can Lower Your IQ By 10 Points

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A new study from the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London which was published in the journal eClinical Medicine found that COVID-19 can lower your IQ by 10 points, the equivalent of your brain aging from 50 to 70.   The findings jibe with a number of reports in the medical community about “brain fog,†which can persist for months or even years.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is occurring in millions of COVID survivors.

President Biden Signs Sweeping Prescription Drug Reform

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On August 16, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act which includes:

About $370 billion into policies aimed at reducing U.S. Greenhouse gas emissions.  $10’s of billions of dollars will go toward supporting renewable energy development, lowering the costs of electric vehicles, building out public electric car charging stations, etc.

The bill is the most significant prescription drug legislation to pass in 20 years. Diabetic seniors won’t have to pay more than $35 a month for insulin.  Starting in 2026, out-of-pocket costs for all prescription drugs will be capped at $2,000 a year for Medicare recipients.

Because the bill raises more revenue through higher taxes than it spends, it’s projected to reduce the federal budget deficit by close to $300 bill over the next ten years.

 

Medicare Part B Patients Should Get A Premium Rebate

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Advocates for participants in Medicare Part B such as AARP are arguing that they should be seeing a premium rebate this year, although it’s unlikely that this will happen.  The reason:  the fund has a large surplus after adding on $21.60/month, a record price increase.  It’s estimated that roughly $10/month to cover the cost of the new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm.  The annual cost of the drug was $28,200 but the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) refused to cover it even though it received FDA approval and the drug was pulled from the market.  “It is unconscionable for a single outrageously priced drug to drive up premiums for all Medicare beneficiaries,†sadid Nancy LeaMond, AARP chief advocacy and engagement officer.  She ways savings from Aduhelm should be swiftly returned to Medicare Part B users.

Take Your Pills On A Set Schedule, Research Shows

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The Wall Street Journal had an interesting article recently on the fact that since our physiology and biochemistry change dramatically through the course of each day, that medicines are more effective when taken on a set schedule.  The term for this is chronopharmacology which states that medications and treatments should be taken on a set schedule when they are proven to be most effective.  This is especially important in the case of heart attacks and strokes, two of the leading causes of death in the U.S., responsible for almost 900K deaths annually.

Reduce Weight And Cut Your Cardiovascular risk Factors

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Obesity is a huge problem in our country, and can lead to heart attack, stroke , high blood pressure and many other negative health impacts.  Lowering your cholesterol and limiting alcohol can also reduce your risk of a major cardiovascular event like a heart attack.  The odds of getting cardiovascular disease in our 60’s are high.  77.5% of males and 75.4% of females between the ages of 60 to 79 have it, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).  Common symptoms of a heart attack are chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, feeling faint or weak, and pain in your jaw, neck, back arms or shoulders.  Other signs include unexplained fatigue, nausea, vomiting and light-headedness.  “Even as little as a 5 to 10 percent decrease in your body weight can have a huge effect on your blood pressure and other risk factors,†Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, president of the AHA, told AARP Bulletin (August-September Issue, page 51).

Monterey, CA New Biotech Partnership To Fight Alzheimer’s

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Biotech startup Cervance Inc. could earn more than $1 billion via a collaboration with drugmaker Merck & Company to research potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. This a fledgling sector.  Although victims of the disease are growing quickly, there have been no effective new treatments that have come to market in more than a decade.  “Hopefully the tide is turning,†Cerevance CEO Craig Thompson, told the Wall Street Journal.  Cerevance gathers brain tissue from brain banks, or centers that obtain brains from organ donors.  It then examines brain tissue to identify brain diseases and metrics such as what genes are over- or under-active.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and my grandmother had this debilitating disease when they passed away.  There are some great people at the Monterey Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan Ranch, or you can call their 24-hour hotline at 1-800-272-3900.

Monterey, CA Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Facilities Struggle To Hire Staff

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It should come as no surprise that nursing home staff shrunk dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic.  According to a new study and federal data, most facilities lost more than half their nurses and aides in the past year.  The study found that facilities have struggled to refill openings, particularly certified nursing assistants or CNA’s.  Unfortunately, health care companies and hospitals are also suffering from staffing shortages so it’s unclear how quickly these assisted living facilities will be able to replace their staff.