Centenarians One Of The Fastest Growing Demographics

An older woman holding a pink string in her hand.


Centenarians, those living to be over 100 years old, are one of the fastest growing demographic groups in the United States.  The number stands at 92K, with most of them women.  This demographic has expanded by 44% since 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 40 years people in this demo will be 6x higher than today.  Genetics plays a big part in how long you live.  A Boston University School of Medicine study found that genetic markets accounted for 61% accuracy in predicting who lives to be 100.  However, Dr. Thomas Perls from Boston University School of Medicine said it’s like winning the lottery—only one in 5,000 people will make it to be 100.  The lucky ones planned financially for a long life, but many people don’t consider this long of a life a possibility when making their retirement plans.  Longevity planning is becoming a new vocation.  It combines conventional financial techniques with life planning.  In addition to your genetics, however, lifestyle can play a big part.  Staying socially and mentally vibrant are key.  If you retire from work, you should take up some volunteer efforts to keep your mind active, say experts.

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver

A close up of a cell with viruses inside


There were only 31 new coronavirus cases reported in Monterey County today, bringing the total to 42,404 cases, with no new deaths reported. Nationally, the number of cases were up by 65,682 for a total of 28.9 million and deaths rose by 2,483 to 523K. In California, we are now at almost 3.6 million cases and 54K deaths.  The number of cases are declining but please stay home and stay safe as much as possible.

Hospital Care At Home To Be The New Norm?

A building with the capitol in the background.


There is growing interest to shift hospital services into patients’ homes, a movement that started even prior to the outbreak of COVID-19.  Startups are providing technology to bring medical services into the home and well-known Venture Capital companies are backing them.  Hospitals are finding that some common illnesses like urinary-tract infections can be effectively treated at home.  This is a very common ailment for seniors and it would be great to see them recover from this at home.  Hospital-at-home care hasn’t taken off in large part due to the fact that insurance companies haven’t covered it.  However, many are trying to convince Medicare and private insurance companies with data published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showing home hospitalization reduced costs, healthcare use and readmissions, while increasing physical activity compared with typical hospital care.  In addition, Medicare recently introduced a new program whereby hospitals can be reimbursed for home care they provide to patients during the pandemic.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/crop-of-startups-move-hospital-care-into-the-home-11614853803

Alzheimer’s Association To Host Webinar on the Impact on South Asians 3/7


Join the Alzheimer’s Association on Sunday, March 7 for a webinar on the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on South Asians at 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. PST.  This two-hour session will highlight the latest in Alzheimer’s research, ways to reduce your risk, as well as cultural implications.  The key topic will be : The Science Behind Alzheimer’s Dementia Care in India, Healthy Living for Your Body and Brain.  To register, call 1-800-272-3900.

https://www.communityresourcefinder.org/ResourceView/Index?id=2121395&_ga=2.18995633.809881495.1612807389-2086572759.1603741592

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver

A close up of the word coronavirus with an image of a virus


There were only 19 new coronavirus cases reported in Monterey County today, bringing the total to 42,335 cases, with no new deaths reported. Nationally, the number of cases were up by 57,789 for a total of 28.758 million and deaths rose by 2,638 to 518K. In California, there were 5,730 new cases, for a cume total of 3.580 million.  There were 351 new deaths, for a total of 52,899.  Please stay home and stay safe.

Monterey, CA Alzheimer’s Association Is There For You When You Need Support

A purple background with the alzheimer 's association logo.


The Alzheimer’s Association just released its latest edition of its annual Alzheimer’s Disease Facts And Figures report, with tidbits like these:

More than 6 million Americans have Alzheimer’s Disease, a number which is expected to more than double to 13 million by 2050;

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Deaths have increased by 16% during the pandemic;

1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia.  It kills more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined;

In 2021 Alzheimer’s and other dementia will cost our nation $355 billion.  By 2050 this number is expected to more than triple to $1.1 trillion;

More than 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or another type of dementia.  In 2020, they provided 15.3 billion hours of care valued at more than $250 billion;

Between 2000 and 2019, deaths from heart disease have decreased by 7.3% while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have increased by 145%.

These statistics are bleak, however, this is definitely worth a read.  It also comes with an accompanying special report entitled Race, Ethnicity and Alzheimer’s in America.  This examines the perspectives and experiences of Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native and White Americans in regard to Alzheimer’s and dementia care.  The report also analyzes the horrible impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers.

Regular readers of my blog know that both my father and grandmother had this terrible disease when they passed away.  There are great people at our local chapter of Alzheimer’s Association in Ryan’s Ranch.  They also have a 24-hour hotline if you need support at 800-272-3900.

 

https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures?WT.mc_id=enews2021_03_03&utm_source=enews-aff-20&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=enews-2021-03-03&utm_content=homeoffice&utm_term=Story1

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver

A close up of a cell with viruses inside


There were 55 new coronavirus cases reported in Monterey County today, bringing the total to 42,316 cases.  There was one more new fatality reported, bringing the total to 329.  Nationally, the number of cases were up by 56,672 for a total of 28.7 million and deaths rose by 1,425 to 515K. Thankfully, new federal data shows that the number of COVID-19 cases dropped by 89% from December through the second week of February.  In California, we now have 3.574 million cases and 52,548 deaths.

Monterey, CA Retiring? Think About Decluttering

A jar of coins with the word retirement written on it.


The November 2020 issue of the Kiplinger Retirement Report had an article on retiring and getting rid of all of that extra junk that you have lying around—while making a profit!  For instance, called Decluttr (available on both the Apple iPhone and Google Android) where all you have to do when selling electronics (as well as accessories like video games, DVDs and CDs) is input the make and model.  They will email you a price quote that is good for four weeks and a shipping label for mailing the item.  No need to send in photos or any information, just wipe all personal data clean and send the equipment in.  Another interesting app is The RealReal which will buy designer clothes.  You just bag them up and mail them in and they apparently give a decent price for used clothes.

Pacific Grove, CA Social Security Policy For Spouses Who Haven’t Worked


The November 2020 issue of Kiplinger’s Retirement Report (page 18) went over some of the tricky parts of Social Security.  One reader wrote in and asked when his wife can receive benefits and how much will she get given that she has not worked and, therefore, has not paid anything into the Social Security Fund.  The answer?  Like anyone else she can start receiving benefits starting at the age of 62.  If she does, she would get 33.5% of her husband’s full retirement benefit.  However, if she waits until her full retirement age, she will receive 50% of his benefits.

Carb Counting Important For Diabetics

A farmers market with fresh vegetables and fruits.


The September/October Issue of Diabetes Forecast (page 30) had an article about how important carb counting is when you are diabetic.  Compared with protein and fat, carbs have the greatest effect on your blood glucose.  By counting how many grams of carb you’ll be eating, you can more accurately dose mealtime insulin and keep your blood glucose level stable.  Read the labels on prepared foods that you buy, many of them will already have this information.