Telemedicine Is Here To Stay

A person holding a stethoscope in front of a laptop.


Telemedicine became very popular during the pandemic, although most patients now expect that sort of flexibility with their physicians.  The technology has gotten dramatically better over the last couple of years.  In a recent survey by McKinsey & Company, only 9% of those reporting negative aspects of an online doctor visit cited technical difficulties as a cause.  Cookies play an important role for repeat visitors.  “We realized there is a lot of cognitive overload for patients,†Lee Schwamm, VP of digital patient experience and virtual care at Mass General Brigham, told the Wall Street Journal.  “It is stressful to have to find an email, a link and a password when you are getting ready for an appointment with your doctor,†he said.  Since most patients login just minutes before an appointment, there is very little time to help people who are having technical problems.  In a 2021 McKinsey Physician Survey, 45% of doctors surveyed said that they invested in telehealth during the pandemic, and 41% said they have the technology to deliver telehealth seamlessly.  Doctors, however, are not fully on board with telemedicine.  In another McKinsey study earlier this year, two-thirds of doctors polled identified shortcomings in the system.  Their biggest complaint is the lack of an in-person visit.  “There are some conditions where I need a physical exam to make a decision on a patient’s care,†Keith Sale, VP of ambulatory services at the University of Kansas Health Systems, told the Wall Street Journal.

Invest In I Bonds With Inflation High

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


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.

Freedom, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours : $2 Per Hour More On Weekends

A woman sitting on the couch with an older man.


Freedom, CA  Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours : $2 Per Hour More On Weekends (Aptos, Ben Lomond,  Boulder Creek, Capitola, Davenport, Felton, Freedom, Mount Hermon, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Soquel & Watsonville)

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade, and we are now expanding into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.fhcofm.com, click on home care aides, then careers where you can fill out an application online.  We have immediate openings.

https://tsc221.ersp.biz/index.cfm?event=Apply.index

Reduce Stress, Reduce Insomnia

A woman and an older man smiling for the camera.


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

A pile of money sitting next to stacks of cash.


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.

Felton, CA Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours : $2 Per Hour More On Weekends

A woman sitting on the ground with another person.


Felton, CA  Home Care Aide (HCA) Senior Caregiver Jobs Available : Set Your Own Hours : $2 Per Hour More On Weekends (Aptos, Ben Lomond,  Boulder Creek, Capitola, Davenport, Felton, Freedom, Mount Hermon, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Soquel & Watsonville)

We have developed a reputation for having the best caregivers (Home Care Aides or Senior Companions) in Monterey County over the past decade, and we are now expanding into Santa Cruz County.   We are currently looking for qualified caregivers.

Family inHome Caregiving is seeking compassionate, mature and dependable caregivers who want to improve the lives of our elderly Clients by providing in-home, non-medical care.  Our services include:

Caring companionship

Meal preparation

Incidental transportation

Running errands

Light housekeeping

Medication reminders

Monitoring of safety while bathing

Information and referral services

Other services that improve the safety, security and quality of life of seniors.

If you believe you would make an exceptional Home Care Aide, we would love to hear from you!  We prefer those with experience helping the elderly, disabled and others with mobility problems.  Having cared for those with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s is a plus.  To work for us, you must have excellent references, a clear criminal record, a good driving record, and an insured reliable vehicle.  To apply, please visit our website www.fhcofm.com, click on home care aides, then careers where you can fill out an application online.  We have immediate openings.

https://tsc221.ersp.biz/index.cfm?event=Apply.index

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

A person holding hands with another person in bed.


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

A table with many different types of pills on it.


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

A building with the capitol in the background.


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

A woman and an older man smiling for the camera.


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.