West Health’s Post

Something better is always available to you. 🪶 The Age Wise Approach is about much more than addressing the senior care crisis - which is 😱🤕 The core belief that something better truly IS always available to you. It starts with a better-feeling thought. Such as - there are abundant numbers of people who are already in service of seniors. I have reached out and spoken to many of these people who, at first may have seen Age Wise as competition… On the contrary - I see these people as Allies. 🦉 Helping an agency owner book more services for a client who was initially hesitant to agree to the proposed service agreement because they fear being taken advantage of or overspending on things that aren’t “essential” Age Wise is here to serve the seniors, those tasked with their care as well as the many amazing human beings in every community who are serving and caring for our beloved elderly. George was quite pleased to hop in for a selfie and may have even tried to get a little fresh 😂 Edifying a families to make decisions with confidence to surround themselves with the support they need to feel well cared for is priceless! ___________________ Hi! In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Leslie. 🦉 I offer expert guidance to families to help them navigate the aging-in-place journey so they can maximize enjoyment of their homes🏡, make decisions with confidence and get on with living! 🎉 📨 Message me about your situation or needs 🪶 Comment or fire away with questions below - we read every word! ➕ Follow me for more tips on aging wisely! Book your free strategy session here: https://lnkd.in/gHbYHk-s

Just 10 minutes of your time as we look to find answers as to how seniors can age successfully in their homes and communities. View this insightful article on Health Affairs that sheds light on the relationship between social determinants of health and healthcare spending in the US. Discover why addressing social factors is crucial for improving health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. "We're here, we're here to help!" https://lnkd.in/g8ddY9ZD 800.804.3840 https://lnkd.in/gpF_PZG5

Every May, the Administration for Community Living leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month (OAM). The 2023 theme is Aging Unbound, which offers an opportunity to explore diverse aging experiences and discuss how communities can combat stereotypes. Senior adults can take steps to stay healthy and active as they get older (https://lnkd.in/g6m5KhSe). It’s important for senior adults to: Keep their bodies and minds active. Choose healthy foods. Talk to their doctors about any health concerns they have. Take steps to prevent falls. Stay safe while driving. Be socially active. Get help with financial decisions. Enroll in Medicare and choose a good plan. Seniors often struggle as they age to maintain a good quality of life due to less income and more health related issues. It's an advantage to have a caregiver or someone who can assist with helping older adults navigate life. Sooner or later, if you live long enough, you'll be there one day, too. Visit my website to explore services for senior adults: https://lnkd.in/eA522mRY

The long-term care system in the U.S. is broken. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated systemic, long-standing structural problems, deep inequities, and healthcare workforce shortages. This comes at a time when the baby boomer generation is aging and life expectancy continues to decline, putting the U.S. further behind other developed nations. This new reported series, a collaboration between KFF and The New York Times, explores the financial and emotional toll of providing and paying for long-term care, raising awareness for the plight shared by too many #raredisease patients and families. https://lnkd.in/eEmKEAW8

How important is a nutrition for seniors? Our nation’s senior population is growing exponentially, outpacing the resources available to serve vulnerable older adults and putting their health and well-being in jeopardy. Meals on Wheels is a proven public-private partnership that effectively addresses the challenges of aging by promoting health and improving quality of life for at-risk seniors. By leveraging the existing Meals on Wheels network, we have the opportunity to not only keep seniors healthy and independent at home, where they want to be, but also save billions in tax dollars by keeping them out of more costly healthcare alternatives. THE ESCALATING ISSUE OF SENIOR HUNGER OUR NATION’S SENIOR POPULATION IS GROWING AND CHANGING RAPIDLY. OLDER AMERICANS ARE LIVING LONGER WITH LESS MONEY. 1 IN 4 AMERICANS IS 60+ with 12,000 more turning 60 every day Seniors on fixed incomes are ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE to increases in inflation and cost of living. 1 IN 2 SENIORS LIVING ALONE lacks the income to pay for basic needs AMONG AMERICANS 60 AND OLDER: 29% HAVE A DISABILITY 24% LIVE ALONE 13% ARE VETERANS THIS POPULATION IS SET TO REACH 91M BY 2030, with 112M EXPECTED BY 2060 – increasing the number of seniors today by nearly half. OLDER AMERICANS OF COLOR WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE UP AN INCREASINGLY LARGER PORTION OF THIS POPULATION. 60+ people of color 60+ White alone, not Hispanic 2022 2030 2040 2050 2060 27% 30% 36% 46% 41% 79M 91M 97M 112M 104M The Meals on Wheels network is comprised of around 5,000 community-based programs across the country dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. The need is great, but Together, We Can Deliver.™ 2024 NATIONAL SNAPSHOT Information data sources available at https://lnkd.in/dGXfzMnt. © May 2024 Meals on Wheels America FOOD INSECURITY DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS OLDER ADULTS OF COLOR: OLDER ADULTS ARE ALREADY AT HIGHER RISK OF MALNUTRITION due to decreased appetite, mobility issues, prescription medications and more. THE MEALS ON WHEELS SOLUTION STARTS WITH THE MEAL... AND DELIVERS ON SO MUCH MORE. say the meals help IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH say the services help them FEEL MORE SECURE say the meals help them LIVE INDEPENDENTLY

📢 We're thrilled about the introduction of the bipartisan SENIOR Act and proud to support The Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness in this crucial initiative! Why does it matter? The SENIOR Act would recognize loneliness as a disease eligible for programming under the Older Americans Act. Here's how it makes a difference: 🌟 Funding for Key Programs: States can now provide OAA grants to programs combating loneliness, like the foster grandparent program or Meals on Wheels. 💡 Expert Assistance: The Administration for Community Living will offer technical assistance to implement initiatives addressing loneliness. 📊 Comprehensive Report: A mandated report will explore the impacts of loneliness on seniors and propose solutions, including insights on the role of multigenerational family units in reducing loneliness. Learn more about this game-changing bill here: link

🌟 Loneliness Among Older Adults: A Critical Issue with Health Implications 🌟 Loneliness and social isolation are more than just emotional challenges; they have serious health implications, including an increased risk for dementia, anxiety, depression, and heart disease. 🚨 Key Findings: - 3 in 5 people over 65 are lonely or extremely lonely. - 1 in 5 seniors lack someone to lean on in case of an emergency. - 40% find it challenging to find social support. The impact of loneliness on our older population goes beyond emotional well-being—it affects their physical health and safety. As we discuss these findings, let's draw parallels to the world of clinical trials and patient engagement, recruitment, and retention. 💡 Patient Engagement in Clinical Trials: Loneliness can lead to isolation. Creating safe, useful spaces for patients is not only good for your bottom line, but good for their ongoing health and happiness. Further, engaging patients effectively can help prevent missed appointments and ensure increased compliance with study procedures. 📊 Recruitment and Retention: The data shows that loneliness increases the risk of emergency room visits significantly. In clinical trials, this could translate to patients dropping out or facing complications due to lack of support. Without social support, participants may not feel comfortable reaching out to providers, asking questions about, or taking a chance on clinical trials. Let's continue to explore innovative ways to address these challenges, both in healthcare and in our communities. Together, we can make strides in improving the well-being of our seniors and enhancing the success of clinical trials. 🤝 #PatientEngagement #ClinicalTrials #Loneliness #Healthcare

The past 40+ years have shown that reducing our safety nets harms Americans. The safety nets put in place in the mid-1900s gave our country one of the highest life expectancies and standards of living. Safety nets in the US and elsewhere have included livable minimum wages, regulations to reduce harmful pollution, to reduce unsafe products, and to provide safe working conditions, access to good health care, affordable and safe child care, good public education, workpkace safety, and retirement benefits. The reduced life expectancy, increased child poverty, higher opioid addiction rates, and higher cancer rates in GOP-controlled states compared to other states are a direct result of state policies that have reduced or even prohibited the safety nets that are common among Western nations and among other US states. The GOP policies, ostensibly to save costs, have instead enriched a few but left their populations poorer, less educated, and sicker than states that care about all their citizens. People in these states have been literally voting themselves to early deaths, missing years of their lives, wooed by false promises and deliberate misinformation. These harmful state policies are permitted because of Congress's legislation (or lack thereof) and Supreme Court decisions starting with Reagan. We now have a dysfunctional House that is perpetuating these injustices. https://lnkd.in/ehjFUyA5

According to recent research, attitudes about government assistance for senior care are changing. Learn more about the study. #seniorcare #longtermcare #governmentassistance

A couple of months ago, AgeUK asked older adults how they feel about where they live and what they need in order to feel happy, stay well and be independent for as long as possible. 16,700+ people responded nationwide. - 85% said being able to afford to heat your home and pay your bills. - 82% said having a safe and decent home in a good state of repair. - 74% said receiving healthcare close to home. - 51% said feeling like you are a respected part of the community you live in. - 51% said being able to do tasks like paying your bills or booking GP appointments without needing to use the internet.. and… - 31% said receiving care at home to keep you living independently for longer. Unfortunately several of these fall to Central Government to invest in appropriately, but there is much the County Council is doing to help older adults remain independent at home for longer. Earlier this week our team of Care Micro-Enterprise Development Officers met to celebrate #BrewMonday and discuss plans for supporting local people to help adults in their community who need some support, generating important income generation opportunities in rural villages and improving choice, control and personalisation of care. #CareTogether Check out our new Care Micro-Enterprises webpage: https://lnkd.in/gFHVk7MG