Mental and physical health over 65

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How old do you feel?

The human body changes significantly with age and over time. But our minds don’t always keep up. So, how old do you feel? My favorite aunt used to say upon being asked her age, “I’m 16 and a little bit older than the last time you asked me.” She wasn’t about to spread the word that she was over a certain age and hey, that’s her right! As we age though, whether we feel 16 or not, there are realities we must face and choosing lifestyles that keep us physically and mentally active can make a big difference both now and into our 80’s.

While natural aging processes cannot be stopped, older adults can take proactive measures to support their physical health and improve their chances of recovering from falls and illnesses. Here are some suggestions and some “must do’s” for anyone over 65.

  1. Drink water! It doesn’t matter if you want to, more than 40% of older adults have experienced cognitive and physical decline as a direct result of dehydration. If you don’t like water, drink Snapple, or Gatorade, or Vitamin Water. Proper hydration is integral to kidney function, brain function, muscle strength and circulation.
  2. Move. The old addage, “use it or lose it” applies even more as we get older. That’s why it is important to get hip and knee replacements before the pain reduces mobility and changes habits that can be impossible to reverse. Exercise hurts a little while we do it, muscle weakness and atrophy hurts a lot as we become unable to do life’s simple tasks.
  3. Learn things. Studies show that learning a language, taking up painting or an instrument or solving puzzles improves synaptic function and reduces the plaque that builds up in brains that show signs of dementia. With apps like DuoLingo and a world of puzzles at your fingertips on the ipad, there’s no excuse.
  4. Talk to people who are younger (and older). People who have a wider range of ages with whom they interact show more cognitive flexibility. It makes sense, you would have to listen to new opinions, formulate different types of arguements or learn something new about a perspective on the world. Don’t have any young friends? Join a gym or a chess club and get out there and socialize.
  5. Stay on top of those MD visits. So many cancers are easily curable if you catch them early, from a melanoma to breast and prostate cancer, early detection is the key to survival (and full recovery) so get that physical and tell your doctor if you are bloated, tired or seeing physical changes. They won’t laugh. And if they do, get a new doctor… there are plenty out there.

Feeling old really is a state of mind in addition to a state of physical well-being. With these tips (and the sage advice of your doctor) you can stay young at heart, and head, and hips and all the rest of you.

7 facts about Medicare Advantage plans every retiree needs to know

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Medicare Advantage is often referred to as Medicare Part C. It is privately obtained supplemental Medicare coverage that is regulated by Medicare and rated by CMS. Medicare Advantage plans are very popular with seniors who are not working any longer, who have reasonable means (not below the poverty line) and for those seeking more coverage and more control over their health insurance.

If you think you’ll need longer hospital stays, Medigap and Medicare Original coverage might be less expensive…

In 2020, virtually all Medicare Advantage enrollees would pay less than the Part A hospital deductible for an inpatient stay of 3 days. But for stays of 5 days, among the half of Medicare Advantage enrollees required to pay more than the beneficiaries in traditional Medicare, those enrollees would pay $1,644 on average. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in a plan that requires higher cost-sharing than the Part A hospital deductible in traditional Medicare for a 7-day inpatient stay, and more than 7 in 10 (72%) are in a plan that requires higher cost-sharing for a 10-day inpatient stay.

Nearly two-thirds of Medicare Advantage enrollees pay no supplemental premium (other than the Part B premium)

in 2020. 90% of Medicare Advantage plans offer prescription drug coverage and 89% of Medicare Advantage recipients are enrolled in plans that include Rx drug coverage. Nearly two-thirds of these beneficiaries (60%) pay no premium for their plan, other than the Medicare Part B premium ($144.60 in 2020).

Premiums paid by Medicare Advantage enrollees have slowly declined since 2015.

Nationwide, average Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) premiums declined by $4 per month between 2019 and 2020, much of which was due to the relatively sharp decline in premiums for local PPOs this past year. Average premiums for HMOs also declined $3 per month, while premiums for regional PPOs increased $3 per month between 2019 and 2020. Nearly two-thirds (61%) of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in HMOs, 33% are in local PPOs, and 5% are in regional PPOs in 2020.

For Medicare Advantage enrollees, the average out-of-pocket limit is $4,925 for in-network services

In 2020, Medicare Advantage enrollees’ average out-of-pocket limit for in-network services is $4,925 (HMOs and PPOs) and $8,828 for out-of-network services (PPOs). These out-of-pocket limits apply to Part A and B services only and do not apply to Part D spending. HMOs generally only cover services provided by in-network providers, whereas PPOs also cover services delivered by out-of-network providers but charge enrollees higher cost-sharing for this care.

Medicare Advantage enrollees have access to benefits not covered by traditional Medicare

Medicare Advantage plans provide supplemental benefits that are not offered in traditional Medicare. Plans can also charge additional premiums for such benefits. Beginning in 2019, Medicare Advantage plans have been able to offer additional supplemental benefits that were not offered in previous years. These supplemental benefits can include: eye exams or glasses (79%), telehealth services (77%), dental care (74%), a fitness benefit (74%), and hearing aids (72%).

Medicare Advantage enrollees require prior authorization for some services

Medicare Advantage plans require enrollees to receive prior authorization before a service will be covered. Prior authorization is most often required for inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility stays, and Part B drugs. Prior authorization is, however, rarely required for preventive services.

The majority (78%) of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans that receive high quality ratings (4 or more stars) and related bonus payments

For many years, CMS has posted quality ratings of Medicare Advantage plans to provide beneficiaries with additional information about plans offered in their area. All plans are rated on a 1 to 5-star scale, with 1 star representing poor performance, 3 stars representing average performance, and 5 stars representing excellent performance. In 2020, more than three-quarters (78%) of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans with quality ratings of 4 or more stars, an increase from 2019 (72%).

Medicare coverage can be complex and finding the right plan for you is a lot easier with the help of professionals. Reach out to our team to get the help you need at no cost to you!

*Information in this article was obtained from https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/a-dozen-facts-about-medicare-advantage-in-2020/

The Delta Variant is not a Dick Francis Book

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The Delta variant does sound like the title of a Dick Francis novel or a Tom Clancy Spy Thriller, alas as most of the world now knows, it is the strongest variant of the coronavirus to have mutated from the original COVID-19 virus which shut down the world for the past 18 months. The variant is called Delta because it is the 3rd variant to emerge, but the first to take hold.

How do variants take hold? Well, in countries with low vaccination rates those people who get sick but do not die from the coronavirus are hosts and while they have the virus, it is learning how to spread and survive. Because India was exporting most of its vaccines, the Delta variant had a large unvaccinated population to “play” in and it became more transmissible and more dangerous.

The good news is that over 75% of adults over the age of 65 in the US are vaccinated and the Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been shown to be highly effective in preventing life-threatening illness from any strain of the Coronavirus. New evidence is showing that the Delta variant is causing cold-like symptoms, including headache, runny nose and a sore throat, as opposed to loss of smell, shortness of breath, fever, and persistent dry cough.

So what should a fully-vaccinated person do? Wash your hands, wear a mask at large indoor gatherings, be aware of your surroundings – aware of people coughing, sneezing… in short, pay attention but do not panic. It is likely that there will be other variants. It is possible that everyone will need boosters to combat those variants. In the meantime, maybe pick up a good Tom Clancy novel (or watch the movie on Netflix).

Retirement plans you can implement now

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So you’re 65 and you’re just now thinking about how you’re going to spend your retirement? You are not alone. over 40% of Americans have not considered how they will spend their time in retirement. So, while you were meeting with your investment advisor and saving money, paying off the mortgage and getting the kids through college retirement just snuck up behind you. Let’s talk about how you want to spend all that lovely leisure time now.

Turn that hobby into a cottage business

Take up a new interest

Make videos for your children, grandchildren, friends or relatives

Reach out to old friends (or long lost family)

Volunteer

Mentor a younger person

Grow something

Consider your legacy and start to work on ways that your values, beliefs, and caring can be passed on to others. Time is the greatest gift and it is so precious because it it limited. Give freely of your time and your heart (and possibly even wallet) will be fuller.