According to a recent study published by Alignment Health, there are three major issues that affect quality of life for older Americans:
securing reliable transportation,
finding financial stability, and
getting access to high-quality, nutritious food
To help address the issue of food insecurity, grocery delivery company Instacart will be rolling out new support services dedicated to seniors in 2024.
The Lifeline Program is a federal program that works to lower the cost of phone and internet services for low-income American households. The Lifeline Program can certainly benefit an older person living on a fixed income. With the reduced costs that Lifeline provides its customers, seniors can stay connected on a budget.
If you are one of the 65 million people receiving Medicare, you may change your coverage during the annual open enrollment period. From October 15, 2023, to December 7, 2023, you can update your 2024 health and prescription drug plans. Changes you make take effect on January 1, 2024.
While new knowledge becomes available each year about promising potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, recent research is also focusing on the prevention of the disease or mitigation of its symptoms.
Newly developing treatment techniques and technology may bring a path for prevention, perhaps in particular among people with a genetic predisposition to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Many Medicare recipients struggle to make ends meet. Special savings programs administered by each state can help cover certain Medicare costs, such as premiums and deductibles. The criteria one must meet to qualify for this assistance, known as Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs), can vary by state.
In 2023, seniors were happy to see their Medicare Part B standard monthly premiums and annual deductibles go down for the first time in more than a decade. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for 2024, when these charges will be back on the rise.
Health Affairs estimates that 4 million older adults can only leave their homes with assistance, making accessing care challenging.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1.3 million Americans receive care in nursing homes. According to A Place For Mom, more than 810,000 reside in assisted living.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), hearing loss affects one-third of older adults. As difficulty hearing can lead to communication challenges and social withdrawal, it can also increase the risk of dementia. Dementia includes diseases affecting memory, thinking, and the ability to perform daily activities and affects 55 million people worldwide, per the World Health Organization.
Hearing loss accounts for 8 percent of the world’s dementia cases. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that global dementia cases will triple by 2050.
The 2023 Senior Report recently issued by America’s Health Rankings sheds light on the latest trends in the health and well-being of older Americans.
Highlighting the good news – and the bad – for aging adults in the U.S., the findings call attention to some of the greatest needs facing seniors in recent years.
Inflation affects all consumers, but older Americans are facing an especially dramatic loss of buying power. A recent survey by the Senior Citizens League shows that Social Security benefits have seen a 36 percent loss in buying power since 2000. That number is actually an improvement from 2022, when the loss of buying power was at 40 percent.
Elder law attorneys may specialize in estate planning, incapacity planning, and end-of-life care for seniors. These practitioners are essential because they work to protect a vulnerable population. To plan for their future and their care, seniors and their families should consider hiring an elder law attorney.
Seniors who need assistance with everyday activities such as dressing, bathing, and eating are eligible for Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS). Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of people who qualify for these services – but wish to receive them in their homes or a community setting – end up on extended waiting lists.
Under a federal pilot program, a number of states are using Medicaid funds to cover healthy food costs for Medicaid recipients. Ultimately, the trial program seeks to determine whether nutrition support can help prevent and manage certain chronic illnesses related to diet.
The pilot program’s structure varies across different states, as do the criteria regarding which Medicaid recipients are eligible to take part. In some instances, Medicaid benefits may cover nutrition counseling, grocery store gift cards, “food prescriptions” for fruits and vegetables, and more.
Using survey data from more than 8,000 adults aged 65 and older, researchers have identified eight social factors that may lead to early death in older adults.
As part of the study, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of California, San Francisco, developed a tool called the Social Frailty Index to examine factors that predict mortality, including age, gender, and medical conditions, as well as social characteristics.
Khaled Elder Law, PC, Rock Hill Office
1430 Ebenezer Road, Suite 104, Rock Hill, SC 29732
Phone: (803)980-1199 Fax: (803)980-1178
Khaled Elder Law, PC, Clover/Lake Wylie Office
1474 Highway 55 East, 500, Clover, SC 29710
Khaled Elder Law represents clients from all areas of South Carolina, including, but not limited to, York County, Lancaster County, Chester County, Union County, Cherokee County, Fairfield County, Spartanburg County, and Chesterfield County. This includes the areas of Rock Hill, York, Lancaster, Chester, Indian Land, Sun City, Fort Mill, Lake Wylie, Tega Cay, Clover, McConnells, Lowrys, Lewis, Rodman, Edgemoor, Lesslie, Catawba, Van Wyck, Lando, Bethany, Lockhart, Hickory Grove, Sharon, Smyrna, Union, Carlisle, Whitmire, Shelton, Fort Lawn, Great Falls, White Oak, Blacksburg, Gaffney and Spartanburg. Julia Khaled’s name is sometimes misspelled as Julia Kahled, Julia Khalid, Julia Kahlid, Julia Kuled, Julia Caled and Julia Colette.
Please know that any information you receive from this website is intended for general education only and should not be construed as legal advice. An attorney-client relationship can only be established with individuals with whom Attorney Khaled has personally met with and agreed upon a relationship. No part of any communication through this website establishes an attorney-client relationship.
