A MedicareAdvantage.com survey found more than two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries find their insurance confusing and hard to understand, and few comprehend basic insurance terminology, reports Healthcare Finance News . The poll included 1,000 Medicare enrollees, and less than half could correctly define deductible or coinsurance, while only 52 percent could describe what a premium is. Meanwhile, more than 85 percent believed Medicare Part A deductibles were yearly, when in fact they run on a cycle of "benefit periods." Some 70 percent wrongly asserted that the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will notify them when it is time to enroll and that Medicare Part A and Part B have annual out-of-pocket spending limits. More positively, 54 percent knew that they can enroll late in Part B, but a late-enrollment penalty may be assessed for every month in the plan. Over three-quarters were aware that they have to pay the Part B premium every month, even if they do not use it. Study author Christian Worstell said these findings point to a general misunderstanding of Medicare insurance, which could lead to unnecessarily high out-of-pocket costs, poor healthcare choices, and lessened overall health among beneficiaries. "The fact that many customers are unaware of the out-of-pocket costs and coverage gaps associated with Medicare means that insurance carriers have every incentive to educate beneficiaries of those costs and gaps, especially if the private Medicare plans they offer can help fill some of those needs," he declared.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday announced a new statewide testing protocol for assisted living communities, reports WDTN-TV Channel 2 . He said staff members and residents will employ baseline saliva tests, which can be self-performed or done with assistance. Ohio also is working with a provider that can supply enough tests, which are minimally invasive and produce results within 48 hours. The tests will be free and mandatory for all residents and staff at all assisted living communities, and DeWine pledged to issue an order on the initiative soon. He said the additional testing enables public health departments to conduct contact tracing sooner, which can help prevent more coronavirus cases. DeWine also announced senior centers and adult day centers may reopen Sept. 21 at reduced capacity.

U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) and Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) have proposed bicameral legislation to help older adults remain safe, socially connected, and healthy in response to an expected spike in social isolation and loneliness due to the COVID-19 pandemic, reports the Garrett County Republican . The Strengthening Social Connections Act of 2020 would deliver emergency supplemental funding to programs that bolster social connectedness and address the adverse health effects of social isolation in the Older Americans Act. "The Strengthening Social Connections Act will prioritize the mental and physical well-being of older Americans by providing resources to help them remain healthy and connected," Trone declared. The bill would allocate $80 million for home and community-based services for older adults, focusing on activities to prevent and mitigate the negative health effects of social isolation, including technology procurement. In addition, $18 million would fund enhanced outreach to older adults and technical assistance to help area agencies on aging, aging services providers, and nutrition providers to reduce those negative health effects. A further $6 million would be granted to address the health effects of social isolation on minority aging populations.

A study published in Nutrition and Metabolism from the University of Alabama at Birmingham's (UAB) Nutrition Obesity Research Center noted improved body composition, fat distribution, and metabolic health among older populations in response to an eight-week, very low-carbohydrate (VLCD), high-fat diet, reports ScienceDaily . Egg consumption was an important part of the diet, with participants asked to consume at least three eggs every day. "We can't conclude that our findings are a result of daily egg consumption. But I think what we can conclude is that whole eggs can be incorporated into the diet in a healthful way without adversely impacting blood cholesterol in older adults," said UAB Professor Amy Goss. Fat reduction was mainly in the abdominal cavity and skeletal muscle depots in the VLCD group. "We also found significant improvements in the overall lipid profile that would reflect decreased risk of cardiovascular disease," Goss added. "Further, insulin sensitivity improved in response to the very low-carbohydrate diet reflecting reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes."

A study by Oregon State University (OSU) researchers published in Nutrients found older adults administered a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement with zinc and high amounts of vitamin C for 12 weeks were ill for shorter periods and had less severe symptoms than controls receiving a placebo, reports News-Medical . The investigators looked at 42 healthy people 55 to 75 years old. Immune indicators, including white blood cells' ability to kill incoming pathogens, were unchanged in the cohort receiving the supplement. The multivitamin group exhibited improved vitamin C and zinc status in the blood, while illness symptoms had less severity and abated faster than those experienced by the placebo group. The same percentages in each group reported symptoms, but sickness days in the supplement group averaged fewer than three compared to more than six for the placebo group. "Our results suggest more and better designed research studies are needed to explore the positive role multivitamin and mineral supplementation might play in bolstering the immune system of older adults," said OSU Professor Adrian Gombart.

An analysis of Korean registry data found a significant association between sleep disorders and elevated risk for dementia among adults with new-onset type 2 diabetes, reports Healio . "Sleep disorders increased the risk of Alzheimer's disease, but had no influence on vascular dementia," said Yonsei University's Jae Woo Choi and Dallae Jin. "Although positive significant association between sleep disorders and Alzheimer's disease was well established, previous evidence for vascular dementia were unclear." The researchers analyzed data from 39,135 adults at least 40 years old with new-onset type 2 diabetes between 2004 and 2007, tracking them through 2013. There were 2,059 events of dementia recorded across an average follow-up of 5.7 years, and adults with type 2 diabetes and sleep disorders were 46 percent more likely to have all-cause dementia and 69 percent more likely to have other dementia compared to those without sleep disorders. Moreover, men and older adults with type 2 diabetes and sleep disorders had higher risks for dementia compared with those without sleep disorders. "This study suggests that fastidious investigation and adequate management of sleep disorders among the patients with type 2 diabetes may be useful and relevant ways to prevent dementia partly," Choi and Jin concluded.

LifeStream Services recently launched a "friendly caller program" to help mitigate isolation and loneliness among seniors locked down during the COVID-19 pandemic, reports FOX59 . The Indiana nonprofit is seeking volunteers to chat with seniors on the phone once a week. "This is a way for those seniors to have a sense of connection, and to have a friendly conversation," said LifeStream's Mandy Williams. "Just to feel like somebody is checking on them, making sure they are still doing ok at home, and making sure they have what they need to be home safely." LifeStream officials explained that volunteers and seniors will be paired up, according to how much time they can commit, and their interests. The officials added that they see an immediate need for such services.

Ford is donating 1.5 million masks to the state of Michigan as part of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's new MI Mask Aid program, which will see four million face masks distributed to citizens to hopefully contain the coronavirus, reports Car and Driver . Whitmer announced the program on Friday, saying the masks will be available to seniors, low-income residents, and schools. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency will help with their distribution. Ford CEO Jim Hackett said his company has produced more than 72 million pieces "for lifesaving support" during the pandemic, not counting masks going to MI Mask Aid. Ford said the 54 million face masks it has thus far fabricated have up to now been used internally by workers. "We were able to make this donation because we have a surplus of masks from continued production to cover our workforce," noted a Ford spokesperson.

The University of Louisville (UofL) Trager Institute in Kentucky is offering acupuncture services for older adults and caregivers at its Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic, reports UofL News . The services are provided in partnership with AcuBalance Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine. Trager Institute Executive Director Anna Faul said the offering is part of a wider initiative "to provide a one-stop shop of comprehensive services that support long-term wellbeing." AcuBalance providers said acupuncture can help mitigate various neuromusculoskeletal and internal/mental-emotional ailments, like acute and chronic pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and cognition and brain health. "We bring a unique approach to our acupuncture and body therapies as we have extensive training specifically in providing acupuncture to older adults," said AcuBalance provider Andrea Helton. "Our services also will be a great resource for individuals needing pain management support and those looking for anxiety and stress relief."

A University of Michigan (U-M) study published in Health and Place found that older adults' regular visits to casual eateries may have a protective effect on their cognitive health comparable to marriage, reports University of Michigan News . The researchers interviewed and observed 125 older adults aged 55 to 92 in the Minneapolis metro area and found they valued such venues as places of familiarity and comfort; were physically and economically accessible; and offered opportunities to socialize with family, friends, staff, and customers. Participants living in the most spartan retail food environments had cognitive scores that were modestly lower — roughly 0.1 points — than those residing in the highest density environments. The difference in cognitive well-being between individuals in high-density and low-density neighborhoods was equivalent to about a year's difference in age, which is strongly associated with age-related cognitive decline in seniors. "As these 'third places' close for business during the pandemic, the opportunities for social interaction for older adults are constrained," said U-M Professor Philippa Clarke. "This research highlights the importance of informal places for social interaction for maintaining cognitive health with aging, and raises important questions about the impact of their closure for the future rates of dementia in older Americans."