July 2016 Mature Lifestyles

MATURE

Lifestyles July 2016

a special publication by

2 - Mature Lifestyles - July 2016 - TheIntelligencer.com

More older Americans becoming renters

By GAIL MarksJarvis Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO — Baby boomers are altering the American Dream.

After having the home in the suburbs, the kids, the two cars, and maybe even the picket fence, a growing number now want to ride elevators to rental apartments and walk out the door to restaurants. When the kids are grown, an increasing number of empty nesters are selling homes and aspiring to live like urban millennials — in rental buildings full of amenities and free of lawn mowing, shoveling, mortgages and property taxes.

It’s not unusual for empty nesters to consider downsizing and avoiding tasks such as yard work. But typically downsizing has meant buying smaller homes or condos. Now, for a generation with a reputation for setting trends and yearning for freedom, an increasing number want to rent rather than own.

“It’s nice to have freedom,” said Michel Winkelstein, who moved into a downtown Chicago apartment with his wife, Susan, after selling their suburban home about three years ago. Michel Winkelstein now walks to work at his law office,

and Susan Winkelstein says she feels like she’s on vacation every day. Apartment living frees up time spent on maintenance and they walk to restaurants, plays, movies and musical events.

“We both feel like we are in our 20s,” said Michel Winkelstein.

The number of boomer renters is still small. But there were just 10 million in their 50s and 60s in 2005, and in 2015 there were 15 million. They account for more than half of the nation’s renter growth in the last 10 years, according to Jennifer Molinsky, researcher for the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

She calls it a “dramatic increase,” and a trend that’s likely to continue as the giant generation of 77 million people, born between 1946 and 1964, ages and seeks easy living.

At a recent National Multifamily Housing Conference, housing consultant Jeff Kottmeier was surprised by “landlord after landlord mentioning the surprising surge in older renters.” Many of the boomers have sold homes and have been looking for luxury apartments in walking distance to stores and entertainment, said Kottmeier, of John Burns Real Estate Consulting.

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Renters Continued from Page 2 In many metro areas, older renters are driving demand, he said.

In Chicago, consultant Lance Ramella, of John Burns, said he can’t quantify the extent of the trend, but it is observable.

There is an increase in people “who don’t see their primary residence as an investment” and don’t want their retirement money tied up in a home, he said.

In Illinois, with the state’s unresolved pension problems, people say they are afraid of buying because they fear rising property taxes, he added.

Renting is a unique twist for many boomers, who began their adult lives when the sheer size of their generation starting households drove a sharp climb in home prices in the ’70s and ’80s.

For years many assumed renting was a waste of money and a home an essential investment. But after living through the recent housing crash, that assumption has been tarnished and renting now seems fine.

“You aren’t going to get equity quickly any longer,” Michel Winkelstein said. As empty nesters, he and his wife sold their three-bedroom home, for less than they had paid for it in 2002, and considered buying a condo downtown. As they debated location, they worried about buying.

Their real estate agent, Karyn Meyers, suggested renting as a short-term experiment that would allow them to move easily, and without selling costs, if they changed their minds. Now Winkelstein said he has no urge to move.

Still, most boomers are not regarding housing much differently than the generation before them, said Lawrence Yun, economist for the National Association of Realtors. The number of boomers renting is impressive simply because the generation is large, but there does not seem to be an increase in the percentage renting compared with the previous generation as they entered retirement, he said.

Eighty percent of boomers own homes and want to be owners, he said. In a study by AARP, 74 percent said they wanted to continue to live in their homes throughout retirement. Like their parents, boomers are inclined to stay in

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their homes after the children are grown, and welcome them back around the dinner table they’ve shared for years.

But homeownership among people 50 to 64 slipped 5 percentage points between 2005 and 2013, notes Molinsky.

Part was driven by foreclosures and job loss in the recession. Others are “transitioning to renting as a choice,” she said.

They want “cost-effective options that demand less time, physical effort and money to maintain.” As people enter their 70s, she expects the desire for ease and safety to intensify.

The combination of 8 million foreclosures and a 10 percent unemployment rate during the housing crash and Great Recession sparked a surge in rentals among all age groups during the last few years and has caused rental rates to soar. There are 19 million renters who previously owned homes, according the Urban Institute. But older boomers were not as hard-hit in the housing crash as people ages 36 to 55, because people in their 50s and 60s tended to have purchased homes before the housing peak and therefore had more equity to absorb losses, the Urban Institute has found.

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Renters Continued from Page 3 With a tight rental market now, given the increase in renters, Molinsky notes there has been little interest in developing affordable housing for those who need to rent due to economic weakness. Rather, the interest in potential boomer renters is coming from developers seeing opportunity in the luxury market.

Boomer parents are also being tempted to rent as they see the housing their children are considering in new luxury buildings, said Randy Fifield, vice chairman of the Fifield Companies, which develops apartment buildings.

“They see the light and the view, and they are jealous,” said Fifield. “They want a vibrant life” instead of isolation in empty homes in quiet suburban neighborhoods. “They are busy with their phones and iPads, and can live in a new building for less than a mortgage and stop writing checks to the handyman and the landscaper. They don’t have to worry about the snow.”

Attorney Howard Pearl was attracted to that life after his children left home. The family home in suburban Chicago “was a great place to raise a family,” he said, but when he was alone he didn’t want “a sleepy family town. There were no restaurants or theaters.” So he moved into the E2 Apartments in the more-bustling suburb of Evanston, which he says is vibrant like the theme song from TV’s “Cheers”:

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“Everybody knows your name.”

Now rather than trying to figure out how to get home for a package or delivery, there’s a concierge, he said. When he wants to leave town, he simply locks the door and leaves, and he notes “rather than paying thousands for insurance, I’m paying $300 to $400.”

Although luxury buildings in downtown Chicago have been especially popular with empty nesters craving activity, Ramella said boomers are also renting near suburban areas where they raised families. They want to continue ties with churches and communities, he said.

Renting in Chicago’s downtown is beyond the typical boomer’s budget. The new luxury buildings in Chicago run about $2.81 a square foot, or $2,800 for 1,000 square feet, according to Appraisal Research Counselors. Many units are 700 to 800 square feet and are geared toward single millennials. Boomers typically want larger apartments so their children can visit and they can entertain. Boomers seeking two-bedroom rentals in downtown Chicago will face rents averaging $2,670, according to Jay Board, national market analyst for MPF Research. Three bedrooms average $3,587.

Yet the average household income of people 55 to 64 is about $75,240, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That means rent of about $1,880 a month would be affordable.

The recent trend in building in Chicago and other areas of the country has been to construct luxury rentals. And the trend is likely to continue, with more development geared toward affluent boomers, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies.

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Push to keep seniors in home, community-based programs CHICAGO (AP) — The federal government is pushing states to keep more low-income seniors out of nursing homes and, instead, enroll them in home and community-based programs.

The shift comes as demand for long-term care is rising.

By 2050, the number of people older than 85 is expected to triple to more than 18 million. These seniors tend to have the highest disability rate and the greatest need for long-term care.

The tug-of-war between rising demand and controlling costs has advocates for seniors worrying about quality of care.

Medicaid is one of the largest expenses for states, and a it’s a program they look to for savings when budgets are tight.

Medicaid spending on long-term care was $146 billion in fiscal year 2013, including nearly $89 billion just for seniors.

Advocates say programs for seniors often wind up on the chopping block.

For example, Illinois is considering changes to its home and community-based program that would reduce funding by about $200 million.

“I think that oftentimes people are afraid of change, regardless of what that change is,” said Andrea Maresca, director of federal policy and strategy at the National Association of Medicaid Directors. There’s room to improve the programs, Maresca said, and states are also trying to make sure seniors don’t lose access to services.

Loren Colman, of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, said it took that state roughly 25 years to shift from institutional care to home and community-based programs.

The focus now is on helping older adults remain at home, delaying expensive nursing home care and supporting family caregivers.

To rein in costs, some states are changing payment systems from fee-for-service to managed care, which generally pays a per-person rate to providers who manage seniors’ health and social services.

Gwen Orlowski, an attorney at Central Jersey Legal Services, said New Jersey’s managed care program is an improvement over its previous system, but not without issues. She’s had to help some seniors appeal service cuts.

Continued on Page 7

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Home

The average per-person cost of Illinois’ Community Care Program is $860 per month, less than a third of the cost for a nursing home. Over the last decade, however, enrollment has doubled to more than 83,000 people, costing the state nearly $1 billion in fiscal 2015.

One of those seniors is Yuen Chu Wong, 71, of Chicago, who worked at a chocolate factory until she retired nearly a decade ago. Wong requested a homecare aide about seven years ago when her health began deteriorating.

The aide, Wan Ling He, does laundry for Wong and her husband, cleans the apartment and prepares traditional Chinese soups. The two women have developed a friendship, often talking in their native Cantonese about food and cooking shows. Wong calls her aide “an old friend.”

Illinois is now proposing to move about half the seniors in its program to a new initiative it says will increase flexibility while lowering costs. For example, it may pay for Uber rides to doctors’ appointments instead of sending a driver to seniors’ homes.

Lori B. Hendren, associate state director of advocacy and outreach at AARP Illinois, said the new proposal raises questions about the state’s commitment to seniors aging independently and with dignity at home.

“Where will the savings come from?” Hendren said.

“The devil is in the details.”

Continued from Page 6

“I do worry that the delivery of services is beholden to the money that the managed-care companies are receiving (from the state) and the money they want to make,” said Orlowski, whose office provides free legal assistance to low-income seniors.

To address fears, new federal regulations have been proposed to strengthen protections for seniors in managed care, including help with appeals. A final rule is expected this spring.

Already, states are working on implementing earlier rules from 2014 aimed at improving quality of care across programs. In exchange for federal dollars, states must ensure that seniors have a say over where they want to live, and get treated with dignity and respect.

Robyn Grant, director of public policy and advocacy for the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long Term Care, said regulations are a “step in the right direction,” but there needs to be proper enforcement.

“Unfortunately, that’s very nebulous,” Grant said.

The cornerstone of home and community-based programs is personal care services, such as providing an aide who helps with cooking or cleaning. Those services cost a fraction of nursing home care.

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Smart cellphone security tips for seniors (BPT) - Seniors are one of the five groups most at-risk for identity theft, according to a report from U.S. News & World Report. Because your cellphone or smartphone likely contains personal information about you that may include your name, home address, phone number and financial account information, a lost, stolen or hacked phone can be a treasure trove for criminals.

Consumer Cellular, which specializes in no-contract cellphone service and phones primarily for people 50 and older, offers some advice for securing your cellphone: * Always use strong passwords. You may be tempted to use one password for all your accounts because it’s easier to remember one rather than multiple. However, if your login information is compromised, a single password makes it easier for crooks to gain access to all your accounts. Use numbers, symbols and capital letters in place of lowercase letters to strengthen your passwords. If you’re not sure how to create a strong password, Microsoft offers a helpful free online guide. If you’re having trouble remembering passwords, try downloading an app that securely manages all your passwords. * Use your phone’s built-in security features, such as a lock screen, password protection and data encryption. Many smart-

phones give you a variety of ways to secure your phone, such as using your fingerprint, entering a PIN or swiping a pattern on the lock screen. A lock and/or encryption ensures that if your phone is lost or stolen, whoever has it won’t be able to easily access data stored on the phone. * Back-up your phone’s data, especially if you use it to capture photos and videos. If your phone gets damaged, lost or stolen, you can easily restore the data onto another eligible device. In addition, backing-up data can help your phone run more efficiently. Storing data on the device takes up a lot of memory and can slow it down. * Be cautious about what apps you download to your phone.

Carefully review the terms and conditions and privacy disclosures of any app you’re considering - before you download it.

Some apps may collect data about you and share it with the app developer or others. * Don’t forget to add your cellphone number to the National Do Not Call Registry (www.donotcall.gov) so that you don’t receive unwanted solicitation calls. Consider blocking your phone number to further protect your privacy; some businesses you call may collect, store and share your phone number and information unless you block it.

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TheIntelligencer.com - July 2016 - Mature Lifestyles - 11

What to say when trying to console the grieving

By ANYA SOSTEK Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PITTSBURGH — It still stings when Verna Robinson thinks of the words from the “dear, dear, dear woman” who meant only to comfort following the death of Robinson’s daughter.

“She’s in a better place,” the woman told her, referencing Robinson’s daughter, Cydra Vaux, who died in 2013 after battling breast cancer for more than a decade.

Nothing about the situation — her 51-year-old daughter gone, leaving behind a husband and a young son — just before the opening of her first solo sculpture exhibit, struck Robinson as “better” than her daughter being alive.

It’s a common experience for those dealing with the death of a loved one: interactions with those who mean well can be fraught with clumsiness and hurt feelings.

“I have learned that I never really knew what to say to others in need,” wrote Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg in a widely shared post in June after the sudden death of her husband. “I think I got this all wrong before.”

It was, in part, hearing about missteps in sentiments toward the grieving that led Lillian Meyers, a Bethel Park, Pa., psychologist and grief educator who lost her youngest son nearly 35 years ago, to write a book, “I’m Sorry For Your Loss,” on managing grief.

“I wrote the book, ‘I’m Sorry For Your Loss,’ because that’s all you need to say, and once you have, you need to shut up,” she said bluntly.

Meyers runs the Pittsburgh chapter of a national organization called Compassionate Friends, which offers support groups to those who have lost a child, sibling or grandchild.

From her years working with the grieving, she has identified a few common missteps made by those who are attempting to offer comfort. One impulse is something she calls “buck-up platitudes” in which people try to provide a solution to make the person feel better. Comments might include “You have to get on with your life” or “It is a blessing as they were so old and not well” or “It must be a relief not to have to go to the hospital every day.”

She puts religious platitudes such as “It was God’s will” or “God never gives us more than we can handle” in a similar category.

“We live in a society that is both uncomfortable with loss and committed to quick-fix solutions,” she writes.

“As a result, many well-meaning individuals try to fix a mourner’s grief with words. This is always more hurtful than helpful.”

What struck Robinson, of Penn Hills, Pa., after her daughter’s death, was hearing the phrase, “I know how you feel.”

She believes that everyone grieves differently and that every situation is different. Her grief when her elderly mother died, for example, was quite different than how she felt after the loss of her daughter.

Having been through the loss of her husband, Sandberg wrote that she now realizes the advice that she thought she

was giving to those who were grieving may not have been helpful.

“I tried to assure people that it would be okay, thinking that hope was the most comforting thing I could offer,” she wrote in the Facebook post, which received nearly a million likes.

“Real empathy is sometimes not insisting that it will be okay but acknowledging that it is not.”

At the Good Grief Center for Bereavement Support in Squirrel Hill, director Diana Hardy also sees people struggling with comments meant to make them feel better. Often, those who have suffered a loss are urged to put their grief on a timeline, hearing that they should feel better after six months, or a year. “A lot of people expect that grief is a linear process where it’s really an emotional roller coaster,” she said.

“They might feel off guard when they’ve had a few good days and then they have a grief burst. It’s good to know that it’s very normal to have these reactions.”

Rather than giving advice, Hardy recommends giving the person the opportunity to share their feelings and memories about their loved one.

“We don’t really know how someone is feeling unless we ask them,” she said. “Give them a space to talk about any memories they might have that they want to reminisce about.”

It’s also important to ask the person whether they want to talk, she said, noting that it’s different for everybody.

For Robinson, talking about her daughter helps keep her memory alive. She appreciated, and continues to appreciate, when friends and family share their memories of her daughter, who taught art for more than a decade at Shady Side Academy. She keeps cards with the website for Vaux’s ceramic studio, www.womansculpture.com Robinson is also thankful for the efforts of friends who attempted to take her out of the house and keep her company.

“For me, you want to isolate, pull into your grief,” she said.

Meyers also advocated offering to help those who are grieving with daily tasks that might suddenly seem overwhelming. “Grievers don’t have a lot of energy, so, ‘I’m going to the grocery store. Can I get you anything?’”

She also recommends making sure to keep in touch after the initial wave of funeral arrangements and visitors passes.

Hardy, of the Good Grief Center, recommends taking the time to check in on important dates, such as anniversaries, holidays and birthdays.

Still, even for those who have been through the process, it isn’t always easy to know what to do.

Robinson, who is now retired but spent some of her career as a diagnostic medical sonographer working with children who needed organ transplants, regularly faced situations where she interacted with grieving parents. Yet even after the death of her daughter, she still doesn’t always know what to say to others who have lost a loved one.

“Especially having had this happen, it can be delicate,” she said. “I can understand having the shoe on the other foot. You don’t know what to say.”

12 - Mature Lifestyles - July 2016 - TheIntelligencer.com

Simple ways to stay safe this summer

(BPT) - June is National Safety Month - an appropriate time to assess your personal safety and plan ahead for emergencies. This is especially important for those living on their own and looking for ways to maintain their independence. A few simple tips and safety measures will help give peace of mind that you’ve taken necessary precautions to prepare for unexpected incidents.

Safe-proof your home Heightening your safety starts with making sure living spaces are secure. Proper lighting in all rooms and walkways is essential. Remove any tripping hazards such as rugs, clutter and cords.

Staircases, steps and bathtubs should have non-slip surfaces, and every floor needs functioning smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.

For many, friends and family don’t live close by, so it’s a good idea to form a relationship with your neighbors so you can rely on them for quick help in times of need. Be sure to exchange phone numbers, and if you’re comfortable, spare keys.

Live with a lifeline Having a cell phone as your lifeline in case of an emergency is a good idea. Consider TracFone, which has a variety of phones and airtime service plan options that can fit your lifestyle and help you save. Check out new devices like the TracFone LG Rebel LTE and ZTE Citrine that offer easy-to-navigate screen displays so you can easily reach loved ones and emergency services at the tap of a finger.

TracFone now offers a new 30-day smartphone-only plan with talk,

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Feel good about first aid Even a basic understanding of first aid can go a long way. Seniors living alone should consider taking a course to familiarize themselves with the essential know-hows in the event they get injured or hurt.

In addition, label and keep all prescription bottles in one location.

Using color-coded rings and weekly pill organizers reduces confusion about appropriate dosages for various medications. In the case of any emergency, have the poison control number posted and saved on your speed dial.

Cruise confidently It’s a simple tip, but an important one: always wear your seat belt and make sure your passengers do, too. Pack an emergency roadside kit with a cell phone and car charger, first aid, flares, jumper cables, basic repair tools and a blanket. Stay alert while driving and avoid risky behaviors like distracted driving or speeding.

These simple safety tips will help you prepare for unanticipated emergency situations, not only during National Safety Month but all year long. Taking control of your safety and security will give you and your family peace of mind to enjoy all the fun life has to offer with less stress and worry.

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TheIntelligencer.com - July 2016 - Mature Lifestyles - 13

Get a clear understanding of cataracts

Financial Tips Health Wellness Advice Travel News

Mature Lifestyles publishes quarterly: January, April, July, & October.

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Mature Lifestyles

CataractEYEQ.com, Dr. Holland offers some information to debunk a few additional myths.

Myth 1: Cataracts are a rare condition.

Truth: Millions of people older than 60 have cataracts. Prevent Blindness also notes that by age 80, more than half of all Americans either have cataracts or have had them removed. Even with the high prevalence of cataracts, the recent Alcon survey showed only 25 percent of respondents say they have a full understanding of the condition.

Myth 2: Cataracts are preventable.

Truth: While nearly half (45 percent) of respondents in the Alcon survey did not know that this is the case, cataracts are not preventable.

Myth 3: Other vision conditions cannot be corrected during cataract surgery.

Truth: Other vision conditions can be corrected during cataract surgery. In fact, in the recent survey, three in four (75 percent) respondents did not realize the surgery can also correct other vision conditions, like astigmatism, a common, treatable imperfection in the curvature of the eye causing blurred vision. During cataract surgery, the natural lens in your eye is replaced with an artificial lens or intraocular lens (IOL). Some patients may benefit from advanced IOLs that can address other vision conditions, like astigmatism, and potentially reduced dependency on glasses.

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(BPT) - Growing older means inevitable changes in your body, and you often have a clear vision of how to deal with those changes.

You work out to reduce heart disease risks, eat foods that meet your changing nutritional needs, and rely on corrective lenses to help mitigate age-related vision changes.

But are you aware of your chances of developing cataracts - a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision - that naturally develop as you age? Or that, once cataracts develop, leaving them untreated could ultimately rob you of your eyesight? If you’re not clear on how cataracts could affect your life, or what the treatment options for them are, you’re not alone. In a recent survey conducted by Alcon of more than 1,000 adults aged 60 and over who have been diagnosed but not treated for cataracts, only 25 percent of respondents said they have a full understanding of the condition.

“According to Prevent Blindness, cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, yet so many people who have been diagnosed do not have an understanding of cataracts and treatment options,” says Dr. Edward Holland, director of cornea services at Cincinnati Eye Institute. Dr. Holland has partnered with Alcon, the global leader in eye care and a division of Novartis, as part of the Know Your Cataract EYE-Q awareness campaign, to help educate Americans on this vision impairment.

While you can test your own Cataract EYE-Q by visiting www.

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14 - Mature Lifestyles - July 2016 - TheIntelligencer.com

Long-term care insurance: Low bang, more buck

By BARBARA FEDER OSTROV Kaiser Health News

Mary Julia Klimenko thought she was prudent 20 years ago when she invested in a long-term care insurance policy, one she believed would help pay for the care she’d need as she aged.

Now she wishes she’d banked the money instead.

Her monthly premiums have nearly quadrupled over the past two years, and Klimenko, now 69, is furious about the choices she’s been given: pay the higher cost, lower her premiums by cutting her policy’s benefits or drop the insurance altogether.

For now, the Vallejo, California therapist said she will pay the higher premiums, but she’s not sure how many more price hikes she can take.

“I have no choice. If I drop my insurance, I’ve thrown away all that money,” Klimenko said. “If I pay less, they’re not going to cover what I need.”

Long-term care insurance was supposed to help the middle class ease the financial burden of expensive in-home or nursing home care that now can top $90,000 a year.

Consumers were urged to buy policies in their 50s, because premiums rose the longer they waited. About 4.8 million people were covered by long-term care policies in 2014.

But insurers botched just about every aspect of the policies they sold in the early days of the industry, said Joseph Belth, a retired professor of insurance at Indiana University known as one of the insurance industry’s toughest critics. They underestimated how long people would live and how long they’d need nursing home care — but overestimated how many people would drop their policies and how much interest insurers could earn on the premiums they banked.

Hemorrhaging money, many insurers left the business.

Those that remain are in financial trouble on their long-term care policies. They’re charging far more for new policies, and sharply raising the premiums of old ones.

“The industry is a state of severe decline,” Belth said.

“Companies … don’t see a way to successfully market the product and make money on it.”

As a result, many seniors nationwide face the same unpleasant choices as Klimenko: paying rising costs, scaling back coverage or dropping it altogether.

New Yorkers who bought long-term care insurance from Genworth Financial Inc., one of the few remaining carriers, were hit with a 60 percent premium increase in October. The same company has asked Pennsylvania state regulators for permission to raise premiums by as much as 130 percent for some policyholders.

In California, an estimated 133,000 residents who bought long-term care policies from CALPERS, the state workers’ retirement plan, have seen their premiums rise by 85 percent over two years. A 2013 lawsuit retirees filed against CALPERS was granted class-action status in February.

Rising costs could be prompting many seniors to drop their

policies, according to a study from Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research. Published in October, it found that about a third of people with long-term care insurance at age 65 let their policies lapse, often just a short time before needing care. While some seniors had memory problems that kept them from paying their premiums, others dropped their policies because they believed they could no longer afford them, the researchers found.

A Growing Burden Most Americans don’t realize that Medicare won’t pay for long-term nursing home or home care.

Rather, it typically pays only for short stays in a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility to recover after a hospitalization. In contrast, long-term care insurance will pay for what’s known as “custodial care” — help with eating, dressing, walking, bathing and other daily activities, either at home, at a skilled nursing facility or assisted living facility.

Medicaid, the nation’s health program for the poor and disabled, will pay for long-term care — but it requires seniors to spend nearly all their assets beforehand. These days, nearly half of all long-term care in the United States is paid for by Medicaid — a huge burden that is only going to grow as millions of baby boomers reach their 80s.

Policymakers and aging experts had long hoped that longterm care insurance might ease that burden. About 70 percent of Americans who reach age 65 will likely need some type of long-term care before they die, according to federal estimates.

But premiums for new long-term care insurance policies have risen so high they’re out of reach for the middle class, said Bonnie Burns, a policy specialist with consumer group California Health Advocates and a nationally-recognized expert on Medicare and long-term care insurance. Yearly premiums for insurance with inflation protection can be as high as $4,406 for a 55-year-old woman and $2,309 for a man of the same age, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, which represents insurance brokers. Women’s premiums are higher because they live longer and are more likely to require long-term care.

California is one of many states that created public-private partnerships in the 1990s to encourage more people to buy long-term care insurance and reduce state tax burdens. The partnerships set standards for the policies and helped market them to consumers. But in California, partnership policy sales have dropped to between 500 to 800 per quarter because of price hikes. That’s compared to tens of thousands of policies per quarter when the partnership started, said Rebecca Schupp, director of the California Department of Health Care Services’ Long Term Care Division.

Burns said that as interest rates go up, companies will have actually overpriced new policies to avoid future losses like the ones they sustained on previous policies.

“This is really a vexing issue for the country,” she said.

How We Got Here Continued on Page 23

TheIntelligencer.com - July 2016 - Mature Lifestyles - 15

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TheIntelligencer.com - July 2016 - Mature Lifestyles - 17

A guide for aging well in every decade of your life

By HOWARD COHEN Miami Herald

The title of a popular James Bond movie: “You Only Live Twice.”

Forget what 007 says. We have one body to maintain and it’s the only one we get — a little cut and paste notwithstanding.

The overall message?

Get yourself to a doctor for regular screenings and checkups.

At the minimum, you should have your blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides checked every year and in every decade.

Each decade brings new challenges and things to do to maintain optimal health.

“I always tell patients, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth 1,000 pounds of disease.’ Schedule your yearly exams. This doesn’t take that long. It’s a minor inconvenience to get some blood taken from you and a urine sample,” says Dr. Lester Carrodeguas, family medicine physician with Baptist Health Primary Care. “That small time you get to speak to your doctor can prevent a whole lot of trouble for later on.”

And what would you expect to talk about? You guessed it: physical activity — as in, you probably aren’t getting enough.

“We like to talk about physical activity,” says Dr. Olveen Carrasquillo, chief of the division of general internal medicine at UHealth. “If sedentary, get them active. Talk about diet guidelines. Five servings of fruits and vegetables is a good target daily.

Major things like: don’t smoke, binge drinking, sexually risky behaviors.”

Here’s your handy guide to doing the decades right by your health.

THE 20S Think preventative services in this age group, suggests Carrasquillo.

Annual dental and eye exams should be part of your routine by this age group and continue forward, suggests Carrodeguas.

Check that your vaccinations are up to date. Tetanus expires after 10 years, he notes. If there is no proof, or you can’t recall if you had your measles, mumps or rubella vaccinations while in school, this is a good time to get them. Also, the human papillomavirus vaccine. If you’re sexually active, the chance for sexually transmitted diseases needs to be addressed by this time.

Protection is paramount.

Blood pressure screenings, every year. “With the increasing obesity epidemic, check for diabetes,” Carrasquillo suggests, even though the 20s used to be considered early for that test. Check cholesterol and triglycerides with a simple blood test.

THE 30S “That’s where real screenings for cholesterol and diabetes become important,” Carrasquillo says. “There’s some controversy but we used to recommend, but not anymore, testicular cancer screenings. But now, the evidence doesn’t seem to be that great.”

That doesn’t mean men shouldn’t do a self check of their testicles, feeling for any abnormalities. When in doubt, bring concerns to your doctor’s attention.

“As you get older into your 30s, skin cancer, especially here in South Florida, look at your skin for lesions. Many health plans include an annual skin cancer screening visit. We will tell them to see a dermatologist,” Carrasquilla says.

Blood pressure becomes an issue in the late 30s, early 40s. Get it under control now before the 50s, when it becomes a pattern.

THE 40S Anyone born before 1965 should screen for hepatitis C, Carrasquilla suggests.

“If you’re doing high-risk sexual behaviors then there are a bunch of other things to screen for: syphillis, hepatitis B and HIV,” he adds.

Though there is controversy over prostate screenings, a prostate-specific antigen test to measure the level of these proteins in a man’s blood is worth considering, according to Carrodeguas, especially for African-American males who are at higher risk for prostate cancer. If a close male relative (father, brother) has had prostate cancer you should consider being tested, too.

THE 50S Colorectal screenings, via colonoscopy, should begin at age 50, unless you have a family history of colon cancer. If so, start at 40.

A colonoscopy should be done every 10 years from now on, into your mid-70s, unless polyps are found. Your doctor may then recommend returning every three to five years. It’s a relatively simple and painless procedure. The only pain in the you-know-where is drinking the prep liquid and voiding the day before. Otherwise, man up. It’s no biggie.

A fecal occult blood test can check for microscopic blood in the stool, which could be a sign of potential colon cancer.

Check for osteoporosis if there is a history of smoking in men ages 50 to 75.

A calcium score via a cat scan of the heart to check for plaque formation is a good idea, Carrodeguas says, “to catch these lesions early before they knock on the door and tell you it’s time to go.”

Flu vaccine is recommended at every age, especially for the elderly and young children.

THE 60S Pneumonia vaccine. Shingles vaccine.

Smokers (you haven’t stopped yet?) should be screened for lung cancer.

Screen for abdominal aneurysms with ultrasound in your 50s and 60s.

“We can also start looking for things that are at-risk, like dementia if you are forgetting a lot of things, gait imbalance. Some conditions can lead to those problems,” Carrasquilla says.

THE 70S By the 70s, we start moving away from aggressive screenings.

“If you have normal colonoscopies in your 50s and 60s, after 75 you can usually stop colonoscopy,” says Carrasquilla.

Start looking into social isolation, depression, neglect issues in the elderly.

THE 80S AND UP As with the 70s, fewer blood screenings but more emphasis on checking to see if falls are an issue. Dementia. Make sure you get a flu shot every year.

18 - Mature Lifestyles - July 2016 - TheIntelligencer.com

Granny basketball league renews Kansas/Missouri rivalry DONALD BRADLEY The Kansas City Star

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas, down two, with the ball, 12 seconds left.

Shot from left of the free-throw line — clank, Missouri rebound — 10, 9, 8.

Outlet pass, a Kansas player gets a hand on the ball — out of bounds! Ball in, Missouri — “Foul! Foul!” Kansas fans yell.

Whoa! Time out! TO! Not in the game, but in this story.

Breathe, sports fans.

The Kansas City Star reports that one of the Kansas players is 84, wearing bloomers and in the third quarter had a GoPro strapped to her forehead.

So, no, not MU-KU. But with those two institutions engaging in the polarity so prevalent in the country right now, it apparently has fallen to Granny Basketball League players such as the previously referenced Pat Conner, who attended KU in the early 1950s, to keep the border war going.

Thus, on Final Four weekend, a team from Jefferson City carried the pride of Missouri across the state line and into the belly of the beast: Lawrence, Kansas.

And to think these women signed up for, according to a Granny Basketball press release, “a playful, fun-filled senior activity.”

Game time at Holcom Park Recreation Center: high noon.

Turned into a nail-biter. A little jawing, the first foul called in the first minute, a couple of players hitting the deck.

This was official Granny League Basketball, a growing thing in seven states including Virginia, Texas and Minnesota.

Vintage uniforms and 1923 rules, including a “flesh foul” if the bloomers hike up too far on the leg. Two dribbles per possession.

Running and jumping are not allowed, which, by the way, would seem to make it an ideal sport for 60-year-old men. We digress.

This story is about the Missouri Show Me Shooters taking on the Kansas Gray Tornadoes in a first-ever Granny Border War matchup.

“Time to put this thing to bed,” Missouri player Janet Lepper, a 1965 graduate of Eugene (Mo.) High School, said moments before tipoff.

She’s 4 feet 10 inches, plays center, and she says it’s time to put this thing to bed.

So, you’re thinking, does Grandma have moves? She’s good with a Thanksgiving turkey — how is she coming off a screen?

Maybe you’ll find out.

The official Granny Basketball League was started in 2005 by a woman who’d reread her father’s book, “Courting Girls: Reflections of an Iowa Six-on-Six Girls Basketball Coach.”

Tommy Tomlinson, who had coached girls basketball in

the 1940s, wrote about seeing his first girls game in 1920 in Bondurant, Iowa.

The daughter, Barb Tomlinson-Trammell, ran with it by starting a league, right down to black bloomers, white shirts and middy collars, and today there are 200 players on about 25 teams. They play for charities.

Players must be at least 50. Some younger ones played ball in high school, but many predate Title IX, the federal mandate for girls’ and women’s sports.

Granny Ball is a new thing with really old rules.

Six-on-six. No running, but hurrying is allowed. No jumping. Two dribbles per possession. Granny shots — oh, yeah — count three points.

The court is marked off with painter’s tape for sections for guards, centers and forwards.

Kathleen Ramonda, 82, signed up at the get-go to play for the Kansas Grayhawkers. She grew up a farm girl in Wamego, Kan., well before Title IX, but managed to play a little basketball.

“I got a bum knee, but I can still play center,” she said at a game in February between two Kansas teams. “Don’t have to move much.”

She smiled: “They won’t let me take my cane out there.”

Teena Parduhn, who grew up in Wisconsin, said the high school she graduated from in 1973 told girls they could start a team if they could find a coach.

“So we did, and she didn’t know anything about basketball — she just sat there,” said Parduhn, who lives in Overland Park and plays for the Tornadoes. “First practice, we played horse.”

Well, it’s basketball now. Late in the February game between the Kansas teams, a player during a timeout said they needed to set picks to get open.

“They’re switching on the picks,” an out-of-breath teammate countered.

Larry Brumley and Rusty Johnston, two husbands running the clock in that game, said the women get surprisingly aggressive.

“My wife (Ruby) has fouled out a few times,” Brumley said.

Flesh fouls get called, too.

“Had a game not long ago that started with a flesh foul — before the clock even started,” Brumley said.

“Two,” Johnston corrected him. “One on each side.”

Last fall, Conner, of Lawrence, couldn’t get out of bed, dress herself or drive.

Osteoarthritis.

She didn’t take that well. She’d always been active. At KU, she put up 38 in an intramural game — most of those coming on a hook shot she fashioned after Clyde Lovellette’s.

She took a kinesiology class from Phog Allen and later became a PE teacher.

Not long ago, Conner saw a newspaper story about Granny Basketball starting in Lawrence and told herself she was going to get better and play.

Continued on Page 22

TheIntelligencer.com - July 2016 - Mature Lifestyles - 19

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TheIntelligencer.com - July 2016 - Mature Lifestyles - 21

For Alzheimer’s caregivers, knowledge is power (BPT) - Michael Snowden was just 12 and his sister 16 when their mother began to exhibit symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Although they didn’t receive a definitive diagnosis until seven years later, the need to assume caregiving roles while still in their teens profoundly affected their lives.

“Not many people understood the disease or how to take care of her,” Michael says.

“We did not really understand the disease ourselves after the diagnosis. Eventually, my sister and I had to take over the caregiving responsibilities. Our lives quickly changed.”

The number of Americans with Alzheimer’s is set to triple over the next 35 years.

“Unless something is done to change its course, the Alzheimer’s crisis will continue impacting not only the millions of Americans currently living with the disease, but their caregivers, friends and family,” says Ruth Drew, director of family and information services for the Alzheimer’s Association.

“Caregiving can become anyone’s reality.

As the prevalence of the disease increases, more people from all walks of life, economic strata and ages will find themselves helping to support someone with Alzheimer’s in the coming years.”

Approximately two-thirds of caregivers are adult women - typically wives or daughters of people with Alzheimer’s. A growing number of teenagers and men, however, are finding themselves in a full-time caregiving role.

“Facing early-onset Alzheimer’s when my wife, Chris, was in her mid-40s was devastating,” recalls Mark Donham, whose wife passed away from Alzheimer’s in 2011 at the age of 54. “Since we did not have extended family nearby, I decided that I would quit my job and care for Chris full time. We had to live on savings, knowing our financial future would be difficult.”

In addition to financial burdens, Alzheimer’s caregivers can become so focused on their role that they neglect their own physical, mental, financial and emotional well-being. In fact, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2016 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, 20 percent of care contributors sacrificed their own medical care by cutting back on doctor visits.

“My biggest challenge was trying to figure out ‘how to take care of yourself’ as your loved one declines,” Donham says. For caregivers, he advises, “Be sure to take active steps to take care of yourself so that you can

BPT photo

Help is available to Alzheimer’s caregivers. be the best possible caregiver for your loved one.”

With more people becoming primary caregivers, the resources provided by the Alzheimer’s Association are more critical than ever. Across the country, Alzheimer’s Association chapters provide face-to-face services such as support groups and educational sessions within communities.

A professionally staffed 24/7 Helpline (800-272-3900) provides information and advice to more than 300,000 callers each year. Recognizing the growing diversity of Alzheimer’s caregivers, the Helpline also provides translation services in more than 200 languages.

The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Center, part of alz.org, offers a wealth of caregiving tips and resources at every stage of the disease. Online message boards and forums allow caregivers to connect with others facing similar challenges to share information, resources and find support at any time of day or night.

Support and information can be empowering, the Snowdens and Donham say.

“Understand the disease,” Shanelle Snowden says. “Once you are able to educate yourself on the disease, you will be able to cope better and you will be able to take

care of your loved one better.”

Donham learned from others in the same situation. “Early on in Chris’ disease, I developed coping strategies,” Donham says. “I came to accept the disease, got connected to a support group, and educated myself as to the course of the disease and what help I would need to make sure Chris had the best care possible.”

For people facing the task of becoming an Alzheimer’s caregiver, Donham and Snowden offer some advice: Act early, before symptoms become severe.

“Face the diagnosis, and use the earliest times to get legal and financial matters in order,” Donham says. “Connect with a support group so that you are not alone on the journey.”

The Alzheimer’s Navigator helps those facing the disease to determine their needs and develop an action plan. In addition to planning for the future, knowing the diagnosis early also enables the person with Alzheimer’s to get the maximum benefit from available treatments and participate in clinical studies that help advance research.

Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch connects individuals with Alzheimer’s, caregivers, healthy volunteers and physicians with current studies.

22 - Mature Lifestyles - July 2016 - TheIntelligencer.com

Basketball Continued from Page 18 “At 84, I wasn’t ready to slow down,” she said. “I believe I have some years left, and I’m going to live them to the fullest.”

Through medication and therapy, she improved. And when she shared her basketball plan with family, her doubting daughter, Deb Puga, said: “Really?”

But not only did Puga, who played basketball at Garden City Community College, cast worry aside, she agreed to play on her mother ’s team.

At 57, she’s one of the younger players.

“I’m just so glad to be able to do this with my mom,” said Puga, who drives from Wichita for games. “She’s always been my inspiration. And it’s been such an amazing transformation — she’s still got that hook shot, and nobody goes easy on her.

“So, keep moving, people.”

The number on the back of Conner ’s jersey: 38.

Just after 11 a.m. Saturday, an hour before tipoff, the first ball hit the hardwood inside Holcom Park.

Cindy Guthrie had the court to herself. She grew up in Memphis, Mo., graduated from high school in 1975 and played guard on a team that won district.

“We’re ready for ‘em,” she said of the renewed border rivalry.

The other Missouri players say Guthrie talked most of them into joining the team. A lot of them work, or worked, at a state office building in Jefferson City.

At the other end of the court, Kansas player Michele Clark marked off the court with painter ’s tape. She used to live in Missouri and started Granny teams there before moving to Lawrence and deciding that if any city were going to have Granny Basketball, it ought to be Lawrence.

So she organized the Kansas teams and Saturday’s game.

“I suppose we could call it a showdown, but we’re actually delighted they plan to show up,” Clark said.

Ooh. Delighted they plan to show up. That could be taken a couple of ways. How long ago did she move to Kansas?

Other players arrived soon. Both teams ran drills.

Kansas players eyed the other end. They’d heard the Missouri bunch had a couple of 6-foot ringers.

High noon, the horn sounded.

Cataracts Continued from Page 13

Myth 4: If you can see just fine, you’re not going to get cataracts.

Truth: Because cataracts develop slowly over time, it’s possible to not realize you have them until they really begin to impair your vision. Watch

“We’re as ready as 1923 players can be,” Parduhn said.

Parduhn hit the game’s first bucket. Then came a foul, followed by a disputed call on a ball out, and then an over-the-back call.

Missouri got rolling and led 14-10 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second, geez, some in the crowd started cheering missed free throws. By Grandma.

Guthrie landed hard. Then the refs discovered Missouri had seven players on the court. They checked to see whether scoring should be adjusted, gave up and shouted: “Don’t do that again!”

Michelle Carson hit a bucket at the buzzer to draw Kansas within five at the half: 23-18.

Early in the third, Ruby Brumley fell after committing a foul. She came off the floor, said something to her husband of 48 years about just being aggressive.

“Yeah,” Larry said. “Maybe a little too much.”

Missouri 32-24 after three.

In the fourth, here came Kansas.

Parduhn caught fire and got the Tornadoes back in it.

She finished with 34 points. But she missed that one with 12 seconds on the clock.

Which gets us back to where we started.

Missouri up two, ball in, five seconds left.

Jan Harbison catches it on the sideline in front of the Kansas bench — 5, 4 .

“Foul! Foul!”

Harbison spots Joy Pearre at the top of the key. Pearre dribbles — 3, 2, 1, horn.

Missouri 44-42.

Kansas scored 18 in the fourth. They needed 20.

Pearre, from New Broomfield, led Missouri with 22, and Harbison added 18.

“Got a little too close at the end,” Guthrie said, smiling big. “But we did it for Missouri. It was on us.”

The final ticks may not have been quite as exciting as the NCAA Championship Game, but let’s see that Villanova guy hit a buzzer-beater in bloomers.

More disclosure: There were two more games Saturday at Holcom. In the first, two Kansas teams played each other.

Then the Kansas Grayhawkers beat the Missouri Show Me Shooters 42-26.

A win for each state. So contrary to what that 4-foot-10 Missouri center said, it doesn’t look like this thing’s put to bed yet.

A Kansas team travels to Jefferson City this fall.

Somebody’s got to do it. Besides, turns out these grandmas like one another.

for symptoms such as difficulty seeing well at night and especially when trying to drive at night, cloudy vision, halos around lights, double vision in one eye, light sensitivity and colors appearing faded.

Myth 5: Cataract surgery is dangerous and painful.

Truth: Even though 38 percent of the people surveyed by Alcon said they were more afraid of undergoing eye surgery than any other kind of

surgical procedure, cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed and safest procedures performed each year, with little recovery time or inconvenience to patients’ daily activities.

“Of all the surgeries available to us as we age, cataract surgery is one of the few that truly allows patients to turn back time and reclaim their vision in ways they never thought possible,” says Dr. Holland.

TheIntelligencer.com - July 2016 - Mature Lifestyles - 23

Insurance Continued from Page 14 When the first long-term care policies came on the market in the mid-1970s, insurers based their projections for premium costs and payouts on life insurance data. They

told consumers that premiums would rise minimally, if at all, over the life of their policy.

But people lived longer and health care costs grew faster than the insurers ever expected. Seniors who bought low-priced policies in the 1980s and 1990s lived for years with chronic and expensive-to-manage conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. Worst of all, low interest rates meant that insurers earned very little on the premiums they collected — money they’d need to pay future claims.

Even Genworth’s CEO, Tom McInerney, calls this state of affairs “a ridiculous business model.”

Genworth has lost $2 billion on its long-term care policies overall and continues to lose between $100 and $150 million each year, he said in an interview.

About 85 percent of the company’s long-term care policyholders who’ve received premium hikes have decided to pay them, while another 9 percent chose to cut their benefits to keep their premiums the same. About 6 percent opted to drop their policies, although Genworth will pay

claims up to the amount of premiums already paid, so

consumers won’t lose everything they’ve paid, McInerney said.

Fewer people today are buying traditional long-term care insurance policies, which only adds to insurers’ financial woes. Some are considering newer “hybrid” products such as life insurance or annuities that provide a long-term care benefit, but they’re also expensive and some require a large up-front payment.

That’s why pressure is mounting for state and federal lawmakers to come up with ways to finance long-term care for millions of aging baby boomers. Policy proposals abound, such as requiring people to buy subsidized longterm care insurance, much as they now need to buy health insurance. Other ideas include creating a government-run catastrophic plan or allowing people to convert their life Help us support them! insurance policies to long-term care policies. But all of If I can’t action, get m y M eals lawmakers on Wheels at these would require legislative and the state and federal level have been slow to What will I do? act because of the sheer scope of financing Americans’ long-term care.

In the meantime, McInerney and other long-term care insurance leaders DONATE NOW! are trying to change the way consumers for more information see their private sector product: as catastrophic insurance to AgeSmart.org with go more limited benefits and consistently rising premior call AgeSmart ums, rather than as a way to pay for all of their long-term 1-­‐618-­‐222-­‐2561 care. 1-­‐800-­‐326-­‐3221 It’s a hard sell.

“No one likes premium increases, but they do understand, in the end, why they’re needed,” McInerney said.

“We certainly can’t lose billions of dollars and have consumers expect us to pay claims.”

Help us support them!

If I can’t get m y M eals on Wheels What will I do?

Help us support them!

When you need home care DONATE NOW! for more information you need go to AgeSmart.org

If I can’t get my Meals on Wheels What will I do?

or call AgeSmart 1-­‐618-­‐222-­‐2561 1-­‐800-­‐326-­‐3221 • 96% client satisfaction approval

• • • •

On time guarantee 24 hour and live-in care available Certified dementia care specialist Experienced and trusted home care aides

Call the Professionals in Family Caregiving!

Madison County: 618.655.1444 St. Clair & Monroe Counties: 618.257.3444 Email: Jody@barbervoss.com www.BarberVoss.com

ARE YOU A CAREGIVER FOR AN OLDER ADU OR AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY?

AgeSmart is here to help you find the right resour to meet your current and future needs.

DONATE NOW!

for more

AgeSmart is a nonprofit organization that has be providing Service to the community since 1974 informationForgomore toinformation AgeSmart.org please call AgeSmart at or call 618-222-2561 or 1-800-326-3221

1-618-222-2561 1-800-326-3221

24 - Mature Lifestyles - July 2016 - TheIntelligencer.com

Welcome To

Eden Village Phase II Garden Homes

OPEN HOUSE

Friday, July 29th ~ 1-4 pm 2 - Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Attached Garage.

2325

$

/month

www.edenvillage.org

Eden Gardens Glen Carbon, IL

For Directions Call 618-288-5014

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY