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By Hope Gillette, Voxxi

A new research project at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) explores how salsa dancing helps boost physical activity,  cognitive ability, balance, and overall mobility among Latino seniors.

David Marquez, lead researcher of the initiative and UIC associate professor of kinesiology and nutrition , says the initiative is an important step toward addressing inactivity among seniors — Latinos in particular, who have some of the lowest activity levels and higher risks for age-related conditions.

“Older Latinos are also at high risk of developing disabilities, and one of our long-term goals is to prevent disability among this disadvantaged group,” Marquez said in a university statement.

According to the professor, Latinos between the ages of 65 and 74 are less likely than other seniors to participate in physical leisure-time activities. Latino seniors are also twice as likely to report difficulty walking as are non-Latino whites, and to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease an average of seven years earlier.

Because dancing is widely accepted and enjoyed among the Latino community, Marquez and Miguel Mendez, a Latin dance instructor, joined forces to create a senior-specific dance program called “Bailamos.”

The goal of this 4-month program is to improve balance, cognitive ability and mobility overall among participating Latino seniors, as previous research suggests dancing can indeed help accomplish such goals.

In the program, the tempo of the music is adjusted, so it slows down enough to allow Latino seniors to perform more complicated dance steps safely.

Benefits of dancing for Latino seniors

“Creative interventions such as dance-based therapy have the potential to significantly reduce falls in older persons,” Jean Krampe, a registered nurse and doctoral student in the Sinclair School of Nursing, said in a University of Missouri news report. “In the studies, we found improved levels of balance, gait and overall functionality among seniors who participated in regular dance-therapy sessions. Nursing and elder care professionals can help move these programs into practice to reduce the detrimental burden caused by falls.”

In fact, the 2010 University of Missouri research found more than 50 percent of seniors participating in the study dance program reported improvements in both gait and balance.

But balance and movement are not the only areas addressed in dance therapy for seniors.

According to research published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (JSSM), dancing may also reduce the risk for cognitive disorders in elderly patients with metabolic syndrome, a group of factors placing an individual at risk for stroke, type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease.

“A systematic review found that physical activity improved cognitive function, delayed recall in particular, in healthy older adults…,” stated the report published in JSSM. “Other studies also reported that aerobic exercise improved the delayed recall function in elderly individuals…”

In addition to cognitive improvement, researchers have also noted an increase in verbal fluency, though this was likely related to the music itself rather than the dancing. What’s more, seniors seem to really enjoy the activity, and Krampe said of her earlier research many participants were eager to come back to the sessions.

Dancing is an intrinsic part of the Latino community and researchers believe it can be extremely successful and keeping Latino seniors healthy and active.

This article was first published in Voxxi.

Hope Gillette is an award winning author and novelist. She has been active in the veterinary industry for over 10 years, and her experience extends from exotic animal care to equine sports massage. She shares her home with four cats, a dog, a horse, and her tolerant husband.

[Photo by  Mexican American Opportunity Foundation]

By Hispanically Speaking News

Confirming the existence of the Hispanic Mortality Paradox, a new analysis of health studies, led by a University of North Texas psychologist shows that the Hispanic-American participants’ survival rates from heart disease and other medical conditions were substantially higher than that of the non-Hispanic white and African-American participants.

John Ruiz, assistant professor of psychology, said the existence of the paradox—the finding that Hispanic Americans tend to have health outcomes that are equal or better than those of white Americans, even though Hispanics’ socioeconomic status is, on the average, lower and so associated with worse health—has long been debated.

The participants were followed for the studies for as long as 33 years, but the average time was 6.9 years.

Analysis showed that the Hispanic-American participants in the studies tracking heart disease patients were 25 percent more likely to be living at the conclusion of the studies than the participants in the other groups, while Hispanic-American participants with no health conditions at the start of the studies were 30 percent more likely to be living.

The researchers combined study participants with diabetes, kidney disease, stroke and other health conditions except for HIV/AIDS and cancer into one category. Hispanic-Americans with those health conditions were 16 percent more likely to be living at the end of the studies than those in other races. In addition, Hispanic-Americans with HIV/AIDS and cancer faced the same mortality risk from these diseases as those in the other two ethnic groups, Ruiz said.

Overall, the Hispanic participants in all of the studies had a 17.5 percent lower mortality rate as compared their non-Hispanic white and African-American counterparts, regardless of age, Ruiz concluded.

Ruiz said cultural differences could play a role in explaining the Hispanic Mortality Paradox.

“Hispanics are very social, and family support is important to them. They also respect their elders and include them in family dynamics. And social support has been shown to contribute to better health,” he said. “Social behaviors and cultural values may buffer against the stress of economic and environmental disadvantages in regard to health.”  In addition, Hispanic-Americans may experience “resilience at several points in the course of disease,” Ruiz said.

This article was first published in Hispanically Speaking News.

[Photo by  Mexican American Opportunity Foundation]

By Alejandra Campoverdi, White House Deputy Director of Hispanic Media

As we commemorate the second anniversary of the Affordable Care Act this Friday, it’s worth taking a look at the many ways this landmark health reform law is making a difference in the lives of Americans, especially Latinos who suffer disproportionately from a lack of access to coverage.  Thirty two percent of Latinos were uninsured in 2009 – higher than any other racial or ethnic group – and half of Latinos did not have a regular doctor, compared to only one-fifth of white Americans.  And twenty percent of low-income Hispanic youth have gone a year without a health care visit.  When you look at these numbers, it’s clear that the Affordable Care Act has had and will continue to have a profound effect on the health of the Latino community.

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis wrote an op-ed this past week for ImpreMedia on the Affordable Care Act and Latinos in which she highlighted that “Too often because of cost, Latinos don’t get the preventive care they need to stay healthy. This is particularly true during tough economic times, when many are forced to forego health services for other needs, like rent or groceries.  A recent study found that 6.1 million Latinos gained prevention coverage in their private insurance plans in 2011.”  You can read the rest of her op-ed HERE.

And throughout the week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has highlighted how the new law has:

• Helped more than 5.1 million people with Medicare save over $3.2 billion| en español
• Provided more than 45 million women access to preventive health care services| en español
• Helped young adults get and keep affordable health coverage  
• Made it possible for nine states to deem health insurance rate hikes “unreasonable”

We’ve also made a fact sheet available in ENGLISH and SPANISH to highlight how the Hispanic community benefits. For example:

• Under the new law, insurance companies are already banned from denying coverage to children because of a pre-existing condition. In 2014, they are banned from discriminating against anyone with a pre-existing condition.
• Already, 6.1 million Latinos now have coverage for preventive services without additional cost sharing. Under the new health care law, all Americans joining a new health care plan must be able to receive recommended preventive services with no out-of-pocket costs such as co-pays or deductibles.
• Already, approximately 11.8 million Latinos are free from worrying about lifetime limits on coverage thanks to the new health care law.
• Over 2.5 million young adults have gained coverage because of the new health care law, including 736,000 Latinos.
• The new Exchanges, tax credits and Medicaid expansion will result in as many as 9 million Latinos becoming eligible to get coverage they lack today. And it expands the Medicaid program and provides $900 million dollars for Puerto Rico to expand coverage on the island.
• More than 500,000 Latinos with Medicare have already received one or more free preventive services, including the new Annual Wellness Visit.  The new law also provides relief for people in the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap or donut hole – the ones with the highest prescription drug costs.
• Approximately 35% of patients served by community health centers in 2009 were Latino, and the Affordable Care Act increases the funding available to the more than 1,100 community health centers in all fifty states to enable them to double the number of patients they served from 19 million to nearly 40 million by 2015.

[Image Courtesy Stethoscopes]

Recently, I found myself wading through sick memories of my Guelito Chente, missing him (since he died in 2006), but also feeling so grateful for having spent a few precious years in close communication with him, thanks to free weekend minutes and my youthful irreverence that made driving six hours each way to see him not such a big deal.

I didn’t actually get to grow up with my grandfather, since he was in Texas and I was in California, but once I got to college started calling him every weekend. It was that routine that gave me one of the most precious gifts have ever been given in life: memories of the time I spent with him. You see, after I graduated from college, I moved to Texas and while he wasn’t necessarily “close,” he was certainly much more accessible than he was when I was in California.

Somewhat what happened on those visits and in those phone calls wasn’t necessarily “exciting,” but for me, it was very important. Mostly, I would just ask him questions, enough to get them started, and he would just tell me stories or share his experiences with me. Sometimes he would tell me about growing up in Mexico, or the gossip with his neighbors, he talked a lot about his health, we would talk about food, and I would ask him about my father, or his brothers and sisters.

Then, in between all the storytelling, my guelito would impart his wisdom to me, the best way he knew how, with dichos.  This Tao of Abuelito represented a lifestyle and philosophy from his experience, old school Mexico, as I used to call it. “Se sufre para merecer” (you suffer to deserve) he would tell me or, “Sí se puede, si se quiere” (if there’s a will there’s a way) he would sometimes say. He would give me advice sometimes like, “Sigue la línea derechita, m’ija, siempre la línea derechita” (always stay on the straight path) and then sometimes he would make jokes, and say things like, “Estuve en la Babilonia m’ija” (to say he was asleep, baba, like drool).

And while he may have died what feels like many years ago, I can still hear him say these things to me, accompanied by his cute little old man laugh, imbued with all that love that he had for me. I miss him so much, even all these years later, but the gift that he gave me of imparting all of his knowledge to me, will never go away. In my happiest and darkest moments, he’s with me, and I find that all of the things he taught me have no shelf life. Which is to say, whenever I need to him, he’s there, because the things he shared with me only get better with age, and become increasingly meaningful and pertinent.

So while he may be dead physically, he’s very much alive in my heart, and continues to guide me sometimes on a daily basis. If there’s any gift you can give yourself this holiday season, I would urge you to spend time with your abuelos, you won’t regret it, and it’ll come back to you in ways that she would never have imagined.

[Photo By oedipusphinx — — — — theJWDban]

Turns out that the best thing to prevent frailty among elderly Latinos is more Latinos. Access to health care, transportation and sidewalks also help, but by and large the best thing for our viejitos is community. At least that’s what a new USC study found.

The study, published in the Journal of Aging and Health, concluded that

older Mexican Americans who live in ethnically dense Mexican-American neighborhoods have a lower risk for increased frailty than those who live in more ethnically heterogeneous neighborhoods.
“Many times we assume that low-income neighborhoods are bereft [of basic needs],” said lead author Maria Aranda, associate professor at the USC School of Social Work and the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging. “This study points to the idea that – at least in areas with a high percentage of Mexicans and Mexican Americans – there are factors that are protective.”

Those factors, according to Aranda, are a sense of community cohesion and a sharing of information about health related resources.

Mexican Americans may be benefiting from the informal exchanges of information and knowledge that are facilitated when people live in communities with others from similar cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, Aranda explained.

Frailty is defined as “a geriatric condition generally characterized by unintentional muscle mass and weight loss, weakness in grip strength, feelings of exhaustion and low levels of physical activity.” In light of the fact that by 2050 Latinos are projected to be the largest minority elderly population, the study and its finding are relevant and timely. But they also paint a  particular cultural picture, where the special place and reverence that the elderly have in Latino communities is seen as a positive, life affirming tradition.

Basically, we know we care for our viejitos, and this study just makes it official. Case in point is my own 91 year-old father. He lives on his own by his own volition, but he has a community of family, neighbors and health care workers that look after him, constantly. Dad would rather live alone, that’s just his way; but his life is filled with visitors and care, and that’s our cultural way.

Another valuable thing that this study has done is bring the concept of frailty to a prominent place in the healthcare conversation.

“We need to integrate frailty assessment in primary care and public health systems,” Aranda said.
Frailty affects 15 percent of individuals who are 65 and older. As the population in the United States continues to grow older, the number of frail adults is estimated to dramatically increase.

This coming year’s election conversation is sure to bring up health care; this study and its findings shouldn’t sit on a shelf.

[Photo by  Mexican American Opportunity Foundation]

By U.S. Representative Silvestre Reyes, El Paso – D

A couple of months ago, the Budget Control Act of 2011 created a select committee of 12 Members of Congress charged with cutting $1.5 trillion from the federal budget. I voted against the act and strongly expressed my opposition to reductions to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits for seniors, veterans, working families, children, the disabled, and other under-served populations. It is clear to me that during these tough economic times, we cannot jeopardize the safety net of our seniors who worked so hard over their lifetimes to retire with dignity.

While the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, known as the “Super Committee”, worked to identify cuts, I co-sponsored legislation instructing the committee to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. I even co-sponsored legislation that would amend the Budget Control Act of 2011 to eliminate the Super Committee altogether because of my concerns that the committee was usurping powers expressly delegated to all the Members of the House of Representatives. I personally discussed my concerns with Members of Congress on the Super Committee, and continuously expressed the importance of protecting these programs for current seniors and future generations. Cuts to these programs would have a detrimental impact, especially for many in our community. For many low-income seniors, veterans and others in El Paso, these programs are their only safety net. I believe firmly, that as your federal elected representative, it is my responsibility to uphold the decades-old promise to the American worker to ensure dignity in retirement, assistance if disabled, and support for their surviving children.

Unfortunately, many critics, including one of my opponents and former El Paso City Councilman, is intent on undermining the importance of these programs by seeking ways to cut or end them. In fact, during a recent deficit reduction discussion this opponent admitted that he was, in essence, willing to balance the budget on the backs of seniors by raising the retirement age and by implementing “means testing” on Social Security in an effort to do anything to pursue an extreme ideological agenda for short-term political purposes. In addition, this same opponent says he would have opposed the Affordable Care Act which is already helping seniors by covering more of their prescription drug costs and providing free preventative services.

These positions are misinformed, out-of-touch with our community, and demonstrate a clear lack of understanding about what it takes to truly advocate on behalf of seniors, veterans, and everyday El Pasoans. As a matter of fact, an analysis of my opponent’s record while on the City Council indicates no activity or effort to do anything to benefit veterans or seniors. On the contrary, their agenda has focused on pushing extreme controversial policies and votes like legalizing narcotics.

Undoubtedly, these critics are misinformed and unprepared to defend what is important for our community in Congress. Social Security, for example, does not add a dime to our national debt. In fact, Social Security had a $2.7 trillion surplus in 2010 and is projected to grow to $3.7 trillion by 2022. Throughout their working years, Americans have responsibly contributed into Social Security from their salaries. Many seniors rely on Social Security as their only source of income and Medicare as their only form of health insurance. In addition, many low-income Americans, working families, and under-served children, rely on Medicaid to help provide them with critical care in times of illness.

Yes, it is true that these are tough economic times that require difficult decisions to restore the fiscal health of our economy, but let me be clear: these are not times to become morally bankrupt by leaving our seniors, veterans, and under-served children behind. Every senior deserves dignity in their retirement – every senior, no exceptions. That is my position, and you can be sure that I will vote against any irresponsible, misinformed, and short-sighted proposal that seeks to balance the budget on the backs of our seniors, working families, veterans, children, the disabled, and other under-served populations.

Instead, we should repeal tax breaks for the super rich and close tax loops holes that allow corporations to escape paying taxes. I have heard your voices loud and clear, and just as I did with the Super Committee members, I will be making sure that House and Senate leadership know how critical it is to protect these programs. If you would also like to reach them directly to let them know how you feel about protecting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, you can contact them at their offices below.

Families are the center of every society, and our seniors and elders are the pillars of our familias. Seniors are not numbers on a spreadsheet; they are our parents, our abuelos and our abuelas, and in El Paso, families come first.

[Photo By U.S. Congress]

By Elaine Dove

I’ve noticed recently that when I run into female friends, especially in groups, that one of the ways women often bond is to enter into a discussion about how we don’t like how we look.

Somehow, a conversation that starts with “How are you?” often turns into a shared lament about weight, age, hair, the fit of jeans, etc. I’ll admit freely that I don’t want to have this conversation. In fact, I often fall silent and end up wandering away when it happens. I keep asking myself if there’s a way for me to bring up what’s happening and my feelings about it. I wonder if doing so would be helpful or just make others more uncomfortable than they obviously already feel.

Here’s why I don’t want to have that conversation: I know that age is not just a number. I know that weight is not just a number.

I’ve been a dancer for more than 25 years and I know that I can’t do the things I used to do with my body. Warmups that used to take 15 minutes now take 30 or 40 and there are a lot of things I just don’t do any more because of the cost to my joints and ligaments. I also know that my knees are going to tell me about it if I gain more than a certain amount of weight.

The art form I’ve practiced for all of my adult life gives me very direct feedback about everyday physics and the effects of aging. I’m fine with it. I feel enormously grateful to have had the chance to dance and perform so much in my lifetime, and to still be doing so to any extent at the age of 42.  Due to the wear and tear of my chosen art, I have to take good care of my body to continue living in it. And I’ve learned that refraining from negative and shaming attitudes toward myself is a big part of that.

Being a dancer has brought me into and kept me in a close relationship with my body, which has been bad at times and is now pretty good. I do understand the sentiment behind statements like “You can do whatever you want, age doesn’t matter!” and “You go girl!” which seem to be the flip side of the body-hating conversation. I guess my question is, isn’t there a middle ground for all this? A place where it’s okay to both have insecurities, and be comfortable and happy with yourself? I don’t see the two as being mutually exclusive: the need for us, as women, to tear ourselves to pieces or to pretend a false confidence based on false ideas.

I could say that I want us to love ourselves— but it’s deeper than that.

I want us to be grounded in reality, to understand that aging and change happen, and that it’s really okay. I question the kind of attitude that requires a woman to vanish under any circumstances. And sure, I don’t dance like I did at 22 or 32 — and I don’t regret it, because I also don’t wear awful costumes any more or agree to appear in work with which I’m not comfortable. I intend to dance in whatever way feels right to me as long as I can because I love it, and that love doesn’t come from whether or not I think I look great in a certain pair of pants.

Elaine Dove is an artist and healer living in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit her blog.

[Photo By nowhere Zen New Jersey]

A new study from Brown University points out a sad reality for Latino viejitos: as Latinos and other minority seniors enter into nursing homes, it’s only because whites are fleeing because they have better access. It’s like white flight, but in nursing homes. Here’s a snippet from a press release from Brown:

The new analysis shows that between 1999 and 2008 the nation’s nursing home population shrank by 6.1 percent to just over 1.2 million people. In that time period the number of whites in nursing homes decreased by 10.2 percent nationwide, while the number of blacks rose 10.8 percent, the number of Hispanics rose by 54.9 percent and the number of Asians rose by 54.1 percent. The study also looked at nursing home population changes in the top 10 metropolitan areas for each minority.

Prior research has shown that the nursing homes in predominately minority areas are often of lower quality and are more likely to close, while assisted living facilities are more likely to be built in areas where residents have high incomes. The result, reflected in the figures in the new Health Affairs paper, is a disparity that plays out not only economically and geographically, but also racially, Feng said.

In other words, yes Latino viejitos are pouring into nursing homes, but it’s only because they can’t afford better care. All this going on with the health care debate and the fact that nursing homes are more likely to shutter in Latino neighborhoods, giving families even less options for their beloved viejitos.

What do you think, are you in this situation yourself?

Follow Sara Inés Calderón on Twitter @SaraChicaD

[Photo By Alyssa L. Miller]

By Hector E. Sanchez

As featured in the Huffington Post:

Social Security is central to the economic security of all Latinos, young and old alike. For 75 years it has played a vital role in providing a safety net for the protection millions of retirees, disabled workers and aged widowers. Social Security has mitigated economic hardship for vulnerable communities, serving as one of the most successful government programs whose benefits can be credited in part with alleviating poverty among the elderly.

As working families nationwide struggle with widespread economic insecurity and baby boomers approach retirement, the President’s fiscal commission is suggesting cutting already modest Social Security benefits as part of the deficit-reduction strategy. This plan is flawed and conservatives are capitalizing on the opportunity to call for the privatization of Social Security, reducing benefits and lifting the retirement age in the name of fiscal discipline. These proposals neglect the impact of such cuts on most beneficiaries who rely on Social Security as a principal source of income and lack alternative pension benefits.

Why pick on Social Security when it has never contributed to the national deficit? It is projected to run a $77 billion surplus in 2010 alone and its current surplus of $2.6 trillion is projected to grow to over $4 trillion by 2023. Moreover, Social Security will be able to fulfill 100 percent of its obligations until 2037 and devoid of modifications, after 2037 Social Security will be able to cover approximately 80 percent of its benefits.

As the youngest and fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, Latinos stand to lose if these modifications are implemented. By 2050 Latinos will comprise 17.5% of the U.S. elderly population and on average, Latinos earn less than the average U.S. worker (median earnings of $30,000 compared to $40,000) limiting the benefits available to them during retirement and savings they can accrue. Without Social Security, the poverty rate among Latino elderly would triple. Latinos are less likely to have an employment-based pension since 6 out of 10 whites over 65 have some type of retirement account while only 1 out of 10 Latinos over 65 have any type of retirement account at all.

Latinos are stakeholders in ensuring the longevity of Social Security not only as contributors but also beneficiaries. Between 2006 to 2016 Latino participation in the workforce is projected to increase by 30 percent compared to 5 percent for non-Latinos and their taxable earnings will make vital contributions to benefit the retiring baby boomer generation.

Even though the actual benefits provided by Social Security are not high and the average amount of benefits that Latinos receive is lower than for other groups, Latinos rely on it and will need those benefits for a longer period than most because of their higher life expectancy. Latino men over 65 have a life expectancy of 85 while it is 82 for the rest, and Latino women over 65 have a life expectancy of 89, whereas its is 85 for other women.

There is overwhelming support from a majority of the American public on the need for Congress to take action soon to strengthen Social Security. And Latinos in particular understand the importance of the present and future role of Social Security for our community, and we are willing to pay for it. A recent poll indicates that 84 percent of Latinos agree that preserving Social Security for future generations is critical, even if it means increasing Social Security taxes on workers.

Social Security merits our immediate attention and LCLAA along with several prominent national Latino organizations have joined to re-launch Latinos for Secure Retirement- a coalition to protect Social Security and the future of elderly Latinos from current and impending threats. Protecting Social Security from privatization, benefit cuts and a raise in the retirement age is at the heart of our efforts. To ensure that our elderly can live the sunset years of their lives with dignity we will be relentless in our fight against deficit-reduction measures that target Social Security and exacerbate financial hardship on Latinos.

Hector E. Sanchez is the executive director of The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA). He has worked in education and non-profit organizations, and has over 10 years of policy, advocacy research and community outreach experience. The above article was originally published on NPR. We thank Mr. Sanchez for giving us the privilege to post his article.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are the most serious heat-related illnesses.

Extreme summer heat like we’re seeing this summer can place older people at increased risk for developing a dangerously high body temperature condition known as hyperthermia. This can result in a number of related health problems, including heat fatigue and exhaustion, sudden dizziness, heat cramps, and heat stroke (when body temperature rises above 104 degrees).

Experts advise that elderly individuals — especially those coping with chronic heart, lung and/or kidney diseases, as well as sweat gland problems and poor circulation — should stay indoors on very hot and humid days, as well as on those occasions when pollution advisories are in effect. If you do not have air conditioning, you should try to take advantage of cooler locales, such as senior centers, malls, movie theaters, churches and religious facilities, social service organizations, and libraries, and drink plenty of fluids, but avoid caffeine and alcohol.

Heat exhaustion is characterized by muscle cramps, fatigue, headache, nausea or vomiting, and dizziness or fainting. The skin is often cool and moist, indicating that the body’s mechanism for cooling itself (i.e., sweating) is still functioning. If untreated, heat exhaustion can progress to heatstroke. Heatstroke is a serious, life-threatening condition characterized by a high body temperature ( more than 103 degrees), red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating), rapid, strong pulse, throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and unconsciousness.

Symptoms can progress to encephalopathy (swelling of the brain), liver and kidney failure, bleeding disorders, and multiple organ system dysfunctions. This is a life-threatening condition. Prompt treatment of heat-related illnesses with aggressive fluid replacement and cooling of core body temperature is critical to reducing morbidity and mortality.

If heat stoke is suspected call 911. Anyone thought to be suffering from a heat-related condition should be brought to a shaded or air-conditioned location, and encouraged to lie down and cool off by using a sponge and cool water, or a shower or bath, if possible. Those in need can be helped by applying a cold wet cloth to those body parts where the blood circulates close to the skin surface, such as the wrist, neck, armpit and groin areas. This can be a fatal condition so it’s best to be informed and prepared given the hot temperatures throughout the country this spring.

How To Prevent Heat Exhaustion

When the heat index is high, it’s best to stay in an air-conditioned environment. If you must go outdoors, you can prevent heat exhaustion by taking these steps:

1. Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, and a wide-brimmed hat.
2. Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more.
3. Drink extra fluids to prevent dehydration. Because heat-related illness also can result from salt depletion, it may be advisable to substitute an electrolyte-rich sports drink for water during periods of extreme heat and humidity.
4. Take additional precautions when exercising or working outdoors. The general recommendation is to drink 24 ounces of fluid two hours before exercise, and consider adding another eight ounces of water or sports drink right before exercise. During exercise, you should consume another 8 ounces of water every 20 minutes even if you don’t feel thirsty.
5. Avoid fluids containing either caffeine or alcohol, because both substances can make you lose more fluids and worsen heat exhaustion. Caution: If you have epilepsy or heart, kidney, or liver disease; are on fluid-restricted diets; or have a problem with fluid retention, check with your doctor before increasing liquid intake.

As always, check with your doctor to see if your health conditions and medications are likely to affect your ability to cope with extreme heat and humidity. This can be a life-threatening situation, so be prepared for the summer’s heat.

References:

• http://firstaid.webmd.com/heat-exhaustion?page=2
• http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-07-31-elderly-hyperthermia_N.htm?csp=usat.me

Jeff Kreisberg is a patient advocate, educator, scientist author of the book “Taking Control of Your Healthcare,” and, until his retirement, a professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Jeff also blogs regularly on health issues on his website, Taking Control of Your Healthcare. Follow him on Twitter: @kreisberg

[Photo By Caitlinator]

I think it’s clear to all of us that if you’re under 55 you won’t have your father’s Medicare when you turn 65. Medicare is growing at such an astronomical rate that if something isn’t done right now its costs will double in 20 years. One reason for this explosion in costs is our aging population; the fastest growing segment of our population is those over 80. Another reason is the way we pay for healthcare services and our mindsets that believe, more is better and newer is even better than that. And, what’s astounding is the government feeds into this mindset by approving medical devices without determining whether they improve our care.

[Editor's Note: These changes are especially troubling for Latinos considering that, as we've reported before, that by 2050 20% of people over the age of 65 will be Latino. Thus, it's imperative for Medicare not only to function well, but efficiently, if all of these Latino seniors are to receive care.]

For example, the FDA approves newer versions of existing devices without determining that it’s actually better than the older version. This is premarketing approval is called a 510(k).  A 510(k) is a premarket submission made to FDA to demonstrate that the device to be marketed is at least as safe and effective and substantially equivalent, to a legally marketed device. No scientific proof is required that the new machine actually improves healthcare. This type of approval is a big cause of  increased healthcare costs.

Here’s a good example where such an approval ratchets up costs without providing better care. There are currently three radiation treatments for prostate cancer. The first generation treatment, called three-dimensional radiation, costs $10,000; a newer treatment (called IMRT) costs $42,000; and the newest treatment called proton radiation costs $50,000. Which one do you think your doctor will recommend? Now, listen to this. There is no solid scientific evidence that the newer treatments provide better and safer care than the original three-dimensional radiation! NONE WHAT SO EVER. Yet, the FDA approves them and Medicare pays for them, no questions asked. What we do know for sure is that newer means more expensive.

We can do something about this now and not throw grandpa under the bus while we’re doing it. How about every new device introduced onto the market be allowed three years to prove it provides better results than cheaper treatments, or their reimbursement rates would be cut to that of the cheaper treatment? Makes perfect sense, don’t you think?

We know from discussions in Congress that our Medicare will be different from our Dad’s, but we don’t have to postpone saving money right now. Let’s pay for performance rather than procedure and not succumb to the allure of newer fancier machines that costs a fortune and provides little if any benefit to our care.

Jeff Kreisberg is a patient advocate, educator, scientist author of the book “Taking Control of Your Healthcare,” and, until his retirement, a professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Jeff also blogs regularly on health issues on his website, Taking Control of Your Healthcare. Follow him on Twitter @kreisberg.

[Photo By AnoLobb]

Perhaps because the Internet, social media, and technology in general has given me access and opportunities I never could have hoped for, I’m kind of a fan. Nonetheless, occasionally I do come across critics who insist that the Internet has either ruined their livelihood or somehow threatens to destroy their way of life. I may be exaggerating just a bit here, but you get the idea.

What I think these critics fail to understand is that the Internet is just an additional tool we can all use in our daily and professional lives. You don’t have to understand the Internet from top to bottom, or even know every single one of its uses, to benefit. I think where people go wrong with the Internet is assuming that things are black and white: you either use the Internet, or you don’t. But, that’s not the case.

As I wrote before, I wasn’t always very comfortable with technology, either. When I started down the path of a blogger, I had a lot to learn, and no one to show me. So, I did what anyone would do when they’re confused — I Googled it. Using Google, asking questions, experiment, trial and error and learning from my mistakes all helped me figure out what I know now. Which, in my opinion, isn’t that much, but increasingly I realize is much more than lots of people.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that the Internet is only your enemy if you choose it to be. Sure, it’s different, it’s change and it’s unknown — but that could describe any aspect of our lives, from love to parenting to learning to walk. Navigating the Internet and its myriad of uses  is not easy, but it’s not impossible, if you really want to learn how to use it, you can.

If I could convince the world to see the Internet as a tool, and not an enemy, I would. But as we all know trying to control others is fruitless. What I hope to leave you with here is the hope, if not the knowledge, that the Internet can be as accessible to you as to anyone else. All it takes is a little bit of work, an open mind and forgoing the belief that you simply can’t do it.

Follow Sara Inés Calderón on Twitter @SaraChicaD

[Photo By aubergene]

A report released recently by the Census Bureau, “The Older Population in the United States: 2010 to 2050,” finds that by 2050, at least 20% of the senior population will be Latino, up 7% from 2010. Think about that for a second: not only are Latino children the majority of school children in many places, but in 40 years Latinos will be a huge part of the senior population, too.

Basically, it means Latinos will be a super important constituency from the womb to the tomb (as my developmental psychology professor used to say).

Here’s a snippet from the report:

In terms of race, the share of the population that is White alone is projected to decrease by about 10 percentage points among those 65 years and over and by about 9 percentage points among those 85 years and over between 2010 and 2050. Meanwhile, all other race groups are projected to see an increase in their shares of these populations…

The proportion of the older population that is Hispanic is projected to increase quickly over the next four decades. In 2050, 20 percent of the population aged 65 and over is projected to be Hispanic, up from 7 percent in 2010. The proportion of the oldest-old population that is Hispanic is also projected to increase by about 10 percentage points between 2010 and 2050.

In 2050, the non-Hispanic population aged 65 and older is projected to reach 71 million, up from 37.4 million in 2010, almost doubling. In comparison, the Hispanic population aged 65 years and older is projected to grow from 2.9 million to 17.5 million, a more than sixfold increase. The 85 years and over population is projected to be 15 percent Hispanic in 2050, up from 5 percent in 2010.

If you want more detailed information and fancy graphs, read the rest of the report here.

Follow Sara Inés Calderón on Twitter @SaraChicaD

[Image Courtesy Census Bureau]

[Editor's Note: The following was published by The World Bank]

• Report advises Latin American countries to prepare for a ‘greying revolution’; rapid aging no longer a rich country phenomenon.
• Region’s life expectancy jumped by 22 years in last half-century; population now dominated by working adults with fewer children.
• Report recommends building stronger health systems, delaying retirement age, reforming pension systems and creating more jobs for women to expand the workforce.

March 28, 2011—Population aging is a global issue that affects a growing number of countries around the world, especially at a time when family support and other traditional safety nets have become far less certain in the aftermath of the global economic crisis.

In Latin America, for example, life expectancy has jumped by 22 years over the last 50 years and its population is now dominated by working-age adults with significantly fewer children. The region faces the prospect of rapid aging.

A new report from the World Bank’s Human Development Network warns that governments and communities in the region cannot afford to be complacent about a ‘greying revolution,’ given that the next 50 years will be very different from its past half century.

According to Population Aging: Is Latin America Ready?, economic growth in Latin America will be more challenging in countries with large numbers of elderly people and meeting health care, pension, and other needs will be especially difficult for low- and middle-income countries. Establishing appropriate policies and institutions to accommodate the region’s powerful demographic shifts will be vital to safeguard Latin America’s social and economic future, says the report.

“OECD countries have been getting used to the idea of rapid aging over previous decades as a result of smaller family sizes, better health, more money, and longer lives, all of which has been a huge social plus, “ says Daniel Cotlear, report co-author and a lead economist in the World Bank’s Human Development Network.

“But we should all be worried that rapid aging is no longer a rich country phenomenon and that many poorer countries are now catching up, but largely without the money and advance planning to cope with the social and economic challenges of this profound social change,” he says.

Changing Demographics

Cotlear says the demographic makeup of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has changed dramatically since the 1950s. At that time, the region had a small population of about 160 million people, less than today’s population of Brazil. Two-thirds of Latin Americans lived in the countryside.

Families were large and women had one of the highest fertility rates in the world, low levels of education, and few opportunities for work outside the household. Investments in health and education reached only a small fraction of the children, many of whom died before reaching their fifth birthday.

Today, the region’s population has tripled, and most people lives in cities. Far fewer children die from illness thanks to health and education advances; and 50% fewer babies are born as a result of women taking advantage of education and significantly more opportunities to work outside the home.

As a result, demographic change in LAC during the 21st century will be dominated by rapid population aging. This trend can be seen in countries with high European immigration, which were the first to initiate demographic transition in the early 20th century and which also have some of the most extended social security systems.

The rest of the region will continue to benefit from a falling dependency ratio for a few more years, but will then also face rapid aging, says Cotlear. This process will not take a century as it did in Europe; it will take place over two or three decades. Globally, one-fourth of countries that are aging most rapidly are in LAC.

‘New Social Agenda’ Needed

“This book describes the issues that compel us to craft a new social agenda for Latin America which now needs to incorporate the challenges of the growing aging population,” says Alejandro Toledo, the former President of Peru, in a note written to the authors of the Bank report. “Governments and the private sector must learn to balance the demands posed by a rapidly growing population of seniors while continuing to invest in the education of our youth and the needs of the poor.”

How can governments manage the inevitable aging of their smaller populations? Cotlear says pensions or poverty are not the only options: “We need to understand the economic life cycle, elderly work and incomes, family support, gender, and also the cost of health care in old age. In the long run, pension coverage needs to cover more people, especially those who work off the radar in the informal jobs market where government regulations and protections just don’t apply.”

The report advises countries and communities to develop a number of policies that support long, productive lives for their workers and keep the elderly healthy and mobile for as long as possible.

For example, health care systems that can provide the elderly with healthy living and appropriate primary health services will be essential. This is especially important since diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other non-communicable diseases predominantly strike people in middle age and beyond and can be a source of financial hardship as people are forced to pay for their own treatment.

Instead of retiring in their early 60s, workers could wait until much later to leave the workforce as they do in Singapore and some European Union countries, advises the report. Governments can provide lifelong learning programs for people in their 50s and 60s and should consider enacting laws against age discrimination.

Attracting more women into the job market is another policy option; countries with fewer women employed outside the home may want to expand their workforce in the context of population aging. The report also recommends continued reform of pension systems, particularly for countries seeking to increase life savings among.

In Paris, France, this week World Bank Group President Robert Zoellick will discuss the global development implications of aging when he addresses the Global Forum for Longevity to better explore the social and economic dimensions of people living longer lives.

[Photo By Inti]