No one likes to think about needing long-term care.
Yet the reality is that many people will at some point in their life.
About 60% of those turning 65 can expect to use some form of long-term care in their lives, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. That may include a nursing home, assisted living or in-home care.
Paula Nangle understands the importance of having insurance to protect against such an event. Her mother suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and had a LTC policy that covered in-home care and eventually, a nursing home.
Even seniors who never exercised regularly can benefit from a workout program, researchers say.
A new study found that men in their 70s and 80s who had never followed an exercise regimen could build muscle mass as well as “master athletes” — those of the same age who had worked out throughout their lives and still competed at the top levels of their sports.
The Air Force Outstanding Airman program annually recognizes 12 enlisted members for superior leadership, job performance, community involvement, and personal achievements.
The program debuted at the Air Force Association’s 10th annual National Convention in 1956. The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and the command chief master sergeants from each USAF major command comprise the selection board, with the Air Force Chief of Staff reviewing their selections. The 12 selectees are awarded the Outstanding Airman of the Year ribbon with the bronze service star device and wear the Outstanding Airman badge for one year.
Outstanding Airmen article from the October 2019 issue of Air Force Magazine
Air Force Association (AFA)
AFA Vision. We will be the premier professional military and aerospace education association in the nation—dedicated to dominant air, space, and cyberspace power, a strong national defense, supporting the men and women of the United States Air Force, and world-class aerospace education.
AFA Mission. Our mission is to promote a dominant United States Air Force and a strong national defense and to honor Airmen and our Air Force Heritage. To accomplish this, we:
– EDUCATE the public on the critical need for unmatched aerospace power and a technically superior workforce to ensure U.S. national security.
– ADVOCATE for aerospace power and STEM education.
– SUPPORT the total Air Force family and promote aerospace education.
From the U.S. News & World Report website
Young urbanites were the first to adopt ride-sharing services, but the people poised to benefit most from new transportation options are retirees. Older adults often reach a time when they need to start driving less and riding more, and the on-demand scheduling and transparent prices of ride-sharing services can be a good fit for those who can no longer drive.
Here are some of the benefits of using Lyft and Uber for seniors.
Health care is one of retirees’ biggest expenses, but it’s not just because older people tend to access more medical services. Even if you never visit the doctor, your insurance bill will be higher in retirement than it was when you were working, according to a new analysis.
That’s because retirees pay a bigger share of their premiums under Medicare than they did under their employer’s health insurance. Employers generally subsidize around 75% of their employees’ health insurance premiums, leaving employees responsible for just a quarter of the monthly costs, according to HealthView Services, a Danvers, Mass.-based company that provides health care cost data to financial advisors.
From the This Day in Aviation website
McDonnell Douglas F-4E-67-MC Phantom II, 78-0744, the last of 5,057 Phantoms built at St. Louis, 25 October 1979. (McDonnell Douglas Corporation)
25 October 1979: The 5,057th and very last Phantom II – an F-4E-67-MC, U.S. Air Force serial number 78-0744—was rolled out at the McDonnell Douglas Corporation plant, Lambert Field (STL), St. Louis, Missouri, and the production line was closed.
The 199th Fighter Squadron flew F-4C Phantoms from 1976–1987
From the U.S. News & World Report website
There are many different ways of addressing care needs in older adults.
From home-based care offered by family or a visiting aide to assisted living or nursing homes, there’s a care solution that can work for just about every senior and every family.
One option is live-in senior home care. This type of care features a full-time caregiver who lives in the home of a senior, much like some families hire a live-in nanny to care for small children. This type of care is best suited for seniors who need around-the-clock care, especially at night. If the caregiver needs to wake up several times a night to tend to a senior or help them take medication, a live-in caregiver might be the right solution.
There are two general ways that a live-in caregiver arrangement can be set up:
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Inspector General found in its latest report that veterans’ sensitive personal information was stored unprotected on two servers, which OIG staff say might expose vets to fraud and identity theft.
In a report released Thursday, OIG staff investigated a veterans service organization officer’s complaint that medical records linked to veterans’ names, Social Security numbers or date and place of birth were accessible remotely by anyone authorized to access the drives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin — a violation of VA security policy.
Let’s face it — unless you’re a fictional character, you’re going to die. And if you care about your money and your family, it will save a lot of grief if you create a funeral plan before the grieving starts. But according to a 2017 report by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), only 21% of Americans discuss details about their funeral with loved ones.
Sure, when you’re gone, you’re gone, so it may not seem necessary to create a funeral plan. But it is — mostly because if you don’t, your loved ones will be making plans upon your passing while simultaneously mourning your loss. Do you really want them coping with decisions about casket types and music selections while their hearts are breaking?
Of course you don’t. Here are seven tips to help you prepare for this difficult but inevitable time.
From the Everyday Health website
The gallbladder’s main function is to store bile, a substance secreted by the liver that helps with digestion. Sometimes bile contents crystallize and form gallstones.
Gallstones, which can be as small as a grain of salt or as large as a golf ball, can cause some serious problems. They can block ducts inside the organ, causing the gallbladder to become inflamed. Even worse, when a gallstone passes out of the gallbladder duct and into the main bile duct, it can lead to a bile duct infection that can ultimately cause inflammation of the pancreas.
Off the Hawaii Air National Guard Facebook page
The Air Force Academy football team played the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors last Saturday, and what better way to celebrate the occasion than with a flyover. The C-17 Globemaster III was flown by prior athletes from both teams. Maj. Britt Komine, from 204th Airlift Squadron, is a graduate of the University of Hawaii and Capt. Nate Dreslinski, an active duty Airman from the 535th Airlift Squadron, a graduate from the Air Force Academy.
Later, Britt and Nate and the entire crew were introduced to the Aloha Stadium crowd in the fourth quarter of the game.
From the Air Force Magazine website
The Air Force is moving forward with changes to the way officers compete for promotions, beginning with the next lieutenant colonels board in March 2020. That board will see eligible majors compete not against the vast pool of officers who could be promoted, but instead within six new categories.
The change means officers in smaller, specialized communities, such as cyber, space, or intelligence, will no longer compete against combat-experienced pilots and other airmen in the Line of the Air Force category, but instead compete against peers whose skills, career progression, and experience more closely align with their own.
You know them when you see it. Older adults who appear so fragile that a strong gust of wind might knock them over. They are often exceedingly thin, and their skin is parchment-like. They walk slowly and hesitantly and may lack the strength to even lift a mug of coffee. In other words, they’re frail.
Although frailty is commonly associated with old age, it’s not synonymous — nor inevitable. Frailty is a medical condition all on its own, with many medical, social and economic implications.
Retiree News 