The money to fund a new National Health Care System is going to have to come from someplace. The cost is estimated in some circles at over 1.3 trillion dollars over ten years. Some estimate the cost as much more. Most Government entitlement programs have a history of costing more than projected.

The Obama administration plans to partially offset this cost by saving 117 billion dollars over ten years on Medicare expenses. This will result in a decrease in the services covered by Medicare as doctors and hospitals leave a system that no longer pays them adequately.

A decision has evidently been made that the elderly are going to die anyway so why bother giving them the quality of health care that could prolong their lives. Don’t you think your life is worth saving/?

What are the elderly going to do to protect their medical insurance benefits? Will they protest these proposed changes? Will they contact their Senators and Congressmen to evidence their dissatisfaction and back it up at the ballot box in the 2010 interim elections? Will elderly organizations finally come off their neutral stand and back up their members? Will Seniors organize to protect their benefits and access to their doctors?

Then there is the Administration’s current position that they will force doctors who accept Medicare to accept a new proposed Government backed insurance carrier. This will only result in driving more doctors out of the system that accepts Medicare. There is already a movement by a number of doctors to stop accepting Medicare recipients because of poor payment conditions. And as part of the Administrations program to take benefits from Seniors, they are going to try and eliminate the private insurance companies that offer additional benefits to us over our basic Medicare plan. Who is going to make up the difference to us – Medicare?

Has the Democratic Party written off the elderly voter? Do they think they can get away with taking away our benefits to pay for the uninsured? Is this the kind of new National health Care system that you want? Do you want your hard earned health care benefits redistributed to others? Wake up Seniors. It’s time to take a stand and protect your interests. It’s time to find your voice and tell the powers that be that you are not going to take losing your benefits without them losing your vote.

Who gives the current Administration the right to say you don’t need a particular medical treatment because you are going to die any way?

Please feel free to use this article as long as credit is given to the resource box.
© Copyright Arthur Levine 2009
Hi, this is Arthur Levine. To view this and other articles on the new middle aged generation please go to http://newmiddleagedgroup.blogspot.com

Love stories doesn’t always end up with “living happily ever after”. Some people find themselves alone again after years of happy marriage or partnership due to a partner’s passing away or due to divorce. Most of these single seniors are not ready to give up on love and companionship and live lonesome lives.

To increment the chance at finding amour again, efforts should be directed to meeting other single seniors. Senior dating still obtains the generic meaning of dating–going out to get to know someone in the opposite sex and having fun. The only thing that makes it distinct is its participants who are in their fifties or older. The fundamentals of senior dating is meeting someone that is intellectually stimulating, to whom you share several interests, and eventually, spending more time with that person. To ensure enjoyment for the parties involved, the relationship should be founded on wholesome friendship and enjoyment of one another’s company.

There are a lot of different ways to enjoy each other’s company. Most of these senior dating modes have already been and still are being practiced today, some of which are:

1. Dining out together.

Before giving out the invite, you might want to research on the kind of restaurant that your partner would appreciate most, his/her favorite dish, and those that he/she does not like or if there is any allergic reactions to a certain food. An important detail that should not be forgotten in senior dating is to inform your date on the kind of restaurant, and the occasion (if there is any) for him/her to dress appropriately.

2. Plays, operas, musical, old movies, art galleries–a blast from the past could be entertaining.

Make sure that your senior dating site or the event that you would be attending would be interesting to both of you. You could even give your partner the chance to give his/her preference. These events could help you discover how artistically inclined the person you are dating is.

Having been out of the dating scene for a while and being awkward about it? If you are not ready for personal intimacies, you might want to try online senior dating. This mode of dating seniors has been gaining increasing popularity regardless of the location, race, gender and age bracket. There are senior dating sites that offer to match you up with somebody on the basis of your preferences and compatibility based on careers, hobbies, spiritual beliefs, political inclinations, etc. This may be an easy way of meeting people but beware, a lot of frauds exist.

More and more elderly singles from different levels of social position or achievement are becoming successful in finding senior dates. The real secret to senior dating is to take delight in every moment of your date. When you are having fun, it would be easier for you to show your senior date the real you and whatever the outcome may be, you would never be bitter. We all are entitled to have choices and we should not settle for anything less than what we think we deserve.

Meet senior dates, travel companions, activity partners and romance wherever you are. Visit SeniorFriendFinder.com. You have to be fit for these senior dating activities, of course, so you need the low-impact fitness e-book that’s specially designed for seniors, The Man Who Grew Younger: Fitness Tips for the Middle-aged and Senior Citizens [http://www.growyounger.e-mart4all.com]. Applicable to both men and women.

As recently as 40 years ago, a diagnosis of glaucoma meant certain blindness. Today, with the miracles of modern science, it is a treatable disease that assures the senior citizen who inherits it a full life of good eyesight.

But what is glaucoma?

It is a progressive disease in which the ocular pressure increases, sometimes to the extent that the optic nerve (that connects the eye to the brain) is damaged and sight is impaired or totally lost. But some people develop glaucoma with low eye pressure, and those cases are more difficult to diagnose because there aren’t any symptoms until the visual field is already damaged.

There are two common types of glaucoma… open angle and closed angle. Closed angle glaucoma occurs when the drainage area for the aqueous humor (fluid in the front part of the eye) is blocked. Because the eye is a closed structure, the excess fluid cannot flow out of the eye if the angle is blocked. Fluid pressure within the eye will increase, pushing against the optic nerve and potentially causing damage.

Open angle glaucoma occurs when the drainage angles in the eye become less efficient; pressure builds gradually and sometimes without symptoms. In this kind of glaucoma, damage to the optic nerve can occur so slowly that the patient is unaware her sight is becoming impaired. This issue is the reason senior citizens are cautioned to have annual eye exams with a qualified ophthalmologist who will check the eye pressure and perform additional tests if intraocular pressure exceeds normal limits (20-22mmHg).

Acute closed angle glaucoma occurs when intraocular pressure builds up suddenly. Seniors are cautioned to contact their ophthalmologist immediately if any of the following symptoms occur:

• blurred vision
• severe eye pain;
• headache;
• rainbow-colored halos around lights;
• nausea and vomiting

Some people are at higher risk for glaucoma and need to be evaluated by an ophthalmologist every 1-2 years. Those at risk for glaucoma include senior citizens with the following characteristics or issues:

• elevated eye pressure;
• family history of glaucoma;
• African ancestry;
• nearsightedness;
• past eye injuries;
• diabetes

The good news is that treatment is relatively simple for the majority of glaucoma victims. Daily eye drops keeps the condition under good control for many patients, and the optic nerve remains undamaged.

Some require laser surgery to create additional drainage for the aqueous humor. Again treatment results are generally good for such glaucoma patients, and continued daily eye drops keep the condition under control.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology provides additional information for the many variations of the basic condition known as glaucoma.

Article provided by Sharon Shaw Elrod. Senior Citizen Journal, Your Partner in Productive Aging, provides current and relevant information on topics of interest to seniors. Please visit my web site at http://www.seniorcitizenjournal.com.

New York and San Francisco are dynamite cities, as are many metropolitan areas around the planet. Such examples offer much to the senior citizen traveler. Traveling is one of the delightful perks of retirement, and one that many seniors enjoy to the fullest.

The truth is that travel is wondrous therapy. It distracts us from the day to day anxieties which we could just as well find ways to avoid at home. We don’t, so going somewhere seems to be one of the top ten ways to allow your sub-conscious to take over and kick out the more troubling aspects of day to day living.

What about travel seems to contribute to good health? Even with the scares of international excursions today, swine flu and all the other dire warnings, preparing for the trip itself is a huge contributor for dwelling on tomorrow and its adventures.

Here are some suggestions:

*At least twice a year, your own resources allowing, plan a trip to some desirable destination. It may be for a brief holiday or up to a week or more. While you will want to see significant places and dine in well known gourmet restaurants, allow time for serendipity. Do something off the cuff. Don’t plan every minute.

*Scale down on packing. Do not be a slave to your baggage. Be a minimalist for a change. Try to check only one bag and a couple of carry ons.

*Try to reserve a seat or a pair on flights which will give you the most comfort and least hassle on the trip.

*Research the hotel(s) or other lodging where you will be staying. Assure yourself of the maximum comfort within your price range.

*Check on transportation which will reduce your discomfort getting from airport to hotel and other destinations.

*Don’t be afraid to sleep in one morning.

*Find out of the way spots for meals and cocktails. Make friends whenever you have a chance. Strike up conversations, explore the world around you. Leave your reserve and shyness at home.

*Practice allowing yourself to poke around in shops, antique stores, novelty places (not traps) just for the fun of it.

*Laugh a lot. Crane your neck. Make every minute an adventure.

If, after some initial planning, the trip just doesn’t sound like fun, then you may need to rethink your whole plan and decide on an itinerary that better satisfies you. Remember, you are a senior citizen and you have the luxury both of time and of changing your plans. Just do it. The adventure and the therapy will make it all worth your while.

Article provided by Dr. Jerry D. Elrod. Dr Elrod, and his wife, Dr Sharon Shaw Elrod, manage Senior Citizen Journal online. For information on retirement, Baby Boomers and everything related to Seniors, please visit my blog at http://www.seniorcitizenjournal.com/. Links to other Senior Citizen Journal pages can be found on the blog.

Family members providing care for aging parents is at a all time record high and many are being overwhelmed by the physical, emotional, and financial demands. An increasing number are turning to a reverse mortgage to pay for assistance in care giving is rising.

Over 44 million American’s, or an estimated 21 percent of all U.S. households, provide care for an adult family member, according to a report by the National Alliance of Caregiving and other senior reports.

Family caregiving typically includes fixing meals, doing housework, personal care such as bathing, dressing, and feeding, and transporting loved ones to the doctor. The value of such caregiving to our society has been estimated at $306 billion annually and will continue to rise due to the fact that 10,000 people everyday are turning 62.

Caregivers; provide an average of 21 hours of care per week and although this is “free” care, it is not without cost to the caregiver. Many caregivers feel isolated and stressed by balancing work, family, and caregiving.

In a study by MetLife, at least 6 out of 10 employed caregivers reported that they had made some work-related adjustments as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. Often caregivers have to leave their job, take early retirement, or reduce their hours from full-time to part-time. “Where or how will they replace the losses”

One hundred percent of caregivers surveyed in a study by “Everycare” say their personal health has gotten worse as a result of their caregiving. The most common results of worsened health for caregivers included: energy and sleep (87%), stress and/or panic attacks (70%), pain and aching (60%), depression (52%), headaches (41%), and weight gain/loss (38%).

Of those surveyed in the Everycare study, 53 percent said that their health problems were increasingly affecting their ability to provide care. Despite their health problems, caregiving responsibilities do not subside for these caregivers.

Family members providing care for aging parents struggle to have time for themselves and their families. They jeopardize their health and put their own ability to retire at risk when they can no longer balance work and caregiving.

Respecting the wishes of aging parents to stay in their own home often complicates the ability to give care, especially if the aging parents are long-distance.

A reverse mortgage can be the ideal solution for keeping aging parents in their home for as long as possible by affording the products and services that ease caregiving efforts.

RM’s; enable homeowners 62 and older to borrow a portion of the equity in their home with no repayment for as long as they live in their home. It does not affect Social Security or Medicare benefits. Plus, it allows for a temporary stay in the hospital or a nursing home not to mention the availability for home health care.

“We are able to structure the reverse mortgage so that it best serves the needs of the senior family member being cared for, as to provide the money needed for care. “This may include a combination of a lump sum upfront for immediate needs, monthly payments to cover ongoing care, and a line-of-credit to draw from for unexpected or larger caregiving expenses.”

Funds from the reverse mortgage can provide family caregivers relief by paying for adult day care, home cleaning services, home health care, errand and companionship services, a medical alert system, transportation services, home modifications, as well as products that make bathing or other daily caregiving activities easier to handle.

To learn more about reverse mortgages, and who provides a free reverse mortgage informational package and confidential estimate by calling the number listed.

Timothy Robbins from Equitable Reverse Mortgage a Senior Reverse Mortgage Specialist has built a website dedicated to educating the senior on all aspects of Reverse Mortgages you can view Free Reports and see videos to find all the information on Reverse Mortgages in Florida at http://www.seniorconsumerreport.com or call 800-610-3599