Aging Flashcards
What is becoming old?
showing the effects of the characteristics of againg
Characteristics of Aging
- improvement: wisdom and knowledge
- improvement and decline- muscle strength
- decline- reaction time
Growth in US elderly is increasing
Aging: Why do we care?
health, cost of health care: older people cost more financial support for healthcare, medicare: unsustainable, social support systems
chronic disease among the elderly have been increasing
compression of mortality
longer healthy life and shorter time between suffering and death:
- disability rates decrease
- evidence re high SES encouraging
cost of health insurance is skyrocketing: PERFECT STORM
- high and rising cost of care
- again population and increasing elderly dependency ratio
Possible medicare solutions
increasing age of eligibility, decrease benefits, negotiate drug prices, increase premium for high-income beneficiaries
Possible social security fixes
raise age of eligibility, percentage of high income recipients benefits subject to tax
Income and Poverty
- for most people >65 social security is the soul source of income
- yet raising the age would adversely impact those who are least able to afford or adjust to such change
Health behaviors, aging and cost of social supports
- smoking among adults 65+ has decrease
- larger number of seniors, healthier on average
- longer survival rate post 65
health behavior effects on medicare
- increase number of beneficiaries due to smoking: cost higher
- healthier on average by age
- clear savings due to reduced smoking among Medicare beneficiaries
HB impact on social security
- more beneficiaries, living longer
- negative financial impact
how will cost change?
medicare= cost will increase
medicaid= ??
social security= cost will increase
Prevention and the Elderly
- exercise, avoid tobacco, excessive alcohol, proper diet, vaccination, and avoid social isolation
