Bipartisan lawmakers are striving to lower out-of-pocket medical costs for seniors without requiring a systemic overhaul of the entire Medicare system, reports Quin Hillyer in the Washington Examiner . The Health Care Savings for Seniors Act would cut such costs by 25 percent by revising Medicare rules, which currently prevent recipients from continuing to contribute to, or start, health savings accounts (HSAs). The elimination of this restriction would allow out-of-pocket costs to be treated on a pre-tax rather than post-tax basis. For seniors paying the approximate average of about $6,000 in such medical expenses annually, the result if their effective income-tax rate is 25 percent would be a savings of $1,500 per year. Hillyer points out that this reduction could particularly benefit women, who usually earn less over their lifetimes. "With 58 million people on Medicare, and with many of their health expenses subject to deductibles or restrictions, this simple switch of making HSA contributions allowable for Medicare recipients would substantially reduce the cost-crunch they face," Hillyer concludes. "Moreover, as HSAs are accounts they actually own, rather than being controlled by the insurance company or the government, these savings options would be inheritable by the seniors' families once their lives eventually end."

An Apple Watch saved the life of 74-year-old Queens resident Marie Bourque, who woke up in the middle of the night last month with her watch alerting her of an irregular heartbeat, reports the New York Post . Bourque immediately went to the hospital, and avoided a potentially deadly stroke or heart attack. The smartwatch features a function that monitors pulses, which can detect potentially grave heart conditions. This is not the first case of the Apple Watch saving a user's life. Also in October, a New Jersey man fell down a mountainside and fractured his back. His watch automatically dialed 911 and first responders took him by boat to the hospital. A month earlier, another man's Apple Watch identified a hard fall when he fell off his bicycle and was knocked unconscious. An ambulance was immediately dispatched, and his emergency contact was notified. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found users can use the Apple Watches with 84 percent accuracy to determine whether they were experiencing potentially deadly rhythm issues.

A Robert Half International poll found older technology workers cannot find jobs despite the talent shortage in the United States, reports the Wall Street Journal . More than 80 percent of employers said recruiting tech talent is one of their biggest business challenges. CompTIA estimated that employees aged 22 to 44 currently account for 61 percent of the information technology (IT) sector, but only 49 percent of the workforce across all occupations. Meanwhile, workers 45 and older represent 38 percent of all IT employees at U.S. companies, while the comparable figure for all occupations is 44 percent. The largest gap is among workers ages 35 to 44, who constitute 29 percent of the IT workforce, but just 21 percent of the overall national workforce, said CompTIA's Tim Herbert. The age imbalance between IT and the overall U.S. workforce began about 10 years ago and has grown over time. "In such a candidate-tight market, hiring managers can't afford to overlook any potential talent pool," argued Robert Half's John Reed.

Aetna is taking steps to combat senior loneliness, starting with identifying Aetna Medicare Advantage members who are or may become socially isolated, writes Aetna Chief Medical Officer Robert Mirsky in U.S. News & World Report . The insurer developed a Social Isolation Index that uses claims data and multidimensional information on social determinants of health to spot members at high risk, who are then contacted by specially trained consultants to help them use local resources like clubs, support groups, transit aid, or meal-delivery services. "Oftentimes, people don't know how to address their social isolation, so having trained support to guide them is critical," Mirksy says. He adds that this initiative is part of Destination: Health, a series of CVS Health business programs designed to help people improve their health outside of a clinical setting. "Other program aspects include collaborating with Unite Us to help some of Aetna's most vulnerable Medicaid and dual-eligible (those who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid) members more easily access social services within their community; using analytics to help employers identify and address social determinants of health; and investing in affordable housing across the country to help provide support for underserved and at-risk populations," Mirsky writes. He also cites Aetna's collaboration with Papa Inc., a program that matches local college students with seniors to help build companionship, and assist with household chores and technology. "Finally, we're continuing to encourage everyone to treat exercise as another means of tackling social isolation while staying healthy," Mirsky concludes.

A study by University of Edinburgh researchers in the Journals of Gerontology examined how board games could fortify defenses against cognitive decline in older people, reports Medical News Today . The authors studied 1,091 participants born in 1936, whose mental and cognitive capacities were assessed over a long period. Participants' cognitive function was first evaluated when they were 11, with follow-ups at 70, 73, 76, and 79 years old using 14 standardized cognitive tests. People who played more games, especially analog games, in their 70s were more likely to maintain healthy cognitive function in their older years. These subjects experienced less relative cognitive decline from the age of 11 until 70, and less cognitive decline from 70 to 79. "These latest findings add to evidence that being more engaged in activities during the life course might be associated with better thinking skills in later life," notes Edinburgh's Drew Altschul. He also believes it is possible to interpret the results as a motivator to start playing games to ward off cognitive decline. "It would be good to find out if some of these games are more potent than others," adds Edinburgh Professor Ian Deary.

A survey of 750 geriatricians, general internists, and cardiologists in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society investigated physicians' considerations on deprescribing drugs for older adults, reports News-Medical . The researchers sought to define the frequency at which physicians from different specialties said they deprescribed cardiovascular medications in their practices. The issue of interest was why different specialists deprescribed certain drugs, and the problems they encountered in doing so. More than 80 percent of responding physicians said they had recently considered deprescribing a cardiovascular drug, most often due to adverse drug reactions. Obstacles were common across specialities, with interference with another physician's treatment plan and users' hesitancy to stop taking prescribed medications among them. Seventy-three percent of geriatricians said they might deprescribe a drug that was not expected to benefit persons with a limited life expectancy, versus 37 percent of general internists and 14 percent of cardiologists. Meanwhile, 26 percent of geriatricians cited concerns about cognition as a rationale for deprescribing, compared to 13 percent of general internists and 9 percent of cardiologists. The researchers concluded that all the specialists often weigh deprescribing cardiovascular medications, and successful deprescribing requires better communication between healthcare providers and the people they treat.

Seniors and caregivers in rural Wisconsin have a tougher time coping with dementia due to fewer available resources and services, reports the Wisconsin State Journal . Senior neglect and abuse is rife in Northern Wisconsin's Vilas County, with Aging and Disability Resource Center Director Sue Richmond noting there is no nursing home in the county. Although county employees distribute a list of home care providers to seniors, Richmond lamented that "most of the agencies don't even return phone calls because they don't have staff to provide the service." One such provider, Loving Touch Home Care, only has 20 caregivers — half the number from two years ago, according to General Manager Paul McKenzie. "Because of the economy, a lot of the people who do this kind of work are leaving at a younger age," he said. Lakeland Care CEO Sara Muhlbauer added that it is difficult for providers to have staff located near where all members live, as travel time cannot be billed. Wisconsin allows clients with dementia to designate family members or neighbors as caregivers who can be paid, and Muhlbauer suggested this option could appeal to healthy seniors who want to earn money. Rep. Beth Meyers (D-Wis.) said the northern part of the state faces wide-ranging and intransigent challenges to dementia and caregiving, arguing "we need younger people to either stay in northern Wisconsin or want to live here."

A number of local San Diego organizations, including the San Diego Humane Society and the Helen Woodward Animal Center, visit senior living communities, hospitals, and private residences with pets so that seniors can enjoy the animals' company, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune . Helen Woodward's Robin Cohen said studies demonstrate physical health benefits of interacting with animals, including lower blood pressure, stress reduction, reduced cholesterol, and muted pain sensations. "There's complete acceptance that comes from an animal: the unconditional love, there's no judgment, they listen, they accept and they love," she noted. Cohen also said nonverbal trauma sufferers have opened up to the animals they were petting, and then started talking about their ordeal for the first time. "Some of the people we visit have often been isolated from others and maybe have a hard time connecting with people. But with the animals, it's such a pure connection and a beautiful connection that they offer," she pointed out. Cohen added that animal interaction also can trigger memories in people who have dementia.

More than 12 million baby boomer business owners are nearing retirement age, reports CPA Practice Advisor . For many, it can be daunting leaving behind a business that they've nurtured for years. Thankfully, a growing number of millennials are stepping up, leaving the employee world, becoming their own boss, and enabling Baby Boomer entrepreneurs to retire. A case in point is All American Powder Coating, a Tampa-based business started by Perry Mead. When he turned 69, Mead hired the Edison Avenue mergers and acquisitions firm to sell his company to a buyer who worked in the vehicle-coating industry and understood the value of the business. The eventual buyer was Luke Pemberton, who notes "buying a business has an emotional side to it and having a neutral adviser to talk to regarding concerns about if this is a good business, the right fit, a chance for a solid financial future, etc. is invaluable."