Hospice care became a recognized benefit under Medicare in 1983, and approximately 90% of all hospice programs are Medicare certified. As 28% of all Medicare costs go to persons in their last year of life, and 50% of such costs are expended during the last 2 months of life, (more…)

The economic status of older adults in the United States today is greatly improved, and there is much diversity of circumstances among different elder populations. In 2004 inflation-adjusted dollars, the median income of elderly households had increased from $13,228 in 1960 to $24,509 in 2004. Since the mid-1950s, poverty, as measured in 2005 by the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds, has decreased for all age groups but most noticeably for adults age 65 years and older. (more…)

Elderly adults are becoming increasingly interested in learning about end-of-life issues. As a woman in her late 80s observed, ‘‘I am still responsible for my life. I have end of life choices in me. I think I should take some responsibility for my death, too, don’t you?’’

It may be necessary first to overcome the resistance of adult children (more…)

Are you confidence enough that your retirement fund can pay all medical health care cost when needed in time? Can your Medicare and Medicaid insurance cater medical bill and doctor’s visit when you need them? You better think again. Medical health care costs are increasing all the time. You should also consider inflation factor that eats up your money to pay your medical health care bills. Well, lots of reasons are driving those cost to increase. There are several factors which you must understand why medical health care costs are increasing all the time. (more…)