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Dead Friends

Release New Song

"Paimon (What You Omen)"

Listen HERE

Virginia Beach, VA - August 17, 2018 - 4-piece rock band Dead Friends has released a new song today, entitled "Paimon (What You Omen)." The track follows the release of the band's single "Down For Good" back in July, making it their second single since the release of their EP Set You Right last year. "Paimon (What You Omen)" is now available on all major streaming services. Give it a spin here: https://spoti.fi/2nINgA9.

On the track, lead vocalist/guitarist Austin Radford shares, "This song is about finding your tribe, and how dangerous it can be to find yourself wrapped up in someone else's."

"Paimon (What You Omen)" and "Down For Good," both recorded by Will Beasley (Asking Alexandria, Emarosa), come off of the band's forthcoming LP slated for an early 2019 release.

For more information, and to keep up with Dead Friends, please follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

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Dead Friends is Austin Radford (vocals, guitar), Dan Worrell (guitar, vocals), Brian Zawacki (bass, vocals), and Christian Zawacki (drums, vocals).

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What Controls Prescription Drug Costs

n a recent survey by Pew Research, close to 8 in 10 Americans believe that prescription drug prices are unreasonable, and many would support legislation to lower them. But what determines the cost of prescription drugs in the first place, and how much do Americans really pay for these medications? Here's what Pew found.

In 2016, Americans spent $3 Trillion on personal health care, and $477 billion on retail prescription drugs in 2016. The pay out accounts for 17 percent of total personal health expenditures like patient's health care, physician services, prescription, and more.

A Kaiser Health Tracking Poll discovered widespread support for several actions to keep costs down including requiring drug companies to release information to the public on how they set their drug prices, allowing the federal government to negotiate with drug companies to get a lower price on medications for people on Medicare, limiting the amount drug companies can charge for high-cost drugs, allowing Americans to buy prescription drugs imported from Canada, and creating an independent group that oversees the pricing of prescription drugs.

The latest Pew study found a drug company can raise prices as much as it choose each year and face no federal restrictions in setting a new list price. Overall, here's what drives the cost of prescription medications.

• New named drugs on the market for less than two years are the largest contributors to spending growth. These are specialty products derived from living cells, which account for 33% of drug costs but less than 2% of prescriptions. (Used for cancer and autoimmune diseases.)
• Increases in the prices of brand drugs with no generic competitors also contribute to the rise of spending.
• Americans are using more prescription drugs. In 2016, 4.5 million prescriptions were dispensed in the U.S., a 7 percent increase since 2011 (with about half taking at least one drug.) Americans over 50 use more prescription drugs which accounts for 35% of the population but 70% of all dispensed prescriptions.

However, drug spending is a complex issue that involves a range of products, policies, and stakeholders across the health care system.

In 2017, the average out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs was $137 across all ages an insurance types. It's expected to rise to $190 by 2026. This is an average, and what patients pay varies by health plan.

A 2016 Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 44% of respondents worried about affording the cost of their prescriptions.

Out-of-pocket costs are a challenge for Medicare beneficiaries. In 2015, patients reaching the catastrophic coverage phase of Medicare's drug benefit paid an average of $257/month.

Get my newsletter. Send an email to Carol@seniorcare.com with newsletter in the subject line.

Carol Marak, aging advocate and editor at Seniorcare.com. She's earned a Certificate in the Fundamentals of Gerontology from UC Davis, School of Gerontology.

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Mental Health Resources

Depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses carry deeply rooted stigma forcing people with a mental health challenge to suffer in silence. Stigma, a sensation that something is shameful.

A 2014 study by the NIH (National Institute of Health) found significant differences between the stigma about seeking help for mental conditions felt by those in isolated rural areas compared to urban dwellers. Older rural residents with mental illness associate seeking help with a sign of weakness or an inability to be self-reliant.

The Centers for Disease Control says depression is a true and treatable medical condition, not a normal part of aging. However older adults are at an increased risk for experiencing depression. If you are concerned about a loved one, offer to go with him or her to see a health care provider to be diagnosed and treated. Depression is not just having "the blues" or the emotions we feel when grieving the loss of a loved one. It is a true medical condition that is treatable, like diabetes or hypertension.

Depression is different for seniors because about 80% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition, and 50% have two or more. Depression is more common in people who also have other illnesses (such as heart disease or cancer) or whose function becomes limited.

CDC says, "Older adults are often misdiagnosed and undertreated. Healthcare providers may mistake an older adult's symptoms of depression as just a natural reaction to illness or the life changes that may occur, and therefore not see the depression as something to be treated. Older adults themselves often share this belief and do not seek help because they don't understand that they could feel better with appropriate treatment."

How to find help if in a crisis:

• Call 911
• Visit a nearby emergency department or your health care provider's office
• Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255); TTY: 1-800-799-4TTY (4889) to talk to a trained counselor

Resources

• Medicare provides a free yearly depression screening and preventive wellness visit for Medicare Part B beneficiaries.
• Set goals or resolutions that focus on improving your mental health. Take a moment to think about your mental health goals and what you can do throughout the year. www.psychiatry.org
• Call on a friend or relative to join you as you run errands or complete routine, everyday activities. Doing things together is a great way to raise your spirits and engage those around you in your life. www.allaboutseniors.org
• It's important to build your resilience and find healthy ways to cope with challenges. www.helpguide.org

Get my newsletter. Send an email to Carol@seniorcare.com with newsletter in the subject line.

Carol Marak, aging advocate and editor at Seniorcare.com. She's earned a Certificate in the Fundamentals of Gerontology from UC Davis, School of Gerontology.

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Medication Safety

If you're taking many medicines as well as over-the-counter supplements and vitamins, you might be at risk of missing one, taking too many or mixing inappropriately. It is confusing. The National Health Institute has created a form to help. Because your prescription regimen can change, download several blank forms to have a clean copy to use. Bring a completed and updated copy to every doctor appointment, https://www.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2018-05/medication-worksheet....

Studies show that older adults take two or more prescription drugs a day. But for better health, you must take each one as prescribed by the doctor. All medications, even over-the-counter drugs, have risks if not taken correctly. Please read the labels on all prescriptions and supplements carefully. More tips:

• Pay close attention to the directions when taking medications. It's important to consume foods and beverages as directed.
• Don't skip - follow the doctor's orders and take the medications as often as the directions say. It's best if you take the pills at the same time each day.
• Be aware of drug interactions, side effects and reactions. If you're taking many pills ask your doctor or pharmacist about potential interactions. Also, make sure the physician knows about all your prescriptions. Know which meds are taken with food or on an empty stomach.
• Side effects can be harmful - Antidepressants, antihistamines, and sedatives can cause drowsiness. Do not drive after taking them. Ask your physician about restricted activities while taking medications.
• Loss of appetite - some drugs may take away the appetite, so find ways to consume necessary nutrients and calories. Understand which foods can and cannot be eaten with the medication.

Clever ways other people use to track their medications

• "Design a system using different colored magnets for each drug. Each day, the magnets start out on the left side of the fridge and move over to the right side after consuming one."
• "To make sure I remember when I took what, I flip the medication bottles over."
• "I use the Pill Reminder app. It helps remind me when to take my meds and what to take. It also keeps track of how many pills I have left in my bottle and sends me an alert when it's close to empty."
• "I use Post-it notes throughout my house, by the bed, on the bathroom mirror, and on the fridge. This system makes it impossible to forget."

Whatever system you use make sure it's easy to follow. If you still have problems organizing your medications, ask you doctor or pharmacist for suggestions.

Get my newsletter. Send an email to Carol@seniorcare.com with newsletter in the subject line.

Carol Marak, aging advocate and editor at Seniorcare.com. She's earned a Certificate in the Fundamentals of Gerontology from UC Davis, School of Gerontology.