New Poll Shows Growing Influence of “Outdoor Voting Bloc” in Mountain West Swing States

Analysis reveals recent Trump administration actions on public lands unpopular among persuadable Western voters in AZ, CO, MT, NM, and NV

DENVER—The Center for Western Priorities will release a new Winning the West 2018 poll this morning showing the growing influence of the “Outdoor Voting Bloc” in Mountain West swing states.

A media conference call will share the views of Western voters around hot-button energy and conservation issues on public lands. Panelists will also discuss how issues involving public lands, parks, and wildlife play an outsized role in moving persuadable groups of Western voters to the polls and influencing the candidates they choose.

        What: Media conference call of new Winning the West 2018 poll results

        When: Wednesday, July 18th at 9:30 am (Mountain Daylight Time)

        Where: 855-796-8563, Conference ID 5657499. Watch the slide presentation at presentain.com/winningthewest/

        Who: Jennifer Rokala, Executive Director, Center for Western Priorities
                  Brian Gottlieb, Founder & President, Gottlieb Strategic Research

        Note: The complete poll results for each of the five states surveyed will be available immediately following the call.

For more information, visit westernpriorities.org. To speak with an expert on public lands, contact Aaron Weiss at 720-279-0019 or aaron@westernpriorities.org.

=========================

Academic Research Could Bring Changes for Seniors
Aging Matters

 Seniors aging at home have high hopes that academic research will continue and make big changes for their needs and desires. Most important issues faced are better clinical assessments for health risks, coordination of care, affordable housing options, ways to socially connect, find support and get rides to medical appointments.

In the recent 93 question survey based on life-course theories, Rupal Parekh, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Texas at Arlington, discovered eye-opening preliminary data when studying the elder orphan Facebook group. Through collaborative efforts with 500 members the inquiry will encourage dialogue with the healthcare sector, home and community-based service organizations, and technology companies to become aware of this vulnerable population.

In another University research, The Elder Orphan in Healthcare Settings: an Integrative Review, headed by Jed Montayre, Ph.D., School of Clinical Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, found older adults that live longer experience complexities related to physical disabilities and lack of social support, compounded by circumstances such as deceased spouse, divorced status, childlessness and distant family members/relatives or having no family at all.

The study points to the American Geriatric Society's stance towards the medical treatment decisions of the unfriended older population. The unfriended lack the ability to make clinical or medical decisions for themselves due to reasons like impaired cognitive capacity, and lack the advance directives or legal surrogates who will execute decisions for them.

According to the elder orphan Facebook group survey, 45 percent have not gotten around to writing instructions for their healthcare preferences or have selected a legal surrogate. Not doing so will put them at high-risk for becoming unfriended.

There is limited research attention given to seniors aging at home with little to no support. And we hope that will change,because solo aging is an under-developed topic within gerontology and health disciplines. A conceptual and theoretical explanation is necessary to progress future research around the topic.

Some of the preliminary findings in the recent research by Parekh were surprising. For example:

• 53 percent have limits with activities due to mental, physical, or emotional issues.
• 23% percent perform no moderate activities at all that causes small increases in breathing or heart rate for at least 30 minutes.
• 54 percent have no one to help make medical decisions.

However, I took a poll in the group asking, "For the more self-sufficient members, what types of desires do you have and would like to see addressed?"

• Create local support groups
• Affordable housing solutions
• Organizations for pet placements
• Transportation to medical appointments

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.

====================

What's your plan to age at home?

AARP says 89 percent of adults age 60 and over want to stay at home as long as possible. If that's the case for you, how do you plan to go about it? Have you saved enough money to hire for in-home care? What's the plan when you don't feel driving isn't safe anymore? How will you get around and run errands? Will you depend on online ordering and delivery for food and other necessary items?

In an email to me, a reader said, "A lot of us don't want to think about questions or problems that seem too complicated, or perhaps the answers we might face are discouraging, so we might avoid them. I have a couple of suggestions for you & an offer:"

Solutions, like, (a) If you haven't got plans in place, talk about the issues with your children, or a trusted friend, or a commission on aging consultant as soon as possible. (b) Go to AARP website for various resources.

Often, I direct readers to resources, and learning the statistics on older adults bears repeating.

Facts on Senior Care

--10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day and over 50 Million Americans are 65+ years

--Over $30 billion are lost annually by employers due to employees providing elder care for their loved ones (AARP)--Cost of long-term care needs for seniors is over $300 billion

--One fifth of older people will incur more than $25,000 in lifetime out-of-pocket longer term care costs before they die

--Lost income and benefits over a caregiver's lifetime ranging from a total of $283,000 for males and $324,000 for females

--The total estimate aggregate lost wages, pension, and Social Security benefits of these caregivers of parents is nearly $3 trillion

Living with Chronic Conditions

--Chronic illness has replaced acute illness as the major health problem of older adults-and increasingly so as medicine evolves

--In 1984, more than 80 percent of older adults had one or more chronic health conditions. By 2005, that percentage had increased to 91 percent

--Between 1981 and 2009, the death rates for heart disease and stroke fell by more than 50 percent. These conditions did not disappear; rather, people are surviving and living with the chronic consequences of cardiovascular disease

--Diabetes reported by persons age 65+ increased from 13 percent in 1997-1998 to nearly 21 percent in 2009-2010. The prevalence of diabetes among adults age 65+ increased by more than 50 percent between 1997 and 2006 (CMS, 1997, 2006).

--In 2009-2010, 38 percent of people age 65+ were obese, compared with 22 percent in 1988-1994

Next week, I'll discuss aging in place remedies and helpful solutions.

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.

Making the Most of Doctor's Visits

 Healthy living is something we often take for granted, until we find ourselves faced with an unexpected diagnosis or a troubling new health concern that didn't exist in our younger years. Our bodies need tune-ups, just like our favorite car. We all want to travel, enjoy our families, and be around our grandkids. The best way to enjoy these priorities in life is to make a habit of scheduling regular doctor's visits. So how do we make the most of these brief visits?

As part of our work at the award-winning in-home care agency my wife, Gina, and I own, we lead a number of free events throughout the community every year. These educational events provide opportunities for aging parents and their loved ones to join us and learn more about a variety of topics for seniors. One of our favorite seminars focuses on this exact topic - and we give some great advice during the one-hour discussion.

Here are our top 3 tips for making the most out of every doctor's visit:

1. When should I make an appointment? In addition to regular annual visits and screening for health concerns as we age, if you've had a sudden change that affects your life or your health, you should consider scheduling an appointment. A good rule of thumb: if you're concerned, call.
2. What to know before you go: There are steps you can take even before you head to the doctor. Keep these things in mind:

• Make sure your health insurance cards and photo IDs are up to date.
• Note any changes to your daily schedule or health on a calendar you can bring into the visit. Have you changed your medication? Are you experiencing any pain? Have you fallen lately? The more you note about your health, the better your physician can diagnose the illness and offer treatment and relief to you.
• Your physician is your friend, not your foe. Don't be embarrassed to share your physical ailments or emotional health concerns.

1. What to do once you get there: It's helpful to have a friend join you to takenotes and ask questions you may not think of. Use it as an excuse to spend timewith a friend and grab lunch together after the appointment!

• On the day of the appointment, create a notecard with a list of all your questions that you can keep in your wallet or purse.
• Bring your glasses or hearing aids as well as any medication you're taking.
• And remember to be honest with your physician. They can't help you if they don't know what's wrong!

We created a one-page document for our clients called, "Getting ready for your next doctor's visit" which is available to download for free from our website. We hope it's a helpful resource for you as you prepare to take the best care of your health and enjoy aging well!

Guest column by Tim Murray, Co-Founder and President, Aware Senior Care

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.