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MGH Community News |
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MGH Community News |
| September 2015 | Volume 19 • Issue 9 |
Highlights
Sections Social Service staff may direct resource questions to the Community Resource Center, Lindsey Streahle, x6-8182. Questions, comments about the newsletter? Contact Ellen Forman, x6-5807. |
We are saddened to report that, according to their website, LIFT closed their Boston area offices on August 28, 2015. As many of you know, LIFT is a student-run national organization, funded by the Federal AmeriCorps program that provided free case management services. The program was notable for having generous eligibility criteria and for offering help for a wide variety of needs including employment coaching, locating affordable permanent housing, identifying affordable child care options, identifying affordable health care options (including mental health services and substance abuse treatment), determining transportation options, and language and citizenship resources. But the loss may be most keenly felt by those applying for SSDI and/or SSI. LIFT volunteers helped many with limited English proficiency, cognitive challenges, or who were just overwhelmed with the application or appeals. Their volunteers would even attend meetings with clients at SSA offices if necessary. This closure leaves a near void for those seeking free application assistance. Unfortunately due to funding issues, legal service agencies have to prioritize their cases and many are only be able to take a case on the 2nd appeal. The best we can suggest at this time for free assistance is that those with disabilities contact their local Center for Independent Living. -Thanks to Barbara Maxam for bringing this to our attention.
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Many Seniors to See Small SNAP Decrease in October, Plus Updates and Advocacy Tips SNAP benefits changes are coming in October for some households due to the drop in gas and oil prices during 2015. The decline in heating costs is good for low income households, but it can also impact the amount of SNAP or food stamp benefits. The federal SNAP rules require states to adjust the amount of the heating/cooling "standard utility allowance" (SUA) figure that is used to calculate SNAP benefits. According to DTA, the dollar value of the heating/cooling SUA will drop by $14 in October, from $634 to $620. DTA anticipates that roughly 200K Massachusetts SNAP households may see a drop in their monthly SNAP benefits of between $4 and $6/month. It is also likely the majority of SNAP households impacted will be seniors (and some persons with disabilities, but mostly seniors). That's because there is no cap on the amount of "shelter expenses" that can be claimed by elder and disabled SNAP households and it will likely impact "higher income" low income seniors (e.g., those above the SSI levels). DTA will be sending out notices in late September advising households whose SNAP benefits will be going down in October. This information may be confusing because the recipient may not think he or she has lower living expenses, especially since the heating season has not yet started. What to do if a senior says her SNAP benefits will decrease?
What Else is Changing and What’s Staying the Same
The most recent Food and Nutrition Service SNAP state by state caseload numbers for June 2015 show that the MA SNAP caseload increased a second month in a row - up by 0.6% from May 2015. While, we are grateful that DTA and EOHHS are taking the SNAP issues seriously, we still have a long way to go to RESTORE SNAP benefits to the households who should never have lost their SNAP. The June 2015 caseload SNAP data still shows the MA caseload 8.2% lower than June of 2014. That's 40K case drop from 12 months ago or almost 80K individuals, but MA is at least heading in the right direction. SNAP Closures due to Returned Mail Please let MLRI know if providers have any MA cases where returned mail or report of an address change caused loss of SNAP. High School Student Earnings and College Work Study MLRI reports they are continuing to hear about inappropriate DTA requests to verify earnings of students and then not record the income as non-countable, triggering more verification notices and/or loss of SNAP. This has included high school students who work during the summer (which is NOT countable income), as well as verification requests for federal work study of college students (also NOT countable). If you have clients asked to send pay stubs or verification to DTA about their kids or about work study, please let Vicky Negus know--even you were able to get the SNAP case fixed! Providers can contact Vicky Negus at vnegus@mlri.org or 857 241 1715 -From SNAP Coalition updates, behalf of Pat Baker and Vicky Negus, MLRI, September 11, 2015 and September 15, 2015.
MassHealth New Ordering Requirements MassHealth will be implementing a new clinical requirement for ordering or prescribing certain products or services. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), state Medicaid programs must require any claims that are based on an order or referral from a provider to meet two requirements:
Effective September 1, 2015, MassHealth will be enforcing this new policy. In phase I, for a limited period of time, there will be a “notice only” period where any claim that does not meet the federal requirements will be issued an informational message. At some point in the near future referrals that do not meet this criteria may be denied. Services that are impacted by this new requirement include any service that requires a PCC referral including: -Adapted from e-mail “MassHealth New Clinical Requirement”, Anuj K. Goel, Esq., Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Massachusetts Hospital Association, August 18, 2015. -Thanks to Marie Elena Gioiella for forwarding this information and Kim Simonian, Anthony Santangelo and David E. Stevens for their help in understanding the impact on the Community Resource Center and providing the NPI look-up website.
State Cites Nursing Homes for Misleading Ads on Alzheimer’s Care State regulators are citing more than four dozen Massachusetts nursing homes for advertising dementia care services when they don’t actually offer the kind of care required to make such a claim, according to the Department of Public Health. The department’s action follows a July review by the Alzheimer’s Association of Massachusetts and New Hampshire of how the state’s nursing homes advertise their services. The review found nearly 60 percent of facilities that advertised memory, dementia, or cognitive care had not documented the requisite training, staffing, or design adjustments to be called a dementia special care facility. The association’s findings were similar to a smaller Globe review conducted in February. “Each of these facilities must remedy the violation cited against them either by modifying their advertising, or complying with all of the dementia special care unit requirements in the regulations,” Sherman Lohnes, director of the division that regulates nursing homes said in a letter sent this month to the Alzheimer’s Association president. Failure to comply could result in further penalties. In addition, the health department said it found about 40 other nursing homes had been improperly advertising dementia care services, but recently removed that information from their ads after regulators sent advisory letters to all nursing homes in August clarifying the rules. Those August letters acknowledged that state regulators had previously advised nursing homes they would be allowed to include references to dementia care in their advertising - even if they had not completed the more stringent requirements - as long as they added a disclaimer. Massachusetts has about 400 nursing homes. Helen Magliozzi, director of regulatory affairs for the Massachusetts Senior Care Association, a nursing home trade group, said nursing homes are “committed to doing the right thing and complying with the regulations and guidance provided by the [department],” but the state’s changing rules have made it difficult. She noted that regulators completed their review of nursing home websites Aug. 23 — just two days after changing previous guidance given to nursing facilities. James Wessler, president of the Alzheimer’s Association, said he is pleased state regulators are taking the issue of nursing home advertising seriously. The association maintains a database of nursing homes so it can offer suggestions to families asking about dementia care. Wessler said the association wanted to ensure it was giving out accurate information.
-See the full Boston Globe article.
Revamped DCF policies Will Put Kids First, Governor Says Buffeted by a series of high-profile child abuse cases, Governor Charlie Baker has pledged to replace a patchwork of policies at the state’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) with a clear, standardized playbook aimed at protecting children from violent crime at the hands of those closest to them. The plan includes:
Child welfare advocates responded positively to the plan. “For the first time since I’ve been doing this work, I actually saw a governor stand up and say that this isn’t working,” said Erin G. Bradley, executive director of the Children’s League of Massachusetts. “And it looks like he is going to try and make change for these kids.” But Bradley and other advocates said updating out-of-date and inadequate policies is just part of the solution. An agency stung by recession-era cuts, they argued, will need more money. The department saw a $35.5 million, or 4 percent, increase in funding this fiscal year over the last one, which ended in June. Baker did not propose any additional funding, but left open the possibility of pursuing more money for the agency if it is needed to reduce the average caseload-to-social worker ratio to a targeted 18-to-1. Though 12 to 15 is the level recommended as safe by child welfare agencies. If much of the talk was of budgets and management fixes, officials also alluded to what could be a broader shift in emphasis. Commissioner Linda S. Spears said the department had in the past considered protecting children and keeping families together as two contradictory goals. “For me, you don’t do one or the other. You keep children safe, first and foremost. And then, if that can be done by strengthening a family, great. If it can’t, no,” she said. Keeping families together has compromised child safety in some cases, she said. Asked later if Spears’s comments signaled a substantial philosophical change at the department, deemphasizing family preservation, Baker suggested they did not. He framed it as a push for clarity of mission — put children first — rather than a major rethinking of policy. Officials, though, emphasized that no reform will prevent all tragedies. “The sad reality in our society is children sometimes suffer at the hands of the very families who should love, care, and protect them,” said MacKinnon, the union leader. “Even with comprehensive reform and investment, there is no feasible way for child protection workers to be present in each family’s life 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” -Adapted from and for more information see the full Boston Globe article and the full Telegram & Gazette article.
Report: Unique Challenges Face Older Gay Residents Aging lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents in Massachusetts face unique challenges, according to a report released this month by a special legislative commission. The report offers a number of recommendations to address the needs of LGBT seniors, including the development of inclusive elder housing communities and protections against discrimination for transgender people in nursing homes and other health facilities. The 20-member commission was created in 2013 by lawmakers and then-Gov. Deval Patrick, and has been called the first statewide panel of its kind in the nation. While Massachusetts was the first state to legalize gay marriage, the report notes that many of its older LGBT citizens came of age in far less tolerant times. “The lives of today’s older lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender people were molded under conditions of intense homophobia, both during their formative years, as well as throughout much of their adult lives,” the commission wrote. The stigma attached to homosexuality caused many LGBT people to become estranged from their families and have difficulty holding jobs, the report said. As a result, many lived on the margins of society and even now feel reluctant about seeking mainstream services available to other elders. LGBT seniors are also less likely to have children, close family members or partners who can assist with daily living tasks and help them make important health care decisions. The report calls for improved training for elder service staffs on the “unique experiences and needs of LGBT seniors.” Though the state’s record on gay and lesbian issues is largely progressive, it has fallen short in a key area of housing, the commission said. “Boston and other Massachusetts cities are lagging behind Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco, which have all developed vibrant housing initiatives that are friendly and inclusive of LGBT older adults,” the report stated. “Unfortunately, Massachusetts has nothing like this.” -From: http://www.wbur.org/2015/09/17/report-challenges-lgbt-elderly
Temporary Protected Status Offered for Yemen and Extended for Haiti Yemen Designated for TPS On September 3, USCIS announced that Yemen would be designated for Temporary Protected Status, shielding Yemeni nationals present in the US on that date from deportation due to the on-going armed conflict currently taking place in the country. The application period for TPS is open until March 1, 2016, and the designation will run through March 3, 2017. Yemeni nationals are encouraged to apply by submitting Form I-821 and Form I-765. TPS Extended for Haiti On August 25, USCIS announced that they would extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. Haitian nationals who are currently on TPS are encouraged to submit their applications for re-registration by October 26, or risk losing their current status. To re-register, current TPS beneficiaries must submit Form I-821 and Form I-765 along with appropriate fees and evidence. Individuals with approved re-registration applications will have their status extended until July 22, 2017. For more information, including filing instructions, see USCIS's TPS webpage. - From MIRA BULLETIN September 29, 2015: Refugees & More, MIRA Coalition.
JustiServ: Price Transparency for Legal Help Program Closed (1/16) A new website is helping consumers find a lawyer that fits their budget. According to JustiServ, consumers often don’t feel informed enough to choose a lawyer, or consult with multiple lawyers before finding one that specializes in the appropriate area of law for their specific case. JustiServ connects small and solo practitioners who may have a less robust internet presence than larger firms, with clients who, though over-income for free legal services, still have limited budgets. Lawyers pay a small fee to be listed, but more importantly provide fee transparency, something not available elsewhere. Using a proprietary algorithm, the JustiServ website analyzes consumers’ responses to about 10-12 questions and produces a list of lawyers with pertinent expertise as well as price estimates for the specific legal problem. Traditionally lawyers might share their hourly rate only, leaving the consumer uninformed about the expected cost. Small and solo practitioners also tend to charge more modest hourly rates than larger firms, according to Allison Krause, JD, JustiServ, Chief Operating Officer. She reports that some lawyers on the site will also offer “limited assistance” options that identify key issues or junctures in the process where it would be most important to have representation or legal consultation. About 90% of lawyers offer free consultation and in some cases the free consultation alone may be sufficient to understand that the case may not be strong enough to pursue. Additional features include the ability to view attorney’s language capacity, experience, and profile. Fee-Shifting Means Some May Not Pay Legal Fees Win or Lose JustiServ is also raising awareness of the benefits of Massachusetts’s “fee-shifting” law and its benefit to consumers. If the case qualifies, the lawyer assumes the risk. If the case is successful, the other side pays the legal fees. If the case isn’t successful, the consumer still pays nothing (though the amount of risk the lawyer assumes will be negotiated, partially depending on the strength of case.) Currently under development, JustiServ is working on tools to assess if a case may qualify for fee-shifting. Typical fee-shifting cases include wrongful evictions, employment discrimination, and certain consumer protection cases. For more information or to find a lawyer: www.justiserv.com, or see the flyer. Currently the site is also offering telephone concierge service that will work one on one to find a consumer the right lawyer with experience in the appropriate area of law, and advice on whether the case might qualify for fee-shifting. The concierge number is 617-996-7378 ext. 0472. -Thanks to Karon Konner, and Josh Abrams for bringing this program to our attention.
Text4baby - Connecting Moms and Babies to Health Information and Health Insurance MassHealth has a partnership with Text4baby, a free mobile health program, to help pregnant women and new mothers connect to important health information and services. How Text4baby Works
For more information, visit www.text4baby.org. -Adapted from MA Health Care Training Forum e-mail, September 18, 2015. Previous MGH Community News coverage in September 2014 and March 2012 issues.
Wellesley Friendly Aid Wellesley Friendly Aid Association (WFA) works to improve the well-being and quality of life of the residents of Wellesley, Massachusetts. They offer many forms of assistance to individuals and families of all incomes and ages. Although Wellesley has a reputation as an affluent town, reality can be quite different for some residents, including those living in public or affordable housing. Programs and services include:
WFA also hosts additional programs and services including
See a full list of programs and descriptions on their website: http://wellesleyfriendlyaid.org/programs. For more information, or to volunteer to help, please call 781-235-3960, e-mail office@wellesleyfriendlyaid.org, visit the website http://wellesleyfriendlyaid.org/ or see the Flyer. (rev 7/17) The African Bridge Network – Job and Career Advising, Mentorship and Networking with Focus on High-Skilled Immigrants The African Bridge Network (ABN), based in Boston, aims to create an empowering and supportive environment for African immigrants. Through job and career advising, professional mentorship, and networking workshops, ABN works to help African immigrants leverage qualifications and experience to maximize their employment potential. While ABN serves African immigrants in the U.S. from all walks of life, its services are most appealing to high-skilled African immigrants. Emmanuel Owusu, founding board member of ABN, says that the agency's focus on high-skilled African immigrants is intentional because these people are "more likely to integrate successfully in the U.S., lead the whole African immigrant community, and possibly engage the African continent on a different level." To learn more about the ABN http://www.africanbn.org/. -From Immigration Integration Lab News 4.1: Black Immigration, Boston College, September 22, 2015.
Medicare Reminder- Fall Open Enrollment Season- Time to Review Drug Plans It is very important that you review your drug plan every year. Medicare private drug plans can change their costs and the list of drugs that they cover every year. Most people can only change Medicare drug plans during Fall Open Enrollment (sometimes called the Annual Coordinated Election Period), which runs from October 15 to December 7 each year. Even if you are satisfied with your current Medicare coverage, you should check if there is another plan in your area that offers better coverage at a lower price. Research shows that people with Part D plans could lower their costs by shopping among plans each year. For example, another Part D plan in your area may cover the drugs you take with fewer restrictions and charge you less. When choosing a Medicare private drug plan, make sure to look at all the costs, not just the premium. Your costs throughout the year will depend on what drugs you take, whether your plan covers them, and whether there are any coverage restrictions. Another plan may have lower copays, cover more of your drugs, have fewer restrictions or offer some coverage during the coverage gap. If you are considering joining a Medicare Advantage plan to get drug coverage, remember that you will get all of your Medicare benefits from that plan. Look beyond the drug coverage; make sure the plan covers you to go to the doctors, hospitals and pharmacies you prefer to use at a cost you can afford. Learn more about reviewing your choice of Part D coverage. -From Medicare Watch, Volume 6, Issue 36, The Medicare Rights Center, September 17, 2015.
Baker’s Proposed EA Restrictions Concern Advocates Governor Charlie Baker recently proposed narrowing eligibility for state-funded Emergency Assistance (EA), family shelter services, a move that advocates for homeless families warned could leave some of Massachusetts’ most vulnerable on the streets. Similar provisions had been included in the Governor’s proposed budget, subsequently denied by the legislature. The current proposal reappeared in a broader bill filed by Baker this summer meant to close out the books on the fiscal year that ended in June. The legislature has once again scuttled the provision. It remains to be seen if the administration will continue to advocate for this agenda item. Baker’s proposal would have suspended the criteria used to approve roughly 40 percent of families who received emergency housing in the first half of this year. Those in irregular overnight sleeping situations (repeatedly moving from place to place in a short period of time or “couch surfing”), and those living in units considered “unfit for human habitation” would no longer have been eligible. Baker administration officials say their push is part of a broader effort to find long-term housing for struggling families, ideally getting them support they need to get on their feet and avoid ever being shuttled into a shelter or motel. They say many families would qualify under other criteria, and those who are truly in need wouldn’t be turned away. Advocates, legislators, and the Baker administration agree that hotels and motels are often a woefully inadequate option for housing families. They say that type of lodging often separates families from the social support of relatives and friends, familiar schools, a clean place for children to play, easy access to public transportation, and kitchen equipment such as a refrigerator and stove. But while many advocates for the homeless laud the intent and the administration’s overall approach to homelessness, they voice sharp worry about tightening eligibility and the effect the change could have had on the thousands of families who seek state-backed housing every year. -Adapted from and more information in TheBoston Globe coverage:
Alaska Expands Medicaid Under Affordable Care Act In July, Governor Bill Walker announced he would use executive authority to expand Medicaid in Alaska. Open enrollment in the new program began on September 1, 2015, despite the ongoing litigation by opposing state lawmakers. Since the first day, hundreds of Alaskans have applied for Medicaid. By accepting the federal funding to expand Medicaid in the state, Governor Walker will be helping thousands of people who had previously fallen into the “coverage gap,” many of whom are employed without an option for health insurance (Families USA’s analysis found that 65 percent of those who meet the income limit are working). The White House applauded the governor’s resolution, calling expansion the “right decision.” “We consider this another big victory for low-income, uninsured people, and continue to fight for residents of the remaining 19 states that have yet to expand” said Patrick Willard, Families USA’s Health Action Director in a statement. -Adapted from Patrick Willard, Families USA, September 08, 2015.
Benefits to Children Uneven in SSI Program Study Finds Indigent children with ADHD and other behavioral, emotional or mental disorders benefit unevenly across the country from a controversial fast-growing $10 billion federal disability program: Two years ago, for instance, more than 5 percent of all indigent children from Pennsylvania received cash benefits due to mental impairments through this program, compared to fewer than 1 percent from Hawaii, Colorado and North Dakota who did, according to a national report released this month by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Though the authors of the report made clear they found no basis to believe the program is plagued by fraud or mismanagement, the state-to-state variations may bolster critics of the program who argue that the SSI program is a loosely-monitored alternative welfare program with potential perverse cash incentives to have poor parents introduce and maintain disability labels for their children. The program currently serves about 1.3 million children nationwide, and roughly two out of three obtain about $700 in monthly benefits due to mental impairments. The report, however, did not give reasons behind these state-to-state differences, other than to say it was a “significant and concerning observation” worthy of further investigation. The committee largely defended the rise in SSI enrollment numbers for mental impairments, saying it reflected an overall increased incidence of these mental conditions among US children living in poverty. “We found no reason to question the integrity of the program,” said Dr. Thomas Boat, the chairman of the panel and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, in a telephone interview. The committee ultimately stayed away from the most controversial aspects of the program, including the role of perverse incentives and the method that federal and state officials decide which children qualify for benefits. Its hearings last year included testimony from some critics, including a Cornell professor Richard Burkhauser, who authored a book about SSI, who called on the panel to issue bold reforms and that “doing nothing will cause harm.” Members said they either didn’t have enough data to draw conclusions, or some topics related to SSI were outside the scope of their stated mission assigned by the Social Security Administration. Its reference to the profound state-to-state variation in SSI enrollment was one areas where committee members appeared to pause, and say the finding begged for more explanation. Kimberly Hoagland, a psychologist at the New York University School of Medicine, said they were surprised to see that childrens’ odds of getting on SSI can “largely depend on what state they reside in.” It added, however, that its study of the population of low-income children with mental impairments leads it to believe that many greatly benefit from these cash supports, and ultimately, this program is capturing children in desperate need. “Breaking the poverty– disability cycle is an important goal of the childhood SSI program, and, in the opinion of many, the current $10.5 billion annual investment provides a sizeable return,” wrote Boat in the report. -See the full Boston Globe article.
Health Connector Sees Rate Hikes For Some, Reductions For Others Health insurance premiums for Massachusetts residents who purchase unsubsidized health insurance through the Health Connector Authority will see average increases next year of between 2.2 percent and 9.3 percent, according to rates approved by a state board this month. Those who enroll in the state-subsidized private health insurance, known as Connector Care, and those enrolled in dental plans through the Connector can expect to see average premium decreases of 2.1 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively. The Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority Board voted to give its final seal of approval to 15 health insurance companies offering a total of 83 plans for small group and non-group coverage. Among the plans approved were the “bronze plans” offered through the Connector, which have low monthly premiums and some pre-deductible doctor visits but come with higher co-pays.Health Connector officials had previously told the board the 2015 bronze plans would have to be eliminated because they no longer meet certain federal requirements. Instead, carriers were required to propose new bronze plans, which will come with a premium increase and a “major increase” in out-of-pocket expenses for customers. Brian Schuetz, the Health Connector’s director of program and product strategy said the Connector faced the challenge of deciding whether to suggest 2015 bronze plan members renew in a silver plan — the next tier up — to maintain a similar plan design but with a “very significant 24 percent” increase in premium, or to suggest they renew in the 2016 bronze plans, which will include an average deductible increase of $1,000. “Our new recommendation today is to map bronze to bronze to maintain that level of premium balance between the two and to avoid rate shock for our consumers,” Schuetz told the board. “But — and it’s an important but — to mitigate the consumer confusion impact we are going to put out a special communication to these members to explain what’s happening, what we did in terms of mapping, highlight in no uncertain terms the changes in the plan design and to encourage shopping for plans, where appropriate, so consumers can find the plan that meets their budget and their medical needs.” Though those enrolled in bronze plans last year will have to change plans — as will others whose plans are being discontinued by the carrier — more than 90 percent of Health Connector customers will be renewed into their same plan for 2016. The next open enrollment period will run Nov.1 through Jan. 31, 2016. This year, the Connector will open additional walk-in centers in Springfield, Fall River, Brockton and Lowell, and will extend customer service hours during open enrollment. “We’re thrilled to announce enhanced services for this fall’s open enrollment. Two hundred additional hours of customer service availability, four additional walk-in centers statewide, online self service for member accounts, Department of Revenue outreach to the uninsured, a media campaign focused on ethnic media in underserved areas, better call center support for navigators, the return of provider search and improvements to the payment portal,” Connector Executive Director Louis Gutierrez said. “We have real hopes for a great fall.” -See the full WBUR CommonHealth story.
New CMS Initiative Aims to Improve Health Equity in Medicare The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a new plan to address health care disparities in the Medicare program. Over the next four years, the plan aims to improve health equity through six action steps for people who "experience disproportionately high burdens of disease, lower quality of care, and barriers accessing care." The six steps, or priorities, include:
According to Cara James, Director of the CMS office of Minority Health, “Making sure care is equitable is often the forgotten core area of focus for ensuring that the health system is meeting patient needs and delivering high quality care. The CMS Equity Plan for Medicare will help to ensure that as we work towards better care, smarter spending, and healthier people we also continue to work to achieve health equity in Medicare.” - From Medicare Watch, Volume 6, Issue 35, September 10, 2015.
Are Painkillers Also Killing Your Hearing? When you think of risk factors for hearing loss, over-the-counter pain relievers probably aren't among them. But a Harvard study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that frequent use of ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be an important contributor. In the study, women who took the pain relievers at least twice a week were more likely to experience hearing loss, and more frequent usage increased the risk by up to 24%. The findings are similar to a study of men and hearing loss, although aspirin was also found to contribute to risk in that study. Researchers speculate that the pain relievers may be damaging the cochlea, the snail-shaped hearing mechanism in your inner ear. "Ibuprofen can reduce blood flow to the cochlea, which could result in cellular damage and cell death. Acetaminophen may deplete the antioxidant glutathione, which protects the cochlea from damage," says study author Dr. Sharon Curhan, instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. Does this mean you should think twice before popping a pill for headache or back pain? These medicines do provide good pain relief for many people. "However, frequent use of these medications and use over long periods of time may increase the risk of hearing loss and may cause other adverse health effects. Therefore, it is important to take these medications mindfully and to limit their use as much as possible," says Dr. Curhan. As always, talk to your doctor before making any changes in your medication use. -From HealthBeat, Harvard Medical School, August 29, 2015.
The Health Benefits of Volunteering The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) recently released a survey of research studies that demonstrate how volunteering for at least one or two hours per week can have a positive effect on the mental and physical health of older adults. In fact, older adults are more likely than any other age group to benefit from volunteering. Volunteering provides a sense of purpose and creates an overall greater satisfaction with life. Various long-term studies related to the physical wellbeing and mental health of older adults have found that those who volunteer can lower their risk of cardiovascular disease and be less likely to experience feelings of depression. Remarkably, some studies have even found that mortality rates are lower for those who volunteer on a regular basis. -From Dear Marci, Medicare Rights Center, September 08, 2015.
Unhealthy Diet Linked to Brain Shrinkage, Depression Consumption of an unhealthy Western diet characterized by meat, hamburgers, chips, and soft drinks, may reduce the volume of the left hippocampus, whereas a healthy diet of fresh vegetables and fish may increase hippocampal volume. Previous studies have shown that quality of diet is associated with depression and cognitive health. Animal research indicates that this may be mediated by changes in the hippocampus. Specifically, a high-fat diet reduces brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, which impairs neuronal plasticity, learning, and behavior. In this study of more than 250 individuals, investigators found that during a period of 4 years, there was a difference of more than 200 cubic millimeters in hippocampal volume between individuals who ate a healthy diet and those who consumed an unhealthy diet. "To our knowledge, this is the first human study to demonstrate associations between diet and hippocampal volume concordant with data previously observed in animal studies," investigators led by Felice N. Jacka, PhD, associate professor in the Division of Nutritional Psychiatry Research at Deakin University, Geelong, Australia, and president of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research, write. "These findings suggest the potential for dietary interventions to promote hippocampal health, decrease age-related atrophy, and prevent negative health outcomes associated with hippocampal atrophy," they add. The research was published online September 8 in BMC Medicine. -See the full Medscape summary article.
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