Ageist Beliefs Detrimental To Older Adults' Memory, But There's An Easy Fix

http://goo.gl/pZrrY

(W)hen people are confronted with negative stereotypes about a group with which they identify, they tend to self-handicap and underperform compared to their potential. In doing so, they inadvertently confirm the negative stereotypes they were worried about in the first place. 

The results highlight just how crucial it is for older adults, as well clinicians, to be aware of how ageist beliefs about older adults can affect older adults' real memory test performance. 

"Older adults should be careful not to buy into negative stereotypes about aging - attributing every forgetful moment to getting older can actually worsen memory problems." said Sarah Barber, a postdoctoral researcher at the USC Davis School and lead author of the study. 

However, there is a way to eliminate the problem, the study reveals: "No one had yet examined the intriguing possibility that the mechanisms of stereotype threat vary according to age," Barber said. 

Family caregivers wanted mobile caregiving apps – they’ve got them now

http://goo.gl/KCD50

What caregivers wanted – they got, and then some. In particular, they were most interested (70% or more) in four types of systems, Personal Health Record Tracking, Caregiving Coordination System, Medication Support System, and Symptom Monitor and Transmitter. They saw the future: mobile versions of all of these are available now.  Probably what they might not want to see are the reviews of some mobile apps which complain about app crashing, ads blocking the user's ability to type, important features that are not free and other non-trivial irritations. But anyway, in the categories responders said mattered:

Patients Like Me

A health community portal. More ambitious than most.

http://www.patientslikeme.com/

Our Promise  PatientsLikeMe is committed to putting patients first. We do this by providing a better, more effective way for you to share your real-world health experiences in order to help yourself, other patients like you and organizations that focus on your conditions.

PatientsLikeMe was co-founded in 2004 by three MIT engineers: brothers Benjamin and James Heywood and longtime friend Jeff Cole. Five years earlier, their brother and friend Stephen Heywood was diagnosed withALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) at the age of 29. The Heywood family soon began searching the world over for ideas that would extend and improve Stephen’s life. Inspired by Stephen’s experiences, the co-founders andteam conceptualized and built a health data-sharing platform that we believe can transform the way patients manage their own conditions, change the way industry conducts research and improve patient care.

7 Portals Powering Patient Engagement

Patient Engagement is American Medicine coming to terms with access to electronic health records and greater person centered systems. Also see the book, "Design for Care"

http://goo.gl/G3Dr5

As the use of patient portals increases and health information networks look to spur the innovation of patient portals throughdesign challenges, KLAS looked at the leading patient portals already on the market. According to the study, MU requirements have increased the urgency of patient portals, but that hasn't changed providers' approach to adopting these systems. KLAS interviewed 104 providers on what portals are being used or considered, and what role they're playing on the healthcare stage. More than half of those interviewed -- 57% -- already have a portal in place.

Low Income Uninsured Adults Who May Be Eligible For Medicaid Under The ACA Less Likely To Have Chronic Conditions Compared With Medicaid Enrollees

http://goo.gl/bmMbw

The researchers found that compared with those enrolled in Medicaid, the uninsured adults reported better overall health; were less likely to be obese and sedentary; less likely to report a physical, mental, or emotional limitation; and much less likely (by 15.1 percentage points) to have multiple health conditions. 

Although the uninsured adults were less likely than those enrolled in Medicaid to have diabetes, hypertension, or hypercholesterolemia (30.1 percent compared with 38.6 percent), if they had 1 of these conditions, the conditions were more likely to be undiagnosed or uncontrolled. An estimated 80.1 percent of the uninsured adults with 1 or more of these 3 conditions had at least 1 uncontrolled condition, compared with 63.4 percent of those enrolled in Medicaid.

Should Dementia Patients Be GPS Tagged?

http://goo.gl/YCiII

Although GPS trackers are not a universal cure, they do mean that patients can be found faster, explained Rupert McShane, a consultant in old age psychiatry at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Quick recovery lowers risk, he added. Fifty percent of all dementia patients who are not found within one day die or are severely hurt. However, caretakers often don't call for help right away, hoping that they don't have to involve the police if possible.

Additionally, the risk of admission to a care home increases by a factor of two when a person with dementia gets lost.

Michigan Seniors and Disabled Face Restricted Access to Power Wheelchairs

http://goo.gl/BXkMw

Seven states, including Michigan, were chosen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for a prepayment review demonstration project.

The program will cause a delay of up to 16 months or more before Michigan's home medical equipment providers can be fully reimbursed for purchasing power wheelchairs and providing the equipment to Medicare beneficiaries.

But consumer advocates and providers are asking Congress to stop the program because it will disrupt service to Medicare beneficiaries. Many providers say the long delay for reimbursements will force their companies out of business, creating significant delays in filling power wheelchair prescriptions for Medicare patients who are in dire need of mobility assistance.