By Ken Burdick
Did you know loneliness poses the same health risk as smoking 15 cigarettes a day? In fact, new research indicates weak social connections and feelings of extreme isolation could shorten a person’s life by 15 years. With more than one-third of U.S. adults age 45 or older indicating they are lonely, we’ve reached a critical number of individuals who are at risk for serious health outcomes. Continue reading “The Loneliness Epidemic”
When it comes to having “the talk” about the risks and dangers of drugs and alcohol, parents understandably tend to focus on having that conversation with their kids.
Increasingly, however, it seems parents need to be having this conversation with their aging parents as well.
According to a new WellCare survey, “The Tough Talk: Aging Parents and Substance Abuse,” 90 percent of adults say they have discussed the risks and consequences of overusing/misusing/abusing drugs and alcohol with their children, while only 68 percent of adults have had that same conversation with a parent, stepparent or parent-in-law. Continue reading “WellCare’s New Survey Reveals Struggles of Managing Aging Parents’ Substance Misuse & Abuse”
When it comes to your cell phone bill, do you ever find yourself on the lookout for plans that are a better deal? And, when your monthly cable bill rolls in, have you ever examined the bill in search of where you can save?
Today, searching for better deals on expenses is commonplace, but for seniors, there seems to be one major exception to deal-seeking: their Medicare plan. Continue reading “WellCare Launches “Cost of Complacency” Campaign”
By Mackie Hicks
Americans are living longer than ever before. According to recent statistics, 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every day. While many seniors live active and healthy lifestyles, there’s no getting around one thing: as we age, our bodies and minds change. Many seniors also face social barriers that can impact their health, whether it’s loneliness and isolation or lack of resources, such as transportation and access to health care.
That’s why at WellCare, we believe innovative community-based programs are critical to support our members as they age. We work to help remove social barriers to health and to ensure our members and communities have the services they need. Continue reading “Supporting Seniors and Innovative Community-Based Programs During Healthy Aging Month”
