62+ Asylum

08/17/2020

Trips to take while in confinement

I love traveling by train. From the clicking of sleepers to the continually changing scenery as the countryside gently slips by your window, train journeys can be magical experiences. Unfortunately, going on a scenic train journey isn’t in the cards for me (and most people) right now. Luckily, a n...

02/12/2020

Another effect of Minnesota winters...

Cold environments could be making us feel alone

02/10/2020

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/newspolitics/us-health-system-costs-four-times-more-to-run-than-canadas-single-payer-system/ar-BBYK8o9?ocid=sf

In the United States, a legion of administrative health care workers and health insurance employees who play no direct role in providing patient care costs every American man, woman and child an average of $2,497 per year. Across the border in Canada, where a single-payer system has been in place si...

02/04/2020

Psychology Todsy weighs in

Loneliness affects almost half of adult Americans.

02/03/2020

A close friend of mine when living in New York assisted a 92-year-old woman who was a very distinguished graduate of Smith College living on the Upper East Side. The woman was fit and in possession of her mind. However when my friend went to work for her, she discovered that 1) the elderly woman could not say no to any charity and cause which she was asked to contribute to via the telephone or mail. And 2) she paid all paper appeals sent to her appearing to be a bill.

For instance, my young friend discovered she sent contributions every time Greenpeace requested a contribution. And, whenever Conte Nast sent a “Pay Now” subscription notice, the elderly Smith graduate paid it. As a young Dutch woman, she felt a strong impulse to account for every dime spent so she had her suspicions.

She sat down with the elderly woman and made an inventory of her wished contributions and magazine subscriptions. Many magazines the elderly woman did not want but said she feared not paying the bill. So the Dutch-woman cancelled many subscriptions, got refunded for the balance and asked them not to send anymore “invoices”

Then the Dutch-woman asked what causes she wished to support. The elderly woman said she had always been a social activist and liked “what those kids of Greenpeace were doing” but the Dutch-woman reminded she was in a fixed income and couldn’t support every time they asked. She then set up annual affordable contributions to PETA and Greenpeace snd other arts groups.

The Dutch-woman did not want for her to not give gifts to causes she believed in but she also didn’t want her to be swindled and taken advantage of in her generosity.

I can see a lot of this happening today to the isolated and lonely elderly like the Smith graduate was experiencing. I am often confused with mail or online appeals to “Pay Now” appearing to be a credit obligation of bill. I resent the many appeals by mail or on the internet that I must pay and especially Conte Nast subscriptions when I’ve already paid them.

02/03/2020

Recognizing interrelated conditions of health and social isolation.

Loneliness has serious health implications and could be the next public health crisis.

01/31/2020

Loneliness and social isolation can greatly impact health and longevity in the elderly and lead to premature mortality.

Nearly one out of three older Americans now lives alone -- and the health effects are mounting, experts say. Loneliness and social isolation can be as damaging to health as smoking 15 ci******es a day, researchers warned in a recent webcast, and the problem is particularly acute among seniors, espec...

01/06/2020

https://apple.news/Ajwn021omQQKsh5Ik0BDnrw

As basic medical care disappears from rural America, a husband and wife are forced apart after 63 years.

12/28/2019

In almost all procedures across the board, Americans are paying way too much for medical procedures and pharmaceuticals.

A study of international prices finds American patients pay much more across a wide array of common services.

12/27/2019

In the United States, angioplasty costs 32,000 U.S. dollars, while in Costa Rica procedure cost less than half of that price.

12/24/2019

With the elderly, care takers should always give support and NOT advise. Respect elders.