The Latino Age Wave: What Changing Ethnic Demographics Mean for the Future of Aging in the U.S.

Highlights data on aging Latinos/Hispanics, trends in the assets and needs of community-based organizations serving or that could serve older Latinos, and strategies for addressing gaps in supportive policies. Outlines best practices and recommendations

Conditional citizens? welfare rights and responsibilities in the late 1990s

In Britain the relationship between welfare rights and responsibilities has undergone change. A new welfare 'consensus' that emphasizes a citizen ship centred on notions of duty rather than rights has been built. This has allowed the state to reduce its role as a provider of welfare and also defend a position in which the welfare rights of some citizens are increas ingly conditional on those individuals meeting compulsory responsibili ties or duties. This concentration on individual responsibility/duty has undermined the welfare rights of some of the poorest members of society. Three levels of debate are considered within the article: academic, pol itical and 'grassroots'. The latter is included in an attempt to allow some 'bottom up' views into what is largely a debate dominated by social sci entists and politicians

Meeting the Challenges of an Aging Population with Success

With 117,099 people over the age of 65, Franklin County has the second-highest number of seniors among all Ohio counties. Projection data from the Ohio Department of Development indicates that Franklin County's 65-and-over population will grow to 224,340 by the year 2040. Key findings from this report indicate that improved coordination between the complex web of federal, state, county, and municipal resources would have significant impact on seniors' health and quality of life. The report also includes an analysis of the most vulnerable seniors in Franklin County identified at the neighborhood level

Explaining public satisfaction with health care systems: findings from a nationwide survey in China

Objective: To identify factors and covariates associated with health care system satisfaction in China. Context: Recent research suggests that socio-demographic characteristics, self-reported health, income and insurance, ideological beliefs, health care utilization, media use and perceptions of services may affect health care system satisfaction, but the relationships between these factors are poorly understood. New data from China offers the opportunity to test theories about the sources of health care system satisfaction. Design: Stratified nationwide survey sample analysed using multilevel logistic regression. Setting and participants: 3,680 Chinese adults residing in family dwellings between 1 November 2012 and 17 January 2013. Main outcome measure: Satisfaction with the way the health care system in China is run. Results: We find only weak associations between satisfaction and socio-demographic characteristics, income and self-reported health. We do, however, find that satisfaction is strongly associated with having insurance and belief in personal responsibility for meeting health care costs. We also find it is negatively associated with utilization, social media use, perceptions of access as unequal and perceptions of service providers as unethical. Conclusions: To improve satisfaction, Chinese policy makers – and their counterparts in countries with similar health care system characteristics – should improve insurance coverage and the quality of health services, and tackle unethical medical practices

Collaborating to Create Elder Friendly Communities in New Hampshire: A Scan of the Current Landscape

The fact that the population of the United States is aging is no surprise; the demographic projections are well documented. There have never been as many older adults living as there are today, and this number will only increase. Northern New England is aging more rapidly than the rest of the country, with Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire having the oldest populations in term of median age (U.S. Census, 2014). New Hampshire is expected to be the fastest aging state in New England through 2030, with nearly one-third of its population being over the age of 65 (Norton, 2011). This phenomenon is anticipated to place substantial pressure on publicly-funded health programs and long-term services and supports in the Granite State. But the story of the aging of the population is not only about increased numbers. As longevity increases, the average age of the older population will see a dramatic increase. The number of persons over the age of 85 in the United States is expected to increase five-fold by 2040. As the possibility for functional limitations and disability increases with age, the need for long-term, formal, and informal supports is expected to increase as the number of older adults, particularly those over the age of 85 increases. In addition, women continue to live longer than men; on average, life expectancy for women is three years longer than for men. These factors create a complex picture of aging, which includes a growing population of older adults, a majority of whom will be women; and a growing number of those over the age of 85, who are more likely to require some type of assistance as they age. It is a mistake to look at our aging population in a singular way. Although we tend to make generalizations about older adults, as a group, they are more physiologically and socially diverse than any other age group (Brummel-Smith & Mosqueda, 2003). As we age, we become more and more diverse, as there are no two people who have had the same life experiences, shaping who we are over our lifetimes. The baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) are likely to be the most diverse cohort of older adults we have seen to date, and it is likely that they will redefine our conception of age and aging. Older adults bring a diverse set of skills, talents, and knowledge that should be tapped as a significant natural resource to support a new and exciting vision of aging

Caring for Our Kupuna: Building an Aging in Place Movement in Hawaii

Government funding for elder care in the United States is becoming increasingly strained as the number of seniors and the cost of healthcare rise. Medicare paid $560 billion for hospital visits, prescription drugs, and other services in 2010 and expects to pay out just over$1 trillion by 2022. Medicaid, which covers long-term care for individuals with low income and assets, is the source of payment for 70% of nursing home stays across the country and paid $48.2 billion for senior residential care in 2007.As the costs of Medicare and Medicaid soar, practitioners in Hawaii and around the country have experimented with preventive and supportive aging-in-place services that reduce the cost of service while improving the lives of seniors. Rather than rushing an elder to the emergency room after a dangerous fall in the bathroom, providers have begun installing hand and safety rails in the home to prevent falls. Other providers are offering preventive health and nutrition classes that help seniors maintain their health and delay the need for long-term residential care. By focusing on preventive services rather than treating only advanced health needs, aging-in-place service providers are helping seniors maintain independence at home, avoid nursing home admission, reduce hospitalization, and minimize social isolation. Studies show that those who choose to age at home have better health outcomes while incurring significantly lower health costs than those who age in nursing homes. In addition to saving financial resources, aging in place is popular among seniors: a full 90% of American seniors share the desire to remain in their homes as they age.The value of aging in place is particularly relevant in Hawaii, which has the highest life expectancy of any state and the second highest cost of living in the country. By 2030, Hawaii expects to have an older population of 475,000 individuals, representing 29.7% of the population and a 310% increase during the 55-year period from 1980-2035. As the number of seniors aging in Hawaii rapidly increases, the state faces limited capacity in its residential care homes. With only 4,200 beds in nursing homes and 7,000 spaces in residential facilities in 2010, Hawaii's current facilities would be able to serve only 30% of the 38,000 older adults projected to need long-term care in 2035.6Increasing the portion of seniors aging in place could increase the happiness of Hawaii's seniors ("kupuna") and save significant resources for society. However, a continuum of wrap-around services must be available to seniors if they are to age in place effectively. Aging-in-place services must be available to transport elders, support needs in the home (safety, cleaning, cooking, etc.), connect elders with a community, provide respite for caregivers, and monitor and address health/nursing needs. Without this comprehensive support, elders living alone are not empowered to age with dignity and are more likely to become ill or incur injuries

Examining evidence based resistance plus balance training in community-dwelling older adults with complex health care needs: Trial protocol for the Muscling Up Against Disability project

Available online 6 October 2016Abstract not availableJustin W.L. Keogh, Tim Henwood, Paul Gardiner, Anthony Tuckett, Brent Hodgkinson, Kevin Rous

The disease of corruption: views on how to fight corruption to advance 21st century global health goals

Corruption has been described as a disease. When corruption infiltrates global health, it can be particularly devastating, threatening hard gained improvements in human and economic development, international security, and population health. Yet, the multifaceted and complex nature of global health corruption makes it extremely difficult to tackle, despite its enormous costs, which have been estimated in the billions of dollars. In this forum article, we asked anti-corruption experts to identify key priority areas that urgently need global attention in order to advance the fight against global health corruption. The views shared by this multidisciplinary group of contributors reveal several fundamental challenges and allow us to explore potential solutions to address the unique risks posed by health-related corruption. Collectively, these perspectives also provide a roadmap that can be used in support of global health anti-corruption efforts in the post-2015 development agenda