SENIORS AT RISK FROM BEING OVERWEIGHT
The Center for Disease Control reports that an overwhelming number of retirees are overweight. The obesity in seniors can lead to undesirable side effects such as arthritis, cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure. Moreover, according to a recent study in the March 17, 2005 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (see related story1 ), obesity may result in a shorter life expectancy. The senior obesity problem has become so prevalent that Medicare now provides coverage for illnesses as a result of obesity. (See related stories234.) San Diego congressional representative Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) recently hosted a Community Forum on Obesity. (See Representative Cunningham’s website.5)

DEBATE RAGES OVER REFORM OF SOCIAL SECURITY
President Bush warns that the Social Security trust fund will be broke by 2042. Part of the President’s solution is the creation and use of private accounts. The plan would give millions of Americans new tools to help them better manage and expand their retirement savings, provide workers with access to quality investment advice as an employee benefit. Leading the fight for President Bush is Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA). (See related story.6)

Democrats and other groups (including the AARP, however, dispute the doomsday predict and claim is exaggerated. (See AARP story.7) In fact, AARP has spent a considerable amount of money opposing the Bush plan. (See related story.8) The opposition to private accounts largely stems from the risk involved and the possibility of losing one’s benefits. (See related story.9) San Diego congressional representative Susan Davis (D-CA), who opposes the private-accounts plan, recently hosted a forum on Social Security reform.10

ELDER ABUSE INCREASING
Nearly a quarter of a million senior citizens in California suffer abuse, primarily from family members.11 In response to this troublesome trend, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer has doubled the size of the Department of Justice's elder abuse prosecution program shortly after taking office in 1999.12 The state has also set up a toll-free hotline for reporting elder abuse — (888) 436-3600. In a novel prosecution tactic to curb elder abuse, the California attorney general has filed criminal charges against several employees of the nursing home, in a case involving a San Diego county nursing home. (See related story.13) A hidden camera recorded the alleged wrongdoing. The Attorney General is prosecuting the employees under a state law that has been primarily used against nursing home facilities.

NEW BOOK ADDRESSES CHILDREN’S RESENTMENT IN CARING FOR ELDERLY PARENTS
Roberta Satow’s recent book, Doing The Right Thing: Taking Care Of Your Elderly Parents Even If They Didn’t Take Care Of You,14 describes the resentment she felt in caring for her elderly mother, as a result of a cruel childhood. Satow further explains how she overcame the resentment, and documents the experiences of 50 other caregivers. Psychotherapy (Satow is a psychotherapist) may help a resentful child in sorting out the resentment, and forging a healthier relationship with the parent. (See related stories15 and websites that are resources for caregivers.16)

SENIORS FAIL TO FOLLOW THE DOCTOR’S ORDERS
A new survey indicates that two out of every five senior citizens do not follow their doctor’s orders regarding prescription medicine. According to the survey, there are two reasons: cost and the patient just does not want to. Cost comes into play because many seniors simply cannot afford to purchase the prescriptions. Recent changes in the Medicare law are expected to make some medications more affordable. Beyond the cost considerations, many seniors fail to take medication as prescribed for a variety of reasons including side effects, a belief that the medication does not help, or that they are taking to many prescriptions. (See related story.17)

Related Stories and Sources:
1. A Potential Decline in Life Expectancy in the United States in the 21st Century, New England Journal of Medicine, Volume 352:1138-1145 (March 17, 2005). Link: content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/352/11/1138

2. Medicare Recognizes Obesity as Disease, Associated Press (July 16, 2004). Link: www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,125902,00.html

3. Seniors Strive to Keep Retirement Pounds Off, NBC News (March 17, 2005). Link: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7222053/

4. U.S. Life Expectancy May Drop Due to Obesity, Associated Press (March 16, 2005). Link: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7209499/

5. Cunningham Hosts Community Forum on Obesity, Official Website of Representative Randy Cunningham. Link: www.house.gov/cunningham/

6. Picked To Write Picked Social Security Bill, Grassley Finds No Clamor For It, Associated Press (March 26, 2005). Link: www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20050326-0939-socialsecurity.html

7. Our Fight: Keeping Social Security Strong, Official Website of AARP. Link: www.aarp.org/money/social_security/Articles/a2004-10-22-ss_strong.html

8. AARP Leads With Wallet In Social Security, Washington Post (March 30, 2005). Link: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11076-2005Mar29.html

9. Most Americans No Good At Investing, USA Today (March 23, 2005). Link: www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/general/2005-03-23-investing-cover_xhtm

10. Official Website of Representative Susan Davis. Link: www.house.gov/susandavis/

11. Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse, California Attorney General’s Crime & Violence Prevention Center. Link: www.safestate.org/index.cfm?navID=11

12. Elder Abuse In Nursing Homes, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud & Elder Abuse, California Attorney General. Link: www.ag.ca.gov/bmfea/elder.htm

13. Elder Abuse Spreading as Population Ages in California, North County Times (March 26, 2005). Link: www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/03/27/news/state/20_13_483_26_05.txt

14. Roberta Satow, Doing The Right Thing: Taking Care Of Your Elderly Parents Even If They Didn’t Take Care Of You, Penguin Group (2005).
15. ‘Doing The Right Thing,’ A New Book Provides Support — And A Silver Lining — For Adults Struggling To Care For Aging Parents, Newsweek (April 5, 2005). Link: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7393641/site/newsweek/

16. National Family Caregivers Association. Link: www.thefamilycaregiver.org/ed/; TLContact, Inc. Link: www.carepages.com

17. Many Seniors Don’t Follow Doctors’ Orders On Prescriptions, Wall Street Journal, April 19, 2005.