The Senior Scene

(Pictured: Regular eye exams are important for good eye health).

Maintaining health and quality of life as we age requires us to prioritize eyesight. Regular eye exams and early detection are essential for maintaining good eye health, just like many other aspects of overall health.

Lighthouse Guild, a non-profit organization supporting blind and vision-impaired persons, notes that low vision (vision loss that can’t be corrected with eyeglasses, contacts, or surgery) can impact many people as they get older and lead to difficulty performing everyday activities such as driving, reading, and hobbies. Symptoms can include loss of central and/or peripheral vision, blurred or hazy vision, and difficulty seeing at night.

occurs, lifestyle factors can play an important role in protecting vision. For instance:

• Eat a balanced diet including dark, leafy greens and fish high in omega-3 fatty acids.

• Maintain a healthy weight, and exercise.

• Get enough sleep to rest your eyes.

• Don’t smoke.

• Keep diabetes and blood pressure under control.

• Wear sunglasses and a brimmed hat outdoors.

• Wear protective eyewear during activities such as sports, gardening, and construction work.

• Discuss your family’s eye health history with your eye care professional.

Source: Lighthouse Guild

(Pictured: Dr. Anne Tournay, seen here with her dog, has EGPA. It took her more than two years for the illness to be diagnosed correctly.)

An estimated 5,000 people in the United States are living with Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (EGPA), a rare form of vasculitis that causes inflammation or swelling in the small and medium blood vessels. While it can cause damage to organs throughout the body, it most often affects the lungs.

The American Lung Association’s new EGPA Educational Campaign, provided with support from AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline, strives to educate people living with EGPA, and their families and caregivers about this serious but treatable disease. Here’s what they want you to know:

Symptoms

They’re varied. EGPA can manifest differently based on what organs are affected. However, nearly everyone living with it will experience these signs and symptoms:

• Feeling frequently ill and tired.

• Loss of appetite, resulting in weight loss.

• Fever.

• Asthma and/or sinus polyps.

• A higher-than-normal level of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell.

Patients may also experience shortness of breath, coughing, chest pain, rashes, muscle and joint pain, nasal discharge, facial pain, abdominal pain or bloody stools, numbness or loss of strength, tingling in hands and feet, and kidney disease.

Persistence, patience in diagnosis.

Timely diagnosis and treatment are critical to optimally managing and minimizing symptoms. But getting the right diagnosis may take years and involve a clinical exam, blood tests to check white blood count, a urinalysis, a chest X-ray or CT scan, and a biopsy. Those who have been through the process say it can be frustrating, and persistence is needed to get proper care.

 Dr. Anne Tournay started to learn she had EGPA with symptoms that included severe adult-onset asthma, congestion due to nasal and sinus polyps, arm pain due to neuropathy, and urticaria, a condition that causes hives.

“Despite being a physician myself and asking repeatedly if I had EGPA, I didn’t receive the right diagnosis and treatment for two and a half years. Eventually I paid out of pocket to see an EGPA expert and enrolled in an EGPA clinical trial. After various medication adjustments, I’m now 10 years out from diagnosis and have had no active symptoms for five years,” Tournay said.

Treatment can help.

There is no cure, but treatment can reduce symptoms, decrease the risk of organ damage, and improve quality of life. Because EGPA can affect multiple organs, a patient may need to work with more than one healthcare provider. They’ll review disease severity, the organs involved, current medications, and other health conditions. Medications may be prescribed, such as anti-inflammatories, which help reduce swelling in the body; immunosuppressants, which can lower the immune system’s activity; and biologics, which target inflammation caused by eosinophils.

Lifestyle changes.

Good health practices, such as keeping vaccinations up to date, eating a well-balanced diet, staying active, and getting adequate sleep can help a patient feel their best. It’s also important to quit smoking, avoid secondhand smoke and fumes, dust and chemicals. Other strategies include tracking any new, worsening or changing side-effects or symptoms, managing asthma, and seeing a healthcare provider regularly.

Support is available.

 EGPA is rare, but questions can be answered and support can be found from:

• The Lung Helpline at 1-800-LUNGUSA, where you can talk to trained lung health professionals and receive a free health journal.

• Living with Lung Disease Support Community and Living with Asthma Support Community, which provide anonymous 24/7 peer-to-peer support at Inspire.com.

The American Lung Association will host a free webinar on March 5, intended for those with rare and complex lung diseases that may be misdiagnosed as asthma or another more common lung disease. Dr. Sanober Kable, a pulmonologist and critical-care specialist, will discuss different examples of rare lung diseases, signs and symptoms to watch for, and the steps to ensure you have the correct diagnosis. Registration for the webinar and more information about EGPA are at Lung.org/EGPA.

Source: StatePoint Media

(New legislation can save money for people with a Medicare prescription drug plan, writes Marguerite Ro, director of AARP Washington.)

By Marguerite Ro

Medication doesn’t work if you can’t afford it, and too many Washingtonians continue to struggle to fill prescriptions because of their cost. But that’s about to change for some.

A new law took effect on Jan. 1, 2025 for people with a Medicare prescription drug plan, capping out-of-pocket Rx expenses at $2,000 per year. An estimated 42,000 Washington seniors will see these new savings, an average of $1,500 in 2025, and that number will steadily increase over time.
It’s a victory we all share. Thanks to the unwavering dedication of AARP members across the country who have worked hand in hand with AARP’s efforts, we succeeded in passing a prescription drug law in 2022. Your stories and your voices made a difference. We couldn’t have done it without you. 

Between 3 and 4 million Part D plan enrollees nationwide are estimated to benefit from the new out-of-pocket cap every year between 2025 and 2029, according to a report published by AARP.

A 2023 survey from AARP shows that 60 percent of older adults are very or somewhat concerned about being able to afford the prescriptions they or someone in their family need. Rising drug prices have left some older adults with no choice but to skip doses or go without needed medication altogether.
AARP fought tirelessly for the prescription drug law because we knew it would bring much-needed relief to Medicare enrollees trying to keep up with rising costs for everyday essentials like housing, groceries, and utilities. This law is a step toward easing that burden.

Limiting out-of-pocket expenses for medication is just one part of the 2022 law.  It also makes many important vaccines, such as shingles and pneumonia, free. It limits insulin costs to $35 a month for Medicare beneficiaries and gives Medicare the power to negotiate with manufacturers to lower prices for certain high-cost prescriptions. 

AARP’s work doesn’t end with the passing of this law. We will continue to ensure it is fully implemented and benefits older Americans for decades to come.

Marguerite Ro is AARP Washington’s director.

As the colder winter weather settles in, rates of respiratory illnesses like flu, COVID-19, and RSV can rise. These infections pose higher risks for older adults and can cause severe illness and hospitalization.

“We all like to gather indoors in the winter because of the cold weather,” said Kari Benson, deputy assistant secretary for aging at the Administration for Community Living. “But those gatherings are easy places for viruses to spread and for older adults to get sick. The good news is there are many ways for older people to lower their risk of serious illness.”

Here are some expert tips for older adults and caregivers from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Pan Respiratory Virus Public Education Campaign, “Risk Less. Do More”.

Get vaccinated against flu, COVID-19 and RSV.

Vaccines are the best protection against serious illness and can cut a person’s risk of being hospitalized for flu or COVID-19 by about half and for RSV by about 70 percent. Most deaths from those illnesses are among people 65 and older, and the risk grows with age.

The 2024-25 flu and COVID-19 vaccines are available for all people and ages. RSV vaccines are recommended for anyone 75 and older, as well as those 60 and older with certain health conditions or who live in nursing homes. Older adults and caregivers can talk to their doctors about which vaccines are right for them.

Try to avoid people who are sick.

If family or friends you are planning to see aren’t feeling well, it’s best to reschedule or move your get-together outside. If you must be inside with someone who is sick, wear a mask and ask them to wear one, too. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently. You can also improve ventilation by opening doors and windows and using fans.

Limit time spent at large, indoor events.

Viruses can spread quickly in large crowds, especially indoors. Spending extended periods in crowded inside spaces – such as large restaurants or concert and sports venues – can be risky, especially if rates of flu, COVID-19 or RSV are high in your community. Consider skipping these events or going to outdoor events instead.

Respiratory viruses can surge during winter months. However, there are ways to lower your risk of severe illness and hospitalization. To learn more, go to cdc.gov/RiskLessDoMore or talk to your doctor.

Source: Family Features.