Medical Malpractice and Healthcare Mistakes

In a 2016 study by Johns Hopkins University, researchers discovered that over 250,000 deaths a year are caused by healthcare mistakes.  This means that medical errors are the third-leading cause of death in the U.S., after heart disease and cancer.

In addition, government investigators released a report in July, 2016 which revealed that approximately one-third of patients in rehab facilities are harmed while undergoing treatment.  The types of harm range from being given the wrong medication to being given an infection or bedsores.

What are some of the most common types of medical malpractice and what steps can you take to protect yourself and your loved ones?  According to an article in the September, 2016 AARP Bulletin titled "12 Ways the Healthcare System May Be Harming You," below are the most common problems and how to avoid them.

A WRONG MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS

Doctors often miss even common causes for a patient's symptoms, so it is important for everyone to read up on their diagnosis, ask for their test results, get re-tested if they have doubts and get second opinions if they still have doubts about the diagnosis they have been given.

SLOPPY CARE

One common issue today is that an estimated 45 percent of patients do not get the recommended care for their condition.  It is important patients ask in advance for the details of their treatment.  If the doctor seems vague and non-specific, get a second opinion.  Again, it never hurts to read up on your diagnosis and the common ways it is treated.  If your doctor does not not appear to be following a common treatment protocol, ask the reason for the variance.  It could be that another illness you have makes your treatment more complicated.  However, every patient has the right to understand what to expect.

INADEQUATE HYGIENE

With everything we know about germs, including both bacteria and viruses, most patients assume that medical professionals take care not to infect their patients.  Sadly, this is not the case.  The CDC estimates that 721,800 infections are picked up in hospitals every year!  This means that about 1 in 25 hospital patients are suffering from an infection they picked up during their treatment.  About 75,000 of those infected patients die each year.  Patients and family members need to make sure the medical staff washes their hands and/or uses hand sanitizer regularly.  In addition, all visitors, including family members, should be careful to use good hygiene, as well.

OTHER COMMON PROBLEMS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

Communication lapses between various caregivers and medical personnel - Ask questions and try to have another person with you at the hospital and during doctor visits.  Make sure everyone who is treating you knows your full medical record.

Confusing information at the time patients are discharged - Confirm that both you and another family member understands your discharge instructions, including what medications you should take, which ones to avoid, and what activities are allowed.

Prescription drug mistakes and conflicts - Be certain your doctor knows all the prescriptions and over-the-counter supplements you are using.  Question the hospital caregivers or the pharmacist if a drug you are prescribed looks or tastes different than it did in the past.

Doctors who are not up-to-date on the latest guidelines - Does your doctor know the latest recommendations for treating your condition?  You can investigate your care at the National Guideline Clearinghouse at guideline.gov.  Ask you doctor if there is a reason why they are not following the latest treatment protocol.

Unskilled doctors - While most doctors do an excellent job of caring for their patients, just 1 percent of doctors are responsible for nearly one-third of malpractice claims.  Investigate your doctors and surgeons online.  One site where you can see their complications rate is projects.propublica.org/surgeons.

Using small clinics and local facilities which are inadequate - Make sure the outpatient clinic or facility you are using has a good safety record and performs the procedure you need frequently.  If possible, use ones which are affiliated with a large hospital that has a good record.  Investigate, investigate, investigate every aspect of your care, from the doctor you are seeing to the the facility you are using.

Patients who are difficult and do not take responsibility for their own care - Patients who want the best possible care should be as pleasant as possible and not complain about things the physician cannot control ... parking fees, the way the food tastes, etc.  In addition, they should follow their physicians instructions carefully, practice good hygiene themselves, and make sure they fully disclose everything possible about their symptoms, alcohol use, drug use, supplement use and other factors which could be causing their illness or complicating their treatment.

If you are interested in reading more about common medical issues as you age, Medicare, Social Security, where to retire, financial planning and more, use the tabs or pull-down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

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What is the Average Amount of Social Security?

How much will your Social Security benefits be, compared to what the average recipient receives?  Every year, the government mails you an estimate of the amount you can expect to receive in Social Security benefits when you retire.  When you look at those statements, how do you know if your benefits are about average, higher than average, or less than what the typical recipient will receive?  This article will help you determine if your retirement is on track compared to other retirees. 

How Much Social Security Does the Average Retiree Receive?

The numbers below are based on January, 2017 figures. If you are reading this after 2017, you can expect that the benefits will have increased slightly.  However, because the cost-of-living increases are typically modest, these numbers are unlikely to change dramatically.

According to SSA.gov, the numbers below are for the average retiree. 

Average Social Security benefits:     $1,360 a month / $16,320 a year
Average Social Security for couple:  $2,260 a month / $27,120 a year

Although this is not a large amount of money, according to current government estimates, it does mean the average individual or couple will receive enough income from their Social Security benefits to not fall below the poverty line.

While your Social Security income may not officially leave you in poverty, the amount is often substantially below what the average working individual or couple received in earned income, especially during the decade or two before they retired.  Consequently, the typical retiree often sees a significant drop in income, if their Social Security benefits are their only source of income during retirement.

How Much Will Your Benefits Increase Each Year?

Social Security benefits only increase at the rate of inflation, because retirees periodically receive a cost-of-living increase.  However, over the past few years, the cost-of-living increases have been either mostly or entirely eaten up by increases in Medicare premiums.  In other words, Social Security recipients frequently do not receive any increase in their annual benefits, even when there is inflation.

To make matters worse, the government is considering changing the way it estimates the rate of inflation for Social Security beneficiaries.  Currently, they use the CPI-W, which is the abbreviation for the Consumer Price Index for Workers.  This is the increase in the cost of consumer goods and services which the average worker has experienced over the period of a year.  However, the government wants to change to using a Chained CPI. The Chained CPI is a less generous Consumer Price Index which assumes that, as prices go up, a retiree will substitute their purchases for less expensive items. Therefore, cost-of-living increases can be smaller.  The Chained CPI does not take into consideration the fact that many retirees are already purchasing the least expensive items they possibly can.

In addition, neither Consumer Price Index considers the fact that many retirees actually spend more money on certain items after they retire.  For example, they may spend more on medical care or to hire people to help them do yard work or clean their homes.

What Happens to a Couple's Social Security if one Spouse Dies?

Another problem is that a married couple will see their household income drop by approximately 33 to 40 percent when one spouse dies.  This is because the surviving spouse will only be paid the higher of his or her own benefit or that of their deceased spouse ... but not both.  Since their house payments, property taxes, utilities and similar expenses will not decrease when their spouse dies, the surviving spouse may suddenly find themselves in worse financial shape.

What is the Future for Social Security?

Unless Congress takes steps soon to increase the size of the Social Security Trust Fund, it is expected to run out of money within 17 years ... or by 2034.

This does not mean that Social Security will cease to exist.  Current workers will continue to pay enough into the system to allow the Social Security Administration to keep paying between 74 percent and 79 percent of the promised benefits.  However, it does mean that retirees could see a 21 to 26 percent decrease in their benefits.

The sooner Congress resolves this problem, the easier it will be for them to begin refilling the Social Security Trust Fund.

What Can You Do to Protect Yourself?

If you have not yet retired, you may want to postpone retiring as long as possible.  If you wait until age 70 to begin collecting your benefits, you will maximize your benefits.  In addition, waiting to retire will give you a few more years to increase the amount of money in your personal retirement accounts, thus making it possible for you to have more resources for supplementing your income after retirement.

If you are over the age of 50, the amount you can put in a tax deferred retirement account jumps from $5,500 to $6,500.  If you have a company 401(k), the amount you can contribute at age 50 and over jumps from $18,000 to $24,000 a year.  Of course, you can also save or invest additional amounts of money, if you can afford to, although those amounts would not be tax deferred, at this time.  However, the allowable amounts for tax deferrals could go up in coming years.

Once you are retired, plan to use no more than 3 to 4 percent of your total savings each year, which would allow you to have extra income for 25 to 33 years, or longer.

Looking for more information on financial planning, where to retire, Social Security, Medicare, common medical problems or changing family relationships?  Use the tabs or pull-down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional helpful articles.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

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Source:  fool.com/retirement/2017/01/20/what-will-the-average-retiree-get-from-social-secu.aspx

Tips for a Sharper Brain and Better Memory

While most of us will not completely lose our memory to Alzheimer's Disease or another form of dementia, there may be times when nearly all of us feel as though our thinking is a bit fuzzy or we cannot remember as well as we used to.  At the same time, we are constantly amazed by some of our peers who seem to stay "sharp as a tack."  Is there anything the rest of us can do to have a sharper brain and clear memory?  According to a number of leading experts, the answer is "Yes."

The Connection Between Your Heart and Brain

Our brain is dependent on the nutrients which our heart sends its way.  According to Dr. Hannah Gardener in the Department of Neurology at the University of Miami, the stronger our heart, the less cognitive decline we will experience.  She suggests that everyone strives to meet as many of the goals on this list as possible:

Stop Smoking
Have a BMI of under 25
Be physically active at least 150 minutes a week
Have a total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL
Have a healthy blood pressure under 120/80 mmHg
Have a healthy blood sugar under 100 mg/dL
Eat a diet rich in fruits, veggies and whole gains; low in sodium and sweets

Even if you cannot achieve all of the above goals perfectly, the closer you come, the better off your brain will be.

Follow the MIND Diet

This blog has discussed the MIND diet before.  It is short for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.  MIND is much easier to remember.  Below is a brief summary of the diet, although anyone who wants to follow it would be smart to get a more detailed book on the subject.

DO EAT

6 servings of salad a week
7 servings of other vegetables a week
2 servings of berries a week
5 servings of nuts a week
3 servings of whole grains a day
1 serving of fish (not fried) every week
3 servings of beans a week
2 servings of poultry a week
Use extra-virgin olive oil instead of butter
Optional: 1 glass of wine a day

LIMIT THESE FOODS

Butter - no more than one tablespoon a day
Cheese - no more than one serving a week
Red meat - no more than four servings a week
Fried foods - less than one serving a week
Sweets and pastries - no more than five servings a week

Exercise Your Brain

Research has shown that people who regularly give their bodies and brains a work-out are able to postpone the signs of cognitive decline.  Here are some of the things everyone should do:

Get exercise - walk, cycle, swim and lift light weights - 150 minutes a week
Play games - chess, board games, puzzles, etc.
Meditate - spend your "down time" meditating a few minutes every day
Explore Your Artistic Side - sing, act, draw, paint or play an instrument
Read - in particular, read books as well as newspapers or magazines

Other Health and Lifestyle Changes

In addition to the above recommendations, research has shown a link between socializing with others and having a higher level of cognition.  On the other hand, people who are lonely tend to have poorer brain health.  Stay in touch with family and friends.  Join a club.  If you are religious, get involved in a place of worship.  Sign up to take classes.  The more time you spend interacting with other people and learning new things, the more likely you will be able to postpone dementia.

In addition, see your doctor regularly and treat any other problems you may have, including emotional ones.  People who have depression in middle age are at a higher risk for cognitive decline in later life.  People who have sleep problems also see more rapid mental decline as they age.  Talk to your doctor about any health issues you are experiencing and get them treated.  

Medications and Dementia

If you believe that you or a loved one is experiencing signs of dementia, see your doctor as soon as possible.  Researchers are continually discovering new medications which seem to slow down the progression of Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia.  The sooner these drugs are started, the more successful they are.

In addition, it is possible your brain fogginess or symptoms of dementia could actually be a side effect of a medication you are currently taking.  If you suspect this could be your situation, talk to your doctor about changes which could be made to your prescriptions to minimize this problem.


If you are interested in learning more about how to maintain your health as you age, financial planning, Medicare, Social Security, where to retire and more, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional helpful articles.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com


Photo credit:  morguefile.com