Retirement health care
Planning retirement has been growing more challenging over the last twenty or so years. In part this is caused by the increase in life expectancy. When we were all expected to die shortly after we retired, the government could assume it had enough cash in hand to cover the costs of looking after our health. Now the statistics show more people living into their 80’s, the federal government and individual states have been doing calculations. They have all realized there will not be enough money in the funds set aside to deal with this commitment to provide health care. The first sign of this was the change in the linkage between Social Security and Medicare benefits. Originally, we were eligible to get both benefits at the age of 65. Now you can still get Medicare at 65 but, depending on your birthday, you may have to wait until 67 to get retirement benefits.
To trigger the Medicare coverage, contact Social Security within the three month period before your 65th birthday. It’s better to do this even if you intend to keep on working and a group health plan covers you. There’s a Special Enrollment Period that applies if you or your spouse has a Plan. If you want guidance on the costs and benefits, you should call Social Security. However, the issue of health care retirement funding has become a legal hot potato as more states find their budgets under pressure. One of the most interesting examples is in Michigan. First Gov. Jennifer Granholm and now Gov. Rick Snyder have been leading the efforts to make major savings across all aspects of the state’s activities. The plans calls for a reduction in next year’s projected deficit of $ 1.4 billion, with measures to save not less than $ 3.5 billion over the next ten years.
In 2010, the lawmakers required public school employees to pay 3% of their earnings into the retirement and health care funds. In particular, this was intended to avoid a projected loss of about $ 360 million in the School Aid Fund. The important feature of this fund is that it covers the health care costs and pays out pensions to current retirees. The cost is about 24% of the school districts’ budgets but, as the courts have pointed out, there’s no guarantee that younger people paying into this fund will ever receive benefits. This has led the judges in two separate cases to hold the laws unconstitutional. It would probably be lawful to increase the deductions from pay if the teachers were guaranteed a benefit. As it is, the courts have knocked a big hole in Michigan’s efforts to close the deficit gap.
Health insurance plans come under pressure from all sides. The employees find their contributions inching up. This eats into their disposable income. The employers find their own budgets going into deficit, while the healthcare insurers find everyone reluctant to continue paying higher premiums when nothing is done to control the healthcare providers’ costs. No one objects to paying when they feel the benefits they receive are good value for money. But when health insurance as part of the retirement process may be compromised because the states have not been making adequate provision for payment, everyone is right to be angry.
aidanjesse has shared his vision and professional opinion on a vast array of topics and http://www.cuthealthcarecosts.net/articles/health-insurance-for-those-retiring.html is one of the sites where you can read more of aidanjesse’s contributions.
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Categories: Uncategorized Tags: Care, Health, Retirement
Dog Health Problems
One of the common dog health problems is diet disorders where their food intake is giving problems to their health. Most of these disorders can be treated but it is important to prevent them so that it will not get worse. For a guide to pet owners, here are some of the diet related disorders found in dogs:
Metabolic/Endocrine. This disorder can lead to diabetes because of the high sugar content from commercial foods that do not have natural ingredients. This also causes thyroid problems.
Digestive System. Preservatives, additives and toxins can cause constipation and diarrhea and lead to dehydration because of always letting out bowel and urine. This could make the dog go weak and malnourished.
Ocular Aspect. Dog food that do not have natural ingredients and are commercial can lead to cataracts. Cataract is where there is a defect within the lens and light cannot pass through. Sometimes cataract can cause blindness and can only be treated through surgery.
Dermatological Aspect. Harmful ingredients and other toxins in the air can make dog’s skin dry and hair can fall out. If this worsens, it can lead to malnutrition and lack of energy.
Circulatory System. If there are no nutrients for dogs, this could weaken the heart and result in heart failure. The heart needs a lot of nutrient in order to pump blood throughout the whole body, since this is its main function.
Respiratory System. Dogs can easily get allergies due to lack of nutrients to protect the lungs and skin from allergies and infections
Immune System. the chemicals, toxins, funguses, molds and other additives can truly destroy the body and weaken its immunity system. With a low immunity system, bacteria and viruses can easily come in and different diseases will hit the dog’s body. This could, most especially, lead to dog cancer that has killed a lot of dogs in the past year.
Skeletal System. A dog’s bones and joints are often not given the right nutrients in order to make the bones stronger and tougher. Because of this, arthritis is becoming a coon disease in the bones for dogs. Also, dogs would be prone to injury because they have brittle bones.
Reproductive System. Low nutrition makes the dog health weak and has the inability to fight bacteria that can cause them reproductive disease such as breast cancer or a cyst in the reproductive organs of the dogs.
Pet owners may not know it, but they must look out for the food they are giving to their dogs because not all of them are good for the dog health. Go for the natural dog food that has natural ingredients that will give them the right nutrition to be healthy.
Ade is a contributor for VIP Sitters that offer Pet Services and Pet Sitting Toronto like Cat and Dog walking, House Sitting, Grooming, pet travel services and Emergency Ambulance Service.
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Hands On Health
According to traditional Chinese medicine, good health depends on the optimum level and flow of chi, or qi. This subtle energy flows around our bodies in channels known as meridians – along which lie numerous points linking the organs and functions of the body. If chi becomes reduced or blocked – through illness, bad diet or lack of exercise, for example – we’re likely to suffer lack of energy, emotional problems, physical discomfort or even disease.
In China, a system of massage known as Tui Na (words which mean ‘push’ and ‘grasp’) has been used for many centuries to treat pain and common health problems, by clearing chi blockages. Today, almost all Chinese hospitals have a dedicated Tui Na clinic: this profound and invigorating form of massage, which works on the same points used in acupuncture, is regularly employed at the front line of medical care.
Although not as widely practised in Europe as acupuncture, Tui Na is available in a few places in Mallorca. One of these is at the Gran Hotel Sóller, where Mei Hong has been treating clients since 2005. They travel from all over the island and further afield: “One comes over from Barcelona,” she tells me. Hospitals and general practitioners also refer patients to her.
Mei qualified in Tui Na in Shenzhen, in her native China, having previously worked as a midwife for six years. She met Lars, a Swede, while he was working in China and they married after four years. A year later, the couple moved to Mallorca – Lars’ home since the 1980s:
“I followed love,” Mei says, smiling.
Although it takes a few minutes to tune in to her Oriental-accented English, her warm, caring nature is instantly obvious. This and her therapeutic skill have made her popular, keeping her busy – particularly during the period from June to September. “Sometimes I’m working from 8am until 10 or 11 at night!”
Trust is an important issue when having a massage and it’s reassuring to learn that Tui Na requires a long period of training: “It takes a minimum of three years to learn, and the first year was spent learning all about the body.” In the oasis that is her treatment room, a wall chart illustrates the body’s meridians and acu-points, but the full extent of her training is revealed when Mei shows me a weighty tome – crammed with Mandarin text and anatomical line drawings. “It’s a bit like learning to become a doctor – I know all the muscles, tendons and joints,” she explains. Such precise knowledge of the anatomy is essential, particularly when locating the source of referred pain.
What makes Tui Na such a beneficial form of massage? “It fixes the body, releasing blockages in tendons and muscles, and giving us feelings of being looser and lighter,” Mei explains. “More relaxed massages don’t have the same deep effects.” It’s most effective for mechanical problems, such as stiff necks, frozen shoulders and sciatica: “It can straighten out the twists and reduce inflammation.” Three or four sessions are typically required.
Sports injuries are common: “I have a lot of clients with golf-related problems, because their playing technique is wrong.” But even the daily routine of walking, lifting, and reaching, can result in problems: “I see in Europe that people carry a lot of heavy things,” Mei says. “They come out of Carrefour overloaded with shopping, which can lead to shoulder or elbow pain.” She believes self-care is important, so teaches post-treatment exercises for the back.
For the therapist, Tui Na is more physical than ordinary massage:
“In China, Tui Na therapists are often men.” However, the strength of the massage can be adjusted to suit the client; it’s suitable for any age and Mei’s clients include people in their eighties. She has treated a lot of people with cancer, but says it’s not for those undergoing chemotherapy. However, she tells me that post-operative treatment can be valuable to the healing process and, for example, she’s treated people who’ve had operations on tendons, or tumours successfully removed.
Mei also offers special massage for pregnant women and babies and, in China, taught baby massage: “They love having their face, back and stomach massaged – it helps them sleep longer (giving mums more of a rest) and makes them grow stronger and taller.”
Away from work, I wonder if Mei ever finds herself studying people to identify problems. “Yes,” she laughs, “I do it automatically. At the airport, for instance, I’ve said to Lars, ‘that person has a problem with their shoulder!'”
The solution to the physical strains of Mei’s own daily life isn’t surprising: “I massage myself,” she says. In practising Tui Na, she uses a small pointed tool made of yak horn to apply pressure to certain points of the body; Mei also keeps one of these tools at home, “to open blockages and for relaxation.”
When Mei tells me that Tui Na can make us look younger (“tension is ageing”), I need no more persuasion to hop onto her couch. Snug under a light duvet (with hot pillows of Chinese herbs applied to different points during the session), I happily surrender myself.
Like many Orientals, Mei is diminutive in stature, but the power of her hands belies their delicate appearance. She ‘reads’ my body, using her fingers to probe different points, and quickly locates blockages in my neck and shoulders (a common problem for computer users). Then, using skilful manipulation, Mei sets to work on turning me into a looser woman . . .
When I eventually emerge – slightly light-headed – into daylight and the bustle of Sóller, I feel that I’ve finally cast off the shackles of winter. And there’s a definite spring in my step.
Dr. Helen Cummins is the Editor of abcMallorca Magazine a high quality guide to mallorca printed in three languages including informative Articles about Mallorca, up to date Events Guide and a Business Directory.
You can visit the abcMallorca website to read the original article about Hands on health or related articles about health&wellness in Mallorca.
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