People with Alzheimer's Create Photography Exhibit

A cool and touching article about people with Alzheimer's creating a photography exhibit in Houston. Most of the artists decided to photograph an image that evoked a strong memory. http://tinyurl.com/3t5jhbv

Why are So Many Healthcare Workers Using Alternative Medicine?

A new study found that three out of four workers in the healthcare industry use some form of alternative medicine, such as yoga, pilates, massage, or herbal medicines, among others, to stay healthy.  This number is double the 38% of the general public that engages in using alternative medicine.  Why is there such a disparity in numbers? 

Somebody who works on Wall Street probably knows more about the stock market than somebody who does not.  A carpenter typically knows what wood should be used when building a deck more than someone who is not a carpenter.  And so it is the same with the healthcare workers.  I have found that I, and the people I work with, are much more comfortable engaging in non-traditional health practices.  For example, I use diet supplements like fish oil, exercises like yoga, or mindfulness activities such as meditation more than my friends who do not work in healthcare.  The study indicated that one reason many people not involved in healthcare did not use alternative medicine was that they are dubious about the efficacy of these practices.  One example of such a practice is acupuncture.  Many view acupuncture as a zany Eastern practice, but it is really quite effective.  Of course you should always research anything before you use it, but many of the things you might think look silly are in fact very useful.  And, often, one of their best characteristics is that they are free!  Meditation does not cost anything, and if you have cable, there are numerous yoga and pilates classes right there!

Tennessee Women's Basketball Coach Pat Summitt Diagnosed with Early-Onset Alzheimer's

Pat Summitt, who has coached the Tennessee women's basketball team for the past 37 years, and who has been arguably the most influential woman in sports in the last two centuries, announced on Tuesday that she has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.  This news came as a shock to the sports community, for throughout her career Summitt has established herself as a personification of strength, toughness, and unflappibility.  The fact that Summitt could develop the disease seems unfathomable.  Yet this is the nature of Alzheimer's - it can hit anyone, no matter how strong the person's character, personality, nature, anything.  It does not discriminate and it hits hard, often effecting the person's family just as much as the person.  Pat Summitt will certainly have a tough road ahead as the disease sets in, and here at Long Term Solutions we all wish her the very best.     

Listen to LTS on the Radio

LTS colleagues Anne Harrington and Sandra King will be appearing along with me on the

"Mind your Own Business" Radio Show this week. The show provides advice, information and connections for entrepreneurs, service providers and established companies. Tune into MYOB this Wednesday between 2-3 PM to hear our segment!

Local Stations:

WBNW 1120 AM - Needham, MA
WPLM 1390 AM - Plymouth, MA
WESO 970 AM - Southbridge, MA

or stream online @ MYOBTheRadioShow.com

TGIF Examined

Every Friday I am greeted with a chorus of people telling me how great it is that Friday is here and how excited they are that the work week is over.  I love the weekend just as much as the next person, but more and more I find myself a bit unsettled by the sentiment that the work week is a horrible thing.  I read a book about Buddhism last year, and there was one passage I vividly remember that talked about washing dishes.  Instead of complaining about washing dishes, the author wrote, we should enjoy it.  We need to wash dishes, so we should do it with a positive mindset.  The author applied that idea to everyday life, and I really liked it.  So instead of complaining about the meetings I need to attend, I enjoy talking with my colleagues and discussing our children.  Instead of complaining about waking up early, I enjoy the early morning light.  At the end of the day, we only get one shot at this life.  We need to make sure we enjoy it and not complain about it.

LTS Participating in Alzheimer's Association Walks

At Long Term Solutions, every day we see first-hand the damage Alzheimer's disease causes, both to the individuals who suffer from it and their families. We have decided to participate in two Alzheimer's Association Walks to raise money that will go toward advances in research to treat and prevent Alzheimer's, and provide programs to improve the lives of millions of Americans.  The first is in Walpole on September 24th, and the second is in Cambridge on September 25th.  If you would like to help us in the fight to find a cure for Alzheimer's, please donate to the LTS team page at http://alzwalk.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=456812&lis=0&kntae456812=8CF8D3BF3153486DA5D3797387DAAD82&supId=0&team=4218722&cj=
Thank you.

Paul Aldrich Sings The Blues...I Mean The Middle Aging Man Song

Paul Aldrich sings a hilarious song about aging.  I can't picture Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan ever crooning to this one (can you guess the theme?).

The Fate of President Obama's Healthcare Reform Act Now Rests in the Hands of the Supreme Court

On Friday, the 11th US Court of Appeals in Atlanta, GA concluded that the Affordable Care Act, the healthcare reform act passed by President Obama, was unconstitutional.  By a 2 to 1 margin, the Court ruled that the healthcare plan went to far with its "individual mandate," and that it was unconstitutional to force Americans to buy health insurance or else face a financial penalty.  It is not known exactly when the Supreme Court will preside over the appeal, but it could come after the 2012 presidential election.

John Geyman Diagnoses the Decline in Primary Care as the Main Problem with U.S. Healthcare

According to John Geyman, the biggest problem the U.S. healthcare system now faces is the decline in primary care.  In other countries that manage to keep their per capita healthcare costs down, primary care physicians represent a greater percentage of doctors.  Geyman quotes, "research shows that preventive care, care coordination for the chronically ill, and continuity of care -- all hallmarks of primary care medicine -- can achieve better health outcomes and cost savings."  The article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-geyman/the-decline-of-primary-ca_b_922256.html

To me, it seems like part of this problem is that, for doctors, it is more lucrative to become specialists than to become primary care physicians.  After seven years of medical school, student loans are extremely high, and these loans are obviously easier to pay with a higher income.  So, there needs to be a way to incentivize med. school graduates to enter the realm of primary care.  Should this come in the form of fewer years in school?  Probably not, because effective primary care physicians need to have comprehensive health knowledge.  One possible solution: The government could offer student loans at a lower interest rate or more financial aid for those plainning on entering primary care.  If the research Geyman quotes is correct, more primary care doctors will result in more cost savings, so the money will balance itself out.  Regardless, Geyman's assessment is very interesting, and one the government should think about carefully, especially as it readies to expand health coverage to 30 million more Americans.

LTS Employee Michael Guanci Published in Voluntary Benefits Magazine

LTS Employee Michael Guanci was published in the most recent edition of Voluntary Benefits Magazine for an article on caregiver benefits.  The article: http://www.voluntarybenefitsmagazine.com/article-detail.html?issue=issue-26&article=employer-funded-caregiving

How Much Will Accountable Care Organizations Change Healthcare?

As it stands now, most health providers in the healtchare industry make money when people get sick.  This is a fundamental flaw in the system, for it does not financially incentivize these providers, such as doctors and hospitals, to ensure that people remain healthy.  A big emphasis of the new healthcare reform is incentivizing individuals to keep themselves healthy and to penalize providers for providing poor care.  The following article does a great job outlining how Accountable Care Organizations, or ACOs, may go a long way in accomplishing this, and how they may change the future of healthcare: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/08/03/2344316/will-acos-create-a-revolution.html

Medical Costs in the Information Age

As medical costs grow and the frustrations of sitting in doctors’ office waiting rooms for hours mount, the benefits of self-care are becoming more evident.  Recently, I was doing yoga, and I felt a bit odd.  Why?  Not because I was sweating profusely, but because my instructor was on the television.  On the same station they offer classes for Pilates, aerobics, and Tai Chi. 

In the Internet age, we have so many resources for keeping ourselves healthy right at our fingertips.  Need some good advice for staying trim?  Go to Google.  Need some good tips for how to stretch correctly?  Check the videos on YouTube.  Have a medical problem you are worried about?  Check WebMd. 

The point is, we spend so much money on keeping ourselves healthy, but it does not necessarily need to be this way.  Instead of paying for a personal trainer or a physical therapist, often we can just as easily get treatment by doing the right research in the right place.