I had the honor of attending the annual USAging conference in Tampa, Florida, last week. It was hot, but the trip was worthwhile. It helped expand my understanding of one of the most important programs that supports older Americans: the local Area Agencies on Aging (AAA).

When Medicare was first passed into law in 1965, it seemed fairly simple . . . you pay a small portion of your income into the program when you’re working. Then when you retire, or at least turn 65, the government will provide a safety net of healthcare.

In a prior blog, I encouraged you to watch the debates, ignoring the rhetoric and focusing on the candidates’ statements concerning relevant healthcare issues. I didn’t think I sent you on a fool’s errand, but I certainly felt like a fool as I listened for 90 minutes and couldn’t identify one statement that shed any light on where either candidate stood on any healthcare issue.

When I talk to people about voting, the only reason I hear someone isn’t planning on voting is the excuse, “My vote doesn’t matter.” My comeback to them is while your one vote may not determine an election, the fact that you are a voter puts you in a powerful position. Let me explain.

I’ve talked a lot about the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the fact that it granted the government the power to fix the prices on a selected number of prescription drugs. Here’s just one blog where I’ve talked about the negative impact this law will have on innovation.

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the 2024 BIO International Conference. This conference is hosted by the BIO Innovation Organization, the world’s largest advocacy association representing biotechnology companies, academic and research institutions, state biotechnology centers, and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations.

I’ve always marveled at the emphasis that our country puts on women’s health – and it’s for a good reason. The diseases that are unique to, or have an increased effect on, women have been historically downplayed or even ignored.

May 29th is National Senior Health and Fitness Day which is a part of Older Americans Month. The goal of this fitness day is to, “promote the importance of regular physical activity, and to show what local organizations are doing to improve the health of older adults in their communities”.

Most of the caregivers in our country are our spouses, our children, other relatives, or really good friends. They do this out of love and obligation, but these tireless caregivers almost always offer care that rivals any available in our healthcare system and are most appreciated by those they care for.

The COVID pandemic was an experience that we all hope we never have to go through again. It killed millions of people, caused financial hardships, and separated us from our loved ones.

This month is Older American’s Month, and the theme this year is “Powered by Connections”. I started to cogitate (I used that word in honor of older American’s month) about how much our lives are powered by connections.

It’s Stress Awareness Month, and I, for one, think there is an abundance of stress in the world. The world is beginning to doubt their doctors, not trusting the news outlets, losing faith in science and big institutions.

Is it me or does it seem like lately, everything I’ve written about has been another complicated, hard to understand part of America’s healthcare system? Well, get ready for one more—the part intellectual property plays in keeping you and me healthy.

It’s spring, and for some it means the onslaught of allergies and their unappreciated symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about a quarter of America’s adults suffer from allergies.

It’s National Minority Health Month which for me generated the question, why do we need a Minority Health Month? What has caused the disparity of care that requires us to focus on the access and level of healthcare the minority population receives.

I had the honor last week to attend the American Society on Aging’s yearly conference in San Francisco where I renewed friendships with old (I mean previous) friends and had the opportunity to meet and make friends with the new champions of America’s older population.

On Thursday, March 21st, Seniors Speak Out held its first Facebook Live event of 2024. It was a conversation with Sue Peschin, the President and CEO of the Alliance for Aging Research, where we discussed ongoing and expected federal healthcare policies and developments and their impact on seniors’ access.

I’ve grown up with a love of cars and learned to repair them from a young age. I started out by helping my father change the oil in the car and progressed to maintaining my own cars in high school. I was always intrigued by the way the different parts of the engine and transmission worked together to get sustained power to the wheels.

I sat through the State of the Union (SOTU) speech, and it raised many more questions for me than answers. I remember back when this speech was a chance for the President to offer solutions to the country’s problems and would use the platform to bring both sides together around those solutions.

A provision of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that could impact the discovery of new small molecule medicines needs to be fixed. The bipartisan Ensuring Pathways to Innovative Cures (EPIC) Act is just the law to accomplish this important fix.