Physical and mental health are inextricably intertwined — senior-focused primary care can help bridge the treatment gap

The post Mental Health and Aging: The Role of Primary Care in Overcoming Barriers to Treatment appeared first on MedCity News.

In-home hospice care, which gives them ample opportunities to engage with family and friends in the comfort of their own homes, allows providers to give dementia patients the daily contact they deserve. 

The post Hospice — The Best Way to Alleviate Loneliness for Middle-Stage Dementia Patients appeared first on MedCity News.

A recent report from Papa, a companion care company, found that 22% of Medicare Advantage members are severely lonely. The findings give some insights into why employers and payers should offer companion support, according to Andrew Parker, founder and CEO of Papa.

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Forum, which launched Wednesday, is an online marketplace that offers peer support groups for a range of topics, including grief, loneliness, chronic conditions, substance use, caregiving and relationships. It has raised $5.3 million in seed funding led by NextView Ventures.

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Peppermint is an “online clubhouse community” for adults aged 55 and older that allows them to connect with others through online clubs (like for traveling or gardening), workshops (like for nutrition or photography) and collaboration (where members can work together on activities like creating a recipe book). It aims to reduce loneliness by creating a sense of community and purpose for older adults, Peppermint’s CEO said.

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Wisdo, a social health platform that addresses loneliness and social isolation, teamed up with Humana to serve some of its Medicare Advantage members. A new study on Humana’s members found that 58% of participants reported lower rates of loneliness after three months of using Wisdo’s app.

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In order to make an impact and improve physical and mental health, we need to recognize the need to approach loneliness as a condition. Building connections through social intervention is the most direct way to affect change.

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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services only recently gave the green light for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to provide a wider range of benefits that address social determinants of health. With that new charge, it’s time for health care payers to join the fight against loneliness.

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To tackle loneliness among seniors — which can have serious repercussions on health — Medicare Advantage plan provider SCAN Health has launched a togetherness program. The program is founded on senior-to-senior interactions, both virtual and, eventually, in-person.

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Armed with a tablet and virtual pet companion, California-based startup care.coach is aiming to alleviate senior loneliness — an issue that has worsened amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The company, which won the health IT track of the Pitch Perfect contest at MedCity INVEST, aims to fulfill seniors’ medical and social needs through access to health information and clinical care when needed.

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The app stars a friendly chatbot named Pyxir who engages with users through jokes and questions. Its ambitious founder hopes the app can become the prescription for clinical loneliness.

The post With $1.8M fundraise, Pyx wants to be “prescriptive solution to loneliness” appeared first on MedCity News.

The Administration for Community Living, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, is taking steps to establish a National Volunteer Care Corps.

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A new study suggests owning a dog can significantly reduce the risk of a cardiovascular-related death. I challenge you to show me any drug or surgery that does the same without side effects and at a comparable cost.

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