Pneumonia Vaccination: Protect yourself by asking the right questions

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    It’s a new year, and here at the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA), we’re resolving to make 2020 the healthiest year yet for NHCOA’s constituents and staff. Hopefully by now you have been vaccinated for influenza and the immunization will keep you healthy over the winter months. Equally important is another vaccine currently available for your protection — the pneumococcal vaccine – which prevents a serious illness, pneumococcal disease or pneumonia.

    Don’t make the mistake of thinking that pneumonia is just a bad cold or the flu or that it can be prevented with the flu vaccine. In.... Read More

                 

    Conquering Health Disparities Facing Older Hispanics

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    For far too many years, Hispanics across the country have been sidelined in critical medical research. As a result, our community is not taken into consideration in the creation of medical treatment programs that, for some, would be their best chance for survival. For a community that already faces a lower life expectancy, higher rates of diabetes and other critical health disparities when compared to their white peers, this reality is simply unacceptable.

    Even worse is the lack of precise medical treatments for older Hispanic populations. As some of the most vulnerable members of our society, these individuals deserve equal access to treatment.... Read More

                 

    Results of the National Hispanic Council on Aging’s 2017 National Caregiving Survey

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    Family has always been at the heart of Hispanic values. A big part of that value includes caring for our elders. In fact, providing care for our elders is often considered an honor and is performed willingly. However, caregiving does not come without its own challenges.

    As life expectancies grow, we are faced with concerns about health (e.g., chronic disease, dementia, etc.), health care costs, financial stability, and housing. Many of these issues have Hispanic families turning to each other even more for physical, emotional and financial support.

    This year, the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA), along with its partners, has focused on the needs of Hispanic family caregivers. Over the course of the past year, among other things,.... Read More

                 

    “About 40 million family caregivers provide about $470 billion annually in unpaid care to their loved ones”

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    Building on the findings presented in the 2017 Status of Hispanic Older Adults: Insights from the Field – Caregivers Edition, the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA), has developed a number of recommendations for local, state, and national leaders.

    NHCOA forwards the following recommendations to better support Hispanic/Latino older adults by ensuring adequate training and care for their caregivers, and would like to urge and encourage members of Congress to support these important pieces of legislation that impacts their older Hispanic constituency:

    Bipartisan passage of R.947 and S.337, the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act (the FAMILY Act). Bipartisan passage of S 1028, the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act.

    “Latino.... Read More

                 

    Alzheimer’s Association and the National Hispanic Council on Aging collaborate to educate Latino communities, increase access to Alzheimer’s information and resources

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    This press release was issued by the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) on September 16, 2017.

    The Alzheimer’s Association and the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) announced today a nationwide partnership aimed at increasing Alzheimer’s disease awareness and education in Latino communities across the country.

    The partnership will develop a network of health promoters to deliver Alzheimer’s education in Latino communities, while connecting people living with the disease and their caregivers to free resources and support services offered through the Alzheimer’s Association. The health promoters will help bridge cultural and linguistic barriers.... Read More

                 

    Empowering Communities to Age with Dignity

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    This post originally appeared on the NHCOA blog. For more information about upcoming regional conferences and trainings, check out NHCOA’s Facebook page.

    The National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) brought together members of the older adult population along with elected officials, social advocates, and service providers in a Symposium at the Miami-Dade College InterAmerican Campus on June 29th.

    This linguistically and culturally safe space gave those present the opportunity to discuss solutions to issues such as economic insecurity, hunger and affordable housing, with special emphasis on Hispanic Caregiving.

    .... Read More
                 

    Hispanics and Latinos are facing the fastest increase in the rates of type 2 diabetes

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    This post originally appeared on the NHCOA blog.

    Hispanics and Latinos make up the fastest-growing demographic of the US population. In 2015, the Hispanic population reached 56.6 million, making Hispanics the nation’s largest ethnic/racial minority, constituting 17.6% of the US population. It is projected that by 2060, the Hispanic population will reach 119 million, or 28.6% of the US population.

    In addition to rapid population growth, Hispanics and Latinos are also facing the fastest increase in the rates of type 2 diabetes. Hispanics are at a greater risk than non-Hispanics for having prediabetes, a treatable condition categorized by.... Read More

                 

    Breaking stigmas, creating awareness, and increasing age-sensitive education are three key elements to improve the lives Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers

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    This post originally appeared on the NHCOA blog.

    The National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) continues its work by looking for strategies that amplify the voices of thousands of families facing Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, so their specific needs can be included in the decision-making process across public health.

    Latinos face a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias because they are not only living longer (2.5 years longer than whites and 8 years longer than blacks), but they also face severe health disparities, including high levels of hunger, higher rates of type 2 diabetes incidence and complication rates, and lack of access to health insurance.

    Around 18% of Hispanic.... Read More

                 

    Hispanic Family Caregiving: Proceedings From a Thought Leaders Roundtable

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    This post originally appeared on the NHCOA blog.

    On February 14, 2017, the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) hosted a Caregiving Thought Leaders Roundtable in Washington, DC. The roundtable focused on identifying the education and training needed to support Hispanic caregivers. The discussion was based on a new study released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) focusing on Family Caregiving for Older Adults. The information gathered from the convening will inform NHCOA’s national strategy on family caregiving and create awareness on caregiving among Hispanics.

    .... Read More
                 

    Now Trump wants to erase LGBT elders. We say NO!

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    This post originally appeared on the NHCOA blog.

    The first 100 days of the Trump administration have been a cause for concern among many Hispanic older adults and their families. While our attention has been understandably focused on the new administration’s anti-immigrant policies, its efforts to roll back the Affordable Care Act, and its proposed cuts for programs seniors rely on, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has quietly taken a step toward erasing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) seniors from a key survey that helps HHS ensure.... Read More

                 

    Paid Family Leave: The Struggle Continues!

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    This post originally appeared on the NHCOA blog. You can also read it in Spanish here.

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    Families that don’t benefit from Paid Family Leave in the United States lose over $20 billion annually.

    The Caregiving in the U.S. 2015 Report, conducted by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), found that 34.2 million Americans provided unpaid care for an adult aged 50 or older. Those who are forced to leave their jobs in absence of Family Paid Leave report a loss of at least $300,000 in wages and/or pensions.

    For this reason, the.... Read More

                 

    Family Caregivers: An Often Overlooked Subgroup

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    This post originally appeared on the NHCOA blog.

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    In 2015, an estimated 34.2 million Americans provided unpaid care for an adult aged 50 or older. The Caregiving in the U.S. 2015 Report, conducted by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), found that the prevalence of caregiving was higher in Hispanics when compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Also, the results of the report show that Hispanic caregivers spend almost 32 hours per week caring for a loved one. This commitment stems from the importance that is placed on family in the Latino culture.

    The report also found that the health and wellbeing of these family caregivers.... Read More

                 
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