Page 6 - Senior Issues News Today

More than 20% of nursing positions in the Commonwealth remain vacant, according to the Kentucky Hospital Association - and combined with workforce shortages in other medical professions, the state is facing a massive health-care workforce crisis that could have crippling effects. Ben Chandler, CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, said the shortages are both straining overworked existing providers and making it more difficult for residents to access quality care. "Were seein...

In rural Arkansas, access to healthcare can be a distant dream - literally - as almost 60 counties in the state do not have enough providers to serve their populations. A new initiative with the Health Resources and Services Administration is working to improve access in these areas, through telehealth. Heather Dimeris, director, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth at the Health Resources and Services Administration, said delivering care remotely online fills a crucial gap. ...

Californias medical aid-in-dying law is back in court. Three patients with disabilities and two doctors are asking to intervene in a lawsuit challenging the law - and they want the judge to dismiss the suit. In April, a coalition of disability rights groups and people with disabilities sued to stop the End of Life Option Act, claiming it is discriminatory and "coerces" people with disabilities into using medical aid in dying. ...

Georgias young people could shift the political landscape of the state in the near future. New data from the Brookings Institution indicates that millennials and Generation Z make up the largest generation and tend to favor the Democratic Party. Michael Hais, former vice president of the research-based consulting firm Frank N. ...

In Tennessee, a pregnancy shouldnt be fatal - but Black women are three times more likely to die than white women from pregnancy-related causes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Tennessee Department of Health has said the state saw 113 pregnancy-related deaths between 2017 and 2020. Rolanda Lister, who teaches maternal fetal medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said Black and brown populations suffered worse from COVID, which was the most recent maj...

Home care aides in Washington state are seeing the benefits of health coverage for their kids. Members of the Service Employees International Union Local 775 who take care of people at home now have access to health care for their dependents. For caregiver Dani Rice, this is a big deal. ...

As fall classes and after-school activities are in full swing, Missouri families can feel pressure to do it all, but the American Heart Association warned parents a nonstop lifestyle is not sustainable or healthy. Dr. Peter Panagos, professor of emergency medicine and neurology at Washington University board chair of the American Heart Association-St. ...

Hundreds of thousands of Mainers are expected to benefit from the Biden Administrations recent announcement that it will begin drug price negotiations with Medicare. A list of 10 widely-used medicines, treating cancer, diabetes and other conditions, marks the start of a new program aimed at lowering what are some of the highest prescription drug prices in the world. Noël Bonam, AARP Maine state director called it a monumental step forward. ...

Prison reform advocates in Minnesota continue to speak out following a lockdown at the correctional facility in Stillwater. People incarcerated there want better conditions, and their supporters say systemic issues need to be addressed. A coalition is now calling for two state offices to conduct an independent human rights investigation after those being held at Stillwater staged a peaceful protest earlier this month. ...

Grassroots voting rights groups in Alabama said they are delighted by a federal court decision to discard the states proposed congressional maps for a second time. United Women of Color and the Ordinary People Society, two of the organizations advocating for more fair representation for voters of color, are among those celebrating the move They see the decision as a necessary step toward achieving the goal. Rodreshia Russaw, executive director of the Ordinary People Society, which is a member ...