There is a yawning chasm between the health care system we want and what we have. Crossing that gorge will be a messy and inconvenient process—but necessary. While many of us in the geriatrics community were wending our ways home from the 2013 American Geriatrics Society conference in Dallas…
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Gail M. Sullivan, MD I heard it through the Grapevine … the one in Texas, that is. Several of our grantees and friends are being recognized this week at the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) meeting for their outstanding contributions to advancing the care of older adults. Most of our…
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Amy Berman, left, with geriatrician and social media maven Wen Dombrowski at TEDMED 2013. Earlier this month, I attended my very first TEDMED in Washington, D.C. I had butterflies in my stomach because I was asked to provide opening remarks on the final day of TEDMED, at a convening…
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Marcia Brown (center) and friends at Lincoln Center, New York City “Diversity, small children, and dogs.” “A nice park with good paths for walking or wheelchairs.” “Good transportation.” “A flower and vegetable garden.” “Museums, grocery stores, clinics, senior centers, churches, and an opera house all within walking distance.” “Sunshine.”…
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A beautiful sunset in Twin Falls, Idaho. Updated Wednesday, April 24, 2013, with photos from Alaska. Our intrepid John A. Hartford Foundation staff are starring in their own version of North By Northwest this week, conducting site visits to clinics in Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI, for…
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A number of articles and posts this week have called out the dangers that medications can pose for older adults. This is a topic near and dear to our hearts, and one we have frequently covered on Health AGEnda. Unfortunately, far too many potentially dangerous drugs are still being prescribed…
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I've been a big fan of National Public Radio (NPR) for many years—occasionally, I still grieve the retirement of Bob Edwards, the longtime newscaster on their morning news program, Morning Edition. And I rejoice that I can still hear former newscaster Carl Kasell’s mellifluous voice on the weekly news quiz…
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Watch Dr. Francis Collins' recent appearance on The Colbert Report. At the John A. Hartford Foundation, our commitment to improving the health of older Americans builds on a long and rich 84-year history in health care and biomedical research with many significant accomplishments. We have mentioned some milestones in…
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A recent New York Times article noted a "growing chorus of critics” questioning the fairness of new Medicare financial penalties on hospitals with high readmission rates. While it was certainly a well-written piece about a topic more people need to understand, the article paints an incomplete picture about the debate…
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Recently, I had the privilege of attending a roundtable discussion to learn more about the work underway to develop integrated care plans for those who are dually eligible beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid, often referred to as "duals." The nearly 9 million people in this group are among the most…
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