Health & Wellbeing

Life Reimagined has launched a fully redesigned digital platform, delivering a one-of-a-kind online experience aimed at guiding people through life transitions and helping them discover new possibilities. The platform now offers a suite of engaging programs and stimulating, proprietary content developed by the Life Reimagined Institute’s team of world-renowned experts and thought leaders.

Dec. 15 is the last day to sign up for health insurance coverage that begins Jan. 1 through Delaware’s Health Insurance Marketplace.

When Stormy, age 8, was in kindergarten, her teachers started sending her home from school frequently for vomiting and losing her balance. After a couple doctor visits, the family was told to wait and see what happens. When her situation didn’t improve, her great-grandparents took the lead and arranged for a doctor visit at a local Children’s Hospital. Soon afterwards, Stormy was diagnosed with an amelablastoma, or brain tumor. She’d had it for 6 months.

Delaware will launch the second open enrollment period of its Health Insurance Marketplace will run from Nov. 15, 2014 - Feb. 15, 2015, and is ready to build on the success of season one in which 14,400 Delawareans signed up for private health coverage. Individuals must sign up by Dec. 15 for coverage to be effective Jan. 1. Policies for all current enrollees expire on Dec. 31.

by Myrle Bowe, AARP Volunteer

Would you be ready for an emergency? A recent survey conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency found that nearly 70 percent of Americans have not participated in a preparedness drill or exercise, aside from a fire drill, at their workplace, school or home in the past two years.

Delaware ranks 29th when it comes to meeting the long-term care needs of older residents, but AARP cautions more must be done, at an accelerated pace, to improve an individual’s choice of setting where they receive long term care. Delaware ranked toward the bottom in this area. Delaware also ranks in the bottom for Medicaid spending for community care. Despite increased Medicaid support for in-home care, Delaware still ranks 48th among all states. These findings are from a new, comprehensive state-by-state Scorecard from AARP with support of the nation’s leading organizations behind quality long-term care, The Commonwealth Fund and SCAN Foundation.

On May 21, in the midst of Older Americans Month, AARP Delaware 's State Director and top volunteer visited Capitol Hill to urge Rep. Carney and Sens. Coons and Carper to back bills, including the Older Americans Act, that can help Americans live their best lives.

More than 18,600 Delawareans signed up for health care coverage by April 15, the final deadline of the 2014 enrollment period for the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Let’s not forget to care for those who care for others. Every day, unpaid family caregivers and paid professionals care for thousands of older Delawareans, many of whom suffer from a disability and have limited mobility. Without their caregivers, they may otherwise be isolated from the support and services they need. Caregivers often neglect their own health, jobs and safety to provide essential support that allows those in need to remain in their own homes and live independently in their communities.