Many aging adults, particularly those with chronic diseases, struggle to keep their weight up. Some try to pack on a few extra pounds by snacking frequently, drinking protein shakes and taking nutritional supplements, but to no avail. Although many of us might wish we had this much trouble gaining weight, it’s really a serious problem.

The inability to gain weight indicates your body isn’t absorbing calories or nutrients. This compromises your immune system, increasing your vulnerability to infections. Additionally, being underweight can cause heart problems and osteoporosis. And if you’re significantly underweight, your muscles can deteriorate. People who lose two or more pounds a week—common among cancer patients and those with chronic diseases—experience “famine mode”; this means their body starts consuming muscle mass.

We are excited to announce that one of our communities, EPOCH on Blackstone Boulevard, recently earned deficiency-free status from the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Every year, the department visits all Rhode Island skilled nursing facilities to conduct routine, unannounced inspections. Health officials assess compliance with state standards of care in dining, quality of care and cleanliness, nursing, administrative leadership and more. Because the regulations grow increasingly strict every year, earning a deficiency-free status has become a rare feat.

Receiving the highest score on the health survey is truly a testament to the high quality of care Blackstone provides. The team there is proud of their accomplishment, as they should be! Congrats to the Blackstone staff. 

A slew of talented professionals and experts will be visiting our EPOCH communities this week. First, we’re excited to welcome local celebrity and former state attorney general Arlene Violet. She will discuss her film in progress, “Belleview Avenue,” about Newport’s famous street. International costume designer Charles Caine will also stop by EPOCH to share his experiences working with famous directors, designers and artists at the Metropolitan Opera. If you’re a fan of rock and roll, be sure to join us for a performance by Dan Daniels. He’ll perform songs from the famous recording sessions of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. Finally, we’re offering an important seminar on fraud protection. You’ll learn how you can protect yourself against identity theft and scams. Don’t miss this informative event! Keep reading to learn more.

Caregiving can bring you a stronger sense of purpose and help you become a more patient, tender and grateful person. However, it’s also taxing and can bring a landslide of difficult emotions, including frustration, resentment and fear. According to Sally Abrahms, longtime caregiver and AARP blogger, three of the most common and difficult emotions caregivers contend with are grief, guilt and exhaustion. Abrahms offers suggestions for how to effectively deal with these emotions.

If you care for a loved one whose illness has left them a different person, you might mourn over the loss of the person they used to be. Abrahms said after her mother had a stroke, she could no longer see well enough to read as voraciously as she used to; she also began staying home frequently because she had difficulty walking and getting up and down. It grieved Abrahms to see that the vibrant, social and engaged person she once knew was gone.

Long-term care insurance used to be a booming business, but these days, few people are buying it. Many long-term care insurance providers are making drastic changes to deal with the financial blow.

Many companies are raising premiums, tightening eligibility requirements and reducing benefits. Other changes companies are making to long-term care insurance: reduced inflation protection; required home visits for new applicants; blood tests to check for nicotine, drugs and markers of cardiovascular disease; and a thorough examination of medical records.

Perhaps the biggest change companies are implementing is gender-distinct pricing. What this means is that rates will rise for single women by as much as 40 percent. Why? Women apparently cost insurance companies more money.