All Posts in "Month: November 2021"

COVID boosters for older age groups

People 65 and older, residents of long-term care settings, and anyone 50-to 64 years old with underlying medical conditions are eligible for a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine, as long as it comes six months after

This graphic from Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department gets the word out about COVID boosters.,

a person’s full vaccination (two doses). That’s the word from the Washington Department of Health, the national Centers for Disease Control, and the Federal Drug Administration. You can get more information from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department at tpchd.org.

srmedia by — November 18, 2021 in Health & Fitness

Americans fear running out of money in retirement more than declining health. That worry is justified, as longevity is the greatest threat to a secure retirement, says Pamela Yellen, a financial-security expert.

“Over the last 40 years, there has been a dramatic shift away from company pension plans that promised workers a certain amount of money every month in retirement for as long as they lived,” Yellen said. “Instead, there’s been a shift toward do-it-yourself, cross-your-fingers, hope-and-pray retirement planning strategies like 401(k)s and IRAs.”

Because people don’t know how long they’ll live or how much they can safely withdraw each year, they run the risk of spending too much too quickly and outliving your savings, or spending too conservatively and not being able to fully enjoy your retirement years, Yellen contends. “Traditional retirement investing strategies also make it virtually impossible to ensure a major market crash doesn’t cut the value of your savings in half when you might not have time to recover from it,” she added.

The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College and other experts recommend having an annuity to ensure your money lasts as long as you do. “Including the right kind of annuity in your financial plan takes the guesswork out of taking income in retirement and can free you from the fear and worry that most people live with,” said Yellen, whose books include “Rescue Your Retirement: Five Wealth-Killing Traps of 401(k)s, IRAs and Roth Plans — and How to Avoid Them.”

srmedia by — November 16, 2021 in Personal Finance/Consumers

In response to reports of skyrocketing drug overdoses in Washington and nationwide, King County has launched an awareness campaign about its secure medicine-return program that is similar to other efforts across the state to stop misuse of medicine.

The county will publicize the locations of nine drop boxes where old or unused medicine can be deposited, as well as a phone number (1-800-633-7765) that any resident of the county can call to request a mail-back envelope for turning in items such as over-the-counter and prescription medicine in all forms, controlled substances, and pet medicine.

Earlier this year, the state Department of Health reported rising totals of overdose deaths in Washington in 2020. Contributing to a higher risk of drug misuse and overdose is the pandemic, which has made vulnerable populations more vulnerable, disrupted treatment and support systems, and left Washington residents isolated, according to the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA), the state-run purchaser of healthcare plans such as Apple Health (Medicaid).

HCA is involved in two programs to prevent opioid addiction and overdose:

  • The MED-Project, at pharmacies statewide, allows people to dispose their leftover prescription drugs at a kiosk or drop box. Residents can enter their ZIP code online at MED-Project.org to find a location near them or order a free medication mail-back envelope. MED-Project is managed by the Department of Health and is supported by the HCA.
  • Starting this October, an in partnership with dozens of pharmacies, HCA plans to give free locking bags to patients who receive opioid prescriptions. Patients will be asked to store their medication in the bags.

These programs can keep medication out of the hands of people who weren’t prescribed them, said Jessica Blose, an HCA manager.

“With a rapid rise in overdose deaths and increased substance use during the pandemic, there is no time to wait when it comes to removing unused prescription drugs from our medicine cabinets” and protecting people from overdoses, said King County Councilman Reagan Dunn.

More information about the county program is available at kingcountysecuremedicinereturn.org.

srmedia by — November 16, 2021 in News

MultiCare Health System is making a $5 million investment in an affordable-housing project in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood through Forterra’s Strong Communities Fund II, which partners with communities to lower the cost of home ownership.

The project will have four buildings with 300 homes and approximately 25,000 square feet of commercial space. Half of the housing will be attainably priced for local residents, officials said. Construction is expected to start in 2023.

If families and individuals have to spend a large part of their income on housing because of its relative unaffordability, that could prevent them from paying for healthcare or healthy food, causing adverse effects on a person’s physical and mental health. “This attainable housing project is a huge step forward for community health,” said MultiCare president Bill Robertson.

The Hilltop community of Tacoma has been the center of Black culture in the South Sound for generations, and the neighborhood is experiencing rapid gentrification that threatens to displace longtime residents and businesses, according to supporters of the project. Housing prices in Tacoma are among the fastest-rising in the nation, as magnified by housing that has become unaffordable to Hilltop residents.

In 2019, Hilltop community leaders reached out to Forterra to help secure land that was vacant for many years. Forterra bought the property at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and South 11th Street.

For the past two years, Forterra has worked with community leaders on the project that includes space for locally-owned businesses in a development that will incorporate Hilltop culture and art.

MultiCare’s investment and “holistic perspective of wellness leads back to healthy, affordable homes that resist displacement of a long-standing community.” said Forterra president Michelle Conner.

srmedia by — November 11, 2021 in News