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Dementias:
What Does the Future Hold?
Jean Patel, RN, CRC, LPC
Clinical Support Manager, Mental
Health Division
The census of 2000 estimated that approximately 4.5 million
people in the
United States
are living with a dementia, especially Alzheimers disease. As
our population ages and the baby boomers reach the retirement
point, it is predicted that the number of people living with a
dementia will increase significantly. By the year 2021, the
first crop of baby boomers will reach 75 and many will become
consumers of long-term health care services. Advances in
prolonging life will create a large older adult population needing
these services for as much longer time. Due to the anticipated
impact on our health care system, long-term care associations are
beginning to identify what will be needed in the future.
The way
Americans think about Alzheimer’s and other dementia's is
changing. The concept that these disease courses cannot be
altered is not valid. State and public support for research as
well as many personal disclosures regarding Alzheimer’s has
generated a new awareness. Efforts for early identification,
treatment and eventually to eradicate this disease are in the public
consciousness thanks to President Ronald Reagan and others who
have shared their personal stories with us.
Many
academic and field studies are currently being conducted.
Some of the research issues include:
1.
Research to identify a gene that may predispose a person with
Alzheimer’s disease.
2.
Improvement of awareness and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in the early
stages to begin medications to lessen the decline and progression
of the disease.
3.
Advancement in the development of medications to assist in
maintaining cognitive and independent functioning.
4.
Progression of stem cell research to someday effectively treat this
disease and many other debilitating disorders.
Although the number of individuals
living with a dementing illness will increase in the future, efforts
to limit or reverse impairments will also increase.
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Saving
for Retirement: The
401(k)
Karen Carlough
Vice President of Human Resources
Are You a 401k Screw-Up? Are
you participating in a 401k plan?
How many mistakes are you making in managing your 401k plan?
ACT offers its employees the opportunity to enroll in
OppenheimerFunds 401k Plan. But
many of our employees are not participating and that is mistake
number one. Here are the top 5 mistakes made by investors as listed
in www.fool.com/News article, “
- Failure to
participate: About
25% of eligible workers do not join.
- Low
Contribution Levels: About 90% fail to make a contribution or
fail to contribute the maximum allowed by law.
- Undiversified
Portfolios: 60 of
participants are either virtually in stocks or all in
fixed-income investments. Some
investors whether they are risk takers or looking for a safe
haven will often put all of their “eggs in one basket.”
Diversifying ones mix of investment is one way to protect
your retirement funds against a changing world and a changing
market.
- Not
rebalancing your portfolio over time:
What may be good one day will often change due to world
events or changes in how a company does business.
- Cashing Out
when changing jobs: To
truly have a retirement savings, you need to rollover from one
plan to another when changing companies.
Only you can ensure that you’ll have enough money saved for your
retirement. Your best
bet for taking control is your 401(k) plan.
Experts state that you will most likely need 70% of your
pre-retirement income to maintain the same standard of living once
you are retired. The
sooner you start, the more time your money will have to grow.
Employee-sponsored 401(k) plans are the most convenient way
to save. Savings to your
company-sponsored 401(k) are pre-tax, which gives you more money in
your 401(k) account and lowers your taxable income resulting in your
paying less to the IRS.
You may save up to $14,000 if you are under 50 years of age and up
to $18,000 if you are 50 years old or older.
But many of us don’t save near that amount.
Decide the amount you are able to save each month and then
put it directly in your 401(k).
You cannot spend what you do not have in your pocket.
Once you save it, don’t spend it.
Leave it in the plan to grow and remember to roll it over
when changing positions. Those
people who cash out when they change jobs will be starting their
retirement savings at zero dollars each time they start a new job.
Diversification of your plan is also a smart move.
You will want to select a mix of funds when choosing your
investments. Diversification
is spreading your risk by investing in a variety of securities, not
just across the tree major categories of stocks, bonds and cash
equivalents but within each group as well.
Given your risk tolerance, you will want to select the right
mix to provide you with the highest level of return on your
investment. History has
shown that you stand a better change of reaching your goals by
remaining vested in a well-diversified portfolio because it is often
hard to pick “one” winner. Most
investors are looking for sustainable long-term results that are in
line with reasonable expectations for risk – not just short term
performance. Knowing
your needs and the type of investor you are will help to determine
your portfolio mix.
-
Conservative
Investor:
·
Minimal equity exposure and seek current income
·
Wants an investment with relatively low risk and no worry
-
Moderate
Investor:
·
Prefers a fairly balanced portfolio balanced between fixed income
and equities
·
Wants an investment with relatively low to moderate risk, with
possible short-term price fluctuations
-
Moderate
to Aggressive:
·
Prefer the bulk of their assets in equities, with some
international exposure
·
Seeks a long-term investment
·
Needs an investment with some fixed income to mitigate risk
-
Aggressive
Investor:
·
Prefers full exposure to equities with a considerable allocation
to international stocks
·
Seeks capital appreciation over the long term
·
Needs an aggressive investment and can tolerate some volatility.
Once you decide on your portfolio, don’t just forget about it.
Review it annually and especially after world or market
events. Make sure your
portfolio meets your needs especially as retirement approaches.
Rebalance it to stay in alignment with your target
allocations and reflect any changes in your circumstances.
Besides www.oppenheimer.com
you may want to try some of these websites for additional
information on 401(k)s and retirement planning including the
“retirement planning calculator”:
www.fool.com;
www.401khelpcenter.com;
or www.retirement.about.com
Birthdays
-
Ronny Wright
,
July 10
- Maria
O’Tuel-Merk, July 11
- John Rucker,
July 17
- Scott
McClelland, July 19
- Erinn Moore,
July 21
- Karen
Carlough, August 2
-
Scottie Harrell
, August 11
- John Reilly,
August 28
- Susan
Pollard, August 31
Anniversaries
- Barry A.
Moore, MD
9 years
- Chris S.
Norris, PhD
8 years
- Dawn D.
Allen, PhD
6 years
- Juanita C.
Wendt, Health Information Coordinator
3 years
- Reagan L.
Bell, NP
2 years
- Scott R.
McClelland, DO
2 years
- Tracy A.
Carstarphen, NP
2 years
- Deborea W.
Winfrey, PhD
1 year
- Diane V.
Henderson, LCSW
1 year
- Doug G.
Smith, MD
1 year
- Mary A.
Mentz, Medical Records Technician 1
year
New
Hires
- Michael
Quirk, PhD
Greensboro
Practice
- Richard Cook,
PA
Jacksonville
Practice
- Brian
Brosnan, LCSW
Wilmington
Practice
- Darlene
Crisp, RN
Western NC
—GST
- Joseph Boyle,
MD
Sand Hills Practice
- Keith
Ramsamooj, Patient Intake
Wilmington
Office
- Maria
O’Tuel-Merk, PsyD
Goldsboro
Practice
- Eric
Williams, MD
Children Practice
- Theresa
Tucker, PhD
Liberty
Practice
-
Farrukh
Bhatti
,
MD
NC
Underserved Counties
- Jan Jaworski,
PhD
Morganton Practice
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