Washingtonians with kids and older parents in need of care are praising the peace of mind the state s new retirement savings program is providing them. Working, middle-aged people caring for kids and their parents are considered members of the sandwich generation. The WA Cares Fund will provide benefits so that people can pay for long term care. .
Workers at Legacy s women s health clinics have announced their intention to unionize. About 60 nurse midwives and other health staff at clinics in Oregon and southwest Washington intend to join the Oregon Nurses Association. Heather Webster, a certified nurse midwife at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in North Portland, said the decision was driven in part by the failed attempt to close the birth center at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham. .
Today is National Rural Health Day - and in South Dakota, some smaller communities are trying to become more "cardiac ready." Across rural America, health experts say factors such as ambulance shortages and hospital closures add to access issues for patients, leading to poorer outcomes. The American Heart Association notes that rural populations are 40% more likely to develop heart disease. AHA s Senior Rural Health Director for the Midwest, Tim Nikolai, said that s why his organization is working with small towns and cities to build a nation of lifesavers for when a rural resident experiences a heart attack. .
About 790,000 Hoosiers are family caregivers for relatives in declining physical or mental health. But Indiana ranks fairly low in support for family caregivers on the latest AARP national scorecard for Long-Term Care Services and Supports. It s 39th compared to other states. .
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and a newly released report shows far too few Nebraskans at high risk for lung cancer are getting the recommended screening. The American Lung Association s latest "State of Lung Cancer" report ranks Nebraska 33rd for lung cancer screening at less than 4% of those who are at risk. Julia McCarville, executive director of the American Lung Association in Nebraska, said although lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths for both men and women, the nationwide outlook improved somewhat between 2015 and 2019. .