The 15-county Northwest Georgia region ranks No. 1 in the state for food insecurity among senior citizens.

“And of those counties, we have five that rank in the top 10 counties,” said Lynne Reeves, director of the Area Agency on Aging. “That’s shocking to me. It’s hard to see those rankings.”

The Obama administration has proposed to lift a ban that prevents physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) from caring for Medicare patients in their homes rather than more expensive nursing facilities or other inpatient care centers.

The importance of Medicare simply can't be overstated. According to data from Avalere Health, it's the program responsible for ensuring that 56 million Americans receive medical care this year. The vast majority of these 56 million people are senior citizens aged 65 and over.

My parents taught me (Barbara), “To give is better than to receive. Don’t ask for handouts. Pull your own weight.” All great advice to live a self-sufficient existence. Sometimes, however, even the strongest individuals need to ask for caregiving help.

The seventh annual “Senior Day Expo at the Louisiana State Fair” event will take place on Thursday, October 27, 2016 from 10 am to 3 pm in the Hirsch Coliseum located at 3701 Hudson Avenue in the Louisiana State Fair Grounds in Shreveport. This event is proudly presented by The Best of Times – senior newsmagazine and radio show; and The State Fair of Louisiana. This event is proudly the largest annual senior/boomer expo in Louisiana!

Two pictures of the elderly in America dominate.

One pictures seniors as convivial grandparents, spoiling grandchildren with toys and taffy, enjoying priceless moments of conspiratorial mirth.

Every 11 seconds, an older adult is seen in an emergency department for a fall-related injury, according to a recent report from the National Council on Aging. Many more seniors report a fear of falling that sometimes limits their activities — contributing to social isolation, depression, and a decreased quality of life.

Dr. Lee Gross is worried. He has practiced family medicine in North Port, Florida, near Sarasota, for 14 years. But he and two partners are the last small, independent practice in the town of 62,000. Everyone else has moved away, joined larger groups, or become salaried employees of hospitals or health companies.

Someone described modern assisted living facilities to me as Disney World for senior citizens, and he was right. I have visited many of them, and the good ones provide daily activities, music, Bible studies, a fun social atmosphere, good dining options, and a caring staff. In fact, many newer facilities are resort-like in quality. Good assisted living facilities allow children to know that their parents are in safe environments so that the children can live their own lives without worrying that their parents might fall and injure themselves at home, for example.

Wanda Witter, 80, who up until last week was homeless and living on D.C.’s streets, has received $99,999 in Social Security retirement benefits, but she could be just one of many people owed cash because of the “tangled mess” at the Social Security Administration, according to the social worker who helped her.