Posts Tagged ‘Future’

The Future Of Health Care

April 9th, 2011

Ten years from now where will health care be? Will all Americans have health insurance? Will health care be delivered in the best way possible? Will costs be contained? No one knows for sure. But we can be the ones who shape the future of health care delivery. Right now we can be the ones who can make sure that our children and grandchildren will have fair and competitive health insurance rates, high-quality health care and the peace of mind that comes with it. I say we stop blaming and start finding solutions.

 Doctors must now become better business people. They must look for ways to become more cost efficient and deliver quality care at the same time. It is not impossible. By studying the new health care law and being up to date on all the new rules and regulations, doctors can be creative and implement cost saving measures in their own offices. Be proactive and meet challenges head on. Mary Pat Whaley, a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives with 25 years of experience in health care management has listed on her blog, Manage My Practice, “101 Ideas for Increasing Revenue and Decreasing Costs in Your Medical Practice”. She has great ideas to add or subtract services that can make medical offices more profitable. Does it make sense to hire a mid-level provider like a nurse practitioner or physician assistant? Can some of the administrative processes in the office be streamlined? Is there a good triage system and medical follow-up in place? Search the internet, get advice from a tax consultant and discuss with other physicians ways to be more cost efficient.

 Private health insurance companies must also be responsible. As a society, we have to be the ones to demand quality care at a quality price. We can no longer allow them to price gouge and then turn around and disallow medical benefits that are medically necessary. Shop around for the best rate and policy if you are purchasing private health insurance. Contact your local state representative and voice your opinion about health insurance company practices. If you are an employee who receives health benefits from your employer, know that all employees have a voice in the decision making process regarding their health insurance. Make sure your employer knows your opinion.

 Patients have to be informed about their own health. That responsibility has to be shouldered too. You cannot go into your doctor’s office demanding certain tests and procedures be performed. It is a joint decision between you and your doctor on what is appropriate and necessary. Health care costs cannot be controlled if everyone demands tests or procedures that are not medically necessary. That is just not cost effective and it is irresponsible. If you are a smoker or overweight, you will probably pay more in premiums. It is only fair as those things are a lifestyle choice. Do what you need to do to live a healthy lifestyle. It will not only add years to your life but will aid you financially.

All of us have a responsibility to reform health care. Don’t let the ranting and rhetoric from news media and politicians deter you from making the effort to make change. Approach health care reform in a positive, constructive way to promote positive change and we can all benefit.

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The Private Health Insurance Market in Europe: Future trends, emerging opportunities and key players

March 13th, 2011

The dynamics of healthcare funding in Europe is changing. As governments review their options to meet growing healthcare demands with limited resources, the potential to combine cost reduction with new funding sources will gain support in many countries. Reimbursement decisions in the public sector are becoming increasingly tougher for pharmaceutical and diagnostic manufacturers; the private market offers a potential alternative route to gaining market access.
Private insurers currently play differing roles in European national healthcare systems. This report reviews their role in the major European markets and provides an insight into trends in their coverage of health benefits and products. It highlights selected product areas where private insurance could fill the gaps in public reimbursement . An insight into the European private insurance industry, including overall trends and profiles of leading insurers, provides an indication of future developments within the sector and highlights potential opportunities for pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies to work with private insurers.

Key features of this report

• Reviews healthcare systems and the role of private insurers in the five major European markets of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
• Analyzes the healthcare systems in the Netherlands and Switzerland, where mandatory health insurance is purchased from private insurers operating in regulated competitive models. These have parallels with the State of Massachusetts’ system, which has been considered a blueprint for other US states and for federal reform.
• Examines some of the issues in gaining market access for pharmaceuticals and diagnostics through coverage by private health insurers and highlights initiatives being undertaken by insurers that present potential partnership opportunities for companies.
• Details trends in the private health insurance market, including relative market shares for the main markets in terms of benefits paid for by private insurers.

Scope of this report

• Understand the diverse roles played by private insurance in funding pharmaceutical and diagnostic products in major European markets and the relative importance of private funds in healthcare spending.
• Identify the key players in each market who will be potential targets for gaining market access in the privately-funded sector.
• Review what new opportunities might be afforded in the private sector for products that are denied reimbursement in the public sector.
• Tailor product portfolios to meet differing needs of individual markets.

Key Market Issues

• The function of private health insurance depends on coverage provided by national public healthcare systems. Understanding which type of private health insurance – substitutive/primary, complementary/supplementary or duplicative/competitive – is dominant in each market is key to assessing market potential.
• Gaining reimbursement for medical diagnostic products and treatments in the public sector is becoming increasingly challenging in many countries as the cost and medical necessity of certain products are coming under closer scrutiny by public payors. Some private insurers are showing interest in covering medicines for minor ailments and lifestyle products that are excluded from public reimbursement.
• Managing costs is a challenge for private insurers in the current economic climate as medical inflation and price competition in the industry create additional pressures. Insurers are adapting their portfolios to address market needs, with a focus on disease prevention and promotion of healthy lifestyles.

Key findings from this report

• There are over 84 million Europeans with some form of private health insurance. Germans account for the largest proportion of the privately insured population, with 22.3 million, followed by the Dutch with 16.2 million.
• Healthcare benefits paid by private insurers account for 8% of total European healthcare expenditure, a share that is on course to increase as public payors redefine their benefits package.
• The cost of medicines accounts for a significant proportion of private insurers’ costs in most markets. Around 93% of the French population has complementary health insurance to cover costs not reimbursed by the social health insurance system, with 30% of insurers’ costs going towards the cost of medicines.
• Private insurers provide comprehensive health cover to 10.5% of Germans and almost all the population of the Netherlands and Switzerland. Voluntary insurance also plays a significant role in these markets to complement and supplement the statutory benefit package.
• France has the highest density of private health insurers at 893, whereas the industry is concentrated among relatively few players in most other markets – there are 46 insurers in Germany, 30 in the Netherlands and 27 in the UK.

Key questions answered

• How many Europeans have private health insurance and why do they purchase private cover?
• What proportion of healthcare costs are paid for by private insurers in the major European markets?
• How influenced are private insurers by public health pharmaceutical reimbursement decisions?
• Who are the major movers and shakers in the European private health insurance market?
• What initiatives are underway by insurers to cover pharmaceutical products not reimbursed by national healthcare systems?
• What role do private insurers play in public-private partnerships?

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Home Health Care Career ? A Career For The Future

January 5th, 2011

The trend towards a growing older population that is living longer is already creating high demand in products and services tailored to this demographic.

Home healthcare, assisted living and nursing homes are just some of the areas to benefit.

We see healthcare as a great field for many years to come. Even with breakthrough medical technologies, people will continue to need healthcare workers.   And for those that are aging and somewhere in-between assisted living and an elderly home – home health care may be the option of choice.

Right now, at least a two-year college degree is a consistent requirement to have a career in the home health care industry.  And this usually applies in the administrative areas as well.

Growth in the home healthcare industry can be attributed to an increasing elderly population, growth in chronic disease prevalence, and physician acceptance of homecare, medical advancements and the continued movement towards cost-efficient treatment options from both public and private payers.

Based on a report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, national expenditures on home healthcare services are projected to reach more than billion by 2014.

In 2003 home healthcare was the fastest growth area for national healthcare spending, behind only prescription drugs. Expectations are that home healthcare spending will eventually overtake prescription drug growth.

Here is a list of some of the growth careers that are in the various ‘top 10 lists’ and otherwise noted at highly active:

Home health aide 56%
Postsecondary teacher 32%
Registered nurse 29%
Customer service representative 23%
Nursing aide, orderly 22%

So this should give you an idea of the overall trend of the industry and the fact that Home Health Care seems to be at the top right now of many lists.

Another one is Industry based and not career based:

Home health care services 69.5%
Management consulting services 60.5%
Employment services 45.5%
Offices of physicians 37.0%

UC San Diego has geriatric care listed at #5 and offers this bit of information to it’s students and potential students:

“….Geriatric healthcare. The growing population of seniors continues to have a major impact on careers in health care.   As the numbers of aging baby boomers increase, so does the demand for certain healthcare jobs and services, including nursing, personal care and home healthcare.”

So as you can tell by the previous  information, the home health care industry is on the grow and whether it be a Nurse, Geriatric Care, Health Care Administrative position or others, theses interested in the Home Health Care Career will find employment opportunities for some time.

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Predicting Your Future Health – New Ways To Deliver Health-care

December 11th, 2010

Predictive Health-care may not be a household term quite yet, but basically this new, emerging way of delivering health-care in the US focuses on predicting health and its risk factors, as opposed to waiting for disease to begin. Predictive Health-care delivery is by no means a niche market idea in the realm of Alternative Medicine, a feasibility study has been published by a mainstream institution: Emory University Predictive Health Initiative. It alludes to the many advantages including cost savings.

The Change to “Measuring Health” before Discovering Disease

Health is commonly defined as the absence of disease symptoms, and it is disease symptoms that are commercially relevant. In fact, today’s Health-care systems are all set-up to measure disease, we are searching for what’s wrong, not what’s right. However, physical symptoms are evidence of the last stage in the progression of an Illness which originated much earlier. Thus, the purpose of Preventive- or Predictive Health is to identify any sign of degradation in the “whole Health”, usually referred to as Holistic Health and what is perceived as Vitality. Whole Health consists of the 6 interweaving elements: Physical – Mental – Emotional – Spiritual – Social – Intellectual Health. As Physical Illness is usually the final manifestation of an Emotional Trauma, treating the Physical Symptom is only a temporary fix. In the attempt to forestall Physical Illness we need to identify the potential cause for the loss of Vitality – and Lifestyle is the usual culprit. By Lifestyle we mean the person’s intentional choices such as Nutrition and Activities, and circumstantial factors, such as Environmental Exposure, History, Believes, Social Integration, etc.

Conventional Health-care is not concerned with these intertwining Mind-Body issues, because the medical science consensus neither extends to analytical methods nor the interpretation of results. The generally accepted medical standard for diagnosing disease rests on sample collection, which can be reduced to numerical values, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, body fat, bone density and various biomarkers.

In Predictive Health such samples and methods may be used, but in presumed healthy people, these “disease markers” just resemble a snap shot of a condition at the time of sample collection. If all results check out in the “Normal” range, a person is considered physically healthy, even when all 5 non-physical health elements are compromised. In such case, a physical symptom has just not yet established itself measurably.

Holistic Health or Vitality may be defined as the sum of all 6-elements that comprise whole Health. A person, who has been clinically classified as physically healthy, may however completely lack Vitality, if any of the non-physical elements is weakened; while we may perceive a person to have great Vitality, if all health elements are strong and in harmony.

What is needed is a process that measures Vitality as the sum of all Health elements. As Vitality is a highly volatile condition, we cannot solely rely on static samples to predict a person’s susceptibility to contract any disease, nor can we recommend a Nutritional concept or Lifestyle modification based on static numericals, such as cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose and insulin. Instead, we have to dynamically monitor how well a person copes with lifestyle specific conditions that include various degrees of stress and rest, and we have to measure cellular function under changing situations. We want to assess the wear and tear that the body has undergone to date.

These Test results incorruptibly and reproducibly portray a person’s immunity, strengths and vulnerabilities . When correlated with the person’s history, lifestyle and personal objectives, a Lifestyle optimization program (behavior modification) can be generated that does not rely on lifetime prescription drugs.

Predictive Health – a quantum leap in Health-care

The passionate debates on Health-care reform are far from over and will not come to a consensus as long as it is wholly focused on pharmaceuticals based symptoms fixing, all while people get more concerned about their sustained Health.

A Japanese “Attitude Survey on Health and Preparation” (November 1, 2010; Hello-Global.com) states that 69.4% of the respondents “are worried about their future health”. There are more indications of people’s concerns about their future Health: In the US we are seeing sustained increase in growth rates for Organic Foods even in a recession. The statistics furnish the evidence that people are awaking to the fact that protecting health is better than recovering from illness. The leading market research and information analysis company RNCOS Press Release of October 29, 2010 reveals that the US Organic Food Industry will orchestrate 12.2% CAGR during 2010-2014. North American market growth for Organic Personal Care products amounts to 20% annually, according to Organic Monitor.

“Even in the midst of the economic downturn, the Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs industry has maintained steady growth, with membership rates growing consistently and profits remaining solid. Demand for gyms and health and fitness clubs will continue to rise over the next five years, as the general public becomes more health conscious and the aging population places a greater value on staying fit” – According to IBIS World Industry Report of September 17, 2010. Merriman Curhan Ford, Fitness & Wellness Industry Report predicts US sales of Health and Wellness goods to reach $ 170 billion by 2012, a growth of 70% in 5 years. Gym memberships for people over 50 will rise even more dramatic over the next 10 years with a target market potential of 139.2 million people by 2020; according to Capital Connection, March 2010 Newsletter. The Nutritional Supplements market in the US will exceed billion in 2014, yielding a compound annual growth rate of 7%; says Market Resaearch.com, in the September 2, 2010 Press Release.

These trend numbers clearly portray the global shift to Preventive Health, lead by the US which boasts the highest Health-care costs in the world. If we are truly concerned about our future health, evidenced by spending substantial money for healthy food and lifestyle, it should come naturally that we can no longer rely on drug-centric sick-care, but opt for Predictive and Preventive care.

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What the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Means for the Future of Mental Health Care

October 22nd, 2010

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed in March of this past year, and aims to improve all aspects of our country’s health services. One aspect that will be much-improved is the area of mental health care.

Insufficient coverage and a lack of programs that educate the public on mental illness have plagued the United States for quite some time. With the passage of the new law, a number of new provisions aim to change the public’s perception of mental illnesses and offer programs and other initiatives to help those who need mental health care. A few of those provisions include:

Improvements to Medicaid (including the expansion of eligibility) that will allow more people to experience the benefits of mental health services
Several new options for people with disabilities
Improve coordination and communication between primary care and mental health services
Much more…

Essentially, what this means is that, over time, individuals with mental illnesses will have access to health insurance that covers mental health and substance abuse services, giving people unprecedented help and cooperation from the government. Other services include prevention programs, new insurance plans for long-term community care, and more.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act also aims to improve health services in the workplace. It specifies that starting in 2014, employers can offer bigger incentives for employees’ positive lifestyle practices or participation in health promotion programs. The PPACA also creates a grant program to assist small businesses to provide comprehensive workplace wellness programs. Grants will be awarded to eligible employers to provide their employees with access to new workplace wellness initiatives.

The grants will be awarded beginning in 2011 with 0 million appropriated for a five-year period. The PPACA spells out that a comprehensive workplace wellness program must be made available to all employees and include health awareness initiatives(including health education, preventive screenings, and health risk assessments) as well as supportive environment efforts (including workplace policies to encourage healthy lifestyles, healthy eating, increased physical activity, and improved mental health).

The improved workplace atmosphere when it comes to mental health awareness is particularly important, as knowledge about mental health is notoriously absent from workplace programs. It has been studied that employees are eager to become more understanding of mental illnesses and ways to treat them, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act aims to accomplish that.

Mental health services will be experiencing a major renovation with the government’s commitment to overall health care reform.  Those with mental illnesses will find it easier to seek help and others will find much more information on mental illnesses to create a better understanding of how mental health services operate. By creating a more cohesive health care system for mental illnesses, our society will not only become more fluid in its operations, but more knowledgeable and, therefore, better for it.

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Individual Health Insurance Reform Future Proceedings Easy To Insure Me

October 5th, 2010

MARCH 26, 2010

This Week in Health Care Reform     

Health care reform legislation passed the House this week on a party-line vote. Late Sunday night, House Democrats approved the Senate health care reform package, sending the legislation to President Obama for his signature. On Tuesday, President Obama signed the underlying bill into law, yet the House has yet to finalize the package of “fixes” that will alter the final implications of the legislation.

Health Care Reform Negotiations

House Democrats Pass Health Care Reform Package: The House of Representatives approved the Senate health care reform bill Sunday night by a vote of 219 to 212. The vote marks the climactic finale to a year-long debate over health care reform. In the final vote, 34 Democrats joined all House Republicans in voting against the measure. Shortly thereafter, the House also passed a package of “fixes,” by a vote of 220-211, that was sent directly to the Senate for its approval through reconciliation. On Tuesday, President Obama signed into law the Senate health care reform bill, called the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”

Republicans Force Senate to Send the Reconciliation Bill Back to the House: Shortly after the President signed the Senate bill into law, Senators began deliberations on the reconciliation bill. Reconciliation protocol restricts Senators to 20 hours of debate on the measure, but it does not limit the number of amendments that can be filed. In an expression of opposition to the bill, Republicans filed 29 amendments to the reconciliation package.

After 10 hours of continuous debate, Republicans were successful in eliminating two provisions related to college financial aid in the non-health care portion of the bill. The Senate parliamentarian ruled early Thursday morning that those two provisions violated the chamber’s rules, sending the legislation back to the House for a new vote. As a result, on Thursday afternoon, the Senate voted on the reconciliation bill without those two provisions and sent the bill  back to the House for a vote on final passage. The House vote will likely come Thursday evening.

What Does This Health Care Reform Legislation Mean: While the health care reform bill extends insurance coverage to 32 million more Americans by 2019, the legislation has other far-reaching implications that will be phased in sooner, during a multi-year implementation period.

Several features of the new health care overhaul bill that would take effect in 2010 under the measure passed Sunday include:

* New product requirements beginning 6 months after enactment, including:
o Coverage for dependents up to age 26
o No lifetime maximum benefit limits
o And no cost sharing on preventive care for certain policyholders
* Temporary federal high risk pools;
* Tax credits for small employers; and
* Prohibition on pre-existing condition exclusions for children (beginning 6 months after enactment).

Most Americans will have until 2014 to purchase insurance or pay a penalty. Other elements of the bill that will not take effect until at least 2014 include insurance marketplaces called “exchanges”; rules requiring insurers to accept all applicants regardless of pre-existing conditions, and an expansion of state Medicaid programs.

A number of experts question whether health care reform will really drive down insurance premiums. America’s Health Insurance Plans ( AHIP), the trade group representing health insurers, outlines a series of concerns related to the legislation including a lack of provisions that address underlying health care costs, improve quality of care or ensure a stable risk pool. In addition, AHIP expressed concerns regarding new taxes on health coverage, which will likely increase premiums.

Additional Activities

Obama’s Executive Order on Abortion Funding: On Sunday afternoon, prior to the final House vote on health care reform, President Obama agreed to issue an Executive Order that would uphold the ban on federal funding for abortion . In so doing, he secured about a half-dozen votes from anti-abortion Democrats, led by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), who previously opposed the legislation. On Wednesday, President Obama signed the Executive Order banning the government from spending federal money to pay for abortions through plans offered on the insurance exchanges created under the measure.

States Filing Lawsuit to Fight Provision of Health Care Reform Bill: In response to the new health care reform legislation, states across the country have filed lawsuits asking the courts to declare the law unconstitutional and to bar its enforcement. On Monday,Attorneys General in 13 states, led by Florida, filed a joint lawsuit claiming that the new health care reforms violate state government rights in the U.S. Constitution and will force massive new spending on hard-pressed state governments. Joining Florida in the suit are Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Washington.

At the same time, the Attorney General in Virginia filed a separate suit contending that Congress has exceeded its power in mandating that people buy health insurance. Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli argues that the new law’s requirement clashes with Virginia law that exempts citizens from federal fines imposed for not having health insurance.

Senate Voting to Extend COBRA Until May 5:  Senate Democrats plan another short-term extension of unemployment aid this week, setting up a face-off with Republicans, who are vowing to fight the extension if the billion cost isn’t offset with spending cuts. The bill, currently set to expire on April 5, would extend a series of emergency programs – including funding for unemployment insurance benefits and COBRA health coverage for the jobless  – and would hold off a deep cut in reimbursement rates for doctors who serve Medicare patients. The long-term extension has already passed in both the House and Senate, but the two measures are not expected to be reconciled and sent to the President’s desk until after the Easter recess.

President Obama Heads to Iowa to Speak on Health Care: President Obama headed to Iowa on Thursday to increase support for his health care legislation. This was President Obama’sfirst trip out ofWashington since signing health care reform legislation earlier this week. He spoke at the University of Iowa, in the city where he first announced his health care proposal during the Presidential campaign.

Public Opinion

Most Americans Want Republicans to Fight Health Care Reform Bill: In a recent CBS News poll, 62 percent of Americans said they want congressional Republicans to continue challenging the bill, while 33 percent said they should not. Disapproval of the bill has remained steady, with 46 percent saying they disapprove, including 32 percent who “strongly” disapprove. A majority of Americans continue to say that they find the bill to be confusing and do not understand what it means for them or their family.

American’s Split on Health Care Reform Passage: In a recent USA Today/Gallup poll, 42 percent of Americans said they were angry or disappointed with the recent passage of health care reform legislation. When asked to reveal party affiliation, 79 percent identified themselves as Republicans.

Polling Shows Support for State Lawsuits Against Government: National polling reveals significant opposition to the individual mandate. In a newly released Rasmussen report , 53 percent of those polled oppose the new mandate requiring every American to buy or obtain health insurance. Further, 49 percent of voters are in favor of their state suing the federal government to fight the mandate. Fifty-one percent say individual states should have the right to opt out of the health care plan entirely.

Looking Ahead

After this week’s final health care reform vote, President Obama plans to travel the country in the next few months to discuss the new law. Republicans have begun their own discussions of the law, with an eye towards the November elections.

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Will Public Libraries Become The Brain Gyms of the Future?

October 2nd, 2010

Copyright (c) 2009 SharpBrains

As you may have noticed, public libraries offer much more than books these days. Yes, you can find CDs and DVDs, but also an array of lifelong learning classes, civic engagement opportunities, gaming sessions, and health promotion initiatives. Libraries are actively promoting cognitive health in a variety of ways.

A few months ago I spoke to librarians at The New York Public Library (NYPL), about “The Emerging Brain Fitness Field: Research and Implications.” I provided an introduction to how the brain works, discussed the growing research supporting how lifestyle factors contribute to lifelong cognitive health, and offered a way to navigate through this emerging and confusing field. This was part of NYPL’s first Health & Wellness Month for library staff, which in turn was an important enabler of major health events for older adults.

This experience highlights two new trends: 1) public libraries are focusing more on health & wellness promotion in order to engage older adults, 2) cognitive health or brain fitness is becoming a significant component of that promotion.

US Public Census data explains why libraries need to cater to an older audience. In 20 years, the number of Americans over the age of 55 is expected to grow from under 60 million to close to 100 million. This is due to expanded longevity and to the baby boomer generation moving up the population pyramid.

Brain health provides a unique opportunity for libraries to engage active boomers and seniors. Rohit Burman, manager of culture and public broadcasting at MetLife Foundation, explains, “Last year we identified a growing interest by boomers and seniors on brain health issues and thought that public libraries, as community and learning hubs, could play a major role. So, we decided to launch, in collaboration with the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and Libraries for the Future, a new iteration of the Fit for Life program, focused squarely on promoting brain fitness.”

The Fit for Life program supports 17 library systems from January 2009 to January 2010 that launch new initiatives to promote brain health via the following research-based lifestyle factors: diet, physical exercise, intellectual challenge, mental stimulation through new experiences, and socialization.

There are other new programs libraries are using to promote brain health. For example, the Lifelong Access Libraries Initiative, funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies, is in practice an all-inclusive way for older adults to improve their brain fitness through civic engagement.

Gaming, thanks to the Nintendo Wii, is quickly emerging as a major opportunity to foster intergenerational activities. At least 18 of the 89 NYPL locations ordered Wii gaming equipment and software programs in 2008, for both in-library use and to be checked out. The American Library Association celebrated the first “National Gaming @ Your Library Day” on November 15, 2008, encompassing both board and videogames.

Brigid Cahalan, NYPL Older Adults Services Specialist, explains that Wii gaming has become one of the most popular activities to engage older adults in the libraries that offer it regularly, complementing the more serious computer classes that had long been the major attraction. She highlights, “If we want to become the hubs of learning and community activity, we need to offer new types of social activities.”

In short, libraries are already innovating to engage older adults with lifelong learning, civic engagement, gaming, health & wellness promotion. Cognitive health may well be the common driver for all those activities.

This new reality raises some interesting questions for librarians, aging, and lifelong learning professionals to consider: May public libraries be transformed in the future into the health centers for the mind and brain?

Marzena Ermler, Coordinator of Professional Development at NYPL, explains the emphasis on brain health this way, “If only we could help people understand that libraries are healthy places for them to go. Learning through life is very important to maintain our brains in top shape as we get older.”

Pauline Rothstein, Ph.D., Co-editor of ALA book Longevity and Libraries: Unexpected Voices to be published in late 2009, recommends libraries to “think of brain fitness as the new concept that can help integrate disperse activities, identify additional needed resources, and explain our value to society. It makes sense to start with specific programming, and then use a new framework to evaluate a variety of library services. Public libraries need to redefine themselves away from old thinking and material objects (buildings, books, DVDs…) and focus on services: how do we educate, how do we help navigate the growing avalanche of information ‘specifically around how to keep our brains in shape?”

That evolution will require libraries to proactively listen to community expectations, and to partner with local organizations, such as seniors centers, to meet new requirements. If reshaped as Health Clubs of the Brain and the Mind, libraries would provide a critical service to an aging population and become centers of information and destinations for brain fitness programs.

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