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Aug. 23, 2023, 5:52 PM EDT

By Erika Edwards, NBC News

There are no reports yet of injuries from the drops, but the agency warned against using the products because of fungal and bacterial contamination.

The Food and Drug Administration is urging people to stop using certain brands of eyedrops found to have fungal and bacterial contamination.

The drops in question are Dr. Berne’s MSM Drops 5% Solution and LightEyez MSM Eye Drops-Eye Repair. Both are sold online but are considered illegal because they contain an ingredient called methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM.

The chemical is sometimes used to try to treat arthritis. It’s not approved for use in eyedrops, although there are unproven claims online that it can be used for a range of eye problems, including dryness and floaters.

“There are no legally marketed ophthalmic drugs that contain MSM as an active ingredient,” the FDA wrote in its warning, dated Aug. 22.

While there have been no reports of injuries associated with using the drops, federal regulators found contamination in samples of the drops that could pose a risk to consumers.

Dr. Berne’s MSM drops, according to the FDA, were contaminated with a type of bacterium called Bacillus, and a type of fungus called Exophiala.

The LightEyez drops contained three kinds of bacterial contamination: Pseudomonas, Mycobacterium, Mycolicibacterium and Methylorubrum, the agency said.

“Using contaminated eye drops could result in minor to serious vision-threatening infection which could possibly progress to a life-threatening infection,” the FDA wrote.

As an older American, you can do all kinds of things to get more in tune with your spiritual core. And by doing activities that promote a deeper sense of connection, wholeness, meaning, and purpose, you can awaken new perceptions that renew your outlook and give you inner strength for the rest of your human journey.

Every religion offers spiritual practices that are designed to bring you closer to a sense of the divine. They include activities like praying, chanting, fasting, taking part in rituals, celebrating special milestones, and many other practices. But you don’t necessarily need to follow any particular religious practices in order to enliven your spirituality. Anything that you love doing, that makes you feel whole or truly alive, or that gives you a feeling of deeper connection to the world can be considered a spiritual activity. For example, consider pursuits such as:

• Volunteering: Providing your time and efforts to a worthy cause can generate many positive emotions that feel deeply rooted in your spiritual core.
• Spending time with nature: The world is full of natural wonders, big and small, that can help you sustain an inspiring enchantment with life. Activities can be as simple as watching the night sky, sitting under a large tree, planting some flowers, walking through a garden, listening to ocean waves, or watching or playing with animals.
• Meditating: In the Pew Research Center survey referenced earlier, about 53 percent of seniors over 65 said they meditate at least once a week. Among several other benefits, meditation can increase your self-awareness as well as your ability to accept aspects of life that may be out of your control.
• Participating in prayer groups: Praying with other people provides a great opportunity for social engagement. But it can also help you stay encouraged and hopeful since you get to witness and be part of a collective spiritual effort.
• Sharing stories: Talking about good memories with other people can help you feel more grounded and interconnected.
• Playing or listening to music: It’s called a universal language for a reason. Music has the power to make almost anybody feel more in tune with the world, especially since it draws people into the present moment. In addition, favorite songs from your past can reawaken positive memories, provide comfort, and renew your spirit.
• Getting a massage: Human touch and physical pleasure can strip away your worries and immerse you deeply in the present moment, which is often a good way to experience a sense of unity with the world.
• Dancing: Moving in rhythm to stirring music can make you feel one with the universe. And when you dance with other people, that feeling of unity can become even more intense and expansive.
• Yoga: Beyond its many physical benefits, the practice of yoga can help you achieve a higher state of consciousness since it requires strong attention to what’s happening in the current moment.
• Reading or writing: Words often have a lot of transformative power. Reading the thoughts or stories of good writers can open new pathways for your spiritual core to make itself known. And writing down your own words, as part of your personal reflection or storytelling, can enable you to learn more about yourself, your beliefs, your place in the universe, and what gives you meaning.
• Arts and crafts: What could be more spiritual than the act of creation? Making something that has never existed before can generate an energizing sense of harmony and possibility. Drawing, painting, sculpting, and many other kinds of arts and crafts offer the chance to experience meditative and transcendent acts of creation.
• Holding hands or gazing into someone’s eyes: Simple yet intimate acts of interpersonal connection offer the chance to feel unified with the spiritual cores of other people.
• Doing absolutely nothing: By freeing yourself of distractions and sitting alone, in silence, you can pay closer attention to your thoughts and feelings, which can provide clues to where your spiritual core may be hiding.

Ultimately, no matter what you believe in, the activities that you enjoy most, or that bring you closer to other people or make a positive difference in the world, are the ones that are likely to feel most spiritual to you. So, play, laugh, love, create, and remember that almost everyone, regardless of age, shares the same fundamental questions about the deep mysteries of life.

WASHINGTON — On Tues., Aug. 29 Medicare announced it will negotiate prices for 10 drugs, including major blood thinners and diabetes medications, in the first round of its negotiation program created in the Inflation Reduction Act’s drug pricing reform law.

The drugs include Bristol Myers Squibb’s blood thinner Eliquis, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly’s diabetes drug Jardiance, Johnson & Johnson’s blood thinner Xarelto, Merck’s diabetes drug Januvia, AstraZeneca’s diabetes drug Farxiga, Novartis’ heart failure treatment Entresto, Amgen’s rheumatoid arthritis drug Enbrel, Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie’s blood cancer treatment Imbruvica, J&J’s anti-inflammatory medicine Stelara, and Novo Nordisk insulins that go by names including Fiasp and NovoLog.

The new prices will be announced on Sept. 1, 2024, and will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. The drugs were chosen from a list of 50 treatments that cost Medicare’s pharmacy drug benefit the most money. The selected medicines cost Medicare more than $50 billion and made up 20% of the Medicare program’s pharmacy drug costs over a one-year period, the Department of Health and Human Services said.

DRUG	MANUFACTURER	TOTAL COST TO MEDICARE
Eliquis	Bristol Myers Squibb	$16.5 billion
Jardiance	Boehringer Ingelheim/Eli Lilly	$7 billion
Xarelto	Johnson & Johnson	$6 billion
Januvia	Merck	$4 billion
Farxiga	AstraZeneca	$3.3 billion
Entresto	Novartis	$2.9 billion
Enbrel	Amgen	$2.8 billion
Imbruvica	Johnson & Johnson/AbbVie	$2.7 billion
Stelara	Johnson & Johnson	$2.6 billion
NovoLog/Fiasp	Novo Nordisk	$2.6 billion

Among the medicines chosen for price negotiation are treatments that have been key products for some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. So far, stocks of these drugmakers have been relatively insulated from worries about the law. However, investors may become more skittish now that the products have been named – and even more so as the actual discounts for those medicines roll out.

“Medicare spends $50 billion a year on these 10 drugs and American seniors are spending $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs,” President Biden said. The president also attempted to tie negotiations to his so-called “Bidenomics” plan, saying to applause that the plan “is also going to lower the federal deficit.”

Despite the administration’s revelry, there’s a chance that the program will never actually go into effect. Several of the companies that make the medicines selected for the negotiation program have sued the Biden administration in courts across the country, claiming the program is unconstitutional, including Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZeneca. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce requested a preliminary injunction, which would immediately stop the law’s implementation.

“The celebration at the White House is premature because they’re attempting to avoid all of the very real world negative side effects,” said Neil Bradley, the chief policy officer at the Chamber of Commerce.

Asked earlier in the day about potential legal barriers, Neera Tanden, director of the Domestic Policy Council, downplayed the threat. 

“We are confident in the law and we should recognize there is no part of the Constitution that prohibits Medicare drug negotiation,” she told reporters.

The negotiation program’s first tranche of drugs is starting with 10 drugs that patients can pick up at the pharmacy counter. The agency will negotiate an additional 15 Part D drugs in 2027, another 15 Part D and Part B drugs for 2028, and another 20 Part D and Part B drugs for 2029 and onward.

The minimum discounts Medicare will negotiate for each drug will range from 25% off a drug’s list price to 60%, depending on how long it’s been on the market.

Once the drugs are selected, CMS officials will identify drugs that are in the same therapeutic class, if any exist, and consider their net prices in the agency’s initial offer to drugmakers. The agency will also evaluate a drug’s clinical benefit, including comparative effectiveness data, whether the drug meets an unmet medical need, and the drug’s impact on “specific populations,” the guidance states.

Did you know that the consequences of dehydration in elderly adults are often serious, more so than in younger people? Seniors also have more risk factors for becoming dehydrated. But here’s the good news: Dehydration can be easily prevented. Awareness is the first step in avoiding the health problems that can be caused by a lack of fluids.

Maintaining a healthy balance of water and electrolytes can be an even more complex process for seniors than it is for younger people. As a result, older people are more likely to get dehydrated. And the complications of dehydration in the elderly can be more serious. Dehydration is one of the top 10 reasons for seniors to be hospitalized. And for hospitalized seniors, dehydration can lead to longer stays in intensive care units, increased hospital readmissions, and more placements in long-term care facilities.

Why does the risk of dehydration increase with age? Older adults are prone to dehydration because they can experience several health or lifestyle conditions that lead to low fluid levels. Many seniors experience at least one of the following risk factors:

1. Age-related physical changes

As we age, our bodies contain less water, partly because our kidneys become less efficient. At birth, we are about 75 percent water, but an elderly body is about 50 percent water. However, studies have found that although seniors are at greater risk for dehydration, they drink less water, on average, than younger people. That’s often because seniors experience a weakened sense of thirst, so they don’t always realize when they need to drink something.

Scientists aren’t sure why this happens. But what makes this lack of thirst in elderly people particularly troublesome is that they’re generally dehydrated before they feel thirsty. So, the elderly get dehydrated quickly because they can’t always recognize the signs of needing to take a drink until it’s too late. This reduced sense of thirst is often more pronounced in seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia or in those who have had a stroke. Such seniors may also have difficulties swallowing or asking their caregivers for a drink. As a result, seniors with dementia often need their fluid intake to be carefully monitored.

2. Medication side effects

Many medications that are commonly prescribed to seniors can act as diuretics (i.e., they can increase the production of urine) and contribute to dehydration. Side effects of any medication, particularly blood pressure medications, antihistamines, antacids, and heart medications should be discussed with a physician.

3. Incontinence issues

The risk for dehydration associated with incontinence isn’t necessarily caused by the fluid lost through involuntary urination. Rather, it’s related to the fact that many elderly people restrict their fluid intake because they don’t want any awkward accidents. However, it’s important to note that reducing fluid intake doesn’t necessarily prevent incontinence. Drinking more water may actually help some seniors deal with incontinence. Also, when you’re dehydrated, your bladder can become more irritable and vulnerable to bacterial infection. So, staying hydrated can reduce the risk of UTIs. If you restrict your fluid intake because you’re worried about incontinence, talk to your doctor. He or she can help you to determine how much water you should be drinking.

4. Fear of falling

Some seniors resist drinking a lot of water because they worry about falling if they have to get up at night to pee. But being dehydrated is also a risk factor for falling. However, it’s often a good idea to restrict fluids for a couple of hours before bedtime. Again, talk to your healthcare provider in order to figure out what works for you.

5. Living conditions

Seniors in nursing homes are more likely to become dehydrated because they are often dependent on staff members to help them with their fluid intake. The highest risk for dehydration is among seniors who seem to be physically capable of getting a drink but have cognitive issues that cause them to forget to drink. So, nursing homes and memory care facilities need to have policies in place for monitoring fluid intake.

6. Medical issues

Many seniors have medical conditions that can lead to dehydration. Examples of health problems that can result in fluid loss include diarrhea, fever, and diabetes.

As people age, it’s common for their metabolism and digestive systems to slow down. They also tend to become a little less active. Those are some of the main reasons why it’s so important to get exercise and eat foods that are healthy. Nutrition for seniors is such a vital topic because knowing what and how much to eat can help you maximize your well-being. Depending on your activity level, it’s generally recommended that men over the age of 50 should consume 2,000 to 2,800 calories per day. Women over the age of 50 should consume 1,600 to 2,200 calories per day. You can do many things on a daily basis to help ensure that your nutrition goals stay on track. First, eat regularly. Most healthcare professionals recommend that you eat three meals a day and have healthy snacks in between. Include at least three food groups with every meal. Choose fresh, plant-based foods first, eat whole grains, limit red meat, and avoid processed and high-sugar foods. Here are some additional tips:

• Plan your meals and snacks in advance. You’re more likely to eat healthy, nutritious food if you have a meal plan in place. You can plan your meals daily or weekly.
• Eat when you’re hungry, and don’t force yourself to finish meals. Snacking and eating when you aren’t hungry often leads to weight gain and other health issues.
• Eat slowly and chew your bites well. Eating slowly gives your brain and stomach time to communicate with each other to indicate when you’re full. And careful chewing results in easier digestion.
• Avoid foods that are high in unhealthy fats. Consuming too many high-fat foods can lead to heart disease and obesity.
• Replace desserts with low-fat yogurt and fresh fruit, or try baked apples and pears sprinkled with cinnamon.
• Have a variety of healthy snacks on hand for times when you don’t feel like cooking or preparing food.

Grocery Shopping Tips

What does grocery shopping have to do with seniors’ nutrition? Everything! Having solid grocery shopping strategies in place makes it much easier to bring home the healthiest foods. After all, if you’re tired or worked up while grocery shopping, then you’re more likely to end up with a bunch of unhealthy food in your cart. Follow the tips below to make shopping a more beneficial experience:

• Make a grocery list in advance. If you have specific brands that you like to use, then write them down. Also, write down any specific foods or ingredients that you need to avoid. That way, you can easily cross-check when you’re reading labels.
• Check newspaper flyers and make note of any sales. Cut out coupons and attach them to your list.
• Find out if your grocery store has senior discount days. Shopping on certain days might save you a few dollars.
• If you have mobility challenges, shop at a store that offers motorized carts for seniors. Or pick a store that has large aisles and helpful staff so that it’s easier to get around and receive assistance when you need it.
• See if a friend or family member can help out and go shopping with you.
• If you walk or use public transportation when you shop, buy a personal grocery cart so you don’t have to carry heavy and awkward bags.
• Check to see if your grocery store offers delivery services. You might be able to skip the store altogether.
• Plan to shop when the grocery store will be slower than normal. Weekday mornings are usually a good time to go.
• Eat before you go shopping so that you don’t make impulse purchases because you’re hungry.
• Don’t purchase too many perishable items. Just buy what you think you’ll eat over the next few days.
• Choose store or generic brands over name brands since they usually cost less.