FRIDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Many U.S. seniors have trouble saving enough money to handle health care costs beyond what Medicare covers, a new study suggests.

As a result, a significant portion of their savings and other assets go to paying their end-of-life costs when they die.

In the last five years of life, out-of-pocket co-payments and deductibles, and the high cost of home care services, assisted living and long-term nursing home care cause 25 percent of seniors to spend more than their total non-housing assets, the study found.

"The biggest problem for many families is covering long-term care," said study author Dr. Amy Kelley, an assistant professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City.

Kelley became interested in the issue of cost in the final years of life by working with patients and families who are struggling to make decisions while facing financial challenges. "I see it every day. Individuals facing retirement may not be aware of what Medicare doesn't cover," she said.

The study used 2002-2008 data from the federally funded U.S. Health and Retirement Study, conducted at the University of Michigan over the past two decades.

Kelley and her colleagues found that the average out-of-pocket health care spending by households of Medicare recipients in the last five years of life was nearly $39,000. And 10 percent of recipients spent more than $89,000, while 5 percent of recipients spent more than $139,000.

More than 75 percent of households spent at least $10,000, while 11 percent of single and 9 percent of married households spent more than $100,000.

The amount of spending varied with the person's illness. Those with Alzheimer's disease or dementia spent the most for health care, averaging about $66,000, more than double that of those with cancer or gastrointestinal disease, who spent about $31,000.

In looking at the money spent compared to the percentage of assets, the data do not include the value of an individual's or couple's residence or other owned housing. Those assets could be used to help pay costs either during the last five years or after death, Kelley said.

The statistics used for this study were collected by interviewing family members of 3,209 deceased people about both total out-of-pocket health care expenditures in the last five years of life and baseline household assets. All measurements were adjusted for inflation to 2008 dollars.

The study appeared online Sept. 4 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

"The sad news is that it's going to be much more expensive to grow old," said Olivia Mitchell, a professor of insurance and risk management at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia.

Mitchell said the study shows why it's difficult to save for those last five years. "Do you focus on the mean or the tails?" she asked. In other words, you don't know whether you'll need to reserve $22,000 or $140,000 to meet the costs of care in the end of life, she said.

"To be 90 percent sure your expenses [at the end of life] will be covered," Mitchell explained, "you would need about $400,000, plus the cost of purchasing Medigap," an insurance policy sold by private insurance companies that supplements Medicare benefits, in an effort to cover the gaps in health care coverage.

The authors said that "uninsured, out-of-pocket expenditures are likely to continue their growth, whether because of growth in health care spending, or a great reliance on co-payments and deductibles to scale back Medicare growth." They predict that as more baby boomers retire, they "could face a sharply diminished financial future as they confront their recently depleted nest egg following the illness and death of a spouse."

The bottom line is that you've got to plan for retirement early, Mitchell said. "Save more. Tighten your belts. If you don't think about retirement until the kids are in college, it's really too late."

More information

Visit Medicare.gov to learn more about health coverage.

FRIDAY, Sept.6 (HealthDay News) -- Older people with asthma in the United States have a tougher time controlling the condition if they have poor English skills, a new study finds.

In a study of nearly 300 asthma patients aged 60 and older, researchers found that Hispanics with limited English ability had poor self-management of their condition and a lower quality of life than those with a good understanding of English.

Compared to non-Hispanics and Hispanics with good command of English, older Hispanics with limited English proficiency had the poorest asthma control, and were less likely to use inhaled medications such as corticosteroids, which can prevent symptoms.

The study was published in the September issue of the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

"Effective asthma treatment requires appropriate self-management," study lead author Dr. Juan Wisnivesky, a pulmonologist affiliated with Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, said in a journal news release.

Patients must be able to identify symptoms and administer as-needed and controller medications properly, he said.

"Language barriers can compromise patient-provider communication and obstruct asthma education efforts about these important topics, making it difficult for both patients and allergists to ensure optimal outcomes," Wisnivesky added.

When asthma is not properly controlled, patients are at increased risk for worsening symptoms and asthma-related death.

"Asthma is a serious disease that is often misdiagnosed and undertreated, especially within the aging population," Dr. Stanley Fineman, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, said in the news release. "It is important that all patients receive the same level of care and learn how to effectively manage their condition so they can lead active, healthy lives."

More than 11 million people in the United States have limited to no understanding of English, the news release noted.

Asthma patients facing language barriers should have a bilingual family member or friend accompany them to appointments, Fineman's organization suggested. They might also request asthma literature in their native language, ask the health care provider if a bilingual staff member is available, and attend a local patient support group, the group said.

Although the study found an association between poorer health and non-English-speaking patients, it did not prove cause and effect.

More information

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has more about older adults and asthma  .

(HealthDay News) -- Alzheimer's disease, although typically associated with people 65 and older, also can affect younger people.

The Alzheimer's Association offers these suggestions for people who must cope with early-onset Alzheimer's:

• Understand that there will be some good days and some bad days.
• Talking to others about your situation will help you cope and may educate others.
• Consider speaking to a professional counselor or a spiritual adviser.
• Be open with loved ones. If possible, engage their help in handling everyday tasks and planning for the future.
• Stay active by volunteering in your community.
• Seek legal and financial advice, and talk to your employer about making any necessary adjustments at work.
• Stay healthy, control stress and make sure your home is a safe place.
• Stay physically active and maintain your regular activities for as long as possible. Don't stop living your life.