Seniors

Black seniors are Medicare-enrolled at similar rates to white seniors but receive less hospice, more intensive end-of-life procedures, and fewer completed advance directives. The REGARDS cohort analysis published in JAMA Network Open 2020 (PMID 32833020) reported Black decedents were mechanically ventilated at the end of life at 21.2 percent versus 11.3 percent of white decedents. Chronic conditions including hypertension, diabetes, and kidney disease appear earlier and progress faster.

This pillar gathers the guides that matter most for Black seniors and their families. End-of-life planning, Medicare coverage navigation, and managing chronic disease with a changing care team are the early focus areas. Every guide ends with named forms, named contacts, or specific questions for the next appointment.