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| Home > Newsletters > Caregiving PolicyDigest > Volume IX, Number 8, April 15, 2009
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| A newsletter of FCA's National Center on Caregiving |
April 15, 2009
Volume IX, Number 8
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IN THIS ISSUE
State Legislation, Policy & Reports
- California: Silver Alert Bill Set for Hearings More...
- Washington: Program Moves Vets from Medicaid More...
- Cash & Counseling Releases Report on States' Replication Experience More...
Federal Legislation, Policy & Reports
- Bill Would Halt Delay in Medicare Coverage for Persons with Disabilities More...
- Caring for an Aging America Act Reintroduced in Senate More...
- Home Healthcare Nurse Promotion Act of 2009 Introduced in House More...
- May Is Older Americans Month More...
International News
- Australia: Funding Increased for Home and Community Care More...
- Korea: Monitoring System Shows Value in Saving Lives of Older People More...
Research Reports & Journal Articles
- AARP Releases Chronic Care: A Call to Action on Health Reform More...
- Paper Urges Inclusion of Long-Term Care in Health Reform More...
- Study Finds Frequent, Costly Rehospitalization of Medicare Patients More...
Conferences & Trainings
- Generations United 15th International Conference July 27-31, 2009 More...
- International Psychogeriatric Association Congress September 1-5, 2009 More...
- APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition November 7-11, 2009 More...
Funding, Media & Miscellaneous
- April 24 Application Deadline for National Family Caregiving Awards Program More...
- Home-Based Program Extends Seniors' Lives More...
- States Slashing Programs for Vulnerable Says New York Times More...
- Youth Raised by Grandparents Speak Out More...
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California: Silver Alert Bill Set for Hearings
Hearings take place in California's Senate Public Safety Committee April 21, 2009,
on S.B. 38. Emergency Services: Silver Alert System, which would require law enforcement agencies to activate an emergency alert in the local area when an older adult with dementia or other cognitive disorder goes missing. Of California's 500,000 individuals with Alzheimer's an estimated 6 in 10 wander away from their homes or care facilities at some point. For more information, visit:
California Legislature
Cash & Counseling Releases Report on States' Replication Experience
The Cash & Counseling National Program Office released a report in February 2009 by Janet O'Keeffe, Implementing Self-Direction Programs with Flexible Individual Budgets: Lessons Learned from the Cash & Counseling Replication States. Twelve states received C&C Replication grants in October 2004. This report documents the Replication States' experience developing and implementing their new programs. The Grantees' experience includes three stages: (1) planning, (2) design/development, and (3) implementation/enrollment. The appendix includes summaries of the states' grant initiatives. For more information and to download the report, visit:
Cash & Counseling
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Bill Would Halt Delay in Medicare Coverage for Persons with Disabilities
Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Representative Gene Green (D-TX) on March 25, 2009,
introduced Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009 (S.700/ HR 1708). This bill would phase out the two-year delay in coverage for individuals with severe disabilities who are waiting to become eligible for Medicare coverage and eliminate the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions. For more information, visit:
Thomas
Caring for an Aging America Act Reintroduced in Senate
On March 31, 2009, Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced Caring for an Aging America Act (S. 750). This bill would address the shortage of workers trained in caring for and working with older adults and establish a Health and Long-Term Care Workforce Advisory Panel for an Aging America. Physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, pharmacists, direct care workers and others in similar positions could receive loan forgiveness and career advancement opportunities, depending on the job, if they specialize in and/ or work with older adults for a certain amount of time in various settings. For more information, visit:
Thomas
Home Healthcare Nurse Promotion Act Introduced in House
To increase home healthcare services, particularly for underserved and at-risk populations, Representative Steve Kagen (D-WI) introduced Home Healthcare Nurse Promotion Act of 2009 (H.R.1928), on April 2, 2009. This bill would assist visiting nurse associations and other non-profit home health agencies to improve training and workforce development for home healthcare nurses, boost academic-practice collaborations, and enhance recruitment and retention of home healthcare nurses. For more information, visit:
Thomas
Visiting Nurses Association
May Is Older Americans Month
Each year the Administration on Aging (AoA) issues a theme for Older Americans Month. This year's theme of "Living Today for a Better Tomorrow" reflects AoA's continued focus on prevention efforts and programs throughout the country. These programs are helping older adults have better health as they age and avoid the risks of chronic disease, disability and injury. For more information, visit
Administration on Aging
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Australia: Funding Increased for Home and Community Care
The Australian government announced on April 7, 2009, a 9 percent increase in funding over three years for Home and Community Care (HACC) services in the Australian Capital Territory. This brings total funding to $62.28 million (USD) over the next three years. HACC delivers affordable and accessible care such as help with household chores, home maintenance, meals, personal care, etc., to older people, younger people with a disability and their family caregivers to help them remain independent and in their own homes. For more information, visit:
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Australian Minister for Ageing
Korea: Monitoring System Shows Value in Saving Lives of Older People
JoonAng Daily reported on April 7, 2009, that the government-funded "u-Care system" to monitor elders who live alone completed a successful test run. The system not only monitors activities of the older people, but also detects possible gas leaks and fires through sensors in their residences and sends emergency signals to nearby fire stations for a quick response. During the six-month test, which cost $2.14 million (USD) and covered 5,550 elders, 23 elderly people were saved by the system. The system will be applied to an additional 6,000 households in four different regions this year. For more information, visit
JoonAng Daily
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AARP Releases Chronic Care: A Call to Action on Health Reform
A new AARP Public Policy Institute report, the ninth volume of its Beyond 50 series, paints a portrait of chronic illness from the perspective of chronically ill patients and their caregivers. More than 70 million Americans age 50 and older have at least one chronic condition. The study's focus groups and surveys revealed consumer and caregiver concerns about quality problems with the health care system and coordinating care. Two problems that caregivers noted were poor communication among clinicians and unnecessary tests. About two in five caregivers provide care to more than one person simultaneously. The authors offer recommendations for improving care, aimed at providers, family caregivers and patients, including "supporting family caregivers and engaging caregivers as partners with professionals." For more information, visit:
AARP
Paper Urges Inclusion of Long-Term Care in Health Reform
A new white paper authored by Dr. Joshua M. Wiener for The SCAN Foundation and the Alliance for Health Reform, Long-Term Care: Options in an Era of Health Reform, argues that long-term care reform should be included in efforts to improve the U.S. health care system. Among the elements of Wiener's proposed reform agenda are educating the American people on long-term care, increasing federal funding for Administration on Aging and state long-term care initiatives, establishing a grant program to improve the direct care workforce and setting up a high level, bipartisan National Commission on Long-Term Care to recommend a strategy for reform. For more information and to download the report, visit:
SCAN Foundation
Study Finds Frequent, Costly Rehospitalization of Medicare Patients
As reported in the April 2, 2009 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, physicians Stephen F. Jencks, Mark F. Williams and Eric A. Coleman analyzed Medicare claims data from 2003-2004 to describe patterns of rehospitalization. Finding that about one-fifth were readmitted within 30 days, one-third within 60 days and two-thirds within 90 days, they estimate the cost to Medicare of unplanned readmissions in 2004 was $17.4 billion. They conclude that 90 percent of the rehospitalizations were avoidable and call for better transition planning, including patient communication at discharge and early follow-up with the patient's primary care physician. For more information, visit:
NEJM
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Generations United International Conference July 27-31, 2009
With the theme "Because We're Stronger Together" Generations United hosts its 15th international conference July 27-31 in Washington, DC. The conference will showcase intergenerational programs, practices, policies and research from around the world. Preconference intensives address Grandfamilies and Intergenerational programs. Generations United supports public policy initiatives that improve the lives of people of all ages and connect generations. For more information or to register, visit:
Generations United
International Psychogeriatric Association Congress September 1-5, 2009
Montreal will be the site for the IPA's 14th International Congress from September 1-5, 2009. Symposia and plenary sessions will address all aspects of prevention and provide scientific updates, in keeping with the Congress' theme "Path to Prevention." IPA represents more than 66 countries and promotes better geriatric mental health-across disciplines, across borders and across geriatric issues. Scientists, neurologists, geriatricians, primary care physicians, epidemiologists, nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers and many other healthcare professionals come to the IPA Congress. For more information or to register, visit:
IPA Congress
APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition November 7-11, 2009
The American Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Exposition is the oldest and largest gathering of public health professionals in the world, attracting more than 13,000 national and international physicians, administrators, nurses, educators, researchers, epidemiologists and related health specialists. This year's meeting, November 7 through 11, will be APHA's 137th and will be held in Philadelphia, PA. APHA's meeting program addresses current and emerging health science, policy, and practice issues in an effort to prevent disease and promote health. For more information, visit:
APHA
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April 24 Application Deadline for National Family Caregiving Awards Program
The National Alliance for Caregiving and MetLife Foundation are accepting applications for the 2009 National Family Caregiving Awards Program. Seven awards of $25,000 each will be given: three Caregiver Education Awards to groups that have developed exemplary caregiver training programs; three Caregiver Support Awards to organizations that provide innovative family caregiver support programs; and one Older Caregivers Caring for Adult Children with Disabilities Award to a nonprofit organization that has established an innovative and effective program to meet the needs of older persons caring for a physically, mentally, or developmentally disabled adult child. The deadline for applications is April 24, 2009. For more information, visit:
National Family Caregiving Awards Program
Home-Based Program Extends Seniors' Lives
Forbes reported April 7, 2009, that a program providing occupational and physical therapy, as well as some minor home modifications, can help older people live longer. "This is an extremely promising intervention," said study author Laura Gitlin, director of the Jefferson Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health in Philadelphia, and a professor in the department of Occupational Therapy at the university. That people receiving the intervention added 3.5 years to their lifespan, compared to the control group, surprised the research team. For more information, visit:
Forbes
HealthNewsDigest
States Slashing Programs for Vulnerable Says New York Times
The NYT reported April 12, 2009 that states, beset by the recession and budget deficits, are cutting programs such as home care for older and disabled persons and supports for families deemed at risk of violence and abuse. Citing cuts in the safety nets in Arizona, Ohio, Illinois, Florida and California, writer Erik Eckholm quotes an agency official as saying, "It's like trying to decide whether to give up your first-born boy or your first-born girl." For more information, visit:
New York Times
Youth Raised by Grandparents Speak Out
New American Media, in an article by Paul Kleyman, highlights the struggles of grandparents caring for grandchildren, as seen through the eyes of three who spoke out on behalf of their grandmothers during the California Coalition for Youth conference March 23, 2009 in Sacramento, CA. More than 6 million grandparents, greater than half of them ethnic minorities, are raising their grandchildren. According to the Brookdale Grandparent Caregiver Information Project at the University of California, Berkeley, Center on Aging, the number is growing rapidly. These grandparents struggle with frail health, meager finances and grudging bureaucracy. They often find themselves straining to maintain their strength to keep up with children consigned to their care for reasons ranging from the parents' incarceration to drug addiction to military deployment. They have little support, but with the help of advocates, including their grandkids, that's beginning to change. For more information, visit:
New American Media
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To find caregiver support services in your state, visit FCA's Family Care Navigator http://caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/fcn_content_node.jsp?nodeid=2083
?2009 Family Caregiver Alliance. All rights reserved.
The National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance works to advance the development of high-quality and cost-effective policies and programs for caregivers in every state in the country. The National Center is a central source of information and technical assistance on family caregiving for policymakers, health and service providers, program developers, funders, media and families. For questions or further information about the National Center on Caregiving, contact PolicyDigest@caregiver.org or visit the Family Caregiver Alliance website at www.caregiver.org.
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Caregiving PolicyDigest is a publication of the National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance, 180 Montgomery Street, Suite 1100, San Francisco, CA 94104.
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