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| Home > Newsletters > Caregiving PolicyDigest > Volume IX, Number 16, August 19, 2009
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| A newsletter of FCA's National Center on Caregiving |
August 19, 2009
Volume IX, Number 16
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IN THIS ISSUE
State Legislation, Policy & Reports
- California: Governor Makes Additional Cuts to Services for Caregivers and Older Adults More...
- Ohio: Budget Reduces Funding for HCBS, Increases Fees for Nursing Homes More...
Federal Legislation, Policy & Reports
- Medicare Adult Day Care Services Act Introduced More...
- Advance Planning and Compassionate Care Act Introduced More...
- Senate Passes Amendment to Help Family Caregivers of Wounded Servicemembers More...
- House Passes Bill to Assist Family Caregivers of Veterans More...
- Bill to Establish National Resource Center on Family Caregiving Reintroduced More...
International News
- Australia: Additional Funds Available for Education and Training of Geriatric Workforce More...
- Europe: Dementia in Europe Yearbook Released More...
- Singapore: New Dementia Awareness-Raising Campaign More...
Research Reports & Journal Articles
- Article Explores "Restorative Home Environments for Family Caregivers" More...
- Study of Transitional Care Program Relevant to Health Care Reform More...
- New Risk Appraisal Measure for Caregivers Developed More...
Conferences & Trainings
- NCOA National Advocacy Day September 15 More...
- Assistant Secretary for Aging Greenlee Confirmed Speaker at National Lifespan Respite Conference More...
- GSA Seeking Abstracts for Poster Session at Annual Meeting More...
Funding, Media & Miscellaneous
- FCA Extends Deadline for Caregiving Legacy Awards to August 28 More...
- Audio Interview with New Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee More...
- "Health Care 'Reform' Could Overwhelm Family Caregivers" More...
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California: Governor Makes Additional Cuts to Services for Caregivers and Older Adults
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California recently cut millions of dollars in services for caregivers and older and disabled adults, beyond the funding cuts passed by the legislature. For example, while the legislature cut the Caregiver Resource Centers budget by $3.5 million, down to approximately $7 million, Schwarzenegger cut funding an additional $4.1 million, bringing the total funding level in the final budget measure to less than $3 million. The governor also made additional cuts to the state's In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, Linkages, Senior Community Based Programs, Alzheimer's Day Care Resource Centers and Adult Day Health Centers. State Senate President Darrell Steinberg has filed a lawsuit against the governor alleging that he exceeded his authority by making the additional cuts. For more information, visit:
New America Media
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Medicare Adult Day Care Services Act Introduced
On June 25, 2009, Representative Linda Sanchez (D-CA) introduced the Medicare Adult Day Care Services Act (H.R. 3043) which would allow Medicare to cover adult day care services as a substitute for in-home care for beneficiaries currently eligible for such services. The option would give Medicare recipients more care hours and more services, including physical and occupational therapies, meals and transportation provided by adult day centers, at an all-inclusive rate that is lower than many home health care services. For more information, visit:
Thomas
PHI
Advance Planning and Compassionate Care Act Introduced
Senator John Rockefeller (D-WV) and Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) recently introduced the Advance Planning and Compassionate Care Act (S. 1150/ H.R. 2911). In order to provide the tools and resources necessary to improve end-of-life care, the bill would authorize funding for new and innovative approaches to advance care planning, including a public information campaign with an online clearinghouse and 24-hour information hotline; it would improve consumer access to hospice and palliative care, making the public more aware of end-of-life care options; it would require the development of quality measures to assess end-of-life care; and it would authorize coverage of advance care planning and hospice care under Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP. In addition, the bill would establish a National Geriatric and Palliative Care Service Corps to improve provider education and enhance training on advanced care planning and providing end-of-life care. While the House-passed health care reform bill does include end-of-life provisions, leading Republican Senators do not want such provisions included in health reform legislation. For more information, visit:
Thomas
New York Times
Senate Passes Amendment to Help Family Caregivers of Wounded Servicemembers
Before adjourning for August recess, the Senate passed an amendment (S.A. 1662) introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) for inclusion in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (S. 1390). The amendment would support family caregivers of veterans by increasing the maximum amount of monthly compensation for servicemembers who are injured or become ill while in the line-of-duty and who need help with everyday activities. The amendment also creates a bridge to the family caregiver program in the Department of Veterans Affairs. For more information, visit:
Thomas
Senator Dick Durbin Press Release
House Passes Bill to Assist Family Caregivers of Veterans
On July 27, 2009, the House of Representatives passed the Caregiver Assistance and Resource Enhancement (CARE) Act (H.R. 3155). The bill, introduced by Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME), would provide services to family and friends who provide care for disabled, ill or injured veterans. Those caregiver services include respite care, education and training, counseling and mental health services, lodging and subsistence, and, for those who do not have their own health insurance, coverage under the Veterans Affairs Department health care program. The bill is now being considered in the Senate. For more information, visit:
Thomas
Bill to Establish National Resource Center on Family Caregiving Reintroduced
On August 6, 2009, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) reintroduced the Americans Giving care to Elders (AGE) Act (S. 1604). The bill would provide $12 million over four years for the establishment of a National Resource Center on Family Caregiving, which would identify and develop "best practices," provide information on caregiver policies and programs, convene educational programs and web-based seminars, and provide a website with a national database of caregiver programs and resources. The bill would also provide a tax credit of up to $1200 for eldercare expenses and increase funding for the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP). For more information, visit:
Thomas
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Australia: Additional Funds Available for Education and Training of Geriatric Workforce
The Australian government recently pledged $43.8 million ($36.3 million USD) for education and training for the aged and community care workforce. With that funding, more than 8,000 staff who work with older adults in home and community-based settings, as well as in skilled nursing facilities, are expected to receive training that will expand their skill set, help them build a career in long-term care, and thus improve the quality of care provided to older adults. This funding brings the government's investment in training for the aged care workforce to more than $127 million ($105.3 million USD). For more information, visit:
Australian Department of Health and Ageing
Europe: Dementia in Europe Yearbook Released
Alzheimer Europe recently released the Dementia in Europe Yearbook 2008. The Yearbook focuses on social support, socio-economic cost, psycho-social interventions and prevention of dementia in Europe. It includes recommendations of good practices in providing support to people with dementia and their family caregivers and the financial impact of caregiving. For more information, visit:
European Commission
Singapore: New Dementia Awareness-Raising Campaign
Singapore's Health Promotion Board (HPB) is launching a campaign to make the people of Singapore more aware of the symptoms of dementia. This campaign follows a survey in which the HPB found that most of the country was uninformed about dementia. The campaign will include a series of events, including plays and a roving exhibition, which will help people experience and understand what it is like to have dementia. For more information, visit:
Channel News Asia
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Article Explores "Restorative Home Environments for Family Caregivers"
The August 2009 issue of Journal of Aging Studies (Volume 23, Number 3) includes an article that draws from environmental psychology and healthcare design research to explore what can be done in the home environment in which caregiving takes place to relieve caregiver stress. The article, "Restorative Home Environments for Family Caregivers" by Gowri Betrabet Gulwadi, uses three caregiver needs - the need for a temporary escape, meaningful social support, and a sense of control - as a base for investigating interventions that might complement current advances in home modifications and respite services. For more information, visit:
Journal of Aging Studies
Study of Transitional Care Program Relevant to Health Care Reform
Rush University Medical Center has launched a study of its transitional care program to determine whether it could serve as a model for hospitals across the country that are seeking ways to lower their rates of readmission. The study will examine whether the program, which helps older adults transition from hospital to home, succeeds in reducing older patients' readmissions to the hospital within 30 days. The program, which has been in place for two years, involves social workers assisting patients and their family caregivers upon discharge. "Reducing the rate of hospital readmissions to improve quality and achieve savings are key components of President Obama's health care reform agenda." For more information, visit:
Eurekalert
New Risk Appraisal Measure for Caregivers Developed
A study that developed a Risk Appraisal Measure for caregivers was published in the June 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (Volume 57, Number 6). The study used data from the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH II) trial to develop and validate a brief screening measure for use in research, healthcare and community settings to systematically assess well-being and identify needed areas of support for caregivers of people with dementia. The new measure was found to have acceptable internal consistency for different racial and ethnic groups. To read "Development of the Risk Appraisal Measure: A Brief Screen to Identify Risk Areas and Guide Interventions for Dementia Caregivers" by Dr. Sara Czaja and colleagues, visit:
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
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NCOA National Advocacy Day September 15
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) Advocacy Day will be held September 15, 2009 in Washington, DC. Advocates from across the country will spend the day visiting their Senators and Representatives asking for greater support for programs and policies that serve older adults. To register, visit:
NCOA
Assistant Secretary for Aging Greenlee Confirmed Speaker at National Lifespan Respite Conference
The 2009 National Lifespan Respite Conference will be held September 24 and 25, 2009 in Los Angeles. The conference, hosted by the California Respite Association and ARCH National Respite Network, will include a keynote address by U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee on Thursday, September 24. A complimentary California Lifespan Respite Summit will be convened Wednesday, September 23. For more information, visit:
ARCH National Respite Network
GSA Seeking Abstracts for Poster Session at Annual Meeting
The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is still accepting abstracts for the Late Breaker Poster Session at their upcoming Annual Scientific Meeting. The deadline is September 15. Abstracts can be categorized under the Biological Sciences Section, Health Sciences Section or the joint GSA/AGHE Research, Education and Practice Committee. The Meeting will take place November 18-22, 2009 in Atlanta, GA. Early registration is now open. To submit an abstract or to register for the Meeting, visit:
Gerontological Society of America
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FCA Extends Deadline for Caregiving Legacy Awards to August 28
The National Center on Caregiving (NCC) at Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) has extended the deadline to August 28, 2009 for applications for the Rosalinde Gilbert Innovations in Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Legacy Awards. Three awards of $20,000 each will be made to organizations whose unique programs address the needs of Alzheimer's caregivers in three categories. One award will be granted in Creative Expression, one in Diverse/Multicultural Communities and one in Policy and Advocacy. The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation provides support for this awards program, now in its second year. For more information, visit:
Family Caregiver Alliance
Audio Interview with New Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee
Today's Caregiver magazine has posted an online audio recording of an interview with U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee. Greenlee was Kansas' Secretary on Aging and, before that, was the state's Long-Term Care Ombudsman and general counsel at the Kansas Insurance Department (KID). Greenlee has expressed strong support for family caregivers and has pledged to make them a priority within the Administration on Aging. To listen to the interview, visit:
Today's Caregiver
"Health Care 'Reform' Could Overwhelm Family Caregivers"
A commentary by Carol Levine in New America Media states that health care reform could overwhelm family caregivers. Levine, director of the Families and Health Care Project at the United Hospital Fund in New York City, explains that without the inclusion of long-term care reform, health care reform will not address the needs and concerns of family caregivers who must deal with fragmented systems and often inadequate services for their older or sick relatives. For more information, visit:
New America 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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