| |
|
|
| Home > Newsletters > Caregiving PolicyDigest > Volume X, Number 13, July 28, 2010
|
|
E-mail to a Friend
Printable Version
|
©Family Caregiver Alliance
|
| |
|
|
| A newsletter of FCA's National Center on Caregiving |
July 28, 2010
Volume X, Number 13
|
|
|
|
|
IN THIS ISSUE
State Legislation, Policy & Reports
- California: New Report on History of Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) More...
- Oregon: Lawmakers Restore Funding to Caregiving Programs More...
Federal Legislation, Policy & Reports
- FCA Releases Paper on How New Health Care Law Affects Family Caregivers More...
- Report Examines Extending Medicaid FMAP Funds to States More...
- New Report on Personal Care Aides' Earnings More...
- New York Times: As Elderly Population Grows, U.S. Health Care System Struggles to Keep Pace More...
International News
- Australia: Dementia Rates Predicted to Double within Next 20 years More...
- China: Elderly Population Expected to Grow to 167 Million by 2030 More...
Research Reports & Journal Articles
- Canada: Study Examines Older Adults' Access to Community Supports Information More...
- Article Examines Training Program for Family Caregivers of Adults in Affordable Housing More...
Conferences & Trainings
- Webinar: Building and Sustaining Partnerships for Lifespan Respite August 12 More...
- National Home and Community Based Services Conference September 26-29 More...
Funding, Media & Miscellaneous
- Deadline for Innovations in Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Legacy Awards August 12 More...
- "Help for Alzheimer's Caregivers" in Los Angeles Times More...
- "House Calls for Elderly Could Relieve Squeezed Sandwich Generation" on NPR More...
- "Caregivers Get Training that Simulates Sensory and Memory Losses of Dementia" More...
|
California: New Report on History of Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE):
A new report from the California HealthCare Foundation, "Aging in PACE: The Case for California Expansion," examines the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) model which was designed in San Francisco 40 years ago. Despite being created in California, only five PACE organizations exist in the state. Interviews with PACE experts point to California's challenging legislative and regulatory environment as two of many reasons for its slow growth as compared to other states like Pennsylvania, which currently has 14 PACE programs. For more information, visit:
California HealthCare Foundation
Lawmakers in Oregon recently voted to restore funding to several programs which serve older and disabled adults and children with disabilities. Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski had proposed a budget that would have eliminated Oregon Project Independence and the Medicaid Personal Care Programs while also reducing Oregon's In-Home Care Program. Instead, lawmakers shifted funding within the Department of Human Services to continue these programs. The New York Times reports that lawmakers in 25 other states have already made similar cuts. For more information, visit:
Statesmen Journal New York Times
|
FCA Releases Paper on How New Health Care Law
Affects Family Caregivers
A new research brief from the National Center on Caregiving (NCC) at the Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) explains how the new health care law will benefit family caregivers. Provisions in the bill include an expansion of home and community-based services through Medicaid, training for caregivers, and the establishment of a new, voluntary long-term services and support insurance program. For more information, visit:
Family Caregiver Alliance
Report Examines Extending Medicaid FMAP Funds to States
A July 15th, 2010 Health Policy Brief by Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, "Extra Federal Support for Medicaid," explains the debate surrounding whether Congress will extend increased funding for states' Medicaid programs. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, states received increased federal funding for their Medicaid programs; known as FMAP; however, this funding is set to expire at the end of 2010. Two-thirds of states are expected to cut jobs or services, including services to older adults and their caregivers, in 2011 if the funding is not extended. The National Conference of State Legislatures features a chart of all 50 states and how they are preparing their budgets with and without the FMAP extension. For more information, visit:
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
National Conference of State Legislatures
New Report on Personal Care Aides' Earnings
A recent analysis by PHI National found that more states are paying personal care aides poverty wages. The analysis of personal care aides' salaries in 2009 found an increase from 2008 in the number of states where aides are making less than 200% of the poverty level. This equates to a salary of $10.42 an hour and means that many personal care aides may qualify for income-based state and federal benefit programs. For more information, visit:
PHI National
As Elderly Population Grows, Health Care System Struggles to Keep Pace
A June 28th article in the New York Times highlights the challenges facing the U.S. health care system in serving a growing elderly population. While several foundations, hospitals, medical and nursing schools, and government agencies are increasing resources and programs for geriatric care, experts suggest that the U.S. health care system will be woefully under-equipped to serve this rapidly expanding population. For more information, visit:
New York Times
|
Dementia Rates in Australia Predicted to Double within Next 20 years
The Australia Institute of Health and Welfare recently released its 2010 report card (Vol. 12) on the nation's health. The report predicts the number of elderly dementia sufferers in Australia will exceed 450,000 by 2031, more than double the current 200,000. For more information, visit:
Australia Institute of Health and Welfare
China's Elderly Population Expected to Grow to 167 Million by 2030
A recent article in the Sacramento Bee featured a nursing home manager in Shanghai who discussed the impact that falling birthrates and the rapidly increasing elderly population in China has had on bringing his nursing home to full capacity. China's elderly population is expected to grow to 167 million by 2030, nearly half the U.S. population. With fewer children to care for their elderly parents, one child may be expected to care for his parents and grandparents and his spouse's parents, labeled the "1-2-4 problem" by researchers. For more information, visit:
Sacramento Bee
|
Canada: Study
Examines Older Adults' Access to Community Supports Information
A national survey of 1,152 adults aged 50 years and older in Canada provides insight into how older adults access information about community services. Researchers found that participants were most likely to use indirect routes to get information, including doctors and doctors' offices, informal sources (family, friends, neighbors), and the Internet. Participants' level of awareness also depended on the type of service; for example, participants were most likely to know about transportation, home support and dementia services. To read "Where Would You Turn for Help? Older Adults' Awareness of Community Support Services" (SEDAP Research Paper No. 272) by Dr. Margaret Denton and colleagues, visit:
Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population
Article Examines Training Program for Family
Caregivers of Adults in Affordable Housing
A recent article in Cityscape (Volume 12, Number 2), a journal produced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, describes a pilot program at four affordable housing properties for older adults in Washington, DC. With input from service coordinators, residents, and family caregivers, a two-part workshop was designed to increase caregiver capacity while strengthening the coordination between caregivers and service staff. Caregivers who participated in the workshops reported feeling more confident in their roles as well as more knowledgeable of resources. To read "Aging in Place Partnerships: A Training Program for Family Caregivers of Residents Living in Affordable Senior Housing" by Alisha Sanders and colleagues, visit:
Cityscape
|
Webinar: Building and Sustaining Partnerships
for Lifespan Respite Aug 12
ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center is sponsoring a free webinar on respite care collaboration from 3:00 PM to 4:15 PM EDT on Thursday, August 12, 2010. Speakers include Barbara Snyder, from Easter Seals Delaware & Maryland's Easter Shore; Barbara Schwartz, with the Illinois Department on Aging; and Joseph Lugo, from the Aging and Disability Resource Center Program at the Administration on Aging. For more information or to register for the webinar, visit:
Arch National Respite Network and Resource Center
National Home and Community Based Services
Conference
The National Association of State Units on Aging (NASUA) is hosting the 26th National Home and Community Based Services Conference September 26-29, 2010 in Atlanta Georgia. The conference will showcase national, state and local delivery and policy developments vital for assuring Americans of all ages and abilities receive the highest quality community living supports, care, and services possible. Early bird registration rates end August 27. For more information, visit:
National Home and Community Based Services Conference
|
Deadline for
Innovations in Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Legacy Awards August 12
The National Center on Caregiving (NCC) at Family
Caregiver Alliance (FCA) is now accepting 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 third year. For more information, visit:
Family Caregiver Alliance
"Help for
Alzheimer's Caregivers"
A recent Los Angeles Times article provides an excellent list of resources for new caregivers who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's. The article discusses medical diagnosis, legal issues and using referral resources, including using FCA's Family Care Navigator. For more information, visit:
Los Angeles Times
"House Calls for Elderly Could Relieve Squeezed Sandwich Generation" on NPR
A July 13th story on NPR examined a Medicare pilot program created under the new health care law that will send doctors and nurse practitioners to visit patients with chronic conditions in their own homes. The three-year demonstration project, called Independence at Home, will begin in 2012 or sooner and is expected to serve 10,000 of the sickest Medicare beneficiaries. This type of program will benefit family caregivers who often spend much of their time transporting care recipients to and from doctor's appointments. For more information, visit:
NPR
"Caregivers Get Training that Simulates Sensory and Memory Losses of Dementia"
A journalist for the Washington Post reported her experience of participating in a caregiving class called "Virtual Dementia Tour." Participants had to complete several routine tasks with several fingers taped together and while wearing goggles that limited their vision. These requirements, along with others, helped participants understand sensory inhibition and memory loss experienced by people with dementia. For more information visit:
Washington Post
|
|
|
|
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
©2010 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 Policy_Digest@caregiver.org or visit the Family Caregiver Alliance website at www.caregiver.org.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to Caregiving PolicyDigest, use the following link: www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=836
Or, contact Family Caregiver Alliance using our toll-free phone number: (800) 445-8106
Your subscription information is used only for the purpose of improving this service and tailoring it to the needs of its audience. Information provided to us will not be shared with any other organization, agency, corporation, entity or third party.
Caregiving PolicyDigest is a publication of the National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance, 180 Montgomery Street, Suite 1100, San Francisco, CA 94104.
|
|
|
|
|
E-mail to a Friend
Printable Version
|
| |
|
|
|
