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| Home > Newsletters > Caregiving PolicyDigest > Volume X, Number 16, September 14, 2010
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| A Newsletter of FCA's National Center on Caregiving |
September 14, 2010
Volume X, Number 16
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IN THIS ISSUE
State Legislation, Policy & Reports
- Florida Launches A Unique Year-Long Care Pilot Program Expected To Improve Clinical Outcomes And Quality Of Life For Seniors More...
Federal Legislation, Policy & Reports
- More Rural Community Hospitals Eligible For Enhanced Reimbursement For Inpatient Services More...
Research Reports & Journal Articles
- Spend Less Time Cognitively Dependent With Mentally Stimulating Activities That May "Square The Curve" Of Cognitive Decline More...
- Discovery Suggests New Aim For Alzheimer's Drugs More...
- Presymptomatic Diagnosis Of Alzheimer's May Be Possible With Test Of Spinal Fluid More..
Conferences & Trainings
- Aging In America 2011 Conference More...
- The Third National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic, Sponsored By The U.S. Department Of Veterans Affairs (VA) in San Diego, CA More...
- 26th National HCBS Conference More...
Funding, Media & Miscellaneous
- NPR featured Camp For Caring For Persons With Cognitive Impairment More...
- Grant Opportunity For Programs Enhancing The Quality Of Life For The Elderly More...
- New Caregiver Guide Released On Dementia More...
- A Growing Number Of Families Are Compensating Relatives More...
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A Unique Year-Long Care Pilot Program Expected To Improve Clinical Outcomes And Quality Of Life For Seniors
Senior Bridge and Metcare, two heath care service providers, announced a joint-program to improve clinical outcomes and quality of life for 100 seniors in the state of Florida. Through this pilot program, the companies intend to improve the quality of life for seniors who have multiple chronic conditions and frequent hospitalizations, while reducing the overall cost of caring for Medicare beneficiaries. SeniorBridge Management Company another program participant will provide 'total care" with face-to-face visits with frail seniors and their caregivers. For more information, visit: Business Wire
Business Wire
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The Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) recently announced an expansion of the enhanced reimbursement program for hospitals which serve patients in rural areas. The selected hospitals will be eligible for enhanced reimbursement for impatient care services. There are already 10 hospitals participating in the program.. In announcing this program, HHS Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, said "Improving health care for rural Americans is a top priority in the Affordable care Act." Kathleen Sebelius.
Hospitals located in one of the 20 states with the lowest population density maybe eligible: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming can apply. Eligible hospitals that want to participate in the program can submit an application to CMS. Information about how to apply can be found on the CMS web site. For more information, visit:
Center for Medicare & Medicaid
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Spend Less Time Cognitively Dependent with Mentally Stimulating Activities that may "square the curve" of Cognitive Decline
A study in the September issue of Neurology analyzed the role that a "rich cognitive life" can play in delaying the onset of dementia. Robert S. Wilson, PhD, from the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University in Chicago, Illinois suggests in his study that "a rich cognitive life" does "square the curve" of decline leading to Dementia by significantly delaying the onset. However, the reprieve from symptoms may be followed by more rapid deterioration once the symptoms appear. The patients in this study with a rich cognitive life saw a delay in dementias onset and a shorter illness, but a more rapid decline. This research study focused on patients who develop Alzheimer's disease despite having been cognitively active, an important issue given current research on the role that a cognitively active lifestyle can play in delaying the onset of Alzheimer's. In April, the National Institute of Health released its consensus report, Preventing Alzheimer's Disease and Cognitive Decline and the conclusion states in part, "physical activity and cognitive engagement may provide new insights into the prevention or delay of cognitive decline or Alzheimer's disease." To read "Cognitive activity and the cognitive morbidity of Alzheimer disease," visit: For more information, visit:
Medscape
Discovery Suggests New Aim for Alzheimer's Drugs
A recent New York Times article featured scientist Paul Greengard, and his research on a protein which makes beta amyloid, the telltale plaque that builds up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. In his research, he is focusing on a protein he discovered, which he named gamma secretase activating protein, which tells the enzyme to make beta amyloid. Future drug treatments could potentially block this protein without affecting other gamma secratese activities. Dr. Paul Aisen of the University of California, San Diego, and director of a program financed by the National Institute on Aging to conduct clinical trials of treatments for Alzheimer's disease was quoted in the article as saying, "This really is a new approach, the work is very strong and it is very convincing."
For more information, visit:
Nature International Weekly Journal of Science
Presymptomatic Diagnosis of Alzheimer's May be Possible with Test of Spinal Fluid
The August edition of Archives of Neurology (Volume 67, Number 8) features a study focused on presymptomatic diagnoses of Alzheimer's. An international team of scientists found that a unique "signature" of three proteins present in the spinal fluid of 90% of people with Alzheimer's disease was 100% successful in identifying which patients with a milder cognitive impairment went on to develop Alzheimer's. They analyzed data on 102 older adults with Alzheimer's, 200 who had mild cognitive impairment and 114 who were cognitively normal. Then without considering who had AD, MCI or NC, they developed a "biomarker mixture model" of the three proteins where one "signature" was presumed to be a match to Alzheimer's disease, and the other to a "healthy" status. These results show that the model correctly classified patients with AD without reference to their clinical diagnosis. This study opens the possibility that such a test could lead to presymptomatic diagnosis of the disease.. The authors wrote that "while we know that the process that leads to Alzheimer's disease starts at least 10 years before symptoms emerge, we don't know precisely what to look for." To read "Diagnosis-Independent Alzheimer Disease Biomarker Signature in Cognitively Normal Elderly People," visit:
Medical News Today
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Aging in America 2011 ASA Conference
The annual conference of the American Society on Aging will be April 26-30 in San Francisco, CA, and the theme this year is Aging in America. For more information, visit:
Aging In America
National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will host the third annual National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic in San Diego, CA on September 19 - 25, 2010. The event will teach recently-injured Veterans adaptive kayaking, sailing, track and field, cycling and surfing. Participation is open to Veterans who are eligible for VA medical care and have orthopedic amputations, traumatic brain injuries, burn injuries, psychological trauma, certain neurological conditions, visual impairment, spinal cord injuries or other injuries. For more information, visit:
U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs
NASUA, National Association of State Units on Aging: The conference will feature innovative national, federal, state and local delivery and policy d3evelopments on communit living supports, care and services on Sep 26th, 2010 - Sep 29th, 2010. Location: Hilton Atlanta, 255 Courtland Street, NE, Atlanta, GA. For more information, visit:Home and Community Based Services
HCBS
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Camp for Caring for Persons with Cognitive Impairment
A weekend retreat for persons with cognitive impairment was featured in a recent NPR broadcast. The camp, which is sponsored by the Family Caregiver Alliance, brings together people for a weekend of fun events, social engagement, dance and music, while stimulating cognitive function. The camp also provides respite for caregivers. For more information, visit:
NPR
Grant Opportunity for Programs Enhancing the Quality of Life for the Elderly
The Borchard Foundation, Center on Law and Aging is offering an academic research grant opportunity to further efforts in new or improved public policies, laws, or programs that enhance the quality of life for the elderly. The grant is open to qualified legal, health sciences, social services, and gerontology scholars and professionals. For more information, visit:
The Borchard Center
New Caregiver Guide Released on Dementia
Homewatch Caregivers has released a new resource entitled "Guide to Living with Dementia." To download the guide, visit:In Home Caregiver Services. For more information, visit:
Home Caregiver Services
A Growing Number of Families are Compensating Relatives
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal focused on a growing trend of families compensating relatives who are serving as caregivers. The article highlights ways to avoid family tensions while also complying with Medicaid eligibility requirement problems by drafting a formal employment agreement documenting a caregiver's responsibilities and hours and rate of pay. The authors suggest that the contract should be in line with local practices also suggest sharing the personal-care contract also called an elder-care contract with the entire family.
For more information on actual contract language visit: Nolo Press
The Wall Street Journal
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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
?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.
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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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