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STATE LEGISLATION & POLICY
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1. California guide to chronic care
The California Center for Long-Term Care Information has made available "Chronic Care Integration Planning Guide." The guide is part of a project called "Creating Better Systems of Care for People with Chronic Conditions: A Building Block Approach." The guide addresses a variety of statewide, including consumer concerns, uniform assessment and care management. Download: http://www.ltci.ucla.edu/
2. Wisconsin report on HCBS services
A recent study by the Lewin group analyzes a pilot home and community-based service (HCBS) program in Wisconsin. The program, Family Care, aims to provide centralized outreach, information, referral and intake, as well as integrate some elements of managed care. The study found that the Family Care program substantially met the goals of increasing choice, expanding access and improving quality. Download:
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/lab/reports/03-0FamilyCare.pdf
FEDERAL LEGISLATION & POLICY
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3. Senators to push for increased NIH funding
U.S. Senators Arlen Specter (PA) and Tom Harkin (IA) plan to offer an amendment to the FY 2004 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill (S. 1356), to be considered by the full Senate after the August recess. The amendment would enhance the budget of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by 9.2%, for total funding of $29.6 billion. The version of the bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee only provided for a 3.7% increase. Among other programs, the bill funds, research conducted by the National Institutes on Aging that addresses Alzheimer's disease and other aging issues. Details:
http://www.alz.org/Advocates/actionalert.htm
4. CMS open door forum
As part of a series of forums related to the New Freedom Initiative, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold an open door forum on August 27, 2003. This forum will focus on CMS initiatives related to President Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. It will begin at 3:00 pm (EST). Interested parties can also participate via telephone. Details: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom/
5. HHS awards Alzheimer's disease grants
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently awarded more than $12 million in grants for the development of innovative approaches to providing care for people with Alzheimer's disease and support for their family caregivers. The awards will support seven new demonstration programs in Connecticut, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Puerto Rico and Utah. The awards also support the continuation of projects in 32 other states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. More details: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20030813a.html
RESEARCH & REPORTS
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6. Report indicates home care costs on the rise
A recent survey conducted by the Metlife Mature Market Institute found increases in both home care and nursing care costs. The survey, conducted annually, indicates the average cost of in-home care rose 3%, to $18 per hour, since 2002. Factors affecting the increase include higher liability and malpractice insurance costs. Read the report:
http://www.metlife.com/Applications/Corporate/WPS/CDA/PageGenerator/0,1674,P2801,00.html
7. Families help older adults with the Internet
AARP has released results from a study analyzing the role that the Internet plays in family life. Specifically, the purpose of the survey was to identify the extent to which adult children provide technical computer support to their parents, and how computers are supporting intergenerational relationships. Download: http://www.aarp.org/olderwiserwired/Articles/a2003-07-16-oww-generations.html
JOURNAL ARTICLES
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8. Family caregiver and worker shortages
"Caregiver and clinician shortages in an aging nation" is included in the August 2003 edition of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The authors find that "family fragmentation and the trend toward bureaucratization of long-term care have reduced the availability of informal caregivers. Younger workers should be considered a scarce resource for health care organization and planning purposes." More details: http://www.mayo.edu/proceedings/2003/aug/aug2003.html
9. Study addresses caregiver burden
The August 2003 edition of the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry includes "Gender, kinship and caregiver burden: the case of community-dwelling memory impaired seniors." The authors describe the results, noting that "the study discusses the practice implications of adult children and adult daughters' propensity to suffer burden when caring for their memory-impaired parents living in the community. It also discusses the relevance of caregiver personal characteristics and the sense of coherence as correlates of burden." Read the abstract:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/104548897/START
10. Caregiving and spirituality
"Spirituality in caregivers of family members with dementia" is included in the June 2003 edition of the Journal of Holistic Nursing. The goal of the study was to "investigate spiritual meaning in caregivers of family members with dementia. A descriptive, naturalistic field study using qualitative interviewing techniques was used to collect data from nine family caregivers of adults with dementia." Order a sample copy of the journal: http://www.sagepub.com/journalIssue.aspx?pid=101&jiid=4846
CONFERENCES, MEDIA & MISCELLANEOUS
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11. Supportive housing and home modification training
The National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification will be offering online training and technical assistance courses for the aging network. The trainings are part of the Caregiver Adaptations to Reduce Environmental Stress (CARES) project and will be available October 14 - December 23, 2003. Training is free to Area Agency on Aging staff members and their National Family Caregiver Support Program affiliates. More details: http://www.homemods.org/
12. Generations United conference
The Generations United 12th International Conference will be held October 15-18, 2003 in Alexandria, Virginia. The goal of the conference is to encourage creative programming and public policy initiatives that respect, value, involve and enhance the lives of people of all ages. Sessions will focus on: information about innovative program models around the world, including planning development, implementation and evaluation; networking opportunities with international, national and local experts; and up-to-date information about public policy issues and initiatives. Registration and other info: http://www.gu.org/conference03.htm
13. "Powerful Tools for Caregivers" training
Mather LifeWays is sponsoring class leader training to teach "Powerful Tools for Caregiving." The sessions consist of interactive programs which will prepare professionals to deliver the "Powerful Tools for Caregivers" curriculum to family caregivers. Trainings last two and one-half days and are held in Evanston, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago). Classes will be held intermittently, on the following dates: October 9-11, 2003; January 22-24, 2004; March 18-20, 2004; May 13-15, 2004; July 15-17, 2004. More details: http://www.matherlifeways.com/
14. AoA "Caring Communities" conference
The U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) will hold a "National Summit on Creating Caring Communities" from September 21 - 23, 2003 in Orlando, Florida. Sessions will include: Rebalancing the Long-Term Care System from Institutional to Home/Community-Based Care; Lifestyle Choices through Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; and Family Caregiving and Home/Community-Based Supports. Registration and other details: http://www.hsrnet.net/AoASummit/
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For questions or further information about Family Caregiver Alliance's National Center on Caregiving, contact us at PolicyDigest@caregiver.org.
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Caregiving PolicyDigest is a publication of the National Center on Caregiving, a program of Family Caregiver Alliance. The Digest is funded by the Archstone Foundation.
©2003 Family Caregiver Alliance
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