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STATE LEGISLATION & POLICY
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1. California updates 'bills to watch' in state legislature
California's state assembly has updated a compendium of bills being considered by the state's legislature of interest to older Californians. Bills include long-term care tax initiatives (AB 1523); long-term care integration (SB 1671); and funding for Area Agencies on Aging (AB 1). Download:
http://www.senate.ca.gov/ftp/SEN/COMMITTEE/SUB/HHS_AGE/_home/
2. Delaware posts guide to services for caregiving, long-term care
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services has made available "Guide to Services for Older Delawareans 2004-2005." The guide includes information on a range of long-term care (LTC) services, including the state's caregiver support program - "Caregiver Assistance-Respite-Education" also known as Delaware CARES. Download:
http://www.state.de.us/dhss/dsaapd/agingguide.html
3. Texas continues work to consolidate state agencies
Texas is moving towards consolidating its 12 health and human services agencies into four departments. Under the plan, the Department on Aging, the agency with administrative responsibility for the state's National Family Caregiver Support Program, will become part of the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. As consolidation moves forward, state officials have held public meetings around the state and have allowed comments to be offered via the Internet. More information:
http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/Consolidation/News/dads_org/Structure.html
FEDERAL LEGISLATION & POLICY
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4. CMS announces Real Choice Systems Change funding
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced the availability of funds under the FY 2004 Real Choice Systems Change grants. The grants are aimed at building infrastructure that will result in improvements in community long-term support systems. Funding will be awarded in 9 categories, including: Quality Assurance & Quality Improvement in Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS); Family-to-Family Health Care Information and Education Centers; and the Rebalancing Initiative. An applicants teleconference will be held June 7, 2004. More details:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom/
5. HHS posts materials from caregiver event
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sponsored a December 16, 2003 town hall meeting to highlight the important role of health promotion and disease prevention activities in ensuring the health and wellness of family caregivers. HHS has now made available the materials from this event. They include: the event agenda and summary; a special letter from Mrs. Nancy Reagan; a one page fact sheet and frequently asked questions concerning family caregiving; an overview of the programs that promote the health of older adults; and a compendium of studies designed to promote the health of caregivers. Download:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/home.shtml
RESEARCH & REPORTS
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6. Kaiser Family Foundation reports on HCBS, long-term care
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation has released two reports: "Recent Growth in Medicaid Home and Community-Based Service Waivers" and "Medicaid and Long-Term Care." The first report examines trends in Home and Community-Based Service (HCBS) waiver enrollment and spending in recent years and includes information on respite services. The second report addresses consumer direction, institutional bias and mentions the burden on family and informal caregivers.
"Recent Growth in Medicaid Home and Community-Based Service Waivers":
http://www.kff.org/medicaid/7077-index.cfm
"Medicaid and Long-Term Care":
http://www.kff.org/medicaid/7089a.cfm
7. AARP releases report on Alzheimer's disease and Hispanic population
AARP has made available "Alzheimer's Disease among the Hispanic Population." The report finds that Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are projected to increase more than six-fold among Hispanics in the U.S. during the first half of the 21st century. Also emphasized is the burden that Alzheimer's places on families and communities. As a result of the strong cultural value of family responsibility in the Hispanic community, family members - particularly daughters and other females - care for relatives with Alzheimer's for longer periods of time. As compared to caregivers in other communities, Hispanic caregivers take care of relatives with higher levels of impairment. Download:
http://www.alz.org/Downloads/HispanicReportEnglish.pdf
JOURNAL ARTICLES
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8. Caregiving stress and breast cancer
The June 1, 2004 edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology includes "Caregiving stress, endogenous sex steroid hormone levels, and breast cancer incidence." Because stress has been hypothesized as a link to breast cancer, the authors of the article examined the association of stress from caregiving with breast cancer incidence. They found that stress from caregiving did not appear to increase breast cancer risk. Abstract:
http://aje.oupjournals.org/
9. Literature review of family "carers"
The June 2004 edition of the Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences includes "Support for family carers who care for an elderly person at home - a systematic literature review." The authors identified a total of 26 articles on family caregivers, known in many countries as "carers" which revealed that family carers fear social isolation and wish to network in groups with peers, either for social or for learning purposes. Family carers also desire respite care. Abstract:
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/servlet/useragent?func=showIssues&code=scs
10. Economic costs of caregiver training
The May 8, 2004 edition of the British Medical Journal includes "Training caregivers of stroke patients: economic evaluation." The authors conclude that "compared with no training, caregiver training during rehabilitation of patients reduced costs of care while improving overall quality of life in caregivers at one year." Article:
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/328/7448/1102
FUNDING, MEDIA & MISCELLANEOUS
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11. Workbook for providing eldercare at home
The Foundation for Health in Aging, an arm of the American Geriatrics Society, has published the second edition of "Eldercare at Home." Designed as a resource for families and friends caring for older people at home, the guide includes practical instructions for dealing with common caregiving problems and supports a problem-solving approach to managing care at home and working cooperatively with health professionals. The workbook is $19.95, a more comprehensive package with CD-ROM and handouts is available for $149. Info:
http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/eldercare/
12. Clinical practice guidelines for palliative care
The National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care has made available these practice guidelines, developed through consensus of five major U.S. palliative care organizations. They describe core precepts and structures of clinical palliative care programs. The guidelines also mention the importance of collaborating with family caregivers, as well as high burden on many family caregivers. Download:
http://www.nationalconsensusproject.org/guidelines.html
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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.
©2004 Family Caregiver Alliance
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