tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10796734321155173052012-01-29T08:46:20.485-05:00Aging and Disability in America<blockquote>This blog tracks aging and disability news. Legislative information is provided via <b>GovTrack.us</b>. <br><br>In the right sidebar and at the page bottom, bills in the categories of Aging, Disability, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are tracked.<br><br>Clicking on the bill title will connect to GovTrack updated bill status.</blockquote>James Whaleynoreply@blogger.comBlogger46891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-29724913861351957692011-05-24T08:44:00.000-04:002011-05-24T08:44:31.092-04:00ACOs: The Last Best Hope to Retain PluralismJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-72233218661129244542011-05-24T08:37:00.001-04:002011-05-24T08:38:40.867-04:00The Free Webinar: Affordable Care Act and Prevention | June 16, 2011 | 1 p.m. Eastern Time
This webinar, intended for consumers, providers, and state officials, will provide basic information about the prevention provisions and activities that are included in the Affordable Care Act.
Register for the Affordable Care Act and Prevention Webinar June 16, 2011, 1 p.m. EasternJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-87099757860460152502011-05-24T08:30:00.000-04:002011-05-24T08:30:12.519-04:00Free Webinar: How To Comment on Regulations
SAMHSA's Partners for Recovery Initiative invites you to a free webinar on the public comment process for Federal regulations.
How To Comment on Regulations
May 26, 2011
1 p.m. Eastern Time
This webinar, designed for consumers and members of the recovery community, will provide guidance on the Federal regulatory process and the proper procedure and best practices for submitting comments onJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-82634765975845950402011-05-20T10:53:00.000-04:002011-05-20T10:53:51.227-04:00Connecting Generations Video Challenge: Public Voting Begins
The submission period for the “Connecting Generations Video Challenge” has ended and the judges have made their selections. Now it is up to you to select the winners. Cast your vote for the best submission by logging on to http://challenge.gov/challenges/142/submissions and selecting the video you think best reflects the Older Americans Month 2011 theme—Older Americans: Connecting the CommunityJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-8432787544490492312011-05-20T10:46:00.000-04:002011-05-20T10:46:19.439-04:00Statement by Medicare Rights Center President Joe Baker on the Release of the Medicare Trustees Report
The release of the Medicare Trustees Report today makes clear the importance of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to the solvency of the Medicare trust fund. The ACA provides added support to Medicare as the economy recovers and contributions to the trust fund begin to increase.
We must remember that preserving Medicare means not only maintaining the solvency of the trust fund, but also James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-44733385293228756812011-05-20T10:41:00.000-04:002011-05-20T10:41:38.526-04:00Trustees Report Shows Medicare Remains Viable, But Challenges Remain
The Medicare Trustees Report released today shows that while Medicare remains solvent longer than expected prior to passage of the Affordable Care Act, challenges remain for securing the long term financial health of the Medicare program. Expenditures for the Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Fund were lower than expected this year. The Trustees annual report says that Medicare’s James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-1720649208379297192011-05-20T10:17:00.000-04:002011-05-20T10:17:25.991-04:00HHS to Insurers: Double-Digit Rate Hikes Will Prompt Review
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a final rule that will allow states to scrutinize insurance companies if they propose excessive increases in insurance premiums.
The final rule, published Thursday, would give states the authority beginning in September to issue a review of any insurer that raises premiums for small or individual health insurance plans by more thanJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-92129742565375053082011-05-17T12:34:00.001-04:002011-05-17T12:34:03.427-04:00MedPage Today ArticleI thought you would like to read the attached article: Tai Chi Helps Prevent Falls, Aids Mental Health (CME/CE) - http://www.medpagetoday.com/Geriatrics/GeneralGeriatrics/26509 Sign up for your FREE, once-daily, Medical News Daily Headlines Email at https://www.medpagetoday.com/register.cfm. MedPage Today(R) provides physicians and 'expert patients' real-time coverage of breaking medical news James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-54366141888757353462011-05-13T15:18:00.000-04:002011-05-13T15:18:08.163-04:00Chicago Police Station Converted to LGBT Senior HomeA former police station on the North Side of Chicago that once symbolized discrimination will be incorporated into a housing development for LGBT seniors in the Boystown neighborhood.
According to the Chicago Sun Times, “For $1, the city will sell the old Town Hall District station, 3600 N. Halsted, to Heartland Housing Inc., sources said. The nonprofit developer will incorporate the old James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-66565211268304951552011-05-13T14:22:00.000-04:002011-05-13T14:22:34.795-04:00Weight-Loss Surgery for Seniors Still Iffy
By Nancy Walsh, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Surgeons should continue to exercise caution in considering bariatric surgery for patients older than 65, a researcher said here.
Although age over 65 was not a significant predictor of 30-day mortality after open bariatric surgery, there was a trend in that direction compared with patients ages 50 to 64 (OR 3.3, 95% CI 0.8 to 14.3), according to James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-31082465563374402372011-05-13T14:11:00.000-04:002011-05-13T14:11:50.896-04:00Seniors, Guns and MoneyOP-ED by Paul Krugman in the New York Times
This has to be one of the funniest political stories of recent weeks: On Tuesday, 42 freshmen Republican members of Congress sent a letter urging President Obama to stop Democrats from engaging in “Mediscare” tactics — that is, to stop saying that the Republican budget plan released early last month, which would end Medicare as we know it, is a plan toJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-51406447329699078992011-05-12T08:54:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:44:24.121-04:00Walk to End Alzheimer's
Join the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's™ and unite in a movement to reclaim the future for millions. Since 1989, the Alzheimer's Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk®; now, they ask you to register for Walk to End Alzheimer's, the nation's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research. James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-76452798739648079212011-05-11T10:36:00.000-04:002011-05-11T10:36:11.235-04:00Public comment on Home and Community Based ServicesThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would revise the regulations implementing Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) under section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act. There are several proposed changes including the following:
· Requirement for person-centered planning
· Characteristics of home and community based settings
James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-89315394088213086742011-05-11T10:24:00.000-04:002011-05-11T10:24:14.547-04:00Budget Chief Wants Plan with 50-50 Split Between Spending Cuts and Tax Hikes
By Alexander Bolton
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) on Tuesday presented a budget proposal to Senate Democrats that calls for an even balance — 50 percent to 50 percent — of spending cuts and tax increases to reduce the deficit.
More
James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-63836275348400446012011-05-11T10:15:00.000-04:002011-05-11T10:15:22.463-04:00Governor Rips Nursing-home Lobby, Says Tax Cut Possible in '12By Joe Vardon - THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
In a suburban Cincinnati facility where tooling for engines used by the military is made, Gov. John Kasich unleashed a volley of verbal missiles at Ohio's nursing-home lobby yesterday.
Kasich, whose speech was scheduled as an event to stump for his two-year, $55.6 billion budget proposal, also said that if the state holds the line on spending this year, "James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-15016569748095237232011-05-11T09:08:00.000-04:002011-05-11T09:08:02.461-04:00Saving the American Dream: The Heritage Plan to Fix the Debt, Cut Spending, and Restore Prosperity
The conservative Heritage Foundation released a budget plan Tuesday that balances the federal budget far sooner than the House 2012 budget resolution, in part by cutting benefits for current seniors.
MoreJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-7430372702627880992011-05-11T08:55:00.000-04:002011-05-11T08:55:37.592-04:00National Council On Disability Board MeetingThe board meeting will be held on Thursday, May 19, 2011, 1 p.m.-5:30 p.m., ET, and Friday, May 20, 2011, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.,ET.
The board meeting will occur at the Access Board Conference Room, 1331 F Street, NW., Suite 800, Washington, DC.
Parts of this meeting will be open to the public. The rest of the meeting will be closed to the public.
The agenda for the board meeting includes:
a James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-59638330302128289022011-05-11T08:27:00.000-04:002011-05-11T08:27:29.964-04:00Upcoming Webinar Addressing Behavioral Health Services in the Affordable Care ActWednesday, May 18, 2011
3 p.m. Eastern Time
What does health reform mean for people in recovery from addiction, consumers of mental health services, and their families? The National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery, Faces & Voices of Recovery, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness jointly present a series of five webinars sponsored by SAMHSA to provide information on the Affordable James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-91235421051536656582011-05-11T07:28:00.000-04:002011-05-11T07:28:18.670-04:00Colonoscopy: Who Gets Treated Where and How Effective is that Treatment?James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-35095336774641766772011-05-11T07:22:00.000-04:002011-05-11T07:22:12.955-04:00Phone-Based Tests Can ID Cognitive Problems
By Todd Neale, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Telephone-based assessments can reliably identify dementia in an ethnically diverse, older population, researchers found.
Two phone-based measures were able to discriminate demented from nondemented individuals and those with mild cognitive impairment from those with dementia, according to Jennifer Manly, PhD, of Columbia University Medical Center James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-76128539248129396862011-05-11T07:06:00.000-04:002011-05-11T07:06:09.873-04:00Study Finds CV Risk Even With Short-Term NSAID Use
By Peggy Peck, Executive Editor, MedPage Today
There is no "safe" duration for NSAID use in patients with a history of myocardial infarction, according to an analysis of data from more than 83,000 patients -- use of NSAIDs after MI increased the relative risk of death or second MI by as much as 45%.
Moreover, the common NSAID diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam) was associated with a 3.52 HR forJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-13070106266549929142011-05-11T06:57:00.000-04:002011-05-11T06:57:55.854-04:00Psoriasis and Cardiovascular Disease and DiabetesJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-15628163825358733852011-05-09T06:58:00.001-04:002011-05-09T07:28:36.253-04:00Generation Alzheimer'sThe good news is that death rates for many major diseases - HIV, stroke, heart disease, prostate cancer, and breast cancer - are declining. Sadly, the same can't yet be said about Alzheimer's. This year, the first of the Boomer Generation turns 65. To bring urgently-needed attention to the risk facing the Boomers, Alzheimer's Association recently released a groundbreaking study Generation James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-74135431469185490362011-05-04T12:30:00.000-04:002011-05-04T12:30:06.049-04:00World Report on DisabilityThe WHO/World Bank is launching its first World report on Disability (See description below) in the U.S. on September 12 & 13 . DoubleTree Hotel Crystal City, Arlington , VA. September 12 & 13, 2011. (The international launch is at the UN on June 9 when the Report will be released.) The September 12-13 U.S. launch/symposium is free but you must register. For registration, please go to http://James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-16654487306823261272011-05-04T12:12:00.001-04:002011-05-04T12:14:29.588-04:00WHO Warns of Enormous Burden of Chronic Disease
By Kate Kelland
LONDON (Reuters) Apr 27 - Chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease and diabetes have reached global epidemic proportions and now cause more deaths than all other diseases combined, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.
In its first worldwide report on so-called non-communicable diseases, or NCDs, the United Nations health body said the conditions caused James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-49799200665627325742011-05-04T11:04:00.000-04:002011-05-04T11:04:10.827-04:00GOP Unveils Medicaid Flexibility Bill
By Sam Baker
Congressional Republicans' bill to let states cut their Medicaid rolls would save the federal government nearly $3 billion over the next five years, according to a preliminary estimate from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
A group of House and Senate Republicans on Tuesday outlined their bill to repeal the Medicaid "maintenance of effort" provisions in the new healthcare James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-72419460787486160782011-05-04T10:29:00.000-04:002011-05-04T10:29:51.829-04:00Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Eligibility,
This proposed rule would implement provisions of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) affecting the eligibility, benefits, certification, and employment and training (E&T) requirements for applicant or participant households in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The rule would amend the SNAP regulations to:
Exclude military combat pay from the income of SNAPJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-46560945945596296062011-05-04T09:49:00.000-04:002011-05-04T09:49:09.848-04:00Salt Study Discounts Link to Hypertension
In a study that seems likely to re-energize the debate over dietary salt, European researchers found that the changes in the amount of sodium excreted in the urine were related to changes in systolic blood pressure.
But they were not linked to diastolic pressure or the risk of developing hypertension, according to Jan Staessen, MD, PhD, of the University of Leuven in Leuven, Belgium, and James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-22789514923629780312011-05-02T11:43:00.000-04:002011-05-02T11:43:34.659-04:00National Audio Conference on the Federal Budget
Audio Conference Sponsored by SPOTLIGHT on POVERTY and OPPORTUNITY and the SHRIVER CENTER
Featuring Rep. Jan Schakowsky
May 9, 2011, 4:00-4:30 pm EST
Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity and the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law are excited to co-sponsor a national audio conference featuring Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D – IL) offering an insider's perspective on the latest budget James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-41167198699170215052011-05-02T11:22:00.000-04:002011-05-02T11:22:28.759-04:00AoA eNewsletter May 2011
Table of Contents
Top Story
Older Americans Month 2011
AoA News
AoA Grantees Impact Over 106,000 Older Adults with Proven Health Promotion Programs
AoA’s May Widget Celebrates National Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
HIV/AIDS Turns 30 - Together We Can: Educate, Empower, Prevent - HIV/AIDS and the Aging Network
Cancer Screening and Older Adults
Other HHSJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-48463131004410476242011-04-28T12:43:00.000-04:002011-04-28T12:43:48.642-04:00Tai Chi Boosts Quality of Life in Heart Failure
By Nancy Walsh, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Heart failure patients may experience improvements in their quality of life and mood by participating in a tai chi exercise program, a randomized study suggested.
The small study of patients with chronic systolic heart failure found that disease-specific quality of life -- measured on the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire -- showed James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-8295645002551100182011-04-28T12:36:00.000-04:002011-04-28T12:36:34.938-04:00NEJM - Remaking Health Care
The April 28th issue of the New England Journal of Medicine contains a series of papers on Health System Reform:
Consensus and Conflict in Health System Reform — The Republican Budget Plan and the ACA
Timothy Stoltzfus Jost, J.D.
The “Roadmap for America’s Future,”1 put forward by Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) and adopted in principle as the Republican budget proposal for 2012, offers a James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-31562725377892442992011-04-28T11:20:00.000-04:002011-04-28T11:20:36.685-04:00Mortality in Heart Failure Tied to Health Literacy
By Todd Neale, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Patients with heart failure who have lower health literacy may have an increased risk of death, researchers found.
In a single, integrated managed care organization, patients who had a poor understanding of basic health information were more likely to die through a median follow-up of 1.2 years (17.6% versus 6.3%, P=0.001), according to Pamela James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-41697710004802099342011-04-28T11:12:00.000-04:002011-04-28T11:12:07.882-04:00Early Morning MIs Have Larger Infarcts
The time of day at the onset of myocardial infarction plays a significant role in the size of the infarct based on levels of cardiac enzymes, with the largest infarcts being seen with onset in the early morning hours, a retrospective study found.
James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-12799720206949594992011-04-27T14:04:00.000-04:002011-04-27T14:04:54.890-04:00Save the Date - Long-Term Care Discussion Group "MyWay MyLife - Enriched & Meaningful Living For Older Persons"
MyWay MyLife - Enriched & Meaningful Living For Older Persons Tuesday, May 24, 2011 - 2 p.m. Eastern Time
Claudia S. Blumenstock, President & CEO, Copernicus, Inc.
Renee Pruzansky, COO, AristaCare Health Services
AMERICAN BENEFITS COUNCIL
1501 M Street, NW, Washington, DC
Conf Center - Lower S Level
(Please note: you must RSVP in advance to get into the building)
The aging population James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-78781905214277273092011-04-27T13:49:00.000-04:002011-04-27T13:49:05.633-04:00Part D Plans Generally Cover Drugs Commonly Used By Dual Eligibles-DHHS OIG
Download the complete report (PDF)
Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF files. Copies can also be obtained by contacting the Office of Public Affairs at 202-619-1343.
This report was mandated in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.
Dual eligibles are individuals who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Overall, we found that the rate of Part D plan James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-29058292040465175792011-04-27T13:00:00.002-04:002011-04-27T13:04:45.650-04:00Identification & Tracking Legislation in CongressThis blog is tracking legislation in the areas of:
Aging
Disability Assistance
Medicare
Medicaid
Social Security and Elderly Assistance
The tracking of introduced bills and their status is provided via GovTrack.us and may be found in the right sidebar and at the bottom of the page. Clicking on the bill title will connect to GovTrack's information on the bill including bill summary, complete billJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-3402546578859032042011-04-27T12:00:00.000-04:002011-04-27T12:00:46.388-04:00Assisted Living Settings/Facilities and the ADA. Information Bulletin # 331 (4/2011)
by Steve Gold
CMS issued proposed rules regarding Medicaid’s Home and Community-Based waivers. 76 Federal Register 21311 (4/15/11). One part of the proposed rules focused on Assisted Living Settings and whether these qualify under Olmstead’s “the most integrated setting” mandate. CMS stated that “a State’s obligations under the ADA and Section 504 are not defined by, or limited to, the cope orJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-50171663381992624562011-04-27T11:46:00.000-04:002011-04-27T11:46:32.993-04:00Medicare to Pay for MRIs in Patients With Pacemakers
By Chris Kaiser, Cardiology Editor, MedPage Today
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has determined that the evidence is strong enough to reimburse for MRI exams in Medicare patients who have permanent pacemakers.
"We propose to change the language ... of the NCD Manual to remove the contraindication for Medicare coverage of MRI in beneficiaries with implanted PMs [permanentJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-65859819348091857872011-04-27T11:37:00.000-04:002011-04-27T11:37:35.936-04:00Broader View Urged for Seniors' CV CareJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-55503112253979929712011-04-27T11:33:00.000-04:002011-04-27T11:33:34.432-04:00In Hypertension, Strong Men Live Longer
By Todd Neale, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Hypertensive men with the most muscle strength appear to have a lower risk of dying than their weaker counterparts, researchers found.
Even after controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness level and other potential confounders, men in the upper third of muscle strength were 34% less likely to die during an average follow-up of about 18 years (HR 0.66,James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-31535273483563370222011-04-27T11:28:00.000-04:002011-04-27T11:28:10.401-04:00Fibrate Plus Statin May Pose Heart Risk to Women
By John Gever, Senior Editor, MedPage Today
The FDA said it was concerned about trial data suggesting that adding a fibrate drug to a statin increased the risk of cardiac events in women and will convene an advisory committee meeting next month to review the findings.
The agency was reacting to a new analysis of the ACCORD-Lipid trial, which tested the addition of delayed-release fenofibric James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-30345635004869080152011-04-26T12:34:00.000-04:002011-04-26T12:34:54.325-04:00Next White House Disability Group Monthly Call to Take Place April 28th
In order to help keep you more informed, the White House is hosting monthly calls to provide updates on various disability issues, as well as to introduce individuals who work on disability issues in the federal government.
The next call will take place on Thursday, April 28 at 2:00 PM Eastern.
Dial in for listeners: United States: (888) 428-4479
Title: White House Disability Call (use James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-40096203169501987992011-04-26T12:25:00.000-04:002011-04-26T12:25:48.415-04:00Gay Marriage Complexities - Time Goes By, Gray & Gay
by Jan Adams (bio)
We are living a strange moment in the ongoing struggle to win full marriage rights for same-sex couples. We're clearly making progress.
Full marriage, with the same rights and obligations as heterosexual couples, is currently available in five states and the District of Columbia. Some ten or so other states maintain registries of domestic partnerships which give partners James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-88440498583018257812011-04-26T12:09:00.000-04:002011-04-26T12:09:43.070-04:00Lawsuits Don’t Lead to Better Nursing Home Care - New York TimesBy PAULA SPAN
We tend to think of a lawsuit as a kind of slingshot allowing the little guy to take on a daunting Goliath — a large nursing home chain, say. If you can’t persuade a facility to provide proper care, if your elderly relative has suffered unnecessarily as a result, then you can sue.
By doing so, you not only force the responsible parties to make amends for negligence or other James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-28259379882779630002011-04-26T11:52:00.000-04:002011-04-26T11:52:14.792-04:00New Report: Accountable Care Organizations Have Potential to Curb Costs and Improve Health Care
If implemented successfully, accountable care organizations (ACOs) have the ability to achieve better care, better population health, and lower costs, according to a new report released today by the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System. Implementing ACOs effectively will be vital to their success and, to that end, the Commission report also includes 10 James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-67462022630931605122011-04-23T10:32:00.000-04:002011-04-23T10:32:01.569-04:00Establishing Disability History Awareness Initiatives – A Roadmap for States &TerritoriesPeople of all races, classes, and cultures have disabilities. Currently, twenty percent ofthe American public lives with one or more disabilities, and a person may become disabled at any point during their lifetime. Yet despite the number of people withdisabilities in our country, many are unaware of the rich history of the disability movement.
One effective strategy for advancing the rights of James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-81211993078744601642011-04-23T10:00:00.000-04:002011-04-23T10:00:50.908-04:00Rx for Secondary Prevention May Not Save Money
There is a lack of evidence that drugs such as statins and anti-hypertensives used to reduce risk of cardiovascular events are cost-effective treatments, according to a study from Finland published online in the BMJ.
MoreJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-75204913078472784192011-04-23T08:48:00.001-04:002011-04-23T08:51:32.759-04:00Outpatient Care in Hospitals Is No Bargain
Although hospital outpatient care makes up only 5% of all outpatient visits in the U.S., it accounts for more than one-fifth of outpatient costs, according to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality researchers.
MoreJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-44913526376740289332011-04-22T12:33:00.001-04:002011-04-22T12:33:10.413-04:00Aging and Disability in America now formated for mobile devicesJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-63899510827247501072011-04-15T09:49:00.000-04:002011-04-15T09:49:18.450-04:00QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Death Rates* --- United States, 2008April 15, 2011 / 60(14);447
* Per 100,000 U.S. standard population.
† Data for 2008 are preliminary.
In 2008, the overall age-adjusted death rate in the United States was 758.7 per 100,000 population. Among states, the rate ranged from 589.0 deaths per 100,000 population in Hawaii to 958.5 in West Virginia. In general, death rates were higher among states in the South and lower among statesJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-85629248507379647452011-04-15T09:20:00.000-04:002011-04-15T09:20:23.489-04:00President Announces Budget Alternative That Would Preserve Medicare
Yesterday, President Obama announced his administration’s framework for addressing the deficit as an alternative to the current proposal under consideration in the House of Representatives proposed by Budget Committee Chairman Representative Paul Ryan, which would end the current Medicare program replacing it with a voucher system. Rather than saving the government money by shifting large out James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-5821658078313081182011-04-15T09:08:00.000-04:002011-04-15T09:08:26.424-04:00New Flexibility for States to Improve Medicaid and Implement Innovative Practices
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced four initiatives to give states more flexibility to adopt innovative new practices and provide better, more coordinated care for people with Medicaid and Medicare while helping reduce costs for states and families. The initiatives support the Obama administration’s work to make Medicaid more flexible and efficient and to James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-36956443619591915462011-04-15T08:55:00.000-04:002011-04-15T08:55:43.838-04:00Proposed Medicaid Cuts Could Be Devastating to Utah
By PATTY HENETZ-The Salt Lake Tribune
Advocates for elders and low-income residents in Utah see Republican plans for cutting Medicare and Medicaid costs as an unfair approach that could mean the loss of billions of dollars to Utah.
The proposal released last week by House Budget Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., would repeal key provisions in the year-old Affordable Care Act, privatize James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-11873217807163073302011-04-14T10:03:00.000-04:002011-04-14T10:03:09.618-04:00Elders and Obama's Speech
by Ronni Bennett
Did you watch President Obama's speech yesterday afternoon? Whew! It was better than I feared it would be. Kinda busy today (Wednesday) so mostly I'll stick to the major points affecting elders.
If you will recall, Paul Ryan's deficit reduction plan, widely praised by Republicans, would turn Medicare into a voucher program which, as the president said, “would end Medicare as James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-16299505287405933152011-04-13T16:27:00.000-04:002011-04-13T16:27:19.916-04:00Obama Aims to Lower U.S. Deficit by $4 TrillionJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-15197432583852050542011-04-13T15:36:00.000-04:002011-04-13T15:36:04.950-04:00Robin Hood in ReverseJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-23640487738740927212011-04-13T14:55:00.000-04:002011-04-13T14:55:54.061-04:00TIME GOES BY | The Fight of Our Lifetimes
by Ronni Bennett
After last week's budget battle, the lines are drawn. Two factions are in control of the debate for the future of the United States:
The religious zealots who intend to make their ignorance the law of the land
The corporatocracy who intend to bleed every last dollar from the rest of us for their personal use
Aside from a small number of sane pundits dismissed by the James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-63269113711803756072011-04-13T12:41:00.000-04:002011-04-13T12:41:54.217-04:00Elderly 'Fear Ageism More Than Crime' | CARDI : Centre for Ageing Research and Development in IrelandImage via Wikipedia
Older people are more worried about ageism and discrimination than they are of being the victim of crime, a new study shows.
Research among a group of people aged between 60 and 90 showed they felt the older generation were patronised or seen as a “burden” on society.
They also expressed a strong desire to remain active by working or volunteering, the report from James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-18310280420225845022011-04-13T11:58:00.001-04:002011-04-13T11:59:01.682-04:00NCPSSM: Analysis of the Fiscal Commission Proposal
On December 1, 2010, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform released a report containing a set of recommendations for addressing the nation’s fiscal crisis. Their proposed changes to Social Security are especially troublesome, as they represent a completely unbalanced approach to changing Social Security. An overwhelming majority of the adjustments to the program come James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-25427753700702092392011-04-13T11:50:00.000-04:002011-04-13T11:50:14.774-04:00Health Overhaul Could Double Community Health Centers' Caseload - Kaiser Health News
By Michelle Andrews
Community health centers serve 20 million people every year, and that number is expected to double by 2015, thanks to an $11 billion infusion from the health-care overhaul and $2 billion in federal stimulus funds.
If you're a middle-income worker with health insurance through your job, chances are these centers have been under your radar, since their target clients James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-27377502300957920922011-04-13T11:39:00.000-04:002011-04-13T11:39:31.221-04:00National Volunteer Week Part 2 of 6: Frank J. Kormos, “The Outstanding Older Texan”by Leah Scanlan AARP Driver Safety Program
Meet Frank.
Frank has been volunteering in some way since he was 20 years old.
Today, at age 96, Frank is AARP Texas’ oldest volunteer and has 76 years of volunteer experience under his belt.
Frank started volunteering for the AARP Driver Safety Program in September of 1989. Over the past 21 years, he has served as an Instructor, Assistant James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-26864182621663992862011-04-13T10:33:00.000-04:002011-04-13T10:33:18.954-04:00FCC ACTS TO ENSURE THAT DEAF-BLIND INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACCESS TO 21 st CENTURY COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIESImage via Wikipedia
On April 4, 2011, the Commission established a National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution
Program (NDBEDP) to enable low-income individuals who are deaf-blind to access 21
st Century communications services. The pilot program will help ensure that qualified individuals have access to the Internet, and advanced communications, including interexchange services and advanced James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-4794658606177688582011-04-13T10:19:00.000-04:002011-04-13T10:19:19.233-04:00Economists Oppose Plans to Convert Medicaid to Block Grant
Dear Speaker Boehner, Minority Leader Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid, and Minority Leader McConnell,
We write this letter to oppose plans to convert Medicaid to a block grant and to cut Medicaid benefits.
These changes would do nothing to improve quality but would ration care to millions of America’s most vulnerable citizens.
Medicaid supports health care for nearly 60 million people, James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-22857133817083678572011-04-13T09:52:00.000-04:002011-04-13T09:52:43.278-04:00The Partnership for Patients and the Aging Network
Message from the Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy GreenleeToday, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the Partnership for Patients, a new national public-private partnership with the goals of:* Keeping patients from getting injured or sicker. By the end of 2013, preventable hospital-acquired conditions would decrease by 40% compared to 2010. Achieving this goal James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-35327869164015480542011-04-09T12:59:00.000-04:002011-04-09T12:59:10.545-04:00CMS Releases Hospital Error, Injury Data
By Emily P. Walker, Washington Correspondent, MedPage Today
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began reporting hospital-specific rates of eight hospital-acquired conditions (HACs), so patients can compare how often the nation's 4,700 hospitals make preventable medical errors.The eight conditions are foreign object retained after surgery, air embolism, blood incompatibility, James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-8827598965212195572011-04-09T12:50:00.000-04:002011-04-09T12:50:31.920-04:00Senior Centers Invited to Enter The Community Connection Video Game Tournament
The Wii is not just for kids! In celebration of Older Americans Month, the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) wants to get seniors moving with the Community Connection Video Game Tournament. Using the interactive Nintendo Wii video game console, AoA is inviting senior centers across the country to hold bowling tournaments.At the end of two rounds of play, the senior centers with the highest James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-68868089646482281352011-04-09T12:45:00.000-04:002011-04-09T12:45:04.278-04:00Enter the Connecting Generations Video Challenge sponsored by the U.S. Administration on Aging
The U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) is pleased to announce the Connecting Generations Video Challenge in celebration of Older Americans Month 2011. The Challenge will bring together multiple generations to create videos featuring the roles our seniors play in connecting us all. Anyone can participate by joining an intergenerational team—including at least one person age 60 or older and oneJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-86430050011110574252011-04-09T12:40:00.000-04:002011-04-09T12:40:02.489-04:00Funding Opportunities-National Center on Elder Abuse
TitleNational Center on Elder Abuse
Agency/Center:Administration on Aging (AoA)
Announcement Type:Initial
Funding Opportunity Number:HHS-2011-AoA-AB-1108
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:93.048
Key Dates:Letters of intent are requested by April 9, 2011. The deadline date for submission of applications is 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 9, 2011.
Downloads:
Program James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-41579876485987941422011-04-09T12:33:00.000-04:002011-04-09T12:33:15.370-04:00Funding Opportunities-Lifespan Respite Care
Each year, Congress appropriates funds for use by AoA and the other Federal Agencies in carrying out their mission. AoA provides grant funding to States and territories, recognized Native American Tribes and Hawaiian Americans, as well as nonprofit organizations, including faith-based and academic institutions. Individuals are not eligible to apply for AoA funding.
For those new to the James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-41252761362828359522011-04-09T11:44:00.000-04:002011-04-09T11:44:11.213-04:00Money Follows the Person: A 2010 Snapshot
With the passage of health reform, the Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration grant
program was extended five years through 2016 giving states further options to transition Medicaid beneficiaries living in institutions back to the community. Enacted into law in 2006 as part of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), the MFP demonstration provides states with enhanced federal matching funds James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-1022499689524023572011-04-09T11:32:00.001-04:002011-04-09T11:32:34.518-04:00Leadership Council of Aging Organizations Consensus Statement on Older Americans Act Reauthorization
Introduction by LCOA on its consensus recommendations:
The Older Americans Act (OAA) is the major federal discretionary funding source for home and
community-based services for older adults. Programs supported through the OAA include home-delivered and congregate nutrition services, in-home supportive services, transportation,
caregiver support, community service employment, the long-term James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-56458954827039587052011-04-09T10:18:00.000-04:002011-04-09T10:18:17.131-04:00Retiring? A City Can Help Keep You Young, Age You Faster - AARP Bulletin
by: Candy Sagon | from: AARP Bulletin | April 8, 2011
If you want to look and feel younger than your years, maybe you need to move to another city. Like Salt Lake City, San Francisco or Austin, Texas.
Those are the top three cities in RealAge.com's list of the 10 "youngest" cities in America — metropolitan areas with such healthy lifestyles that on average their residents are physically James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-76556236185673952162011-04-09T09:48:00.001-04:002011-04-09T09:49:44.682-04:00Spring News from Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement
Articles:
The National Deficit and the Debt? Why is Social Security Part of the Debate?
Webinar: Taking the Mystery Out of Retirement Planning-April
Details at Spring News from Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement
James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-21335392061993751542011-04-09T09:35:00.000-04:002011-04-09T09:35:50.060-04:00Gay Couples Closer to Receiving Medicaid Spousal Protections - NYTimes.com
By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD
Same-sex couples are one step closer to receiving protections that heterosexual married couples get when they receive long-term care through Medicaid — that is, the healthy partner will be able to keep some of the ailing partner’s money and remain in their home.
At least, that’s the goal. Right now, only opposite-sex married couples receive those rights because the James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-22054775768639922702011-04-09T09:25:00.000-04:002011-04-09T09:25:20.355-04:00Bronx Grannies Hold Bake Sale to Save Grandparent Apartments, Threatened by NY State Budget CutsBY DANIEL BEEKMAN
Some Bronx grandmothers are raising money - one cake at a time - to offset more than $300,000 in state budget cuts to the funding for their unique residence.
The bake sales are a desperate attempt to sustain programs and services, from 24-hour security to after-school tutoring, at Grandparent Family Apartments.
When it opened in 2005, the Morrisania building was the James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-36111046992231372512011-04-09T08:12:00.000-04:002011-04-09T08:12:39.628-04:00Jeffrey Sachs: The People's BudgetImage via Wikipedia
by Jeffrey Sachs
Just when it seemed that all of Washington had lost its values and its connection with the American people, a bolt of hope has arrived. It is the People's Budget put forward by the co-chairs of the 80-member Congressional Progressive Caucus. Their plan is humane, responsible, and most of all sensible, reflecting the true values of the American people James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-56889205927176673292011-04-09T07:45:00.000-04:002011-04-09T07:45:17.054-04:00Medicine-On-Time Shown To Reduce Likelihood Of Nursing Home Admission By 66 Percent
In a new study published in The American Journal of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, researchers from the University of South Carolina School of Public Health found that the use of the Medicine-On-Time medication delivery technology reduced the likelihood of nursing home admission by 66 percent.
The study assessed the impact of a medication adherence management program on nursing home admissions. James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-58876930174496598792011-04-09T07:37:00.000-04:002011-04-09T07:37:10.096-04:00Participatory Action Research for Culture Changeby JOHN DAVYThe culture change movement brought a much-needed emphasis on the dignity and humanity of those receiving long-term care. Research has identified many outcomes of culture change—reduction in over-medication, more home-like environments in LTC, improved social life for residents, and many other targeted benefits. However, as an article in the most recent Gerontologist notes, “little James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-65524195396987998042011-04-09T07:29:00.000-04:002011-04-09T07:29:54.453-04:00Geriatric Knowledge among Emergency Nurses | Aging In Action
by JOHN DAVY on APRIL 8, 2011
Adults age 65 and older make up at least 15% of emergency department visits, and have longer lengths of emergency department stay, as well as poorer post-discharge outcomes, than the general population. At the same time, most nursing baccalaureate programs do not require coursework in geriatric care. Does this imply a gap between training and practice, or are James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-19724120265282190202011-04-09T07:11:00.000-04:002011-04-09T07:11:19.146-04:00Fundamental Changes To Medicare Proposed By Elder Law Expert
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's proposal to change Medicare for those under age 55 is nothing short of a complete reconceptualization of the health insurance program, says a University of Illinois elder law expert.Richard L. Kaplan, a professor of law and expert on retirement issues, says the Ryan proposal would scrap Medicare's current defined-benefit program in favor of a James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-49056598629159873832011-04-09T07:01:00.000-04:002011-04-09T07:01:46.531-04:00Workers with Intellectual Disabilities Abused by Texas-Based Company for Years - Disability.gov
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against Hill Country Farms alleging the company subjected a group of 31 men with intellectual disabilities to severe abuse and discrimination for more than 20 years.
The complaint alleges that that the owners and staffers of Henry’s Turkey denied the workers lawful wages, paying them only $65 a month for full-time work; James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-4624904386218121372011-04-09T06:53:00.000-04:002011-04-09T06:53:06.114-04:00Federal Agency Career Opportunities for People with Disabilities - Disability.gov
Bender Consulting Services has been retained by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to recruit, screen and direct candidates with disabilities to federal agencies for positions in the areas of accounting, budget analysis, contact representative, contracts, finance, human resources, information technology, administrative support and miscellaneous clerical positions.
Successful James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-85925546414579503212011-04-09T06:44:00.000-04:002011-04-09T06:44:52.377-04:00stevegoldada: Attacking Medicaid - Myths and Some Realities.
By Steve Gold
Aldttacking Medicaid - Myths and Some Realities. Information Bulletin # 320 (4/2011)There have been a lot of articles and speeches attacking Medicaid: “GOP Governors Seek Leeway to Cut Medicaid,” “Fiscal Health Hinges on Containing Costs of Care.”Now comes Rep. Ron Paul plan to change Medicaid.....From article to article to political speech, the drum beat is the same: “Block James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-76992632278437076882011-04-08T08:30:00.000-04:002011-04-08T08:30:54.111-04:00Long-term Ecstasy Use 'Raises Risk of Brain Damage and Alzheimer's' | Society | The Guardian
by Denis Campbell, health correspondent - The Guardian
Long-term Ecstasy users risk brain damage, memory loss and an increased chance of developing Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.
Dutch researchers used MRI scans to study the brains of 10 men in their mid-20s who had taken an average of 281 ecstasy tablets over the previous six and a half years, and seven peers who had taken James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-19369664299543903562011-04-06T09:58:00.000-04:002011-04-06T09:58:20.337-04:00Research Update: 5 New Alzheimer's Genes Discovered
Two very large studies, appearing yesterday as advance, online publications of Nature Genetics, identified five additional genes linked to Alzheimer’s, doubling the number of genes believed to contribute to the disease.
The amount of genetic risk attributable to each of these newly identified genes is not large, but they may help point researchers to new ideas for the causes and/or James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-81755096934489898222011-04-06T09:30:00.000-04:002011-04-06T09:30:23.221-04:00TIME GOES BY | Note to Elder Republicans: Suckers!
by Ronni Bennett
In the 2010 midterm elections, elders voted Republican 58 to 39 percent. As Paul Krugman said on his blog Monday:
”Oh, and for all those older Americans who voted GOP last year because those nasty Democrats were going to cut Medicare, I have just one word: suckers!”
No kidding.
Yesterday, chairman of the House Budget Committee, Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-45747570464809022512011-04-05T13:14:00.000-04:002011-04-05T13:14:46.165-04:0010 Ways to Stay Connected with The National Resource Directory
By the National Resource Directory Staff
Do you know about the National Resource Directory (NRD)? The NRD connects Wounded Warriors, Service Members, Veterans, family members and caregivers with services and resources at the national, state and local levels that support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration. The site offers a number of ways to stay connected, receive valuable James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-52402409750806922462011-04-05T13:06:00.000-04:002011-04-05T13:06:08.944-04:00Effect of Pay for Performance on the Management and Outcomes of Hypertension in the United Kingdom
The Issue
The impact of pay-for-performance programs on the quality of care for chronic conditions, and the outcomes of that care, is largely unknown, though such programs are increasingly common. Commonwealth Fund–supported researchers examined how a large-scale pay-for-performance program in the United Kingdom affected management and outcomes for one such condition—hypertension.
----------James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-60559357066882250242011-04-05T12:52:00.000-04:002011-04-05T12:52:30.253-04:00Ryan Budget Pulls the Rug Out from Under Seniors, People with Disabilities, and Struggling Families
Community Catalyst Press Release
Contact: Kathy Melley Office: 617/275-2861 Mobile: 617/791-0708 kmelley@communitycatalyst.org
Joint Statement of Robert Restuccia, Executive Director, Community Catalyst, and Rev. Heyward Wiggins, Co-Chair PICO National Network Steering Committee, on the House Republican budget plan
(BOSTON AND WASHINGTON, DC) - "The House Republican 2012 budget plan James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-74023250037764125332011-04-05T12:32:00.000-04:002011-04-05T12:32:39.191-04:00About Retirement - Time Goes By
by Ronni Bennett
Yesterday in The New York Times, there was a terrific story by Al Baker about a police detective, a veteran of 40 years on the force, that has it all: human interest, crime statistics, department history, snitches, murder, mayhem and headline cases. Real-life Law & Order in black-and-white.
It is also a story about getting old.
"Some of his colleagues lovingly call him 'James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-46734559014892748362011-04-04T16:59:00.000-04:002011-04-04T16:59:15.028-04:00National Volunteer Week 2011
by Kathy Greenlee
During National Volunteer Week 2011 (April 10-16), we at the Administration on Aging (AoA) acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of the volunteers who serve older Americans all across this nation. Volunteers have always been the backbone of programs administered under the Older Americans Act.
From its beginning AoA and its state and local networks have counted on James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-47116843406973632812011-04-04T09:35:00.000-04:002011-04-04T09:35:05.331-04:00NCOA Launches One Away Campaign for Elder Economic Security; Releases National Poll on Struggles Facing Older Adults
Ken Schwartz, NCOA Director, Marketing & Communications, 202-600-3131, ken.schwartz@ncoa.org
Washington, D.C. (March 31, 2011) – More than 13 million older adults are considered economically insecure, living on just $21,780 a year or less. Every day, these seniors, and millions of Boomers, have to choose whether to pay for food, housing, utilities, or out-of-pocket for medication costs. They James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-36069891954108539992011-04-04T08:38:00.000-04:002011-04-04T08:38:30.606-04:00Extenuating Circumstances When Screening Applicants with Disabilities
by Steve Gold
HUD states "it has recently come to the attention" of HUD that people with disabilities"face additional challenges during screening procedures [for public housing and housing choice vouchers] due to poor credit histories often exacerbated by outstanding medical costs related to their disability."
Disability advocates have been aware of this for many years so we're delighted James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-12945885318106282972011-04-03T11:16:00.000-04:002011-04-03T11:16:15.771-04:00Working with Online Volunteers who have Disabilities |
from Service Leader.org
Online volunteering programs can allow for the greater participation of people who might find volunteering difficult or impossible because of a disability. This in turn allows organizations to benefit from the additional talent and resources of more volunteers, and allows agencies to further diversify their volunteer talent pool.
Just as building designs can help James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-84312875260844077312011-04-03T07:49:00.000-04:002011-04-03T07:49:39.602-04:00Establishing a Person-Centered Culture in a VA Nursing HomeImage via Wikipedia
by JOHN DAVY
The Veterans Administration has taken up the model of person-centered care, asking administrators throughout its health care system to modify their facilities and train their staff accordingly. Staff from the VA’s newly-renamed Haley’s Cove Community Living Center (HCCLC) in Tampa, Florida recently published a case study on their own shift to the patient-centeredJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-76434840605756587322011-04-03T07:36:00.000-04:002011-04-03T07:36:44.007-04:00QuickStats: Life Expectancy and Years Free of Activity Limitations,* by Race and Sex --- United States, 2006
* Estimates are based on data from the National Vital Statistics System and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). NHIS collects information in household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population. Expected years free from activity limitations combines estimates of total life expectancy and prevalence rates of activity limitations associated with James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-82369463763790175162011-04-03T07:28:00.000-04:002011-04-03T07:28:32.191-04:00St. John’s Regional Health Center: Following Heart Failure Patients After Discharge Avoids Readmissions - The Commonwealth Fund
Authors:
Aimee Lashbrook, J.D., M.H.S.A., and
Jennifer N. Edwards, Dr.P.H.
Contact:
Aimee Lashbrook, J.D., M.H.S.A.,
Health Management Associates,
alashbrook@healthmanagement.com
Editor:
Martha Hostetter
Downloads
Case Study (615K PDF)
Overview
St. John’s Regional Health Center (St. John's) has very low readmission rates among patients with heart attacks, heart failureJames Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-16482655159718566812011-04-02T09:36:00.000-04:002011-04-02T09:36:10.975-04:00State-Based, Single-Payer Health Care — A Solution for the United States? | Health Policy and Reform
by William C. Hsiao, Ph.D.
The United States faces two major problems in the health care arena: the swelling ranks of the uninsured and soaring costs. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) makes great strides in addressing the former problem but offers only modest pilot efforts to address the latter. Experience in countries such as Taiwan and Canada shows that single-payer James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079673432115517305.post-79751974834702520032011-04-02T09:23:00.000-04:002011-04-02T09:23:59.776-04:00Medicaid and Access to the Courts | Health Policy and ReformImage via Wikipedia
by Sara Rosenbaum, J.D. in New England Journal of Medicine
The Medicaid program is grounded in a statute that is one of the most complex of all federal laws. An insurer of more than 60 million people — and poised to begin serving 16 million more by 2019 — Medicaid will be reexamined this year, in all its legal complexities, by the U.S. Supreme Court, which has agreed James Whaleynoreply@blogger.com0