Improving the Health and Well-Being of Older Americans by Translating Research into Practice

Translating research knowledge into practical advances to benefit the health and well being of older Americans has increasingly become a priority for both agencies. Although there is some adoption of translated, evidence-based interventions into practice, it has been limited and few evidence-based interventions have been brought to scale nationwide. This program announcement encourages applications that focus on the translation of behavioral and social research in aging into the development of new interventions that can be used by community-based organizations that assist elderly individuals. 

Collaborations between academic research centers and community-based organizations with expertise serving the elderly are a top priority.  Partnerships of this nature will enhance our understanding of practical tools, techniques, programs and policies that communities across the nation can use to more effectively respond to needs of their aging populations. The two funding announcements can be found on the NIH website at:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-11-123.html

Peace Accord Reached Between Geriatrics and Palliative Care Professional Societies | GeriPal - Geriatrics and Palliative Care Blog

by: Wikileaks

Boards for the major professional societies for geriatrics (AGS) and hospice and palliative medicine (AAHPM) have reached an agreement on collaborative efforts. The agreement was drafted following a conference in New York.

Here is the joint statement:

BACKGROUND

The Geri-Pal Workgroup has focused its collaborative efforts between the disciplines of geriatrics and palliative medicine in the following five areas: Workforce, Research, Education, Policy and Membership Communication. The following summaries provide specific recommendations in each area for the AAHPM Board to consider.

Workforce
Due to the continued growth of advanced and serious illness among older adults, it is imperative that aggressive steps be taken to increase the workforce with training in advanced and complex illness care. It is likely that both for the field of geriatrics and palliative medicine that workforce will be inadequate to address population needs. The Geri-Pal workgroup recommends

1) ongoing dialogue between both specialties on ways to train mid-career physicians (since fellowship training won’t meet workforce need);

2) better understanding of current workforce issues in palliative medicine and geriatrics through incorporation of questions into the AGS annual workforce study (See appendix) and the proposed academic palliative medicine survey and communication of these findings to both organizations;

3) identification of areas of resistance to collaboration between both specialties;

4) delineation of unique and overlapping competencies for both specialties; and

5) support by both organizations/disciplines for Geriatric Academic Career Awards and Palliative Academic Career Awards.

Research
Very little research addresses advanced illness/multimorbidity/symptom management in older adults. Despite the large number of people affected, funding for these areas are also thin. The Geri-Pal workgroup recommends

1) joint advocacy for research in these areas;

2) increased communication to relevant stakeholders regarding the research vacuum in geri-pal research;

3) initiation of a joint strategic initiative to increase funding in these areas through State of the Art conferences, an Institute of Medicine conference for targeted topics, and interaction by the Geri-Pal workgroup and other AGS/AAHPM leaders with key research and policy stakeholders.

Education
Based on the identified overlap of shared goals in the care for older adults with advanced illness and a cross-over of more than 300 members, a pilot exercise to educate each organization’s membership during their Annual Meetings was viewed as successful. Both organizations completed the following activities in 2009/2010:

• an exhibit booth exchange allowing each organization to have a presence at the other’s annual conference;

• development of a pre-conference session offered at both the 2010 AGS conference and the 2011 AAHPM conference.

Based on high evaluation scores and good attendance for the pre-conferences and notable interest at the exhibit booths, continued inclusion of exhibit booths and sessions is being sought for the 2011 and 2012 annual meetings of AGS and AAHPM respectively. The AGS Annual Meeting Program Committee has considered this request and approved moving forward with a pre-conference at the AGS 2011 Annual Meeting. AAHPM will consider this for its 2012 planning committee meeting.

In addition, AGS and AAHPM have continued the exchange of products. AGS is providing Geriatrics at Your Fingertips to AAHPM at its member price and AAHPM is providing the Primer at the AAHPM member price during certain time periods throughout the year.

Policy
Given the important issues confronting providers working in geriatrics and palliative medicine, especially in the coming decade as health reform is implemented, it will be crucial to speak with one voice, synergistically, on matters relevant to medical care of persons of advance age, and those nearing the end of life. To that end, the Geri-Pal workgroup recommends to the leadership and membership of the AAHPM and AGS to:

1) Concur on matters of mutual clinical and policy import;

2) Share policy and advocacy initiatives regularly to highlight areas of mutual interest and emphasis;

3) Share “talking points” related to (2);

4) Prepare statements and political approaches to “hot button” issues, including but not limited to - rationing, health care reform, end of life care, Medicare cost-cutting initiatives, and

5) Share mechanisms of mobilizing membership to accomplish shared goals of the AAHPM and AGS.

Communication to memberships
To demonstrate the growing collaboration between the two fields of geriatrics and palliative medicine, the Geri-Pal workgroup recommends ongoing communicating to both organizations’ memberships regarding activities of the workgroup and two organizations that highlight this collaboration. The Geri-Pal workgroup recommends:

1) Regular updates in the AGS newsletter (sent quarterly), the AGS Week in Review (weekly), and the AAHPM newsletter (sent quarterly) and 

2) Development of a joint position statement and issue brief addressing the need for integration of geriatric and palliative medicine, the importance of funding the care provided, and the need for training programs that facilitate training at the intersection of the fields and are not barriers to training in both areas.

Workgroup members:
Chair, Christine Ritchie, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Bob Arnold, University of Pittsburgh
Jean Kutner, University of Colorado Denver HSC
Seth Landefeld, University of California at San Francisco
Bruce Leff, John Hopkins University
Wayne McCormick, University of Washington
Greg Sachs, Indiana University

RECOMMENDATION
The Membership and Communities SCC has reviewed the proposal as submitted by the Geri-Pal Workgroup and recommends ongoing collaboration between the disciplines of geriatrics and palliative medicine to focus on the areas/issues noted above.
Full Article

Aging Texas Well Plan 2010-2011

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The Aging Texas Well (ATW) Plan is submitted to the governor by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) as required by Executive Order RP 42.

This 2010-11 Plan is the response to the RP 42 mandate that DADS create and disseminate a comprehensive and effective working plan to identify and discuss aging policy issues, guide state government readiness and promote increased community preparedness for an aging Texas. RP 42 also mandates that DADS update the plan biennially and evaluate and report on its implementation.

The plan details the elements of the ATW initiative and establishes objectives within each of the key focus areas identified by RP 42 mandates. During the />2010-11 biennium, with guidance from the Aging Texas Well Advisory Committee (ATWAC), DADS will address the areas of focus outlined in RP 42.

Report: 'Stigma' at State Department for those seeking mental health treatment

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by Josh Rogin

The State Department is moving to improve how it handles mental health services for employees coming back from high-stress or high-threat postings, but there's still a great deal of stigma attached to seeking this kind of help and the department needs to do more, according to a new internal report.

"Employees believe there is still a significant stigma attached to seeking mental health assistance," the State Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) said in a report released last week. The OIG called on State to remove the stigma by issuing a high-level statement encouraging returning diplomats to use the mental health tools at their disposal.

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How to Think about Future Health Care Spending | Health Care Reform Center

by Victor R. Fuchs, Ph.D.

An important element in the debate over health care reform concerns the level of future health care expenditures. Congress makes explicit projections of federal government spending over the next decade and implicitly tries to take account of all other health care spending. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is obliged to provide its best estimates of future costs, which then play a large role in debates over health care reform. The media dutifully report these numbers, and pundits argue about whether they are too high or too low. Lost in the din are two critical problems related to future spending — one empirical, the other conceptual.
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Letters - What Do the Elderly Owe the Young? - NYTimes.com

Letters to the Editor in response to the David Brooks op-ed piece The Geezers’ Crusade in the New York Times.

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Podcast: Food Insecurity — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

In this podcast, Keri Fulton and Stacy Dean, the Center’s Director of Food Assistance Policy, discuss how food insecurity affects families living near the poverty line.

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FTA issues notice of proposed policy and request for comment

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The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, has issued a "Proposed Policy Statement on the Eligibility of Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements Under Federal Transit Law." The notice describes the eligibility of pedestrian and bicycle improvements for FTA funding and proposes a formal policy on the catchment area for pedestrians and bicyclists in relationship to public transportation stops and stations. FTA seeks comment from all interested parties. After consideration of the comments, FTA will issue a second Federal Register notice responding to comments and noting any changes made to the policy statement as a result of comments received. Comments must be received by Jan. 12, 2010. Federal Register Notice