Aging News Alert

Nevada

 

Lennar Preps Las Vegas Senior Housing

Powerhouse homebuilder Lennar kicks off its new senior housing community in Las Vegas, part of Cadence, the builder’s massive 13,250 single-family home planned community.

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Senior Center Establishes Docent Program Welcoming New Patrons

When the city of Henderson, NV in 2011 opened a new state-of-the-art senior center, it found itself facing a somewhat unusual dilemma -- an increase in new registrations from 500 to more than 2,500 per year. To respond to the increase, the center established a Volunteer Docent program.

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(CASH AWARD) Second Annual CLASSY Awards Now Accepting Nominations

How would you like to win $10,000 or more in cash and in-kind services as recognition for all you've done for the community this year? Rally your supporters to nominate you for the Second Annual CLASSY Awards. If your seniors services organization has hosted an event, a fundraiser, or a special campaign in Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego, San Francisco, or Washington, DC, you're eligible for a CLASSY Award.

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(GSA) Influential Elders Celebrated in Award-Winning Student Essays

Five sixth graders in the Reno, NV, area have been selected as the winners of a writing contest honoring older adults who have inspired them and made a difference in their lives. The competition was sponsored by the K-12 Task Force of the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) -- the educational branch of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) -- in partnership with York College of Pennsylvania, the Copper Ridge Institute, and the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University of Ohio.

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FCA to Host Symposium on Politics & Family Caregiving at Aging in America Conference

The National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) will host "Policy, Politics and Family Caregiving: Federal and State Perspectives," a cutting-edge symposium on caregiving in the context of health and long-term care reform. The meeting will be held Wednesday, March 18, from 2 p.m...

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Vitamin B12 May Protect The Brain In Old Age

Vitamin B12, a nutrient found in meat, fish and milk, may protect against brain volume loss in older people, according to a study published in the Sept. 9 issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. For the study, 107 people between the ages of 61 and 87 underwent brain scans, memory testing and physical exams. Researchers also collected blood samples to check vitamin B12 levels. Brain scans and memory tests were also performed again five years later.

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Study Finds Most Patients Can Drive Safely Six Weeks After Bunion Surgery

Six weeks following bunion surgery, most patients’ pain levels are so low that they are able to get back behind the wheel of a car again. A study published in the August 2008 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery also found that emergency brake time response in patients who underwent a first metatarsal osteotomy (a common surgical treatment for bunions) is similar to that of healthy individuals just six weeks later.

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Alliance Launches Online State-by-State Help For Family Caregivers

The National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance has launched the Family Care Navigator online guide intended to help families in all 50 states locate government, nonprofit, and private caregiver support programs. The easy-to-use Navigator lists programs for family caregivers as well as resources for older or disabled adults living at home or in a residential facility. It also includes information on government health and disability programs, legal resources, living arrangements, disease-specific organizations, FAQs, a glossary and more.

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Expiration of Therapy Cap Exceptions Explained

The exceptions to outpatient therapy caps expired on June 30, says the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid. Outpatient therapy service providers should not submit claims with the KX modifier for services furnished on or after July 1.

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CU Urges Withholding Medicare Payments To Hospitals That Harm Patients

The federal government should expand its effort to restrict Medicare payments to hospitals for the cost of healthcare associated with certain infections and medical errors acquired during treatment, argues Consumers Union (CU), the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports.

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Where To Turn When Caregivers Need 'Lotsa Helping Hands'

With 44.4 million caregivers in America, chances are you or someone you know is providing care to a loved one who has been affected by illness, injury or the effects of age. The stress of taking care of a loved one can be overwhelming. However, it can be difficult for caregivers to ask for help. Even when help is offered, it can be challenging to manage.

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Nearly One-Third Of U.S. House Seeks One-Year Delay In Medicare Bidding

Nearly one-third of the members of the U.S. House of Representatives are urging a one-year delay in the controversial "competitive bidding" program for home medical equipment in Medicare.

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CMS to Host Second National Education Call May 27

CMS will host the second national education conference call to address the implementation of the new Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies Competitive Bidding program scheduled to begin on July 1.

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CMS Posts Two Notices In May 7 Federal Register

One notice is a proposed rule to update payment rates used under the prospective payment system for skilled nursing facilities. The second notice updates prospective payment rates for Medicare inpatient psychiatric hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities.

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Medicare Cuts For SNFs Could Have Severe Impact

A new analysis of potential Medicare cuts expected in a forthcoming CMS rule highlights a direct threat to the care of America's frail, elderly and disabled, as well as a neagtive impact on local, state and national economies.

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NCOA, Human Arc Partner To Help Low-Income Health Plan Members

NCOA and Human Arc have established a nationwide partnership to help seniors with limited means. The new partnership enables members of participating Medicare health plans to determine -- right at home -- their potential qualification for benefits programs and then, if qualified, get expert assistance to apply and get enrolled.

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Healthcare Work Force Too Small, Unprepared For Boomers

As the first of the nation's 78 million baby boomers begin reaching age 65 in 2011, they will face a healthcare work force that is too small and woefully unprepared to meet their specific health needs, says a new report from the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine.

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Does Another Mortgage Crisis Loom On The Horizon?

It's easy to see why the $4 trillion of home equity that's wrapped up in the houses of America's senior citizens seems like an attractive solution to an underfunded old age.

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CMS Unveils 2009 Medicare Advantage Payment Rates

CMS releases its Announcement of Calendar Year 2009 Medicare Advantage Capitation Rates and MA and Part D Payment Policies.

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Aging Revolution Summit Slated for Sept. 25 in Philly

Wesley Enhanced Living, an innovative CCRC provider, will host the second-annual Aging Revolution Summit, a unique conference experience for the aging services industry.

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What Medicare's '45% Trigger' Means And Why It Matters

The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, best known for creating the Medicare Prescription Drug program,included a little-discussed provision that could dramatically alter the entire Medicare program.

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More Consumers Buying Medicines Via Mail

Of Americans who buy prescription drugs, the proportion that purchase them from mail order pharmacies rose from just under 9% in 2000 to just over 13% in 2005, according to the new data from the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality.

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Governors To Tackle Long-Term Care At Winter Meeting

The nation's governors will discuss the future of long-term care and the challenges and opportunities facing states during the upcoming National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting, which convenes later this week.

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White House Eyes Overhauling Healthcare In Response To Medicare 'Trigger'

The Bush White House is poised to propose legislation aimed at eliminating excessive Medicare spending, thus reducing reliance upon the so-called "Medicare funding warning" provision contained in the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement & Modernization Act of 2003.

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Nominees for MedCAC Membership Sought

CMS seeks nominations for membership on the Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MedCAC), and requests nominations for both voting and nonvoting members.

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Senators Seek Task Force on Financial Stability of Entitlement Programs

The leadership of the Senate Budget Committee signaled this past week it will seek a vote on a bill (S 2063) introduced last September aimed at strengthening the long-term financial stability of Medicare and other entitlement programs.

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Reverse Mortgages Show Significant Growth in 2007

Reverse mortgages have seen unprecedented growth over the last three years as the demand for reverse mortgage products continues to accelerate.

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SSA Changes Rules on Face-to-Face Conferences

The Social Security Admin. is revising its regulations on personal conferences when waiver of recovery of an overpayment cannot be approved. The final rules allow for the conferences to be conducted face-to-face, by telephone, or by video teleconference in these circumstances.

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Looking Older? How Square is Your Jaw Line?

Your face may be giving away your age, and it has nothing to do with wrinkles, sagging skin or droopy eyelids.

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Voluven Approved to Treat Blood Volume Loss After Surgery

The FDA has approved Voluven, an intravenous solution that prevents and treats a dangerous loss of blood volume, a condition that sometimes occurs during and after surgery.

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CMS to Issue RFP for Quality Improvement Organizations

CMS plans to issue a Request for Proposal for competitions resulting in awards of separate contracts for Quality Improvement Organizations for the states of Alaska, California, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, and South Carolina.

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Institute Updates Guide to Hiring Caregivers

The MetLife Mature Market Institute has updated its guide, "Since You Care: Hiring an Independent Caregiver."

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