Aging News Alert

Pennsylvania

 

Tufts Funding Supports Programs, Policies for Seniors

The Tufts Health Plan Foundation awards more than $1.5 million to 14 nonprofits in Massachusetts to help them develop programs and policies that focus on helping vulnerable populations, particularly older adults.

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Philly-Based Developer Honored for Senior Housing

John C. Anderson Apartments, located in Philadelphia, is one of the first LGBT-friendly senior affordable apartment buildings in the country. It provides an affordable, welcoming living environment for this underserved senior population.

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'BrainHub' Project Underway at Carnegie Mellon

Over the next five years, BrainHub and CMU's efforts in brain science will be supported by initial commitments totaling about $75 million.

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Pennsylvania Plan Focuses on Alzheimer’s

The state will work to promote brain health and fitness and encourage close collaboration among family members, nonprofessional caregivers, policymakers, and medical professionals.

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Green Hills Manor Opens New Memory Care Unit

The memory care unit accommodates 12 residents in private or semi-private bedrooms, and the ratio of dedicated staff to residents is one to four. All staff members -- from nursing to dietary to housekeeping -- have been trained on dementia and person-centered care so they can interact and spend time with each resident. The unit features its own living room, dining room, nurse station and medication room.

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Assisted Suicide Defendant Barbara Mancini Files Motion to Dismiss Case

Defense attorneys for a Philadelphia woman, who faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of “assisted suicide” for allegedly handing morphine to her dying father, has filed a motion to dismiss the case.

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Mancini Assisted-Suicide Case Reignites End-of-Life Debate

Authorities in Schuylkill County have charged a 57-year-old nurse, Barbara Mancini, with aiding the suicide of her 93-year-old father, Joseph Yourshaw. A judge refused to drop the charges following an Aug. 8 preliminary hearing.

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Pennsylvania’s Prosecution of Assisted Suicide Case Seen Shaky

Will Pennsylvania’s prosecution of Barbara Mancini, the nurse who’s charged in the assisted suicide death of her 93-year old father, result in a conviction? Probably not, says Barbara Coombs Lee, president of Compassion & Choices, an organization advocating for end-of-life issues.

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Carnegie Museum Reaches Those with Alzheimer's through Art

The Carnegie Museum of Art (CMA) in Pittsburgh is celebrating its third year of enriching the lives of people living with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, as well as their caregivers, through its "In the Moment" program.

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AAA Celebrates Older Americans Month, Raising Awareness

The Wayne County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) of Honesdale, PA, is joining AAAs across the country in celebrating Older Americans Month with a series of special events.

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PA Senior Center Launches 'Neighbors in Action' Program

"Neighbors in Action," which is an intergenerational program which provides assistance to seniors who choose to age in place, began as a pilot program in 2009.

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Senior Center Shows How Organizations Can Assist During Disasters

When Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast on Oct. 29, it posed a unique set of problems for the region's seniors, many of whom live alone and depend on meal delivery programs and electrical devices. The Bristol Township Senior Center located in hard-hit Levittown, PA, understood this need, and stepped in to assist seniors in a multitude of ways.

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PA-Based 55+ Communities Named to Top 100 List

Traditions of America, a developer of over-55 active lifestyle communities, recently had all five of its Pennsylvania retirement communities named to Retirenet.com's list of "America's Top 100 Best Master-Planned Communities."

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AAA Partners With Senior Housing Facilities on Halloween Fete

The center is partnering with two local senior housing units, Park Avenue Tower and Leonard Court, in planning and promoting the event.

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Decision Affirms Medicaid Recipients Permitted Use of Pooled Special Needs Trusts

Pooled special needs trusts let people with disabilities who have modest savings -- as little as $5,000 -- hold onto them without losing their Medicaid benefits.

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Phone Reminder Program Proves Effective in Promoting Health Screenings

This senior center has found success in its implementation of a phone reminder project that informs seniors of upcoming health screenings and programs via automated messaging.

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Philly's 'Cook For a Friend' Program Marks 30 Years

The program is currently comprised of more than 500 volunteers in 30 cooking groups who prepare, cook and package nutritional meals for homebound seniors. Menus are reviewed by a nutritionist regularly.

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Pennsylvania CCRC Explores Healing Power of Music

One program has put 48 iPods and personalized playlists into the hands (and ears) of residents age 85 to 97. Another tool, Beamz, lets residents create music by interacting with laser beams, offering a unique and motivating type of fine motor therapy.

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York Agency's 'Rent-A-Kid' Program Celebrates 30th Year

The Rent-A-Kid program, founded in 1982 by an agency volunteer, is an intergenerational program that assists senior citizens in hiring local teenagers to help them with various household chores, including lawn mowing, yard work, snow removal, and other odd jobs.

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AAA Using 'Lottery Calendar' Fundraiser To Support County Programs

Calendars have been sold in the past to residents across the United States, and even to people in foreign countries. The fundraiser typically brings in about $10,000 a year.

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Bucks County AAA's 'ProjectMEDs' Educates Seniors about Medications

Volunteers also educate seniors on the proper disposal of their medications, and provide information on the county's "Take Back Program," which provides more than 20 drop-off locations for medications.

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(HOLIDAY PROGRAMS) Home Care Firm Wraps Up Successful ‘Be a Santa to a Senior’ Project

Prior to the holiday season, participating local nonprofit organizations like the Lebanon Agency on Aging and area nursing homes identify needy seniors in the community and provide those names to Home Instead Senior Care.

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(RESEARCH) Eating Fish Reduces Risk of Alzheimer's, Pitt Study Finds

People who eat baked or broiled fish on a weekly basis may be improving their brain health and reducing their risk of developing mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

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(SPECIAL PROJECT) PA's APPRISE Grabs National Spotlight for Medicare Open Enrollment Toolkit

Pennsylvania's APPRISE program, which helps older Pennsylvanians and other Medicare eligibles navigate the maze of Medicare's annual open enrollment period, has been recognized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for its development of an annual enrollment toolkit which provides comm...

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(BEST OF THE BEST) Bethany Village Among First in PA Receiving Assisted Living Residence Accreditation

Bethany Village, the Mechanicsburg, PA-based continuing care retirement community is the first in central Pennsylvania -- and only the second in the entire state -- to be designated as an Assisted Living Residence, a new option in long-term living recently approved by the state Legislature.

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(GRANTS) Benedum Foundation Serves Older Adults in WV, PA

The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation provides support to nonprofits in West Virginia and in southwestern Pennsylvania (Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, and Washington counties). The foundation's grants have a special emphasis on the creation of innovative businesses and jobs in distressed communities and civic engagement, with a focus on enhancing participation in civic life by all citizens, especially older adults.

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(GRANTS) Foundation Sets Aside $10,000 for 'Ingenuity' in Pennsylvania

The Foundation for Enhancing Communities is celebrating 90 years of investment and partnership with nonprofit organizations by working with Capital Blue Cross to offer nonprofits in south central Pennsylvania a one-time opportunity to apply for funding through the Change for the Future Impact Grant Initiative. One grant of $10,000 will be awarded to a nonprofit program that demonstrates innovation, ingenuity and impact. Eligible applicants include seniors services providers in the counties of Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon and Perry.

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(EVENT) OAA Idea Forums Poised to Begin in Philly

The Older Americans Act (OAA) is due for reauthorization in 2011. The Age4Action Network and local organizations are teaming together to host idea forums around the country to discuss ways to incorporate work, service, lifelong learning, and leadership into the OAA. These events are free and open to the public. The first will be held in Philadelphia, PA, on June 22.

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(ENCORE CAREERS) Nonprofits Look to Retiring Boomers for Skills, Experience

The aging population in America is providing nonprofit organizations with unprecedented opportunities for skilled volunteers and staff. With 78 million baby boomers set to retire in the next few years, programs like Coming of Age: Bay Area are taking advantage of skilled workers still looking to make a difference in the workplace.

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(INTERGENERATIONAL) Innovative Day Camp Bridges Generation Gap

Summer day camp tradition is alive and well at Garden Spot Village, a retirement community in New Holland, PA. But instead of young fledglings participating in arts and crafts with their peers, Garden Spot Village offers an intergenerational twist.

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(HOMECARE) Healthcare Experts Eye Homecare as Cost-Effective Solution in the Reform Effort

During a roundtable discussion on Capitol Hill earlier this week, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Jason Altmire (D-PA) stressed the cost-effective role that homecare can play in the reform of the U.S. healthcare system. The roundtable also addressed the controversial competitive bidding program for home medical equipment and services.

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(LAWSUITS) Medicare Beneficiaries Sue to End Delays in Funds to Pay Premiums

Claiming harmful and illegal delays in enrollments for benefits to pay Medicare premiums, low income Medicare beneficiaries and advocacy organizations have filed suit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against the federal government and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare.

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Assisted Living Facilities Compete in Wii Bowling Tournament

Just because bowling tournaments have moved from the hardwood lanes to the virtual screen -- thanks to Nintendo Wii bowling -- doesn't mean there isn't competition in the air. Avid Wii bowlers from The Lafayette-Redeemer, a Holy Redeemer Independent, assisted living and long-term care facility in Philadelphia, have challenged Wii bowlers from Redeemer Village, a Holy Redeemer independent living community for people age 62+ in nearby Huntingdon Valley.

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Philly Foundation Launches $3.1 Million Capital Campaign Benefitting Seniors

Seniors The Wesley Enhanced Living (WEL) Foundation, the private foundation which advances the WEL continuing care retirement communities' (CCRC) vision and mission through philanthropy, has kicked-off the public phase of a $3.1 million capital campaign aimed to secure affordable, modern retirement living options and healthcare for seniors in the Northeast neighborhood in the City of Philadelphia.

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Key Congressional Democrats Push Bill Addressing Healthcare Workforce Shortage

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, joins with Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Bob Casey (D-PA), along with lead House sponsor Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), in introducing bicameral legislation addressing the impending severe shortage of healthcare workers who are adequately trained and prepared to care for older Americans.

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CMS Names Final Five Medicare Contractors To Administer Claims Payments

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has named the final five contractors that will process and pay Medicare claims for healthcare services under the Medicare Fee-for-Service program. The new contracts that will be administered for up to five years will process and pay 36% of the national volume of Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) claims payments in 14 states, mostly in the South and Midwest.

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Bill Would Improve Lives Of Older Citizens, Direct Care Workers

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), a key member of the Senate Aging Committee, has introduced the proposed Promoting Small House Nursing Homes Act (S.3732) which aims to improve and increase person-centered long-term residential care and coordinated healthcare for older Americans.

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Obama Puts Governors On Notice

Asking for workable ideas, innovative programs and fiscal responsibility, President-Elect Barack Obama admonishes the nation's governors at a meeting in Philadelphia to get their houses in order before coming to the federal government for a handout.

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CMS Unveils Incentive Program for E-Prescribing Technology

Under this new program, which was included in the new Medicare law in July, physicians who use e-prescribing technology to deliver medication prescriptions to pharmacies will be eligible for a 2% increase in their Medicare payments.

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HUD, PHA Certifying Hundreds Accessibility-Based Units

The Department of Housing & Urban Development and the Philadelphia Housing Authority have struck a deal to certify 760 "fully accessible" housing units for older and disabled city residents. The homes, to be dispersed throughout many of the city's neighborhoods, will include lower level kitchen counters, entry ramps and universal bathroom features among many amenities.

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Recessions & Bear Markets: The Connection Isn't As Close As You May Think

Recent economic and capital markets developments have contributed to a surge in stock-market volatility, leading some investors to worry that the odds of a recession have risen -- along with the risk of a significant market downturn. Many investors are nervous because they assume an economic recession would lead to a decline in corporate profits, which would likely push stock prices down.

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Seniors-Related Healthcare Pension Fund Beneficiaries Organize Revolt

Pension fund beneficiaries will call on the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) and Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) boards of trustees to take their fiduciary responsibilities more seriously and protect retirement assets from bad investments inside their monthly meetings.

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Professionals, Advocates Pledge To Help Educate Family Caregivers

In a first of its kind collaboration, national organizations representing nurses, social workers, family caregivers and people age 50+ today released a report calling for a re-definition of good patient care to include those family members and friends who provide ongoing, often daily, care. Family members are very often not prepared to take on the task of caregiving -- especially as many family caregivers are providing services typically reserved for registered nurses and doctors.

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Are You A Pack Rat Who Wants To Change Your Pack Rat Ways?

"How can I throw out that newspaper when I might need the information from one of the articles?" If this sounds like you or someone you know, you may be interested in a program being sponsored by the American Society on Aging on Monday, Sept. 22, at the Philadelphia Hilton.

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Congressional Leaders Call For Greater Oversight Of Pension Fund Investments

Key members in both the House and the Senate are reacting strongly in the wake of a recently released report from the Government Accountability Office that uncovered increasing levels of investment by private pension plans in hedge funds and private equity funds. These investment vehicles have lower levels of liquidity, less transparency, are more financially unpredictable, and have greater levels of risk than traditional investments, GAO says.

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New Survey Cites Experience Corps As Successful National Model

A just-released AARP report, "More to Give", concludes that tens of millions of baby boomers and members of the so-called "silent generation" appear ready to increase their civic participation in retirement. "The good news is that today's 50+ Americans have been volunteering their time and talents for decades, and they're ready to do more," says AARP Chief Operating Officer Tom Nelson. "The bad news is that our country needs it. Boomers and older Americans fear the American Dream is slipping away, but they're ready to turn it around again."

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ASA, MetLife Foundation Sponsor MindAlert Awards

            The American Society on Aging and the MetLife Foundation are MindAlert awards of $1,500 each to recognize innovations in mental-fitness programs for older adults. One award will be made to a program in each of the following categor...

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Statins May Protect Against Memory Loss

Commonly used cholesterol-fighting drugs called statins may protect against dementia and memory loss, find the authors of a study published in the July 29 issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Survey: Economy, Iraq War Are Top Election Concerns For Seniors

Wesley Enhanced Living, an aging services provider and continuing care retirement community (CCRC) developer, has unveiled the results of its first resident survey, which asked senior residents for their views on the upcoming presidential election. Ninety-three percent of the senior respondents say they are registered to vote, and more than half say they have already decided on their candidate of choice. Survey findings reveal that two primary issues -- the economy and the war in Iraq -- may be the deciding factors for senior voters.

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Leading Aging Agencies Win Nat'l Family Caregiving Awards

Representatives from leading aging organizations and agencies convened Tuesday (July 22) in Nashville, TN to honor the 2008 winners of the National Family Caregiving Awards, sponsored by the National Alliance for Caregiving, a Washington,D.C.-based coalition of national organizations, with support from MetLife Foundation.

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Ensuring Affordable, Quality LTC an Urgent Challenge, Experts Say

More than two-thirds of respondents to the latest Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Health Care Opinion Leaders Survey believe it is important that the health reform plans of the presidential candidates address the quality and financing of long-term care.

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Panel Chair Scrutinizes PhRMA's New 'Code of Conduct' For Drug Industry

Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), chairman of the Special Committee on Aging, is reviewing a newly developed voluntary "code of conduct" authored by the Pharmaceuticals Research & Manufacturers Association (PhRMA), the drug industry's principal trade association. Kohl is behind several initiatives to force greater transparency in the way drug companies interact with doctors, in an effort to curb spiraling prescription drug costs.

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Incentives Might Persuade Older Workers To Delay Retirement

Employers have a narrow window of up to two years in which they may be able to change retiring workers' decisions by offering them incentives to remain with the company, according to results of a just-released survey by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute.

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Navigating The Medicaid Bog

The so-called "Medically Needy" – i.e., Medicare beneficiaries whose Medicaid eligibility depends on meeting a spenddown (or share of cost) each month or quarter -- are faced with difficult challenges just using their Medicaid, since, in most states, they must prove to the state that they have incurred a certain amount in medical bills before their Medicaid becomes effective.

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Website Helps Seniors Who Haven't Filed For Stimulus Payments

In response to the recent IRS announcement that millions of older Americans had not yet filed for their economic stimulus payments, the National Council on Aging is urging seniors to use its Stimulus Payment Tool at www.BenefitsCheckUp.org.

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CMS Plan To Rank Nursing Homes Raises Concerns

Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced plans to add a five-star ranking system to its nursing home website, Nursing Home Compare, by December 2008. Under the proposed system, each nursing facility participating in Medicare or Medicaid, or both, will receive one to five stars, with a composite score based on information currently on the website.

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Funds Added To FY09 Labor, Health & Human Services, Education Bill

The FY 2009 Labor, Health & Human Services and Education spending bill is approved Thursday by the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee and now heads to the Senate floor for a vote. The bill includes additional funding -- over and above President Bush's proposal -- for nurse training facilities, women's health initiatives and seniors programs, as well as critical investments for the National Institutes of Health ($30.26 billion), the National Institute on Aging ($1 billion) and the National Cancer Institute ($4.96 billion).

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HUD Amends Matching Fund Requirements in Capacity Building NOFA

HUD) is making it slightly easier for the four eligible nonprofits in its Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing Grants to participate in the coming fiscal year by eliminating requirements to have matching funds in hand when applying for funding.

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Centers Will Focus on the Economics of Aging

Funds create research and development centers focusing on the areas of demography and economics of aging, including relevant interdisciplinary areas rooted in population-based social science research.

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Grassley Seeks FDA Scrutiny of Paxil Suicide Risk

Finance Committee Ranking Member Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) wants the Food & Drug Administration to scrutinize information it received from drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) about the anxiety disorder drug Paxil -- an anxiety disorder drug used by hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries.

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Prostate Cancer Coalition Report Shows States Making the Grade

Many states need a bit more schooling when it comes to prostate cancer screening and legislation, according to the just-released 2008 Prostate Cancer Report Card issued by the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC). The report assesses each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and assigns a grade based on critical areas like mortality and screening rates, state insurance mandates and support for prostate cancer-related legislation.

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Wesley Enhanced Living Launches Family Virtual Visits Service

As a way of making a compelling difference in the lives of its residents, Wesley Enhanced Living is about to launch Family Virtual Visits, a high-tech initiative that enables residents of its Hatboro and Doylestown retirement communities to enjoy real-time, Web-based video visits with family and friends anywhere in the world.

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Aging Revolution Summit Set For Philly

This national summit will bring together top healthcare and aging services innovators, policy makers and providers to debate and explore critical senior healthcare and housing issues facing our nation.

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ACCORD Clinical Trial Publishes Results

Intensively targeting blood sugar to near-normal levels in adults with type 2 diabetes at especially high risk for heart attack and stroke does not significantly reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as fatal or nonfatal heart attacks or stroke, but increases risk of death, compared to standard treatment.

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AoA Seeking Applications For Older Americans Act Projects

The Department of Health & Human Services' Administration on Aging is accepting applications for proposed projects that advance the purposes of Title IV of the Older Americans Act, the AoA strategic plan, and the AoA mission. The deadline for submitting applications is June 30.

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Baby Boomers' Bodies Impacted By Years Of Wear And Tear

As increasing numbers of baby boomer exercise enthusiasts and athletes age, healthcare professionals are treating more overuse injuries, as well as dealing with the results of traumatic injuries experienced by people when they were younger.

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SuperNOFA Self-Help Guide Now Available!

Our one-of-a-kind "Self-Help Guide to the FY 2008 HUD SuperNOFA" is now available exclusively to paid subscribers of any of CD Publications' online news services.

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AARP Poised To Launch TV Ad Spurring Medicare Activism

AARP is about to unleash a nationwide advertising campaign aimed at pressuring federal lawmakers to hold down the costs of Medicare premiums.

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Campbell Foundation Funds Programs In Western PA

Located in Pittsburgh, PA, this foundation makes grant funds available to provide care and support for the elderly in western Pennsylvania. Funding projects specific to aging, the Campbell Foundation awards grant funding to Christian agencies and churches alike.

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Medicare Expands Coverage For Artificial Heart Devices

CMS has issued a final National Coverage Determination expanding Medicare coverage of artificial hearts when they are implanted as part of a study that is approved by the Food & Drug Administration and that meets CMS' Coverage with Evidence Development clinical research criteria.

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Hartford Fellows Program Supports Scholars in Geriatric Social Work

The Hartford Doctoral Fellows Program in Geriatric Social Work is aimed at bringing outstanding, talented, skilled people to the field of gerontological social work to train practitioners, research best practices, and set future directions.

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May Is Older Americans Month, But Should We Celebrate?

May marks the 45th anniversary of "Older Americans Month." Originally established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, the month is set aside to honor those age 65-plus. However, Ilyse Shapiro, founder of the job search website MyPartTimePRO.com, wonders whether we should still be celebrating when so many of seniors cannot live the idealized picture we have of our golden years.

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HHS Moves To Keep Docs' Data Private

HHS has filed an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia of an August 2007 court decision requiring the HHS to release Medicare claims data on more than 40 million beneficiaries and 700,000 physicians.

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2nd Annual Rachel Carson Intergenerational Poetry, Essay, Photo Contest

The EPA Aging Initiative, in partnership with Generations United and the Rachel Carson Council Inc., is inviting submissions for its Second Annual Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Intergenerational Poetry, Essay and Photography Contest.

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10 Non-Financial Tips for Retiring Boomers

If your organization deals with any of the millions of baby boomers who are beginning to think about retirement, here are 10 tips from co-founder of Life Options Institute, an organization devoted to helping people plan for life after age 50.

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McCain Proposes Higher Medicare Drug Benefit Premiums for Some Beneficiaries

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (AR-AZ) on Tuesday during a speech at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University said he plans to push a legislative proposal that would require higher-income Medicare beneficiaries to pay higher monthly premiums for the Part D prescription drug benefit.

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Medicare Coverage of Power Mobility Devices: Tips & Reminders

When it comes to obtaining Medicare coverage for Mobility Assistive Equipment, coverage criteria -- particularly patient assessment standards -- continue to be misunderstood by providers and beneficiaries, say experts at the Washington, DC-based Center for Medicare Advocacy.

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CMS Moves To Lower Number Of Yearly Drug Plan Reassignments

CMS issues a final regulation that could allow nearly 1 million Medicare beneficiaries with limited income and resources to remain in the Medicare prescription drug plan in which they are enrolled without having to pay a premium.

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New Penn State 'Smart Spaces' Center To Research Independent Living

A new Penn State center will pursue interdisciplinary research that enhances independent living opportunities for older Americans in their homes and their communities and also fosters their physical, emotional and social well-being.

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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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Aging Experts to Convene In Philadelphia

To help you better serve your senior clientele, the National Aging in Place Council has assembled an impressive group of aging experts to discuss current trends.

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Announcing The Latest CD Publications Funding Directory

Guide to Private and Federal Funding For K-12 Education Programs ... Our newest grants directory is now available at Special Prepublication Savings through May 15.

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92-Year-Old Bowler Hits the Lanes Again Thanks to Video Game

Dorothy Rovin, 92, has been a bowler longer than most people have been alive. Today, she has moved her game off the hardwood lanes and into the digital world, thanks to her involvement in the new Wii Bowling League at the Lafayette-Redeemer, Holy Redeemer Health System's independent, assisted-living and long-term care facility.

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House Bill Would Eliminate Part D Co-Pays for Dual Eligibles in Assisted Living

A legislative effort is under way in the House aimed at providing so-called "dual eligibles" living in assisted living residences and other home and community-based settings the same co-pay coverage under Medicare Part D as those residing in nursing facilities.

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Educational Effort Underway on Genetic Testing for Dosing Wafarin

A new educational effort focused on improving the safety and reducing the complications of a life-saving heart drug is being launched by the American Medical Association and the Critical Path Institute as part of an ongoing program to support personalized medicine.

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Violence-Related Hospital Admissions on the Rise

Some 27% of violence-related hospitalizations in 2005 were for Medicare enrollees.

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Republicans Push Budget Plan That Looks Much Like Bush's Proposal

Congressional Republicans have responded to the Democrats $3 trillion budget proposal with one of their own -- a proposal that more closely resembles the one President Bush put forth earlier this month.

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Guide Available on Health Literacy & Older Adults

The Dept. of Health & Human Services makes available a "Quick Guide to Health Literacy and Older Adults" for people who serve older adults on health and aging issues.

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America's 50 Best Hospitals For 2008 Named by HealthGrades

HealthGrades, widely recognized as the nation's leading independent healthcare ratings organization, has identified what it says are "America's 50 Best Hospitals," an elite class of top-performing facilities.

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GAO: Many State, Local Government Retiree Health Plans Underfunded

Many state and local governments offering retiree health benefits generally have large unfunded liabilities, says the GAO in a just-released report.

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Buying Group Formed For Nonprofit Long-Term Care Providers

MedAssets Inc. and the American Association of Homes & Services for the Aging have agreed to align AAHSA's Group Purchasing program with MedAssets Supply Chain Systems.

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Heinz Fellowship in Issues of the Aging Now Accepting Applications

The John Heinz Senate Fellowship program provides an opportunity for mid-career professionals in aging to learn public policy as a member of the U.S. Senate staff.

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Novel Approach Strips Staph of Virulence

An international team of researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health has blocked staph infections in mice using a drug previously tested in clinical trials as a cholesterol-lowering agent.

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FTC Staff Issues Advisory Opinion on Kaiser Foundation Health Plan

The Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Competition has advised Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. regarding Kaiser's purchase and use of discounted pharmaceuticals in connection with a proposed program to provide healthcare services to people covered under health benefits plans offered by self-insured employers.

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Nation's First Boomer Receives First Benefit Check Via Direct Deposit

Kathleen Casey-Kirschling, the nation's first Baby Boomer, on Tuesday (Feb. 12) became the first of her generation to receive a Social Security retirement benefit.

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Finance Committee Examines Medicare Advantage Hard Sells

The Senate Finance Committee holds a hearing detailing yet more horror stories of seniors duped into signing up for private Medicare plans that they don't want or need.

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PA Governor Pledges $1.3 Million for Senior Living

Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell is propsiing to include $1.3 million in the state's 2008-2009 budget to fund adminsitrative resources for licensing, certifying and inspecting assisted living communities.

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Assisted Living Group Celebrates 'Filling Life with Love'

"Filling Life with Love" will be the National Center for Assisted Living's theme for the group's 2008 National Assisted Living Week.

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FDA Issues Public Health Advisory on Chantix

FDA issued a Public Health Advisory to alert healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers to new safety warnings concerning Chantix (varenicline), a prescription medication used to help patients stop smoking.

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NIH Provides $13M for Alzheimer's Research Centers

NIA invites applications from qualified institutions for support of Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers. These are designed to support and conduct research on Alzheimer's disease, and to serve as shared research resources that will facilitate research in Alzheimer's and related disorders.

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New Model Would Bring CCRCs to New Audience

Jeff Petty, CEO of Wesley Enhanced Living in Pennsylvania, believes the continuing care retirement community (CCRC) model is a fantastic way for older adults to live. In fact, he wants to bring it to a much larger audience -- with a few improvements.

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GAO Finds Flaws in LSC's Grants Management

The Government Accountability Office has found weaknesses in the federally-backed Legal Service Corp.'s internal controls over grants management and oversight of grantees.

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Experts Explore Projected LTC Needs

The projections of monetary and human resources needed to meet the long-term care needs of seniors are daunting, but experts at an Urban Institute (UI) forum offer myriad suggestions in an optimistic tone for meeting the challenges.

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Rx Drug Benefit Fuels Fastest Growth in Medicare Spending in 25 Years

Full implementation of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit contributed to an 18.7% increase in Medicare spending in 2006, the fastest rate of growth since 1981 and double the rise in 2005.

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EEOC Finalizes Controversial Rule on Retiree Health Benefits

EEOC publishes in the Federal Register a final rule allowing employers providing retiree health benefits to continue the longstanding practice of coordinating those benefits with Medicare (or comparable state health benefits) without violating the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

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P4P Experiments Attract Interest, But Data about Effectiveness Is Scarce

Pay-for-performance initiatives have attracted a growing interest among those who think financial incentives can affect physician behavior to improve healthcare outcomes but there is a paucity of evidence about the effectiveness of these efforts

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CMS Taps 5 Organizations for Senior Risk Demo Project

It's been nearly two years since CMS first announced plans to embark on a demonstration project aimed at promoting health and wellness for seniors by way of preventive healthcare techniques.

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Podcast Explores Home Care Provider's Experiences in West Coast Fires

A major provider of at-home care for seniors, makes available, free of charge, a new episode of "The Senior Care Podcast" focusing on emergency planning.

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Commission Urges Reforms On Long-Term Care

A national commission headed by former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-NE) and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA), during a press conference Monday in Washington, DC, unveiled its final report warning of a coming crisis in long-term care and calling on the presidential candidates to address this crisis in their policy platforms and on the campaign trail.

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Expert Explains Why Brains Get Better With Age

Contrary to long-held beliefs that brain power inevitably declines as we age, the mind actually experiences a surge of creativity and brain function well into the second half of life.

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Middle-Class Revolution? PA Plans for Long-Term Needs in Varying Economic Strata

Recognizing the time is coming quickly when residents over 65 and under 18 each will comprise about 20% of the state's population, Pennsylvania's state government is holding inter-agency dialogues to plan for the long-term care needs of a growing senior population

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