Aging News Alert

South Carolina

 

Caris Healthcare Acquires South Carolina-Based Solaris Hospice

Knoxville, TN-based Caris Healthcare has completed the purchase of Solaris Hospice, a South Carolina provider of outpatient hospice services. With this acquisition, Caris increases its staff by nearly 40%, from 400 employees to 550 employees across Tennessee and South Carolina. Caris also adds eig...

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(FUNDRAISING) Piedmont Agency's Christmas Festival Benefits Meals on Wheels

"We've had $100,000 worth of cutbacks, but we're proud to say that we haven't had to cut anyone from the [Meals on Wheels] program. And that's because of fundraisers like this," says Piedmont AAA Director of Resource Development Tracey Marcengill.

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(SOUTH CAROLINA) Agency Restores $13.8 Million in Cuts; Hospice Restored

The cutbacks the agency announced last month were intended to save $13.8 million. But Tony Keck, the new head ofSouth Carolina's Department of Health & Human Services, says the cuts would have cost the state more money in the long run than they would have saved.

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(GRANTS) Southern Communities Offers 'Change' Funds in GA, NC, SC

If you're running a small seniors services organization that's involved in promoting issues like environmental justice, anti-racism, women's rights, alternative lifestyle rights, worker's rights, civil rights and/or disability rights -- and you're located in Georgia or the Carolinas -- you should check out the Fund for Southern Communities, a member foundation of the Funding Exchange.

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Grants to Aid Jewish Seniors In Carolinas

The purpose of the BJH Foundation for Senior Services is to enhance the lives of Jewish seniors residing in North and South Carolina by distributing grants to organizations providing activities, services, and programs for the elderly in accordance with Jewish values and beliefs. The foundation also raises funds to increase the resources for their endeavors on behalf of Jewish seniors in the Carolinas. The deadline for applications is March 1.

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CMS Expands Personal Health Record Pilot In SC

A new interagency agreement between CMS and the Department of Defense will enable beneficiaries who have original Medicare and also receive TRICARE benefits to be offered the option of adding TRICARE health data to their MyPHRSC personal health records. This data has only been available to the beneficiary through the DoD Medical Information Technology systems until this point.

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Daniels Fund Focuses on Independence and Quality of Life

The grants for aging projects focus on in-home services, community engagement by the elderly and end-of-life/palliative care. In the third quarter, the foundation made a grant of $500,000 to the Central Wyoming Hospice Fund in Casper, $40,000 to the Denver Assn. of Senior Citizens and $79,000 to the Little Sisters of the Poor, who operate the Mullen Home for the elderly in Denver.

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Part D Premiums to Rise 12% in 2009

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announce a 12% increase to $28 a month in Part D premiums for 2009 but the agency press release leads with the fact it is 37% lower than the $44.12 that was forecasted when the Medicare Modernization Act was passed in 2003.     &n...

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New Regulation Requires Sprinklers in All LTC Facilities

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have published a final rule requiring the installation of sprinkler systems in all long-term care facilities by Aug. 13, 2013.             The American Health Care Assn., which worked with CMS t...

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AoA Providing Disaster Assistance for SUAs

               Agency: Admin. on Aging. Program: Disaster Assistance for State Units on Aging (SUAs) and Tribal Organizations (CFDA Number 93.048. Eligibility: SUAs and federally recognized tribal organizations within states or pa...

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New Medicare Law Will Help Beneficiaries

While reporting on the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA), passed July 15 to override a veto by President Bush, focused primarily on the provisions canceling a pay cut for physicians that went into effect July 1, the Center for Medicare Advocacy issued a release citing other...

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Flu Vaccine May Not Protect Seniors All That Well, Study Finds

The flu vaccine might not protect seniors as much as previously thought, finds the authors of a study of more than 3,500 patients over age 65. The researchers found no link between flu vaccination and risk of pneumonia during three flu seasons.

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Foundation Seeks Research Proposals Targeting Fronto-Temporal Dementia

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation is a public charity dedicated to rapidly accelerating the discovery and development of drugs to prevent, treat, and cure Alzheimer's disease and cognitive aging. Research investigating the pathologic mechanisms of neuro-degeneration in fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) and related disorders has advanced recently, creating new potential targets for drug discovery. ADDF seeks to accelerate and support drug discovery for FTD and related dementias through this Request for Proposals. There is no deadline for applications.

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$10 Million Available For Nursing Home Diversion Program

The Administration on Aging (AoA) is making available some $10 million for its Nursing Home Diversion Modernization Cooperative Agreement program. AoA expects to make as many as 15 awards. Maximum grant amount is $1 million. Only state units on aging are eligible. The deadline for applications is Aug. 14

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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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Survey Asks American Workers, Ages 44-70, About Longer Working Lives

A survey released Wednesday at a press conference in Washington, DC provides clues to a question with major implications for the American economy and the lives of millions: What will 78 million baby boomers do as they continue to work into traditional retirement age?

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HHS, National Service Team To Increase Volunteering Among Boomers, Older Americans

Recognizing the extraordinary potential for social good among baby boomers and older Americans, the Corporation for National & Community Service and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Administration on Aging (AoA) have unveiled a multi-year partnership to engage baby boomers and older adults in addressing the needs of vulnerable populations through volunteer service.

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Looking For An Intergenerational Project? Try This

A New York teenager discovers how to save trees and help nursing home residents at the same time. And for doing so, he recieves a Presidential Environmental Youth Award.

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Pilot Project Tests Personal Health Records For SC Beneficiaries

CMS embarks on a new project aimed at encouraging beneficiaries covered by traditional Medicare to take advantage of Internet-based resources to track their healthcare services and better communicate with their providers.

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Treatment Of Incontinence, Dementia Associated With Functional Decline

Older nursing home residents who took medications for dementia and incontinence at the same time had a 50% faster decline in function than those who were being treated only for dementia, find researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

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Conference to Focus On 'Medicare: Past, Present & Future'

The conference will examine the past, present and future of Medicare, with keynote addresses from Dr. Peter Orszag, Director of the Congressional Budget Office, and Dr. Mark B. McClellan, former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

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Bush Signs Seniors Fall Prevention Bill Into Law

President Bush has signed into law legislation aimed at helping prevent falls among senior citizens. The Safety of Seniors Act of 2007 (S 845) authorizes new programs to help prevent falls among older adults through public education, research and demonstration projects.

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Before It's Too Late: Deathbed Conversations with Dad

Since he is an imposing figure, dad's negative disposition can easily hinder his child's ability to interact with him. As a result, the lack of meaningful early communication can spill over into adulthood, leaving grown children with unresolved "daddy issues."

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Requests for Proposals to Develop State Older Driver Safety Plans

Teams of organizations and agencies having statewide reach are invited to submit proposals to conduct demonstration projects to establish and implement older driver safety plans.

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Examining The Issue Of 'Socialized Medicine' In The U.S.

A newly-published analysis by the Urban Institute surveys significant new and existing health reform proposals -- including so-called "Medicare for all" -- to determine if any can fairly be dubbed socialized medicine.

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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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Hospitals File Lawsuit Against U.S. Government to Stop Medicaid Cuts

A coalition of hospitals is asking a federal court to prevent the Bush administration from implementing a proposed Medicaid regulation that would cut $5 billion in funding to safety net hospitals.

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U.S Postal Inspection Service Fights Fraud against the Elderly

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is committed to protecting seniors from telemarketing and mail fraud schemes, and has several resources available for that purpose.

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FNS Food Stamp Program Participation Grants Available

The Food & Nutrition Service is seeking grant applications for the Food Stamp Program (FSP) Program Participation Grants (PPG) for FY 2008.

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High Rates of Poverty Persist Among Older Women

Women are nearly twice as likely to be poor as men as they reach pre-retirement and retirement ages, and African-American women are nearly three times more likely than white women to be poor by pre-retirement and retirement ages, finds a new study from AARP's Public Policy Institute.

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Panel To Review First-Year Diabetes Measure

The National Committee for Quality Assurance will convene an expert panel to examine recent evidence with respect to intensive hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) control among patients with diabetes.

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PBGC Unveils New Investment Policy

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has adopted a new diversified investment policy to help ensure the federal insurance program can meet its long-term obligations to America's retirees.

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NAR Seeks Homeownership Protection For Older Americans

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) on Feb. 13 told members of the Senate Special Committee on Aging that foreclosure rescue scams have caused major problems for many Americans and that older Americans and other vulnerable borrowers are frequently targets.

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African-Americans Concerned About Heart Health; Less Aware of Alzheimer's

February is Black History Month and American Heart Month, so the Alzheimer's Assn. is teaming up with the American Heart Assn. in an effort to educate African-Americans that by managing their cardiovascular risk, they may also strengthen their cognitive health.

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CMS Report on Nursing Homes Underscores Need For Better Staffing Ratios

With CMS reporting that more than 90% of nursing homes do not have sufficient staff to meet residents' needs, it is time for Congress to enact legislation mandating comprehensive and meaningful nurse staffing ratios, say officials at the Center for Medicare Advocacy.

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2008 Older Volunteers Enrich America Awards

The MetLife Foundation is inviting nominations for the 2008 Older Volunteers Enrich America Awards program.

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