Aging News Alert
Ohio
Obama Tips His Hand on How He’ll Handle GOP Budget
If you have any doubt as to whether President Barack Obama will use the power of the veto to force a deal on the federal budget, consider his public remarks this past week in Cleveland, OH.
Hospice of Michigan Expands, Partners with Ohio Provider
Michigan’s first -- and largest -- nonprofit hospice provider has signed an agreement with Ohio-based Western Reserve At Home Support to deliver its advanced illness management program. HOM’s At Home Support provides comfort care to patients with serious illnesses through an interdisciplinary team who handle the medical, social and spiritual needs of patients and caregivers.
OH Aging, Veterans Departments Feature 'War Era Story Project'
The Ohio Departments of Aging and Veterans Services continues commemorating Memorial Day and the 69th Anniversary of D-Day with the distribution of a collection of 27 stories from Ohioans who participated in or supported the invasion of Normandy and the subsequent march across Europe.
Ohio State-Local Partnership Links Senior Volunteers With Reading Program
The Ohio Department of Aging has entered into a partnership that will connect its Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) with another state initiative -- Project MORE (Mentoring Ohio for Reading Excellence).
Ohio District 5 AAA Hosts Successful Positive Aging Expo
More than 1,000 seniors attended Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging's annual "Positive Aging Expo" in Mansfield, OH. The event, held at Richland County fairgrounds, offers seniors an entertaining atmosphere while also providing information on needed services.
Dayton Senior Center Uses 'Outside The Box' Approach To Wellness
This unique program gives seniors a window to the most up-to-date approaches to preventative care.
OH Department of Aging Launches Facebook Photo Contest
The Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) has launched a Facebook photo contest to commemorate Older Americans Month, which is being observed in May. The contest invites Ohioans of all ages to post or submit photos they have taken that fit the theme "Never too old to…"
OH Area on Aging District 7 Senior Art Exhibit Celebrates 30th Year
"This is a fun event for us," says Jenni Dovyak-Lewis, communications director for the District 7 agency. "The 30th anniversary is a testimony to the support we have received. We are happy to organize it, and we like giving something back to the community -- something the seniors can participate in and the community can look forward to."
Ohio Aging Professionals Attend Person-Centered Care Coalition Conference
"We really just want to get person-centered care into the DNA of Ohio nursing homes," Beverley Laubert, state long-term care ombudsman tells Aging News Alert.
Ohio Department on Aging To Launch Statewide Civic Engagement Initiative
"The overall goal is to bring Ohio's communities together," Tiffany Dixon, Workforce Policy & Planning administrator, tells Aging News Alert. "We want to further the conversation about people valuing older adults as part of an intergenerational team."
(EARLY DETECTION) New Blood Test May Improve Lung Cancer Detection
The research is particularly important to older Americans in that the overwhelming majority of lung cancer victims are not diagnosed as such until age 60 and older.
(CHRONIC ILLNESS) Southwest Ohio Agency Expands Chronic Illness Management Program
Healthy-U participants meet in small groups for six weeks. With the help of a facilitator, an easy-to-read workbook and the support of their peers, participants learn how to overcome barriers, set goals, and report on their progress.
(FUNDRAISING) Raffle Raises Funds To Help Seniors Remain Independent
An annual raffle conducted by the Greater Akron/Canton, OH Area Agency on Aging is helping thousands of older adults in Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne counties remain independent.
(N4A) Ohio Area Agency on Aging Exec's Leadership Shines
Joe Ruby's successful management of the Akron/Canton Area Agency on Aging captured the attention of officials at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), who selected him as this year's winner of n4a's prestigious Excellence in Leadership Award.
(GRANTS) Foundation Opens New Cycle in June
The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation is poised to begin accepting applications for its 2010 capital improvement initiative grants in June. The Foundation 's grantmaking investments are designed to improve systems of care that provide direct services to vulnerable individuals and families.
IG Finds $7.4 Million in Overpayments for Hospital Services in IL, IN, KY, and OH
Of the 303 high-dollar payments that the federal government made to hospitals in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio for inpatient services during calendar years 2004-2006, only 39 were appropriate, says the Department of Health & Human Services' Office of Inspector General (OIG). The remaining 264 payments included net overpayments totaling more than $7.4 million.
10 Organizations Receive Grants From NCOA
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is awarding grants to 10 organizations nationwide for the purpose of finding and enrolling older people and younger adults with disabilities who have limited means into public benefits programs. Awarded through NCOA’s National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment (www.CenterforBenefits.org ), the grants support the development of person-centered community-based systems for outreach and enrollment into public benefits through the creation of local and state Benefits Enrollment Centers (BECs).
A Call To Retool The Nation's LTC Healthcare System
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) charged the ad hoc Committee on the Future Health Care Workforce for Older Americans to determine the healthcare needs of Americans over 65 years of age. This segment of the U.S. population is expected to double by 2030, but the nation is not prepared to meet this increased demand in health care needs
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.
ASA Invites Entries For Graduate Student Research Award
The American Society on Aging is accepting applications for its award for graduate research projects in the field of aging. The award is given for the best research paper on a completed project. The award is presented annually to a graduate student for research relevant to aging and applicable to practice. Applicants must either be currently enrolled in a graduate degree program or must have completed their studies no more than one year before the point of submission.
Foundation Accepting Applications For Alzheimer's Disease Research Program
Since its Alzheimer's Disease Research program began in 1985, the American Health Assistance Foundation has awarded more than $60 million to support promising research in fields ranging from molecular biology to epidemiology. Grants are awarded on the basis of the scientific merit of the proposed research and the relevance of the research to under standing aspects of the disease that lead to improved treatments, prevention strategies, and diagnoses.
GAO: Attention Needed To Address Undisbursed Balances In Expired Grant Accounts
A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that during calendar year 2006, about $1 billion in undisbursed funding remained in expired grant accounts in the largest civilian payment system for grants -- the Payment Management System (PMS). PMS is administered by the Department of Health & Human Services and makes payments for about 70% of grants and for 12 federal entities. Undisbursed funding is funding the federal government has obligated through a grant agreement, but which the grantee has not entirely spent.
Willcare Home Healthcare Acquired By Private Equity Fund Manager
Private equity fund manager Summer Street Capital Partners LLC has acquired Willcare, a regional home healthcare company with more than 1,500 employees providing skilled nursing, therapeutic, paraprofessional and case management services to about 4,500 patients in Upstate New York, the Hudson Valley region of New York, and Northeast Ohio.
HUD Has Funds for Emergency Capital Repair
Agency: Housing & Urban Development Dept. Program: Emergency Capital Repair. Eligibility: Private, nonprofit owners of Sec. 202 direct loan projects with or without Sec. 8 rental assistance; Sec. 202 capital adv...
More Boomers Turning To Nutrition For Good Eye Health
Nutrition's role in eye health has become a topic of conversation, no doubt correlating at least somewhat with the aging of the baby boomers. It is believed the natural aging process with its attendance oxidative stresses plays the major role in the progressive degeneration of vision as we age. And with the increase in rates of obesity and the resulting increased incidence of type-2 diabetes comes another eye health issue: diabetic retinopathy.
FDA Approves 2008-2009 Flu Vaccines
The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has just approved this year's seasonal influenza vaccines that include new strains of the virus likely to cause flu in the United States during the 2008-2009 season. The six vaccines and their manufacturers are: CSL Limited, Afluria; GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Fluarix; ID Biomedical Corporation of Quebec, FluLaval; MedImmune Vaccines Inc., FluMist; Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited, Fluvirin; and Sanofi Pasteur Inc., Fluzone.
EPA Calls Out Nation's Largest Manufacturer Of Hospital Disinfectants
Consumers should never have to second-guess information on product labels, and through a recent settlement between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Lonza Inc., the nation's largest manufacturer of hospital disinfectants -- many of which are used in nursing homes and other elder care facilities -- consumers will now assuredly be getting what they pay for.
Seniors Seen Especially Vulnerable To Dehydration
"Water is such a basic element of our lives and so readily available in the United States that people are seldom aware of its importance," says Becky Drake, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Foxcare Wellness Center in Oneonta, NY. "Yet, it is so essential to the human body, we can not survive more than a few days without it. If deprived of water for even a short period of time, we begin to experience the physical consequences of loss of water, or dehydration."
Searching For The Fountain of Youth
The search for the highly fabled, disgustingly illusive "Fountain of Youth" continues into the 21st century -- more than 600 years after Juan Ponce de León first claimed he found it somewhere in what is now northern Florida. Today, the quest for eternal youth is scientific in nature -- and researchers are more determined than ever to succeed.
CMS Moves To Improve Payment Accuracy For Inpatient Rehab Services
CMS has issued a final rule aimed at improving the accuracy of payment for services furnished to people with Medicare who need the intensive rehabilitation services provided by Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs). These include patients who are recovering from serious illnesses or injuries, such as stroke, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, amputations and a number of other conditions.
BenefitsCheckUp Helps Low-Income Older People Stay Cool
Throughout most of the country, it's another hot summer and many older people are trying to figure out how to pay for air conditioning, as well as food and medicine. And when the seasons change, millions of these same seniors will probably need help staying warm, with home heating oil costs expected to reach record highs.
Balancing Act: States' Long-Term Care Reform Seen As Mixed Bag
A new report by AARP's Public Policy Institute finds promising signs and mixed results among state government efforts to balance long-term care (LTC) options under Medicaid. Unfortunately, according to the report, only four states spent more than 50% of their Medicaid LTC dollars for older people providing home and community based services (HCBS). The remainder of the states continues to spend the majority of their Medicaid LTC dollars for older people on institutional care, such as nursing homes.
New Tax Laws Dry Up Car Donations
Car donations -- a favorite tax deduction for many older Americans -- have plummeted since Congress in 2004 tightened the tax rules for claiming charitable deductions, finds a Grant Thornton analysis of new IRS data. Before 2005, taxpayers who donated a vehicle were allowed to deduct its fair market value. Tax legislation enacted in 2004 changed the rules to generally limit vehicle donation deductions of over $500 to either the actual proceeds from a vehicle's sale or the vehicle's fair market value -- whichever is less.
Key Congress Members Seek GAO Study Of Medicare RAC Program
Five key members of Congress have fired off a letter to the acting head of the Government Accountability Office asking for an in-depth review of the Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program. Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), chairman of the House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee, joined with House Ways & Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY), House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI), House Energy & Commerce health subcommittee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), in seeking the GAO study.
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.
Study Seeks Long-Lived Families for Answers
More and more people are living longer. But living to extreme old age is unusual and tends to run in some families. A new study, supported by the National Institute on Aging aims to learn more about the secrets to long healthy life, and investigators are seeking long-lived families to help study this important question.
Resveratrol Found to Improve Health, But Not Longevity in Aging Mice
Scientists have found that the compound resveratrol slows age-related deterioration and functional decline of mice on a standard diet, but does not increase longevity when started at middle age. This study, conducted and supported in part by the National Institute on Aging, is a follow-up to 2006 findings that resveratrol improves health and longevity of overweight, aged mice.
Number of People with Diabetes Increases To 24 Million
Diabetes now affects nearly 24 million people in the United States, an increase of more than 3 million in approximately two years, according to new 2007 prevalence data estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). This means that nearly 8% of the U.S. population has diabetes.
Ohio Moves To Halt Stranger-Originated Life Insurance Targeting Seniors
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has signed into law legislation that will place Ohio at the forefront of efforts to combat a growing financial abuse that targets senior citizens and threatens to undermine the integrity of the life insurance marketplace. HB 404 aims to deter stranger-originated life insurance, a contrived transaction in which financial speculators induce senior citizens to purchase life insurance they otherwise would not buy and then transfer rights to the death benefits to the speculators.
Alzheimer's Replaces Diabetes As 6th Leading Cause Of Death In U.S.
Alzheimer's disease is now the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. The CDC estimates that 72,914 Americans died of Alzheimer's disease in 2006.
Government Could Encourage More Employers To Offer IRAs, Says GAO
Several barriers may discourage employers from establishing employer-sponsored Individual Retirement Accounts and offering payroll-deduction IRAs to their employees, finds the Government Accountability Office in a new report.
New Guide Offers Seniors Good Advice On 'Legal Matters'
The MetLife Mature Market Institute has updated its Since You Care guide titled, "Legal Matters." The guide contains useful information about aging-related legal matters, healthcare planning, and financial decisions for older Americans and those who care for them. It is available free to the public....
Active Social Life May Delay Memory Loss Among Elderly
One of the features of aging is memory loss, which can have devastating effects on the quality of life among older people. In a new study, Harvard School of Public Health researchers found evidence that elderly people in the United States who have an active social life may have a slower rate of memory decline.
CMS Tries Easing Concerns About Quality Improvement Contractors
In response to criticisms from Congress and from independent oversight agencies, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is using its 9th Statement of Work, effective August 2008 through July 2011, to impose more specific requirements on its Quality Improvement Organization contractors.
CMS Names Contract Suppliers For First Round DMEPOS Bidding Program
CMS has selected the contract suppliers for the first round of the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program. A total of 325 suppliers receiving 1,345 contracts were selected for the ten Round 1 communities.
Secrets to Positive Aging Featured in YouTube Video
If you've heard that social activities prolong life, a new YouTube video confirms it. Created by the National Council on Aging and the American Society of Aging, the video features people in their 60s, 70s and 80s talking about their activities at senior centers, with clips of them dancing, exercising and just relaxing with a cup of coffee.
Indiana Retirement Community Looks, Feels More Like Resort
Concierge services, a personal valet, indoor pool-Jacuzzi, day spa, library, and a five-star chef are all perks that will be available to residents of The Stratford at WestClay, a $65 million project with 215 residences developed by the Stratford Companies.
Are Boomers Prepared for a Disability?
The answer is no, according to America's Health Insurance Plans. The organization commissioned Harris Interactive for a series of surveys to determine the extent of boomers' coverage in case of disability.
Youngstown Appeals To Seniors For Volunteerism
The folks in Youngstown, OH, have discovered that seniors are a valuable resource -- especially when it comes to volunteerism.
CMS Proposes New Payment Rates For Skilled Nursing Facilities
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has unveiled a proposal for what it describes as "new, more accurate FY 2009 payment rates for Medicare skilled nursing facilities that more closely reflect differences in patient care needs." In essence, the new rates will mean fewer dollars for skilled nursing facilities in the coming year.
Seniors Pressuring Congress For 'Senior Bill of Rights'
Thousands of older Americans have begun an online petition campaign calling for congressional passage of a "Senior Bill of Rights." The campaign, organized by seniors' advocacy nonprofit RetireSafe, has already generated more than 250,000 signed petitions delivered electronically to Congress.
House OKs Measure To Halt CMS-Backed Medicaid Reductions
The U.S. House of Representatives, by a vote of 349-62, passes important, bipartisan legislation which would impose one-year moratoria on seven Medicaid regulations which advocates view as highly detrimental to care of America's most vulnerable seniors.
Report Examines One-Stop Career Centers' Aid to Older Workers
GAO) has released a report examining one-stop career centers as a means to link older workers with employers through employment and training services.
Opportunity Finance Network To Award $8.35 Million
Opportunity Finance Network commences the second annual round of the Wachovia NEXT Awards for Opportunity Finance -- an awards program totaling $8.35 million for responsible lenders across the United States known as community development financial institutions.
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.
High Court Declines To Hear Legal Challenge To EEOC Rule
The U.S. Supreme Court this week declined to hear a legal challenge brought by AARP regarding an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruling that permits employers to reduce benefits for retirees who reach age 65 and become eligible for Medicare.
AARP Urges Congress to Support House, Senate Budgets
AARP is urging members of Congress to support the House and Senate budget resolutions and to oppose harmful amendments that would negatively impact older Americans.
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.
AHCA Rails Against MedPAC's Recommendations on SNFs
The American Health Care Association expresses strong opposition to the MedPAC's recommendation to the House health subcommittee that skilled nursing facilities should receive no inflationary market basket update for FY 2009.
Targeted Imaging May Lead to Earlier Diagnosis of Dementia, Alzheimer's
Researchers involved in a large, multi-institutional study using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging have been able to classify different types of dementia with very high rates of success.
Special Economic Stimulus Letters Reach Mailboxes in March
More than 130 million American households will begin receiving Internal Revenue Service letters next week reminding them to file a 2007 tax return in order to receive a 2008 economic stimulus payment.
OMB Watch: Multiple Rules Work in Concert to Undermine Medicaid
The Bush administration is pursuing or has achieved several policy goals that work to cut social support services by reducing federal funding for Medicaid programs, says OMB Watch, a Washington, DC-based watchdog organization that closely monitors the activities of the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Hamburger Helper Seeks Hometown Helpers
Hamburger Helper, a General Mills company, seeks applications for its 2008 "My Hometown Helper" grant program, which focuses on local groups making a difference in their community.
Merck to Pay Many Millions to Settle Medicaid Fraud Case
Prescription drug maker Merck has agreed to pay $650 million plus interest to settle two lawsuits alleging the company overcharged Medicaid for three of its most popular drugs.
Numerous Interest Groups Decry Bush's Budget
Here's a sampling of the disgruntlement inspired by President Bush's proposed FY 2009 budget.
AHCA: FY 2009 Budget Blueprint 'Unreasonable, Unrealistic'
The American Health Care Association describes the Bush FY 2009 budget proposal as unreasonable from the standpoint of seniors' Medicare-financed nursing facility care, and unrealistic in the face of worsening economic conditions in states across the nation, which will surely squeeze state Medicaid budgets
IRS Partners Host Free Tax Help for Low-Income, Elderly Taxpayers
The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program offers free tax help to people who earn less than $40,000. The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program offers free tax help to taxpayers who are 60 and older.
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.
Bush Expected to Soon Reveal Physician Fee Proposal
President Bush likely will unveil his proposal for changing the Medicare physician fee formula during his State of the Union address on Monday, Jan. 28.
Treasury Dept. Addresses Social Security Reform
The Treasury Dept.'s latest brief focuses on ways to assess the fairness of potential reforms and the adequacy of benefits in a financially sustainable Social Security system.
Home Medical Equipment Providers Fight Proposed Bid Program
Ohio's Medicaid agency has scheduled a Jan. 9 hearing in Columbus, OH regarding the proposed rule for Durable Medical Equipment (DME) restrictive contracting.
Panel Notes Progress in Nursing Home Reform but Calls for More
Much progress has been made since passage of the Nursing Home Reform Act 20 years ago but much remains to be done, say panelists at a Dec. 7 forum sponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform and the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Medicare Package May Be Added to Alternative Minimum Tax Bill
Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives will not include a Medicare package in an omnibus spending bill, but they may try to add it to a highly controversial bill redefining the alternative minimum tax.
NIA's Web Training Curriculum Now Available
The National Institute on Aging has just released the Toolkit for Trainers, a free, downloadable training curriculum that instructors can use to help older adults find reliable health information online.
Forum Eyes Significance of Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Employment law experts told an AARP forum about the historical importance and future role of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
IG Finds Lower Power Wheelchair Prices
HHS's Office of Inspector General finds power wheelchair prices much lower on the Internet than through Medicare.
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