Health and Disability

Memory Triggers is a new series of picture/stimulation books by Nadine Rudner Brechner that were specifically designed for use with persons with dementia by their caregivers. 

Each of three books in the series focuses on one decade:  the 1940's, the 1950's and the 1960's and shows 3 wallet-sized, colored pictures per page, of items that relate to the specific timeperiod.  Using her background as a former activities director and health care manager, Nadine created these books to use with her own mother Charlotte, who has dementia.  Nadine wasn't satisfied with the quality of products available so she decided to create her own…..

BuzzNet Tags: LTC,dementia,memory

The Dementia Caregiver's Toolbox : Dementia Book Review - Memory Triggers

Post messages and comments to your community about your loved one.

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Have all your medical history stored safely and securely online. It’s easy to print for the next doctor’s visit.

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Answer questions about diseases, drugs, therapies and alternative remedies in our education center.

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CareRunner Provides The Best Online Tools For Caregivers

Interesting idea. Site is not especially accessible. 

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In response to a premium hike, the Office of Personnel Management is giving federal employees enrolled in the Long-Term Care Insurance Program two extra months to make changes to their coverage.Daniel Green, OPM's deputy associate director for employee and family support policy, apologized at the October hearing for confusion caused by promotional materials distributed to federal employees enrolled in the program, and said the agency was considering extending the period to enable enrollees to make changes…….

Margaret Baptiste, president of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, said OPM's decision was an important first step, but the agency should consider how to keep the long-term care insurance program strong in the future.

"The downturn in the long-term care insurance industry and further consolidation could make matters worse in 2016 when the contract is rebid," she said, "Consolidation means there is less competitive pressure on carriers to offer the best possible product.”…..

OPM extends window for long-term insurance changes (10/22/09) -- GovExec.com

Donna Taylor's father was the rock of the family. He was the primary caregiver for his disabled wife and her elderly mother. But he got sick and went into the hospital for 10 days. When he got out, he couldn't walk.

Taylor, 41, and her siblings — all of whom had families and children of their own — helped out. But with three elderly, disabled adults in one house, caregiving got expensive. Taylor says her father was surprised at how quickly the family went through its savings.

"He said, 'I worked and I did the right things. I had a pension and I put money away in savings and I had what I thought were the right insurances and the money didn't go far enough.' It just, it just wasn't enough."……

A Forgotten Health Debate: Funding Long-term Care : NPR

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced plans to establish the nation’s first national resource center to assist communities across the country in their efforts to provide services and supports for older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals.
Experts estimate that as many as 1.5 to 4 million LGBT individuals are age 60 and older. Agencies that provide services to older individuals may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the needs of this group of individuals. The new Resource Center for LGBT Elders will provide information, assistance and resources for both LGBT organizations and mainstream aging services providers at the state and community level to assist them in the development and provision of culturally sensitive supports and services. The LGBT Center will also be available to educate the LGBT community about the importance of planning ahead for future long term care needs.

AMERICAblog Gay | A great people deserve their rights: HHS to Create a National Resource Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Elders

If you live long enough after becoming seriously sick or disabled, chances are high that you will spend all your money, be declared poor and get the government to pay for your care.

It happens to millions every year. But Congress could soon give working Americans another choice. Buried in congressional health care reform proposals is a seldom-mentioned plan for a government-run long-term care insurance program…….

BuzzNet Tags: LTC,insurance

Senate addresses long-term care plan - Cleveland.com

While creating better systems of care for aged, blind, and disabled beneficiaries is a priority within Medicaid, it is a challenge given the vast heterogeneity of this complex population. The Faces of Medicaid III: Refining the Portrait of People with Multiple Chronic Conditions provides insights for targeting efforts to improve care and control spending for the program's highest-need, highest-cost beneficiaries.

Building on the 2007 Faces of Medicaid II report, this subsequent analysis examines two data sets -- pharmacy claims and five years of diagnostic data -- to further refine what is known about Medicaid beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions. Researchers Rick Kronick, PhD, and Todd Gilmer, PhD, both from the University of California, San Diego, found that by looking at pharmacy data in addition to claims:

• The proportion of Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities who are diagnosed with three or more chronic conditions increases from 35 percent to 45 percent;
• The frequency of psychiatric illness among Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities increases from 29 percent to 49 percent, and the prevalence of cardiovascular disease increases from 32 percent to 44 percent; and
• Costs for beneficiaries with three or more chronic conditions increases from 66 percent to 75 percent of total spending for beneficiaries with disabilities…….

BuzzNet Tags: LTC,Medicaid,chronic conditions

The Faces of Medicaid III: Refining the Portrait of People with Multiple Chronic Conditions

ABC News had just done a feature on mental health and had prominently featured MindFreedom International, a group that advocates for “psychiatric survivors” who have battled mental and emotional problems. But the second half of the show hinged on the lurid tale of a guy who had gone off his meds and committed an ax murder. Typical media sensationalism, says MindFreedom director David Oaks.

“How do you debate an ax murderer?” he vents. “There are no issues there. We’re pro-choice on taking psych drugs. So that was very frustrating.”……

David Oaks, Director: MindFreedom International

So, my netbook decided to start hating the hotel wireless and Atlanta and I never had the time or inclination to buy the wireless service when I moved on to DC, so here I am back in MI wanting to say something at least about the final 2 days of the Atlanta ADAPT action!

Tuesday was, by far, the most intense of the 3 days of direct action.  We assembled in the ballroom, as it was still raining, before venturing forth to the Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights regional headquarters.

Our aim was to start an authentic conversation about enforcing the Olmstead supreme court decision in Georgia and the surrounding south eastern region.  Complying with this ADA case law would mean providing long term care services to people with disabilities in the least restrictive setting, namely, not an institution.  The case was decided a decade ago, in 1999, but there are not mechanisms in place for the government to hold itself accountable to the ruling.  ADAPT showed up in force to raise this issue in a way that a few local “advocates” cannot do on their own with polite phone calls and letters.  This is not to diminish the efforts of those in Atlanta working every day to free our people.  However, there comes a time when power is so unbalanced that direct action is the only way to create the tension necessary to force dialogue…..

BuzzNet Tags: ADAPT,Atlanta

Atlanta Action Redux