Health and Disability

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I’m neck deep in thinking about “activities” now as I prepare for the Center on  Age & Community’s (which I direct) Next Step Think Tank.

Artist David Greenberger and musician Paul Cebar

This year, we’re gathering leaders in the arts, education, aging services, and media and technology, as well as students and family caregivers to think about “How can we radically transform activities in long term care?”

Over the two days, we aim to 1) describe what we’d like activities to be like – for those living in individual homes or in group settings; 2) enchant or enliven a dozen or more “recommended” activities according to our own description of what activities should be like; 3) identify why activities aren’t working or aren’t accessible now; 4) imagine ways to help them work.

And dare we imagine a better word than “Activity?”…….

Transforming Activities in Long Term Care « FORGET MEMORY

America is increasingly

relying on home-care aides to keep the elderly out of nursing homes. Yet we barely pay them a living wage.

Paula Span explored the work of a home-care aide in her Post Magazine cover story, "Marilyn Daniel's Reward." Span is a contributing writer for the Magazine and author of "When the Time Comes: Families with Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions," to be published in June by Grand Central Publishing.

Span and Marla Lahat, executive director of Home Care Partners, were online Monday, May 11 to take questions from readers.

The transcript is below.

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Paula Span: Greetings, everyone and thanks for joining us. Marla Lahat, executive director of Home Care Partners, a venerable nonprofit home care agency in DC, is here as well to answer questions about finding home care for elderly relatives. Let's begin.

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Washington, D.C.: I was floored by the story in the photo gallery about the 104-year-old caring for her 92-year-old sister. A sad and beautiful story of devotion.

Post Magazine: The Growing Need for Home-Care Aides - washingtonpost.com

The Evercare® Survey of The Economic Downturn and Its Impact on Family Caregiving, released today, finds that during the past 12 months, almost 20 percent of caregivers report a decline in the quality of care their loved ones receive as a direct result of the recession, and 14 percent say the amount of care they have been able to provide for others during this time period has decreased. The survey is published by Evercare by UnitedHealthcare and the National Alliance on Caregiving……

New Survey: Economic Conditions Taking Toll On Family Caregivers And Their Ability To Provide Care

Members of ADAPT, the United States’ largest grassroots advocacy organization for people with disabilities, and SEIU, the nation’s largest union for home care workers, created a stir in the nation’s capitol last week when they gathered to protest the Obama administration’s perceived lack of support for the Community Choice Act (CCA).

The three-day rally held April 27-29 drew considerable media attention when many of the 400 ADAPT members in attendance blocked Independence and Constitution Avenues, crawled up the steps of the Capitol Building, and chained themselves to the White House fence. Nearly a hundred, many of them using wheel chairs, were arrested by Washington, D.C. police for exceeding the size limit for protesting without a permit outside the White House (“More Than 100 Arrested in Series of Protests,” The Washington Post, April 28)……

ADAPT and SEIU Rally in D.C. for Home Care at PHInational.org

Last week PHI reported on the publication of a practical guidebook from the Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes campaign that helps nursing home staff to prepare, implement, and sustain culture change initiatives (see “Manual Offers Guidance for Culture Change in LTC,” April 30).

Now the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AASHA) has provided a similar resource for U.S. states, to help them “initiate or expand culture change efforts in nursing homes.”

The State Investment in Culture Change Toolkit (pdf) describes programs and activities drawn from case studies of seven different states — Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and Vermont — that have supported culture change activities. It was created by the Institute for the Future of Aging Services, AASHA’s research arm, and supported by The Commonwealth Fund….

AAHSA Releases Culture Change “Toolkit” for States at PHInational.org

Managing Pain in Long-Term Care in the J. W. Crane Memorial Library’s "Current Perspectives" series has been newly updated. The "Current Perspectives Series" from the J. W. Crane Memorial Library, highlights current articles, books and Internet resources on specific topics of interest to long-term care professionals.
To access Managing Pain and other topics in the series, go to: http://umanitoba.ca/libraries/units/health/links/aging.html#currentpers

 

Info Long-Term Care: "Current Perspectives" Update: Managing Pain in Long-Term Care

Please join us on May 13th for our next call-in to Congress re: making long-term care services and supports part of health care reform.  Last time you helped generate 5,000 calls to Congress.  We can do even better on May 13th. . .

Congressional committees are drafting health care reform legislation, and we expect to see their proposals over the next month. In order to ensure long-term services and supports are included in these proposals, we are inviting you to join us in a Congressional Call-In Day on May 13, 2009.

Beginning at 8 a.m. Eastern time, please call toll-free to (800) 687-3813. Tell your legislators why long-term services and supports are a must for both you and the people you serve.

May 13: Mark Your Calendars for Another Long-Term Care Financing Call to Congress » Changing Aging - Ecumen

U.S. home health care leaders and geriatrics experts have established the first national framework to define home care excellence and shape the future of home health services for older people."The Framework Initiative is the first comprehensive effort to synthesize a large body of geriatric and chronic care research and distill its application to the home health setting. Building on this evidence base, we drew on the knowledge and experience of experts in home care and geriatrics to chart the first national course toward home care quality improvement for older adults."
The Framework Initiative calls for the recognition by home care providers that truly outstanding home care must focus on older people and their well being not simply on their problem or disease. Home care providers must embrace foundational values that:
- Maximize older persons' quality of life
- Honor their preferences and provide genuine choices
- Optimize their health and ability to function
- Help them cope both physically and emotionally with decline and end of life
More information is available at http://www.champ-program.org/framework/.

Experts Set New Home Care Goals For Older Americans