|
STATE LEGISLATION, POLICY & REPORTS
1. Connecticut: Bill Would Offer Respite Funds to Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/TOB/H/2006HB-05193-R00-HB.htm
2. Report on States’ Progress in Paid Family or Medical Leave Laws
http://tinyurl.com/qa39g
FEDERAL LEGISLATION, POLICY & REPORTS
3. Bill to Help Individuals Save for Long-Term Care
http://thomas.loc.gov/
4. Hearing on Reauthorization of Older Americans Act
http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2006_02_14_b/2006_02_14_b.html
5. Policy Recommendations to Support Family Caregivers from the Mini-Conference on Caregiving
http://tinyurl.com/rvqmm
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
6. Australia: Community Grants to Prevent or Manage Dementia and Increased Funding for Employed Caregiver Respite Services
http://tinyurl.com/qbufe
http://tinyurl.com/rjye3
RESEARCH REPORTS & JOURNAL ARTICLES
7. Economic Value of Informal Caregiving Now Estimated at $306 Billion Dollars
http://www.va.gov/occ/Conferences/caregiverforum/Docs/Arno-Handout.pdf
8. Research Shows Caring for Older Spouses Can Hasten Death
http://tinyurl.com/o8kko
9. Profile of Frail Older Americans and Their Caregivers
http://www.urban.org/publications/311284.html
10. Evaluation of Educational Program for Family Caregivers
http://tinyurl.com/l87ry
11. Research Shows Assistance with ADLs May Decrease Hospital Admissions
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.00590.x
12. Policy Brief on Direct Care Workers’ Lack of Health Insurance Coverage
http://tinyurl.com/s6zeu
CONFERENCES & TRAININGS
13. Family Caregiver Alliance Staff to Present at 2006 NCOA-ASA Joint Conference
http://www.agingconference.org
14. Family Support Center of New Jersey Will Host “Caregivers Conference: Take Comfort in Knowledge”
http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=118289
FUNDING, MEDIA & MISCELLANEOUS
15. Awards Program for Community Groups Focusing on Family Caregiving
http://tinyurl.com/mkc9y
16. Almost Home Documentary Film Chronicles Retirement Community Residents and Their Children
http://www.almosthomedoc.org/
STATE LEGISLATION, POLICY & REPORTS
1. Connecticut: Bill Would Offer Respite Funds to Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease
The Connecticut General Assembly introduced a bill (H.B. 5193) to offer up to $6,500 annually for respite services for family caregivers caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Caregivers must have an annual income of less than $30,000 and may not be covered by Medicaid. For more information, visit:
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/TOB/H/2006HB-05193-R00-HB.htm
2. Report on States’ Progress in Paid Family or Medical Leave Laws
The National Partnership for Women & Families has released a report detailing states’ efforts in creating or expanding paid family or medical leave policies. The report outlines current paid leave programs, from California’s comprehensive policies to other states’ Temporary Disability Insurance programs and less generous family leave policies. It also recommends proposals for states to make family and medical leave more affordable, and details state-by state profiles of legislative activity in the last five years. For more information, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/qa39g
FEDERAL LEGISLATION, POLICY & REPORTS
3. Bill to Help Individuals Save for Long-Term Care
A bill (S.B. 2281) introduced by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) would create tax incentives for individuals to save for long-term care expenses. Individuals who may have trouble accessing long-term care insurance because of pre-existing medical conditions or cost issues could place up to $5,000 in “long-term care accounts” and use the funds without tax penalty for long-term care expenses in facilities or in the home. The funds can be used for the individual or for family members. For more information, visit:
http://thomas.loc.gov/
4. Hearing on Reauthorization of Older Americans Act
On February 14, 2006, the Senate Subcommittee on Retirement, Security, and Aging held a hearing regarding the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. Testimony covered support for family caregivers; delivery of home and community-based services; strengthening the aging network; nutrition and meal delivery; and civic engagement. Testimony from the 13 witnesses is available online, along with audio and video coverage of the hearing. For more information, visit:
http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2006_02_14_b/2006_02_14_b.html
5. Policy Recommendations to Support Family Caregivers from the Mini-Conference on Caregiving
A new report details the caregiving policy recommendations that were presented to the Policy Committee of the 2005 White House Conference on Aging. A Mini-Conference on Family Caregiving, sponsored by the MetLife Mature Market Institute and the National Alliance for Caregiving, convened in June of 2005 to develop the recommendations. Policy proposals include: expansion of government programs such as the National Family Caregiver Support program, tax credits, and respite; development of workplace policies that provide caregivers with a supportive working environment; and creation of a bipartisan commission on caregiving to encourage research and awareness of caregiving issues. For more information, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/rvqmm
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
6. Australia: Community Grants to Prevent or Manage Dementia and Increased Funding for Employed Caregiver Respite Services
The Australian government will offer $2 million in grants for dementia-related projects for older adults and their caregivers. The projects should focus on raising awareness about dementia, providing support, and highlighting the importance of seeking help early and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The government has also increased funding of up to $65 million over four years for new and expanded respite services for employed caregivers. For more information, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/qbufe
http://tinyurl.com/rjye3
RESEARCH REPORTS & JOURNAL ARTICLES
7. Economic Value of Informal Caregiving Now Estimated at $306 Billion Dollars
Peter Arno, PhD, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has recently updated estimates of the value of informal caregiving by family and friends. In 2004, informal caregiving was valued at $306 billion per year, greatly exceeding the combined costs of nursing home care ($115 billion) and home health care ($43 billion). The economic value of informal caregiving ($306 billion) represents six percent of the total U.S. health expenditures in 2004 ($1,878 trillion). For more information, visit:
http://www.va.gov/occ/Conferences/caregiverforum/Docs/Arno-Handout.pdf
8. Research Shows Caring for Older Spouses Can Hasten Death
A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine reveals that the illness or hospitalization of a spouse can have detrimental health effects on the partner of the spouse, including increased mortality. Researchers studied 518,240 couples with a mean age of 75 for the men and 72 for the women, who were then tracked for nine years. Among older adults, the effect of illness of a spouse varies among diagnoses, but hospitalization of a spouse is associated with an overall increased risk of death. The death of a spouse increases a man’s risk of dying in the next year by 21 percent and a woman’s risk by 17 percent. The researchers conclude that the health effects of a spouse’s illness on the partner should be taken into account by doctors, social workers and policymakers. For more information, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/o8kko
9. Profile of Frail Older Americans and Their Caregivers
The Urban Institute has published a report using data from the 2002 Health and Retirement Study to profile frail older adults age 65 and older who are not residing in nursing homes and their caregivers. The report concludes that the community-based disabled population is sizeable, and that mental health problems are widespread within the frail older population. Most frail older people live alone, but have children nearby who can provide assistance. Many within this population have modest financial resources and often do not qualify for public benefits and have not purchased private long-term care insurance. Further, many frail older people living at home receive assistance from family and friends, and few receive paid home care services. For more information, visit:
http://www.urban.org/publications/311284.html
10. Evaluation of Educational Program for Family Caregivers
A study in Geriatric Nursing focused on evaluating whether an educational program was helpful to family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease. The study measured the effectiveness of a comprehensive educational program reinforced by an individualized component (CEPRIC), a process which includes a general information session, and individualized educational component, and an educational booklet for caregivers. Over 30 caregiver-patient dyads were evaluated, and results show that caregiver problems, such as disturbed sleep and eating patterns, trauma risk, and anxiety were reduced and caregiver depression and anxiety scores were diminished. For more information, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/l87ry
11. Research Shows Assistance with ADLs May Decrease Hospital Admissions
A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society analyzes whether older adults who do not have help with their activities of daily living (ADLs) are at a higher risk for hospital admissions. The nearly 3,000 participants in the study were all enrollees of the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), which provides comprehensive medical and long-term care to community-living older adults. The study concludes that frail older people who live without needed help with ADLs have higher rates of hospital admissions, but when their ADL needs are met, acute health care needs declined. For more information, visit:
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.00590.x
12. Policy Brief on Direct Care Workers’ Lack of Health Insurance Coverage
A policy brief by the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute analyzes the obstacles direct care workers face in obtaining health insurance coverage. One in every four nursing home workers lacks health insurance, and direct care workers are uninsured at a rate that is 50 percent higher than the general population under age 65. The brief details why direct care workers are either ineligible or cannot afford health insurance if it is offered, and offers recommendations for expanding coverage to these employees. For more information, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/s6zeu
CONFERENCES & TRAININGS
13. Family Caregiver Alliance Staff to Present at 2006 NCOA-ASA Joint Conference
Staff from Family Caregiver Alliance will be presenting on a variety of topics related to caregiving at the 2006 National Council of the Aging and the American Society on Aging Joint Conference. The conference takes place March 16-19, 2005 in Anaheim, California. Among the wide range of sessions are workshops on caregiving in rural areas, utilizing the Internet in caregiver support services, and caregiver assessment. For more information, visit:
http://www.agingconference.org
14. Family Support Center of New Jersey Will Host “Caregivers Conference: Take Comfort in Knowledge”
The Family Support Center of New Jersey will host its annual Caregivers Conference November 2-3, 2006 in Iselin, New Jersey. The conference will focus on education, family supports, mental health and other topics. For more information, visit:
http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=118289
FUNDING, MEDIA & MISCELLANEOUS
15. Awards Program for Community Groups Focusing on Family Caregiving
The National Alliance for Caregiving and MetLife Foundation have announced a new national awards program focused on family caregiving. The awards program is intended to improve the quality of life of family caregivers by recognizing and supporting the efforts of community groups that work with them. Nonprofit and community agencies and organizations that support family caregivers are encouraged to apply by May 15, 2006 for one of the six $25,000 cash awards. For more information, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/mkc9y
16. Almost Home Documentary Film Chronicles Retirement Community Residents and Their Children
Almost Home, a feature-length documentary chronicling a year in the life of a retirement community in the Midwest, will air on PBS on April 4, 2006. The film follows one couple affected by Alzheimer’s disease, another challenged by Parkinson’s, children in the “sandwich generation” who are caring for both their parents and their own kids, and nursing assistants within the retirement community. For more information, visit:
http://www.almosthomedoc.org/
©2006 Family Caregiver Alliance. All rights reserved.
===========================================================================
For questions or further information about Family Caregiver Alliance's
National Center on Caregiving, contact us at [email protected].
To subscribe or unsubscribe to Caregiving PolicyDigest, use the following
link: http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=836http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=836
Or, contact Family Caregiver Alliance using our toll-free phone number:
800/445-8106
Your subscription information is used only for the purpose of improving
this service and tailoring it to the needs of its audience. Information
provided to us will not be shared with any other organization, agency,
corporation, entity or third party.
Caregiving PolicyDigest is a publication of the National Center on
Caregiving, a program of Family Caregiver Alliance.
©2006 Family Caregiver Alliance. All rights reserved.
180 Montgomery Street, Suite 1100, San Francisco, CA 94104
?
E-mail to a Friend
Printable Version
|
