State Legislation, Policy & Reports

California: Assembly Committee Recommends Increased Benefits and Support for Caregivers

The California Assembly Committee on Aging and Long Term Care issued an Aging Agenda that includes recommendations related to family caregivers. Building an Aging Agenda for the 21st Century recommends (1) increasing the public's awareness of California's Paid Family Leave Law and expanding it by broadening the definition of family to include all family caregivers and those who provide chronic care in addition to episodic care; (2) increasing caregiver supports by developing and expanding information tools and fully funding caregiver resources and service programs; and (3) addressing caregiver diversity by ensuring support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender caregivers, grandparents caring for grandchildren, and those caring for people with Alzheimer's Disease. For more information, visit:

Assemblywoman Patty Berg's homepage

Virginia: Lawmakers Increase Funding for Virginia Caregivers Grant Program

Virginia's General Assembly voted to increase funding for the state's Caregivers Grant Program by $150,000, raising the annual available funds from $350,000 to $500,000. This is the second consecutive year that the General Assembly has voted to strengthen the Program; in 2005 they extended it by five years. The Caregiver Program provides grants of up to $500 to eligible caregivers to be used at the caregiver's discretion. In order to receive a Caregiver Grant, a person must provide unpaid assistance to a relative with a mental and/or physical impairment. For more information, visit:

AARP Virginia

Federal Legislation, Policy & Reports

Congress Passes Older Americans Act Amendments of 2006

During the last week of September, both the House and Senate passed legislation (H.R. 6197) reauthorizing the Older Americans Act, the law that governs the organization and delivery of social services to seniors, including the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP). The reauthorization legislation includes provisions to expand the universe of family caregivers eligible for support services by: 1) decreasing the age of a qualified grandparent or relative caregiver caring for a child from 60 years to 55 years old; and 2) including adopted children in the list of individuals to whom a grandparent may provide care. The legislation also gives priority for NFCSP services to family caregivers who provide care for older individuals with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders and to grandparents or older relative caregivers who provide care for children with severe disabilities. In addition, the legislation encourages the use of volunteers to deliver services under the NFCSP; promotes consumer choice in the decision between home- and community-based care and institutionalized care; facilitates greater coordination between federal, state, and local agencies who serve seniors; and authorizes funding for various programs. For more information, visit:

Thomas

House Bill Would Give Caregivers Tax Credit

The Comprehensive Long-Term Care Support Act (H.R. 6211) was introduced on September 27 by Representatives Stephanie Herseth (D-SD) and Maurice Hinchey (D-NY). The bill would allow a tax credit for qualified caregivers, which starts at $1,000 in 2007 and increases to $3,000 in 2011. The amount of the credit is reduced for individuals with an adjusted gross income over $75,000 and for couples making over $150,000. The bill would also increase funding for the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), as well as allow a tax credit for those paying premiums for long-term care, including certain family members. For more information, visit:

Thomas

Citizens' Health Care Working Group Issues Report, Recommends More Services for Caregivers

The Citizens' Health Care Working Group released its final recommendations to the President and Congress on September 25 in a document called Health Care That Works for All Americans. As part of its recommendations regarding end-of-life services, the Working Group states that more attention needs to be given to professional and family caregivers, and it more broadly states the need to restructure end-of-life care so people have increased access to services in the environment they choose. The Working Group was established as part of Medicare reform legislation in 2003 and is made up of individuals who represent various aspects of the health care system. For more information, visit:

Citizens' Health Care Working Group

International News

Israel: Enhancing the Quality of Life for Elderly Living in the Community

"The Supportive Community: A New Concept for Enhancing the Quality of Life of Elderly Living in the Community" is in a recent volume of the Journal of Aging and Social Policy. The article "examines supportive community programs in Israel, which aim to improve the quality of life of the elderly. These innovative programs pool existing resources to provide a benefits package that includes medical services, an emergency call switchboard, a 'neighborhood facilitator,' and social activities." One-third of those who received the services noted that one of program's benefits was easing the burden on their adult children, and one-fourth identified being able to remain at home a benefit. For more information, visit:

Journal of Aging and Social Policy

Research Reports & Journal Articles

Caregiving in America Highlights Impending "Caregiving Crisis"

Caregiving in America states that the U.S. will soon be facing a "caregiving crisis" as the available pool of family caregivers decreases and the number of elderly needing care increases. Further exacerbating the crisis, the caregiving industry is experiencing a shortage of paid professionals. This report was a released September 28 by the Caregiving Project for Older Americans, a joint venture of the International Longevity Center-USA and the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education. The report profiles the current state of the caregiving system in the US, including home-based and institutional care. For more information, visit:

International Longevity Center-USA

New Interactive Website on Cash & Counseling Demonstration Includes Family Caregiver Data

The initial Cash & Counseling Demonstration and Evaluation, which tested a new model of consumer directed services and supports through a cash option, collected data across three states (Arkansas, Florida, New Jersey) from thousands of participants, including clients, family and informal caregivers, paid workers, and program staff. The tool presents data on service utilization, consumer satisfaction and service quality, among other things. The data from these three states are available in a new interactive website and in public use files. The website allows users, including policymakers and program administrators, to explore the data through simple, online, real-time analyses. The site also allows researchers a "quick look" at the data to explore questions of potential interest, including family caregiver issues. For more information visit:

Cash and Counseling

Report Finds America's Communities are Not Prepared for an Aging Population

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) released a new report on September 27. The Maturing of America-Getting Communities on Track for an Aging Population reported that less than half of American cities and counties have plans in place to meet the needs of aging baby boomers. While many communities have programs that specifically address seniors' needs, few have developed such comprehensive plans that address policies, programs, and services related to transportation, housing, land use, public safety, parks and recreation, etc. The report outlines what communities have done so far and offers recommendations for what they should do as they plan for an increase in the elderly population. For example, the report recommends that communities assist the elderly and their caregivers by developing a single point of entry for information and access to all aging services. For more information, visit:

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

New Data on Nursing Home and Home Care Costs

MetLife recently released its annual Market Survey of Nursing Home and Home Care Costs. It found that the average daily rates for a private ($206) or semi-private ($183) room in a nursing home in 2006 increased slightly from the 2005 rates. The average hourly rates for a home health aide ($19) and a homemaker/companion ($17) in 2006 remained the same as they were in 2005. For more information, visit:

MetLife Market Survey of Nursing Home and Home Care Costs

"Not Quite a Panacea: Technology to Facilitate Family Caregiving for Elders with Dementia"

"Not Quite a Panacea: Technology to Facilitate Family Caregiving for Elders with Dementia" appears in the Summer 2006 issue of Generations, a Journal of the American Society on Aging. The article presents results from a study of caregivers who used an Internet-based monitoring system to help them care for family member with dementia. After twenty-four weeks of using the technology, most of the caregivers found it useful, although there were some barriers to overcome and it was not found to be a "set it and forget it" technology system. For more information, visit:

Generations

Conferences & Trainings

National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Care Reform (NCCNHCR) Annual Conference

NCCHCR will hold its national conference, called CARE Matters, in Arlington, VA on October 22-24. The conference is for everyone interested in long-term care issues. Consumer advocate Erin Brockovich will be the keynote speaker. For more information, visit:

National Citizens? Coalition for Nursing Care Reform

American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging 2006 Annual Meeting

The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) will hold its annual meeting on November 5-8, 2006 in San Francisco. The conference theme is "Live Your Story, Tell Your Story." Attendees will choose from more than 200 educational options addressing today's aging-services needs and challenges including long-term care workforce recruitment and retention issues. For more information, visit:

AASHA 2006 Annual Meeting

U.S. Administration on Aging Hosts National Leadership Summit

The U.S. Administration on Aging is hosting Choices for Independence: A National Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. on December 5-6. At the summit, the National Aging Services Network and others interested in long-term care systems change will engage in a peer-to-peer exchange of best practices, strategies, and tools for helping older people remain healthy and independent. For more information, visit:

U.S. Administration on Aging

Funding, Media & Miscellaneous

New Fact Sheet on Residential Care Options

Family Caregiver Alliance has released a new fact sheet entitled "Residential Care Options." This fact sheet provides an overview of residential options that offer some level of medical and/or personal care services for elders and others who need assistance in daily living. It describes different types of housing, how much they cost and how to choose a good facility. For more information, visit:

Family Caregiver Alliance

National Public Radio Airs Piece on Family Caregiving

Marketplace Money from American Public Media recently aired a story on the sandwich generation, adults who are caring for their children and their elderly parents at the same time. The story highlighted the struggles of one woman who quite her job and moved from Michigan to California to provide full-time care for her mother who had experienced a stroke. Lynn Friss Feinberg, Deputy Director of the National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance, and Ellen Galinsky, President of the Families and Work Institute, spoke on the show about the need to support family caregivers. For more information, visit:

Marketplace Money

"Marijuana May Stave off Alzheimer's Disease"

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California found that marijuana may help prevent the progression of Alzheimer's Disease. They reported that an active ingredient in marijuana is more effective than commercially marketed drugs at preventing deterioration of a neurotransmitter that allows the brain to function. This ingredient is also effective at blocking clumps of protein that can inhibit memory and cognition in Alzheimer's patients. For more information, visit:

Reuter's Health