The SCAN Foundation - Family Caregiving

Looking at the Big Picture of Old Age: A Treasure Trove of Statistics

scanadmin — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 01:08:12 +0000

The Stanford Longevity Institute has produced a detailed and comprehensive look at the rapidly aging population in the United States. Millions of people will need long-term services and supports as they age. The report, “New Realities of an Older America,” discusses the critical issues and underscores the urgency of effectively addressing the anticipated challenges with relevant public policies.

Long-Distance Caregiving is an Intricate Dance for Family and Providers

scanadmin — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:59:10 +0000

“Skilled professionals and cutting-edge technologies combine to effectively dispatch tasks related to caring for loved ones living far from concerned caregivers,” according to the report “Meeting the Challenges of Long-Distance Caregiving,” in the September/October 2009 issue of Aging Well magazine.

Patients Staying Longer in Hospice Care

scanadmin — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:56:56 +0000

The length of the average hospice stay in a nursing home has doubled in the past 10 years, increasing from 46 days to 93 days, according to a July 20, 2010 announcement in HealthLeadersMedia about a research study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, “The Growth of Hospice Care in U.S. Nursing Homes.”

Chronic Disease: Painful, Costly, and Growing Rapidly

scanadmin — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:52:04 +0000

For many older Americans, chronic illnesses make life painful. Multiple ailments often require a variety of drugs, and can lead to weaknesses that rob them of their autonomy, forcing them to rely upon a substantial amount of long-term services and supports. Unfortunately, the situation is worsening, with large increases in the numbers of people suffering from chronic diseases, according to a new February 2010 edition of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation chart book “Chronic Care: Making the Case for Ongoing Care.”

Nursing Assistants Need Friendly and Supportive Supervisors in Nursing Homes

scanadmin — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:40:50 +0000

Working in a nursing home is a low-paid and often stressful job for the nursing assistants who are delivering long-term services and supports to people with serious physical and mental ailments. Pay and benefits aren’t always the determining factors in whether the workers are happy, according to a July 2008 report in the Gerontologist titled, “Nursing Assistants' Job Commitment: Effect of Nursing Home Organizational Factors and Impact on Resident Well-Being.”

Tools and Devices to Stop People with Dementia from Wandering

scanadmin — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:43:42 +0000

“The increasing number of cognitively impaired older adults who exhibit wandering tendencies raises safety concerns,” according to the August 11, 2010 report, “Acceptance of Wearable Technology by People With Alzheimer’s Disease: Issues and Accommodations,” in the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias. Trying to find a better way to keep people with dementia safe has become an important concern among those who provide long-term services and supports.

Measuring the Health and Wealth of Older Americans

scanadmin — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:34:30 +0000

“Older Americans 2010: Key Indicators of Well-Being," provides a comprehensive picture of our older population’s health and well-being,” a consortium of federal agencies said in announcing the latest edition of the encyclopedic chart book. Fifteen agencies collaborated to produce “an accessible compendium of indicators drawn from the most reliable official statistics. The indicators are again categorized into five broad groups: population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, and health care.”

The Impact of Health Reform on Low-income People

scanadmin — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:31:45 +0000

Older adults with low-incomes who are receiving long-term services and supports through Medicaid and also are enrolled in Medicare will face significant changes under the Affordable Care Act, according to an April 2010 report by the National Council on Aging. These people are called dual eligibles, because they qualify for two programs, Medicare (federal program for those over 65 and the disabled) and Medicaid (federal-state program for the poor). The report, “April 2010 NCBOE Training: Health Care Reform and Your Clients,” includes material used in a webinar, questions and answers, and key sections of the law.

The Origins of Cash and Carry Programs to Give People Spending Power

scanadmin — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:27:41 +0000

Current federal and state policies encourage people who need long-term services and supports to make their own decisions about how to spend for their care. If they do not suffer from dementia or other cognitive problems, they are offered choices about whom they will hire to help with care, including their own family members. This is a relatively new concept, and was pioneered in various local experiments, according to a May 2010 report by Mathematica Policy Research. The report, “The Starting Point: The Balance of State Long-Term Care Systems Before the Implementation of the Money Follows the Person Demonstration,” describes the first round of grants for the program, called “money follows the person,” with the federal government sending money to 29 states and the District of Columbia.

Design of Living Spaces Impacts Comfort and Social Involvement

scanadmin — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:23:08 +0000

Assisted living communities are homes for people who need long-term services and supports, but are strong enough physically and mentally to have a significant degree of independence. They are not bed-ridden, or suffering from severe dementia, as is often the case with many nursing home residents. Nevertheless, the designs of assisted living apartments often are not comfortable and welcoming, according to a December 2007 report, “Physical Environments of Assisted Living,” in The Gerontologist, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.