The SCAN Foundation - Technology and Aging

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.

Using Videos to Understand and Help Seniors

scanadmin — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:09:00 +0000

“The federal government now requires that residents of Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes be interviewed as part of their clinical assessments,” according to the August 3, 2010 report “New training Video: Interviewing Frail Elders,” by the Commonwealth Fund. A new video training tool has been designed to educate medical and other nursing home personnel about the “best practices for interviews related to residents' cognition, mood, preferences, and pain,” according to the report.

Technology Can Help People To Avoid Going Back to the Hospital

scanadmin — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:11:48 +0000

People receiving long-term services and supports often are elderly and frail, suffering from serious chronic ailments that can send them to the hospital putting them at high risk for repeated hospital admissions. Technological tools can help them stay healthy after a hospital discharge and avoid a return, according to the September 2010 report, “Technologies for Improving Post-Acute Care Transitions,” by The Center for Technology and Aging.

Going Online To Build Better Communities for Aging Populations

scanadmin — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 22:31:56 +0000

Advocates, caregivers, and medical personnel are all busy with their work and may not have time and opportunities to meet for discussions on improving their community for an aging population. A new approach uses online meetings and a website.
“The ‘Creating Aging-Friendly Communities’ online conference was designed to capture the emerging knowledge being accumulated by researchers, advocacy groups, grassroots organizations, and local governments across the country, and make it available to others who were interested in learning what they could do to make their communities more aging friendly,” according to the July 22, 2009 article, “A Web-Based Approach for Helping Communities Become More ‘Aging Friendly',” in the Journal of Applied Gerontology.”

Technology Can Help People, But They Must Feel Comfortable About Using It

scanadmin — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 01:32:09 +0000

The growing cohort of Americans who will be using long-term services and supports can enjoy an easier, more comfortable life with the use of advances in technology. However, the barriers are formidable: people may be nervous about using these new tools, and they may be daunting and complex for beginners, according to an October 2009 report, “Aging and Information Technology Use Potential and Barriers” in Current Directions in Psychological Science.

Six California Fact Sheets Highlight Long-Term Care Issues throughout the State

scanadmin — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:40:49 +0000

The SCAN Foundation presents six California fact sheets that draw attention to statewide figures on long-term care.
Each easy-to-use document presents a critical long-term care issue, highlights main points in bullet format and provides a comprehensive list of citations.
Please click on the following links to read each themed fact sheet:

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Presents the Series, Care of the Aging Patient: From Evidence to Action

scanadmin — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 23:27:58 +0000

JAMA, a peer-reviewed medical journal, launched a news series focused on caring for the aging population in its Oct. 13, 2010 issue. Titled “Care of the Aging Patient: From Evidence to Action," the series aims to improve clinical practice and inform policy in the care of older individuals, especially those who have started to lose their independence or are at risk of doing so. Articles will explore the course of aging as a result of progressive decline and will also analyze how to put existing evidence into practice by using real patient stories and interviews to address pressing care questions.
To access links to the entire series from JAMA's Web site, please scroll down to "Special Collections" on the "JAMA Topic Selections" page by clicking here.

Please click here to read an excerpt of, "Managing Medications in Clinically Complex Elders: 'Nobody Rushes You Through,"' by Chad Boult and G. Darryl Wieland.

Please click here to read an excerpt of, "Linking a Comprehensive Payment Model to Comprehensive Care of Frail Elderly Patients: A Dual Approach," by Arpita Chattopadhyay and Andrew B. Bindman.

Please click here to read an excerpt of, "Managing Medications in Clinically Complex Elders: There's Got to Be a Happy Medium," by Michael A. Steinman and Joseph T. Hanlon.

Please click here to read an excerpt of, "Medication Use in Older Patients: Better Policy Could Encourage Better Practice," by Jerry Avorn.

Please click here for an excerpt of the commentary, "Clinical Care in the Aging Century— Announcing 'Care of the Aging Patient:From Evidence to Action,'" co-authored by Bruce Chernof, president and CEO of The SCAN Foundation.

Please click here for an excerpt of the article, "Medical Care for the Final Years of Life: 'When You're 83, It's Not Going to be 20 Years,'" by David Reuben.

Please click here for an excerpt of the article, "Policy for an Aging Society: A Review of Systems," by Christine K. Cassel.

Please click here for an excerpt of the article, "The Older Adult Driver with Cognitive Impairment, “It’s a Very Frustrating Life," by David B. Carr and Brian R. Ott's.

Please click here for an excerpt of the commentary, "Driving Fitness and Cognitive Impairment: Issues for Physicians," co-authored by David W. Eby and Lisa J. Molnar.

Please click here for an excerpt of the article, "Incontinence in Older Women," by Patricia S. Goode, Kathryn L. Burgio, Holly E. Richter and Alayne D. Markland's article .

Please click here for an excerpt of the commentary, "Talking about Incontinence: The First Step Toward Prevention and Treatment."

Please click here for an excerpt of the article, "The Patient Who Falls: It's Always a Trade-Off," by Mary E. Tinetti and Chadrika E. Kumar.

Please click here for an excerpt of the commentary, "The Patient Who Falls: Challenges for Patients, Families and Communities," by Ruth Katz and Priti Shah.

Six National Fact Sheets Highlight Critical Issues on Long-Term Care

scanadmin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:27:38 +0000

The SCAN Foundation presents six fact sheets that draw attention to national figures on long-term care providing an introduction to some of the field’s most significant topics.
Each easy-to-use document presents a critical long-term care issue, highlights main points in bullet format and provides a comprehensive list of citations.
Please click on the following links to read each themed fact sheet:

Perspectives On: Social Action in California

scanadmin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:55:34 +0000

The attached report, "Perspectives On: Social Action in California," was supported by The SCAN Foundation and prepared by a group of national experts to inform its Fall 2010 Request for Proposals.

Enhancing Social Action for Older Adults Through Technology

scanadmin — Thu, 27 May 2010 22:00:47 +0000

This report is a summary of The SCAN Foundation supported Technology Summit: Enhancing Social Action for Older Adults through Technology, which took place on May 5, 2010 in Oakland, California. The purpose of the Technology Summit was to discuss the strategic role of information and communications technology to enhance social action and advocacy for older adults.