Thursday, July 31, 2008

Person-Centered Care: Reforming Services and Bringing Older Citizens Back to the Heart of Society

July 23, 2008



Click here to view webcast.


Statements of Committee Members

Witness Testimony
    William Thomas, MD, Professor, Erickson School of Aging Studies, University of Maryland, Ithaca, NY

    Robert Jenkens, Director, Green House Project, NCB Capital Impact, Arlington, VA

    Melinda Abrams, M.S., Assistant Vice President, Patient-Centered Primary Care, The Commonwealth Fund, New York, NY

    Eric Coleman, MD, MPH, Director, Care Transitions Program, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO

    Zoe Holland, Daughter of a former Green House resident, Lincoln, NE

    Edna Hess, Shahbaz, Lebanon Valley Brethren Home, Palmyra, PA

    Diane White, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, Institute on Aging, Portland State University, Portland, OR


Senators Learn About Person-Centered Care and the DCW-Resident Link

“I can honestly say that I love being a Shahbaz, and so do my fellow
Shahbazim,” Edna Hess told the senators at a July 23 U.S. Senate
Special Committee on Aging hearing.

Hess worked for years as a CNA at the Lebanon Valley Brethren Home
in Palmyra, Pennsylvania, becoming a Shahbaz (the Green House® name for
direct-care workers) when the home converted to the Green House®
model nine months ago. Since then, she told the committee, not a single
Shahbaz has left. “This a big improvement over my facility’s 23 percent
annual turnover rate for nursing assistants, and an even bigger
improvement over the national turnover rate for nursing assistants,
which I understand to be slightly over 70 percent per year.”


“The working life we now enjoy is very
demanding, because we do cooking, cleaning and activities in addition
to nursing care, but it is so much more fulfilling,” Hess added. “We
are now able to do all of the ‘extras’ that we rarely had time for in
the traditional nursing home. We can let an elder linger in a luxurious
whirlpool bath because there is no time pressure to get onto the next
bath. We can sit with the ladies and do manicures, or just chat on the
patio with them while enjoying afternoon iced teas.”

Thoughts and Considerations

Each month I try to provide reviews of various hardware and software
for your reading pleasure and buying knowledge, but many other things
took priority such as moving my office (oh, what an ordeal), defending
our budget (an annual nightmare), and preparing for a big meeting (a
major challenge every other month). Yet, I do want to take this
opportunity to share a variety of observations and reports.

For
example, I want to bring you up to date on our Long Term Care Computer
Quest
. On the evening of July 29, Mark Snell and I had our first
meeting with the new computer group at Heisinger Bluffs Independent
Living Facility. They already have one PC in their Computer Room, and
we have placed two G3 iMacs in the assisted living and nursing home
parts of Heisinger which are awaiting Internet connections. We had a
great conversation about how we can help them organize their computer
club, expertise we can provide, and directions they can take.

Our
role will largely be as trainers, advisors and consultants (we need
more volunteers to help with this effort). Two other G3 iMacs have also
been placed at Adams Place nursing home (also awaiting Internet
connections). George Kopp and I picked up four more G3 iMacs from the
Mokane High School (where many were being surplused) which will be
upgraded with new software, and placed in new long term care locations
for resident use (any suggestions?). This is a very worthwhile effort
to help our senior citizens in institutions to stay in touch with their
friends and family which means a lot to them.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Long-term care issue needs attention

This program is central to my freedom and
independence
. Without it, I might be forced to surrender myself to a
nursing home. But because federal long-term care policy still heavily
favors institutionalization, countless people with disabilities are
forced to give up their freedom in exchange for assistance.


Those of us using community assistance programs like the one in my state are just a budget cut away from joining them.


For everyone who has been or may be caught in this painful trap, reversing this institutional bias in Medicaid policy is key.


Neither Obama nor McCain list long-term care as an issue on their main Web pages.


Obama does have a nine-page platform addressing disability issues,
in which a small section proclaims his support of a major piece of
proposed legislation that would make it much easier for people to
receive Medicaid-funded assistance in their homes. There is a paragraph
on Obama’s Web site about giving seniors long-term care choices that
are “consistent with their needs, and not biased towards institutional
care.”


McCain’s Web site proposes no specific disability agenda. The only
long-term care discussion I could find was a paragraph that proposes
creating more “pioneering” programs to help seniors receive home
assistance.


Both candidates are giving the issue of long-term care short shrift.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Alleviating The Fear Of Falling

Getting old isn't just about body aches and pains. As we get older, our
risk of falling greatly increases. Old bones don't heal like young
ones, and for senior citizens, falls are a leading cause of death.



But researchers at Tel Aviv University provide hopeful news from an unexpected source. Ritalin,
used for managing Attention Deficit Disorder in hyperactive children,
may have therapeutic benefits for seniors too. Older people who take
methylphenidate (the generic name for Ritalin) may improve their
cognitive abilities and their gait, cutting the risk for serious falls.
This surprising finding was made by Prof. Jeffrey M. Hausdorff, a
lecturer at the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, and
his colleagues, and reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.



TAU's researchers are the first to investigate the power of Ritalin to
prevent falling in the elderly. After only one dose of Ritalin, seniors
walked with a steadier gait and performed better on a standard
screening test for fall risk, Prof. Hausdorff found.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Federal Standards For Long-Term Care Insurance Policies Needed, Witnesses At House Hearing Say

Witnesses on Thursday at a House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing called on federal lawmakers to require minimum standards for private long-term care insurance policies, CQ HealthBeat reports. Bonnie Burns, a training and policy specialist at California Health Advocates,
said that, because states regulate such policies, the standards offered
differ based on where policyholders live. She said, "It should not
depend on the state a person lives in whether they have a quality
product," adding, "There's a disconnect between those services
available in a community and the way they are described in an insurance
policy, and no two companies have the same definitions."

Some witnesses also raised concerns about large premium increases for long-term care insurance policies. Washington State Insurance Commissioner
Mike Kreidler in written testimony said, "The majority of consumer
complaints my office receives about long-term care insurance are about
the double-digit rate increase they received on products they purchased
in the late '80s and early to mid '90s."

In addition, witnesses
discussed the inconsistencies in denials of claims submitted under
long-term care insurance policies. Burns said that such denials often
appear "completely unpredictable." However, according to Marc Cohen,
president of the long-term care research and consulting firm Life Plans,
a recent survey conducted by the company found that, among 1,500
policyholders who filed claims under long-term care insurance policies,
94% reported no unresolved disagreements with their insurers and that
insurers denied only 4% of those claims (Cooley, CQ HealthBeat, 7/24).

Witnesses At Senate Aging Committee Hearing Call For 'Person-Centered' Care For Elderly

Witnesses on Wednesday at a Senate Committee on Aging hearing on efforts to improve care for the elderly cited the need for a focus on "person-centered" models, CQ HealthBeat reports. During the hearing, Robert Jenkens, director of the Green House Project,
discussed the "Green House model," which he said "reinvents nursing
homes to make them real homes" through a combination of "small houses
with the full range of personal care and clinical services needed by
elders typically served in skilled nursing facilities."

Most
Green House homes have 10 elderly residents and include private and
community areas, Jenkens said, adding, "The design creates a
therapeutic environment, encouraging self-reliance through short
distances and a safe environment for elders." The Green House Project
is a not-for-profit that relies on funds from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
and Medicaid reimbursement. Jenkens asked the committee to accelerate
federal reviews of proposed revisions to state Medicaid programs that
would promote the establishment of Green House homes.

Communication Key To Dementia Care

Alzheimer's Society comment: Adults with Alzheimer's disease who are talked to like children are more resistant to care.


This is according to new research presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD).


Good communication skills and regular interaction are vital when caring
for people with dementia. This research shows that speaking to people
with dementia in an adult manner not only enhances their quality of
life but also improves the entire care experience.


Quality care relies on simple principles and even small changes can
vastly improve quality of life for people with dementia. Alzheimer's
Society research is calling for mandatory specialist dementia training
to help empower staff and ensure everyone gets access to a high
standard of care.

Assessing self-neglect in older patients

Scenario: Do physicians have a responsibility to report suspected self-neglect?


Older patients with chronic conditions can, over time, lose the
ability to care for their own basic needs and safety. But how can
physicians maintain respect for a patient's autonomy while assessing
self-neglect?






Response:


Self-neglect is the inability to care for one's own basic needs,
including health, welfare and safety. In two national studies,
self-neglect was cited most often for referrals to adult protective
services, more common than any category of elder mistreatment,
including neglect by others. Older people who do not care for their own
health and well-being adequately typically have functional impairments
and lack necessary support networks; ultimately, they lack the
cognitive capacity for self-protection.

A landmark 1998 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association
revealed that self-neglect is medically significant and is associated
with an increased risk for death. Those who refuse medical care may
suffer higher morbidity from untreated medical conditions. Usually the
person who is neglecting his or her own care is not aware of the need
for assistance, or agrees to get help but then refuses services. The
factors that contribute to self-neglect are still incompletely
understood. But a geriatric medical team at the Baylor University
College of Medicine, Houston, recently developed and published a model
of self-neglect in the American Journal of Public Health, and
researchers are seeking to understand it as a geriatric syndrome rather
than a distinct medical condition. In geriatric medicine, the concept
of a syndrome assumes multiple etiologies and resultant functional
decline.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

AAH Favors Tougher Approach To Fighting Fraud, Opposes Delay In Medicare Accreditation Deadline For Durable Medical Equipment

he American Association for Homecare (AAH) opposes the decision by the
agency that oversees Medicare to cancel the accreditation deadline for
durable medical equipment providers in the 70 metropolitan areas
throughout the U.S. designated for Round Two of the Medicare
competitive bidding program.


The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced last
week that it was canceling its January 14, 2009 accreditation deadline
for durable medical equipment (DME) or home medical equipment providers
in the 70 metropolitan areas that were to be included in Round Two of
the recently postponed bidding program.


"The home medical industry has advocated accreditation of homecare
providers for three decades because accreditation helps ensure quality
care for Medicare beneficiaries and can serve as a powerful tool in
preventing fraud," said Tyler J. Wilson, president and CEO of
AAHomecare. "We are surprised that CMS would in the first case argue
against the reforms and the delay enacted by Congress in the Medicare
Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) by stating
that it would delay accreditation - and then cancel the accreditation
deadlines it had already set for providers in 70 metropolitan areas.
Enactment of MIPPA is no reason to push back accreditation deadlines."

Age-Related Reduction in the Maximal Capacity for Sleep

From Current Biology:

Sleep changes markedly across the life span and complaints about insomnia are prevalent in older people [1].
Whether age-related alterations in sleep are due to modifications in
social factors, circadian physiology, homeostatic drive, or the ability
to sleep remains unresolved. We assessed habitual sleep duration at
home and then quantified daytime sleep propensity, sleep duration, and
sleep structure in an inpatient protocol that included extended sleep
opportunities covering 2/3 of the circadian cycle (12 hr at night and 4
hr in the afternoon) for 3–7 days in 18 older and 35 younger healthy
men and women. At baseline, older subjects had less daytime sleep
propensity than did younger subjects. Total daily sleep duration, which
was initially longer than habitual sleep duration, declined during the
experiment to asymptotic values that were 1.5 hr shorter in older (7.4
± 0.4 SEM, hour) than in younger subjects (8.9 ± 0.4).
Rapid-eye-movement sleep and non-rapid-eye-movement sleep contributed
about equally to this reduction. Thus, in the absence of social and
circadian constraints, both daytime sleep propensity and the maximal
capacity for sleep are reduced in older people. These data have
important implications for understanding age-related insomnia.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

ASSISTED LIVING: The Model For Person-Centered Long Term Care

Alexandria, VA - The model for person-centered long term care can be
found in assisted living communities according to testimony submitted
recently to the US Senate Special Committee on Aging.

"Assisted living is a philosophy of care that embraces choice,
independence and the opportunity for seniors to live enriching lives
with dignity, respect and privacy," said Richard Grimes, the President
and CEO of the Assisted Living Federation of America, in testimony on
the need and value of person-centered long term care for American
seniors.

The nation's leading assisted living association told the
Committee that assisted living has become the fastest growing long term
care option in the United States because it puts the individual first.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Nursing Teams In Care Homes Could Reduce Hospital Admissions

Bringing a community nursing and physiotherapy team into residential
care homes for older people improves quality of life and reduces
hospital admissions, according to a new evaluation study's reports
published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.


The research, undertaken by the University of the West of England,
Bristol (UWE) and the University of Warwick, found that savings made
through reduced hospital admissions and delayed transfer to nursing
homes offset any potential costs of the scheme. The study suggests that
the overall cost ranged from an added £2.70 a week per resident to a
more likely weekly saving of £36.90.

Memory Problems Tied to Sound Processing Disorder

Mild memory impairment may be associated with a sound processing
disorder called central auditory processing dysfunction, say U.S.
researchers.

People with the disorder have difficulty hearing in
complex situations with competing noise, such as making out what one
person is saying while many people in a group are talking at the same
time.

"Central auditory processing dysfunction is a general term that is
applied to persons whose hearing in quiet settings is normal or near
normal yet who have substantial hearing difficulty in the presence of
auditory stressors such as competing noise and other difficult
listening situations," according to background information in the
study. "Central auditory testing is important in evaluating individuals
with hearing difficulty, because poor central auditory ability, per se,
is not helped by amplification and requires alternative rehabilitation
strategies."

Previous research has found that people with
Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia have central auditory
processing dysfunction.

This new study by Dr. George A. Gates, of
the University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues included 313
people, average age 80, taking part in a dementia surveillance program
that began in 1994. Of the participants, 17 had been diagnosed with
dementia, 64 had mild memory impairment, and 232 had no memory problems.

Three
tests were used to assess the participants' central auditory
processing. In one test, nonsense sentences were read over the
background of an interesting narrative. In the other two tests,
separate sentences or numbers were read into each ear simultaneously.

"These
central auditory processing test paradigms evaluate how well an
individual manages competing signals, a task that requires adequate
short-term memory and the ability to shift attention rapidly," the
researchers noted.

See Wikipedia article for more info...

Adding Long-Term Care Benefit to Medicare Is Best Way to Ensure Affordability for Families, Say Health Care Opinion Leaders

Nearly four of five (79%) respondents favor or strongly favor adding
a long-term care benefit to Medicare, financed by a premium, to pay for
care.



More than two-thirds (69%) of respondents to the survey believe it
is very important (41%) or important (28%) that the health reform plans
of the presidential candidates address the quality and financing of
long-term care.



"As our population ages, health care opinion leaders are sounding
the alarm about the significant challenges we will face financing and
improving the quality of long-term care," said Commonwealth Fund
President Karen Davis.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Texas, One Successful Example of Ending Discrimination by Helping People Move Out of Nursing Homes

Information Bulletin # 255 (7/08).



Texas has compiled impressive data regarding its commitment to move people

out of nursing facilities, and its Medicaid expenditures reflect its

efforts.



Between 9/1/2001 and 5/31/2008, Texas implemented its own "Money Follows

the Person," and did not wait for or need the federal program. During

these years, Texas moved 15,626 people out of its nursing homes.



Here are some interesting demographics:



43% or 6,719 people were 64 years old or younger;



53% or 8,282 people were 65 or older.

Of the total, 27% or 4,219 people were 85 years old or older.



67 % or 10,469 people moved from the nursing facility to either live

alone or live with family members or other people.



A breakdown of the 67 % shows that 22% or 3,438 people left the

nursing facility to live alone, and 45 % or 7,032 people moved in with

their families, relatives, or others .



28% or 4,375 people live in assisted living and 5% or 781 people live

in a group homes (adult foster).



Now let's look at how Texas allocated its Medicaid expenditures:



In FY 2001, Texas spent 70.6% of its long-term care Medicaid funds on

nursing homes. In FY 2006, it reduced its nursing home expenditures to

54.6%.





Conversely, in FY 2001, it spent only 29.4% of its long-term MA funds

on waivers and other community-based services. In FY 2006, it spent 45.6%

in the community.



Big surprise. There is a relationship between how a state spends its money

and whether or not people moved out of nursing facilities.



To determine if your state is truly committed to ending unnecessary

institutionalization of people with disabilities in nursing facilities,

and therefore ending discrimination against people with disabilities, look

at how your state allocates its Medicaid "long-term care" expenditures.

Look at the numbers of persons who moved out of nursing facilities and

returned to the community. After the 1999 Supreme Court decision in

Olmstead, many disability and elderly advocates waited to see how their

states would implement the "integration mandate." Well, it's been nine

years!



Disability and older American advocates:



Do you know how many people in your state have been moved out of

nursing facilities and where they moved to? Do you state officials know

this information? Can you or they find out? Since Texas can track this

information, other states probably can and do, too.



In Information Bulletin # 251, we calculated by state the changes in

long-term care expenditures from 1999 thru 2006, and we expect to have the

FY 2007 data available soon.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Relying On Medicaid For Long-Term Care Can Be Risky

I’m constantly surprised by the numbers of people I talk to about
LTCI who have the assets to comfortably pay for a policy but who
ultimately decide to take their chances with the Medicaid system if
they exhaust their assets and still need care.


This mentality
of reliance on government programs
to bail people out of tough
financial situations may have worked in the past, but there are ever
increasing signs that it will be very risky business in the future.


We
are already starting to see many facilities who decline participating
in the Medicaid program altogether due to the fact that funds provided
for Medicaid patients are often less than what is needed for providing
their care. And this is before the baby boomer generation begins to
retire and place an even greater strain on the Medicaid coffers in the
years ahead.

Extra Care Housing Enabling More Older People And Those With Dementia And Long-term Conditions To Live In A Home Of Their Own, UK

Health and Care Minister Ivan Lewis today (Monday 21 July) announced
the sites that will benefit from £80million of Government funding to
build extra care housing, enabling more older people and those with
dementia and long-term conditions to live in a home of their own. He
will today be presenting the successful Barnsley extra care housing
scheme with a cheque for £3.8 million together with Sir Michael
Parkinson.


People who are unable to continue to live in their own homes have
traditionally had their choices limited to care homes, creating a
number of problems including couples finding they can no longer live
together.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Let's Make It Affordable to Care

In the midst of all the political rhetoric and debate during this
presidential season, one critical issue seems to have been left out
-America's broken system for long-term care financing.

The current system, therefore, is simply unsustainable. So what is
the solution
? The American Association of Homes and Services for the
Aging (AAHSA), of which St. Andrew's is a member, commissioned an
in-depth study to develop a workable plan for future financing of
long-term care. Their recommendation calls for a broad-based
national insurance trust into which all Americans would be enrolled.
Among its features are:
  • Low overhead costs.

  • The insurance would be financed by premiums, not by general
    tax revenues.

  • Individuals could pre-fund their long-term care needs.

  • Benefits should be available regardless of setting and
    payable in cash.



Preliminary Long-Term Care Opinion Leader Survey Results

The Commonwealth Fund and Brown University conducted a survey of long-term care leaders.
Over 1100 respondents, including consumer advocates, providers, public
officials, and policy experts, completed the survey between September
2007 and March 2008.

Among the findings, eighty-five percent ranked the workplace as one of
the top three challenges facing long-term care, followed by financing
(66%) and achieving quality (60%). More ranked nursing homes as fair or
poor (53%) than other service types, including hospices (6%). They
favored adopting savings incentives and adding a long-term care benefit
to Medicare. Few had faith in consumer report cards to help people make
informed choices. Read more by downloading the top-level findings.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act of 2008

A bill to amend title XVIII and XIX of
the Social Security Act to improve the transparency of information on
skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities and to clarify and
improve the targeting of the enforcement of requirements with respect
to such facilities.










Other Bill Titles (2 more)



2/14/2008--Introduced.
Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement
Act of 2008 - Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the
Social Security Act to direct skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and
nursing facilities to make available, upon request, ownership and
affiliated parti... moreSee Full Bill Text











Committees







Amendments



This bill has no amendments.




Help Us Make Sure Long-term Care Makes the Party Platforms

Over
the next two weeks, the Democratic and Republican parties will be
forming their platforms. It’s essential that long-term care financing
reform is included in their platforms. That’s why we need your help.



AAHSA recently developed platform statements to share with both parties on the Long-term Care Solution. Please share you own versions of the following platform statements by July 25.



Whatever your political affiliation, please consider submitting information to both parties.

A Living at Home/Block Nurse Perspective on Long-Term Care Financing

Thanks to Barbara La Valleur, who directs a local block nurse program in St. Paul: . She wrote this letter to the editor in today’s Minneapolis Star Tribune about
how her organization’s work is keeping people at home longer, at a much
lower cost than institutional care . . . and outlines the opportunity
we have to radically change how we fund local solutions to helping
people live the way they desire . . .


Your July 9 editorial about reaching out to help seniors
live at home and the challenges of Meals on Wheels programs is a drop
in the tidal wave bucket before the inevitable Aging Tsunami crashing
our way.


Latest figures show that more and more seniors are living longer and
most have the same goal: to remain in their homes for as long as
possible. Meals on Wheels is a valuable service that supports their
goal. That’s also what the Living at Home/Block Nurse Programs
(LAH/BNPs)
do for Minnesota seniors.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

False Claims Act reaches committee against providers' wishes

The False Claims Correction Act (H.R. 4854) Wednesday made its way to
the House Judiciary Committee for deliberation and a markup.



Nursing-home and long-term care advocates are opposed to this
legislation
(Duh!)because of the perceived burdens it would place on the
long-term care industry, according to a June letter sent to the House
by more than 20 healthcare advocates. Overpayments from Medicare or
Medicaid would be grounds for legal action under the new law. The bill
also would provide legal protection and financial reward to
whistleblowers in these instances. This could seriously disrupt many
government programs, advocates argue, as any payment records would have
to be meticulous to avoid potential lawsuits from those seeking to gain
from minor oversights.

Briefing on Long-Term Care Reform

This is a video of a Brookings panel on LTC. It is broken down into 4 sections:

  • Welcome
  • Improving Quality
  • Financing
  • Political Prospects

Shareholder Value and the Performance of a Large Nursing Home Chain

Objective. To analyze
corporate governance arrangements and quality and financial performance
outcomes among large multi-facility nursing home corporations (chains)
that pursue stakeholder value (profit maximization) strategies.


Study Design. To
establish a foundation of knowledge about the focal phenomenon and
processes, we conducted an historical (1993–2005) case study of one of
the largest chains (Sun Helathcare Inc.) that triangulated qualitative
and quantitative data sources.


Data Sources. Two main
sets of information were compared: (1) corporate sources including
Sun's Security Exchange Commission (SEC) Form 10-K annual reports,
industry financial reports, and the business press; and (2) external
sources including, legal documents, press reports, and publicly
available California facility cost reports and quality data.


Principal Findings. Shareholder
value was pursued at Sun through three inter-linked strategies: (1)
rapid growth through debt-financed mergers; (2) labor cost constraint
through low nurse staffing levels; and (3) a model of corporate
governance that views sanctions for fraud and poor quality as a cost of
business.


Conclusions. Study
findings and evidence from other large nursing home chains underscore
calls from the Institute of Medicine and other bodies for extended
oversight of the corporate governance and performance of large nursing
home chains.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Brookings briefing addresses long-term care survey process, job training

Redesigning the regulatory survey of nursing homes would help determine
how far current resources can be stretched to improve quality,
according to a panelist who participated in a long-term care reform
conference held on Friday
.



Speaking at the event, hosted by the Brookings Institution, Mary Jane
Koren of The Commonwealth Fund, Susan Reinhard of AARP and John
Schnelle of Vanderbilt University discussed improving quality and
efficiency in the nation's long-term care sector. Providers do not view
the current regulatory survey of nursing homes as consistent, fair or
objective, and the system doesn't make it clear whether or not quality
improvements can be made using available resources, Schnelle said.



Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) proposed including job-training programs in
healthcare reform as a way to ensure healthcare workers are prepared to
deal with any emerging long-term care needs. Rep. Jim McCrery (R-LA)
suggested a tax benefit for family members who take care of elderly
relatives at home, suggesting that that may be a way to fill some of
the gap in the healthcare workforce.

Bush Medicare Veto Quashed By Congress

Yesterday, Tuesday, US Congress quashed President George W Bush's veto
of a bill to prevent cuts
in doctors' payments from Medicare, the
government funded health insurance scheme for seniors and disabled. The
House of Representatives voted 383 to 41, and the Senate voted 70 to
26, in both cases more than enough to override the White House veto,
for which a two thirds majority in each house is required.


The Republicans broke rank, 153 in the House and 21 in the Senate, and
voted with Democrats to stop a planned reduction in Medicare doctors'
payments which would have automatically come into force at the start of
this month because of a formula that ties the payments to spending
targets that were not attained, reported the Washington Post. The
planned reduction would have led to a 10.6 per cent cut in doctors'
fees. Congress voted instead for cuts in reimbursements to the
insurance companies that provide services via Medicare.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Michigan Disability Rights Coalition Board meeting

The next meeting of the MDRC governing board is July 24, 2008 from 4 pm to 6 pm.  The meeting will be held at the MDRC office at 3498 East Lake Lansing Rd., Suite 100, East Lansing, Michigan 48823.  Interested parties may attend.  Please let us know you are coming by calling 1-800-760-4600.

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

ADAPT Present as McCain Visits Michigan


ADAPT-Michigan had a presence today at John McCain’s "by invitation only" appearance in Belleville, MI. Though we couldn’t get inside, five of us carried signs and chanted in front of the building and throughout the driveway/parking area. Secret Service booted us from the parking lot, but not before we managed to have an agent get the CCA summary into the hands of one of McCain’s staff people.

Susan and Teddy Fitzmaurice were interviewed by the local Belleville newspaper. Joe Stramondo and Scott Heinzman were interviewed by WWJ 950 AM news radio - the main news radio outlet in metro Detroit. WWJ reporter Pat Sweeting took pictures for their website, www.wwj.com with no guarantees we’d make the site. Jim Dillon ably assisted with sign making and handing out flyers reminding McCain we vote and want him to support CCA.

We were well positioned with signs as McCain’s motorcade left, so we know he saw us.

Not a bad bit of work for less than a day’s notice.

A camera phone picture is attached.

FREE OUR PEOPLE!!



Norman DeLisle, MDRC

"With Liberty and Access for All!"

GrandCentral: 517-589-4081

MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/

LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/

Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/

Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Monday, July 14, 2008

Everybody Is 'Cane Fu' Fighting At Senior Centers, So Watch Out

CENTERVILLE, Ohio -- The St. Leonard retirement
village here has a whole new way of thinking about recreation: Bingo
has made way for cane fighting
.


"Down on top of the head and up between the groin!"
urges instructor Debra Stewart, of nearby Chung's Academy of Martial
Arts, commanding a dozen gray-haired students swinging canes at
imaginary attackers. "Stomp him! Dig it in there. Do it hard!"

Jim Ghory, an 82-year-old retired toolmaker,
volunteers to take a few demonstration shots at Ms. Stewart, who has a
black belt in tae kwon do, a Korean martial-arts discipline. "You want
[it in] the collarbone or the ribs?" he asks.


Senior centers and retirement communities are looking
for new ways to promote exercise in order to stave off physical
decline. Older people interested in honing their self-defense skills,
meanwhile, are delighted to find that something they already own can be
used as a weapon.


"Oh my gosh, it's a huge hit," says Lena Mast, manager
at Lodges at Naylor Mill, an independent-living complex for seniors in
Salisbury, Md. Ms. Mast began offering cane classes for residents in
April and says "it's now the top thing they look forward to."

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Offers Support for Patient Needs

from Kathryn Wyeth:

Deadline: TBA



The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation is accepting applications from

individuals with multiple sclerosis across the United States for

the Brighter Tomorrow grant program.



The goal of the grant is to provide individuals with MS with

goods or services (valued at up to $1,000 per recipient) to im-

prove their quality of life by enhancing safety, self-sufficiency,

comfort, or well-being. Recipients of the Multiple Sclerosis

Foundation's Brighter Tomorrow grant have received car repairs,

ramps, wheelchairs, walkers, eyeglasses, computers, appliances,

televisions, furniture, therapeutic equipment, hobby supplies,

retreats, and various home modifications.



To qualify, a person must be 18 years of age or older and diag-

nosed with MS, or the parent of a minor child diagnosed with MS,

and be a permanent U.S. resident. They must not have any other

means of fulfilling the need they express.



Applicants are asked to provide basic personal and financial

information, and to write a brief essay of 100 words or less to

describe how the grant would help them have A Brighter Tomorrow.



Applications for the next program cycle will be accepted as of

July 1, 2008. Applications will be made available at the

foundation's Web site.



RFP Link:

http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/15014153/msfocus

Friday, July 11, 2008

New AARP Report

Dear
Colleague:



Thought you'd be interested in a report released today by AARP's Public
Policy Institute that finds older Americans have limited access to home and
community-based services under Medicaid.


New AARP Report Finds Older Americans Have Limited Access to

Home and Community-Based Services under Medicaid


WASHINGTON—A new report
by AARP’s Public Policy Institute finds promising signs and mixed results
among state government efforts to balance long-term care (LTC) options under
Medicaid. Unfortunately, according to the report, only four states spent more
than 50 percent of their Medicaid LTC dollars for older people providing home
and community based services (HCBS). The remainder of the states continues to
spend the majority of their Medicaid LTC dollars for older people on
institutional care, such as nursing homes.


The report, A
Balancing Act: State Long-Term Care Reform,
is the first to examine
Medicaid spending on long-term care for older people and adults with physical
disabilities, separate from other LTC users such as people with mental
retardation/developmental disabilities (MR/DD).


Nationally, 75 percent
of Medicaid LTC spending for older people and adults with physical
disabilities pays for institutional care in nursing homes. In contrast,
states have done a much better job balancing Medicaid LTC for people with
MR/DD, spending just 39 percent on institutional care. The majority of funds
now supports people in home and community-based settings.

Washington gathering to focus on long-term care reform

The Brookings Institute will hold a briefing on the future of long-term
care
reform Friday morning, and the guest list includes some heavy
hitters from inside the Beltway.



Three panels will convene to discuss a variety of topics including
quality and efficiency, new models for financing long-term care, and
the political prospects for long-term care reform. Moderating these
discussions will be Mark McClellan, former administrator of the Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Bob Kerry, president of The New
School; and Peter Orszag, director of the Congressional budget office.



Other notable participants at the briefing will be former Speaker of
the House Newt Gingrich, who is one of the event hosts; and Larry
Minnix, president and CEO of the American Association of Homes and
Services for the Aging. He will participate in the panel discussion on
long-term care financing. The briefing begins at 9 a.m. EST in room 902
of the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.

New rule seeks to stymie bullying in nursing homes and hospitals

Workplace bullying and intimidation run rampant in America's hospitals
and nursing homes, leading to preventable medical errors, increased
cost of care and poor resident satisfaction. The Joint Commission wants
to combat this behavior and has unveiled a plan to reduce disruptive
attitudes in all healthcare settings.



The Commission, an organization dedicated to the improvement of quality
in healthcare, released its 11-point plan to eliminate workplace
intimidation on Wednesday. It will take effect on January 1, 2009, as a
rule for all accreditation programs. The Commission is asking
facilities to develop a system of reporting bad behavior, educate staff
on professional attitudes, implement a method of dealing with unruly
physicians and staff, and encourage dialogue between employees.



A recent report found that up to 50% of all nurses experience bullying
in the workplace and that 90% have witnessed an act of intimidation (McKnight's
4/8/08). While physicians are the primary culprits, the report also
indicates that nurses, too, are often to blame for contributory
attitudes. For a full list of the Joint Commission's rules and
recommendations, visit www.jointcommission.org/SentinelEvents/SentinelEventAlert/sea_40.htm.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Community Choice Act and the Presidential Nominees

 Members of the Atlantis Community CIL and Denver ADAPT met with the
Republican presumptive presidential candidate John McCain at a Town Hall Meeting today. Six members of ADAPT, including teenagers from the Summer Youth Program, sat in the front of the auditorium to listen to McCain's policies for his administration. When he took comments from the audience he handed the microphone
to Dawn Russell. She explained the legislation called the Community Choice Act and asked him why he was not signed on. Mr. McCain stated he would not support the legislation. He then offered several poor reasons for his decision and ended by saying we would have to let thevoters decide that one. Having recaptured the microphone, he did state he supported the ADA, but had no interest in hearing that the ADA was entirely different from the CCA.

CCA supports putting control in the hands of the individual instead of Government, it supports states' ability to use limited Medicaid funds for community services which people prefer and which are
more cost effective.

Presumptive Presidential Candidate Barak Obama has signed on as a co-sponsor to the bill already.

ADAPT's Statement on CCA:

For decades, people with disabilities, both old and young, have wanted alternatives to nursing homes and other institutions when they need long term services. Our long term care system has a heavy institutional bias

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/
Zemanta Pixie

Long-term care fraught with uncertainties for elderly baby boomers

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The continued decline of the nursing home — once the mainstay care for the frail elderly — and an upsurge in popularity of assisted living will lead to many dramatic changes in long-term care, according to a University of Florida expert and editor of a new book on the subject.
“The American public has expressed a strong distaste for going to a nursing home because it smacks of a hospital-like, institutional way of living and receiving care,” said Stephen Golant, a UF geography professor and expert on elderly housing. “Assisted living has emerged as a highly attractive option for older persons who have experienced some physical or cognitive decline and feel less secure about receiving care in their own home.”
Yet there are few certainties about either the future of assisted living for the elderly or the huge number of baby boomers who stand to be its recipients, Golant said.
“Although baby boomers will constitute a large market, it is unclear what share will have impairments and chronic health problems that make them candidates for assisted living,” he said. “The emergence of an unexpected new medical or rehabilitation breakthrough, such as a cure or the discovery of a disease-controlling drug for Alzheimer’s disease – could result in a substantial decline in the number of elderly Americans who need such care.”

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/
Zemanta Pixie

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Very Elderly People Could Prevent Dementia By Treating High BloodPressure

Reduction of blood pressure could reduce the risk of dementia for patients aged 80 years or more, according to research released on July 8, 2008 in The Lancet Neurology.

The Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial (HYVET) was established to observe the benefits and risks of hypertension in the very elderly, and includes several subdivisions in various areas of health and development. The dementia sub-study of HYVET, known as HYVET-COG, examines previous research in terms of cognitive functioning over the course of the study. When combined with the results from other placebo controlled trials, researchers found that a 13% reduction in dementia is associated with antihypertensive treatment. 

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/
Zemanta Pixie

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Guidelines For Care Of Elderly Patients Ignored

 Guidelines for the treatment of older patients with respiratory conditions are routinely ignored. Research published in the open access journal BMC Health Services Research shows that recommended treatments are given to only a small minority of eligible patients.

Benjamin Craig from the Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, USA, led a team who investigated the treatment of nearly 30,000 patients across the US. According to Craig, "Despite the proliferation of numerous guidelines for the management of adults with obstructive respiratory diseases, we found major disparities between the actual care given and that which is recommended".

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/
Zemanta Pixie

Feminism and caregiving

Feminism saved me when I was young. I grew up with abuse from my mother and grandmother, and my reaction was not to want to be a woman. By the time I got to college, planning to major in astrophysics, my way of being was to be one of the guys. Feminism saved me from being totally male-identified--it gave me a way to accept being a woman without becoming my mother or grandmother.

As a teenager, I didn't expect that I would ever marry or have children. I married only in my early 30s, with the understanding that John and I would equally share household tasks and with a prenuptual agreement (which my lawyer now tells me will provide some protection for my assets if we need to get John onto Medicaid). So into order to find myself in this new challenge I want to think about whether there is a feminist approach to caregiving.

I did a little web searching on the topic. I may just have to track down a special issue of a journal on Fundamentals of Feminist Gerontology. The trouble is, the focus is likely to all be on daughters caring for mothers. I found one article that argues that too many studies focus on how women put their own health at risk while caregiving and asserts there should be more focus on the autonomy of older women rather than their role as caregivers. Not what I am looking for.


Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/
Zemanta Pixie

AAHSA’s Long-term Care Solution is in the News… Again

Since my last post, there have been even more AAHSA members getting letters to the editor published about AAHSA’s Long-term Care Solution as a way to alleviate the high costs of providing long-term care. Check these out:
  • Today, the Boston Globe published this letter from Elissa Sherman, executive director of MassAging, about an article regarding rising caregiving costs.
  • Jim Leich with the Indiana Association of Homes and Services for the Aging had this letter published in the July 6 edition of the South Bend Tribune.
Have you seen a similar story in your paper? Let us know and we can help you draft a letter of your own.

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/
Zemanta Pixie

Sunday, July 6, 2008

As Gas Prices Soar, Elderly Face Cuts in Aid

SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — Early last month, Jeanne Fair, 62, got her first hot meals delivered to her home in this lake town in the sparsely populated southwestern part of the state. Then after two deliveries the meals stopped because gas prices had made the delivery too expensive.
“They called and said I was outside of the delivery area,” said Mrs. Fair, who is homebound and has not been able to use her left arm since a stroke in 1997.
Faced with soaring gasoline prices, agencies around the country that provide services to the elderly say they are having to cut back on programs like Meals on Wheels, transportation assistance and home care, especially in rural areas that depend on volunteers who provide their own gas. In a recent survey by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, more than half said they had already cut back on programs because of gas costs, and 90 percent said they expected to make cuts in the 2009 fiscal year.

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/
Zemanta Pixie

Saturday, July 5, 2008

AARP Solutions Forum Convenes Panel To Examine Medicaid Funding Of Long-Term Care

AARP will release a new report and convene a panel of experts to discuss Medicaid funding for long-term care (LTC) for older adults and adults with physical disabilities. The report analyzes the progress states are making shifting public funds and the people who rely on them from nursing homes to home and community based services.

Approximately 10 million older Americans need assistance with every day activities. Overwhelmingly, people (87 percent) prefer to receive this care in their homes or communities rather than in nursing homes. Few Americans have planned for the cost of LTC and by default Medicaid, which has an institutional bias towards nursing home care, is the primary payer.

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/
Zemanta Pixie

WA long-term care initiative turns in signatures

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- An initiative to increase training for long-term health care workers appears to be the final measure headed for the fall ballot.
Supporters of Initiative 1029 say they turned in more than 315,000 voter signatures on petitions delivered Thursday to Secretary of State Sam Reed. That should be enough to guarantee a spot on the ballot.
The initiative would require long-term care workers to pass a certification exam, complete more training and undergo background checks. The Service Employees International Union is a major supporter.


Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/
Zemanta Pixie

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

President Bush Signs War Funding Bill That Delays Medicaid Rules

President Bush on Monday signed into law a supplemental war funding package that includes a domestic spending amendment to delay implementation of six Medicaid regulations, CongressDaily reports. The Senate approved the measure last week, and the House approved it earlier in June (Sanchez, CongressDaily, 6/30).

The six Medicaid rule changes -- issued by the Bush administration -- aim to delay services covered by some states' case management plans; limit Medicaid reimbursement to public hospitals; bar federal reimbursement for transportation to school and school-based care for Medicaid-eligible children; restrict the types of "rehabilitative" services covered by federal funding; reduce federal Medicaid reimbursement for students at teaching hospitals; and limit the taxes that some states charge health providers.


Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

10 Reasons Why Long-term Care Financing Needs to be Reformed in America

He may not be David Letterman, but Eric Schubert with Ecumen’s Changing Aging Blog can sure put together a top 10 list…and today’s topic is an important one: why our country must change the way we finance long-term care. Take a look:
1.  The Age Wave is Unprecendented:  About 10 million Americans need long-term care today.  (Note: Long-term care is an array of services, from home care to assisted living, not simply nursing home care.)  By 2020, 12 million older Americans will need long-term care.
2.  Americans Want More Choice:  People want more choices than ever in how they live and receive care.  The nursing home isn’t a place they want to choose. Guess what?  Many states rely on institutional nursing homes for long-term care.   To pay for choices that today’s consumer desires, we have to have new ways to pay for care.

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Nursing homes challenge regulators' authority to cut Medicare payments

 Leaders of the largest nursing home association in America are openly questioning the legality of federal regulators' proposal to reduce Medicare reimbursement levels by 3.3% in fiscal year 2009.

Officials with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are calling their proposed payment cut for fiscal year 2009 a "forecast error correction." They say the reduction will correct an error in forecasting budget neutrality for case-mix adjustments in refining the Resource Utilization Group system for fiscal 2006.

"We believe that the forecast error correction is unacceptable under the law and completely ignores the rise in the acuity of nursing home patients," said American Health Care Association President and CEO Bruce Yarwood in comments submitted to CMS. "We strongly recommend and ask that you remove this adjustment."

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

New 'Everyday Cognition' Scale Tracks How Older Adults Function In Daily Life

As more adults age into the high-risk period for cognitive impairment, clinicians need simple and reliable methods to identify where they may have problems in everyday life that reveal underlying changes in the brain. A new, carefully validated questionnaire called Everyday Cognition (ECog), when filled out by someone who knows an older adult well, can sensitively evaluate the performance of everyday activities that reflect basic mental functioning, according to a report in the July issue of Neuropsychology, published by the American Psychological Association.

Keeping track of things, sorting the mail, following a conversation, shopping for a few things without a list, finding the car in a parking lot - activities such as these, if compromised, could signal the risk for or presence of disease. The quick and easy identification of mild functional problems in older adults could be extremely useful in primary-care settings, where dementia and its early warning signs are frequently missed.


Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Seniors Mobilizing Against Medicare Advantage Cuts

As Congress continues to pursue a solution to the Medicare physician payment issue, seniors from across the country are mobilizing over the July 4th recess to urge Congress to preserve their Medicare Advantage benefits.

The Coalition for Medicare Choices, which consists of 400,000 seniors, has mobilized thousands of seniors across the country to call, write, email, and visit their representatives during the July 4th recess to express their opposition to cutting Medicare Advantage benefits.

"My Medicare Advantage plan has always been there when I needed it the most. Congress needs to know that while my health care benefits may not be that important to them, they are important to me," said Joe Cameron of Fort Worth, Texas.

AHIP today also announced that it is launching a new national television advertising campaign that reminds Congress what happened last time it cut the Medicare Advantage program and what's at stake for millions of seniors across the country. The ad, "Again," begins running this week on national cable television. 

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Agingcare.com

Comprehensive caregiver support site.

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/

Age Friendly Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres Toolkit

 All primary health care workers need to be well versed in the diagnosis and management of the chronic diseases and the so-called four giants of geriatrics (memory loss, urinary incontinence, depression and falls/immobility) that often impact people as they age.

The toolkit's purpose is to:
  • improve the primary health care response for older persons.
    sensitize and educate primary health care workers about the specific needs of their older clients.
  • assist primary health workers in how to operate the geriatric care instruments/tools contained in the toolkit.
  • raise awareness of the accumulation of minor/major disabilities experienced by older people to primary health care workers.
  • provide guidance on how to make primary health care management procedures more responsive to the needs of older people's needs.
    offer direction on how to do environmental audits to test primary health care centres for their age-friendliness.

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/