Integrated Managed Long-Term Care forum

from Patti's Blog:

From the Michigan Department of Community Health:

INVITATION

The Long-Term Care Supports and Services
Advisory Commission
Finance Work Group

is hosting an:

INFORMATIONAL FORUM ON INTEGRATED MANAGED LONG-TERM CARE

December 11, 2008 from 2 to 4 PM
State of Michigan Library Auditorium
Click here for flyer for more info.

CMS issues new guidelines for Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans

from McKnight's:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last Thursday laid out
new guidelines governing Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans that
serve Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions.  



"Based on the panel's recommendations, we are defining the chronic
conditions that certain Medicare special needs plans must use to
identify the beneficiary populations eligible for enrollment," said CMS
Acting Administrator Kerry Weems.



Special needs plans are a type of Medicare Advantage plan that serve
only beneficiaries living in institutions, eligible for both Medicare
and Medicaid, or living with severe or disabling chronic conditions.
The new guidelines, which are based on recommendations from the Special
Needs Plan Chronic Condition Panel, will take effect in 2010. They
identify 15 chronic conditions that will dictate eligibility for a
Chronic Care Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan. The 15 chronic
conditions include dementia, chronic heart failure, diabetes mellitus,
and stroke.



To view the panel's full report, go to www.cms.hhs.gov/SpecialNeedsPlans.

Another Extendicare Class Action Lawsuit Filed over Nursing Home Neglect in Wisconsin

from Aboutlawsuits.com:

Nursing home operator Extendicare faces a third class action suit,
this time filed on behalf of all residents of their nursing homes in
Wisconsin. Similar Extendicare class action lawsuits
have been filed in Washington and Minnesota, with all of the cases
alleging that the company places profits over patient care by admitting
residents that they are not properly equipped to handle.

The Wisconsin Extendicare lawsuit was filed Friday in the Circuit
Court for Milwaukee County by one resident, but seeks class action
status on behalf of all residents who have been treated at 26 different
nursing homes operated by Extendicare in the state.

Extendicare is one of the largest nursing home operators in the
United States and Canada, with as many as 226 homes in North America
and over 30,000 beds.

The lawsuit alleges that Extendicare fraudulently advertises
services that they are not capable of performing and admits ill
residents without hiring the necessary staff to provide even adequate
care.

New Comprehensive Study of Hispanic Family Caregivers

from Market Watch:

A study released today from UnitedHealth Group's
Evercare(R) organization and the National
Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) finds that more than one third of Hispanic
households (36 percent) have at least one family member caring for an
older loved one --a larger percentage than all
U.S. caregiving households which is 21 percent (one in five), according
to the Evercare Study of Hispanic Caregiving in the U.S. The
study, the largest comprehensive look at Hispanic caregivers, also
revealed that caregiving caused a major change to the working situation
of Hispanics, which could have dramatic personal implications as the
current fiscal crisis continues to unfold in the United States.
Additionally, the emotional and physical tolls of caregiving might also
impact the local and national economies, given that more than eight
million Hispanics provide care to older loved ones nationwide.

Curious Consent Standards in Nursing Home Admissions

from Nursing Home Administrator's Blog:

Nursing home administrators face an unexpected ethical (and legal)
dilemma when admitting new residents to skilled nursing care. The
Nursing Home Care Act undercuts a traditional notion of informed
consent in such a way that many residents may be admitted to a nursing
home without ever consenting to treatment, or having a meaningful
surrogate consent to their treatment. This is clearly an issue of
nursing/medical ethics, as well as a font of potential legal liability
for providing unauthorized care.

American health care law is predicated on the notion of patient
autonomous-direction. Within this notion exist a number of inter-linked
rights: the right to self-determination, the right to give consent
before treatment, the right to information forming the basis of consent
and many others. Curiously, in senior care, as in perhaps no other
major area of American health care law, the status of patient
autonomous direction, especially with respect to consent before
treatment, is less sacrosanct, the exceptions more numerous. This is
especially true in the legal quagmire of involuntarily placing adults
in nursing homes.

I am most familiar with the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act and it
will thus form the background of this discussion, but the Illinois Act
is not dissimilar to Nursing Home Care Acts in many other states, at
least inasmuch as the acts address the issue of involuntary admission.
Clearly involuntary admission of a resident to a nursing home presents
moral and ethical issues most families are not experienced in dealing
with, not to mention attendant feelings of guilt for the family members
and likely betrayal for the patient herself. However, for the health
care provider, the nursing home, the struggle is a balance between
determining the self-interest rights of the resident and the interests
in rendering care.

Better LTC jobs will boost economy, says Kuttner

from PHI:

Economics writer Robert Kuttner has some advice for President-Elect Barack Obama in his new book Obama’s Challenge: America’s Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency.

Kuttner makes a strong case for professionalizing the human services
sector – jobs which are harder to outsource – to boost the U.S. economy.

Last week, he told NPR’s Fresh Air,
“All jobs taking care of America’s children and taking care of
America’s old people and taking care of America’s sick people, by
definition, these are jobs that have to be close to home.”

Scholars Delve Into How Money, Family Structure, and Culture Influence Care of the Elderly

from the Urban Institute:

Who cares for the elderly and at what cost concern policymakers and
laypeople alike, for the Census Bureau predicts that more than 20
percent of the U.S. population will be older than 65 by 2050, compared
to just 12 percent in 2000. Intergenerational Caregiving, a
new book from the Urban Institute Press, reveals how social, cultural,
demographic, and financial circumstances shape care and support
arrangements for Americans as they age, as well as for family members
of all ages facing disability and special needs.

Editors Alan Booth, Ann C. Crouter, Suzanne M. Bianchi, and Judith
A. Seltzer collect the insights of more than a dozen economists and
sociologists, whose detailed essays highlight the issues that
legislators, program managers, and advocates must consider as America
grays. The book cites evidence that the advent of Social Security in
the 20th century improved the financial position of the elderly, whose
higher retirement incomes led to a sharp decline in the proportion of
aged parents living with their adult children. Income and housing
decisions likely would change again if, as one author speculates,
future adjustments to Social Security shrink benefits for retirees or
raise taxes on their adult children.

Class-action suit filed against Extendicare nursing homes

from JSonline:

A Milwaukee attorney filed a class-action lawsuit Friday against
Extendicare Homes that alleges the nursing home chain fraudulently
advertised its services and deliberately admitted more acutely ill
residents without hiring enough staff to properly care for them.

The
lawsuit alleges Extendicare violated the state's Consumer Protection
Act through false advertising that lured residents into believing they
would receive good care at nursing homes that were cited for health
violations by state regulators.

The
complaint also contends the company's "24/7 Extendicare Admission
Policy" was designed to automatically admit patients who have acute
medical conditions such as hepatitis B or who require dialysis or
therapy. Nursing homes are reimbursed at higher rates for more acutely
ill residents.

The
goal of this policy, also known as the "Green Flag" policy, is to admit
the sickest patients regardless of a nursing home's staffing level,
alleged Jay Urban of the Milwaukee law firm Urban & Taylor, who
filed the suit. The Madison law firm Boller & Vaughan are
co-counsel in the lawsuit.

"They
are putting profits ahead of people," Urban said. "You can't take in
higher acuity people unless you provide higher acuity care."

U.S. Residents With Chronic Illnesses More Likely To Experience Medical Errors, Forgo Medical Care Because Of Cost

from medical news Today:

U.S. residents with chronic diseases are more likely to forgo medical
care because of high costs and experience medical errors than residents
of other nations with such conditions, according to a study published
on Thursday in the journal Health Affairs, Reuters/Boston Globe reports. For the study, conducted by the Commonwealth Fund,
researchers surveyed 7,500 adults, each of whom had at least one of
seven chronic diseases -- high blood pressure, heart disease, lung
disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and depression. Participants
included residents of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the
Netherlands, New Zealand, Britain and the U.S.

Okla. To Build Sex Offender Nursing Home

from KOCO.com:

A nonprofit group, A Perfect Cause, said there are currently 30 sex
offenders living in Oklahoma nursing homes. The group hopes that moving
offenders out of those facilities will make them safer for other
residents."The Department of Corrections talked about there
being thousands of people moving from the criminal justice system who
are 65 or older in the coming years," said Wes Bledsoe, of A Perfect
Cause.

Gov. Brad Henry signed a bill into law last July that required the
state to build a separate nursing home for sex offenders. The Oklahoma
Health Department is preparing to seek bids to run the facility, but
also wants to know how those bidders would plan to operate it."The
proposal will include provisions for heightened, 24-hour security to
protect the residents and the public," said Henry Hartsell, of
Protective Health Services.

The Business Innovation Factory’s Nursing Home of the Future: A Place to Design, Test and Learn.

from Nursing Home of the Future:

Overview

The NHoF lab has created a platform to test new ideas in a real world
environment in partnership with designers, clinicians, service
providers, product manufacturers and elder care experts.

Phase I: Understanding the Current Elder Experience

In Phase I, the NHoF team created a detailed description of the
current experience of nursing home and assisted-living residents to
reveal areas most in need of redesign and opportunities ripe for
intervention.

Multimedia

The NHoF team has synthesized phase I work into a series of videos,
vignettes and pictorial displays that make it easier for everyone to
understand the elder care experience see opportunities for improving
it.

After Financial Bailout, a Long Term Care Bailout? No, Industry Expert Says, Pointing to Recent Congressional Action

from MarketWatch:

KIRKLAND, Wash., Nov 12, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Will Long Term Care Awareness Week (November 16-22) Help Avert New Economic Tsunami?

Following the $700-billion-plus economic bailout and stimulus program,
"Congress does not relish another big bailout," says Cameron Truesdell,
CEO of LTC Financial Partners LLC (LTCFP), one of the nation's largest
and most experienced long term care insurance agencies. "But they see
another tsunami coming." That's the message Truesdell gets from the
September 25 introduction of House Resolution 431, "Supporting the
goals and ideals of a Long-Term Care Awareness Week."

Consumer Direction in Medicaid and Opportunities for States

from The Heritage Foundation:

The Center for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final Medicaid rule that
permits Medicaid recipients to self–direct their own health care and
supportive services. The rule, Self–Directed Personal Assistance Services Program State Plan Option (Cash and Counseling),
is a great victory for persons with disabilities. Medicaid recipients
in need of long–term care have been given the freedom to control their
own destiny. If states take advantage of it, this change has the
potential to revolutionize the $100 billion long–term care delivery
system under Medicaid.

Self–direction, with the
benefit of counseling, is a dramatic reversal of the traditional model
of long–term care that is based on dependency. Self–direction puts the
individual back in control. This raises expectations and demands
greater personal responsibility on the part of the Medicaid recipient.
But properly understood, that in itself adds value and quality as well
as expands access to services.

John Kemp, an expert on
disability issues, has explained that "control and choice is not just a
theme; they are a tenet of the disability movement."[2]
Experience shows, moreover, that putting the consumer rather than the
provider in control is also cost effective as well as personally
liberating. Says Kemp: "We have been trying to save our government
money for a long time."[3]

Use of advance directives increases among nursing home residents

from McKnight's:

Advance directive documentation is sharply on the rise in the nation's
nursing homes, according to a recent report from the Institute for the
Future of Aging Services, a research arm of the American Association of
Homes and Services for the Aging.



Nearly 70% of all nursing home residents over the age of 65 have at
least one advance directive document in their records. That is up from
53% in 1996, according to the report.

Crossing The Digital Divide For The Elderly, Chronically Ill And Medically Undeserved

from Medical News Today:

What will motivate the elderly, the chronically ill and the medically underserved to use interactive information technology systems to actively help manage their own health problems? What barriers have prevented people in these groups from using such systems more widely than they have?

The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) at Oregon Health & Science University searched the scientific literature for answers. The EPC's report is the first to identify and catalog the factors that influence the use of home computer-based health IT systems by the most at-risk subgroups of the population and to review the evidence on health outcomes attributable to the use of these technologies. "This report will help us make health information technology more available and accessible to consumers as they use it to become more active in their care," said AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. "I hope the report will be useful to clinicians, policymakers, patient advocates and others who are working to integrate health IT solutions that improve the quality and safety of health care for all Americans."

Among the study's findings:

- The most effective systems are those that provide routine and timely tailored clinical feedback and advice. Patients prefer systems that provide them with information that is specifically tailored for them and is not general in nature.

- Patients prefer systems that send them information on devices that fit into their normal daily routine, such as cell phones.

- The lack of a perceived benefit is the primary barrier to wider use by patients of interactive IT technologies. When patients did not perceive a potential health benefit or did not trust the advice they were given they were less likely to use the technology.

- Issues of access, ease of use, and convenience of technology systems were also found to be key barriers to wider use.

- The most frequently used health IT functions are online peer group support bulletin boards and disease self-management tools.

- Patients value the anonymity and nonjudgmental nature of interacting with a computer system, especially those with HIV/AIDS or mental disorders.

Because Of Homecare, Millions Will Share Thanksgiving At Home With Family - November Is National Homecare Month

from Medical news Today:

Thanks to home medical equipment providers, millions of seniors and people with disabilities will share Thanksgiving and other holidays in the comfort of their homes. During November, which is National Homecare Month, the American Association for Homecare celebrates the thousands of dedicated professionals who provide cost-effective and consumer-preferred homecare.

Five Facts about Homecare

1) Among the eight million Americans who depend on homecare for medically required services or equipment are people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's disease, spinal cord injuries, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and other conditions.

2) Virtually every type of healthcare short of surgery can be performed in the home. Today Americans benefit from oxygen therapy, wheelchairs, skilled nursing, sleep therapy, infusion therapy, diabetes supplies, hospice, and other medical services, supplies, and equipment at home.

3) The home is the most cost-effective setting for medical care. Home-based care is a key part of the solution to the severe fiscal challenges facing Medicare and Medicaid and should be an essential part of healthcare reform discussions for federal and state policymakers.

4) Advances in technology for home medical equipment and telemedicine are expanding the clinical effectiveness of homecare.

5) In the event of a pandemic flu, homecare will play a large role in treating the millions of Americans who will require care.

For consumer information and links about homecare, visit www.aahomecare.org/athome.

IU Study Finds 25% Of Family Caregivers Of Alzheimer's Disease Patients Go To ER Or Are Hospitalized

from Medical News Today:

One quarter of all family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients succumb to the stress of providing care to a loved one and become hospital patients themselves, according to an Indiana University study published in the November 2008 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine, the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University Center for Aging Research report in a new study that a quarter of family caregivers of Alzheimer's dementia patients had at least one emergency room visit or hospitalization every six months.

While it has long been anecdotally recognized that caring for a family member with Alzheimer's disease is stressful, this work is the first to measure just how stressful providing care is and to examine the impact of this stress on both the physical and mental health of the family caregiver.

The study found that the behavior and functioning of the individual with Alzheimer's dementia, rather than cognitive ability, were the major factors determining whether the caregiver went to the emergency room or was hospitalized.

Assistive Technology and Long Term Care

From Michigan's Long Term Care Commission:

The websites for assistive technology are:

View the Video:  "Imagine the Future of Aging" at:
http://www.agingtech.org/index.aspx

The Lifeshirt: http://www.vivometrics.com/research/clinical_trials/about_the_system/what_is_the_lifeShirt_system.php

The Medicine Cabinet of the Future:
http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2005-08/inside-medicine-cabinet-future

Accenture's Online Medicine Cabinet:
http://www.accenture.com/Global/Services/Accenture_Technology_Labs/R_and_I/OnlineMedicineCabinet.htm

Nutritional Diet Calculating Scale:
http://www.toplinedigitalscales.com/catalog.php?action=110&cat_id=1

Glad you asked

from McKnight's:

Long a staple for gauging company performance in a service-based
economy, customer satisfaction surveys now are becoming a standard
data-gathering tool in the long-term care industry as well.



Facility operators have only to consider the various factors pushing
the trend to realize the true importance of feedback from those they
serve: Consumer-directed healthcare is gaining traction, the federal
government is unveiling a “Five Star” rating system for nursing homes
in December, the emphasis on pay-for-performance initiatives is
growing, and trade associations are embracing the concept of “culture
change.”



Some see long-term care's mushrooming interest in resident feedback as part of a natural evolution.

“Awareness of customer satisfaction has become pervasive among the
general public,” says Brad Shiverick, chief quality officer for the
Wausau, WI-based healthcare survey firm My InnerView. “For instance,
after a recent trip I got

Elder Care: Elderly Thrive in Denmark

from Spotlight on Elder Abuse: 

WHAT THE DANES REALLY WANT: The Danes do all they can to enable elders to stay in their own homes. And for those who are too frail, the country's nursing homes are small, homey and delightful.

IN TERMS OF services that elderly people actually want, Denmark – and neighbouring Sweden – are the best places in the world to grow old. Both have strong, cradle-to-grave social programs, and compete with each other – and with their Scandinavian cousins Norway and Finland – to give their citizens the best comprehensive elder care.

Danish and Swedish policies are designed to help people stay at home as long as possible through a variety of home-care services and regular house calls by doctors. In Denmark, regular monitoring of an elderly person's needs begin with a visit by a nurse when an individual turns 75. "That visit has a huge impact," MacAdam observes. "It reassures the individual and also educates the individual."

I am struck by the attitude of proud independence I encounter in many of the seniors I meet in the two countries, how they persist in doing the chores they are able to do. The system supports them where needed, but doesn't take over – not even in nursing homes, where they have kitchenettes so they can make their own toast and tea. "The philosophy is that, no matter how frail, you have a right to be in charge of your life," MacAdam says.

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/

S.3327: Empowered at Home Act of 2008

from OpenCongress:

Empowered at Home Act of 2008 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise the income eligibility level for home and community-based (HCBS) services for elderly and disabled individuals. Gives states the option to provide HCBS services under a waiver to eligible individuals whose income does not exceed 300% of the supplemental security income (SSI) benefit rate. Gives states the option to provide HCBS waiver services to individuals for whom such services are likely to prevent, delay, or decrease the likelihood of an individual's need for institutionalized care. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award assistance grants to states electing to provide HCBS waiver services under Medicaid through the state plan amendment option. Reauthorizes Medicaid transformation grants at increased funding and specifies additional permissible uses to facilitate the provision of HCBS and other long-term care (LTC) services. Directs the Secretary to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible states to conduct an evidence- and community-based health promotion program. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: 
(1) a tax deduction for premiums on qualified LTC insurance contracts; and 
(2) a tax credit for certain caregivers taking care of individuals with LTC needs. Revises requirements for the model regulation and model Act concerning LTC insurance consumer protections and the excise tax for failing to meet requirements for such protections. Amends SSA title XIX, with respect to treatment of the income and resources of HCBS waiver services recipients who would otherwise be institutionalized, to repeal the state option, and thus require, application to such individuals of spousal impoverishment protection requirements. Allows states to elect to exclude up to six months of the average cost of nursing facility services from an individual's assets or resources for purposes of eligibility for HCBS waiver services. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to revise certain data reporting forms and systems to ensure uniform and consistent state reporting under this Act. Directs the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on: 
(1) the provision of home health services under different state Medicaid plans; and 
(2) the extent to which states offer consumer self-direction of such services, or allow for other consumer-oriented policies with respect to them.

Nursing homes advised to report crimes to law enforcement

from The Norman Transcript: (no relation)

Suspected criminal acts committed against residents of long-term
care facilities are to be reported immediately to law enforcement,
according to an advisory letter sent Oct. 27 from the Oklahoma State
Department of Health to all nursing homes in Oklahoma.

The
letter was sent to all nursing facilities, skilled nursing facilities
and intermediate care facilities for persons with mental retardation.
The letter is in response to appeals by A Perfect Cause and the
overwhelming support for action by long-term care residents' families,
the Attorney General's Office, Oklahoma County District Attorney's
Office, YWCA and Long-Term Care Facilities Advisory Board.

Earlier
this year, Wes Bledsoe, citizens' advocate and founder of A Perfect
Cause, discovered major gaps in Oklahoma statutes concerning the
reporting of criminal acts in long-term care facilities to law
enforcement. He contacted the Oklahoma County District Attorney's
office and Attorney General's Office about his concerns after a
41-year-old nursing home resident was raped and sexually assaulted in
August 2007. Upon further investigation it was determined the rape and
assault were never reported to law enforcement, Bledsoe said.

Nursing homes across the U.S. receive bonuses despite violations

from DesMoinesRegister.com:

Nursing homes throughout the country are eligible for hundreds of
millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded bonuses despite past violations
of basic health-and-safety standards.

A Des Moines Register
review of 81 bonus payment programs in 36 states shows that some homes
are collecting quality-of-care bonuses approved by the same federal
agency that considers them to be below-average caregivers.

In addition, more than 60 bonus programs exist to help nursing homes do
what they are legally required to do, such as pay the minimum wage or
install fire sprinklers for resident safety.

The total cost to
taxpayers is unknown, according to the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services, which approves and helps fund each of the
bonus-payment programs now in effect but does not track any of those
payments.

National Family Caregivers Month

from PHI:

November is National Family Caregivers Month, a nationally recognized time to focus attention on the more than 50 million family caregivers who provide 80% of our nation’s long term care services. It is sponsored by the National Family Caregivers Association.

The theme this year is “Speak Up!” and the NFCA has included resources on their website to help you do this, including the top 10 ways to celebrate and a free teleclass on improving communication.

“Family Caregiver Month is an opportunity to look again at the challenge of how we can better meet society’s need for more quality caregiving, both family and formal, both paid and unpaid,” says PHI Director of Policy Research Dr. Dorie Seavey.

“At a time when the family caregiving ‘system’ is increasingly stressed and the poor quality of direct-care jobs results in high rates of turnover, it no longer makes sense to treat family and formal caregiving as two separate worlds. Our actual practices in providing long-term care have outgrown this construct. That is why PHI is calling for a new policy direction that integrates and supports both family and formal paid care under a common agenda.”

PHI resources on this topic:

• Better Jobs Better Care Issue Brief (pdf)
• National Policy Agenda: Consumer direction and family caregiving (pdf)

Aaron Toleos, Online Communications Director
atoleos@phinational.org

St. Paul Pioneer Press Launches Age Wave, a Long-Term Care Blog

from Changing Aging:

St. Paul Pioneer Press reporter Jeremy Olson has launched a new blog called The Age Wave.  Jeremy has received a fellowship from the Kaiser Family Foundation to look at long-term care today and its future and is writing a series of stories for the newspaper.

In writing the series and the blog Olson says he’s taking his late grandmother’s advice:

“Take care of the corners and the middle always takes care of itself.” Sure, she was talking about spreading frosting, but it applies. By examining individual stories and struggles — by highlighting the hidden corners of long-term care in Minnesota — he intends to identify broader solutions.

Poorhouse to Warehouse: Institutional Long-Term Care in the United States

from Publius:

Nursing homes in the United States are a product of American federalism and reflect the complexities and variabilities of that system. Over time, institutional long-term care for frail elders has shifted from local government funding and administration to state-level oversight and support to a shared federal-state concern. The unsystematic American approach produces haphazard results in terms of quality, equity, and efficiency. The graying of the American population will increase the demand for long-term care, resulting in pressure for a more coherent policy response.

Choice Connections provides consulting on nursing home transition

from BattleCreekEnquirer:

When Tami Roussey gets a call asking for help to find new, safer living
arrangements for an aging loved one, chances are that a sense of
urgency already exists.

Roussey has recently opened an independent placement service to
assist families of seniors who can no longer manage without assistance
in their own homes, called Choice Connections. It is a free, one-stop
service that leads the family and the senior through this emotional and
often confusing time as gently and sensitively as possible.

Each
family is provided guidance and counsel on an individual-needs basis.
When it comes to selecting living accommodations for elderly loved
ones, Choice Connections knows that one size does not fit all. They
will work with the family, identifying specific needs, until choices
are narrowed down to the most appropriate solution for each individual.
They will also schedule tours of different facilities and assist
throughout the transition, until a decision is reached that leaves all
family members with a sense of relief and security that their loved one
will be comfortable and well-cared for in their new living arrangement.
Choice Connections remains in contact to ensure that the senior has
found the perfect place to call home.

Local Expert Shares Three Ways to Save 20-50 Percent On Long-Term Care Insurance

from Bignews.biz:

Irvine, CA--Thanks to increased longevity and advances in health care, Americans are facing a new crisis: a growing need for long-term care. Americans spent over $200 billion on long-term care last year, about a tenth of the nation's health care spending and that number will explode as baby boomers age, explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.

Most insurers offer preferred health discounts that can reduce the yearly cost by 10 percent. Once you qualify for this discount, you never lose it even if your health changes, explains Petchul.

Adding a deductible to your policy -- something most people have for their car, health and home insurance -- can reduce the cost by roughly 20 percent annually. Over 80 percent of long-term care insurance policies purchased today have a 90-day deductible period, states Petchul. Most people have some savings that will cover the cost during this time period or

Evidence-based research delivers new staff retention tools to nursing homes

from Mcknight"s:

Long-term care providers, who frequently suffer employee turnover rates near 100% annually, have three new resources designed to reduce workforce turnover. The new tools, which were announced Monday by the Better Jobs Better Care Coalition, also can help providers find new employees and create a better work environment for the staff they already have, researchers said. 

The tools are the byproduct of four years of investigation, said the director of BJBC, an initiative managed by the Institute for the Future of Aging Services.

"It's no secret that quality in long-term care cannot be achieved without a quality workforce," says Robyn Stone, Ph.D., executive director of IFAS. "These resources make it easy for providers to take lessons from evidence-based research and use them to transform their organizations."

A catalogue of the group's research shows the benefits of job training programs on staff retention, while a short accompanying video highlights real-world examples of the effectiveness of the programs. A "News You Can Use" fact sheet shows providers where to find new pools of potential employees. More information is available at www.bjbc.org.

Policies for Nursing Home Care Dwindling as Home Care Grows

from market Watch:

Last year not one Unum 
group long term care policy was
purchased for nursing home care only, evidence of a dramatic trend
indicating Americans' desire to "age
in place". In Unum's
third annual Landscape of Long Term Care, the company reports a steady
increase in policies with the home care option.

As the leader in the group long term care market, Unum provides an
annual review of sales and claims trends each fall in recognition of
Long Term Care Awareness Month in November.

"We carefully track these trends so we
understand the needs of our customers," said
John Noble, director of long term care products for Unum. "More
people expect to be able to receive care at home, and making that
possible is an important element of long term care coverage."

Of Unum's inforce policies, 93.4 percent are
purchased to cover some type of home care. And nearly 70 percent of Unum's
group customers use their long term care benefits for care that occurs
in the home.