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NAIPC News May 2, 2016
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New Ideas for Funding Long-Term Care
Chapter updates: Atlanta Chapter Pushes Bill Through Legislature
Assessing the Value of Home Health Care
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Also In This Week's Issue
- Chapter Updates
- Member Spotlight- Orange County, Carolyn Novtony
- "I Brought 1" List
- Aging with Colleagues: Actors Fund Connects Artists to Housing and Services
- Older Americans Act Officially Renewed
- Upcoming Events
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New Ideas For Funding Long-Term Care |
Most people do not know the difference between home health and home care, nor are they aware that while home health is funded largely by Medicare, home care is not.
Caregiving is becoming more costly as we age. Full time care is roughly $137,000 per year, while part-time care is around $45,750 per year. So how do we fund long-term care? The SCAN Foundation has released a report, Side-By-Side Review of Recent Long-Term Care Financing Policy Recommendations, that presents the current conversation on long-term care solutions.
The SCAN Foundation’s review looks at three separate reports from the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), LeadingAge, and Long-Term Care Financing Collaborative were commonalities are addressed, but the main purpose is to recognize and provide recommendations for ways to provide financing for long-term care.
After the American Society on Aging’s recent conference in Washington, DC where the dominant subject was caregiving and long-term care, the NAIPC Caregivers Working Group felt it was important to address the topic and open it up for discussion.
On Wednesday, April 13th the Caregivers Working group hosted a webinar to discuss the SCAN Foundation’s report. Joining Marty Bell, NAIPC Executive Director; Dara McMillan, Greater Atlanta chapter; and Holly Spiegel, Tri County of Greater Los Angeles chapter was a co-author of the report Megan Juring.
Throughout the discussion several important points were raised. Marty Bell asked, “Who is responsible for paying for long-term care? Is it the government, us, or is it an unknown entity that no one has thought of yet?” Bell suggested a new approach is necessary, perhaps a possible partnership between private and public sectors where each side shares in the responsibility. Bell, even, went so far as to question, whether the significant savings in Medicare from the Affordable Care Act could simply be put into a long-term care fund?
More importantly, a deeper look into the SCAN Foundation’s report suggests long-term care is trending towards a split, catastrophic insurance—for much later in life— and short-term personal insurance. Megan Juring agrees that all three policy groups acknowledge a need for the split and its likely success. Juring goes on to reference the data generated from the Urban Institute and Milliman Actuarial—which can be found on SCAN’s website— used in the report, as well as how each policy might further increase savings to Medicare programs. Juring then discussed how each policy was studied to determine if the scope of impact for any one approach could/would provide funds for the ever-growing need of services.
The discussion then transitioned into the Medicaid Waiver Program. The Medicaid Waiver Program directs Medicare funds to places that traditionally do not receive them. According to the BPC those waivers are grossly underutilized by states, therefore they recommend creating incentives for states to expand those services under Medicaid. More specifically, they recommend streamlining the existing authority under waivers and make them available under amendments. To which Bell proposes the most important question, “As an organization how do we encourage these types of changes? Is there a role we can play?” Holly Spiegel immediately suggested lobbying the federal government for the insurance changes, while Dara McMillan recommended advocacy groups within the NAIPC chapters to advocate to state and local governments.
Bell concluded the robust conversation by asking Juring if there has been any talk about the BPC, LeadingAge, and Long-Term Care Financing Collaborative coming together with their ideas and moving forward? Juring then explained that the SCAN Foundation is supporting ongoing work by the BPC to see how their recommendations might become operationalized into policy proposals. Because they have a C(4) status the BPC would then be in a position to get the proposals in front of policy makers. LeadingAge is continuing down the same path with the Urban Institute and Milliman Actuarial, while Long-Term Care Financing Collaborative will be monitoring the landscape as advisors. |
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Chapter Updates |
Charleston- A profound realization that adult children are often the key decision-makers when it comes to caregiving resources and that the workplace is the best place to connect with them has led to the revamping of the Greater Charleston chapter's 2016 Business Task Force.
Cheri Williams and Kitty Weaver are Co-Chairs of the Community Education Initiative for the Chapter and are looking forward to launching the program in May. The Chapter has been active in providing aging in place presentations to civic, community, and church groups, and last year started down the path of offering presentations to businesses and organizations. Employees who are working full or part-time and who have been tapped as caregivers are more likely to know the importance of planning for their own futures therefore, the Chapter will be incorporating “ACT III” as part of their presentation and also using it as a "leave-behind" item.
Although, this program—called “The Sandwich Generation - Caregiving in the Workplace” - can be tailored to meet the needs of any business or organization, the most typical format has been a “Lunch & Learn” offered for employees. The approach to Human Resource Managers and Business Owners emphasizes the impact that caregiving can have on the workplace, including productivity loss, absenteeism, presenteeism, and more.
Chapter leaders believe that after next month’s kick-off the next steps will include getting Chapter members involved by identifying HR managers, business owners, or others in companies/organizations that could be contacted about setting up events.
After hearing a presentation at one of the National Meetings, Alissa Boroff and the Minneapolis chapter were the original inspiration for Charleston’s "Business Task Force."
Atlanta- After three years of aggressive advocacy by NAIPC Greater Atlanta chapter the Georgia State Legislature passed a bill to expand the certified nursing assistant (CNA) registry. The new law protects seniors against caregivers with records of elder abuse. The bill will expand the current certified CNA Registry to allow for complaints to be received on CNAs working in ALL settings, rather than just in licensed facilities. It also allows for more prominent visibility of the Department of Community Health's website, which will ultimately protect seniors aging in place and utilizing the services of a private duty CNA or a home care company, is Thanks, in large part to the Greater Atlanta chapter and their legislative efforts.
The Greater Atlanta Chapter proposed three potential issues for consideration to the Coalition of Advocates for Georgia's Elderly last year. The idea to create an Elder Abuser Registry was chosen and so began the efforts to get a law passed in Georgia to protect seniors. NAIPC Advocacy Chair, Doug Lueder, led the efforts along with other partners around the state on the working groups that met throughout the fall of 2015. Two positive outcomes came about due to their efforts: (1) HB 1037 passed and was signed by the Governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal, on 4/26/2016. (2) The legislature supports the idea of a more robust abuser registry and has committed to a House and Senate sub-committee to study this possibility further. These committees will be led by Rep. Sharon Cooper and Sen. Renee Unterman. The Greater Atlanta Chapter Chair, MaryLea Quinn is pleased with the results and is so proud of the advocacy efforts that the chapter has been able to accomplish in the last three years. The chapter plans to continue its efforts by participating in the sub-committee meetings that will be held this summer and fall.
Here is a video that provides more information about the bill, click here.
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Assessing the Value of Home Health Care |
The Alliance for Home Health Quality and Innovation is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization promoting healthy patients and communities by leading and supporting research and education on the value of home health care to the U.S. health care system. This involves looking not just at the clinical component of health care delivery, which is critically important, but also at innovations, partners, and patient- and person-centered approaches to care delivery that allow us to better care for an aging population.
Two years ago the Alliance embarked on a project to explore the future of care delivery at home, culminating in a research-based strategic framework for the future. The framework is set to be completed in the second quarter of this year. Over the last two years, the Alliance sponsored research, symposia, and an Institute of Medicine workshop to improve understanding of the relevance of home health care to the future of care delivery and the ability of older Americans to age in place. The workshop focused on a few central topics: the need to shift toward community-based care, new models in achieving the Triple Aim, policy and payment reforms needed, the home health workforce, the role of technology, and quality and outcomes measurement. More on the Future of Home Health Project is available here: http://ahhqi.org/home-health/future-project.
Additionally, the Alliance releases the Home Health Chartbook annually with information from government sources on patient demographics and conditions, workforce, organizational trends, and more. Supplemental data is also available at the state level through one pagers and packets.
Telling patient stories is an important component of providing data and research, and just last year the Alliance wrapped up a series called the Faces of Home Health which focused on unique patient populations in home health, using interviews with patients and clinicians along with data to demonstrate the value of providing care in the home for a variety of patients.
We know that many, if not most, older adults, when possible, prefer to age in their homes, and services at home and in the community enable them to do so. In order to accomplish this, home health care must work in a symbiotic relationship with all parts of the health care system, the community, and more to meet the needs of a growing generation of older Americans.
To connect with the Alliance, you can reach out to the Alliance’s Director of Communications and Events, Jen Schiller, at jschiller@ahhqi.org.
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Member Spotlight- Orange County, Carolyn Novotny |
Determined to help others avoid the hardships of caregiving that she faced, Carolyn Novotny, Orange County chapter Board member and CEO of Access 2 Senior Living, recently started her own company to better the lives of Seniors and their loved ones.
Access 2 Senior Living is a consulting company that helps guide Elder adults in the Orange County area, as well as those that want to help them age with dignity and remain safe in their environment.
Carolyn got involved in the aging industry after 35 years in the Insurance Industry. Five years ago her mother fell and broke her hip for the second time. Carolyn was working full time, and was thrown into being her mother’s caregiver. A story many know all too well. “We have no idea what to do. People come out of the woodwork selling you what they want, not what is best for the Senior Adult or the person that is trying to get everyone through it. I learned quickly about what a Skill Care Facility should not be, as well as what I should be expecting from a Home Care agency. I saw too many of my friends go through what I went through and I knew that there had to be a better way to make this process easier on everyone.” So in 2014 Carolyn took the RCFE Administration licensing class, got her Administrators certificate, and started her company in January 2015.
When asked what makes her happy about her work—what drives her—Carolyn shared the following story. Carolyn had a couple that was living independently, the Smiths. Mr. Smith began showing early signs of dementia and was becoming withdrawn, which was beginning to take a toll on Mrs. Smith. One daughter was convinced that her parents could not live alone anymore and started to look for an Assisted Living Community for them. Another daughter was adamant that her parents needed to stay in their own home and started to look for In-Home Care. But their brother decided to reach out to Carolyn. After talking to everyone and getting all concerns on the table, it was decided that what was best for the Smiths was to get Mr. Smith involved in an active Adult Day Care center. Carolyn was able to find one close to the Smith’s home. Mr. Smith got out which energized him and in turn Mrs. Smith had time for herself to have lunch with friends or simply have her hair and nails done, and this solution did not break the bank. Thanks to Carolyn and Access 2 Senior Living the Smith family now has time to plan for the future, whatever it might bring, and the children have learned to work together for the betterment of their parents.
Stories like the Smith’s is exactly why Carolyn got into the aging industry—to make a difference in people’s lives.
When she isn’t working, Carolyn enjoys gardening and camping. She just purchased a motorhome so that her mother could travel with her if she wants to. For the last 19 years she has been one of the 935 White Suiters volunteers that handles the logistics of putting on California’s Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. Look for her on TV! |
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“I Brought 1” List:
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Aging with Colleagues: Actors Fund Connects Artists to Housing and Services |
Have you ever considered spending your later years living amongst people with whom you shared a profession? Think of the great stories you can tell over dinner to sincerely interested listeners. After all, nostalgia is a favorite pastime.
The Actor’s Fund provides this opportunity for those who worked in any part of show business—not just actors but also producers, writers, stagehands, musicians, etc.
At the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey, residents eat their meals in the Stagedoor Canteen, find scripts and old Playbills in the Maureen O’Sullivan and James Cushing library, participate in play readings and receive tickets and transportation to current Broadway shows.
Read full article |
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Older Americans Act Officially Renewed |
Bob Blancato, Chair of the American Society on Aging and Board of Directors member for NAIPC, recently reported on the bipartisan legislation renewing the Older Americans Act for three years.
This legislation keeps core Older Americans Act programs intact, while improving the law itself. The bill allows older adults to remain at home and in their community by providing them with necessary services to maintain their independence. The Older Americans Act, also, saves Medicaid and Medicare millions of dollars each year.
More specifically, this legislation will;
- help feed America’s elderly poor,
- combat elder abuse,
- create new support for modernizing multipurpose senior centers,
- help family caregivers,
- provide older Americans with better information about available resources, and
- it will require the federal government to provide guidance and best practices to states to better serve Holocaust survivors.
Be sure to, also, read Blancato’s Why The Older Americans Act Matters
Read full article |
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