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- What Do the Political Parties Think? -

The Social Security Position of:

*Ron Paul's Social Security position is consistent with ELF's View

The Roots of the Social Security Myth

Elder LifeCare Foundation

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- Elder Care Revolution Launches in Southwest Ohio -

The design of the small house and its location within a neighborhood makes the transition for elders easier. It provides the optimal opportunity for residents to stay connected to family and friends. Both residents and staff appreciate key differences such as: No institutional schedules, meals or routines -- Smaller scale environment increases walking and decreasing wheelchair dependency -- High elder assistant staffing ratios -- Home cooked meals -- including the favorite foods The benefits of these changes include better outcomes, improved quality of life and satisfaction for residents, and increased nurse effectiveness.

MarketWatch 07/24

- Elder Care Check Program Keeps Seniors Cool -

twice-a-week during the hot summer months, Elder Care Check participants can look forward to a phone call or house visit. Representatives are checking to make sure participants have air condition or a working fan...

Charlottesville News 07/24

- Nursing homes need more staff -

The way to solve the problem of nursing homes violating Ontario standards is to increase staffing...

IF Press 07/24

- New Web Site Invites Reviews of Nursing Homes and Other Senior Care Services -

A new Web site, seniorDECISION, features consumer ratings and reviews of nursing homes, assisted living, retirement communities, and home health care agencies. The site is a forum for seniors, caregivers, and aging professionals to share opinions on more than 75,000 senior care and housing services nationwide.

Elder Answers 07/23

- How to Avoid a Nursing Home -

"Aging in place" communities help seniors stay in their own home and avoid assisted living...If it takes a village to raise a child, it may also take a village for seniors to age safely in their own homes. Repairs, meal preparation, and transportation to and from doctor's appointments can sometimes be too much for a frail senior to handle alone...But pricey nursing homes and assisted living are solutions that few elders aspire to use.

US News 07/22

- Esther Rantzen: 'don't put a sell-by date on me' -

Esther Rantzen is determined to grow old disgracefully - and she's written a book telling others to do the same..."My clothes mean I'm thumbing my nose at the passing of time. So what if people call us mutton dressed as curly, girly lambs? We're too old now to be careful."

Telegraph 07/20

- Elder-care crisis must be solved -

How many more tragedies have to happen before we act to correct the problem of elder care? Most of us in our later years cannot afford the exorbitant cost of home/nursing care and other tremendously expensive facilities. My generation, ages 80 and over, are killing the younger generation, ages 50-plus.

Lohud 07/20

- Government to tighten nursing home standards -

THE Government will tighten elderly care standards after 383 cases of gastro were reported in nursing homes since the start of the year.

Herald Sun 07/20

- Attention New Nursing Home Residents: Put Down That Pen -

When you enter a nursing home, you expect that you are in good hands and will be afforded the best possible health care. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Disputes arise due to nursing home negligence, which can result in injuries, falls, painful bedsores, infections, and even death.

Injury Board 07/20

- New housing alternative for the elderly -

Dr. Bill Thomas, the Harvard educated geriatrician from Massachusetts who was referred to in the article (and who calls himself a "nursing home abolitionist"), has developed the wonderful new concept of "Green Houses" for older adults: not regimented, not institutional, not large, but homey and welcoming places where elders' individual preferences are honored, where residents and staff alike actually thrive.

Chicago Tribune 07/18

- Older Americans Have Limited Access to Home and Community-Based Services Under Medicaid -

A new report by AARP's Public Policy Institute finds mixed results and promising signs 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). In Pennsylvania, 90% of Medicaid LTC dollars for older people and adults with physical disabilities who have limited financial resources are steered to nursing homes.

AARP 07/14

- Home in Columbia First of its Kind -

Ming Lohman is a man on the move, he comes and goes as he pleases. That's one of the benefits of living at Tiger Place. It can take care of Lohman as much or as little as he wants...an effort to help people "age in place," ...

Komu 07/14

- The new idea in elder care: Membership -

Stay in your home. Pay an annual fee. Get easy access to a network of help when you need it.

Star Tribune 07/14

- Faced With Caregiving, Even Experts Struggle -

Sadly, the most compelling narratives on eldercare are hidden away in medical and professional journals. Excruciatingly detailed and heartfelt as only ...

New Old Age 07/14

- Professor's version of Chinese caregiver's program could save billions -

"While most elder care in China is still done by family and relatives, they found it necessary to explore new ideas in giving the ...

Biz Lex 07/11

- Where to live is father's decision; family should find way to support him -

Years ago, a West Coast organization providing elder-care services coined the phrase "The best retirement home is your own." That simple little phrase expresses the desires of most retirees intent on maintaining as much independence and dignity as possible in a familiar setting.

Eagle Tribune 07/11

- Nursing Home Red Tape -

The average citizen of Ontario is not surprised that the tape is getting redder and more forms have to be completed before a person can enter a nursing home ...

Intelligencer 07/11

- How To Spot Nursing Home Problems -

"Talk to the people and some of the patients in there and talk to the nurses and the cleaning people and everything. If they're a nice bunch of people and they keep it clean and you don't have a urine smell in there or anything i think you got a pretty good facility," ...

Kimatv 07/11

- Elderly residents face financial challenges -

Elderly adults living alone in Wisconsin need between $16,909 and $22,909 a year for basic living costs. The cost reaches more than $33,000 for elderly couples, according to the report released Wednesday in Green Bay.

HTR News 07/10

- Working seniors get a break -

�Obviously there are cases where (elder abuse and shoddy care) is happening, and it is absolutely unforgivable,� she said. �I would hate to see everybody ...

Chronicle Journal 07/10

- Nursing homes need more support -

Families who have loved ones in nursing homes were unde-rstandably shocked and dismayed to find out how many nursing homes do not meet current standards.

Elmira Independent 07/10

- Ont. called on to improve nursing home conditions -

The Ontario government has to get serious about improving the disgraceful conditions in the province's nursing homes or elderly residents will continue to suffer needlessly and some may even die prematurely, a coalition of health-care unions said Tuesday.

Toronto CVT News 07/09

- It�s Harder to Age at Home -

As an elder care specialist, I have observed the quandary that the homebound elderly face when they must choose between the challenge of safely remaining in their homes and the potential risks that come with diminished services because of increased costs.

Ny Times 07/09

- Study: Many seniors can't afford basic necessities -

The Elder Economic Security Standard Index shows many senior citizens in Wisconsin don't earn enough money to meet their basic living expenses.

Gazette Xtra 07/09

- Elderly hit hard by expenses -

Low-income seniors see gap in income, needs...

Js Online 07/09

- Communities plan for senior housing before boom -

Aware of the growing need for senior housing, some area community leaders have begun investigating potential housing possibilities or are at least thinking about it.

PJ Star 07/08

- Aging boomers inspire senior-living makeovers -

Richland Place Senior Living Center in Portland, Dixie Taylor-Huff, is trying to radically change the way senior living looks and operates � with wide-open hallways outfitted like living rooms, not institutions, and residents who get to do what they want, when they want.

Tennessean 07/08

- Tax credit paves way for housing -

With a $642,654 yearly tax credit under its belt, a local developer�s plans to construct new senior housing in downtown Niles will move forward.

Vindy 07/08

- New Coalition Presses for Quality Standards for Assisted Living Facilities in PA -

"We are committed to championing and supporting individual rights and quality care for everyone." The Pennsylvania Health Law Project is primarily using ...

PR Newswire 07/08

- More take a long-term look -

A new study from Fidelity Investments estimates a 65-year-old couple will need an average of $85000 to cover long-term-care insurance throughout retirement. ...

Chicago Tribune 07/08

- New program for elder care -

Goldberg was recruited to develop a new geriatric fellowship program for physicians who already have completed three-year residency programs in family practice or internal medicine. Last week, the hospital and medical school started accepting applications for the program..."We want to attract people who will become certified specialists in geriatrics and provide better care for the elderly in West Virginia," said Goldberg, geriatrics program director for WVU/CAMC. "We want to produce practicing geriatricians who will become leaders in the field."

Sunday Gazette Mail 07/07

- What I Wish I�d Done Differently -

Looking back on the last few years of my mother�s life, with 20/20 hindsight and the belated knowledge that came from four years of reporting about aging for The New York Times, my single biggest mistake was not finding a doctor with expertise in geriatrics to quarterback her care and attend to the quality of her life, not merely its length.

New Old Age 07/07

- UCF to study nursing homes -

While there have been many first-rate journals and publications on this research and its findings, the main question the team was trying to answer was this: What makes the difference in quality? This question led them to analyze the relationship between efficiency and quality, and through this analysis, the team found that there was a positive association between the two. "In a cross-sectional perspective, there is no trade-off," Wan said. "In the long-haul, there is much effect on efficiency that has a detrimental effect on quality."

University of Central Florida 07/07

- Ask the Expert: Do negligent nursing homes get paid? -

The Problem: My dad died as an indirect result of a nursing home's failure to provide proper care. He had a balance due of $5,600 with the nursing home when he passed. Must I pay it? I have the funds from his last Social Security payments, but I am haunted by the horrific care dad received.

News Day 07/07

- Communes for grownups --Co-housing for Boomers a growing trend -

Cohousing, the current incarnation of what we Baby Boomers used to call communal living, turns out to be a growing senior living trend. Both in Denmark, where co-housing originated in the 1970's, and in the United States where the model has been gaining ground, senior interest is on the rise...In co-housing, self-sufficient units are owned or rented by the individual -- similar to a condominium -- but in addition there is communal space and shared amenities...Babyboomers will reshape retirement not only to our personalities but to financial realities.

Wallet Pop 07/04

- The forgotten Ummah: Confronting the needs of Muslim seniors -

With the rising cost of living and the competitiveness of the American lifestyle, Muslim families, particularly immigrant families, are finding that caring for older parents at home is no longer viable and are increasingly turning to elder care facilities and nursing homes to discharge this sacred trust.

The In Focus News 07/04

- Troubling report on nursing homes -

More than 60 per cent of nursing homes in Ontario and up to 91 per cent in some areas have been cited for violating some of the 400 standards set in place to ensure residents are well cared for...Some homes are not bathing residents even twice a week, The Canadian Press investigation found, while others are leaving residents in soiled diapers for hours at a time.

The Star 07/04

- Care home gets deep clean -

A care home underwent a hospital-style deep clean after two elderly residents contracted the Clostridium difficile bug before they died, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) revealed...Older people are most at risk from infection, with the majority of cases occurring in people over the age of 65. However, residents in nursing and residential homes are often too frail to take part in the procedures, such as hand-washing, used to combat the spread of bugs such as C-diff and MRSA.

UK Press 07/04

- Nursing home fix is expensive -

In 2004, then health minister George Smitherman vowed a revolution in nursing home care after being moved to tears by media reports that showed some residents were receiving a low standard of care.

The Sudbury Star 07/03

- 10 Percent Of Healthy People In Study Had Injury From 'Silent Strokes' -

A recent study found that about 10 percent of the apparently healthy middle-aged participants with no symptoms of stroke were injured from "silent strokes," researchers report in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Science Daily 07/02

- Known Genetic Risk For Alzheimer's In Whites Also Places Blacks At Risk -

A commonly recognized gene that places one at risk for Alzheimer's disease does not discriminate between blacks and whites, according to new research led by Florida State University...Until now, it has been a mainstream belief that the gene is only a risk factor for whites. "The results of our study have clear implications for research and treatment of Alzheimer's disease,"

Science Daily 07/02

- Nursing home patient rights erode -

Families sign away rights to sue...William Kurth fractured his left hip and leg and contracted numerous pressure ulcers during his final months of life in a Wisconsin nursing home. When his family attempted to sue for negligence, a judge dismissed the case because Kurth's wife had agreed, as part of her husband's admission, to have all complaints go through an arbitrator.

Google Groups 07/01

- Worker can't claim overtime with holiday -

Elder-care concerns: Nearly one in four U.S. workers are providing care for an older or disabled adult, according to a survey by Workplace Options, an employee-benefits company. Among those workers providing care, 44 percent have missed time at work as a result.

Chicago Tribune 06/30

- Nursing homes concerned over funds -

The organisation representing nursing homes in Ireland has expressed concern that funding allocated to the Fair Deal scheme could be diverted as part of cost containment measures by the HSE. The Fair Deal proposal was for nursing home fees to be paid from 80% of a resident�s weekly pension, boosted by a 15% levy on the value of their estate after their death.

Irish Health 06/30

- Nursing-Home Bills -

Before Medicaid will cover nursing-home care, consumers must pass income and asset tests. (Reread our May 18 guide to those rules.) But even after Medicaid coverage kicks in, nursing-home residents -- and sometimes their estates -- must contribute to the cost of care. Although Medicaid will pick up as much as 100% of an indigent resident's nursing-home bill if necessary, those with income must effectively split the cost with the government. Nursing-home residents rarely work, but many have income from Social Security, pensions, annuities or other sources.

WSJ 06/30

- Deal to sell bankrupt nursing homes collapses -

A deal to sell the bankrupt Haven Healthcare nursing homes has collapsed two weeks after it was announced, forcing state officials to devise a new plan to operate the chain.

Newsday 06/30