Aging/Older Adults

This site offers a wealth of information for anyone seeking clarification about the Balancing Incentive Program. It also provides numerous resources States will find useful when pursuing the benefits offered by the Program, including: The Program Application; The Implementation Manual; A user-friendly Work Plan; A user-friendly CSA/CDS crosswalk; Frequently Asked Questions; Webinars; Additional resources on the web; and beyond.

The Affordable Care Act requires the Office of Inspector General to submit a report to Congress evaluating the law’s Nationwide Program for National & State Background Checks on Direct Patient Access Employees of Long Term-Care (LTC) Facilities within six months of the program’s completion. OIG recently conducted a survey of LTC provider administrators, & asked them about current practices regarding background checks on potential employees, & the effects of such programs on the LTC workforce.

The care transitions challenge aims to stimulate the use of simple, information technology-enabled processes and tools to make transitions easier and safer for patients, caregivers and providers, particularly when a patient is discharged from a hospital. The first health IT challenge, Ensuring Safe Transitions from Hospital to Home, called upon developers to create a web-based application that could empower patients and caregivers to better navigate and manage a transition from a hospital.

The Administration on Aging (AoA) has a new page on its website that highlights program and funding opportunities within the Affordable Care Act that relate to the mission and vision of AoA and the Aging Network. Topics covered include Medicare and Medicaid, prevention, and webinars and technical assistance resources.

Organizations are assisted in enrolling seniors & younger adults with disabilities with limited means into the benefits programs for which they are eligible so that they can remain healthy & improve the quality of their lives. New features available on the site include fact sheets with detailed info about core benefits programs, a clearinghouse of promising practices, & a library of sample benefits outreach materials, webinar slides, & publications—all searchable by topic, state, & keyword.

Enrollment in MFP continued to grow steadily with 15,818 cumulative transitions to the community as of June 30, 2011, a 33 percent increase from the end of 2010. The states reported 3,722 new transitions during the six-month period from January to June 2011, 9 percent more than in the previous six-month period. The report provides an overview of state MFP grantee progress on key performance indicators and challenges states reported when implementing their transition programs.

PHI, in partnership with Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders (SAGE) created a “train the trainer” curriculum for long term care providers and other aging organizations. These trainings are available through the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. These trainings assist organizations in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for their elders who are LGBT and provide best practices and knowledge of LGBT elder issues, concerns, and fears.

State aging & disability agencies are operating in an era of state agency reorganization, re-conceptualization of state government, & restructuring of long-term services & supports delivery systems & financing. Key elements driving continued change include the economic environment, ACA implementation, uncertainty in the federal budget particularly with the failure of the Congressional Super Committee, changes in state level leadership, & the 2012 elections.

As state and federal agencies strive to meet the growing needs of people with disabilities while using fewer resources, better disability data are needed for monitoring and improving the health, economic status, and overall well-being of this population. The report identifies limitations in national survey data on disability and outlines a wide range of potential short- and long-term options for addressing them, including developing and fielding a national disability survey.

This report examines state policies that are needed to help older adults age in place. These policies include integrating land use, housing and transportation; efficiently delivering services in the home; providing more transportation choices, particularly for older adults who no longer drive; and improving affordable, accessible housing to prevent social isolation.