Aging/Older Adults

IRIS is a self-directed, long-term care option for elderly people and adults with disabilities. This Medicaid waiver program sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is available in the 47 counties where Family Care operates. Their website provides information about the program, forms, FAQs, enrollment information and FSA and Participant Handbook.

A new CDC report evaluates the quality of life of older Americans. Using data from the 2004 through 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), this report highlights selected health characteristics of four age groups of older adults—55–64 years, 65–74 years, 75–84 years, and 85 years and over. The data are presented for each of these age groups by sex, race, including Hispanic origin, and by poverty, health insurance, and marital status.

Known as "Mississippi GetHelp", this ADRC is a statewide service. Review their website which offers a self-assessment tool. There logo is also attached.

The Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) conducted three focus groups in the Central Mississippi Planning & Development District/AAA service area. The groups gathered information from individuals with disabilities and older individuals concerning the status of HCBS programs and independent living related services. Discussion was facilitated by IDS and focused on AoA factors impacting successful ADRC implementation: visibility and trust, ease of access, responsiveness, and effectiveness.

More than 130 policymakers, health services researchers, practitioners, and policy experts discussed the measures and evidence to examine whether the expansion of home and community-based services has produced desired outcomes (quality, choice, cost, satisfaction and safety) in the long term for older adults and persons with disabilities. The day was divided into four sessions: (quality, consumer-direction, targeting candidates, determining cost-effectiveness). View the agenda and presentations.

A new first-of-its-kind e-manual has been published about improving practices and informing policies in assisted living communities through the use of a collaborative method of research – community-based participatory research (CBPR). The manual serves as a “how-to” resource for researchers, practitioners, advocates, policy makers, and community members and explains the principles and methods of community-based participatory research with actual examples from the medication management research.

IPAWS is a modernization and integration of the nation’s alert and warning infrastructure. This paper serves to demonstrate how IPAWS addresses the challenges of reaching the whole community, including the 25% of our population who might need assistance. It offers evidence that while IPAWS doesn't solve all of the challenges, it can certainly mitigate them, particularly with greater stakeholder engagement and public awareness. Emerging technologies that could improve accessibility are reviewed.

In two short videos, Lana and Janet, participants in the Missouri MFP program, share their experiences moving out of nursing homes. They also discuss some program details and encourage others to sign up. The videos were produced by the Disability Resource Association to promote MFP.

The key details of the partnership between the Veterans Health Administration and the Administration on Aging, created to provide consumer-directed care to veterans, are given. The document summarizes the partnership structure, standards, and target population. It also discusses the referral, follow-up, and rate setting procedures for the defined set of services and goods to be offered.

Nearly every state provides at least some funds for services for low-income older adults or people with disabilities who have too many assets to qualify for Medicaid. AARP reports on how much each state spends on both multiservice and single-service programs. It also compares funding sources, eligibility criteria, services, cost management strategies, consumer direction, and other characteristics.