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This web site will help individuals who receive Medicaid and Medicare benefits, known as dual eligibles, their families and caregivers, and advocates for people with disabilities understand the new Medicare prescription drug coverage, called Part D. Part of the Medicaid Reference Desk, this web-tool also offers a timeline of key dates, a glossary of terms, information for making coverage decisions and tools for plan comparisons.

Health literacy can be defined as “the degree to which people can obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services they need to make appropriate health decisions. Awareness that people with low health literacy skills face difficulties accessing and navigating the health care system has prompted greater emphasis on making communications clear and easy-to-read. This issue brief offers recommendations and resources particularly for resource centers.

What are the responsibilities of 2005 ADRC grantees? The Grantee Requirements and Cooperative Agreement between grantees, AoA and CMS offers full details. All projects must submit a work plan that highlights key goals and objectives for the project. This resource offers guidance to grantees as they develop a plan.

This report summarizes the results of the Massachusetts qualitative consumer satisfaction surveys with both ADRC consumers and surveys of the Consumer Board and Community Partners Advisory Board. The report contains the survey tool, methodology, findings and recommendations to improve satisfaction among these key stakeholder groups as part of the ADRC project’s continuous quality improvement approach.

The Quality Choices for Maine project was conducted from 2001-2004. This report focuses on Access to Services, one part of the three-year RCSC Quality Grant. The specific housing related goal was “to improve access to community housing for people with disabilities of all types.” Project activities were overseen by the Access to Services Technical Assistance Group and a variety of stakeholders. Read the activity summaries, lessons learned and recommendations on how to sustain the work.

Most long-term care provided to older persons living in the community is provided by family and friends. Among family caregivers, adult children are most likely to assume the role of primary caregiver. This <i>Profile</i> provides data about adult children who are primary caregivers to an older parent that needs assistance performing one or more basic everyday activities.

This report analyzes survey data to describe the characteristics of two groups of nursing home residents who are 65 years or older: those discharged back to the community over a one year time period and those who remain in nursing homes longer than 90 days. As some states turn their attention to returning nursing home residents to the community, this report offers insights on who to target in transition programs and what level and types of community resources are needed.

Are citizens with disabilities able to participate in all desired aspects of community life in the town in which they live? The Real Choice System Change Community Inclusion Assessment was launched “to determine the level and quality of inclusion in Connecticut communities.” Consumers with disabilities and their families were recruited to answer this survey both on-line and via telephone.

As part of the New Freedom Initiative, 17 states have been awarded Real Choice System Changes grants. The $25.8 million in grants is to help people of all ages with disabilities or long-term illnesses live in their homes and participate fully in community life. Review the list of Systems Transformation Grant Awardees and Family to Family Health Information and Education Center Awardees.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the unique needs of people with disabilities must be surveyed and responded to. If you’re seeking help, review our collection of resources, initiatives and written material about available assistance and supports.