Older Americans Report articles from May 2005

Older Americans Report archives from May 2005

The words "one-stop center" conjure up a store where people can find anything they want.(Slants & Trends)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2005... The words "one-stop center" conjure up a store where people can find anything they want, and there are ways in which the aging and disability networks are moving in that direction, doing for consumers of home and community-based services what...

AoA, CMS seek to expand network of one-stop resource centers.(Administration on Aging, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
May 6, 2005... Moving ahead with an initiative that may represent the shape of aging services to come, the Administration on Aging and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has set a July 7 deadline for applications to create the next batch of Aging...

Lenience shown.
May 6, 2005... LENIENCE SHOWN. When imposing civil monetary penalties, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services tends to go easy on nursing homes, according to acting HHS Inspector General Daniel Levinson. For example, the median penalty for cases in...

Nominations due.
May 6, 2005... NOMINATIONS DUE. People of color are invited to participate in a mentoring program run by the American Society on Aging. The New Ventures in Leadership program pairs aging professionals of color with two mentors, one local and one national, who...

The future revealed.
May 6, 2005... THE FUTURE REVEALED. The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe has just published the results of a study of 22,000 people over 50 in 11 countries. Among its findings: Older people with low education tend to be less physically active...

Agencies cite value of program while feds stress efficiency.(Special Report: The Future of CDBG)(Community Development Block Grant)
May 6, 2005... In upstate New York, the program funds emergency repair programs to help seniors stay in their homes. In southern Oklahoma, it helped build six new senior centers across a 10-county area. These are just two examples of activities funded by...

House, Senate take up budget amid competing interests.(Special Report: The Future of CDBG)(Community Development Block Grant)
May 6, 2005... The Community Development Block Grant program has had popular political support since its start in 1974. Advocates are counting on that goodwill this year as they design strategies to preserve the program. On Capitol Hill, supporters of...

For Michigan County, CDBG fills need among seniors with housing needs.(Special Report: The Future of CDBG)(Community Development Block Grant)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2005... Like many counties with housing aid funded by the Community Development Block Grant, Oakland County, Mich., serves more than just senior citizens through its programs. But the 55-and-older population has a major stake in CDBG, says Karry Rieth,...

Advocates nationwide worry about possible service loss.(Special Report: The Future of CDBG)(Community Development Block Grant)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2005... President Bush's CDBG budget initially drew little attention at the Southern Oklahoma Development Association, a regional government council. But because the local area agency on aging works closely with local planning and development staff,...

Key lawmaker moves to fill vacuum on social security left by Bush.(Special Report: The Future of CDBG)
May 6, 2005... After months of watching other Republican lawmakers and President Bush play a game of "You first. No, after you!" on Social Security, House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) has seized an opening and begun crafting legislation that...

Demands on adult children will grow as more baby boomers need help.(Special Report: The Future of CDBG)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2005... About 7 million adult children provide care to their parents, no small number by any means. But this figure belies the extent to which today's adult children have it easy compared to what will happen in a few more years. In 2000, only 12...

Researchers link pesticide exposure, variety of neurological symptoms.(Special Report: The Future of CDBG)
May 6, 2005... Advocates for people with Parkinson's disease may be interested in research on people who are exposed to pesticides, especially insecticides. However, the implications for seniors are unclear, because older people appear to have stronger...

Fact sheets updated.(FYI)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2005... FACT SHEETS UPDATED. Three fact sheets on Medicare from the Kaiser Family Foundation have recently been updated: Medicare at a Glance, The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit and Medicare Advantage. A new one, Medicare Spending and Financing,...

Cloning ban proposed.(FYI)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2005... CLONING BAN PROPOSED. A bipartisan group of senators has introduced legislation to ban research on human cloning. The Human Cloning Ban and Stem Cell Research Protection Act (S. 876) was endorsed by Amy Comstock, executive director of the...

Stem cell guidelines issued.(FYI)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2005... STEM CELL GUIDELINES ISSUED. The National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine last week released guidelines for research on human embryonic stem cells. For example, researchers should not be allowed to pay people to donate...

CMS: hospice update.(Federal Register)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
May 6, 2005... CMS: Hospice update. Proposed rule. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services updates its wage index for 2006 and adopts certain provisions of the Medicare Prescription Drug Act. One permits hospice patients to be attended by a nurse...

HUD: manufactured home installation.(Federal Register)(Department of Housing and Urban Development)
May 6, 2005... HUD: Manufactured home installation. Proposed rule. The Department of Housing and Urban Development proposes new installation standards for manufactured homes, often known as mobile homes. The standards cover several issues, including the...

NIA: Alzheimer's core centers.(Funding Opportunities)(National Institute on Aging )
May 6, 2005... NIA: Alzheimer's Core Centers. The National Institute on Aging has $10.5 million to support up to eight Alzheimer's Disease Core Centers. Twelve such centers exist, but the eight that are up for renewal must compete with any other applicants....

NINDS: cell biology and Parkinson's.(Funding Opportunities)(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
May 6, 2005... NINDS: Cell biology and Parkinson's. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has $1.1 million for research on how genes that play a role in Parkinson's disease achieve that effect. "Studies to identify genes in Parkinson's...

Got a request for proposals?
May 6, 2005... Got a request for proposals? Please send funding announcements to Mark Sherman, editor, Older Americans Report, msherman@bpinews.com.

Implementing disability law.(Calendar Update)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
May 6, 2005... IMPLEMENTING DISABILITY LAW. The Great Plains ADA and Information Technology Center is hosting a National ADA Symposium and Expo May 17-19 in Overland Park, Kan. Speakers will discuss the responsibilities of an ADA coordinator, the evolution of...

Looking inside the agencies.(Calendar Update)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
May 6, 2005... LOOKING INSIDE THE AGENCIES. The Policy Committee of the White House Conference on Aging will meet May 18 in Washington. Speakers include David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, and Michael O'Grady, assistant...

Combating elder abuse.(Calendar Update)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
May 6, 2005... COMBATING ELDER ABUSE. The Virginia Coalition for the Prevention of Elder Abuse will meet June 2-3 in Virginia Beach, Va. Workshop titles include "Getting a Handle on Hoarding Behavior," "Interviewing the Abuse Victim Who Suffers from Dementia"...

In the cacophony of proposals to change Social Security.(Slants & Trends)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... In the cacophony of proposals to change Social Security, one stands out for the institutional memory of its author, Robert Ball, who joined the Social Security Administration in 1939 and ran it from 1962 to 1973. Two weeks ago, at the age...

CMS issues final wheelchair criteria, but advocates remain disappointed.(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)
May 13, 2005... An effort to persuade the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to change its rule on mobility assistive equipment so that people can qualify for such devices even if they do not need them at home failed last week when the agency issued...

Wheelchair coverage criteria likely to be challenged in court.(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... Now that CMS has made clear that it will continue denying claims for mobility assistive equipment not needed in the home (see previous story), advocates of a different policy have two choices: They can ask Congress to intervene, or they can...

One battle won, state veterans homes seek wider collaboration with VA.
May 13, 2005... A proposal by President Bush to make payments to fewer residents of state veterans homes is a long shot, now that the House and Senate have restored those funds as part of the budget resolution. Representatives of state facilities remain...

Finding the money.
May 13, 2005... The Administration on Aging will host another teleconference on how to apply for grants electronically on May 17 at 3 p.m. Write to grants.gov_telecon@aoa.hhs.gov, providing name, agency and preferred date. Participants in previous such events...

Mediating with help.
May 13, 2005... People with disabilities may need accommodations when entering into mediation with their employers, whether the dispute is disability-related or not. For example, someone with hearing loss may need a sign-language interpreter, and mediators...

Elder justice bill still being drafted; advocates eager to move forward.(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... Members of the Elder Justice Coalition are laying the groundwork for another push on the Elder Justice Act, which passed the Senate Finance Committee in the previous Congress but never got a vote on the floor. The sticking point is a...

Medicaid panel spurs partisan friction despite attempt to avoid rancor.
May 13, 2005... A commission to study Medicaid has not been formed yet, but already, Democrats and Republicans are sparring over its purpose, procedures and degree of transparency. The bumpy start is not what Senate Aging Committee Chairman Gordon Smith...

New plan seeks assurances on seniors' mail delivery.(Housing)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... Adults living in senior-only housing communities need mail delivery directly to their doors, says a New Jersey congressman who is introducing legislation requiring that the U.S. Postal Service follow such a standard. The bill from Rep. Jim...

House appropriators send signal that may help preserve CDBG.(Housing)(Community Development Block Grant)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... A decision by a House of Representatives panel may pave the way for continuation of the Community Development Block Grant in 2006. The House Appropriations Committee has rejected White House recommendations to cut Department of Housing and...

Bill proposes more leniency for seniors in public housing.(Housing)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... New legislation from Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) would make it harder to evict seniors from public housing for the behavior of their family members, roommates or guests. The One Strike and You're Out! Act would protect elderly public...

Popular CAPS program educates quality age-in-place specialists.(Housing)(Certified Age-in-Place Specialists)
May 13, 2005... Building contractors, occupational therapists and social workers may have little in common, but all are showing interest in a new professional development effort: the designation of Certified Age-in-Place Specialists (CAPS) to help elderly...

Challenge to feeding assistant rule still alive after latest court action.(Housing)
May 13, 2005... A bid to overturn nursing homes' ability to supplement their staff with feeding assistants may come to a head before Memorial Day, according to attorneys for the plaintiffs. CMS created the feeding assistant option in 2003 and required at...

ACF: domestic violence.(Funding Opportunities)(Administration for Children and Families)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... ACF: Domestic violence. The Administration for Children and Families at HHS has $1.6 million to reach out to victims of domestic violence from underserved or diverse populations. Up to four awards will be made; there is no cost sharing. The...

CDC: disparities in pneumonia vaccinations.(Funding Opportunities)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... CDC: Disparities in pneumonia vaccinations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has $250,000 to find out why older blacks and Hispanics are not immunized against pneumonia as often as older whites and whether these disparities are...

CMS: employment of people with disabilities.(Funding Opportunities)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... CMS: Employment of people with disabilities. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has $41 million to help people with disabilities find work in the competitive job market. The funds will help states develop a better infrastructure of...

NIJ: elder abuse.(Funding Opportunities)(National Institute of Justice)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... NIJ: Elder abuse. The National Institute of Justice has an unspecified sum to support research on the abuse of people over 65, women over 50 and people of any age living in long-term care institutions, including nursing homes, assisted living...

ORR: older refugees.(Funding Opportunities)(Office of Refugee Resettlement)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... ORR: Older refugees. The Office of Refugee Resettlement has $1.3 million to help state refugee offices collaborate with state units on aging. The goal is to make sure older refugees have access to all the services of the aging network and to...

AHRQ: HCAHPS test.(Federal Register)(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... AHRQ: HCAHPS test. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is looking for hospitals willing to test the latest draft of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans. This 27-item survey will be given a dry run later this year; in the...

CMS: home health advance notices.(Federal Register)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... CMS: Home health advance notices. Information collection. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requests emergency clearance from the Office of Management and Budget for its Home Health Advance Beneficiary Notice. Home health agencies...

CMS: inpatient hospital rates.(Federal Register)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... CMS: Inpatient hospital rates. Proposed rule. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services updates its inpatient prospective payment system rates, proposes rate-of-increase limits and changes its system for classifying cases into...

VA: presumption of soundness.(Federal Register)(Department of Veterans Affairs)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... VA: Presumption of soundness. Final rule. In keeping with a ruling by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the Department of Veterans Affairs assumes the burden of proving that a veteran had a disability before he or she joined the...

FDA: drug watch.(Federal Register)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... FDA: drug watch. The Food and Drug Administration explains how it will implement an initiative under which it will more quickly disclose new information about the safety of drugs it has already approved, such as Vioxx. The information will be...

HHS: Civil Rights Restoration Act.(Federal Register)(Department of Health and Human Services)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... HHS: Civil Rights Restoration Act. Final rule. The Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services reaffirms that the receipt of federal assistance obliges recipients to comply with federal antidiscrimination law in all of...

VA: rights and responsibilities.(Federal Register)(Department of Veterans Affairs)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... VA: Rights and responsibilities. Proposed rule. The Department of Veterans Affairs is rewriting in plain language its regulations concerning the rights and responsibilities of claimants and beneficiaries. Comments on RIN 2900-AL82 are due July...

CMS: long-term care hospitals.(Federal Register)(Brief Article)
May 13, 2005... CMS: Long-term care hospitals. Final rule. For the year starting July 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services updates its reimbursement rates for long-term care hospitals, sometimes defined as hospitals where the average length of...

Campaign aims to provide unified voice on need for better end-of-life care.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... Seizing an opportunity to raise public awareness about end-of-life choices after the death of Terri Schiavo, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization is enlisting hundreds of organizations in a campaign called LIVE, which stands...

AoA touts record of accomplishment but says little on reauthorization.(Older Americans Act)
May 20, 2005... The Older Americans Act is up for reauthorization this year, but at a hearing Tuesday, officials from the Administration on Aging offered only hints about what if any changes they might seek or recommend. In written testimony to the...

Website helps Californians navigate maze of disability laws, agencies.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... Most Americans have heard of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but that is not the only law affecting people with disabilities and many states have similar laws of their own. Hoping to help people in at least one state untangle this...

Special bench makes all the difference for seniors, other bus riders.
May 20, 2005... When it comes to making buses accessible and user-friendly for seniors and people with disabilities, most of the attention, not to mention most of the money, has gone into things with moving parts: buses, vans and lifts. But for many...

Nursing home residents respond well when given more responsibility.
May 20, 2005... "Culture change" is the buzzword in the nursing home business these days, but for Gayle Doll, that is a bit vague. In fact, the interim director of the Galichia Center on Aging at Kansas State University prefers to talk about building...

Drug board named.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... DRUG BOARD NAMED. Food and Drug Administration Acting Commissioner Lester Crawford this week named 15 people to the Drug Safety Oversight Board, which is charged with disclosing new safety information about drugs that have already been approved...

Asking for support.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... ASKING FOR SUPPORT. The National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices has asked the Federal Trade Commission to stop opposing state legislation to regulate the pharmacy benefit managers, who act as middlemen to state drug...

Philadelphia agency designs new version of NORC service.(Housing)(naturally occurring retirement communities)
May 20, 2005... In many cities, seniors benefit from naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs), or services in apartment houses with large concentrations of elderly. But a Philadelphia agency is breaking new ground with NORCs by offering services...

NAHB expands senior councils.(Housing)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... Phoenix and Minneapolis-St. Paul are the latest regional areas to start local senior housing councils, the National Association of Home Builders reports. Councils for the Builders Association of the Twin Cities and the Home Builders Association...

Needy seniors may face reductions from housing voucher reform bill.(Housing)
May 20, 2005... A House-proposed bill to reform the federal government's housing voucher program would harm the nation's low-income senior citizens, a housing advocate told Congress this week. H.R. 1999 would change the income eligibility formula for...

West states are primary focus for active adult communities.(Housing)
May 20, 2005... Despite the spread of active adult housing communities nationwide, four areas in the western U.S. account for nearly half of all purchases by senior citizens, a new survey says. Phoenix, southern California, Las Vegas and Sacramento,...

Family meetings could be useful, but many people hesitate.(Housing)
May 20, 2005... The idea of a family meeting may conjure up memories of parents trying to settle feuds between siblings or enforce the Saturday chore list, and it may seem that a few emails ought to take care of things, but there is no substitute for...

More on death and dying.
May 20, 2005... Other videos from Aquarius Healthcare Videos include Ready or Not: Exploring End-of-Life Issues; Palliative Care and the Elderly: Healing with Animals; and Grown-Up Tears: Adults Grieving the Death of a Parent. Also of note: Beloved Strangers:...

Naming a proxy is more important than creating a living will.(Housing)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... The controversy over Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged woman who died March 31 after state and federal courts rebuffed attempts by Congress and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) to intervene, was twofold: What, if anything, might be done for her in lieu...

ACF: voting access.(Funding Opportunities)(Administration for Children and Families)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... ACF: Voting access. The Administration for Children and Families has $347,000 to provide technical assistance to organizations that make it easier for people with disabilities to vote. Up to four awards will be made. The deadline is June 23....

CDC: flu vaccines for older people.(Funding Opportunities)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... CDC: Flu vaccines for older people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will make one $100,000 grant to demonstrate the viability of using hospital emergency departments to boost influenza vaccination rates among people over 65. The...

CMS: emergency services for aliens.(Federal Register)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... CMS: Emergency services for aliens. Information collection. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has obtained emergency clearance for a form that health care providers will use to seek reimbursement for care to undocumented aliens...

DEA: controlled substances at LTC facilities.(Federal Register)(Drug Enforcement Administration; long term care facilities)(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... DEA: Controlled substances at LTC facilities. Final rule. The Drug Enforcement Administration permits pharmacies to install machines that dispense single doses of controlled substances at long-term care facilities. This will eliminate the need...

FCC: video news releases.(Federal Register)(Federal Communications Commission )(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... FCC: Video news releases. The Federal Communications Commission reminds broadcast and cable operators of their obligation to divulge the sponsor of prepackaged material if it pertains to controversial issues, such as the Medicare drug law (OAR,...

White house aging event pushed back to accommodate growing interest.(Brief Article)
May 20, 2005... Citing a surge in requests to participate, especially by exhibitors, the Policy Committee of the White House Conference on Aging voted this week to hold the event Dec. 11-14, seven weeks later than originally scheduled. The change was not...

Format of Medicaid Commission may alienate GOP moderates.
May 27, 2005... When HHS chief Michael Leavitt announced last week that he would create a Medicaid Commission and appoint all the voting members himself, he took a calculated risk: that seven moderate Republican senators who wanted an independent panel would...

Leavitt creates his own Medicaid panel; democrats refuse to participate.(Michael Leavitt)
May 27, 2005... As promised during negotiations over the budget resolution, HHS chief Michael Leavitt is moving to create a commission to study Medicaid, with nominations due next Friday. The panel will be organized in-house, however, raising questions about...

House passes Stem Cell Research bill but Bush reiterates opposition.(George W. Bush)
May 27, 2005... Rebuffing GOP leaders and ignoring a veto threat by President Bush, 50 Republican House members joined 188 Democrats Tuesday to circumvent a limit on which stem cells can be studied with federal funds. The measure's prospects remain...

New rule leaves Medicare reps out of loop, advocates say.
May 27, 2005... Saying that adult children and other appointed representatives of Medicare beneficiaries need to know about denied claims right away, the Center for Medicare Advocacy sued CMS this week in an attempt to keep all parties informed. The case...

Meals programs should be able to charge copays, expert says.
May 27, 2005... Two changes to the Older Americans Act would make life easier for agencies that provide home-delivered and congregate meals, according to Jane Metzger, executive director of Meals and Wheels of Shawnee and Jefferson Counties in Topeka, Kan.,...

Sarasota-area seniors, others seek new pet-friendly policies.(Housing)
May 27, 2005... A friendly cat or dog can improve a senior citizen's health and outlook. That's why a Florida agency is leading an effort against no-pet housing so that area seniors can gain companionship with a favorite animal. The Open Door program of...

Experts document new trends in active-adult housing plans.(Housing)
May 27, 2005... Home offices are in, as are high-end kitchens, urban settings and smaller developments that have their share of attractive scenery. These are among the trends spotted by senior housing experts attending last week's Building for Boomers &...

NAHB selects 'icons' for work in developing senior housing.(Housing)(National Association of Home Builders of the United States)(Brief Article)
May 27, 2005... Five individuals and companies with a record of innovation in senior housing received "icon" status from the National Association of Home Builders at its annual senior housing symposium. Winners include Ara Hovnanian of K. Hovnanian Homes,...

Guide published.(Housing Resources)(Assisted Living State Regulatory Review 2005)(Brief Article)
May 27, 2005... GUIDE PUBLISHED. The National Center for Assisted Living has published its Assisted Living State Regulatory Review 2005, which provides state-by-state summaries of regulations in 20 categories and provides contact information for each state...

Book tracks trends.(Housing Resources)(Brief Article)
May 27, 2005... BOOK TRACKS TRENDS. Boomers on the Horizon: Housing Preferences for the 55+ Market by Margaret Wylde examines the housing demands of Baby Boomers. The book from BuilderBooks.com is $62 for members of the National Association of Home Builders...

AoA: technical assistance on legal help.(Funding Opportunities)(United States. Administration on Aging)(Brief Article)
May 27, 2005... AoA: Technical assistance on legal help. The Administration on Aging has $2.25 million to help legal assistance providers coordinate the delivery of legal services to seniors. The grants are framed as a way to support the New Freedom...

CDC: colorectal screening.(Funding Opportunities)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)(Brief Article)
May 27, 2005... CDC: Colorectal screening. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has $2 million to find ways to screen more people for colorectal cancer, especially people over 50 with low incomes and inadequate health coverage. The deadline is July...

CDC: diabetes among American Indians.(Funding Opportunities)(United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)(Brief Article)
May 27, 2005... CDC: Diabetes among American Indians. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has $525,000 to help tribes take practical steps to reduce the prevalence of diabetes among American Indians, who were once thought to have a natural immunity...

Easter Seals: statements of need.(Pre-Funding Announcements)
May 27, 2005... EASTER SEALS: Statements of need. Easter Seals solicits statements of need from community transportation providers in advance of a request for proposals due later this year. Required funding should not exceed $200,000, but a detailed budget is...

TCRP: problem statements.(Pre-Funding Announcements)
May 27, 2005... TCRP: Problem statements. The Transit Cooperative Research Program, part of the Transportation Research Board, welcomes problem statements that could serve as the basis for a request for proposals. This could include research on the...