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News Report | Policy/Regulation Report | Aging Services Report
News Report
May Budget Revision Will Include Skilled Nursing Fee
Aging Services of California has learned that an attempt to repeal the exemption from the quality assurance fee for skilled nursing services in continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and multi-level retirement communities (MLRCs) will be included in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's May revision of the California budget. As reported in this month's issue of agenda, extending the fee to these communities could cost providers an additional $200,000 to $400,000 annually.
The issue is of particular concern to CCRC and MLRC residents, as the cost would be passed along to them as an unplanned-for increase in their monthly fees. Aging Services has been using the limited time before the scheduled mid-May release of the budget revision to fully educate residents, staff and family members on the impact of this issue and to encourage forceful, timely and organized opposition.
Once the proposal is formally introduced, Aging Services will immediately alert its members. In the interim, further details about the fee and the opposition campaign are available on the association website. For more information, contact Aging Services staffers Jack Christy at jchristy@aging.org or 916-469-3366 or Eric Dowdy at edowdy@aging.org or 916-469-3376.
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Policy/Regulations Report
Congress Holds First-Ever Briefing on LGBT Aging
On April 21, Congress held its first-ever briefing specifically on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender aging issues. Hosted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and Services and Advocacy for LGBT Elders as part of their National LGBT Aging Roundtable, the briefing was an opportunity to more thoroughly identify the barriers that this population faces in gaining access to healthcare. In addition to presentations from a number of leaders in the field, the briefing also included a discussion of the recommendations included in Outing Age 2010 (excerpts of which were published as the feature in the March issue of agenda). For additional information, read AAHSA's "Future of Aging" blog. To download Outing Age 2010 as a free 162-page PDF, visit the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force website.
Kaiser Family Foundation Examines CLASS Act
According to a recent examination by Kaiser Health News, a publication of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, a provision in the healthcare reform bill signed by President Barack Obama earlier this year could provide much-needed help to the 10 million Americans who require some level of long-term care. The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act -- known as the CLASS Act -- creates a voluntary long-term care program that will provide a cash benefit to enrollees who need assistance with at least two activities of daily living, such as eating, bathing and dressing.
The CLASS Act was a priority for the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging during the healthcare reform debate and will be described in more detail in the June issue of agenda. To read the full report from Kaiser Health News, click here.
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Aging Services Report
Keynoter Gail Sheehy Draws Enthusiastic Crowd
The opening keynote address by author Gail Sheehy drew an enthusiastic crowd at the 2010 annual conference of Aging Services of California, which took place earlier this month in Long Beach, Calif. Best known for Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life (1984), which remained on the best-seller list of The New York Times for more than three years, Sheehy talked about her just-released book, Passages in Caregiving: Turning Chaos Into Confidence (New York City: William Morrow, 2010), in which she describes her journey through the broken healthcare system in the United States.
The conference overall was a great success, with attendance up nearly 30 percent from last year. Handouts from individual workshops are available on the website of Aging Services. Look to the June issue of agenda for a detailed recap of the conference.
Aging Services Publishes Annual Report to Members
Aging Services of California recently released its annual report to its members, offering a comprehensive look at its work in 2009. According to the introduction, "Not only did the year see a change in leadership for the association, it marked the height of this country's worst economic crisis since the 1930s, forcing a number of our members to fundamentally transform how they care for this state's older adults."
This excerpt sets the stage for a presentation of the association's major accomplishments of last year, from successfully maneuvering a housing bill through the California State Legislature process to conducting a member satisfaction survey. The 2009 Report to Members made its debut at the 2010 annual conference held in Long Beach earlier this month; the full text is now available on the Aging Services website.
AAHSA Homecoming Week: It's Not Too Late to Participate
AAHSA launched its Homecoming Week two years ago in an effort to help residents and providers share their stories with their neighbors and with the decision-makers in their cities and counties. Through hundreds of events ranging from senior proms to Memorial Day barbecues, communities embraced the opportunity to open their doors and invite people of all ages to see the future of aging services.
According to AAHSA, this year's Homecoming Week is taking place May 31 to June 4. To learn more about the annual celebration and for a practical toolkit that contains activity ideas, sample invitations and other resources for planning Homecoming Week events, visit the website of Aging Services of California.
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