Is Government Finally Getting It?

New stuff is happening in the health care, senior services and disability/independence policy world. Here are some recent happenings:

President Obama has reauthorized the Children's Health Insurance Program, expanding access to health care to an additional 4 million children. http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=138

"Mind-Body Medicine Practices in Complementary and Alternative Medicine" has been added to Research Results for the Public, a collection of fact sheets for National Institutes of Health (NIH). To view these updates, please go to http://www.nih.gov/about/researchresultsforthepublic/index.htm.

"U.S. Department of Health & Human Services" Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:12:04 -0600 (CST)Subject: Caregivers' activities Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:01:00 -0600
Being an active caregiver for someone can wear a person down physically. But a study indicates that being a physically active caregiver – taking time for exercise, for instance – can offset some of the toll.

CareSpace Blog

Care givers are diverse. Visit the Blog linked above and enjoy the diversity of their stories.

Compassionate & Neutral Info About Long-Term Care Scarce

Much of what you can find on the internet is info about long-term care from attorneys and insurance agents. However hepful that is when you want to buy LTC insurance and/or set up a trust, it loads the discussion with a pressure not always helpful in a situation when you are trying to figure out how to keep yourself or someone you love comfortable and safe at home for as long as possible. LTC services for any one person are unique, requiring careful and neutral discussions about quality of life, daily activities and how you feel about receiving help from others. Too much help at home is overbearing and expensive and caregivers take over the home that is uniquely and peacefully yours. Too little can leave you unsafe; yet you may desire to accept risk. These are delicate and very private discussions; not to be driven solely financial interests. Finances are a large factor in the discussion. But all the more reason to find a neutral party to help sort it all out. Social workers are excellent sources for this sorting out and if you find a geriatrician or gerontologist, you hit the pay dirt of the long-term care process. ASK EVERY QUESTION YOU CAN THINK OF so that the days receiving help from others will be as rich as the life you've had up until now.

Challenges to Home-Based LTC

A number of state and federal initiatives are in progress expanding opportunities to build home and community alternatives to costly nursing facility stays. I invite providers, consumers, family caregivers, personal care givers and anyone else to write about the challenges -- success too, in getting services at home and in the workplace. Focus of this blog is California.