Kaiser Health News published my column today on what Medicaid cuts would mean for seniors and others with disabilities. While most of the public and many policymakers never think about the importance of the Medicaid safety net for these people, the program is the nation's largest single payer of of long-term care supports and services. If future Medicaid benefits are reduced and most middle-class [...]
Home equity can be a valuable tool for cash-strapped seniors who need to fund their long-term care needs. But one method, reverse mortgages, is running into a raft of new problems, including higher interest costs and a lawsuit by AARP that promises to be a public relations nightmare for the industry. Unlike traditional mortgage loans, RMs are a way for those 62 and [...]
It is an article of faith among many in the elder and disability advocacy communities that aging in place is always the best alternative for someone who needs personal care. I don't believe it, and I recently heard an important panel discussion that confirmed that view. The panel, sponsored by Washington Grantmakers, was especially interesting because the participants were all supporters of [...]
In an important new study, Lynne P. Snyder and Christopher Baker show the importance of energy assistance for elders living at home. The paper, Affordable Home Energy and Health: Making the Connections, was published by AARP. It is another example of why it is not enough for states to provide Medicaid waiver programs to help people receive long-term care at home. Without additional [...]
The Stanford University Center on Longevity has just released a trove of information on the health, living arrangements, and demographics of an aging America. The study, "New Realities of an Older America" tells the story of an independent, remarkably healthy population, but one that will present unique challenges as it lives well into its 80s and, eventually, reaches frail old age. For example, authors Adele Hayutin, [...]
Today, The Washington Post and Kaiser Health News jointly published an article I wrote on aging in place villages--an important element in the effort to help seniors remain in their communities. There are close to 50 villages now operating around the country, and at least 600 communities interested enough to send representatives to workshops held over the past year by the non-profit community development group NCB Capital [...]