family caregivers

Forget National Caregivers Month. Think About What Family Caregivers Need

Welcome to November, National Family Caregivers Month, one of those Hallmark Card-like designations that politicians grant when they can’t, or won’t, actually act to help people. But instead of getting frustrated over what Congress isn’t doing, it seems like a good opportunity to think about what support those family members need. Many groups have surveyed family caregivers over the years [...]

By |2023-11-07T13:21:28-05:00November 7th, 2023|family caregivers|0 Comments

Which States Provide The Best—And Worst—Long-Term Care Services?

Minnesota and Washington are the states that provide the best services and supports for frail older adults, younger people with disabilities, and their families, according to a new study by AARP. The worst performers: Alabama and West Virginia. AARP defines superior supports and services as those that are affordable and accessible, give families a choice of high-quality and safe care [...]

By |2023-09-29T14:59:11-04:00October 2nd, 2023|long-term care|0 Comments

The Quiet Struggles Of Those Living Alone With Memory Loss

Living with memory loss and other cognitive limitations is hard. But when you can’t remember or can’t process information well enough to make important decisions, and you have no one by your side to support you, life can be extra tough. Researchers at the University of California San Francisco ((UCSF) estimate that about 4.3 million older adults with cognitive impairment [...]

By |2023-07-18T10:37:57-04:00July 18th, 2023|dementia, Uncategorized|0 Comments

How The House GOPs Medicaid Work Rule Would Hurt Family Caregivers and People With Disabilities

The sponsors of the House Republican debt limit bill, the Limit, Save, Grow Act, say its goal is to encourage low-income people to work. But it may have exactly the opposite effect, especially for people with disabilities. And, at the same time, it may throw family caregivers into an impossible situation—having to choose between caring for their loved ones or [...]

By |2023-05-22T16:31:12-04:00May 22nd, 2023|Medicaid, Uncategorized|0 Comments

One Reason We Can’t Find Homecare Workers: Their Growing Fear Of Violence

The fear of violence against home care aides, nurses, and therapists may be adding to the already-severe shortage of care workers and adding to the burden on family caregivers. In our increasingly aggressive society, home care workers say they are being assaulted by angry and frustrated family members as well as people in the neighborhoods they visit. In some cases, [...]

By |2023-02-21T11:15:54-05:00February 21st, 2023|aging in place|0 Comments

Maine Has A Plan To Help Family Caregivers. Other States Should Follow

Family caregivers are overwhelmed, usually untrained, and often under enormous financial stress. If they are lucky, they have a community to help support them. But unless those receiving care are on Medicaid, they get little help from government. Now, Maine has begun a program aimed at helping family members care for aging or disabled relatives and help themselves. Called “Respite [...]

By |2022-12-15T15:02:15-05:00December 15th, 2022|family caregivers|0 Comments

What You Should Know About The Anti-Alzheimer’s Drug Lecanemab

What should people living with dementia and their families take away from the recent data published on lecanemab, the Alzheimer’s drug developed by Biogen and the Japanese firm Eisai? The drugmakers’ announcement of their Phase 3 trial results got lots of attention in the popular press. Some stories heralded the drug as a “breakthough.” But even experts disagree about the [...]

By |2022-12-08T11:13:27-05:00December 8th, 2022|dementia|0 Comments

A Way For Nursing Homes To Balance Resident Independence And Safety

The Covid-19 pandemic shined a light on how hard it is for long-term care facilities such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities to balance residents’ health risks with their desire for independence and autonomy. A few have found the secret sauce. Most have not. A new study by the RAND Corporation, a California research firm, shows how facilities can [...]

By |2022-12-01T11:13:12-05:00December 1st, 2022|nursing homes|0 Comments

The US Needs To Help Seniors And Their Families Navigate Long-Term Care

Your mom has been hospitalized for two weeks following a stroke. One morning, she’s told she’ll be discharged by the end of the day. Mom calls you in a panic. You rush to the hospital and ask for advice. Instead, you get a much-copied list of local skilled nursing facilities and a wave good-by. This scene is played out thousands [...]

By |2022-10-11T13:25:05-04:00October 11th, 2022|long-term care|0 Comments

A Valuable New Framework For Improving The Care Of Frail Older Adults

Imagine, for a moment, a functioning, well-developed system for improving the lives of frail older adults. Imagine that, instead of our current chaotic, dangerous, and needlessly expensive patchwork of care for seniors, the US had a well-coordinated care model that leverages and supports paid aides, family caregivers, safe and appropriate housing, and new technology. And imagine a system that makes [...]

By |2022-09-07T11:06:12-04:00September 7th, 2022|long term care reform, Uncategorized|0 Comments