Project Lifesaver Touches Communities Nationwide
April 1, 2008
This week marks the 1,666th find nationally for the search and rescue of a Project Lifesaver client.
You may ask why this is important; the answer in itself is simple. One life saved, is one less tragedy a family must endure and one less sad story featured on the news leaving citizens wondering what could be done to help prevent such events.
Gene Saunders, Chief Executive Officer of Project Lifesaver International stated, “Without the Project Lifesaver Program, so many searches could have resulted with tragic endings. The amount of money, resources, and time spent searching for clients on this program are drastically reduced and most importantly lives are saved.”
One of the many goals of Project Lifesaver is to provide awareness that this program exist and works. As awareness increases regarding Alzheimer’s, Autism and other related medical conditions that cause people to wander away from the safety of their homes, more citizens search for programs like Project Lifesaver that would assist them in safeguarding their loved ones.
Project Lifesaver International was founded in Chesapeake, Virginia in April of 1999, as an initiative of the 43rd Search and Rescue Company of the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office.
People who are enrolled in the Project Lifesaver Program wear a personalized wristband that emits a tracking signal. When caregivers notify the local Project Lifesaver agency that the person is missing, a search and rescue team responds to the wanderer’s area and starts searching with a mobile locater tracking system. Search times have been reduced from hours and days to just minutes, the average rescue time if notified is less than 30-minutes.
Currently, there are over 653 agencies in 42 states and Canada participating in the Project Lifesaver® program Bringing Loved Ones Home®. Since Project Lifesaver International is a non-profit (501 (c) (3)) organization, funding is a result of private and corporate donations and grants. Donations are used directly for programs, rescues and educational expenses.
Before Project Lifesaver, searches across the country were averaging 9 hours and costing taxpayers approximately $1,500 per hour. Many searches actually took days, with hundreds of responders, resulting in much higher costs and many with tragic endings. One search in Chesapeake in 1979 cost the city $342,000 and was unsuccessful. The basic cost to start this program in an agency is less than $8,000, finding someone alive is priceless.
The bottom line is that this program works in saving lives, providing training to interested agencies and saving the taxpayers money. Project Lifesaver International has received no Federal Government Funding!
In the meantime, go to the following link and you will be able to view our most recent video about Project Lifesaver. Our web site also has more information on the cost and benefits http://www.projectlifesaver.org.
Project Lifesaver
Alzheimer’s Society Comment On Care Homes, The Human Rights Act And Department Of Health Announcement On Elder Abuse Research, UK
March 28, 2008
Two thirds of the country’s care home residents are living with dementia.
This hat-trick of announcements will play an important part in tackling the abuse and neglect of people with this devastating condition and help ensure failing homes are forced to improve standards.
Human rights are not privileges, but rights, which are now guaranteed for many more care home residents with dementia due to amendments to the Health and Social Care bill. The welcomed closure of this legal loophole will provide an important safety net for both them and their families.
Too many people with dementia are still being subjected to abuse or neglect in residential care. This important new research into the dignity and safety of older people in institutional settings will help us understand the scale of the problem and the reality of what happens behind the horror stories.
People with dementia must be able to report concerns about their treatment regardless of how they pay for residential care. It will be interesting to see how the role of an independent adjudicator to support residents funding their own care will be developed by the government later this year.
Note
-Alzheimer’s Society is the leading care and research charity for people with all forms dementia and their carers. It provides information and education, support for carers, and quality day and home care. It funds medical and scientific research and campaigns for improved health and social services and greater public understanding of dementia.
-The Alzheimer’s Society provides a national help line on 0845 3000 336 and website http://www.alzheimers.org.uk. Please include this information in any publication that uses these comments.
Alzheimer’s Society
Survey Finds 3 In 5 Caregivers Say Their Children Help Care For Loved Ones With Alzheimer’s Disease
March 27, 2008
Results from the third annual Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) ICAN: Investigating Caregivers’ Attitudes and Needs Survey suggest that Alzheimer’s disease care is a family affair. Most “sandwich caregivers” - the parents or guardians of children under 21 who also care for an aging parent, other relative or friend with Alzheimer’s disease - say their children are assisting with caregiving responsibilities that range from attending doctors’ appointments to feeding and dressing their loved ones.
Survey results ound that about three in five caregivers say their children aged 8 to 21 are involved in caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. Of the caregivers who feel they do a good job balancing the care of their loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease and children under 21, more than one-third (36%) specifically cited support from children as a contributor to their success.
Among children, ages 8-21, who are involved in caregiving, many are reported as taking on significant tasks:
* About one-third of young adults (ages 18-21) assist with doctors’ appointments;
* 42% of young adults assist with transporting loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease;
* About one-quarter of young adults and teens (ages 13-17) assist with activities of daily living, such as feeding and dressing;
* Nearly 90% of pre-teens (ages 8-12) visit and entertain a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease (please use caution when interpreting results due to small base size);
* Approximately 85% of teens pay visits to the person with the disease.
“Taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s disease can be an enormous drain on the caregiver and on family resources. For sandwich caregivers the problem is even more acute. It is clear that caregiving is a multigenerational concern. Young adults and even teens and pre-teens are being impacted in life changing ways by their caregiving responsibilities,” said Eric J. Hall, AFA’s president and chief executive officer.
Due to the number of teenagers in caregiving roles, AFA recently stepped up its AFA Teens division, which educates and provides resources for these youngsters. AFA introduced a newly designed Web site, www.afateens.org, specifically for teens and the first of its kind “AFA Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness College Scholarship.” The organization is also starting up AFA Teens chapters nationwide.
CAREGIVERS WANT MORE SUPPORT - FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN
It is estimated that the 5.7 million Americans caring for aging relatives and loved ones also have children whom they care for. With the United States population aging rapidly, the need for family caregivers will markedly increase in the years ahead.
* 70% of sandwich caregivers said they need more help caring for the person with Alzheimer’s disease as compared to 33% who say they need more help with their children.
* Nearly two-thirds (63%) would like more information about how to help their children cope when a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
“A segment of young adults and teens assist with managing the daily needs of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, and a small percent are even called upon to make informed decisions about treatment. It’s crucial that they have access to good information sources,” said Lesley Blake, M.D., clinical associate professor of psychiatry, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. “As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, declines in cognition, function and behavior worsen. Both adult and non-adult caregivers need to be educated about what to expect and, more importantly, what to do in these cases.”
“Proper diagnosis and treatment are crucial,” said Dr. Blake. “Symptoms - loss of function, decline in cognitive ability and difficult behavior - can be delayed and caregiver burden reduced through medication therapy, which may include combining medications from two FDA-approved Alzheimer’s medication classes.” The survey found that 77% of sandwich caregivers were not aware that combination drug therapy can be used to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
The survey also showed that individuals received a delayed diagnosis - typically for two years. Caregivers who care for a loved one whose diagnosis was delayed for a year or more say the delay was most often due to lack of caregiver familiarity with symptoms or insufficient knowledge about Alzheimer’s disease, with about half saying that they thought Alzheimer’s symptoms were normal signs of aging.
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ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the brain’s nerve cells, resulting in loss of memory, thinking and language skills, and behavioral changes. It is estimated that more than five million Americans currently have Alzheimer’s disease, including one in ten persons aged 65 and older and nearly half of those 85 or older. Published reports project that by 2050 this number could more than triple– to more than 16 million people — in the United States.
Early signs can include forgetfulness, memory loss, misplacing things, and disorientation. Symptoms of moderate Alzheimer’s disease can include difficulty identifying familiar people, places, or things, restlessness, sleep disturbances, poor judgment or difficulty with reasoning, aggression or agitation, inappropriate behavior, increased difficulty with everyday activities, losing touch with reality, suspiciousness or paranoia, and hallucinations.
ABOUT THE SURVEY
The third ICAN: Investigating Caregivers’ Attitudes and Needs survey was conducted online for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) by Harris Interactive® between December 12 and December 27, 2007 among 559 adults (aged 18 and over) who are sandwich caregivers, those who are the parent or guardian of a child under age 21 who is living with them or has lived with them in the past year and who is at least somewhat involved in the treatment decisions of an individual with Alzheimer’s disease.
Data was weighed to be representative of this population of adults. Funding was provided by Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full methodology is available.
Additional key survey findings can be found at http://www.alzfdn.org/.
ABOUT THE ALZHEIMER’S FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a national nonprofit organization that focuses on providing optimal care to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, and their families. Based in New York, AFA unites more than 800 member organizations nationwide that provide hands-on support services.
AFA’s services include a toll-free hot line with counseling by licensed social workers, educational materials, a free magazine for caregivers, a division to engage and educate teens (www.afateens.org), a national memory screening initiative, and training for healthcare professionals. For more information, visit http://www.alzfdn.org/.
ABOUT HARRIS INTERACTIVE
Harris Interactive is a global leader in custom market research. With a long and rich history in multimodal research that is powered by our science and technology, we assist clients in achieving business results. Harris Interactive serves clients globally through our North American, European and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms. For more information, please visit http://www.harrisinteractive.com/.
Source: Mariana Rodrigues
Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.
Caregivers Suffering Depression More Likely To Be Hostile To Children
March 22, 2008
A new study in the journal Family Process reveals that caregivers with moderate to severe depressive symptoms showed greater hostility and less warmth. The study focused on caregivers of low-income children with persistent asthma.
Researchers led by Marianne Celano, PhD, of Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, utilized data from Project STAR (Support for Treatment of Asthma Research), a longitudinal study examining treatment adherence among low-income children with asthma.
This investigation used data from 100 low-income families whose children were prescribed medicine for asthma. Family members were videotaped in the clinic while completing structured tasks and caregivers were later rated on warmth, hostility, and disciplinary skill. Researchers rated each task separately.
Caregivers with higher levels of depressive symptoms exhibited lower levels of warmth and higher levels of hostility during both loss and conflict tasks. In the loss task, the child was asked to share with family members his/her experience of a previously identified sad event, such as a death or a injury. In the conflict task, parent and child were asked to resolve a disagreement previously identified by each of them in separate interviews, such as a disagreement about chores, sibling conflict, or privileges.
As expected, caregivers tended to show more hostility and less warmth during the conflict task than during the preceding loss task. However, caregivers with moderate/severe depressive symptoms showed a greater rise in hostility from the loss to the conflict task than caregivers with minimal/mild depressive symptoms.
By including a task designed to elicit warmth, the study allowed for a more valid exploration of how caregivers respond to children’s need for support and nurturance, expanding upon traditional procedures for collecting observational data. The study provides a better test of models for understanding how parenting behaviors associated with caregiver depression may lead to child maladjustment.
“The present findings provide an initial step in a pre-intervention research program investigating the contribution of caregiver depressive symptoms and associated parenting styles,” the authors conclude. “Our data may aid mental health clinicians in identifying specific family interaction patterns which may promote optimal asthma management.”
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This study is published in the March 2008 issue of Family Process.
Family Process is an international, multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal committed to publishing original articles, including theory and practice, philosophical underpinnings, qualitative and quantitative clinical research, and training in couple and family therapy, family interaction, and family relationships with networks and larger systems.
Wiley-Blackwell was formed in February 2007 as a result of the acquisition of Blackwell Publishing Ltd. by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and its merger with Wiley’s Scientific, Technical, and Medical business. Together, the companies have created a global publishing business with deep strength in every major academic and professional field. Wiley-Blackwell publishes approximately 1,400 scholarly peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with global appeal. For more information on Wiley-Blackwell, please visit http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/ or http://interscience.wiley.com/.
Source: Amy Molnar
Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Transition Planning For Young People With Complex Health Needs Or A Disability, UK
March 19, 2008
Ivan Lewis, Care Services Minister today announced the publication ofgood practice guidance for health professionals and their partners onthe transition planning for young people moving into adulthood.
Transition from children’s to adult health services is recognised asan important issue. More children are now surviving into adult lifewith conditions which once would have been fatal in early childhood. Many of these conditions will be unfamiliar to health professionalsworking in t adult service and often the young person needs care froma number of different specialities. The coordination of care whichthey have received in children’s services all too often fades awaywhen they transfer to adult care. Young people with aneuro-disability such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy are theleast well served when the time comes to move on to adult care.
The Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools andFamilies are today publishing a good practice guide for healthprofessionals and their partners. The guide will help ensure that theyoung person and their family are better prepared for the move toadult care and that the adult care team has been involved in planningfor the transfer.
Ivan Lewis, Care Services Minister, said
‘Young people and their families tell us of the uncertainty they faceabout their future support when they reach 18 years of age. All toooften, they feel unsupported which is why we have made improving thetransition experience of young people a Government priority.
Health and social care professionals have an important role inworking with other agencies to support young people with the mostcomplex health needs through the transition period. This goodpractice guide offers suggestions on how this can be done.’
Andrew Adonis, Schools Minister said:
“Transition is recognised as an area for improvement in Aiming highfor disabled children and we are investing ￡19m over the [next] CSRperiod to initiate and develop a transition support programme. Thisgood practice guide for health professionals will be an importantcontribution to that programme.”
– The importance of a good transition to adulthood is recognised inImproving the Life Chances of Disabled People, a joint report fromthe PM Strategy Unit in 2007.
– Transition: getting it right for young people was published by theDepartment for Education and Skills and the Department of Health in2007. DCSF and DH published a transition guide for all services, keyinformation for professionals about the transition process fordisabled young people in 2007. It can be viewedelectronically via the following link (pdf)
.
– Or single hard copies can be ordered from: DCSF Publications, POBox 5050, Sherwood Park, Annesley, Nottingham NG15 0DJ tel 0845 60222 60; Fax: 0845 60 333 60; Textphone: 0845 60 555 60 quotingreference 00776-2007DOM-EN
http://www.dh.gov.uk
Family Cardiac Caregivers May Have Higher Heart Disease Risk
March 13, 2008
Caring for a family member with a serious heart ailment may increase your risk of cardiac disease, according to a report presented at the American Heart Association’s 48th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.
Researchers examined heart risk factors in family members of cardiac patients and found that those who provided all or most of a patient’s care had higher levels of risk factors for heart disease than non-caregivers and those who reported higher caregiver strain after six months were more likely to be depressed than those who provided less or no care. There is growing evidence that suggests stress and depression may play an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease.
“It appears that cardiac caregivers may be at increased risk of cardiac diseases themselves,” said Lori Mosca, M.D., Ph.D., senior author of the study and professor of medicine and director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. “When a cardiac patient is hospitalized, there may be a unique opportunity to identify and help family members at risk of heart disease themselves.”
In a second study, Mosca and her colleagues found that educating caregivers and family members of hospitalized cardiac patients about their own heart risks and providing them information about a heart-healthy diet improved their eating habits after six weeks.
The researchers conducted both studies as part of the ongoing National Institutes of Health-sponsored Family Intervention Trial for Heart Health (F.I.T. Heart), for which Mosca is the principal investigator. She said participants in the trial will be followed for one year.
“As doctors, we need to recognize that cardiac caregivers may be at increased risk of heart problems,” Mosca said. “And there is a high prevalence of cardiac caregivers that we can identify who may potentially benefit from education and outreach programs.”
Prior to launching F.I.T. Heart, she and her team reviewed medical studies related to the health issues of people providing care to family members with chronic problems.
“Almost everything we found was on Alzheimer’s disease, cancer or disabled children,” Mosca said. “We found very few studies on the risks of cardiac caregivers.”
For F.I.T. Heart, researchers recruited 501 family members or co-habitants of patients hospitalized for such cardiac events as a heart attack or narrowed arteries that required bypass surgery or an angioplasty procedure. Six months later, researchers determined the approximate time each spent as a caregiver, and assessed their lifestyles, psychological strain and whether they were depressed.
For their analysis, the team designated 39 percent of the sample as primary caregivers (those who provided care all or most of the time), 11 percent were caregivers most of the time, 32 percent were caregivers some of the time or occasionally, and 17 percent were caregivers none of the time. Caregivers were significantly more likely than non-caregivers to be women (63 percent), married or living with someone, older than age 50, unemployed and people who did not complete high school. They were also less likely to adhere to heart risk-reduction dietary guidelines than non-caregivers, consuming significantly more saturated fat and having larger waist measurements. Mosca said the team identified several characteristics of caregivers that increase their risk for heart disease.
The average strain scores of caregivers six months after their loved ones were hospitalized were significantly higher among those with depression and low social support, even after the researchers adjusted for gender, marital status and levels of depression and social support at enrollment.
“There is an association between depression and higher caregiver strain,” Mosca said. “We don’t know if high caregiving strain leads to depression or if depression makes you more strained.”
Researchers hypothesized that family members of a hospitalized heart patient might think at the time about their own risk of cardiac disease. If so, “this is a motivational moment and a unique opportunity to educate them and help them lower their risks,” Mosca said.
In the second study, participants in F.I.T. Heart received dietary advice on how to reduce their heart risks, most of them during the time the patient was in the hospital.
Six weeks later, the family members showed a significant increase, 79 percent versus 53 percent at enrollment, in the number following the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Therapeutic Lifestyle Change diet. The diet restricts saturated fat to 7 percent of calories consumed, total fat to less than 30 percent of calories, and cholesterol to 200 milligrams per day.
Researchers found that participants’ willingness to change their eating patterns was predicted by high blood glucose or triglycerides at enrollment, a perception of poor health and a younger age.
“It’s important that we develop more systematic approaches to identifying caregivers, educating them and providing them with the proper support systems,” Mosca said. “If a caregiver dies of a heart attack, it’s not going to help the cardiac patient.”
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Co-authors of the caregiver-risk paper are Brooke Fischer Aggarwal, M.S.; Ming Liao, B.S.; and Allison H. Christian, Ed.D.
Co-authors of the dietary-education report are Brooke Fischer Aggarwal, M.S.; Ming Liao, B.S.; Heidi Mochari, M.P.H., R.D.; Karen Ochoa, M.A.; and Syncia Sabain, M.S.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health funded the F.I.T. Heart study.
Statements and conclusions of abstract authors that are presented at American Heart Association/American Stroke Association scientific meetings are solely those of the abstract authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The associations make no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability.
Source: Karen Astle
American Heart Association
MedPAC Considers Draft Recommendations Addressing Nursing Homes, Drug Benefit, Primary Care
March 13, 2008
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission during a recent meeting considered several draft recommendations to Congress regarding skilled nursing facilities, prescription drug plans and primary care, CQ HealthBeat reports.
One draft recommendation for revising the prospective Medicare payment system for skilled nursing facilities would add a “separate nontherapy ancillary component,” which includes prescription drugs and intravenous therapy. The recommendation also would base payments for the therapy component on “predicted patient care needs” and implement “outlier payments” for unusual financial losses. Another draft recommendation for skilled nursing facility payments would have the HHS secretary require facilities to report diagnosis information, dates of services on claims filed and “services they furnish separately” on patient assessments. In addition, facilities with the highest profits would receive the largest payment cuts, while those losing money would receive the largest increases.
The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging in a statement said that under the proposed system, “Medicare payments would shift and — among other things — recognize the higher costs not-for-profit nursing homes face.”
The commission also discussed draft recommendations for revising the Medicare prescription drug benefit. One proposal would require HHS to create a measure for access that “calculates whether beneficiaries get a prescribed drug or its alternatives without undue delay.” Another proposal would have the HHS secretary “require plans to transmit information to pharmacies when they reject a prescription, stating why the drug is not covered and if the plan covers a clinical alternative.”
Draft recommendations for addressing the national shortage of primary care physicians include increasing “the payment for a primary care service if a practitioner designated by the (HHS) secretary as a primary care practitioner furnishes the service.” Another recommendation would promote the establishment of “medical homes” by issuing per-beneficiary payments to doctors who provide coordinated care. The proposal includes establishing a medical home pilot program in Medicare.
MedPAC Chair Glenn Hackbarth said that the recommendations could be changed and that the commission might consider them next month for inclusion in the panel’s June report to Congress (Reichard [1], CQ HealthBeat, 3/7).
Hospice Spending
Medicare spending on hospice care tripled between 2000 and 2007 and currently totals about $10 billion annually, according to a presentation Thursday by MedPAC staffer James Mathews. The length of stays for hospice care increased on average by 30% from 2000 to 2007, and although some of the increase is attributable to changes in the diagnoses of patients using hospice care, some facilities have longer stays for all patients and diagnoses, according to the presentation.
MedPAC Commissioner William Scanlon proposed shifting payments from the most profitable centers to the least profitable, but Hackbarth said, “I’m going to refrain from endorsing [Scanlon’s] idea at least until he comes up with a better marketing plan.”
Other proposals to address increasing spending include adjusting hospice care payments to decline with the length of stays and creating incentives for short stays. However, Mathews noted that the data CMS currently collects does not indicate the length of individual hospice stays (Reichard [2], CQ HealthBeat, 3/7).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2007 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Respite Weekend For Family Carers, Ireland
March 12, 2008
The recent Caring for Carers Ireland 17th National Weekend & Conference at the Clare Inn Hotel, Dromoland was attended by over 600 Carers from all over the country
Prof. Brendan Drumm who opened the Conference, said “I am humbled to be in the presence of these dedicated people who represent 161,000 Family Carers from throughout Ireland.
As a paediatrician I particularly understand the concerns and dedication of parents who care for children with special needs, especially the mother who expressed that it was an honour to care for her daughter for 25 years, who had a rare disability”.
At this time of change in the HSE there is universal recognition that Carers make a very significant contribution to the health and welfare of communities across the country. They are significant contributors to he HSE’s overall purpose which is to enable people live healthy and fulfilled lives in their own homes and communities.
Speaking on Saturday, Laverne McGuinness said that in her work as National Director of PCCC, HSE she was very aware of the role that Family Carers play in our society and the critical importance of Carers support and advocacy groups such as Caring for Carers Ireland.
She acknowledged that Caring for Carers Ireland’s respite programme, of which this weekend is a major part, is hugely important - an estimated 6,000 people have benefited from various respite breaks as well as social outings. She highlighted the organisation’s delivery of home care packages in conjunction with the HSE, over the past 2 years which means that many people can now benefit from this new initiative.
She publicly praised the enormous contribution Family Carers make to the people they care for and to society in general. “I also want to recognise the valuable work that Caring for Carers Ireland does in supporting Carers. The HSE appreciates the work of your organisation and will continue to fund and support your efforts”.
Helen Kelly, chairperson of Caring for Carers Clare Branch, described her life as a Carer and thanks her family for their support. She addressed a number of important issues to government. “Do not exploit a labour of love. Respect Carers for the tremendous work they do. It is the lives of Carers that you deal with. Carers save the state hundreds of millions of euros each year.” Finally, she stressed that “there is an urgent need to provide pension credits for Carers who do not qualify for a contributory old age pension”.
Brigid Barron Research and Programme Manager and founder President of Eurocarers said that “The obligation of caring for vulnerable people can not rest with the family alone. The burden in too great and the resources are too few - not everyone is capable of providing care and not everyone has family members or friends available to do so. “What Carers need most is sustained and adequate Respite, home care services and an income to support them in their caring role. The forthcoming National Carers Strategy must be underpinned by legislation if it is to be effective. “.
Marian Harkin MEP reiterated this sentiment when she said that the forthcoming National Carers Strategy must provide a framework to insure that “today’s Carers do not become the poor older people of tomorrow”.
Mary McMahon CEO of Caring for Carers Ireland said that “in today’s changing society it is important to sustain Carers who are the crucial providers of care in the community. The National Carers Strategy must be adequate to address the current needs of Carers in our society and also build a framework which will continue through to 2016.
Caring for Carers aims to promote theHealth, Wellbeing and Quality of Life of Family Carers and those for whom they care, by promoting recognition oftheir role providing Respite Care, Information, Training and Advocacy to promote
Social Inclusion, within the context of The Carers’ Charter.
Caring for Carers
Many Disabled American Indians Living In The West Lack Mental, Other Health Services, Report Finds
March 12, 2008
Mental health services and community-based services, such as personal care attendants, are unavailable to many American Indians in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, according to report recently released by the Native American Disability Law Center, Indian Country Today reports.
The report is based on a needs assessment of American Indians living in the Four Corners region and includes a survey of 2,000 American Indians with disabilities and input from focus groups conducted in the Navajo Nation and Hopi reservation.
The survey found that more than 70% of respondents with mental illnesses said they received “the run around” from social or government agencies when seeking assistance. The same percentage of mentally ill American Indians also said they were unaware of services available to them or how to apply. Fifty-nine percent reported a lack of food to meet their basic needs, and 60% said they had been discriminated against for being mentally ill (Indian Country Today, 3/10).
Therese Yanan, director of the law center, said, “There’s a sort of discrimination that’s not really malice-based, but more of a lack of awareness.” She added, “I haven’t heard of anywhere else in the country where you have a person living in one state and getting services in another state from a program that’s run by a tribe but funded by the federal government. You have this sort of bureaucratic quagmire, and the delivery system for resources to Native Americans with disabilities can be overwhelming” (Landry, Farmington Daily Times, 3/10).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2007 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Long-Term Care Organizations Select Kronos(R) To Attract And Retain Best Quality Caregivers
March 6, 2008
Long-term healthcare providers are increasingly challenged to find the best caregivers to serve a growing population of residents. With the talent shortage at an all-time high, long-term care organizations are differentiating themselves by using selection and hiring solutions from Kronos® Incorporated to attract and retain the best caregivers. Several growing long-term care organizations have recently joined the steadily increasing number of Kronos for Healthcare customers.
Reducing turnover, improving retention
Midwest Health Management recently selected Kronos’ solution for healthcare assessments and hiring efficiencies. “Our number one priority with Kronos is to reduce turnover and improve retention,” noted Jim Klausman, CEO and president at Midwest Health Management. “Kronos’ flexible, easy-to-use system provides us with uniformity and efficiency of hiring across multiple - even rural - locations.” Midwest Health Management operates ten skilled nursing facilities and 24 assisted living communities in the Midwest.
Attracting the Best
Cambridge Healthcare owns and operates more than 550 skilled nursing beds in the mid-Atlantic area. “A hiring process with superior selection tools is what we were looking for. With Kronos, we found not only that but also the added benefit of greater efficiency in our application management and hiring process,” said Lee Ann Lecheler, human resources director at Cambridge Healthcare. “The online application allows candidates to apply 24/7 and our managers are only speaking with the most qualified people. What long term care facility wouldn’t appreciate an easy hiring tool that helps to select and hire only the best available candidates to care for residents?”
Right person, right place, right time
Americare, based in Sikeston, Missouri, operates 88 long-term care locations. “The Kronos system will enable us to find the right people by casting a wider net for qualified applicants,” stated Clay Crosson, president of Americare. “Through the use of Kronos’ assessments and behavioral guides, built specifically for our industry, Americare will further strengthen the culture we have worked so hard to build.” Americare will integrate Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and payroll to ensure hiring efficiencies and save valuable time for its hiring managers in the field.
“It all boils down to three key issues for long-term care providers,” said Steve Earl, director of marketing, talent management division at Kronos. “First and foremost is finding and hiring the right people to deliver quality care. Second, is the challenge of finding career employees in an industry where job-hopping is extremely common. Finally, organizations must fully comply with the many regulatory constraints placed on the long-term care industry. As our newest customers can attest, the Kronos solution provides long-term care organizations with the ability to improve and measure quality care by selecting passionate employees with the proper attributes and behaviors suited to make them tremendous assets to their employers.”
About Kronos Incorporated
Kronos Incorporated empowers organizations around the world to effectively manage their workforce. At Kronos, we are experts who are solely focused on delivering software and services that enable organizations to reduce costs, increase productivity, improve employee satisfaction, and ultimately enhance the level of service they provide. Kronos serves customers in more than 60 countries through its network of offices, subsidiaries, and distributors. Widely recognized as a market and thought leader in managing the workforce, Kronos has unrivaled reach with more than 30 million people using a Kronos solution every day. Learn more about Kronos at http://www.kronos.com.
© 2008 Kronos Incorporated. Kronos and the Kronos logo are registered trademarks. All other product and company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
http://www.kronos.com
