The Challenges of Medicare Part D, Even Amid Decreased Complaints

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) conducted a study outlining the operational and oversight challenges of administering the Medicare Part D program—even though the number of complaints filed, and the time needed to resolve them, has diminished over the past year. For full story, click here.

Prescriptions for Dually Eligibile Beneficiaries May Cost More under Medicare

A new Congressional report finds that prescription drugs for Medicare and Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries cost 30% more under Medicare Part D than if Medicaid were to pay the bill. For full story, click here.

Proposed Pilot Program would Expand At-Home Health Services

Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Edward Markey recently introduced legislation that would enable beneficiaries of Medicare with multiple chronic conditions to benefit from at-home health services. This program, known as Independence at Home (IAH), would be piloted in 26 different states. For full story, click here.

Aging Well and the Presidential Election

The 2008 AARP Voter’s Guide

The AARP recently asked the Presidential candidates for their views on key issues for older Americans, including Social Security, retirement security, affordable health care, and long-term care. Each candidate was able to answer each question in 125 words or less, and each response was unedited for publication in the AARP’s online Voter Guide. For full story, click here.

ASA Says Details are Needed in Candidates’ Aging-Related Platforms

The newsletter for the American Society on Aging (ASA) recently examined the websites of each presidential candidate to outline their positions on issues important to older adults, claiming that more details are needed. For full story, click here.

Economy is Changing the Way Americans Take Care of Health

CIGNA recently commissioned a survey on health and the economy which found that nearly all Americans were worried about its current state. It further showed that the economy was changing the way many people took care of themselves, illustrating the link between health and economic well-being. For full story, click here.

President of AAHSA Interviewed on the Economy

Larry Minnix, president and CEO of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA), recently sat down for an interview with McKnight’s. In the interview, he recognized that economic times are tough, but that the challenges faced were not insurmountable. For full story, click here.

Ziegler Capital Markets on Recent Economic Concerns

Ziegler Capital Markets issued a summary statement detailing the impact that the economic downturn and turmoil in the capital markets have had on senior living clients. Their analysis suggests that senior living resident operators will see the volatility lessen once the liquidity from the new bailout, coupled with steps by the Federal Reserve Bank, work through the primary markets. For full story, click here.

Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction among Nursing Home Workers

In addressing the shortage of direct-care workers in long-term care settings, authors of a new study found several factors contributing to job satisfaction among this population. They discovered that leadership competencies mattered more than worker attributes, job/role characteristics, and facility characteristics. For full story, click here.

The Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has created the new Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture, designed specifically for nursing home staff to assess their views of patient safety within their nursing home. For full story, click here.

CARE Wisconsin Leading the Charge for Culture Change

Explore with fellow organizational leaders, the origin, challenges, and successes of Culture Change, as it relates to person directed care, self-determination, and design principles by taking part in this fall conference.For full story, click here.

Free Resources for Aging Well

The following provides links to free resources falls, osteoporosis, and tips for healthy aging. For full story, click here.

Government Issues First Science-Based Guidelines for Fitness

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans outlines the type and amount of physical activities that will offer the greatest health benefits to Americans. For full story, click here.

How Engaged are Consumers in Their Health?

There is a growing consensus that activating and engaging consumers is an essential component to health care reform in the United States. The health care choices of individual consumers and daily management of their own health can profoundly affect health care utilization, costs and outcomes. For full story, click here.

Regular Eye Exams Could Help Prevent Impairment

A recent Australian survey revealed that 66% of its population mistakenly believed noticeable symptoms would indicate early eye disease. As a result, urgency has been placed on regular eye examinations to prevent vision loss in later years. For full story, click here.

Contributors
Richard Shank	Editor
Scott King	Staff Writer
Linda Hollinger-Smith	Vice-President of Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging

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