Tag Archives for nursing home

Survey: Older Americans Puzzled About LTC Programs and Services

Published in Woonsocket Call on July 19, 2015

Planning for your golden years is key to aging gracefully.  But, according to a new national survey looking at experiences and attitudes, most Aging Boomers and seniors do not feel prepared for planning or financing their long-term care for themselves or even their loved ones.

This Associated Press (AP)-NORC (NORC) Center for Public Affairs Research study, funded by The SCAN Foundation, explores a myriad of aging issues, including person-centered care experiences and the special challenges faced by the sandwich generation.  These middle-aged adults juggle their time and stretching their dollars by providing care to their parents, even grandparents while also financially assisting their adult children and grandchildren.

Older American’s Understanding of LTC

This 21 page survey report, released on July 9th, is the third in an annual series of studies of Americans age 40 and older, examines older Americans understanding of long-term care, their perceptions and misperceptions regarding the cost and likelihood of requiring long-term care services, and their attitudes and behaviors regarding planning for possible future care needs.

The survey’s findings say that 12 percent of Americans age 40 to 54 provide both financial support for their children and ongoing living assistance to other loved ones.   Federal programs are often times confusing to these individuals, too.   More than 25 percent are unsure whether Medicare pays for ongoing living assistance services like nursing homes and home health aides. About 1 in 4 older Americans also overestimate private health insurance coverage of nursing home care.

Researchers noted that about half of the respondents believe that a family member or close friend will need ongoing living assistance within the next five years. Of those who anticipate this need, 7 out of 10 reports they do not feel very prepared to provide care, they note.

More than three-quarters of those surveyed age 40 or older who are either receiving or providing ongoing living assistance indicate that their care includes at least one component of “person-centered care.”  This approach allows individuals to take control of their own care by specifying preferences and outlining goals that will approve their quality of life.

The survey also finds that most of those reporting believe that features of “person-centered care” have improved the quality of care

Paying for Costly LTC Services

The 2015 survey findings are consistent with AP-NORC survey findings from previous years, that is older Americans continue to lack confidence in their ability to pay the costs of ongoing living assistance.  Medium annual costs for nursing homes are $91,260; the cost for at-home health is about half that amount, $45,760, says the report.

Finally, only a third of the survey respondents say that they have set aside money for their care. More than half report doing little or no planning at all for their own ongoing living assistance needs in their later years.

“The three surveys on long-term care [by AP-NORC] are helping us create a comprehensive picture of what Americans 40 and older understand about the potential need for these critically important services,” said Director Trevor Tompson, at the AP-NORC Center in a statement. “Experts estimate that 7 in 10 Americans who reach the age of 65 will need some form of long-term care, and our findings show that many Americans are unprepared for this reality,” he says.

Dr. Bruce Chernof, President and CEO of The SCAN Foundation, says that the 2015 study takes a look at public perception regarding long-term care and most importantly, how people can plan for future long-term care needs.  “The insight provided by this research is critical because it will help us promote affordable health care and support for daily living, which are essential to aging with dignity and independence.” he says.

AP-NORC’s 2015 study results are validated by other national research studies, says AARP Rhode Island State Director Kathleen Connell.    “AARP’s research, both nationally and state by state, reveals that people in the 50+ population are concerned about the cost of retirement and especially long-term care,” she says, observing that “very few people seem worry free on this question and rightfully so.”

 Beginning the Planning Process

Connell adds, “I would say our response to this survey is that it adds to the awareness that people need to start thinking about this at an earlier age. And that means not only focusing on saving but also getting serious about health and fitness.”

What can a person do to better prepare for paying for costly long-term care and community based services?   “AARP.org has an abundance of information on long-term care. There’s advice on long-term care insurance, a long-term care cost calculator and many other resources. We also need to remain strong as advocates for programs that support seniors. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid need to remain strong in order to support Americans entering the most vulnerable chapters of their lives,” she says.

Amy Mendoza, spokesperson for the American Health Care Association (AHCA), a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents over 12,000 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers and homes for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities, calls for increased conversations to help planning for potential future need.  “Given that the need for long-term or post-acute care is a life changing event, it demands some considerable thought, discussion and research,” says Mendoza.

“AHCA’s “Care Conversations” program helps individuals have the honest and productive discussions needed to plan and prepare for the future long-term care needs,” adds Mendoza.  Care Conversations has a Planning Tools page on its website which provides information on advance directives. Learn more at: http://careconversations.org/planning-tools.

Todd Whatley, a certified elder law attorney, notes that some of his best clients are middle age adults who after taking care of their parents want to avoid costly nursing home or community based care services.  “They are then suddenly very interested in some type of [insurance] coverage for the extraordinary expense of long term care when a year earlier, they had no interest whatsoever,” he says.

Whatley, President-Elect of the Tuscan, Arizona-based National Elder Law Foundation, suggests contacting a financial planner or Certified Elder Law Attorney when purchasing long term care insurance, “Get early advice from someone with their best interest at heart.  There are many times that a person simply doesn’t need this product financially, but most people do.

To locate a Certified Elder Law Attorney, contact Lori Barbee, Executive Director, National Elder Law Foundation.  She can be reached at 520-881-1076 or by email: Lori@nelf.org.

For a copy of the study, go to http://www.longtermcarepoll.org/Pages/Polls/long-term-care-2015.aspx.

Herb Weiss, LRI ’12 is a Pawtucket-based writer covering aging, health care and medical issues.  He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.

 

 

Internet will soon be good source for information on nursing homes

Published in The Pawtucket Times, May 2003

A growing number of Americans are doing their shopping for products and services, via the Internet.  But if the federal government has its way consumers in five states will rely on Medicare and Medicaid programs and their family members, will be able to cruise the world wide web to find the best nursing facilities to meet their specific needs.

Rhode Island is among five states chosen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for a pilot project that will identify collect, and publish nursing home quality information on the Internet for easy access and comparison of facilities.

The other states are Colorado, Maryland, Ohio and Washington.  Eventually, this federally-funded initiative will be expanded nationwide.

People covered by Medicare and Medicaid have the power to choose the best care to meet their individual needs, but they have to have more reliable information to choose quality care, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, who oversees the Medicare and Medicaid programs. “Our efforts will help beneficiaries all across the country to compare the performance of their local nursing homes, and will provide the recognition that high-quality nursing homes deserve”.

In April 2002, the newly compiled performance information becomes available online at www.medicare.gov and will also be disseminated through Rhode Island Quality Partners, an agency contracted by the federal government to oversee the quality of health services provided to Rhode Island Medicare beneficiaries.

So what information can consumers find when shopping for the right nursing facility on the world wide web?

Currently, the CMS’s website provides nursing facility-specific information compiled from state annual surveys.

As a result of this five state pilot project, consumers will be able to see data culled from the Minimum Data Set (MDS), a standardized medical collection form that every nursing home is required to complete on every patient upon admission and on a regular schedule thereafter.

For those seeking a long-term placement, CMS will bring together comparative state-wide information that indicates quality care is being provided.  When shopping you will be able to find out how many residents are being physically restrained, how many have pressure sores, how many are taking anti-psychotic drugs without a psychiatric diagnosis, how many have lost weight, how many have acquired an infection, and finally how many residents can no longer take care of themselves.

For those seeking short-term stays after hospitalization, CMS will provide state-wide MDS data compiled from nursing facilities that can tell you how many residents are in pain, how many residents fail to recover from delirium, along with how many are re-hospitalized and improvement in walking.

Dr. David R. Gifford, principal clinical coordinator with Rhode Island Quality Partners, told All About Seniors that CMS chose Rhode Island for the pilot project because of the state’s interest in public reporting of consumer information.  He noted that CMS was aware of Lt. Gov. Charles Fogerty’s legislation, recently enacted that now requires reporting of nursing facility quality information.

“We’re very pleased to be involved in the pilot project because it allows us to help shape the national data dissemination effort,” Gifford adds.

How will consumers not computer savvy gain access CMS’s new quality measures?

Dr. Gifford notes that each state participating in the pilot project must develop other avenues for non-computer users to tap into the MDS data compiled on its website.

Roberta Hawkins, Executive Director of the Alliance for Better Long Term Care and the state’s ombudsman, applauds the new federal effort to help consumers in choosing nursing facilities.

However, Hawkins is concerned that the MDS does not always provide “insight into the personality of a nursing facility.”

“MDS won’t tell you if a facility’s staff are compassionate to residents.”  she says.  Additionally, the newly compiled CMSA information will not provide you with specifics about how some facilities specialize in taking care of ethnic populations.”  she added, specifically, if staff speak a foreign language, sever ethnic cuisine, or plan culturally-related activity programming.

Additionally, Hawkins notes that while CMS’s website may tell you how many persons have bed sores, a higher incidence of bed sores may only reflect that a newly admitted resident came to the facility with bed sores or that a facility specializes in taking care of that medical condition.

At best, internet information can only provide a snapshot of care being provided by facility staff, warns Hawkins.  “Today’s best nursing homes may become next weeks providers of poor care,” she adds, when key staff in leadership positions leave the facility.

Take advantage of CMS’s website to cull nursing facility specific information compiled from state annual surveys.

When in doubt, call the Alliance for Better Long-Term Care at 785-3340.

Nursing Assistant Recognized for Providing 31 Years of Quality of Care   

Published in the Pawtucket Times on February 4, 2002

At the age of 32 in 1963, Adele Lubera had already raised a daughter. Now it was time for her to go to work to bring money into the household.

But after holding very brief jobs at two mills in Central Falls, the former homemaker realized the mill jobs were not her cup of tea. As a foot press operator who manufactured sunglasses, Lubera could not stand the loud, repetitive noise and clatter of machines, nor did she end up liking the tediousness of inspecting baby clothes.

Be it fate, destiny or just being in the right place at the right time, Lubera eventually fell into a fulfilling lifelong career that has spanned more than three decades. A tip from a friend led the frustrated mill worker to seek employment as a nursing assistant at the Cumberland-based  Grandview Nursing Home. Lubera was one of the facility’s first hires for nursing assistants.  In time, she would take several other positions, including one at Manchester Nursing Home in Pawtucket, which ultimately would lead her to her current position as a certified nursing assistant at Harris Health Care North in Central Falls.

Last week, more than 300 people from Rhode Island’s nursing home industry, gathered for a breakfast to recognize their own, as well as state officials, politicians, and community volunteers who bring quality of care to the state’s 106 nursing homes.

Along with other award recipients, Lubera received her 15 minutes of fame that day. She was recognized by the Rhode Island Health Care Association (RIHCA) as recipient of the group’s First Annual Quality Award. “The President’s Award,” for her 31 years of providing quality of care to residents in her current position. The RIHCA award is given to a dedicated certified nursing assistant who exhibits caring and compassion while delivering quality of care.

When presenting the prestigious award to Lubera, Jimmy Flanagan, RIHCA’s past president, told the packed banquet room that in 31 years at her current position, Lubera had never called in sick or even arrived late to work.  Quite a track record.

Being an advocate for long-term care, Lubera has always been three to reassure families. She goes the extra mile for resident’s too, Flanagan said.

“Lubera is a wonderful role model for other workers,” he added, noting that she has led by example and displays loyalty, caring, and consideration for her fellow 13 workers.

Later that afternoon, at a party organized by Harris Health Care North, Central Falls Mayor Lee M. Matthews, quickly popped into the facility to shake hands and exchange greetings with: Luber; Michael, her husband of 51 years; daughter Dera DiBenedetto and her three children Dana, Ashley, and Drew; friends; facility staff and residents.

The mayor left behind a mayoral proclamation, celebrating the certified nursing assistant’s achievement by declaring the day to be “Adele Lubera Day” in Central Falls.

At the facility gathering, Lubera, holding her engraved plaque, reflected on her long career as a nursing assistant.

The time just by so fast, she said.

“It is hard work, but I enjoy every day,” she said. “The residents are like family to me.”

Resident Anna Golembeski, 89, who has resided in the facility for 38 years, describes Luera as helpful, kind and caring.

“She has been so good to her residents that it is about time she was recognized for her efforts,” Golembeski said.

Adds Elizabeth Daily, 88, a resident in the facility for six years, “There isn’t a person here who doesn’t love Adele.”

Administrator Elizabeth A. Sarro, of Harris Health Care North, calls Lubera the unofficial Mayor of Central Falls. Lubera knows almost everyone in the one-mile radius community, Sarro says.

“Everyone in Central Falls knows of Adele’s loving work,” she said. “She is pretty close to being a saint.”

Charley Harris, who owns Harris Health Care North and two other skilled nursing facilities, believes that certified nursing assistants are the backbone of the care delivery in any nursing facility.

“It is time that certified nursing assistants are finally getting the recognition they deserve<” he said.

“Nursing facilities are having tremendous problems staffing their facilities, particularly with front-line caregivers,” RIHCA Executive Vice President Alfred Santos stated. “With turnover rates estimated to be as high as 100 percent, people like Adele – whose commitment to her residents remains strong year after year are worth their weight in gold.

“It is great to see her receive recognition for her dedication,” says Santos.