Geriatric Care

US Health Systems Pressurizing Nursing Homes

Jennifer

Medicare and Medicaid Threatening Cincinnati Eldercare

Two nursing homes in the Cincinnati area are under threat of closure as Medicare and Medicaid could be set to force them out if they don’t shape up.  And it seems that the government-based health agencies are right this time.  Care just isn’t up to par.  This comes after the announcement from various federal officials that both the Blue Ash Nursing and Rehab Center and the Harrison Pavilion (Westwood) are providing extremely poor care and thus need a severe shake-up or risk getting booted out.  The studies showed that compared to national and statewide averages, these homes have significantly more deficiencies.

It is not just these homes that are in danger of closing.  The government has an official list which currently has 136 facilities on it that are just not providing good-enough care. So while on the one hand this is not good for the elderly, perhaps it is even worse if they are in facilities that are not looking after them properly and ultimately they do have to move.

Some Improvements

Obviously these care facilities are doing whatever they can to avoid being shut down.  While Harrison Pavilion has been sitting on the list for close to a year, it is now recorded as “improving.”  Should this trend continue it could very well be removed from the list.  The home – run by Savya Health Care – has been in operation for more than four decades.  As well, there was some good news for the Blue Ash Nursing and Rehab Center. It was at one point on the “not improving” part of the list but has now been relocated to the “improving” section.  It is run by Saber Healthcare since its opening back in 1969.

Some of the problems incurred in these homes are: providing too many drugs to not fully listening to residents’ issues with staff, etc.  The report is thus excellent in the fact that it keeps tabs on exactly what goes on toward some of society’s most vulnerable people.

Elderly Criminals: Where to Now?

Jennifer

Elderly Do Well in Zephyrhills

Due to a lack of financial resources, it seems that some elderly criminals currently housed at Zephyrhills Correctional Institution, (on the edge of Tampa), Florida.  It has the capacity for about 700 prisoners, many of whom are seniors.  The problem however with the elderly population in general, is that they are way more expensive to care for than the average younger inmate, since they usually have many more health issues including diabetes and Alzheimers which require significant financial resources to manage effectively.

Plus, it seems like these individuals are more than happy to live out their days in the Zephyrhills Correctional Institution.  Gus Mazorra, a warden there, says the care received is excellent and it seems the inmates themselves would not disagree.  One criminal – put away for first degree murder – said the treatment he gets there is the best he’s ever received.  They have nurses on staff for monitoring and medication dispensation as well as a fair amount of preventative care in many cases.  In a recent CBS news article, a nurse, Mary Farr, LPN, said, “so we can keep an eye on them better before they get so sick that we catch them before they go to the hospital, which costs a lot of money. And most of the stuff hospitals so, we can do for them here, if we catch it early enough.”

Too Expensive

It seems though however, these criminals may be running out of luck.  The Department of Corrections is desperate to find ways to save money and the state of Florida is really struggling with the growing prison population. Thus legislators are currently trying to work out different ways of paying for all of this.  It has now been suggested that some of these costly elderly inmates be released early in an effort to reduce these costs.  This controversial proposal of course, has been met with much disdain amongst various individuals. But there are some who see it as a possible solution.  As Senator Chris Smith rightly pointed out, “right now the only people in Florida who have universal health care are these elderly, infirmed prisoners and we're spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on these people just to keep them locked up.”  Thus Smith’s proposed bill would enable prisoners over 60 who have served more than two-and-a-half decades and are sick, to petition the Parole Commission for early release.

AML Treatment and Seniors

Jennifer

There has been research conducted by the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center to figure out if age is a factor when treating patients with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML).  According to the main author of the research, Dr. Heidi D. Klepin, M.S., the study was looking into how to better assess the older generation suffering from this “because, functionally, they encompass a broad age spectrum.”  She added that while we know geriatrics in general don’t benefit from aggressive therapies as do the younger ones, it is not the case for all seniors.  Indeed, there are some elderly who actually could benefit from these treatments so just because they have an old “age,” does not mean they should be automatically lumped into the “old” category when it comes to treatment options.  The question thus being asked, Klepin has said, is, “can we individualize the treatment to each patient and get them through their cancer treatment in better shape?”

The new research thus indicates that there needs to be a greater focus on the specific patient, as a way of “quantify[ing] how functional they are across the board to withstand the aggressive treatment.”  For example, some 85-year-olds are extremely sprightly, whereas other 60-year-olds behave and feel very old.  Therefore, the more functional ones will “pass all these assessments with flying colors [and] should [thus] be treated like a 55-year-old” and given those treatment options.  Part of the study involved analyzing whether a bedside geriatric assessment (GA) can be helpful in evaluating “cognitive function, psychological state, physical function and co-morbid disease to identify those patients most vulnerable to the side effects of AML chemotherapy.”

The study was published in the October edition of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and marks the first time an evaluation can be made on whether it is feasible to use a GA for those patients with AML as a way of providing more specific and better, personalized treatment.

 

Elderly Can Take Anesthetics

Jennifer

 

There has been concern over the years about the increase of delirious side effects from taking anesthetics amongst seniors.  At the 2011 Annual Meeting for the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), in Chicago, this was one of the findings presented.  The study looked at elderly patients who had to get general anesthesia with isoflurane and compared them with those getting Total Intravenous Anesthesia (TIVA) and found that there was only an impact on delirium if the patient anyway had issues beforehand. 

Dr. Terri G. Monk, of Duke University Health System, said it’s only “preoperative cognitive status,” that can predict “postoperative delirium.”  He added that the study should be a good stop in “reassur[ing] elderly patients that the type of general anesthesia does not affect early cognitive outcomes after surgery and that they should not avoid necessary surgery or general anesthesia if it is required.”

Aging at Home?

Jennifer

Yes, With New Wireless Monitoring Devices

Now there may be a new way for the elderly to remain at home, but still be cared for by their loved ones and professional caregivers through wireless devices that ensure the elderly individual (at home) is connected to caregivers even though they are not physically together.  This ensures the senior patient remains checked up on and safe 24/7.

So what exactly can these devices achieve that in the past only caregivers have been able to?  Pretty much everything.  There will be glucose monitors; alerts (if the senior has fallen or gone astray, or even just missed a meal); blood pressure cuffs; and more.  According to director of business development and sales for Ideal Life, Steve Wheeler, some of the devices can work with Electronic Health Records (EHRs) too and a disease management system can be plugged into the patient’s home to tell caregivers what they need to know to help them.

Ideal Life’s Stats

Clearly the devices being made by this company are working.  Statistics have shown that by using Ideal Life’s remote monitoring devices, there are now less than half of congestive heart failure readmissions than there were without the devices.  And of course, over time there will be more to come, which will only lead to an higher quality level of living for the elderly which will provide them with additional choice as to where and how they choose to live out their days with dignity.

Day Center Seniors on the Move?

Jennifer

Will the Benderson Center Have to Close?

The Benderson Center, located on 205 S. Salina Street, Syracuse, is in danger of being shut down due to financial budgeting issues. Although the place has served the elderly population for almost four decades, enabling them to come and sit, and chat to others, now it looks like it won’t be able to do this anymore.  The city’s mayor, Stephanie Miner, last month made the announcement that the center would close at the beginning of this month.  By doing so, the city will save a staggering $10,000 in rent, per month.

So the question being asked is, where to next for these seniors?  Well, apparently there is another option but it comes with its problems.  The Salvation Army down the road could suit these elderly individuals just as well, but the organization is claiming it doesn’t have the funds needed either. Further, a lot of people have said that it is problematic for elderly people to make even these small changes.  And indeed some of the elderly have been protesting so much that they have even taken to shaving their heads as a mark of distaste for the new move. 

The counter argument however, is that it’s not like the seniors are in-house.  If they were living there for some years and had to up and leave, then it would be different.  But given that it is just a day center, moving from one place to another in the same vicinity, should not really be such a big deal.  Nonetheless, it appears the seniors do not see it this way and are up in arms about what is going on.

Ultimately though, it seems a community discussion is in order.  At least if there is well thought-out planning ahead of time, then it won’t be such a shock for the seniors.  The ultimate hope is that Syracuse should be a good place for the elderly to age.

Steve Jobs RIP Helped Seniors Too

Jennifer

Co-founder and chairman of Apple. Inc., Steve Jobs, passed away last Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at the tender age of 56, following a difficult battle with pancreatic cancer.  Although Jobs is best known for the iPod, iPad and iPhone, he also made substantial contributions to healthcare and wellness that are not so widely publicized.

For example, the company’s iPhone boasts a variety of apps that are great for seniors and their care workers.  The CaregiversTouch lets people store all their important information on their phone, giving them easy access to it when in hospital or at an appointment.  If the seniors themselves aren’t tech savvy and are unable to use the phone, it is available for their loved ones to access more easily.  In addition, Elder 911 boasts more than 500 pieces of expert advice from experienced geriatric care managers, categorized into 11 eldercare topics that also have solutions to standard caregiving problems.

Then there are the many apps that encourage the development of fitness levels; diets; exercise diaries and more.  Steve Jobs RIP was more than just a technical wiz; he cared about people and their health too.

Seniors Caregivers Get a Break

Jennifer

Light at the End of the Tunnel for Arizona Caregivers

Caring for seniors around the clock, no matter how close we are to them, can be a huge drain and incredible burden on the caregiver.  Irrespective of the fact that one does not want to admit that it is too tough, the 24/7 of the caring inevitably, after some time, becomes just that.  So what are these people meant to do if they are determined their loved ones – whose health and well-being is failing – will not be put into care?  There may now be a solution in the Tucson, Arizona area.  Through the new care management services, these caregivers will be given the much-needed break they crave, without being forced to say goodbye to their loved ones. 

The truth of the matter is, everyone needs a break.  And most people are able to take it, so long as they have the financial means.  But it’s not all that easy for caregivers as what is foremost on their mind is, how can they possibly leave their loved ones who rely on them, 24/7, for everything?  So they haven’t been doing it and the burden has been becoming increasingly tough to bear.  Now, however, t hanks to the Professional Geriatric Care Managers program, this is about to change.  This will reassure caregivers that their loved ones will be taken care of while they are away.

Taking a Break

And these are not just any caregivers.  These individuals are specifically trained to be able to assist the elderly.  Indeed, the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers “has experts and resources available for guiding the public about addressing the needs of family caregivers and older adults.”  Anyone in the US can go to the website, click on “find a care manager” and locate someone to care for their loved one in their region, while they take that much-needed break.

Once you return, you will be way better-equipped and able to look after your loved one again.

Cost-Effective Senior Health Care Under Threat?

Jennifer
Seniors and Healthcare

Home health care in West Virginia could be seriously under threat if government regulation currently under speculation, is accepted.  Over 50 percent of the region’s Medicare Home Health Agencies could very soon be put in the red which could result in a serious addition to patient health care expenditure for the elderly and frail.

But the good news is that there are some government officials who are fighting the proposal tooth and nail. According to an article in Market Watch, US Representative David McKinley has “publicly express[ed] his concern that changes to the home health prospective payment system (HHPPS) could seriously impact home healthcare in West Virginia, having ‘ruinous consequences for patients dependent on skilled home health services and the providers who serve them.’”

The proposal basically sets out further state aided financial reductions on the basis “that there has been only limited change in patient acuity in past years.”  This would be okay had the general situation not changed within the seniors community.  Apparently, health care providers are noticing that there are substantially more patients requiring care these days, and that they are sicker than in previous years.  Thus, increasing the prices for seniors is going to be very detrimental for that community, and, if they don’t receive the care they need, then the kind of situation that will likely arise will be one of them requiring further care at a higher cost.  Therefore, making these increases in price for seniors now, is probably not a financially-sound plan.  The seniors need to be taken care of properly and live out their years in dignity, but this proposal will probably achieve the opposite outcome.

Good News for Humboldt County Seniors

Jennifer

It has to be said that things haven’t been looking so good as of late for the frail, elderly of the United States of America who do not have much disposable income in recent years.    But there is one area where things just might be looking up for these seniors.  It seems that California’s Humboldt County might just be the place those looking for a new home, may seek to retire.

According to the executive director of Humboldt Senior Resource Center, Joyce Hayes, within the next year-and-a-half, there’s a very good chance that PACE will be brought to the area.  PACE is the Program of All-inclusive Care for Elderly and has so far not been available in the area.  In an article in the Times-Standard, hard-working Hayes factually pointed out, “we’ve done everything possible to make sure this is doable and we need to go forward.  We’ll have the first part of the application done by the end of September.”

If this really does happen, then the quality of life for seniors who cannot afford to pay extremely high prices for their health care in Humboldt County, really will substantially improve in the near future.