“Are You Ready to Move Your Aging Parent Into Your Home?,” by Bruce Horowitz, AARP Quote: “While no list of questions can be comprehensive — particularly during an ongoing pandemic — this represents an important start before embarking on a life-changing act that will deeply affect everyone involved. Perhaps the single most unasked question, according to Gary Powell, founder and executive director of The Caregiver Foundation, is: ‘Can I really do this?’” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Do you still get the objection “my kids will take care of me?” If so, show them this article.
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“My Perfect World,” by Robyn Stone, Leading Age LTSS Center Quote: “I’m wondering how we can possibly devise policies that address the growing need for long-term services and supports among older adults when we don’t have a housing policy that addresses the need to provide all Americans with viable housing options throughout their lifespans.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Answer: you can’t devise policies to achieve that goal. That kind of arrogance created long-term care’s problems. The Soviet Union proved central planning doesn’t work. For details, see Ludvig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, and Murray
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“For most seniors, there’s no place like home,” by Kathleen Steele Galvin, McKnight’s Senior Living Quote: “An overwhelming number of seniors want to stay in their own homes rather than move to an assisted living community, according to recent data from the American Advisors Group. A survey of 1,552 participants ages 60 to 75 from all regions of the United States, 92% of the respondents said they would prefer to live their later years in their current home instead of moving to an assisted living community. Eighty percent said they want to live in their own home for the rest of
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“The Troubling Trend of ‘Gray Sheeting’ Life Insurance Policies,” by Wm. Scott Page, Advisor Magazine Quote: “An underground market of buyers and sellers within the life insurance industry is taking advantage of an inefficient marketplace to systematically underpay for life insurance policies. This phenomenon is what we call gray sheeting. The good news is that it’s easy to avoid having your policy gray sheeted, by having it appraised before you put it on the market. For years, some in the insurance industry have been trying to convince agents and advisors who are counseling clients about selling a life insurance policy
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“My incredible shrinking lifespan,” by Gary Tetz, McKnight’s LTC News Quote: “With so much still to say to the long-term care profession, I’m realizing I better write fast, because I may not have many years left. Less all the time, according to a study from Oxford University.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Let LTC humorist Gary Tetz lighten your Friday mood. Then have a fine weekend.             Subscribe to GoldenCare News  
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“Long-term care planning, retirement savings suffered during pandemic: study,” by Kimberly Bonvissuto, McKnight’s Senior Living Quote: “More than half of Americans don’t have any plans in place for long-term care as they age, and many halted or reduced retirement savings contributions during the pandemic, according to the results of a new study. … Fifty-one percent of older adult respondents reported not having any long-term care plans in place, whereas 10% said they have arranged to live with a child or another close family member.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: This level of denial may
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“Most post-acute Medicare recipients with dementia sent to SNFs despite payment changes: study,” by Alicia Lasek, McKnight’s LTC News Quote: “The investigators used Medicare data from 2013 to 2016 to compare SNF and home health use for post-acute care in these recipients over time. Their results revealed that one third (32%) of all fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who receive post-acute care have a dementia diagnosis. What’s more, 7 in 10 find this care in a skilled nursing facility. Overall use and trends were similar in the Medicare Advantage population. … The study was published this week in JAMDA.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses,
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“Poorly controlled diabetes — not diabetes itself — triples dementia risk, study finds,” by Alicia Lasek, McKnight’s LTC News Quote: “The odds of developing full dementia among older adults with cognitive impairment triples when diabetes is poorly controlled — but diabetes itself is not a factor in progression, a new study has found.” LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: An important distinction that underscores the importance of behavioral factors in avoiding dementia.             Subscribe to GoldenCare News  
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“Washington state receives 95,000 exemption applications to new long-term care benefit in first week,” by Alex Regimbal, Seattle PI Quote: “Between Oct. 1 and Oct. 8, the WA Cares Fund received roughly 95,000 exemption submissions, said Nick Demerice, the legislative affairs director for the state Employment Security Department. The first day workers could apply for an exemption was Oct. 1. The benefit is funded by a new payroll tax, which takes effect January 1, 2022. Nearly all Washington employees are subject to the tax, which is 0.58% of a worker’s total wages with no salary cap. That means an employee
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“Nursing Facilities Need to Weather the ‘Reimbursement Storm’ of Medicare Advantage,” by Amy Stulick, Skilled Nursing News   Quote: “With Medicare Advantage revenue “significantly lower” than fee-for-service reimbursement, a new Zimmet Healthcare Services Group analysis says, skilled nursing facilities need to weather today’s “reimbursement storm” in order to make it to the incoming wave of baby boomers that will need facility services.”   LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform: Medicaid reimbursement rates were already less than the cost of providing the care. With Medicare Advantage in the mix there is another filter screening out revenue
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