Retirement Living » Pro Aging Network

“Make a Wish” Concept for Seniors

USA Today article reports on Twilight Wish, one of several organizations dedicated to granting wishes to seniors. The foundation started eight years ago in Doylestown, Pa., as a way to enrich the lives of senior citizens, said organization president Elinor Foltz. The groups grant a wide variety of wishes, from visits to World War II battlefields and hot-air balloon rides to family reunions. They also help seniors with household and health needs, providing appliances, wheelchair ramps, hearing aids and dentures. [...]

Nursing Homes and Hospitals Prepare for Another Round of Budget Cuts

Nursing-home operators, already hit hard by last year’s cuts in federal and state funding, face another revenue loss in Pennsylvania Governors proposed budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. The budget proposal, released Tuesday, calls for a 4 percent cut in the Medicaid reimbursement rate for nursing homes. The total revenue loss for nursing homes is projected by the Pennsylvania Health Care Association to be $46.5 million. That amounts to a nearly $8-per-day reduction in the average daily reimbursement [...]

Study Suggests High Rate of Drinking in Assisted Living Facilities

The rate of drinking among residents in assisted living facilities is high, according to a new study published in Research on Aging, titled Alcohol Misuse and Abuse Reported by Nurse Aides in Assisted Living. Researchers asked more than 800 nursing aides in facilities about behaviors they had observed, or had evidence of, among residents they cared for. Their responses suggest nearly 70 percent of assisted living residents drank alcohol. More than one-third of residents drank daily, and 12 percent had abused [...]

InternationalLiving.com launches hunt for Americans or Canadians willing to live as expat retirees in Ecuador for a month – all expenses paid.

InternationalLiving.com is looking for a single person or couple willing to spend a month road-testing an overseas retirement in colonial Cuenca, Ecuador – a destination that earned the top spot in their 2012 Global Retirement Index, a listing of the world’s best retirement havens. According to InternationalLiving.com’s want ad, entrants “Must be willing to relax… explore a new place… shop the local farmers and craft markets… take walks… go to concerts… attend festivals… maybe try a Spanish class… enjoy local [...]

ProAging Special Event – Erickson School of Aging Studies New Campus

A special lunch event that will showcase the nations leading University based academic program that focuses on aging services expanding offerings to the Shady Grove Campus in the DC Metro region. Program and schedule TBA RSVP to rsvp@proaging.com to get information. Date/Time Date(s) – April 26, 2012 Noon – 2:00 PM Location The Universities at Shady Grove 9630 Gudelsky Drive Rockville MD 20850 Contact Info: 1-800-394-9990 ext. 1118 rsvp@proaging.com Special thanks to the following senior serving provider groups for supporting [...]

Millions of Long-Distance Caregivers and Counting!

The National Institute on Aging estimates around 7 million Americans are long-distance caregivers. Aside from economic factors that often drive people far from their hometowns, shifting demographics in the country could exacerbate the issue: Over the next four decades, the share of people 65 and older is expected to rapidly expand while the number of people under 20 will roughly hold steady. That means there will be a far smaller share of people between 20 and 64, the age group [...]

NYT Article Explores Male / Female Occupancy in Nursing Homes

Paula Span explores a topic in her weekly New York Times post that touches on something discharge planning and case managers know all too well! She writes, “Nursing homes are heavily female, like the elderly population itself. A report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2010 found that about two-thirds of residents were women. In some homes I’ve visited, it looks closer to 80 percent. And most rooms in nursing homes are “semiprivate,” one of the great [...]

People on the Move – Ann E. Gillespie – Asbury Communities

Asbury Communities, a not-for-profit organization that manages five continuing care retirement communities in three states, announces the appointment of Ann E. Gillespie to the position of Chief Strategy Officer. The announcement was made by Ed Thomas, President & CEO of Asbury Communities, and became effective January 1, 2012. In her new position, Gillespie will oversee the Germantown, MD-based organization’s strategic goals and transitions in the health care reform environment, as well as the expansion of programs that include home- and [...]

Thoughts on Aging Technology from the Consumer Electronic Show (CES)

Every year thousands gather in Las Vegas to get a glimpse at the newest technology products and ideas. In a sea of flat screen televisions and gadgets for geeks there are quite of few products and companies that are focusing on health care, aging and disability technology. Below are a few links to so articles and blog posts that will give you an idea of what you missed if you weren’t at CES! Silvers Summit/ Digital Health 2012 – Louis [...]

Emergency Room Visits Can Bring Infection Back to Nursing Homes

An emergency department visit may triple the risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections for nursing home residents, researchers found. The rate of new acute respiratory or GI infections was 5% within a week of an emergency department visit compared with 2% when not leaving the long-term care facility, according to Caroline Quach, MD, of McGill University in Montreal, and colleagues. Quach’s study examined outcomes at 22 nursing homes in Ontario and Quebec during the months of September 2006 to May 2008 [...]