Oral Health in the Elderly

In the year 2000 our 16th Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher announced, "One of the more dramatic discoveries in biomedical science in the twentieth century has been the realization that tooth loss is not an inevitable consequence of aging, but the result of disease or injury."  According to the Center for Disease Control, 1/3 of Californians over the age of 65 report having lost 6 or more teeth.  In 2008 the American Dental Association launched an initiative for geriatric dental care called OralLongevity.  It has developed into an online resource for both dentists and consumers which focuses on the unique dental needs of the elderly.  Please explore the website and search out the Videos for easy sharing with your staff, residents and families.  Dental care takes extra time, but it is a part of the daily assistance many of our residents require.

Top 10 Scams that Prey on Seniors

It's easy to assume that seniors in residential care facilities are protected from what goes on outside the perimeter of the building.  For the most part it's true.  However, residents often can have their own phones in their rooms and many have cell phones and computers these days.  It is important that administrators and staff know how to recognize when one of their residents is being hunted by phone, mail, and email solicitors.   The National Council on Aging (NCOA) says "over 90% of all reported elder abuse is committed by an older person’s own family members, most often their adult children."  To add to the frustration of this type of elder abuse is that it is rarely reported.  The FBI says that "older Americans are less likely to report a fraud because they don’t know who to report it to, are too ashamed at having been scammed, or don’t know they have been scammed."  They also fear that their family will view them as unable to manage their own affairs.  Naturally, seniors living on their own are most at risk but in a residential care or independent community we can educate our population.  Consider having a workshop that teaches about these scams.  Encourage discussion about it so your residents can look out for one another.  Please use the following links for more information.

Article:

Seniors Get Hung Up In Health Care Scams

Resources:

NCOA - Top 10 Scams Targeting Seniors

FBI - Common Fraud Schemes

Inclusive Services for LGBT Older Adults

As residential care providers it is our responsibility to provide safe and inclusive living environments.  Safety is truly a vital part of what we do daily but sometimes it's easy to forget how to be welcoming and inclusive.

Recently I was called by a program analyst from CCLD who asked me if Community Care Options offered any training related to aging Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender adults.  Honestly, I was left speechless for a moment.  I answered, "no, but we do address some topics related to homosexuality in our HIV/AIDS training", and then I wondered why I'd never developed a course for LGBT.  I was then informed that it is a topic that CCLD would like to see addressed.  I called some friends and one of them turned me to this website, LBGTAgingCenter.org.  After reviewing this site and some of the related resources I realized that training on how to best welcome and include LGBT adults into our care homes is vital to our success as care providers.  Please review the information on this site and download the Inclusive Services for LGBT Older Adults guide.

Walk to End Alzheimer's

As many of you know we are big supporters of the Alzheimer's Association and The Walk to End Alzheimer's.  We've had teams in the past and it's a great time for great cause.   I want to encourage you to have your own team this year if you're not already planning to.  This event happens in communities all over the nation and the world.  Please consider forming a team as a tribute to someone you know or have known with this disease.  You can find a Walk near you and register a team HERE or just Google "Walk to End Alzheimer's 2013". 

Donating Unused Medications Follow Up on SB-1329

As of January 1, 2013 the billed called SB-1329 allows RCFEs of 16 beds or more to participate in the donating of certain unused medications.  Naturally there are very specific guidelines and documentation that must be adhered to.  Information on this bill can be found on page 15 of the newest change to the Evaluator's Manual.  Please download the change to learn more.

So, you want to participate in SB-1329?  If so, a non-profit group called SIRUM.org offers a good way to do so.  They make it very easy to donate unused medications and will teach you what you need to know.  We have invited them to attend the RENO 2013 conference in May as well. 

Activity-Based Care

There is more to good care than just handing out medications, assisting with showers and providing nutritious meals. What makes one facility stand out against others is often the level of activity that is visible to your visitors. So, understanding how care and activities work together can be a big part of making a facility successful. The fact is activities are not all games and crafts, especially in RCFEs providing dementia care and ARFs with highly active individuals. Activities can include dressing, grooming, meal prep, meal clean up and when appropriate, community outreach. Keep in mind that activities should be whatever is best for the individual and should not be what best serves the community. Please view the link for more considerations on Activity-Based Care. 

Football, Concussions & Dementia

We should start this week by saying that even though our 49er's didn't win Super Bowl XLVII they played an amazing second half and a great season.

Continuing with football, Tom Dempsey, the legendary NFL kicker who had no toes on his right foot, is suffering from dementia.  He is part of a study conducted by the well-known brain specialist Dr. Daniel Amen.  Some of us at Community Care Options had a chance to see Dr. Amen speak a few years ago and he addressed this issue around contact sports and brain injury.  Dr. Amen is beginning to see a connection between amongst retiring NFL players.  I've linked an article from the N.Y. Times below for you to enjoy.

For Former Kicker, the Price of Fearlessness

Educational Resources

We're always looking for new sources for information on aging and dementia.  One website that I consistently use for information when developing a new training is ALZ.ORG.  The Alzheimer's Association has a wealth of research news, caregiver techniques, and support information for families and professionals.  Please have a look at their website whenever you do an "in service" training with your staff.  Specifically look at THIS PAGE for professional care providers.

SSI / SSP Rates for 2013

I just wanted to make you all aware of the updated rates for SSI/SSP.  Please  refer to this Evaluator's Manual change for the specifics OR continue reading below.

SSI/SSP Rates

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Non-Medical Out-of-Home Care (NMOHC) Payment Standard

Effective January 1, 2013

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)	$710.00
State Supplementary Payment (SSP)	$412.00 _________
Total NMOHC Payment Standard	$1122.00*
The NMOHC Payment Standard includes the following components:
Room and Board	$482.00
Care and Supervision (maximum)	$511.00 _________
Amount Payable for Basic Services	$993.00**
Personal and Incidental Needs Allowance (must be provided to the recipient) (minimum)	$129.00 _________
	$1122.00

* Amounts are double for SSI/SSP couples

** NOTE: Recipients who have income in addition to their SSI/SSP check (for example, a pension, Social Security retirement, or disability benefits) can be charged the $993.00 amount for basic services plus an additional $20. Because federal rules do not count the first $20 of a recipient's income against his/her SSI/SSP grant, an SSI/SSP recipient with other income has an extra $20 that people who receive only an SSI/SSP check do not have. Neither federal nor state law restricts the recipient in how this additional $20 is spent. Thus, if the recipient agrees in the admission agreement to pay the additional $20 for basic services, the facility may charge the additional amount.