Scams are getting smarter — is your facility ready?

by John O'Connor

There’s a new kind of threat targeting your residents. 

It won’t show up on vitals, carry an infection risk or trip wandering alarms. But it can wipe out life savings and destroy trust. If left unaddressed, it can also put your facility at risk for financial, reputational and regulatory consequences.

The US Senate Special Committee on Aging’s 2025 fraud report, “Age of Fraud: Scams Facing Our Nation’s Seniors,” paints a troubling picture. Older Americans lost $4.8 billion to scams in 2024, up from $3.4 billion the year before.

What’s behind this surge? A powerful new accomplice: artificial intelligence. Scammers are cloning voices, creating fake videos, and impersonating relatives or officials with unnerving realism.

The FBI reported $16.6 billion in cybercrime losses last year, a 33% jump. Cryptocurrency scams targeting older adults accounted for nearly $3 billion. Peer-to-peer payment fraud — via apps like Zelle, Venmo and CashApp — added another $391 million.

This isn’t just a consumer protection issue. When a scam targets someone in your care, it becomes your operational problem. If a resident’s funds are drained, rent and care payments may stop. If a cognitively impaired resident believes they’re in danger, that anxiety becomes a care disruption. And when a scam goes undetected, tough questions can follow — from families, ombudsmen and regulators.

So, what’s an operator to do?

Start by treating scam prevention as part of your resident safety strategy. Train frontline staff to recognize red flags: urgent requests, secrecy, odd financial behavior, or shifts in mood or trust. If they can spot fall risks, they can learn this too.

Also, keep families in the loop. Yes, they’re busy — but they need to be informed about current scams, especially AI-driven ones.

And don’t forget to review your policies. Does your abuse prevention or incident reporting protocol mention financial exploitation? Do staff know when and how to escalate concerns? If not, now’s the time to update.

This threat isn’t going away. AI, cryptocurrency and social media are making scams more common and harder to detect.

Scammers are evolving. Skilled nursing providers must do the same. Preventing a mess is almost always easier than cleaning one up. 

Full Article & Source:
Scams are getting smarter — is your facility ready?

Disaster preparedness must include long-term care residents, people with dementia, Alzheimer’s Association tells senators

by Kimberly Bonvissuto

Older adults, including those living with dementia and long-term care residents, should be part of disaster preparedness efforts, the Alzheimer’s Association and its advocacy affiliate, the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, told members of the US Senate Special Committee on Aging in comments submitted in response to the committee’s May 14 hearing on disaster preparedness and the unique related challenges facing older adults.

The organizations said that it is important to address the challenges that face people living with dementia and those providing care for them during public health emergencies. They offered several recommendations.

Specifically, the organizations called for improved response coordination and recommended that each state designate a specific point person on long-term care issues to liaise with the federal government during a crisis. 

“Oversight for separate long-term care settings falls to different federal and state agencies, which can make it difficult to coordinate efficiently during a public health emergency,” the statement read, adding that a point person would provide a more coordinated, tailored response to long-term care communities.

The organizations also called for public health preparedness and response targeted toward people living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Many state public health departments lack the expertise to address this population, which became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency response, according to the groups. Public health agencies should seek input from people living with dementia, caregivers and experts on cognitive impairment, according to the recommendations.

The groups added that emergency responders and shelter staff members also would benefit from specific training on the signs and symptoms of dementia and other cognitive impairments. In addition, they said, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should have a gerontologist or geriatrician within the infectious disease national centers to communicate on emergency preparedness and response.

“This will help ensure readiness in how to respond to the unique needs of seniors and people with Alzheimer’s and other dementia when a new threat arises,” the statement read.

As a result of emergencies, disasters and crises, care transitions can be difficult for people living with dementia, the Alzheimer’s Association and AIM said. Therefore, the groups support the expansion of telehealth access — as well as the expansion of Medicare and Medicaid coverage for telehealth services — to allow people living with dementia to avoid unnecessary travel that could further compromise their physical health, as well as help caregivers managing medical needs or behaviors.

Finally, the organizations said they support the ability of nurse practitioners and physician assistants to order Medicaid home health services.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 27% of older adults with Alzheimer’s or other dementias who have Medicare also have Medicaid coverage, compared with 11% of individuals without dementia.  

Full Article & Source:
Disaster preparedness must include long-term care residents, people with dementia, Alzheimer’s Association tells senators

Casey Holds Hearing on Local Impact of the Older Americans Act

May 23, 2024

Pennsylvanians testified at hearing about the importance of programs like Meals on Wheels, senior community centers, and home- and community-based services, which are funded by the Older Americans Act

At hearing, Casey committed to fighting to keep these programs authorized and fully funded

Watch full hearing video here

Washington, D.C. - Today, at a U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing, Chairman Bob Casey (D-PA) highlighted how programs funded by the Older Americans Act (OAA), such as Meals On Wheels, senior community centers, and home- and community-based services, play a critical role in keeping American seniors active, healthy, and connected to their communities. Older Americans experience disproportionate levels of loneliness, isolation, and difficulty accessing meals and health care services, and OAA-funded programs provide a lifeline for seniors struggling to meet these needs. The hearing, entitled “The Older Americans Act: The Local Impact of the Law and the Upcoming Reauthorization,” featured testimony from experts and Pennsylvanian beneficiaries about the importance of ensuring full funding for these vital programs. At the hearing, which comes as the Senate prepares to reauthorize the OAA, Chairman Casey laid out his top priorities for reauthorization, which include supporting states in long-term planning for senior services, substantially increasing funding for long-term care ombudsmen, who ensure the safety of nursing home residents, and increasing investments in nutrition programs.

“Since its passage, the Older Americans Act has served as the foundation for community social services for older adults—from funding Meals on Wheels to local senior centers to home and community-based caregiving,” said Chairman Casey. “These programs are vital for older adults across Pennsylvania and the Nation, and as we prepare to reauthorize the OAA, I am going to fight to ensure they get the full amount of funding that our seniors need and deserve. Our Nation’s older adults have fought in our wars, raised our children and grandchildren, and built our communities—they deserve our support as they age.”

Chairman Casey invited Janet Billotte, a resident of West Decatur, PA, and a recipient of home-delivered meals and other services from her county Area Agency on Aging. She testified about how the services provided to her by OAA-funded programs have improved her life, saying, “Last year, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer and I was also caring for my husband who had been sick with many issues for a long time…Many days, I didn’t feel well and it was very helpful to have these meals delivered to us…I’m very grateful to be receiving these services, and…I know many older adults who receive Meals on Wheels are thankful like I am. I also understand that there are many more older adults on the waiting list for these services. I ask you to please help more people get into the program and be able to receive these great services.”

Watch the full hearing here.

Source:
Casey Holds Hearing on Local Impact of the Older Americans Act

Senator Bob Casey Introduces Legislation to Educate on Alternatives to Guardianship

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, recently introduced the Alternatives to Guardianship Education Act. The proposed legislation aims to safeguard older adults and individuals with disabilities by promoting awareness of alternatives to guardianship among educators, healthcare providers, court workers, and family members. Guardianships, which are established when a court determines a person is unable to make significant decisions independently, have sometimes led to the loss of autonomy and abuse. The bill emphasizes education on alternatives like supported decision-making and advance directives to potentially reduce abuse.

Senator Casey highlighted that while high-profile cases have increased visibility of the issues within guardianships, there is a significant need for public education on the alternatives that uphold civil rights and provide necessary support. The bill proposes a public education campaign to further these goals.

This initiative is part of Senator Casey’s broader efforts to address issues in guardianships. Previous actions include collaborating with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in July 2021 to inquire about guardianship data and promoting alternatives with the Health and Human Services Secretary. In October 2021, Casey introduced the Guardianship Accountability Act to enhance oversight and training to detect abuse in guardianships. He also raised public awareness through an Op-Ed discussing the implications of Britney Spears’ conservatorship case.

In 2023, Casey conducted a hearing titled “Guardianship and Alternatives: Protection and Empowerment,” where he introduced the Guardianship Bill of Rights Act, aiming to establish alternative arrangements and standards to protect the civil rights of those under guardianships.

Full Article & Source:
Senator Bob Casey Introduces Legislation to Educate on Alternatives to Guardianship

‘We need to tell our story much better’

by Lois A. Bowers

Lois A. Bowers

“From our perspective, we need to tell our story much better.”

That’s what Julie Simpkins, co-president and chief operating officer of Gardant Management Solutions, told the US Senate Special Committee on Aging on Thursday. She was one of four witnesses at a committee hearing titled  “Assisted Living Facilities: Understanding Long-Term Care Options for Older Adults.”

Telling stories may be one of the assisted living industry’s best bets to ward off a threat of federal regulation that several senators brought up in the wake of unflattering articles published in The Washington Post and the New York Times and KFF Health News about resident elopements, workforce challenges, the industry pricing structure and more.

Gardant, Simpkins told committee members, focuses on providing affordable assisted living to low-income older adults via home- and community-based Medicaid waiver programs.

“There are really good stories to tell from the state perspective and our home- and community-based services, and we need to do a better job of talking about those stories and the things that are going on within the states,” she said.

Part of the story is the close working relationships that providers can establish with state and local lawmakers and regulators to help ensure that they understand industry and resident needs and how various actions could affect them, Simpkins said. 

“The innovation that has happened, the times providers have been asked to sit at a table before there’s a rule change,” she said, “and not just ask for comment, but to sit face-to-face with somebody and say, ‘If this rule changes, how does it impact the resident that you’re caring for and your workforce who is caring for that resident?’” 

Hearing witnesses faced questions about the workforce, training, staff levels, affordability and other issues. But those issues are better addressed at the state level, Simpkins said, where regulations can “appropriately recognize the diversity within assisted living while holding our profession accountable.”

Industry trade associations frequently recommend that providers invite their legislators to their senior living communities to show them quality in action as well as help them understand the challenges faced by providers. Now is the time to start or continue such conversations and other efforts to help lawmakers and others become more familiar with the positive aspects of assisted living and what operators are doing for older adults of various income levels, as well as understand any assistance providers may need.

“Assisted living is a critical aspect of the long term care continuum, dedicated to delivering person-centered care to our nation’s seniors. We need collaborative, comprehensive solutions that help ensure our ability, as assisted living communities, to continue doing what we do best: providing safe, quality care to our residents,” Simpkins told senators. “From expanding more affordable long-term care options, to workforce programs to address the growing caregiver shortage, these efforts could make a real difference. We must all work together to ensure every current and future assisted living resident is seen, safe and served to enjoy the highest quality of life possible.”

You can watch a recording of the hearing and read the prepared statements of Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), committee chair; Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), ranking member; and the four hearing witnesses on the committee website. And if you know of any consumers who would like to share their experiences with the Aging Committee, they can use the form on the committee website or send a message to this email address: assistedlivingbills@aging.senate.gov.

Full Article & Source:
‘We need to tell our story much better’

US Senate Special Committee on Aging Hearing 3/30/23: Guardianship and Alternatives: Protection and Empowerment

Full Committee Hearing

Date:          Thursday, March 30, 2023
Time:         10:00 am
Location:    SD-106 

Witnesses:  Dr. Tina Paone
                    Professor & Licenses Therapist
                    Landsdale, PA

                    Mr. Ryan King
                    Guardianship Reform Advocate
                    Accompanied by Mr. Susie King, Ryan's Mother
                    Washington, DC

                    Mr. Nick Parker
                    Staff Attorney, Adult Guardianship Office
                    Indiana Office of Court Services, Indiana Supreme Court
                    Indianapolis, IN

                     Dr. Karrie Shogren
                     Director, KS University Center on Developmental Disabilities
                     Lawrence, KS

 WATCH THE HEARING: Guardianship and Alternatives: Protection and Empowerment

There's Nothing Funny About Guardianship

There is nothing funny about guardianship. But that didn't stop John Oliver from tackling a subject, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, that is fast becoming a problem for older Americans -- court-appointed professional guardians who have been granted legal authority to control an individual's life and finances.

Now, according to Oliver, when the system works, it's great. But when it doesn't work, well, it doesn't work at all.

Indeed, during the program, there's a video clip of Steve King, a judge in Tarrant County, Texas, saying the following: "Guardianship is a massive intrusion into a person's life... they lose more rights than someone who goes to prison."

And where things get problematic, according to Oliver, is where guardians gain control of their ward's finances. That's because, according to Oliver, private guardians can bill for each individual service they provide, from leaving voicemail messages to just opening the mail, and they can take payment directly from their ward's estate. "And those charges can accumulate fast and sometimes seem ridiculous," said Oliver, who then went on to show video clips of a guardian who charged his ward $1,027 to take go to a Phoenix Suns basketball game and to evaluate, among other things the effect the game had on the ward's mood.

Oliver also noted how guardians sometimes don't even know if their ward is alive or dead and how just 12 states require professional guardians be certified at all. "So just about anyone can become one," said Oliver, pointing to this Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, The Extent of Abuse by Guardians Is Unknown, but Some Measures Exist to Help Protect Older Adults.

And that means they, the professional guardians, are going to steal money according to Greg Kutz, a GAO investigator.

According to Oliver, the lack of oversight is worrisome given how easy it is to have a professional guardian appointed by a court and how long it takes to get out from under that guardianship. To be fair, Oliver said guardianship isn't inherently bad -- there are people who need it. But the checks and balances of court-appointed professional guardians needs, given the silver tsunami that's coming, to be improved -- from greater regulation to more funding for oversight.

What He Got Right, and Wrong
So, what did Oliver get right about guardianship, what did he get wrong, and what did he fail to include but should have? We asked experts for their thoughts.

As a general matter, Oliver did a good job providing an accessible overview of guardianship, some of the problems that can occur, and steps that can be taken to reduce problems, says Nina Kohn, the associate dean for research and online education and a law professor at Syracuse University College of Law.

"However, it's important to recognize that much of the behavior Oliver described in the segment is not only immoral, it's illegal," says Kohn, who testified before the Senate Aging Committee earlier this year. "Guardians have a fiduciary duty to the individuals for whom they serve. The types of fees Oliver describes guardians charging violate this most basic legal duty."

In good news, Kohn reports that the Uniform Law Commission recently released model legislation for the states that, if adopted by the states (and Maine has already adopted it), would help prevent such fees from being paid in the first place.

"As I noted in my Senate testimony, the act limits the ability of unscrupulous guardians to drain assets by charging unreasonable fees," says Kohn. "For example, it requires courts to consider the market value of services provided by guardians before approving fees. After all, attorneys serving as guardians should not generally be paid their hourly rate to do non-legal tasks like grocery shopping."

Full Article and Source:
There's Nothing Funny About Guardianship

Are You a Victim of These Frauds Targeting Seniors?

An IRS impersonation fraud that has victimized thousands of Americans leads a 2017 U.S. Senate ranking of the Top 10 scams targeting senior citizens.

Dubbed by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration as the most pervasive impersonation fraud in IRS history, the swindle involves suspected scammers based in the U.S. and India who telephone Americans and threaten arrests unless purported tax debts aren't paid immediately. At least 1.97 million people have been targeted, with as many as 200 victimized per week during the scam's peak last year, according to the inspector general.

Separately, 1,680 people contacted a toll-free hotline established by the Senate Special Committee on Aging (1-855-303-9470) and reported they were contacted or fleeced by the scam in 2016. The total — more than twice as many as any other complaint — ranked the fraud first in the panel's annual report, ahead of sweepstakes scams, robocalls, elder financial abuse and grandparent scams, the committee reported at a Wednesday hearing.

IRS scam suspects conned victims in at least 21 states
Testifying by video at a committee hearing Wednesday, 81-year-old Phillip Hatch of Portland, Me. said he lost $8,000 to IRS impersonation scammers who threatened "the marshals will be in your house within an hour" unless he paid what they claimed were overdue taxes.

"I was mad — upset that I was taken in," said Hatch. "Just give me five minutes in a room alone with those people and I'd be happy."

Full Article and Source:
Are You a Victim of These Scams Targeting Seniors?

“The Right Care at the Right Time: Ensuring Person-Centered Care for Individuals with Serious Illness.”

Full Article & Source:
“The Right Care at the Right Time: Ensuring Person-Centered Care for Individuals with Serious Illness.”

Senate Special Committee on Aging explores generic price spikes

WASHINGTON — The Senate Special Committee on Aging, led by chairman Susan Collins, R-Maine, and ranking member Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., on Wednesday hosted the first in a series of hearings the Committee will conduct to investigate recent instances of abrupt and dramatic generic drug price increases. 

 

The hearing hopes to provide insight into the causes behind price hikes on off-patent drugs and the effect these price increases have on patients’ access to medication, the Senate Special Committee reported. The Committee will also look at how current regulations and public policy may contribute to this issue. 

 

"Generic price spikes are negatively impacting patients, pharmacists and health care payers alike," stated NCPA CEO Douglas Hoey. "Importantly, the associated slow and low price adjustment on generic medications is wreaking havoc on the ability of small business pharmacies to remain viable and continue to provide critical medications and related care to patients. We commend Congress for conducting this hearing and urge lawmakers to take additional steps for increased transparency and adequate pharmacy reimbursement."

 

Witnesses called on Wednesday included: 

• Gerard Anderson, professor, health policy and management, medicine, and international health, Johns Hopkins University;
• Erin Fox, director, Drug Information Service, University of Utah Health Care and adjunct associate professor, University of Utah College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacotherapy;
• David Kimberlin, professor and vice chair for Clinical and Translational Research and co-director, division of pediatric infectious diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham; and
• Mark Merritt, president and CEO, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.

Full Article & Source:
Senate Special Committee on Aging explores generic price spikes

Former NFLer Ben Utecht Writing Book About Head Trauma

File photo: Former professional athlete Ben Utecht, a Super Bowl-winning tight end for the Indianapolis Colts, testifies on Capitol Hill in before the Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing regarding concussions the long term effects of brain related sports injuries.

Ben Utecht, the former NFL tight end who became a leading advocate for players suffering from head trauma, is working on a memoir.

Utecht has a six-figure deal with the Simon & Schuster imprint Howard Books, the Abrams Artists Agency announced Wednesday. Ultrecht's book, "Counting the Days Until My Mind Slips Away," is scheduled to come out in the fall of 2016. He sustained numerous concussions as a player and struggles with severe memory loss.

Utecht, 34, earned a Super Bowl ring after the 2006 season with the Indianapolis Colts, but left the NFL in 2009 after an injury settlement with the Cincinnati Bengals. He became a spokesman for the American Academy of Neurology and testified last year before Congress about concussion issues. 

Full Article & Source:
Former NFLer Ben Utecht Writing Book About Head Trauma

Senate Committee Examines Issues Surrounding Hospital Observation Status

The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging recently held a hearing to examine the financial implications of hospital observation status on Medicare beneficiaries, the relationship between Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) behavior and the spike in hospital observation stays, and legislative and administrative efforts to address problems associated with these issues.

Committee members on both sides of the aisle agreed that misaligned incentives within the RAC program and excessive auditing by RACs have been driving the increase in observation stays.  Observation status can have financial implications for Medicare beneficiaries such as higher cost-sharing, and hospitals also risk burdensome audits and loss of reimbursement when they admit patients for short, medically necessary services.

Dr. Jeetu Nanda, System Medical Director for Informatics and Physician Compliance at SSM Health, who testified at the Challenging the Status Quo: Solutions to the Hospital Observation Stay Crisis hearing on behalf of the American Hospital Association (AHA), explained that hospitals are placed in an “untenable position” as they provide the best possible care to patients while striving to comply with complex Medicare payment policies.  Dr. Nanda encouraged policymakers to support key improvements to the RAC program such as those contained in the Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015 (H.R. 2156), legislation that would make the audit and appeals system more practicable for both providers and patients.

In his testimony before the Committee, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Deputy Administrator and Director Sean Cavanaugh acknowledged the need to fix issues related to the short hospital stay payment policy, including CMS’ “two-midnight” rule, and said the agency expects to continue the discussion in the proposed 2016 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System rule that will be released this summer.  HANYS continues to work with CMS to address these issues and with AHA and others to build support in Congress for the Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015.    Contact: Elyse Oveson

Full Article & Source:
Senate Committee Examines Issues Surrounding Hospital Observation Status

See Also:
How to Avoid Two Words That Cost Thousands in Medicare Bills:  Under Observation"

Medical Report Suggests Antipsychotics Too Often Overprescribed to Elderly Dementia Patients

"In a new report, it seems that antipsychotic drugs are far too often prescribed, particularly to elder dementia patients (ie Alzheimer’s disease) in nursing homes.

Republican Senator Susan Collins, of Maine, is the chairwoman for the Senate Special Committee on Aging. She says, “The report raises many red flags concerning the potential misuse and excessive use of antipsychotic drugs for patients with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.”

Federal investigators comment that Medicare officials need to take immediate action in order to reduce not only the prevalence of these issues but also the ignorance of them....

Nursing home trade group, The American Health Care Association also comment that antipsychotic drugs do have some benefit for some patients with dementia. Those who suffer hallucinations or delusions, for example, could find great relief, but it is important to monitor use to make sure that they are not overprescribed and not used inappropriately.

The AHCA comments, “Antipsychotic drugs are expensive, costing hundreds of millions of Medicare dollars. They also increase the risk of death, falls with fractures, hospitalizations and other complications.”

The study indicates that several antipsychotic medications may be overprescribed—not just one or two in particular. This could include: Risperdal, Clozapine, Zyprexa, and Abilify."  as reported at Pioneer News

Full Article & Source:
Medical Report Suggests Antipsychotics Too Often Overprescribed to Elderly Dementia Patients

Congress Seeks to Head Off Exploitation of Elderly

The case headed for a Southeast Missouri courtroom today involves a public official, and that makes it unusual. The nature of the case, however, has become increasingly typical.

The coroner of Perry County stands accused of theft and financial exploitation of the elderly. The allegation involves a woman in her 90s and at least $80,000 taken from her bank account.

Missouri’s legislature has acted in recent years to strengthen state laws against those taking financial advantage of older citizens. And Congress turned its attention to the problem with a hearing this week.

Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri serves as the top Democrat on the Senate Special Committee on Aging, which heard testimony on Wednesday about financial exploitation of the elderly. She said later that an upsurge in the crime seemed likely.

“We do believe, because of the baby boomer generation, that there is going to be not a diminishment of this but, in fact, an increase,” she said in a conference call with reporters.

Demographic trends point to an aging population. In Missouri, according to the state’s Office of Administration, residents 65 and older made up 13 percent of the population in 2000. This will rise to an estimated 21 percent by 2030, with roughly 176,000 people in the 85-and-older category in that year.

Full Article and Source:
Congress Seeks to Head Off Exploitation of Elderly

Senator Susan Collins Honored for Her Work for Alzheimer's

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins was honored by Women Against Alzheimer's, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for policies to help fight and find a cure for the disease.

The "Out of the Shadows" award was presented to Collins at an inaugural dinner aimed at celebrating leaders in the Alzheimer's movement and bringing greater attention to the disease.

The dinner featured filmmakers behind the film, "I'll Be Me," a documentary about country music legend Glen Campbell and his struggle with Alzheimer's.

Campbell's story was featured during a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing last year on Alzheimer's disease.
Collins serves as ranking member of that committee and is co-chairwoman of the Congressional Alzheimer's Task Force. Fighting Alzheimer's disease is among her top priorities in the U.S. Senate.

"I am extremely proud to be the first recipient of the Women Against Alzheimer's 'Out of the Shadows' award," Collins said in a prepared statement. "So many families like mine have experienced the pain of Alzheimer's, and that number is growing exponentially as our population ages."

Source:
Collins Receives Award for Alzheimer's Work

Could a Caregiver Corps Solve the Caregiving Shortage?

A recent report from AARP found that we are on the verge of facing a major caregiver shortage in the not-so-distant future. According to their report, in 2010, there were "more than 7 potential caregivers for every person in the high-risk years of 80-plus" and by 2030, the projected ratio will fall to 4 people for every person 80-plus. And by 2050, "it is expected to further fall to less than 3 to 1."

Aging in place has become an important part of aging in America. Whether due to the struggling economy, comfort or deeper personal reasons, people simply do not want to spend their later years in nursing homes or assisted living facilities; they prefer to grow old in their own homes, usually with the help of their grown children. For the last decade or so, this has been made possible thanks to their children and amenities offered by both private companies and local governments to assist the elderly with aging in place.

Baby Boomers, however, may not be as lucky. Boomer women had fewer children than their parents and some opted out of having children at all. Combine that with higher divorce rates -- by 2030, 36 percent of older men will have been alone for a decade or longer -- and we've got a Caregiver shortage crisis on our hands.

Senator Bob Casey, a Democrat out of Pennsylvania, sits on the U.S. Senate Aging Committee and has spent many hours listening to the testimony of people who are struggling to care for aging parents. Based on what he's heard, he's working on developing a National Caregiver Corps. According to a press release on Senator Casey's website, he plans "to introduce legislation to establish a Caregiver Corps program to foster the creation of community-based programs that can help 'fill the gap' in assisting older adults and individuals with disabilities, and in providing added support for informal caregivers." The goal of the program is to ease the burden of low-income and middle class families who have been struggling with how to balance work and family responsibility.

Volunteers who participate in the program would receive specific guidelines and structure from the Department of Health and Human Services in order to provide assistance to families by "cleaning, preparing food or even shopping for people who want to remain at home" as they age, as well as respite care for existing family caregivers. The proposal also includes providing volunteers with a stipend, tuition credit or even academic credits.

Full Article and Source:
Could a Caregiver Corps Solve the Caregiving Shortage?

Hospital "Observation Stays" Scrutinized by Senate Aging Committee

 A Senate panel Wednesday highlighted instances in which Medicare patients got stuck with thousands of dollars in bills because their hospital stays were less than three days, the standard for Medicare to pay for subsequent care in a skilled nursing facility.

The leaders of the Senate Aging Committee sought to build support for legislation (S 569) that would count all days spent in the hospital toward the requirement. “Most people, after spending the night in a hospital would say that they have been ‘admitted’ to the hospital – that they are an inpatient of that hospital,” said Bill Nelson, D-Fla., chairman of the Aging Committee (Reichard, 7/30).

Source:
Hospital "Observation Stays" Scrutinized by Senate Aging Committee

Letter of the Day (April 9): Exploiting the elderly

From Mickey Rooney to Maple Grove, we are reminded that elder financial exploitation has no boundaries. We remember Rooney, who died this week, not only for his films but for his courageous testimony before the U.S. Senate in March 2011. His riveting statement revealed his victimization by a stepson and stepdaughter, the millions of dollars taken and the emotional toll he experienced.

National statistics on the billions of dollars elders lose to financial crimes each year are staggering and growing. Here in Minnesota, County Adult Protective Services received 5,546 reports of financial exploitation in 2013, up from 3,900 in 2011 and 4,800 in 2012. And these do not take into account cases that were reported directly to law enforcement as thefts.

Financial exploitation is measured in dollars and costly consequences. Beyond the dollars, these crimes leave victims with depression, deterioration of physical health, loss of independence and a shortened life span. The private tragedies yield significant public costs in medical care and housing. When the city administrator of Maple Grove dismisses a City Council member’s conviction in a six-figure case of financial exploitation as a “family matter” (“Maple Grove official gets workhouse for exploiting dad,” April 8), this too-common misconception must be challenged. “Who gets Grandma’s pink sugar bowl?” is a family matter. Intentional financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult is a crime.

Iris C. Freeman, Minneapolis

Full Article & Source:
Letter of the Day (April 9): Exploiting the elderly

Upcoming Senate Special Committee on Aging Hearing: Aging in Comfort: Assessing the Special Needs of America's Holocaust Survivors

Providers with Holocaust survivors will find special value in an upcoming hearing held by the Senate Special Committee on Aging. “Aging in comfort: Assessing the special needs of America's Holocaust survivors” is the title of the Jan. 15 hearing. It begins at 2:15 p.m. (Eastern) in Room 562 of the Dirksen Senate Building in Washington and will feature testimony from some of the nation's top experts on this caregiving challenge.

For up-to-date information on participants and testimony, frequently check the committee's website here.

Source:
Caring for Holocaust Survivors the Focus of Senate Hearing

See Also:
NASGA:  Marie Lubowski Winkelman, Florida Victim
NASGA:  Al Katz, Indiana/Florida Victim

Senate Special Committee on Aging Addresses National Alzheimer's Plan Progress

Advocates at the 25th annual Alzheimer's Association Advocacy Forum paused during a day of visits with members of Congress to attend a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease.

The National Plan, released in May 2012, is the country's first comprehensive approach to the Alzheimer's epidemic and includes a goal to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer's disease by 2025.The hearing, "Are We on Track for 2025?," examined the plan one year after its creation and the resources needed to accomplish its goals. It featured testimonies from expert witnesses, including Ashley Campbell, who spoke on behalf of her father, country music legend Glen Campbell. Glen was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2011.

Senate Aging Committee Ranking Member Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) welcomed a room filled with advocates, sharing her personal experience with Alzheimer's and her concerns about the disease's estimated trajectory.

"As someone whose family has experienced the pain of Alzheimer's time and time again, I know there is no more helpless feeling then to watch the progression of this devastating disease," Collins said. "An estimated 5.2 million Americans have Alzheimer's, more than double the number in 1980. Based on the current trajectory, more than 16 million Americans over the age of 65 will have Alzheimer's disease by the year 2050."

Collins also outlined her vision for the National Alzheimer's Plan.

"If we fail to change the current trajectory of Alzheimer's disease, our country will face not only a mounting national health care crisis, but an economic one as well," she said. "The National Alzheimer's Plan, which will be updated annually, will help us to focus our efforts and accelerate our progress toward better treatments, a means of prevention and ultimately, even a cure."

Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), chairman of the committee, shared his thoughts on the Alzheimer's epidemic and his appreciation for advocates' efforts on Capitol Hill.

"It is shocking that today 1 in 3 seniors will die with Alzheimer's," said Nelson. "And as the baby boomers age, this fact is going to confront us all the more. We are very grateful for your tireless efforts on behalf of this issue and for the Alzheimer's Association."

Ashley Campbell was the first to testify, re-accounting Glen's diagnosis and their decision to launch a Glen Campbell goodbye tour, giving her father a chance to connect with family, friends and fans through music.

"Dad thought it was important for people to know you can keep doing what you love — that life doesn't end right away when you get Alzheimer's," she said. "It was also so important for my dad to take action and help spread the word about the need to find a cure for Alzheimer's."

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Senate Hearing Addresses National Alzheimer's Plan Progress