Archive for the ‘Caregivers’ Category

NYC Home Sharing for Seniors

Monday, June 3rd, 2019

Finding affordable housing, particularly in major cities, has become a major issue for the elderly. Now, they are getting roommates.  In New York City, the Home Sharing Program is billed to help seniors with affordable housing as well as putting more money in people’s pockets in the form of rent.

The average apartment in New York City is $3,800 per month. Currently, there are approximately 1.6 million adults in New York City that are 60 or older. This is 19.2 percent of the population, which obviously causes a problem in affordable housing for the elderly. These numbers will only continue to grow, expounding the problem of affordable housing for the elderly. By 2040, 1 in 5 New Yorkers will be over 60, thus the creation of the Home Sharing Program.

The Home Sharing Program helps people looking for housing and pairs them with compatible people who have rooms available for rent. The City recently expanded the program to help even more elderly with affordable housing by giving a $1.4 million increase in the Program’s budget.

 

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Seniors Face Significant Health Risks in Summer Heat

Wednesday, August 15th, 2018

Last month New York City experienced it’s first heat-related death of 2018 when a 71-year-old man died of hypothermia while sitting in a parked car in Queens. In Woodland, Calif., a 63-year-old postal worker died in her delivery truck on an afternoon when the outside temperature reached 115 degrees. And in Tipton, Pa., a 64-year-old woman succumbed to heat stroke after gardening for several hours outside her home.

If current weather trends continue, 2018 will be the fourth hottest year on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Warm temperatures in the summer months create health risks for everyone, but particularly for seniors. The U.S. National Institute on Aging recently warned that older individuals are at “significant increased risk of heat-related illnesses” during the summer months.

So far this year over 70 people have died in Canada as a result high heat levels this summer. According to a recent report on Canada’s heat wave from National Public Radio, Canada’s elderly population was most at risk of heat-related death. The majority of people who died, NPR reported, were “elderly men and women living alone in apartments with no air conditioning, and many had chronic health conditions.”

Here are several measures seniors can take to guard their health during the summer heat.

  • Schedule outside activities such as gardening or exercise during the cooler times of the day.
  • Seek out cool locales. When outside, stay in the shade. Seniors whose homes lack air conditioning should head for air-conditioned spaces such as shopping malls, libraries, movie theaters or community centers.
  • Consider a cool shower or bath for temporary relief from the heat.
  • Drink plenty of liquids but avoid caffeine and alcohol, both of which are diuretics that can cause dehydration.
  • Wear loose fitting, lightweight clothing. When outside, wear a hat or use an umbrella to ward off the sun.
  • Pay attention to the body’s warning signs. Dizziness, nausea, headache, or breathing problems are reasons to immediately seek medical attention.

Relatives of older individuals should be sure to check on them regularly during the warm summer months. Normally benign errors in judgment such as forgetting to turn on an air conditioner or staying too long in the afternoon sun could have catastrophic consequences when the temperatures are high.

How much water should people drink to protect against dehydration in the summer? There is no universally accepted answer to that question. However, the Mayo Clinic recommends roughly one gallon of water daily during normal conditions for an average male, slightly less for females.

 

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How to find resources for seniors in New York City

Monday, February 5th, 2018

New York City’s senior population is growing quickly. There are now more than 1.4 million New Yorkers over the age of 60, and that number is expected to rise to more than 1.8 million by 2030. At that time, there will be more older adults than school children in New York City, and seniors will account for one out of every five residents. There is a vast array of community resources available to help seniors with their daily needs, but they can be difficult to locate. New York City’s Department of Aging has an online tool that can help.

Littman Krooks elder law attorneysThe Department of Aging’s Find Help tool is designed to help seniors and their family members easily find the resources they need in their area. You can search by zip code or borough, and search for the type of services you are looking for, which may include abuse prevention, caregiver resources, case management, health promotion services, home care, home delivered meals, legal services, naturally occurring retirement communities, senior centers, social adult day care and day services, transportation and geriatric mental health.

Searching by location and type of services gives you a list of providers, and by clicking on an individual result, you will be given detailed information about the service provider, including the address, phone number, hours of operation and services offered.

 

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Ride-Sharing for Seniors May Help with Senior Transportation Crisis

Wednesday, December 6th, 2017

Seniors face a crisis in transportation. Older individuals may have physical or mental impairments that make driving difficult, and public transportation may be unavailable or too difficult to navigate. Subsidized para-transit is available in many communities, but the process of scheduling a ride can be complicated. A lack of transportation can be a serious health hazard, as it can cause seniors to miss medical appointments and prevent them from engaging with a social support network, which helps maintain mental health.

Today there are new transportation options such as the ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft, which can be faster and less expensive than taxis. These options have been embraced quickly by much of the population, but seniors may be less familiar with them. A smartphone is essential to using the new services, and older individuals may not have smartphones or may not be as comfortable using them. Among Americans over the age of 65, only 42 percent own a smartphone, while 77 percent of the general population owns one. In addition, someone with a physical disability may require a vehicle that can accommodate an assistive device such as a walker or wheelchair, and the new services may not be set up to handle such requests.

Companies and governments recognize that there is a gap in transportation services for seniors, and they are making improvements. Lyft built a new platform called Concierge that allows operators to request rides for others. On the Jitterbug phone marketed to older people, users can press zero to have an operator order a Lyft. A startup called GoGoGrandparent offers a hotline that seniors can call to hail a ride. Uber launched an UberAssist option for riders who need help getting in and out of vehicles. Washington, D.C. launched a service called Abilities-Ride, which subsidizes taxi rides for people with disabilities. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston subsidizes Uber and Lyft rides for people who do not need the full services of para-transit. The AARP Foundation has begun a pilot program with Lyft and other partners to give free rides to people who may be in danger of missing medical appointments. With the rapid development of technology and the large market that seniors represent, transportation options are likely to expand.

 

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National Hospice and Palliative Care Month

Thursday, November 9th, 2017

By Lou Giampa, President, Right at Home Westchester

If you were a European warrior or religious pilgrim on the way to Jerusalem during the Middle Ages, chances are you lodged at a “hospes house” on the arduous journey. The holy orders of knights such as the Hospitallers and Templars ran these travel lodges named after the Latin word that means both “guest” and “host.” Over time, hospes houses expanded to offer care for the sick and dying. Derived from “hospes,” our modern-day word “hospice” is known as a place for the dying or the practice of end-of-life care. Littman Krooks Elder Law

Part of hospice services may include palliative care, the medical specialty of alleviating pain and improving the quality of life of the seriously ill. Hospice care begins after health treatment for an illness has stopped and the patient is considered terminal. Palliative care can begin as soon as a patient is diagnosed with a serious illness and can continue while the individual pursues a cure. November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month to help raise awareness of the skilled, compassionate care that both disciplines offer. The campaign’s 2017 theme is “It’s About How You Live.”

How Does Hospice and Palliative Care Work?

Hospice providers alone care for more than 1.6 million Americans and their families annually. While hospice does involve caring for the terminally ill, hospice care is more than seeing someone through their final days. An integrated team of healthcare professionals and trained volunteers work together to manage pain, control symptoms, and bolster emotional and spiritual needs. Hospice teams ensure patients and their loved ones find support, respect and dignity along the difficult path of a life-limiting illness.

Interdisciplinary palliative care teams are typically comprised of doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and physical and occupational therapists who assist with the pain of cancer, kidney failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure and other chronic diseases or disorders.

“Hospice and palliative care are a vital means of comfort and support but are not synonymous,” said Lou Giampa, President of Right at Home Westchester. “Palliative care offers a holistic approach to helping reduce the suffering of anyone with a serious, chronic or life-threatening illness, not just those who are dying. As death draws near, palliative care often segues into hospice.”

Hospice serves those with a terminal diagnosis in their homes or at freestanding hospice centers, nursing homes, in-patient care facilities and hospitals. Hospice teams primarily serve in a patient’s home because most end-of-life individuals prefer to pass in their own home surroundings. Hospice care is available to any patient of any age, race, religion or illness. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization notes that hospice services “focus on caring, not curing” and “hospice is not ‘giving up,’ nor is it a form of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.” Instead, hospice care helps patients and their families embrace life as fully as possible. In some cases, hospice patients rally to make a full recovery.

Who Qualifies for Hospice and Palliative Care?

Most Medicaid, Medicare and private health insurance plans cover palliative and hospice services. Hospice care covered by Medicare requires that a person receive a prognosis of living six months or less, but there is not a six-month limit on hospice care services. A patient with a doctor’s certification of terminal illness may receive hospice support for as long as necessary.

Any person with a serious illness can benefit from palliative support, which emphasizes the quality of life for the whole person including one’s relationships. Palliative care may include educating family members and caregivers on the patient’s illness, treatment plans and medications. Palliative services ease the symptoms or side effects of an illness including:

  • Pain
  • Sleep difficulty
  • Nausea
  • Shortness of breath
  • Lack of appetite
  • Fear and anxiety
  • Depression and hopelessness

“The majority of U.S. medical schools now offer hospice and palliative care programs and are instructing medical students in these specialized branches of pain management and end-of-life care,” explained Giampa. “It is important to work alongside a care client to develop and tailor a care plan and strategy that meets their own goals, values and needs. Our Right at Home caregivers support a range of hospice and palliative services for everyday needs, such as personal care, meal preparation and light housekeeping. Hospice and palliative medicine means skilled, compassionate teams working together for the good of the care client and the family.”

For more information about person-centered care or cognitive support, visit the local Right at Home office at www.westchesterseniorcare.com.

 

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Advocates Say Proposed Cuts to Medicaid Will Harm Seniors and People with Disabilities

Tuesday, July 11th, 2017

Health care legislation currently being considered by Congress includes steep cuts to the Medicaid program, which advocates for seniors and people with disabilities say will cause tremendous harm.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the legislation, the American Health Care Act, on May 4, 2017. The U.S. Senate is now considering its amended version, which is called the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). The bill is a move by Republican lawmakers to repeal major parts of the Affordable Care Act, passed under President Obama.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said that under the BCRA, the number of uninsured people would increase by 15 million next year, and by 22 million by 2026.

Critics have numerous objections to the bill, but advocates for seniors and people with disabilities have focused on the harm they say will be caused by cuts to Medicaid, the joint federal and state program that insures nearly one in five Americans.

The Affordable Care Act expanded eligibility for Medicaid, though states could opt out. The BCRA would phase out that expansion by 2024, and would make further cuts as well, by permanently restructuring the program. Medicaid is a partnership between the federal government and the states, and the new legislation would cap the amount contributed by the federal budget, leaving states to make up the difference or cut benefits.

Medicaid is the nation’s largest government health care program, covering more people than Medicare. Medicaid covers 64 percent of all nursing home residents, 60 percent of all children with disabilities, 30 percent of all adults with disabilities, 76 percent of poor children and 49 percent of all births.

Some nursing home residents could be forced out by the cuts. Under federal law, state Medicaid programs must cover nursing home care, but the Center for Medicare Advocacy predicted that under the budgetary pressures that would be imposed under the BCRA, states would have to limit how much they pay, or restrict eligibility. The AARP said that under the new legislation, older adults could also be charged up to five times more for health insurance than younger people. Under the Affordable Care Act, rates are capped at three times more.

People with disabilities say that cuts to Medicaid would be devastating, likely resulting in reduced access to home and community-based services that allow many to live independently rather than in institutions.

The BCRA is opposed by the Arc, the AARP, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association and the American Cancer Society’s action network.

Concerned citizens can contact their representatives in Congress by calling the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.

 

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NYC Program Helps Seniors with Home Repairs

Friday, May 5th, 2017

Seniors who own their own home in New York City and need help paying for repairs may qualify for the Senior Citizen Home Assistance Program (SCHAP).

The SCHAP program is administered by the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), in partnership with the Parodneck Foundation. Qualifying low- and moderate-income seniors can receive low-interest repayment loans or deferred no-interest loans to prevent physical deterioration of their home or to improve living conditions. The maximum loan amount is $40,000 for single-family homes or $30,000 per dwelling unit for two- to four-family homes.

Seniors may qualify if they have owned their home within the five boroughs of New York City for at least two years, and are 60 years old or older. Income guidelines apply, and the home must have liability and property insurance.

In the case of deferred, interest-free loans, there are no monthly payments, and fees plus ten percent of the loan are forgiven after the first year. The loan is payable in full if the house is sold, but if the borrower still resides in the home after 30 years, the balance of the loan is forgiven. In the case of low-interest repayment loans, the borrower is charged with 0-3 percent interest and repays the loan over 30 years.

The SCHAP program has been in operation since 1986, and has assisted more than 1,000 senior homeowners. In addition to affordable loans, the program also offers extensive technical assistance to qualifying seniors.

To learn more about the SCHAP program, including application requirements and the loan process, contact the Parodneck Foundation at 212-431-9700, extension 313, or visit: parodneckfoundation.org/schap.

 

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Nursing Home Residents Will Soon Have Greater Rights

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2016

Update (12/1/2016): “The rule was supposed to take effect Nov. 28, but the American Health Care Association, an industry group that represents most nursing homes in the U.S., filed a lawsuit in October to block the rule, which it called “arbitrary and capricious.” To read more, click here.

 

A rule change by a federal agency will provide nursing home residents with major new legal protections by preventing facilities from forcing disputes into arbitration.

littman krooks long-term-careThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), part of the Health and Human Services Department, issued a rule preventing nursing homes from requiring that residents resolve disputes in arbitration rather than through a lawsuit. The rule applies to all facilities that receive federal funding, protecting the rights of 1.5 million residents. The arbitration ban is one of several new nursing home regulations promulgated by CMS, including new standards for nutrition and infection control.

Many families must make the decision about a nursing home under time pressure and in emotional turmoil, and they often are not able to consider the implications of all the contract terms. Nursing home contracts often contain fine print requiring that disputes be resolved through arbitration, taking away the right to sue for elder abuse, neglect and even wrongful death.

The nursing home industry said that the rule change, “clearly exceeds the agency’s authority.” Arbitration has reduced legal costs for nursing homes, but advocates for seniors say that it has prevented residents and their families from getting justice. Officials in 16 states and the District of Columbia had urged government action, arguing that private arbitration kept patterns of abuse hidden.

The new rule goes into effect on Nov. 28. It does not apply to contracts signed prior to that date, but current nursing home residents or their families can review their contracts and attempt to renegotiate or choose to move to another facility. After Nov. 28, nursing homes may still ask for a dispute to be settled through arbitration, but residents and their families have the right to file a lawsuit instead.

 

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Westchester to Receive $3.3 Million Grant for In-Home Senior Services

Tuesday, September 27th, 2016

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced that the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services will receive a $3.3 million grant for in-home services for seniors.

Gov. Cuomo said that the funding would help older New Yorkers continue to live in their homes with dignity and would improve their quality of life.

New York State’s county-based Area Agencies on Aging will receive a total of $50 million through the Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly Program to help seniors remain in their homes and communities. The program is intended to maximize independence, providing the assistance that seniors need in order maintain a high quality of life in their communities. This may prevent the need for more expensive care, the cost of which is often borne by Medicaid.

The services are designed to help lower income seniors who may have functional impairments and need help with activities of daily living. The in-home services program provides non-medical supports such as assistance with cooking, shopping and getting bills paid.Littman Krooks Elder Law

State Senator Sue Serino, chain of the Senate Standing Committee on Aging, said that both seniors and the community at large benefit when people are able to age in place. When seniors maintain their independence costly nursing home placement is prevented. The program is expected to benefit nearly 70,000 New York seniors.

To be eligible, seniors must not be eligible for similar services such as Medicaid, must be 60 years of age or older and must be able to reside safely in the community. It is not necessary to show that there is a medical need for the services.

 

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Settlement Reached for Seniors Who Must Leave Assisted Living Home

Tuesday, July 5th, 2016

An assisted living home for seniors in New York City is closing and five residents who had refused to move will accept a $3.35 million settlement.

In March 2014, the management of a home for seniors in Brooklyn announced that the facility was closing and the residents would have to move within 90 days. Many of those affected were angry, alleging that the building owners wanted to sell to a developer. Most moved out as requested, but one group filed a lawsuit to halt the closing.

Littman Krooks Elder LawThe New York State attorney general, investigated the matter, saying that giving seniors 90 days to leave their homes was unreasonable. Some had Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia; family members worried that they would not be able to find the same level of care at another facility and that moving would be traumatic.

By November 2014, there were eight holdouts in the building, faced with empty halls and dwindling services. Now there are five, ranging in age from 91 to 101. Each of them will receive more than $500,000 in the settlement, but they must leave their apartments by the end of the summer.

Attorneys for the residents said the settlement was a victory, giving the seniors the time and money they need to find other accommodations. An attorney for the building’s owner said he was satisfied.

The lawsuit also named the New York State Health Department as a defendant, claiming that the agency did not follow federal and state rules regarding the closing of the home. A resolution to that part of the lawsuit has not been reached at the time of this writing.

 

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