According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, caregivers, particularly persons with both parenting and adult caregiving responsibilities, will continue to face mental health challenges, and the need for caregivers is projected to increase as the U.S. population ages.
Age and dementia friendly community initiatives may consider how to be inclusive of caregiver needs when engaging residents for feedback and when crafting an action plan. Continue reading
U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind national hotline to connect people with disabilities to information and services to improve access to COVID-19 vaccines. Continue reading
As many older adults get back to normal life across the United States thanks to high rates of vaccination and lower COVID-19 activity, a new poll suggests many should watch their alcohol intake. Continue reading
An issue brief published by Kaiser Family Foundation dives into the rapid expansion of telehealth during the pandemic. For example, among the vast majority of Medicare beneficiaries with a usual source of care (95%), such as a doctor or other health professional, or a clinic, nearly two-thirds (64% or 33.6 million) say that their provider currently offers telehealth appointments, up from 18% who said their provider offered telehealth before the pandemic.
But nearly a quarter of Medicare beneficiaries (23%) say they don’t know if their provider offers telehealth appointments, and this percentage is larger among beneficiaries who live in rural areas (30%). Continue reading
As of Monday, April 5th, residents 55+ and residents with one certain medical condition are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at any of the Commonwealth’s over 300 vaccination locations, including 269 pharmacy locations. With this group, more than 1 million additional residents are eligible for vaccine in the Commonwealth. Continue reading
As the toll of COVID-19 continues to climb, newly released poll data suggest an opportunity to use the pandemic as a prompt for discussing and documenting older adults’ wishes for care, in case of seriously illness or injury.
Overall, 59% of the 50- to 80-year-olds polled said they had had a conversation with loved ones about their preferences in case they became severely ill. That percentage was even higher — 70% — among those over age 65. Just 7% of all older adults polled said COVID-19 had motivated them to have such conversations. Continue reading
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL), will provide nearly $100 million to help increase vaccinations among older adults and people with disabilities. Continue reading
According to Mass Medicaid Policy Institute’s report, “A Primer on the Dual Eligible Population in Massachusetts,” over the past five years, MassHealth dual eligible membership, which currently stands at 312,000 residents, has seen growth driven by its older population. Continue reading
As Massachusetts begins Phase 4, this week the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and respective agencies released a series of new guidance documents for health care and human service providers that supports the safe reopening of programs and provider sites and protects workers, patients, families, and the public. Continue reading
To help health care staff and leaders have trust-building conversations about the COVID-19 vaccine, both at work and at home, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) developed a conversation guide based on their expertise and work. To view the guide, users can create a free profile on the IHI website. Continue reading
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