Between 2006 and 2010, the demand for food from food banks grew by 23 percent in Massachusetts.
Federal aid that propped up food bank resources during the height of the recession has receded, but the demand has not, according to officials from the Greater Boston Food Bank, which feeds 545,000 people a year. Places like the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, Rosie’s Place, the Pine Street Inn, and local food pantries in dozens of communities rely on the Greater Boston Food Bank for a bulk of their supplies.
Money from the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program helps buy locally-grown produce - eggs, milk and other fresh staples. But with food prices on the rise – dairy is up 8 percent, and the average price of peanut butter has skyrocketed 30 percent, D’Amato said, “that $11.5 million doesn’t get you $11.5 million anymore.”
The Greater Boston Food Bank serves approximately 550 pantries, soup kitchens and shelters in eastern Massachusetts.
Showing posts with label VETERANS .HEALTH ISSUES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VETERANS .HEALTH ISSUES. Show all posts
Friday, December 30, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Markey, Delegation: Massachusetts Earns $56 Million to Aid Homeless
Jan 19, 2011:
BOSTON – Representative Edward J. Markey (d-Malden), along with Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, and Representatives John Olver, Jim McGovern, Niki Tsongas, and Richard Neal, today announced that Massachusetts will receive $56,550,634 to provide housing and services to the homeless throughout the state.
The funding, awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Program, will provide transitional, rental, and permanent housing as well as a host of services to help homeless individuals and families move towards self-sufficiency and permanent housing.
BOSTON – Representative Edward J. Markey (d-Malden), along with Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, and Representatives John Olver, Jim McGovern, Niki Tsongas, and Richard Neal, today announced that Massachusetts will receive $56,550,634 to provide housing and services to the homeless throughout the state.
The funding, awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Program, will provide transitional, rental, and permanent housing as well as a host of services to help homeless individuals and families move towards self-sufficiency and permanent housing.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Medicare Cost Control
And here’s what you need to know: Medicare actually saves money — a lot of money — compared with relying on private insurance companies. And this in turn means that pushing people out of Medicare, in addition to depriving many Americans of needed care, would almost surely end up increasing total health care costs.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
What Is a Veteran?
A 'Veteran' -- whether active duty, discharged, retired, or
reserve -- is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check
made payable to 'The United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to, and
including his life.' That is honor, and there are way too many people in
this country today, who no longer understand that fact.
reserve -- is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check
made payable to 'The United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to, and
including his life.' That is honor, and there are way too many people in
this country today, who no longer understand that fact.
Monday, March 28, 2011
The 2010 US Census counted 40 million seniors in the US,
comprising 13% of the total population. Traditional media continues to dominate seniors’ media habits, but the internet is quickly increasing reach, expected to hit 56.0% penetration by 2015.
The 2010 US Census counted 40 million seniors in the US, comprising 13% of the total population. According to the data, baby boomers—the largest single generation in the US—will enter the senior set at a rate of one every 8 seconds for the next 18 years.
The 2010 US Census counted 40 million seniors in the US, comprising 13% of the total population. According to the data, baby boomers—the largest single generation in the US—will enter the senior set at a rate of one every 8 seconds for the next 18 years.
SENIORS OPINION HEALTH CARE LAW
Organizing Seniors: Moving the Dial
Reaching seniors with the truth about the health care law can be a challenge, but recent polls are showing a shift in opinion. Go to them and be prepared to answer specific questions.
Seeing benefits in the Affordable Care Act has been a challenge for seniors across the country. During the debate to pass the health care law, seniors heard a lot of misinformation from opponents of the law. Although combating these messages is challenging, public opinion among seniors is beginning to change. Last week, Kaiser Family Foundation released their latest tracking poll, which revealed increased support among seniors for the health law. This past month, unfavorable views of the law decreased by 7 percentage points and favorable views increased 8 percentage points. See the full report here: http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/8166.cfm.
This change is only the beginning. With an array of different policies in the law, it can become difficult to generalize about Medicare as a whole when speaking the people over 65. However, there have been real tangible benefits already in effect for seniors, such as Medicare doughnut hole rebate checks and free preventive services in Medicare. Advocates have found that stopping by local senior centers, senior living communities, and social clubs is the best way to reach seniors and spread the message about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act.
Reaching seniors with the truth about the health care law can be a challenge, but recent polls are showing a shift in opinion. Go to them and be prepared to answer specific questions.
Seeing benefits in the Affordable Care Act has been a challenge for seniors across the country. During the debate to pass the health care law, seniors heard a lot of misinformation from opponents of the law. Although combating these messages is challenging, public opinion among seniors is beginning to change. Last week, Kaiser Family Foundation released their latest tracking poll, which revealed increased support among seniors for the health law. This past month, unfavorable views of the law decreased by 7 percentage points and favorable views increased 8 percentage points. See the full report here: http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/8166.cfm.
This change is only the beginning. With an array of different policies in the law, it can become difficult to generalize about Medicare as a whole when speaking the people over 65. However, there have been real tangible benefits already in effect for seniors, such as Medicare doughnut hole rebate checks and free preventive services in Medicare. Advocates have found that stopping by local senior centers, senior living communities, and social clubs is the best way to reach seniors and spread the message about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act.
Friday, February 26, 2010
tRANSPORTATION TO THE SENIOR CENTER STILL AN ISSUE
HALLMARK HAS STEPPED UP WITH A GRANT TO SCM FOR TRANSPORTATION TO THEIR
FACILITIES WHEN THEY ARE OVERBOOKED AT THE MALDEN SENOR COMMUNITY
CENTER THIS IS A FIRST STEP FOR MENDICAL APPOINTMENTS
WE SHOULD NEED THE WINCHESTER HOSPITAL AND THE CAMBRIDGE ALLIANCE
GROUP TO STEP UP WITH SENIOR TRANSPORTATION. MSAC SHOULD ADVISE THE
COMMUNITY ABOUT THE RIDE AND THE NON-PROFITS SERVICING THE ELDERLY
SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND STEP INTO THE BREECH FOR
ALL NEEDS FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE EDERLY AND DISABLED. A LIITLE
PUBLICITY IN THE MALDEN OBSERVER SEEMS TO GET ACTION.
WE AT MSAC ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PROMISISED SHUTTLES TO AND FROM
THE SENIOR CENTER.
Malden seniors unsatisfied with public transportation options
By Rich Tenorio / malden@cnc.com
Thu Mar 05, 2009, 04:57 PM EST
Malden - Transportation issues are at the heart of a Malden senior’s
frustration with the city he calls home.
Howard McGowan, the Metro North membership coordinator for the Mass.
Senior Action Council (MSAC), has protested what he describes as
insufficient access to the new senior center on Washington Street, as
well as a lack of adequate transportation opportunities for seniors to
medical appointments.
“There are two issues,” McGowan said in an interview with the Observer
on Monday. “We want to be able to enjoy the senior center, and to see
that we get transportation to medical facilities.”
Located on 7 Washington St., the center held an opening celebration on
January 24, with MSAC members from the Cambridge, North Shore and
Metro North chapters attending. McGowan, however, said that since
then, seniors who rely on public transportation to get to the center
may find access too difficult.
“If you don’t have transportation, you can’t get there,” said McGowan,
an 84-year-old World War II veteran who now lives on Pleasant Street.
“Once they took the (MBTA) buses off Florence Street and took the bus
stop away from the senior center, you have to walk across a state
highway or across Florence Street, a dangerous section.
“We took somebody from the mayor’s office and showed them how far it
is to walk from the bus stop. There’s a hill, and you have to walk
from the Stop & Shop way down on Route 60. They promised they would
put on a shuttle bus.”
McGowan said that bus routes and stops were changed about a year and a
half ago, “just about the time they were building the senior center,
which is what got us so upset. The bus came right down Main Street and
Pleasant Street.”
However, Debbie Burke, a spokesperson for Mayor Richard Howard, said
that the center is accessible.
“It’s still within walking distance,” she said. “You can take the bus
to the MBTA station. It’s right around the corner. As far as we’re
concerned, it remains accessible by public transportation or car.”
Burke also said that “ridership counts on (bus) routes are really
dwindling,” and that the center has on-street parking as well as lots
on Dartmouth and Florence streets, adding that next year there will be
an additional lot on Pleasant Street.
McGowan has also called for more ways for seniors to get to medical
appointments.
“The Medical Service transportation for Hallmark Medical sites is
handled at the Malden Senior Community Center and is overwhelmed and
overbooked,” he wrote in a mass e-mail on February 14, citing “turn
downs growing (personal experience).”
On Monday, McGowan said, “At the senior center we get transportation
for medical (purposes) backed by Hallmark Health, but they’ll only
take you to Hallmark facilities.”
He added, “It takes an hour, you have to make arrangements, and they
can only do one per hour. It used to be one per half-hour.” And, he
said, “There is no transportation from senior housing for people who
can’t get down. A lot of people can’t go on public transportation.
People who have to go to Winchester Hospital for Blue Cross — there’s
no transportation out there.”
McGowan and Burke both mentioned other transportation opportunities
for seniors. One is the MBTA Ride program, which requires registration
on an individual basis and which takes seniors to medical
appointments. Another is SCM (Somerville-Cambridge-Medford), an
organization that provides shopping trips for eligible seniors as well
as some medical trips. Burke also said that through the efforts of
human services director Chris DiPietro, there is a van that makes some
shopping trips for seniors.
In the end, whether it’s getting to the Senior Center or getting to a
medical appointment, the main point seems the same.
“It makes it hard for people if they can’t get transportation,” McGowan said.
. Comment refer to web page
http://maldentax.blogspot.com/2009/03/here-we-go-again.html
MTFA
CMurphy1 month ago
Report AbuseWho is this Debbie Burke person, and how old is she? And
does she actually ride public transit? I would really like to know. I
am not a senior myself, but I can see the difficulty in her suggestion
that seniors take the bus to the Malden Center T stop, and go *just
around the corner* to the senior center.
The problem with this is that they would have to cross
Florence/Commercial Street to get there. Anyone remember the old
*Frogger* video game? Well, crossing that street on foot is like being
the *frog* in a game of human Frogger. It's hard enough for an
able-bodied person who can move quickly, but if you're an older person
who can't move so fast, you may well become road pizza. There are a
lot of crazies on the roads.
Heck, often I have to stop at the crosswalk in front of 630 Salem
Street to let some elderly person get across, and some jerk behind me
is blowing their horn to try to get me to move. I may care about our
seniors, but most younger people here do not.
As for Ms. Burke's comments about parking...can I drum it into her
head once again...MANY SENIORS HERE DO NOT HAVE CARS. So what the heck
is the use of parking lots, when the people that this place is
supposed to serve do not drive?
Don't even get me started about the transportation to medical
appointments thing. Even if these people CAN get a bus to their
appointments, good luck in getting on the bus, or, if they do get on,
getting a seat. When I used to ride the bus, I had the misfortune of
having to ride when the teen thugs from the high school were on.
They'd crowd the bus, refuse to move to the rear, and if the driver
thought the bus was too crowded, they'd just refuse to stop for
people.
There used to be this elderly man who'd get on the bus at the stop in
front of Vinnie's Pizza on Salem Street, he had medical appointments
to get to. He must have been 90 if he was a day, walked with a cane,
and when he'd get on the bus full of teen thugs, NOT ONE OF THEM would
give him a seat. I didn't have a seat to give him myself. We adults
would try to shame the brats into giving the man a seat, but they just
laughed and spewed obscenities at us. The bus driver did nothing.
I also think Hallmark Health is lousy, we've had nothing but bad
experiences with them, their doctors, and hospitals, and seniors need
to have a choice. Just because people can't drive doesn't mean they
deserve substandard treatment, health care, etc.
My husband and I would rather die young than have to retire in Malden,
if this is what they think of senior citizens.. We can't afford to
move now, but we are working on being able to do so long before we get
to that age. Mayor Howard may think he's all that for opening the new
senior center, but I think he's just a rich jerk who is out of touch
with the working class and senior people here.
Don't get me started about the garbage tax...but that's O/T, so I'll stop now.
Leave a Comment:
Before diving in to post a comment, be sure to read and follow the pool rules.
Logged in as: Maldensenior Logout
--
Howard McGowan
MaldenSenior
FACILITIES WHEN THEY ARE OVERBOOKED AT THE MALDEN SENOR COMMUNITY
CENTER THIS IS A FIRST STEP FOR MENDICAL APPOINTMENTS
WE SHOULD NEED THE WINCHESTER HOSPITAL AND THE CAMBRIDGE ALLIANCE
GROUP TO STEP UP WITH SENIOR TRANSPORTATION. MSAC SHOULD ADVISE THE
COMMUNITY ABOUT THE RIDE AND THE NON-PROFITS SERVICING THE ELDERLY
SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND STEP INTO THE BREECH FOR
ALL NEEDS FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE EDERLY AND DISABLED. A LIITLE
PUBLICITY IN THE MALDEN OBSERVER SEEMS TO GET ACTION.
WE AT MSAC ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PROMISISED SHUTTLES TO AND FROM
THE SENIOR CENTER.
Malden seniors unsatisfied with public transportation options
By Rich Tenorio / malden@cnc.com
Thu Mar 05, 2009, 04:57 PM EST
Malden - Transportation issues are at the heart of a Malden senior’s
frustration with the city he calls home.
Howard McGowan, the Metro North membership coordinator for the Mass.
Senior Action Council (MSAC), has protested what he describes as
insufficient access to the new senior center on Washington Street, as
well as a lack of adequate transportation opportunities for seniors to
medical appointments.
“There are two issues,” McGowan said in an interview with the Observer
on Monday. “We want to be able to enjoy the senior center, and to see
that we get transportation to medical facilities.”
Located on 7 Washington St., the center held an opening celebration on
January 24, with MSAC members from the Cambridge, North Shore and
Metro North chapters attending. McGowan, however, said that since
then, seniors who rely on public transportation to get to the center
may find access too difficult.
“If you don’t have transportation, you can’t get there,” said McGowan,
an 84-year-old World War II veteran who now lives on Pleasant Street.
“Once they took the (MBTA) buses off Florence Street and took the bus
stop away from the senior center, you have to walk across a state
highway or across Florence Street, a dangerous section.
“We took somebody from the mayor’s office and showed them how far it
is to walk from the bus stop. There’s a hill, and you have to walk
from the Stop & Shop way down on Route 60. They promised they would
put on a shuttle bus.”
McGowan said that bus routes and stops were changed about a year and a
half ago, “just about the time they were building the senior center,
which is what got us so upset. The bus came right down Main Street and
Pleasant Street.”
However, Debbie Burke, a spokesperson for Mayor Richard Howard, said
that the center is accessible.
“It’s still within walking distance,” she said. “You can take the bus
to the MBTA station. It’s right around the corner. As far as we’re
concerned, it remains accessible by public transportation or car.”
Burke also said that “ridership counts on (bus) routes are really
dwindling,” and that the center has on-street parking as well as lots
on Dartmouth and Florence streets, adding that next year there will be
an additional lot on Pleasant Street.
McGowan has also called for more ways for seniors to get to medical
appointments.
“The Medical Service transportation for Hallmark Medical sites is
handled at the Malden Senior Community Center and is overwhelmed and
overbooked,” he wrote in a mass e-mail on February 14, citing “turn
downs growing (personal experience).”
On Monday, McGowan said, “At the senior center we get transportation
for medical (purposes) backed by Hallmark Health, but they’ll only
take you to Hallmark facilities.”
He added, “It takes an hour, you have to make arrangements, and they
can only do one per hour. It used to be one per half-hour.” And, he
said, “There is no transportation from senior housing for people who
can’t get down. A lot of people can’t go on public transportation.
People who have to go to Winchester Hospital for Blue Cross — there’s
no transportation out there.”
McGowan and Burke both mentioned other transportation opportunities
for seniors. One is the MBTA Ride program, which requires registration
on an individual basis and which takes seniors to medical
appointments. Another is SCM (Somerville-Cambridge-Medford), an
organization that provides shopping trips for eligible seniors as well
as some medical trips. Burke also said that through the efforts of
human services director Chris DiPietro, there is a van that makes some
shopping trips for seniors.
In the end, whether it’s getting to the Senior Center or getting to a
medical appointment, the main point seems the same.
“It makes it hard for people if they can’t get transportation,” McGowan said.
. Comment refer to web page
http://maldentax.blogspot.com/2009/03/here-we-go-again.html
MTFA
CMurphy1 month ago
Report AbuseWho is this Debbie Burke person, and how old is she? And
does she actually ride public transit? I would really like to know. I
am not a senior myself, but I can see the difficulty in her suggestion
that seniors take the bus to the Malden Center T stop, and go *just
around the corner* to the senior center.
The problem with this is that they would have to cross
Florence/Commercial Street to get there. Anyone remember the old
*Frogger* video game? Well, crossing that street on foot is like being
the *frog* in a game of human Frogger. It's hard enough for an
able-bodied person who can move quickly, but if you're an older person
who can't move so fast, you may well become road pizza. There are a
lot of crazies on the roads.
Heck, often I have to stop at the crosswalk in front of 630 Salem
Street to let some elderly person get across, and some jerk behind me
is blowing their horn to try to get me to move. I may care about our
seniors, but most younger people here do not.
As for Ms. Burke's comments about parking...can I drum it into her
head once again...MANY SENIORS HERE DO NOT HAVE CARS. So what the heck
is the use of parking lots, when the people that this place is
supposed to serve do not drive?
Don't even get me started about the transportation to medical
appointments thing. Even if these people CAN get a bus to their
appointments, good luck in getting on the bus, or, if they do get on,
getting a seat. When I used to ride the bus, I had the misfortune of
having to ride when the teen thugs from the high school were on.
They'd crowd the bus, refuse to move to the rear, and if the driver
thought the bus was too crowded, they'd just refuse to stop for
people.
There used to be this elderly man who'd get on the bus at the stop in
front of Vinnie's Pizza on Salem Street, he had medical appointments
to get to. He must have been 90 if he was a day, walked with a cane,
and when he'd get on the bus full of teen thugs, NOT ONE OF THEM would
give him a seat. I didn't have a seat to give him myself. We adults
would try to shame the brats into giving the man a seat, but they just
laughed and spewed obscenities at us. The bus driver did nothing.
I also think Hallmark Health is lousy, we've had nothing but bad
experiences with them, their doctors, and hospitals, and seniors need
to have a choice. Just because people can't drive doesn't mean they
deserve substandard treatment, health care, etc.
My husband and I would rather die young than have to retire in Malden,
if this is what they think of senior citizens.. We can't afford to
move now, but we are working on being able to do so long before we get
to that age. Mayor Howard may think he's all that for opening the new
senior center, but I think he's just a rich jerk who is out of touch
with the working class and senior people here.
Don't get me started about the garbage tax...but that's O/T, so I'll stop now.
Leave a Comment:
Before diving in to post a comment, be sure to read and follow the pool rules.
Logged in as: Maldensenior Logout
--
Howard McGowan
MaldenSenior
VA HEALTH CARE
President Barack Obama recently
signed the Veterans' Emergency
Care Fairness Act of 2009. The
new law will enable the Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) to reimburse
veterans enrolled in VA health care
for the remaining cost of emergency
treatment if the veteran has outside
insurance that only covers part of the cost.
Previously, VA could reimburse veterans or
pay outside hospitals directly only if a
veteran has no outside
health insurance.
signed the Veterans' Emergency
Care Fairness Act of 2009. The
new law will enable the Department
of Veterans Affairs (VA) to reimburse
veterans enrolled in VA health care
for the remaining cost of emergency
treatment if the veteran has outside
insurance that only covers part of the cost.
Previously, VA could reimburse veterans or
pay outside hospitals directly only if a
veteran has no outside
health insurance.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
covering illegal imigrants
Hospitals are required to screen and treat all those who arrive at their emergency rooms. But they receive only partial compensation for illegal immigrants, through emergency Medicaid and, for the last few years, through Section 1011 of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, a program that expired in October. That partial coverage ends when the patient is stabilized.
But hospitals are also required to discharge safely patients who need continuing care, leading to their quandary: they generally cannot find nursing homes to accept illegal immigrants, or legal ones with less than five years' residency, because long-term care is not covered by emergency Medicaid.
But hospitals are also required to discharge safely patients who need continuing care, leading to their quandary: they generally cannot find nursing homes to accept illegal immigrants, or legal ones with less than five years' residency, because long-term care is not covered by emergency Medicaid.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
VA'S Presciption Drug System
A groundbreaking study, by Frank R. Lichtenberg, Ph.D. of the Columbia School of Business, should put such comparisons to rest. In Older Drugs, Shorter Lives? An Examination of the Health Effects of the Veterans Health Administration Formulary, Dr. Lichtenberg shows the VH approach is not about prices or genuine negotiations. With the VA's tight budget, it is all about restricting veterans' access to new (and many old) medications to save dollars and hit budget targets.
The VA's highly restrictive national formulary excludes 62% of drugs approved by the FDA during the 1990's and 81% of new medications approved since 2000. Even worse, the drug benefit designed for our nation's veterans does not pay for a staggering 78% of new, high-priority prescription drugs approved by the FDA on an expedited basis since 1997 because of their life-saving impact. By comparison, commercial health plans, Medicare Part D drug plans, and state Medicaid programs cover the vast majority of new drugs and move quick to add coverage for most drugs given fast-track by the FDA.
Dr. Lichtenberg's 2005 study shows that the VA's prescription drug system - seen by many as the "model" for Medicare Part D - reduced the life span and survival rates of vets since its 1997 introduction. Note to Congress: Death is always cheaper than life but rarely preferable.
The VA's highly restrictive national formulary excludes 62% of drugs approved by the FDA during the 1990's and 81% of new medications approved since 2000. Even worse, the drug benefit designed for our nation's veterans does not pay for a staggering 78% of new, high-priority prescription drugs approved by the FDA on an expedited basis since 1997 because of their life-saving impact. By comparison, commercial health plans, Medicare Part D drug plans, and state Medicaid programs cover the vast majority of new drugs and move quick to add coverage for most drugs given fast-track by the FDA.
Dr. Lichtenberg's 2005 study shows that the VA's prescription drug system - seen by many as the "model" for Medicare Part D - reduced the life span and survival rates of vets since its 1997 introduction. Note to Congress: Death is always cheaper than life but rarely preferable.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Aging Servies THE FACTS
FOR INFORMATION AND REVIEW KEEPING OUR SENIORS SAFE IN A NEIGHBORHOOK ENVIRONMENT
Aging Services: The Facts
General Facts
Misconceptions
Workforce
Caregiving
Not-for-Profit Aging Services
Long-term Care Insurance
Global Aging
General Facts
Need
By 2026, the population of Americans ages 65 and older will double to 71.5 million.
Between 2007 and 2015, the number of Americans ages 85 and older is expected to increase by 40 percent.
Among people turning 65 today, 69 percent will need some form of long-term care, whether in the community or in a residential care facility.
By 2020, 12 million older Americans will need long-term health care. (HIAA, "A Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance", 2002)
Availability
There are 16,100 certified nursing homes in the United States.
There are 39,500 assisted living facilities in the United States.
There are 1,900 continuing care retirement communities in the United States.
There are more than 300,000 units of Section 202 affordable senior housing available in the United States.
For each Section 202 affordable senior housing unit that is available, there are ten eligible seniors on waiting lists for it. The average time an eligible senior is on the waiting list is 13.4 months.
Cost
The average daily cost for a private room in a nursing home is $213, or $77,745 annually.
The average daily cost for a semi-private room in a nursing home is $189, or $68,985 annually.
The average monthly cost of living in an assisted living facility is $2,969, or $35,628 annually.
The average monthly cost of living in a not-for-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community is $2,672, or $32,064 annually.
The average monthly rate for assisted living facilities that charge additional fees for Alzheimer’s and dementia care is $4,270, or $51,240 annually.
To move into a community, individuals must also pay an entry fee ranging from $60,000 to $120,000.
The average hourly rate for a certified home health aide is $32.37.
The average hourly rate for a uncertified home health aide is $19.00.
The national average daily rate for adult day centers is $61. (2007 MetLife Market Survey of Adult Day Services & Home Care Costs)
The national average hourly rate for homemakers/companions is $18. (2007 MetLife Market Survey of Adult Day Services & Home Care Costs)
Who Pays
Nearly 40 percent of long-term care spending is paid for by private funds.
Medicare, which covers rehabilitation services after an individual is discharged from a hospital, pays for 19 percent of all long-term care spending.
Medicaid, which covers health care costs for low-income individuals, pays for 49 percent of all long-term care spending.
Accounting for about 40 percent of total expenditures on nursing facilities, Medicaid's payments cover the care of more than half of all nursing home residents.
Use
There are more than 1.4 million nursing home residents in the United States.
An individual's average age when he or she moves into a nursing home is 79.
Women are almost three times as likely to live in nursing homes than men.
More than 900,000 individuals live in assisted living residences.
More than 150,000 individuals receive care and services at an adult day center.
There are more than 1.1 million seniors in some type of senior housing community in the United States.
There are approximately 745,000 older adults who live in continuing care retirement communities in the United States.
The average age of an individual moving into a continuing care retirement community is 78.
Nearly 1.4 million individuals receive home health services.
The average lifetime nursing home use per individual is one year, and the average home care use is a little over 200 visits.
Back to Top
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Misconceptions
Cost:
Only 8 percent of Americans over 45 can estimate the average monthly cost of a nursing homes within 20 percent of its actual cost.
Less than a quarter (23%) of Americans over 45 can estimate the monthly cost of an assisted living facility within 20 percent of its actual cost.
One in five (20%) Americans over 45 say they don't know the cost of an in-home visit from an aide.
Nearly 20 percent of Americans over 45 said that their estimates of long-term costs were "just a hunch."
Cost Coverage:
Close to one fifth of Americans over 45 (18%) responded that they "don't know" what funds will cover their long-term care costs.
More than 55 percent (59%) of Americans over 45 incorrectly believe that Medicare will pay for extended nursing home stay.
Fifty-two percent of Americans over 45 incorrectly believe Medicare covers assisted living costs.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Workforce
Size:
Approximately 21% of all individuals working in health services are employed by nursing and residential care facilities.
There are approximately 1.39 million nursing assistants, orderlies and attendants, working in the United States today.
There are approximately 663,000 home health aides working in the United States today.
There are approximately 566,000 personal care and home care aides working in the United States today. Two-thirds of them work for home-based service providers.
There are approximately 16,000 licensed nursing home administrators working in the United States today.
Demographics:
On average, registered nurses working in long-term care are older than those in other health care settings. More than a third (36%) are over 50 and one in ten are over 60.
Women make up approximately 90 percent of the direct care workforce.
About half of direct care workers are racial or ethnic minorities. A third are African-American while 15 percent are Hispanic or other persons of color.
With a mean age of 46, home care workers are older than direct care workers in nursing homes, where the median worker age is 36. Additionally, the percentage of home care workers over 65 is three times that of direct care workers in nursing homes.
Twenty percent of certified nursing assistants and home health aides have not graduated from high school. More than 30 percent, however, have attended some college.
Approximately 50 percent of direct care workers are employed full-time, while only about a third of home care workers are full-time employees.
Need:
Overall, nearly 96,000 full-time equivalent nurses and other health care professionals are now needed to fill vacant positions in America's nursing homes.
In 2002, 15 percent registered nurses (RNs), 13 percent of licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and 8.5 percent of certified nurse aide (CNA) positions in America's nursing homes were vacant.
By 2010, the number of vacant positions in nursing homes is expected reach 810,000.
The average annual turnover rate for licensed nursing home administrators is 43 percent.
The average national turnover rate for nurses working in aging services is 49 percent.
The average national turnover rate for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) is 71 percent.
The total cost of CNA turnover is more than $4 billion each year.
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Caregiving
An estimated 34 million Americans provide some care for a family member, age 50 or older. And as the baby boomers begin to retire, that number is going to climb even higher.
Ninety percent of individuals receive care at home get help from family and friends, and 80% rely solely on these individuals for assistance.
Informal caregivers are general between 45 and 64, and two-thirds are women.
A study from the National Association of Caregivers says the costs of home care average more than $5,500 a year — $400 more than the average household spends on health care and entertainment combined.
When the aging relative lives in another city, the costs run even higher. On average, long-distance caregivers spend nearly $9,000 a year.
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Not-for-Profit Aging Services
Not-for-profit organizations manage 31% of all nursing homes in the United States.
Not-for-profit organizations manage approximately 80% of all continuing care retirement communities in the United States.
Not-for-profit organizations manage 78% of all adult day centers in the United States.
Not-for-profit organizations manage 45% of home health agencies in the United States.
There are 1,520 not-for-profit retirement communities in the United States.
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Long-term Care Insurance
The average annual long-term care premium for individuals under 65 is $1,337.
The average premium for individuals over 65 is $2,862.
The average long-term care insurance policy purchased by a 65-year-old and held until death pays out 82 cents for every dollar.
Since 1987, fewer than 10 million Americans have bought long-term care insurance, and only about 7 million of those policies remain in force today.
Almost 30 percent of Americans over 45 have purchased a long-term care insurance policy.
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Global Aging
Each month, the world's elderly population of people increases by 795,000.
China's population includes 88 million elderly individuals, making it the world's "oldest" country.
The elderly population in Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan and Spain outnumbers that of children.
Last Updated : 4/16/2008 9:55:43 AM
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
http://www.aahsa.org/aging_services/default.asp#5
Aging Services: The Facts
General Facts
Misconceptions
Workforce
Caregiving
Not-for-Profit Aging Services
Long-term Care Insurance
Global Aging
General Facts
Need
By 2026, the population of Americans ages 65 and older will double to 71.5 million.
Between 2007 and 2015, the number of Americans ages 85 and older is expected to increase by 40 percent.
Among people turning 65 today, 69 percent will need some form of long-term care, whether in the community or in a residential care facility.
By 2020, 12 million older Americans will need long-term health care. (HIAA, "A Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance", 2002)
Availability
There are 16,100 certified nursing homes in the United States.
There are 39,500 assisted living facilities in the United States.
There are 1,900 continuing care retirement communities in the United States.
There are more than 300,000 units of Section 202 affordable senior housing available in the United States.
For each Section 202 affordable senior housing unit that is available, there are ten eligible seniors on waiting lists for it. The average time an eligible senior is on the waiting list is 13.4 months.
Cost
The average daily cost for a private room in a nursing home is $213, or $77,745 annually.
The average daily cost for a semi-private room in a nursing home is $189, or $68,985 annually.
The average monthly cost of living in an assisted living facility is $2,969, or $35,628 annually.
The average monthly cost of living in a not-for-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community is $2,672, or $32,064 annually.
The average monthly rate for assisted living facilities that charge additional fees for Alzheimer’s and dementia care is $4,270, or $51,240 annually.
To move into a community, individuals must also pay an entry fee ranging from $60,000 to $120,000.
The average hourly rate for a certified home health aide is $32.37.
The average hourly rate for a uncertified home health aide is $19.00.
The national average daily rate for adult day centers is $61. (2007 MetLife Market Survey of Adult Day Services & Home Care Costs)
The national average hourly rate for homemakers/companions is $18. (2007 MetLife Market Survey of Adult Day Services & Home Care Costs)
Who Pays
Nearly 40 percent of long-term care spending is paid for by private funds.
Medicare, which covers rehabilitation services after an individual is discharged from a hospital, pays for 19 percent of all long-term care spending.
Medicaid, which covers health care costs for low-income individuals, pays for 49 percent of all long-term care spending.
Accounting for about 40 percent of total expenditures on nursing facilities, Medicaid's payments cover the care of more than half of all nursing home residents.
Use
There are more than 1.4 million nursing home residents in the United States.
An individual's average age when he or she moves into a nursing home is 79.
Women are almost three times as likely to live in nursing homes than men.
More than 900,000 individuals live in assisted living residences.
More than 150,000 individuals receive care and services at an adult day center.
There are more than 1.1 million seniors in some type of senior housing community in the United States.
There are approximately 745,000 older adults who live in continuing care retirement communities in the United States.
The average age of an individual moving into a continuing care retirement community is 78.
Nearly 1.4 million individuals receive home health services.
The average lifetime nursing home use per individual is one year, and the average home care use is a little over 200 visits.
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Misconceptions
Cost:
Only 8 percent of Americans over 45 can estimate the average monthly cost of a nursing homes within 20 percent of its actual cost.
Less than a quarter (23%) of Americans over 45 can estimate the monthly cost of an assisted living facility within 20 percent of its actual cost.
One in five (20%) Americans over 45 say they don't know the cost of an in-home visit from an aide.
Nearly 20 percent of Americans over 45 said that their estimates of long-term costs were "just a hunch."
Cost Coverage:
Close to one fifth of Americans over 45 (18%) responded that they "don't know" what funds will cover their long-term care costs.
More than 55 percent (59%) of Americans over 45 incorrectly believe that Medicare will pay for extended nursing home stay.
Fifty-two percent of Americans over 45 incorrectly believe Medicare covers assisted living costs.
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Workforce
Size:
Approximately 21% of all individuals working in health services are employed by nursing and residential care facilities.
There are approximately 1.39 million nursing assistants, orderlies and attendants, working in the United States today.
There are approximately 663,000 home health aides working in the United States today.
There are approximately 566,000 personal care and home care aides working in the United States today. Two-thirds of them work for home-based service providers.
There are approximately 16,000 licensed nursing home administrators working in the United States today.
Demographics:
On average, registered nurses working in long-term care are older than those in other health care settings. More than a third (36%) are over 50 and one in ten are over 60.
Women make up approximately 90 percent of the direct care workforce.
About half of direct care workers are racial or ethnic minorities. A third are African-American while 15 percent are Hispanic or other persons of color.
With a mean age of 46, home care workers are older than direct care workers in nursing homes, where the median worker age is 36. Additionally, the percentage of home care workers over 65 is three times that of direct care workers in nursing homes.
Twenty percent of certified nursing assistants and home health aides have not graduated from high school. More than 30 percent, however, have attended some college.
Approximately 50 percent of direct care workers are employed full-time, while only about a third of home care workers are full-time employees.
Need:
Overall, nearly 96,000 full-time equivalent nurses and other health care professionals are now needed to fill vacant positions in America's nursing homes.
In 2002, 15 percent registered nurses (RNs), 13 percent of licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and 8.5 percent of certified nurse aide (CNA) positions in America's nursing homes were vacant.
By 2010, the number of vacant positions in nursing homes is expected reach 810,000.
The average annual turnover rate for licensed nursing home administrators is 43 percent.
The average national turnover rate for nurses working in aging services is 49 percent.
The average national turnover rate for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) is 71 percent.
The total cost of CNA turnover is more than $4 billion each year.
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Caregiving
An estimated 34 million Americans provide some care for a family member, age 50 or older. And as the baby boomers begin to retire, that number is going to climb even higher.
Ninety percent of individuals receive care at home get help from family and friends, and 80% rely solely on these individuals for assistance.
Informal caregivers are general between 45 and 64, and two-thirds are women.
A study from the National Association of Caregivers says the costs of home care average more than $5,500 a year — $400 more than the average household spends on health care and entertainment combined.
When the aging relative lives in another city, the costs run even higher. On average, long-distance caregivers spend nearly $9,000 a year.
Back to Top
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not-for-Profit Aging Services
Not-for-profit organizations manage 31% of all nursing homes in the United States.
Not-for-profit organizations manage approximately 80% of all continuing care retirement communities in the United States.
Not-for-profit organizations manage 78% of all adult day centers in the United States.
Not-for-profit organizations manage 45% of home health agencies in the United States.
There are 1,520 not-for-profit retirement communities in the United States.
Back to Top
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Long-term Care Insurance
The average annual long-term care premium for individuals under 65 is $1,337.
The average premium for individuals over 65 is $2,862.
The average long-term care insurance policy purchased by a 65-year-old and held until death pays out 82 cents for every dollar.
Since 1987, fewer than 10 million Americans have bought long-term care insurance, and only about 7 million of those policies remain in force today.
Almost 30 percent of Americans over 45 have purchased a long-term care insurance policy.
Back to Top
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Global Aging
Each month, the world's elderly population of people increases by 795,000.
China's population includes 88 million elderly individuals, making it the world's "oldest" country.
The elderly population in Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan and Spain outnumbers that of children.
Last Updated : 4/16/2008 9:55:43 AM
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
http://www.aahsa.org/aging_services/default.asp#5
Monday, September 8, 2008
WHEN DOCTORS DO THEIR JOB ELDERLY FALL LESS
Yuk. A study in today’s NY Times reports that percentage of elderly people who fall drops by 11% if the doctor actually asks them if they are prone to falls — then takes their blood pressure lying down and standing, treats it properly, and then reduces their other medication. How ironic that the doctor who did the study notes she can’t estimate the cost of this ‘prevention’ program because it ought to be part of standard care. Exactly.
So — in the absence of standard care, falls among the elderly account for 10% of emergency room visits and 6% of hospitalizations for those 65 and older.
Thus is born the market for fall detection offerings — like Intel’s research and future product offering.
Where there’s a lack of will, there’s a way.
Entry Filed under:
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Malden Trash tax
Effective Monday, Oct. 6, Malden will institute the program. All household trash must be disposed of in special light blue City of Malden trash bags.
The 33-gallon bags will cost $2 each and will be sold in boxes of 10. They will be available for purchase at Lamson and Davis Ace Hardware, 190 Commercial St.; the Super 88 Market, 188 Commercial St.; three Stop & Shop locations: 99 Charles St., 60 Broadway and 540 Squire Road, Revere, at the Malden line; certain Malden Government Center offices, 200 Pleasant St., the Malden Department of Public Works, and JRM Hauling and Recycling, 1130 Eastern Ave. (M—F, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.) in early September. Additional locations may be added in the future.
Under this new program, recyclables and yard waste will continue to be collected at no additional cost.
Recyclables are picked up weekly; yard waste pickup is on a seasonal schedule. Visit cityofmalden.org for more information.
Supported by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the pay-per-throw program encourages recycling, as those who recycle more will pay less to dispose of their trash.
Under the program, all Malden residents, not just homeowners, who use the city’s trash service, will be charged the same.
The 33-gallon bags will cost $2 each and will be sold in boxes of 10. They will be available for purchase at Lamson and Davis Ace Hardware, 190 Commercial St.; the Super 88 Market, 188 Commercial St.; three Stop & Shop locations: 99 Charles St., 60 Broadway and 540 Squire Road, Revere, at the Malden line; certain Malden Government Center offices, 200 Pleasant St., the Malden Department of Public Works, and JRM Hauling and Recycling, 1130 Eastern Ave. (M—F, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.) in early September. Additional locations may be added in the future.
Under this new program, recyclables and yard waste will continue to be collected at no additional cost.
Recyclables are picked up weekly; yard waste pickup is on a seasonal schedule. Visit cityofmalden.org for more information.
Supported by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the pay-per-throw program encourages recycling, as those who recycle more will pay less to dispose of their trash.
Under the program, all Malden residents, not just homeowners, who use the city’s trash service, will be charged the same.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Health Care
Gas prices are in the political spotlight right now; this year's spike has been painful and the calls for action — and heads — have pushed other issues to the side. But it is worth remembering that when it comes to real, sustained growth in costs, when it comes to real, sustained erosion of families' disposable income, gas still can't hold a candle to the real elephant in the room: health care.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
MIDDLE CLASS
The Middle Class in America Isn’t Happy
Posted in: individual
There has been a lot of talk about which presidential candidate has the best tax plan for “middle class” America. It’s an interesting question because I’m not sure that anyone can actually define “middle class” anymore - my readers seem to feel that it’s all over the place.
Middle class - as it’s widely defined - is generally defined as those families who are in the middle of income brackets. That can be confusing. Based on 2005 Census Bureau reports, 40% of Americans earned less than $36,000 a year (the bottom 20% earn less than $19,000). The next 40% - the so-called middle class - reported betwen $36,000 and $91,705 of earnings. The top 20% of earners, making $91,705 or more, earned 50% of the income reported in the US.
[Kelly’s geeky note: From a math perspective, that’s pretty interesting: while the richest 20% took in nearly 50% of income, the middle class (representing 40% of Americans) earned a fairly representative proportion of total income (37.5%).]
So there you have it, statistically you are middle class if you earn between $36,000 and $91,705 (adjusted for inflation since 2005) per year. Easy, right?
Not so fast.
There are a lot of factors that pure numbers don’t take into consideration including the size of your family and the cost of living in your geographical location. Lots of folks who make more than $75,000 per year may live comfortably in some areas of the world - but that kind of money won’t take you very far in areas like New York City or San Francisco where housing costs alone can easily reach $1 million for relatively modest homes.
The reality is that almost everyone thinks that they’re middle class, though of course, you can’t be. And realistically, you don’t want to be right now. Here’s why.
Elizabeth Warren, professor at Harvard Law School, just testified before the Joint Economic Committee in Congress that the middle class is suffering. How much so? Adjusted for inflation, median household income for middle class families has dropped by $1,175 between 2000 and 2007 - that represents a significant decline. While income is dropping, expenses are rising. The average family is spending $4,655 more each year on basic expenses, such as gas, food and health insurance.
Let’s talk the bane of my existence (as most working parents): child care costs. Families with children under the age of 5 spend $1,508 a month more on child care costs (yes, do the math, that’s more than $18,000) - older children cost about half that much. You don’t escape during the teens, either: the cost of sending a child to college has more than doubled over the last 20 years, far outpacing increases in income.
Also in the news these days are those folks who cannot afford housing. The proportion of families who spend more than 35% of income on housing has quadrupled in a single generation - a disproportionate number of middle class families spend nearly half of their income on housing. Two “middle class” Americans earning an average salary could not afford to pay the mortgage of a median-priced home in 2/3 of the nation’s metropolitan areas including my own Philadelphia (which is reasonably priced, I might add). In addition to the increased costs of housing stock, real estate taxes have also increased. Most municipalities have not tweaked their systems to account for a disproportionate increase in property “value” (albeit somewhat artificial) - this means that taxpayers are often paying too much (for reassessed properties at historic rates) or too little (for properties that have not been reassessed) in real estate tax from neighbor to neighbor. The high costs, as much as $10,000 in some middle class neighborhoods, are hitting folks in the pocketbook.
According to Warren, if you include real estate taxes, along with Medicare and other taxes, the total tax burden for a two income family today is 38% more compared to one income families a generation ago. And yes, I realize in a progressive tax system, that was bound to happen. It’s not so much that it happened that’s surprising, it’s what it means. It means less money in the pockets of middle class Americans at the end of the day.
Income is decreasing and expenses - including taxes - are increasing. So what are people doing? Charging up a storm. Credit card debt for middle-income families rose 75% between 1989 and 2001, according to Demos, a non-partisan public policy organization. Warren’s report claims that 10% of total disposable income in the United States goes to paying off credit cards. This, of course, jives with much of what you told me you would do with your economic stimulus check.
There has been a clamoring for a second stimulus package to offer some relief. Despite the rumors to the contrary, no such package has yet been seriously proposed. Jared Bernstein, senior economist with the Economic Policy Institute, has advised that a package should rely on getting funds together for the states, particularly for infrastructure projects, and not into the hands of taxpayers. Infrastructure means jobs - this was made abundantly clear when Congress thought about tinkering with the gas tax.
Second stimulus package or not, it’s clear that something needs to change. What is the breaking point before the middle class is no longer middle class?
Tags: America, cost of living, Economic Policy Institute, economic stimulus, economy, Elizabeth Warren, gas-tax, middle-class, second stimulus package
Posted in: individual
There has been a lot of talk about which presidential candidate has the best tax plan for “middle class” America. It’s an interesting question because I’m not sure that anyone can actually define “middle class” anymore - my readers seem to feel that it’s all over the place.
Middle class - as it’s widely defined - is generally defined as those families who are in the middle of income brackets. That can be confusing. Based on 2005 Census Bureau reports, 40% of Americans earned less than $36,000 a year (the bottom 20% earn less than $19,000). The next 40% - the so-called middle class - reported betwen $36,000 and $91,705 of earnings. The top 20% of earners, making $91,705 or more, earned 50% of the income reported in the US.
[Kelly’s geeky note: From a math perspective, that’s pretty interesting: while the richest 20% took in nearly 50% of income, the middle class (representing 40% of Americans) earned a fairly representative proportion of total income (37.5%).]
So there you have it, statistically you are middle class if you earn between $36,000 and $91,705 (adjusted for inflation since 2005) per year. Easy, right?
Not so fast.
There are a lot of factors that pure numbers don’t take into consideration including the size of your family and the cost of living in your geographical location. Lots of folks who make more than $75,000 per year may live comfortably in some areas of the world - but that kind of money won’t take you very far in areas like New York City or San Francisco where housing costs alone can easily reach $1 million for relatively modest homes.
The reality is that almost everyone thinks that they’re middle class, though of course, you can’t be. And realistically, you don’t want to be right now. Here’s why.
Elizabeth Warren, professor at Harvard Law School, just testified before the Joint Economic Committee in Congress that the middle class is suffering. How much so? Adjusted for inflation, median household income for middle class families has dropped by $1,175 between 2000 and 2007 - that represents a significant decline. While income is dropping, expenses are rising. The average family is spending $4,655 more each year on basic expenses, such as gas, food and health insurance.
Let’s talk the bane of my existence (as most working parents): child care costs. Families with children under the age of 5 spend $1,508 a month more on child care costs (yes, do the math, that’s more than $18,000) - older children cost about half that much. You don’t escape during the teens, either: the cost of sending a child to college has more than doubled over the last 20 years, far outpacing increases in income.
Also in the news these days are those folks who cannot afford housing. The proportion of families who spend more than 35% of income on housing has quadrupled in a single generation - a disproportionate number of middle class families spend nearly half of their income on housing. Two “middle class” Americans earning an average salary could not afford to pay the mortgage of a median-priced home in 2/3 of the nation’s metropolitan areas including my own Philadelphia (which is reasonably priced, I might add). In addition to the increased costs of housing stock, real estate taxes have also increased. Most municipalities have not tweaked their systems to account for a disproportionate increase in property “value” (albeit somewhat artificial) - this means that taxpayers are often paying too much (for reassessed properties at historic rates) or too little (for properties that have not been reassessed) in real estate tax from neighbor to neighbor. The high costs, as much as $10,000 in some middle class neighborhoods, are hitting folks in the pocketbook.
According to Warren, if you include real estate taxes, along with Medicare and other taxes, the total tax burden for a two income family today is 38% more compared to one income families a generation ago. And yes, I realize in a progressive tax system, that was bound to happen. It’s not so much that it happened that’s surprising, it’s what it means. It means less money in the pockets of middle class Americans at the end of the day.
Income is decreasing and expenses - including taxes - are increasing. So what are people doing? Charging up a storm. Credit card debt for middle-income families rose 75% between 1989 and 2001, according to Demos, a non-partisan public policy organization. Warren’s report claims that 10% of total disposable income in the United States goes to paying off credit cards. This, of course, jives with much of what you told me you would do with your economic stimulus check.
There has been a clamoring for a second stimulus package to offer some relief. Despite the rumors to the contrary, no such package has yet been seriously proposed. Jared Bernstein, senior economist with the Economic Policy Institute, has advised that a package should rely on getting funds together for the states, particularly for infrastructure projects, and not into the hands of taxpayers. Infrastructure means jobs - this was made abundantly clear when Congress thought about tinkering with the gas tax.
Second stimulus package or not, it’s clear that something needs to change. What is the breaking point before the middle class is no longer middle class?
Tags: America, cost of living, Economic Policy Institute, economic stimulus, economy, Elizabeth Warren, gas-tax, middle-class, second stimulus package
Monday, April 21, 2008
VETERANS INFORMATION
Department veterans affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is convening a four-day meeting in Washington, D.C. in July, 2007 of mental health clinicians and researchers from across the country. VA will also hire 100 new employees to provide readjustment counseling at the Department's 209 community-based Vet Centers. VA also recently hired 100 new Vet Center employees, who are combat veterans, to conduct outreach to veterans of the Global War on Terror. VA operates one of the largest mental health programs in the country, with an annual budget of nearly $3 billion solely for mental health services. About 1 million of VA's patients have a mental health diagnosis.
The rate of community-acquired MRSA skin and soft tissue infections increased from 24.0 cases per 100,000 people in 2000 to 164.2 cases per 100,000 in 2005. Risk factors for infection included incarceration, African-American race, and residence at a group of public housing complexes. Older age was also tied to a increased risk of infection.
1. http://mysite.verizon.net/vzew50b7/fairshakeforseniors/
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is convening a four-day meeting in Washington, D.C. in July, 2007 of mental health clinicians and researchers from across the country. VA will also hire 100 new employees to provide readjustment counseling at the Department's 209 community-based Vet Centers. VA also recently hired 100 new Vet Center employees, who are combat veterans, to conduct outreach to veterans of the Global War on Terror. VA operates one of the largest mental health programs in the country, with an annual budget of nearly $3 billion solely for mental health services. About 1 million of VA's patients have a mental health diagnosis.
The rate of community-acquired MRSA skin and soft tissue infections increased from 24.0 cases per 100,000 people in 2000 to 164.2 cases per 100,000 in 2005. Risk factors for infection included incarceration, African-American race, and residence at a group of public housing complexes. Older age was also tied to a increased risk of infection.
1. http://mysite.verizon.net/vzew50b7/fairshakeforseniors/
VETERANS INFORMATION
Department veterans affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is convening a four-day meeting in Washington, D.C. in July, 2007 of mental health clinicians and researchers from across the country. VA will also hire 100 new employees to provide readjustment counseling at the Department's 209 community-based Vet Centers. VA also recently hired 100 new Vet Center employees, who are combat veterans, to conduct outreach to veterans of the Global War on Terror. VA operates one of the largest mental health programs in the country, with an annual budget of nearly $3 billion solely for mental health services. About 1 million of VA's patients have a mental health diagnosis.
The rate of community-acquired MRSA skin and soft tissue infections increased from 24.0 cases per 100,000 people in 2000 to 164.2 cases per 100,000 in 2005. Risk factors for infection included incarceration, African-American race, and residence at a group of public housing complexes. Older age was also tied to a increased risk of infection.
1. http://mysite.verizon.net/vzew50b7/fairshakeforseniors/
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is convening a four-day meeting in Washington, D.C. in July, 2007 of mental health clinicians and researchers from across the country. VA will also hire 100 new employees to provide readjustment counseling at the Department's 209 community-based Vet Centers. VA also recently hired 100 new Vet Center employees, who are combat veterans, to conduct outreach to veterans of the Global War on Terror. VA operates one of the largest mental health programs in the country, with an annual budget of nearly $3 billion solely for mental health services. About 1 million of VA's patients have a mental health diagnosis.
The rate of community-acquired MRSA skin and soft tissue infections increased from 24.0 cases per 100,000 people in 2000 to 164.2 cases per 100,000 in 2005. Risk factors for infection included incarceration, African-American race, and residence at a group of public housing complexes. Older age was also tied to a increased risk of infection.
1. http://mysite.verizon.net/vzew50b7/fairshakeforseniors/
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