Copyright 2008 Medical News Today Latest Caregivers / Homecare News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/caregivers/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/114198.php All but 18 of the 81 affected hospitals and nursing homes in New York state have met the June 30 deadline to close, merge or downsize in accordance with the recommendations made in 2006 by the Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/114196.php Many agencies that provide home health and other services to elderly clients have begun to reduce their services as a result of increased gasoline prices, with the problem most prevalent among agencies in rural areas, the New York Times reports. According to a survey recently released by the Sat, 05 Jul 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113955.php AARP will release a new report and convene a panel of experts to discuss Medicaid funding for long-term care (LTC) for older adults and adults with physical disabilities. The report analyzes the progress states are making shifting public funds and the people who rely on them from nursing homes to home and community based services. Approximately 10 million older Americans need assistance with every day activities. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113802.php Care home practitioners and old age psychiatrists have been warned that they could face long jail sentences if they allow a patient with dementia to have sex even with a long-term partner. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113633.php CMS has issued a new rule requiring hospice providers participating in Medicare to implement a quality assessment and improvement system, the Washington Post reports. Sun, 29 Jun 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113132.php Whatever your extent of hospitalisation and treatment, it can come as a shock to find how weakened you have become, when you are trying to return to normal home life. Whilst a hospital discharge plan will be designed to ensure you have the right level of home support, there are self-help nutritional considerations that can aid recovery and continued independent living. Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113214.php A study released today by the Washington D.C.-based National Association for Home Care and Hospice shows that the nurses, therapists, home care aides and others who serve elderly and disabled patients in their homes drive, on average, more miles annually than many driving professionals including UPS drivers. Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113034.php A 65-year-old couple needs $85,000 on average to cover annual premiums for long-term care insurance through retirement, according to a study released Thursday by Fidelity Investments, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports. For the study, Fidelity surveyed insurers offering long-term care policies. Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112864.php "I felt so insulted and so hurt. It was like [their father] had met some gal at a bar and married her the next day, and she wanted all his money. I felt they didn't give me any credit, or any respect, appreciation or anything. It still hurts. Wed, 25 Jun 2008 06:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112659.php The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Bill Thomas, a former nursing home physician, have been working to overhaul the nation's nursing home system by promoting "smaller, home-like facilities," the Wall Street Journal reports. RWJF has invested $15 million over five years to encourage the construction of "Green Houses" -- a concept developed by Thomas in which facilities house 10 to 12 residents. Sun, 22 Jun 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112288.php A new report from Care Management Matters, due for publication late June 2008, will present an overview and analysis of the future of learning disability care for adults in the UK. With the drive towards Supported Living as an alternative to traditional residential care, the sector is experiencing a great deal of change and with it, uncertainty for existing care home operators. Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112003.php The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced it will soon launch a ground-breaking ranking system of America's nursing homes, giving each a "star" rating. CMS is requesting comments on the system designed to provide patients and their families an easy to understand assessment of nursing home quality, making meaningful distinctions between high performing and low performing homes. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111958.php Several Senate lawmakers are pushing legislation that would make binding arbitration agreements by nursing homes unenforceable, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports. Nursing homes say that arbitration agreements are voluntary and typically offer a quicker, less costly way than court to settle legal disputes. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111868.php AARP issued a statement in response to today's announcement of improvements to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) "Nursing Home Compare" web site. The statement, from AARP Executive Vice President John Rother, follows: "Choosing a nursing home is a daunting decision for any family, often made even harder by a rush to move a loved one into a new home. In such a difficult time, transparency of quality and safety information is essential. Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111231.php With a goal to assist carers in the United Kingdom, Intel Corporation unveiled ConnectingForCare.co.uk, the first online community of its kind for family carers, community and district nurses, healthcare assistants, social care workers and others to share information and provide emotional support to one another, filling a void in today's healthcare system. Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110964.php A 50 year old registered nurse from Herne Bay, Kent has received a 5 year caution order from the Nursing & Midwifery Council following a string of incidents in which he failed to ensure that a patient received the appropriate standard of care. Takoorparsad Kanayalall Ghowry was the owner and Registered Manager of St Stephens Residential Home when between January 2004 and February 2004 three charges were brought against him for misconduct. Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110889.php Citing faulty implementation of Medicare's competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, and supplies (DMEPOS), the American Association for Homecare filed a federal lawsuit on June 9 seeking to stop the controversial bidding program. The program affects medical equipment and services used by Medicare beneficiaries in the home including oxygen therapy, hospital beds, and power wheelchairs. Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110863.php Clare Tickell, Chief Executive, NCH, the children's charity says: Young carers are often the invisible faces of caring. Their needs are complex and should not be seen in isolation from the person they are caring for - often they are forced to step in to meet the needs of a relative which are not being fully met by adult care services. Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110805.php The Government has announced a new National Strategy for Carers, which promises to double the amount spent on respite care over two years. Chris Evans of the MS Society, who has responsibility for the charity's four respite centres, said that any new investment in respite care was always welcome but also urged caution. Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110753.php Whilst The National Autistic Society (NAS) welcomes increased funding for vital support services, such as shortbreak schemes, much more needs to be done to tackle the financial hardship faced by thousands of carers. Autism is a serious and lifelong condition and caring for someone with the disability is often a full time job. Carer's Allowance is currently woefully inadequate at £50.55 for a 35 hour week - that's £1. Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110574.php The Government's 2006 White Paper 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say' included a committment to a New Deal for Carers. Today will see the release of a national strategy for carers - a revision of the Prime Minister's 1999 Carers Strategy. The strategy will cover areas of Government responsibility that impact on carers, including income, employment, health and social services and equalities (including equality of opportunity). Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110436.php Carers across the country - who tirelessly devote their time, effort and energy to looking after a loved one - could be putting their own health at risk by ignoring symptoms or not finding the time to visit their own GP for help and advice, a survey has found. Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110031.php My Home Life, a programme that works to ensure care home practice is underpinned by robust evidence on what contributes toward quality of life for older people, has published 'Best practice in care homes - what is the evidence?', a special bulletin summarising the best practice guidance for achieving quality of life for people living, dying, visiting and working in care homes for older people.* The publication coincides with National Care Homes Week, running from June 2 - 6. Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109876.php Yesterday, nearly one-third of the members of the U.S. House of Representatives urged a one-year delay in the controversial and flawed "competitive bidding" program for home medical equipment in Medicare. Two letters signed by 132 members of Congress urge the leaders of the Ways and Means Committee and its subcommittee on health to "delay implementation of this program until outstanding issues can be resolved. Tue, 03 Jun 2008 06:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109735.php When people hear about elder abuse in nursing homes, they usually think of staff members victimizing residents. However, research by Cornell University faculty members suggests that a more prevalent and serious problem may be aggression and violence that occurs between residents themselves.