The Future of Aging Blog

When I think of the New England Journal of Medicine, my first thought isn’t long-term care. New medication for a disease? Yes. A study linking my favorite food with some kind of unpleasant health condition? Possible. But long-term care? Not so much.

That’s why I was surprised to see this article about LTC and the 2008 election in this month’s issue. In it, Dr. David Stevenson analyzes a variety economic, social and political factors that all come down to one conclusion: long-term care is here to stay, and candidates for political office have to start talking about it. Steveson said it best here:

“If the upcoming election truly is about creating sustainable change, then presenting an efficient and humane plan for the reform of long-term care should be viewed as an important test of the candidates’ vision for our country. ^”  

Then it came to me: like a new medication or research study, our long-term care crisis isn’t a stagnant situation. It’s dynamic and our politicians, like medicial researchers, must discover how can we can make  long-term care affordable in America.

I think investigating AAHSA’s Long-term Care Solution would be a good start. Do you have any suggsetions to share?

That old saying isn’t just lip service. Consider the facts:   Ruth Bader Ginsberg became a Supreme Court Justice at 75. B.B. King’s still singing the blues for audiences worldwide at age 82.  Who knew?!?

Want to know more? Check out the videos our California affiliate, Aging Services of California, produced as part of their “Aging is an Active Verb” campaign.  Their message? Aging is all about living… and whatever the number, it’s time to start living today. Sounds like a plan to me.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrL8WYwt6hs}

That’s what happening to long-term care and services costs. Genworth Financial released their annual “Cost of Care” report today and as predicated, the cost of growing old in our country keep going up. Here are the highlights:

The average annual cost for a private room in a nursing home is$76,460, or $209 per day. That’s a 17 percent increase since 2004.

The elderly person typically spends 2- 1/2 years in a nursing home. That means that person, their loved ones and/or the governemtn would pay $190,000 for their care.

Assisted living costs rose 25 percent. Now, it costs an average of $36,090 each year to live in assisted living community.

Care costs are up even if you stay at home. The cost for a Medicare-certified home health aide to visit you rose to an average $38 an hour, up at a 7 percent since 2004.

Of course, these costs do vary by region. Check out this map to see how elders in your area fare. Here in DC, nursing homes cost $216 a day. I know I’m not prepared to pay for that for myself or a loved one.  Are you?

In honor of Earth Day, this week’s residents of the week are the members of the Green Council at the Whitney Center in Hamden, Connecticut. According to their Web site, www.grayisgreen.org, the council’s mission is to “seek to repair the damage (of their generation) and to leave the world a more habitable and greener place.”

The council members participate in a variety of activities to acheive this goal. They established resident and management “green teams” to help conserve energy, recycle plastic and reduce water runoff in their community. 

Check out their newest resource, Handbook for Consveration in Retirement Retirements. It features great tips individuals young and old can use to reduce their impact on the environment.

Looking for resources on going green in aging services? Visit the Environmental Stewardship section of the AAHSA Quality First Web site.  

With just a few weeks until AAHSA Homecoming week begins, members from 15 states have shared how they are celebrating their community treasures with us. Here’s just some of the events that we’ve heard about:

• Cetenarians will be at the center of University Village Retirement Community’s celebration. This Tulsa, Okla. organization is hosting a program that will not only honor their oldest resident, but feature a noted longevity researcher and the director of an “Adopt a Centenarian” program.

• Lake Ella Manor, an affordable senior housing community in Tallahassee, will invite their postman, bus drivers and other services providers to lunch as a way to recognize their commitment to people they serve.

• Louisville’s Episcopal Church Home will co-host a prom for senior and students from Fern Creek High School.

 Here in Washington, Goodwin House - Bailey’s Crossroads will commemorate homecoming by hosting the grand opening of their new health and wellness center. This center will feature a variety of services and opportunities for community members, including a new pool and a memory support program.

Haven’t registered your event yet? Let us know how you plan to celebrate today.