The Link - July 2018

Week of July 1, 2018

• Recent heavy rains and potential flooding bring to mind the need for emergency preparedness for older Iowans.  The ACL provide these best practices:  https://www.acl.gov/programs/emergency-preparedness
  https://www.ready.gov/floods
  https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/152383.
  
  
• On Monday, June 25, Governor Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for seven counties in response to flooding and severe weather that has occurred in Iowa.The governor's proclamation covers Allamakee, Bremer, Chickasaw, Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Howard and Winneshiek counties. It will allow state resources to be used to respond to and recover from the effects of severe weather in the affected areas.

• Read the annual report for Medicaid Expenditures for Long-Term Services and Supports in FY2016:
  http://nasuad.org/hcbs/article/medicaid-expenditures-long-term-services-and-supports-fy-2016

• Some evidence suggests that nothing replaces the human touch, but because recent generations are having fewer children, there could be a shortage of people who will be available to care for the growing senior population. Meet a caregiving robot on PBS News Hour: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/meet-a-robot-offering-care-and-companionship-to-seniors 
  
  
• Home Instead developed the Daughters in the Workplace public education program offering free resources to help working family caregivers feel empowered to talk to their employers about their needs, while also identifying caregiving support that may be available: https://www.caregiverstress.com/stress-management/daughters-in-the-workplace//

Information regarding new Medicare cards:

• Once people with Medicare get their new Medicare cards, they should start using them right away.  Healthcare providers and suppliers can use either the former Social Security-based HICN or the new alpha-numeric Medicare Beneficiary Identifier through December 31, 2019.
  View updates, beneficiary and stakeholder resources: The Outreach & education page:  https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/New-Medicare-Card/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach-and-education.html
  For a full list of the mailing waves, please see CMS’ mailing strategy:  https://www.medicare.gov/newcard/
  Direct people with Medicare to Medicare.gov/NewCard for information about the mailings and to sign up to get email about the status of card mailings in their state. 
  Destroy your card video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf9q0dVinF8
  
  
• Oral Health America is introducing a State Spotlight series to share the actions and strategies of invested oral health stakeholders working to improve oral health in their state:  https://oralhealthamerica.org/astateofdecay/spotlights/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=202cd1bb-9f16-415d-999d-b8bfe504b056
  
  
• Governor Reynolds took some time out of her day to help deliver Meals on Wheels:  https://www.weareiowa.com/news/local-news/governor-reynolds-delivers-food-with-meals-on-wheels/1268291847

• A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) found that in 2015, the estimated medical costs attributable to falls in adults aged 65 and older was approximately $50 billion. For nonfatal falls, 75% of the costs of older adult falls were paid by government-funded programs:  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jgs.15304

• Employers are getting smarter about hiring older workers.  These employers see the advantages of an age diverse work force:  https://www.marketwatch.com/story/employers-are-getting-smarter-about-hiring-older-workers-2018-02-07    

• Help prevent financial exploitation.  Here are three scams related to the new Medicare cards: https://www.ncoa.org/blog/new-medicare-card-scams.
  
  
• Connections Area Agency on Aging sheds a light on elder abuse awareness and receives news coverage: http://fox42kptm.com/news/local/woodmenlife-to-light-tower-friday-saturday-sunday

Older Iowans Legislature [OIL] -- Save the Date

September 24 and 25, 2018
House Chambers, Iowa State Capitol

N4A  Annual Conference and Tradeshow

July 28 - August 1, 2018 | Chicago, Illinois

http://www.n4aconference.org/

Webinars from the American Society on Aging:

• August 27 to September 28
  Two courses on Elder Mistreatment

Webinars from the National Center on Law and Elder Rights:

• Tuesday, July 10
  Overview of Guardianship and Alternatives to Guardianship
  
  
• Wednesday, July 18
  Financial Exploitation and Medicare Fraud

The mission of the Iowa Department on Aging is to develop a comprehensive, coordinated and

cost-effective system of long-term living and community support services that helps older Iowans maintain

health and independence in their homes and communities.