The Link -- January 2019

Week of January 1, 2019

• Because of structural inequities that impact women more than men, a significant percentage of older women are struggling to stay out of poverty. There are 7.1 million older adults living in poverty in the United States.  Two-thirds of them are women.  A new Justice in Aging issue brief surveys the reasons, discusses support systems and recommends ways to strengthen and expand systems. Read the brief and 
  watch the accompanying videos here.
  
  
• A recent national survey about transportation polled 1600 older adults, young adults with disabilities and their caregivers.  Key findings: Poll Results Stress Importance of Access to Affordable Transportation

• A report details the NSP outcomes on participants' healthcare utilization and healthcare costs.  The Evaluation of the Effect of the OAA Title III-C Nutrition Services Program on Participants'Health Care Utilization concluded the following:
  - Congregate meal participants were more likely to remain living in their home, when compared to nonparticipants.
  -Congregate meal participants who lived alone were less likely than nonparticipants to have a hospital admission or have an emergency department visit that led to hospital admission.
  Full report: https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/programs/2018-10/NSPevaluation_healthcareutilization.pdf
  Webinar providing highlights of the report:  https://nutritionandaging.org/training-events/health-and-health-services-utilization-findings-from-the-nutrition-services-program-outcomes-evaluation/#wbounce-modal
  
  

• Every two years the United Way in Iowa sponsors an Asset-Limited Income-Constrained, Employed Report [ALICE]. This report tracks individuals and families who are working but unable to afford the basic necessities of housing, food, childcare, health care, and transportation. The income earned is not enough to meet the household's basic survival budget. This year's study finds that 37% of Iowa's households cannot afford their basic needs. This is an increase of 27% since 2010. For senior households (age 65 and older) 42% are below the ALICE threshold. 
  Link to ALICE Making Tough Choices - http://iowa.makingtoughchoices.org/  
  Link to full report - https://www.unitedwayalice.org/iowa  

Webinar from the American Society on Aging

• January 9, 2019
  Navigating Long-Term Care Insurance
• January 10, 2019
  Workforce Challenges Facing the Home Care Industry
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Webinars from the Administration for Community Living

• January 7, 2019
  Ask Dr. Kate Lorig About the Role of Chronic Disease Self-Management in the Opioid Epidemic

Webinar from the National Center on Law & Elder Rights

• January 16, 2019
  Signs of Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation

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.