November 2009 — A message from the
National Family Caregivers Association
Encouraging Family Caregivers to Speak Up
Happy National Family Caregivers Month!
November 2009 E-LETTER
Make This the Month You "Say 'Yes' to Health Reform"
Nearly one in two Americans has a chronic illness, and more than 75 cents of every dollar spent on healthcare in the U.S. is spent treating patients with one or more chronic diseases. Now an online grassroots campaign, "Say 'Yes' to Health Reform," is promoting the need for comprehensive health reform that tackles issues of affordability, access and quality brought on by our nation's high rates of poorly prevented and mismanaged chronic disease. The campaign, sponsored by the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD), features video testimonials of Americans from communities across the country who are "saying 'yes'" to health reform that prioritizes prevention and wellness and helps Americans fight common chronic diseases. To learn more visit Say Yes to Health Reform.
After watching the videos, Speak Up to members of Congress by sharing your story and letting them know that healthcare reform is good for family caregivers. Contact information here for your senators and representative.
Don't Miss Out on NFCA's FREE Teleclass: Register Today and Learn How to Prevent Medication Mishaps
There are approximately 100,000 deaths each year due to adverse drug reactions. Now you can learn the tools you need to minimize the possibility that you or your loved one will experience an adverse medication event. Join NFCA's FREE teleclass/webinar, "Safe & Sound: How to Prevent Medication Mishaps," on Thursday, November 12, at 2 p.m. EST. The program will help you understand when medication problems are most likely to occur and what you can do to prevent them. This program is offered FREE in honor of NFC Month 2009. Don't miss this invaluable educational opportunity. Register today!
The Best Care for Your Parents: Senior Care Solutions and Potential Pitfalls
On Thursday, November 19, at 7 p.m. EST, Home Instead Senior Care, a member of the National Family Caregivers Association's Corporate Leadership Council, will host a webinar designed to help family caregivers plan for the care of their senior loved ones. Research recently released by Home Instead Senior Care has revealed that planning for care is out of sight and out of mind for half of seniors ages 65 to 75, who have not thought about their own future care needs. Home Instead Senior Care Co-Founder and CEO Paul Hogan will be joined by NFCA President and CEO Suzanne Mintz for a 30-minute presentation that will address such issues as how to identify what your loved ones need, care pitfalls to avoid, talking with your parents about their options, and resources and assistance. Register for this free conference today.
Are You Caring for a Depressed Elderly Parent?
Depression rates are high among the elderly. Caring for a depressed elderly parent takes a toll on the family. Learn how it affects you and how to ease the burden of caregiving by listening to the Families for Depression Awareness audio podcast.
Families for Depression Awareness is a national nonprofit organization that helps families and friends recognize and cope with depressive disorders to get people well and prevent suicides. The organization is made up of families who have lost a family member to suicide or have watched a loved one suffer with depression. Families for Depression Awareness provides education, outreach, and advocacy.
New State Healthcare Scorecard Finds Wide Differences in Healthcare Across the Country
The cost and quality of healthcare, as well as access to care and health outcomes, continue to vary widely among states, according to the Commonwealth Fund's new report, Aiming Higher: Results from the 2009 State Scorecard on Health System Performance. The report states that the continuing and growing disparities in state performance point to the urgent need for comprehensive national health system reform.
The report ranks states on 38 indicators in the areas of access, prevention/treatment quality, avoidable hospital use and costs, healthy lives, and equity. Poorly coordinated care and inefficient use of resources continue to undermine care and drive up costs in many state healthcare systems. States with higher medical costs tend to have higher rates of readmissions to the hospital and potentially preventable hospital admissions for chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes. For an interactive map that allows users to see individual state information and compare states on various measures.
Does Your Loved One Have Parkinson's Disease?
Save the date to join the Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF), online or by phone, on Tuesday, November 17, at 1 p.m. ET for an educational webinar, "How to Take Care of the Parkinson's Caregiver," with Barbara Habermann, Ph.D., R.N., associate professor, Department of Family Health Nursing at Indiana University School of Nursing. This free 60-minute PD ExpertBriefing is part of PDF's recognition of National Family Caregivers Month. If you miss this session, an archive of the presentation will be available on the PDF Web site for up to one year after the live event. For more information or to register for this session, visit PDF or call 800/457-6676.
No Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment for 2010
If you or your loved one receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits, it's important to know that with consumer prices down over the past year, monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits will not automatically increase in 2010. This will be the first year without an automatic Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) since they went into effect in 1975. More information about the 2010 COLA is available here.
You Can Now Listen to the Healthcare Reform Bill
An audio version of the House of Representatives healthcare reform legislation, HR3200, is now available. Hearthebill.org was created as a public service for the visually impaired or for anyone who would prefer to listen to the bill rather than read it. (Listening to the bill in its entirety would take nearly 17 hours!) A volunteer team of voice actors, including NFCA's own CCAN volunteer Liz de Nesnera, are making the audio recording available for free download or streaming audio on the site. The text is also available on the site for those who'd like to read it, or read along.
U.S. Family Caregiver Postage Stamp Petition Needs Your Signature
Celebrate National Family Caregivers Month by signing the petition letter for a United States postage stamp honoring family caregivers. We are in need of 2,000 more signatures and you can be one of them! Please sign a letter to the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee today. And then pass this message along by posting it to your Facebook pages, Twitter, or other networking sites. Every signature helps!
Upcoming Study
The following information is provided as a public service. NFCA has no connection to the studies or research programs publicized below and no endorsement is implied.
Attention Los Angeles Family Caregivers: Participate in a UCLA Meditation Study That Promotes Wellness With Mindfulness
Nearly 50 percent of caregivers develop stress-related depression. Medical studies have already shown that meditative exercise such as yoga and Tai Chi can help reduce depression and improve quality of life. A UCLA research team led by Dr. Helen Lavretsky is requesting caregivers over the age of 55 to participate in a study on meditation and relaxation to reduce caregiver stress and improve cognitive functioning. To participate, family caregivers are asked to come to UCLA for up to six visits. Psychological assessment, cognitive testing, and two blood draws will be performed. To reduce the risk of depression, caregivers will be trained to do a daily brief meditation exercise at home for eight weeks. Participants may be eligible if they are experiencing stress or mild depression and not taking any medications to reduce it. Limited compensation and all study interventions are provided.
More information is available here or contact Dr. Helen Lavretsky at 310/794-4619.
