New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative

Sometimes, a long-term care ombudsman is the only visitor a nursing home resident may get. They help residents of long-term care facilities navigate problems stemming from loneliness, social isolation and staff shortages. They also investigate complaints of involuntary discharges, inadequate food, a lack of care and other quality-of-life concerns. "When an individual goes into long-term care, their world changes. Their world’s turned upside down,“ says Michelle Danou, who has been a long-term care ombudsman for five years. “That’s the beauty of our job. We can help support them.”

Representatives from Corewell Health, the Detroit Medical Center and Henry Ford Health as well as universities in Michigan gathered on Monday to celebrate a partnership with SOS Maternity Network. SOS refers to “synergy of scholars." The program, which is funded by the state of Michigan, pairs women with someone who can help them navigate life and medical issues. It also gives moms rides to medical appointments.

Family caregiving is receiving an increasing amount of political attention as the Trump and Harris presidential campaigns are looking to gain support with older adults in the final weeks before the election. “We want all candidates to be talking about the ways they are going to address the lack of support that’s in place for family caregivers," Jason Resendez told USA Today.

Thank you to New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative for the insightful article on Parkinson's clinical trials and thank you for featuring our Chief Impact Officer, Leigh Zisko and Director of Recruitment and Strategic Initiatives, Dr. Tamiko MaGee-Rodgersas well as #CitizenScientist Kimi from #GAPNet site Quest Research Institute Check out the article here: https://lnkd.in/gB4bkxjw

REPORTER OPENINGS The Traverse City Record-Eagle is looking for excellent general assignment reporters. If you have experience as a reporter; if you know how to cover a beat; if you can write well, with accuracy and precision, and turn it in fast on deadline, we’re interested in talking to you – soon. Call Executive Editor Rebecca Pierce at 231-933-1472 now. Traverse City is situated on Grand Traverse Bay where you can enjoy the beauty of Lake Michigan in a region renowned for its gorgeous vistas and vast range of outdoor pursuits. Along with the big lake, there are dozens of inland lakes in our region. Hiking, biking, kayaking, sailing, canoeing, hunting, fishing, ice fishing, downhill snow skiing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, and even curling are all on the menu for residents here. Can you see yourself enjoying s’mores by a crackling campfire? It’s an amazing place to live and work. What makes this opportunity so great is the fact that the Traverse City Record-Eagle, an award-winning publication known for its commitment to outstanding journalism, was named Michigan’s Newspaper of the Year in 2022 and 2023 and a finalist for the national Scripps-Howard Award last year. We are an equal opportunity employer. We offer full benefits, including a 401K retirement savings plan. Please email your resume and examples of your best work to Executive Editor Rebecca Pierce at [email protected]

We’re honored to partner with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. Foundation and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation on the Exhale Family Caregiving Initiative. We’re also proud to support our grantee-partner, West Falls Center For The Arts, whose Musical Memories Café experiences have been life-changing for adults with dementia and their caregivers. Thank you to The Buffalo News editorial team for highlighting these initiatives. To learn more about the “Dementia-Friendly” movement and resources for support, check out this article from The News and the New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative: https://lnkd.in/giHPgKkD #Caregiving #DementiaFriendly #Alzheimers #HealthEquity

Caregiving can be stressful. On this #WorldMentalHealthDay, let’s take a moment to prioritize mental well-being. We've compiled a list of great sources for caregiver wellbeing: https://lnkd.in/gSQiNnMM

The Detroit News is hiring a data reporter and college interns for summer 2025. See details below: https://lnkd.in/e2r-DPnJ

Happy #AgeismAwarenessDay ! Did you know you could unintentionally be using ageist language, which is wording that depicts older adults in offensive, dismissive, unflattering, or incorrect ways? These might be obviously negative and insulting terms such as “frail” or “over the hill.” But, notably, ageist language also can include terms such as “elderly” and even descriptions that seem positive such as “spry for her age.” Avoiding ageist terminology takes a bit of effort so we've written a caregiving covering language guide to help writers and others. Check out the link is below: https://lnkd.in/gAkpZNCF

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer yesterday signed into law a bill that will restore home care workers’ right to join a union. Home help caregivers will have the ability to collectively bargain just as workers in all other sectors have. As The Detroit News previously reported, opponents had expressed concerns, with AARP Michigan saying questions remained how the system would work. Others argued that the legislation's main purpose was to allow the Service Employees International Union to absorb more dues-paying members. Read that story here: https://lnkd.in/dPaHpDNT