5 Must-Read Disability and Aging News Items (in five minutes)
C. Grace Juneau Whiting
Storyteller & Strategist | CEO, Whiting Communications | Co-Creator, How We Care | Aging, Disability, & Caregiving Advocate
1 - As many as 23 million Americans may be disabled due to long-haul COVID -- and they may not be eligible for disability benefits
This Washington Post piece describes long-haul #COVID as a "mass-disabling event" on the scale of the HIV crisis, polio, or even World War II. But are our public benefits and disability safety nets structured to help these so-called "long haulers"? Definitions of disability under our current public benefits structures are often narrow and the available resources to fund programs for people with disabilities are even smaller. The article does a great job describing the tensions facing the disability community -- and advocates - who compete for research and support dollars. Arguably, the #Biden Administration is tuned in to the tension.,. as think-tanks begin to identify potential solutions to the wave of newly-disabled Americans recovering from #COVID19. (Notably, the Administration announced law year that "long-haul covid" may be a qualifying disability under the #ADA.)
2 - Amazon has noticed that #caregiving is big business - and they're using Alexa to automate care
Amazon is moving into the #eldercare space under the banner of "Amazon Together" - a care coordination service offered through Alexa devices. The service has two components, the "Care Hub" and a "Circle of Support" feature. The model may remind you of BestBuy's live!y, which includes a case management system powered by mobile devices that can detect falls, keep families in touch, and monitor remote issues.
Amazon's announcement includes a new "Circle of Support" feature that would allow ten family caregivers - such as siblings, cousins, friends, or neighbors - to be "backup caregivers" on the same subscription service. Who needs to share Netflix passwords when we all can receive caregiving notices on our phones and devices?
Future iterations will add a "Routines" function, which would allow caregivers to automate home activities such as setting alarms, checking the weather, and turning off lights. While individual families may not be ready yet for this Ray Bradbury-esque future, the tech could potentially alleviate pressure on hospital staff and senior living centers by automating some care activities.
3 - As the housing market cools and interest rates rise, the Wall Street Journal recommends a second look at reverse mortgages for seniors
A new personal finance article in the Wall Street Journal makes the case that reverse mortgages, a financial tool "maligned for years as loans of last resort for struggling seniors" have been misunderstood. Now, with the power of "federal insurance and oversight," retired homeowners may circumvent what the article describes as "horror stories."
Folks planning to take on a reverse mortgage need help from careful planners - financial or otherwise. While the article does its best to report the pros/cons, the information is best paired with resources from the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (they have a fabulous guide on reverse mortgages here). The real meat is in the article's comments - noting the high fees with taking out reverse mortgages, the complexity in administration, and the challenges when families suddenly need to pay for long-term care.
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4 - Forgive them their debts: new research shows that most older adults have consumer debt, and they add up to worse health and higher rates of disability
The fabulous Paula Span is back in The New York Times with coverage of a new research study on the relationship between financial and physical health. The news is shocking: older adults with unsecured debt, like credit cards or student loans, were more likely to need help with activities of daily living. The more debt, the higher the risk. Financial challenges resulted in physical and mental ailments, as people with higher rates of debt reported worse self-rated health, higher rates of depression, and impaired ability to handle basic needs like taking a bath or getting dressed. There's a complicated matrix here between financial health, increasing levels of unsecured debt, and physical/mental wellness. For many, that burden is disproportionately placed on low-income seniors. As one researcher described, "Where people are poorer, they seem to carry debt indefinitely."
5 - Debates on the 340B drug pricing program heat up, spurring discussions on how to pay for medicines for low-income and rural patients
STAT ran an op-ed last week by Maureen Testoni, the president and CEO of 340B Health, an advocacy organization representing hospitals participating in the 340B drug pricing program. The federal program was created in 1992 and mandates discounted prices on certain outpatient drugs in exchange for participating companies' Medicaid and Medicare Part B coverage of the cost. Regulatory bodies such as HRSA are implementing ongoing changes to the program -- a note on their site flags new regulations to reinstate the 340B Drug Pricing Program in some hospitals under certain conditions. (More here.)
It may be hard to find a balanced take on this debate, with hospitals and pharmacists on one side and drug manufacturers and patient advocacy organizations on the other. Here are some "starter articles" that can give you a sense of the major issues at play:
In short, the 340B debate is the kind of policy discussion that brings to mind that old lawyer's saying, "Reasonable minds may differ."
C. Grace Whiting, J.D. is a health policy nerd and long-term care expert with a passionate, authentic commitment to making the world more a more caring place. In her day job, Grace is the Executive Director of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) where she works with an incredible team of association management professionals in their shared goal to elevate the field of elder, disability, and special needs law.
Established in 1987, NAELA is the only national association of attorneys that conditions membership on a commitment to the Aspirational Standards for the Practice of Elder and Special Needs Law. Understanding that older adults and people with disabilities need holistic, person-centered legal services, NAELA’s nearly 4,000 members represent the diversity of practice. With a network including #lawyers, #judges, #legal professors, #law students, and others, we work to advance the dignity and independence of #older adults, people with disabilities, and their #families. Learn more at www.NAELA.org.