AARP

Nursing Home Consumer Experience – Education @ 50+ - COVID & Social Security

VIEW ONLINE

Policy Plus Action | The AARP Public Policy Institute Newsletter

Home Page

About PPI

Read Our Blog

News & Features

Learning and Education at 50+

At age 71, AARP 50+ Education Comebacker Dorothy Mae Barr-Moore recently graduated magna cum laude from the University of Kentucky, personifying the AARP Public Policy Institute initiative for lifelong learning and education. Her success is just one outcome from a series of state pilot programs to help older learners overcome barriers, reskill or upskill, and, for some, fulfill a lifelong dream of higher education.

Nursing Home Residents Must Be Heard. Consumer Experience Information Is the Key.

The nursing home industry and agencies that oversee it are slowly embracing consumer experience feedback in tools aimed at evaluating facilities. That’s a pivotal trend, because including actual consumer experience beyond mere “customer satisfaction” surveys is crucial. Nothing replaces first-hand information, and listening to the consumer's voice can drive quality improvement.

COVID-19, Demographic Change, and the Future of Social Security

Social Security’s trust fund reserves are expected to be depleted in 2035, a projection that has barely been changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the myriad of economic repercussions from the pandemic, the fundamental challenge for Social Security’s financial future remains the long-term declining trend in the number of workers per beneficiary. That ratio was 2.8-to-1 in 2021 and is projected to decline to 2.1-to-1 by 2065. It was 5.1-to-1 in 1960.

A Small but Promising Step Toward Better Dental Coverage for People with Medicare

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently approved a rule expanding the definition of medically necessary dental care that qualifies for coverage. The rule is crucial for improving access to oral health care for Medicare beneficiaries, but it is still far from meeting the need for dental coverage. The new policy broadens the number of medical conditions allowing for dental care, while maintaining a relatively narrow scope of oral health coverage.

CAPABLE: A Model of Empowering Older Adults to Remain Independent

A new report from the AARP Public Policy Institute’s LTSS Choices initiative outlines the success of the Community Aging in Place — Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) model for restorative services for older adults. CAPABLE relies on a registered nurse, an occupational therapist, and a handyperson working together to allow the participating older adult to remain independent and in their home. While a growing number of entities are offering the service, CAPABLE’s growth is curtailed by the lack of a clear financing mechanism.

The Window Is Closing to Maintain Tax Benefits for Two Million 65+ Low-Paid Workers

In 2021 when policymakers removed the age restriction for the earned income tax credit, more than two million workers 65+ benefited. Yet, in 2022 the age restriction is back despite the EITC being one of the nation’s most effective anti-poverty programs. Policymakers should retroactively repeal age restrictions in time for the next tax filing season, maintaining continuity of a proven policy tool.

Calls to Action for Advancing Health Equity

Diversifying the health care workforce to address disparities in care is a strategy long embraced by the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. But its implementation remains a work in progress. That progress continued at the Dec. 1 “Building Equity in Nursing and Health Care Leadership” summit. Advice shared included ways nurses can work with others in government, business, and education to spur change and take action.

Apply for the AARP® Purpose Prize® Award

The AARP Purpose Prize award honors extraordinary individuals who use their lived experiences to make a better future for all. Hurry! The Call for Applications ends February 28, 2023. Don’t miss a chance to earn $50,000 for your organization and a year of support to help broaden the scope of your work. Up to 10 fellows will each receive $10,000 for their organization and a year of technical support. See official rules and apply.

In the News

Aging Matters: Confronting the Caregiving Crisis
Main Street Daily News (Gainesville, FL)

Age Discrimination and ‘The Great Shedding’
Industry Week

Editor-in-Chief: Susan C. Reinhard, RN, PhD, FAAN
Senior Writer/Editor: Carl Levesque

AARP.org

Manage Your Account

Unsubscribe From This Type of Email

Unsubscribe From All AARP Email