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An Opportunity to Improve Nursing Facility Immunization Programs

The pandemic offers an opportunity to improve the long-standing patchwork of immunization programs at nursing facilities, a new report finds. Lessons from COVID-19 vaccination programs can be applied as nursing facilities seek to continue reducing infection risks more generally by administering both influenza and pneumococcal immunizations to residents. A new report examines pre-pandemic efforts, explores immunization during the pandemic, and suggests how facilities can evaluate and strengthen their immunization programs.

Congressional Action Needed: Keeping Health Coverage Affordable for Many 50- to 64- Year-Olds

Extending the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021’s tax credits for health coverage would narrow racial and ethnic disparities, reduce the number of uninsured, and significantly lower the cost of individual health coverage among adults ages 50 to 64, keeping it more affordable and accessible. An examination of the ARPA benefits found that if the temporary assistance – which ends December 31, 2022 – continues, 50- to 64-year-olds would continue saving as much as $4,700 in annual premiums and 2.1 million more would gain Marketplace coverage by 2030.

Employment Data Digest: The Latest Numbers with an Older-Worker Focus

A few highlights from the AARP Public Policy Institute’s October Employment Data Digest: While hiring rebounded in October as 531,000 jobs were added and the overall unemployment rate declined from 4.8 percent to 4.6 percent, the unemployment rate for people ages 55+ was unchanged at 3.6 percent. This reflects a slight difference in men and women as the rate of unemployed men 55+ declined slightly to 3.4 percent but rose from 3.4 percent to 3.7 percent for unemployed women 55+. But the percentage of jobseekers ages 55+ who were long-term unemployed declined to 41.2 percent from 48.9 percent in September.

LTSS Choices: The Role of Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports during the COVID-19 Pandemic

A new analysis finds the COVID-19 pandemic severely tested states’ Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) plans, particularly with respect to beneficiaries residing in nursing homes. But the pandemic response also revealed potential improvements to care. Some approaches and practices put into place in both institutional and home and community-based settings during the pandemic offer examples for enhancing care for MLTSS beneficiaries as well as addressing future public health emergencies.

Rural–Urban Health Disparities among US Adults Ages 50 and Older

Longstanding health disparities of older adults living in rural communities continue. A new report finds that older adults in rural areas are less likely than their urban counterparts to have health insurance and more likely to forgo care due to cost, have chronic health conditions (such as heart disease and diabetes), smoke, and not engage in leisure-time physical activity. A new report analyzes these differences among adults ages 50-64 and 65+ while also examining racial and ethnic disparities within the older rural population.

Nursing Innovation Fund Award Winners Highlight Replicable Strategies

The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action awarded six nurse-led projects up to $25,000 each as part of its Nursing Innovations Fund awards. Each offer replicable strategies for nurses to promote health equity and well-being. All feature collaboration with diverse stakeholders to address societal barriers to health, including structural racism. The winning projects are from Delaware, Kentucky, Montana, Pennsylvania, Utah, and West Virginia. The Campaign for Action is an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Apply for the AARP Purpose Prize Award

The AARP Purpose Prize award honors extraordinary individuals who use their life experience to make a better future for all. Hurry! The call for applications ends January 17, 2022. 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.

In the News

Waiting on U.S. Mandate, Some Nursing Homes Are Slow to Vaccinate Staff
New York Times

Don't Be Fooled! We're Debunking The 8 Biggest Medicare Myths
Parade

Check your redesigned Social Security statement. It makes it easier to see if you can afford to retire early.
Washington Post

Just what does Medicare cover? And what about these Medicare Advantage plans?
Miami Herald

When Was Medicare Established? Here's the Surprising History of Medicare
Parade

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

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