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To view as a webpage www.floridaassistedlivingcoalition.com
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Nursing Home Diversion
We have become aware of a rumor that is spreading across the state about the Nursing Home Diversion Program is closing enrollment on June 1, 2010. This is not totally accurate.
Here are the facts:
- In the current budget offerings there is no increase to the program
- If no additional funding is added, enrollment will slow but will continue
- The program is NOT going away
2010 INDUSTRY ICON - WINNER
SUSAN ACOCELLA, RN, BSN
General Manager
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care®
Susan Acocella is a General Manager for VITAS Innovative Hospice Care®, one of the nation’s oldest and largest providers of end-of-life care. In this role, she manages all aspects of VITAS’ Palm Beach County, Florida, program, overseeing program operations, developing business opportunities, hiring and mentoring new staff, and representing VITAS throughout the community. The program serves patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families in homes, nursing homes and assisted living communities throughout Palm Beach County, and in the VITAS inpatient hospice unit at Columbia Hospital in West Palm Beach.
Susan received a bachelor’s degree from Portland State University in Oregon and her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Barry University in Miami. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, a nursing Honor Society and a volunteer with the ALS Association. Susan and her husband, Les, live in Boca Raton, Florida. She enjoys spending time with her children Kauwela Auoli Damien, Namakoakalani Toni and Jean Paul, travel, whitewater rafting, hiking and bicycling.
Here are some important examples of how you can protect yourself:
Ask your doctor about setting up a fall prevention exercise program for building up your strength and coordination. A good program will include aerobic, strengthening, and flexibility exercises, as well as specialized balance training.
If you have experienced episodes of dizziness, or if you think you may have a problem with balance, vision, or your medications, talk with your doctor.
Eat right. Getting the nutrition you need is just as important as getting appropriate exercise and rest.
Be aware of your surroundings. Give yourself time to react to your physical surroundings and the other people around you, and pay special attention any time you are in new or unfamiliar surroundings.
Do a careful safety inspection of your living spaces. Look for anything that could make you trip, like rough floor surfaces, throw rugs, poor lighting, extension cords, or clutter. While you are at it, try to identify improvements that could make your situation even safer, such as extra grab bars in the bath or shower, a second hand railing on the stairs, and additional lighting indoors and out.
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FALC: Retro 1970's Dinner
Industry ICON Awards - Winner Announced
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| The 2010 ICON Award was presented to SUSAN ACOCELLA, General Manager of Vitas Innovative Hospice Care in Boca Raton held on March 27, 2010 which began at 6:30pm. If the walls could talk at Embassy Suites they would have said what a great time they had listening to the music of music as we celebrated the era of peace, love and happiness with a retro theme from the 70's & 80's, the event was enjoyed by all. A full page story is featured in the New Lifestyles South Florida Resource Guide to be released on May 9, 2010. |
| JOIN VISTA BMW THURSDAY MAY 6TH AT DELRAY BEACH JAZZ ON THE BEACH. |
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On select Thursday's each month, Atlantic Avenue transforms into a blue's belting, saxophone luring, drum beating, art gallery. Festivities begin at 6p.m. and wind their way into the evening until about 10p.m. Festival goers are invited to browse the array of art galleries that call Swinton and Atlantic Avenue home.
[FULL STORY] |
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Announcement
Broward County Guardianship Association presents
Guardianship Education-Associates Day
Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Willow Wood Retirement Center
2855 W. Commercial Blvd.
(I-95 to Commercial Blvd. West on the north side)
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309
954-739-4200 -
Contact: Melissa Rapkin
Member Fee: $35.00 Non-member Fee: $50.00
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Announcement
Broward FALC Meeting
MAY 11, 2010 2:p-4:p
2855 W. Commercial Blvd.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309
Speaker
Denise.DiGiovanni-Segal,
Vitas Innovative Hospice Care
Innovative Hospice Care
Speaker
Carl Galli, SAGE
(I-95 to Commercial Blvd. West on the north side)
RSVP: 800-939-2650
michaeldanealm@aol.com
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| APPLE LOSES NEXT I-PHONE PROTOTYPE IN GERMAN BEER GARDEN |
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Gray Powell, an Apple Software Engineer, carelessly left a next-gen prototype of Apple's i-Phone on a stool after a night of revelry in a Redwood City, CA, shattering Apple's decades-long streak of impenetrable secrecy. It wasn't long before Gizmodo got its curious hands on it.
[FULL STORY] |
Reduce Your Risk Of Falling
Tips For Seniors And Family Caregivers
Each year, falls involving older adults account for thousands of hip fractures and other serious injuries. In fact, injuries resulting from falls are a leading cause of death for older persons. Not all falls can be prevented, but many can! So, it is important to understand the risk, and to know what can be done to help protect yourself or your loved one. SENIORS HAVE AN INCREASED RISK OF FALLING BECAUSE OF? Physical and mental changes - Most older persons, sooner or later, will experience problems with their eyesight, sense of balance, mobility, bone structure, and reflexes. Confusion, forgetfulness, stroke, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's are also important risk factors.
Medications - Most seniors take a variety of medications, both over-the-counter and prescription. Many medications can cause dizziness, drowsiness, or other side effects that make it harder to keep your balance.
Environmental causes - Throw rugs, electrical cords, wet and slippery floors, rough floor surfaces, slick walkways and steps, and poor lighting are all examples of things or conditions that can trip you up.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR PROTECTING AGAINST FALLS
Although it is unrealistic to think we can prevent all falls from happening, there are many proven ways of reducing the risk. Make fall protection a topic for discussion with family and healthcare providers. Preventing falls is a topic that deserves time and attention!
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June, 20th Father's Day
Dessert Recipe
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Makes 15 squares
Preparation and cooking times
- Prep 20 - 25 minutes
- Cook 40 minutes
- Keeps for a week wrapped in foil and freezes well.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan oven 160C. Butter and line the base of a shallow oblong tin (about 18x28cm/7x11in) with baking parchment. Tip all the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture drops easily off the spoon.
- Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch. Meanwhile, make the icing: beat together the lemon juice and sugar, pour the mixture evenly over the cake while it is still hot, then leave to cool.
- Cut the cake into 15 squares. Top each one with a crystallised violet and mimosa ball.
For the decoration
You can use real edible flowers, such as violas. Simply brush with a little lightly beaten egg white, dust with caster sugar and leave on a tray to dry for a couple of hours.
Per square
175 kcalories, protein 2g, carbohydrate 29g, fat 7 g, saturated fat 4g, fibre 0g, sugar 19g, salt 0.3 g
Recipe from Good Food magazine,
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News Release
Social Security Helps States with Mounting Disability Claims
Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security, today announced that the agency’s first Extended Service Team (EST) is open for business in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Little Rock EST will make disability decisions for state Disability Determinations Services (DDSs) that are most adversely affected by the flood of new initial disability claims resulting from the economic downturn and from counter productive furloughs of employees at the state level. Later this year, Social Security will open additional ESTs in Madison, Mississippi; Roanoke, Virginia; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The ESTs are in states that have a history of high quality and productivity, as well as the capacity to hire and train significant numbers of additional employees.
“The strategy behind ESTs builds on our success with National Hearing Centers, where cases are handled electronically from all over the country,” Commissioner Astrue said. “These centralized units have reduced the hearings backlog and improved processing times at some of the hardest-hit hearing offices. This approach clearly works and extending it in this way can help us meet the challenge of unprecedented growth in our disability workloads.”
Social Security expects to receive more than 3.3 million applications for disability benefits this fiscal year (FY), about 700,000 more than in FY 2008. In addition, more than a dozen states are furloughing federally-funded state workers who make disability decisions for Social Security. The combination of increased workloads and state furloughs has resulted in a growing backlog of initial disability applications in state DDSs.
“More Americans than ever are turning to us for help,” said Commissioner Astrue. “I am grateful that Governor Beebe bucked the trend and recognized the value of more of our federally-funded jobs in his state. The opening of the Arkansas EST and our other planned expansions in Mississippi, Virginia, and Oklahoma will significantly benefit disabled workers and their families as well as create new job opportunities to these states during difficult economic times.”
For more information about Social Security’s strategy to address the unprecedented increase in disability benefit applications, go to
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By Rona S. Bartelstone, LCSW,
Sr. VP of Care Management
Whatever our beliefs about family systems, they are often no longer valid. Today, with blended families, the basic principle of family life is no longer a sure thing. Even so, the longevity and connectedness to parents still make siblings among the most important components of the family care giving structure.
Francine Russo’s book, "They’re Your Parents, Too: How Siblings Can Survive Their Parents Aging Without Driving Each Other Crazy," describes the "anger/guilt gridlock" that often creates challenges for siblings in their ability to cooperate around care giving. Part of this dynamic is the assumption that siblings don’t need to discuss roles and responsibilities because somehow, magically, they each should know what the others need. Healthy adult relationships among siblings require basic factors of mutual respect, trust, reciprocity, the ability to disagree without judgment and the ability to feel affection with appropriate boundaries.
How can siblings work together caring for parents, even when they can’t all participate in the same way? Consider these tips:
1) Start talking early, with each other and with your parents. Don’t wait until a crisis to learn about powers of attorney, living wills, health care surrogate appointments and long term care insurance.
2) Don’t assume you know your parents’ wishes; ask and get them in writing.
3) Tackle immediate issues such as safety, first.
4) Find ways for everyone to feel involved to the extent they can, and want to be.
5) Keep everyone apprised of changes. Use different types of communication to stay in touch; email, telephone.
6) Expect and accept differences of opinion in the family. Don’t be accusatory, try to reach consensus.
7) Get the facts from eldercare experts and learn what has worked for other families. If needed, bring in a professional to help the family come to an agreed upon plan.
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Florida Assisted Living Coalition
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Offering Education, Enrichment & Empowerment of Healthcare Professionals and Community Social Services & Entitlements for Seniors & the Disabled
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Social Security Maria Diaz
CALL SOCIAL SECURITY TOLL-FREE ANYTIME
DISABILITY BENEFITS ARE NOT JUST FOR GROWN-UPS
When you hear about disability benefits, you probably think about adults. But disability benefits are not just for grown-ups. In some cases, children can receive benefits too.
If your child who lives with you has a disability, and you also have limited income and resources, your child may be able to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits. SSI is another program run by Social Security. SSI is a needs-based program funded through general tax revenues.
To qualify for SSI, your child must meet the following requirements:
- Under age 18
- Not be working and earning more than $1,000 a month in 2010. (This earnings amount changes every year.) If he or she is working and earning that much money, we will determine that your child is not disabled.
- Have a physical or mental condition (or a combination of conditions) those results in “marked and severe functional limitations.” This means that the condition(s) must very seriously limit your child’s activities.
- Have a condition that has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months, or is expected to result in death.
Once your child reaches age 18, SSI disability benefits might still be payable as an adult. Also, an adult who was disabled before reaching age 22 might be eligible for Social Security benefits as a “disabled adult child.” For a disabled adult to become entitled to this “child” benefit, one of his or her parents:
- Must be receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits; or
- Must be deceased and have worked long enough to be covered under Social Security.
Are you ready to get started with an application for your child? The best way to begin is by checking out the Disability Starter Kit at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability.
You can apply for Social Security or SSI payments for your child by calling Social Security toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or by visiting your local Social Security office. If you are applying for SSI payments for your child, you should have his or her Social Security number and birth certificate with you when you apply. We also will ask you for your Social Security number.
Learn more by reading Social Security’s online publication, Benefits For Children With Disabilities, at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10026.html.
A NEW “TWIST” IN THE LAW
MAY HELP YOUR MOM
By Paul D. Barnes
Social Security Regional Commissioner in Atlanta
Mom has always been there to nurture and take care of you. Mother’s Day is the perfect time to give back and look out for her. If she’s having a hard time paying for her prescription drugs, tell her about the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan and the extra help available through Social Security.
If your mother, or any special woman in your life, is covered by Medicare and has limited income and resources, she may be eligible for extra help to pay her monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments. The extra help is worth an average of $3,900 per year.
Perhaps you’ve looked into the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan for Mom before, and discovered that she did not qualify due to her income or resources. In 2010, the law has changed. As Chubby Checker will tell you, a new “twist” in the law makes it easier than ever to qualify for the extra help.
It’s easy to figure out whether Mom is eligible for the extra help. To qualify, she must be receiving Medicare and:
· Have income limited to $16,245 for an individual or $21, 855 for a married couple living together. Even if her annual income is higher, she still may be able to get some help with monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments. Some examples in which income may be higher include if she or her husband:
—Support other family members who live with them;
—Have earnings from work; or
—Live in Alaska or Hawaii; and
· Have resources limited to $12,510 for an individual or $25,010 for a married couple living together. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks and bonds. We do not count her house or car as resources.
Thanks to this “twist” in the law, we no longer count any life insurance policy she has as a resource, and we no longer count as income any financial assistance she receives regularly from someone else to pay her household expenses like food, mortgage or rent, utilities or property taxes. Don’t take our word for it, see Chubby Checker’s rocking message at www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp.
While you’re there, you can fill out an easy-to-use online application for your mom at www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp. To apply by phone or have an application mailed to you, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask for the Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020). Or go to the nearest Social Security office.
If you’d like to learn more about the Medicare prescription drug plans and special enrollment periods, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048).
Maybe it’s been a few years since Mom has taken to the dance floor to do The Twist. But saving an extra $3,900 a year on prescription drugs may cause her to jump up and dance. What better gift could you give her this Mother’s Day?
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AHCA New ALF 1823
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