#EQUITY in eldercare, plus your chance to sound off on Medicare Advantage

Hello KIRC family!

I would like to start this update by asking everyone to please send condolences towards California.

A longtime friend who has been serving as a long-distance caregiver to her mother and father has recently lost a parent.

For those who believe in the power of prayer or who trust in the energy of The Universe to transport positive support, please extend a dose of positivity this direction.

KIRC Calendar

As you know, KIRC attempts to regularly offer up a range of events for caregivers.

However, according to metrics tracking this newsletter, very few of you open and/or read these calendar lists.

This update will still point you towards a few events and additional information, but I’ll craft it in what I hope is an easier-to-digest format (at least I hope it is…)

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

If you or a loved one is a military veteran, you’ll want to understand your benefits when it comes to making burial arrangements.

NCA Pre-Need Burial Eligibility

Veterans Affairs & Service

1:00 PM Eastern, 12:00 PM Central, 11:00 AM Mountain, 10:00 AM Pacific

Register for this online event here

Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Aging with Grace: Healthy Resources

Hosted by: Butte-Glenn Medical Society

8:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Butte Creek Country Club

175 Estates Drive, Chico, CA 95928

RSVP is required – call 530.487.7061

Reminder: Keeping It REAL Caregiving will join participants for an in-person, live presentation. I’ll share some of my personal experiences and lessons learned along the caregiving journey PLUS I’ll include information gathered from many of you which is valuable to share with others!

Courtesy: Adobe Stock

Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Federal Agency Equity Action Plans – What Do They Mean for Older Adults?

Webinar

2:00 PM Eastern/ 11:00 AM Pacific

Hosted by: Justice in Aging

Event Description: We will identify ways in which advocates for older adults can engage with the plans and leverage them in their own advocacy on behalf of their clients. Who Should Attend: Advocates, government officials, and aging and disability providers serving older adults.

Register here

Center for Health Journalism

USC Annenberg

Keeping It REAL Caregiving recently took part in a webinar hosted by the Center for Health Journalism at USC Annenberg.

The topic? Researchers studying data are asking the question (and discovering disturbing results) of whether hospitals are profiting by shunning patients of color.

This topic impacts everyone, regardless of your backgrounds as it has a ripple effect on health care outcomes across the country. However, for people of color, it is crucial to understand how you and/or your loved ones might be cared for (or not) within your local medical system.

I asked the panel the question, “How do we address such issues in our local hospitals, when it comes to diversity, equity and representation within the staffing of hospitals?

*Moderator: Michelle Levander, DirectorCenter for Health JournalismUSC Annenberg School of Journalism

Both panel members answered the question; Amol Navathe, M.D., Ph.D. an associate professor of health policy and medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Marshall Chin, M.D., MPH, the Richard Parrillo Family Distinguished Service Professor of Healthcare Ethics at the University of Chicago.

You can check out the full webinar recording here

Call for Public Comment

Have something to say regarding Medicare Advantage programs? Here’s your chance.

From: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

On August 1, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a Request for Information (RFI) that “seeks input from the public regarding various aspects of the Medicare Advantage program.

Responses to this request for information may be used to inform potential future rulemaking or other policy development.” The RFI can be accessed from the Federal Register here.

Comments are due August 31, 2022 and can be submitted online at https://www.regulations.gov/document/CMS-2022-0123-0001.

The Center for Medicare Advocacy urges beneficiary advocates to do so.

Caregiving news from around the globe

From Singapore and the Strait Times newspaper, here’s an interesting take on recent discussions in that country on training and also relying on maids for eldercare.

Relying on maids for eldercare not the best longterm option

What do you think about this topic? On one hand you might think an individual already working in a home would be the perfect solution.

On the other hand, why assume because an individual who is well-versed in maintaining a household has any of the necessary skills to care for an aging individual, or that they even want to?

Would love to hear from some of you on this one. Jump into the discussion below!

Okay, all for now ~ until next time

Julia

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