Cathy Cress

Expert in Aging Life and Geriatric Care Management

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Build Back Better Bill Could be Transformative- BUT -Running out of Time

December 15, 2021

9

Time About Out To Pass Build Back Better Bill

Biden’s Build Back Better Bill is dying. Decades of divestment have cost American families in time, opportunity, and money, with the greatest impacts landing on communities of color, seniors, the disabled, women, and LGBTQ+ people. Building a stronger, more equitable future requires investing in good jobs, quality care, education, and housing.  Senator Manchin and Sinema are blocking Biden’s Bill.

The Build Back Better Bill includes significant investments in our children, families, elderly and disabled 

Seniors will get New Medicare Hearing Benefit

Biden’s ill includes lowered drug prices, Medicare Part D Benefit Redesign according to Kaiser Foundation. But the bill also includes new  Medicare benefits  for seniors in:

  1. ACA Marketplace Subsidies
  2. Lowering Prescription Drug Prices and Spending
  3. Medicaid Coverage Gap
  4. Medicaid Home and Community Based Services and the Direct Care Workforce

Expanded Home & Community Based Care Included

Biden’s Build Back Better Bill , offers so much in caring for families, kids the elderly. In addition to expanding Child Tax Credit payments and ensuring the lowest income families receive the full benefit, would invest in-home- and community-based care services for the aging and people with disabilities; provide pre-k for 3 and 4 year-olds; invest in housing, child care, and nutrition programs; create good jobs, and so much more

Biden’s Bill would provide four weeks of paid medical leave, so the United States can join the rest of the industrialized world in giving its people the dignity of paid time off for a family or health emergency. So, if an aging parent or child is sick or there is a newborn, family can care for them and get paid.

 

 

Write or Call Your Congressman Fast Before Mansion and Sinema Destroy Biden’s Bill

Sign and send a letter to your Democratic senators: Care is infrastructure. The Build Back Better Act must include substantial investments in our families and communities.

 

Here are some quick tips when writing a personal letter or what to say on a call :

  • Keep your letter short or call and to the point;

  • Remind them that you are a constituent;

  • Share your personal story about your career as a care manager,  a social worker a nurse, a geriatric professional and your  client’s needing care, client’s  caring for a loved one, or the plight of a care worker
  • Emphasize that the majority of Americans support investing in human infrastructure, include: expanding Child Tax Credit payments, and ensuring the lowest income families receive the full benefit, investing in-home- and community-based care services for the aging and people with disabilities; providing pre-k for 3 and 4 year-olds; investing in housing, child care, and nutrition programs; creating good jobs; and more;
  • Encourage them to keep pushing to ensure investments in the care economy remain in the Build Back Better Act.
  • PLEASE DO THIS NOW ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS IF YOU WORK WITH THEM

Filed Under: Biden Infrastructure Bill Passing, Biden's Care Infrastructure Bill, Biden's Caregiver Bill, Biden's Caregiver Bill Trouble, Biden's new Affordable Drug Bill, Bild Back Better Bill, Black Aging Family, Black Entrepreneur, Black Entrepreneur RB, Black Entrepreneur RN, Black entrepreneurs, Black Geriatric Care Manager, Black geriatric care managers, Black RN, Black Travel Nurses, Black Travel RN, Blog, Care Infastructure, Care Infrastructure cut out, Care Infrastructure Dental, Care Infrastructure Hearing, Care infrastucture Vision, caregiver infrastructure, Caregiver low salary, caregiver mental health, Medicaid caregiver, Medicare, Medicare Dental Coverage, Medicare dental vision hearing coverage, Medicare Expansion, Medicare Hearing Coverage, Medicare Vision Coverage Tagged With: aging family, aging life care manager, aging parent care, aging parent crisis, Biden Build Back Better Bill, Biden Build Back Better Bill Dying, Biden's Home Care Plan, Biden's infrastructure- Caregiver Bill, Build Back Better Bill, care manager, case manager, Dental Coverage Medicare, geriatric care manager, Mansion Blocking Build Back Better, Medicare expansion 2021, Medicare Hearing Benefit, Medicare Part D Redesign, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, Sinema Blocking Build Back Better

Why There So few Caregivers to Recruit in Health Care ??????

October 20, 2021

Where did the Caregiver all over the Nation Go?

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and 13.7 million workers in roles comparable to direct care lost

their jobs in early 2020, they did not turn to direct care jobs, a recent study found. 

Of the 9.1 million who have now found a new job, “an immeasurably small number of workers” entered the direct care workforce, despite high demand for staff, a study by consulting firm PHI and the Health Workforce Research Center on Long-Term Care at the University of California San Francisco found.

Women, the main caregiver are leaving the workforce in record numbers, and it’s not just a result of the pandemic. 

The pandemic was the catalyst for millions of women leaving their jobs, but not the root cause. Since 2009, the number of women in the workforce has been decreasing because we haven’t made investments in child care and paid leave. Now the gap between men and women in the workforce is widening, while in most other countries the gap is shrinking. That’s leaving our whole economy vulnerable.  

Right now, women’s workforce participation is at 55.9%. The last time it was that low was 1987) 

Workforce for Women Caregivers and all Working women with Children Became Nightmare in Pandemic

The pandemic opened many eyes to the realities of child care in America when schools went virtual and many day-care centers closed. Covid-19 forced millions of working parents, especially women, to leave the workforce to care for their children. Following up on a campaign pledge to “make high-quality child care affordable,” President Joe Biden has asked Congress for hundreds of billions of dollars for early childhood care and education.

 

 

If You Are a Woman or Work In Aging Call Your Congressman

Care Infrastructure may be dead if folks in health care and older constituents do not contact their congressman and tell them to support this bill. They control the votes for the bill and you have to let them know you will only vote for them if they do. Common Cause has this easy way to find and contact your congressman  If you believe in Medicare and senior’s right  to not have their teeth rot, not hear their grandkids or be unable to read a book- please do it now

 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog, care economy, Care Infastructure, caregiver childcare problem, caregiver loss to home care, Caregiver low salary, caregiver mental health, caregiver pain, caregiver recruitment, Caregivers collapsing, Caregivers contracting COVId, caregivers leaving workforce, Pandemic & childcare Tagged With: aging family, aging life care manager, aging parent care, Biden Infrastructure Plan for Rural areas, Biden's Home Care Plan, Biden's infrastructure- Caregiver Bill, Black, black american geriatric care managers, black american social workers, Black caregivers, Black geriatric care managers, Black start-up geriatric care management, Black travel nurses, Call Your Congressman, Care Economy, Care infastructure, Care Infastructure Frozen, care manager, case manager, free child care, free day care for working mothers, heath care workers leave worksforce, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, Pandemic's effect on work force, Woman leaving workforce, women leaving workforce

What Does Biden’s Infrastructure Plan Do For Family Caregivers?

April 26, 2021

 

What Does Biden’s Caregiver Infrastructure Plan Do For Families?

President Biden’s Caregiver Infrastructure plan will help families -the very infrastructure that supports elders as they age. What do I mean? Currently, 53 million family members provide most of the care that vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities require — without being paid as Medicare does not pay for long-term caregiving.

Family Members Provide Care for No Pay 

There is often a significant financial and emotional cost to these family caregivers. According to AARP, family caregivers on average devote about 24 hours a week to helping loved ones and spend around $7,000 out-of-pocket on that care.

The value of this unpaid labor force is estimated to be at least $306 billion annually, nearly double the combined costs of home health care ($43 billion) and nursing home care ($115 billion)

Medicare Does Not Pay for Custodial CaregivingGCM-pix-3.jpg

Families are shocked when they discover that Medicare does not pay for custodial caregiving or long-term care. This is the type of care that most elders will eventually need as they age. They will pay for short-term care post-hospitalization. So most elders must depend on their families for this care or if they are in the upper 10-15% pay for private duty home care which can run up to $4000-$6000 a month if they need 24-hour care, creating severe inequality in out care infrastructure.

 

Some Family Caregivers Can Be Paid Through Medicaid and the VA

Although family caregivers and actually in-home care is not paid by Medicare, some family caregivers are  paid  through the VA  and  family caregivers supporting a relative on Medicaid 

In the US 1-5  Americans receive Medicaid. which is only available for low-income individuals.VA Homecare is only available to veterans with specific criteria 

 Biden’s Caregiver Program May Help Medicaid Family Caregivers

 

The median salary for these home-care workers, who care for low-income Medicaid recipients, is approximately $17,200 per year, said Leslie Frane, executive vice president at SEIU. This is in large part because the United States pays only limited amounts to states to compensate them for Medicaid care in the home. More than half of home-care workers are on some form of public assistance themselves such as food stamps, Frane said. They are overwhelmingly female and far more likely to be people of color than the general population.

 

Being a Caregiver on Medicaid Comes at a High Personal Cost

Being a caregiver for a family member presents incredible hurdles for all family caregivers but under Medicaid comes at a  high cost. .Caregivers often have to significantly reduce their number of hours working outside the home or leave their jobs entirely in order to provide quality care for their loved one. This means that caregivers are spending hours assisting loved ones with daily tasks, cooking meals, taking them to appointments, ensuring their safety and well-being, and providing companionship, but are not being compensated for their time.

Biden’s Health Care Plan May be Unveiled This Week

As I mentioned in my last blog, there are still few details about how Biden’s Caregiver Infrastructure Bill of $400 million will be allocated. However, there is reason to believe that a large part will go to these family caregivers who support their elderly relatives on Medicaid.

We may get a hint of what and when that will be this week when Biden will discuss changes in Heath care he will include in the will try to include in his American Family Plan.

JOIN ME FOR MY NEW FREE WEBINAR

 

Market Your Agencies Safety as Aging Families Still Fear Raging Pandemic 

When: May 20, 2021, 02:00 PM Pacific Time (the US and Canada)

 

 

Learn to market your safe care management business during the “Semi-Post “Pandemic, to overcome hesitation to use homecare and GCM services as US COVID-19 slowly diminishes,World Wide COVID spikes,US vaccination accelerates yet elders are

not fully vaccinated, US COVID still spikes, variants explode, anti-vaxers abound, vaccines taken off the market and 8000 American still die each day.

 

Understand how to innovatively sell” trust” in your safe care management services so family caregiver’s & 3rd parties choose you as a safe agency

 

Learn to use public relations and marketing to show you are focused on caregiver and care management safety

COVID services by showing you follow the new CDC’s leaderships safe path to safety.

 

YOU WILL LEARN

  • 5 steps to create an e-newsletter with the right copy, to get out the word about your safe COVID 19 services through required COVID protocols

 

 

 

  • 10 steps to set up a Zoom webinar to teach local aging agencies and caregivers about your COVID safe services and other local resources to assist caregivers in the community
  • 7 steps to use social media to alert aging family caregivers to the clear path to your GCM agency provides safety from the diminishing but still present virus in the US.

 

  • 5 steps to get local media coverage of your COVID -19 safe services, care providers, and general excellent care management and home care products free PR with radio and TV coverage plus pick local newspapers where ads may pay off to sell your COVID Products

 

  • 5 steps to understand how to generate word of mouth customers for your COVID -19 safe services using your continuum of care in your community
  • 10 steps to use the powerful new tool of Video to market your agency’s COVID safety and excellent services as the pandemic diminishes but is still in your community, state, and country

SIGN UP

.

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: May 20, 2021, 02:00 PM Pacific Time (the US and Canada)
Topic: 5 Steps to Market Your COVID Coaching Service for Aging

REGISTER NOW

 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

 

 

 



After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Aging, Aging Life Care, aging life care manager, Biden's Caregiver Bill, Blog, caregiver, Caregiver Infrastructure bill, Caregiver living wage, Caregiver low salary, caregiver mental health, CAREGIVER RESOUCES, Custodial Care, Families, Family Caregiver, Geriatric Care Management Business, Geriatric Care Manager, geriatric social worker, Medicaid, Medicaid caregiver, nurse advocate, nurse care manager, SEIU Tagged With: Biden's Home Care Plan, Biden's Infastructure Bill, Biden's infrastructure- Caregiver Bill, Care infastructure, caregiver burn out, caregivers live in poverty, Custodial caregiving, Family Caregiver Alliance, family caregiver poverty, family caregivers, HCBC, Home Based Community Care, Medicaid, Medicaid & Community Based Care, Medicaid caregivers, PTSD in family caregivers, Uncovered Medicare Services, unpaid family caregivers

What is President Biden’s New Infrastructre Caregiver Plan?

April 14, 2021

President Biden announced the American Jobs Plan, a $2 trillion investment in infrastructure, jobs, and home care. It includes a $400 billion investment to expand access to Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS)

Why This Plan for Home-Based Care?

Only 15% of U.S. seniors 80 or older receive care at home. In Switzerland, Denmark, Mexico, and Sweden, that figure is above 30%, with numbers even higher in Israel and Lithuania.

Medicaid has slowly evolved over the years, placing a greater emphasis on home- and community-based services. But the ground gained has been relatively minor compared to investments in other settings like nursing homes.

In 1995, Medicaid spent about 18 cents out of every long-term care dollar on HCBS services. Today, that number has reached 57 cents per dollar.

The Scale of the Problem is Mamouth

The number of seniors is projected to grow by more than 40 million, approximately

doubling, by 2050, while the population older than 85 will nearly triple. Unlike most other industrialized nations, the United States does not provide a public long-term-care benefit for all older adults.

Only10-15% of Americans can Afford Private Duty Homecare

Because Medicare does not pay for home care, only the top 10-15 % can afford private duty home care, while in many other nations it is a right and free to all through the government. What Biden’s new plan does is take a giant step in making home care possible a greater number of Americans.

The plan calls for expanding access to and quality of HCBS to help more older adults and people with disabilities live in the community and extending the Money Follows the Person program to help individuals who are in nursing facilities and other institutions return to the community. 

What The Pandemic Has taught us about Aging and Dying

at Home

What the continuing pandemic has painfully taught us is when we are ill- we want to be home in the arms of our family. When we are threatened with or facing death, we do not want want to be in a sterile hospital with only anonymous caring nurses and zoom to comfort us in our last minutes in this world. We want to be at home- in the arms of our family and loving caregivers.

Long before the COVID-19 emergency, health care policy experts have increasingly recognized the value of home-based health care. A recent AARP survey found that three in four adults 50 years and older would prefer to age in their homes and communities. And a growing body of evidence suggests it is less expensive to deliver care in the home.

Indeed, for years we’ve seen hospitalized patients more quickly returning to their homes and communities to heal and recover safely, reducing costs for themselves and the health care system.

The Plague of Isolation on top of the Plague of COVID -in Locked Down Nursing Homes

Home-based care addresses negative health effects of social isolation and loneliness, which drive poorer health outcomes that annually cost billions of excess health care dollars. 

Isolation is also equal to 15 cigarettes each day. Elders in a nursing home during the pandemic were isolated from the families and their fellow residents so much so that despair may have led to the 174000 deaths as of March 2021. 

So Biden has launched a bill the builds the infrastructure of home care for the lower 30% on Medicaid until in America’s future, Medicare and home care for all is reached.

 

Filed Under: Age at home, AGING IN PLACE, American Jobs Plan, Blog, COVID-19 Recover at Home Plan, COVID-19 Safety, Expanding Medicare to Home Care, FOLLOW THE MONEY, geriatric care management emergency proceduress, geriatric care manager, Geriatric Care Managers value, geriatric social worker, Good Death, Home Based Care, home care, Home Care for All, Home From the Hospital, LOSING CLients TO COVID, Monet Follows the Person Program, Quality of Life, quality of life -COVID-19, Quality of Life for elders Tagged With: aging life and geriatric care manager, aging life care management, aging life care start up, aging life geriatric care manager, aging life or geriatric care manager, American Jobs Plan, Biden's Home Care Plan, Biden's Infastructure Bill, Deaths in Nursing Homes, Expanding Home Care, Home and Community Based Care, Home Based Care, home care, Isolation in Nursing Homes, Medicaid & Community Based Care, Medicaid funded Home Care, Medicare for All, Money Flows to the Person, nurse advocates, nurse entrepreneur

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