Casinos not the Only Game on Beacon Hill –

STATE HOUSE—Casinos aren’t the only game on Beacon Hill. Sixty-nine members of the General Court signed a “Dear Colleague” letter to get the leadership to place a bigger bet on elderly home care as a way to save the state money. The request comes at a time when 66% of all MassHealth long term care dollars go to nursing homes, and the Commonwealth ranks 2nd in the nation for percentage of seniors in institutions.

“We’re playing a losing numbers game,” said Mass Home Care Association Executive Director Al Norman. “We can care for two people at home for every one we place in an institution. That’s a winning hand.”

In a “Dear Colleague” letter dated March 13th, circulated by Representative Barbara L’Italien (D-Andover) and Representative Richard Ross (R-Wrentham), the lawmakers urged the House and Senate Ways & Means Committees to increase funding for six items affecting the elderly.

Among the items sought:

• million for Governor Patrick’s “Community First” program to keep elders and individuals with disabilities living in the community.

• million for an “enhanced home care” program that keeps nearly 4,700 elders out of nursing homes.

• .1 million for local Councils on Aging.

• million to raise the wages of homemakers

• .5 million to combat elder abuse

• 5,000 for a geriatric mental health counseling program for seniors

“It’s a safe bet that seniors want to be cared for at home,” said Old Colony Elderly Services Executive Director Diana DiGiorgi. “Yet most of our tax dollars go to nursing homes. It’s time to put our money where our seniors are and want to be — at home.”

Norman said that Massachusetts ranks second only to Connecticut in the percentage of seniors age 65 and over who are in nursing homes. “We’ve become overly-reliant on institutions,” he said. “We’re playing with a deck stacked towards institutions. It’s time to up the ante by putting more money into community care first.”

Lawmakers covering OCES’ service area who signed onto the “Dear Colleague” letter for home care include: Stephen Canessa, Brian Joyce, Christine Canavan, Frank Hynes, William Galvin, Viriato deMacedo, Thomas Calter, Robert Creedon and John Quinn.

OCES serves the towns of Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

About Old Colony Elderly Services

Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elderly Services (OCES) is one of 27 private, non-profit Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The organization’s mission is to provide services which will support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent unnecessary or premature institutionalization.

The agency has 110 employees and operates more than 12 programs serving elders, their families and caregivers. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oc-elderly.org.

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Loosing your Hearing Can Cause Depression, But Hearing Aids Can Help

Copyright (c) 2007 Kelly Calkins

Before he started losing his hearing, Steve was an outgoing young man with a promising life ahead of him. He had several close friends he enjoyed spending time with, he visited with family regularly and cherished spending time with his nieces and nephews. His career and social life was also thriving. Steve was an IT specialist in line for a promotion, he was active in his community, and participated in charitable events throughout the year – but this all changed as Steve’s hearing deteriorated.

During this gradual hearing loss, which eventually left Steve partially deaf in both ears, Steve started sleeping more than usual. He began to lose weight because he lost his appetite. Steve became restless and irritable, which impacted his personal relationships as well as his career. Due to this, he then began severe headaches, which only pushed him further into depression. Although Steve’s hearing loss was not the only thing responsible for his reduced quality of life, his hearing loss was a primary factor because it added to his depression.

Although Steve suffered from hearing loss at a relatively early age, many older adults endure hearing loss which is often accompanied by depression. 15% of participants that were over the age of 65 said that they felt feelings of depression according to a Geriatric Mental Health Foundation study. These feelings are often linked to health concerns which include the onset of hearing loss.

Depression is a disease which affects many people each year. Symptoms such as feeling sad, fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability and even chronic health problems such as headaches or GI issues are just some of the indications of depression. It is not uncommon for depression or even aggression to accompany hearing loss at any age. This is because those suffering from hearing loss tend to feel overwhelmed and helpless. Also, they do not know how to cope with their hearing loss and may even be resistant to devices such as hearing aids.

Fortunately there are steps you can take to combat depression accompanying hearing loss. In order to overcome this depression, you have to take these steps: accept that you have a hearing loss. Consult with a medical professional about getting digital hearing aids, and then join a support group.

In order to overcome hearing loss related depression, you have to first accept that you have a hearing loss. This is critical because it will help you become more proactive in healing yourself. Even though you might not be able to reverse your hearing loss, you dont have to stay cut off from the world. Simply defining the problem and learning about alternatives for communicating will help you realize all hope is not lost. You can still live a full life even with a hearing loss.

The best way to overcome depression related to hearing loss is with hearing aids. The technology available in today’s hearing aids enables them to perform better than ever before. They are so tiny that NO ONE will even know that you have one on!

Joining support groups can also be very beneficial. Meeting with others who share similar obstacles can help you feel empowered. It’s so helpful just to be able to talk about your feelings with others who truly understand the problem. Your friends and family may try to be supportive but unless they are also dealing with a hearing loss they cannot fully understand how hearing loss really affects your life.

Listening and communication enhancement (LACE) was developed by leading audiologists at the University of California at San Francisco to improve listening and communication skills in those who are suffering from hearing loss. LACE is an interactive computerized training program designed to assist those suffering from hearing loss by helping them to adapt strategies for compensating when their current level of hearing is inadequate. With this program, studies have shown that listening and communication skills increase by forty percent. A program like this can really help you cope better with your hearing loss , especially when used in conjunction with a hearing aid. When you regain your life through better hearing it can really help lessen feelings of depression.

If you are still struggling with depression, you need to see a medical professional. They can help you with treatment options. It is important to remember depression is a disease and it will not go away on its own. A professional can help you with your struggle against depression and get you back to enjoying life.

Technology For Brain Health: An Upcoming Revolution In Cognitive Assessments And Training

Copyright (c) 2009 SharpBrains In April 2008, Baycrest, a leading research institute focused on aging and brain function, received -million from the Ontario Government to create a groundbreaking Centre for Brain Fitness. Its stated goal was to “develop and commercialize a range of products designed to improve the brain health of aging Ontarians and others around the world”. “Our government is proud to support Baycrest and its invaluable work, which is already leading to the discovery of important new tools and approaches to treating brain diseases associated with aging,” said Minister of Research and Innovation, John Wilkinson. We have Baycrest’s CEO with us today, to explore why Ontario and Baycrest chose to become pioneers in this area, and discuss some of the main opportunities, and challenges. Dr. William E. Reichman is President and CEO of Baycrest. Dr. Reichman, an internationally-known expert in geriatric mental health and dementia, is also Professor of Psychiatry on the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Alvaro Fernandez (AF): Bill, thank you for your time. Let me start by asking, given that you just spoke at the recent Consumer Electronic Show, what do you make of the growing brain fitness field? Bill Reichman (BR): it looks like a classic example of a very promising but still early stage field – a lot of opportunity and enthusiasm, but also a lot of product claims that are not backed by solid research. Think about the physical fitness analogy: even today, after decades of progress, you still see people buying research-based products such as treadmills but also all types of random machines they see on TV and have not been subject to any validation. Similarly, consumers today do not know what to make of growing brain fitness claims. As another speaker pointed out, for the industry to fulfill its promise, it will need to be careful with research and claims, not to end up like the nutraceuticals category. AF: Let’s step back for a moment. Taking a, say, 10 years view, what is the main opportunity that technology-based brain fitness can offer to society? BR: First of all, let me say that I think we have a similar opportunity to make major progress in Brain Health in the XXI century, similar to what happened with Cardiovascular Health in the XX, and technology will play a crucial role. Given the rapid advances we are witnessing today in the research and technology arenas, I feel confident in saying that in less than 10 years we will have both valid and reliable assessments of cognitive functions, that will be used both by consumers at home and in a variety of health settings, and a better knowledge of what specific cognitive rehabilitative interventions may help specific groups of patients. Quality and widely available assessments are a critical part of the puzzle. Consumers and professionals need easy-to-use, low cost, assessments to measure both their needs and the impact of different interventions. Baycrest is going to take a leadership role in this area—we believe that the development of a tool equivalent to the blood pressure cuff will have great impact on brain health in the areas of prevention and treatment. AF: Tell us both about the Centre for Brain Fitness launched last year, and the Women’s Brain Health Initiative you have just announced. BR: As you know, the government of Ontario and local donors invested m in a new center here, housed in the Rotman Research Institute, to develop and commercialize brain fitness technologies. Baycrest has traditionally been more focused on the research than the development side, so this is new and exciting step for us. We are now looking to hire the inaugural Director for the Centre of Brain Fitness, so let us know if you have any suggestions. We are looking for a globally recognized leader in neuroplasticity research and cognitive neurorehabilitation. As an adjunct to the Centre, we are in the process of creating a spin-off that will help identify and prioritize commercial applications of our research. You have discussed this with Veronika Litinski from MaRS Venture group who is partnering with us. Our traditional research strengths have been cognitive assessments and cognitive rehabilitation, so it is a natural extension for us to expand our focus to include healthy aging and the needs of an aging workforce , and to investigate new platforms such as PDAs to enable people to function at the highest possible level. The Women’s brain health initiative was spearhead by friends of Baycrest, active women of the baby boomer generation. They are interested in research to identify strategies and methods to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, which affects women disproportionally given their longer life expectancy and frequent status as caregivers, and also in specific gender related topics such as the impact of female hormones on brain development and function. They are raising funds to support new initiatives in women’s brain health and aging at Baycrest and supporting women neuroscientists and enabling their research to be relevant and sensitive to women’s brain health concerns. AF: Finally, what is the main obstacle you see today for the development of a sustainable brain fitness market that can fulfill its promise? I’d say the lack of widely accepted standards for outcome measures. There are myriad ways to measure the impact of cognitive exercise and other lifestyle options – we can talk psychometrics, assessments of daily living, neuroimaging findings. But, there is not a consensus yet on what to measure and how. Dr. Gary Small and I were talking recently about the need to step up in this area, figuring out how to engage a variety of serious stakeholders in solving this important issue. AF: I agree with that sentiment. We have already run over the time for this interview, but we need to follow-up on that. Thank you for your time! BR: My pleasure.

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Seniors Want Lawmakers to ?rebalance? State Budget ?

Several hundred elderly and disabled people are traveling to the State House on Tuesday, February 26th to try to pull off a balancing act. Or more precisely—a rebalancing act.

The seniors want state lawmakers to shift existing funding from institutions into the community. They say Massachusetts is still overly-reliant on nursing home care, and needs to “rebalance” the more than .5 billion that is spent on long term care services.

“We spend more than 60% of our MassHealth long term care dollars for nursing homes,” explained Old Colony Elderly Services’ Executive Director Diana DiGiorgi. “Yet the official policy is ‘Community First.’ It’s time to rearrange the state budget to reflect what

seniors want: care at home.”

DiGiorgi said that OCES’ board members will join Mass Home Care and other groups as they converge on the State House to lobby lawmakers as they prepare the FY 2009 budget. On the advocates’ short list of senior priorities are the following:

1. .8 million for the Governor’s proposed Community First Waiver, which takes savings from nursing homes and invests it in expanded community services for an estimated 30,000 elderly and disabled people over the next five years.

2. .51 million for the Enhanced Community Options Program, which provides in-home care to elders who are clinically eligible for a nursing home but prefer to live at home. ECOP costs only one-third of what a nursing home would cost. This appropriation level will keep 4,876 elders per month out of institutions-a savings of at least 4 million.

3. .58 million for the Protective Services Program, which investigates and resolves reports of elder abuse and self-neglect. Every day, 42 reports of elder abuse are filed in Massachusetts. This program pays for guardians, Money Management volunteers, and for Protective Services case workers. This request will cover 3,554 elders per month.

4. 5,000 for geriatric mental health would allow as many as 328 seniors to receive mental health support services at home. This would recognize mental health issues—like depression or thoughts of suicide—as valid as any physical impairment.

“Massachusetts has one of the highest rates of institutionalization of the elderly in the nation,” said Mass Home Care Executive Director Al Norman. “For every one person in a nursing facility, we can pay for two people at home. We want lawmakers to ‘make the equal choice law real’ by making our tax dollars work smarter.” According to Norman,

the Equal Choice law, passed in August of 2006, guarantees seniors the choice to live in the ‘least restrictive setting’ which for many is their own home. “But without funding,” Norman said, “Equal Choice becomes No Choice at all.”

About Old Colony Elderly Services

Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elderly Services (OCES) is one of 27 private, non-profit Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The organization’s mission is to provide services which will support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent unnecessary or premature institutionalization.

OCES serves the towns of Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

The agency has 110 employees and operates more than 12 programs serving elders, their families and caregivers. For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oc-elderly.org.

Music & Mental Health

Music has the power to influence people’s emotions; it can make them happy, sad, or angry. Music can also aid in the recovery of mental illnesses.

The Geriatric Mental Health Department of the Chhatarati Shahuju Maharaj Medical University in India is starting a music therapy clinic to treat elderly patients with mental disorders (like dementia). Nearly 5% of elderly people older than 60 suffer from dementia.

S.C. Tiwari, the head of the Geriatric Mental Health Department, said that music is found to have a positive impact on patients suffering from mental tension. Slow and melodious music soothes tension; rock, pop, and fast music should be avoided because of the negative emotions it can draw out, and it also raises blood pressure. So, soft, melodious, and soothing music is the way to go if you want to relieve your mental tension.

Not only can music therapy help people with mental illnesses, but playing an instrument and being a part of an ensemble can help, too.

Tunefoolery Concert Ensembles is a group of 50 musicians from Cambridge, Massachusetts, who are all living with a mental illness. The group helps musicians move away from the mental patient role into a new identity as a professional musician and performer.

“Tunefoolery is a great example of how non-traditional mental health treatment truly can change people’s lives,” said one of the band members. “Music is powerful medicine! I have a tremendous feeling of belonging with Tunefoolery. I have found great friends here. It’s a job and a creative outlet at the same time.

The members perform as solo acts or small ensembles; they play 75 to 90 gigs every year at mental health treatment programs, hospitals, nursing homes, and other locations. You can visit their website at www.tunefoolery.org.

During my research, I found a website for artists living with a mental illness: www.mentalhealthmusicnetwork.net. I also found a study about how music therapy soothes mental illness: www.uninews.unimelb.edu.au/news/4302. Check those out if you’d like; they’re pretty interesting.

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