Aging Boomers Driving Changes in Home Market

Developers and residential homebuilders are increasingly thinking about the coming age boom when building new houses. Using "Universal Design" principles in home construction can make a home more livable as the residents age, and it can also make it more valuable for resale in a housing market that will be driven - in part at least - by the housing needs of the nation's 78 million-strong boomers.

But what about already existing houses? Can they be adapted to meet those sorts of needs. The Associated Press's Melissa Rayworth explored the growing trend of "senior-friendly" remodeling of older houses in an article that appeared in the August 9 edition of the Macon Telegraph online (www.macon.com).

From the article:

Wider halls and doorways offer space for wheelchairs and strollers alike, while light switches at wheelchair height are also convenient for preschoolers. Florida-based builder Arthur Rutenberg Homes offers these and other features in new homes, and they can be incorporated into older ones.

"One of the things we do is we raise our dishwashers, so they don't have to bend over as far," says Tessa Madasz, vice president of sales at Rutenberg. "Then we have reduced our kitchen islands, so they're not bar height. They're table height."

Other popular options:

• In a utility room, the washer and dryer can be raised to minimize the need to bend. "They're elevated usually on a 12- or 16-inch platform, and some have storage underneath," says Madasz.
• For kitchens, solid cooktop stoves are easier to clean than traditional models. Storage cabinets can be lowered to eliminate the need for stepladders.

Read the complete story at the Macon Telegraph online.

Aging Issues and Answers #10: Summer School of Gerontology
by Lt. Governor André Bauer

Aging Issues and Answers is a series of bi-monthly columns that addresses common questions encountered by staff of the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging. Community newspapers across the state carry the column. AI&A #10, Summer School of Gerontology, is a reprint of a column that was distributed earlier this month.

Question: What’s the “Summer School of Gerontology” and can anyone attend, or is it just for people who work in the Aging field?

Answer: For more than 30 years, the annual Summer School of Gerontology has been a place where professionals, advocates, volunteers and others interested in seniors and senior issues could come together once a year for five days of classes, seminars, networking opportunities and fellowship. The vast majority of attendees are professionals involved in government or non-profit agencies that serve seniors, but anyone who is interested in these issues can attend.

The community of people involved in senior issues in South Carolina is growing, following the growth of our state’s senior population. The Summer School of Gerontology is a place where all those folks can come together and learn from each other. Students represent various agencies and institutions throughout the state including the departments of Health and Human Services, Social Services, Health and Environmental Control, Mental Health, Area Agencies on Aging, Councils on Aging, colleges and universities, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult day care facilities, hospitals, law enforcement, and home health agencies. You might also see leaders of advocacy organizations such as the South Carolina Silver Haired Legislature or AARP SC.

For professionals, Summer School offers the opportunity to earn continuing education credits for various certifications. For others, it’s an opportunity to hear about the latest happenings in policy and programs aimed at South Carolina’s senior community and a great way to learn what other organizations around the state are doing.

This year (the 31 st annual Summer School), the event will occur in Charleston from August 20 – 24 at the Francis Marion Hotel. Late registration is still available, but most of the scheduled classes are full. However, I’d still like to invite interested seniors who might be interested in seeing what Summer School is all about to come and visit with us on August 22.

Even if you’re not able to participate in classes, our exhibit hall will be open throughout the day with many of our sponsors and participants providing informational booths. Staff from the Lt. Governor’s Office will also be on hand, and we’d love to talk with you about the programs and services for older South Carolinians that are coordinated by our agency. You may find that the Summer School experience is something that will motivate you to get involved with your local Council on Aging or Senior Center. For more information, contact the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging at 1-800-868-9095 and ask for the Summer School of Gerontology Coordinator.

Download the official release version of Aging Issues and Answers #10 (Adobe PDF file).

AARP Foundation Creates Scholarship Fund for Job Re-Training for Older Women

Via Press Release from the AARP Foundation:

AARP FOUNDATION WOMEN’S SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Helping Women 40+ Discover New Lives and New Futures

Mature workers are important and largely untapped resources who have much to offer – not only to businesses, but to the nation.  The AARP Foundation is dedicated to creating new opportunities for individuals to re-enter the workforce or obtain better employment so that they will be more financially secure in the second half of life.  New job opportunities, however, often require additional skills, time and money. The right education and training can sometimes be out-of-reach, especially for individuals with limited financial resources.

While many individuals benefit from the work of the AARP Foundation, research shows that women are disproportionately at risk of having insufficient resources in the second half of their lives due to lower earnings and different work patterns.  The AARP Foundation has established the Women’s Scholarship Program to help women 40+ overcome financial and employment barriers by allowing them to participate in education and training opportunities they could not otherwise afford. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for the scholarships, applicants must:

Be a female age 40 or over (as of October 31, 2007);

Be able to demonstrate financial need;

Submit a proposal for enrollment in an accredited post-secondary school or training program within 6 months of the scholarship award date.                     

Priority Applicants

Priority will be given to applicants in the following categories:

individuals returning to the workforce after an extended absence;

individuals who are underemployed (in a job with limited pay, limited growth opportunities and limited benefits); or

grandmothers or other female relatives raising another family member’s child/children (with the ability to demonstrate significant financial responsibility for those child/children).

Deadline

The on-line application will be available beginning August 31, 2007.  Complete applications must be submitted no later than October 31, 2007.  2008 scholarship recipients will be notified in January 2008. Scholarship funds will be made available shortly thereafter.

Awards            

Scholarship awards will range from $500 to $5,000, depending on financial need and the cost of the education or training program.  The AARP Foundation will award up to 100 scholarships during the first award cycle.

Scholarships may be used for any course of study at a public or private secondary school, including community colleges, technical schools, and four-year universities.  Funds may be used to pay for tuition fees, and  books. Scholarship funds will be made payable only to the authorized educational institution.

Scholarships will be awarded for a period of one year or less.  Recipients may reapply for the following year’s scholarship program if they continue to meet program eligibility requirements.

Winner Selection

Scholarship winners will be chosen by an independent selection committee established by the AARP Foundation on the basis of financial need, personal circumstances and achievements, educational goals, and the likely impact of the scholarship on their lives and those of their families and communities.  Decisions of the selection committee are final. 

How to Apply

The program application may only be submitted on-line. The application form and additional information on the scholarship program will be available at www.aarp.org/womensscholarship beginning August 31, 2007.
[note: as of the date this release was posted on the SC ANS, the application web page was not yet active. - ed.]

Questions

For additional information regarding the scholarship program contact:

AARP Foundation Women’s Scholarship Program
c/o Scholarship Program Administrators, Inc.
P.O. Box 23737
Nashville TN 37202-3737
Fax (615) 320-3151

The AARP Foundation is AARP’s affiliated charity. Foundation programs provide security, protection and empowerment for older persons in need. Low-income older workers receive the job training and placement they need to re-join the workforce. Free tax preparation is provided for low- and moderate-income individuals, with special attention to those 60 and older. The Foundation’s litigation staff protects the legal rights of older Americans in critical health, long-term care, consumer and employment situations. Additional programs provide information, education and services to ensure that people over 50 lead lives of independence, dignity and purpose. Foundation programs are funded by grants, tax-deductible contributions and AARP.

Seniors and Boomers Embracing the Internet

Older adults are embracing the Internet and the world wide web in increasing numbers, as evidenced by two recent newspaper articles on the subject.

A recent column by Furman University President David Shi published August 6 in the Anderson Independent's online version (www.independentmail.com) focuses on Shi's parent's embrace in their 70's - after a great deal of initial resistence - of the Internet. Shi's first-person reporting confirms what many older adults are finding, that the the web is a great way to stay engaged and connected.

From the article:

Undeterred by their resistance, I brazenly took a computer to their house, connected it, and then paid a Furman University student to begin tutoring them in its use.

Within a month, their resistance ended; they were addicted to the Internet.

Hour after hour, day after day, they were online, exploring the infinite resources of the Web, purchasing items at discount prices, unleashing a barrage of e-mail messages to family and friends, playing computer games into the wee hours of the night.

My parents were symptomatic of a mushrooming trend. For many senior citizens, the Internet has become more than a vehicle for shopping and an inexpensive way to keep in touch with their children and grandchildren.

For people in their golden years who may be lonely, isolated, or limited in their mobility by health problems, a computer and the Internet offer an enticing window to a new world that is both interactive and enlightening. Seniors join online book clubs, participate in discussion groups, read hometown newspapers, reconnect with former military units or college friends, learn about medical issues and prescription medicines, take college courses and make new acquaintances.

Read the entire article, Surfing into your golden years, seniors heading to the Web in spades, at Independentmail.com.

And from the sunshine state, the Orlando Sentinel's August 5 online edition (www.OrlandoSentinel.com) included a story about two local television personalities who have left their careers in broadcasting to start a new "social networking" web site aimed squarely at the Baby Boom set. According to the article, by Sentinel staff writer Wes Smith, the duo are betting that their Growing Bolder web site - a sort of Myspace for the "creaky-kneed crowd," according to the article - will fill a growing demand for web-based content that appeals directly to the Orlando area's huge population of active older adults.

From the article:

Growing Bolder has a secret weapon in financial backer Kevin Azzouz, a Windermere developer who made his fortune in computer software and hardware.

A former president of Seagate Software, Azzouz, 47, invested $500,000 in Growing Bolder. He also has hired two software designers, tapped expertise from his extensive information-technology network, and provided office space in his Veranda Park town center in MetroWest.

This tech-savvy developer claims that Growing Bolder will have "the Web's richest content and feature site" with the latest social-networking technology. The team hopes to reap profits by selling ads to major advertisers such as Disney and Darden Restaurants.

Middleton, who grew to loathe television's slavish pandering to the youth market, admits it will not be an easy sell. Even though the nation's 78 million baby boomers control 70 percent of America's wealth, Madison Avenue has been slow to pitch many products their way.

Advertising's aversion to this market has begun to change, said Linda Natansohn, Eons' strategy chief. The major brands have started to "do the math" and come to understand the buying power of this growing segment.

Read the entire story, WESH vets take aim at the Internet, at OrlandoSentinel.com.

Louisville Newspaper Reports on Boom in Home Care Services

The need for in-home services that support the ability of older adults to live independently is large and growing ever larger, which makes providing these services a growth industry, as outlined in a recent article in the August 6 online edition of the Louisville (Kentucky) Courier-Journal [www.courier-journal.com].

The need for information about - and easy access to - in-home services is tremendous among members of the baby boom generation, who are often juggling the priorities of work, child-rearing and caring for an aging relative. Courier-Journal reporter Larry Muhammad wrote a great, detail-filled, piece about the businesses and non-profits that are filling this need in the Louisville metropolitan area.

That includes both direct service providers, and information and referral services and online registries - such as the Personal Care Worker Listing provided by the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging's SC Access project designed to help families in South Carolina access these types of services.

From the article:

Caring for aging parents may soon rival child care as a workplace issue, with one in six American workers caring for an older relative, according to a 2005 study by the National Alliance for Caregiving, a nonprofit coalition of national organizations.

Many companies now link the daunting task of geriatric care with lower productivity. IBM, Raytheon, Nike and others offer employee caregivers self-care seminars. A University of Pittsburgh study released this year found caregiver mortality rates 63 percent higher than non-caregivers.

Sometimes referred to as the Sandwich Generation, baby boomers are caught between planning their own retirement -- and maybe parenting their teenage children -- and caring for their aging parents.

"I don't know how people do it," said Lynne Cox, a Mooresville, Ind., writer who for 10 years has cared for her mother, who suffers from Alzheimer's.

To save time and effort, Cox uses the Internet as a care-giving tool, ordering everything from groceries to occupational therapists online.

"There are subscriber services that you can log onto and pull up lists of companies and individuals in your area who perform various services, from lawn care to maintenance to private chefs and concierge services," she said.

Read the entire article at the Louisville Courier-Journal online.

Find out more about in-home services available for seniors and their caregivers in South Carolina via SC Access.

Summer Heat is Here in Force - 100 Degree Days Predicted Across the State

Temperatures in the triple digits are forecasted for much of South Carolina for the following week, and it's a good time to brush up on your knowledge about recognizing the symptoms of - and taking steps to avoid - heat-related illness.

A recent ANS story (see ANS July 17, 2007) detailed a Kent State University study that found that only about half of people who should be paying close attention to government-sponsored heat warnings are doing so. That's a troubling picture.

Heat illness is no joke, prolonged exposure to high temperatures from something as simple as gardening in the afternoon can result in death in some cases. Seniors and other people who are vulnerable to extreme heat events should be sure to use extra caution when the mercury rises!

More on Summer Heat:

Extreme heat events can increase the number of deaths and nonfatal outcomes in vulnerable populations, including older adults, the very young, the homeless and persons with cognitive and physical impairments. Climate research suggests that future health risks of extreme heat events could increase with an increase in both the frequency and severity. At the same time, demographic patterns and increasing urbanization will increase the size and percentage of the vulnerable population. Studies estimate that the combined mortality for several metropolitan areas from extreme heat event is well above 1,000 per year. The good news is that most of these deaths are preventable.

EPA has worked with Federal, state, local, and academic partners to develop guidance to assist communities in preparing for and responding to excessive heat events. "The Excessive Heat Events Guidebook" was developed by EPA's Office of Atmospheric Programs (OAP) and EPA's Aging Initiative (Division of Children and Aging Health Protection) in collaboration with NOAA, CDC, the Department of Homeland Security (FEMA), with input from a wide range of local officials and national experts on heat events.

The guidebook provides information to local health and public safety officials with information they need to develop criteria to forecast extreme heat events and extreme heat event notification and response actions. A copy of the guidebook in the PDF format can be downloaded from the EPA's site.

The CDC also publishes a manual with tips for individuals to help beat the heat or recognize and respond to heat-related medical emergencies. It is available on the CDC website.

See also:

Hot weather safety tips from the American Red Cross on the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging main web site.

Aging Issues and Answers #8: Resources for Family Caregivers
by Lt. Governor André Bauer

Aging Issues and Answers is a series of bi-monthly columns that addresses common questions encountered by staff of the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging. Community newspapers across the state carry the column. AI&A #8, Resources for Family Caregivers, is a reprint of a column that ran in early July.

Question: I am currently caring for an elderly relative and I could really use some help balancing the demands of working and caregiving, where can I find it?

Answer: First of all, it’s important for you to know that you are not alone in this situation. Family caregivers play a large and crucial role in taking care of older adults and adults with disabilities. A recent study by the AARP estimated that in 2006, approximately 560,000 South Carolinians provided direct care and/or financial support to an older relative. The estimated value of that care was $5.5 billion dollars, according to the report. Copies of the AARP study, Valuing the Invaluable: A New Look at the Economic Value of Family Caregiving, can be obtained on the Internet at www.aarp.org.

Every day, those South Carolina caregivers provide unpaid help to adult family members and friends (usually parents or grandparents) who can no longer do many of the basic daily tasks that most of us take for granted. We know that when caregivers take care of themselves, they are better able to fulfill the critical role they play in caring for others, and we owe them as much support as we can provide. Supporting our caregivers is the basic goal of a very important program coordinated by the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging.

The South Carolina Family Caregiver Support Program provides a source of help and support to caregivers through trained advocates located in the 10 regional Area Agency on Aging offices throughout the state. The program was established in 2002 through federal legislation passed to support unpaid family caregivers who provide most of the long term care in the United States. The Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging works with Area Agencies on Aging and community and local service provider organizations to provide family caregiver support services including:

• Information on existing community resources and programs

• One-on-one counseling, support and assistance in gaining access to services

• Support groups

• Caregiver education and training

• Respite care to allow caregivers to take a short break from their caregiving responsibilities

• Supplemental services to complement the care provided by caregivers. These services may include incontinence supplies, chore or homemaker services, emergency response monitoring, nutritional supplements, assistive technology, transportation, or home modifications such as grab bars or wheelchair ramps.

People eligible for the services provided by the South Carolina Family Caregiver Support program include anyone caring for an adult family member age 60 or older, or anyone caring for an Alzheimer’s patient of any age. Adults age 55 and older who are caring for a child with a disability and grandparents age 60 or over who are caring for grandchildren younger than age 18 can also receive services through this program.

For more information about the Family Caregiver Support Program and the services available in your area, contact the Family Caregiver Advocate in the regional Area Agency on Aging organization that serves your county (Download list in Adbobe PDF format).

You can also call the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging in Columbia at 1-800-868-9095 for a referral to your local advocate.

Read more about the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging Family Caregiver Support Program.

Canadian Researcher Focuses on Brain Regeneration

"Neuroplasticity" is the main thesis underpinning a new book by Toronto-based researcher and writer, Dr. David Doidge.

Neuroplasticity is the idea that rather than peaking during the adult years and and basically remaining static or declining thereafter, the brain actually can continue to change and develop over the course of an individual's entire life.

Dr. Doidge's book, The Brain That Changes Itself, was the focus of a recent article by Edmonton Journal writer Liane Faulder. The article is available online at the Canadian media web portal site Canada.com. The site contains news and information from media outlets across Canada. Canada's issues involving preparing for the "aging boom" are very similar to those in the U.S., with that county's senior population also expected to roughly double over the next two decades.

From the article:

Doidge says people used to believe brains broke down through wear and tear and the idea of doing intensive brain exercises to maintain the brain seemed wishful thinking. Now science has proven new cells pop up in the hippocampus -- the part of the brain involved in memory -- until the day we die. But it's up to us to stimulate that growth.

Regular exercise and a healthy diet help the brain keep fit. But Doidge says the brain must be pushed to learn new things to trigger new connections between cells to strengthen brain power.

"By the time we hit middle age, most of us aren't doing the proper stimulation of the brain, like the kind of thing we were doing in high school French. Dancing the old dances is not enough."

Scientists believe learning a new language is one of the best ways to pump up brain cells, but Dobbs says whether that will translate into overall better memory and enhanced cognitive abilities is not clear.

At 65, Edmontonian Bill MacDonald tries to exercise his brain as much as possible. Mind you, he's always done that. Trained as a scientist with a PhD in chemistry, MacDonald changed careers numerous times because he likes variety. Since he left the formal labour force, MacDonald has been working almost full time as a volunteer.

"Keeping the brain active means you're learning and that's always been a part of my desire -- to have life-long learning," he says.

Read the entire article at www.Canada.com.

Bill Introduced in U.S. Senate Would Put States in Charge of Regulating Medicare Advantage Plan Sales and Marketing

A group of Senators led by Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl, Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, introduced a bill in Congress July 26 that would put state insurance departments more firmly in charge of regulating the marketing practices of the private insurance companies that sell the federally-approved plans.

Currently, the marketing of those plans is regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. However, numerous complaints have led to Congressional hearings that questioned whether the federal agency is exerting sufficient control over the companies and the sales agents and telemarketers they contract with. In recent months, many states (including South Carolina) have tried to be more proactive in monitoring complaints about how the plans are monitored, and have taken action against state-licensed insurance agents when appropriate.

The Lt. Governor's Office on Aging has a hotline that consumers can use to report problems or concerns with Medicare marketing, or just to get help with comparing plans or making a decision about their health insurance coverage. The hotline number is 1-800-868-9095.

This new legislation would give the states a larger role in policing the plans, according to reporting about the new legislation on the Senior Journal.com web site.

From the story:

Yesterday, a group of U.S. Senators introduced a bill to allow the association representing state insurance commissioners to draw up marketing and sales regulations for the MAs, which are approved and subsidized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, was joined today by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in introducing the Accountability and Transparency in Medicare Marketing Act of 2007.

The bill would give state insurance commissioners the ability to develop standardized marketing and sales regulations of Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare prescription drug plans, and regulate both agents and companies in the marketing and sales of MA and prescription drug plans.

If passed, the legislation would enable state insurance commissioners to adequately serve and protect Medicare beneficiaries in conjunction with CMS, the sponsors say.

Specifically, the Accountability and Transparency in Medicare Marketing Act of 2007 would direct the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to establish regulations, set standards for agent conduct, and define prohibited activities with respect to the sales and marketing of MA plans.