Registration Open for Diabetes and CardioVascular Health Winter Conference

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has announced that registration is now open for their fifth annual Diabetes/CVH Winter Symposium scheduled for February 23 and 24 at the Crown Reef and Convention Center in Myrtle Beach.

The symposium is jointly sponsored by The Medical University of South Carolina; South Carolina Diabetes Prevention and Control Program; South Carolina Division of Cardiovascular Health; The Diabetes Initiative of South Carolina; and the Diabetes Advisory Council. The sessions offered at this program have been specifically designed for primary care physicians, podiatrists, physician assistants, diabetes educators and nurse practitioners. The information to be presented is equally relevant to pharmacists, nurses, dietitians and social workers that will benefit from a comprehensive diabetes update. The program is designed to review the latest issues in diabetes management as it relates to blood pressure, lipids, and blood sugar control.

For more information contact Barbara Wright Downs with DHEC's Diabetes Control Program at (803) 545-4475 or downsbw@dhec.sc.gov .

Click here to download a copy of the registration packet.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Launches New Web Site To Promote Long Term Care Planning

DHHS Assistant Secretary for Aging Josefina Carbonell has announced a new web site that will make it easier for consumers to get the information they need to plan for long-term care. The National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information Web site provides comprehensive information about long-term care planning, services and financing options, along with tools to help people begin the planning process.

The clearinghouse Web site is designed to increase public awareness about the risks and costs of long-term care and the potential need for services, and to provide objective information to help people plan for the future. The clearinghouse Web site was designed by HHS’ Administration on Aging (AoA), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE).

“The National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information Web site is an important step toward giving consumers the tools they need to take personal responsibility for planning for their future long-term care needs,” HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said.

The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 mandates that the Clearinghouse contain the following: objective information to help consumers decide whether to purchase long-term care insurance or to pursue other private market alternatives that pay for long-term care; information about states with long-term care partnerships under Medicaid; and information about the availability and limitations of coverage for long-term care under Medicaid. The Web site features a number of resources to help individuals start the planning process, including interactive tools such as a savings calculator, contact information for a range of programs and services, and real-life examples of how individuals have planned successfully.

The National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information Web site helps support the principles of the “Choices for Independence Initiative,” included in the recently reauthorized Older Americans Act (OAA), signed into law by President Bush in October.

“The new OAA helps empower individuals and supports better planning, improved home and community-based long-term care options, and more flexible and consumer-friendly systems that allow Americans to remain vibrant and independent,” Assistant Secretary Carbonell said.

The new Web site also supports the “Own Your Future” education campaign, a joint federal-state initiative designed to increase consumer awareness about planning for long-term care. HHS recently announced new federal-state partnerships with several states designed to help Americans take an active role in planning ahead for their future long-term care needs.

“The National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information Web site is an essential component of the ‘Own Your Future’ campaign,” CMS Acting Administrator Leslie V. Norwalk said. “Users can easily find information about services, resources and finances to help them plan for future long-term care needs.”

For more information about the “Own Your Future” campaign and the National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information, please visit www.longtermcare.gov .

Kaiser Foundation Web Site Features Video of Administration on Aging Leadership Summit Sessions

Staff from the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging joined U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, U.S. Administration on Aging Director Josefina Carbonell and other national Aging leaders at the recent “Choices for Independence National Leadership Summit,” held December 5-7 in Washington D.C.

Kaisernetwork.org, a free health policy news and webcasting service of the Kaiser Family Foundation, has filmed the general sessions on the opening day and they are now available for viewing as Web casts.

LGOA Director Mike Easterday said the summit presented an excellent opportunity for staff to learn more about the direction that federal policies regarding aging and services for older adults will be taking over the next decade.

The leadership summit was the Administration on Aging's (AoA) first opportunity to publicly showcase the reauthorized Older Americans Act (OAA) since the legislation was signed by President Bush on Oct. 17, 2006. Key provisions of the new OAA contain principles from the Administration's Choices for Independence Initiative, which advance the President's New Freedom Initiative and support HHS Secretary Leavitt's priorities of prevention and value-driven health care.

According to HHS, the new Older Americans Act will modernize community-based long term care systems by empowering consumers to make informed decisions about their care options, give people greater control over the types of services they receive, create more opportunities for high-risk individuals to avoid institutional care, and enable more seniors to live healthy lives in their communities. Changes in the OAA support and complement ongoing changes in the Medicare and Medicaid programs to provide increased options for and greater integration of home and community-based care and services for older and disabled individuals and to help rebalance health and long term care for the 21st Century.

The two-day summit spotlighted best practices, partnerships and initiatives at the state, tribal and community level as well as within private foundations, and provided opportunities for increased coordination and collaboration. The summit also included a special post-summit session on the reauthorized OAA with a focus on describing the opportunities it presents for the national aging services network to help shape the future of long-term care in the United States.

ADA Freedom Tour to Make Stop in Columbia

A bus tour traveling across the U.S. to help raise awareness of disability issues will be making scheduled stops in Columbia, December 10 – 12, according to the non-profit organization behind the project, ADA Watch (www.adawatch.org).

Launching from Washington, DC, the Road To Freedom is an awareness campaign and yearlong, cross-country bus journey to expose mainstream audiences across the United States to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the history of the disability rights movement — all while bringing needed attention to the ongoing struggle for equal access to healthcare, transportation, education, employment and more.

Two tour buses, 36’ & 39’ in length, wrapped with the Road To Freedom logo and images will be parked in front of the Sprint Store and Fire Mountain Restaurant on Bower Parkway near Columbia Grande Cinema. (Harbison area) From 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 10.

On Monday, December 11 the buses and illustrative panels will be in the Suggs and Kelly parking lot (closest to Huger St) from 4:00 -7:00 p.m. with an informal talk and Q&A at 6:00 p.m. in the downstairs community room of the Suggs and Kelly building.

The tour will wrap up on Tuesday, December 12 by spending the day and evening in the parking lot of Edventure Children's Museum on Gervais St. The buses will be there from Noon-8:00 p.m. The second Tuesday of the month is family night at the museum, admission is reduced to $1!! We expect a big turn out. State Representative James Smith of Columbia has agreed to say a few remarks on Tues at 1:00 p.m.

Tour riders will include Yoshiko Dart, Janine Bertram Kemp, Bobby Coward, Russ Holt, Jim Ward, Debbie Fletter Ward and Tom Olin, whose work will be the centerpiece of the traveling exhibit. Additionally, ADA Watch has partnered with Family Diversity Projects (www.familydiv.org) in the production of a joint exhibit. FDP produces award-winning traveling exhibits that tour communities nationally and internationally and they are producing their first disability exhibit in partnership with ADA Watch/NCDR.

Lt. Governor's Office on Aging seeking nominations for Senior Awards

The South Carolina Lt. Governor's Office on Aging is currently seeking nominations for senior awards in a number of categories. The finalists and award winners in the following categories will be honored during an event celebrating National and State Older Americans Month in May:

Outstanding Older South Carolinian Award - Recognizes an individual age 65 or older that, through his/her leadership, has rendered outstanding and ongoing contributions to aging-related teaching, research, service delivery and/or advocacy on the community, regional or state level.

Media Award – Recognizes outstanding use of the media industry (radio stations, newspapers, magazines, TV stations, etc.) that has made a positive impact on the lives of older South Carolinians.

Aging Network Impact Award – Recognizes grantees and contractors within the South Carolina aging services network for an exemplary activity or activities that made a significant, positive impact on the quality of life for older South Carolinians.

Outstanding Community Intergenerational Award – Recognizes outstanding intergenerational projects that bring together older adults and youth for interaction and enrichment, to the benefit of the participants and their community.

Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award – Recognizes a child or youth, age 18 and under, whose volunteer activities with older adults are exemplary and outstanding for someone of that age group.

Network Volunteer Service Award – Recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution or rendered an outstanding service within the aging network in a volunteer capacity.

Leadership in Aging Award – Recognizes an individual, civic club, or public/private organization for outstanding commitment and vision to improving the quality of life for older South Carolinians.

SC Business and Aging Award – Recognizes a South Carolina business for exemplary programs or products that meet the needs of older people and their families, expand public awareness of the private sector’s involvement with older persons, and/or create performance models for other companies to emulate.

Health Promotion for Older South Carolinians Award – Recognizes effective and innovative programs/services designed to enhance the health/well-being of older South Carolinians.

Applications for these awards are due in by January 15. The complete application package is available for download in the MSWord format.