Resolution passed concerning care giving crisis

House of Representatives Resolution First Step

A concurrent resolution that passed unanimously in the U.S. House of Representatives is an important first step in addressing the looming age wave crisis that could jeopardize the independence of millions of older adults, according to senior-care industry and Congressional representatives. Co-sponsored by New Jersey Rep. Leonard Lance, House Concurrent Resolution No. 59 passed by a vote of 387-0 on September 14, 2009. The resolution has now been introduced in the U.S. Senate.
“With the senior population expected to grow to nearly 49 million in less than two years, we are grateful to Congress for taking this necessary first step to address the critical issue of caring for older adults,” said Paul Hogan, Co-Founder and CEO of Home Instead Senior Care, and a founder of the National Private Duty Association (NPDA), one of three supporting organizations. The National Family Caregivers Association as well as the National Association for Home Care and Hospice also gave their endorsement.
Among other things, the resolution recognizes caregiving as a profession as well as
supports the efforts of family caregivers by encouraging individuals to provide care for their senior loved ones. In addition, the measure calls for fostering a private home care industry that bolsters enterprise to provide accessible and affordable caregiving.
“Seniors are one of our most precious resources,” said Rep. Lee Terry of Nebraska, who introduced the resolution. “In order to take care of our seniors, we need a nation of caregivers,” he said.
The time is right for this important focus on seniors, the family members who care for them as well as the profession of caregiving. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 8,000 people in the United States turn 60 years old every day.
In fact, the U.S. population is expected to more than double in the next 50 years, from the current 35.9 million to 86.7 million in 2050. What’s more, the 85+ population is projected to reach 9.6 million in 2030, and double again to 20.9 million in 2050, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Hogan, who worked with the NPDA legislative committee and congressional representatives to craft the resolution, encourages similar action at the state level. “Our goal is to inform and educate lawmakers that the private duty home care industry can be a part of the solution, offering an alternative to facilities,” Hogan said. “Seniors want to stay at home and many do with the help of family and professional caregivers.”
During 2006, paid caregivers worked a total of 835 million hours and by 2025 that time investment is expected to increase to 4.35 billion hours. But the demand for caregivers could outpace the supply if action isn’t taken soon. According to a Home Instead Senior Care study, “When the Age Wave Hits: The State of Senior Caregiving in America,” more than two million caregivers will be needed to keep pace with the demand in the decade ahead.
“Considering the overwhelming needs our society will be facing, it’s imperative that we begin to address these issues now, and we’re thankful that Congress recognizes the urgent need to take action as well,” Hogan said.

The Resolution
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring) that Congress:
1. Recognizes caregiving as a profession.
2. Supports the private home care industry and the efforts of family caregivers nationwide by encouraging individuals to provide care to family, friends and neighbors.

Attorneys donate gamingsystems to seniors

Trial lawyers across the country show “Wii” care

Local seniors and rehabilitation patients are now getting the chance to smile while they heal thanks to local trial attorneys. The first three Mondays in August, 53 law firms from 25 states will band together to donate more than 60 Nintendo Wii gaming systems to rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and hospitals all over America. The firms are all members of a consumer safety community called InjuryBoard (www.injuryboard.com). With more than half its membership participating, InjuryBoard hopes the event will inspire attorneys everywhere to give back to their communities.

Locally, the law firm of Brady, Brady & Reilly, LLC through its principals, Lawrence P. Brady and Kathleen M. Reilly are donating a Wii system to the Adult Rehabilitation Division of Clara Maass Continuing Care Center at West Hudson in Kearny. Kathleen Reilly advised that “We selected the Clara Maass Center here at West Hudson because it is such an important part of our community. The West Hudson Facility, in a variety of different roles has been serving the community and many of our clients for many, many years providing excellent therapy and rehabilitation services. We represent the seriously injured, whether it is in car accidents, work related construction accidents or fall down accidents and many of our clients have been the beneficiary of their wonderful rehabilitative services. We simply wanted to say thank you.”

The Wii was selected because of a recent trend in rehabilitation toward a new treatment technique know as “Wiihab.” Wiihab makes use of the gaming system’s unique, live motion play to offer patients a fun and less painful exercise medium. The InjuryBoard firms, all of whom represent victims of serious accidents, hope that their donations will ease the recovery of those in need and will help patients find enjoyment in an otherwise and difficult process.

Injuryboard member and local attorney Kathleen M. Reilly explains, “Our goal in this time of economic recession is to reach out to facilities like the Clara Maass Continuing Care Center at West Hudson and help them provide the care that budget realities might otherwise prevent.”

InjuryBoard was founded by Tampa, Florida attorney Tom Young, “InjuryBoard is a network of trial attorneys,” says Young, “and too often trial attorneys are saddled with an undeservedly poor reputation.” According to Young, InjuryBoard is committed to revealing to consumers the truth about personal injury attorneys. “Our members are come of the kindest, most genuine people I know. These are folks who shunned big law firms, prestige and easy money in favor of helping their communities,” Young says. “I am constantly humbled by the commitment our members have to helping injured people. Our hope with events like this is that we can do some good for injured people, from victims of auto accidents to defective products, by helping them get back on their feet. This Wii giveaway is a natural extension of the work our members firms do every day.”

The giveaway is sponsored by the InjuryBoard Foundation, a non-profit organization which acts as the charitable arm of InjuryBoard.com. The purpose of the InjuryBoard Foundation is to help individuals and communities live safer, happier lives through increase awareness and community outreach. Young says that the incredible success and broad participation in this Wii giveaway has inspired InjuryBoard to organize these events on regular basis. “We plan on utilizing the foundation to help as many people as we can. This is just the beginning,” Young adds. “We’re planning child safety seat drives, bicycle helmet giveaways and anything else we can think of to get people the help they need and make our communities safer.”

Asthma Awareness

DHSS Releases Asthma Strategic Plan May is Asthma Awareness Month

TRENTON – The Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) today released the New Jersey Asthma Strategic Plan 2008-2013, which focuses on reducing asthma disparities and increasing awareness of the management and treatment of this chronic respiratory disease.
“Asthma represents a serious and compelling public health problem in New Jersey,” Health and Senior Services Commissioner Heather Howard said. “Although asthma affects people of all ages, races and ethnic groups, low-income and minority populations experience substantially higher rates of fatalities, hospital admissions and emergency room visits due to asthma.’’
Asthma is the most common chronic disease for children in New Jersey. An estimated 218,914 children, or 10 percent, have asthma. Approximately eight percent of adults (516,088) have asthma. The estimated number of women with asthma, 345,877, is more than double the estimated number of men with asthma (170,201). In addition, black, non-Hispanic adults have a prevalence rate that is 10 percent higher than other minority populations.
Although asthma cannot be cured, it can be controlled so that people are able to lead active and healthy lives. Missed school days, lost work days, Emergency Department visits, hospitalizations and deaths can be prevented by recognizing the warning signs of an attack and avoiding things that could trigger an attack such as tobacco smoke, dust mites and outdoor air pollution.
By controlling asthma, individuals can reduce symptoms like wheezing or coughing; reduce work and school-related absences and increase physical activities.
The Strategic Plan recommends ways to address asthma disparities and implement initiatives that provide individuals with the tools they need to manage their disease.
The Plan identifies the following strategies to reduce and eliminate asthma in New Jersey:
Reduce exposure to outdoor and indoor asthma environmental triggers
Improve health care delivery for asthma patients through collaborative professional and patient education initiatives
Reduce emergency department visits by developing a model that improves asthma management by incorporating discharge instructions, education, referral and follow-up for people with asthma who present in the ED.
Improve prevention and management of asthma and asthma triggers among members of child care and school communities
Empower patients, providers and the public to prevent, manage and treat asthma through education, awareness and communication
Advocate for legislation that would ensure access to asthma education
Reduce disparities by developing initiatives that focus on social factors of health, with an emphasis on women, children, the elderly, minority populations and residents in high priority areas.
The Strategic Plan offers guidance to state government, healthcare and community stake holders. It has been designed in partnership with: The DHHS Division of Family Health Services, Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, the Office of Minority and Multicultural Health, Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program and the Center for Health Statistics; the New Jersey Departments of Environmental Protection, Education and Human Services; the Pediatric/Adult Asthma Coalition of New Jersey; and community-based/faith-based organizations.
For information on the New Jersey Asthma Strategic Plan 200-2013, please visit www.nj.gov/health/fhs/asthma/documents/asthma_strategic_plan2008-2013.pdf.