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Did you know 3 times as many people with disabilities live in
poverty with annual household incomes below $15,000, as compared with people without disabilities. For more information check
out the National Organization On Disability website at www.nod.org.
ASSISTED LIVING: MOVIE RAISES DISCUSSION ON ASSISTED LIVING
In Assisted Living, director Elliot Greebaum explores the
"in-between world" of assisted living facilities, for people who can no longer live independently, but who do not require
the constant care provided in an institutionalized setting. The director's first feature length film has made quite a splash
already, winning the Grand Jury Prize at the 2003 Slamdance and Savannah Film Festivals, and Best Feature
Award at the Woodstock Film Festival
Judge accepts settlement for persons who are retarded.
Rejecting a requested delay, a federal judge in Lexington, Ky finalized an agreement intended to help
Kentuckians who are retarded live independently.
The ruling was a victory for the plaintiffs in a 2002 lawsuit brought on behalf of about 2,600 persons
who are mentally retarded and on a waiting list for help with such services as home health, therapy and adult day care.
The ruling requires the state Medicaid program to expand services to those on the waiting list.
The families of some adults who are mentally retarded had asked U.S. District Judge Joseph Hood to
delay the agreement ending a class-action lawsuit against the state for fear it would lead to closing four residential
centers.
But Hood turned them down, saying "I'm not delaying justice."
State officals have said there are no plans to close the centers.
"I think it's wonderful,"said Barbara, whose son Jonathon, 26 was one of the plaintiffs in the suit
filed by Kentucky Protection and Advocacy, a watchdog group.
State Medicaid Commissioner Shannon Turner said she also was pleased that
Hood accepted the agreement.
But the ruling disappointed more than 100 people who filled the federal courtroom.
"It looks like we ddn't get anywhere," said Gary of Hopkinsville, whose son lives at Communities at
at Oakwood in Somerset, the state's largest center for adults who are mentally retarded.
The families of about 500 residents at Oakwood, Hazelwood Center and the Bingham Unit in Louisville,
and Outwood in Dawson Springs went to court last week to try to block the agreement.
Bob H, one of their lawers, said the families applaud the intent of the agreement-- to provide about
$230 million in expanded services at home or in the community for adults who are mentally retarded over the next several years.
But he said they object to a few provisions that they believe could cause the state to close facilities--
including a requirement that the state not "backfill"beds when a resident leaves to live in the community.
"If they close the beds when they leave, slowly but surely there will be no more beds,"said Elibera
H., 73, of Louisville, whose son lives in a group home Hazelwood operates.
The lawyer said the families he represents won't give up.
"We can and will file a lawsuit challenging this," he told the disappointed family members.
State Medicaid Commissioner Turner said she believes the families that sought the delay
have nothing to worry about. While the state may reduce the size of some centers, she said it doesn't plan to close them.
"Our goal is to keep the facilities the right size to meet the needs,"she said.
Maureen F., director of Kentucky Protection and Advocacy, said she was glad the judge didn't allow
further delay.
"I think a lot of people are going to be really happy to get services they've been waiting for years,"she
said.
REAL CHOICE GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY LIVING ANNOUNCED
Earlier this year it was announced that the Centers for Medic
Aid and Medicare Services will once again issue Real Choice Systems Change Grants. These grants are 3 different type grants.
A. Family-to Family Health Care Information and Education Grants:
These grants will fund the development of non-profit care to children with special health care needs, with an emphasis family
-directed support.
B. Systems Transformation (STG) grants: These grants will assist
states with a greater level of support to begin or further create initiatives to implement a more comprehensive, integrated,
report strategy . The funds will be used to develop a state based strategic plans for assessments, will target key elements
of systems infrastructure as access and self directed services, that are critical to success and transformation.
C. Aging and Disability Resource Center Grants ( ADRC) These grants
will support state efforts to create "one stop shop" centers to help learn about access and long term supports ranging from
in- home- services to nursing facility care.
A copy of the 2005 Real Choice Systems Change solicitation including
the application forms can be found at http://ww.cms.hhs.gov/newfreedom as well as cms.gov and click on New Freedom.
Nursing home residents get help to return home.
Bucking the odds, some longtime nursing home residents are actually moving back to their own homes.
Former nursing home resident Donna lives at home because of a state program meant to get people
out of nursing homes. Donna, a paraplegic from a long ago car accident, had been living alone in her condominium. She worked
full time for 20 years as director of disabled services for Maine Township. But when she got a kidney infection that quickly
led to blood poisoning, she found herself in the hospital facing a long recovery period.
Donna was sent to a nursing home, and it was hard for her there. "People would come and go," said
Donna. "You'd meet nice people but then they would leave".
She also got told she'd never get well enough to live on her own. But Donna felt she wasn't getting
enough physical therapy to regain the upper body strength needed to live alone. "I knew I could do some things myself", she
said "I wanted to go home."
Complicating matters, Donna lost her job. She spent close to $200,000 of her own money on nursing
home care. That meant if she were able to move home, she would have little money left to hire home-care workers to help. "I
had almost gone broke," she said.
Donna finally did go home with the help of a new pilot program being tried in Illinois. Under the
Home Again program, Donna gets visits from a social worker, along with sessions with physical and occupational therapists.
She has a helper a few hours a day for personal assistance and also to handle some household chores. Ït's so wonderful to
be home"said Donna. Ïf I were still in the nursing home, I would still be there waiting for someone to help me out of bed.
Now I can do what I want.
In survey after survey, older people say they'd rather not live in a nursing home. States have an
interest here too. The majority of nursing home care-an expensive living arrangement -is paid for by the government's Medicaid
program. So states prefer people to live in less costly places.
States are experimenting with a variety of housing models. Some states subsidize less expensive
assisted-living buildings. Other states pay for more home care, in order to keep residents in their homes. A few states ,
including Illinois, are relocating nursing home residents . (Illinois already has a program to pre-screen nursing home candiates
to make sure they need to go there in the first place.)
The Home Again program, overseen by the Illinois Department on Aging, is being tried in sx areas
of the state: Chicago, the northern suburbs, Quincy, Caterville, Rock Island and Rockford.
It's hard to know how many people could return home, according to Micheal Gelder, deputy director
at the Illinois Department on Aging . The program targets those who have lived in a nursing home for at least three months.
Not everyone, he stresses, can safely return home. "But we wanted to make this program available so that if someone thinks
they can go home, there is a way to do it" he said.
The program is available only to those with assets of less than $12,500. This does not include a
house or car. To date, the program started in June of 2005- has returned 46 former nursing home residents to their communities.
Those leaving a nursing home face a number of obstacles. In most cases, they've already lost their
home or apartment. "Once a person has depleted their assets, it's hard to find affordable housing. It's a majorbarrier"said
Heather Underwood, a social service manager at the Suburban Agency on Aging. Underwood and other case workers help people
find housing. The case workers also coordinate the necessary services, such as delivered meals, to keep the person at
home. The program can help find furniture, and moves people too.
Another, perhaps more difficult, obstacle is the nursing home resident's outlook. Many are afraid
to strike out on their own again. "I was leery about coming home". Donna said, Ï thought it would be too hard. I
was nervous about leaving. What if I failed?
In addition, Donna said nursing home life wasn't all bad. The homes of today are nothing like those
of years ago, she said. Even so, she's glad to be home. And the longer she's at home the more independent she is, which is
fairly typical according to caseworkers in the program. Donna can cook meals and she expects to be driving again soon. "I
can't tell you what a joy it is to be in my home and do what I want when I want," she said. "I have my freedom".
MU Launches Web Site to Serve People with Disabilities
Federal Grant Offers Help and Hope
COLUMBIA, Mo. – From finding parts for wheelchairs to securely
storing personal medical records, people with disabilities and their family members are a mouse click away from much needed
help thanks to the efforts of a team of University of Missouri-Columbia researchers.
MU has launched the disAbility Spin Web site at www.dspin.org
and members of the mid-Missouri disability community who have worked with MU Health Psychology Associate Professor Laura Schopp
to develop the site said they "have been hoping and waiting for this site for years!"
Schopp, who is the principal investigator on the grant funding
the site, said along with offering tips on where to find goods and services needed by those with disabilities, the disAbility
Spin site supports communication among members in the disability community.
"People with disabilities have enormous information management
challenges, from keeping personal health records to finding accessible housing," Schopp said. "It's especially difficult for
people with a new disability or who have just moved to the area to find that information quickly. disAbility Spin is a place
where people with disabilities can socialize, volunteer to help others, manage their information, and interact with many local
and statewide agencies, services and individuals."
While the Web site addresses some needs specific to Columbia and
the mid-Missouri area, Schopp said it can be helpful to other communities who can either use some of its services or model
their own site.
"Our goal with disAbility Spin is to make it easier for anyone
anywhere to find out what they need to know about living skillfully with a disability," Schopp said. "We have had many inquiries
about creating local disAbility Spin sites in various areas nationwide, and we hope in the future to be able to extend this
resource to any persons who need it, wherever they may live."
The disAbility Spin website project is a collaboration between
MU’s Department of Health Management and Informatics, Department of Health Psychology, Services for Independent Living
and Columbia citizens with disabilities. It is funded by a research grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation
Research. The disAbility Spin team's work has been featured in the journal Telemedicine Journal and eHealth
National Disability Group announces New Web Site to Empower Medicare Beneficiaries in Need of Wheelchairs
And Scooters.
United Spinal Association, a national disability rights organization,
recently announced the creation of a new web site dedicated to reversing Medicare’s In-the-home policy, which restricts
beneficiary access to needed wheelchairs and Scooters. Rightwheelchair.org, a joint project of United Spinal Association.
Item Coalation And the Clinician Task Force will serve as a vehicle for inspiring grassroots activities and as a clearinghouse
for information regarding Medicare’s unfair coverage and administrative policies relating to mobility devices.
Visitors to http://Rightwheelchair.org will find important background
information on Medicare’s in-the-home restriction and they will have an opportunity to share their experiences in trying
to obtain a wheelchair or scooter for themselves, a family member, or patient.
“The ‘In-the-home’ restriction severely impedes
the health and independence of members of the United Spinal Association and all individuals with disabilities, as it confines
people to the four walls of their homes and does not take into account the need for people to access their physician’s
office, pharmacy, grocery store, bank or place of worship, said Kim Ruff-Wilbert, policy analyst for United Spinal Association.
“It is our goal that through this Web site and the sharing of information, we can change this restrictive policy.
For Further information check the United Spinal Associations website
Fair Housing Act Applies to Condos
To many condominium boards, federal laws regarding discrimination against people with disabilities
can often be shrouded in mystery. Does the Americans with Disabilities Act apply? Or the Fair Housing Act? To clear
this up, the ADA is only applicable if the residence is being run on a commercial property. It isn't relevant in a typical
residential setting. Accordingly, condo boards fall subject to the Fair Housing Act. Discrimination under the Fair Housing
Act can be a variety of actions, some of which include a refusal to permit reasonable modification of the premises occupied
or to be occupied by such person if necessary to afford full enjoyment of the premises and a refusal to make reasonable accommodations
in rules, policies, practices or services where necessary to afford such person equal oppertunity to use
and enjoy a dwelling. Essentially--in layman's terms--it is a violation of the Fair Housing Act if people are not allowed
to adapt their condo to their respective disabilities or if the condo board refuses to make reasonable modifications to allow
people with disabilities equal oppertunities.
For more information go to http://www.suntimes.com/classifieds/homes/homelife/52845.HOF-News-mack15.article
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