I. FOLLOWING THE NARRATIVE: A quick summary of national media trends last week.
(*LeadingAge is featured in the story.)
With a fast-approaching deadline looming for both parties to reach agreement on the Biden Administration’s American Jobs Plan, the media kept a close eye on evolving Republican and Democrat proposals. To ensure older adults’ needs remain a priority in the discussion, LeadingAge on May 19 hosted a national telepresser focused on home and community-based services’ place in our country’s infrastructure. Other topics on reporters’ radar: workforce issues, vaccines, and the future of long term care.
Infrastructure
- *Home Health Care News: LeadingAge, Bayada urge Congress to invest in aging services infrastructure
- *McKnight’s Senior Living: LeadingAge members turn the heat up on Congress to pass $400B care infrastructure plan
- *McKnight’s Senior Living: Don’t overlook benefits of assisted living when thinking about HCBS, industry tells Congress
- *McKnight’s Senior Living: Assisted Living could share in $12.7 billion investment in HCBS through American Rescue Plan
- *Dayton Daily News: After decades of low funding, will the aging workforce get a boost?
- The Hill: Opinion: The ‘frills’ of Biden’s infrastructure plan are real needs
- Forbes: The Biden Administration Greenlights $12 Billion In Federal Medicaid Home Care Money. How Will States Spend It?
Workforce
- *ABC News: Pandemic has made shortage of health care workers even worse, say experts
- The 19th: Women in health care are at a breaking point — and they’re leaving
- The Conversation: Lack of sleep is harming health care workers – and their patients
- Vox: These workers were left out of the New Deal. They’ve been fighting for better pay ever since
- McKnight’s Senior Living: CNA advocacy group warns worker shortage could worsen burnout situation
- *Provider: Senate panel recognizes workforce shortages, underpayments for nursing homes
Vaccines
- The New York Times: In some U.S. counties, nearly all people over 65 are vaccinated
- New York Times: Vaccinations sharply cut virus spread in nursing homes, study says
- Healthline: Older adults in rural areas may face more hurdles to getting a COVID-19 vaccine
- McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Governor steps into COVID vaccine mandate fray by targeting LTC workers
- McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Fired nursing home workers prep $550K claim over county vaccine mandate
- McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: CMS: Surveyors looking for education, not expertise, under COVID-19 vaccine rule that starts today
Home health/future of long term care
- The New York Times: Opinion: at-home care for the elderly
- McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Mor: Time to rethink U.S. nursing home landscape
- Home Health Care News: Home-Based care providers with PPP loans can’t bank on forgiveness
- McKnight’s Senior Living: California budget includes $3.8 billion to build ‘age-friendly’ state for older adults
- The New York Times: Family caregivers feel the pandemic’s weight
II. Other Clips That Influenced the Week: LeadingAge is a sought-out, reliable source for multiple trade and national media outlets (see that coverage on our Driving the Conversation page). Other key clips shaped the narrative last week:
- *Morning Consult: Opinion: Audio-only technology can bridge the telehealth divide
- USA Today: ‘Creates more problems than it’s worth’: CDC eases COVID-19 testing recommendations for vaccinated people
- Kaiser Health News: How older adults can regain their game after being cooped up for over a year
- *Skilled Nursing News: For SNF marketing post-COVID, transparency and communication are key
- *McKnight’s Senior Living: 9,000 Google Nest Hub Max devices help residents of 300 senior living communities connect with loved ones
- *McKnight’s Senior Living: Senator, NFL players, industry leaders congratulate McKnight’s Women of Distinction; event continues today with CE webinars
- CNN: Most nursing homes had multiple Covid-19 outbreaks that lasted for weeks, analysis found
- USA Today: Essential caregivers were locked out of nursing homes during COVID-19. Advocates from New York to California don’t want it to happen again.
- Kaiser Health News: As pandemic eases, many seniors have lost strength, may need rehabilitative services
III. National Statements & Products (all posted on ‘Driving the Conversation’ page):
- From LeadingAge’s May 19 Telepresser: Providers Detail Crisis Facing Older Americans Needing Home and Community-Based Care
