Assisted Living Executive to Senior Living Executive

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Dual Medicare and
Medicaid Recipients
at Risk

Seniors who receive both Medicare and Medicaid benefits, also known as “dual eligibles,” may experience challenges when moving between Medicare and Medicaid coverage, according to a report published by the national Senior Citizens Law Center and The SCAn Foundation.

“The new Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office, created by the health-reform law, seeks to help states and health-care providers build a comprehensive network of services and supports enabling some of our most vulnerable Americans to age with dignity and independence,” says Bruce Chernof, MD, president and CEO of The SCAn Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting senior living.

The report, “Ensuring Consumer Protection for Dual Eligibles in Integrated Models,” recommends several ways to realign care and improve communication between the government agencies. It also stresses the importance of having mechanisms in place before new models are implemented to ensure seniors receive the highest quality of care.

The report recommends building the
following principles into new models
for integrating Medicare and Medicaid
coverage:
• Right to continuity of care. Changes in
providers and coverage could represent
a significant disruption in care and have
serious effects on seniors’ health.

• Right to receive services in a culturally appropriate manner. Services, including notices, should account for race, ethnicity, language, sex, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

• Right to an effective appeals process, including seniors’ right to choose a provider, appeal a decision to use another provider, and decide how and where they receive care.

cognitive training Program Bolsters Memory

need a cost-effective way to boost your residents’ memory health? A memory educa- tion program offered to residents in senior living communities benefitted their verbal learning and retention and helped improve their ability to recognize and recall words, a University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) study found.

Published in the September issue of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, the study also showed that as a result of the program, seniors’ self-perceived memory improved, a key factor in maintaining a positive outlook on life.

“The study demonstrates that it’s never too late to learn new skills to enhance one’s life,” says study author karen Miller, MD.

The six-week, 12-session program offered memory-training techniques and education about lifestyle factors that may influence memory and brain health. Participants also learned stress-reduction exercises and received information on the importance of physical exercise and a healthy diet.

The one-hour education sessions focused on memory enhancement. They included explanations of how memory works; offered quick strategies for remembering names, faces, and numbers; and provided basic memory tools such as linking ideas and creating visual images.