Older Americans and people with disabilities - Bridging the disconnect

[Posted by alaurie_97@yahoo.com]

Older Americans and People with Disabilities - Bridging the Disconnect
by Steve Gold




Information Bulletin # 320 (8/2010)
This Information Bulletin is an attempt to bridge and solidify
advocates from two communities - older Americans and people with
disabilities. For many reasons, there has been a disconnect between
them.

More than two years ago, we wrote "The Older Americans Act: Consumer
Choice and Control over Long Term Care," (see February 9, 2007
Information Bulletin). We reviewed how Congress' amendments to the
Older Americans Act and its "Choices for Independence" began to
provide services for people to remain in their homes, instead of going
into nursing homes.

The Older Americans Act was for the first time really focused on
community!

The OAA provided grants for States to develop a "single point of
entry"
for long-term care, so people would know what community-based services
were available in order to avoid institutionalization. This single
point was through the "Aging and Disability Resource Centers" (ADRC).
It also adopted the "consumer model" so people could self-direct care
and services.

The Older Americans Act is up for reauthorization in 2011. Yes folks,
Congress will have to face whether or not the "Aging and Disability"
centers will be refunded. This reauthorization will provide a forum
and opportunity for these two communities to discuss how well they
have worked together, how well the ADRCs are functioning, if they are
serving both older Americans with disabilities and younger Americans
with disabilities and what changes should occur.

There are a number of issues which we hope both communities understand
and
address:

1. Medicaid is the same funding stream for long-term community care
and
nursing homes for all people with disabilities, regardless of age.
Cut-backs and reductions of Medicaid services impact every disabled
person, and State legislatures' common attacks on services will
hurt
people regardless of age.

2. Yes, these two communities do not agree on everything (e.g.,
assisted
living, identifying oneself as having a disability), but there are
unequivocally common interests. In an era of reductions and
attacks by
States on community-based services, it is critical to put aside
differences and join to fight what the two communities have in
common.

3. There really is power in numbers! Can you imagine a State
legislative
hearing with twenty-five year old wheelchair uses holding hands
with
seventy-five year old wheelchair uses demanding their right to live
in
the community and not being dumped into nursing homes.

4. How about next year, during the Congressional reauthorization
hearings, joining forces? Tell Congress that all people with
disabilities, regardless of age, want the right to receive services
in
their own homes.

5. The increased Medicaid funds for Money Follows the Person grants
must
focus on getting anyone out of nursing homes who wants to live in
the
community - not just people with disabilities under 60 years old.
Older
Americans do not enter nursing homes because they want to; they do
not
have community-based services offered to them. If both communities
combined their efforts, they could have a significant impact of
enhancing waivers - especially in those 20 States that have not yet
received MFP grants but probably will be applying for them very
soon.

6. The Independent Living Centers serve many older Americans with
disabilities. Yet, the AAAs and ILCs in most states keep each other
at
some distance. As the under 60s younger Americans with
disabilities
become the over 60s older Americans with disabilities, yes it
really
happens, the disability issues and culture will cross the age
barrier.
Let's hope that the people take the lead and make these
organization
really work together.

To not take the 2011 reauthorization as an opportunity to address
these issues and to jointly work out strategies is perilous.

POWER concedes nothing without a struggle.

Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues

Back issues of other Information Bulletins are available online at
http://www.stevegoldada.com with a searchable Archive at this site
divided into different subjects.

To contact Steve Gold directly, write to steveg...@cs.com or call
215-627-7100
or contact him through Skype.