NAIPC Member Newsletter


NAIPC® News July 24, 2013

In This Week's Issue

A Packed Agenda
Follow-Up to the NAIPC® Annual Meeting
NY Times Reports on Effects of Federal Health Care Law
Chicago Tribune: Retirement and Aging in Place
Upcoming Events

A Packed Agenda

“There is no aging in place policy, and there needs to be going forward,” said Bob Blancato of Matz, Blancato & Associates, a government relations firm, and one of the leading voices for Aging in Place since its conception, at the NAIPC® Annual Meeting.

By the end of this year, NAIPC® intends to formulate a proposal for such a policy. In October, during 2103 Aging in Place Week, we will gather experts in all aspects of Aging in Place for a summit to discuss what content is needed. The outline for the discussion will be the issues and ideas that emerged from the Annual Meeting. Here is the current list:

·       Principles
o   Aging in Place benefits aging Americans and our society as a whole
o   It will cost money, but it will save money
o   It can be the solution to revamping our healthcare system
o   It can be the solution to the cost of Medicare and Medicaid
o   It is not about selling services; it is about becoming involved in aging Americans’ well-being

·       Federal Policy
o   Renew Older Americans Act
o   Address the danger of sequestration
o   Explore how Aging in Place can benefit from Tax Reform
§ Expanded use for Health Savings Accounts
§ Tax credit for senior transportation in communities
§ Encourage senior housing
o   Explore the relationship between Aging in Place and immigration reform

·       General
o   Encourage Aging in Place planning
o   Create planning template for seniors & families

·       Housing
o   Create new incentives for senior housing development
o   Encourage expansion of the Village movement
o   Advocate Resident Service Coordinators for housing communities and developments
o   Spread awareness of Universal Design
o   Advocate for Universal Design requirements in all new housing
o   Explore creative financing methods for home modification
o   Encourage expansion of Choice Neighborhoods

·       Finances
o   Create a retirement funding toolbox
o   Build awareness of the availability of benefits
o   Build awareness of benefitscheckup.com
o   Train Social Workers as financial concierges

·       Health
o   Recruit doctors and hospitals as members
o   Encourage some donated medical services
o   Help seniors understand the Affordable Care Act
o   Explore new forms of affordable long-term care insurance
o   Build awareness of Home Technology options

·       Transportation
o   Expand the Independent Transportation Network—Franchises in all cities
o   Advocate Public transportation/Choice Neighborhoods

·       Education
o   Create an Aging in Place Guide
o   Build awareness of available retirement funding options (Retirement Toolbox)
o   Build awareness of Benefitscheckup.com
o   Build an Aging in Place “faculty”
§ Chapter members
§ Social Workers
§ Housing Service Coordinators
o   Build awareness of available housing modifications
o   Expand financial literacy
o   Create video tools to explain all of above
o   Present educational webinars for seniors

·       Entertainment
o   Include as a valuable part of the agenda

·       Research & Data
o   Determine what is needed to support arguments for policy issues

Follow-Up to the NAIPC® Annual Meeting

What is the solution to the impending crisis in housing, care and costs of the growing older population? This is the question that Lois Tenenbaum poses in his July 19 blog entry, which was prompted by a dinner he attended with Marty Bell of NAIPC®, Bob Blancato of Matz, Blancato & Associates, and Candace Baldwin, the head of the Village to Village Network.

The group met to discuss the NAIPC® Annual Meeting held in June and the next steps for putting Aging in Place on the national agenda. And they agreed that the solution is indeed a complex one...but that there is a common denominator among many of the current threats, and that common denominator is money.

"I said we pay, communally, for the streets – we need to recognize the value of the villages and ideas like it, build a system to save money and pay for it! Bob said, as a New Yorker, he knows that a doorman, security and parking are what people want ..and they are willing to pay for it. But to spend money wisely we need to understand what works and what doesn’t, how the right costs equal savings," writes Tenenbaum.

The threat of the impending crisis will not be eliminated overnight. But as Louis writes in his blog, there needs to be a strategy, and there needs to be an agenda. That's the next step. NAIPC® and the industry's experts will continue this discussion at the Aging in Place Summit in October, with a goal of forming an agenda, and a strategy, by the year's end.

To read the full blog entry, please click here.

NY Times Reports on Effects of Federal Health Care Law

Health insurance rates will decrease substantially in 2014 for New Yorkers who pay for their health insurance out-of-pocket, according to a July 16 NY Times article. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that approved health insurance rates for New York for 2014 are at least 50% lower than those currently available.

These changes affect only individuals who pay for their own insurance, not those covered by employers. And while rates will drop overall, Roni Caryn Rabin and Reed Abelson stress that a direct comparison from one year to the next is impossible as these are new insurance products. However, experts are optimistic that the new laws are creating more competition in the market

"Supporters of the new health care law, the Affordable Care Act, credited the drop in rates to the online purchasing exchanges the law created, which they say are spurring competition among insurers that are anticipating an influx of new customers. The law requires that an exchange be started in every state," writes Rabin and Abelson.

To read the full article, please click here.

Chicago Tribune: Retirement and Aging in Place

A senior cannot age in place alone. Access to a strong support network is imperative for aging in place.

Chicago Tribune writer Jane Bennett Clark demonstrates her understanding of this concept. She writes that "staying at home turns into 'aging in place,' a term that generally means you'll need help living on your own. Increasingly, policymakers and local leaders are recognizing the benefits of providing services that allow people to stay in their homes and communities."

But how does a senior wishing to age in place find the support he or she needs? Bennett Clark outlines three existing solutions available to seniors. The first is to provide services to seniors through Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities, neighborhoods where there are concentrations of seniors who have chosen to age in place. Additionally, there is the village model, which consists of a non-profit organization arranging for services for members. Also, seniors also can opt to participate in house-sharing programs, sharing their home with an individual for below-market rent in exchange for household help and companionship.

These models are not all-encompassing, but they are models that work to provide seniors the support that they need. As the aging population grows, and as more and more people choose to stay in their homes, programs such as these will be crucial for achieving that goal.

To read the full article, click here.

Upcoming Events

July 25, 2013: NAIPC® Orange County Chapter Reformation Meeting
July 29, 2013: NAIPC® Baltimore Chapter "Ask the Expert Panel"
July 30, 2013: NAIPC® Council of Chapters Meeting
August 1, 2013: NAIPC® Baltimore Chapter "Proaging Networking Event"
August 5, 2013: NAIPC® Baltimore Chapter Monthly Meeting
October 15-21, 2013: National Aging in Place Week
October 16, 2013: Aging in Place Summit (Washington, DC)

The National Aging in Place Council is an association of service providers in your town who are dedicated to helping aging persons have a healthy and comfortable life at home. Read More

To learn more about NAIPC, or to become a member, please contact Ashley Krapacs at akrapacs@dworbell.com.