National Silver Haired Congress Identifies Top Aging Issues

Delegates from nineteen states – from New York to Oregon, Montana to Georgia and points in between, attended the 11th Annual Meeting of the National Silver Haired Congress (NSHC) in Alexandria, Virginia from February 7-12. The major emphasis of the meeting was to identify and prioritize the top five (5) issues confronting America's older citizens.

After lengthy debate and review in the NSHC's resolution process, the following Five Resolutions are being presented to the US Congress and the President as grassroots input for legislation and/or policy action:

1) Create a National Criminal Background Check and Registry of all direct access employees of health care facilities, including home health agencies and residential care facilities.

2) Mandate Geriatric Education for all Students preparing for health careers in Tax Supported Medical Schools

3) Increase Home and Community-Based Services by developing a FY 2009 budget that will fully fund the Older Americans Act, Title II.

4) Pass Elder Justice Legislation that will prevent, detect, treat, intervene in, and prosecute offenders involved in elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

5) Establish a "Silver Alert" Notification Network for Missing Elderly Citizens, similar to the Amber Alert for Children so that law enforcement, news media, and the general public may be promptly notified and a timely search and rescue may be undertaken when a vulnerable, disoriented elderly person is discovered missing.

The delegates also elected the following officers for 2008-2010:

Chairperson of the Board – Hannah Timmons, South Carolina

First Vice Chairperson – Herbert W. Perry, Nevada

Second Vice Chairperson – Dallas Knudson North Dakota

Secretary Catherine M. Stone, New York

Treasurer Pat J. Porter, Texas

Senate President Gloria Bonali, South Carolina

Senate President Pro Tem- Herbert Perry, Nevada

House Speaker – Carlos Higgins, Texas

House Speaker Pro Tem– Lloyd Steen, North Carolina

Wally Daeley, Outgoing Chairman of the Board of Directors, announced that he had sent the Board's Proclamation concerning the inclusion of some 20 million Social Security recipients in the economic stimulus package to Senator Max Baucus, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

John Wren, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging, US Department of Health and Human Services, addressed the delegates at dinner on Saturday. He stressed that the United States does not have a long-term care system, but rather a variety of programs. He suggested that organizations like the NSHC could help provide a grassroots reform movement of America's long-term care system. Secretary Wren indicated that, for the first time, the Older Americans Act (OAA) requires one-stop shopping entry points to access senior services. In addition, it must be available for all levels of the economic ladder. He said funding for the OAA would remain flat for the next fiscal year, with Title II of the Act especially vulnerable due to lack of funding. At Saturday morning's breakfast meeting, Dr. Jacquelyn McClelland, Professor, Department Extension Leader and Nutrition Specialist, North Carolina State University, presented a program entitled "Awareness and Education of Osteoporosis." Funding for the program was partially provided by an Eli Lilly and Company educational grant. Dr. McClelland cited that as many as 44 million Americans are at risk with osteoporosis. She said there currently is no cure for osteoporosis, but that calcium, vitamin D, weight-bearing exercises and a healthy lifestyle help strengthen bones.

A Humana Insurance Company grant gave Ed Kaleta, Director of Humana's Washington Office, the chance to review the role of Medicare Advantage Insurance in preventative medicine and chronic care management. Mr. Kaleta indicated that choice is important in health care and Medicare Advantage Plans provide that choice. He said the health care system is broken and needs to be fixed.

Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act of 2007 and the Elder Justice Act provided the specifics for the presentations of Anne Montgomery, Senior Policy Advisor to Senate Special Committee on Aging and Ashley Ridlon, Legislative Assistant to US Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) at Monday evening's dinner. Anyone doubting the need for federal legislation to address the prevention of abuse to frail elders was urged by the speakers to look at the results of a three-year pilot background check of prospective health care workers in seven states. "The total number of applicants excluded from working in long-term care facilities due to a history of abuse identified through registry checks and/or criminal background checks is at least 7,271 (3.7% of all applicants." The two speakers indicated that both bills are currently working their ways through the Congressional Committee System. The NSHC Delegates were invited to contact their elected representatives in support of the bills.

If you have a question for NSHC or you have an aging issue or concern to share with us, please use the box below to contact NSHC. Please limit your question or comment to 250 words. NSHC is an advocate for older Americans. We do not provide funds for services, but we may be able to answer your questions and respond to your concerns.

SUPPORT THE NATIONAL “SILVER ALERT” PROGRAM.

Representative Lloyd Doggett (Texas) has drafted a bill that should be of great interest to seniors across the U.S. It merits strong support by seniors and senior advocacy groups. It is legislation to create a Silver Alert program at the national level, to assist in locating and returning to safety seniors who have become “lost.” It is designed to encourage Silver Alert programs at the state level, and coordinate the efforts across the U.S.

This is something we should get behind – and push! Please send an email to colleen.briggs@mail.house.gov with a copy to CarlosTX@sbcglobal.net so we’ll have some idea of how we’re doing in gathering support. Use Silver Alert Support for the subject. Please share this with any national, state and local senior organizations to get additional support.

Silver Alert programs are operating in a few states now, and other states are considering the program. Silver Alerts are patterned after Amber Alert programs, but there are differences. This bill recognizes those differences and would prohibit the two programs from being combined under one Coordinator, to make sure the Amber Alert program is not diminished in any way.

Here’s the introductory language of the bill:

[DRAFT]

110TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION