AARP Public Policy Institute

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Paying for Quality Care: State and Local Strategies for Improving Wages and Benefits for Personal Care Assistants

The US is experiencing a severe shortage of qualified direct-care workers to provide personal care services (PCS). Evidence from a number of studies reveals that wages and benefits paid to PCS workers play a fundamental role in determining the quality and quantity of workers. Read this in-depth analysis of state and local practices that reviews the pros and cons of seven strategies for enhancing PCS-worker wages and benefits for direct-care workers delivering Medicaid personal care services.

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/51077

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Rebalancing: Ensuring Greater Access to Home and Community-Based Services

States vary greatly in the proportion of Medicaid long-term care funds expended on home and community-based services. In 2005, Oregon and New Mexico spent over two-thirds of their Medicaid LTC dollars on HCBS while Washington, D.C. and Mississippi spent less than 20 percent on HCBS. To overcome the “imbalance” states, at varying rates, have been “rebalancing” the way that Medicaid LTC services are delivered and financed to allocate a higher proportion of dollars to HCBS.

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/51041

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Long-term Care in Tennessee: A Survey of Registered Voters Age 35+

A new survey shows overwhelming support for giving residents choices for long-term care in the home and community. Tennessee is last in the nation in providing options in long-term care. AARP commissioned this survey to determine where voters stand on key issues. Voters say they are more likely to vote for state candidates who support allowing funds now used only for nursing homes to also be available for alternative services which help older and disabled Tennesseans remain independent.

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/51030

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Home Care Quality: Emerging State Strategies to Deliver Person-Centered Services

This AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper examines the efforts of South Carolina, Washington and Wisconsin to improve home care quality by using a more person-centered approach. The initiatives described in this report point to the significant ongoing efforts that states are using to ensure quality care and support in the home. The challenge for state officials continues to be the creation of quality assurance systems that place consumer needs and goals for quality of life first.

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/50868

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Pulling Together: Administrative and Budget Consolidation of State Long-Term Care Services

Can agency consolidation bring about consistent policymaking and focus long term care services on persons with disabilities rather than on program providers? This AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper provides readers with an examination of a consolidated agency approach, by studying agency structure, reviewing the arguments for consolidation, and the barriers to achieving it. It also reviews several states accomplishing consolidation and a checklist of steps towards such a model.

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/50853

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Staying the Course: Trends in Family Caregiving

Informal caregiving has long been the most common source of long-term care for older persons with disability however; a number of factors such as demographic trends may reduce the supply of traditional family caregivers and changes in the LTC delivery system indicate the need to track the changes. This paper examines key trends in family caregiving patterns. The findings should help to inform public policy debates and the data provides evidence of the need to provide adequate long-term services.

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/50848

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Medicaid Managed Long-Term Care Research Report

Amid federal and state budget pressures, policymakers in many states are either planning to start new managed care programs for Medicaid beneficiaries with LTC needs or are expanding existing programs. This AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Brief reviews the limited but important experience of states that have implemented such programs to date, identifies key policy issues going forward, and assesses the likelihood of future growth in these programs.

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/50810

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Family Caregiver Support Services: Sustaining Unpaid Family and Friends in a Time of Public Fiscal Constraint

This AARP Public Policy Institute fact sheet and report outlines the need for publicly funded respite services for family caregivers and describes the types available. The research concludes that publicly funded caregiver support programs play an important role in sustaining and strengthening the unpaid, informal care provided by families.

Short URL: http://www.advancingstates.org/node/50733

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