The SCAN Foundation

The Aging in America conference, to take place in Washington, DC, March 28-April 1, 2012, is the largest multidisciplinary aging conference in the country. This year's conference is packed with innovative programming and learning experiences.  The SCAN Foundation will participate in the sessions listed below:

1. Creating Change for Aging and Long-Term Services and Supports Through Social Action: Grassroots, Regional Coalitions and Statewide Collaboratives

• Date/Time: Thursday March 29, 2012: 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM
• Location: Marriott Wardman Park Room: Thurgood Marshall North (tentative)  
• Description: ** Please note: Pre-registration is required; Fee = $10 includes continental breakfast; Open to first 100 attendees ** Presented by The SCAN Foundation, this half-day session will focus on the Foundation's initiative to build a social movement in California with the goal of expanding and improving home and community-based services for older adults and their caregivers. Presenters will highlight approaches for and lessons learned around identifying "the" issue, collaboration and messaging from a grassroots, regional coalition and statewide collaborative perspective.
• Presenters: Victoria Ballesteros, Director of Communications, The SCAN Foundation, Sarah Steenhausen, M.S., Senior Policy Advisor, The SCAN Foundation; Kali Peterson, M.P.W., M.S., Program Officer, The SCAN Foundation; Erin Westphal, M.S., Program Officer, The SCAN Foundation; Lori Andersen, Director of Healthy Aging, The Health Trust; Joe Caldwell, Director of Long Term Services and Supports Policy, National Council on Aging; Robyn Grant, Director of Advocacy and Outreach, The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care; Jack Hailey, Project Director, Government Action and Communication Institute; Marie Jobling, Executive Director, Community Living Campaign; Leane Marchese, Executive Director, ElderHelp of San Diego; Jim McAleer, President & CEO, Alzheimer’s Association, Orange County; Monique Parrish, Director, LifeCourse Strategies; Wendy Peterson, Director, Senior Services Coalition of Alameda County; Rigo Sabrio, President & CEO, St. Barnabas Senior Services; Casey Young, Associate State Director-Advocacy, AARP California.

2. Brave New World of Aging Advocacy: Post Health Care Reform

• Date/Time: Thursday March 29, 2012: 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
• Location: Workshop Marriott Wardman Park Room: Jefferson (tentative)
• Description: You don't have to live in Washington, D.C. to have an impact on implementing the health care reform law. In this session, participants will learn how to participate in administrative and legislative processes effectively to ensure that their messages are heard, including participating in the regulatory process, communicating with Congressional offices and other policymakers, and utilizing new media and coalition efforts.
• Presenters: Gretchen Alkema, PhD, Vice President of Policy and Communications, The SCAN Foundation Lynn Feinberg, MSW, AARP Public Policy Institute Robyn Golden, MSW, LCSW, Rush University Medical Center Brenda A Sulick, PhD, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare

3. National Forum on the Affordable Care Act: A Way Toward Aging With Dignity in America

• Date/Time: Thursday March 29, 2012: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
• Location: National Forums Omni Shoreham Room: Empire Ballroom (tentative) ** No Fee. Pre-Registration is required ** ** Open to first 200 attendees ** ** Hosted by the ASA Public Policy Committee and underwritten by a grant from The SCAN Foundation **
• Description: Drawing from the content of the Spring 2011 issue of Generations, this program explores the potential of the patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) for shaping a better long-term future for older Americans. Can the embattled law really help elders age with dignity, optimum health, and in a setting of their own choosing? Though the future of the Affordable Care Act is far from secure, the presenters of this program believe ACA will bring about a brighter future for Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS)
• Presenters: Bruce A Chernof, MD, The SCAN Foundation, Bruce Leff, MD, Johns Hopkins University, Kirsten Sloan, National Partnership for Women & Families, Brenda A Sulick, PhD, National PACE Association, Diane Justice, MA, National Academy for State Health Policy, Richard Kaplan, JD, University of Illinois College, Carol V. O'Shaughnessy, MA, National Health Policy Forum, Cynthia Stuen, PhD, Independent 

4. Raising Expectations: The State Long-Term Services and Supports Scorecard

• Date/Time: Thursday March 29, 2012: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
• Location: Marriott Wardman Park Room: Wilson C (tentative)
• Description: State scorecards are a valuable tool for describing and tracking delivery systems across states and over time. The AARP Public Policy Institute has produced the first state long-term services and supports (LTSS) scorecard. This session will provide an overview of the state LTSS scorecard and the state rankings. We will also hear about opportunities to improve measurement of state systems.
• Presenters: Lisa R. Shugarman, PhD, The SCAN Foundation, Ari Houser, MA, AARP Public Policy Institute, Enid Kassner, MSW, AARP Public Policy Institute, Susan Reinhard, RN, PhD, AARP Public Policy Institute

5. Words That Work: How to Effectively Engage Boomers and Seniors on Aging Issues

• Date/Time: Saturday March 31, 2012: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Workshop
• Location: Omni Shoreham Room: Empire Ballroom (tentative)
• Description: Is your organization overcomplicating its communication products by using too many acronyms or complicated delivery system jargon? Are you looking to engage baby boomers and seniors on aging issues, but not sure how to approach them without scaring them away? If so, this informative 60-minute workshop is for you! An educational presentation by The SCAN Foundation will reveal key findings gathered over two years through a series of national polls and focus groups among boomers and seniors. 
• Presenters: Victoria Ballesteros, Director of Communications, The SCAN Foundation Athan Bezaitis, Communications Specialist, The SCAN Foundation

6. Individuals With Chronic Conditions and Disabilities: Better Integrating Services to Improve Care

• Date/Time: Saturday March 31, 2012 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
• Location: Marriott Wardman Park, Virginia B (tentative)
• Description: Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions and disabilities require both medical care and long-term supportive services (LTSS) to meet their needs. These two systems are fragmented, leading to inefficiencies in service delivery and high program costs for these individuals. This session will highlight new data on service use and spending for these beneficiaries. It will also consider payment and delivery system redesign to promote better integration of medical care and LTSS.
• Presenters: Keyla Whitenhill, MPW, The SCAN Foundation; Elana Stair, MSc, Avalere Health, LLC; and Harriet L. Komisar, PhD, Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University.

A new research project, funded by The SCAN Foundation, will study Sutter Health’s Advanced Illness Management (AIM) program to determine how to expand AIM as a national best-practice model.

New Organization Supported in Part By The SCAN Foundation Is Working for Comprehensive Reform to Improve Care and Give People More Choice

Washington, D.C. – Seniors with five or more chronic conditions who need help with activities of daily life, such
as bathing, eating and meal preparation, incur nearly twice the Medicare costs as those with the same level of
chronic illness but without a need for daily supports and services, according to a new DataBrief series released
today by The SCAN Foundation based on analyses by Avalere Health.