The Buzz

Last week, the Alliance for Health Policy held a webinar to discuss telehealth policy and other considerations for using the public health emergency (PHE) flexibilities to improve person-centered, equitable care for adults. Watch the recording, as well as access the transcript and presentation.

The related PHE Flexibilities Roadmap for Policymakers resources supported by TSF and released earlier this year provide concrete and consensus-driven recommendations to federal and state policymakers on which temporary Medicare and Medicaid flexibilities should be made permanent.

Join Alliance for Health Policy this Friday for a webinar: Moving Beyond COVID-19: Considerations for Using PHE Flexibilities to Improve Person-Centered Care. The event will feature TSF leadership and a diverse panel of experts to discuss considerations for using the public health emergence (PHE) flexibilities to improve person-centered, equitable care for older adults.

This webinar further unpacks the PHE Flexibilities Roadmap for Policymakers resources supported by TSF and released earlier this year. The Roadmap provides concrete and consensus-driven recommendations to federal and state policymakers on which temporary Medicare and Medicaid flexibilities should be made permanent. View the related media advisory.

Supported by TSF, a group of expert stakeholders with diverse perspectives met over several months to assess COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) flexibilities. Resources on the webpage PHE Flexibilities Roadmap for Policymakers provide concrete and consensus-driven recommendations to federal and state policymakers on which temporary Medicare and Medicaid flexibilities should be made permanent to increase access to equitable, person-centered care for older adults. View the Roadmap and media advisory.

Among the flexibilities that experts found should be made permanent are those that:

• Expand telehealth benefits to ensure equitable access to remote care;
• Maximize clinician scope of practice to expand the workforce available to care for older adults; and
• Ease Medicare and Medicaid program requirements to enable more individuals to qualify to get the care they need.

Join Alliance for Health Policy on Friday, March 3, at 9 am PT for a webinar: Moving Beyond COVID-19: Considerations for Using PHE Flexibilities to Improve Person-Centered Care. The event will feature TSF leadership and a diverse panel of experts to discuss considerations for using the PHE flexibilities to improve person-centered, equitable care for older adults.

This National Family Caregivers Month, The SCAN Foundation salutes the tremendous contributions that family caregivers provide to older adults and people with disabilities.

Nearly everyone will be a caregiver or need a caregiver in their lifetime. Currently, 53 million people in America are unpaid caregivers—providing physical, emotional, social, and financial support to family, friends, and neighbors. They are the “invisible backbone” of U.S. health care, spending roughly $7,000/year on out-of-pocket caregiving costs, such as household and medical expenses. An earlier report found that caregivers’ estimated 34 billion hours of unpaid care translated to an estimated economic value of $470 billion.

California had 6.7 million adult caregivers in 2020, and 1 in 4 adults provided at least 20 hours/week of caregiving. Nearly 3 in 5 were women, 3 in 5 were 45 years of age or older, and 4 in 5 were white or Latino. Further, we see communities of color living in multigenerational settings (or households) more often than whites, which suggests that these families are more likely to provide unpaid caregiving across the generations.

Family caregivers are the unsung heroes of health care and deserve more recognition than just 30 days in November. Their service reinforces our commitment to lift their voices—like Sandy, a woman caring for her proud veteran father, and ensuring he can age at home surrounded by his friends and community.

Similarly, Grace cares for her parents. She adjusts as her parents’ needs change to ensure they can keep doing what they like to do. Simultaneously, she is thinking about how she can obtain support and maintain her own well-being.

Though Angela moved into an assisted living facility to be supported with her daily living needs, her granddaughter Sarah continues to provide emotional and social support.

We pledge to continue to advance efforts for every state to develop a Master Plan for Aging that includes the needs of family caregivers—like paid leave, multilingual training resources, virtual care options, and other supports. So what can you do today?

• Start important conversations about aging well with older adults in your life. Then when caregiving needs exist, you’ll know what matters most to them.
• Find your local AARP chapter to learn about family caregiver assistance and ongoing efforts to expand home- and community-based resources near you.

Throughout National Family Caregivers Month and every day, we must continue to shine a light on family caregivers. They deserve our deep appreciation, and our responsiveness to their wants and needs.

CA for ALL Ages & Abilities Day of Action brought together nearly 900 participants (in-person and virtual) representing advocates, providers, policymakers, and more. This event – supported in partnership with Archstone Foundation, Gary and Mary West Foundation, May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust, Metta Fund, San Diego Foundation, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation, and The SCAN Foundation – provided opportunities for stakeholders to hear and recommend key priorities of focus for the next two years.

The themes of equity and partnership were woven throughout the day and centered on continuing momentum for advancing the Master Plan for Aging(MPA). Access event recordings and materials and read Dr. Sarita Mohanty’s reflections on the day.

We recently hired three vice presidents from diverse sectors of health care to build out our executive team:

• Anika S. Heavener, Vice President of Innovation and Investments;
• Narda Ipakchi, Vice President of Policy; and
• Rigo A. Saborio, Vice President of Programs, Equity, and Community Impact.

The appointments conclude a broad executive search for proven, dynamic, and diverse leaders to advance TSF’s strategic priorities. Read more.

National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 to October 15, recognizes the achievements of Hispanics who have influenced and enriched our nation.

The SCAN Foundation (TSF) celebrates the tremendous contributions of Hispanic older adults to society. With earnings of more than $1 trillion each year and tax contributions of more than $252 billion, Hispanic individuals not only add significant value to the U.S. economy but also support and help fund social services and infrastructure that ultimately benefit all Americans. In addition, Hispanic Americans –  particularly Hispanic immigrants – continue to start and lead their own businesses at higher rates than the rest of the population.

We are proud to partner with experts serving this vibrant community and directly engage with Hispanic older adults to inform our vision and mission.

This year’s theme for Hispanic Heritage Month – Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation –  inspires us to work hard to advance inclusivity and achieve true health equity. While Hispanics positively impact our nation, they continue to experience disparities and inequities. Research we funded at The LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston found significant disparities in older adults’ experiences based on race, ethnicity, income, and other demographic factors. One-third of older adults reported that their preferences were never or only sometimes considered, with Hispanics being twice as likely to say that the system does not account for their preferences. When preferences are ignored, older adults are more likely to forgo medical care and report lower satisfaction with their health care. We must work harder to ensure that person-centered care includes everyone’s needs.

TSF is committed to ensuring health equity and innovation are at the center of the aging experience. As such, a critical part of our mission is uplifting the voices and priorities of Hispanic older adults. Co-funding alongside the California Health Care Foundation, we are soon embarking on an effort with Community Catalyst to elevate the diverse voices of dual eligible beneficiaries (those who have both Medicare and Medicaid), including Hispanic dual eligibles. We will learn what matters most to them and determine which health care and nonmedical supports are unavailable in their communities. This effort will be an initial step in transforming the information infrastructure behind policy and practice decisions and producing better total health outcomes for diverse populations.

These and other grantee organizations are working with TSF to address inequities in the U.S. health care and long-term services and supports systems. Let us celebrate Hispanic voices this month and every month to achieve better aging for all.

Our latest Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll indicates that most U.S. adults think private health insurers (60%) and Medicare (57%) should have a large responsibility for paying for the costs of long-term care, and about half think the same about Medicaid (53%).

Also, majorities of Black and Hispanic adults are very or extremely concerned about having access to high-quality health care when they need it. Read the press release and article.

It’s a summer of growth for The SCAN Foundation. We are privileged to announce two recent Foundation hires.

Senior Policy Analyst Michelle Matter, EdD, MBA, MAG, brings more than 20 years of experience in state government, higher education, and the nonprofit aging sector. She looks forward to digging into TSF priorities and was most recently chosen as an ASA RISE Fellow, which seeks to create a diverse leadership pool that improves policies and programs at the local, state, and national levels.

In her 19 years providing high-quality C-suite level support, Senior Executive Assistant Kenya Metoyer has achieved project goals through superior planning and problem-solving. Kenya has worked in various industries, including advertising, health care, gaming, and financial services. She looks forward to assisting TSF’s Executive Leadership Team.

On June 19, 1865 — two-and-a-half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and two months after the Civil War ended — federal troops were deployed to Galveston, Texas, to free 250,000 Black Americans. Last year Congress designated June 19 — Juneteenth — a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of all enslaved Black Americans.

The SCAN Foundation looks forward to observing this upcoming day of reflection. We are committed to advancing a coordinated and easily navigated system of quality services for all older adults that preserve dignity and independence, with a particular emphasis on communities that have been historically underserved and underrepresented. We celebrate the special significance of Juneteenth for Black Americans and seek to elevate the voices and experiences of older Black adults and their caregivers to inform our organization’s efforts, establish important dialogue, and create systems change.

When we acknowledge and learn from the past and consistently honor individuals whose lived experiences are vital for informing a more just future, we create opportunities for person-centered, equitable, and community-focused care to flourish.

May we all continue to uplift each other’s voices to create an inclusive society for generations to come.

In the latest Forefront article, TSF President and CEO Sarita A. Mohanty and The John A. Hartford Foundation President Terry Fulmer share how person-driven outcome measures benefits patients and likely helps address a multitude of pressing health care issues.

Dr. Mohanty recently reflected on 2021 and looked ahead to efforts TSF is advancing. Read her Perspectives and watch the related clip.

1. You welcomed Dr. Sarita A. Mohanty as our new President and CEO one year ago.
2. You learned about of our successes, projects, and ongoing work in our 2020 Annual Report.
3. You explored our 2021 virtual Forum agenda and checked out our annual Innovation Award. You can still catch up on the recordings, get all the materials, and learn more about our 2021 awardee.
4. You tracked the historic progress of California’s Master Plan for Aging and learned how other states are charting their own course.
5. Finally, you trusted us to unpack how California’s 2021-22 Budget and Home- and Community-Based Spending Plan are impacting older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers.

California’s Master Plan for Aging has inspired unprecedented levels of coordinated action across the state’s network of aging and disability providers, policymakers, researchers, and advocates. See what’s planned for 2022 and hear from Dr. Mohanty at the January 21 anniversary event.

Our monthlong series explored aging and engaging with our health care and long-term care systems. We highlighted personal experiences of older Californians, consulted with experts, and captured visual summaries.

The Forum culminated with a poem written in real time bringing us back to the heart of the matter: What do we mean by “aging well” and “aging equitably”? View all the Forum recordings and resources.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our virtual 2021 Forum: Amplifying All Voices in Aging. It’s not too late to watch previous weeks’ recordings and register for our final session!

Tomorrow, TSF President & CEO Sarita A. Mohanty will moderate a futurist discussion on how to reimagine and build a society where all populations can age well. We’re looking forward to hearing insights from experts in the fields of public health, media, and technology. In addition, we’ll recognize the recipient of our 2021 Innovation Award. See you there!

We hope you’re enjoying Amplifying All Voices in Aging each Wednesday in October. It’s not too late to watch previous weeks’ recordings and register for our third session!

Tomorrow, we will examine the temporary Medicare and Medicaid flexibilities enacted in response to COVID-19. Come consider what flexibilities should become permanent to achieve person-centered care for the future.

We hope you’re enjoying our 2021 Forum: Amplifying All Voices in Aging. Our virtual series, Wednesdays in October, continues with a focus on supporting older adults and people with disabilities who have complex needs.

Tomorrow, join us to learn about applications of the core competencies created by the National Center for Complex Health & Social Needs (National Center). These competencies are helping the health care and social service sectors deliver team-based and person-centered care.

Register for this week’s panel!

Amplifying All Voices in Aging is a four-week virtual series, every Wednesday in October, to share people’s experiences engaging with health care and long-term services and supports (LTSS).

On Wednesday, October 6, learn about the pressing issues facing California’s LTSS system, engage with leaders to better understand the state’s policy landscape through an equity lens, and consider where you can play a role.

It’s not too late to register!