Justice in Aging

3 out of 4 Americans want to stay in their homes for as long as possible as they age. But most houses and apartments aren't designed to meet the needs of seniors and people with disabilities. "For centuries, we’ve built housing in this country thinking about younger families, but the Census Bureau shows that 2034 is the first year we're going to have more people over 65 than under 18."

Although federal law and regulation prohibit the use of third party guarantees, some nursing homes may still attempt to get folks to sign documents making them financially responsible for a nursing home stay. Anna A., staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center and Eric Carlson at Justice in Aging guide listeners through what they can do if a nursing home tries to hold them financially liable for someone else’s nursing home stay. Listen to the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care podcast now! #ProtectConsumers

Medi-Cal is a vital lifeline for older Californians because it covers home care services that Medicare does not. Yet, some Medi-Cal rules are so complex and outdated that they effectively punish seniors who are trying to make ends meet. A Los Angeles Times article highlights the issue: 97-year-old Rosaline George, who lives on less than $2,900 a month from Social Security, makes too much to qualify for Medi-Cal outright. She can still access the program by paying a "share of cost" towards her medical bills, similar to a deductible. However, Rosaline would need to spend over three-fourths of her Social Security check on medical expenses before Medi-Cal kicks in. Tiffany Huyenh-Cho emphasized the burden of the share of cost rules: "It's really punishing for people. Six hundred dollars today is just not enough to live on."

Important changes are coming to Medicaid-funded home and community-based services (HCBS). The new federal HCBS Access Rule establishes standards for waiting lists, care planning, quality measures, and more. In our upcoming webinar, experts from Justice in Aging and Brandeis University Lurie Institute for Disability Policy will explain the major provisions of the HCBS Access Rule and discuss advocacy strategies to ensure that its implementation prioritizes the people who rely on these essential services.

Homeownership is one of the key ways that older adults can build generational wealth and age in place. But too often, seniors are the targets of predatory mortgage loans and scams. Join us at our free webinar to learn how to spot and find legal remedies for exploitative mortgage products and wrongful foreclosures. December 5, 2024 11AM PT/2PM ET Presenters: Shawna Reeves (Moderator), Lisa Battista, Kathleen Thaete, Sil Vossler, and Justice in Aging's Patti Prunhuber  Who should attend: - elder, consumer, and housing attorneys - housing counselors - aging services providers    Register 👉 https://lnkd.in/gTjPVEgE

“Medicare perpetuates poverty by relying on unpaid caregivers.” —Amber Christ, Managing Director of Health Advocacy at #CaregiverNation24 Family caregivers provide billions of hours of unpaid care annually, yet, their contributions often go unrecognized and unsupported by our healthcare system. At today's Caregiver Nation Summit, Amber Christ, Chanee D. Fabius, PhD, Sue Peschin, Madhavi Vemireddy, MD, and Barbara Lyons explored how Medicare can evolve to better value and integrate family caregivers.

Come work with us! Justice in Aging is seeking an Accounting Manager with at least 6 years of experience. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by December 6. Visit our website to apply:

Family caregivers provide billions of hours of unpaid care annually, yet, their contributions often go unrecognized and unsupported by our healthcare system. Next Wednesday, Nov. 20, join Amber Christ and other leaders for a discussion on how to leverage Medicare to create a more caregiver-friendly healthcare system. Learn more about the National Alliance for Caregiving's Caregiver Nation Summit at https://lnkd.in/gp8aKDFi

The Social Security Administration (SSA) approves or denies SSI/SSDI, in part, by deciding if the applicant can still do past work. This past June, SSA cut the relevant work period from 15 to 5 years. In the video below, Justice in Aging's Trinh Phan and Jennifer Cronenberg outline the significance of these changes. Watch the full video for more on the new SSI/SSDI rules that impact disabled applicants and beneficiaries: https://lnkd.in/gbam7sBJ

As we age, many of us want to keep living independently in our homes. But to do that, we'll need some help. Without access to in-home care services, older adults like Dorothy Potter, 84, rely on family. "It's very frustrating not to be able to do for yourself. I had to depend on family members, calling them and say, can you bring my groceries in the house for me or can you stop by and run the vacuum for me?"