Even with extensive caregiving experience, Patti LaFleur was unprepared for the crisis that hit in April 2021, when her mother, Linda LaTurner, fell out of a chair and broke her hip.
LaTurner, 71, had been diagnosed with early-onset dementia seven years before. For two years, she'd been living with LaFleur, who managed insulin injections for her mother's Type 1 diabetes, helped her shower and dress, dealt with her incontinence, and made sure she was eating well.
A new proposal from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services addresses this often-lamented failure to support family, friends, and neighbors who care for frail, ill, and disabled older adults. For the first time, it would authorize Medicare payments to health care professionals to train informal caregivers who manage medications, assist loved ones with activities such as toileting and dressing, and oversee the use of medical equipment.
Even fewer caregivers for older adults — only 7% — report receiving training related to tasks they perform, according to a June 2019 report in JAMA Internal Medicine. Several details of CMS' proposal have yet to be finalized. Notably, CMS has asked for public comments on who should be considered a family caregiver for the purposes of training and how often training should be delivered.
When possible, training should be delivered in a person's home rather than at a health care institution, suggested Donna Benton, director of the University of Southern California's Family Caregiver Support Center and the Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center. All too often, recommendations that caregivers get from health professionals aren't easy to implement at home and need to be adjusted, she noted.
For her part, Cheryl Brown, 79, of San Bernardino, California — a caregiver for her husband, Hardy Brown Sr., 80, since he was diagnosed with ALS in 2002 — is skeptical about paying professionals for training. At the time of his diagnosis, doctors gave Hardy five years, at most, to live. But he didn't accept that prognosis and ended up defying expectations.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Young vapers at risk of bronchitis and shortness of breath even if they also smokeYoung vapers are at risk of bronchitic symptoms and shortness of breath, even if they, or others around them, smoke cigarettes or cannabis, suggests research published online in the journal Thorax.
Read more »
The boy racer who killed a pregnant mum on M66 could be jailed for even longerAdil Iqbal was jailed for 12 years for causing the death of Frankie Jules-Hough
Read more »
Anthony Joshua made everyone cringe in his post-fight interview, even the crowd groanedAnthony Joshua followed up his 26th professional win of his career with a cringe-worthy comment in his post-fight interview.
Read more »
I hate my husband - even the way he eats crisps sets my teeth on edgeBeth has been married for 10 years, but now just looking at her husband makes her want to scream with rage. She's not alone: family therapist Terrence Real, says marital hatred is the dark underbelly of many long-term relationships
Read more »
- even the way he eats crisps sets my teeth on edgeBeth has been married for 10 years, but now just looking at her husband makes her want to scream with rage. She's not alone: family therapist Terrence Real, says marital hatred is the dark underbelly of many long-term relationships
Read more »
Is It Healthy To Feel Disappointed By A Celebrity You Don't Even Know?Lizzo and Ariana Grande are just the latest celebrities to disappoint their fans. There's a reason why we care so much.
Read more »