Trust in “nursing homes” is low. CNN reminds us why.
Investigative reporting reveals that seniors are justified in fears of physical abuse (a fear greater than financial abuse). CNN exclusively found that the federal government has cited more than 1,000 nursing homes for mishandling or failing to prevent alleged cases of rape, sexual assault and sexual abuse at their facilities. See the interactive, video-rich report at CNN.
See the January 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer, showing an implosion of trust in government, non-profits and NGOs (Institute for Public Relations).
Where to improve home care.
Specific opportunities to improve service and trust in home care are revealed by a new survey of 250 people who receive care, or are the family caregiver.
Don’t wait to be asked: 2/3 say their home care provider doesn’t always proactively address or seek care for potential medical issues or ailments.
Show up on time: Only 28% said their home care provider showed up on time and stayed the hours they were expected to work 100% of the time.
Weed out bad players: 13% personally experienced abuse or fraud from care providers in their home.
Read the press release from HHAeXchange and request their report.
Show LGBT clients they are safe.
Study after study shows that LGBT customers are fearful of caregivers’ and doctors’ cultural biases or abuse. Still, there are few pink triangles or rainbow symbols on the websites or marketing of senior living, health organizations and retirement services.
Nobody wants to offend anybody, yet in the process, some are deeply fearful. The cultural taboos against homosexuality amongst the older generation (especially non-native born) must be dealt with by standing up for LGBT clientele, and educating caregivers and residents/clients.
Welcoming LGBT clients is a moral imperative way beyond the business case. Forbes: LGBTQ Boomers Still not Out to their Doctors. Also read our previous article, Welcoming LGBT Customers, Generations Now.
Products designed yesterday for today’s customer.
Back in the day, a company designed a puzzle for you — the customer — and saw you as a missing piece. They defined a hole with a certain shape. This product or service was convenient to them.
Customers were like prisoners with Stockholm syndrome. We would rather put ourselves into their jigsaw puzzle than cut ourselves into a completely new shape.
Todays customer can fashion what they want, with or without one specific company. They learn about services without you by going online. They read reviews and do their research and decide on the service they want. Welcome to the age of Digital Disruption. Forrester Blogs.
Retirement advice like castor oil.
Registered investment advisors are doling out bitter medicine to middle-class retirees. There are few solutions to not having $1 million in savings. RIAs are truly on the front lines of the “retirement crisis,” one person at a time. Psychology Today.
CMS’s new sheriff is riding into town. Seema Verma.
Seema Verma is heading to the finish line as Trump’s nominee to head the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
During her confirmation hearing last month, Verma declined to weigh in on Republican proposals to cut Medicaid spending by using block grants or per person caps.
Seema Verma is a protégé of Vice President Mike Pence. Her consulting firm designed a Medicaid expansion along conservative lines for Indiana when he was governor. Reports in Kaiser Health News Daily Briefing.
We previously reported on the need to quickly form relationships with new political appointees. Be a source of information, constituency views. Bring solutions for problems that include “where the money comes from.” See “There is no policy without politics” from Generations Now.
Andy Slavitt leaves job, not influence.
Andy Slavitt, outoing head of CMS, is on a social media tear. @aslavitt lights up Twitter and Facebook daily.
The wisdom of support groups in healthcare.
Patients who participate in peer groups learned tips about drugs and specialists that turn out to be critical to their care.
Older Boomers and the Silent Generation do not like to openly discuss their health conditions. Especially in business, they fear being seen as “higher risk.” However, going public with a health problem helps people feel more in control, and less a victim. New York Times.
When to graduate to a geriatrician.
Getting a senior to change their doctor is difficult. Relationships go back years. Kaiser laid out the case for switching to a geriatrician, who works with a team of health professionals. Read in Kaiser Health News.
Faith-based services.
A “Faithful Aging” conference in Virginia hopes to connect congregants with local services.
Faith communities can fill in gaps where people can’t afford services or where services may not exist.
Older adults often feel ignored. Churches build their audience and base with young people and those just starting families. Read local news story.
Many churches provide Medicaid reimbursed services such as in-home care and senior housing.
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