October 1, 2010 |

AAHSA members approve ‘LeadingAge’

FACT SHEETS HIGHLIGHT LTC STATS

The SCAN Foundation released six facts sheets compiling national long-term care statistics and figures. Each fact sheet presents a long-term care issue, highlights main points and facts in bulleted format, and provides a comprehensive list of citations. They are currently titled as:

Demographic & Economic Characteristics of an Aging Population
Who Needs and Who Uses Long-Term Care?
Growing Demand for Long-Term Care
Where is Long-Term Care Provided?
Who Provides Long-Term Care?
Who Pays for Long-Term Care?

Access the facts sheets at www.iadvanceseniorcare.com/SCANFactSheets.

WASHINGTON, D.C.-In a recent vote, members of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) approved its new name: LeadingAge. According to an announcement, this new name is a result of a comprehensive study that included extensive member input about AAHSA’s core principles. The research showed that members want their association to be a distinct, strong voice for not-for-profit organizations.

“This comprehensive research process showed us that our members expect their association to be forward-thinking in shaping the future of our field and expand the word of possibilities for aging,” AAHSA Board Chair Win Marshall said. “They expect us to lead in innovative practices that transform how we care for our aging population, cutting-edge initiatives to develop services that meet older adults’ needs and preferences, and advocacy efforts to advance the interest of the aging consumer.”

Association officials expect the transition to LeadingAge to be completed in early 2011, its 50th anniversary year.

RN jobs in LTC forecast to grow 25% by 2018

Rebounding from a sluggish economy, registered nursing jobs in long-term care are predicted to rise a healthy 25% from 2008 to 2018, Nursing Spectrum/NurseWeek reported in an article citing statistics from the 2010-2011 edition of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Hospital jobs will continue to increase as nurses get older and start to retire, but at a slower rate than other healthcare settings.

LTL NEWS TICKER &Verbar; The average daily cost for a private nursing home room in 2010 is $247, or $90,155 annually, a 14% increase since 2008, according to Prudential Financial’s 2010 Long-Term Care Cost Study &Verbar; The medical journal Neurology published research last month arguing brain exercise might actually speed up dementia later in old age &Verbar;

The fastest-growing RN jobs will be in physician offices (48% growth rate) and home health (33% growth rate), according to federal projections. Hospital jobs will continue to increase as nurses get older and start to retire, but at a slower rate (17%) than other healthcare settings, Nursing Spectrum/NurseWeek reported.