A recent AARP survey finds that most Americans have little or inaccurate knowledge of the different payment methods for long-term care services. With emerging dynamics of the aging population, more options for funding sources are made available, but most people simply can not keep up with the development.

The survey AARP conducted titled "The Costs of Long-Term Care: Public Perceptions Versus Reality" was based on randomized telephone survey of 1,800 Americans age 45 and older. It is aimed to assess their knowledge of long-term care costs on three common types of care that are: nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and in-home care. With statistics from the most recent U.S. Census Bureau estimating the population of those 65 and older will double to about 70 million in 2030; the need for long-term care services may increase accordingly too.

The results show very few Americans are prepared for the likelihood of needing some kind of long term care services when they age. Of all the subjects age 45 and older, only 15 percent could identify the cost of nursing home care within 20% range of accuracy of the national average cost; and most of their estimated costs were too low. Moreover, for the cost of a much requested service like in-home visit from a skilled nurse is also one that most subjects are clueless about. Results show that about one third of Americans surveyed expressed they "didn't know" the cost.

Another alarming finding is the false understanding of Medicare coverage by people who claim to understand the Medicare system. These subjects believe they can rely on Medicare to cover long-term nursing home stays in the future, but in reality the system does not.

Though the survey may not be representative of the American population as a whole, with the margin of error being +/- 3 percentage points in this survey, the results still confronts a startling number of people who are unprepared for the reality of high long-term care costs and the options of funding resources available.

(Source of article is taken from AARP website.)

Reauthorization of Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Calls for Participation

Prior to October 1, 2003, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended is scheduled for reauthorization. The organizing groups, the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) and the Department of Education are seeking public participation to gather comments and proposals on the reauthorization.

The purpose of the Act is to empower the living of persons with disabilities through a variety of effort - research, training, demonstration projects, assurance of equal opportunity, and through independent living programs and services. The Act will also promote the economic independence of persons with disabilities by maximizing employment opportunities with collaboration from the Federal Government.

Scheduled is a list of public meetings where individuals with reservations can present comments, or written inputs may be submitted directly to the RSA. The written comments should be concise, identifying issues in relation to specific sections of the Act, and include reasoning as to any improvements suggested. The deadline is June 30, 2002 and they should be addressed to Joanne Wilson, Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, sent through one of the following methods:

Email to: rehab.reauth@ed.gov; or Mail to: Rehabilitation Services Administration, United States Department of Education, 330 "C" Street, S.W., Room 3028, Mary E. Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202-2531; or Fax to: (202) 205-9874.

For more information, public meeting schedule, contact Beverlee Stafford at the United States Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, 330 "C" Street, S.W., Room 3014, Mary E. Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202-2550; or email: beverlee.stafford@ed.gov; or call (202) 205-8831, TTY (202) 205-5538. A copy of the Act is available for download on the RSA website.

In Grand Junction, Co, a young high school senior student created an invention that will ease communication for deaf people who use sign language. Ryan Peterson saw the need for improvement in communication when he witnessed a group of deaf signers at a fast food joint, relying on a speaking translator to order their meals for them. He developed a glove that translates sign language into text instantly.

The glove with sensors is able to translate American Sign Language into text on a small display screen through a software program that recognizes the hand and finger movement. As diverse as individual voice, the software will recognize individual trait of signing over time. As fast as one-fifth of a second, the sensors on the glove would transmit signals to the display screen to translating sign language.

The project begins by utilizing a golf glove, a circuit board, a laptop, and other necessary electronic attachments designed to enter a science fair competition. They were later refined by Mr. Peterson to a small wireless receiver and display unit replacing the laptop, which increases its usability for traveling and running errands. However, as promising as the glove seems Mr. Peterson expressed "There's no replacement for a human translator, and people who can't speak are going to need one at some point."

(Source of article is taken from The New York Times February 7, 2002 article titled "For Deaf Signers, a Glove That Translates.")

A law suit against Idaho developer, Allan Horsley and Horsley Construction in violation of the Fair Housing Act was resolved early this year. The company was sued for failing to comply with the accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Act when constructing Elms Apartments in Pocatello, Idaho.

This twelve-unit apartment complex's common areas have six-inch steps, and inaccessible door handles that make entering and maneuvering through the building difficult for people with disabilities. Furthermore, the individual units are inaccessible for wheelchair bound persons. The apartments have narrow doorways, bathroom walls that lack reinforcements for installing grab bars, and light switches, thermostat, and electrical outlets are placed at unreachable height.

Under the settlement, Horsley has to pay a total of $42,000 penalty to compensate disabled individuals who sought to live at the Elms Apartments, Intermountain Fair Housing Council, and to the U.S. as civil penalties. In addition, the company has to build sixteen units of new accessible housing in Pocatello, Id.

Individuals who believe they are victims of housing discrimination of Elms Apartments should contact the Justice Department at (800) 896-7743. Those who are victims of housing discrimination elsewhere should contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at (800) 669-9777, or visit www.hud.gov for additional information.

SourceAbility is user-friendly, interactive CD-Rom containing comprehensive information on accessibility resources, ranging from ADA, Fair Housing, to Section 504. The format is accessible with annotated sections and resources are offered in different versions. There are also hyperlinks to government resources, housing information, products, and transition plans.

Each section has a pop-up menu summarizing the content, so readers can navigate through the resources quicker, and find what they want faster. In each section, there is comprehensive listing of resources in full text and in three versions: web, text, and acrobat. Each resource also has a pop-up text box explaining its content, as well as search options within the resource to look up words or phrases.

Resources in the CD-Rom include Fair Housing Design Manual, entire text of Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards, ADA Guidelines, Self-Evaluation Needs Assessment and Transition Plan, and much more.

For a free preview of the CD-ROM, click here.

The Defense Authorization Act of 2001 was signed into law at the end of year 2001. The new law refers to the Department of Defense health care programs, TRICARE, formerly known as CHAMPUS that provides health care coverage for active duty military, their dependents, and relatives. The new law expands the existing benefits package greatly in the area of assistive technology, which is especially advantageous to enrollees living with disabilities.

The bill was lead by Senator Kennedy with strong support from Senator Levin, and Senator Warner who are determined to improve coverage of services and access to assistive technologies that would benefit millions living with disabilities.

The dramatic increase of coverage differs from the existing TRICARE benefits in several areas: durable medical equipment, prosthetics and orthotics, hearing aids, augmentative communication devices, and rehabilitative therapies. Much of the changes are increased coverage toward "[a]ny durable medical equipment that can improve, restore, or maintain the function of a malformed, diseased, or injured body part, or can otherwise minimize or prevent the deterioration of the patient's function or condition."

For the assistive devices, the new coverage deems not only the equipment itself, but also includes any customization by qualified practitioners, repairs or replacement due to normal wear and tear, as well as for or any accessory that is essential to the proper function of the equipment.

One of the obvious improvements of new TRICARE is that many common assistive devices that are widely utilized by people with disabilities such as hearing aids, augmentative communication devices are, for the first time covered under the prosthetics benefit. Any changes in the person's condition that requires new equipment will also be covered.

For services, unlike the existing TRICARE package that covers only "outpatient care", any rehabilitative therapies prescribed by physicians are now covered under the new TRICARE, so even enrollees with chronic conditions can receive assistance. The advantage on the whole is the impact this federal law may have on other federal health programs and private sectors. It may pave the way to more positive changes or developments for healthcare and hopefully encourage reflection on current programs for areas of improvement.