Seniors/Retirees are eligible for IRS Tax Rebate
Posted: Mar 21, 2008
Even if you are not otherwise required to file a tax return, you may still be entitled to an economic stimulus payment from the federal government. You could receive a payment of $300 for individuals or $600 if you are married and file a joint tax return with your spouse. All you have to do to get the stimulus payment is file a 2007 IRS Form 1040 or Form 1040A and report at least $3,000 in qualifying income on the form. You can include the amount of your SSA benefits to qualify for the stimulus payment. Add the amount of your Social Security benefits to other qualifying income, such as wage earnings or certain benefits paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs, to reach the $3,000 requirement. However, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) does not count as qualifying income for the stimulus payment. You will enter your name, address, Social Security Number, and filing status on the form. In addition, you should write the words “Stimulus Payment” at the top of the 1040A or 1040. The IRS will begin mailing checks in early May. In late March 2008, the IRS will mail a packet of information to recipients of Social Security benefits who did not file a tax return last year. The packet will contain guidance to help you claim the stimulus payment.

Kohl and Schumer Introduce Our Housing Bill
Posted: Mar 14, 2008
Senators Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) introduced S. 2736, the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act, which we initiated to promote new construction and preservation of affordable housing for seniors and facilitate the conversion of existing 202 facilities into assisted-living facilities. The bill is similar to legislation already passed by the House, but several provisions have been strengthened. Now, the legislation needs as many cosponsors as possible in order to get it to the Senate floor for a vote. Please contact your Senators and ask them to sign onto this vital legislation. Contact: Alayna Waldrum, (202) 508-9476 or Nancy Libson, (202) 508-9447.

CDC Health Advisory Encouraging Influenza Antiviral Use
Posted: Mar 07, 2008
Because of recent increased influenza activity, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a Health Advisory, "Influenza Antiviral Use for Persons at High Risk for Influenza Complications." The advisory is intended to re-emphasize the importance of considering antiviral medications for use in the treatment or prevention of influenza.

AAHSA Seeks Withdrawal of Proposed DAB Rule
Posted: Feb 04, 2008
AAHSA submitted comments to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), urging HHS not to implement a proposed rule that would give the Secretary of HHS the authority to reverse decisions rendered by the Departmental Appeals Board (DAB) in nursing home survey and certification cases that do not reflect the "considered opinion" of the Secretary.

AAHSA Outlines Quality Long-Term Care for Senate Committee
Posted: Nov 16, 2007
Bonnie Zabel, the administrator of Marquardt Memorial Manor in Watertown, Wisconsin, testified on our behalf at last week’s Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing on “Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement.” In particular, her testimony focused on problems that can develop when a hospital patient is discharged to a nursing home with little time to explore options or compare quality, and she recommended protections and information that should be available to consumers and their families. Her testimony also discussed the many quality initiatives which she and other AAHSA members have spearheaded.

OBRA Retrospective: Progress Achieved, Changes Needed
Posted: May 07, 2007
In a statement to the Senate Special Committee on Aging, we outlined the many provider nitiatives that have improved quality of care and quality of life in America's nursing homes. We discussed the ways in which OBRA has contributed to improved quality of care and recommended revisions in the statute to further promote quality. We submitted our statement for the record of the Aging Committee's May 2 hearing, "The Nursing Home Reform Act Turns Twenty: What Has Been Accomplished, and What Challenges Remain?"

Financing Long-Term Care: A Framework for America
Posted: Nov. 13, 2006
AAHSA’s vision is for all Americans to receive the care they need, when they need it, in a place they call home. AAHSA leaders convened a Finance Cabinet in 2004 to recommend a position for future financing of long-term care. The result was a plan that would create a public insurance program to help people manage and pay for the services they need with cash payments based on level of disability. This document presents the Finance Cabinet’s recommendations and the rationale for its decisions.

AAHSA Finance Cabinet Report
Posted: October 20, 2006
In 2004, AAHSA leaders convened a Finance Cabinet to recommend to the Board, after appropriate study, a position with respect to a model for future financing for long-term care. This document presents the Finance Cabinet’s recommendations and the rationale for its decisions.

Guidelines Can Help You Provide Quality Dementia Care During Disasters
Posted: September 22, 2006
AAHSA, along with several aging-services and consumer organizations, recently developed guidelines you can use to provide care to individuals with dementias during and in the aftermath of a disaster. The guidelines are for direct staff, but also include information for volunteers, who may provide care during an emergency. This coalition also developed a pandemic flu planning checklist.

---

Visit this page frequently for updates and news about aging services. For more information, contact Barbara Gay, Director of Information.