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February 2011
In This Issue
- Washington Lawyers Urged to Pass Medicine Return Bill
- Home Care Insight:
Regulations Proposed for Elder Care Referral Agencies
- Caregiver Profile: Wendy Howard
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"Family Resource Home Care provides peace of mind, relief, respite, respect, dignity, and joy in friendship to our senior clients, their families, and their caregivers." |
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Sheila McKannay
VP - Client Care |
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Washington Lawyers Urged to Pass Medicine Return Bill
On February 3, 2011 the Washington State House Environmental Committee held an initial hearing on HB 1370, a statewide bill that address the problems of drug abuse, accidental poisoning and environmental contamination caused by improper disposal of leftover and unused medicine. A companion bill, SB 5234, the Medicine Stewardship bill, is making its way through the state Senate. Both bills would create a statewide medicine take back program, funded by the pharmaceutical companies that make and profit from the sale of prescription and over-the-counter medicines.
While medicine take back programs have been proposed in the past, these new proposals are supported by the October 2010 passage of a new federal law, “The Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010.” This law identifies the need for permanent statewide solutions for the safe return and disposal of unused medications but does not mandate it or make clear who should provide the design, operation and funding. In Washington State, a broad-based group of health organizations, environmental groups, law enforcement, pharmacies, children’s advocates and citizens, called Take Back Your Meds, is working to help pass HB 1370 and SB 5234. This group wants to see drug companies take responsibility for the creation of these programs.
Our state’s annual prescription and over-the-counter drug purchases amount to $4 billion dollars. Despite a healthy profit margin, pharmaceutical manufacturers, with the help of their lobbying organization, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (Pharma), oppose any bill that would require the industry to design and fund a process to take back unused medications and dispose of them in a safe and environmentally sound manner. The proposed laws would require the industry to create an umbrella group and divide up the cost sharing among themselves. Until a comprehensive program exists, much of the unused medicine (estimated at about 1/3 of what is actually purchased) will end up in our water supply; in landfills; or as the cause of accidental poisoning. To follow this story or get more information, go to http://www.takebackyourmeds.org/
Regulations Proposed for Elder Care Referral Agencies
 Elder care referral agencies are in the news again. Due in part to the Seattle Times exposé “The Bed Brokers” as part of the paper’s “Seniors for Sale” series, the first attempts to regulate referral agencies are being made.
Representative Jim Moller of the Washington State House of Representatives has recently introduced HB 1494 “Concerning Elder Placement Referrals.” Among other provisions, referral agencies would be required to keep accurate records, make full disclosures to consumers including fees they are paid, and to make sure a qualified professional conducts an assessment. Referral agencies that do not currently conduct assessments are naturally alarmed at this provision which would severely limit their ability to collect huge fees from care facilities with a minimal amount of oversight.
Although HB 1494 is primarily aimed at the abuses in placing vulnerable adults in adult family homes, the bill would also affect assisted living and retirement communities and home care agencies. The impact on home care agencies however, will be minimal. Unlike care facilities, home care agencies do not receive a large share of new clients from referral agencies.
If reasonable guidelines can be agreed upon, the net outcome is likely to be positive. Consumers will have greater assurance that the heavily advertised firm they have contacted for assistance will be working in their best interest.
Another group to be affected by HB 1494 is Geriatric Care Managers. Currently, anyone can call themselves a “care manager” and charge fees for placement and referral. Most reputable care managers belong to the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM) and have Care Manager Certified (CMC) designation. The impact on these care managers will be minimal as they already make the required disclosers and do the assessments.
But for referral agencies that simply do a “free” telephone consultation, make a referral, and collect a huge fee from a care facility, things could be changing.
Caregiver Profile: Wendy Howard
 Wendy Howard follows the philosophy that we should all do what we are good at. And Wendy is good at bonding with and becoming friends with people. “It’s also in my character to want to take care of people,” she says.
Wendy has been taking care of people all her adult life. First it was her own children; and then it was her three grandchildren, including her 14 year old granddaughter who still lives with her. In the four years that she has been with Family Resource, Wendy has worked with over a dozen clients. Because she enjoys having variety in her workday, Wendy volunteers for short, two hour shifts. In a typical day, Wendy may see as many as three different clients.
Wendy is extremely good at getting to know her clients and interacting with them on whatever level they need. Quite by accident, she discovered that one of her dementia clients was attracted to certain fabrics. “She loves to touch material,” shared Wendy, “so I take her to the fabric store. But she doesn’t like just any fabric. There is a particular shade of blue that she likes, so that’s what we look for.”
Wendy feels tremendous compassion for her clients, and hopes that her presence serves as a bright spot in their day. “I want to give my clients a sense of companionship and comfort. I try to make their lives happier during the two hours I spend with them. I know many of them count on me as a constant presence in their lives and they appreciate having another adult to talk to.”
After four years with Family Resource Home Care, Wendy has come to appreciate how the company operates. “I really appreciate that they look for a good match between the client and caregiver, and make us feel that we can come to them if a match does not work for us. They are supportive and accommodating and are concerned about taking care of the caregivers as much as the clients.”
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© 2011 Family Resource Home Care, all rights reserved.
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