Case Study: Disability problems

I included 2 Aging organizations. Also an example of a case study.

Develop you own case study that represents disability and aging issues. Please include page numbers and any Internet resources that you used to develop your case study in  your response. For your case study apply:

1. Three examples of the "Landscape of Aging Organization and Coalitions" beginning on page 136 and continuing in the chapter. Explain how these three resources will be applied to your case study.
2. Include a disability and aging issue in your case study.
3. Use primarily the resources and agencies from your text and apply them to your case study in a detailed manner. You may also use additional resources from those assigned, but be certain to also use information from the text and/or assigned websites.

Landscape of aging organizations and coalitions

The national Council on aging and NCOA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1950 as a Washington/based national network of organizations and individuals who are working in the aging field for the broad betterment of older people in society. As of Spring 2006, the NCOA web site described the organization as "a national network of more than 14,000 organizations and as having 3800 formal members." At NCOA members can affiliate with one or more constituent groups of organizations. At present these constituent groups include the national Institute of senior centers the national Institute of senior housing the national Institute on community-based Long term care The national inter-faith Coalition on Aging, the national older workers employment partnership, the health promotion Institute and the national Coalition of consumer organizations. Over the years, constituents groups have merged, been added, or broken off into separate organizations (as was the case with the national Institute at day care programs, which formed the national Adult day services Associatio).

Among NCOA constituent groups, the NIClC is the most engaged with LTC program and policy issues. But the neophyte NCCO is the network that comes closest to an organization of consumer networks and is, therefore, most relevant to this chapter. And NCCO positions itself as a collaborate network of state wide and local senior citizens consumer organizations dedicated to advancing and promoting the interest of mature consumers. In giving leadership in developing NCCO, was indeed attempting to identify and engage true grass roots organizations in aging. To be eligible for membership, the organization must be senior controlled, have advocacy and empowerment of its members as a primary agenda, be predominately comprised of older people, and (if part of a larger organization) have the ability to make independent policies decisions. Organizations from 24 states are now members. Among them are organizations that have shown leadership on long-term care reform in their own states, such as United States seniors of Oregon, correlation of Wisconsin aging groups, the Massachusetts senior action Council, and the community of Vermont elders.

As various cross- disability events, particularly community demonstrations organized by adapt Americans disabled for attended programs today, it is a typical that a very long list of disability groups join in sponsorship and Are recognized at the event. When events occur on Capitol Hill, as they frequently do, the  NCOA a is likely to be the only aging/specific organization that is represented.

Within an aging, perhaps the broadest alliance at the national level is the leadership Council on aging organizations. Formed in 1978 to defend existing benefit levels in old age programs, the LCAO has grown from its original 14 member organization to 52 members in 2006, including organizations as diverse as AARP and the Alzheimer's Association, educational organizations such as the Gerontological  Society of America, provider organizations such as,the American Association of homes and services for aging, and unions like the department of public policy of the Alf-CIO. NCOA was a founder and has been a leader of the leadership council. The requirements for organizational memberships are that the organization must be a unit that deals with aging, with a mission to represent older people or their interest, and must have a presence in Washington. Annual dues are hundred dollars. with organizations that vary enormously in size and mission, the LCAO is challenged to offer a “unified voice."

Member organizations stand to benefit from being part of the LC okay if only from that access to shared information. The smaller organizations gain visibility on the national stage, and their participation allows the larger organizations to avoid the appearance of unseemingly muscle flexing. Occasionally, the LCOA becomes energized around an issue of common agreement-either a goal to achieve or more likely a threat to avert. Arguably, this coalition does not require much effort from its members, nor do members expose themselves to much risk is diluting their own mission.

Example

 Question 4 – Case Study

Carol and Fritz Smith are facing many issues and challenges as they age, and their health is deteriorating. Carol is 58-years-old, and is struggling to keep her job as a receptionist only working between 25 – 30 hours per week. She has a learning disability, has difficulty organizing information, has been diagnosed with depression, and also has high blood pressure. Her husband, Fritz, is 65-years-old, and recently suffered a stroke. He was due to retire from his job in another few months, and Carol and Fritz have done almost no financial planning for their retirement, or their future. The company he was employed with for 35 years recently faced some difficult financial issues, and the pension he was planning to use as a retirement income was significantly reduced. They have never carried long term care insurance. They have lived in a trailer house for the past 30 years, and have virtually done no maintenance or repairs on it. They have also been experiencing some issues related to mold problems in their home. Fred is now in need of care when he is at home since they want to keep him out of a nursing home.

As the Smith’s case manager I would take advantage of several resources from the National Council on Aging website (http://www(dot)ncoa(dot)org/). We would look into housing options, specifically information on subsidized housing, since they couldn’t afford assisted living, and are reluctant to nursing home care. Since Fritz will need adult day services, there is a link in this website to the National Adult Day Services Association http://www(dot)nadsa(dot)org/. The eldercare locator in the NCOA website provides information about local agencies in every community in the U.S. This would be helpful in finding more information on home and community based services such as transportation, meals, and home care. A “benefits checkup” is an online benefits screening tool that is available to those age 65 and older. This would help identify services he could qualify for. The second resource is the American Association of Retired Persons (http://www(dot)aarp(dot)org/.) Since both Carol and Fred now take several medications, the “drug interaction checker” and “drug compare” sections would be helpful in researching some medications issues that both Carol and Fritz have been experiencing. There is also information provided on caregiving. This would be helpful in assisting with caregiving issues Carol has been having, as well as information on screening, interviewing, and choosing a home care worker. The third resource would be the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations. Since I am employed with a non-profit organization who works with aging individuals, I would take advantage of networking with other individuals in this coalition. It was be a great way to learn about additional resources available for my consumers, as well as learning more about issues affecting older persons. It would also be a good way to promote and advocate for public policy improvements, as well as become involved in assisting not only Carol and Fritz, but others dealing with aging and disabilities.