March 28, 2024
Why more Floridians are taking care of someone with dementia

Florida Trend Health Care

Why more Floridians are taking care of someone with dementia

| 4/4/2023

Why more Floridians are taking care of someone with dementia

More Floridians are becoming caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia as the older adult population grows, according to a new report from the Alzheimer’s Association. An estimated 720,000 seniors in the Sunshine State are expected to have the progressive memory disorder by 2025. The labor, which is often performed on top of working another full- or part-time job, takes a toll — one that’s disproportionately felt by women and people of color. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Health advocates help Floridians navigate Medicaid unwinding

Now that pandemic protections are expiring, millions of Floridians will have to reapply for Medicaid and some could lose coverage. But families don't have to go through the process alone. The Florida Department of Children and Families said in its plan for Medicaid redetermination that it will try to use existing information to automatically renew as many people as possible. But Florida performs worse than some other states when it comes to that process, with fewer than half of its renewals done automatically. [Source: WUSF]

Florida COVID-19 caseload doubles in late March over early in the month

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the second time in March did not update its COVID-19 case and death counts for Florida. And once again, federal and state health officials did not explain why. But the state published its latest numbers separately, showing infection tallies more than doubling in late March. [Source: Palm Beach Post]

End of federal COVID emergency will usher in health system changes

In response to the pandemic, the federal government in 2020 suspended many of its rules on how care is delivered. That transformed essentially every corner of American health care — from hospitals and nursing homes to public health and treatment for people recovering from addiction. Now, as the government prepares to reverse some of those steps, here’s a glimpse at ways patients will be affected. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Florida bill to train CNAs as 'qualified medication aides' advances

Allowing CNAs to train as "qualified medication aides" is an effort to address the ongoing worker shortage at Florida’s nursing homes. Supporters say the plan would free up nurses to administer needed care to nursing home residents. It would also create a path for CNAs to get more training. The bill sponsor, Sen. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, says CNAs seeking to qualify would need to get specified training and must have worked as a CNA for at least a year. [Source: Health News Florida]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville gets a $41 million grant for major Alzheimer's study
The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville has received a $41 million federal grant for a potentially groundbreaking study to better understand Alzheimer's disease and how the brain disorder affects people of different ethnic groups. The lessons learned could lead to treatment or even a cure. "I am full of hope," said Dr. Nilüfer Ertekin-Taner, a Mayo Clinic professor of neuroscience and neurology and physician-scientist who is a co-principal investigator of the study.

› Collier County residents are the healthiest in Florida. Why's that?
Collier County is the healthiest county in Florida. That’s according to the latest county health rankings by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Lee County is ranked 11 healthiest out of the 67 counties in the state. Collier has been high up in the rankings in years past and often as the second healthiest county, usually behind St. John’s County, so the move up is a reason to celebrate with our community, Kimberly Kossler, administrator of the state Department of Health in Collier, said.

› Some Bradenton patients affected by data breach, Suncoast Behavioral Health says
Some patients at Suncoast Behavioral Health are being notified this week that their personal information may have been involved in a data breach in 2021. The psychiatric facility in Bradenton has inpatient, outpatient and residential services for children and teens. Suncoast started mailing letters to patients Wednesday and sent a news release to media Thursday.

› 18 therapy dogs will be sworn in for service in Tallahassee's 2nd Judicial Circuit
In honor of 16 years of the Second Judicial Circuit Animal Therapy in the Courts Program, 18 therapy dog teams were sworn in at the Leon County Courthouse on Friday. A total of 36 dogs now serve the Second Judicial Circuit, encompassing Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty and Wakulla counties. A ceremony was held for the handlers and dogs where they took an oath to serve the community by providing comfort to those in the courtroom.

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