Do you have legal questions, but nowhere to turn for information?  The Department of Elder Affairs and the Iowa Legal Aid’s Legal Hotline for Older Iowans is sponsoring FREE Seminars across the State for Older Iowans and their caregivers. "Life Planning Issues" on July 15, 2008 and "Consumer Issues & Public Benefits" on July 29, 2008.

These free seminars will help you:  

• Learn about Medicaid and other programs that will help pay nursing home and other expenses.
• Put your legal affairs in order tin case you become incapacitated or pass away.
• Avoid problems with creditors, identity thieves and others who could abuse you.

Both seminars take place over the Iowa Communications Network at 25 sites around the state.  Go to the following website for more information and a registration form.http://www.iowalegalaid.org/link.cfm?2260

“AARP welcomes today’s CDC report as a badly needed alarm warning families to find and remove hazards that cause falls in the home.

“Falls are the leading cause of death from injuries among older persons and the death rate from falls continues to climb. Each year, one in three Americans age 65 and older fall and almost a third of them need medical treatment as a result.

“One approach to avoiding falls is to remove obvious household hazards and add or improve simple safety features in the home.”

AARP recommends the following 10 steps to make home a safer and more comfortable place:

• Install handrails on both sides of all steps (inside and outside);

• Secure all carpets and area rugs with double-sided tape;

• Install easy to grasp shaped handles for all drawers and cabinet doors;

• Use brighter bulbs in all settings;

• Install nightlights in all areas of night activity;

• Add reflective, non-slip tape on all non-carpeted stairs;

• Install lever handles for all doors;

• Place a bench near entrances for setting down purchases and resting;

• Install closet lights, as well as adjustable rods and shelves;

• Install rocker light switches; consider illuminated ones in select areas.

Background: Studies indicate that half of all falls happen at home and research suggests that one-third of home accidents can be prevented by easy home updates and preventative maintenance. Low lighting, stairs with no handrails, loose area rugs, entrances with many steps, are just a few features that make staying in one’s home more difficult.

Local hardware stores carry many of the products to make simple updates to homes. For more extensive renovations, homeowners should consider hiring a contractor who is licensed, certified and bonded to do work in that particular location. A Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) is a professional designation signaling that contractors have had specified additional training, but homeowners should still ask for documentation that the contractor is licensed or certified and bonded.

Senator Charles Grassley:  voted to BLOCK Medicare Improvement Bill

Senator Tom Harkin:  voted YES to move Medicare Bill to Debate and Vote 

** How a legislator votes on issues is only one factor in evaluating his or her legislative performance, which should also include such things as constituency services and committee work.

Latest news

Bankruptcy Rates Rise Among Older Americans

http://www.aarp.org/research/press-center/presscurrentnews/bankruptcy_rates_rise_among_older_americans.html

North Dakotan Wins National Spelling Bee

http://www.aarp.org/research/press-center/presscurrentnews/56yearold_north_dakota_native_wins_aarp_the_magazi.html

AARP "Troubled" by Medicare Key Vote

http://www.aarp.org/research/press-center/presscurrentnews/aarp_troubled_by_senates_vote_to_block_medicare_im.html

Events calendar

AARP on RAGBRAI

Join AARP for the week long ride across Iowa

http://www.aarp.org/community/groups/RAGBRAI

AARP Praises Iowa Legislature for Bipartisan Passage of Major Health Care Reform Legislation

"Iowa’s legislators on both sides of the aisle are to be commended for working together in a spirit of bipartisanship and cooperation to pass legislation that will improve the lives of all Iowans and their families," said AARP Iowa State Director Bruce Koeppl.

"On behalf of the 395,000 AARP Iowa members and families across the state, we thank lawmakers for passing this legislation that creates real, meaningful improvements in our state’s overall health care environment and at the same time positions Iowa as leader in health care reform for the rest of the nation," said Koeppl.

The final version of the bill, HF 2539 passed both the Iowa House and the Iowa Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, (93-3 by the House) and (37-6 by the Senate). The bill addresses a range of issues identified by a large group of stakeholders, citizens, and legislators who participated in the 2007 Affordable Health Care Interim Commission. The Commission identified areas for improvement to better address the state’s current and future health care service delivery and coverage needs.

Key areas of the health care reform bill include:

· Expanding health care coverage for Iowa children and providing a road map to covering all Iowa children by the end of 2010; · Enhancing wellness initiatives and chronic care management services; · Exempting pre-existing conditions as individuals move between jobs and insurance carriers; · Expanding electronic health record-keeping to cut costs and improve quality of information exchanged throughout providers in Iowa; · Expanding health care access and the role of preventive medicine by establishing "medical homes" through primary care providers; · A pilot health care insurance premium assistance program for direct care workers; · Developing a method for public reporting of measures of health care quality and cost.

"The way the legislature was able to come together and work across party lines to find consensus and make real progress for the state is the type of work we need to see in the future as Iowa continues to lead the nation in addressing the major domestic issue of our time - health care reform," said Koeppl.

"We applaud the legislature’s action and thank all of the thousands of AARP members, volunteers, and other concerned citizens in Iowa who called, emailed, wrote and talked with their legislators about the issues and urged their leaders to support reform," said Koeppl.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

• First, the bill fails the responsibility test. The responsibilities stated in the bill are that the bureau may receive and investigate complaints, and potentially hold hearings as deemed appropriate by the Insurance Commissioner.  It is questionable (even according to the Insurance Division) whether the Insurance Division may already have this supposedly new power. 
• Second, the bill fails the authority test, by failing to state any potential recourse or action that the Consumer Advocate is directly authorized to take on behalf of consumers after a consumer complaint is heard.