AGE BEAT ONLINE
Newsletter of the Journalists Exchange on Aging (JEoA)
Newsletter of the Journalists Exchange on Aging (JEoA)
Oct. 11, 2005 -Volume 5, Number 31
"SAGE WATCH" is taking a breather and will return in the next ABO.
IN THIS ISSUE: Have you atoned, yet?
1. PREMIERING (TA-DA!) ABO THE BLOG
2. THE CALENDAR: Kaiser to Release Surveys on Medicaid; AARP Event on U.S. and International LTC Quality and Workforce; GSA Moves from New Orleans to Orlando
3. "AGE BEATLES NEWS": "Chemotherapy and Radiation for Dummies"; San Diego Union-Trib's Marsha Kay Seff Still "Sweatin' With the Oldies."
4. 'LARKIN'S LINKS" on Preparing for Disasters
1. PREMIERING (TA-DA!) ABO THE BLOG
2. THE CALENDAR: Kaiser to Release Surveys on Medicaid; AARP Event on U.S. and International LTC Quality and Workforce; GSA Moves from New Orleans to Orlando
3. "AGE BEATLES NEWS": "Chemotherapy and Radiation for Dummies"; San Diego Union-Trib's Marsha Kay Seff Still "Sweatin' With the Oldies."
4. 'LARKIN'S LINKS" on Preparing for Disasters
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1. PREMIERING (TA-DA!) ABO THE BLOG: Journalists Exchange on Aging co-founder JOHN CUTTER has launched Age Beat Online/The Blog, for journalists and others interested in issues on aging. It includes links to ABO The Newsletter. John, who also took Age Beat On Paper to its first e-life as ABO in 1999, is an assistant city editor with the Orlando Sentinel. He covered aging and health issues for the St. Petersburg Times from 1992 to 1998. He continued writing on aging as a freelancer for the New York times and many other publications until 2002, when he joined the Sentinel. This blog, which has no formal connection to the Sentinel or the American Society on Aging, has links and posts from many news sources, such as the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, USA Today, NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "We hope ABO readers and others will visit the blog regularly, comment and get dialogue and ideas going," says John. Visit ABO /The Blog at http://agebeat.blogspot.com. As ABO Blog editor, John can be e-mailed with any questions at jcutter@orlandosentinel.com.
2. THE CALENDAR:
1. PREMIERING (TA-DA!) ABO THE BLOG: Journalists Exchange on Aging co-founder JOHN CUTTER has launched Age Beat Online/The Blog, for journalists and others interested in issues on aging. It includes links to ABO The Newsletter. John, who also took Age Beat On Paper to its first e-life as ABO in 1999, is an assistant city editor with the Orlando Sentinel. He covered aging and health issues for the St. Petersburg Times from 1992 to 1998. He continued writing on aging as a freelancer for the New York times and many other publications until 2002, when he joined the Sentinel. This blog, which has no formal connection to the Sentinel or the American Society on Aging, has links and posts from many news sources, such as the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, USA Today, NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "We hope ABO readers and others will visit the blog regularly, comment and get dialogue and ideas going," says John. Visit ABO /The Blog at http://agebeat.blogspot.com. As ABO Blog editor, John can be e-mailed with any questions at jcutter@orlandosentinel.com.
2. THE CALENDAR:
OCTOBER 19-THREE NATIONAL SURVEYS ON TRENDS AND CHANGES IN MEDICAID will be released by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured on Wednesday, Oct. 19, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, ET. The Washington, D.C., briefing will focus on the current status of Medicaid in the states and emerging issues and trends in state actions overall. It will also provide a more in-depth look at eligibility and enrollment issues and prescription drug coverage. The session will also address Medicaid's role in the nation's response to crises like Hurricane Katrina. Those able to attend (lunch will be available) will go to the Barbara Jordan Conference Center, Kaiser Family Foundation Building 1330 G Street, NW, Washington, DC (one block west of Metro Center). Space is limited, so RSVP to Tiffany Ford at (202) 347-5270 or e-mail: tford@kff.org. Reporters outside the Washington area can view a live webcast of this event at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/healthcast/kcmu/19oct05.
OCTOBER 20-THE GLOBAL LONG-TERM CARE WORKFORCE will be the subject of an AARP forum, Thursday, Oct. 20, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., ET, at the Grand Hyatt Washington. Again, there will be an online presence for journalists unable to attend in person. The International Forum on Long-Term Care (LTC): Delivering Quality Care with a Global Workforce will address the critical workforce shortages in long-term care systems and explore the potential causes and existing patterns of international migration of workers to work in developed countries. The conference will also consider the impact on quality of care and address the key policy issues and challenges the migration presents in both developed and developing countries. AARP Board Member JENNIE CHIN HANSEN, who for many years ran San Francisco's On Lok senior Services, the model for the national PACE program (Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), will introduce the workforce issues and cover what is taking place and recent developments in LTC in the U.S. In addition, the conference will highlight and launch an international research report on LTC workforce and migration patterns, which will cover over a dozen developed and developing countries, including the United States. Breakfast and lunch will be served. If you have any questions or require more information, contact JAY ROSS (202) 434-2419 or jross@aarp.org. Reporters can also look at the executive summary online: http://www.aarp.org/ltcforum/asktheexpert.html.
OCTOBER 20-SCIENCE REPORTERS' BRIEFING ON PARKINSON'S. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke(NINDS)and groups combating Parkinson's the Parkinson's will hold a panel of leading physicians, scientists, and caregivers to provide an overview of the newest advances toward controlling or curing the disease. The event, which reporters can attend either in person or by telephone audio conference, will be held at the Dana Center, 900 15th St, NW, Washington, D.C., Thurs., Oct. 20, 10 a.m. to noon ET. Media can listen and ask questions by calling the toll-free conference line. Media should dial in 5-10 minutes before the start of the conference. Questions and interview requests that arise after the Q&A session should be directed to Margo Warren at (301) 496-5751. The U.S. dial-in number is (800) 905-0392; International dial-in number: 785-832-1523; Audio conference ID: NINDS.
NINDS, a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will also enable people to view the speaker presentations by logging on to: https://ogilvypr.on.raindance.com/confmgr/join_as_tempuser.jsp?eventId=3079&in
vitationId=7763.
THE GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, as we previously noted, has moved its 58th Annual Scientific Meeting from New Orleans to Orlando, Fla., and will hold the meeting in conjunction with the American Federation for Aging Research. The meeting t will run Nov. 18-22, at The Orlando World Center Marriott Resort (www.marriottworldcenter.com).The online schedule is posted at: http://www.agingconference.com/conference_program.cfm. Reporters can sign up electronically by following this link: https://www.agingconference.com/press_reg.cfm. Reporters with questions can contact GSA communications guy, TODD KLUSS at tkluss@geron.org, (202) 842-1275, ext. 106.
3. "AGE BEATLES NEWS"
WHAT'S THE GOOD WORD? ABO readers will soon receive a brief survey (eight questions) that will give you a chance to sound off about the words used to refer to seniors ("the chronologically gifted?")--those words you love and those you love to hate. COMING SOON TO AN E-MAILBOX NEAR YOU!
"CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIATION FOR DUMMIES" is the new book by St. Louis Post-Dispatch health writer PATRICIA CORRIGAN, with oncologists ALAN LYSS and HUMBERTO FAGUNDES. Corrigan, who has noted that 1.3 million people will be diagnosed with caner this year in the United States and that one in four U.S. deaths result from Cancer, brings a special edge to the subject-as a cancer survivor. In spite of the diagnosis, rates," says Corrigan, "survival rates are at an all-time high--the number of people surviving cancer in the U.S. has more than tripled over the last 30 years." Corrigan and her medical colleagues were recently interviewed about the book on CNN, and this week the book's publisher, John Wiley & Sons, is sending a mini version of the book to oncologists and cancer centers across the country. As for writing a Dummies book, Corrigan told us, "The thing about the Dummies books is that they are organized very well and present complex information in readable fashion. It was a joy to write -- if 96,000 words can be considered a joy to write!"
SAN DIEGO'S MARSHA KAY SEFF SWEATIN' WITH THE OLDIES: Exercise celebrity RICHARD SIMMONS has nothing on the S.D. Union Tribune's MARSHA KAY SEFF, who reports that she's "doing it all." Seff continues to be the editor of the Union-Trib's San Diego ElderCare website (http://eldercare.uniontrib.com/news/eldertalkradio_index.cfm), which she created. Also, the second edition of her book, "The After-Hospital Planner for Children of Aging Parents," will be published this fall. It has local and statewide contacts, "but all the info applies statewide and even nationally," she added. Meanwhile, Seff e-mailed, "I still write features for the Union-Tribune, and I write two stories a month on long-married couples, how they met and stayed together. I'm now working on a story now on how to convince your parents to move to assisted living. So, I'm very busy. Oh yes, I started an online radio show, too." To date, the eldercare site includes eight interview segments on such topics as living wills, living trusts, stress and, our favorite for this week's observance of Yom Kipur, the Jewish day of atonement, "Guilt." Hear Marcia online at: http://eldercare.uniontrib.com/news/eldertalkradio_index.cfm
By the way, Seff let ABO know that JONATHAN HELLER left the paper this summer not long after he was approved for covering news and policy issues on aging.
4. "LARKIN'S LINKS" By MARILYNN LARKIN
PREPARING FOR DISASTERS
I had just finished a feature article on the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita for The Lancet Infectious Diseases when I read the e-mail alert from National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a; http://www.n4a.org/). Leigh E. Wade, executive director of the Area Agencies on Aging of Southwest Florida, was among those who testified at an Oct. 5 Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing entitled "Preparing Early, Acting Quickly: Meeting the Needs of Older Americans During Disasters." Wade's testimony focuses on her experience during the 2004 hurricane season when three hurricanes hit her public service area in the period of a little over a month.
NINDS, a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will also enable people to view the speaker presentations by logging on to: https://ogilvypr.on.raindance.com/confmgr/join_as_tempuser.jsp?eventId=3079&in
vitationId=7763.
THE GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, as we previously noted, has moved its 58th Annual Scientific Meeting from New Orleans to Orlando, Fla., and will hold the meeting in conjunction with the American Federation for Aging Research. The meeting t will run Nov. 18-22, at The Orlando World Center Marriott Resort (www.marriottworldcenter.com).The online schedule is posted at: http://www.agingconference.com/conference_program.cfm. Reporters can sign up electronically by following this link: https://www.agingconference.com/press_reg.cfm. Reporters with questions can contact GSA communications guy, TODD KLUSS at tkluss@geron.org, (202) 842-1275, ext. 106.
3. "AGE BEATLES NEWS"
WHAT'S THE GOOD WORD? ABO readers will soon receive a brief survey (eight questions) that will give you a chance to sound off about the words used to refer to seniors ("the chronologically gifted?")--those words you love and those you love to hate. COMING SOON TO AN E-MAILBOX NEAR YOU!
"CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIATION FOR DUMMIES" is the new book by St. Louis Post-Dispatch health writer PATRICIA CORRIGAN, with oncologists ALAN LYSS and HUMBERTO FAGUNDES. Corrigan, who has noted that 1.3 million people will be diagnosed with caner this year in the United States and that one in four U.S. deaths result from Cancer, brings a special edge to the subject-as a cancer survivor. In spite of the diagnosis, rates," says Corrigan, "survival rates are at an all-time high--the number of people surviving cancer in the U.S. has more than tripled over the last 30 years." Corrigan and her medical colleagues were recently interviewed about the book on CNN, and this week the book's publisher, John Wiley & Sons, is sending a mini version of the book to oncologists and cancer centers across the country. As for writing a Dummies book, Corrigan told us, "The thing about the Dummies books is that they are organized very well and present complex information in readable fashion. It was a joy to write -- if 96,000 words can be considered a joy to write!"
SAN DIEGO'S MARSHA KAY SEFF SWEATIN' WITH THE OLDIES: Exercise celebrity RICHARD SIMMONS has nothing on the S.D. Union Tribune's MARSHA KAY SEFF, who reports that she's "doing it all." Seff continues to be the editor of the Union-Trib's San Diego ElderCare website (http://eldercare.uniontrib.com/news/eldertalkradio_index.cfm), which she created. Also, the second edition of her book, "The After-Hospital Planner for Children of Aging Parents," will be published this fall. It has local and statewide contacts, "but all the info applies statewide and even nationally," she added. Meanwhile, Seff e-mailed, "I still write features for the Union-Tribune, and I write two stories a month on long-married couples, how they met and stayed together. I'm now working on a story now on how to convince your parents to move to assisted living. So, I'm very busy. Oh yes, I started an online radio show, too." To date, the eldercare site includes eight interview segments on such topics as living wills, living trusts, stress and, our favorite for this week's observance of Yom Kipur, the Jewish day of atonement, "Guilt." Hear Marcia online at: http://eldercare.uniontrib.com/news/eldertalkradio_index.cfm
By the way, Seff let ABO know that JONATHAN HELLER left the paper this summer not long after he was approved for covering news and policy issues on aging.
4. "LARKIN'S LINKS" By MARILYNN LARKIN
PREPARING FOR DISASTERS
I had just finished a feature article on the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita for The Lancet Infectious Diseases when I read the e-mail alert from National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a; http://www.n4a.org/). Leigh E. Wade, executive director of the Area Agencies on Aging of Southwest Florida, was among those who testified at an Oct. 5 Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing entitled "Preparing Early, Acting Quickly: Meeting the Needs of Older Americans During Disasters." Wade's testimony focuses on her experience during the 2004 hurricane season when three hurricanes hit her public service area in the period of a little over a month.
Testimony by Wade and other experts on aging and disasters is posted at http://aging.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=73.
The site also links to a webcast of the hearing. Wade's testimony (http://aging.senate.gov/public/_files/hr149lw.pdf) includes N4A's recommendations in the areas of long-range planning, coordination, communication technology, resources, and review and assessment.
The site also links to a webcast of the hearing. Wade's testimony (http://aging.senate.gov/public/_files/hr149lw.pdf) includes N4A's recommendations in the areas of long-range planning, coordination, communication technology, resources, and review and assessment.
A good resource from the Department of Health and Human Services documents the psychosocial issues that confront older adults in disasters (http://media.shs.net/ken/pdf/SMA99-3323/99-821.pdf)
Marilynn Larkin regularly contributes "Larkin's Links" to Age Beat Online. Readers can reach her at MLAgebeat@aol.com.
DU-UH OF THE WEEK: "Study Finds Young Men Attending Fewer Films" was the header for last Saturday's (Oct. 7) New York Times piece by SHARON WAXMAN. She reported that a 2003 survey of 2,000 young men ages 13 to 25 showed "that they were busy surfing the Web, instant-messaging with friends and playing video games on consoles like PlayStation 2 and Xbox," resulting in 25% drop in movie going. Waxman interviewed Vincent Bruzzese, the study's author and senior vice president of OTX entertainment insights and concluded the piece as follows:
"Mr. Bruzzese said his study suggested that Hollywood might need to recultivate the practice of making movies for older audiences, who are less quick to adapt to the digital revolution. 'For the time being, you have a product that is in many ways geared to a particular audience that is the most distracted by the new digital environment,' he said. Other audiences 'aren't as distracted, but perhaps there isn't as much product for them.'"
Waxman did not indicate whether she ended her interview by saying, "Goodbye and good luck."
The Journalists Exchange on Aging (JEoA) publishes AGE BEAT ONLINE with the assistance of the American Society on Aging (ASA). JEoA provides information and networking opportunities for journalists covering issues in aging but not those representing services, products or organizational agendas. ASA is a nonpartisan, nonlobbying organization of professionals in aging that is based in San Francisco. Its mandate is to serve as a forum for all points of view. Opinions expressed in ABO do not represent those of ASA. The most recent four issues of ABO are posted online at www.asaging.org/agebeat.
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