Greetings!

Welcome to the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing's March 2009 eNewsletter featuring articles, reference materials, useful links, calendar of events and other best practice information on the care of older adults.

This eNewsletter is sponsored by ConsultGeriRN.org.

ConsultGeriRN.org is the authoritative geriatric clinical nursing website of the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, New York University College of Nursing and the NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for HealthSystem Elders) program, (www.nicheprogram.org). ConsultGeriRN.org contains evidence-based protocols and topics for nurses and other healthcare professionals on the care of older adults. Content is updated regularly.

We would like to hear from you!

Topic Content By:
Melen McBride, PhD, RN

The increasing racial and ethnic diversity of people in the U.S. (Census 2000) and the compelling evidence of racial and ethnic health disparities are driving forces for incorporating an ethnogeriatric perspective into the practice of geriatric and gerontological nursing.

The heterogeneity within each of the categories of ethnic/racial minority older persons such as sociodemographic characteristics, modes of social interaction and communication, health and healing belief systems, learning behaviors, and certain values and traditions contribute degrees of complexity to the delivery of culturally sensitive health care. Learn more about "Ethnogeriatrics and Cultural Competence for Nursing Practice" with references and resources by visiting ConsultGeriRN.org.

Families provide a considerable amount of informal care and support for older adults living with dementia. And when an older adult with dementia is hospitalized, family caregivers should be seen as important sources of information and included as valuable members of the health care team. The article describes a best-practice approach to working with families and includes recommendations for using the Information for the Hospital Team About a Patient with Memory Problems form, and the video provides an example demonstrating the use of this form.

The How to Try This:® series is funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation to the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University's College of Nursing in collaboration with the American Journal of Nursing (AJN). This initiative translates the evidence-based geriatric assessment tools in the Try This Assessment Series into cost-free, web-based print and video resources, for caring for older adults. This series can be viewed, downloaded, and shared without any fees. Articles may be printed and copied for educational use without copyright fees. View more information

The NPR Morning Edition on February 19, 2009 aired a piece detailing how Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Md. has set up an ER specifically for patients 65 and older. The ER opened last November and takes older patients, unless they're considered trauma patients.
Read more, and listen to a 5-minute audio recording of the broadcast!

Sarah Greene Burger, RN-C, MPH, FAAN
Senior Advisor on Special Projects, Hartford Institute

The CGNO has joined two coalitions to implement the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine's report, Retooling for an Aging America. The first coalition, the Eldercare Workforce Alliance (EWA), a broad alliance of 25+ national organizations, sent a letter to President elect Obama and Congress requesting action on a number of elder care workforce issues: increasing the federal match for Medicaid; expanding Title VII of the Geriatric Health Professions Programs to include all health professions; providing better care coordination; providing training for families to support home care. The CGNO successfully lobbied to expand the letter to include increases in Title VIII Nursing Workforce Funding designated for geriatric training, prepared by Debra Bakerjian, Gerontological Advance Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA). EWA is supported by the Hartford Foundation and the Atlantic Philanthropies as was the work of the IOM Committee.

The second coalition was with the American Geriatrics Society, which sponsors another group the CNGO works with, the Partnership for Health in Aging. Senate Aging notified them that there was an opportunity to sign a letter that recommended including some of the provisions of Senator Kohl's bill, Retooling the Health Care Workforce for an Aging America Act, in the economic stimulus bill. Within a very few days all the organizations signed the letter.

There will be a meeting at the IOM to celebrate the one year anniversary of the report, Retooling for an Aging America. Held at the IOM in Washington, you can attend the event by request at the following website: www.iom.edu/CMS/3809/40113/62234.aspx

The Coalition of Geriatric Nursing Organizations (CGNO) consists of 8 organizations, represents over 24,000 nurses, many of whom work in long term care and is supported by the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, New York University College of Nursing, www.consultgerirn.org/advocacy/coalition_of_geriatric_nursing_organizations/.

The new CMS website for training is http://surveyortraining.cms.hhs.gov/ Watch new web broadcasts and archived broadcasts such as "Physical Restraint Use in Nursing Homes: The exception Not the Rule, Parts I-III" and "From Institutionalized to Individualized Care, Parts I-IV".