Please remember to follow the Writing Guidelines! Arial Type, 12 point, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 2 full pages minimum, etc., etc.! PLEASE PROOFREAD … for missing words, for run-on sentences, for uncapitalized proper nouns, for fragments, ….
Complete ONE of the ten assignments below (either one from Unit 1 OR one from Unit 2).
UNIT 2: HEALTHCARE RATIONING
1) From Reading #3, address either A or B or both:
A) Do you know anyone who has experienced any of the “decreased choice and access,” in particular “denial of care,” “restrictive definitions of medical necessity,” or “out-of-network” limitations? Describe. (You may need to interview them!)
B) Do you know anyone who has experienced any of the other rations of care? Describe. (You may need to interview them!)
2) Talk with two unrelated people who have Medicare insurance and are at least 68 years old (so they have had it for a few years). Ask them what kinds of plans they have, why they chose those plans and not others, what they like about each plan, and what they don’t like. If they could design health insurance, what changes would they make? What else do they want to add?
3) Talk with two people who have experience with a CCRC and / or ALF and / or nursing home (this could be the residents themselves or an adult child). Why did they decide on that choice? What factors were most important / least important? What do they like / dislike about it? What do they wish they knew then that they know now? What advice would they give others in a similar situation? What else do they want to add?
4) Go hang out at a senior center for a few hours and report on your experience. Details! Specifics! (Note. probably not possible during Covid restrictions ….)
5) Give the Ken Murray essays to two people who are at least 50 and ask them to share their thoughts with you while they read them.
6) Design your own. If something else “spoke” to you in this unit, propose your own UWA! (Do so at least 1 week before it is due.) Just send me a Canvas Message.
UNIT 3: FAMILY CAREGIVERS
1) If you know someone who has been a family caregiver (for an older family member – someone at least in their 60s and preferably older) for at least a year and for 15-20 hours (or more!) a week — ask them to discuss with you what it was like. Why did the family member need care, what tasks did they perform, what opportunity costs did they experience, what were their major stressors (have them complete the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers), how did they cope with them, what would have made the caregiving experience easier, etc.! If you want, show them one or both of the caregiving videos and summarize their comments.
2) If you know someone who has chosen Self-Directed Care and is paying one or more family members to provide that care, interview the person and the caregiver(s) about what they think of that model. How did the process unfold? How has it benefited them? What would they do if paid family care wasn’t an option? How has the liaison (broker / consultant / counselor) helped them? How do they handle the financial aspects? (Basically, dig deep into the details!) What are the caregivers’ thoughts?
3) Go visit two nursing homes. (Make sure you are in nursing homes and not assisted living facilities or short-term rehab units!) Tell them you are taking this class and want to learn more about how nursing homes operate. Ask for a tour, ask for a breakdown of costs, find what why most of the residents are there (health condition), ask how they handle private-pay vs. Medicaid (ALTCS in AZ), what kinds of activities / social events / gathering spaces / etc. do they offer (ask to see the calendar). What are your impressions of each? (Note: probably not possible during Covid restrictions.)
4) If you want to dig into the details of obtaining care, pretend you have a 78-year-old family friend with no family of his or her own, an income of $37,000 a year, and an increasing need for either in-home care or assisted living care to help with things like cooking, bathing, general housework, etc. The friend currently lives in an apartment. Research the in-home care / assisted living options for wherever you live or your parents / grandparents live. Report *in detail* what his or her options would be, considering the income.
