Two years after the feds suggested that they were going to update regulations to prevent health care providers from discriminating against people with disabilities, but advocates are still waiting for that to happen. Disability advocates are pressuring the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to act urgently on updating regulations related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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For many years, flying has been challenging for many people with disabilities. Mobility equipment often gets lost or damaged during the process of either loading or unloading the plane. The Mobile Act would track damaged mobility aids and spur research on designing planes that allow passengers to stay in those aids when flying

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A group of lawmakers has introduced legislation that not only focuses on improving conditions for professional caregivers, but family caregivers as well. Broadly, the Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act would make way for the recruitment, training and retention of professional and family caregivers. It would do so via grants and other initiatives.

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Federal law should reflect the time in which we live and not include harmful words or slurs. The Words Matter Act will modernize our laws, and remove offensive language from the U.S. Code.

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This week, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new advisory to warn the American public about loneliness, isolation, and disconnection. Loneliness and isolation are widespread, with approximately half of U.S. adults experiencing loneliness. The advisory notes that older adults and people with disabilities are among the populations with the highest prevalence of loneliness and isolation. Such disconnection can have profound effects on mental, physical, and societal health.

The advisory lays out a National Strategy to Advance Social Connection and includes recommendations that individuals, governments, workplaces, health systems, and community organizations can take to increase connection in their lives, communities, and across the country.

Because the protection provided by the COVID-19 vaccine fades much more quickly for people 65 and older and people who are immunocompromised, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its COVID-19 vaccine recommendations to allow an additional an dose of the updated (bivalent) vaccine for these populations.

CDC also simplified its vaccination recommendations for everyone else. Everyone six and older should to get one shot of the updated bivalent vaccine, regardless of whether they completed the original vaccination series.

Not sure if you need one?

• No matter how older you are, if you have not gotten a shot since September, you definitely need one!
• If you are 65 or older or if you are moderately or severely immunocompromised, it may be a good idea for you to get an extra dose of the bivalent vaccine. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to decide whether it makes sense for you.

Getting vaccinated and staying up to date continues to be the best way to prevent serious illness and death due to COVID-19. CDC’s website has more details on current recommendations.

1. Improved awareness of and outreach to family caregivers.
2. Inclusion of family caregivers in the care team.
3. Services and supports for family caregivers.
4. Financial and employment protections.
5. Data, research, and best practices.

This initiative creates an unprecedented opportunity for the aging and disability networks to build new partnerships with organizations in other fields that can help drive innovation in these areas. A wide range of public and private organizations are eligible and encouraged to apply, so please share this announcement broadly.

Awardees will be expected to collaborate with ACL on all activities and to align their work with the strategy and its companion document, First Principles: Cross-Cutting Considerations for Family Caregiver Support. 

The initiative is in keeping with President Biden’s Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers,  signed April 18. This executive order directs federal agencies to take more than 50 actions making affordable, quality childcare more available to working families; expanding access to home and community-based services; growing and strengthening the direct care workforce; supporting family caregivers; and more — giving us a unique opportunity to transform our long-term care systems and mitigate the challenges that family caregivers face.

Complete details and application instructions are posted on Grants.gov. Applications are due Monday, June 26, 2023.
 

ACL will host an informational conference call this Thursday, May 4, 2023, at 2:00 PM ET.

• Call-in number: 800-779-3216
• Passcode: 3818865#