By Penny ShawNovember 21, 2023 I have Guillain-Barre syndrome – a neuromuscular disorder – in my case with quadriparesis: paralysis of the legs and weakness of my upper extremities. I have no control over my legs. I cannot stand or walk. I cannot bend or straighten them. When I am in bed I […]
Category: Spotlight
New York Times (free access), November 14, 2023By Jordan Rau Around the world, wealthy countries are struggling to afford long-term care for rapidly aging populations. Most spend more than the United States through government funding or insurance that individuals are legally required to obtain. Some protect individuals from exhausting all their income or wealth paying […]
October 30, 2023 (premiere)[90-minute documentary aired on PBS] Wearing snapback caps and Air Jordans, the Reality Poets aren’t typical nursing home residents. In Fire Through Dry Grass, these young, Black and brown disabled artists document their lives on lockdown during Covid, their rhymes underscoring the danger and imprisonment they feel. In the face of institutional […]
DignityMA editor’s note: While this report covers a guardianship situation in Florida, there are similar occurrences throughout the nation including Massachusetts. The Post has received almost 3600 comments online. We welcome comments from Dignity Digest readers which can be submitted via info@DignityAllianceMA.org. Comments may be posted in future issues of The Digest. The retired pilot […]
DignityMA editor’s note: This is a provocative article about aging and longevity. The Post has received over 800 comments online. We welcome comments from Dignity Digest readers which can be submitted via info@DignityAllianceMA.org. Comments may be posted in future issues of The Digest. ‘Aging is a disease’: Inside the drive to postpone death indefinitely, The […]
*The Boston Globe, By The Editorial Board, October 27, 2023 (updated) Unnecessary segregation in nursing homes ‘has been linked to accelerated mental, emotional, and physical decline’ when residents have little autonomy and little ability to engage in outside activities, a lawsuit says. For many people with disabilities, living in a nursing home is a last […]
Elderly and Imprisoned: ‘I Don’t Count It as Living, Only Existing.’ New York Times (free access), October 21, 2023, Text by Carmilla Floyd, Photographs by Joseph Rodriguez On a clear day in March 2023, the snowy peaks surrounding the California Institution for Men in Chino were visible. Cleveland Lindley stood on a green patch in […]
October 2023By Former Senator Richard Moore, Chair DignityMA Legislative Workgroup While the abuse of residents with intellectual disabilities in state institutions cries out for reform, residents of nursing homes appear to have even fewer rights. Despite improvements brought about by the federal 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act and state laws and regulations, residents of nursing […]
AARP’s Long-Term Services and Supports State Scorecard 2023 EditionSeptember 2023By Susan Reinhard, Ari Houser, Carrie Amero, Paul Lingamfelter The 2023 LTSS State Scorecard (the Scorecard) is a compilation of state data and analysis based on a new vision of a high-performing state long-term services and supports (LTSS) system. Released every three years, the Scorecard uses […]
New York Times (free access)By Tammy LaGorce, September 15, 2023 On Wednesday afternoon, 20 couples gathered in front of a stage at the National Mall in Washington to recite their commitment vows. Some brides had on white gowns while grooms wore top hats. Others donned orange T-shirts printed with the words “Disability Rights Are Human […]