Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging Speaks at Pine Run
Brian Duke, Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging, addressed a meeting of the Bucks County Long Term Care Consortium on July 30 at Pine Run. The Department of Aging serves 900,000 seniors in the Commonwealth with a base of 76 staff in Harrisburg and providers in every county delivering programs such as Meals on Wheels, Ride Programs, and In-Home Care.
Mr. Duke’s message was twofold:
1. The Pennsylvania budget restored some monies while withholding spending. The main focus is on job creation and protecting the Lottery Fund which directly supports the Property Tax Rebate and Rent Rebate Programs, Free Transit and reduced fare Shared Ride Programs, and the low-cost prescription drug programs PACE and PACENET.
2. To bring the best of Pennsylvania to its citizens, we need to do a better job mining data, measuring services provided to seniors, and replicating the best practices across the Commonwealth. For example, we have two major centers for Alzheimer’s research at University of Pennsylvania and University of Pittsburgh from which to gather data and implement findings to promote pro-active planning for aging well and for reducing the need for higher levels of care.
The impact of reimbursement rate cuts is being examined by the Department of Public Welfare (DPW). Mr. Duke encouraged attendees to email their comments to
RA-oltlstreamlining@PA.gov
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Brian Duke was nominated by Governor Tom Corbett to be the Secretary of Aging on February 3, 2011. Prior to his nomination by Governor Tom Corbett, Duke served as Director of the Bucks County Area Agency on Aging. He served as a member and Secretary of the Board of the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Duke participates at the national, state and local level to foster effective strategies to support family caregivers, encourage aging well and build effective community partnerships.
Duke holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Scranton, an MHA (Health Administration) from George Washington University and an MBE (Bioethics) from the University of Pennsylvania. Duke is an Associate Fellow of the Institute on Aging of the University of Pennsylvania.
A draft of the Department of Aging’s 2012-2016 Pennsylvania State Plan on Aging is now available to the public for comment.
Click here to download
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The Bucks County Long Term Care Consortium is a non-profit organization founded in 1997. Its mission is to promote the betterment of the health and welfare of the residents who are served in the growing health care continuum in Bucks County. Membership includes, but is not limited to, nursing homes, assisted living homes, personal care homes, retirement communities, ambulance and transportation providers, home health agencies, adult day care organizations, and physicians.
Click here for more information
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