Retirement industry heads to Olympia

Legislation aimed at providing guardianship protection and protection from unqualified individuals selling living trusts, as well as the biennial battle to procure more money for health-care providers, top the retirement-related agenda at the Washington Legislatures 2007 session. Richard Sayre, a principal in the law firm of Sayre & Sayre PS, of Spokane, says a proposal to form a state-run public guardianship program, similar to such programs in many other states, would benefit senior citizens who need, but cant afford, a guardian, and also would save money for the state. Guardians often are employed to help the elderly take care of their health and financial affairs. With the program we have now, the court appoints a guardian for elderly individuals who have no children around and no money to pay for a guardian, says Sayre, whos a trustee for the elder-care section of the Washington State Bar Association.

Study's reaction is mixed Care providers worry over state's budget ...

A just-released study that found the state could save millions of dollars by paying more money to home health providers and less to nursing homes is drawing predictably mixed reactions.

"A nursing facility is going to say, 'Hey, we need this money, and home health cannot take care of these people like we can.' And there are cases where that is true. But if you walk into any nursing home, you will see people who just basically need assistance with medications, but maybe for whatever reason the family is not able to do that," said Leslee Mast, superintendent at the Holmes County Home.

Mast brings a unique perspective to the study by the Ohio Council for Home Care, a home health advocacy group. She's in the business of long-term care. But because the Holmes County Home is not state certified, her facility does not receive state funding.