Aug. 13, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesHow Pennsylvanians are helping their older neighbors age comfortablyby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAOlder adults benefit from volunteer care that keeps them in familiar settings, which help them maintain comfort, autonomy, and finances as they age.
Aug. 6, 2024Quinn Glabicki / for Spotlight PA & PublicSourceHigh temps can make people with dementia irritable, confused, and uncomfortable. What to know.by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAPeople with Alzheimer’s disease or other conditions that cause cognitive decline can struggle to say they are hot during extreme heat, so caregivers must watch for changes in behavior.
July 30, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesLatest Pa. budget leaves embattled child care industry without much-needed funding to boost staffingby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PALow wages make it difficult for Pa. child care providers to hire and retain staff, which can lead to long wait lists and abrupt closures.
July 23, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesWhy biz groups say tax credits aren’t enough to solve Pa.’s child care crisisby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAState lawmakers have passed and expanded tax credits aimed at making child care affordable. But business groups say more is needed to address a provider shortage.
July 16, 2024Sarah Boden / For Spotlight PABreast milk bank has 'profound impact' on the survival of medically fragile babies in Pa. and beyondby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAMid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank in Pittsburgh is one of 29 accredited organizations across the U.S. that provides donated milk to families in need.
July 10, 2024Courtesy of Holli ZelinskyHow a ‘life-changing’ subsidy gave a child care worker more time with familyby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAThe annual mean salary for a child care worker in Pennsylvania is just $29,480, while that for a preschool teacher is $36,350.
July 8, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PAWhat you need to know about Pa.’s slow elder abuse investigationsby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAHere are key takeaways from Spotlight PA’s months-long investigation into woefully slow investigations of allegations of abuse and neglect involving older adults.
July 3, 2024Daniel Fishel / For Spotlight PAAbuse and neglect investigations of aging Pennsylvanians are woefully slow. The results can be devastating.by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAMost of Pennsylvania’s 52 county agencies responsible for protecting older adults are failing to swiftly review complaints of suspected abuse or neglect.
July 2, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesADHD patients in Pa. struggle to find medication and maintain normalcy amid ongoing shortageby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAShortages of ADHD medications have forced patients to ration and to spend hours calling different pharmacies to get prescriptions filled.
June 28, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesWhich version of Medicare is best: traditional coverage or Medicare Advantage?by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAThere are significant tradeoffs between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. In this Q&A, an expert explains the different benefits.
June 18, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesAdults with intellectual disabilities may wait years for services. Shapiro's budget would help.by Sarah Boden for Spotlight PAA 2022 report from Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services found that the median amount of time that people spend on all waiver waitlists for these services is 2.6 years.
June 5, 2024Commonwealth Media ServicesPaid family leave draws bipartisan support as good for the economy, but some oppose cost, lost controlby Sarah Boden for Spotlight PACurrently, paid time off to care for a child or relative depends on where someone lives and works. New legislation would mandate it..
