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The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care

February 19, 2014

Free Webinar Series on Nursing Home Social Work - Open to All

The University of Iowa School of Social Work is holding a free webinar series on nursing home social work.  The webinar series presents information to build understanding of the psychosocial concerns of residents and how nursing home staff members can recognize and help to address those needs. The series is targeted to nursing home social workers, but all long-term care staff and advocates are welcome to attend. Register for upcoming webinars:

  • February 25 - Oral Health 101: What Social Workers Should Know
  • Febrary 27 - Ethical Decision-Making the Context of Dying and Death in the Nursing Home
  • March 11 - Nonpharmacological Approaches for Managing Problem Behaviors
  • March 27 - Understanding the Stages of Dementia
Recordings of past webinars are available on the National Nursing Home Social Work Network's website.

Hearings in California on Elder Abuse and Neglect in Assisted Living

A series of reports from U-T San Diego entitled "Deadly Neglect" resulted in recent hearings on assisted living in Sacramento. The reports revealed that 27 deaths in San Diego County assisted living homes in recent years were the direct result of neglect and abuse.  The series also exposed bribery allegations against state inspectors that were never prosecuted and criminal acts that were never reported to police. According to the testimony last Tuesday, state regulators are failing residents of assisted living homes for the elderly, leading to abuse, neglect and death. A representative from the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) testifed at the hearing.  Read more on their website.  For more information, read the article in U-T San Diego.

The National Senior Citizens Law Center released a new report entitled "Best Practices in Assisted Living: Considering Potential Reforms for California" that highlights how many other states, unlike California, have enacted assisted living laws that balance a non-institutional environment with somewhat elevated care standards.

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Save the Date for the New Aging and Law Conference in Washington, DC

The New National Aging and Law Conference, sponsored by the American Bar Association's Commission on Law and Aging, will be held October 16 & 17, 2014 in Washington, DC.  The conference will have a track specifically for legal services advocates and an agenda that will minimize the impact of travel costs.  A Call for Speaker Proposals can be found on the conference's Facebook page.  The deadline to submit is March 15th.

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Attorney General Arrests Employees of Nursing Home in New York

In New York, the Attorney General arrested workers in a Suffolk County nursing home.  The Attorney General has filed a civil case against the owners for coporate looting and seventeen nurses and aides have pleaded guilty to neglect anf falsifying recrods.  The facility is a member of Advancing Excellence, and, according to Nursing Home Compare, had no deficiencies as of the last survey.  For more information, read the statement from the Attorney General.

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3rd World Congress on Adult Guardianship to Be Held in Arlington, VA in May

The 3rd World Congress on Adult Guardianship will be held May 28-30 in Arlington, VA.  This event will bring together 120 speakers from 21 countries to discuss promising practices in the area of adult guardianship.  The event is hosted by the National Guardianship Network.  For more information, visit www.worldcongressguardianship.org.

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In New Jersey, Assisted Living Residents Cannot Sue Under Nursing Home Law

In New Jersey, a federal judge recently ruled that a state law to protect nursing home residents cannot be invoked to bring a suit against an assisted living provider.  Helena Andreyko, the plaintiff, alleged that her mother had been beaten and neglected by the staff at a Sunrise Senior Living assisted living facility.  Sunrise argued the the state's Nursing Home Responsibilities & Rights of Residents Act does not apply to assisted living communities so the charges should be dismissed.  Initially, the U.S. District Court ruled against Sunrise but later reversed itself.  The law specifically limits the use of arbitration agreements in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, but in other ways, the law does not explicitly extend protections to assisted living.  The judge ruled that there is a "distinction" between the two settings, and "Considering the vulnerability of this population, there is little reason to distinguish these groups by enabling only one with an enforcement mechanism to realize its rights."  For more information, read the article in McKnight's.

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About The Gazette

The Gazette is a weekly e-newsletter, published by the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care and the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center. If you do not wish to continue receiving this publication, please unsubscribe. Your contributions and comments are welcome and should be sent to info@theconsumervoice.org. Copyright © 2014.

The Consumer Voice is the leading national voice representing consumers in issues related to long-term care, helping to ensure that consumers are empowered to advocate for themselves. We are a primary source of information and tools for consumers, families, caregivers, advocates and ombudsmen to help ensure quality care for the individual. The Consumer Voice's mission is to represent consumers at the national level for quality long-term care, services and supports.

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