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August 20, 2014
OIG Releases Final Report: Nursing Facilities' Compliance with Federal Regulations for Reporting Allegations of Abuse or Neglect
"Nursing Facilities' Compliance with Federal Regulations for Reporting Allegations of Abuse or Neglect," a new study from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) released on August 15th, included a: (1) review of sampled nursing facilities' policies related to reporting allegations of abuse or neglect, (2) review of sampled nursing facilities' policies related to reasonable suspicions of crimes, and (3) survey of administrators from those sampled facilities. It also included an examination of a random sample of allegations of abuse or neglect identified from the sampled nursing facilities, and a review of documentation related to those sampled allegations of abuse or neglect.
The study found that 85 percent of nursing facilities reported at least one allegation of abuse or neglect to OIG in 2012. Additionally, 76 percent of nursing facilities maintained policies that address Federal regulations for reporting both allegations of abuse or neglect and investigation results. Further, 61 percent of nursing facilities had documentation supporting the facilities' compliance with both Federal regulations under Section 1150B of the Social Security Act. Lastly, 53 percent of allegations of abuse or neglect and the subsequent investigation results were reported, as Federally required.
Click here to view the full report.
Click here for more information and resources on Elder Abuse and Elder Justice.
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Consumer Voice's Robyn Grant Speaks to NY Times Regarding Registered Nurses in Nursing Homes
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Consumer Voice Director of Public Policy and Advocacy Robyn Grant was quoted in the New York Times New Old Age blog on nursing home staffing. The 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act requires a registered nurse on-site in a nursing home only eight hours per day, regardless of the size of the facility. "It's something advocates have wanted to return to ever since. I think most people will be both shocked an appalled that there's not an R.N. on duty around the clock," Robyn said. On July 31st, Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) introduced the Put A Registered Nurse in the Nursing Home Act, which would require that a direct-care registered nurse be present 24/7 in all nursing homes that receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement. Countless studies have shown the importance of registered nurses when achieving quality care. The new R.N. bill is an important step in resolving quality problems in nursing homes, but other staffing issues remain. For more information and to get involved with the Consumer Voice's staffing campaign, go to: www.theconsumervoice.org/betterstaffing.
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Data Shows High Staff Turnover Rate in Iowa Nursing Homes
According to data from the Iowa Department of Human Services reported in a recent article in The Gazette (a newspaper in Eastern Iowa), Iowa's nursing homes lost, on average, 41 percent of their employees each year from 2010-2012. Turnover for nurses was even higher with a 47 percent average annual turnover among more than 400 Iowa nursing homes that submitted data to the state. The median turnover rate nationally for all employees in America's skilled nursing care centers in 2012 was 44 percent, according to a survey of facilities by the American Health Care Association. High staff turnover has been linked to worse outcomes for residents. For more information, read the full article in Iowa's The Gazette.
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Take Action: CMS Denying Payment for Medically Necessary Speech Generating Devices
As of April 1, 2014, The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began denying payment for medically necessary speech generating devices used by people with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), Cerebral Palsy, Spinal Cord Injuries and other impairments when they enter a health care facility, such as a skilled nursing home or hospice. These highly specialized devices may be their only means of communication and taking them away leaves a person with no way to communicate at a vulnerable and terrifying time. The Center for Medicare Advocacy is calling for action to tell Congress and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell to stop denying our most vulnerable disabled people their ability to communicate. For more information and to take action, click here.
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Six Months on the Job at Consumer Voice - A Blog from the Executive Director
Consumer Voice Executive Director Richard Gelula marked his nearly six months at Consumer Voice by writing a blog highlighting the learning he has been doing on the job including a number of observations he has about our organization, our efforts to achieve quality long-term care and the the broad efforts of our field to achieve it. Read the blog here.
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12 Reasons to Attend the 38th Annual Consumer Voice Conference
#1: Get Advocacy Training
Attend the Consumer Voice Annual Conference and experience one of a kind advocacy skills training and acquire important resources and tools. Learn to craft an effective message, advocate in all settings, gain tips for meeting with decision-makers, use both traditional advocacy methods and social media, and more.
Find more information and register for the conference.
Stay tuned for 11 more reasons to attend the Consumer Voice Annual Conference...
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Pioneer Network Releases New Dining Practice Standards Toolkit
Pioneer Network has released the New Dining Practice Standards Toolkit which provides all of the tools long-term care communities need to implement the New Dining Practice Standards that were approved by twelve national clinical standard-setting organizations. The new standards support individualized care and self-directed living for residents of these communities.
The New Dining Standards Toolkit includes the following resources to help long-term care communities provide a liberalized, regular diet for most of their residents and to honor individual residents' rights to make their own dining choices:
- Model Policies and Procedures with Algorithms
- "How To" Tip Sheets and Model Forms
- Informational Brochures for Residents and Families
- Additional Resources for implementing the standards
The Toolkit is available for $149 at the Pioneer Network Online Store.
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"Create the Good" Webinar Recording Available Now!
The webinar recording and PowerPoint from the “Create the Good" webinar for long-term care ombudsmen (LTCO) held on July 30, 2014 is now available on the NORC website.
During this webinar representatives from AARP explain how LTCO can utilize Create the Good to connect with and recruit skilled volunteers. AARP staff provide instructions on how to register and post opportunities, provide tips for making an appealing post and respond to questions.
Visit the NORC website for additional information regarding volunteer management, including NORC’s Compendium on Recruitment, Training and Retention and program promotion. If you have any successful volunteer recruitment strategies and program marketing examples, please share them with NORC by emailing ombudcenter@theconsumervoice.org.
To connect with your peers, exchange ideas, share resources and talk about LTCO volunteer management, please join the LTCO Volunteer Management Network listserv.
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Long-Term Care for the Incarcerated
According to a recent article from The Pew Charitable Trusts, providing health care to an aging prison population is a large and growing cost for states. Not only do inmates develop debilitating conditions at a younger age than people who are not incarcerated, but caring for them in the harsh environment of prisons is far more expensive than it is on the outside. According to the National Institute of Corrections, the U.S. currently spends more than $16 billion annually caring for aging inmates, and the number is projected to increase dramatically in the future. In some states, prisoners receive "medical parole" that allows them to receive care outside while still remaining in state custody. Connecticut has tried a different approach, asking the commercial nursing home industry to provide a facility that would accept a steady stream of prison inmates. Other states are interested in following Connecticut's lead. For more information on how states are providing long-term care for the incarcerated, read the article.
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In this Issue
OIG Releases Final Report: Nursing Facilities' Compliance with Federal Regulations for Reporting Allegations of Abuse or Neglect
Consumer Voice's Robyn Grant Speaks to NY Times Regarding Registered Nurses in Nursing Homes
Data Shows High Staff Turnover Rate in Iowa
Take Action: CMS Denying Payment for Medically Necessary Speech Generating Devices
Six Months on the Job at Consumer Voice - A Blog from the Executive Director
12 Reasons to Attend the 38th Annual Consumer Voice Conference
Pioneer Network Releases New Dining Practice Standards Toolkit
"Create the Good" Webinar Recording Available Now!
Long-Term Care for the Incarcerated
4.1 It CAN Be Done!
As part of our newly launched nursing home staffing campaign, Better Staffing: The Key to Better Care, Consumer Voice is advocating for a minimum of 4.1 hours of nursing care per resident per day. To show your support of this campaign, individuals can send us a photo with the slogan "4.1 - It CAN Be Done" by tweeting us pictures @ConsumerVoices, posting on our Facebook or emailing your photos to info@theconsumervoice.org. Get the word out and encourage consumers to participate by sending in their photos too!
You can join the Better Staffing: The Key to Better Care campaign, learn more about the campaign's goals, access the campaign advocacy toolkit, and take action at: www.theconsumervoice.org/betterstaffing
Most recent supporters - our friends at VOYCE:
Regional Ombudsman Coordinator Teresa Buehler
Administrative Coordinator Christy Callahan
VOYCEconnect Coordinator Katelyn Eichorst
Executive Director Mary Lynn Faunda Donovan
Support the Consumer Voice While You Shop Online!
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You can now shop on Amazon while supporting the Consumer Voice! Consumer Voice is now listed as a part of AmazonSmile, an easy and automatic way to support Consumer Voice every time you shop, at no cost to you. The Consumer Voice receives a donation of a portion of the purchase price every time you make a purchase. All Amazon purchases cost the same as they normally would.
To shop at AmazonSmile, simply go to smile.amazon.com and input "NCCNHR" as your charity of choice. For simpler shopping, you can install a one-touch button on your browser, so you can easily return to AmazonSmile to shop and support the Consumer Voice. For more information about AmazonSmile, click here. Begin shopping now at smile.amazon.com!
Calendar of Events
Thursday, August 28: Geriatric Assessment, 12:00pm EST, Part 2 of Geriatrics-Compentent Care Webinar Series
September 13-18, 2014: National Home & Community Based Services Conference, Arlington, VA
October: 2014 Residents' Rights Month, Better Staffing: The Key to Better Care
Monday, October 20: Discussing POLST with Persons with Early Alzheimer's Disease, 3:00pm EST, Webinar in yearly series from the National POLST Paradigm
November 15-18, 2014: Consumer Voice Annual Conference at the Hilton Crystal City in Arlington, VA Register now.
Provide a Scholarship to the Consumer Voice Annual Conference
Many advocates are not able to afford to attend the Consumer Voice Annual Conference to experience the best speakers in the field, opportunities to network with colleagues and time to interact directly with long-term care consumers. This year, we have created a special giving opportunity for Scholarships. If you are able, please give as many scholarships as you can. We would be delighted to obtain support for an additional 50 people. Provide a scholarship by making a donation of $295 x the number of scholarships you would like to give. Contributors to the Consumer Voice Annual Conference receive many benefits. For more information about contributing to the conference, click here.
Join the conversation and follow us on social media!
Last Week's Most Popular Post:
Monday, August 18:
The New York Times' New Old Age blog quotes Consumer Voice's Director of Public Policy & Advocacy, Robyn Grant, in an article discussing nursing home staffing standards.
Last Week's Most Popular Tweet:
Monday, August 18:
The New York Times' New Old Age blog quotes @ConsumerVoices Robyn Grant in an article on NH staffing standards
Long-Term Care Resources & News
Read past issues of The Gazette here.
Sponsor the Gazette - Consumer Voice is now accepting sponsorship for each weekly issue of The Gazette. As a benefit of sponsorship, the contributor may honor, remember, or thank an individual or organization. For more information, contact Richard Gelula at rgelula@theconsumervoice.org
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