|
August 11, 2015
Senators Call for GAO Report on Five-Star Nursing Home Rating System
Last week, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) called for a GAO (Government Accountability Office) report on the federal nursing home rating system. In a letter to Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States, the Senators request that the GAO conduct an assessment of the general accuracy and reliability of the Five-Star Quality Rating System for nursing homes and its usefulness as a consumer tool. The Five-Star Rating System rates nursing homes on a scale of one to five in three major performance areas - health inspections, staffing and quality measures. The rating system is featured in the Nursing Home Compare tool, available on a public website where consumers can search for and compare nursing homes. For more information, click here.
Back to Top
Report Released on Trends in Nursing Facilities from 2009 Through 2014
The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured have released a report entitled "Nursing Facilities, Staffing, Residents and Facility Deficiencies, 2009 Through 2014." This report provides information on recent trends in nursing facilities in the United States, drawing on data from the federal On-line Survey, Certification, and Reporting system (OSCAR) and Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER), to provide information on nursing facility characteristics, resident characteristics, facility staffing, and deficiencies by state from 2009 through 2014. This data enables policymakers and the public to monitor and understand recent changes in nursing facility care in the United States and help highlight areas of ongoing concern for current and future policymaking. Read the report here.
Back to Top
Free Advocacy Skills Training Webinar
How to Grow, Support and Activate Your Network
August 27, 2015 2:00-3:30 pm EST
As part of our Consumers for Quality Care, No Matter Where initiative, Consumer Voice will be conducting four FREE advocacy skills training webinars throughout the year. This will be our fourth and final advocacy skills training webinar within the series. We welcome anyone and everyone to participate - long-term care consumers, family members, individual advocates, long-term care ombudsmen, members of consumer advocacy groups, family/caregiving groups, consumer alliances, and community and senior organizations.
Participants in this session will learn about networks. We'll teach participants how to use their advocacy to grow their network by assessing their current pool, setting targets for growth, and using advocacy tactics to recruit additional people and mobilize both current and existing members. We'll also teach participants how to support their network by being a resource their network looks to for information and education.
Registration is first come, first served, so register now! To register, click here.
*While the webinars are free, your contribution of $10 or more - or your membership in Consumer Voice - will help support our Public Policy and Advocacy programs. You can join the Consumer Voice here or make a contribution here.
Back to Top
NCEA Announces Blog Series
The National Center on Elder Abuse has announced a new series of blogs. Each month, the blogs will focus on topics from the Elder Justice Roadmap. Blogs will cover themes like practice improvement, education, policy and research. The blogs will also address trending topics from technical assistance inquiries and social media.
Back to Top
Register for the 2015 Consumer Voice Annual Conference - November 4-7, 2015
.png)
Register now!
We are very excited for the 2015 Consumer Voice Annual Conference! Check out our website for agenda highlights, and be on the lookout for more information as session topics and speakers are finalized.
At the 2015 Conference, you will enjoy:
- One-on-one dialogue with consumers of long-term services and supports.
- The latest policy updates directly from key experts at the federal level.
- Learning about best practices nationwide.
- Attending skills trainings and acquire tools and resources.
- Specific information and takeaways to help you put your systems or individual advocacy into action!
Special features at this year's conference include:
- In-depth half day intensives on November 4th on Managing Challenging Behaviors without Drugs and Advocacy Strategies and Appeals – Involuntary Discharge from Nursing Homes and Assisted Living
- Events including a resident dialogue with representatives of CMS, a series of legal workshops for elder law attorneys, exhibits and more
- Welcome reception, awards luncheon, 40th Anniversary Party, and Resident Empowerment Luncheon - all included free with conference registration
- Four plenary sessions and 20 in-depth workshops focused on advocacy for quality long-term care across settings
- Special orientations for first-time conference attendees and new state long-term care ombudsmen.
Room rates are as low as $194/night. Click here for accommodation information.
Interested in becoming a conference sponsor? Learn more here.
Questions? Contact us at info@theconsumervoice.org
Back to Top
Director of Public Policy Robyn Grant Quoted in Article on Arbitration Agreements in Nursing Homes
An article in an influential and widely read health care industry publication, Modern Healthcare, reviewed a new CMS proposed rule that would require nursing homes serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to explain binding arbitration agreements to patients and families before they sign. The rule would also prohibit nursing homes from forcing residents or their families to sign the agreements as a condition of admission. However, advocates are concerned that the rule would leave too much to interpretation regarding what constitutes adequate explanation of binding arbitration agreements. Consumer Voice Director of Public Policy and Advocacy Robyn Grant was interviewed for the article and argued that stressed families shouldn't be asked to sign pre-dispute arbitration agreements in the first place. Read the article here.
Back to Top
Briefly Noted...
- In celebration of our 40th Anniversary, Consumer Voice has gone back in our archives to find many photos highlighting the people and accomplishments of our organization's great history. Visit our website to see archival photos.
Back to Top
Spotlight on Giving: 40th Anniversary Special Gifts Campaign
A critical focus of the Consumer Voice board of directors is ensuring that the organization is able to address effectively the long-term care challenges affecting people today and in the years ahead. A key focus is to fully fund Consumer Voice public policy and advocacy initiatives which are critical at a time like now when new rules are being written and when cost pressures further threaten the commitment to quality, person-centered care and the rights of long-term care consumers. The board has started the year with its own fundraising campaign seeking double the level of annual contributions from each member and now it is reaching out to all members of the Consumer Voice constituency to ask that each person consider making a special contribution to the organization this year. Contributions can be made online here, monthly, as a gift of stock, in recognition of an individual, organization, or in other ways. To discuss your gift and how you would like it recognized, please contact Richard Gelula at rgelula@theconsumervoice.org or (202) 332-2275 x209. And for more information about the 40th Anniversary Campaign, click here.
Back to Top
Spotlight on Educational Resources
The Consumer Voice and the National Ombudsman Resource Center have a multitude of resources available online covering a wide range of long-term care topics. Visit the Consumer Voice website and the NORC website to explore all the available resources. Take a look at this week's highlighted resource:
Staffing Campaign Toolkit - Participaing in the Consumer Voice's staffing campaign is easy with the links and resources provided in the toolkit. The toolkit includes handouts, fact sheets, issue briefs, postcards, talking points and more. Learn more about the staffing campaign and how you can take part!
Back to Top
|
In this Issue
Senators Call for GAO Report on Five-Star Nursing Home Rating System
Report Released on Trends in Nursing Facilities from 2009 Through 2014
Free Advocacy Skills Training Webinar
NCEA Announces Blog Series
Register for the 2015 Consumer Voice Annual Conference - November 4-7, 2015
Director of Public Policy Robyn Grant Quoted in Article about Arbitration Agreements in Nursing Homes
Briefly Noted...
Spotlight on Giving: 40th Anniversary Special Gifts Campaign
Spotlight on Educational Resources
Participate in the Nursing Home Staffing Campaign
As part of our nursing home staffing campaign, Better Staffing: The Key to Better Care, Consumer Voice is advocating to have a registered nurse on duty in a nursing home 24 hours a day/7 days a week. To show your support of this campaign, ask your Congressperson to support H.R. 952, the Put a Registered Nurse in the Nursing Home Act. To learn more about staffing issues, visit www.theconsumervoice.org/betterstaffing.
Calendar of Events
Thursday, August 27: How to Grow, Support, and Activate Your Network, Advocacy skills training webinar from the Consumer Voice
October: Residents' Rights Month, CARE Matters
November 4-7, 2015: Consumer Voice 39th Annual Conference, Crystal City, Virginia
Your Car Can Help Promote Quality Care - It's Easy!
Do you, a loved one or friend have a car that you or they would like to dispose of? Now, Consumer Voice can help – and your used car can help Consumer Voice! By working with our car disposal agency, Vehicle Donation to Any Charity (V-DAC), the proceeds from the sale of your car become a contribution to Consumer Voice.
Donating your car is easy - V-DAC comes to the location of the car and picks it up (whether the car can be driven or not). Provide the car's registration and title, and V-DAC will send you a contribution letter with the amount of the donation that was made.
Note: We are actually registered with the service as “NCCNHR” so when asked which charity you would like to benefit, just say or type in “NCCNHR.”
Here is a link to our page on the V-DAC site http://v-dac.com/org?id=52-1122531 and you can get started there – or just call 877-999-8322 toll free. And to discuss your donation with Consumer Voice, just write to us at info@theconsumervoice.org or call (202) 332-2275 x209
Join the conversation and follow us on social media!
Last Week's Most Popular Post:
Thursday, August 6:
#tbt Mitzi McFatrich, Executive Director, Kansas Advocates for Better Care, and Vice Chair, Consumer Voice Leadership Council with Elma Holder, Consumer Voice Founder and Patty Ducayet, Texas State LTCO during 2014 Consumer Voice Conference.
Last Week's Most Popular Tweet:
Thursday, August 6:
#tbt Citizen advocates Anna Spinella, Judy Murphy and Barbara Hengstebeck supporting a no vote in 1999
Long-Term Care Resources & News
Read past issues of The Voice here.
Support Consumer Voice While You Shop Online
.jpg)
|
