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July 12,2016

2016 Webinar Series: Hear from Expert Speakers, Learn Important Skills, & Get Advocacy Tips

Consumer Voice is hosting an exciting three-part webinar series featuring expert speakers, and important skills, strategies, and advocacy tips on issues facing long-term care consumers right now!

Register for one, two or get a discount when you register for all three webinars!  Click here for full descriptions of webinars.

Webinar #1 – Preventing Avoidable Hospitalizations: A Primer for Consumer Advocates - This webinar describes the early indicators of preventable conditions and effective interventions and the management systems and practices needed to implement them.

Tuesday, August 9, 2:00pm – 3:00pm ET
Presenters: Barbara Frank, B&F Consulting  and Marcia K. Flesner, PhD, RN, Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri

Webinar #2 – Obtaining Quality Care for Residents with Dementia - This webinar presents successful person-centered strategies that lead to quality care for residents with dementia.

Tuesday, September 13, 2:00pm – 3:00pm ET
Presenter: Jonathan Evans, MD

Webinar #3 – Piecing Together Quality Long-Term Care - This webinar will walk you through the different pieces you, or your client, need to consider to obtain quality long-term services and supports.

Tuesday, October 11, 2:00pm – 3:00pm ET
Presenter: Robyn Grant, MSW

Each webinar is $65 and includes the live webinar and webinar recording that can be watched/shown as many times as you'd like.  Register for all three webinars in the series for the discounted price of $175.

Consumer Voice members receive a 10% discount on all webinars.  Email info@theconsumervoice.org for the discount code.

Register Now!

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There is Still Time to Submit Your Nominations for Consumer Voice Leadership Awards

Are you looking for a way to recognize a long-term care consumer, long-term care ombudsman, family caregiver, citizen advocate, or another individual for their advocacy on behalf of long-term care consumers? We encourage you to nominate individuals that are dedicated to quality long-term care, raising the voice of consumers, and have made significant contributions to improving the lives of long-term care consumers.

Based on your nominations, the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (Consumer Voice) will recognize people who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to improving the lives of long-term care consumers.

Visit our website for additional information about the awards and nomination process.

There are 3 easy steps to submit a nomination!

  1. Review the award categories and criteria.
  2. Complete the nomination form via SurveyMonkey.
  3. Submit a letter of recommendation.

Individual and group members of the Consumer Voice may nominate people for an award. Awards will be presented at our 40th Annual Conference, November 2-5, 2016, in Arlington, Virginia.
Contact us if you have any questions.

Deadline Extended! Nominations are due by Friday, July 22

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ACL Awards Grants to State Units on Aging to Improve Older Adults' Access to Legal Services

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) announced grant awards totaling over $1.2 million to help older adults gain access to legal services.  ACL awarded the Phase I grants to State Units on Aging in Tennessee and Wisconsin, and Phase II grants to State Units on Aging in Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia.  The grants are intended to improve the quality of life of older adults at risk of abuse, neglect or financial exploitation in their communities.  The Model Approaches to Statewide Legal Assistance Systems (Model Approaches) demonstration grants are designed to help states expand and improve the capacity of their legal service delivery networks to effectively respond to priority legal issues impacting seniors in the most social or economic need. For more information, visit ACL's website.

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Welcome Carol Scott as NORC's New Ombudsman Specialist

The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care and National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center are pleased to announce that Carol Scott has joined the Consumer Voice as NORC's new Ombudsman Specialist. As the Ombudsman Specialist, Carol will develop resources regarding ombudsman advocacy and program management, provide technical assistance, and coordinate training opportunities, including the Annual State Ombudsman Conference, new State Ombudsman orientation, and webinars for Ombudsman programs.

Prior to joining the Consumer Voice, Carol was the Missouri State Ombudsman for 23 years, served as the National Association for State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (NASOP) President, and participated in national and statewide workgroups to advocate for long-term care consumers. Most recently, Carol was the Field Operations Manager for the Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes Campaign. In this position, she was responsible for guiding and supporting stakeholder coalitions in all 50 of our nation’s states for the purpose of making nursing homes better places to live, work and visit. Carol graduated from the University of Missouri - Columbia with a BS in Public Administration.

Carol can be reached at cscott@theconsumervoice.org. Please join us in welcoming her.

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Tips for Preventing Heat Stress in Older Adults

It's July and the temperature is getting hotter and hotter.  Older adults are often at greater risk of negative effects of extreme heat.  People aged 65 years or older are less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature, so be sure you are closely monitoring your own health or the health of those in your care for signs of heat stress.

Quick Tips to Stay Cool:

  1. Drink more water than you normally would
  2. Stay in air-conditioned places as much as possible
  3. Wear loose, light-weight, light-colored clothing.

For more information on warning signs and symptoms of heat stroke, click here.  For information specifically for older adults, click here.

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New York Times Article on Sexual Expression in Nursing Homes

A recent New York Times article highlights sexual expression and intimacy in nursing homes.  Intimacy and physical sexual expression are basic human rights and needs throughout the lifespan.  Many nursing homes promote relationships between residents by setting up dates and allowing residents to stay overnight in their partner's room. The Hebrew Home, a nursing home in New York, set up a dating service called G-Date or Grandparent Date to connect residents interested in a relationship.  While sexual activity can be an important part of maintaining and enhancing quality of life in a nursing home, intimacy can raise questions about consent when some residents have Alzheimer's disease or other cognitive issues.   Many nursing homes post a sexual expression policy to both encourage intimacy but also protect individuals from unwanted advances.  Read the New York Times article here.

For resources on helping caregivers recognize consensual intimacy, protect residents from sexual abuse and support residents' rights, visit NORC's issue page on the topic.

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Vermont Legal Aid Hiring State Long-Term Care Ombudsman

Vermont Legal Aid is seeking a State Long Term Care Ombudsman.  The SLTCO will supervise a staff of six ombudsmen located in Legal Aid Offices throughout the state.  The SLTCO provides support to the local ombudsmen on a wide range of legal issues including guardianship, public health care programs, and the rights of persons receiving long-term care services in Vermont. In addition, the SLTCO will analyze, comment on, and monitor the development and implementation of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and other government policies and actions that pertain to long-term care facilities and services and to the health, safety, welfare, and rights of residents, and to recommend any changes in such laws, regulations, and policies. Click here for more information and application instructions.

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Spotlight on Educational Resources

The Consumer Voice and the National Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) 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:

Emergency Preparedness - During times of extreme heat, it's important to review emergency preparedness procedures.  NORC's Issue page provides resources, tips and webinars on how to prepare for emergency situations, including heat stress.  The CDC's fact sheet provides simple, easy tips to stay safe during extreme heat.

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In this Issue

2016 Webinar Series: Hear from Expert Speakers, Learn Important Skills & Get Advocacy Tips

There is Still Time to Submit Your Nominations for Consumer Voice Leadership Awards

ACL Awards Grants to State Units on Aging to Improve Older Adults' Access to Legal Services

Welcome Carol Scott as NORC's New Ombudsman Specialist

Tips for Preventing Heat Stress in Older Adults

New York Times Article on Sexual Expression in Nursing Homes

Vermont Legal Aid Hiring State Long-Term Care Ombudsman


Spotlight on Educational Resources


Combined Federal Campaign

#10552

Thank you for your support!


Residents' Rights Month 2016

Find more information on our website.

Join the Resident's Voice Challenge!


Calendar of Events

Sunday, July 31: Last day to register for Consumer Voice Annual Conference at early discounted rate

Tuesday, August 9: Preventing Avoidable Hospitalizations: A Primer for Consumer Advocates, 2:00pm ET, Webinar from Consumer Voice

Tuesday, September 13: Obtaining Quality Care for Residents with Dementia, 2:00pm ET, Webinar from Consumer Voice

October: My Vote Matters, Residents' Rights Month 2016

Tuesday, October 11: Piecing Together Quality Long-Term Care, 2:00pm ET, Webinar from Consumer Voice

November 2-5, 2016: Consumer Voice 40th Annual Conference, Arlington, VA


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We're hosting a three-part webinar series featuring expert speakers, important skills, strategies & advocacy tips!


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About The Voice

The Voice is a weekly e-newsletter, published by the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. If you do not wish to continue receiving this publication, please unsubscribe below. Your contributions and comments are welcome and should be sent to info@theconsumervoice.org. Copyright © 2016.

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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. Consumer Voice's mission is to represent consumers at the national level for quality long-term care, services and supports.


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