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March 28, 2017

We Made A Difference!

The American Health Care Act was pulled last Friday.   Nursing home residents, other long-term care consumers, and their families no longer have to fear federal Medicaid cuts that would reduce or eliminate their services.  This is a tremendous victory, and all of you who contacted your members of Congress played a critical role.  
 
We don’t know what lies ahead and can’t let down our guard.  But we can take this moment to be very proud of the work we’ve done.
 
Thank you for your advocacy – it made a difference!

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Announcing Residents' Rights Month 2017

October is “Residents’ Rights Month,” an annual event designated by Consumer Voice to honor residents living in all long-term care facilities and individuals receiving care at home. It is an opportunity to focus on and celebrate awareness of dignity, respect and the rights of each resident and consumer.

This year’s theme, “It’s All About Me: My Life, My Care, My Choices,” highlights residents’ rights to choose their own schedule and activities, communicate how they choose, be an active partner in directing their care, and be treated as an individual with unique wants and needs.  Residents’ Rights Month is an opportunity for staff, families, ombudsmen, residents and other advocates to emphasize the rights of residents and other long-term care consumers, hear what quality of life means to them, and refocus on promoting self-determination.

Stay tuned for more information about Residents' Rights Month planning, products and this year's Resident's Voice Challenge!

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Share Your Story!

Though the issue of Medicaid is no longer front and center after the American Health Care Act was withdrawn last Friday, it will come back in some form. We need to be prepared!  Consumer Voice is collecting stories about how Medicaid has helped individuals receive care.  We have prepared questions you can answer yourself or use to guide an interview with someone else.  There are questions for three settings:  a nursing home, an assisted living facility and at home.  You can use our online form to submit a story or submit a video using these instructions.  For more information about how to share your story, visit our website.

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ACL Seeking Comment on Draft Principles for Person-Centered Approach to Serious Illness

The Administration for Community Living (ACL), in consultation with stakeholders from the aging and disability communities, has drafted a set of principles for a person-centered approach to serious or advanced illness.  The principles are meant to guide ACL's work in this area and enhance existing programs related to serious or advanced illness for older adults and people with disabilities.  ACL is seeking feedback on these principles.  Send your comments by May 12, 2017 to AdvancedIllness@acl.hhs.gov.

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CARE Documentary Highlights Importance of Caregiving

CARE is a 65-minute documentary about the increasing importance of caregiving in our aging society; the passionate caregivers who often earn poverty wages; and the families who struggle to afford the care they desperately need.  Watch the trailer here. Bring CARE to your community organization, campus, faith community, or workplace. Local screenings help to spread awareness of eldercare issues, create fundraising opportunities for local care networks, and empower and educate the public about efforts to improve our care system to better support both elders and caregivers. To learn more, reach out to the film team by visiting www.caredocumentary.com or contacting Denae Peters at denae@filmsprout.org.

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Webinar Materials Available for Medicaid 201: MLTSS for State Ombudsmen and Representatives

The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) hosted a webinar on Medicaid managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) and the new Federal requirements for states to offer ombudsman services to managed care enrollees. This webinar was the second in a series on managed care; the first webinar, Medicaid 101 for State and Local Ombudsman, was held in January 2017. Building on the groundwork laid in January, this webinar provided an overview of Medicaid managed long-term services and support (MLTSS) programs across the country; explained the new Federal requirements for MLTSS programs to offer managed care ombudsman services to enrollees; discussed opportunities and challenges of operating a managed care ombudsman program within a State LTCO office; and highlighted the work of the Iowa SLTCO in managing both a State Long-term Care Ombudsman Program and a managed care ombudsman program. The webinar featured NASUAD’s Deputy Executive Director, Camille Dobson; Iowa’s State Long-term Care Ombudsman, Deanna Clingan-Fisher; and Kelli Todd, Iowa’s Managed Care Ombudsman Program Coordinator. Access the slides, recording and transcript on NORC's website.

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Spotlight on 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:

Culture Change - This NORC issue page provides information on how culture change seeks to create an environment in a nursing home where residents' individual needs and routines are emphasized and there is a focus on their human spirit as well as medical needs.  The page provides resources, training and outreach, ombudsman best practices, and information to share with consumers.

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In this Issue

We Made A Difference!

Announcing Residents' Rights Month 2017

Share Your Story!

ACL Seeking Comment on Draft Principles for Person-Centered Approach to Serious Illness

CARE Documentary Highlights Importance of Caregiving

Webinar Materials Available for Medicaid 201: MLTSS for State Ombudsmen and Representatives


Spotlight on Resources


Combined Federal Campaign

#10552

Thank you for your support!


Save the Date:

Consumer Voice 41st Annual Conference

November 5-8, 2017

Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel

Arlington, Virginia


Calendar of Events

Wednesday, March 29: LTCOP Rule: Supporting Person-Centered Advocacy - Complaint Investigations and Abuse, 3:00pm ET, Part I of webinar series from NORC

Wednesday, April 5: What is ACL's Interest in HCBS Quality?, 2:00pm ET, Webinar from the Administration for Community Living

Tuesday, April 25: LTCOP Rule: Identifying and Addressing Individual Conflicts of Interest, 3:00pm ET, Part II of webinar series from NORC (Note: You only need to register once in order to attend both webinars.)

November 5-8, 2017: Consumer Voice 41st Annual Conference, Arlington, VA


Join the conversation and follow us on social media!

Last Week's Most Popular Post:

Friday, March 24:
"We Made a Difference! The American Health Care Act has been pulled!"

Last Week's Most Popular Tweet:

 
Thursday, March 23
:
Medicaid is a lifeline for nursing home residents & other long-term care consumers. Tell Congress to vote NO on AHCA


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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 © 2017.

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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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