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May 14, 2019
ACL Issues Reorganization Plan
Last week, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) announced a new reorganization plan. Changes proposed in the plan include putting the Office of Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services in the role of supervising the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and making the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging (currently Edwin Walker) the Director of the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs. ACL stated that the purpose of the reorganization was to "improve efficiency and effectiveness of the organization; strengthen infrastructure; and improve the connections between the organization and its stakeholder, grantees and consumers at the national, state and local levels." Read the reorganization plan here.
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New Bill Provides Funding Increases for Elder Justice Programs
Last week, the House Appropriations Committee passed a funding bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. The bill included several increases for elder justice programs - an additional $5 million for the Elder Justice Initiative, including $2 million for work on elder abuse and opioid abuse; a $2 million increase for the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program; and rejection of the President's proposal to end funding for the Social Services Block Grant program. The bill also increased funding for survey and certification activities for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) including a $10 million increase "to ensure that beneficiaries receive care at facilities that meet health, safety and quality standards." Read the bill here.
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Help Preserve the Stories of LGBT Elders
SAGE: Advocacy & Services for LGBT Elders announced a special project, in collaboration with StoryCorps, for the 50th anniversary of Stonewall - Stonewall OutLoud. In June, SAGE is asking people nationwide to help preserve the stories of LGBTQ elders by recording personal stories of people within the LGBT community on the StoryCorps app. They are particularly seeking stories from those who were born before the 1969 Stonewall Riots. Each of the interviews will be saved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Become involved in the project by:
- Recording someone's story on the StoryCorps App
- Listen to stories that have already been recorded.
- Become a Stonewall OutLoud Champion by pledging to record interviews
- Host a Stonewall OutLoud Story Party in your community
For more information, visit storycorps.org/outloud.
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NORC Webinar on Trauma-Informed Care
Join the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) for a webinar entitled, "Trauma-Informed Care: Nursing Home Responsibilities and Ombudsman Program Advocacy" on Monday, June 10th at 3:00pm – 4:30pm ET.
Ensuring that residents who are trauma survivors receive culturally competent, trauma-informed care is one of several new federal requirements which will go into effect when Phase 3 of the revised federal nursing home regulations are implemented November 28, 2019. Webinar attendees will learn about trauma-informed care, the new federal requirement, how trauma-informed care relates to resident-centered care, and what this means for Ombudsman program advocacy and communication.
Presenters include Nancy Kusmaul, Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and Patricia Hunter, Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. NORC will share resources, including a new fact sheet regarding trauma-informed care. This training is open to all Ombudsman programs.
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AARP BankSafe Training Now Available for Financial Institutions Nationwide
AARP's BankSafe training is now available to banks and credit unions nationwide. This free financial-exploitation prevention training platform is an interactive, self-paced training that empowers financial professionals to identify and stop potential exploitation. The training includes games, real-life scenarios, state-by-state resources and customized bank and credit union courses, which have been informed by industry feedback. Find more information at aarp.org/banksafe. Financial institutions can sign up for the training here.
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Bill Requiring Informed Consent for Antipsychotic Drugs Passes in Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, a bill has been passed requiring informed consent for nursing home residents and their families regarding the use of antipsychotic drugs. According to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), Oklahoma ranks the worst in the country for use of antipsychotic drugs for nursing home residents who have received no psychiatric diagnosis to warrant the use of the medications. Under the new law, nursing home residents will have to be examined by the prescribing clinician and diagnosed with a psychiatric condition before being administered an antipsychotic drug. The clinician must also confirm with the nursing facility that they have received informed consent from the resident or their representative. For more information, read the article in The Duncan Banner.
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New Toolkit to Increase Social Engagement Among Older Adults
In celebration of the Older Americans Month theme - Connect, Create, Contribute - engAGED: The National Resource Center for Engaging Older Adults has released a new toolkit to identify approaches and develop practices to increase the social engagement of older adults. The customizable toolkit explains the impact of social isolation on older adults, provides ways to increase social engagement, and describes the benefits of social engagement for both older adults and their communities. The toolkit includes a customizable brochure, infographics, fact sheets, a PowerPoint presentation, sample press release and more.
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Spotlight on Resources
 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 and NORC websites to explore all the available resources. Check out this week's highlighted resource:
Abuse, Neglect Exploitation and Misappropriation of Property Prezi (with voiceover)
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In this Issue
ACL Issues Reoranization Plan
New Bill Provides Funding Increases for Elder Justice Programs
Help Preserve the Stories of LGBT Elders
NORC Webinar on Trauma-Informed Care
AARP BankSafe Training Now Available for Financial Institutions Nationwide
Bill Requiring Informed Consent for Antipsychotic Drugs Passes in Oklahoma
New Toolkit to Increase Social Engagement Among Older Adults
Spotlight on Resources
Calendar of Events
May: Older Americans Month
Monday, May 20: National Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day, 1:00-3:30pm ET, RSVP for the in-person event in Washington, DC here or watch the livestream
Thursday, May 30: Ten Common Nursing Home Problems, and How to Resolve Them, 2:00pm ET, Webinar from Justice in Aging
Friday, June 7: Stronger Together: Elder Justice Tools for WEAAD and Beyond, 12:00pm ET, NCEA webinar
Monday, June 10: Trauma-Informed Care: Nursing Home Responsibilities and Ombudsman Program Advocacy, 3:00pm ET, NORC Webinar
Saturday, June 15: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - Lifting Up Voices
October: Residents' Rights Month
November 3-6, 2019: Consumer Voice Annual Conference, Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, Virginia
Join the conversation and follow us on social media!
Last Week's Most Popular Post:
Thursday, May 9:
Today Consumer Voice Executive Director Lori Smetanka attended the Center for Medicare Advocacy's National Voices of Medicare Summit.
Last Week's Most Popular Tweet:
Wednesday, May 8:
Watch the livestream today of Senate Aging Committee's hearing "The Older Americans Act: Protecting and Supporting Seniors as They Age"
Long-Term Care Resources & News
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