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October 4, 2011
Consumer Voice Supports Home Care Worker Wage Protections
The Consumer Voice has joined with other leading organizations representing the elderly to urge the Obama administration to give home care workers overtime and minimum wage protection. Twenty-seven national organizations, including the Consumer Voice, signed a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Jack Lew asking OMB to allow publication “as soon as possible” of regulations that would bring home care workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Currently, Department of Labor regulations exempt from the FLSA more than 1.7 million workers who provide services to the elderly and persons with disabilities in their homes.
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New York Governor Signs Bill in Support of LGBT Seniors
In September, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a bill requiring the New State Office of the Aging to assess the needs traditionally underserved elders, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults, to provide technical assistance to organizations that serve them; additionally, the bill, which was sponsored by New State Senator Thomas Duane and Assembymember Micah Kellner, requires the Office of the Aging to annually report on those services to the governor and the state legislature.
Available research shows LGBT seniors are more likely to live in poverty, face social isolation and lack necessary health care and long-term care. The number of LGBT elders is expected to double in the next two decades, likely increasing the need for aging provider to deliver culturally appropriate services. A recent national survey of aging service provides showed respondents lack the proper training to provide service for LGBT older adults.
For more information, visit http://sageusa.org.
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It's Residents' Rights Month
Residents' Rights Week has been expanded to Residents' Rights Month! This gives us the entire month of October to call attention to the very important topic of residents' rights.
Residents’ Rights Month 2011 reminds us residents of long-term care facilities are part of the community. Community is more than just a nursing home. Residents have the right to continue to participate in activities and other groups that meet outside of the nursing home. This year’s Residents’ Rights Month theme Welcome Home: Creating Connections Between Residents and the Community challenges us to think of creative ways to involve residents in the community and to invite the community into the facilities in the month of October and throughout the year. It is time to bring our elders back into the community at large. For more Residents' Rights Month information, visit the Consumer Voice website.
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CMS Endorses Michigan Training on Abuse Prevention
According to a recent PHI blog post, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has endorsed a 12-module adult abuse and neglect prevention training program for direct-care workers. The curriculum, which was developed by BEAM (Bringing Eden Alternative to Michigan), Michigan State University and PHI, is available as a free download at the PHI Training and Organizational Development Services website.
"The adult learner-centered curriculum 'includes highly interactive trainings that focus on actively building person-centeredness and self-management skills within individuals and organizations,' said PHI training and organizational development specialist Maureen Sheahan, who supported the curriculum design."
The endorsement from CMS was in August 12 memorandum to State Survey Agency directors recommending several training resources dealing with abuse prevention and dementia care.
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About The Gazette
The Gazette is a weekly e-newsletter, published by the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care and the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center. If you do not wish to continue receiving this publication, please unsubscribe. Your contributions and comments are welcome and should be sent to swells@theconsumervoice.org. Copyright © 2011.
The 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. The Consumer Voice's mission is to represent consumers at the national level for quality long-term care, services and supports.
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