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November 11, 2014

Special Features at the Consumer Voice Annual Conference - Beginning November 15th!

The Consumer Voice Annual Conference begins Saturday, November 15th in Arlington, VA.  The conference will feature incredible sessions and speakers including:

  • White House Conference on Aging Listening Session
  • Viewing "The Thin Edge of Dignity" and reception with resident and video subject Dick Weinman
  • Plenary sessions: Better Staffing: The Key to Better Care; New Standards in HCBS Settings: What Do They Mean?; Developing Strategies and Partnerships in the Search for Person-Centered Care
  • 2014 Consumer Voice Leadership Award Recipients
  • A 4-workshop sequence that provides a complete Advocacy Training Program
  • Roundtable discussion with NCCNHR Founder Elma Holder
  • Updates on latest policy issues
  • Video recordings to celebrate Consumer Voice's 40th Anniversary in 2015
  • Receptions, luncheons and networking opportunities

For more information, view the full agenda

Register for the conference now!

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Alzheimer's Association NYC Releases Statement on Palliative Care for Dementia

The Alzheimer's Association New York City Chapter has released a statement entitled "Why look at palliative care through a dementia lens?"  The purpose of palliative care is the prevention and alleviation of pain and suffering.  Many people have a disconnect when it comes to palliative care and Alzheimer's and other dementias.  But for these cognitive diseases, palliative care means taking active steps to discover what comforts someone and what gives them pleasure - and taking active steps to prevent or avoid unnecessary pain and suffering before they take hold.  For more information, read the statement.


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Report Shows Hospice is Fastest Growing in Nursing Homes

According the the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's annual report, hospice services increased in nursing homes more than in any other care setting last year.  The report states that 17.9% of hospice patients received end-of-life care in a nursing home in 2013, compared to 17.2% in 2012.  For more information, read the report.

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Learn More About the 2014 Consumer Voice Leadership Award Recipients

The 2014 Consumer Voice Leadership Awards will be presented this weekend at the Consumer Voice Annual Conference.  Learn more about the award recipients below:

The winners are:
Janet Tulloch Memorial Advocacy Award
Kathy Keegan Clare, co-founder Family Council at Belvoir Woods, VA

Kathy’s involvement at the Belvoir Woods Health Care Center started when her father was admitted to the skilled care floor in 2009.  After listening and sharing experiences with other family caregivers, Kathy recognized a need for some kind of support mechanism for the spouses, and sons and daughters of the residents.  In co-leading the Family Council and supporting the residents and families, Kathy feels she is continuing her father’s "service to others."

Cernoria Johnson Memorial Advocacy Award
Jacqueline "Jackie” Majoros, VT State LTC Ombudsman

Jackie Majoros has served as Vermont’s State Long Term Care Ombudsman (SLTCO) and Director of the Vermont Ombudsman Project at Vermont Legal Aid (VLA) since 1996.  As SLTCO, Ms. Majoros advocates for individuals in facilities and in the community who need long term care services and supports.

Esther Houser, OK State LTC Ombudsman

Prior to her recent retirement, Esther Houser was the first and only State Long-Term Care Ombudsman for Oklahoma, serving as the SLTCO in the Aging Services Division of the Department of Human Services since 1979.  Ms. Houser has served two terms as President of the National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs.  Her work has been published in various publications and manuals related to Ombudsman practice and long-term care issues.  In 2013, she was honored with induction into the University of Oklahoma School of Social Work Hall of Fame.

Howard Hinds Memorial Award
Janet Tadsen, Associate Ombudsman, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, OH LTC Ombudsman Program

Janet Tadsen's first career was as a primary school teacher from 1969-2008.  For the past six years, she has been working as an ombudsman associate for ABLE, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality.

Toby S. Edelman Legal Justice Award
Eric Carlson, Directing Attorney, National Senior Citizens Law Center

Eric Carlson has over twenty years of experience in long-term services and supports (LTSS), including home and community-based services, nursing facility care, and assisted living facilities.  Mr. Carlson's in-depth understanding of the laws governing long-term care facilities and home and community based services and his ability to show advocates, consumers and others how to use these laws in advocating for quality care has impacted long-term care consumers across the country.

Elma Holder Founder's Award
Kathy Greenlee, Administrator, Administration for Community Living (ACL), Assistant Secretary, Administration on Aging (AoA)

Kathy Greenlee serves in the dual roles of Administrator of the Administration for Community Living and Assistant Secretary for Aging. Ms. Greenlee was appointed by President Obama as Assistant Secretary for Aging at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and confirmed by the Senate in June 2009.  Assistant Secretary Greenlee believes that people with functional support needs should have the opportunity to live independently in a home of their choosing, receiving appropriate services and supports. She is committed to building the capacity of the national aging and disability networks to better serve older persons, caregivers, and individuals with disabilities.

Janet Wells Public Policy Leadership Award
Cathy Hurwit, Chief of Staff, Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

Cathy L. Hurwit currently serves as chief of staff to Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), where she also has responsibility for health care, senior and labor issues.  Prior to joining Rep. Schakowsky’s staff in January 1999, she was a legislative affairs specialist at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).  She has co-authored “Insuring the Uninsured:  Options for State Action,” “National Health Care:  An American Priority,” and “The Managed Care Consumers’ Bill of Rights:  A Health Policy Guide for Consumer Advocates.”

For more information on the awards and extended bios for the award recipients, click
here.

Do you know an honoree? Consider supporting Consumer Voice by making tribute gift in their honor or sponsoring an issue of The Gazette in their name.

Congratulations to all of the winners!  We're looking forward to seeing you at our Annual Conference.

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ACL Seeks Applications for Technical Assistance to Build the Business Capacity of Community-Based Aging and Disability Organizations

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is requesting applications for up to ten networks fo community-based aging and disability organizations to participate in a learning collaborative and receive targeted technical assistance related to business acumen. Applicants must be seeking to build their business capacity and align their service capabilities in order to contract with integrated healthcare entities to provide community-based long-term services and supports and/or evidence-based preventive health programs and services.  ACL is particularly interested in working with networks that include a diverse mix of organizations that serve people with disabilities and older adults.  No direct funding will be provided through this initiative; rather, this collaborative will receive targeted technical assistance through a variety of different means, as noted within the announcement.  

Applications must be submitted electronically via email to Lauren.Solkowski@acl.hhs.gov by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Monday, December 8, 2014. For more information, read the request for applications.

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Remembering Advocate Barbara Ann "Bee" Becker

Consumer Voice is saddened by the passing of long-time advocate Barbara Ann "Bee" Becker.  She was passionate about nursing home advocacy and made it her life's work to help protect and advocate for nursing home residents and their families, including testifying before Congress.  Ms. Becker's family asked that contributions in her memory be made to Consumer Voice.  Read Ms. Becker's full obituary.

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Sacaramento Bee Investigates Nursing Home Ownership in California

A recent expose in The Sacramento Bee shed light on how California's nursing homes are regulated.  Data are available for individual nursing homes through federal, state and nonprofit groups' records of issues like staffing levels, bedsore rates and use of antipyschotic drugs.  But, in California the Department of Public Health, the agency that oversees skilled nursing facilities, does not measure quality of care throughout a chain of nursing homes or determine whether corporate policies and practices are contributing to any patterns.  Some companies in California create complicated business structures to make it difficult for consumers and government regulators to identify who should be held responsible when things go wrong.   Professor Emerita of Sociology and Nursing at University of California, San Francisco Charlene Harrington said, "It's a huge maze to try and figure out who owns what, and that's deliberately done."  

The Sacramento Bee analyzed thousands of federal and state records detailing the ownership of California's 1,260 nursing homes.  The Bee also examined government and industry data to determine how the largest owners and their facilities performed on 46 measures, including quality-of-care indicators, staffing, complaints and deficiencies.  Read Part 1 and Part 2 of the three-part series.

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#GivingTuesday is December 2nd

Black Friday.   Cyber Monday.    #GivingTuesday
We have a day for giving thanks.  We have two for getting deals.  
Now, we have #GivingTuesday to give back.

On Tuesday, December 2nd, join Consumer Voice in celebrating philanthropy by joining this national movement dedicated to generosity.  Make a #GivingTuesday contribution to Consumer Voice and help us support family and resident councils which represent and advance consumer interests in long-term care settings.

Please make a contribution on #GivingTuesday and join the social media movement by stating your support for Consumer Voice through Twitter and Facebook – or send an email to all of your friends and contacts.  Just say, “Join me in supporting the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care on Giving Tuesday” and provide this link: www.theconsumervoice.org/about/contributions/giving-tuesday

To donate now, click here.  For more information, visit our website.

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Take a Survey from LTCCC on the Federal Campaign to Improve Dementia Care and Reduce Unnecessary Use of Antipyschotics

Long-Term Care Community Coalition (LTCCC) is conducting a short, three question survey on the federal campaign to improve dementia care and reduce unnecessary antipsychotic drugging in nursing homes.  They are interested in finding out the extent to which nursing home residents, resident advocates, LTC Ombudsmen and other resident representatives are aware of and/or  are participating in the campaign activities.  The survey is completely anonymous.  Please share it with other residents, family members, LTC Ombudsmen and advocates.  The survey will close on Friday, November 14.  Take the survey.

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In this Issue

Special Features at the Consumer Voice Annual Conference - Beginning November 15th!

Alzheimer's Association NYC Releases Statement About Palliative Care for Dementia

Report Shows Hospice is Fastest Growing in Nursing Homes

Learn More About the 2014 Consumer Voice Leadership Award Recipients

ACL Seeks Applications for Technical Assistance to Build the Business Capacity of Community-Based Aging and Disability Organizations

Remembering Advocate Barbara Ann "Bee" Becker

Sacramento Bee Investigates Nursing Home Ownership in California

#GivingTuesday is December 2nd

Take a Survey from LTCCC About the Federal Campaign to Improve Dementia Care and Reduce Unnecessary Use of Antipsychotics


4.1 It CAN Be Done!

As part of our nursing home staffing campaign, Better Staffing: The Key to Better Care, Consumer Voice is advocating for a minimum of 4.1 hours of nursing care per resident per day.  To show your support of this campaign, individuals can send us a photo with the slogan "4.1 - It CAN Be Done" by tweeting us pictures @ConsumerVoices, posting on our Facebook or emailing your photos to info@theconsumervoice.org.  Get the word out and encourage consumers to participate by sending in their photos too! 

You can join the Better Staffing: The Key to Better Care campaign, learn more about the campaign's goals, access the campaign advocacy toolkit, and take action at: www.theconsumervoice.org/betterstaffing


Calendar of Events

November 15-18, 2014: Consumer Voice Annual Conference at the Hilton Crystal City in Arlington, VA Register now.

Thursday, November 20: World Wide Pressure Ulcer Awarenss Day

Thursday, November 20: Eliminating the Use of Antipsychotic Medications - It Can't Be Done Without Professional Nurses, 12:00pm EST, Session 3 in Pioneer Network's webinar series "The Pivotal Role of Nurses in Assuring Quality and Person-Directed Care"

Tuesday, December 2: #GivingTuesday, Make plans to make a contribution to Consumer Voice and to ask all of your contacts, friends and social media followers to join you.

Wednesday, December 10: Addressing Elder Issues in Indian Country, 9am-5pm EST, Webcast (and in-person event in Norman, OK) sponsored by the National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative

Thursday, December 11: Substance Abuse, 3:00pm EST, Webinar from The National Nursing Home Social Work Network

Thursday, December 11: Teamwork: Nurses and Nursing Assistants Working Together to Provide Person-Centered Care, 2:00pm EST, Session 4 in Pioneer Network's webinar series "The Pivotal Role of Nurses in Assuring Quality and Person-Directed Care"


Did You Know?

If you make a tribute contribution in honor of an individual or organization, or in memory of a person, we will send the appropriate contact an acknowledgment recognizing your contribution (but not the amount).  All you have to do is supply their mailing address.  And you will also receive a donation receipt, too.


Your Consumer Voice Membership Shows Your Support for Quality Long-Term Care

The Consumer Voice envisions a world in which all consumers of long-term care, services and supports are treated with respect and dignity.  As we work to achieve this goal, we need friends and advocates like you to join us in our fight to achieve quality services for all long-term care consumers.  There is strength in numbers, and when there are many of us and our voice is strong, only then do we achieve our mission of empowering consumers and bringing about quality of life and quality care for all people receiving long-term care, services and supports.  That is why we need your help - become a member of the Consumer Voice!

Join now and receive a SPECIAL OFFER - your membership will not expire until December 2015 - That's 3 months FREE!

Go to www.theconsumervoice.org/join to become a member.
Questions about membership? Contact info@theconsumervoice.org


A Gift of Stock is a Win-Win for the Donor and for Consumer Voice

It is great when the value of an asset increases, but when such assets are owned outside of a retirement plan people are subject to capital gains tax on the asset’s appreciation or increase in value.  Making a gift of the asset – often a stock or other security – to Consumer Voice eliminates the capital gains tax on the holding.  Additionally, the gift may be recognized as a charitable donation and may result in a tax deduction for the full appreciated value of the asset. 

So, the donor wins in two ways – by avoiding capital gains tax and receiving a charitable gift deduction.  And Consumer Voice wins by obtaining your contribution and using it to support our programs of long-term care advocacy and education. If you would like to make a gift of stock or other security, contact rgelula@theconsumervoice.org.


Join the conversation and follow us on social media!

Last Week's Most Popular Post:

Tuesday, November 4:
Quality long-term care should be a non-partisan and a bi-partisan issue, but with government being the largest payor of long-term services  & supports these also become political matters.

Last Week's Most Popular Tweet:

Tuesday, November 4
:
CMS announces expanded survey program to confirm accuracy of nursing home submitted data.


Long-Term Care Resources & News


Upcoming Webinars

Addressing Elder Issues in Indian Country Pre-Conference Live Webcast, Wednesday, December 10, 11am-7pm CST - This live webcast sponsored by the National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative will cover topics including model tribal codes development for elder abuse, organizing elder protection teams, family preservation issues and more.  Registration is required.  Watch the webcast or attend in-person at The National Weather Center at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK.

Eliminating the Use of Antipsychotic Medications - It Can't Be Done Without Professional Nurses, Tuesday, November 20, 12:00pm EST - Session 3 of Pioneer Network's Hot Topics Webinar Series, "The Pivotal Role of Nurses in Assuring Quality and Person-Directed Care."  In this webinar, hear about how one nursing home significantly reduced the use of anitpsychotic medications and how the components of a nursing practice model helped achieve that goal.  Registration fee: $99.


Read past issues of The Gazette here.


Sponsor the Gazette - Consumer Voice is now accepting sponsorship for each weekly issue of The Gazette.  As a benefit of sponsorship, the contributor may honor, remember, or thank an individual or organization.  For more information, contact Richard Gelula at rgelula@theconsumervoice.org

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 below. Your contributions and comments are welcome and should be sent to info@theconsumervoice.org. Copyright © 2014.

If you did not receive The Gazette through a subscription, but would like to join our mailing list to receive future issues, click here.

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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