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November 19, 2014
Advocates Gather for Consumer Voice Conference
Advocates from across the country gathered in Arlington, VA for the Consumer Voice Annual Conference Saturday, November 15 to Tuesday, November 18.
Some of many conference highlights are below:
Ellen Fuller presenting the Janet Tulloch Memorial Advocacy Award to Kathy Keegan Clare, co-Founder of the Family Council at Belvoir Woods, VA.
Find more details about 2014 Leadership Award Winners on our website.
Consumer Voice Public Policy Associate Marybeth Williams gives a policy update during the "Consumer Voice Network" news segment during the luncheon on Sunday.
Conference attendees watch "The Thin Edge of Dignity," a documentary about the experience of Dick Weinman in an assisted living facility. The viewing was followed by a Q&A session with Dr. Weinman.
Mitzi McFatrich, Executive Director, Kansas Advocates for Better Care, Elma Holder, NCCNHR Founder, and Patty Ducayet, Texas Long-Term Care Ombudsman and President, National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs enjoy a great meal and excellent conversation at the Awards Luncheon during the conference.
Toby Edelman, Senior Policy Attorney at Center for Medicare Advocacy, presents during a session - "Enforcement - It's Important!"
Thank you to all those who attended the conference! Stay tuned for more photos and conference materials, posted to our website in coming weeks.
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A Consumer Writes: A bad facility experience causes her to move her mother
Consumer Voice receives many communications, including emails, social media posts and letters describing challenges in obtaining quality long-term care. Many reflect frustration and even circumstances of abuse and neglect. Each is given all of the attention it deserves; information, referrals and recommendations are provided as appropriate.
Recently, we received a five page letter providing a detailed account of one daughter’s experience with the first nursing home she had found for her mother. The daughter came to the facility daily and not only became an advocate for her mother’s care but also got to know other residents and she observed how they were treated. Her descriptions of the facility and the events she observed are compelling - and unfortunately upsetting too.
Fortunately, the daughter was able to move her mother to another facility, which she found to be accommodating and caring. Because she found quality care in the second facility, she felt confirmed that care “can be better” and that “caretakers can have love and respect for the person they are taking care of.” She has sent the letter we received to her state ombudsman and local and state officials, but because she feared retaliation when her mother was alive, she has done so only now that her mother has passed away.
Note: The Consumer Voice “Facebook First Friday” online discussion will be on “Retaliation,” on December 5th.
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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, please join Consumer Voice in celebrating #GivingTuesday by making a contribution to Consumer Voice. We are dedicating all #GivingTuesday contributions to support for family and resident councils which represent and advance consumer interests in long-term care settings.
Also, please let all of your email, Facebook and Twitter contacts know about your #GivingTuesday support for Consumer Voice - and why they should join you in supporting this critically important cause. Your message could just say, “Please 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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Consumer Voice Resource Featured in Disability.gov Newsletter
The Consumer Voice's online tool to find ombudsmen in your area was featured in Disability.gov's November newsletter. Read the newsletter "10 Things You Should Know About Long-Term Care."
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In this Issue
Advocates Gather for Consumer Voice Conference
A Consumer Writes: A bad facility experience causes her to move her mother
#GivingTuesday is December 2nd
Consumer Voice Resource Featured in Disability.gov Newsletter
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
Featured supporters:
Consumer Voice Conference attendees
Calendar of Events
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.
Friday, December 5: Facebook First Friday, Topic: Retaliation
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"
Support Consumer Voice While You Shop Online During the Holidays
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You can now shop on Amazon while supporting the Consumer Voice! Consumer Voice is now listed as a part of AmazonSmile, an easy and automatic way to support Consumer Voice every time you shop, at no cost to you. The Consumer Voice receives a donation of a portion of the purchase price every time you make a purchase. All Amazon purchases cost the same as they normally would.
To shop at AmazonSmile, click this link or go to smile.amazon.com and input "NCCNHR" as your charity of choice. For simpler shopping, you can install a one-touch button on your browser, so you can easily return to AmazonSmile to shop and support the Consumer Voice. For more information about AmazonSmile, click here. Begin shopping now at smile.amazon.com!
Planning on shopping online on Cyber Monday? Continue in the spirit of giving and donate to Consumer Voice on Giving Tuesday! After you contribute, use #GivingTuesday on Facebook and Twitter to encourage others to give too!
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:
Friday, November 14:
An important article from Jeff Kelly Lowenstein and the Center for Public Integrity. It shows how support for staffing helps some nursing homes achieve high quality results.
Last Week's Most Popular Tweet:
Sunday, November 16:
Packed room at Enforcement workshop listening to Toby Edelman, Cynthia Rudder & Robyn Grant.
Long-Term Care Resources & News
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
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