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December 10, 2014
New Mexico Sues Nursing Homes Over Staffing, Care Issues
In New Mexico, the Attorney General sued seven nursing homes claiming that insufficient staffing made proper care impossible. The lawsuit alleges that low staffing levels made it mathematically unfeasible to deliver sufficient care. According to reports, the facilities had below average staffing levels. Many are watching the lawsuit closely as its tactics could be duplicated in cases in other states. Read more in articles in Las Cruces Sun-News and McKnight's.
Find out more about staffing issues from Consumer Voice's Better Staffing: The Key to Better Care campaign.
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NSCLC Releases Brief on Appeals Procedures in Dual-Eligible Demonstrations
The National Senior Citizens Law Center has provided an update on their September 2013 analysis of appeals processes in dual-eligible demonstrations in six states. (Dual-eligibles are individuals who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare.) "Unfinished Business: Designing Appeals Procedures in the Dual-Eligible Demonstrations" is a tool that helps stakeholders focus their advocacy about appeals on areas where a consumer voice can have the most potential to affect programs, by highlighting the many areas where appeal rights and procedures have not yet been fully developed. Ten states are participating (CA, IL, MA, MI, NY, OH, SC, TX, VA and WA), with one more, Minnesota, pursuing a similar but alternate model. Read the issue brief.
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NPR Highlights Misuse of Antipsychotics in Nursing Homes in Three-Part Series
NPR presented a 3-part series on the use of antipsychotics in nursing homes. The first "Old and Overmedicated: The Real Drug Problem in Nursing Homes" reviewed the prevalence of the use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes to treat anxiety and aggressions associated with Alzheimer's and other dementia. Several family members shared stories of their loved ones receiving the drugs as "chemical restraints," which is prohibited by federal law.
The second part of the series, "Nursing Homes Rarely Penalized for Oversedating Patients," reviews NPR's analysis of government data that shows that the government rarely penalizes nursing homes when they don't reduce their use of antipsychotic drugs. Toby Edelman, Senior Policy Attorney at the Center for Medicare Advocacy, is quoted: "We haven't seen any evidence that, in this particular area of antipsychotic drugs, the CMS is taking action against states."
The final installment of the series, "This Nursing Home Calms Troubling Behavior without Risky Durgs," highlights a nursing home in Minnesota that decreased their use of antipsychotic drugs by focusing on individualized care.
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Issue Brief Released on Hispanics' Experiences with Long-Term Care in the U.S.
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research released an issue brief on Hispanics' experiences with long-term care in the United States, revealing new data on planning for long-term care as well as demographic differences in this community. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, with funding from The SCAN Foundation, is undertaking a series of studies to assess the aging population’s personal experiences with long-term care in the United States. The second study in the series, released in May 2014, surveyed Americans age 40 or older and detailed who is providing and receiving long-term care, how caregiving impacts family relationships and personal experiences, and which policy measures are favored to improve the long-term care system. For more information, click here. Access the issue brief here.
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New Victim Assistance Training Online Modules Launched
New Victim Assistance Training (VAT) Online modules have been launched; including Elder Abuse, People With Disabilities, and Elderly Populations. Additional VAT Online modules that address other specific crimes and the needs of special populations will be launched in 2015. VAT Online is a foundational Web-based victim assistance training program that offers victim service providers and allied professionals the opportunity to acquire the essential skills and knowledge they need to more effectively assist victims of crime. Training is free. For more information, click here.
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Your Contribution Makes a Difference
Your contribution decides whether there is a voice for consumers of long-term care, whether Consumer Voice will be THE VOICE for all long-term care consumers in every forum where the voice of consumers needs to be heard or represented. With your support, Consumer Voice will fight for the rights, dignity, and well-being of all long-term care consumers every day. Learn more and contribute here.
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Report Shows Nursing Home Residents Experience Significant Interruption in Opioid Administration
According to a report entitled "Opioid Interruptions, Pain, and Withdrawal Symptoms in Nursing Home Residents" in Clinical Therapeutics, 38% of acute illness episodes included a significant interruption in opioid administration. Patients that experienced reductions reported worse pain during follow-up periods than those without interruptions. Some long-term care professionals do not agree with limitations on opioid painkillers as it could make it more difficult to manage pain in a timely and effective manner.
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NSCLC Webinar on Assisted Living Reform
The National Senior Citizens Law Center is holding a free webinar entitled "Assisted Living Reform: Policies and Politics" on Monday, December 15th at 3:00pm EST. Dr. Larry Polivka, an expert in aging and long-term care, will speak from personal experience on the need for assisted living reforms and the hurdles that confront any reform effort. Dr. Polivka will discuss important assisted living policy questions, including consideration of the positions taken by common assisted living stakeholders. The session will be moderated by Eric Carlson, Directing Attorney for the National Senior Citizens Law Center, who will relay questions from the webinar audience to Dr. Polivka, and contribute additional insight on the topics under discussion. Register now.
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Consumer Voice 2015 Calendar Makes a Great Holiday Gift!
The Consumer Voice has created a unique and one-of-a-kind 2015 calendar. The calendar would make a great gift to show your appreciation to friends, family, residents, staff members, volunteers, co-workers and anyone else who shares your passion for quality care and supports residents' rights. The 12-month calendar (beginning January 2015) supports the Consumer Voice's "Better Staffing: The Key to Better Care" campaign with photos, quotes, poems and artwork from long-term care consumers and staff members.
These calendars make great holiday gifts! Buy now - the special price of $14 has been extended through the holidays!
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Gift Guide for Individuals Living with Paralysis
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation has released its 2014 Gift Guide for Individuals Living with Paralysis. The seventh annual guide features a wide variety of items for the paralysis community in nine categories including: Bath & Beauty; Fun & Functional Fashion; Helpful Living; Home & Kitchen; Health & Fitness; Technology; Just for Kids; Books & Movies; and Wheelchair Extras. Access the guide here.
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LTCCC Releases Report on National Campaign to Address Misuse of Antipsychotic Drug in Nursing Homes
The Long Term Care Community Coalition (LTCCC) has released a brief entitled "Left Out: Results of a Survey of Nursing Home Resident Representatives on the National Campaign to Improve Dementia Care." The brief presents the first of two assessments undertaken by LTCCC on the effectiveness, to date, of the national campaign to address the widespread, inappropriate and dangerous use of antipsychotic drugs on nursing home residents. The purpose of the report is to provide insights into the effectiveness of CMS's activities to engage and include nursing home residents and their representatives in efforts to reduce inappropriate antipsychotic drugging. Read LTCCC's brief here.
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Guide for Siblings Caring for Aging Parents
PBS released a guide, written by Bonnie Lawrence from Family Caregiver Alliance, for siblings caring for aging parents. The guide offers advice on communicating with siblings, sharing responsibilities, family decision-making, and working through conflicts. Read the guide.
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In this Issue
New Mexico Sues Nursing Homes Over Staffing, Care Issues
NSCLC Releases Brief on Appeals Procedures in Dual-Eligible Demonstrations
NPR Highlights Misuse of Antipsychotics in Nursing Homes in Three-Part Series
Issue Brief Released on Hispanics' Experiences in Long-Term Care in the U.S.
New Victim Assistance Training Online Modules Launched
Your Contribution Makes a Difference
Report Shows Nursing Home Residents Experience Significant Interruptions in Opioid Administration
NSCLC Webinar on Assisted Living Reform
Consumer Voice 2015 Calendar Makes a Great Holiday Gift!
Gift Guide for Individuals Living with Paralysis
LTCCC Releases Report on National Campaign to Address Misuse of Antipsychotic Drugs in Nursing Homes
Guide for Siblings Caring for Aging Parents
Please note Consumer Voice offices will be closed from December 25 through January 1. If you are in need of immediate assistance, contact your local ombudsman program.
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
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"
Monday, December 15: Assisted Living Reform: Policies and Politics, 3:00pm EST, Free webinar from the National Senior Citizens Law Center
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!
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.
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.
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