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August 4, 2015
Congress Passes NOTICE Act
Last week, following the overwhelming approval in the U.S. House of Representatives in March, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved legislation requiring hospitals to notify Medicare patients when they receive observation care but have not been admitted to the hospital. The Notice of Observation Treatment and Implication for Care Eligibility (NOTICE) Act would require hospitals to give written notification to patients 24 hours after receiving observation care, clarifying that they have not been admitted to the hospital, the reasons why, and the potential financial implications. Beneficiaries must spend three consecutive midnights as an admitted patient in a hospital in order to qualify for Medicare's nursing home coverage; observation days don't count. So, observation care can prevent beneficiaries from receiving Medicare's more comprehensive hospitalization coverage and it means they may not get Medicare's limited nursing home benefit if they need care in a facility after being in a hospital. For more information, read the article in Kaiser Health News.
Consumer Voice is a member of a coalition and is supporting legislation that seek to eliminate observation status.
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NORC Bullying Webinar Recording Now Available
NORC recently hosted a webinar on July 28th titled, “Identifying, Preventing, and Responding to Bullying in Long-Term Care Facilities.” Over 500 individuals registered for this webinar demonstrating the significant interest in this issue. The webinar discussed bullying among residents in long-term care facilities. Dr. Robin Bonifas, John A. Hartford Faculty Scholar in Geriatric Social Work, Associate Professor with the School of Social Work at Arizona State University shared findings from her recent work regarding bullying in long-term care facilities, including:
- A definition of bullying and characteristics of residents that bully and residents that are targets of bullying
- Signs and prevalence of bullying
- Examples of interventions and best practices to prevent and respond to these incidents
Following her presentation NORC staff reviewed the LTCO role in responding to complaints regarding bullying, highlighted advocacy tips, and shared resources regarding resident-to-resident aggression. The webinar recording, slides, and additional materials are available on the NORC website.
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CDC Modeling Shows that a Coordinated Approach Could Prevent Spread of Drug-Resistant Infections
The latest Vital Signs, released by the CDC today, revealed research that showed that there could be fewer antibiotic-resistant infections if health care facilities and public health officials work together. The CDC modeling projects that a coordinated approach could prevent up to 70 percent of life-threatening carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections over five years. Additional estimates show that national infection control and antibiotic stewardship efforts led by federal agencies, health care facilities, and public health departments could prevent 619,000 antibiotic-resistant and C. difficile infections and save 37,000 lives over five years.
The report recommends the following coordinated, two-part approach to turn this data into action that prevents illness and saves lives:
- Public health departments track and alert health care facilities to drug-resistant germ outbreaks in their area and the threat of germs coming from other facilities, and
- Health care facilities work together and with public health authorities to implement shared infection control actions to stop the spread of antibiotic-resistant germs and C. difficile between facilities.
For more information, read CDC's press release.
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Research News - Study Finds Older Men Taking Common Medications at Higher Risk of Injury from Falls
A new study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society showed that older men taking some common medications have a higher risk of injury from a fall. Researchers used data from The Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing to analyze the types of medications participants were taking compared to the types of falls they experienced. Men over 65 who took medications with anticholinergic effects, which block the part of the brain that passes messages between nerve cells, were twice as likely to suffer serious falls. Medicines that have anticholinergic effects are commonly prescribed for older people for bladder issues, depression, psychosis, insomnia and respiratory problems. Read the study here.
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WHCOA Livestream Videos Available
Videos of the livestream from the 2015 White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA) are now available. Videos cover the entire event including the President's remarks, panels, and discussions. View the agenda from the day here and the videos here.
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Briefly Noted...
 
- CARE Matters buttons and wristbands are still available via our online store. Receive bulk discounts on packs of 50 or 100. Members get 10% off!
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Spotlight on Giving: 40th Anniversary Special Gifts Campaign
A critical focus of the Consumer Voice board of directors is ensuring that the organization is able to address effectively the long-term care challenges affecting people today and in the years ahead. A key focus is to fully fund Consumer Voice public policy and advocacy initiatives which are critical at a time like now when new rules are being written and when cost pressures further threaten the commitment to quality, person-centered care and the rights of long-term care consumers. The board has started the year with its own fundraising campaign seeking double the level of annual contributions from each member and now it is reaching out to all members of the Consumer Voice constituency to ask that each person consider making a special contribution to the organization this year. Contributions can be made online here, monthly, as a gift of stock, in recognition of an individual, organization, or in other ways. To discuss your gift and how you would like it recognized, please contact Richard Gelula at rgelula@theconsumervoice.org or (202) 332-2275 x209. And for more information about the 40th Anniversary Campaign, click here.
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Spotlight on Educational Resources
The 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 website and the NORC website to explore all the available resources. Take a look at this week's highlighted resource:
Advocacy Toolkit - The Consumer Voice Advocacy Toolkit provides Powerpoint presentations, tip sheets and practice exercises that teach how to develop and deliver an effective advocacy message. The toolkit provides information for local, state and national level advocacy.
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In this Issue
Congress Passes NOTICE Act
NORC Bullying Webinar Recording Now Available
CDC Modeling Shows a Coordinated Approach Could Prevent Spread of Drug-Resistant Infections
Research News - Study Finds Older Men Taking Common Medications at Higher Risk of Injury from Falls
WHCOA Livestream Videos Available
Briefly Noted...
Spotlight on Giving: 40th Anniversary Special Gifts Campaign
Spotlight on Educational Resources
Ombudsmen - Sign Up Now to Continue Receiving The Voice
Ombudsmen - you have been receiving The Voice weekly e-newsletter automatically. If you would like to continue to receive The Voice, including important policy updates, consumer resources, and long-term care news, you must subscribe for FREE on our website or you must sign up as a member.
To continue receiving The Voice uninterrupted, you must sign up by August 4, 2015.
Note: If you are already a member of Consumer Voice, you will continue to receive The Voice automatically. If you are unsure of your membership status, email info@theconsumervoice.org.
If you already signed up using the link provided in last week's issue or email blast, no further action is required; you will continue to receive The Voice uninterrupted.
Calendar of Events
Thursday, August 27: How to Grow, Support, and Activate Your Network, Advocacy skills training webinar from the Consumer Voice
October: Residents' Rights Month, CARE Matters
November 4-7, 2015: Consumer Voice 39th Annual Conference, Crystal City, Virginia
Register Now for the Consumer Voice Annual Conference November 4-7, 2015
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Your Car Can Help Promote Quality Care - It's Easy!
Do you, a loved one or friend have a car that you or they would like to dispose of? Now, Consumer Voice can help – and your used car can help Consumer Voice! By working with our car disposal agency, Vehicle Donation to Any Charity (V-DAC), the proceeds from the sale of your car become a contribution to Consumer Voice.
Donating your car is easy - V-DAC comes to the location of the car and picks it up (whether the car can be driven or not). Provide the car's registration and title, and V-DAC will send you a contribution letter with the amount of the donation that was made.
Note: We are actually registered with the service as “NCCNHR” so when asked which charity you would like to benefit, just say or type in “NCCNHR.”
Here is a link to our page on the V-DAC site http://v-dac.com/org?id=52-1122531 and you can get started there – or just call 877-999-8322 toll free. And to discuss your donation with Consumer Voice, just write to us at info@theconsumervoice.org or call (202) 332-2275 x209
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Last Week's Most Popular Post:
Wednesday July 29:
Consumer Voice has begun a study of nursing home closures. Meanwhile, read this article from Britain which describes the effects of poor planning on one 99 year old resident and her family.
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Tuesday, July 28:
See our 40th anniversary "Gems" and get all of the latest long-term care news in The Voice
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