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January 12, 2016

Consumer Voice Store Sale!

Consumer Voice will be moving to new office space in early February, and we are looking to reduce our inventory! Between now and January 25th, all items in our store will be 25% off when you use the discount code MOVING25. Everything is on sale! Hurry while supplies last!

Shop our store by clicking here!

Highlights Include:

  • Nursing Homes: Getting Good Care There - Consumer Voice's widely acclaimed classic consumer guide includes specific advocacy strategies, checklists, and standards of care. A great training tool for all ombudsmen!
  • 40 Words of Wisdom - A unique keepsake book featuring written entries and artwork created by residents around the nation sharing their words of wisdom, thoughts on care, and creativity.
  • Care Matters Wristbands - Show your support of quality care! Perfect to give to volunteers, residents, or other advocates!
  • Emergency Preparedness Kit - The kit includes a flashlight, NORC tip sheet for ombudsmen, smart phone apps, an emergency management dictionary and translations, and a CMS emergency preparedness checklist.
*Only one discount per order.

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NORC is on Facebook and Twitter

The National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) has joined Facebook and Twitter!  NORC will share resources, news from local and state long-term care ombudsman programs, best practices, and interesting stories to support and inform LTCO across the country.  NORC provides technical assistance and training to 53 State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs and their statewide networks of almost 600 local programs. Its new Facebook and Twitter accounts will provide another opportunity to connect with state, local, and volunteer LTCO.

Visit: www.facebook.com/ltcoresourcecenter
Follow: @LTCombudcenter


“Like” and “follow” NORC today and encourage your ombudsman program representatives to connect too!

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Save the Date: Resident-to-Resident Mistreatment Webinar

Resident-to-Resident Elder Mistreatment in Nursing Homes:
Findings from the First Prevalence Study
Tuesday, February 2, 2016 3:00-4:30 ET


Join us for a webinar hosted by Consumer Voice in collaboration with the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) to discuss the prevalence of resident-to-resident mistreatment and learn how to identify, prevent, and respond to these incidents.

Dr. Karl Pillemer, Director, Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, Hazel E. Reed Professor in the Department of Human Development, Professor of Gerontology in Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College, will share findings, recommendations, and best practices from his research regarding the prevalence and reporting of resident-to-resident elder mistreatment in nursing facilities.

Following Dr. Pillemer’s presentation, Consumer Voice staff will share resources regarding resident-to-resident mistreatment and advocacy tips and strategies to increase awareness of these incidents, ensure the safety of all residents, and demonstrate how individualized care is critical to preventing and responding to resident-to-resident mistreatment.

Registration information will be available soon. If you have any questions, please contact info@theconsumervoice.org.

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Sign the Petition Asking Congress to Pass the Arbitration Fairness Act

Consumer Voice has launched a petition asking the U.S. Congress to pass the Arbitration Fairness Act (H.R. 2087; S. 1133), legislation that would ban the use of pre-dispute, forced arbitration agreements in consumer contracts. These are agreements that residents or their loved ones must sign when entering into a nursing home or assisted living facility. Once signed, pre-dispute, forced arbitration agreements strip individuals of their constitutional right to a trial by jury should any dispute arise in the future regarding poor care, abuse or neglect.

We have already urged the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to ban the use of these clauses in nursing home contracts. Now we are calling on Congress to take action on this important issue. You can help by signing on to this petition and sharing it with your family members, colleagues and friends. You can go here to add your name to this effort.

For information about forced arbitration agreements in long-term care facility contracts, visit our website.

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Blog and Resources on What to Expect When Working with Adult Protective Services

Andrew Capehart, Assistant Director of the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA), has written a blog entitled "APS 101: What to Expect When Working with Adult Protective Services."  The blog covers the complicated process of APS investigations and the variation in APS systems across states.  It highlights two resources which serve as tools to understand the role of APS in relation to elder abuse.  The fact sheet, "Adult Protective Services, What You Must Know," reviews the function of APS programs, reporting elder/vulnerable adult abuse, client protections and FAQs. The APS Example Flow Chart shows the typical progress of an APS system.

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Indianapolis Star Investigation Reveals Adult Protective Services Program Woefully Underfunded

The Indianapolis Star recently published an article highlighting how Indiana's underfunded Adult Protective Services (APS) program leaves vulnerable adults exposed to exploitation, abuse and neglect.  An investigation conducted by the Star compared Indiana's APS to other agencies nationwide, and Indiana's program was found lacking.  In Indiana, APS has up to 20 days to investigate a report of abuse; in many other states, APS has 1-7 days maximum.  In Indiana, APS employs 30 full-time investigators; in states with similar populations, APS employs anywhere from 90 employees in Tennessee to 175 in Washington state.  In addition, the Indiana APS program's budget is $3.26 million compared to $13.6 million and $8 million in Washington and Tennessee, respectively.  In 2014, the funding shortage was described by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, which funds APS, as "woefully" underfunded and "a day away from exploding."  To read the full story, click here.

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Webinar on Legal Remedies to Financial Exploitation of Property

Join the National Legal Resource Center for a webinar in their series of National Elder Rights Training Project/Elder Abuse Prevention webinars entitled "Legal Remedies to Financial Exploitation of Property: Let's Get Grandpa's House Back!" on Thursday, January 21st at 2:00pm ET.  This free webinar will focus on fraudulent real property transactions commonly perpetrated by family members and trusted fiduciaries. It will provide an overview of elder financial exploitation related to property, talk about prevention measures, and explain strategies and tactics successfully used to handle cases and recover assets.  Register here.

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Spotlight on Educational Resources

The Consumer Voice and the National Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) 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:

Advanced Care Planning and End of Life Care - This recently updated NORC page covers advanced care planning and end of life care issues.  It also includes information and resources on Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST).

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In this Issue

Consumer Voice Store Sale!

NORC is on Facebook and Twitter

Save the Date: Resident-to-Resident Mistreatment Webinar

Sign the Petition Asking Congress to Pass the Arbitration Fairness Act

Blog and Resources on What to Expect When Working with Adult Protective Services

Indianapolis Star Investigation Reveals Adult Protective Services Program Woefully Underfunded

Webinar on Legal Remedies to Financial Exploitation of Property


Spotlight on Educational Resources


Combined Federal Campaign

#10552

Thank you for your support!


Get Your CARE Matters Buttons and Wristbands

CARE Matters wristbands and buttons are sold in packs of 20, 50 and 100.  See the Consumer Voice online store for more information.  Use discount code: MOVING25 until January 25th to get 25% off!


Calendar of Events

Thursday, January 21: Legal Remedies to Financial Exploitation of Property: Let's Get Grandpa's House Back!, 2:00pm ET, Webinar in a series of the National Elder Rights Training Project/Elder Abuse Prevention webinars for the National Legal Resource Center

Tuesday, February 2: Resident-to-Resident Elder Mistreatment in Nursing Homes: Findings from the First Prevalence Study, 3:00pm ET, Webinar from Consumer Voice in collaboration with NCEA

November 2-5, 2016: Consumer Voice 40th Annual Conference, Arlington, VA


Join the conversation and follow us on social media!

Last Week's Most Popular Post:

Friday, January 8:
We need your help! We have launched a petition asking Congress to pass the Arbitration Fairness Act.

Last Week's Most Popular Tweet:

 
Friday, January 8
:
Sign our petition asking Congress to ban arbitration in consumer contracts!


Long-Term Care Resources & News



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About The Voice

The Voice is a weekly e-newsletter, published by the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. 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 © 2016.

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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. Consumer Voice's mission is to represent consumers at the national level for quality long-term care, services and supports.


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