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Safe Care for Seniors has released a new training video that will help staff know the right thing to do when they find a resident unresponsive or respond to urgent or unexpected situations. The 10-minute Rapid Evaluation Team video demonstrates a real-life scenario, provides an implementation action plan, and showcases the positive outcomes Carris Health Care Center & Therapy Suites in Willmar is experiencing as a result of this process. 

The LeadingAge Minnesota Comprehensive Home Care Manual – 3rd Edition is now available. This vital tool for Home Care Managers and RNs includes more than 140 sample policies and procedures, forms and checklists to comply with and manage operations of a Comprehensive Home Care Agency. Other new features include:  

The Minnesota Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators (BENHA) has published the notice of proposed rules for the Health Service Executive, which applies to individuals eligible or desiring the national Health Service Executive credential.  

Today’s consumers are more informed, prepared and savvy than ever before, requiring sales and marketing professionals in senior living to be prepared for a very personalized, multi-faceted approach. Our Sales & Marketing in Senior Living certificate program provides the tools, training and resources needed to successfully market your community, help consumers make informed choices and increase occupancy. 

The Community Care Networks (CCNs) from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are now active. CCNs replace the Veterans Choice Program and are designed to expand the provider network and improve customer service for veterans and timeliness of payments for providers. Along with Veterans Care Agreements, the CCNs are the main vehicle through which VA pays non-VA providers.  

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is seeking proposals to develop and/or provide services for older Minnesotans to live and age in the community of their choice.

Early bird registration ends March 6 for the 2020 Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety (MAPS) Conference. “All In. Safer Together.” takes place April 30 and May 1 in Brooklyn Park. 

Harold Hansen, who lives at Saint Therese of Woodbury, was recently honored by LeadingAge Minnesota with the Spirit of Aging Award.  

The Robert L. Kane Endowed Chair in Long-Term Care and Aging has announced it will provide $40,000 in scholarship funding during the 2020-2021 academic year. 

A new study shows dramatic changes in nursing home over the past 30 years: a loss of 400 nursing homes, significant growth in post-hospital admissions and dementia care, a growing number of residents who are racial or ethnic minorities residents, and a dramatic drop in the use of restraints and inappropriate antipsychotic use.  

Yes. You read that correctly. The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) is seeking a 15% cut to its own funding in fiscal year 2021 that will have a detrimental impact on programs that serve older adults. 

The U.S. Housing & Urban Development Department (HUD) has released the first of a series of short videos on RAD for PRAC.  

We delved deeper into the proposed fiscal year 2021 budget from the Trump Administration and discovered a $1 trillion spending cut that could impact aging services and the people you serve. While there is a lack of detail on where these cuts would come from and the budget is likely dead on arrival, it provides perspective on the Administration's vision for Medicaid that could come into play as part of the November election.  

Fifty-one LeadingAge Minnesota members have been named to the Safe Care for Seniors Action Honor Roll. The Action Honor Roll recognizes aging services providers who have made the Safe Care for Seniors pledge and demonstrated action and outcomes in prevention, safety, respect, learning and improvement, and collaboration.  

A new collaboration of businesses, governments, non-profits and community groups across the state have formed We Count. Minnesota to support a fair and accurate 2020 Census. Why do we need to count every person in Minnesota?   

We hear it from lawmakers all the time: what matters most to them as they weigh issues and make decisions at the State Capitol is their constituents. That’s why your voice matters! It’s time to be heard. Join us at our Day at the Capitol on March 19 to show lawmakers that we are committed partners in our shared goal to assure access to safe, quality care for older Minnesotans in the communities they call home.  

Leadership Academy celebrated its 10th Anniversary and 300th graduate when 38 fellows were recognized during last week’s Institute & Expo.

Amanda Gruber, a Household Coordinator at Three Links Northfield, has been named the Caregiver of the Year by LeadingAge Minnesota. The award was presented to Amanda during last week’s Institute & Expo by Governor Tim Walz. 

Yesterday marked the first day of Minnesota’s 2020 legislative session and we are ready to advocate for you, maximizing our time at the State Capitol advocating for several public policy solutions this session that will benefit the seniors you serve and their caregivers.  

When it comes to quality, you can’t afford to wait. Simply addressing and attempting improvement opportunities as individual initiatives is not enough. Join us in March for two opportunities to start your comprehensive journey that will align your existing work and resources to help you achieve Performance Excellence in Aging Services. 

Volunteers of America in Minnesota is one of 18 aging services providers who received new grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to support affordable housing for older adults. 

LeadingAge Minnesota last week recognized 12 aging services providers for their achievements in quality, continuous improvement and performance excellence. Awards of Merit for Performance Excellence in Aging Services were provided to eight members and four members were recognized with the advanced Award of Honor. The providers are:  

What’s the Economic Benefit of Workforce Investments? A new LeadingAge study will attempt to answer this question by exploring how increased compensation for direct care workers could favorably impact the national economy, the field of long-term services and supports and individual direct care workers.  

President Donald Trump this week released A Budget for America’s Future, which includes $4 trillion in mandatory and discretionary budget cuts in FY 2021 that would result in significant reductions to federal health care spending, including Medicare and Medicaid and other entitlement programs.  

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a state Medicaid director's letter on Jan. 30 outlining how states can apply for Medicaid block grant waivers. We oppose Medicaid block grants and similar initiatives that would limit Medicaid funding, including per capita caps. 

As concerns arise with the emerging 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) threat, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is encouraging all healthcare settings to carefully review information provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  

Save the Date: The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will host a statewide Nursing Home Regulatory call on March 9 from 11 a.m. to Noon. 

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Infection Control Assessment and Response Program (ICAR) issued a notice on Jan. 31 to alert care centers that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released interim guidance on the implementation of Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) in July 2019. 

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has published a new report related to the development of the Minnesota assisted living report card. Once complete, the report card will measure and report on the quality of assisted living settings across Minnesota.  

Governor Tim Walz joined the LeadingAge Minnesota Institute & Expo last week to present the Caregiver of the Year Award, express his appreciation for professional caregivers and share his vision for an Age-Friendly Minnesota.