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The Superior Health Quality Alliance (Superior Health) is rolling out new work to help nursing homes and community coalitions improve quality and safety.   

While the new standards for handling hazardous drugs in health care facilities went into effect for skilled nursing, long-term care and assisted living in December, there are many questions on who the rules apply to, who is enforcing the rule and how to be compliant in the various care centers. The following information answers some frequently asked questions:  

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) unexpectedly announced last month that it posted a new draft version of the 2020 MDS item sets (v1.18.0) for skilled nursing settings that is scheduled to go into effect Oct. 1, 2020. Changes of note in this draft version: 

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the results of the second year of implementation of Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) for skilled nursing settings. The results are a mixed review for Minnesota care centers.   

LeadingAge Minnesota members who complete their Safe Care for Seniors Self-Assessment and successfully implement at least one action in each step of the 5-Step Action plan will be recognized at this year’s Institute & Expo as the inaugural members of the Action Honor Roll. The deadline for completion is Friday, Jan. 17. Enter the Safe Care for Seniors portal and show us your progress.  

An organization that averages 40 staff terminations per year is spending at least $180,000. What’s your turnover cost? A new online calculator from LeadingAge can help you see how much staff turnover is costing your community. 

The Minnesota Department of Health has released an Informational Bulletin and Consent forms for the Electronic Monitoring law that went into effect on Jan. 1.  

The State of Minnesota has set the statutory limits that Supplemental Nursing Services Agencies (SNSAs) can charge per hour for each type of staff. The new caps are effective Jan. 1, 2020.  

House and Senate leaders have reached a spending agreement and it is anticipated the final fiscal year 2020 appropriations package will be signed into law by midnight Dec. 20. 

Fifteen LeadingAge Minnesota members have been named to the Safe Care for Seniors Action Honor Roll.  

Volunteers of America – Minnesota and Wisconsin (VOA MN/WI) announced that Julie Manworren has been named its new President and CEO. She begins her new role Feb. 28. 

A Jan. 7 forum exploring what options Minnesota has for changing how it pays for long-term care is now offering 6.5 clock hours of CEUs for nursing home administrators and social workers.  

Did you know the average cost to attend the 2020 Institute & Expo is less than $40 per person per day? This annual event is the best value you’ll find for education and training, so take advantage of our extended early bird discount and register today!  

At the Veterans Club, the Adult Day Services program at the Minnesota Veteran’s Home – Minneapolis Campus, excellence is not one act but a habit. A mission to personalized care and support for the clients they serve combined with a commitment to respect, dignity and teamwork elevated this program to one of the higher levels of recognition in our Make Zero Harm Possible program.  

Working side-by-side with frontline staff can help develop relationships between supervisors and direct reports and goes a long way in establishing trust and respect. Make 2020 the year you set the example. Walk the walk and model the behavior you expect to see from others.  

Governor Tim Walz last week committed to making Minnesota an Age-Friendly State during the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging Summit and indicated support for increased, stable funding for programs and services that help Minnesotans age in place. 

Congress has approved legislation that will provide some Liberian immigrants in Minnesota and across the country permanent residency and a path to citizenship. The bill is expected to be signed into law yet this year.  

Effective Jan. 1, 2020, there will be new protections and consent procedures for residents and families, and roommates where applicable, who instill hidden electronic monitoring devices. The new law requires you to have each resident fill out a form to be provided by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). The form has not been finalized by MDH.  

The 2020 Institute is all about celebrating what it means to be Better Together. Join us Feb. 5-7 in Saint Paul for exceptional education, incomparable camaraderie and networking, an expo packed with services and products to make your work better, a fun opening night celebration and three inspirational general sessions that will reinvigorate the passion you have for serving others. 

Got 5 minutes? It’s your last chance to participate in our brief survey to better understand the state of employee engagement practices in aging services. The survey closes on Dec. 17. 

Sandy Forsberg, Lead Homemaker at Crystal Brook Senior Living in Park Rapids, has received the Make Zero Harm Possible Award from LeadingAge Minnesota. 

Do you offer enough praise to your team? When you compliment staff, you set a culture of positivity. 

The more staff receive authentic, timely, and specific praise from you, the more likely they are to pass on that practice to others. You are setting the example. Staff who praise one another instill confidence in one another. For more on this, read In Praise of Praising Your Employees.

Get more information in the Workforce Center. Questions? Contact Jenna Kellerman.

The accessibility of your website could lead to legal challenges. Consider the case of Guillermo Robles, a blind man who wanted to order a pizza from Domino’s using their website and mobile app. Despite having screen-reading software, Robles couldn’t place an order as the Domino’s website wasn’t built to be accessible to blind people. Robles sued Domino’s, alleging that their website violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Could this happen to you?  

Partisan wrangling over issues not related to aging services has made it difficult for Congress to pass even routine legislation this session. So, how will this work get done and what will happen to issues that matter most to you? 

LeadingAge last week commended the Ensuring Seniors’ Access to Quality Care Act, a new bill in the U.S. Senate that ends mandatory certified nursing assistant (CNA) training lock-outs. Now you can help this bill advance in Congress by telling our U.S. Senators and your U.S. Representative to support this bill.  

The Minnesota Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators (BENHA) has announced an open appointment to its Board of Directors. As BENHA’s role is expanding to include the licensure of assisted living directors, we encourage members from assisted living and licensed nursing home administrators to apply.  

The annual November budget forecast released last week shows a projected growth in the state’s budget surplus for the current biennium, which ends on June 30, 2021, to more than $1.3 billion. That’s an increase of more than $1 billion from the end of the legislative session, when the Legislature adjourned with a relatively small projected surplus. 

Was the last time you connected with your lawmaker during session? It’s time to dust off your advocacy hat and invite your lawmakers into your community before the next legislative session starts on Feb. 11, 2020. To help you accomplish this goal, we have developed a new resource for you.  

To help keep adult day services providers informed and in compliance with license expectations, please review the following Q&A regarding Individual Abuse Prevention Plans and monthly progress notes and participation reports.  

LeadingAge Minnesota staff and members are participating in three processes this week that will shape the next generation of assisted living.