All News

A new three-part online video training series aimed at helping post-acute care providers and family caregivers gain a better understanding of older adult mental illness is now available from the Lake Superior QIN East Metro Coordination of Care Community.       

All rental property owners, managers or operators must provide a Certificate of Rent Paid (CRP) to each person who rented from them during the previous year by Wednesday, Jan. 31, unless the property is tax-exempt.  

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced changes to Medicare Advantage plans that are designed to spur greater competition, improve quality and lower costs to attract beneficiaries. 

Since its launch in June 2018, more than 100 organizations have posted jobs on www.AgingServicesJOBS.org.  Want to check it out for yourself? Post a job for free by using the promo code LeadingAgeMN when you check out!  

A new toolkit on oral healthcare provides essential resources and tips to help caregivers provide better assistance to those who need support with dental care.  

Check out the new LeadingAge Learning Hub where you will find great Housing-specific content, including Medical and Recreational Marijuana in Senior Living, information regarding preservation considerations, contract renewals, management and occupancy reviews, fair housing and more.  

Society's view of working in the field of aging isn’t always as positive as we’d like it to be. But staff who work in this field know how rewarding, fun and meaningful this calling is!  

The Minnesota Department of Health has announced the dates and times of two statewide conference calls to address care center regulatory issues: 

The 2019 Legislative Session began on Tuesday, Jan. 8, and committees are getting underway this week. Your LeadingAge Minnesota advocacy team is ready to work on your behalf throughout session this year. To give you a clearer picture of the policies we are supporting, our team has prepared a legislative preview document to give you an in-depth look at the priorities for this session:  

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will hold its next quarterly Home Care Matters call on Wednesday, Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. These calls are a great opportunity for providers to discuss issues affected home care with MDH. 

Consumer demand for senior housing is keeping pace with the increase in the inventory of new units, according to the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC). 

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has completed desk audits of all submitted supporting documentation and determined 99.1 percent of settings to be compliant with the minimum requirements of the Home and Community-Based Settings Rule. However, 52 provider settings did not respond to requests to resubmit revised supporting documentation. 

LeadingAge national has launched Regulatory Roundup 2.0, a quick and easy tracker to help find pertinent rules and federal regulations that cover all grounds for members across the long- term services and support continuum.   

The federal government shutdown has struck the U.S. House and Urban Development Department (HUD) faster than expected. HUD did not renew 650 rental assistance contracts up for renewal in December, and there are an additional 500 contracts up for renewal in January that will not be renewed. 

The inappropriate use of anti-psychotic medications among nursing home residents has continued to decline, according to the latest report by the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes.  

Shelley Kendrick, currently Ecumen’s Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed to succeed Kathryn Roberts as President and CEO, effective Feb. 4.  

Section 202 communities will not see their December 2018 and January 2019 contracts renewed because of the partial federal government shutdown. HUD expects Section 202 provider to rely on their reserves to cover expenses during the shutdown, which could have grave consequences on older adults who rely on these programs. WE NEED YOUR HELP! 

Each year, the state calculates the average wages of RNs, LPNs, CNAs, and TMAs in care centers using the data provided from the annual cost reports and then computes the statutory limits on the amount that Supplemental Nursing Services Agencies (SNSAs) can charge per hour for each type of staff. The new caps were effective Jan. 1.  

It is a win-win! Allowing staff to bring their kids to work offers an opportunity for children to experience positive interactions with older adults, potentially building your workforce long-term.  

Thanks to the efforts of the Long-Term Care Imperative, HealthForce Minnesota was given funding from the State of Minnesota to create a senior care career awareness campaign -- Caring Careers Start Here. 

Are you curious about OnTrack Nursing Assistant Training program that more than 30 organizations have launched? Sign up for a demo webinar on Jan.16! 

Yesterday marked the start of Minnesota’s 2019 legislative session, and we know now who will lead two key state agencies that impact our members and the people they serve – the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Human Services.  

It’s the story that rarely gets reported: the high quality of life older adults receive in our member settings. We recognize and celebrate the work you and your staff teams do to serve each resident as an individual, treat all in your care with respect and dignity, and prevent harm from occurring in the course of caregiving. Now let’s get that story told. We’re developing a virtual storyboard and need you to help us write the chapters. 

Adult Day Services providers now have access to two new resources from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to help them remain compliant: a webinar on licensing surveys, regulations and expectations and several sample policies and forms. 

It is with a heavy heart that we share that Bob Armitage, a respected leader, mentor and friend, died peacefully on Jan. 5 in the company of his family.  

The LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation’s 2019 Silent Auction is right around the corner and we need your help. This annual fundraiser, which takes place as part of the Institute, has raised almost $20,000 over the past two years—thanks to the generosity of the LeadingAge Minnesota community.  

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a new report that provides six key steps nursing homes can take to avoid preventable harm. The report comes out just as LeadingAge Minnesota is preparing the final details of its Safe Care for Seniors Programs that is set to launch in just a few short weeks. 

Interviews are your opportunity to show off your workplace. In a time of high employer competition, it is important to let job seekers experience your organizational culture so that they can picture working in your environment. Young workers overwhelmingly report that they seek a job that matters. Show them how they can make a difference in your organization!  

A Jan. 16 webinar from LeadingAge national will provide an overview of Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs). An I-SNP is a type of Medicare managed care plan that is designed explicitly to serve the needs of Medicare beneficiaries needing a nursing home level of care. Aging services providers are exploring I-SNPs as an opportunity to lead a payment model that financially rewards them for redesigning care and services to lower cost and improve outcomes through a more integrated approach, but there are considerable challenges and financial risks that providers should be aware of before going down this path.  

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) received proposals from four care centers – all LeadingAge Minnesota members -- for funding through the moratorium exceptions process.