February 20, 2024

In this Issue:

1. Call for Proposals: Financial Transparency in Nursing Homes Project
2. Justice in Aging Report Investigates "Quality Measures" in Assisted Living Facilities
3. Resource Highlight: "Difficult" is Not a Diagnosis

Call for Proposals: Financial Transparency in Nursing Homes Project

For many nursing home residents, the quality of care they receive leaves much to be desired. Research, data, and investigative reports show that nursing homes do not have enough staff to meet the needs of their residents. Additionally, residents, families, advocates, and others bemoan the lack of, and low quality, food and supplies provided.  Yet, nursing homes receive each year nearly $100 billion from Medicare and Medicaid alone. Nursing home owners and operators, however, claim lack of resources and inadequate reimbursements for why they cannot hire more staff or provide better care and resources. Where does the money go?

Consumer Voice has received a two-year grant from Arnold Ventures to provide direct support, technical assistance, and training to two states interested in advocating at the state level for increased transparency and accountability in nursing home finances and ownership.  Consumer Voice will work closely with selected state advocates to help them develop and implement state-level advocacy strategies to achieve increased transparency and accountability in nursing home finances and ownership.  Learn more about the project and apply.

Applications are due by March 15, 2024.

Justice in Aging Report Investigates "Quality Measures" in Assisted Living Facilities

Justice in Aging has published a special report, "An Illusion of Protection: Meaningless Federal “Quality Measures” Endanger Assisted Living Residents."  Through a public records request and subsequent lawsuit, Justice in Aging obtained California’s “performance measure” data from the state’s Medicaid assisted living program. Justice in Aging’s review of the data identified deep problems in both federal and state Medicaid policies. The report highlighted how federal and state assisted living quality measure information is difficult for the public to access and provides little information on the overall quality of assisted living care.  The report calls on the federal and California governments to improve quality monitoring of assisted living facilities and to enforce standards.

Read the full report.

Resource Highlight: "Difficult" is Not a Diagnosis

"Difficult” is not a diagnosis and it is inappropriate to label any resident this way. Actions and behaviors are a form of communication by which residents are expressing an unmet need. There are steps the nursing home should take to assess and try to address what might be causing "difficult" behavior or distress before resorting to medication, such as an antipsychotic drug, for which the resident may not have a clinical diagnosis.

Read the fact sheet.