October 13, 2020

In this Issue:

1. Altarum Report on the Experiences of Nursing Home Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic
   
2. Nursing Home Compare Data Frozen Through 2022
   
3. New Brief on Mandated Reporting from NCEA and NAPSA
   
4. New Report "Caregivers in Crisis"
5. The 2020 Resident's Voice Challenge
6. Register for the Consumer Voice Conference; See the Preliminary Agenda and Session Topics
   

Altarum Report on the Experiences of Nursing Home Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Altarum has published the results of their survey of nursing home residents about how COVID-19 restrictions have impacted their lives.  365 nursing home residents in 36 states responded to the survey, which was conducted from early July to August 31, 2020.  Key findings included:

• Social interactions outside the nursing home have dropped sharply
• Social interactions and activities within the nursing home have also dropped sharply
• 76 percent of respondents reported that they felt lonelier under the restrictions
• 64 percent also indicated they no longer even leave their rooms to socialize

Read the report.

Nursing Home Compare Data Frozen Through 2022
Quality data on the Nursing Home Compare website will be frozen through 2022.  In March, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services made it optional for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to submit data from the Quality Reporting Program (QRP) for the fourth quarter (October 1, 2019-December 31, 2019).  SNFs were still expected to submit data for the first and second quarter of 2020.  Last week, CMS released an updated tip sheet on the SNF QRP stating that the Nursing Home Compare site will be refreshed as scheduled in October 2020, reflecting data submission for Q4 2019.  However, the site won't refresh again and will remain frozen through October 2021.  Public reporting will resume in January 2022, and a normal refresh will happen in April 2022.

For more information, read the article in McKnight's.

New Brief on Mandated Reporting of Abuse from NCEA and NAPSA
A new brief is available from National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) in collaboration with the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA), "Mandated Reporting of Abuse of Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities."  This brief focuses on mandated reporting of abuse of older adults and adults with disabilities to Adult Protective Services (APS). While most APS programs consider mandated reporting an essential tool for addressing harm to older adults and adults with disabilities, this brief explores the strengths of mandated reporting as well as the criticisms and questions raised by other professionals.

Read the brief.

New Report "Caregivers in Crisis"

The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving issued a report "Caregivers in Crisis."  The report features data and testimonials from more than 400 caregivers across 46 states. The vast majority of respondents – 83 percent - reported increased stress related to caregiving since the start of the pandemic. They also reported a decrease in help and support, increased isolation, concerns about financial instability, and a debilitating impact on their overall mental and physical health.

Read the report.

The 2020 Resident's Voice Challenge

Resident's Rights Month is underway, and we are celebrating by highlighting entries to the 2020 Resident's Voice Challenge.  We've received a tremendous number of entries reflecting on this year's theme "Connection Matters" in the form of artwork, paintings, drawings, essays, photos, videos, and poetry.  Look through the entries on our website (including the entry to the right by Thomas, resident in Kentucky).

Plus, we selected ten designs to create two sets of postcards.  Order postcards in our online store.

Find more Residents' Rights Month information and resources on our website.

Register for the Consumer Voice Conference; See the Preliminary Agenda and Session Topics

Registration is open for the Consumer Voice Conference! Join us virtually for can't-miss sessions, workshops and opportunities to connect with other advocates nationwide!  See the recently updated preliminary agenda here.

The conference will feature sessions on:

• Lessons Learned During COVID-19 and Steps for the Future
• Ombudsman Program Reentry and Recovery
• Addressing Disparities in Long-Term Care
• Supporting Behavioral Health for Residents
• Reuniting Residents and Families - A Look at Visitation During COVID-19
• Advocating for Staffing in Nursing Homes
• Accessing Mental Health Supports for Residents
• The Power of Language
• Recognizing and Reducing Bias
• Immunity for Facilities - What Does that Mean for Residents and Families?
• End of Life Care Planning - Promoting Self-Determination
• The Workforce Shortage in Long-Term Care: Evidence, Implications, and Advocacy
• Preventing Elder Financial Exploitation
• Caring for One Another During COVID-19
• Autonomy vs Safety for Ethical Decision-Making
• Engaging Residents Virtually
• Family Council Advocacy During COVID-19

and more ...

Find more information and register.