May 25, 2021

In this Issue:

1. Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Confirmed as Administrator of CMS
2. NORC Webinar on Resuming In-Person Visits
3. Project Invites Facility Conversations with Residents Around Person-Centered Care
4. Seeking Feedback on Resident and Family Member Experiences
   
5. OAM 2021: Communities of Strength
   

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure Confirmed as Administrator of CMS

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, nominated by President Biden, has been confirmed as the new administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).  Brooks-LaSure previously worked for the Obama Administration and worked to implement the Affordable Care Act.  Most recently, she was managing director at Manatt Health, a professional services firm.

Read More in McKnight's

NORC Webinar on Resuming In-Person Visits

Join the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) for the webinar, Resuming In-Person Visits During COVID-19: Tips for Identifying Trauma, Potential Abuse, and Supporting Residents on Friday, June 18, 3:00-4:30 ET.  In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) join NORC to learn how to identify and respond to signs of trauma and potential abuse or neglect and support residents as Ombudsman programs resume in-person visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Laura Mosqueda, a national and international expert on elder abuse and neglect, will provide tips for Ombudsman programs conducting in-person visits, such as signs of trauma in response to isolation and loss during the pandemic and potential signs of abuse and neglect. Attendees will also hear from two Ombudsman program representatives as they share their experience resuming in-person visits and highlight what they observed upon reentry, how they supported residents, tips for visits, lessons learned, and successful practices.

Register Now

Project Invites Facility Conversations with Residents Around Person-Centered Care

The Mayer-Rothschild Foundation Designation of Excellence in Person-Centered Long-Term Care Project is developing a first-of-its-kind national standard of excellence in residential care for older adults.  Assisted living and long-term care homes and communities are invited to facilitate a conversation activity with their residents about the importance of various aspects of person-centered care.

Read the flyer to learn more.

Seeking Feedback on Resident and Family Member Experiences

Consumer Voice is seeking feedback from residents of long-term care facilities and their family members and friends about their experiences with visitation in the facility.  Over the past several months, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated its guidance on visitation in nursing homes.  Despite the updated guidance and significant decrease in COVID-19 cases in facilities, there are nursing homes that are still prohibiting visitation or placing inappropriate restrictions on how visitation and activities may occur.  We want to hear from residents and families about what your experience has been since CMS has updated its guidance.

• Resident Experience Survey
• Family and Friends Survey

Consumer Voice is seeking your input so that we may use it to advocate, at the state and federal levels, on behalf of residents. Please share these surveys.

Please complete the survey by May 31, 2021.

OAM 2021: Communities of Strength

Each May, the Administration for Community Living leads the celebration of Older Americans Month (OAM). This year’s theme is Communities of Strength, recognizing the important role older adults play in fostering the connection and engagement that build strong, resilient communities.Strength is built and shown not only by bold acts, but also small ones of day-to-day life—a conversation shared with a friend, working in the garden, trying a new recipe, or taking time for a cup of tea on a busy day. And when we share these activities with others—even virtually or by telling about the experience later—we help them build resilience too.

Here are some ways to share and connect:

• Look for joy in the everyday: Celebrate small moments and ordinary pleasures by taking time to recognize them. Start a gratitude journal and share it with others via social media, or call a friend or family member to share a happy moment or to say thank you.
• Reach out to neighbors: Even if you can’t get together in person right now, you can still connect with your neighbors. Leave a small gift on their doorstep, offer to help with outdoor chores, or deliver a homecooked meal.
• Build new skills: Learning something new allows us to practice overcoming challenges. Take an art course online or try a socially distanced outdoor movement class to enjoy learning with others in your community. Have a skill to share? Find an opportunity to teach someone, even casually.
• Share your story: There’s a reason storytelling is a time-honored activity. Hearing how others experience the world helps us grow. Interviewing family, friends, and neighbors can open up new conversations and strengthen our connections.

When people of different ages, backgrounds, abilities, and talents share experiences—through action, story, or service—we help build strong communities.

Learn more about this year's OAM theme.

The Time is Now to Make Change

2020 was a life-changing and traumatic year for nursing home residents.
The Consumer Voice took immediate action to inform, educate, and advocate. We were an essential resource for ombudsmen and citizen advocates, as well as residents and their family members who were terrified for their loved ones and had difficulty getting information about what was happening in long-term care facilities. Consumer Voice was there, providing information, interpreting new policies, and offering strategies for advocacy.

Our work, however, is far from complete. The time is now to make change! We have an opportunity to make major strides on behalf of residents. Your financial support is critical to Consumer Voice as we continue our essential work.

Learn More & Make a Contribution