Winter Conference

Winter Conference is coming up on January 17-18 in Topeka.  To register please visit the KHCA website or contact the KHCA Office.

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  2007 PEAK Nursing Home Awards

Applications are now being accepted for the 2007 PEAK Nursing Home Awards .  The application, and the awards program time line have changed for 2007.   The revised application form is attached.  Applications are due by February 16, 2007, and should be mailed to:

Kansas Department on Aging
Attn: Patsy Samson
503 S Kansas Ave.
Topeka, KS 66603

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  New Years Resolutions and LTC Planning
David Landwehr CSA, CLTC

Wichita, KS December 27, 2006 In the spirit Christmas, this months issue needs to be shared with employees as well as friends and family you really care about. Please forward to your loved ones. They can go to www.LTCareSolutions.com for more information. Tis the season for sharing what you know to be true.
You are welcome to use the free LTC Elerts to educate your members. If you would like to investigate providing a discount for your members and their families or sponsor an Educational Seminar, please call 316-945-2011 or contact us at DLandwehr@LTCareSolutions.com or for more info go to www.LTCareSolutions.com educational website. *Designations held: CSA is Certified Senior Advisor, CLTC is Certified in Long Term Care New Years Resolutions and LTC Planning.

Have you given up making lists of New Year’s resolutions because you’re tired of seeing the same recurring items? After all, how many times have you written ‘lose weight’, ‘exercise more’, etc., etc.?  The item I’m suggesting that you add is one which I’m willing to bet has never been there before. When you take care of it and cross it off the list, it won’t reappear, like those 10 pounds you lost the year before. Best of all, it’s something that will remind you of how smart you were today – when you’re age 80, or 90, or so. I’m going to urge you to do some serious long term care planning in 2007. Really. What you chose to do is likely a function of your age, health and financial situation. Below I’ve listed three smart items that you, your family and friends will eventually be very glad that you dealt with now. By pre-planning, you’re not only preserving your own control and quality of life, you’re saving loved ones the heartache of tough decisions made in a crisis.

If your parents are still alive, ask them to make the same resolution. Dedicating a day to help them consider their options may be the best holiday present you can give them (and yourself) this year.

1. Carefully consider the purchase of a long term care insurance policy. Medicare, Medicare HMOs and Medicare supplements won’t cover extended long term care. Most government programs require that you to be poor in order to qualify. The bottom line? You’re on your own when it comes to paying for long term care. This means most Americans write personal checks or rely on Medicaid, which does a great job of paying for nursing home care for the poor, but is not uniformly reliable in paying for home care. Schedule an appointment with a long term care insurance agent well before your next birthday, since premiums are based on your age at application. Therefore, they increase each year that you delay the purchase.

2. Research age 55+ independent living housing that offer services as you age and may need them. These dwellings are usually senior-friendly, and filled with other active seniors who are planning ahead. Those which offer on-demand home care services may make it easy to stay in your own home forever, even if no family or friends are nearby. Make sure that you have the funds or insurance to cover in home long term care (see #1 above).

3. Take a critical look at your home. Is it designed to support you “age in place,” or do design elements such as steep stairs and driveways make it not friendly for the long term? Are support services such as non-medical in home care available, or will you have to move if you need care? Are family members within a 30-minute drive so that they can help you and coordinate your care easily? Does your town offer services to help support seniors at home, and are the services available to all, or only to those with low incomes?
If your home is lacking, consider a move before retirement age to stack the deck in your favor. The location and design of your house can make the difference between staying at home forever and having to move in a long term care crisis. It has been said that we do not plan to fail, but we fail to plan.
Are you too young to consider long term care planning? If you don’t believe in Santa Claus anymore, and you’re supporting yourself, you’re not too young! Unfortunately, many working-age people under age 65+ suffer from debilitating illnesses and injury, and need long term care.
Cross long term care planning off this year’s list to greatly increase the odds you’ll have something to celebrate for many, many years to come!

Learn more...
About LT Care Solutions
LT Care Solutions, Inc. specializes in LTC planning for both companies and individuals since 1992. We believe that dabbling is dangerous and LTC is an important decision best made in consultation with an experienced advisor. Go to website for more info.
Website: http://www.LTCareSolutions.com
LT Care Solutions
David Landwehr CSA, CLTC
President
email: dlandwehr@ltcaresolutions.com
phone: 316-945-2011

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  Job Openings

Meadowlark Hills Clinical Care Coordinator

Meadowlark Hills, an innovator in resident-directed service located in the scenic flint hills of Northeastern Kansas, is searching for a registered nurse leader to help us take services for persons living with dementia to the next level.
 
Qualified applicants will have a basic understanding of the resident assessment instrument, federal regulations, and the survey process.

Foremost, he/she must have comprehensive knowledge of dementia and a compelling desire to enhance the lives of elders living with it.  This person must also have a willingness to attend training sessions and assist in educating other staff.

The Clinical Coordinator is an integral part of the household leadership team, comprised of people from multiple disciplines, including social services, homemakers, and caregivers who come together to make decisions surrounding programming and are dedicated to making each person’s life worth living.
 
This is an opportunity to join an organization that is deeply committed to person-first care, based on principles developed by Dr. Thomas Kitwood.  Interested candidates should contact: Utamu Statton of Human Resources at 785.537.4610 or by email at utamu.statton@meadowlark.org.

Meadowlark Hills Life Enhancement Mentor

Meadowlark Hills, an innovator in resident-directed service located in the scenic flint hills of Northeastern Kansas, is searching for a Life Enhancement Mentor to help us create opportunities for meaningful living for elders, including people living with Dementia..
 
Qualified applicants will have a degree in Art, Music, Horticulture, Recreational , or related Therapy, a basic understanding of the resident assessment instrument, federal regulations, and the survey process.  He/she will also have the ability to involve and teach others in the household how to facilitate daily life enhancement activities. 

Foremost, he/she must have comprehensive knowledge of dementia and a compelling desire to enhance the lives of elders living with it.  This person must also have a willingness to attend training sessions and assist in educating other staff.

The Life Enhancement Mentor is an integral part of the household leadership team and Neighborhood Council, comprised of people from multiple disciplines, including social services, homemakers, and caregivers who come together to make decisions surrounding programming and are dedicated to making each person’s life worth living.
 
This is an opportunity to join an organization that is deeply committed to person-first care, based on principles developed by Dr. Thomas Kitwood.

Requirements:
Experience working with elders living with Alzheimers or other forms of dementia.
Degreed professional in Therapeutic Recreation or related field
Willingness to attend training sessions and assist in educating other staff.
Leadership ability
High patience level
Ability to involve and teach others in the household how to facilitate daily life enhancement activities. 

Interested candidates should contact: Utamu Statton of Human Resources at 785.537.4610 or by email at utamu.statton@meadowlark.org.

Seeking a Full-Time Operator/Director

Midwest Health Management is seeking a full-time Operator/Director for Homestead Assisted Living in Manhattan, KS. 

This 35 unit home offers apartment living with services to the Seniors of North Central Kansas. Apply by submitting a resume to Joe Perkin at jperkin@midwest-health.com or FAX to (785) 272-1480.

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  Less Than 30-day Stays - Effective Jan.2, 2007

For Less Than 30-day Stays; the NF CARE Assessor needs to complete sections A & B (Identification/PASRR) and keep on the customer's clinical record along with the Doctor's Certification of Less Than 30-day Stay.  The NF will need to include a copy of the Doctor's Certification with the SRS-2126 form when applying for Medicaid payment.

We will be sending out another message around mid-January about our upcoming Web-Based PASRR training, which will be found on the Ks Train site at: https://ks.train.org, the training will be listed under KDOA.

For more information contact:

Valerie Merrow
CARE Senior Manager
Kansas Department on Aging (KDOA)
Phone: 785-296-0895
Fax: 785-291-3427
ValerieMerrow@aging.state.ks.us

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  MDS and Section U Update from KDOA

Click here for the latest update from KDOA regarding MDS Section U.  Please contact Vera at KDOA with any questions.

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  Free Dental Services

The following link will take you to information on the Kansas Mission of Mercy free dental services to be provided on February 2-3, 2007 at the Kansas Expocentre.  http://www.ksdentalfoundation.org/kmom/kmom.htm

For more information contact Dave Halferty at Kansas Department on Aging at davehalferty@aging.state.ks.us

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  UL Warns of Automatic Sprinklers With Unauthorized UL Marks

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. is notifying building owners, fire service personnel and distributors that automatic fire sprinklers identified in the link below have not been evaluated by UL, and bear an unauthorized UL Mark for the United States.

http://www.cdfp.com.tw/index1.html

Search the index on the left side of the page for "Automatic Sprinklers, UL."

Chang Der Fire Protections Corp. can be contacted at:

Chang Der Fire Protection Corp.
65 Hsin Gong Road
Shenkang, Changhua, 50971 Taiwan
Phone: 886-4-7988822
Fax: 886-4-7988833
E-mail: cdfp@tcts.seed.net.tw

For more information, contact Steve Angeliu in Northbrook, Ill., by phone at +1-847-664-3687; or by e-mail at Stephen.J. Angeliu@us.ul.com.

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  Medicaid Commission Issues Final Report

Secretary Leavitt's Medicaid Commission which concluded at the end of 2006, issued their final report on December 29. An AHCA/NCAL member, Douglas A. Struyk, President and CEO of Christian Health Care Center served on the Commission.

As expected, the final report addressed reform in Medicaid-financed long term care.  Recommendations included promoting individual responsibility and planning for long term care needs such as long term care insurance and state participation in the Long Term Care Partnership Plan, tax incentives for individuals, and better utilization of home equity.  The Commission also recommended that "changes in Medicaid long-term care policy should address institutional bias." 

Further, the Commission addressed the issue of recommending that Medicaid providers adopt health information technology (HIT) systems that meet interoperability standards and that all Medicaid beneficiaries have an electronic health record by 2012.  The Commission delved into more fundamental reform by supporting integrated care programs for dual eligible beneficiaries, accomplished by integration of acute and long term care benefits for dual eligibles through Special Needs Plans (SNPs) or other mechanisms. Regarding quality, the Commission recommended that states should collect and assess data on how Medicaid money is being spent to determine the efficacy of programs, providers, and services what areas need improvement. They proposed that payments to Medicaid providers should be tied to objective measures of risk- and case-adjusted medical outcomes.  It is not known how the recommendations from the Commission will be used by the Medicaid reform community and Congress. 

For more information, please contact Cynthia Morton at AHCA.

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  CMS Updates

Changes to Appendices P and PP Related to Medications

CMS released Revisions to Appendix P and PP. It is the revisions to Appendices P and PP based on the changes to the medication and pharmacy tags. The changes go into effect Monday, 12/18/06. To view the report go to the members only section of the khca website.

Hospital Conditions of Participation:  Patients’ Rights: Final Rule

De Friedrich, the Midwest Consortium Division of Survey and Certification Training Coordinator, distributed the attached Patients’ Rights Final Rule under the Hospital Conditions of Participation that was published in the Federal Register on December 8.

Two Notices Related to Fire Safety

Kathy Achor from Region VII informed us about two issues related to fire safety. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) has sent out a warning that automatic fire sprinklers manufactured by Chang Der Fire Protections Corporation have not been evaluated by UL and bear an unauthorized mark from UL.  To see the product, go to the following link:  http://www.cdfp.com.tw/index1.html and click on “Automatic Sprinklers, UL.”

The second issue is that The U.S. Consumer Product Commission and Hobby Lobby Stores have announced a voluntary recall of Hobby Lobby Christmas Holiday Lights. These lights have undersized wires which can separate from the plugs and/or the light sockets, posing an electric shock and fire hazard to consumers. The link to this announcement is:  http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07055.html.

Survey and Certification Letters

07-07:  Nursing Home Culture Change Regulatory Compliance Questions
07-08:  Forms CMS-1856 and 1893E for Occupational Therapy Services
07-09:   Solicitation of State Survey Agency Participation in Quality Indicator Survey (QIS) Implementation

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