Podcasts about American Health Care Association

Send us a textIn this episode of the Grow Clinton Podcast, Andy and Jenny are joined by Letha and Barb of The Alverno, a long-term care facility in Clinton, Iowa.  Listeners will learn about The Alverno's history, rules and regulations, upcoming growth opportunities, and its future.  At The Alverno, the dedicated staff takes pride in caring for residents. They offer a variety of care plans and services for older adults, each tailored to individual needs and desires. The objective is to meet each resident's medical and spiritual needs by providing exceptional round-the-clock nursing care, memory care, and short-term rehabilitation services. Quality is at the heart of everything they do. They are the only senior community in the State of Iowa to have received the American Health Care Association's Gold Quality Award.For more information, please visit https://www.trinityhealthseniorcommunities.org/.../the.... To promote your member business or organization on the podcast, don't hesitate to contact the Grow Clinton office at 563.242.5702 or visit us online at www.GrowClinton.com. Grow Clinton's mission is to promote business growth, foster community, and advocate for the sustainable economic success of the Greater Clinton Region.

LeadingAge has formally asked the incoming presidential team to repeal the federal nursing home staffing mandate adopted by the Biden White House.“The staffing mandate, we are expecting it to be repealed, and we are asking the administration to repeal the staffing mandate,” said Janine Finck-Boyle, vice president of health policy and regulatory affairs for LeadingAge. “We have moved definitely in advocacy, and we're looking at, hopefully, that will be what will happen.” Those efforts come as LeadingAge and the American Health Care Association near a potential January ruling in their case challenging the staffing rule in federal court.Finck-Boyle and Jodi Eyigor, LeadingAge director of nursing home quality and policy, joined McKnight's Long-Term Care News Senior Editor Thursday to discuss the latest regulatory, payment and policy considerations affecting nursing homes on the cusp of 2025.While providers could score wins related to regulatory rollbacks and burden reduction efforts in a second Trump presidency, other initiatives are likely to continue regardless of who controls the White House or Congress.“I think it's important to be based in reality,” said Eyigor. “We do expect they will be picking up that mantle again … But it's also important to remember that the job remains the same. We're still going to be taking care of residents, every day, day in and day out, and we're still going to need to do certain things, like documenting that care, having good coordination with other care providers.”Emergency preparedness, for instance, is a long-standing focus, and even the first Trump administration had proposed some infection control changes. Payment also remains a huge, highly variable issue for providers — with plenty of questions swirling around the future of entitlement programs that fund most nursing home care.Other topics covered in this wide-ranging episode include ongoing concerns with new ownership transparency requirements; provider response to the so-far limited use of shorter, risk-based nursing home surveys, and how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's role in nursing homes could be reshaped by new leadership.Listen is as Eyigor and Finck-Boyle highlight key challenges to prepare for and possible opportunities providers may be able to seize upon in 2025.

In this episode, we chat with Debbie Stadtler, CAE, Editor-in-Chief at the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living, about the evolution of print publications in a multi-channel communications strategy. Debbie highlights how storytelling plays a pivotal role in building trust and member engagement while discussing the ongoing balance between print and digital media and the enduring value of print publications in the association space.

In hiring lifelong “Washington guy” and veteran Beltway lobbyist Clif Porter as its next president and CEO, the American Health Care Association has perhaps a more insightful view into presidential and congressional politics than ever before. In his first interview since his promotion, Porter opened up with McKnight about his unique leadership style, caring for his mother and, among many other vital topics, how he expects the US presidential election will unfold for the long-term care sector. “If there's a (Kamala) Harris administration, obviously, there's concerns it would continue in the direction President Biden has,” he cautions in this McKnight's Newsmakers podcast. But, he quickly adds, there are also possible reasons for hope whether Donald Trump or Harris wins the White House. Porter also forecasts who is favored to win each chamber of Congress and how the races generally have tightened over the last few months. In addition to that, this “new” hire, who is currently AHCA's senior vice president of governmental affairs, opens up to McKnight's Executive Editor James M. Berklan about how the Supreme Court's Chevron ruling may affect providers, the role of music in his life, and what his vision for the future of long-term care is after his upcoming run as the most visible and prominent spokesman for the long-term care sector in all the land.

Months before the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed federal staffing minimums for nursing homes, the American Health Care Association said it would sue over the rule should it offer providers little hope of compliance. But when that rule was finalized in May — requiring nursing homes to have RNs on site 24 hours a day and increasing hourly direct care requirements from an earlier proposal — finding providers to carry the legal torch wasn't necessarily a given. Many providers might shy away from the possible scrutiny lawsuit involvement would bring, the chance to be pilloried in the mainstream media and have their motives questioned by families. But Derek Prince, CEO and Managing Partner of HMG Healthcare, knew he wanted his company play a major role in the case many now see as a last line of defense for the sector. When AHCA leaders approached him seeking a Texas provider to share their concerns, Prince told them ‘Hell yes!” “We instill in all of our folks, ‘Take care of people and we can always defend if you're doing what's right and trying to make stuff better and you're trying to take care of our population,' ” Prince said. “So in this particular instance, we believe that the lawsuit is what's right.” The CMS rule is too rigid for the many different kinds of nursing homes in the country and the different patient types they serve, Prince argues. “It was a fairly easy decision to go, ‘If it's not us, who,?' and this is the time to step up. We always tell all of our team members, ‘You've got to get out there and execute, and you've got to be effective.' And we just thought, ‘We have to walk the walk.'” In this episode hosted by McKnight's Long-Term Care News Senior Editor Kimberly Marselas, Prince explains his reasoning on the lawsuit, why his company puts quality achievement ahead of staffing stars and what he sees as the best outcome for his patients and the sector.

Providers trying to sort out which tactic might be the most likely to save them from rigid new staffing rules slated to roll out in 2026 might feel like they need a map. In this episode, Melissa Schakowsky, director of government affairs at the Ambassadors Group, takes us on a tour of the possibilities, the paths through Congress and the factors that may ultimately influence a successful outcome. “This is certainly the most activity that I have seen [in Washington] surrounding long-term care, and I think that really speaks to the gravity of the consequences if this rule becomes finalized and fully implemented,” Schakowsky says. “I think it's more important than ever that our providers engage in advocacy.” Schakowsky breaks down the differences between the Congressional Review Act and two bills currently being considered that could reverse the rule. She also briefly touches on a complimentary legal strategy. (This episode was recorded the day before the American Health Care Association filed its 56-page lawsuit seeking to have the rule dismissed by a federal court.) Listen in as Schakowsky breaks down possible timing, strategies that providers can use to help federal lawmakers understand their viewpoints and what role November's congressional and presidential elections might play.

Host Jim Tate talks to Clifton Porter to explore issues related to long term care in the US. As Senior Vice President of Government Relations for the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living, Clifton provides unique insights based on his 30+ years in the field. To stream our Station live 24/7 visit www.HealthcareNOWRadio.com or ask your Smart Device to “….Play Healthcare NOW Radio”. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen

Recorded at the American Health Care Association's annual conference in Denver, “Delivering Solutions 2023,” Julieann Esper Rainville, CEO of Viventium, dives into the importance of flexible payroll and HR tech built for skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. Viventium's mission is to enrich the lives of caregivers through technology so they love going to work every day – and it is no secret that the biggest challenge today is a caregiver shortage that continues to place demands on great hiring and even better employee retention. 

Some of the most effective workforce retention strategies aren't necessarily “rocket science,” says Aimee Middleton, vice president of operations for Good Samaritan Society, the nation's largest nonprofit nursing home provider. But they take an intentional approach and investment of time and resources to prove successful. Middleton was one of several providers who spoke with the National Investment Center's Bill Kauffman on the “State of the Nursing Home Industry” during an educational session at the American Health Care Association's 2023 Convention & Expo in Denver While the panel addressed such major topics as inflation, occupancy, reimbursement and managed care, Middleton remains hyper-focused on workforce and the way a lack of nursing staff threatens access in many of the rural communities that Good Sam serves. In this episode hosted by McKnight's Long-Term Care News Senior Editor Kimberly Marselas, Middleton highlights strategies, such as a new mentorship program, with which Good Sam has had recent success. The first 90 days are proving critical, from the frontlines to building leadership. “They have a really intentional effort on workforce,” she says. “And in both our rural and urban facilities, we've seen great success with it. And it's not like the ideas are rocket science, but it's just having that intentional effort on it and really walking alongside our leaders.” Hear how much the new Good Sam approach has improved retention and what other benefits are revealing themselves, as well as why Middleton says reimbursement will remain a critical concern as organizations like her keep the focus on staffing.

In This Episode According to the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living, more than 800k adults live in assisted living communities. But when it comes to considering a transition to assisted living, people often have reservations. Fear of a loss of independence, leaving the family home, and a myriad of misconceptions keep older adults from making a change that would bring a higher quality of life. In this episode, we will bust the most common myths about assisted living.My GuestLaura Tenpenny is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Lake Gibson Village in Lakeland, FL. Laura's career began in the hospitality industry, later transitioning to senior living. With over 20 years of experience, Laura understands how the assisted living lifestyle can improve older adults' quality of life by offering meaningful personal care, nutritious meals, and vibrant social interaction and activities. Connect with Laura: Laura@lakegibsonvillage.com, LinkedInLinks & Resources We MentionedAssisted Living Questions to Ask WorksheetVeterans Association Aid and Attendance BenefitsThanks for Listening!If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe and share it with a friend or two. For more great content and caregiving resources, visit us online at ElderCareGuide.com

Dr. Umair Shah, Secretary of Health for the Washington State Department of Health, is establishing connections between climate change, environmental justice, and health equity; Dr. David Gifford, Chief Medical Officer at the American Health Care Association, says the American Rescue Plan has helped jurisdictions respond to pandemic-related needs; and registration for ASTHO's third annual TechXpo and Futures Forum opens on February 1st. ASTHO Webpage: Public Health Review Podcast The White House Webpage: American Rescue Plan ASTHO Webpage: Public Health TechXpo and Futures Forum

In this week's episode, we speak with Phil Fogg, CEO of Marquis Companies and a board member of the Nebraska Health Care Association, about transforming the landscape of long-term care. In the episode, we discuss various topics including: - What Phil has learned about himself over the years. - Why population health is important and how to organize it into objectives and goals. (Population health refers to the health status and outcomes of a group of people rather than individuals.) - How data supports Phil and his work and how he successfully manages it. - How Phil diversifies his work. - Staffing issues in the long-term care industry. - Phil's greatest accomplishments and learning curves in the long-term care industry. - Phil's latest innovations in the industry, including revamping population health initiatives and developing a technology platform that enables us to manage our populations. Tune into the episode below to learn more. Discover how Phil Fogg, CEO of Marquis Companies, is helping transform and innovate the long-term care industry by tuning into the latest episode of LTC Heroes. Marquis Companies - https://www.marquiscompanies.com/ American Health Care Association - https://www.ahcancal.org/Pages/default.aspx -- We appreciate you listening and we are motivated by your feedback. Visit LTCHeroes.com to learn more about us and head to LTCHeroes.com/community to join our exclusive Facebook group for nurses and our exclusive LinkedIn group for long-term care owners. We look forward to seeing you inside the community. Sponsored by Experience.Care This episode is brought to you by Experience.Care, the only long-term care EHR backed by guarantees. Your profitability is our priority and your compliance, our cause. Since 1969. Get your profitability consultation today at Experience.Care/guarantee. Our website is .Care for a reason. We care about your care. Visit us at Experience.Care. #seniorliving #longtermcare #seniors #seniorcare

On this week's episode, we speak to Mark Parkinson, President and CEO at American Health Care Association. We caught up with Mark at the Nebraska Healthcare Convention where we discussed various topics relating to his career in the long-term care industry. These include: - Mark's experience growing up in Wichita, studying law at the University of Kansas and how he ended up working in the long-term care industry. - Mark's key memories working in long-term care facilities. - Working as a leader and developing a temporary aid program for people to get quick training to help during the pandemic. - The parts of Mark's job that he most enjoys. - Post-pandemic regulatory issues and what they mean. - Advice for people considering working in the long-term care industry. Learn more about Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of the American Health Care Association by tuning into the latest episode of LTC Heroes. American Health Care Association - https://www.ahcancal.org/ -- We appreciate you listening and we are motivated by your feedback. Visit LTCHeroes.com to learn more about us and head to LTCHeroes.com/community to join our exclusive Facebook group for nurses and our exclusive LinkedIn group for long-term care owners. We look forward to seeing you inside the community. Sponsored by Experience.Care This episode is brought to you by Experience.Care, the only long-term care EHR backed by guarantees. Your profitability is our priority and your compliance, our cause. Since 1969. Get your profitability consultation today at Experience.Care/guarantee. Our website is .Care for a reason. We care about your care. Visit us at Experience.Care. #seniorliving #longtermcare #seniors #seniorcare

March 9, 1938 - March 10, 2021 M. Keith Weikel, retired chief operating officer of Toledo-based HCR ManorCare, then the nation's largest operator of long-term care and nursing centers, who was hailed as an industry leader, died at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Jacksonville on March 10, the day after his 83rd birthday.He had myelodysplastic syndrome, a type of blood cancer. Even when ill, he kept in touch with friends and associates, a longstanding practice that included recent conversations with colleagues from the 1970s, when he worked in the Nixon, Ford, and Carter administrations, his wife, Barbara, said."There was no pretense about him at all," his wife said. "He wasn't reserved. He was who he was. He was approachable and comfortable with himself and other people. He made people comfortable to be around him. He had a very strong work ethic."He whistled down the halls of HCR headquarters, was given to spontaneous song, and once opened a leadership conference by reading from the children's book, Love You Forever."He cared," said David Parker, president of what is now ProMedica Senior Care. "And he found humor and he made bad situations better because we were all doing what we thought was the right thing, which was quality of care and caring for each other."That's how he wanted to be remembered, his wife said - "he really cared about people. He often said people don't care what you know until they know you care. It's important that people, particularly in the medical field, know that you care."Mr. Weikel was a senior executive vice president of HCR ManorCare, as well as chief operating officer, at his 2006 retirement. Afterward, he and his wife divided their years between homes in Sylvania Township and Georgia.In 1986, he joined Health Care and Retirement Corp., then a subsidiary of Owens-Illinois Inc., as executive vice president and general manager of its Midwest division. He became director of operations in 1991 and was elected a company director in 1992. He had been chief operating officer the previous two years of Manor Healthcare Corp., the long-term care unit of Manor Care Inc.The year Mr. Weikel retired, HCR had placed 565th on the Fortune 1,000 list. He oversaw the operations, including clinical and rehabilitation services, of more than 500 senior care locations with about 60,000 employees in 32 states, including 114 hospice and home care agencies and 91 outpatient rehabilitation clinics.Mr. Parker, in a message to employees announcing Mr. Weikel's death, said that the organization "evolved into the provider of choice in our markets across the country" under his leadership."He was the architect of our organization's culture as we know it today," Mr. Parker wrote.A March 12 article in McKnight's Long-Term Care News, an industry publication, detailed Mr. Weikel's diverse career and quoted Clif Porter II, senior vice president of government affairs for the American Health Care Association - whom Mr. Weikel had once hired as an administrator of a care facility. "Our sector has lost a titan," Mr. Porter told McKnight's.Mr. Parker, in a Blade interview later, concurred: "There's no doubt."He became not only my mentor but a surrogate father figure. He took a keen interest in me, as he did many others," said Mr. Parker, who as he sought a position with the firm interviewed with Mr. Weikel.Mr. Weikel advised the new hire that any conversation with a politician or government agency begins and ends by speaking about the quality of care.Malcolm Keith Weikel was born March 9, 1938, in Danville, Pa. to Marian and Malcolm Jay Weikel, the first of what would be the couple's two sons. He helped raise chickens and picked strawberries to supplement the family's meager income. He was a 1956 graduate of Shamokin High School."His mother very much wanted her boys to have a college education. That was in the plan," his wife said. "She sacrificed, and they all worked very hard."He continued to work multiple jobs as he attended the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, from which he received a bachelor's degree in 1960. A plan for a graduate degree in pharmacy evolved into a master's degree and a doctorate in economics and marketing in 1966 from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, school of business. He later served on the business school's board, and donations to the school helped create a distinguished chair and a speaker series, both in leadership and named for him.He started his career at the pharmaceutical firm Hoffman-La Roche. He had an abiding interest in politics, from his role in 1967 as co-chair of New Jersey Republicans supporting the presidential bid of Richard Nixon, who the next year would win the GOP nomination and then the presidency. In 2004, he received notice as a fund-raiser for the successful re-election of President George W. Bush, dubbed a "Ranger" by the campaign and credited with raising more than $200,000 in individual contributions.From 1970-77, he served in the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and became commissioner of the medical services administration, with Medicaid oversight, a duty that often involved testimony before congressional committees.Afterward, he worked for a subsidiary of the hospital company American Medical International and became president of the Federation of American Hospitals.He'd been active at Epworth United Methodist Church in Ottawa Hills and had been co-chairman of capital fund drives, his wife said.Surviving are his wife, the former Barbara Joan Davis, whom he married Dec. 17, 1960; son, Richard Keith Weikel; daughter, Kristin Holly Weikel; brother, Allen Jay Weikel, and two grandchildren.The family plans a celebration of his life in Toledo later this year. Arrangements are by Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home, Brunswick, Ga.The family suggests tributes to Hand in Hand of Glynn in Brunswick, Ga., or a charity of the donor's choice.

Susan L. Mitchell is a geriatrician and health services researcher at the Hebrew SeniorLife Marcus Institute for Aging Research, and at Harvard University. Shawn Bloom is CEO of the National PACE Association. David Gifford is a geriatrician and the chief medical officer at the American Health Care Association. David Grabowski is a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. Jasmine Travers, is an assistant professor and health services researcher at New York University in the Rory Meyers College of Nursing. S.L. Mitchell and Others. Long-Term Care in the United States — Problems and Solutions. N Engl J Med. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp2201377.

In the latest episode of the LTC Heroes podcast, we were joined by Dr. David Gifford, Director of the Center for Health Policy Evaluation in LTC of the American Health Care Association. The episode was streamed live from the Georgia Healthcare Association winter convention, where David gave a talk. During the conference, David spoke about Covid visas and his clinical background as a geriatrician. He also gave an update on what is happening in DC that may affect the attendees. David shares the biggest concerns of Georgia Healthcare Association members, which include understaffing and confusion over Covid regulations. He also talks about staying positive and overstaffing in the long-term care industry. We learn about what a day in the doctor's life looks like. David then shares what he's learned from working through a pandemic with his team, which is that it's essential to take some time for yourself. You can't push everyone to 110% all the time. Towards the end of the episode, David also talks about what he's proud of having done in the last year. He then answers some rapid-fire questions, one of which is about the books that have greatly influenced his life. Discover how the American Health Care Association's GMO works by tuning into the latest episode of the LTC Heroes podcast. Center for Health Policy Evaluation in LTC, American Health Care Association Georgia Healthcare Association We appreciate you listening, and we are motivated by your feedback. Visit LTCHeroes.com to learn more about us and head to LTCHeroes.com/community to join our exclusive Facebook Group for Nurses and our exclusive Linkedin group for Long-Term Care Owners. We look forward to seeing you inside the community. -- Sponsored by Experience.Care This episode is brought to you by Experience.Care, the only long-term care EHR backed by guarantees. Your profitability is our priority and your compliance, our cause. Since 1969. Get your profitability consultation today at Experience.Care/guarantee. Our website is .Care for a reason. We care about your care. Visit us at Experience.Care.

Today on Midday, we examine the challenges facing nursing homes, home-care providers and the elder-care industry as a whole. Nursing homes, like hospitals and other care providers, are facing severe staff shortages. The pandemic has led to labor shortages throughout the economy. Restaurants have had to scale back hours because they can't find enough servers and cooks. The supply chain has been disrupted by not enough truck drivers to meet the demand, and school systems across the country are scrambling to certify and hire bus drivers. A report issued last week by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living says that nursing homes are down 221,000 jobs since the pandemic began. This decline of 14% in the workforce dwarfs any other sector. A survey showed that 78% of nursing homes and 61% of assisted living communities have serious concerns about their ability to remain open.What does this mean for the elderly who need help in both community based and at-home settings? Joining Tom to discuss these issues are:Joseph DeMattos, Jr. He's the President and CEO of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland; andAllison Roenigk Ciborowski, the President and CEO of Leading Age Maryland, a network of non-profits that encourage innovation and collaboration in care for the aging. _________________________________________________________________For family members providing care at home, here are some important resources: Baltimore City Division of Aging410-396-2273 Baltimore County Dept. of Aging 410-887-2594 Maryland Dept. of Aging (for other jurisdictions) 410-767-1100 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the CBS News "Weekend Roundup" with host Allison Keyes: Covid cases are up in nearly 35 states just as the Biden administration touts a strong start to the vaccine program for children ages 5 through 11. CBS' Michael George has the latest. According to the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living, nursing homes alone lost 221-thousand jobs since the pandemic started. Allison gets the details from president and CEO Mark Parkinson.The Labor Department says inflation has hit a 31-year high. We'll hear from CBS News Business Analyst Jill Schlesinger. CBS' Peter King explains why NASA just delayed its 2024 deadline to bring astronauts back to the moon. On this week's Kaleidoscope, we're commemorating Native American Heritage Month. As the U-N Climate summit winds down, some 3.7 million Native American and Indigenous people are facing direct threats to their land and culture from rising waters and temperatures to glacier melts. The Quinault Indian Nation is among them - with a Pacific Coast village at risk. Allison speaks with their senior planner, Kelsey Moldenke. This week the nation honored our veterans for their service and sacrifices, but many suffer from PTSD and other mental health issues. More than 30 groups, including the Sierra Club, launched the Military Outdoors Coalition. Allison speaks with Retired Army Lt. Col Aaron Leonard, who runs the program. Finally, Allison takes us to Arlington National Cemetery to mark the 100th anniversary of the original burial at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Parkinson, stands stunningly at the helm of the American Health Care Association and American Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), the largest U.S. association for long term care. It represents14,000 for-profit and not-for-profit nursing homes and assisted living residences, sub-acute centers and homes for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The organization's mission is to find and help deliver solutions so that frail, elderly and impaired citizens receive the quality of care they deserve regardless of the setting. Prior to serving as the 45th governor of Kansas, Parkinson owned and operated long-term care facilities in both Kansas and Missouri, bringing to his position an understanding of the landscape from an insider perspective. The pandemic and its impact on nursing home residents, brought to light the issues that have long existed in our nation's nursing homes. Seizing on the need for change, Mark Parkinson embarked on a mission to find solutions that would improve the quality of care for our nation's elder citizens. Thus, working in partnership with Leading Age, the Care for Seniors Act was created and released in March, 2021. The Care for Seniors Act addresses four key areas with recommendations for policy changes in each area that can positively impact quality of care. The four areas are: Clinical, Workforce, Oversight and Structural. Mark Parkinson adeptly describes each of the reform areas and how he envisions this can impact nursing home quality of care.

Mark Parkinson, stands stunningly at the helm of the American Health Care Association and American Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), the largest U.S. association for long term care. It represents14,000 for-profit and not-for-profit nursing homes and assisted living residences, sub-acute centers and homes for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The organization's mission is to find and help deliver solutions so that frail, elderly and impaired citizens receive the quality of care they deserve regardless of the setting. Prior to serving as the 45th governor of Kansas, Parkinson owned and operated long-term care facilities in both Kansas and Missouri, bringing to his position an understanding of the landscape from an insider perspective. The pandemic and its impact on nursing home residents, brought to light the issues that have long existed in our nation's nursing homes. Seizing on the need for change, Mark Parkinson embarked on a mission to find solutions that would improve the quality of care for our nation's elder citizens. Thus, working in partnership with Leading Age, the Care for Seniors Act was created and released in March, 2021. The Care for Seniors Act addresses four key areas with recommendations for policy changes in each area that can positively impact quality of care. The four areas are: Clinical, Workforce, Oversight and Structural. Mark Parkinson adeptly describes each of the reform areas and how he envisions this can impact nursing home quality of care.

In the skilled nursing world, it was a truth universally acknowledged that the Patient-Driven Payment Model was a lifeline for operators trying to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting “business nightmare.” But the federal government has proposed a recalibration of the new system, and it’s not clear yet what that could mean for providers. Mark Parkinson, the president and CEO of the American Health Care Association, joined Rethink to talk about why SNFs can be more optimistic than in years past about the proposed changes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – and why the Biden administration’s push to invest $400 in home- and community-based care isn’t as antagonistic to SNFs as it might first appear. Listen to this episode to hear about: -The unanswered questions around occupancy and what needs to happen for recovery -Why the proposed PDPM recalibration isn’t likely to be a repeat of drastic Medicare cuts in 2011 -Elevating and investing in frontline caregivers, and what it will take to do that properly

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for April 1st, 2021. A batch of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine failed quality standards and is unusable. The company didn’t say how many doses were lost or how this might impact future deliveries. Turns out one of the factories that makes one of the ingredients didn’t meet standards and had not yet been approved by the FDA to make part of the vaccine. While rumors float around the Internet that there were no more deaths in the U.S. in 2020 than usual, the government reports the pandemic pushed total U.S. deaths past 3.3 million, the nation’s highest annual death toll ever. The CDC says the coronavirus alone caused about 375,000 deaths and was the third leading cause of death last year. France’s President called the variants of the coronavirus "an epidemic within the epidemic" and extended a lockdown to the entire country and closed schools through all of April. Gatherings inside and outside are banned, and no one can travel more than 6.2 miles from their homes. Hospitalizations are on track to surpass even the first deadly wave of last spring. Pfizer says its vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12. Their vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and older, but vaccinating all ages is seen as critical to helping schools return to normal. Researchers reported levels of antibodies even somewhat higher than that seen in young adults. Does the vaccine work? Well if it does, we’d see it first in the senior population prioritized for the vaccine. And the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living said yesterday nursing homes in the U.S. have seen a 96% decline in new cases since December 20. And COVID-related deaths declined 91%. In the United States cases were up 20%, deaths are down 23%, and hospitalizations down 2% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending up since March 23. There are now 6,927,626 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Virginia, Florida, and Maryland. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Dimmit, TX. Kingsbury, SD. St. Clair, MI. Huron, MI. Sanilac, MI. Lewis, MO. Otsego, MI. Pitkin, CO. Macomb, MI. And Lapeer, MI. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Rhode Island, New York, Michigan, New Jersey, and Connecticut. There have been 552,038 deaths in the US reported as Covid-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.82%. The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: California 149. Oklahoma 103. New York 87. Florida 84. New Jersey 75. Georgia 68. Pennsylvania 44. Illinois and Massachusetts 37. And West Virginia 36. The top 3 vaccinating states by percentage of population that’s had at least one dose, New Mexico at 37.5%, Connecticut at 34.4%, and South Dakota at 34.3%. The bottom 3 vaccinating states are Alabama at 22.7%, Georgia at 23.1%, and Mississippi at 24.3%. Globally, cases were up 32% and deaths up 16% over 14 days, with the 7-day average trending up since March 5. There are now 22,228,160 active cases around the world. The five countries with the most new cases: Brazil 89,200. India 72,182. The United States 68,756. France 41,907. And Turkey 39,302. There have now been 2,814,038 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Coronavirus 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Coronavirus 411 podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is Coronavirus 411, the latest COVID-19 info and new hotspots… Just the facts… for January 28th, 2021. In a sign the U.S. continues to believe ending all travel is a key to beating the virus, a senior CDC official says the U.S. is actively looking at expanding mandatory testing to travelers even on domestic flights traveling within the continental United States. Last week, the President told federal agencies to recommend additional measures to be imposed on domestic travel.With many criticizing their country’s leaders for not handling the pandemic well enough, an Australian think tank ranked countries by crunching the data on confirmed deaths and testing rates. The country that did best was New Zealand, followed by Vietnam and Taiwan. The poorest performing country was Brazil, followed by Mexico and Colombia. China was excluded from the list because they did not make enough data available. Speaking of China, it definitely approaches things from…a different direction. Beijing has introduced anal swabs as a new type of coronavirus test it says detects the virus more accurately. There are even reports of surprise tests for some individuals like passengers arriving in Beijing and residents of quarantine centers. Will nursing homes be a permanent casualty of Covid-19? Research by the American Health Care Association shows about 90% of them are operating at a loss or less than 3% profit, and more than 65% said they’ll likely close within the year. Many already have. The result could be catastrophic on family caregivers as the 65+ population is the U.S.’s fastest growing demographic. Two positive Covid-19 cases of note: the President of Mexico has tested positive. The 67-year-old’s symptoms are mild and he's being treated. And American television host Michael Strahan has tested positive and is quarantining. He too is not currently experiencing any severe symptoms.In the United States cases were down 33%, deaths are flat, and hospitalizations down 13% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 25th. There are now 9,783,927 active cases in the United States. The current top 5 states by number of active cases: California, New York, Florida, Arizona, and Georgia. The top 10 counties with the highest number of recent cases per capita according to The New York Times: Forest, PA. Chattahoochee, GA. Dimmit, TX. Hitchcock, NE. Hemphill, TX. San Miguel, CO. Val Verde, TX. Upton, TX. Presidio, TX. And Culberson, TX. The five states with the highest risk levels and most daily new cases per capita over 7 days are Arizona, South Carolina, Rhode Island, New York, and North Carolina. There’ve been a total 429,157 deaths in the US reported as COVID-related, with a current national fatality rate of 1.68%.The states with the most new deaths reported as COVID-related: Texas 457. California 379. Alabama 276. Pennsylvania 220. Arizona 195. Florida 162. Georgia 161. Tennessee 154. New York 148. And North Carolina 139. Globally, cases were down 20%, and deaths up 8% over 14 days. The 7-day average of new cases has been trending down since January 11. Globally, there are 25,925,920 active cases.The five countries with the most new cases: the United States 151,727. Brazil 63,895. Spain 40,285. France 26,916. And the U.K. 25,308. There have now been 2,173,938 deaths reported as Covid-related worldwide. For the latest updates, subscribe for free to Coronavirus 411 on your podcast app or ask your smart speaker to play the Coronavirus 411 podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ralph Peterson is the owner and operator of a management development company that helps mission-driven organizations dramatically increase profitability, improve efficiency, and grow their companies by building FiveStar leadership teams. He is also a #1 Best-Selling Author, professional keynote speaker, a highly sought-after management development coach, and master examiner with the American Health Care Association. Ralph has more than 20 years in the trenches of senior management, organizational development, and human resources in the long-term care industry. Personally, he lives in NYC, an avid marathoner, and recently earned the title of Iron Man.    Here’s what we discussed:  Not Allowing Your Position to go to Your Head  Dressing for the Job  Handling Responsibility    Connect with Ralph Peterson:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphpeterson08/   https://www.facebook.com/theralphpeterson/  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4fvRByp53ywOlxb_B1AIdg?view_as=public  https://twitter.com/RalphPeterson08   www.thegoodmanagerbook.com   www.ralphpeterson.com  

Contact info Ralph Peterson Ralph Peterson Management Services Bio Ralph Peterson is the owner and operator of a management development company that helps mission driven organizations dramatically increase profitability, improve efficiency and grow their companies by building Five-Star leadership teams. He is also a #1 Best-Selling Author, professional keynote speaker, a highly sought-after management development coach and master examiner with the American Health Care Association. Ralph has more than 20 years in the trenches of senior management, organizational development and human resources in the long-term care industry. Personally, he lives in NYC, an avid marathoner and recently earned the title of Iron Man.  Social Media:  LinkedIn Facebook YouTube Twitter Promotional Websites: The Good Manager Book Tour Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2020 looked like a banner year for long-term care until COVID struck. Very soon, it became clear that our facilities not only would fail to escape the virus, but we would become ground zero for it.    Consequently, we're experiencing a drop in census, an increase in the cost per resident, more and more burnt out staff, and a major reputational hit to our industry. In light of all this, where do we go from here?   Mark Parkinson, president & CEO at American Health Care Association, joined this episode of NetSmart to talk about COVID's impact on our current business operations.   What we discussed with Mark:   - How to prepare for the next two years   - Upcoming regulatory changes that could affect long-term care   - The potential impacts of the 2020 elections on the industry   This discussion with Mark Parkinson was taken from our show Netsmart Care Threads. If you want to hear more episodes like this one, check us out on Apple Podcasts here.   If you don’t use Apple Podcasts, you can find every episode here.

Grandma can finally see the grandkids. But no hugs, please. Families with loved ones in care facilities were given more visitation guidelines in August by the Minnesota Department of Health. The new guidance seeks to support long-term care facilities as they weigh how to keep residents safe from the coronavirus without isolating them entirely from social connections. State releases COVID-19 guidance To allow more visitors in long-term care It’s a delicate balance. Of the 1,830 people who have died in Minnesota from COVID-19, about 73 percent were living in long-term care or assisted living facilities. So what next? If infection rates surge in the winter, will facilities shut down again? What has the pandemic revealed to us about the totality of senior care in America? Thursday, MPR News guest host Chris Farrell spoke with two industry experts about what facilities — and their residents — are facing. Guests: Patti Cullen, CEO of Care Providers of Minnesota and liaison to the American Health Care Association. Ruth Katz, senior vice president of public policy at Leading Age Correction (Sept. 3, 2020): An earlier version of this story listed an incorrect title for Patti Cullen. The story has been updated. To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above. Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts , Spotify or RSS

2020: Year of the Nurse an Interview with Ellen Kurtzman “When you're ready for something, life opens the door for you.” — Melissa Batchelor, PhD, RN, FNP, FAAN (09:29-09:35) Ellen T. Kurtzman, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, is a health services researcher and a tenured associate professor of nursing with secondary appointments in the university’s Milken Institute School of Public Health and Trachtenberg School of Public Policy & Public Administration. In this week’s episode, let’s get to know her more. Part One of ‘2020: Year of the Nurse an Interview with Ellen Kurtzman’ Dr. Kurtzman teaches health policy, research, and statistics. Her investigator-initiated research explores the impact of federal, state, and institutional policies on health care quality and the role of the healthcare workforce in achieving higher-value care.  From 2014-2016, Dr. Kurtzman served as the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)/Academy Health Policy Fellow, which placed her “in residence” at NCHS to collaborate with federal researchers and access NCHS restricted data assets. From 2011 to 2012, was an affiliate scholar at the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center. Serving as both a collaborator from 2007-2010 and Visiting Nurse Scholar from 2010-2011 with the NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health at The University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Kurtzman advanced and built policy support for a model of care for chronically ill elderly, referred to as the Transitional Care Model. “Many times, in my career, I've done projects that people have told me not to do, but I felt like they were important. And they've turned out to be the projects that had the biggest impact.” — Melissa Batchelor, PhD, RN, FNP, FAAN (33:08-33:20) Before joining academia, Dr. Kurtzman served in senior capacities for organizations such as the American Red Cross, National Quality Forum (NQF), American Health Care Association, National PACE Association, and the Partnership for Behavioral Healthcare. While at NQF, she was the architect of national consensus standards for measuring nursing’s contribution to quality. She also led NQF’s national efforts to establish a hospital and home health care quality and performance standards.   Dr. Kurtzman received her PhD in public policy and Administration from GW’s Trachtenberg School, her MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and her BSN from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2009, Dr. Kurtzman was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. Part Two of ‘2020: Year of the Nurse an Interview with Ellen Kurtzman’ She went from being a bedside nurse to getting a degree in public health and then having the public policy. But her research program has always been on how the policy environment influences the care and delivery of health care in this country.  Her most recent work explores team-based care's role in the quality of office-based physician practices and the prevalence of opioid prescribing in ambulatory care settings. She has led studies examining the quality of care and the services delivered by nurse practitioners and physician assistants, the impact of occupational restrictions on clinician practice, the effect of Medicaid expansion on community health centers, and the influence of performance-based payment programs on practitioner behavior. “If you're a health care professional, you have to do the standard gold stuff to establish your expertise.” —  Melissa Batchelor, PhD, RN, FNP, FAAN (30:46-30:56) Throughout her career, Dr. Kurtzman has pursued unique extramural collaborations to advance her scholarship. From 2018-2019, she was one of only eight mid-career professionals selected to participate in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Fellows program. During her year on Capitol Hill and in the Administration, she worked in the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, The Honorable Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and the Office of the Surgeon General, Jerome M. Adams, MD, MPH.   How to Connect More with Ellen Kurtzman   Twitter: https://twitter.com/EllenKurtzman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellentkurtzman/ About Melissa I earned my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (‘96) and Master of Science in Nursing (‘00) as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) School of Nursing (SON). I truly enjoy working with the complex medical needs of older adults. I worked full-time for five years as FNP in geriatric primary care across many long-term care settings (skilled nursing homes, assisted living, home and office visits) then transitioned into academic nursing in 2005, joining the faculty at UNCW SON as a lecturer. I obtained my PhD in Nursing and a post-Master’s Certificate in Nursing Education from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing (’11) and then joined the faculty at Duke University School of Nursing as an Assistant Professor. My family moved to northern Virginia in 2015 and led to me joining the faculty at George Washington University (GW) School of Nursing in 2018 as a (tenured) Associate Professor where I am also the Director of the GW Center for Aging, Health and Humanities. Find out more about her work at https://melissabphd.com/.

In this episode, we meet a nursing home administrator, Nicole Verdon, who passionately share the dedication and devotion of the nursing home caregivers and the lack of adequate funding for even the basic level of care pre Covid19.A nursing home loses an average of $38/day per Medicaid Patient in Massachusetts. With an average 70% Medicaid census, this business model simply does not work!It's time for a change!Nicole Verdon on LinkedInTNHP episode with Mark Parkinson, CEO of the American Health Care Association.

#28 Difficult Conversations With Difficult People, host William Glass sits down with Ralph Peterson, management development coach, entrepreneur, and best selling author to discuss what makes a great manager. A dynamic conversation that breaks down the myths of management from micromanaging to picking your battles. Ralph Peterson is the owner and operator of a management development company that helps mission driven organizations dramatically increase profitability, improve efficiency & grow their companies by building Five-Star leadership teams. He is also a #1 Best-Selling Author, professional keynote speaker, a highly sought-after management development coach and master examiner with the American Health Care Association. Ralph has more than 20 years in senior management, organizational development and human resources in the long-term care industry. He has consulted to a wide variety of industries, large and small, bringing a practical approach, sound advice & a great sense of humor to the table. Website LinkedIn Facebook Youtube Twitter _ Become a supporter: https://www.patreon.com/wpg3 - Instagram: https://instagram.com/siliconalleypodcast - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/siliconalleypodcast - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSF39MO5e4z1SX9tYZEhNgA Theme music is Million Voices by Brett Miller - www.brettmillerofficial.com Ostrich is a personal finance app that uses the power of positive social accountability to help you define, set, & achieve your financial goals. Sign Up for Ostrich at https://www.getostrich.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/theostrichapp LinkedIn: https://LinkedIn.com/company/theostrichapp Silicon Alley is a Financial Glass Production --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/silicon-alley/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/silicon-alley/support

This week on the program, we’re going to attempt to untangle the annuities market. They come in an almost unbelievably complicated array of flavors and types, and their contracts can be very difficult to understand.But before we get to that, I wanted to share a few thoughts with you about the coronavirus.The pandemic puts everyone at risk, but older people are the most vulnerable. As a journalist covering aging, I’m mindful of that, of course. And, I’m starting to carefully reorient my coverage to do the best I can to provide useful information to readers of my stories, and people who listen to the podcast. I’m looking at this as a health story of course, but also a financial security story due to the massive impact of the crisis on the markets and most likely, the economy. The virus is starting to reshape conditions here in the U.S. and around the world that we’re barely starting to understand. One thing I know I can do is pass along useful, authoritative information. As a journalist, I sift through hundreds of news articles, research reports, podcasts and video interviews every week. I plan to pass along the most credible, authoritative information I can find every week in the newsletter - both the subscriber and free editions. This week, scroll down a bit and you’ll find a post with links to advice for older adults from the CDC, and an interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci of NIH on the podcast of the Journal of the American Medical Association — also, an article about how the virus is impacting nursing homes.You can also look for an article from my in this Sunday’s New York Times business section about how retirement investors can cope with their worst instincts during the current market meltdown. I’ll have a link to that story in next week’s newsletter. So, back to annuities. Most people think of them as a way to provide guaranteed lifetime income in retirement - and you certainly can achieve that goal. But others really are more like investment products with optional income conversion features. Annuity sales have been rising. Some of that is driven by the country’s demographics - as baby boomers reach retirement age, buyers are attracted by protection from the volatility of stocks. That last point seems especially salient considering the way the stock market has been nose-diving over the last couple weeks.I don’t think annuities are right for everyone. Not even close to everyone. But they make sense in some situations, so this week I invited one of the most knowledgeable observers of the annuity marke that I know to join me on the podcast - Kerry Pechter. Kerry is editor and publisher of the Retirement Income Journal, which covers the industry. He also is author of Annuities for Dummies. Like most books in the well-known Dummies series, Kerry’s book provides easy-to-grasp explanations of the various annuity types and how they work. So, if you are thinking about an annuity, get Kerry’s book.But first, give a listen to my interview with Kerry Pechter.Roundup of news and information on COVID-19 The risk of contracting the coronavirus and becoming ill with COVID-19 is highest for older Americans. I’ll be curating and passing along the best information I can find each week to readers of the newsletter during this crisis.Here’s a short video overview from the Centers for Disease Control on what older adults need to know. And here’s an interview on the spread of the virus with Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, conducted by Dr. Howard Bauchner, editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association.Nursing homes: With the deaths of 18 residents in a nursing home in Washington state, industry leaders recommended strict limits this week on visits at facilities across the country, according to the The New York Times: Thousands of nursing homes and assisted-living centers across the United States are becoming islands of isolation as health care administrators take unprecedented steps to lock them down, hoping to protect some of the nation’s most vulnerable residents from the threat posed by the coronavirus.On Tuesday, industry leaders recommended curtailing all but essential visits at homes across the country, calling the challenge posed by the novel coronavirus “one of the most significant, if not the most significant” issues the industry has ever faced. Five long-term care facilities in Washington State have been hit, but officials worry the virus could already have spread to far more facilities with still-undetected cases.“The mortality rate is shocking,” said Mark Parkinson, president and chief executive of the American Health Care Association. He said the death rate might well exceed the 15 percent that had been reported in China for people aged 80 and older.What should you do if you or a family member are living in a nursing home or assisted living facility, or may need to go to a skilled nursing facility after a hospital stay? Howard Gleckman, an expert on long-term care, offers these thoughts in a post for Forbes.com:There is a lot to think about, but experts have two main pieces of advice:Don’t panic. The risk of contracting COVID-19 remains very low.Make sure the facilities are practicing good infection control—something they should be doing all the time, regardless of the immediate news.No doubt, residents of care facilities are at high risk for severe illness or even death if they contract COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. And the multiple deaths at a Kirkland, WA nursing home only raised those concerns.To learn if a specific facility is doing it right, you can ask a few basic questions. The Centers for Disease Control has a simple factsheet for consumers called the “Top 10 Infection Prevention Questions to Ask a Nursing Home’s Leaders.”New guide: How to time your retirementIf you’re a paid subscriber to the newsletter, you know I’ve been publishing a series of guides on key retirement topics. The latest is a guide on timing retirement decisions. This can be a really important inflection point for your financial success in retirement, so it’s worth thinking about carefully.The last years of work usually are peak earning years. And working even a few years more years - or less - will impact your retirement math significantly. Your timing affects the number of years that you’ll rely on savings to meet living expenses. It impacts the number of years that you can contribute to retirement saving accounts. And perhaps most important, working longer helps sets the stage for a delayed Social Security claim. That’s because it provides the income you need to meet living expenses while you wait to file.But setting a retirement target date and sticking to it can be very difficult . . . even risky.About one-third of workers tell pollsters they plan to work well past traditional retirement age, or not retire at all. But the data also tell us that about one-third of workers retire earlier than expected - and that the farther out you push your target date, the less likely you are to work to that date.The most common causes for unexpected early retirement are health problems and job loss. But the study uncovered clear reasons for unplanned early retirement only in about one-quarter of cases.Other reasons are more difficult to measure. The pull of leisure activities and time with family are factors, along with possible age discrimination. But the quality of work also matters.The guides are downloadable, quick reads, each paired with a podcast interview on the subject at hand. My aim is to create a series of just-in-time retirement education modules - read the guide, listen to the podcast and you’re good to go. The series already includes guides on claiming Social Security, transitioning to Medicare and how to hire a financial planner. Becoming a subscriber is easy - to sign up, click the little green button at the bottom of the newsletter page, or visit my website to learn more. The subscription price is just $5 month, and you can cancel easily at any time if you’re not happy. Once you subscribe, you’ll have access to the entire retirement guide series, including this new one on retirement timing. Plus, you’ll get links to all the articles I publish for Reuters, The New York Times, Morningstar and Wealthmanagement.com. I also publish links to the most interesting new research in the field, and links to work by other journalists that I find compelling. Finally, you’ll be supporting independent, unbiased journalism. Thanks for listening - and I hope to see you over on the subscriber side soon. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at retirementrevised.substack.com/subscribe

In this deep dive discussion, hosts Ben Sawyer, Lisa Counsell and Duffie Dixon once again interview David Gifford, MD, MPH, the Senior Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs at the American Health Care Association, the largest association in the country representing long term and post-acute care facilities. David Gifford/American Health Care Association (AHCA) David […] The post LEADER DIALOGUE: David Gifford with American Health Care Association (AHCA) – Deep Dive appeared first on Business RadioX ®.

Hosts Ben Sawyer, Lisa Counsell and Duffie Dixon interview David Gifford, MD, MPH, the Senior Vice President of Quality and Regulatory Affairs at the American Health Care Association, the largest association in the country representing long term and post-acute care facilities. Topics discussed include: Evolution of the Baldrige: Which will include David’s background and stewardship […] The post LEADER DIALOGUE: David Gifford with American Health Care Association (AHCA) appeared first on Business RadioX ®.

Mark Parkinson is the President and CEO of the American Health Care Association (AHCA). He previously served as the 45th Governor of the State of Kansas, and prior to that was the owner and operator of long term care facilities in Kansas and Missouri. As the nation’s largest association of long term and post-acute care providers, the American Health Care Association represents over 13,700 skilled nursing facilities and assisted living centers, advocating for quality care and services for frail, elderly, and disabled Americans.

Are you ready for the new skilled nursing facility payment model on October 1? In this second of two podcasts, sponsored by the national long term care consulting firm, Polaris Group, Dan Hettich of King & Spalding talks to Mike Cheek of the American Health Care Association and Judy Kulus of Lantis Enterprises, examining what has changed under the new payment system, how it will affect reimbursement, and how to address the operational challenges in implementing the new system. From AHLA's Post-Acute and Long Term Services and Regulation, Accreditation, and Payment Practice Groups.

Are you ready for the new skilled nursing facility payment model on October 1? In this first of two podcasts, sponsored by the national long term care consulting firm, Polaris Group, Dan Hettich of King & Spalding talks to Mike Cheek of the American Health Care Association and Judy Kulus of Lantis Enterprises, examining what has changed under the new payment system, how it will affect reimbursement, and how to address the operational challenges in implementing the new system. From AHLA's Post-Acute and Long Term Services and Regulation, Accreditation, and Payment Practice Groups.

Between the release of a "secret" list of underperforming nursing homes and multiple hearings on Capitol Hill, the skilled nursing industry has found itself under the regulatory and media microscope for most of 2019. And for the most part, Mark Parkinson thinks that's a good thing. The president and CEO of the American Health Care Association sat down with Skilled Nursing News to discuss why transparency could ultimately help operators by raising awareness of other issues in the space — along with his vision of what the industry will look like a decade from now. Listen to this episode to learn: - Why operators should see opportunity in recent media attention on the industry - What he thinks is the bigger challenge for the space: PDPM or Medicaid - How SNFs can avoid becoming a mere commodity in the overall care landscape - ...and more!

In this episode we meet, Sarah Rayburn of VCorp Services. Sarah went to school for broadcast journalism. When she realized that it was a real cut throat industry, a recruiter reached out to her and brought her into VCorp Services. With her self admitted, ‘work ADD', she was able to quickly learn the business and she took a liking to the compliance side of the business and that became her niche. While attending a conference at the American Health Care Association, Sarah noticed how so many nursing home organizations were struggling with precisely this level of compliance. Often, this was not given the attention that was needed for this and the results showed for themselves. It's never pleasant when the facility is giving a tour to a potential resident's family members and a police officer enters the facility and serves the lawsuit. It's not good for marketing. The staff begin to wonder about the stability of their jobs and all of this could have been avoided had the facility arranged a registered agent. This information can be shared exponentially when this event is shared on social media and before you know it, this has become common knowledge. A registered agent will receive any notices or legal notices, service of process, state notices and other types of legal documents. The agent is then responsible to share the information with the facility. Contact Sarah VCorp Services Sarah@vcorpservices.com 8885282677 Mention that you heard this episode for 10% off on your service fee!

With the increase in opioid use in pockets across the U.S., more grandparents and other relatives are raising children whose parents have died, are incarcerated, are using drugs or are in treatment. These caregivers often step into their role unexpectedly. They may be living on fixed incomes and unaware of where to turn for support and services for the children. Research shows that with support, children thrive in the care of relatives and have better outcomes than those in foster care with non-relatives.

With the increase in opioid use in pockets across the U.S., more grandparents and other relatives are raising children whose parents have died, are incarcerated, are using drugs or are in treatment. These caregivers often step into their role unexpectedly. They may be living on fixed incomes and unaware of where to turn for support and services for the children. Research shows that with support, children thrive in the care of relatives and have better outcomes than those in foster care with non-relatives.

Today we're exploring the future of PA's and NP's. Many of you listening work very closely with them, and in-fact many of you listening are PA's and NP's. As the roles, responsibilities and autonomy of PA's and NP's continue to grow, an interesting question comes up. Can we actually compare the effectiveness of PA's and NP's to doctors? To help us tackle this question is today's guest, Dr. Ellen Kurtzman. Ellen is a professor of nursing at George Washington University and she has made nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants a major focus of her research. She's held several senior leadership roles in organizations such as the American Health Care Association, American Red Cross, and The Partnership for Behavioral Healthcare. She is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. Ellen's recently published research compares the practice patterns and quality of care of NP's/PA's vs. family physicians, in a very specific setting. As you'll see, this paper is just the beginning of some really interesting forthcoming research and debate related to our question. With that said, let's get started...

Anthony Cirillo is a passionate advocate for these caregivers and seniors, helping them lead a quality life through a platform of educated aging – physically, emotionally and financially.  A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Anthony consults with healthcare organizations globally. Anthony is the Verywell expert in senior care (formerly about.com), on the executive board of CCAL, the Consumer Consortium for Person-Centered Living, and a member and workgroup cochair of The Dementia Action Alliance. He knows the ins and outs of healthcare delivery. A member of the National Speaker’s Association, he has spoken to thousands of healthcare professionals and consumers at venues including the EPA, American College of Healthcare Executives, Leading Age, American Health Care Association, state assisted living organizations, the National Council on Aging, state nursing home organizations, caregiving associations and other major conferences. Anthony is a prolific writer, having written hundreds of blogs and articles. Anthony fell into a mission and advocacy for elders when he started performing in nursing homes. A gifted singer-performer, he has been to Nashville to record and has sung around the country. He uses his performing gifts in his keynote speeches and press engagements.   The Aging Experience The Caregiver Summit Caregiver Smile Cruise Sound Health Options

Date: February 27, 2014 Featuring:   Laurie Herndon, MSN, GNP-BC, Director of Clinical Quality, Massachusetts Senior Care Foundation David Gifford, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President, Quality and Regulatory Affairs, American Health Care Association Annette Crawford, Administrator, Stafford Healthcare at Ridgemont Marie Schall, Director, Institute for Healthcare Improvement In the world of health care improvement, and in society at large, talking about skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and long-term can be a tough subject. When a loved one moves in to a nursing home, they’re usually quite elderly, and it's often the last move they'll make of this kind before dying. So, whether because of this association or because other sectors of health care tend to get more attention, the hard work that’s going on to ensure that all types of SNFs, and nursing homes, deliver high-quality and patient-centered care, has been somewhat obscured. We’d like to help change this by zeroing in on one aspect of the work. This WIHI looks at new developments with better coordination and communication between SNFs, local hospitals, and various community stakeholders, to reduce unnecessary transfers of patients to acute care settings. These avoidable admissions or readmissions can come from short-term-stay SNFs or long-term ones, from assisted living residences or rehab facilities. Unpacking what’s behind unnecessary transfers and what better, safer, actions might be taken has been the focus of IHI’s STAAR initiative and is captured in one of a series of STAAR How-to Guides: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to Skilled Nursing Facilities to Reduce Avoidable Rehospitalizations.   Our guide on the learning and momentum everyone can build upon from STAAR was IHI’s own Marie Schall, who’s also the first to point to the rich activity and resources available from Laurie Herndon and the widely recognized INTERACT program. Another huge resource is the American Health Care Association, which is mobilizing SNFs across the US to do their part to reduce readmissions within 30 days by 15% by 2015. David Gifford also spoke to these efforts. And, then there’s the amazing example of Kitsap County in the state of Washington, where Annette Crawford’s SNF has played a leading role building a new kind of coalition across the continuum of care to ensure that patients get the right care in the most appropriate setting.