AHCA ID/DD Congressional Hill Fly-In Event Next Month!

AHCA’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ID/DD) Residential Services Providers annual Hill Fly-In event will occur on Wednesday, February 26, 2020, at the AHCA offices in DC.  This important event is free to attend for AHCA/NCAL members.  Breakfast will be provided to registrants.  Congressional speakers are being invited, a legislative update will be provided, and Hill visits will follow in the afternoon.  AHCA will provide one-pagers and talking points for registrants to take to the Hill.  If you would like to attend, please contact AHCA’s Senior Director of Not for Profit & Constituent Services, Dana Ritchie, at dritchie@ahca.org.  If you have any questions whatsoever, please don’t hesitate to let Dana know.  AHCA hopes to see you at this important event!

‘Sharing Our Wisdom’ Announced as 2020 Theme for National Skilled Nursing Care Week

AHCA recently announced “Sharing Our Wisdom” as the 2020 theme for National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW), which will be held May 10-16.  The theme "Sharing Our Wisdom," will celebrate skilled nursing centers, and their residents and staff, by showcasing the insight, purpose, and wisdom to be learned from our seniors, those living with dementia, and people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Residents offer a unique perspective based on their life experiences, reminding us to be present, celebrate the small moments, and value connections.  NSNCW 2020 will focus on the collective wisdom that residents can offer and share.

Established by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) in 1967, NSNCW, formerly known as National Nursing Home Week, recognizes the essential role of skilled nursing care centers in caring for America’s frail, elderly, and disabled.  Skilled nursing care centers and members of the public can download NSNCW promotional materials at www.ahcancal.org/NSNCW​ and are encouraged to share activities, ideas, and experiences for the observance on social media using the hashtag, #NSNCW.  AHCA will issue a planning guide and product catalog in late February. For more information on National Skilled Nursing Care Week, visit www.ahcancal.org/NSNCW.

Deadline Tonight - Submit Your AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Application

The deadline to apply for the 2020 AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is tonight!  Providers must submit their application and payment by 8 pm ET on January 23, 2020.  Late submissions will not be accepted.

An application can be submitted regardless of whether or not you submitted an Intent to Apply payment, so don't delay and start your application today.  To get started, find all of the information you need in our application packets and additional resources available on the applicant webpages: Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
Then submit your application and payment through the Quality Award Portal!  We encourage members to log in to the Portal before the deadline to avoid any delays in setting up your user account.  Questions? Contact qualityaward@ahca.org.

New Training Offers Practical Strategies to Boost Employee Recruitment and Retention

AHCA/NCAL offers a new instructional webinar titled “Pioneering Solutions to the Workforce Crisis.”  This 45-minute webinar developed in collaboration with PHI delivers practical action steps and strategies assisted living and nursing facilities of all shapes and sizes can take to improve their employee and retention efforts. The webinar also covers ways to improve the hiring process and explains supportive supervision and coaching methods that positively impact employee retention. 

The webinar’s learning objectives include:

• Explain the key factors contributing to the workforce shortage
• Identify at least 3 strategies to improve employee recruitment
• Identify at least 3 strategies to improve employee retention
• Explain the impact of supportive supervision on retention

The instructor is Sue Misiorski who served as Vice President of Workforce Innovations for PHI and currently serves as the New England Regional Director of Operations for SageLife.  Starting as a CNA, she later held positions as a DON and VP of Nursing in multi-site skilled nursing homes in New England and has supported the construction of several assisted living and nursing facilities.
 
This webinar is part one to a more extensive on-line training for middle managers that will be released in the coming months.  While no CEUs are offered for this webinar, participants can receive a certificate of completion.  The cost of the course is $25 for AHCA/NCAL members and $60 for non-members. 

Follow this link to read more about this educational webinar and to register for the course:  https://educate.ahcancal.org/products/pioneering-solutions-to-the-workforce-crisis#tab-product_tab_overview.

To access ahcancalED and the Pioneering Solutions webinar, members will need to login with their AHCA/NCAL usernames and passwords.  For assistance obtaining AHCA/NCAL usernames and passwords, please e-mail update@ahca.org with your name and facility contact information.

We Need You for Our Social Media Initiative

AHCA/NCAL began a social media advocacy initiative last year and is encouraging all members to get involved.  The effort focuses on improving the overall image of the post-acute and long term care profession by sharing positive stories and pushing back on pieces that attempt to tie all providers to isolated negative events.

AHCA/NCAL will be sending interested members tips for getting more involved on social media, best practices for posting content, sample posts, and a roundup of positive stories about the profession on a regular basis. Individuals who want to get involved should email socialmedia@ahca.org to get on the mailing list.

The campaign also will include a rapid response to stories that are unfairly negative about the profession or do not accurately portray the reality of post-acute and long term care.  AHCA/NCAL hopes to build on these successes as the year continues. With thousands of buildings nationwide who touch the lives of millions of people, there is the chance to seriously affect the way the profession is viewed and treated by lawmakers and the media.

Articles and Resources of Interest

• Long Term and Post-Acute Care Providers Earn Quality Improvement Recognition
• CMS Speaker confirmed for 2020 AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit
• Take a No-Risk Opportunity to Lower Your 2020 Utility Bills with Cleary Energy
• AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit Helps You Excel in 2020
• Achievers of 2020 AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiative Recognition Program Announced
• Take a Free Test Drive of the CARES® Online Dementia Training Program & Members Save 15% on all Purchases
• Webinar -- Preventing the Spread of Novel or Targeted Multidrug-resistant Organisms (MDROs) in Nursing Homes through Enhanced Barrier Precautions
• Webinar -- Trauma-Informed Care: Addressing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Legislative and Agency Corner

• Registration Open for AHCA’s PDPM Academy 2020 Subscription
• New Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON)
• Three ACA Taxes Repealed
• AHCA Issues Statement on Staffing Bill

National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities

The National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD) holds a monthly call or webinar concerning topics of interest to those who work in the field of aging and disability.  One of the past calls focused on resources for people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias and their caregivers.  Information about future calls, and audio recording of previous ones, can be found here.

Upcoming 2020 Events

• ID/DD Congressional Hill Fly-In Event – February 26, 2020
• Quality Summit – March 9-11, 2020  
• Independent Owner’s Conference – March 11-13, 2020

2020 Health Care Observances

February 2020 marks, among other observances, National Cancer Prevention Month, American Heart Month, AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month and National Wear Red Day (February 7).  The 2020 Healthcare Observances Calendar can be found here.