RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES

FLORIDA OPERATORS FACE STIFF COMPETITION, STEEP COSTS
TO MEET EMERGENCY RULES

As the Atlantic hurricane season kicks off, skilled nursing providers in Florida have been working to meet the requirements of the state’s new nursing home generator law. ... Hurdles abound, however, according to both LeadingAge Florida — which primarily represents non-profit providers — and the Florida Health Care Association, the state’s affiliate of the American Health Care Association. Read more...

Source: Skilled Nursing News, June 14, 2018

Update: Currently, all LeadingAge Florida member nursing homes are compliant with the rule by either implementing their plans or being granted an extension by the state Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA).

OUR VIEW: KEEP PUSHING ON GENERATORS

Negotiate a little wiggle room, but keep driving toward making facilities as safe as possible.

The horrific scenes from a South Florida nursing home, where 12 residents perished in the sweltering heat after Hurricane Irma knocked out power to the facility, will haunt Floridians for a long time to come. But the broad, sweeping rules Gov. Rick Scott mandated — and their hasty timeline — were unrealistic. Read more...

GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES PITCH NURSING HOME PREP
FOR HURRICANES

Democratic gubernatorial candidates all agreed on Monday night that Florida isn't prepared to protect its senior residents at nursing homes across the state as hurricane season gets underway. But they gave a range of different answers as to how the state should be preparing nursing homes for the storms. Read more... 

Source: Politico.com, June 11, 2018

EXPERT OPINION - CLIFTONLARSONALLEN

2018 CLA Senior Living Trends White Paper Finds Opportunities
in Disruptors

Disruption is the buzzword used when existing solutions can be disturbed by new, innovative solutions ― sometimes quickly and violently. An environment is primed for disruption when existing market participants are unable to view themselves in a way that is distinct from their current industry.

These service providers view their position in the marketplace and the needs for their services as static and defendable and, as a result, underestimate the potential for disruption from those seeking to displace them. In response to this risk of disruption, we are asking senior living organizations this simple question: What business are you really in? Read more...

Visit the CliftonLarsonAllen website to access free webinars for LeadingAge Florida members.

 Join us in honoring

June 15, marks the 13th anniversary of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. LeadingAge and The Global Ageing Network are leading the fight against elder abuse. Read more...

It’s Time to Stock the Silent Auction!

LeadingAge Florida’s Silent Auction takes place at the 55th Annual Convention, on Monday and Tuesday, July 30 and 31, in the Exhibit Hall. Attendees can bid on exciting items, including hotel and restaurant gift certificates, jewelry, themed gift baskets, product and service certificates, and much more! But, first, WE NEED YOUR HELP!

How? By donating items to be included in this year’s Silent Auction, using one of the hassle-free donation methods identified on the Silent Auction Donation Sheet.

We are counting on YOU to make this year's auction a huge success!

REGULATORY

What I Know...

After more years working in long-term care than I choose to share; and after being a provider, regulator and consultant, visiting more than 3,000 facilities in 30-plus states; I have, as they say, “learned a thing or two.” In the next several issues of the LeadingLink newsletter, I plan to share some of these things with you in a series I am calling "What I Know." I also will ask some leaders in our Association what they know, sharing those things with you, as well. 

I begin today with what I believe is one of the most important things I know: focus on the regulations and not the survey. It is important for ALL staff to know the regulations. Your staffs need easy access - either via hard copy or electronically - to essential regulations. And, they need to understand how the regulations come from laws and how the interpretive guidelines explain the regulations. 

All of your policies and procedures should reflect the regulations. Any system/tracking should ensure compliance with the regulations. 

Also, staff should continually receive in-service training on and review of the regulations. This is important because staff can and should assist with ensuring your continual compliance all year long, and not just during the survey window. 

"What I know" is that if you focus on the regulations, the survey will take care of itself.

Connie Cheren, RN, MSW, LeadingAge Florida's Clinical and Compliance Specialist, can be reached via email or phone at (678) 778-0561 to help answer questions before, during and after your surveys.  As a value-added service provided by LeadingAge Florida, Connie can help nursing home and assisted living facility members improve regulatory compliance and clinical outcomes, in addition to offering suggestions about corrective plans of action to improve your surveys.

Online Registration Open

Early Bird Discount Ends June 29, 2018

Tips to make registering for the 55th Annual Convention EASY!

• Click here to access our Convention Registration page.
• Be sure sign in using your login credentials to get the member rate. (Typically, your User ID is your first initial and last name.)
• If you are a Community Member, be sure to click the Community Member Rate button.
• If you are not ready to select the sessions you would like to attend, please send an email to Magdalen Flynt and she will email you a copy of the session menu. You can print the menu, mark your desired sessions and return it to her via email or fax at (850) 671-3790.
• After session selection, follow the prompts and proceed to check out.
• If you need to be invoiced, as opposed to paying by credit card, select the Check/Money order option at checkout.
• After checkout, print your confirmation and submit your invoice to your Accounting Department for payment. 
  

The hotel room block with the negotiated rate of $169/night (standard room) is filling up fast. Book now, before the room block sells out! To make your hotel reservations, click here. You may also call the Gaylord Palms hotel directly at 1-(877) 350-3236. Be sure to mention you are with the LeadingAge Convention in order to get the negotiated rate. 

Beware of Room Pirates & Poachers: Hotel reservations for the convention should ONLY be made directly through the secure registration link or by calling Gaylord Palms. DO NOT book hotel reservations through unofficial/unauthorized websites or third-party housing companies. While they may attempt to offer cheaper rooms or tell you that the hotel only has a few rooms left, it is a SCAM. If you provide your credit card information to any unauthorized vendors, your card may be charged but you may not have a valid reservation when you arrive in Kissimmee. Don’t take the risk; book directly through the LeadingAge Florida block with Gaylord Palms!

If you need help, call us at (850) 671-3700 or email Magdalyn Flynt, Convention Registrar.

FOR ACTIVITY DIRECTORS

ClearCaptions Education Events for Telephone Service to Seniors

ClearCaptions, LLC, is a federally certified provider of the Caption telephone service. They host educational events for seniors regarding the service and how they can receive a ClearCaptions phone at NO COST when they have any form of hearing loss.

Gena Julian is the ClearCaptions representative for the Central Florida area. If you are interested in setting up an event, contact her via email or by calling her at (407) 375-7635.

FAHA Health and Services Newsletter - June 12, 2018

AHCA ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL
MEDICAID AWARDS 

COMING ATTRACTIONS

JUNE

27: Comprehensive Care Plans F656, F657 and F658 Review Webinar
This session will focus on the Comprehensive Care Plan Regulations including, but not limited to, F-Tags F656, F657 and F658, with a review of the regulations and an analysis of the associated Interpretive Guidance. A review of survey procedures used to guide the investigative process will be discussed. Actual citation examples will be shared and discussed. Tools to assist the facility interdisciplinary team in monitoring compliance and incorporating into the facility QAPI processes will be discussed.

JULY

25: Unnecessary Drugs F757, F758 Review Webinar
This session will focus on the Unnecessary Drugs Regulations including, but not limited to, F-Tags F757and F758, with a review of the regulations and an analysis of the associated Interpretive Guidance. A review of survey procedures used to guide the investigative process will be discussed. Actual citation examples will be shared and discussed. Tools to assist the facility interdisciplinary team in monitoring compliance and incorporating into the facility QAPI processes will be discussed.

VALUE 1ST

As your Florida Value First representative, I stand ready to assist you in saving money on goods and services that you purchase for your community. Through our partnership with Vizient, (formerly MedAssets) and an expanding portfolio of vendors, Value First can help you realize cost-savings in all four purchasing categories – Medical, Food, Environmental/Janitorial/Sanitation and Office Supplies

Our program works in concert with your purchasing, finance and leadership teams to analyze current expenses and provide a price comparisons on exactly how much you can save. Additionally, we can assist you with obtaining capital equipment quotes; just provide the specifications, and we will contact our partners to get the best prices available at that time. You receive ALL of this, at NO FEE TO YOU. Look at Value First as an extension of your staff. More than 225 LeadingAge Florida members are using Value First partners regularly, and we look forward to assisting as many LeadingAge Florida members as possible in 2018.

We are excited to announce that at this year's LeadingAge Florida Annual Convention, July 29-August 1, at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, there will be a special session on Value First. Titled "Leveraging Effective Partnership through your GPO," this session will be held on Monday, July 30, at 1:00 p.m. Please join us to learn from industry experts on how to maximize savings through your very own Value First relationship.

To email me, click the photo above, or call me at either of the numbers below. I look forward to speaking with you and visiting your community.

Robert "Bobby" Bernal
Director of Business Development, Florida Value 1st Representative
P: (850) 671-3700 | C: (850) 509-8112

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