May 14, 2007

This Week's Top News:

Help Your Organization Leap Forward: Apply for Leadership AAHSA
Apply today to be part of the second class of Leadership AAHSA, our year-long program devoted to helping emerging leaders in aging services learn about transformational models and connect with their peers across the country. Leadership AAHSA is a chance to expose you or a member of your team to the best of the field and to gain visibility for your organization. Fellows participate in intensive trainings at AAHSA conferences, site visits to innovative programs across the country, and online networking to sustain the relationships that will create the future of aging services. Interested individuals must complete the online application by June 15. New fellows will be notified in August, and the class's inaugural meeting will be held at the AAHSA Annual Meeting & Exposition in Orlando in October. Contact: Kris Santaromita, (202) 508-1212.
See the application.

Ohio Members Make Their Case on Capitol Hill
On May 9, a delegation of staff and board members from Menorah Park Center for Senior Living in Beachwood, Ohio spent the day on Capitol Hill fighting for stable Medicare payments for nursing homes and home health and the repeal of Medicare therapy caps. The group met with Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio), Reps. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) and Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio). In addition, they met with Billy Wynne, majority health counsel to the Senate Finance Committee, and Michelle Spence, the legislative assistant to Sen. John Ensign (R-Wyo), who is lead sponsor for legislation that would repeal Medicare therapy caps. They presented the Senator and Michelle with certificates of recognition for their support on this issue. Representatives from AAHSA and faith-based members United Jewish Communities and the Association of Jewish Aging Services joined the group and explained how these changes would affect not only Menorah Park, but thousands of organizations like yours. Contact: Marsha Greenfield, (202) 508-9488.

Section 202 and Service Coordinator Funding Competition Due Dates Extended
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently extended the Section 202 funding application deadline until June 15 and service coordinator application deadline until June 20. For more details, including Section 202 application scoring changes, read the May 11 notice of clarifications and extensions. Contact: Colleen Bloom, (202) 508-9483.

Did You miss the National Provider Identifier (NPI) Roundtable?
Not to worry. An encore presentation of the Medicare fee-for-service NPI contingency plan is available through midnight on May 17. To hear it, call (800) 642-1687 and enter the pass code 7087149. A transcript will also be posted within two weeks of the call our NPI Web page. Contact: Iara Woody, (202) 508-9429.

Making the Case for PACE:
Is the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Right for You?
Will PACE serve your organization's mission, be financially viable and benefit your community? Find the answers to these questions and more during our next audio conference on May 30 from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time. On the call, you and your fellow staff members can learn from experts about the operations, obstacles and most important, the opportunities developing a PACE program can offer to elders and disabled individuals in your community. Registration ends on May 23, so sign up now for your spot. Contact: meeting@aahsa.org, (888) 508-9441.
Find more information and register online.
Download a PDF to register by fax/mail.

Apply by Aug. 10 for AAHSA Ziegler Graduate Fellowship in Executive Management
Would you like to receive up to $10,000 to attend the executive education program of your choice? Then apply for the AAHSA-Ziegler Graduate Fellowship in Executive Management by Aug. 10. Previous recipients have completed courses at Harvard and other leading universities. Administrators, CEOs, CFOs and other executive leaders of AAHSA-member organizations are encouraged to apply. To apply, submit an application form, essay, two letters of recommendation, a letter of support from your board chair and proof of your organization's not-for-profit status. Contact: Trish Calamari, (202) 508-9480.
Apply for the fellowship.

Clarification Coming on Physical Restraints
We recently obtained an advance copy of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) survey and certification letter that clarifies terms used in the definition of physical restraints as applied to the requirements of participation for long-term care facilities. The memo includes definitions for "freedom of movement" and "remove easily" as related to CMS' definition of physical restraints. The memo will also provide further clarification on the definition of "medical symptom" as currently stated in the State Operations Manual. CMS is hoping to issue this memo in June. Contact: Evvie Munley, (202) 508-9478.
Read the letter.

Group Purchasing News:

Enroll in Our Money-Saving Programs and Get the Chance to Win a Free Trip
If you enroll or re-enroll in our group purchasing and shared services program by June 8, you'll be entered into a drawing for an all expense paid trip to AAHSA's Annual Meeting & Exposition in Orlando this October! This prize includes airfare, hotel, registration and event two tickets to Walt Disney World. Already re-enrolled? Not to worry. You're already in the contest. Contact: Toni Lindsay, (202) 508-9494.
Find your state Association and Enroll Now.

CAST Use New Resources to Explore Technology's Role in Your Work
At our Center for Aging Services Technologies' (CAST) first technology day, providers heard from researchers, corporate executives, thought leaders and other providers about technology's potential to transform aging. They also viewed some technologies that can help dispense medication, manage wandering and falls and monitor home and community-based service clients. Couldn't make it to the conference? Not to worry. Visit the CAST Web site to find handouts and audio streams from one-of-a-kind educational event. Contact: LaTanya Clemencia, (202) 508-9475.
See the technology day resources.

AAHSA Web Site Features New Mattress Flammability Requirements
As of July 1, the Consumer Products Safety Commission will require all mattresses manufactured, imported or renovated for sale in the United States to meet new federal flammability standards. Visit the new Nursing Home Life Safety Code Section on our Web site to find updated facility requirements for the new standards that our life safety consultant prepared and CMS recently reviewed. Contact: Evvie Munley, (202) 508-9478.
See the new section.

AAHSA Members: Tell Your Caregiver's Story at Our Annual Meeting
Do you work with a direct care worker or frontline caregiver who is committed to "Living Your Organization's Story" every day? Share with us what makes them stand out. We'll review the submissions and feature our favorites during one of the General Sessions at the 2007 Annual Meeting in Orlando this October. Please send your caregiver's name and photo along with your contact information to AAHSA's Sharon Sullivan. All submissions must be received by June 30. Members whose stories are selected will be contact via e-mail by July 30. Contact: Sharon Sullivan, 202-508-9449.

Read the Latest News about Aging Services
On the Daily Clips page of AAHSA's web site, you can read the latest news about trends in the field, policies affecting your work and how your association and your fellow members are representing aging services in the media. You can also sign up to receive these articles in your e-mail inbox every morning. Have an article you'd like us to feature? Please send it to AAHSA's Sarah Mashburn so we can share it with your fellow members. Contact: Sarah Mashburn, (202) 508-9492.
Visit the daily clips page.
Sign up to receive our daily clips e-mail.

Don't Forget to Celebrate Older Americans Month/Homes for the Aging Week
The Minnesota Health & Housing Alliance recently published a free guide with tips and tools you can use to honor the older adults in your community during this important time of year. Use it to plan your organization's celebration today. Contact: Jenny Mims.
See the guide.

3,200 Covenant signers! Have you signed yet?
Members Demonstrate Tangible Value of Quality First
As we approach the 5th anniversary of Quality First this year, many AAHSA members are using Quality First to self-assess and continuously improve quality in their organizations. Almost two-thirds of AAHSA members report they are making changes in their organizations because of AAHSA Quality First. On our AAHSA Quality First Web site, see the assessment tools, guides to Quality First, tools to earn the public's trust, presentations to show to your staff and board, success stories and resource materials. Contact: Bruce Rosenthal, (202) 508-9499.

New Resource May Help You Tackle Recruitment and Retention Challenges
Using the "Soft Skills for Hard Results: A Competency Guide for Hiring and Retaining Direct Care Professionals" helped the Jennings Center for Older Adults decrease their first-year turnover rate by 51 percent. How can a similar strategy help your organization? Read this guide to find out. Contact: Claudia Rizzo, (202) 508-9411.
See the resource.

Summit to Explore New Health IT Information and Opportunities — Register Now and Save $50
What's the role of health information technology (HIT) in your work? Find out at the third annual Long-Term Care Health IT Summit on June 20-21 in Chicago. This event brings together a variety of professionals to analyze HIT's impact on the future of long-term care. At the summit, attendees will identify strategy-setting opportunities for adopting HIT in long-term care settings, discuss HIT funding issues, receive updates on new technologies and explore the link between HIT and higher quality care and services. Save $50 by registering before May 26. Contact: Karyn Downie, (202) 508-9410.
Learn more about the summit.

CEMO Salary Survey Is Underway; Share Your Data by June 15
We invite CEMO members (chief executives of multi-facility organizations) to participate in AAHSA's CEMO salary and benefits survey by completing the 2007 data submission kit no later than June 15. To help you benchmark your organization's executive pay practices to market norms, AAHSA has engaged RCG, Inc., an independent consulting firm, to collect the data and prepare the survey and benefits report. No information will be released to any person, agency, AAHSA staff or state/national organization that can identify your organization or its executives. All survey participants will receive a free executive summary of the results and can purchase the full report at less than half the list price, if pre-ordered by June 15 using the survey report order form. Contact: Trish Calamari, (202) 508-9480, or Deborah Cloud, (202) 508-9458.

Opportunities Available on AAHSA's Job Mart

Several career opportunities in aging services are now available and listed on Job Mart. Take a look. Pass along the news. If you have a job to post, consider using AAHSA Job Mart. Contact: Phillip Blackmon, (202) 508-9404.
Post a job.

Jobs posted in the past week (May 4-10):

CEO/President/Executive Director
Director of Healthcare Services - Canton, Mass.
Executive Director - Columbia, Md.
Executive Director - Bethlehem, Pa.

Finance
Chief Financial Officer - Colorado

Nursing/Health Care
Staff Development Coordinator - Winston-Salem, N.C.
Director of Nursing - Winston-Salem, N.C.
Director of Nursing - La Verne, Calif.

Other
Regional Director of Operations - Eastern North or South Carolina
Director of Activities - Meadville, Pa.

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American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
2519 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
Tel (866) 783-2242, Fax (202) 783-2255