News In Brief - August 28, 2014

Have you checked out the Fall Leadership Conference brochure?
If you haven't yet reviewed the LeadingAge Oregon Fall Leadership Conference brochure, we suggest you check it out! So many great topics on the agenda, ranging from servant leadership to Oregon's economy, senior living trends, risk management, social accountability and those all-important state and national updates! We are looking forward to seeing you in Hood River October 6-8!

If Bill Gates can do it, we figured we could too...
In the spirit of fun and in support of a good cause, the LeadingAge Oregon staff took a few minutes out of our afternoon yesterday to accept a challenge from LeadingAge Washington to take on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. If you view our video you will note the ice seems to be scarce - that's what happens on a 90-degree afternoon! But we can assure you, the water was plenty cold!! Who did we challenge? Watch the video to find out!

September revenue forecast remains stable
Oregon’s September Revenue Forecast released by the Office of Economic Analysis (OEA) August 27 indicates that General Fund revenues currently remain on track, with collections closely matching the Close of Session forecast used by the Legislature in creating the 2013-15 budget. OEA suggested that revenue growth will accelerate in FY 2015, raising tax collections near to the personal income tax kicker threshold. While the short term outlook is positive, they indicated Oregon’s, as well as other states’ revenue growth will face considerable downward pressure over the next 10-years in part due to the baby boom population cohort working less and spending less, traditional state tax instruments such as personal income taxes and general sales taxes becoming less effective, and revenue growth rate failing to match that of the past.

DHS presents draft HCBS Settings Rule Implementation Plan
DHS presented a first draft of Oregon’s Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) rule setting transition plan including a 5 year timeline for implementation to the stakeholder group on which LeadingAge Oregon participates. State staff indicated that CMS had verbally communicated that the draft plan did not contain enough detail and must identify the facilities that do not automatically meet the definition of a HCBS setting and will be subject to “heightened scrutiny”. DHS intends to have a “final” draft out for public comment on September 7.

CMS indicates assisted living settings not eligible for transitions
At this week’s Oregon Community Choices Program (OCCP) stakeholder meeting, the state indicated that CMS has deemed assisted living residences as ineligible places of transition for persons being moved out of nursing facilities under the program. CMS has also issued guidance to states on the planning required to submit supplemental requests to expend the program’s unused funds through 2020. OCCP, formerly known as “On The Move”, was officially relaunched on July 1, 2014. Since then there have been no transitions in Oregon under the program.

Oregon POLST form updated
The Oregon POLST (Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment) program has updated the POLST form. Orders are being taken now on the POLST website, and the new forms are expected to be available mid-September.

Oregon APD awards nine innovations grants
Oregon's Aging and People with Disabilities Innovations Fund has awarded grants to nine organizations to test new ideas for improved services and supports for older adults and people with disabilities. The large-scale grant awardees include:

Special Advocates for Older Oregonians (SAVO), which will pilot a program of volunteers to monitor guardianships of vulnerable adults ($242,846)
Volunteers of America Oregon, which will pilot day services for individuals with advanced dementia ($350,000)
Multnomah County Aging and Disability Services, which will pilot services to vulnerable, hard to reach consumers with very high medical and social service needs ($350,000).

The Innovations Fund will be seeking another round of applications for projects and pilots. The notice for Request for Grant Proposals will be posted on the Oregon Procurement Information Network (ORPIN).

MOVE plans events featuring author Beth Baker, Bridge Meadows tour
MOVE (Making Oregon Vital for Elders), Oregon's culture change coalition, is planning two events on Friday, September 19 that examine innovative models of aging. The first event is a tour of Bridge Meadows, a unique multi-generational community in North Portland, from 10 to 11 a.m. The second event is a program from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. featuring Beth Baker, the author of a new book, "With a Little Help from Our Friends: Creating Community as We Grow Older." The Bridge Meadows tour is free, but space is limited. The afternoon program fee is $30 and includes a signed copy of Beth Baker's book. Click on the links for more information or to register.

CMS shines spotlight on nursing facility transfers to non-certified beds
A new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Survey and Certification letter reinforces the requirement and importance of completing MDS 3.0 discharge assessments when a resident is transferred from a Medicare and/or Medicaid-certified bed, i.e., SNF or NR, to a non-certified bed. Read the letter.

PBS to premiere dementia film September 8
PBS will air a new film about dementia, "The Genius of Marian," on Monday, Sept. 8. The film is described as a "visually rich, emotionally complex story about one family's struggle to come to terms with Alzheimer's Disease." Check out the Genius of Marian Partner Toolkit for everything you need to get involved with the film, including a free discussion guide and information about hosting a free screening.

New HUD form 92006 posted
HUD has posted an updated form to its HUDClips web site, HUD Form 92006 Supplement to Application for Federally Assisted Housing. Owners/agents must begin using this new form immediately. Access the form.

Are the seniors in your advertising too good to be true?
According to a recent survey, many older adults feel that seniors featured in advertising are portrayed as stereotypes, and are often "too good to be true" or "too bad to be true." So what do they prefer? Authenticity! Consider using original photography with images of daily life featuring your own residents. Read more.

Have you taken advantage of the Value First Employee Program?
Did you know that once a LeadingAge Oregon provider member signs the non-exclusive Value First Participation Agreement, that organization can offer the Value First Employee Program to all its employees? What a great added employee benefit! The program includes discounts and benefits for personal use at the following companies:

AT&T
Office Depot/Max
Sherwin Williams
Sprint
Trinity Uniforms
Verizon

If your organization has already signed the Participation Agreement and hasn’t passed on this added benefit, or if you need more information about signing the Agreement, please call or email Karen Nichols at 503.684.3788, [email protected].

AgeTech West

AgeTech's "Sync in Seattle" registration now open
Registration for AgeTech West’s 2014 conference, “Sync in Seattle: Transforming the Aging Services Experience,” Nov. 17-18 in downtown Seattle is now open! This year’s conference will build on the tangible outcomes of 2013’s San Jose conference by highlighting successful case studies of projects coming out of the “Pitch-for-Pilots (P4P)” such as Eskaton and Live!y and PEP Housing among others.

The conference will also feature keynotes and panel discussions by Microsoft, Panasonic, Google, Intel-GE Care Innovations, and A Place for Mom to name a few, more than a dozen break-out presentations and more than 30 exhibiting technology companies. Access hotel reservation information, and plan to join us!

(AgeTech West is a collaborative founded by LeadingAge California, LeadingAge Oregon and Leading Age Washington).