News In Brief - August 7, 2014

LeadingAge Oregon Leadership Academy Class of 2014-2015 announced
We are pleased to announce the members of the 2014-2015 LeadingAge Oregon Leadership Academy class, who will begin their year-long leadership journey at our Fall Leadership Conference in October. This group marks the sixth year of our leadership development program, designed to strengthen personal leadership skills, connections among LeadingAge Oregon members, and leadership in aging services. Congratulations to all of these individuals and the LeadingAge Oregon member organizations supporting them! We also want to extend special thanks our facilitator, Bill Zipp, and to the three members who will serve as mentors to our in-coming class: Adam Payn, Mirabella Portland; Frank Engle, Friendsview Retirement Community; and Mary Scott, Mennonite Village. View the 2014-2015 LeadingAge Oregon Leadership Academy Class list.

Google plans training for Oregon nonprofits
Google is offering a training on September 5 to review the free or highly discounted tools that the company offers to nonprofit organizations. The training will be held at Columbia Gorge Community College, the Dalles, from 9:00 to 11:30. Read more or register.

"Alive Inside" documentary to be screened in three Oregon locations
The documentary "Alive Inside," which won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, will be shown in three Oregon theaters over the next month. The film follows social worker Dan Cohen, founder of the nonprofit organization Music & Memory, as he demonstrates music's ability to combat memory loss and bring joy to individuals in care settings. Screenings are planned August 22 at Portland's Living Room Theater; August 29 at Florence's City Lights Cinema; and September 5 at Corvallis' Darkside Cinema. Read more.

Skilled nursing facility Medicare reimbursements to rise 2 percent
Under a final payment rule announced this week, Medicare skilled nursing facility reimbursements will increase by an aggregate of $750 million, or around 2 percent, during Fiscal Year 2015. That year will also usher in the phase-in of new statistical area designations, under which some nursing homes have gone from rural to urban categories and vice versa. Under the phase-in, nursing homes affected by the change will be reimbursed based on a 50/50 split of the facility's former and new designations. Read a CMS summary of the final rule policy changes.

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley introduces national legislation to assist elders
In its latest newsletter, LeadingAge tips its hat to Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, who has introduced national legislation to provide additional supports for older Americans who wish to stay in their homes and communities as they age. The legislation would improve coordination of support services for older adults through a community care wrap-around support demonstration program, as well as a program to improve access to support services for low-income older adults living in federally assisted rental housing or low-income housing. Read more.

It's official: ICD-10 delayed until October 1, 2015
CMS has made the official announcement that HIPAA-covered healthcare providers must begin using the ICD-10 code set by October 1, 2015. The implementation date has been pushed back several times as some groups of healthcare providers protest that they need more time to prepare. LeadingAge Oregon will be looking to offer an ICD-10 coding class targeted to long-term care providers in the spring of 2015.

One-Page Wage Survey due Friday August 15
LeadingAge Oregon members should have received our annual One-Page Wage Survey, which seeks member hourly wage data for select positions. Please remember that this survey is not intended to be as extensive as the surveys conducted by LeadingAge, but it does provide one additional resource for those of you looking for comparison wage data. Obviously the more members who respond, the better the data, so please return your survey by Friday August 15! If your organization did not receive the survey, please contact Denise Wetzel so she can e-mail you a copy, [email protected].

Fall Leadership Conference registration open next week
Please note that we have had to delay opening registration for our Fall Leadership Conference until next week. So watch for your registration e-mail, and we look forward to seeing you in Hood River this October!

Make your plans to celebrate Ageless Art!
Residents and staff from LeadingAge Oregon member communities will celebrate the talents of older artists at our Ageless Art Luncheon, contest and viewing at Willamette View next Thursday. Those of you who won't be attending the luncheon will have an opportunity to view the Judges Choice art pieces during our Ageless Art Exhibit at the State Capitol, which is scheduled September 22 through October 2. If you are in the vicinity of the Capitol during that time, be sure to stop by; you will be amazed and inspired by the works produced by our ageless artists!