News In Brief - May 14, 2014

DHS Innovation Funds - Letters of Intent due June 10
LeadingAge Oregon members may be interested in applying for funding to finance innovative projects and pilots. DHS has issued a Request for Grant Proposal to finance such projects that are intended to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of services to seniors and people with disabilities. DHS intends to make multiple grant awards with an initial value greater than $50,000 and not to exceed $350,000 for the period July 1, 2014 through December 31, 2015. Qualifying organizations interested in applying must submit a Letter of Intent by 3 pm June 10, 2014 and Proposals by 3 pm July 8, 2014 to the issuing office in order to be considered. Click here access the Request for Grant Proposal and accompanying attachments from LeadingAge Oregon’s website. Those interested in applying should register with the Oregon Procurement Information Network (ORPIN) in order to receive the “official” RFGP and any updates.

Please join us June 10 for Elder Abuse Awareness & Prevention Summit
Please mark your calendar and plan to join us June 10 for the Third Annual Elder Abuse and Awareness Summit, which will be held at the Holiday Inn Portland South in Wilsonville. The focus of this year's summit is financial exploitation in all of its forms, from mis-use of money to medication diversion. As senior care and housing providers you are in a prime position to spot financial exploitation of elders. Please come to learn what to watch for and steps you can take to prevent or respond to this insidious form of abuse! LeadingAge Oregon is partnering with OHCA to sponsor this important event. Register for the summit.

Have you downloaded your Annual Conference handouts?
For those of you joining us in Redmond for next week's Annual Conference, don't forget to download your conference handouts before you head east! Our handouts page also includes information about other conference events and activities. If you didn't receive the handouts link, please e-mail [email protected].

Nursing Facility Reduction Initiative meeting rescheduled to June 11
The informational presentation and question/answer session on Oregon’s Nursing Facility Reduction Initiative has been rescheduled to Wednesday, June 11, 9:30 to noon at the Human Services Building in Salem, 500 Summer St. NE, Room 166. HB 2216 created legislative authority for Oregon’s Nursing Facility Reduction Initiative to reduce excess nursing facility (NF) capacity by eliminating 1,500 beds statewide by December 31, 2015. Under the initiative, nursing facilities that “buy and close” other nursing facilities between October 1, 2013 and December 31, 2015 will be given an augmented rated of $9.75 per resident day for 4 years from date of purchase.

DHS provides update on Adult Protective Services and Public Guardianship
Last week, DHS provided an update on the work of the Office of Adult Abuse Prevention and Investigation (OAAPI) and the status of an Oregon Public Guardian and Conservator to be appointed in the office of Long Term Care Ombudsman authorized by SB 1553. (Access the Interim Task Force on Public Guardianship report that eventually led to SB 1553). OAAPI indicated they are moving to a standardized abuse and investigation reporting system; a single statewide data system for abuse reporting, screening and documentation; and development of the technological capacity to track and trend abuse data. All efforts are aimed at the development of public outreach and communication tools to strengthen prevention awareness. Oregon was selected to host the 2014 National Adult Protective Services Association annual conference to be held October 29-30 in Portland.

Informational brochures on guardianship in Oregon now available
Guardianship has been the area of focus of several statewide task forces this past year, and two of them have produced written materials to help health care professionals and other interested stakeholders better understand guardianship in Oregon. “Guardianship in Oregon” is a simple tri-fold brochure that explains basic definitions and was designed for medical and other care professionals.”Options in Oregon to help Another Person Make Decisions” is a more detailed booklet to assist families and lay fiduciaries in understanding the different avenues available when an individual needs assistance. We encourage LeadingAge Oregon members to take a look at both and consider making copies available to staff, residents and family members.

Oregon Healthy Aging Summit held to examine health of older adults in Oregon
Last week the Oregon Health Authority, Division of Public Health with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brought together stakeholders (including LeadingAge Oregon) to discuss issues impacting the health of older adults and to identify strategies and develop a plan of action to improve their health and the communities in which they live. Participants heard presentations on aging trends in Oregon, the health status of older adults and an overview of DHS aging initiatives/programs. They were then asked to identify what is “healthy aging” and information needed to assess “healthy aging” in Oregon. Participants were provided America's Health Rankings Senior Report-2013 which reports Oregon having one of the highest levels of physical inactivity and highest percentage of social support in the U.S. at 85.4 percent of adults aged 65 and older. A report of the summit and next steps will be provided when available.

Elaine Young to leave State Unit on Aging
Elaine Young, a long-time DHS employee familiar to many LeadingAge Oregon members, will leave her current position as manager of the State Unit on Aging at the end of this month to join the Northwest Senior and Disability Services (Area Agency on Aging). We wish Elaine well on her next adventure! Nakeshia Knight-Coyle has been appointed Interim Manager of the State Unit on Aging.

Correction: Infection Prevention workshop date June 13
The Oregon Patient Safety Commission inadvertently listed the wrong date for their upcoming infection prevention workshop in prior communications.The free, full-day workshop is scheduled June 13 in Portland and is targeted to all staff involved in infection prevention at nursing facilities. During the program, participants will learn how to design and implement an effective Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI) plan using infection prevention goals. Learn more. Register online.

CMS to now allow reprocessed single-use devices in nursing homes
CMS has revised its guidance to allow nursing home providers to purchase single-use devices when these devices are reprocessed by an entity or a third party reprocessor registered with the Food and Drug Administration. Read more.

HUD provides update on Multifamily Transformation
HUD has provided LeadingAge with an update on how it will be handling workload during its Multifamily Transformation, which will involve a number of staff changes and relocations. Although the Portland area won’t be involved until the end of the transformation period, the transformation under way in the Fort Worth/Kansas City region may provide a glimpse of what’s in store. Read more.

Social Work toolkit available
LeadingAge staff have passed along word about a Social Work Toolkit, developed in Arizona, that includes a variety of tools and resources to help aging services organizations support their social work department. The toolkit includes assessment tools, competencies, interview questions for hiring social workers and other resources that will be useful to social workers and those who work with them. Some information is Arizona-specific, but most is applicable to social work practice in any aging services setting. Access the toolkit.

Want to remember? Tell someone
Researchers have discovered a simple technique for older adults to better retain detailed written information: Don’t just read it, tell someone about it. Read more.

PRS announces new management contract
Congratulations to LeadingAge Oregon member Pacific Retirement Services, which announced this week that they have secured a new management contract with Moldaw Residences of Palo Alto, California. PRS will perform on-site management and provide support in all areas of operation for Moldaw Residences, which is owned by Jewish Senior Living Group.

E-mail changes may affect your receipt of LeadingAge communications
A change in global e-mail practices over the past few weeks may impact your receipt of LeadingAge communications. We communicate with you through two systems: our online website and our local server. Please be sure you whitelist the following e-mail address/domains so you can continue to receive our messages: [email protected]; and *@leadingageoregon.org.

Get a taste of what you’ll learn from Al Power at June 18 Dementia Symposium
Any LeadingAge Oregon members who work with residents with memory problems won’t want to miss our June 18 Dementia Symposium featuring Dr. Allen Power. There aren’t many (if any) physicians more well-versed about dementia than Dr. Power, the author of “Dementia Beyond Drugs: Changing the Culture of Care,” and the upcoming “Dementia Beyond Disease: Enhancing Well-being.” And Dr. Power, based on the East Coast, rarely makes it to Oregon. So you and your care teams won’t want to miss out! Check out Dr. Power talking about the wake-up routine for individuals with memory care issues, and be sure to register!