August 4, 2016:  Webinar 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. CT
Presenter:  Liz Davidson from LeadingAge Iowa
Registration Deadline is August 2, 2016.

According to the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) publication of the OIG Compliance Program Guidance for Nursing Facilities, conducting internal monitoring and auditing (oversight) is one of the key elements to successful compliance program. During this webinar, we will discuss key strategies, best practices, and tools to use to conduct internal monitoring and oversight within your organization. Case studies of actual F-tag citations for F281 (Professional Standards) and F312 (Activities of Daily Living), two of the most frequently cited F-tags nationally, will be used to help leverage a better understanding of how internal oversight can improve not only compliance, but overall quality of care.

Click here to register

July 22, 2016:  What Kind of Culture Does Your Language Create?
Host/Presenter:  Carmen Bowman, MHS

It is not news that the language of institutional care could use some work.  Even CMS notes a needed language change by encouraging the elimination of labels such as “feeder” in its interpretive guidance for Tag F241 Dignity.  Do these institutional words still abide in your culture?  Facility, beds, frontline, work the floor, toileting, non-compliant, behaviors, difficult, activities, dietary, resident, elope, expire?  Have you personally and community-wide adopted language that is softer, more normal, dignified?  The best news?  Changing language costs no money. Yes, changing language is a no-cost practice that does wonders to shift from an institutional culture to a home/natural/normal culture instead.  Join us to learn more about the unintended consequences of traditional institutional language; word replacements to consider; and ideas on how to change language.  Join our host Carmen Bowman as she shares from the paper she co-authored The Power of Language to Create Culture.

For more information including registration, please visit the Action Pact event page here.

July 12, 2016:  Vaccinating Adults: Don’t Miss Out on Opportunities for Prevention
Presenter:  Carolyn Bridges, MD

Immunizations are one of the best ways to decrease the incidence of preventable diseases.  This learning session will explore disparities in adult immunizations, standards of practice, effectiveness of vaccines and payment for adult vaccinations.

For more information including registration, please visit the event page here.

July 21, 2016:  The Benefits of Household Dining; Maxinizing Choice and Relationships in this Pleasure of Daily Life
Location:  The Piper Assisted Living and Memory Care, Kansas City, KS
Presenter:  Linda Bump

So, does dining really matter anymore?  Have we already done as much as we can in changing dining to be more resident directed?  Why must we continue to move our systems forward in honoring resident choice in dining and in creating relationship-based dining service systems?

There are many reasons:

• Because our residents are demanding it
• Because our residents deserve it
• Because CMS is advocating for increasing change
• Because we CAN, and simply
• Because it is the right thing to do!

Participants will explore each topic (see agenda) through lively discussion, the experiences of staff and residents pioneering work and personal exercises.  Using the guidance and challenges of the New Dining Practice Standards to guide our thought from Mazlov’s early work to creating The Kitchen as a Great Good Place in our residents’ lives, participants will leave feeling prepared to meet the challenges ahead in maximizing dining as a pleasure of their residents’ lives.

For more information including registration, please visit the Action Pact event page here.

June 17, 2016:  Reducing Unnecessary Wheelchair Use
Guest:  Leslie Jarema, LNHA, Director of Health Services, The Forest at Duke CCRC

Approximately two-thirds of nursing home residents are in wheelchairs the majority of the time.  Although not talked about much, the negative, iatrogenic consequences of overuse of wheelchairs are many: accelerated loss of muscle mass, pressure sores, significant discomfort and physical strain from operating chairs which increase risks for falling, injuries from falls, depression and pneumonia.  Older people’s health, mobility and self-image can suffer from too much time in wheelchairs.  They are treated as less able, even spoken to differently, promoting a cycle of helplessness.  The Forest at Duke is part of a movement that gives priority to the well-being of residents and their caregivers – above the functions of the nursing home or convenience of the staff.  Join us and our guest Leslie Jerema to learn how she led her community to use wheel chairs for transport only and helps residents be as active as possible.

For more information, please visit the event registration page here.

June 16, 2016:  1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Registration Deadline is June 13, 2016

On March 14, 2016, the Department of Labor submitted the final proposed overtime rule updates of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to the Office of Management and Budget.  As a result, these updates could go into effect by late summer 2016.  This webinar will present the finalized regulations and any unexpected surprises as nearly every employer in the nation will be affected by the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed revisions.  Their impact will touch not only how employers classify their exempt and non-exempt employees, but also the organization’s bottom line profits.  Soon, employers will have to pay time-and-one-half overtime pay to many employees for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, and who had previously earned a straight salary under one of the white-collar exemptions.

Click here to register

July 31-Auguest 3, 2016:  Revolutionizing the Culture of Aging
Location:  Hyatt Regency New Orleans, New Orleans, LA

This highly regarded, dynamic meeting weaves together the experiences and expertise in all sectors of the aging field, from C-suite corporate staff, administrators, managers, nurses, social workers, activity professionals, researchers, regulators to elders and care partners, etc.  Attendees are self-selected learners and “movers and shakers” interested in improvement and excellence in care and support of elders.  Attendees from past conferences enthusiastically report high satisfaction and comment on how different the Pioneer Network conference is from other conferences.  They share receiving benefit from:

• Being with like-minded people from across the United States and internationally who share their passion for changing the culture of long-term care
• Learning from experts who are on their “culture change journey”
• Making connections that will help them with their personal and professional journey
• Connecting with resources and vendors that can help them achieve their goals

Please visit the Pioneer Network’s Conference webpage here for more information including registration.

May 20, 2016:  Improving Mobility the “Advancing Excellence” Way
Guest:  Carol Benner, Advancing Excellence Campaign

For years we have talked about preventing and reducing falls, searching for the right solution.  We even tied people to their chairs to keep them from falling, not yet realizing that the key to preventing falls is to improve mobility.  Then we “alarmed” them, which only resulted in increased immobility.  Mobility is the key to maintaining both physical health and quality of life.  The Advancing Excellence Campaign has selected Mobility as one of its nine goals.  With an expert panel, it has prepared a full set of quality improvement tools to help assess, measure and improve mobility for nursing home residents.  This conversation will focus on:

• What mobility is
• Why maintaining/improving mobility is important
• How to measure mobility using an evidence-based tool
• How to incorporate mobility in your QAPI efforts
• How to use a root cause analysis to help you identify areas for improvement

Please visit the event page here for more information including registration.

May 25, 2016:  Capitol Plaza Hotel, Jefferson City, MO

Join us for this session that will cover the beginning-to-end journey between Hospice and Nursing Facilities.  Learn how to know when it’s time for hospice, how hospice can benefit the facility, the resident, and the family. There will be panel discussion on Care Planning and End of Life Decisions, as well as providing grief counseling for family and facility employees.

Please see the brochure attached or visit MHCA’s event page here for more information.

May 4, 2016:  Noon – 1:00 p.m. CT

Attend this free WebEx event to meet with TMF QIN-QIO Readmissions, Medication Safety and Behavioral Health quality improvement consultants who will be available to answer questions and provide technical assistance.  During this monthly Open Forum, your team can network with other providers and TMF QIN-QIO staff, ask questions and problem-solve on topics such as:

• Care Transitions
• Readmissions Reduction
• Medication Safety
• Adverse Drug Events
• Behavioral Health
• Other issues your project may have

Registration is not required for this event.
Day of Event:  Please join 10 minutes prior to the presentation to ensure proper set up.
Call-in Number: 888-884-2150.  An operator will greet you and place you into the conference.
Note:  This open forum will only have audio.  Participants will not need to access a visual component.

May 11, 2016:  Webinar 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CT
Presenter:  Kathleen Weissberg from Select Rehabilitation
Registration Deadline is May 6, 2016

What is sexuality and why is it so seldom spoken of when talking about older adults, particularly those in long-term care?  This session explores the perspectives of residents, staff, and family members related to sexuality and intimacy.  Through case studies, it helps staff consider their views, identify barriers, and facilitate solutions and strategies when sexual expression becomes problematic.  Strategies for meeting resident sexuality needs without intercourse are explored.  Sexuality and intimacy as these relate to dementia, issues with consent, problematic behaviors, and the dilemma of “adultery” are addressed.  Finally, concepts important for guiding policy and procedure development are reviewed.

Click here for more information or to register

May 19, 2016:  Jefferson City, MO

Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour course that gives people the skills to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.  The evidence behind the program demonstrates that it does build mental Health literacy, helping the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness.

Please visit MALA’s event page for more information and to register.

May 19, 2016:  Webinar Noon – 1:00 p.m. CT
Presenter:  Niki Carver, PharmD, CPPS Pharmacy Director, Arkansas Continued Care Hospital of Jonesboro

In this webinar, Niki Carver, PharmD, CPPS, will discuss adverse drug events (ADEs) related to warfarin, hypoglycemic drugs and opioids, and how they contribute to readmissions; she will also provide recommendations to address key factors contributing to ADEs related to these drugs.  In addition, participants will walk away with practical strategies for enhancing care transitions and preventing medication-related readmissions.  Continuing education credits will not be awarded for this presentation.

Please visit the event page here for more information and to register.

May 25, 2016:  Brooking Park, Chesterfield, MO
May 26, 2016:  Adam’s Mark of Kansas City, Kansas City, MO

Workforce is one of the most difficult issues aging service providers face in today’s environment.  LeadingAge Missouri and LeadingAge Kansas are excited to partner to bring you a day of learning and networking around the topic of Workforce.  It is important that we understand the components of this crisis so we can develop practices that support and attract workers who provide excellent care to seniors.  This joint Summit will provide insights and opportunities for discussion about what it takes to position yourself as an employer of choice in your community.  Dr. Robyn Stone, Cara Silletto and Steve Cohen will be a few of our exciting speakers.

Click here for more information
Click here to register online for St. Louis
Click here to resister for Kansas City

June 23, 2016:  2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. CT
Presenter:  Liz Davidson from LeadingAge Iowa
Registration Deadline is June 21, 2016

The F-tag related to Pressure Ulcers is cited when a facility fails to ensure that a resident who enters the facility without a pressure sore does not develop pressure sores unless the individual’s clinical condition demonstrates that they were unavoidable; and a resident having pressure sores receives necessary treatment and services to promote healing and prevent new sores from developing.  During this webinar, we will take a closer look at the regulatory language included in F314, review the Evidence Based Practice and guidelines supported by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP), and review actual citations to help leverage a better understanding of how to maintain compliance with this key system.

Click here to register

August 10, 2016:  Webinar 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CT
Presenter:  Kathleen Weissberg from Select Rehabilitation
Registration Deadline is August 8, 2016.

Fall risk assessments are a crucial tool in identifying which residents could be at risk for falling and, therefore, a candidate for a fall prevention program.  Fall risk assessments not only identify residents at risk, but also aid in recognizing the type of intervention that should be utilized.  They also assist in increasing staff knowledge in fall risk prevention and intervention strategies.  This webinar reviews the definition of a fall and intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors related to falls.  Evidence-based assessments demonstrated to be predictive of risk are reviewed as they relate to nursing and therapy practice with elderly clients.  This webinar reviews evidence-based intervention strategies applicable to a balance and fall management program including environmental modification, patient and caregiver education, and balance retraining activities.  Falls management program rationale and implementation is also discussed as well as interdisciplinary techniques and strategies to reduce fall risk in the elderly.

Click here to register

April 19, 2016:  Quality of Life…It’s What Culture Change is All About

Assisted Living communities have always taken pride in the fact that they are grounded on a social versus a medical model of care. As healthcare has evolved over the past few years, the healthcare needs of AL residents have increased, threatening the social model focus and potentially compromising the focus of the team meeting resident’s quality of life needs. By learning & discussing the 10 Eden Alternative principles, we will explore the fundamentals of how to meet resident and care partners needs in a way that respects individuality and keeps quality of life as the focus.

Please see the attached brochure for details and registration.

April 12, 2016:  Intro to Finance 101

This webinar is designed to give Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living facility leaders an introduction into finance in a way that will enable them to understand how their efforts impact the value and profitability of their facilities.

Please see the attached brochure for details and registration.