FEDERAL UPDATE

HUD Issues Updated Brochure to Address Resident COVID-19 Concerns
HUD has issued an updated resident brochure addressing tenant concerns during the pandemic, including information about the current eviction moratorium. The brochure reminds residents that rent is still due during the moratorium but clarifies how residents can make use of the eviction protections in place until June 30th. The brochure also offers contact information for residents who want to notify HUD about unacceptable living conditions at HUD-assisted properties. The brochure is available here

Upcoming CMS Webinar on HCBS and Community Reintegration
CMS is hosting a webinar on June 22nd at 12:30 PM CDT on “Post-Pandemic Re-Integration and Assessment of Community Interactions”. The purpose of this training is to assist states to successfully re-integrate individuals receiving home and community-based services (HCBS) and supports into their communities by redefining the baseline for community access as the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic are relaxed or eliminated. Members in the Medicaid HCBS space may be interested in attending to hear directly from CMS and have the opportunity to take part in a question and answer session receiving feedback from CMS. Register here.

User Guide for Older Adults Toolkit
The HHS We Can Do This Campaign updated their User Guide for Older Adults Toolkit. The materials are intended for all organizations that communicate directly with the older adult community in order to increase vaccine confidence while reinforcing basic prevention measures.

LEADINGAGE KANSAS UPDATE

Join us This Friday for Our Weekly Webinar
This week’s presenter: David McDonnell, OSHA Compliance Assistance Specialist, will join us to discuss the COVID National Emphasis Program (NEP). Come prepared with your questions.

We had a few technical difficulties with the recording from last week and do not having a working recording. We are working on fixing it so it doesn’t happen again this week. Here are the handouts with working links to pertinent information from the webinar.

Make plans to join us each Friday at 10 AM. Register here.

LEADINGAGE NATIONAL UPDATE

New Insights and Tools From LeadingAge
LeadingAge staff experts are developing essential advocacy, guidance and tools, and curating the most relevant resources for aging services providers, including: 

Seeking Nursing Home Administrators Willing to Tell Their COVID Stories 
Carl Christensen,Research Fellow and Professor Emeritus at Northwest University in Kirkland, WA, is seeking 60 nursing home administrators willing to be interviewed regarding (1) sustainable quality improvements/innovations during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) advice for providing high quality nursing home services during a pandemic, In a personal, 20-minute phone or Zoom call, Carl Christensen, PhD, RN, Northwest University Research Fellow, will ask open-ended questions, The identity of participants and their facilities will be held confidential, This research project is designed to spotlight underpublicized, pandemic-timeframe, “good stories” and identify themes in recommendations about optimizing residents’ quality of life, Participants must have served continuously as administrator of a LeadingAge-member nursing home between March 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021. The goal is to publish an article that documents illustrations of exemplary work, creative approaches, and vital insights that have emerged during this period of unprecedented health crisis. Contact Dr. Christensen.

RESOURCES

Incident SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among mRNA Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Nursing Home Residents
The New England Journal of Medicine recently released a study on incident SARS-CoV-2 infection among mRNA-vaccinated and unvaccinated nursing home residents. The findings show the real-world effectiveness of the mRNA vaccines in reducing the incidence of asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections in a vulnerable nursing home population. Our observation of a reduced incidence of infection among unvaccinated residents suggests that robust vaccine coverage among residents and staff, together with the continued use of face masks and other infection-control measures, is likely to afford protection for small numbers of unvaccinated residents in congregate settings. Still, the continued observation of incident cases after vaccination highlights the critical need for ongoing vaccination programs and surveillance testing in nursing homes to mitigate future outbreaks.

Transportation Programs Providing Rides to Vaccination Sites
The National Aging and Disability Transportation Center provides a list of programs providing transportation or connecting older adults and people with disabilities to vaccination sites. This table will be updated as we receive more information on programs providing these services.

THANKS TO OUR BRONZE PARTNER

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Nicole Schings is the Director of Member Services and Business Development. Nicole joined the association in 2018, and oversees our Member Services program, our Partnership and Associate Member relationships, and our online education system. A graduate of Washburn University, Nicole uses her 22 years of experience in the association world to enhance the support of our members, problem solve their issues and bring new partners into the LeadingAge Kansas family. Outside of work, Nicole is passionate about geocaching and moments spent with her dog, Blu. You can reach Nicole directly at 785.670.8048.