LEADINGAGE KANSAS NEWS

LeadingAge Kansas In the News Opposing Vaccine Mandate
Last Friday, we were featured in a KAKE segment titled Some Kansas nursing homes worried the new federal vaccine mandate will shut them down for good.

New Resource: Vaccine Hesitancy Tools, Posters and More
View the resource. We have published a number of resources for members to use throughout the last year in our COVID updates and have placed them into a handy webpage for you to access to continue to educate individuals on the importance of the vaccine. If you know of any other exceptional resources that we should add to this page, please let us know.

Member Guest Speakers Featured on This Week’s Webinar
This Friday, September 10th, Karen Sturchio and Crystal Packard will talk about vaccination rates in their organizations. Register here.

VACCINE NEWS

Vaccine FAQs
CDC updated the frequently asked questions on COVID-19 vaccines . This update includes how to get a new COVID-19 vaccination card.

Kansas COVID-19 Vaccination Overview   
 2,798,253 Total Doses Reported as Administered   

  • First Dose: 1,542,434  
  • Second Dose: 1,243,089
  • Third Dose: 12,731

3,394,950 Total Doses Distributed   

  • State Distributed: 2,135,540
  • 50.2% of Kansans Vaccinated with One Dose    
  • 44.5% of Kansas Completed COVID-19 Vaccine 

Source: https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data

STATE NEWS

KDADS Working on Temporary Changes for CNA Training
Earlier this week, KDADS notified LeadingAge Kansas of an impending official notification regarding temporary exemptions for courses that include allowing simulated training in lieu of on-site clinicals and allowing NAT-II’s work experience to count as clinical hours. More information will be available soon and we will share when it has been released. Stay tuned.

Check Your Staff Vaccination Numbers on the KDHE Long-Term Care Facility Staff Vaccination Coverage Dashboard

The dashboard includes both a map view and a table view. The map categorizes federally licensed LTCFs into four categories based on healthcare personnel vaccination rates: below 50%, 50-70%, 70-90% and above 90%.

The dashboard includes the most recent healthcare personnel vaccination rate data available from the CDC and CMS as reported by nursing homes to the CDC NHSN on a weekly basis; the data is typically published 11 days after being submitted. More information is available on the CMS website.

Congratulations to these LeadingAge member nursing homes that have achieved 70% or above staff vaccination rates. Aberdeen Village, Kidron Bethel Village, Claridge Court, Dooley Center, Evergreen Living of Johnson County, FW Huston, Fowler Residential Care, Good Samaritan–Hutchinson, Good Samaritan-Parsons, Hoeger House, Kansas Christian Home, Leisure Homestead-St. John, Moundridge Manor, Santa Marta, Topeka Presbyterian Manor, Ascension Via Christi Village McLean, St. Joseph Place and Village Shalom.

Kansas COVID-19 Cluster Summary   
As of September 8th, there are 5 long-term care facilities with clusters and 1 is a LeadingAge Kansas Member.
   
 Statewide Active COVID-19 Clusters   

  • Clusters: 177
  • Cases: 1,403
  • Hospitalizations: 54

Kansas COVID-19: Case Rates  

  • Cases: 382,850
  • Total Case Rate Per 1,000: 131.41
  • Daily Cases Diagnosed: 1,285

Long-Term Care Facilities with Active Cluster Case Information 

  • Clusters: 62
  • Cases: 446
  • Hospitalizations: 27 

Source: https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas 

LEADINGAGE NATIONAL NEWS

LeadingAge Policy Vision
Last week, LeadingAge released our Policy Vision: An Aging Services System for the 21st Century that is Bold, Equitable, Sustainable, and Transformative. The paper includes six interdependent elements to meet the needs of the aging population. For each, we outline action steps that Congress, the Executive Branch, or the private sector could take to achieve the reform vision—with a focus on policy actions that will be required at the federal/ national level. Additional state and local policy actions may complement these proposals. Read the vision now.

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:

Workforce Action Alert
Yesterday, an action alert was sent to all members asking them to contact Congress seeking support for our key legislative issues in the infrastructure bills that will bolster our direct care workforce. The main message is:  Historic Investment Needed in the Care Economy Workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the strain on America’s long-term care workers. LeadingAge members report astounding scenarios in which they are unable to hire enough front line workers to deliver older adults and families the care they need. Ask your members of Congress to cosponsor the legislative proposals that will make historic investments and provide much-needed funding to help care professionals receive a living wage and benefits. They also address the home and community-based services (HCBS) and long-term care staffing shortages, and implement strategies to recruit and retain these jobs. The alert asks LeadingAge advocates to tell members of Congress they must prioritize and pass:

  • Nursing Home Workforce Support and Expansion Act of 2021 to improve nursing home care by strengthening wages and benefits for long-term care workers.
  • Better Care Better Jobs Act to designate more than $100 million to states to develop “HCBS infrastructure improvement plans.”
  • Elder Justice Act Reauthorization and Modernization Act to support adult protective services and reauthorize programs addressing elder abuse, neglect, exploitation and social isolation. 
  • Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act and the Direct Creation, Advancement and Retention of Employment (CARE) Opportunity Act to invest more than $1 billion in workforce interventions funds.

Please send a message to your U.S. Representative and Senators today using this link.

RESOURCES

Caring for Post-COVID Conditions
CDC released a page on caring for post-COVID conditions. Having a post-COVID condition or supporting someone with a post-COVID condition  can be challenging. It can be difficult to care for yourself or loved ones, especially when there are few or no immediate answers or solutions. However, there are ways to help relieve some of the additional burdens of experiencing or caring for someone with a new and unknown condition.


THANK YOU TO OUR SILVER PARTNER

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Nicole Schings
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.

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