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The National Association of Health Care Assistants is a non-profit association of CNAs and health care assistants providing experience-based, peer-driven solutions to long term care.

New Coalition Working To Improve Quality of Life for Nursing Home Residents and Staff

As America's 77 million baby boomers begin turning 60 this year, a new, broad-based coalition of long-term care providers, caregivers, medical and quality improvement experts, government agencies, and consumers launched an initiative to improve quality of care and quality of life for the country's 1.5 million nursing home residents. Visit website
 

Coalition to Protect Senior Care: Bush Budget Plan Dangerous to Seniors’ Front Line Care Needs
In New Letter, Direct Care Workers Urge Senators Baucus and Grassley to Stop Bush Medicare Cuts 

Joplin, MO (February 7, 2008) – In response to the Bush Administration’s budget plan cutting U.S. seniors’ Medicare-financed nursing home care by $17 billion over five years, the Coalition to Protect Senior Care (CPSC) today called the proposal “dangerous to seniors’ front line care needs,” and announced at a news briefing that they will launch a new effort to stop the funding reductions, similar to the campaign waged last fall when the Coalition successfully opposed efforts to cut Medicare Part A nursing home benefits. The CPSC also released a new letter, delivered today to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA), urging them to fight the cuts. LEARN MORE
 

NAHCA introduces
Career Ladder through
Academy of Certified Health Professionals.
 

Study shows dramatic rise in short-stay residents

A new analysis of trends in New York nursing home care reads like a summary of what is happening around the country. In short: more shorter stays for residents, as well as more sicker or cognitively impaired residents.

Ten-year trends for New York's nursing homes (1996 to 2005) showed that, despite lower average occupancy rates (from 96.9% down to 93.2%), the annual number of nursing home admissions per bed more than doubled (0.78 to 1.76).

Also, the number of residents staying less than two months tripled, according to the report, which was released Tuesday by the United Hospital Fund released.

"The trends do not appear to be showing signs of slowing," said James R. Tallon, Jr., president of the United Hospital Fund.

Professor Thomas Dennison of the Center for Policy Research at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs wrote the report for the Medicaid Institute at United Hospital Fund


Antibiotics for advanced dementia patients questioned

Nearly half of advanced-dementia residents in nursing homes receive antibiotics during the last two weeks of life, but it remains unclear whether such treatment helps, authors of a new study say. Pain from administering the drugs intravenously, as well as unwanted side effects, are among the chief concerns.

"This extensive use of antimicrobials and pattern of antimicrobial management in advanced dementia raises concerns not only with respect to individual treatment burden near the end of life but also with respect to the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance in the nursing home setting," report authors wrote. As a result, the Harvard-affiliated researchers recommend "development of programs and guidelines designed to reduce the use of antimicrobial agents in advanced dementia." Study findings appeared in Monday's edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The study followed 200 Boston nursing home residents with dementia for about 18 months.

Nearly three-fourths of the five million Americans with dementia will require nursing home care. Commonly complicating their stays are repeated infections and fevers, experts said, adding that more research is needed to learn whether physicians ultimately should consider not recommending antibiotics. Alternatives such as oxygen or Tylenol could be better courses of treatment, according to one expert.

New bill would help boost LTC workforce
March 27, 2008

Long-term care providers are hoping that the U.S. Senate will pass a new bill aimed at enhancing recruitment and retention of direct care workers in the long-term care field.

The Caring for an Aging America Act of 2008 would provide a number of incentives to attract healthcare workers to the long-term care field. Among them: loan repayment programs for physicians, psychologists, physician assistants, clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners and social workers who agree to work for two years in a long-term care setting. The bill also would expand the Career Ladder Grants Program to include specialty training in long-term care fields. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced the bill earlier this month.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living have offered their support to help pass the legislation.


Medicaid bill may run afoul of pay-as-you-go rules
April 02, 2008

A bill that would postpone seven onerous Medicaid regulations could collapse as a result of recently enacted legislative rules.

Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) introduced a bill last month that would place a moratorium on these regulations by one year. But the bill could cost $1.65 billion in fiscal years 2008 and 2009, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Pay-as-you-go rules, which went into effect last year, require that lawmakers couple proposals that cost money with legislation that would reduce spending or raise funds of an equal amount.

The Medicaid regulations, several of which are scheduled to take effect in coming weeks and months, would restrict Medicaid payments to publicly-owned nursing homes and hospitals and limit coverage of rehabilitation services for people with disabilities. They could reduce federal payments to states by $50 billion over the next five years, according to a U.S. House committee's report.

Professionals announce new leadership coalition
April 11, 2007

Long-term care organizations representing four professions have united to create a new coalition: The Long Term Care Professional Leadership Council.

Months in the making, the council formally announced its creation in late February. Members will identify and promote comprehensive approaches to defining and meeting quality standards, officials said.

"Long-term care stakeholders really have to sit down and work together and accept some general truths to push us further," said one council member.
The council's goals include: advancing consistent standards, positions and recommendations; promoting evidence-based cross-disciplinary protocols for care and operational issues; and overcoming political, social and economic obstacles to coordinated, consistent care.
Leaders of the four groups have met to carefully plan first steps. They include (left to right in the photo above) Charlotte Eliopoulos, interim executive director of the National Association Directors of Nursing Administration Long-Term Care; Robert Siebel, education committee chairman of the American College of Health Care Administrators; Sherrie Dornberger, NADONA president; and Ron Romano, NADONA director of operations.
Also, Marianna Grachek, ACHCA president and CEO; Steve Levenson, then-president of the American Medical Directors Association; Lorraine Tarnove, AMDA executive director; and Thomas R. Clark, director of policy and advocacy for the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.
 

Audiences across the country ask, "How can we get Lori in our facility?" Ask no more! PEP Talks is a series of 15 minute presentations designed to motivate and inspire your workforce.  Learn More

 

Geriatric Care Specialist Certification

An independent study program, this correspondence course gives nursing assistants the opportunity to upgrade skills, education, and professional self-esteem. Learn More  | View the Site