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Long-Term Care ConsumersFamily MembersAdvocates
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Specialized Information for:
Long-Term Care ConsumersFamily MembersAdvocates
June 01, 2018
ProPublica has published new data on deficiencies cited by regulators and the penalties imposed in the past three years on nursing homes.
May 15, 2018
Executive Director Lori Smetanka and Governing Board Member Dr. Jonathan Evans participated in a panel on the misuse of antipsychotic drugs in nursing facility residents who have dementia.
April 26, 2018
Quality care, quality of life, protection of rights, empowerment of all individuals receiving care and services, NOW! Support our advocacy!
April 16, 2018
Consumer Voice and NORC have created an online learning center for all individuals interested in achieving quality long-term care.
April 10, 2018
Consumer Voice and NORC have created several new training materials on the topic of abuse, neglect, exploitation and misappropriation of property. The materials are based on the revised nursing home regulations.
April 10, 2018
A new fact sheet on nursing home discharges is now available from Consumer Voice and NORC.
April 10, 2018
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a memo regarding - Transition to Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) Staffing Measures on the Nursing Home Compare tool on Medicare.gov and the Five Star Quality Rating System.
April 10, 2018
A newly updated report is available from the University of California, San Francisco and the Kaiser Family Foundation - Nursing Facilities, Staffing, Residents and Facility Deficiencies, 2009 Through 2016.
March 07, 2018
As part of our annual recruitment process, the Consumer Voice is seeking candidates for open positions on our Governing Board.
February 06, 2018
A workgroup in Minnesota has published a report on elder abuse in long-term care settings.
February 06, 2018
In response to the GAO’s recent report, Consumer Voice is calling on states and the federal government to better protect assisted living facility residents.
February 05, 2018
A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found regulation of assisted living services lacking even when billions of dollars flows into the industry.
February 05, 2018
Human Rights Watch has published a report on the over-medication of people with dementia in US nursing homes.
January 03, 2018
The recent article uncovers how nursing homes that outsource to related organizations have poorer care.
December 21, 2017
Legislation newly introduced in Congress would improve emergency preparedness in nursing homes.
November 29, 2017
Consumer Voice has joined 40 organization in opposing tax cuts that would put the health care of older adults and people with disabilities at risk.
November 28, 2017
November 28 is a big day in the world of nursing home regulations: Phase 2 regulations go into effect, along with a new survey process, the “freezing” of health inspection ratings, and revised interpretive guidelines.
November 21, 2017
A new issue brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation focuses on “Key Issues in Long-Term Services and Supports Quality.”
November 16, 2017
The Consumer Voice is proud to announce recipients of its annual leadership awards.
October 20, 2017
Consumer Voice has created a new guide - “Understanding and Advocating for Effective Implementation of the Home and Community-Based Services Settings Rule.”
October 04, 2017
The Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act would improve the nation’s response to elder abuse and financial exploitation of seniors.
September 26, 2017
Consumer Voice, along with other organizations, has called on CMS to immediately implement the recommendations in HHS OIG’s Early Alert regarding reporting abuse and neglect of nursing home residents.
September 20, 2017
The recent tragic deaths of nursing home residents in Florida following Hurricane Irma is a reminder of the need for emergency preparedness.
September 05, 2017
The Administration for Community Living has developed Principles for Person-directed Services and Supports during Serious Illness.
August 29, 2017
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General released an early alert about their investigation which found that more than one-quarter of serious cases of nursing home abuse are not reported to law enforcement.
August 11, 2017
On August 3, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee confirmed nominee Lance Robertson as the new Assistant Secretary on Aging and the Administrator of the Administration for Community Living.
August 02, 2017
News article about forced arbitration agreements.
July 06, 2017
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a Survey & Certification Memo announcing the release of several new documents related to the revised federal nursing home regulations and the new survey process and training resources.
June 30, 2017
Newly designed Residents’ Rights Posters are now available for pre-order in our online store.
June 15, 2017
WEAAD serves as a call-to-action for individuals, organizations, and communities to raise awareness about abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elders.
June 09, 2017
Consumer Voice recognizes people who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to improving the lives of long-term care consumers. Nominate an advocate now!
June 06, 2017
After publishing a final rule banning pre-dispute arbitration agreements for nursing home residents and family members, CMS is issuing new proposed rules that rescind resident protections against these unfair provisions.
May 30, 2017
The webinar from the Alliance for Health Reform looks at where Medicaid stands - from the AHCA to state waivers.
May 30, 2017
A recent story in NPR covers several states’ attempts to fight involuntary discharge in nursing homes.
May 26, 2017
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has provided an update on the Special Focus Facility Initiative.
May 24, 2017
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced an extension of the transition period for complying with the HCBS Final Rule.
May 09, 2017
During these past few months, there has been an unprecedented assault on the policies that support access to quality long-term care and protect the rights of long-term care consumers. We are fighting back.
May 09, 2017
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality released a Toolkit to Reduce CAUTI and Other HAIs in Long-Term Care Facilities. Consumer Voice was a partner on this project.
April 25, 2017
All long-term care consumers are invited to get creative and share their thoughts on this year’s Residents’ Rights Month theme - “It’s All About Me: My Life, My Care, My Choices.”
April 23, 2017
Consumer Voice needs your stories about why Medicaid is so important to you and your family.
April 12, 2017
Consumer Voice, with the Long Term Care Community Coalition, Center for Medicare Advocacy, and California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, issued a joint statement in response to the recent reports exposing abuse and neglect in nursing homes across the country.
March 31, 2017
The revised federal nursing home regulations are here to stay.
March 28, 2017
The theme for Residents’ Rights Month 2017 is “It’s All About Me: My Life, My Care, My Choices.”
March 15, 2017
Consumer Voice, Justice in Aging, and the Center for Medicare Advocacy have released a new issue brief in their series on the revised federal nursing home regulations.
March 10, 2017
The American Health Care Act is harmful for long-term care consumers and those who care for them.
March 03, 2017
Consumer Voice sent a letter to Senator Al Franken in support of his reintroduction of the Arbitration Fairness Act.
February 24, 2017
Consumer Voice, along with the National Center on Elder Abuse and the National Organization for Victim Assistance, have issued a statement in light of the recent CNN investigation on sexual abuse.
February 23, 2017
Consumer Voice is outraged and horrified in response to the findings of the CNN investigative report on sexual abuse in nursing homes, “Sick, Dying and Raped in America’s Nursing Homes.”
February 21, 2017
Consumer Voice, along with the Center for Medicare Advocacy and Justice in Aging, has released a new issue brief in their issue brief series, “A Closer Look at the Revised Nursing Facility Regulations.”
February 14, 2017
ACL’s Becky Kurtz has written an article in the Society of Certified Senior Advisors Journal on the long-term care ombudsman program.
February 08, 2017
New fact sheets include information on involuntary transfer and discharge and unnecessary drugs and antipsychotic medications.
January 19, 2017
Family caregivers testified at a Senate Forum on Health Care, Medicare, and Medicaid.
December 22, 2016
This summary presents an overview of key changes in the revised federal nursing home regulations for the sections on Resident Assessment (§483.20) – Training Requirements (§483.95). It is designed to highlight what is different between the prior rule and the final rule and includes only those parts of the rule that went into effect in Phase 1 on November 28, 2016.
December 20, 2016
Consumer Voice and Justice in Aging have released a new fact sheet entitled “Why the Recently-Revised Nursing Home Regulations are Vital for Nursing Home Residents.”
December 05, 2016
Consumer Voice, Center for Medicare Advocacy and Justice in Aging have released a new fact sheet providing a closer look at the revised nursing facility regulations on assessment, care planning and discharge planning.
November 23, 2016
Consumer Voice and Justice in Aging created guides on how the HCBS rules can be used to improve services for older persons.
November 15, 2016
This new resource from Consumer Voice and NCEA provides an overview of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.
November 08, 2016
Consumer Voice has released a new report on why nursing home residents may suffer harm when their nursing home closes and how to reduce such harm.
October 12, 2016
This informative webinar gives consumers, family and advocates the tools to obtain quality long-term services and supports.
September 30, 2016
After recommendations from Consumer Voice, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has prohibited pre-dispute arbitration agreements in nursing home contracts as a part of the newly released federal nursing facility regulations.
September 15, 2016
Consumer Voice sent comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in support of the Special Focus Facility program.
September 09, 2016
Consumer Voice has been highlighted in the September issue of the Philanthropy Journal News, a publication of NC State University.
August 24, 2016
CFPB’s report found that strong collaboration among community stakeholders can effectively protect older adults from financial exploitation.
August 23, 2016
The Administration for Community Living’s Administration on Aging awarded grants to 13 states to address abuse of older adults and people with disabilities.
August 18, 2016
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has created placemats with simple tips for avoiding common predatory consumer scams.
August 17, 2016
An infographic created by the Health Professionals Press shows the factors that lead to bullying and how to prevent it.
August 16, 2016
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services updated the Nursing Home Compare Five-Star Quality Ratings to incorporate new measures that look at successful discharges, emergency visits, and re-hospitalizations.
July 11, 2016
Join us for a series of three webinars on a wide range of long-term care issues featuring expert speakers.
June 29, 2016
Resources on prevention, detection and reporting financial exploitation in nursing homes and assisted living.
June 15, 2016
WEADD is an opportunity to share information and spread awareness about abuse, neglect, and exploitation in later life. Check out the new elder abuse issue page for further resources.
June 13, 2016
Information regarding the recent reauthorization of the Older Americans Act is now available on the ACL website.
June 08, 2016
Consumer Voice is saddened by the passing of long-time member and former Consumer Voice Board Member Lou O’Reilly.
June 03, 2016
Consumer Voice recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to improving the lives of long-term care consumers. Submit your nominations now!
May 26, 2016
Join the Resident’s Voice Challenge and share why you should be the “Resident President.”
May 23, 2016
What is an ombudsman? Ombudsmen advocate for residents’ rights and quality care; educate consumers and providers; resolve residents’ complaints; and provide information.
May 16, 2016
Hurricane Preparedness Week is a time to prepare for a potential land-fall tropical storm or hurricane. If you live in an area prone to these types of storms or even areas threatened by dangerous flooding or destructive winds, it’s important to take this time to prepare for a dangerous weather event.
May 13, 2016
Residents have the right to retain possession of their personal belongings and are entitled to a safe environment free of theft and loss. This Consumer Voice fact sheet provides preventative measures and remedies for a resident’s deprivation of their personal effects.
May 05, 2016
CMS published guidance to surveyors clarifying federal requirements for providing services to justice-involved individuals (e.g. those on probation or parole) in skilled nursing facilities.
May 04, 2016
CV in the News! - More nursing homes are including individualized menus for the specific preference of their residents.
May 04, 2016
CMS announced a final rule to update health care facilities’ fire protection guidelines to improve protections for all Medicare beneficiaries in facilities.
May 03, 2016
Department of Justice report finds that South Dakota is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Supreme Court’s Olmstead v. L.C. ruling.
April 28, 2016
CMS has added six new quality measures to the consumer-based Nursing Home Compare website. For the first time, CMS has included three quality measures that are not based solely on data that are self-reported by nursing homes.
April 27, 2016
HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) has released a report entitled “Understanding Unlicensed Care Homes.”
April 19, 2016
The New York Times series on arbitration, authored by Jessica Silver-Greenberg, Michael Corkery, and Robert Gebeloff, is a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting
April 15, 2016
National Healthcare Decisions Day Is Tomorrow April 16. Join Consumer Voice and Americans across the country in making future healthcare decisions known to family, friends and healthcare providers.
April 11, 2016
We invite you to submit a proposal for a concurrent session at the 2016 Consumer Voice Annual Conference. Sessions that include more than one perspective or speakers from more than one program are encouraged.
April 07, 2016
The Department of Labor has developed a user-friendly guide entitled “Paying Minimum Wage and Overtime to Home Care Workers: A Guide for Consumers and their Families to the Fair Labor Standards Act.”
April 07, 2016
NCEA has released a report entitled “State Elder Abuse Working Groups: A Review and Comparison of 15 State Working Groups”, which compares existing elder abuse working groups from 15 states based on their establishment, purpose, and current status.
March 31, 2016
On March 30, 2016, the Department of Justice announced the launch of 10 regional Elder Justice Task Forces. These teams will bring together federal, state and local prosecutors, law enforcement, and agencies that provide services to the elderly to coordinate and enhance efforts to pursue nursing homes that provide grossly substandard care.
March 22, 2016
CMS issued a memorandum related to Electronic Staffing Data Submission (Payroll-Based Journal – PBJ).
March 15, 2016
A new podcast series, sponsored by the National Academy of Medicine, will review the 2015 Institute of Medicine report “Dying in America: Improving Quality and Honoring Individual Preferences Near the End of Life.”
March 08, 2016
Laurie Kash’s experience with her mother’s poor care at a nursing home led her to take her case the New York State Comptroller’s Office. The Office performed a subsequent audit that called for improvements in the enforcement of nursing home violations in New York.
February 25, 2016
On Thursday, February 25, NPR’s Morning Edition included a story about nursing home evictions, including cases when facilities refuse to take back residents who were hospitalized. Consumer Voice’s Robyn Grant, Director of Public Policy & Advocacy, was interviewed for the story.
February 25, 2016
Looking for information on transfer, discharge or transitions from a nursing home? Visit the new issue page for resources including reports, tips, and fact sheets.
February 18, 2016
Consumer Voice is pleased to announce Lori Smetanka, JD, as the Executive Director of Consumer Voice and Amity Overall Laib as Director of the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center.
February 03, 2016
This webinar, hosted by Consumer Voice in collaboration with the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), discusses resident-to-resident mistreatment and how to prevent and respond to these incidents.
January 06, 2016
On January 14th, Consumer Voice provided comments on a proposed rule to revise the federal requirements for discharge planning. This proposed rule was issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and concerns discharge planning requirements for hospitals, critical access hospitals and home health agencies. Click below to learn more and read our comments.
January 04, 2016
A final report on the 2015 White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA) - summarizing the July conference and the events leading up to it - is now accessible online.
November 24, 2015
A recent article in The New York Times highlighted the rise of small residential homes, like Green House, as an alternative to nursing homes. Consumer Voice Interim Executive Director Lori Smetanka was interviewed for the article.
November 23, 2015
A provision of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (signed by President Obama on November 2nd) will increase the amounts of federal fines that nursing facilities may be required to pay for violating the Nursing Home Reform Law.