The Lead December 4, 2020 - LeadingAge Illinois

Life Plan Communities/CCRCs:
Member Spotlight: The Selfhelp Home

Assisted Living:
MMWR on COVID in Assisted Living

Nursing and Rehabilitation:
Members-Only Nursing Home Testing Toolkit
AHRQ ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network
CMS Webinar Series for Management on COVID-19 Prevention

Independent Affordable/Subsidized Housing:
HUD Reopens Applications for COVID-19 Relief Payments
HUD Posts 2021 Operating Cost Adjustment Factors
LeadingAge Housing Advisory Group Calls

Home Health and Hospice:
LeadingAge Illinois Joins Home Care Vaccine Coalition
Home Care Licensure Update

Technology:
LeadingAge Illinois Technology and Innovation Task Force Meeting Recap
Telehealth Update

Other:
IlliniCare Transition to Aetna
Internship Opportunity! New LeadingAge National Summer Enrichment Program
New Insights and Tools from LeadingAge
LeadingAge Pandemic Playbook is Available Now
Member Featured on LeadingAge National Coronavirus Update Call

Top Stories:

IDPH Issues Essential Caregiver Guidance
On Wednesday, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued Essential Caregiver Guidance for long term care facilities.

Essential Caregivers are not general visitors. These individuals meet an essential need for the resident by assisting with activities of daily living or positively influencing the behavior of the resident. The goal of such a designation is to help ensure high-risk residents continue to receive individualized, person-centered care. The plan of care should include services provided by the Essential Caregiver.

IDPH Adopts Emergency Rules on COVID Testing for Assisted Living and Sheltered Care
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) recently adopted emergency rules regarding COVID testing for Assisted Living and Sheltered Care. The rules are effective as of November 19 and will remain in effect for 150 days.

Here’s a look at the rules (Parallel emergency rules for skilled/intermediate care nursing homes are currently in effect):

Clarify and establish IDPH’s infection control policies in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic for the settings.
Each community must maintain written infection control policies and procedures onsite and make them available upon request to residents, their families and/or their representatives; facility staff (which includes employees, contractors and volunteers) IDPH and the certified local health department.
Lists the specific Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for COVID-19 testing and infection control that facilities must follow.
If a resident or staff member of a facility tests positive for COVID-19, all residents and staff must be tested.
Those who do not test positive must be retested every 3 to 7 days until no new cases are identified.
If there are no active cases in a facility, staff must be tested at least twice a week if the county’s testing positivity rate for COVID-19 is above 10%; once a week if the positivity rate is between 5% and 10%; and once a month if the positivity rate is below 5%.

Vaccinations Update
We have learned a lot in the past couple weeks with various reporting, meetings and communications on the COVID-19 Vaccine. Today, we report the latest news and updates, including a coalition we have joined on vaccine prioritization, important upcoming dates, prioritization, the Pharmacy Partnership Program, and more.

This week, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend that residents of long-term care facilities and workers in health care facilities receive top priority for COVID-19 vaccination. This includes nursing home and assisted living residents and workers in nursing homes, assisted living and home health. Critically, affordable housing, adult day, PACE, hospice workers and participants/residents, and home health recipients are not included in this recommendation, which is advisory to the CDC director. The director then makes that recommendation to the states, who make final decisions.

Illinois’ first shipment is expected to be 109,000 doses and should arrive between December 13-19.

Important Upcoming Dates Related to the Vaccines:

December 4: Deadline for jurisdictions to tell CDC/OWS where they want their first allocations of vaccine to be delivered.
December 10: FDA’s Vaccine Advisory Board meets to review the clinical trial data on Pfizer vaccine and make a recommendation on whether to grant an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
December 11: Deadline for jurisdictions to tell CDC/OWS where they want their second allocations of vaccine to be delivered.
December 17: FDA’s Vaccine Advisory Board meets to review the clinical trial data on Moderna vaccine and make a recommendation on whether to grant an EUA.

Relationship of Pharmacy Partnership to State Prioritization:
The CDC has finally been able to clarify that the Pharmacy Partnership will be slightly different than the original plan, which was a direct federal program. The CVS/Walgreen’s partners will have the vaccine ready to go. However, the state has to dictate the priority order and CVS/Walgreen’s can only start the distribution after the state says go. Although REDCap federal sign up closed on November 6, jurisdictions can still opt providers in through today. Most states, according to CDC have already closed their lists – they cannot submit more providers once they’ve asked HHS to activate their plan (which must be done by today). If a provider has not signed up or has only partially signed up, and the state has activated their plan, the provider will have to get vaccine directly from the state outside of the Pharmacy Partnership program. The CDC cannot release the list of states that have activated their plans because everything is tentative pending vaccine availability.

LeadingAge and Other Associations Prioritization Statement:
LeadingAge joined several organizations on November 30 in a statement urging prioritization of older adults and care workers in vaccine distribution. LeadingAge Illinois continues to work at the state level to ensure that state leaders know the importance of getting vaccines to aging services providers.

LeadingAge Illinois Joins Home Care Vaccine Coalition:
LeadingAge Illinois has joined a Home Care COVID-19 Vaccine Coalition that includes the Home Care Association of America – Illinois (HCAOA-IL), the Illinois Adult Day Services Association, the Illinois Association of Community Care Program Homecare Providers (IACCPHP), the Illinois Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (IL-HPCO), and the Illinois HomeCare and Hospice Council (IHHC). The purpose of the Coalition is to ensure that home health care workers that provide both long-term care and acute care to individuals in their homes are prioritized for the COVID-19 vaccine. The Coalition, this week, sent a letter to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) urging the Department to update the draft Mass Vaccination Planning Guide. See the article in today’s Home Health and Hospice section for more.

Section 202s in Vaccine Distribution:
Within residential care, the CDC included HUD’s Section 202 affordable senior housing program in the communities that are a part of the ACIP recommendations for vaccine distribution prioritization. States should be encouraged to include Section 202s in their state distribution plans per ACIP’s recommendation. LeadingAge Illinois urged the Governor’s Office recently to include 202s in the prioritization and the Deputy Governor, Sol Flores, informed us that HUD Section 202 housing will be covered as a priority group in vaccination distribution. Additionally, the CDC has assured LeadingAge that residents under age 65 in a 202 building will also receive the vaccine.

Vaccine FAQs:
LeadingAge is hearing a lot of questions related to vaccines, given all that’s going on at FDA and CDC. They now have an FAQ document that will continue to evolve as new topics, questions and answers emerge.

Provider Relief Fund Updates
Today’s Provider Relief Fund Updates (PRF) include updates on Nursing Home Infection Control Incentive Payments, Phase III payments, and more.

List of Nursing Homes Receiving September Payments and Amounts:
HHS published the list of nursing homes receiving the September Nursing Home Infection Control Incentive Payments, the performance scores, and infection data used. This can help those providers/members who operate multiple nursing homes under a single TIN to determine how to distribute the payments received in aggregate.

LeadingAge heard back from HHS regarding their inquiry on behalf of more than 70 member nursing homes that did not receive a September incentive payment but believed they qualified. HHS said it will not “recalculate payments for previous months. However, in order to qualify for future quality incentive payments, providers should ensure they upload their current data accurately to the NHSN system.” However, LeadingAge followed up on this very unsatisfactory response, and HHS said it would ask HRSA staff to research what issue caused the disqualification.

The second portion of the September incentive payment for those who had a mortality during the performance period began appearing in provider bank accounts on November 30. The October incentive payments should arrive within the next week.

Phase III Payments:
HHS validated roughly 75,000 providers for this round of payment. About 7,000 providers are still uncurated, but will be included in the payment calculations. HHS has set up a call center to reach out to these providers and get them validated and issue payments.

IDPH Names New Bureau Chief of Long Term Care
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has announced that Alfonso Cano has been named the new Bureau Chief of Long Term Care. He gave an introduction on our call with the Department on Thursday afternoon. He has worked for 22 years for the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR). He is also a Registered Nurse.

CDC Changes Quarantine Guidance from 14 Days to 10 or 7 In Some Circumstances
Local public health authorities determine and establish the quarantine options for their jurisdictions. The CDC currently recommends a quarantine period of 14 days. However, based on local circumstances and resources, the following options to shorten quarantine are acceptable alternatives. Quarantine can end on day 7 after receiving a negative test result or on day 10 without testing. After stopping quarantine, watch for symptoms until 14 days after exposure.

Governor’s COVID-19 Briefings Recap
LeadingAge Illinois continues to monitor the Governor’s daily COVID-19 briefings for information pertinent to members.

Updates this week included:

Cases:
There are over 759,562 total cases and over 12,830 total deaths.

Hospitalizations:
As of Thursday, there were

5,653 in hospital
1,170 in ICU
693 on ventilators

The national number has hit 100,000. The CDC Director, Robert Redfield, warned this week, that as we wait for mass vaccine distribution, the months ahead could amount to the most difficult in the public health history in this nation.

Testing:
There have been over 10.8 million total tests.

Testing Update
Today’s testing update includes information on HHS Guidance and the Electronic Test Ordering and Reporting (ETOR) online portal.

LeadingAge Illinois continues to urge the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Governor’s Office to issue an executive order on testing coverage. We were told that the IDPH Director and Chief Legal Counsel, and the Governor’s Office is aware of our request.

LeadingAge Illinois Request for Executive Order on Testing Coverage:
Last week, LeadingAge Illinois made a verbal and written request to IDPH for the Governor to issue an executive order on testing coverage. Many diagnostic labs have notified many of our members that only in instances in which an employee is determined as symptomatic of COVID-19 or has confirmed exposure will it be appropriate for them to bill third party payers or the HRSA uninsured fund. The companies have made it clear that they must invoice all facilities for all employees/staff screening related tests including those mandated by federal and state agencies.

The only exceptions to this decision are for individuals that reside in either New York or California, because the Governors of both states have issued executive orders that mandate payers in those states to cover the cost of such testing regardless of the employee’s medical status.

LeadingAge Illinois and the other associations are strongly encouraging the Governor to issue an order similar to New York and California to alleviate much of the financial devastation that this pandemic has already created.

IDPH Lab HHS Guidance and ETOR update:
IDPH issued guidance recently on labs an HHS guidance and ETOR.

The IIDPH Division of Laboratories is continuing to enroll providers in the Electronic Test Ordering and Reporting (ETOR) online portal for COVID-19 testing. This effort has helped the Division of Laboratories to satisfy reporting requirements and to improve patient services. In addition, ETOR has given providers access to patient results sooner after testing completion, increased patient demographic accuracy, and reduced test turn-around time. Please note that once a patient’s demographic information is saved in ETOR, it can be recalled for future testing.

On June 4, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released new laboratory reporting guidance for the COVID -19 pandemic response. This guidance requires the IDPH Division of Laboratories to obtain certain data elements from patients being tested for COVD-19. This data contributes to understanding disease incidence and trends, including initiating epidemiologic case investigations, assisting with contact tracing, assessing availability and use of testing resources, and identifying supply chain issues for reagents and other material. Laboratory testing data, in conjunction with case reports and other data, also provide vital guidance for mitigation and control activities. For more information on the requirements, the guidance can be found here.

ETOR will be mandatory for providers sending samples to IDPH laboratories. Enrollment and continued use of ETOR ensures the lab is complying with the new HHS reporting guidance. IDPH has been working to reach out to each provider and to aid in ETOR enrollment. Currently, training webinars are being created to assist providers in the proper use of ETOR and to answer any questions. IDPH has begun calling providers that are not compliant with using ETOR to discuss other testing options.

For specific questions about ETOR or assistance with registration, email IDPH.

Life Plan Communities/CCRCs:

Member Spotlight: The Selfhelp Home
“The Selfhelp Home in Chicago has a history unlike any other senior living community in Chicago,” said Sheila Bogen, Executive Director.

The home was founded in 1938, during World War II, as a purely volunteer mutual aid society where refugees and survivors could find community and rebuild their lives. It became a priority of the founders to provide a caring and comfortable home for the elderly allowing them to live out their years with compassion, dignity and a high quality of life. Now 80 years later, The Selfhelp Home is an active and engaging not-for-profit retirement community designed to accommodate the needs of older Jewish adults throughout the Chicago area.

The home offers the full continuum of care providing residents the highest quality of life and care, all under one roof. Selfhelp meets residents at their level of care from Independent and Assisted Living to our Five-star Short-Term Rehabilitation and Long-Term Skilled Nursing services. They also offer all-inclusive Respite Care, in their furnished apartments and on their skilled floors. The community serves 90 residents with 173 staff members.

Sheila has been in the industry for over 30 years. “I grew up in London and spent many occasions at the family owned resort. It was there that I learned firsthand the art of hospitality,” said Sheila. “A few years after I immigrated to the U.S., a friend asked me to come work at his nursing Home. Here was the perfect opportunity to blend hospitality, medical services and respect for our elders. For me it was a win-win situation.”

She has a lot of pride in her organization and in each staff member at Selfhelp Home. Many of her staff have been at the community for several years. “The warmth and love that emanates from every member of the staff is ‘the secret sauce’ that makes Selfhelp so special,” said Sheila. “We have employees in every department who have worked at Selfhelp for 25-plus years. In addition, the leadership of the Director of Nursing is unbelievable and each department head brings so much to the table. The Board of Directors, under the leadership of Austin Hirsch, is most supportive and every board member is willing to help out wherever needed.”

Over 80 years old, the Selfhelp Home has seen the world change and go through extraordinary challenges. This year has been unique and challenging. “The pandemic has certainly created a human, financial, and backbreaking toll on the residents and medical staff,” said Sheila.

Throughout it all, she is proud of the work her organization has done since 1938 and now in 2020. “I am most proud and humbled to be the executive director of such an awesome organization,” said Sheila.

Assisted Living:

MMWR on COVID in Assisted Living
On November 20, the CDC issued a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), “Characterization of COVID-19 in Assisted Living – 39 states, October 2020.” Using data from the 39 states (including Illinois) that had any, the researchers found that 22% of assisted living communities reported one or more COVID case by October 15; among those diagnosed in AL, 21% died, compared to 3% in the general population. The study had several limitations, noted by the researchers. Most of them were due to differences in definition and regulation of assisted living and highly inconsistent state approaches to data elements and data collection.

Nursing and Rehabilitation:

Members-Only Nursing Home Testing Toolkit
The first in a new series of toolkits developed with Pathway Health is available exclusively to members of LeadingAge. The Testing Toolkit has 13 sections focusing on testing policies, learning and leadership, competencies, pre- and post-testing, outbreak investigation, swabbing collection, and billing. These COVID-19 Nursing Home Toolkits and Resources are for LeadingAge members only, and can be adapted as appropriate to reference relevant state laws or regulations.

AHRQ ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network
The AHRQ ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network is recruiting nursing homes from across the country to participate in a virtual community of practice for improving COVID-19 preparedness, safety, and infection control. To learn more, visit the AHRQ ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network.

CMS Webinar Series for Management on COVID-19 Prevention
CMS announced a live Q&A series for clinical and administrative staff and others who have taken the longer QIO training CMS-CDC Fundamentals of COVID-19 Prevention for Nursing Home Management, hosted by the QIO. Sessions in the live Q&A program will be held twice a month, on Thursdays from 3 – 4:00 p.m. CST, starting Thursday, December 10. Here is the registration link. Questions may be submitted in advance by email. Questions not addressed during the live session will be answered on the FAQ Page.

Independent Affordable/Subsidized Housing:

HUD Reopens Applications for COVID-19 Relief Payments
HUD has informed LeadingAge Illinois that they announced a second application period for COVID-19 Supplemental Payments from the CARES Act. The filing deadline for multifamily housing owners is December 11, 2020 for expenses incurred through November. Learn more here. Submit your request to the HUD incoming box and ensure the subject line references: CSP Payment Request and include iREMS # or Contract #, or FHA #. HUD has provided updated tips for filling out the request form. The “Tips and Explanations” sheet covers technical tips and suggestions for filling out HUD’s form for Tier I and Tier II payments.

HUD Posts 2021 Operating Cost Adjustment Factors
HUD has published new Operating Cost Adjustment Factors (OCAFs) for Fiscal year 2021, effective 2/11/21. OCAFs are used for adjusting or establishing rents for projects assisted with Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments. The national average OCAF is 2.5% for 2021, compared to 2.2% for 2020. The FY 2021 Multifamily Utility Allowance Factors, used to adjust baseline utility allowances are also now available. More info here.

LeadingAge Housing Advisory Group Calls
The LeadingAge Housing Advisory Group call on Monday, December 7 (11:30 a.m. CST) will focus on electronic signatures. Staff from HUD’s Office of Multifamily Housing will join the call to discuss recently revised guidance allowing the use of electronic signatures and file transmission/storage at MFH communities. Please email Juliana Bilowich to RSVP and receive call information.

Home Health and Hospice:

LeadingAge Illinois Joins Home Care Vaccine Coalition
LeadingAge Illinois has joined a Home Care COVID-19 Vaccine Coalition that includes the Home Care Association of America – Illinois (HCAOA-IL), the Illinois Adult Day Services Association, the Illinois Association of Community Care Program Homecare Providers (IACCPHP), the Illinois Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (IL-HPCO), and the Illinois HomeCare and Hospice Council (IHHC). The purpose of the Coalition is to ensure that home health care workers that provide both long-term care and acute care to individuals in their homes are prioritized for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Coalition, this week, sent a letter to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) urging the Department to update the draft Mass Vaccination Planning Guide as follows:

Initial populations prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination will likely be the following:

Critical workforce members who provide health care in all settings including the home.
Staff and residents/participants receiving long term care services in facilities or home and community-based settings.
Critical workforce members who provide essential functions of society.

This request from the Coalition is also to include providers participating in the Illinois Department on Aging’s (IDoA) Community Care Program (CCP), such as in-home services providers, adult-day providers, and emergency home response providers; home services providers licensed by IDPH, home health providers licensed by IDPH, home nursing providers licensed by IDPH; and hospice providers licensed by IDPH.

Recently, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 13-1 to include health care workers and nursing facility residents as the highest priority for vaccines. The CDC itself will now take up the prioritization recommendation. At the same time, states will have the ultimate decision in their control. The states have been asked by CDC to submit their final plans on immunization by today.

As the Governor and IDPH Director have said several times this week, COVID-19 vaccine doses may be available mid-month. The supply is expected to increase a couple weeks later via regular shipments. LeadingAge Illinois and the Coalition continue to stress that it is absolutely critical that home care providers be prioritized for vaccination.

Home Care Licensure Update
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) recently shared data and updates on the home care licensure program.

Number of Licensed Agencies:

Home Services Agencies: 815 (highest total in program history)
Home Nursing Agencies: 235 (highest total in program history)
Home Services Placement Agencies: 39
Home Nursing Placement Agencies: 3

When the licensure program began in 2010, there were:

Home Services Agencies: 439
Home Nursing Agencies: 160
Home Services Placement Agencies: 63 (there were 81 in 2017)
Home Nursing Placement Agencies:10 (there were 15 in 2011)

Guidance for Home Services Agencies Public Health Emergency:

Screen agency staff before performing services to clients in the home
Screen client and or family members of current COVID-19 clinical status
Staff utilize appropriate PPE
- Responsibility of the agency to provide
- Work with Local Health Department and or Regional Health Care Coalitions for assistance in obtaining PPE
- Follow CDC guidance on PPE utilization and conservation strategies

Survey Activity Since July 1:

Virtual:
- Home Services:63
- Home Nursing: 21
- Home Services Placement: 1
- Home Nursing Placement: 1
License renewal onsite at the agency (started September 1)
- Home Services: 21
- Home Nursing:10

The Onsite Survey Process:

These surveys are being announced to ensure staff are at the agency and to have documents prepared to limit onsite time at the agency.
The surveyors will be following IDPH and CDC guidelines in relationship to face coverings and social distancing during the survey process. All participants in the survey process are expected to wear face coverings and adhere to the social distancing protocols of 6 ft.
Prior to IDPH arrival, the agency will wipe down all areas that IDPH staff will encounter (i.e. doorknobs, tabletop, file cabinet) and must have a clean separate work area for the surveyor to review files and documents. This work area must be cleaned with a disinfectant when the surveyor arrives prior to the surveyor’s utilization of the workspace.
Agency staff shall have the files requested below ready for review and accessible, to limit direct interaction between the agency staff and IDPH
Survey is a focused and looking at the services provided to the clients and infection control processes being followed
Home Services and Home Nursing Infection Control:
- Are facilities actively screening staff and clients before home visits and to the office
- Staff educated on COVID precautions, hand hygiene, mask and PPE in relation to caring for clients
- Process on infection surveillance and how to report and to whom of a positive case
Home Services (245.210). Review client files for signed contract, and care provided per contract and within the scope of Home Services.
Home Nursing (245.205 Client record review):
- Healthcare professional orders for all care
- Clinical staff following healthcare professional plan of treatment
- Concerns with client outcomes reported to Healthcare Professional timely.
- RN conducting periodic assessment

Additional Information:

CMS Infection Control Surveys

Technology:

LeadingAge Illinois Technology and Innovation Task Force Meeting Recap
The LeadingAge Illinois Technology and Innovation Task Force held a virtual meeting this week to discuss how technology and innovation have played a role for aging services providers and older adults during the pandemic.

Some of the items from the discussion included:

Resources and tools are needed for assisting older adults with new technologies provided.
The need for IT support has jumped considerably ion the industry.
Members are wondering what types of technology and innovation allowed during the pandemic will continue when it is over.
Telehealth utilization during the pandemic.

The task force will continue to analyze these issues and more with a goal of assisting members in being informed on resources and information related to technology and innovation.

Telehealth Update
CMS finalized the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Rule this week. In the rule, CMS added more than 60 services to the Medicare telehealth list that will continue to be covered beyond the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE). LeadingAge will continue to gather more data and evaluate whether more services should be added in the future. However, the permanent expansions made by the rule are limited to the pre-pandemic telehealth rules regarding geographic location and originating site – CMS is clear in the rule they cannot expand coverage beyond rural areas and to the home without Congress. The rule also contains provisions regarding professional scope of practice and supervision and payment for office and outpatient evaluation and management codes.

Other:

IlliniCare Transition to Aetna
Effective December 1, Medicaid residents enrolled in IlliniCare HealthChoice Illinois were transitioned to Aetna Better Health. All the systematic updates for these members have taken place and you will see enrollment with Aetna in Medi.

The Ilinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) advises providers to use the following new email to communicate with Aetna case managers: ABHILHCBS@aetna.com. This includes information such as the Supportive Living submission of RAI, ISS, Significant Change in Condition, and Preliminary Incident Report forms. At this time you do not need to re-send documentation previously submitted to IlliniCare.

You can reach Aetna staff by phone at 866.329.4701 and follow the prompts to reach the waiver authorization team.

Internship Opportunity! New LeadingAge National Summer Enrichment Program
LeadingAge National’s new Summer Enrichment Program is a 10-week immersive internship hosted by a member organization in 2021. We are recruiting a diverse pool of undergraduate and graduate students for a unique opportunity to obtain real world experience in aging services.

The Summer Enrichment program was developed to provide leadership opportunities for students in aging services that ensures our field is representative of the diversity that makes up our society. The intern will be provided mentors, meaningful work, and access to a professional network that will assist them in reducing barriers to leadership roles within the field of aging. Interested students nearing the end of their undergraduate studies (a minimum of 2 years completed toward Bachelor’s degree is required) or who are in graduate school are encouraged to apply.

Learn more or sign-up for our upcoming information sessions:

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 on COVID-19 and beyond. A complete timeline of insights, tools, and useful COVID-19 links is available here, so you’ll never miss an update.

LeadingAge Pandemic Playbook is Available Now
The LeadingAge Pandemic Playbook is an interactive collection of insight, wisdom, and best practices for serving older adults during a catastrophic health crisis. Its purpose is to help ensure that providers can prepare for and mitigate the impact of a future pandemic or health crisis by applying what has been learned this year. See the Pandemic Playbook here.

Member Featured on LeadingAge National Coronavirus Update Call
On Monday, Keith Swartzentruber, Executive Director at Snyder Village in Metamora, was the featured guest on the LeadingAge National Coronavirus Update Call. Keith talked about how his community’s experiences and how they have adapted during the pandemic. Over the course of the pandemic, he has met virtually with his U.S. Representative, State Representative and State Senator. A longtime advocacy leader, he is a former LeadingAge Illinois Member Legislative Leader Award recipient. Other LeadingAge Illinois members who have been featured guests on the national calls include Michael Mutterer (LeadingAge Illinois board chair), Chief Nursing Officer & Vice President of Patient Care Services at Silver Cross Hospital and Ralph Gaines, CEO of Embrace Living Communities.