The Lead September 10, 2020 - LeadingAge Illinois

Life Plan Communities/ CCRC:
Member Receives PPE Donation Coordinated by Legislator

Assisted Living:
Relief Fund Applications Due September 13

Supportive Living:
COVID-19 Phased Reopening for the Supportive Living Program

Independent Affordable/Subsidized Housing:
LeadingAge Illinois HUD Member Regional Monthly Meetings
Recap of LeadingAge Call with HUD on CARES Act Payments for Service Coordinators

Hospice/Home Health:
Updated Home Health Quality Reporting Program (QRP) COVID-19 Public Reporting (PR) Tip Sheet is Available

Home and Community-Based Services:
Illinois Home Care Services Virtual Bootcamp

Other:
Member Spotlight: The Voyage Senior Living
Voting in the Time of Coronavirus
Personal Protective Equipment Update
N95 Fit Testing Services
Take Part in the LeadingAge Illinois PAC
LeadingAge Coronavirus Update Calls

Education:
LeadingAge Illinois Virtual Senior Living Conference
Dementia Leadership Course and Network

Top Stories:

CMS Nursing Home Testing Call Recap
CMS held a call on nursing home testing Tuesday evening. The presentation is here.

Speakers included:

Seema Verma, Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Robert R. Redfield, MD, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Admiral Brett P. Giroir, MD, Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Lee Fleisher, MD, Chief Medical Officer, CMS
Jean Moody-Williams and Dr. Shari Ling, CMS

Seema Verma and the CMS survey team gave a broad overview of the Interim Final Rule and the Infection Control Training Program. She stressed the call to action to nursing homes for infection control, testing and training to continue to mitigate the spread of COVID. Admiral Brett P. Giroir, MD, reported that to date 13,477 testing instruments have been sent to 13,343 nursing homes as well as 4.7 million tests.

This week, 507 instruments with 192,000 tests will be sent to nursing homes. He also discussed using the antigen test kits to test residents 1X and staff 2x under this initiative. Once the initial supply of tests are used, providers can use the PRF funding to acquire testing kits from the two vendors. All the tests have been taken by HHS. A call is scheduled this week with BD outlets so that nursing homes are prioritized. There was a discussion regarding asymptomatic testing. Please follow the August 24 FDA FAQ and the Aug 28 CMS statement and use antigen testing on asymptomatic individuals and review the PREP ACT coverage.

Overall, antigen tests are acceptable under FDA and states should accept them as if they do not they are violating a federal mandate. In addition, HHS purchasing 150 million antigen tests on the Abbott card, using nasal swabs that will be distributing next week. There will be 750,000 to nursing homes in red/yellow zone counties. These cards should be used to supplement PCR testing or POC antigen tests to lessen the burden and rotate the type of tests used.

Partners in Quality Virtual Visits Held with Two Members of Congress
Since its inception in 2006, the LeadingAge Illinois Partners in Quality campaign has had over 700 legislative visits at member communities throughout the state. During the public health emergency, members have continued to educate legislators on the needs of older adult care and service providers and the residents they serve through our virtual visits.

This week, members held visits with U.S. Representative Michael Quigley (D-5th District; Chicago) and U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-8th District; Schaumburg).

Special thanks to the following members for taking part in these meetings and their leadership in informing legislators of the needs of providers and residents:

Ralph Gaines, CEO of Embrace Living Communities
Dawn Mondschein, executive director, Central Baptist Village, Norridge
David Opitz, senior director of mission services, Embrace Living Communities
Antwaun Smith, associate vice president, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago
Greg Watson, director of housing operations, Embrace Living Communities
Beth McGowan Welch, executive director, Park Place of Elmhurst
Vida M Wojewski, asset manager, Catholic Charities Housing, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago
Stephen Yenchek, president and CEO of Friendship Senior Options

During the meetings, members urged their member of Congress to Act for Older Adults by supporting a relief package that includes:

A $100 billion allocation specifically for aging services providers to cover additional costs for PPE, cleaning supplies, staffing, and other needs associated with coronavirus. Priority access to PPE and testing, without which our residents, clients, and staff continue to be at significant and avoidable risk.
A $1.2 billion housing package to provide for rent and staffing supports, Service Coordinators, WiFi capability, and other assistance for the more than 1.1 million older adults served by federally-assisted housing.
A funding source that specifically provides “hazard pay” for frontline workers.
Additional funding and some loosening of restrictions on the loan programs that have been set up to support providers as they fight coronavirus and struggle to survive beyond the crisis.
Compensation for home health telehealth visits and increased access to telehealth and technology across aging settings.
Grants to support Medicaid HCBS providers and PACE programs, to strengthen care and services in the home for vulnerable older persons and persons with disabilities.
A 12% FMAP increase. Enhance the Medicaid federal matching share from the initial increase of 6.2 percentage points to 12 percentage points.
A charter and funding for a post-COVID Bipartisan Congressional Commission to develop a legislative strategy that establishes a planful infrastructure of aging services that is adequately financed, promotes quality of care and quality of life, and enables all Americans to grow old with dignity.

“We need more funding for so many essentials like PPE, testing, staffing, and doing all the things we need to do to take the best care of our residents. We serve the population most vulnerable to COVID,” said Beth McGowan Welch, executive director, Park Place of Elmhurst, when addressing Rep. Quigley. Beth has worked in the industry for nearly three decades. “I have dedicated my whole career to serving seniors; close to 30 years,” said Beth. “Our work is so very, very important. It has always been difficult and challenging, but absolutely rewarding. COVID is making it more of a challenge than ever.”

Antwaun Smith, associate vice president at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, expressed his appreciation for the programs in HUD that serve residents in need while also informing Rep. Quigley of the need for additional funds due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The LeadingAge ask is $1.2 billion for senior housing.

Dawn Mondschein, executive director of Central Baptist Village urged Rep. Quigley to be the voice for the industry. “We need a voice out there and the attention of Congress right now,” said Dawn. She explained that her organization, like all members throughout the state, is fighting to protect residents and staff during this incredibly trying time. “My staff wants you to know, we are heroes too,” said Dawn. “I agree,” replied Rep. Quigley.

It was the second meeting this year with Rep. Quigley’s office to discuss the needs of providers and residents. Quigley annually attends Partners in Quality visits at member communities and his last in-person visit included awarding him for his support of affordable housing.

The meeting with Rep. Krishnamoorthi was the first Partners in Quality visit we have had with him since he took office in 2016. The meeting included three of his staff that work on older adult issues. He pledged to continue to meet with members and staff to understand the issues and provide support when he can.

Stephen Yenchek, president/CEO of Friendship Senior Options gave the experiences of his organization during the public health emergency and asked the representative to push for another relief package for providers and residents. Stephen’s organization has about 800 employees and 1,000 residents.

Ralph Gaines, CEO of Embrace Living Communities, educated the representative and his staff on the needs of housing providers, specifically the need to extend the IWISH demonstration program. Embrace is a participant in this program and has told the stories of success of the program to several legislators. “It is an extremely valuable investment that government can make in these communities resulting healthy outcomes for residents,” said Ralph.

The two congressional meetings this week were a solid kickoff to another round of legislative virtual visits LeadingAge Illinois is holding in collaboration with LeadingAge National. Our next meeting is next week with U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-6^th District; Glen Ellyn). He is in his first term and this will be the second Partners in Quality visit for him since he took office. In his last visit, he spoke to a gathering of senior housing residents and played the piano for them.

If you would like to take part in a Partners in Quality virtual visit with your legislators, contact Jason Speaks.

IDPH Adopts Emergency Rules for Healthcare Workers
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) recently adopted emergency rules for Home Health, Home Services, and Home Nursing, Long-Term Care Assistants and Aides Training Programs, and the Health Care Worker Background Check Code. They all are effective August 24 for a maximum of 150 days. These emergency rules, which address issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, replace previous emergency rules that were effective March 25 and expired August 21.

Amendments to the home care rules suspend, for the duration of the Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamations, the in-person registered nurse supervisory visits and agency supervisory visits normally required for home health, home services, or home nursing agencies. These supervisory visits may be conducted via telephone or electronic means where available.

For the Long-Term Care Assistants and Aides Training Programs and the Health Care Worker Background Check Code, the rules allow military personnel with medical training (ex: corpsmen, combat medics) to serve as certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in health care facilities while the COVID-19 emergency continues. The normal requirements for Illinois certification of CNAs licensed in another state are also suspended, provided that the out-of-state CNA is in good standing and is working under the direction of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and IDPH. CNAs with inactive status on the IDPH Health Care Worker Registry for less than five years, and in good standing at the time they became inactive, may resume work as CNAs immediately.

COVID-19 Relief Bill State of Play
Both the Congress and the White House say they are open to a deal, but remain far apart of what that deal should look like. One major sticking point is the amount of money for a relief package. The House passed the “Heroes Act” back in May which provided $3.5 trillion dollars in relief across multiple sectors and Speaker Pelosi has said she is willing to come down a trillion dollars. Senate Republicans responded with the $1 trillion dollar HEALS Act in July. Money for state and local government and the size of an extended unemployment benefit are two places where the parties remain far apart; though with such large amounts of money and a broad range of relief needed, there are many other areas that would need to be hammered out.

Senate Republicans released draft text of the “Delivering Immediate Relief to America’s Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act” on Tuesday September 8th. The legislation aims to pull together policies that can provide some targeted COVID-19 related relief. The Senate Republican caucus, led by Leader Mitch McConnell, are seeking through this “skinny” bill to have a package that they can get a majority of Senate Republicans to vote “yes” on. This bill has an estimated price tag of about $500 million dollars which underscores the role of cost in trying to get Senate Republicans to coalesce around a bill.

The bill contained very little of what we have been advocating for and that supports aging services providers. The bill includes:

$16 billion dollars for state and local governments to pay for testing. This is less than what LeadingAge believes is needed for aging services providers alone and contains no language regarding a national testing strategy.
$31 billion for vaccine, therapeutic and diagnostic development; vaccine distribution; the Strategic National Stockpile and grants for the establishment of state stockpiles. At least 6 billion dollars of this must be used for activities related to vaccine distribution, access, and coverage. 20 billion is for necessary expenses related to manufacturing, production, and purchase of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Of the amount remaining that is not specifically allocated, the bill does provide some other uses such as medical surge capacity and telehealth access and infrastructure that the monies can be used for.
The liability provisions that were in HEALs and in the earlier “skinny” bill remain in this bill and are unchanged. The bill creates exclusive federal causes of action related to coronavirus “exposure” and “medical liability” claims, with the first claim being directed at protections for general businesses and the later specifically for health care providers. The proposed bill does not provide complete immunity for providers, but rather changes various elements of bringing a coronavirus-specific claim, including the standard of proof, damages, proportionate liability, and causation. The definition of “health care provider” in the bill is broad and includes both practitioners and providers. See more
The opportunity for a second round of PPP with reforms to require new applications show revenue loss and maintain loan documents consistent with IRS requirements. This bill allows for a second round of loans for businesses that (1) meet the SBA’s revenue size standard, if applicable; (2) have 300 or fewer employees; and (3) demonstrate at least a 35 percent reduction in gross revenue in a 2020 quarter relative to the same 2019 quarter to receive a second PPP loan. The 35% revenue loss number is a change from previous bills. If enacted, these second round PPP loans would be equal to 2.5X average monthly payroll costs, with a maximum loan value of $2 million. The uses of these loans will be subject to existing regulations implemented by the SBA and Treasury, with eligible uses expanded to cover certain worker protective, supplier, and operational expenses. The bill also simplifies the forgiveness application process for current and future PPP borrowers receiving loans of under $150,000 or less.
There is $105 billion dollars aimed at educational support and childcare.
The federal pandemic unemployment assistance that was offered under the CARES Act and ended July 31st would be extended to December 27th by this legislation but at a level of $300 dollars/week.

The Senate is set to vote today on the GOP’s narrow relief proposal that even Republicans acknowledge will not pass.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the Trump administration’s lead negotiator, is reportedly tamping down expectations that an agreement can be reached. Mnuchin has said his main focus is making sure Congress passes a stopgap spending measure to keep federal government open beyond September 30th. He and the Speaker have agreed to a clean continuing resolution in principle, but the details still need to be worked out.

LeadingAge will continue advocating for a comprehensive COVID-19 relief package in addition to the passage of a continuing resolution to keep the government funded before Congress leaves again at the beginning of October. Please stay tuned for more opportunities to take action!

IDPH September COVID-19 Webinars
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is hosting webinars to provide COVID-19 updates and answer questions from long-term care and congregate residential settings.

Recording of August 28 Webinar

Register for September 18

Register for September 25

Webinar attendance is limited. If you cannot register or get in, email Michael Moore.

IDPH will be recording the webinars and sending out the links of the recordings.

CLA Tool Helps Track COVID-19 Economic Relief Expenses
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP) has an innovative tracking tool to help health care organizations record COVID-19 economic relief spending. Now, organizations can arrange spending in accordance with the compliance and reporting initiatives.

Testing Resources
We continue to track resources for testing to provide to our members. We will keep you updated on legitimate information we receive. Here is a look at some of the information and resources we have gathered to date (we will keep a running list updated in the newsletter):

Acutis Diagnostics Inc.
Paul Jaskowiak
Sales Specialist
219.508.6206 (Cell)
844.522.8847 (Support)
631.532.1680 (Fax)
Provides testing, supplies and results

Aegis Sciences Corporation
Brent Branneman
800.533.7052
Provides testing, packaging and results ($100 each test)

Ammon Analytical Laboratories
800.533.7052
E-Mail
Test kits shipped to site. Fedex or UPS used to send samples back to lab.

Curative Labs
Email
Offers PCR testing and antibody testing

LabCorp
Services Offered: PCR testing, Courier services
Email

Mayo Clinic Labs
800-533-1710
E-Mail

Reditus
Pekin, Illinois
Phone: 469.498.0222
Services Offered: PCR Testing and courier services available

StarLab Corp
Richard Felicelda

Strategic Lab Partners
Products and Pricing
Order Form
Does not include lab processing.

Tempus
Chicago, Illinois
Services Offered: PCR testing, Shipping is available to and from the sites
Phone: 833.514.4187
Email

Life Plan Communities/ CCRC:

Member Receives PPE Donation Coordinated by Legislator
Oak Trace in Downers Grove received a donation of 1,000 surgical masks recently from Friends of Taiwan Foundation, coordinated by Senator John Curran (R-41^st District; Lemont). The masks were personally delivered by Foundation representatives and Senator Curran. Blaire Goldstein, Executive Director of Oak Trace, accepted the masks on behalf of the community and the outdoor conversation with the Senator allowed her to inform him of the experiences Oak Trace and fellow members have had during the COVID-19 emergency.

Assisted Living:

Relief Fund Applications Due September 13
As we reported previously, HHS announced a private pay distribution from the CARES Act provider relief funds for licensed assisted living providers. The deadline to submit the application is September 13. Click here for Argentum’s FAQs: Applying for HHS Assisted Living Private Pay Provider Relief Funding.

Supportive Living:

COVID-19 Phased Reopening for the Supportive Living Program
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) hosted a webinar yesterday on the COVID-19 Phased Reopening for the Supportive Living Program (SLP). The webinar discussed an overview of phased reopening requirements, the phase progression process, the phase regression criteria and process, regional tiered mitigation, phased reopening guidance summaries and building access. Click here for the webinar slides.

During the webinar, HFS referred to the August 12 guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). However, the Department said afterwards, the intention was to refer to the most recent, August 13 guidance.

Reporting Positive COVID 19 Results:
There are no changes to this reporting process. As a reminder, SLP providers should continue to report positive test results for staff and residents to HFS daily via fax on the designated template form. You should be sure to indicate if a resident is currently in the building, hospital or has been transferred to a nursing home. The local health department must also be notified of positive tests. If a resident or staff member passes away from COVID-19 or complications from COVID-19, please notify Kara Helton at 217.782.1868. Kara also has the forms.

HFS Phased Reopening Inventory:
HFS Regional Supervisors will be reaching out to individual SLP buildings or corporate staff to gather information regarding planned submission of attestation to Phase 2. They will not be contacting SLP providers with current outbreaks. Phase 2 is not reached until all of the required criteria in the Guidance have been met and a completed HFS SLP COVID-19 Phased Reopening Attestation form is submitted to HFS. Additionally, SLP providers cannot progress to the next phased reopening level if the Restore Illinois region does not meet required metrics. HFS will continue to track positive cases within each building and monitor the reopening phase along with any applicable tiered mitigation assigned by the local health department or IDPH. It is important HFS has current information regarding the status of positive cases within each SLP provider building and its current reopening phase.

HFS noted that at this time Phase 2 is the highest reopening phase to which a SLP provider may attest. Although your buildings may have been operating Phase 2-like due to previous relaxation of guidance in response to reduced COVID cases, this was prior to the issuance of the phased reopening Guidance. Each SLP provider has to formally attest that it meets all of the required criteria for Phase 2. The SLP provider must remain in Phase 2 for 14 days following confirmation by HFS before submitting attestation for Phase 3.

Illinois Regional COVID-19 Resurgence Criteria:
The IDPH’s website for the Illinois Regional COVID-19 Resurgence Criteria provides the region metrics.

Phase Regression:
SLP providers must complete daily assessments to assure all of the phase criteria are still being met. If all of the criteria is not met, the SLP provider must revert to the previous phase until the criterion is fulfilled. NOTE: Providers only need to remain in the previous phase until the criteria is met, not 14 days. Attestation forms must be completed for this phase regression and again later for progression to the next reopening phase when all criteria is met.

If there is a new facility-onset COVID 19 case at any phase of reopening, the SLP provider will revert immediately to Phase 1. New, facility-onset case is defined as “a COVID 19 case that originated in the facility, and not a case where the facility admitted an individual from a hospital with known COVID-19 positive status or unknown COIVD-19 status that became COVID-19 positive within 14 days after admission”.

This also includes any staff member who tests positive. Again, all new positive test results must be reported to HFS daily. HFS central office staff will relay this information to Regional Supervisors. In addition to notifying HFS of the positive test, SLP provider staff must also complete the Attestation form indicating regression to Phase 1 and submit to the Regional Supervisor.

HFS Onsite Visits:
HFS may begin onsite visits on a limited basis for SLP providers that are in Phase 2. These onsite reviews will involve issues of potential harm to residents. Normal review processes are resumed during Phase 3. This includes annual certification reviews.

An HFS FAQ is being developed and will be distributed soon. SLP members can contact Kara Helton at HFS with any questions at 217.782.1868.

Independent Affordable/Subsidized Housing:

LeadingAge Illinois HUD Member Regional Monthly Meetings
The monthly calls take place every third Thursday at 12 p.m. CST, each month and include members and staff from Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Missouri. The calls feature important updates from Linda Couch, vice president of housing policy and Juliana Bilowich, director, housing operations and policy at LeadingAge, Washington, D.C. This month’s call will be held via Zoom virtual format. To RSVP, contact Jason Speaks.

Recap of LeadingAge Call with HUD on CARES Act Payments for Service Coordinators
Yesterday, LeadingAge hosted a call with HUD on CARES Act Payments for Service Coordinators.

CARES Act awards for grant-funded service coordinators are now available from HUD. The supplemental payments will be approximately 9% of operating budgets, and applications for the payments are due through GrantSolutions by September 11. HUD posted instructions to apply and LeadingAge also posted on article with more information.

The CARES Act provided $50 million for Section 202 programs. It specifically provided $10 million for service coordinators and congregate services programs. The funding is to prepare and respond to COVID-19. For this specific funding, a project must be a recipient of service coordinator or congregate services grant that received funding in 2020. The CARES funding is a supplemental award to those existing grants.

Representing HUD were Belinda Koros, Division Director of the Assisted Housing Oversight and Katina Washington, Program Analyst for Grants and New Funding. Washington is the CARES Act funding lead and explained the process on the call. “Hopefully these funds will be able to provide some relief,” said Washington. “We are hoping these funds will be able to address some of your needs and concerns.”

Hospice/Home Health:

Updated Home Health Quality Reporting Program (QRP) COVID-19 Public Reporting (PR) Tip Sheet is Available
The Home Health COVID-19 PR Tip Sheet is now available. The purpose of this Tip Sheet is to help providers understand CMS’ public reporting strategy for the PAC QRP in the midst of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). This Tip Sheet explains the CMS strategy to account for CMS quality data which were exempted from public reporting due to COVID-19, and the impact on CMS’ Home Health Agency (HHA) Compare website refreshes. Please navigate to the Home Health QRP Training webpage to download this document.

Illinois Home Care Services Virtual Bootcamp
LeadingAge Illinois, in partnership with Hinshaw & Culbertson, LLP, is pleased to announce a virtual workshop for Illinois Home Care Services owners, operators, directors, and managers: the Illinois Home Care Services Virtual Bootcamp. You can connect from anywhere to this virtual event.

The curriculum has been designed to give new and not-so-new Home Care Services operators and managers a deep dive into the Illinois’ Home Care Licensure program. Register here.

When:
Wednesday, September 16
10:30 am – 3:00 pm

Faculty:

Hinshaw & Culbertson, LLP
U.S. Department of Labor
LeadingAge Illinois
Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)

Bootcamp Benefits:

Earn up to 3.0 CEs
Direct access to attorneys and DOL staff to have your questions answered
Take part in a Q&A session with LAIL during lunch

Click here for the Boot Camp Brochure

“The Bootcamp is an event every home care agency manager or owner should attend. Extremely valuable. Best speakers of all events I attended this year!”

– Jenna Myrczik, Home Care Services Program Manager, My Solutions

Other:

Member Spotlight: The Voyage Senior Living
Let’s take a voyage down south for this week’s member spotlight.

River to River Residential Corporation was founded on January 4th, 1996. On January 1, 2019, it was rebranded as The Voyage Senior Living. The organization started with a stand-alone community and has expanded to include the now seven communities. The organization serves approximately 325 residents in four southern Illinois communities. The Voyage offers Assisted Living, Memory Care, Supportive Living and Independent Living.

Their assisted living communities offer the Comprehensive Care in Residential Settings (CCRS) program through the Illinois Department on Aging (DoA), which pays for services. In the CCRS program, if the resident meets eligibility requirements, DoA will pay the service portion (housekeeping, laundry, transportation, personal care and medication reminders). “This makes assisted living affordable to many who otherwise might have to go to the nursing home,” said Sherry Barter Hamlin, CEO of The Voyage Senior Living.

Sherry has worked in the aging network her entire 31-year career entire career and has been in her current role for the last 17 years. She is a leader in the association and also in the aging network where she serves on committees such as the Older Adult Services Advisory Committee (OASAC) and the Community Care Program Advisory Committee (CCPAC). She annually opens her doors to state and federal legislators, hosting Partners in Quality visits to educate legislators on the needs or providers and residents and give them a firsthand experience of older adult care and services in action.

Her career has been a labor of love. “More than anything, I enjoy interacting with seniors and advocating for their rights. It is the seniors that I learn from and who provide me with joy,” said Sherry. “I grew up with grandparents who played a huge role in my life. I truly believe they had an impact on my love for seniors and the need to make sure we care for them as they deserve.”

One of my proudest moments for Sherry in her time with the organization was the opening of The Anchor, their memory care community that was started in 2015. It took years to develop and the community offers care in a state-of-the-art building designed specific to meet the needs of highly impaired residents with dementia. The motto of The Anchor is, “there is life with dementia.”

In her over three decades in the industry, she has seen changes. Three of the biggest changes she has seen are residents now being more cognitively impaired than physically impaired, a healthcare worker shortage and the expansion of assisted living. She has seen these changes and looks into the future with clear plans for serving older adults. “We will continue to develop our current campuses. We will also look at underserved communities in southern Illinois. We believe that affordable memory care is vital in serving seniors in southern Illinois. It will be our goal to have a mixture of Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care,” said Sherry.

The mission of The Voyage is to S.E.R.V.E. seniors by providing the highest quality of care in residential communities: Safety, Empathy, Respect, Values & Encouragement. “We are committed to the seniors we serve and the employees who serve them. We are always looking for innovative ideas on how we can deliver better services,” said Sherry.

Voting in the Time of Coronavirus
LeadingAge staff are working on resources to help you and your and residents vote during the upcoming election. LeadingAge heard of many barriers and complications with voting this year due to the pandemic. They will soon be releasing a guide to help providers and members come up with a voting plan and have an online tool that can help individuals learn if they are registered to vote and if they are not, provide the tools for them to register. It will also provide information on how to obtain a mail-in ballot with key deadlines.

LeadingAge staff also met yesterday with the Executive Director of the National Association of Secretaries of State. This discussion led to the agreement that LeadingAge would partner together on a set of FAQs that will be answered by the members of their Election Committee and will be a resource for providers and residents. They also are going to provide us with tools for their “Trusted Info 2020” initiative to help dispel myths and rumors about the upcoming election and we will share this information shortly.

Personal Protective Equipment Update
The LeadingAge Illinois and Value First team continue to work to keep you updated on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and items needed for the reopening phases in your communities. We encourage you to continue to work with your trusted food, medical, and janitorial distributors for your supply needs. However, we are also aware our “normal” channels may still be working to catch up with demands and realize that allocations are still in place. The following vendors have all been vetted for your use. See this letter from LeadingAge Illinois/Value First.

N95 Fit Testing Services
N95 Fit Testing Kits are backordered from most of the medical distributors that Terry Romin, Group Purchasing Advisor for LeadingAge Illinois/Value First, has spoken with this past few days. Please continue to work with your contacts from your medical distributor for updates on when they are expecting to receive the kits for your community.

There are several N95 Fit Testing Services organizations that Terry has reached out to, that may be possible solutions for your community.

Resources:
N95 Mask Fit Testing Services Companies

National Fit Testing Services

Mobile Health Proposal

Mobile Health Proposal #2

Mobile Health Brochure

As LeadingAge Illinois and Value First continue to serve you, please reach out to Terry for supply needs for your community. Also, visit the Value First Website or our resource page for up-to-date information for your community. Terry can be reached at 224.230.7365.

Take Part in the LeadingAge Illinois PAC
The LeadingAge Illinois Political Action Committee (PAC) is a bipartisan, voluntary, not-for-profit organization representing professional men and women in the field of older adult care and services. Affiliated with LeadingAge Illinois, the PAC was created to support LeadingAge Illinois’ friends in the Illinois Legislature and also to gain access to those legislators who may not be current on issues affecting our profession. The 2020 campaign is underway and we encourage you to take part today. Click here for information on how to contribute.

LeadingAge Coronavirus Update Calls
LeadingAge is hosting online updates that will occur Mondays and Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. Subscribe to “LeadingAge Need to Know” via communications preferences in your MyLeadingAge account to receive email updates. Register for the online updates to add these calls to your calendar. You can find an archive of all member updates here.

Also, if you’re a member of both LeadingAge Illinois and LeadingAge National, stay connected with other LeadingAge National Members and share information and resources through the MyLeadingAge Member Community: COVID-19. This is a place to connect with your peers to share and discuss everyday practices related to the coronavirus virus. Take a moment now to log into your my.leadingage.org account and join the group to stay connected. LeadingAge also has a COVID-19 webpage with the latest updates, information and resources for members.

Education:

LeadingAge Illinois Virtual Senior Living Conference
The LeadingAge Illinois Senior Living Conference will take place September 30 and October 1. Click here for the schedule of sessions.

Dementia Leadership Course and Network
LeadingAge Illinois has partnered with AANAC to offer a 6-day virtual workshop. Your registration includes electronic handouts and access to the 10 RAC-CT certification exams. To earn the credential, you must pass the final exams with a score of 80% or higher. You will have 90 days from the date the exams are launched before they expire.

October 26, 27 and 28 and November 2, 3 and 4, 2020
8:00 am – 12:30pm CST each day via Zoom Platform

Courses Include:

MDS Coding for OBRA and PPS, parts 1 and 2
OBRA Timing and Scheduling
Care Area Assessments
Introduction to Medicare Part A
Care Planning
Accurately Assessing Functional Status
Five-Star Quality Rating System
Quality Measures
Managing PDPM in the SNF

Register today!