| Falls Screening and Prevention in Assisted Living | https://publish.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/Falls-Screening-and-Prevention-in-Assisted-Living.aspx | Falls Screening and Prevention in Assisted Living | | | | | 3/13/2023 4:00:00 AM | | <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Each year, there are over 37 million falls, 9 million resulting in injuries, 3 million in emergency department visits, 1 million in hospitalizations, and 36,000 deaths according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Foundation. Falls are often preventable if you know what to screen for and what the risk factors for falls include. The CDC Foundation launched a toolkit that includes <a href="https://www.ncoa.org/age-well-planner/assessment/falls-free-checkup" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]" target="_blank">Falls Free Check-ups</a>. The goal of the CDC’s <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/falls/" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]" target="_blank">toolkit and resources</a> is to prevent and protect older adults from sustaining falls and fall-related injuries by developing and implementing a risk factor prevention program. You can learn more about the program and the CDC Foundation <a href="https://www.cdcfoundation.org/programs/falls" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]">here</a>. </span></p><div><br></div><div>In addition, the CDC Foundation hosted a webinar on screening and prevention which highlighted the importance of using a screening program to identify potential warning indicators of high-risk residents. The tools reviewed were developed by the CDC foundation to prevent and reduce older adult falls. The webinar, titled Screening and Prevention: Tools for Reducing Older Adult Falls, can be found <a href="https://educate.ahcancal.org/products/screening-and-prevention-tools-for-reducing-older-adult-falls?Token=0793d72d-975f-4ae2-9537-514a82ffac31#tab-product_tab_overview" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]" target="_blank">here</a>. <br></div><div><br></div><div>Links: <br></div><div><br></div><div><ul><li>Webinar link - <a href="https://educate.ahcancal.org/products/screening-and-prevention-tools-for-reducing-older-adult-falls?Token=0793d72d-975f-4ae2-9537-514a82ffac31#tab-product_tab_overview" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]">AHCA Education: Screening and Prevention: Tools for Reducing Older Adult Falls (ahcancal.org) </a></li><li><span style="font-size:11pt;">CDC Foundation - <a href="https://www.cdcfoundation.org/programs/falls" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]">Preventing Older Adult Falls and Fall Injuries | CDC Foundation </a></span></li><li><span style="font-size:11pt;">CDC Older Adult Fall Prevention Page - <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/falls/" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]">Older Adult Falls | Fall Prevention | Injury Center | CDC </a></span></li><li><span style="font-size:11pt;">Falls Free CheckUp - <a href="https://www.ncoa.org/age-well-planner/assessment/falls-free-checkup" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]" target="_blank">NCOA's Falls Free CheckUp</a> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;"></span></li></ul></div><p><span style="font-size:11pt;"></span><br></p><p></p> | Each year, there are over 37 million falls, 9 million resulting in injuries, 3 million in emergency department visits, 1 million in hospitalizations, and 36,000 deaths according to the Centers for Disease Control Foundation. | |
| Affordable Infection Prevention Basics Training for Your Staff | https://publish.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/Affordable-Infection-Prevention-Basics-Training-for-Your-Staff.aspx | Affordable Infection Prevention Basics Training for Your Staff | | | | | 2/8/2023 5:00:00 AM | | <p><span style="font-size:11pt;"><em style="color:#555555;font-size:14.6667px;background-color:#ffffff;">ahcancalED</em> offers a 50-minute training on the basics of effective infection prevention and control suitable for all levels of staff members in skilled nursing, assisted living, and ID/DD facilities. </span><br></p><div><br></div><div><a href="https://educate.ahcancal.org/BasicsofIPPostCOVID" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]"><strong>Basics of Infection Prevention & Control in the Post-COVID-19 World </strong></a><strong> </strong></div><div><br></div><div><ul><li>Describes what COVID-19 is, how it spreads and who is most at risk </li><li>Identifies the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and other variants </li><li>Explains staff members’ roles in reporting suspicions of respiratory illnesses </li><li>Discusses key considerations for “return to work” </li><li>Reviews the universal basics of essential infection prevention and control practices </li><li>Addresses common PPE and handwashing errors </li></ul></div><div><br></div><div>This course is a vital tool in a comprehensive infection prevention and control program. No CEs are offered with this course. </div><div><br></div><div><ul><li>Individual Course Fees: $25 for AHCA/NCAL members and $65 for non-members. </li><li>AHCA/NCAL Member Only One-Year Facility Subscription Fee: $500 <em>(Facilities will use one individual's login to access the material throughout the year that may viewed individually or in small groups as part of staff in-service trainings.) </em></li></ul></div><div><br></div><div>Individuals will need to login to <em>ahcancalED</em> with their AHCA/NCAL usernames and passwords to <a href="https://educate.ahcancal.org/BasicsofIPPostCOVID" data-feathr-click-track="true" target="_blank" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]">register</a>. For assistance obtaining usernames and passwords, members should e-mail <a href="mailto:educate@ahca.org" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]">educate@ahca.org</a> with their name and facility contact information.<br></div> | According to the U.S. Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, age currently is the leading risk factor for COVID hospitalizations and deaths. | |
| PHE Unwinding — Returning to Medicaid Eligibility Redetermination | https://publish.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/PHE-Unwinding-Returning-to-Medicaid-Eligibility-Redetermination.aspx | PHE Unwinding — Returning to Medicaid Eligibility Redetermination | | | | | 2/7/2023 5:00:00 AM | | <p>The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 laid out timelines for states to return to regular Medicaid redeterminations, which were paused during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. For providers, this means your state will begin redetermining all residents covered by Medicaid in February, March or April 2023, and your buildings will begin receiving Redetermination Notices all together depending upon your state’s start date.<br><br>Additional information is available in this <a href="/Survey-Regulatory-Legal/Emergency-Preparedness/Documents/COVID19/Returning-to-Medicaid-Eligibility-Redetermination.pdf" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]">AHCA/NCAL memo</a>.</p> | The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 laid out timelines for states to return to regular Medicaid redeterminations, which were paused during the COVID-19 PHE. | |
| Emergency Management Programs in Long Term Care – Planning for When Bad Days Happen | https://publish.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/Emergency-Management-Programs-in-Long-Term-Care-–-Planning-for-When-Bad-Days-Happen.aspx | Emergency Management Programs in Long Term Care – Planning for When Bad Days Happen | | | | | 1/31/2023 5:00:00 AM | | <p></p><p>Power grid failure, severe weather impact, hazardous materials release, another pandemic - Oh My!!! Bad days happen in our society and specifically within the realm of long term care (LTC) and assisted living (AL) facilities. Take an incident that recently occurred at an assisted living community, for example. A sprinkler pipe burst, flooding their clinical areas and mechanical room. Fortunately, they had a comprehensive emergency management program and operations plan, making them better prepared for the event they experienced. </p><p><strong>Emergency Management Programs in Healthcare</strong></p><p>Many consider healthcare facilities the light on the hill during the darkest hours due to their planning, resources, and ability to continue to care for their residents in the face of adversity. Staff, residents, families, and the community all look to healthcare facilities to be ready to provide for the residents. </p><p> How can facilities plan for the next adverse event? The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), as well as other accrediting bodies, all require some facet of risk stratification and planning. Consequently, emergency management programs are implemented to assess and mitigate risks where possible and provide a process for continuous planning and preparation for incident response and recovery. From risk assessments involving local community partners to training and exercising of staff, emergency management can encompass a significant amount of time and resources.</p><p><strong>Incorporating an All-Hazards Approach</strong></p><p>Creating an emergency management program that incorporates all-hazards planning, in addition to hazard-specific planning, is paramount to helping guide the facility's response. A foundation of a good emergency management program is an all-hazards approach. This is an integrated approach to emergency preparedness planning that considers the full spectrum of emergencies and disasters. It requires prior thought, frequent assessment, planning, and continual revision and updates and should incorporate broad approaches applicable within multiple types of incidents (e.g., building lockdown). This is unlike event-specific plans which are more detailed in their guidance to address known risks, including electronic health record system failure, loss of fire protection systems, and more. </p><p><strong>Implementing Successful Emergency Response Plans</strong></p><p>Just writing a plan is not enough if they are never adopted or utilized. The above-mentioned facility was able to respond and recover successfully because they actively implemented robust emergency management plans, which guided them in establishing their command center, managing internal flooding and power loss, and evacuating the building. Additionally, emergency management plans, including their full building evacuation plan (FBE), provided the leadership team and staff with pre-established tools for success, including job action sheets, resident preparation guides, and floor plans that identified stairwells for resident evacuation and for staff and first responders to travel up. </p><p>The facility's staff and residents were also trained, tested, and ready to respond. While the continual training of staff on the implementation of the plans and processes can be a challenge, it is essential for a successful response and recovery. Drills, exercises, and other approaches not only help to prepare staff and validate training but also identify additional gaps. </p><p>Have you taken all the steps to assess the risks of, mitigate, plan for, respond to, and recover from your next bad day? If not, the AHCA's <a href="https://ahcapublications.org/products/emergency-preparedness-program?_pos=1&_sid=085f0fe1c&_ss=r" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]" target="_blank">Emergency Preparedness Program Best Practice Guidebook</a> can assist in developing and optimizing your customized Emergency Management Program and plans, including tools for success to help face your next adverse event. This AHCA <a href="https://educate.ahcancal.org/products/developing-and-maintaining-a-comprehensive-emergency-preparedness-program#tab-product_tab_overview" data-feathr-click-track="true" data-feathr-link-aids="["60b7cbf17788425491b2d083"]">webinar</a> will also provide overview of the critical components of a comprehensive EPP, outlines various updated requirements, explores new high profile risks, and reviews best practices learned from real events.<br></p><p><em>This article was written by </em><span style="text-align:justify;font-size:11pt;"><em>Bobby Baker, Jensen Hughes Healthcare + Emergency Management Service Line Leader; </em></span><span style="text-align:justify;font-size:11pt;"><em>Jim Garrow, Jensen Hughes Senior Emergency Management Consultant.</em></span></p><p><br></p> | | |