Tag Archives for Nursing facility

Fix the Nursing Facility Problem Once and For All

Published in Pawtucket Times on April 28, 2003

Forty-years ago, the Senate Aging Committee hearings put the spotlight on the poor care provided in the nation’s nursing facilities.

This month, the April 2003 special issue of “the Gerontologist” sends the troubling message that nationwide improvement in nursing facility care is not likely.

Despite substantial regulatory oversight, Joshua Wiener, of the Urban Institute said “quality of care in nursing homes remains problematic. Quality of care in nursing facilities remains a problem for which there are not simple solutions.”

Before this national crisis can e directly confronted, increased staffing and raising the wages of nursing facility workers appear to be necessary preconditions for improving care quality and should receive high priority, said Weiner. (Rhode Island nursing facility providers hold similar beliefs and have called on Gov. Don Carcieri and state lawmakers to provide the necessary funding to raise facility worker’s wages.

The article’s written by 14 prominent policy experts in this special issue – “The Challenges in Nursing Home Care” – address central concerns in nursing facility care and help provide answers to questions, such as how these facilities can be financed and how care can be delivered.

The articles in this issue are the result of a conference held at Florida State University that was sponsored in part by the National Institute on Aging.

Dr. Quadagno and Dr. Stahl, guest editors of this special issue, believe a major challenge at both the national and state levels concerns the effective recruitment, training and retention of certified nursing aides.  Nursing aides, they pointed out provide about 60 percent of total nursing hours to residents (Again, this observation has been delivered to lawmakers at numerous legislative hearings on Smith Hill).

Many experts who wrote articles in this special issue contend the overall quality of nursing facility care in America still remains poor.  There are serious ongoing quality problems.

And like the rest of the nation, Rhode Island’s facilities are having problems recruiting and retaining certified nursing aids and providing higher wages to them as they receive inadequate Medicaid reimbursement.

What can be done about it?

Simply put, improving the quality of care in Rhode Island nursing facilities is directly linked to getting adequate Medicaid funding. The state must pay a fair rate when facilities are required  to provide quality care to 10,000-plus vulnerable Ocean State seniors who require intensive 24-hour-a-day care.

“The Principes of Reimbursement for nursing facilities are grossly underfunded,” charged Hugh Hall, president of the Rhode Island Health Care Association (RIHCA), a state-wide trade group representing nursing facility providers.

Hall, who is the administrator of the Cherry Hill Manor Nursing & rehabilitation Center in Johnston, estimated only two percent of the state’s nursing facilities are receiving adequate Medicaid reimbursement to cover their true costs of care.

Hall said that unless reimbursement is addressed swiftly, the quality of care delivered by facilities will begin to suffer the effects of the continued lack of attention of state policy makers.

“There is always another need for state tax dollars to be spent elsewhere,” Hall said, recognizing the growing number of special interest groups, who approach the General Assembly each year.

“Hopefully, it will be spent on where it is needed most, on the state’s frailest citizens,” he said, noting that “if the state does not spend it on them, who will?”

According to Alfred Santos, RIHCA’s executive director, the General Assembly is considering legislation (H 5803/S 0901) that would revise the state’s Principles of Reimbursement. Passage would begin to address the inadequate funding of the state’s nursing facilities, he said.

The legislative proposals, referred to the House and Senate Finance Committees, reflect the findings of an 18-month study of B.D.O Seidman, a consulting firm hired by the Department of Human Services to review and recommend fixest to the state’s flawed reimbursement system. Santos said one of the findings of this study was the state was underpaying facilities in excess of $ 30 million annually.

It’s time to fix the state’s flawed Medicaid reimbursement system once and for all. A Band-aid solution is not the appropriate approach considering the growing number of Ocean State seniors who will require higher levels of intensive care.

At an AARP  debate in gubernatorial candidates last September, this writer asked Carcieri if he would budget $ 15 million to overhaul the existing Medicaid payment system. The additional funding would greatly improve the quality of care and services provided to 10,000-plus nursing facility residents.

With this additional $ 15 million in state funding, the federal government would pick up another $ 15 million for a total of $ 30 million. This funding would allow Rhode Island facilities to provide quality care.

Candidate Carcieri acknowledged it would be difficult to find $ 15 million to fix the system because of the state’s looming budget deficit.

But there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. When the dust settles on the governor’s “Big Audit,” state funds may be identified and targeted toward ratcheting up the state’s inadequate reimbursement rate.

Combine these newly discovered funds with new tx revenues generated from the Lincoln greyhound track and you might just have the $15 million in state funds required to bring in millions of federal dollars.

For those Rhode Island seniors who are currently in nursing facilities, and for their children and grandchildren who may unfortunately require that intensive level of care, lawmakers must fix the payment problem once and for all.

Hopefully, Carcieri, along with the General Assembly, will not allow the B.D.O. Seidman report’s recommendations on fixing the state’s Medicaid payment system to sit on the dusty shelf in the Department of Human Services.

If that happens, what a waste of taxpayer money.

The Best of…Little Things Count When Deciding on a Nursing Home

Published April 23, 2001, Pawtucket Times          

           It isn’t easy operating a nursing facility these days.

           The high turn over rate of certified nursing assistants has drastically impacted the quality of care provided in facilities.  And this direct care staffing shortage is also financially hurting facilities too, reducing their financial stability, even pushing many towards bankruptcy.

          According to the Rhode Island Health Care Association, eight out of the state’s 105 nursing homes have filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, two are currently in state receivership and two more were recently ordered closed by the Department of Health.

         In these difficult financial times for nursing facilities, especially with a state-wide shortage of certified nursing assistants, youmusts become a better shopper when seeking the most appropriate nursing facility to place your loved one.

       “Until there is a health crisis, families don’t often think about nursing facility care until it’s too late,” states Roberta Hawkins, executive director of the Alliance for Better Long Term Care who serves as the state’s ombudsman on the behalf of 10,000 Rhode Island nursing home residents.  “If  it’s possibly, just plan ahead,” Hawkins recommends.

      “Your state health department provides a comprehensive list of nursing homes and their survey results to help you determine if the facility is reputable,” states Hawkins.

       According to Hawkins, word of mouth or personal recommendations from family, friends, neighbors, hospital discharge planners, and her nonprofit advocacy group about a nursing home’s care are key bits of information to determine if the facility is well managed.

        “The Alliance also offers a free phone help line to assist matching the particular needs of a person with a specific facility,”  Hawkins adds.

       With more than 20 years of experience under her belt in assisting families find the right nursing facility for the loved ones, Hawkins gives simple tips on selecting a facility.

        Hawkins suggested that a need for upgraded services for residents requiring intensive medical care, special rehabilitation therapies and dietary requirements, along with religious and cultural needs should also be taken into account before selecting a facility.

       Location should not always be a deciding factor in selecting a nursing facility.  Carefully choose a facility that meets your loved ones medical, personality and social needs.

       In many cases, this critical decision is made only for convenience of family members or visitors.  If an elderly spouse can not drive, make sure that the selected facility is on a bus line.  Keeping a married couple close together is very important for their psychological well-being.

       Always have the older person in need of skilled nursing care, actively participate in choosing a facility even if they can’t physically visit the site.  Family members can also provide this person with brochures and admission materials.

      Don’t choose a facility on the basis of a beautiful physical exterior, fancy rugs, or glittering chandeliers, Hawkins says.  When visiting a nursing facility, always observe how staff members interact with residents and each other — look for laughter, a pleasant environment, and a strong activity program.

       For those frail residents who are bed bound, look for a stable nursing staff.

       Ask yourself, is the facility’s environment cheerful in appearance and clean?

        Are the bedrooms warm looking and do they reflect the residents individuality?  Or do they all look the same, like hotel rooms.

        Find out if residents are allowed to bring in personal belongings such as chairs, tables, lamps or even a television set into their rooms.

        For those persons who always loved nature and being outdoors, find out if the nursing facility has an outside area for sitting or walking.  Determine if this area is accessible to a wheelchair bound person who might want to roll outside to listen to the birds.  This simple amenity is very important.

        When touring a facility determine if a dining room is available for eating meals and space to allow residents to socialize with each other and participate in activities.

         Is there a real working activities room?  A resident who has always been involved in crafts and enjoys participating in group activities will want to select a facility with a well-run activities program.

         Also, be aware of how the nursing facility smells.  Sometimes you may smell strong odors of deodorants.  This might be covering up unpleasant odors.

        Listen for sounds of buzzers, rung by residents in need of help, and observe how quickly staff responds.

         When walking the halls, say “hello” to the staff you meet.  Do the staff pleasantly respond to you?  IF not, consider that they may not respond           well to your loved one.

         Walk in and talk with residents gathered in a community room.  In conversation, find out how long they have lived at the facility.  Ask if they like the facility and are they respected as individuals by staff.

         If you see residents in restraints lying or sleeping in a chair or wheelchair, this may be a red flag for poor care.  The facility may not have enough staff to allow the residents to lay down in bed for a nap in the afternoon.

         After you locate your facility, “put your name on the waiting list,” Hawkins recommends, even if the nursing facility admissions will occur months later.

         For those afflicted with Alzheimer’s and related dementia, it is wise for these individuals to be admitted earlier in the disease process to get them acclimated to the facility and for the staff to learn more about the resident’s habits, likes and dislikes.

        Herb Weiss is a Pawtucket-based freelance writer covering aging, health care and medical issues.  This Column appeared in the Pawtucket Times on April 23, 2001.