LTSS webinar, January 28 – Oregon’s Aging and People with Disabilities Tribal Navigator Program

Update on the minimum staffing standards

Last month, to avoid impacting access to care in rural and tribal communities, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) repealed key provisions of the minimum staffing standards for long-term care (LTC) facilities.

The provisions set minimum nurse-aide and registered-nurse hours of care per resident per day as part of the Minimum Staffing Standards for LTC Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting Final Rule.

Tribal communities had previously shared concerns about their ability to comply with the minimum staffing provisions, given Indian Country’s unique funding and staffing challenges. During the open comment period prior to the rule’s release, CMS’s Tribal Technical Advisory Group wrote (PDF, 221 KB, 9 pp):

“Tribal long-term care facilities receive no funding from the Indian Health Service (IHS) and are nearly entirely dependent on Medicare and Medicaid funding to operate. As a result, if proposed staffing standards like these are too expensive or not possible to meet due to staffing shortages, tribal LTC facilities will simply cease to exist, and there will be no more long-term care in our communities.”

HHS is taking steps to ensure future policymaking includes robust tribal consultation.

PCTI services guide

A person-centered, trauma-informed (PCTI) approach to service delivery helps create an environment where elders and their families are more likely to seek support. It also promotes resilience and reduces burnout among service providers.

That’s why State Unit on Aging leadership and staff should fully understand and adopt the PCTI approach, as noted in a recently published guide for State Units on Aging (PDF, 5.9 MB, 28 pp).

The guide was researched and written by a workgroup that included people affiliated with the International Association for Indigenous Aging and the National Council on Indian Aging.

The PCTI approach combines principles of person-centered and trauma-informed care, as shown in this image from Changing States’ Approach to Aging Services: A Guide on the Person-Centered, Trauma-Informed Approach for State Units on Aging.

No-cost course on PCTI care

Individuals and teams are invited to complete a recently refreshed self-paced course on PCTI care.

Available online at no cost, PCTI Essentials for Aging Services includes videos, downloadable resources, and assignments to promote reflection and assess knowledge.

The course is intended for social workers, policy makers, community leaders, organization executives, and family caregivers. People who complete the course will be better able to:

• Explain how trauma impacts health, aging, family caregiving, and service delivery
• Provide an overview of the PCTI approach
• Apply the PCTI approach in different care settings and across populations

Oregon’s Aging and People with Disabilities Tribal Navigator Program

Have questions for our presenters? Let us know before the webinar by emailing LTSSinfo@kauffmaninc.com.

Register now.

AARP Family Caregiving Guide

The AARP Family Caregiving Guide (PDF, 11.5 MB, 20 pp) helps family members plan their caregiving journey, based on the needs of their loved ones.

The guide provides resources for every stage of care, from starting the care conversation to navigating available services to coping with grief. Key topics include financial, legal, and technological considerations as well as tips for creating or updating a caregiving plan.

“Caring for a family member or close friend is one of the most important roles you’ll ever play. Everyone’s caregiving journey is unique.”
– AARP

ACCESS Model

American Society on Aging webinars

Elder abuse symposium

IHS Clinical and Community Workforce Summit

Tribal Public Health Conference