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AHCA, NCAL Say Even with COVID Restrictions, Residents Have Right to Vote<p>​As Election Day nears, the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) said residents of long term care (LTC) facilities have a right to have their voices heard, even if the communities in which they live are operating with COVID-19 restrictions.</p><p>“With the election less than a month away and a pandemic that uniquely targets the LTC population still rampant, providers have an opportunity to play a larger role in helping residents exercise their right to vote in 2020,” AHCA/NCAL said.</p><p>“As the prevalence of COVID-19 continues to require targeted restrictions and precautions for indoor visiting, previous strategies to facilitate voting for residents, such as making facilities polling places on Election Day, have likely shifted to reduce the risk to residents and staff. Nonetheless, our seniors and other residents have a right to make their voice heard, and providers should make every effort to assist them in doing so.”</p><p>To learn more, go to <a href="https&#58;//www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/Helping-Residents-Vote-in-2020.aspx">https&#58;//www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/Helping-Residents-Vote-in-2020.aspx</a>.</p><p>In other developments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is releasing a new pathway through its National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) LTCF COVID-19 Module that will allow providers to report the results of their Point of Care (POC) COVID-19 testing. <a href="https&#58;//www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/Point-of-Care-Laboratory-Reporting-Pathway-in-NHSN.aspx">Read More.</a><br></p>2020-10-21T04:00:00Z<img alt="" src="/Breaking-News/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/senior_man_nurse.jpg" style="BORDER&#58;0px solid;" />ManagementPatrick ConnoleLTC residents have a right to have their voices heard, even if the facilities in which they live are operating with COVID-19 restrictions.
Association Staff Member Elected to National Board<p>One of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living’s (AHCA/NCAL’s) own will be representing the association’s quality efforts on a national scale. The board of the <a href="https&#58;//www.baldrigealliance.org/">Alliance for Performance Excellence</a>, which serves member programs and other organizations aiming to improve their performance using the Baldrige Excellence Framework, has elected Urvi Patel, director of quality improvement at AHCA/NCAL, to its board of directors. </p><p>“This is deserved recognition of her leadership of the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program, which is one of the largest and most successful Baldrige-based programs,” says Courtney Bishnoi, vice president of quality and programs at AHCA. “Urvi has already proven adept at building relationships with these programs through sharing information and best practices. She will be a great addition to the board.”</p><p>The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program provides a pathway for long term and post-acute care providers to journey toward performance excellence. The program, which debuted in 1996 is based on the core values and criteria of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. Read more <a href="https&#58;//www.ahcancal.org/Quality/National-Quality-Award-Program/Pages/default.aspx">here.​</a></p>2020-10-15T04:00:00Z<img alt="" src="/Breaking-News/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/0220_News2.jpg" style="BORDER&#58;0px solid;" />ManagementAmy MendozaDirector of Quality Improvement Urvi Patel will be representing AHCA/NCAL’s quality efforts on a national scale.
AHCA, NCAL Convention & Expo Opens, Bringing Virtual Learning and Networking Experience<p>For the first time, the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) is conducting its annual convention and expo on a virtual basis, driven to do so by the COVID-19 pandemic that will keep long term and post-acute care providers from meeting in person, but not from experiencing a nearly month-long opportunity to gain education credits from dozens of learning sessions.</p><p>Attendees also have opportunities to meet with their peers during extensive online networking and social breaks.</p><p>The convention, which started Thursday afternoon with a national moment of silence for those lives lost in long term care facilities to the coronavirus, will run through Oct. 31 with a full schedule of events staggered throughout the month. Already, AHCA/NCAL has announced its two new boards for 2020-2021, which is just the beginning of what will be many important functions and information sharing during the annual confab, says Mark Parkinson, AHCA/NCAL president and chief executive officer.</p><p>“There is a heck of a lot of information we have been able to put together to help providers in our continued battle against COVID,” he says. “Providers can really learn a lot to help in their care management in buildings, and I think it is important we all come together even if not in person to hold virtually meetings that have real value. We hope this is our last virtual convention, but we will make the most of it.” </p><p>The start, with the moment of silence, set the tone for this year’s event, Parkinson notes, calling the pandemic “an unprecedented clinical nightmare” in long term care facilities. “The number of residents and staff that have been infected with COVID and died is just staggering, so we thought it appropriate to take a moment to reflect on their lives and their losses and just on what a serious problem this has been.” </p><p>The Oct. 8 Opening General Session featured guest speakers including Parkinson, astronaut Captain Scott Kelly, presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize winner Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Leon Logothetis, global adventurer and motivational speaker.</p><p>The Opening General Session will play again Friday, Oct. 9, at 12&#58;00 p.m. (ET) with a live chat to allow attendees to reflect with one another on the powerful words and moving experiences of the speakers regarding the coronavirus. Make sure to stay until the very end for lots of exciting surprise guests offering support and thanks.</p><p>As of Oct. 8, more than 1,500 long term care professionals had registered to attend the AHCA/NCAL Virtual Convention &amp; Expo. Registration is open throughout the entire month of October. To see the full schedule and learn more, visit <a href="https&#58;//www.eventscribe.com/2020/AHCANCAL/aaStatic.asp?SFP=WURZVUdSWVlAMzk3NA">www.eventscribe.com/2020/AHCANCAL/aaStatic.asp?SFP=WURZVUdSWVlAMzk3NA.​</a></p>2020-10-09T04:00:00Z<img alt="" src="/Breaking-News/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/senior_lady.jpg" style="BORDER&#58;0px solid;" />ManagementAmy MendozaThe Opening General Session will replay Friday, Oct. 9, at noon, Eastern time, with a live chat to let attendees reflect together on the powerful words of the speakers regarding the pandemic.
AHCA, NCAL Elect Boards for 2020-2021 Term; Meade and Crunk Remain Chairs<p>The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) elected AHCA’s Board of Governors and NCAL's Board of Directors for the 2020/2021 term, confirming Debbie Meade of Georgia’s re-election as AHCA chair and Helen Crunk of Nebraska’s re-election as NCAL chair. </p><p>“I am proud to work alongside these extraordinary titans in our sector,” said Mark Parkinson, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of AHCA/NCAL. “This has been our most challenging year, and their leadership is critical as they guide us through this unprecedented time.”</p><p>New AHCA Board members include Randy Bury, CEO of the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society; Sarah Schumann, vice president of operations at Brookside Inn; and Heath Boddy, president and CEO of the Nebraska Health Care Association and president of the Affiliated State Health Care Association Executives (ASHCAE).</p><p><br>Members of AHCA’s 2020-2021 Board include&#58;</p><p>•&#160;Debbie Meade of Health Management (Georgia), AHCA Chair<br>•&#160;Phil Fogg of Marquis Companies (Oregon), AHCA Vice Chair<br>•&#160;Phil Scalo of Bartley Healthcare (New Jersey), Secretary/Treasurer<br>•&#160;J. Mark Traylor of Traylor Porter Healthcare (Alabama), Independent Owner Representative<br>•&#160;Steve Flatt of National Healthcare Corp. (Tennessee), Multifacility Representative<br>•&#160;Randy Bury of The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society (South Dakota), Not for Profit Representative<br>•&#160;Derek Prince of HMG Healthcare (Texas), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Joe Mitchell of Summit Care (Florida), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Sarah Schumann of Brookside Inn (Colorado), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Julianne Williams of Dycora Transitional Health (California), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Chris Wright of iCare Health Network (Connecticut), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Helen Crunk of Pemberly Place Management &amp; Archer Place Medical Clinic (Nebraska), NCAL Representative<br>•&#160;Heath Boddy of Nebraska Health Care Association (Nebraska), ASHCAE Representative<br>•&#160;Betsy Rust of Plante Moran (Michigan), Associate Business Member (ABM) Representative; and<br>•&#160;Michael Wylie of Genesis HealthCare (Pennsylvania), Immediate Past Chair.</p><p>The NCAL Board of Directors welcomed newcomers Todd Dockerty, CEO of Dockerty Health Care Services; Stacy Hejda, vice president of regulatory compliance at Assisted Living Partners; and ASHCAE Vice President Jessie Samples of the Tennessee Health Care Association.</p><p>The members of NCAL’s 2020-2021 Board of Directors include&#58; </p><p>•&#160;Helen Crunk of Pemberly Place (Nebraska), Chair<br>•&#160;Gerald Hamilton of BeeHive Homes of Albuquerque (New Mexico), Vice Chair<br>•&#160;Mark Maxfield of The Cottages (Idaho), Secretary/Treasurer<br>•&#160;Patricia Giorgio of Evergreen Estates (Iowa), Immediate Past Chair<br>•&#160;John Bolduc of Odd Fellows' and Rebekahs' Home of Maine (Maine), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Rod Burkett of Gardant Management Solutions (Illinois), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Megan Campbell of IntegraCare Corp. (Pennsylvania), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Sue Coppola of Sunrise Senior Living (Virginia), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Ana de la Cerda of Aegis Living (Washington), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Todd Dockerty of Dockerty Health Care Services (Michigan), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Darryl Fisher of Mission Senior Living (Nevada), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Denise German of Medicalodges (Kansas), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Stacy Hejda of Assisted Living Partners (Iowa), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Barbara Mitchell of Magnolia Manor (Georgia), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Sean Mockbee of Sunshine Village (Arizona), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Gail Sheridan of Tealwood Care Centers (Minnesota), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Sarah Silva of Avamere Health Services (Oregon), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Elizabeth Wheatley of Five Star Senior Living (Arizona), At-large Representative<br>•&#160;Doug Farmer of Colorado Health Care Association (Colorado), State Affiliate Representative<br>•&#160;David Voepel of Arizona Health Care Association (Arizona), State Affiliate Representative; and<br>•&#160;Shawn Scott of Medline Industries (Illinois), ABM Representative.</p><p>The ex-officio members on the NCAL Board of Directors include Meade as the AHCA chair and Fogg as the AHCA vice chair, as well as ASHCAE Vice President Jessie Samples.</p><p>“This year’s NCAL Board incorporates leaders from across the nation that will go above and beyond to help our assisted living members succeed,” said Scott Tittle, executive director of NCAL. “Now more than ever, we need strong individuals to lead us in this fight against COVID-19, and this group is prepared to do just that.”</p><p>Members of the AHCA Board of Governors are elected by the association’s governing body, the Council of States. The NCAL Board of Directors is elected by current members of the NCAL Board and by NCAL State Leaders.</p>2020-10-07T04:00:00Z<img alt="" src="/Breaking-News/PublishingImages/740%20x%20740/capitol_moon_night.jpg" style="BORDER&#58;0px solid;" />ManagementPatrick ConnoleThe American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living have elected AHCA’s Board of Governors and NCAL's Board of Directors for the 2020/2021 term.