An Important Message to our Members

Dear Members,

We want to inform you that Linda MowBray, President and CEO is currently on Family and Medical Leave of Absence (FMLA) and will not be responding to emails or work-related text messages. During this time, we want Linda to be able to fully focus on her husband and his needs.

To ensure continuity and support during Linda’s absence, Polly Berkley will handle many of the requests and inquiries that would normally go to Linda. Polly can be reached at pberkley@khca.org or by phone at the office 785-267-6003.

Questions related to:

• Membership, contact Director of Membership Jennafer Sumner at jsumner@khca.org
• Financial matters, contact Director of Finance Kristin Plantz at kplantz@khca.org 
• Webinars, CE’s and the AIT program, please contact Special Programs Coordinator, Teresa Keating at tkeating@khca.org
• 
  

As always, you can reach the entire team at khca@khca.org

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this time.  

Antipsychotic meds worsen behavior, study shows; MDs defend, call for alternatives

A new study of nearly 500,000 nursing home residents who were prescribed antipsychotic medications has found an increase in negative behaviors compared to those who were not given such drugs. READ MORE

Now Available: AHCA/NCAL Webinar Recording on Encouraging Vaccinations

In this webinar, AHCA/NCAL’s Dr. David Gifford, Chief Medical Officer, and Courtney Bishnoi, Vice President of Quality and Programs, along with HHS’s Kelly Langford, Online Communications Director, shared resources and strategies to overcome vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccine uptake among long term care residents and staff. READ MORE

TOMORROW Webinar: Welcome to the World of Dietary! LTC Refresher Course

December 12th, 2024 - 10:00AM - 2:30PM

Dietary department need a refresh? Sharpen your dietary knowledge and establish effective dietary department systems when you join Proactive for this virtual workshop. This 4-hour training will review team building, food service regulations, documentation requirements, IDT collaboration, preventing common deficiencies and much more! Co-presented by a dual Registered Dietitian and Nursing Home Administrator and a nurse/legal nurse consultant, your team will gain insights into the dietitian role, effective dietary systems and recommended QA oversight and management duties of the facility administrator! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to elevate the quality of your dietary department.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the importance of staff development, training, and teamwork in the dietary department.
• Identify the regulatory requirements pertinent to the dietary manager role.
• Identify survey procedures surveyors will follow to assess compliance with dietary related requirements.
• Recognize areas of common deficiencies and how to avoid them.
• Discuss integration of systems between nursing and dietary departments.
• Describe best practices for implementing and/or improving assessment and documentation practices pertinent to systems related to nutrition and hydration.
• Understand the role of the dietary manager in collaborating with the IDT to manage systems related to nutrition and hydration and reducing weight loss in LTC facilities

Click here for more details.

Call for presentations

An essential service to our association is offering high quality training and education to our members. We invite you to join us in our commitment to delivering timely, relevant, and engaging information as we prepare for our 2025 Education Calendar.

We are looking for topics that fit skilled nursing, assisted living, home plus and residential health care communities.

Click here to learn more on our needs and how you can submit a proposal.

Clinical Update from KHCA Consultant Linda Farrar

Based on survey findings, discussion of accurate and timely completion of a Discharge Summary when a resident leaves the facility. Beginning February 24. 2025, F661 will be relocated to F628 and F627. READ MORE

Federal Assisted Living Legislation Expected To Be Introduced Before Year’s End

McKnight’s Senior Living (12/6, Bowers) said, "Federal assisted living legislation is expected to be introduced by US Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) before the end of the year, LeadingAge Minnesota reported Thursday." The legislation, "according to LeadingAge Minnesota, would establish an Assisted Living Advisory Council that would recommend best practices for assisted living, create a voluntary process for assisted living communities to report their performance related to the recommendations, and develop an online dashboard where consumers could view the performance reports." Groups including NCAL have "submitted formal comments about the legislation, according to the state association." AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Clif Porter said, "We think that states do a better job in regulating, particularly because assisted living models and community-based models are extremely unique."

McKnight’s Senior Living (12/9, Bonvissuto) reports, "Federal oversight of the assisted living industry would be duplicative and would divert resources away from significant work already underway to create best practices for the setting, according to national senior living organizations." These "comments follow the news that US Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) may introduce federal assisted living legislation by year-end." NCAL Executive Director LaShuan Bethea "told McKnight’s Senior Living said the organization will continue working with Kelly and other legislators to ensure that assisted living communities ‘have the flexibility to meet the unique needs of their residents through state regulation, while ensuring seniors and their families have the clarity and resources they need.’" 

Webinar: Welcome to the World of Dietary! LTC Refresher Course

12/12/24 - 10:00AM-2:30PM

Click here for more details.

Webinar: Documentation in Depth: Supportive Documentation for Infection Prevention and Control

12/17/24 - 1:30PM-2:30PM

Click here for more details.