Deadline: Wednesday, Oct. 15th

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 4.3 million Americans have yet to claim their economic stimulus payments from the government.

PHI encourages employers and advocates to reach out to seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income workers to ensure they get their checks. CPBB has outreach materials available.

The tax filing deadline to receive a stimulus check is October 15. The IRS website provides information on how to file, and includes answers to frequently asked questions. Even if your income is too low to owe taxes, you must file to receive a check. An easy online tool is available at both the AARP and National Council on Aging’s websites.

It provides simple, easy-to-understand instructions along with the ability to complete and print the IRS 1040A form, with instructions on where to mail it.

Times are tough all around with this uncertain economy, so there’s never been a better time to receive a stimulus check.

Aaron Toleos, Online Communications Director
atoleos@phinational.org

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a final rule that will allow states to use their Medicaid funds for consumer-directed services without a Medicaid waiver.

Many more Medicaid beneficiaries will now be able to take charge of their own personal assistance services instead of having those services directed by an agency. Continue Reading

Last week, PHI submitted — and asked you to submit — the following question to the Oct 7 “town hall” presidential debate:

By 2016, we will need a million more direct-care workers to care for our elders. But direct-care jobs pay poverty wages and have massive rates of turnover. How will you ensure that America has a workforce that is prepared to care for its aging population?

Thank you to everyone that followed through with this request. Unfortunately, the question was not asked.

Keeping the Pressure On

This week, PHI is encouraging readers to submit the question directly to the presidential candidates through their websites at BarackObama.com and JohnMcCain.com.

Please copy and submit our question from above or formulate your own. If you need ideas for the latter, I recommend taking a look at the following PHI resources:

• National Policy Agenda: Quality Assurance (pdf)
• National Policy Agenda: Training & Support (pdf)
• National Policy Agenda: Wages & Benefits (pdf)

The final presidential debate is scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, at Hofstra University. The host will be Bob Schieffer.

Aaron Toleos, Online Communications Director
atoleos@phinational.org

A big part of PHI’s work is helping long-term care organizations improve staff retention. That’s because staff retention is critical to the quality of care.

If you are considering a nursing home for a loved one, staff turnover is definitely something you will want to inquire about.

Advancing Excellence, a campaign to improve the quality of America’s nursing homes, has eight primary goals for improving quality care, one of which is staff retention. For this goal, Advancing Excellence has developed a fact sheet for consumers (pdf), which suggests good questions to ask when judging the quality of nursing home care. For example: Continue Reading

Executive Leader Seminar on Coaching Supervision
October 22-24, Traverse City, Michigan

PHI Michigan is pleased to open its 3-day Executive Leader Seminar on Coaching Supervision and Leadership to organizations across the country. This seminar is designed for CEOs, COOs, Managers, and other Executive Leaders in all long-term care organizations to learn more about the PHI coaching supervision program and how it can enhance the implementation of a person-directed caregiving culture.

PHI’s Coaching Approach to Supervision training offers a unique approach to ending the revolving door of high staff turnover. Through skill-based training, long-term care supervisors learn to support direct-care staff while also holding them accountable. By building constructive, positive relationships, managers show their respect for staff while also helping them become better communicators and stronger problem solvers capable of delivering quality care.

Overall coaching supervision has been shown to:

• Create a culture of shared commitment to communication and problem solving.
• Improve job performance of direct-care staff and quality of care for consumers.
• Reduce the number of “fires” that managers have to put out each day.
• Reduce the cycle of turnover and create a more stable workforce.

Since we trained our supervisors in coaching supervision, people think differently. There is more effort to understand the root cause of a performance problem, and supervisors work with direct caregivers to make plans to address problems when they arise.

–Vice President of Clinical Services, VNA of Chittenden County, VT

This seminar allows executive leaders to experience the 2-day Coaching Approach to Supervision and time to think and plan how to bring the approach to their organization.

Learn More

Fees for the 3-day session are $729.00 plus lodging, if required. Registration closes October 8, 2008. For more information about the seminar, the location at Spider Lake Resort in Traverse City, MI, and a registration form, contact MIinfo@PHInational.org.

Carol Rodat (pictured), PHI’s New York Policy Director, was the keynote speaker at the Ithaca College Gerontology Institute’s Annual Conference on September 18.

Her address, titled “The Workforce Crisis in Long Term Care: Proven Tools to Help Meet the Challenge,” laid out the demographic imperative for improving the quality of direct-care jobs through evidence-based practices that improve retention. Continue Reading