LeadingAge Texas provides crucial, proactive oversight, and key contacts to help your organization stay compliant, informed, and connected. This weekly update summarizes state and federal guidelines and regulatory updates related to COVID-19.

Questions? Ask LeadingAge Texas, your national association, or one another.

There are many ways to get help during this crisis. Contact LeadingAge Texas' team directly or submit questions here. If you have questions about national issues, contact LeadingAge national's team directly or by email at covid@leadingage.org. Join the LeadingAge Member Community COVID-19 group to ask questions, access resources, and share best practices for dealing with the coronavirus.

Stay up-to-date by visiting the LeadingAge Texas COVID-19 Resources page and the LeadingAge national COVID-19 Resources page.

Weekly COVID-19 Discussion Calls
Tuesdays • 1 - 2 pm CT • Zoom Meeting

Join us tomorrow and every Tuesday for our weekly COVID-19 Discussion Calls. Tomorrow, Nicole Gann, President & CEO, Juliette Fowler Communities will speak on her community’s communications with families in regards the Governor Abbott’s Executive Order (GA-34) lifting the mask mandate in Texas and increasing capacity of all businesses to 100 percent. We hope this will lead to discussion among members about communications strategies and “re-opening” visitation, so come ready to listen and share.

Past session recordings, PowerPoints, and additional materials are available here.

Learn more and rsvp >>

Today's Online LeadingAge Coronavirus Policy Updates

Curious about how to get residents and staff in independent living vaccinated? Check out the Monday, March 15 LeadingAge Coronavirus Update Call, 2:30 pm CT. Tiffany Nicolette the Vice President of Housing and Services at CHAI in Baltimore, MD will join to talk about how independent living residents were included in vaccine efforts with the state. She’ll also discuss steps CHAI is taking to expand in person activities, now that residents and staff are increasingly being immunized.

Learn more and register >>

Reducing Infections in Long-Term Care Facilities
March 16 • 1 - 2 pm CT • Webinar

The session will review regulatory requirements and best practices for reducing infection rates and managing outbreaks with a focus on standards of care, staff competency focus areas, and critical nursing assessment principles. Through lecture and case study analysis we will identify critical nursing assessment and documentation principles to apply in your daily practical operations to promote resident well-being and minimize potential risks.

Learn more and register >>
Register for the full series to save >>

Spring 2021 Networking Event
March 23 • 12 - 2 pm CT • Virtual Event

Join fellow LeadingAge Texas Members at this FREE virtual event for  peer-to-peer networking.  You'll come away from the event feeling more connected with your LeadingAge Texas community & the membership efforts that strengthen our association!

What to Expect:
• Peer-to-peer networking with the membership at large
• A learn-at-lunch presentation on “Coping with Loss Within the Community”
• A call-to-action & tips for advocating for your organization
• Breakout discussions led by your respective Network Representative to share ideas on boosting employee morale

Learn more and rsvp >>

Legal Aspects of Documentation
April 6 • 1 - 2 pm CT • Webinar

This session will review regulatory requirements and best practices for completing legally sound documentation that supports the facility met the standard of care. Through lecture and mock deposition analysis we will identify critical legal and AHIMA documentation principles to apply in your daily practical operations to promote resident well-being and minimize potential risks.

Learn more and register >>
Register for the full series to save >>

2021 Finance & Strategy Symposium
April 7 + 8 • Virtual Event

Join LeadingAge Texas & Ziegler for this two-day symposium focused on strategic trends in the aging services sector. This symposium was built to provide industry insight to senior living community leadership (CEOs, CFOs, board members, etc.) about how to not only navigate current trends, but to offer strategies on how to thrive in the current economy and the state of the capital lending environment.

Learn more and register >>

HHSC CNA Strong Virtual Symposium
April 8 • 8:30 am - 6 pm CT • Virtual Event

Register for this free, full-day symposium for CNAs. There are separate sessions for nurses, administrators and other long-term care leaders.

Topics include:

• Caring for residents with responsive behaviors
• Self-care in difficult circumstances
• Person-centered care
• Infection control
• Empowerment and leadership
• Preventing abuse, neglect and exploitation

Learn more and register* >>
*Click the session titles to register

Selling During a Pandemic (And We are ALWAYS in a Pandemic!)
April 21 • 12 - 4 pm CT • Virtual Event

Make plans to join us for a deep-dive session into the critical role of selling in the senior living industry. Not marketing, but SELLING. Specifically, we will seek to change our behavior to adopt a “Selling to the Individual” model versus “Marketing to the Collective” model. The participant will learn to develop relationships of trust with both internal and external customers. In addition, effective communication skills will be discussed which again lead to trust-based relationships.

Learn more and register >>

2021 LeadingAge Lobby Day
April 21 • Virtual Event

Every year, LeadingAge connects members with their lawmakers on Capitol Hill to advocate for policies that remove barriers to care, advocate for more affordable senior housing, develop new services, improve reimbursement, and make America a better place for older adults. This year, as aging services providers begin the process of rebuilding in a post-crisis world, it’s more critical than ever to make our voices heard. Join us April 21 for LeadingAge's 2021 Lobby Day. Register by Wednesday, March 24 to guarantee scheduling with your lawmakers. Participation is free and entirely virtual!

Learn more and register >>

LATEST UPDATES & RESOURCES

Answers On Nursing Home Visitation

A few of the frequently asked questions we have received in the past 24 hours answered below. Please remember Texas HHSC emergency rules on expanded visitation must continue to be followed.

• How do I know my resident vaccination rate? Recall that in the updated guidance released yesterday, CMS stated that indoor visitation was restricted for unvaccinated residents if the county positivity rate was greater than 10% and the total resident vaccination rate at the nursing home was less than 70%. At this time, CMS has left this up to the discretion of the nursing home how this will be tracked. One suggested way to do this is by reporting aggregate vaccination rates through NHSN. This reporting tool is optional and is different from the reporting that the pharmacy does when they administer the vaccine. Using this reporting tool does not require SAMS Level 3 access because you are reporting aggregate data, not patient-level data. Learn more here. An added bonus of reporting through this module is that it will help CDC better track vaccination rates, which could translate into more freedoms sooner.

• Visitation is restricted for an outbreak, but what if the index case is a staff member and the initial round of outbreak testing reveals that no residents test positive? Good question. We’re following up with CMS on this one.

• Where does this leave us with activities and communal dining? CMS has not relaxed requirements here yet. Residents must continue to wear masks and social distance in activities and must be social distanced for dining regardless of vaccination status. We have shared this question with CMS and will follow up on our call next week.

• If everyone is now permitted visits, do I still need to supervise or enforce any limitations? CMS has not required supervision of visits. CMS does still recommend setting limits around visitation, such as limiting the number of visitors per resident or the total number of visitors in the building at once in order to ensure a safe environment and visitation experience. Visitors must also continue to adhere to core infection control principles such as masking, hand hygiene, and social distancing (though recall that fully vaccinated residents may now choose to engage in physical touch during a visit provided they remain masked and practice hand hygiene before and after contact).

LeadingAge and AHCA: Joint Nursing Home Policy Recommendations

Today, LeadingAge and the American Healthcare Association (AHCA) will announce a set of policy recommendations aimed at ensuring quality in nursing homes. The proposal pulls together the first, immediate steps needed to address issues that LeadingAge has been talking about for years, including survey reform and staffing. These reforms are predicated on an increase in Medicaid and other funding that is consistent with the cost of delivering quality care. The pandemic exacerbated the long-standing challenges our nursing home members have been grappling with—and created an opening to make real changes in policy and practice. Read all about the proposals now:

• Overview: Care For Our Seniors Act
• One-Pager: Care For Our Seniors Act
• 24-Hour Registered Nurse
• Customer Satisfaction
• Infection Preventionists
• Minimum PPE
• Poor-Performing Nursing Homes
• Private Rooms
• Survey Improvements
• Workforce Strategies

President Signs Relief Package

View two articles on the provisions of the bill that are especially important for LeadingAge members bill (one general and one specifically on HCBS and other provisions).

American Rescue Plan and State and Local Funding

There are many provisions in the ARP that direct funding to state and local governments. This new article details each and, where relevant, discusses how states and localities can use the money to support older adults and those that serve them.

TDHCA Rent Relief Program

On Saturday, March 13, the Texas Rent Relief program changed to a new online application system to make it easier to apply and receive rental and utility assistance. Click here for more information on the TDHCA rent relief program.

Texas/HHSC:

HHSC Publishes EVV Requirements of Signatures on Enrollment Documentation (IL 2021-13)

HHSC Publishes Minimizing Claim Rejection for Service Group 6 (IL 2021-12)

Recording of NF COVID-19 March 10 Webinar with LTCR Available

Suspension of Deallocation of NF Medicaid Beds Due to COVID-19 Continues

Temporary EVV Policies for the February 2021 Severe Winter Weather

March 4 Recording of Writing Acceptable Plans of Correction Webinar Available

NFs Encouraged to Provide Input About COVID-19 Visitation, Activities, and Dining

Recording of NF COVID-19 March 3 Webinar with LTCR Available

Reminder: Long-Term Care Facilities Council Applications Due March 14

Members Sought for the Long-Term Care Facilities Council

HHSC Publishes IL 2021-10, Guidance on Attendant Orientation Documentation

NFs Reminded of COVID-19 Visitation Requirements

HHSC COVID-19 Provider Updates | HHSC Gov Email & Text Updates

Federal/CMS:

The American Rescue Plan and State and Local Financing

Senior Housing Weekly: Recap of LeadingAge Updates

Nursing Home Weekly: Recap of LeadingAge Updates

Administration Will Not Defend New Public Charge Rules

Monoclonal Antibody Infusion: - Interview with Dr. David Wong

$1.9T American Rescue Plan to President for Signature

Hearing on Racial Equity in Housing and Financial Services

CMS Updates Nursing Home Guidance with Revised Visitation Recommendations

The Senate American Rescue Plan and Home and Community-Based Care

CDC Issues First Set of Guidance for Activities of Fully Vaccinated Individuals

HUD:

"Fully Vaccinated" Recommendations and Affordable Housing

White House Advisor on Housing and Urban Policy Announced

HUD Announces Service Coordinator Grant Renewals for 2021

HUD Presents Webinar on Avoiding COVID-19 Scams

Groups Urge On-Site Vaccine Clinics at HUD Communities

Join us May 25+26 at the 2021 Virtual Annual Conference & Solutions EXPO!

In educational sessions, during networking events and in the EXPO, you'll have many opportunities to exchange insights with others who share your interests and face similar challenges.

Apply for a scholarship thru March 26>>
Learn more and register thru May 4 to Save >>

COVID-19 TESTING, PPE, & RE-OPENING SOLUTIONS

COVID-19 TESTING SOLUTIONS

McKesson – PPE & Rapid Test Cards
McKesson does continue to see additional improvement in the supply of certain high demand PPE items.  Also Abbott BinaxNOW test cards will become available for purchase in March. 

• McKesson PPE
• CareStart Antigen Test Card
• Value First Flu Pre-Book Form
• Level II Gowns are available for a Bulk Purchase at $1.00 per gown for orders 20,000 and above. ( Non-Bulk orders are available as well).

Please reach out to your McKesson representative to receive updated availability. You may also reach out to Ann Castro, (817) 680-5471 should you have any further questions. Thank you!

Direct Supply – PPE & Re-Opening Solutions
Direct Supply has a robust portfolio of reopening solutions in addition to their PPE offerings:

• Shop Direct Supply March Discounts
• Direct Supply PPE
• Emergency Preparedness List
• Electrostatic Disinfecting Sprayers
• Covid-19 Equipment Solutions

For more information, please reach out to your Direct Supply Capital Consultants for North (Matt Christensen) and South (Mike Hankte) Texas.

Gulf Coast Paper - Network Distribution Free Electrostatic Sprayer Promotion
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on public health and Long Term Care facilities have been hit hard disproportionately. In order to help lessen the burden of infection by maintaining a healthier and safer facility, we, in partnership with Network, created the Clorox® Total 360® COVID Response Program. Purchase 2 cases of our disinfectant and sanitizer per month per device for 2 years and we will give you our Clorox® Total 360® Electrostatic Sprayer (est. value $4,995) for free.

• Clorox Total 360 Program Information
• Clorox Total 360 LOP

For more information please reach out to: Don Dempski, Director of National Accounts, Gulf Coast Paper Company.