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SC Conferenc Call Notes 1/24/13

By on January 31, 2013 in Conference call notes, Reference Information

SC Conference Call Notes, 1/24/13

 

Attendees:

Rachel, Camille, Wylene, Victoria, Crystal, Kari, Diane, John, Patti, Trudy, Maryanette, Alexa, Lindsay, Harriet, Annette, Karen, Matt, Renee, Harold, Michelle, Patricia, Adrienne

 

1. Additional Items

None

 

2. Teams for Achieving 2013 Program Goals

– Goals Related to Professional Development: Diane Crawford, Wylene Jones

– Goals Related to Building Administration: Camille DeBlaere, Annette Pledger, Maryanette Grayer, Kari Wilson

– Goals Related to Community Resources: Renee Saunders, Matt Hamburg, Trudy Jones, John Chandler, Karen Baker

– Goals Related to Resident Education: Crystal Holley, Victoria Haltom, Patricia Gray, Lindsay Kohler, Adrienne Smith

– Goals Related to Case Management: Alexa Lempert, Michelle Mobley

– Additional Goals Related to Time Efficiency: Harriet Harris, Harold Massingille, Andrea Krueger

 

Team Brainstorms from December are listed below.

 

Teams should plan to meet together by phone or in-person prior to our March 14th SC Team Meeting. At the 3/14/13 meeting, each team will have 3-5 minutes to present their plan for helping our SC Team achieve our 2013 goals. Each team will then give 2 updates (in June and November) indicating progress made towards goals, successes and challenges. Hence, teams should plan on meeting at least 3 times together (at least once prior to each presentation) and then presenting 3 times together. We would like you to take turns presenting and writing up your plan (or progress reports), so that there is a different presenter for each of the 3 meetings. Have fun with it!

 

Please note that the new SCs from Oakland Woods, Royal Oak, Southgate, Bishop, and Whispering Willows will be added to the teams as they join our SC Team!

 

3. Brainstorm of alternative terms for “at risk” or “frail”

 

– Don’t use at all. Check in on regular basis as part of service.

– Health challenges or other issues.

– Use “vulnerable”. Soft term. Shows care.

– Prefers “at risk” to “frail” and vise versa.

– SC jargon doesn’t need to be used with members. Builds monthly or quarterly monitoring into SP.

– Doesn’t write frail or at risk into case notes either.

– Utilize Minnesota acronym for At risk in the following areas: CMIST – Communication, Medical, Independence, Supervision, Transportation (circle the ones that apply)

 

4. Documentation Guidelines

Key discussion. Utilize role (not name) when referencing people (ie “resident/member/client” or “SC” or “daughter” or “neighbor”). If the person’s name is important (ie specifying name of daughter or name of contact person at agency, use the proper name once and then reference by role thereafter).

 

5. Case Management Procedures

 

6. Service Log Subcategories Discussion

Education and Employment – See Scoop for all of the service log subcategory descriptions, but here is a synopsis for this week by Alexa.

 

Adult General Education: for services related to education for adults, including community education classes (e.g. GED class)

College: for services related to post-secondary learning opportunities

Computer Training/Assistance: for services or referrals related to using technology for research, education, or employment (e.g. computer class at Hannan/ABLE, or MichWorks!)

Employment Service Provider: for services or referrals related to obtaining employment or vocational services

English as Second Language: for services or referrals related to learning English as a secondary language

Linked with Outside Education Counselor: for services related to coordinating educational/learning opportunities through a professional education counselor (e.g. college admissions advisor)

Literacy: for services related to literacy; including library programs, reading/writing skills, help to convey information in a variety of ways

Senior employment/aides program: for programs related to seniors obtaining employment

Vocational/Job Training: for services or referrals related to vocational training

Volunteering: for services related to volunteer opportunities

 

7. Sign up to facilitate January and February Conference Calls

 

1/31: Karen Baker

2/7: Victoria Haltom

2/21: Alexa Lempert

Thanks facilitators! The facilitators will email all of the PVM and CSI SCs, plus Brenda and Rachel, on the Monday preceding the conference call to ask for proposed agenda items. They will then email the agenda, along with the correct conference call number (note: not the one I submitted last time), on Wednesday prior to the conference call. The number is 877-402-9753; pass code 1608056#. Remind attendees to put their phones on mute unless speaking in order to keep down static. Facilitators are then responsible for walking us through the agenda during the conference call itself.

 

 

 

2013 Goals!

This is a compilation of individual SC goals from the full SC Team. It is a distillation of the most frequently cited goals.

 

Goals Related to Professional Development

  • Increase knowledge of major entitlement programs
    • Become MMAP certified
    • Learn about MMAP certification and being a MMAP counselor from Adrienne (John, Patti, and Jane are also MMAP certified)
    • Donna would like to get on call in January/February regarding MMAP certification (RJ will follow up with Donna)
    • Karen is looking for outline/book on what eligibility requirements are
      • Trudy has “cheat sheet” that was distributed during SC training. Trudy can send cheat sheet out again. Trudy – can this be posted to Scoop?
      • MMAP program provides this information
      • John recommends call Elder Law / MiCAFE regarding this
    • Michelle attended MiBridges training
    • Frustration with level of availability of programs in Macomb County
  • Build leadership skills
    • Proactive in creating collaborations with other organizations (ACCESS, DHS, REMA)
    • Reaching out with other regional SCs (monthly group in Kalamazoo; regional meetings in Metro – ie “Oakland County” or “Down River”)
    • Join task force in area of interest (find big categories of interest and divide up energies between areas).
      • SCAN Meetings – Oakland and Macomb, http://www.scannetworks.org/
    • Geographical area senior communities (ie City-based)
    • Diane is looking into leadership development classes
  • Improve computer skills necessary for job
    • Renee, Matt, and Alexa leading tutorial on Scoop in January
    • Refresher on AASC Online training
    • Npserv individual assistance on site
    • npserv webinar on remote connection
    • Excel training
    • Powerpoint training
    • Microsoft tutorials (on line) for self directed study

 

Goals Related to Building Administration

  • Improve relationship between SC and building management to increase resident satisfaction
    • Go into front office to say hi to Administrator and assistant
      • Especially important for PT SCs to understand what happened in absence
      • Saying good-bye when leaving for day or when leaving for errand and when will arrive back (show’s respect)
    • Like-minded in goal of resident quality of life and ability to age in community
    • Use dry erase board on door to indicate schedule updates
    • Monthly/bimonthly meetings with residents to inform them of who SC is and what their role is (likewise Administrator, Liaison, maintenance staff, leadership)
    • See below for educating
  • Educate Administrators/Liaisons on role of SC
    • Questions and issues of what SC role, Liaison, President roles are and how they interact
    • Educational presentation on who’s job is what
    • Continuous/repeated restating of roles because it is so new
    • Brief summary of kinds of activities we do with clients during the week (akin to monthly SC report) – are monthly reports getting from CSI to Liaisons?
    • Dropping new resources by front office
    • People with good relations could submit what is working
    • Team building with Liaisons and SCs on quarterly basis to build relationships slowly and get to know each other outside of individual building setting
    • One-page document of what SC can do with members/residents for incoming members/residents (to inform new liaison and leasing agent)
    • SC Brochure
    • Ask questions on specific policies
  • Learn what the budget is for SC’s
    • Learn more how to properly utilize funds set aside for co-ops
    • Not all budgets have been shared by administrators. May need to request.
    • How budgets are developed for SC as a whole
    • Expense reports vs Check requests
    • What is turn around time for checks? Checks are cut on a two-week schedule at the same time as payroll. Check Rachel’s Zimbra calendar for when check requests are due (every other Thursday). Checks typically take less than week to be cut, signed, and mailed after the date they are due (they are co-signed by Tim and Trustee).

 

Goals Related to Community Resources

  • Increase identification of local community and business resources
    • Oakland County SW Intern is fleshing out AASC Online Community Resource Directory and will share with others
    • Network with regional SCs to share resources (look up SCs who are registered with AASC)
    • Cruise websites for resources
    • New ALF at Rivertown
  • Develop working relationship with DHS office and employees and learn to navigate DHS system better
    • DH working with Inkster District on being “go to” person – person is a supervisor (Ms Kensley) willing to be contacted by SCs (Andrea is point person to create systemization of this so as not to overburden her – send ideas to Andrea or have coffee and talk). Potential for in-person meeting. Matt and Jane joining crew.
    • SW Interns at DHS. Work with University and DHS to get assistance with solving navigation problems.
    • Setting up appointment with DHS/APS to explain services through presentation and learn re their system.
    • Learn email addresses. Much better and quicker correspondence.
    • Talk with statewide DHS re SC Program. Build relationship with full system
    • MiCAFE is good resource because they have established relationship with most DHS district office managers
    • File for hearing within prescribed time frame

 

Goals Related to Resident Education

  • Increase attendance at education programs
    • Leave ½ page message on everyone’s door clips 2 days prior to presentations  (or even same morning)
    • Ask office to announce event over intercom
    • Create monthly calendar of events and distribute to appts
    • No events on Mondays because people forget
    • Keep presentations at regular times/days because people respond to consistency
    • Bimonthly “teas”
    • Plan events at the top of the month to make sure they get into the calendar
    • Alternate event locations to add interest and intimacy
    • Create nicer flyers (goal to use clip art and spruce up flyers)
  • Identify local resources that offer educational programs
    • Use contacts from other SCs so that the speaker is known, trustworthy, and has received good evaluations
    • Contact agencies that residents already work with (as clients)

 

Goals Related to Case Management

  • Improve or develop monitoring techniques
    • Take Wendy’s logic model guide a step further to assist with monthly SC reports and LLMSW supervision reports
    • Is it possible to export from AASC Online to an Excel spreadsheet? Try copying and pasting. Talk with Mike C. at Pangea for tips.
    • Use AASC Online report on frail and at risk. Print new one each month. Use monthly and works well. Report is in Personal Space under ADL summaries (can select report by month).
    • Top drawer divided into months. Rotate the files from December to January (for example) after monitoring them.
  • Client-driven Service Plans
    • Looking at ISP and Updated Service Plans and how to involve residents in the process of developing the plans and achieving goals
    • Ask member to tell her at least 2 goals (leave it less open ended)
  • Increase consistency of entering information on AASC online
    • Print out lists from either birthday or telephone directory option in AASC Online. Pencil in dates seen.
    • Excel spreadsheet
    • Stop by to look at another SC’s excel sheet better visualize how tracking mechanism works

 

 

 

Additional Goals

  • Increase time efficiency
    • Schedule more time than necessary for appt (ie extra 10 minutes for paperwork)
    • Occasionally block out time in morning for monitoring phone calls (hang “in conference’ sign on door)
    • Use task sheet on Zimbra calendar on daily basis. Number by priority. Can add as much information as needed.

 

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SER Energy Caps Increase

By on January 30, 2013 in OTHER resources, Resources

SER Energy CAPS
Per Program Policy:  Effective 2/1/2013 –6/30/2013

SER Energy Caps are increased to the following amounts:
Natural Gas and Wood                                                     $850
Deliverable Fuel (fuel oil, propane, coal)                      $1200

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New Year’s Resolution Solution

By on January 30, 2013 in Educational Workshops, OTHER Educational Workshop Topics

Washington Square had a presentation explaining different types of plans to use when setting self – improvement goals, or resolutions. We did things differently with this one; I gave the first half of this presentation about achieving healthy goals, and the guest presenter spoke specifically about smoking cessation. Members learned about making goals that are important to them, achievable, time limited, measurable, with action steps. Members learned how to track progress, plan for obstacles that sabotage the efforts made. Members were given a handout with a list of self- improvement ideas, and directions to write the components of achieving their chosen goal. Then, the guest speaker, Angela Anderson from Kalamazoo Health and Community Services, gave a presentation about cigarettes and smoking cessation. She explained how they are made and the toxic ingredients that also make them very addictive and hard to quit. They are even more addictive than years ago. Ms. Anderson explained the harmful effects to member’s health. She gave ways to quit smoking; many could be applied to achieve other goals. Please feel free to borrow the attached worksheets, handouts and presenter’s talking points references, if you have a similar topic to present.

 

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Medicare “Improvement Standard” Settlement

By on January 30, 2013 in Medicare, Reference Information
A New Law of the Land – Judge Approves Medicare ‘Improvement Standard’ Settlement

 

Medicare coverage of skilled nursing and therapy services “does not turn on the presence or absence of an individual’s potential for improvement” but rather depends on whether or not the beneficiary needs skilled care.

A federal judge has approved the settlement to end Medicare’s longstanding practice of requiring beneficiaries to show a likelihood of improvement in order to receive coverage of skilled care and therapy services.  (See “Medicare to End Practice of Requiring Patients to Show Progress to Receive Nursing Coverage” and “More Details on the Proposed ‘Improvement Standard’ Settlement.”)

The Center for Medicare Advocacy, along with its co-counsel Vermont Legal Aid announced that the settlement in the case, Jimmo v. Sebelius, was approved on January 24, 2013, during a scheduled fairness hearing, “marking a critical step forward for thousands of beneficiaries nationwide,” according to the Center.

With only one written comment received, and no class members appearing at the fairness hearing to question the settlement, Chief Judge Christina Reiss of the United States District Court for the District of Vermont granted the motion to approve the Settlement Agreement on the record, while retaining jurisdiction to enforce the agreement in the future, as requested by the parties.

For decades, home health agencies and nursing homes that contract with Medicare have routinely terminated the Medicare coverage of a beneficiary who has stopped improving, even though nothing in the Medicare statute or its regulations says improvement is required for continued skilled care.  Advocates charged that Medicare contractors have instead used a “covert rule of thumb” known as the “Improvement Standard” to illegally deny coverage to such patients. Once beneficiaries failed to show progress, contractors claimed they could deliver only custodial care, which Medicare does not cover.

 

In January 2011, the Center and Vermont Legal Aid filed a class action lawsuit, against the Obama administration in federal court, aimed at ending the government’s use of the improvement standard.  After the court refused the government’s request to dismiss the case, and the administration lost in similar individual cases in Pennsylvania and Vermont, it decided to settle.

Now that the settlement has been approved, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will revise its Medicare Benefit Policy Manual and numerous other policies, guidelines and instructions to make clear that Medicare coverage of skilled nursing and therapy services “does not turn on the presence or absence of an individual’s potential for improvement” but rather depends on whether or not the beneficiary needs skilled care, even if it would simply maintain the beneficiary’s current condition or slow further deterioration.  In addition, CMS must develop and implement a nationwide education campaign for all who make Medicare determinations to ensure that beneficiaries with chronic conditions are not denied coverage for critical services because their underlying conditions will not improve.

Noting that it is hearing from beneficiaries who are still being denied Medicare coverage based on an Improvement Standard, the Center stressed that “coverage should be available now for people who need skilled maintenance care and meet any other qualifying Medicare criteria. This is the law of the land – agreed to by the federal government and approved by the federal judge.  We encourage people to appeal should they be denied Medicare for skilled maintenance nursing or therapy because they are not improving.”

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Training Tracker Additional Pages

By on January 30, 2013 in Training News

1. How do SCs add another page if they use up the first page for “Year 1”?

They can “unprotect” the spreadsheet (there is no password!), and copy and paste additional lines below and/or copy and paste it into another worksheet.
– from Wendy
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Updated Elder Economic Security Index

By on January 29, 2013 in Financial, Resources

The updated version of the National Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index report (available on the Gerontology Institute and WOW websites).

The report’s new data is not just an update; it improves upon the old data by aggregating contemporary Elder Index data from all counties in the country. The report also contains new, cross-state Index comparisons.

You can find the new Elder Index data for the US and all states at www.BasicEconomicSecurity.org.

Note: This is an excellent tool to use at both the macro (policy) and interpersonal level. It helps clients with budgeting and also understanding that it is not their fault that they have challenges making ends meet with a low income. It takes a lot more to live than Social Security alone covers.

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Webinar Medicare Part D in 2013: Addressing Client Issues

By on January 29, 2013 in Training News

Now that the Medicare Part D  annual enrollment period is over, beneficiaries are learning whether their plans really work for them.  This webinar for advocates who serve seniors and persons with disabilities will discuss:

  • What is new in 2013 in the Medicare prescription drug program
  • Transition rights
  • Opportunities to change plans
  • Typical client issues and the best routes to resolve them
  • And more

Title:    Medicare Part D in 2013: Addressing Client Issues
Date:    Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Time:    11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST / 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST

Register at:

https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/888907263

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MSU Geriatric Symposium

By on January 29, 2013 in Training News

Save the Date! MSU Geriatric Symposium. Topic: “Can We Talk? A Positive Approach to Difficult Conversations”

April 19, 2013, 8am-4pm, Kellogg Center, East Lansing

See flyer.

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Aging and Substance Abuse Training

By on January 24, 2013 in Resources

MSU is hoding a course on aging and addition in Lansing. The course runs from 8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. on March 23. Register by March 16 to get the $39 price.

For details and registration information, check out p. 7 of this PDF document: https://socialwork.msu.edu/ceu/docs/CEspring2013.pdf 

We will be meeting early that morning at Hannan House for carpooling. More details on that later!

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Filing Taxes for 2012

By on January 24, 2013 in Financial, Resources

Here is some general information and answers to FAQ regarding what kinds of income are taxed, income thresholds (not everyone must file taxes), and resources for assistance with filing taxes.

General Requirements:
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p554/ch01.html#en_US_2012_publink100043524
Shows if you are single and over 65, the most amount you can earn is $11,200 and do not have to file.

Does everyone need to file an income tax return?
From TurboTax:
http://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/tax-tips/IRS-Tax-Return/Does-Everyone-Need-to-File-an-Income-Tax-Return-/INF14399.html

There are also some sites that can direct members for help if they have concerns or feel they may have to file:
Tax-Aide sites through AARP:
http://www.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/taxAideLocations.action;jsessionid=A48FFBF4F604B5FD3CE4F875F0F72144

Low-income taxpayer clinics (LITC):
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Contact-a-Low-Income-Taxpayer-Clinic-(LITC)-in-Michigan

And finally this information is from Social Security:  Are Social Security benefits taxable?
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Are-Your-Social-Security-Benefits-Taxable%3F

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