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2/21/13 Conference Call Notes

By admin on February 22, 2013 in Conference call notes, Reference Information

Your Meeting Facilitator: Alexa Lempert, SC at Hazel Park Manor Co-op

Attendees: Karen, Harriet, Katherine, Victoria, Lisa, Brenda, Rachel, Lindsay, MaryAnnette, Matt, Michelle Mobley, Diane

1. CSI Update (Rachel)

Snow days (written policy will be available)- metro Detroit/Wayne State Closed; Kalamazoo (Western); let your liaison know

Power outage: CSI would prefer SCs to remain in the office

2. PVM update (Brenda)

There is one SC opening at Oakwood Manor; interviews start next week

3. Finding Joy in the Workplace (Mary Annette)

Based on a webinar that MaryAnnette recently viewed:

– Reflected instances of joy in the workplace when not expecting it

– Shared “jump up and down moments”

4. Client Scenarios:

– Harriet asked a question about background checks for care providers; resources were shared (PHI, MCQ3)

– How are other SC approaching members with hygiene problems? (Victoria)

-education about aging and hygiene concerns

– clients may not be aware of poor hygiene

– integrate questions as part of assessment

– basic informational session: “hygiene on a budget”- Victoria will research this topic

5. Question about recording vetting efforts (Karen)

– sheet to fill out in Ann’s vetting packet from professional development training is available on shared drive

– will help members make more informed decisions

6. Tax deductions and City of Detroit (Karen)

– SCs may have to pay Detroit taxes even if they work at a site outside of Detroit because they are paid by Hannan, which is in Detroit

– Michelle/HR Department to follow up on this

7. Deactivating clients (Rachel)

– part of case management procedures: remove any extraneous/supporting documents

– best practices to black out member’s social security number and Medicare number

– write a last progress note indicating that a deactivation form is being completed

– for a deactivated client who contacts SC after the case has been deactivated, SC can reactivate, add the progress note(s), and then deactivate again (will create a total of two deactivation forms in member’s file)

8. Training new SCs: What “initial” training do current SCs want a refresher in? (Rachel)

– tentative dates for new SC training are week of 3/11/13

– new SC official start date is tentatively set for 3/8/13

9. Direction on what SCs would like to learn from substance abuse training in April (Ann)

10. Additional notes

– 2/28 mandatory SC call

– no conference call on 3/7

-3/8 team building with CSI

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Non-participants

By admin on February 19, 2013 in AASC Online Forum, Reference Information

Question:

It’s getting to be about time to start offering members services again. If a member signed a nonparticipation form in 2012, do we have to ask them if they will sign the form again?

Answer from Cheryl:

No. I think you just ask them if they want services and if they say no just put
it in the PNs for the limited file the person has. C

Comments { 1 }

Mi Healthier Tomorrow

By Brenda on February 15, 2013 in General information, Reference Information

Hi Everyone,

By now, you may have already heard about this initiative from the Michigan Department of Community Health via the radio or television, but just in case you haven’t, I thought I would pass it along. Some of the residents, especially those that are comfortable with and are frequent computer users, may find it to be of interest. It is called the Mi Healthier Tomorrow initiative. Participants are asked to take the Mi Healthier Tomorrow “pledge” (online), after which they will receive a free Starter Kit with motivational tips, money-saving offers and other good stuff. And to keep them going they will receive little motivational emails and/or text messages twice a month to keep them focused on what they pledged so they can reach their goals. They also have the option to share their pledgeswith family & friends so they can motivate each other and keep each other on track.

Here is a link to the Mi Healthier Tomorrow website: www.michigan.gov/mihealthiertomorrow and a link to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mihealthiertomorrow so you can learn more about it. To date, 16,473 Michiganders have taken the pledge (including me!).

Sincerely,

Tom Wyllie

Director of Wellness

Presbyterian Villages of Michigan

26200 Lahser Rd., Suite 400

Southfield, MI 48033

248-281-2047

twyllie@pvm.org

www.pvm.org

Comments { 1 }

QMB/SLMB/ALMB

By admin on February 15, 2013 in Medicare, Reference Information

According to information from my October MMAP presentation, here are the income limits for the Medicare Savings programs. The amounts are for 2012, but still can be used as a general reference.

QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary): monthly income limit is $930, assets of $2000 for single, $1260 income, $3000 assets for married. QMB pays for Medicare B premium, A&B co-pays and deductibles

SLMB (Specified Limited Medicare Beneficiary: single monthly income $931 to $1117; assets $6940. Married income $1261-1513, assets $10,410. SLMB pays for Medicare B premium

ALMB (Additional Low Income Medicare Beneficiary): single monthly income $1118-$1256, assets $6940. Married income $1514-1702, assets $10,410. ALMB pays for Mecidare Part B premium

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SC Conference Notes from Jan. 31

By Karen on February 13, 2013 in Conference call notes, Reference Information

Here are the conference call notes from 1/31/2013.

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Detroit City Briefs

By admin on February 12, 2013 in General information, Reference Information

INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES ENCOURAGED TO SAVE MONEY

BY PAYING DELINQUENT INCOME TAXES DURING AMNESTY PROGRAM

Individuals or companies that owe income taxes to the City of Detroit can pay their back taxes without penalty from now through February 16 under a tax amnesty program. Anyone who has not filed an income tax return or has an outstanding balance for tax years 2011 and prior can take part in the program.

Under the City’s tax code, all Detroit residents who earn more than $600 in a calendar year are required to pay income taxes regardless of where they work. In addition, all non-residents who spend any time working in Detroit and earn more than $600 in a calendar year are required to pay income taxes to the City regardless of where their employer is located.

Delinquent tax returns can be filed in person or mailed to the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Avenue – Suite 130, Detroit, MI 48226, with the full amount due. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 until noon.

For more information and tax forms, go to www.detroitmi.gov/incometax or call (313) 224-3315.

DETROIT CITY COUNCIL TO HOST COMMUNITY MEETING FEBRUARY 19

The Detroit City Council will host an evening community meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 19, from 7 – 8:30 p.m. in District 1 at Christian Fellowship of Love Baptist Church, 22400 Grand River.

All residents and community or neighborhood organizations in the area are encouraged to attend the meeting. Representatives from City departments will also be on hand to receive complaints and explain departmental plans and policies.

An interpreter for the hearing impaired will be available if requested at least 48 hours in advance. To arrange for an interpreter, call 224-6376. For information about the evening community meetings or the process to submit questions and concerns, call (313) 224-6376.

CITY BUILDING DEPARTMENT PROPOSES NEW PLUMBING FEE SCHEDULE

The public is invited to comment on the 2013 proposed plumbing permit fee schedule from the Buildings, Safety Engineering & Environmental Department (BSEED) at a public hearing on Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. in Room 408, 4th floor, Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, 48226.

The proposed schedule is a revision of the 2009 plumbing permit fee schedule. The proposed effective date of the new fee schedule is April 1. Copies of the proposed 2013 plumbing fee schedule and the 2009 fee schedule are available on the City’s Web site at www.detroitmi.gov/bseed or by calling 212-224-3202.

Oral or written comments may be made in person at the hearing or submitted in writing via mail or facsimile no later than 4:30 p.m., February 14 by:

Mail: Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department

2 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48226

Fax: (313) 224-1467

For more information, please contact Helen Broughton, Business Advocate II, at 313-628-2459 or broughtonh@detroitmi.gov.

DETROITERS ENCOURAGED TO TAKE WEATHER SPOTTER TRAINING CLASS ON APRIL 24

The National Weather Service is offering a severe weather spotter training class to teach Detroiters how to accurately observe weather conditions and report them. The free, two-hour training is scheduled for Wednesday, April 24, from 7 – 9 p.m. at Gilmore Center – One Ford Place, 6071 Second Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202.

The class will focus on: the role of the spotter; thunderstorm development; tornado classifications; flash floods; severe weather safety tips; and reporting severe weather. Informational handouts also will be distributed.

The class is being coordinated by the City of Detroit Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. To register or for information, contact Scott Berkseth at 313-596-1714 or berkseths@detroitmi.gov.

BELLE ISLE AQUARIUM HAS RE-OPENED

The Belle Isle Aquarium reopened last fall and is free and open to the public every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For organizers Jennifer Boardman and Vance Patrick of the Belle Isle Conservancy, and fish curator Gary Balduc, the grand re-opening was the culmination of sever al years of work.

For more information, call (313) 331-7760 or (313) 628-2081.

WTD10 DETROIT CABLE OFFERS NEW PROGRAMMING

Check out some of the engaging and informative original programming on the City of Detroit’s government access channel WTD10.

Access Health & Fitness: One new show weekly

Healthy lifestyle — focusing on those health-conscious viewers who want to improve their quality of life. Host: Renee Ferguson.

Making Your Money Work:

One new 30-minute show weekly

Finance — focusing on the grass roots financial issues facing Detroit’s families today. Host: Gail Perry Mason.

Parking Wars: The series from A&E follows City of Detroit parking enforcement officers as they ticket and tow vehicles in Detroit and their interactions with motorists.

ORIGINAL SPECIALS

Tribute to St. Cecilia’s Gym: “Where Stars are Made, Not Born”

The 30-minute documentary focuses on St. Cecilia, the westside gym in Detroit, that is legendary for attracting top-notch basketball players from high school to professional, male and female. Shortly after the 1967 riots, Sam Washington organized a summer league to bring the community together and keep kids off the streets. The names of athletes who participated in his program reads like a list of Who’s Who of basketball, including Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, NBA Hall of Famer and the first professional to play at St. Cecilia.

For more information about WTD10 and for a complete programming schedule, please go to the City’s Web site at www.detroitmi.gov/mediaservices.

DETROIT POLICE DEPARTMENT REOPENS MINI-STATIONS

The Detroit Police Department recently reopened seven mini-stations and plans to open six additional mini-stations by March. The following seven mini-stations have reopened:

· Belmont Shopping Center, 20500 Conant St., in the 11th police precinct

· Butzel Family Center, 7737 Kercheval St., in the 7th police precinct

· Riverbend Plaza, 13206 Jefferson Ave., in the 5th police precinct

· Mack and Alter, 14700 Mack Ave., in the 9th police precinct

· Virginia Park Community, 8671 Rosa Parks Blvd., in the 10th police precinct

· Bel-Air Shopping Center, 95540 E. 8 Mile Road, in the 11th police precinct

· Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers Road, in the 12th police precinct

A permanent officer, a police reservist and a community volunteer are assigned to each mini-station, which are open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. DPD plans to open six additional mini-stations, including a mini-station at the Rosa Parks Transit Center, 1310 Cass Ave. (1st Precinct) in mid-February.

Services offered at a mini station include:

· Initiating and organizing Neighborhood Watch programs, radio patrols and neighborhood foot patrols

· Crime prevention tips and literature

· Interaction with a dedicated mini-station officer

· Crime reporting and completing citizen incident reports

· Recording phone requests for service and complaints

· Hosting community meetings

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Hospice is used more often, but not for long

By admin on February 7, 2013 in General information, Reference Information

It’s just an ‘add-on’ after aggressive care, ICU stays

Janice Lloyd@JaniceNLloyd USA TODAY

Twice as many elderly people died in hospice as in a hospital or nursing home compared with a decade ago, but hospice is often treated as a last resort — and used too late to benefit patients and their families, a study said Tuesday.

Researchers examined Medicare records for 840,000 people 66 or older who died in 2000, 2005 and 2009. They found intensive-care use, hospitalization and health care transitions increased in the last month of life before patients entered hospice.

Hospice aims to address the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of dying patients and their families and to control pain, says the study’s lead author, Joan Teno, a palliative care physician and professor at Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University in Providence.

But this study shows that “for many patients, hospice is an add-on to a very aggressive pattern of care during the last days of life,” she says. “We suspect they and their families didn’t get the support they needed.”

More than a quarter of hospice use in 2009 was for three days or less; 40% of those late referrals followed an intensive-care stay.

The study is in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

An accompanying editorial calls for an end to aggressive treatment at the end of life by improving communication between patients and physicians and considering a “threshold of likely benefit and life expectancy for ICU admissions.”

“We need to improve the care system so people are spending more than a day or two in hospice,” says David Goodman, director of the Center for Health Policy Research at Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H. “Comfort, being in a familiar setting with family and pets is what it should be all about.”

Other highlights of the study:

The percentage of dying seniors using hospice was 42.2% in 2009, up from 21.6% in 2000.

People dying of cancer were more likely than those with dementia or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to use hospice.

The percentage of people with dementia who spent time in intensive care in their last month of life rose from 18.6% in 2000 to 21.8% in 2009. Days spent in intensive care also increased.

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SC Conferenc Call Notes 1/24/13

By admin 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 14^th 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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