July 11, 2024
Featured News
State News
Federal News
Notable News
LeadingAge Minnesota Names New Director of Communications
On July 11, 2024 by LeadingAge
LeadingAge Minnesota is thrilled to welcome Ben Hansen as our new Director of Communications!
Ben brings a wealth of experience and a passion for storytelling that will undoubtedly elevate our communications efforts. He comes to LeadingAge Minnesota from the state association of Realtors, where he led communications for the association’s 22,000 members. Ben’s knowledge and experience will help to elevate our issues and support our members in their missions of service.
Join us in giving Ben a warm welcome to the LeadingAge MN team! We look forward to the incredible impact he will make as we work to transform and enhance the experience of aging.
Ben can be reached at bhansen@leadingagemn.org and 651-659-1443.
Revolutionizing Recruitment: New Free Matching Platform Helps Connect Job Seekers to LTC Employers
On July 11, 2024 by Anna Mowry
CaringCareersStartHere.com has helped connect job seekers with long-term care employers over 1,500 times since the site’s launch in May. CaringCareersStartHere.com has welcomed over 30,000 visits to the site, elevating careers in aging services across the state.
Don’t miss out on matching with job seekers near you—each day without your organization locations listed on the free Employer Match is a day missed out on vital job seeker connections.
CaringCareersStartHere.com was developed by LeadingAge Minnesota and our Long-Term Care Imperative partner to elevate the caregiving profession and raise awareness about career opportunities in caregiving. Job seekers can use this resource to learn about career pathways, access resources to act on career goals, and hear from Minnesota caregivers creating meaningful careers in senior care.
Employers can use CaringCareersStartHere.com to:
- Update your organization’s profile on our Employer Match: Use of our one-of-a-kind job matching tool to promote your organization locations to prospective candidates. Register your organization here. Don’t have an account? Reach out to our team at info@mncarecareers.com.
- Help us spread the word by using our Employer Toolkit: Promote your recruitment efforts with our ready-to-use content templates to share CaringCareersStartHere.com with your networks and greater community.
- Connect with job seekers near you: Capitalize on any potential leads by following up with prospective candidates from the Employer Match on career opportunities.
If you encounter any challenges registering your locations or have other questions, our support team is readily available at info@mncarecareers.com.
This resource is supported by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Long-Term Care Workforce Capacity Building Project, with funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
What Would You Do With $10,000? Value First’s 5-Star Sweepstakes Is An Opportunity for Your Community
On July 11, 2024 by Laura Nordaune
Value First’s 5-Star Sweepstakes is back! Your community could win one of five $10,000 prizes. What would you do with $10,000? Maybe replace outdated equipment or throw a staff party? The choice will be yours if you win.
Participating in the drawing is simple:
- Members currently utilizing Value First as the primary GPO for their food program will automatically be entered. No further action is required.
- Members that are not currently utilizing Value First as the primary GPO for their food program can enter by submitting the online form along with one month of food purchase data. Value First will then provide a free, no obligation cost analysis – a line-by-line cost comparison of a member’s current monthly food spend with Value First’s contract pricing.
No purchase is necessary. You can view and download the contest rules here.
If you have questions, please reach out to Laura Nordaune at LNordaune@leadingagemn.org. All entries and required data for new members must be received between July 1, 2024 and December 1, 2024.
Value First is a group purchasing organization owned by LeadingAge and twenty-five of its state affiliates. As a LeadingAge member benefit, Value First is focused on the needs of senior living communities by providing choices, solutions and savings on food, medical, environmental and office supplies including capital equipment. For more information, visit www.value1stonline.com or call (855) 659-1450.
Get Guaranteed Compliance with EduCare
On July 11, 2024 by Anna Mowry
EduCare is the premier on-demand education for senior care that guarantees compliance with Minnesota laws and regulations.
EduCare goes the extra mile to include a roadmap to regulatory compliance for every setting and role. With local experts in place, EduCare responds quickly to the ever-changing landscape of older adult services in our state. Plus with EduCare, you get great customer service every time and help when you need it.
"We just implemented EduCare for one of our new communities. The team stated that EduCare is by far the best training they have experienced in senior housing. They reported that the content is engaging, respectful in the approach, enjoyable, and easy to stay focused.” ~ Donna Flaata, Great Lakes Management Director of Senior Housing Development
About EduCare
EduCare is the exclusive on-demand training partner of LeadingAge Minnesota, providing online training programs for all segments in the full continuum of older adult services. EduCare saves providers time and money while guaranteeing compliance and providing the documentation tools and training requirements by license type, state, and role.
LeadingAge Minnesota members receive a 30% discount on all products. To receive a free 30-day trial or demo, call 952.288.3800 for more information.
Fairview and Ebenezer’s Partnership Helps Provide Coordinated and Personalized Care
On July 11, 2024 by Kayla Khang
Fairview and Ebenezer’s affiliation enhances service and resource coordination for seniors.
Ebenezer offers a large range of senior care, including seven subsidized affordable housing units, 37 assisted living facilities, seven long-term care facilities, five adult day programs, short-term rehab programs, and four child day programs embedded within their senior living communities. Fairview Partners, their care management program, focuses on providing services to those living in long-term care (LTC) and assisted living (AL) communities as well as seniors living in their own home in the community.
Fairview has the largest healthcare geographic footprint in the state. Based in Minnesota, Fairview has 10 hospitals, an academic health center, over 80 primary and specialty clinics, more than 30 pharmacies, and over 100 assisted living units.
20% of Fairview patients are over the age of 65. The geriatric team consists of seven physicians and 32 advanced practice nurse providers, delivering comprehensive services in a traditional clinical model. This team serves approximately 2,200 patients residing in nursing or assisted living facilities. Providing care in the communities where the seniors live while coordinating with staff from the senior’s community has resulted in positive outcomes in their care.
Fairview Partners’ Community Model: Coordinated and Personalized Care
The Fairview Partners’ Community Model is a PACE like program designed to support individuals living independently in the broader community. During initial enrollment, an in-home assessment is conducted to develop a personalized care plan for the senior, followed by care coordination and any needed referrals. Regular six-month check-ins and annual home visits ensure support for seniors in the program, addressing preventive care needs and allowing for the care team to revise care plans as necessary. The program currently serves 4,000 individuals, with the capacity to expand as new care managers are added.
This model, primarily aimed at those on government support through dual enrollment programs, emphasizes the critical role of care coordination during transitions. Ebenezer has found that this program is particularly helpful when a senior is transitioning to a different care level.
Adapting to a Changing Healthcare Landscape
Fairview has observed a growing trend of patients with more acute and complex conditions, especially in patients aged 65+. The number of elderly patients admitted for care has increased, now accounting for 38% of discharges—a 3% year-over-year increase. The rising cost of medications and the complexity of care required for elderly patients contribute to these challenges.
Post-acute care settings like nursing homes and assisted living facilities have experienced capacity issues driven by staffing shortages, which have increased post pandemic. The recent increase in patient complexity combined with the need for bariatric, chemical dependency, mental health, and wound care services further complicates patient placement in an appropriate assisted living or nursing home setting that can serve their needs.
Government and administrative processes, such as guardianship, can also cause delays in transition between hospital and nursing home or assisted living settings. In some cases, patients were stuck in a hospital for over 100 days due to county-level delays in establishing guardianship, which was necessary for Medicaid applications and financial management.
Ebenezer recently presented to the Legislative Task Force on Aging to highlight these challenges.
Fairview Health Services and Ebenezer offered the task force several solutions to address these challenges:
- Payment and Care Models: Fairview noted that the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) should be a priority of the legislature in 2025.
- Centers of Excellence: Fairview highlighted the need for centers of excellence for post-acute care.
- Technological Advancements: Fairview showed that new technology in post-acute care settings can assist residents and caregivers. Assistance and support from the legislature addressing the high cost and rapid advancement of technology will be important to ensuring accessibility for seniors and their caregivers.
Member News
Jason Anderson, LeadingAge Minnesota Board Member, Recognized as a National Ever Forward Champion
On July 11, 2024 by Jessica Lacher
LeadingAge Minnesota Board Member Jason Anderson was recently recognized as a National Ever Forward Champion. This prestigious award, presented by the Good Samaritan Society, recognizes servant leaders making a difference in their communities.
Anderson, Director of Long-Term Care Services at Sanford Health Sylvan Court in Canby, Minnesota, was granted this award for the supportive environment he is creating.
You can read the full article here.
Data Portal: New Compensation Data Shows Continuing Decline in Employee Vacancy Rates
On July 11, 2024 by Jeff Bostic
Updated LeadingAge Minnesota Data Portal benchmark reports are available for workforce measures, including staff vacancies, retention and turnover.
These are one of several benchmarking reports available for LeadingAge Minnesota members in the Data Portal. These reports can be customized for comparison against smaller groups of providers as well as statewide results.
What is the Data Telling Us About Employee Vacancy Rates?
Employee vacancy rates have been a problem for years but became an acute challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most recent vacancy rate data available on the portal is for Q1 of 2024, and it shows reduced vacancy rates for nursing positions statewide, a trend that began in the latter half of 2023.
Members using the LeadingAge Minnesota Data Portal can access more benchmarking data about their employee compensation for additional positions.
Second Quarter Data Due
Second quarter data submission for all LeadingAge Minnesota Data Portal applications is due by July 31. Take advantage of this opportunity to track your operational performance over time and benchmark your data against others at the state, regional, and other comparison groups, such as groups with similar capacity and services.
What is the Data Portal?
The LeadingAge Minnesota Data Portal unlocks access to data tracking and vital benchmarking data to facilitate data-driven decisions. You can compare your performance against benchmarks for the following applications:
- Workforce – turnover, retention, and vacancy rates
- Assisted Living Quality Measures – falls, falls with injury, medication errors, hospital/ED visits, capacity, and Length of Stay
- Compensation – wages, differentials, and bonuses for common LTC staff positions
- Financial Conditions – financial performance
LeadingAge Minnesota Data Portal Contacts
- To learn how you can get involved or for other questions, contact Jeff Bostic or Julie Apold
- For portal access, contact Cari Kronschnable
LeadingAge Minnesota Education and Events
2024 Foundation Golf Tournament – Golfer Registration Deadline is July 19
On July 11, 2024 by Jenny Prosser
Join us for a day of golf and fun in the sun to fund the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation’s scholarship program. The 2024 Golf Tournament will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 6 at Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury.
This event is an important funding source for the great work the LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation advances, including our statewide scholarship program that provides meaningful education dollars to support our members.
Now accepting golfers through July 19 – learn more about the event and register here.
Thanks to the tournament sponsors especially our Tog Dog sponsor, Bauer Design Group
Our thanks go to the following sponsors that have committed early to support our scholarship program: Align Senior Care Consulting, AlixaRx, Bauer Design Group, BDH, BluSky Restoration, CBS Construction Services, CFS Interiors & Flooring, CLA, Colliers Securities | Colliers Mortgage, Community Living Solutions, Compass Capital Management Inc., DBS Group, EduCare (the power of OnTrack), Elder Dynamics, Eldermark, Elim Preferred Services, Guardian Pharmacy Minnesota, Health Dimensions Group, Healthcare Purchasing Connection, Herzing University, Hoglund Bus Company, Kraus-Anderson, LeadingAge Minnesota Solutions, Legacy Restoration LLC, Marcus Construction, Nor-Son Construction, Passion for Dining and Nutrition, Pathway Health, Peterson Senior Health Consulting, Piper Sandler & Co., Pope Design Group, Procare HR, Radius Living Rx, Rodè & Coffin, LLC, Schwickert's Tecta America LLC, Senior Care Solutions, St. Croix Hospice, Steen Engineering, Sterling Long Term Care Pharmacy, Stevens Construction Corp., Thrifty White Pharmacy, and Weis Builders.
Questions, contact foundation@leadingagemn.org or Jenny Prosser at 651.603.3548.