Jewish Senior Living Newsletter APRIL 2015 - VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 Keeping you connected to our communities.
The Underfunding of Nursing Facility Resident Care State-proposed budget continues trend in limiting funds to nursing facilities. Michael Sattell, President & CEO
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he underfunding of Nursing Facilities in Wisconsin is at a critical juncture. Though this underfunding is not new, 2015 Senate/Assembly Bill 21, the 2015-17 state budget bill, fails to provide nursing homes with either a Medicaid rate increase or an acuity adjustment. Nothing. Although recent public hearings may have had some influence on our legislative leaders, if the Bill is not amended, most Wisconsin nursing homes will actually receive a cut in their July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016 Medicaid rate due to re-apportioning the acuity adjustment formula. Similarly, our ability to use Medicare revenues to offset these Medicaid losses remains severely curtailed following the 13% Medicaid rate reduction in 2011 followed by the additional federal sequestration mandating a 2% reduction in 2013 and not scheduled to change until 2024. The last State biennial bill (2013-2015) at least recognized the need for, and included, an acuity adjustment in response to our elderly becoming more frail, and added a modest rate increase. The bill now under consideration denies reality and perpetuates a system of continued underfunded services. A January 2014 study, “Report on Shortfalls in Medicaid Funding for Nursing Center Care,” revealed that Medicaid deficits sustained by Wisconsin’s
In This Issue
nursing facilities are the third highest in the country. In fact over 40 Wisconsin nursing homes have closed in the past decade, primarily because of insufficient Medicaid reimbursement. Medicaid recipients, including Family Care enrollees, comprise approximately 65% of all residents served in Wisconsin nursing facilities. Private pay nursing home residents are subsidizing this Medicaid underfunding by paying rates that average nearly $100 per day higher than a facility’s Medicaid rate for virtually the same level of care. The Jewish Home and Care Center is no different. As LeadingAge Wisconsin surmises: “No one ever has accused a Wisconsin nursing home of being overstaffed or its caregivers overpaid. While WalMart just announced its full-time workers soon will make $13/hour, the average Wisconsin CNA earns $12.94/hour to care for some of the most vulnerable members of our society.” Labor costs represent approximately 70% of the total cost of providing care and treatment to nursing home residents. At the Jewish Home and Care Center, we’re proud of our five-star CMS rating for staffing and care. It recognizes our level of commitment to outstanding services for our community; our embrace of our mission and
The Underfunding of Nursing Facility Resident Care Know Your Rights as a Rehab Patient - Before You Need It!
see “Resident Care,” page 4
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Wellness Programs Strengthen Our Residents Upcoming Events
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Know Your Rights as a Rehab Patient - Before You Need It! Helpful insight to having a successful transition to rehab. Marlene Heller, Director of Marketing/Communications
attack or stroke. So make sure you know your rights as a patient before you are faced with important choices in a high-anxiety moment. Who makes the decision : You or your doctor? Is there rehab in your future? You may be all prepared for surgery, and perhaps your doctor has told you that after surgery “you will have a few weeks of rehab.” Have you made any preparations for those few weeks? You chose your doctor carefully; you may have gotten referrals from friends, checked out his or her credentials on specific websites, asked other professionals for their opinions, and even interviewed a few doctors before deciding who was going to replace your hip. But then are you going to just let the doctor recommend a rehab that you may never have heard of, and go there for an average of two to three weeks without having checked it out yourself?
The truth is, YOU do. Your doctor can recommend, but the final decision is up to the patient and the patient’s family. While the doctor might prefer a particular rehab (also called post-acute rehab or sub-acute rehab), the reasons will vary. It can be because of convenience for the doctor (he works there, so he can visit more
often), rehab hours for the patient (the amount of time the therapists actually spend with the patient – very important!), the best practices (a rehab is only as good as its best practices, which result in positive outcomes), or reviews from past patients. Do your research! Before you need a rehab, or when you know there is one in the future, do your research! Take a “just in case” tour, based on your own convenience. Consider: see “Know Your Rights,” page 4
Here are some things you should know now, because you never know when rehab might be necessary. Sometimes rehab is possible at home, after a planned surgery. And sometimes, especially with older adults, it is necessary after an unplanned trauma such as a heart
Stay Connected 2 | JSL News | April 2015
Visit our website and donate online at www.jewishseniorliving.org. Questions? Call the Foundation Office at 414.721.9255.
Wellness Programs Strengthen Our Residents JHCC & Chai Point Senior Living create opportunities for residents and community members to live healthy lifestyles. Kari Knox, Wellness Coordinator Wellness at the Jewish Home and Care Center and Chai Point Senior Living is moving from strength to strength, with Kari Knox, wellness coordinator leading the charge. Kari offers a full schedule of wellness classes that enable residents to choose from a variety of healthy options to keep them moving and, for those recently discharged from rehab, improving. Aquatic classes, offered three days a week, are especially good for people with arthritis, and follow a program of exercises recommended by the Arthritis Foundation. Kari is a certified Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program instructor. Water exercise is particularly good for people with arthritis because it allows participants to exercise without putting excess strain on joints and muscles. This class also offers cardio, range of motion/flexibility, and strengthening exercises. When a Chai Point resident is discharged from physical therapy, Kari will meet with them to make sure they understand the exercises provided by their therapist, and will do their exercises with them, if necessary, to be sure they are doing them correctly. Kari also encourages them to attend open exercise at Chai Point on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1:30-4 pm. During this period, any Chai Point resident can come and walk on the treadmill, use the strength equipment, ride the bike, and do range of motion and free weight exercises under Kari’s supervision. Because many Chai Point residents have said they would walk more if they had someone to walk with, Kari will be soon be starting small walking groups. Kari has also been working with Jewish Home and Care Center residents to keep exercising. Just like Chai Point, when a therapy patient discharges and their therapist feels there are certain exercises that should be continued, their recommendation gets passed along
JSL in the News
p Residents participate in pool exercise, led by Kari. t
Kari works with Feiga, a Chai Point resident, on the Omnicycle to help her continue to maintain her strength.
to her. Jewish Home residents have the opportunity to come down to the therapy gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:30-4:00 pm and ride the bike and perform exercises with Kari. Kari also visits with 5th floor therapy patients from a customer service perspective to make sure they are receiving the treatment they expect. When a patient is ready to discharge, they leave with a follow-up stay survey and information on other programs see “Wellness Programs,” page 5
Read about our intergenerational programming, as well as programming and events at our communities, in the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. April 2015 | JSL News | 3
Resident Care
Know Your Rights
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the fifth commandment. But how can we continue to provide quality care to our frail elderly when we can barely provide a competitive/living wage to those who provide that care? We have to speak for our residents and let our elected officials know how we feel about senior issues. We have contacted our representatives, and the Milwaukee Jewish Federation has through its lobbying contacts. Please join us in speaking out. For a list of contacts, please go to: http://www.leadingagewi. org/public-policy/elected-officials-contacts.
Location: Where will your loved ones be able to visit you? Will transportation be an issue?
Thank you for your continued heartfelt and caring support of our residents and families. Sincerely, Michael Sattell, President & CEO
Insurance: Which organization will accept your insurance? Check with your insurance company to make sure you are covered at the rehab that you choose. Aesthetics: Do you like the rooms, the amenities in the rooms, the smells on the floors? Do staff members smile as you walk by? Are there refrigerators, TVs, and other comforts available in the rooms? Sign on the Dotted Line: If you have scheduled surgery, get your paperwork out of the way for your rehab beforehand. In many cases, you can reserve your room. Then, make sure you tell at least two people of your intentions. You will be under the affects of anesthesia after surgery and may not be able to coherently state your case; a loved one close to you may not be able to step in for you if they are emotionally involved. So a third party who is aware of your choice is a good backup plan! n
Our Mission: to provide our Jewish community with those services that enable our seniors or infirm to be part of a quality Jewish environment with comfort, meaning, independence and dignity.
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Wellness Programs continued from page 3
and services available, such as the Lakeside Senior Enrichment Program, Adult Day Center, ReCharge!, Volunteer program, Chai Point and Sarah Chudnow Community, as appropriate. Between Chai Point and the Jewish Home, Kari has seen an increase in the number of residents who want to exercise and keep moving. She will be working on some different programming and offerings now that spring is here, to keep our residents moving from strength to strength! n p
Kari lifts weights with a Chai Point resident Bella.
The Jewish Home and Care Center Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides financial support to the programs and services of the Jewish Home and Care Center, Chai Point Senior Living and Sarah Chudnow Community. April 2015 | JSL News | 5
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Milwaukee, WI Permit No. 3120
1414 North Prospect Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53202-3089 Phone: 414-276-2627
Upcoming Events James Slauson, MIAD Professor, presents “The Art of the Early Renaissance” Wednesday, April 15, 3:00 pm Chai Point Senior Living, Rubenstein Pavilion
Howard Tolkan presents “The Music of Leonard Bernstein” Tuesday, April 21, 3:00 pm Chai Point Senior Living, Rubenstein Pavilion
Kim Wall, president of Ma Baensch Food Products Thursday, April 16, 2:00 pm Sarah Chudnow Community, Posner Town Square
New York Times bestselling author Lesley Kagan Wednesday, April 22, 7:00 pm Sarah Chudnow Community, Posner Town Square
Kehilla Kiddush Saturday, April 18, 2:00 pm Jewish Home and Care Center, Kohl Family Synagogue
Rick Aaron presents “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” Thursday, April 23, 1:30 pm Chai Point Senior Living, Rubenstein Pavilion
Visit www.jewishseniorliving.org for updated activities.