This week kicks off National Nursing Assistants Week, and Massachusetts Senior Care Association is pleased to recognize our member CNAs who are dedicated to enhancing the quality care and quality of life of their residents. Follow us on Facebook to view our members’ post highlighting CNAs and thanking them for all that they do.

Broad Reach at Liberty Commons and The Victorian Assisted Living in Chatham welcomed Massachusetts' Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders and State Senator Julian Cyr, the Senate Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs for a visit and tour. Secretary Sudders and Senator Cyr visited several Cape Cod health and human services facilities this week to personally thank staff for their continued resilience and great work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing, Mass Senior Care members and staff met with Congressman Jim McGovern (D-Massachusetts) in Washington DC last week to advocate on behalf of the long term care profession. As a result of Mass Senior Care member advocacy, Congressman McGovern co-signed a letter, led by Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA), requesting CMS to support a three-year phase-in of the parity adjustments and avoid payment reductions in FY2023.

Mass Senior Care is pleased to report, the Department of Public Health has extended to December 31, 2022, authorization for the issuance of temporary licenses for certain providers including RNs and LPNs, and renewal or reactivation of certain temporary licenses for health care providers.

CMS has released QSO-22-17-ALL, providing new information on how CMS will survey for compliance of the staff vaccination requirement, and beginning with the reporting week of June 27, 2022, the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) will update its definition of Up to Date for COVID-19 vaccines to align with the CDC definition.

The Department of Public Health has extended to December 31, 2022, authorization for the issuance of temporary licenses for certain providers including RNs and LPNs, and renewal or reactivation of certain temporary licenses for health care providers.

DPH updated the Long Term Care Surveillance Testing guidance, and DPH also updated the Update to Caring for Long-Term Care Residents during the COVID-19 Response and included the Visitation Conditions, Communal Dining, and Congregate Activities from previous guidance to this update.