Based on the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased availability of vaccines, and feedback from long-term care (LTC) facilities and National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) users, the CDC is updating and simplifying the NHSN modules on weekly reporting of COVID-19 vaccination data for LTC facility residents and health care personnel. NHSN will host one live training webinar and four re-broadcasts of the webinar.

Vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers continues to loom as a concern for the general public and a recent Boston Globe editorial, It’s time for employers to impose vaccine mandates, underscores the need for long term care providers to redouble their efforts to educate staff about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Based on the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased availability of vaccines, and feedback from long-term care (LTC) facilities and National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) users, the CDC is updating and simplifying the NHSN modules on weekly reporting of COVID-19 vaccination data for LTC facility residents and health care personnel.

May 6th marks the beginning of National Nurses Week and we are honored to celebrate the compassionate, dedicated nurses who care for our most vulnerable residents. Thank you for giving your heart and soul to the long term care profession!

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services has issued the proposed 2021 Temporary Nursing Services (TNS) regulation, which establishes the maximum price a TNS agency can charge nursing homes and hospitals for RN, LPN and CNA services.

The Massachusetts Advisory Council is charged with advising the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the Massachusetts state legislature on policies around Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The Council is currently chaired by the Secretary of the Executive Office of Elder Affairs and is composed of a diverse panel of caregivers, clinicians, dementia advocates, health care providers, legislators, public health professionals, and researchers. The Advisory Council identified and discussed issues faced by Massachusetts residents living with dementia and their caregivers, as well as listened to the voices of individuals impacted by dementia and shared their own expertise, knowledge, and ideas.

At today’s virtual Spring Conference, Mass Senior Care President Tara Gregorio and Board Chair Tom Lavallee shared the Association’s successes and challenges as we begin to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. “For the past 14 months, our members have courageously battled to protect their residents against this insidious virus with great skill, compassion and fortitude,” said Gregorio. “Thanks to your extraordinary work, encouraging data show significant declines in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths among Massachusetts nursing home residents and staff and this is something we can all be proud of.” As the long term care provider community moves forward with its rebuilding and recovery plans, Gregorio noted that addressing the extreme workforce challenges facing members is one of the Association’s top priorities and outlined strategies currently being implemented to help members attract and retain qualified workers.

Mass Senior Care is pleased to welcome new members to our Association. Our Associate Members have demonstrated their commitment to the senior care provider community by joining Mass Senior Care and participating as exhibitors and sponsors for events and educational conferences.

Post-training materials are now available for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP): Achieving a Full Annual Payment Update (APU) webinar that was presented on Tuesday, March 30, 2021.