The Massachusetts Council of Activity Professionals (MassCAP) is hosting a workshop on Wednesday, June 14th, "Activities: Not Just Fun and Games, A Look At Our Interdisciplinary Role to Resident Care." The workshop will be held at Pines Edge Health Center at North Hill in Needham and is open to all activity professionals. Discounted seminar fees are available for MassCAP members, please click here to view the registration flyer. For more information about MassCAP, please visit their website at www.themasscap.org.

Every year in honor of National Nurses Week, The Boston Globe recognizes Massachusetts nurses in all practice settings who have been nominated by patients, family members and colleagues for its Salute to Nurses. Numerous staff members from Mass Senior Care member facilities were nominated for this year’s salute, which honors individuals for their outstanding work in the nursing profession. Mass Senior Care would like to congratulate all of the nominees and thank the nursing staff in the long term care

Beginning Sunday, May 14, and continuing through Saturday, May 20, skilled nursing facilities across the Commonwealth and the country will celebrate National Nursing Home Week (NNHW). Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has presented Mass Senior Care Association with a proclamation recognizing NNHW and the valuable services provided by nursing home staff in Massachusetts. Established by the American Health Care Association in 1967, NNHW recognizes the role of skilled nursing care centers in caring for America’s seniors and individuals with disabilities. This

The next National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care and QAPI MLN Connects® Call is scheduled for Thursday, June 15, 2017 from 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm. During this call, participants will learn about appropriate assessment and evaluation for the accurate diagnosis of schizophrenia and other mental disorders. Also, find out about the DICE Approach™ - Describe, Investigate, Create, and Evaluate, a simple but comprehensive method to understand and support individuals living with dementia. Additionally, CMS experts will share updates on

MassHealth requires that nursing facilities and chronic disease and rehabilitation inpatient hospitals account for the balances of personal needs allowance (PNA) account funds. MassHealth has issued its annual LTC Bulletin for the accounting of balances of personal needs allowances (PNA) for residents in LTC facilities. For 2016, if a provider does not submit the PNA form by May 31, 2017, or if the filing is incomplete and not reconciled to the bank statement, the provider may be subject to administrative

The Massachusetts Council of Activity Professionals (MassCAP) is hosting a workshop on Wednesday, June 14th, "Activities: Not Just Fun and Games, A Look At Our Interdisciplinary Role to Resident Care." The workshop will be held at Pines Edge Health Center at North Hill in Needham and is open to all activity professionals. Discounted seminar fees are available for MassCAP members, please click here to view the registration flyer. For more information about MassCAP, please visit their website at www.themasscap.org.

On Thursday, April 27, 2017, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed rule for the skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective payment system (PPS) governing Medicare rates for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2018 (October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018). Below are the highlights of the proposed rule: Market basket (i.e. cost-of-living) adjustment of 1.0% beginning October 1, 2017. The proposed rule for FFY 2018 establishes a net market basket increase of 1.0 percent. Specifically, for FFY

In response to concerns raised by Mass Senior Care to the MassHealth Commissioner, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services has extended the Direct Care Add On Interim Filing Date deadline to May 5, 2017 at 5 pm. On May 1, 2017 EOHHS posted on MassHealth Provider Forms webpage its official notice extending the deadline for filing the FY17 Interim Direct Care Add-on Compliance data. EOHHS has also included with the Notice instructions for completing the Interim Direct Care

Today the House of Representatives, on a 217-213 vote, passed an amended version of the “American Health Care Act”, the bill that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Our national association, AHCA, reports that while the legislation has been modified from the original bill, the “substantial reforms to Medicaid funding still exist in the bill and will seriously affect AHCA/NCAL membership if it becomes law.” The bill will now go to the Senate, where a final vote

Mass Senior Care is currently displaying artwork from the talented residents at Island Terrace Nursing Homein Lakeville at our office in Waltham. The artwork is borrowed from the Art Gallery of Island Terrace Artists. Click here to visit their Facebook page and to view their entire gallery. Mass Senior Care invites members to participate and submit your facility’s artwork for display. Please contact Jennifer Chen, Director of Membership & Engagement, for additional information.