Oregon Health Authority is offering these items in pallets on a first come first serve basis. These would be delivered at no cost. If you are interested please contact Jill Snyder and provide: facility name, shipping address, contact name, phone, and email.

The following is what is available (by pallets only – not cases). Please note they do not have gloves.

• 3M 9010 Respirators (500 per case and 12 cases per pallet)
• AAMI-Gowns S/M (160 per case and 16 cases per pallet)
• D6 Inc Face Coverings (1200 per pallet)
• HOPE 210 N95 (100 per case and 90 cases per pallet)
• HOPE 220 Multi-Use Respirators (100 per case and 60 cases per pallet)
• HOPE 220 N95 (100 per case and 60 cases per pallet)
• HOPE H210 Multi-Use Respirators (100 per case and 60 cases per pallet)
• Large Gowns: Polyester (60 per case and 34 cases per pallet)
• Lighthouse Respirators (100 per case and 60 cases per pallet)
• N95 BYD (960 per pallet) (only one pallet remaining)
• RCO Face Shields (100 per case and 10 cases per pallet)
• Tricon Face Shields (200 per case and 10 cases per pallet)
• X Large Gowns: Polyester (60 per case and 34 cases per pallet)

Please read the October 6, 2023 Newsletter here.

Please read the September 22, 2023 Newsletter here.

The guidance will Oregon Health Authority (“OHA”)  “strongly recommends” masks in Nursing Facilities through the COVID, Flu and RSV season. We anticipate OHA will soon release guidance strongly recommending (not requiring – at this time) masking in high risk settings, including Nursing Facilities. At this time, we anticipate the recommendations will not include Assisted Living or Residential Care Facilities. Rather than the “masks on” or “masks off” approach we’ve seen in the past, we expect the guidance will establish criteria that once met, high risk health care setting are strongly recommend to implement a masking policy until seasonal offset criteria is met. As we’ve seen in the past masking will be strongly recommended for residents (as reasonable), staff, and visitors. At this time, the recommendations are intended to be a tool for providers to use to determine when to implement masking policies. The recommendations will not prevent more or less progressive policies. In the OHA 9/21/23 press release, health officials continue urging vaccinations as respiratory virus season kicks off.

Please read the September 8, 2023 Newsletter here.

Please read the August 25, 2023 Newsletter here.

LeadingAge Oregon had the opportunity to put together a dynamic group of LeadingAge Oregon members and community partners to discuss aging services in Josephine County with Governor Kotek and First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson.

Our meeting was held at Redwood Terrace in Grants Pass Oregon and was attended by: Kristin Milligan, CEO of LeadingAge Oregon; Jim Thompson, Executive Director of Redwood Terrace, speaking on behalf of an Assisted Living community; Melissa Preston, Associate Executive Director of Rogue Valley Manor, spoke on behalf Life Plan Communities; Valorie Rinkle, Board President of Rebuilding Together Rogue Valley, spoke on behalf of a nonprofit community service program; Sarah Long, Executive Director of PRS Community Housing spoke on behalf of HUD subsidized housing; Evan Alvord, owner of Rogue Psych, spoke on behalf of mental and behavioral health of older adults; and Constance Wilkerson, Director of Rogue Valley Council of Governments spoke on behalf of Senior and Disability Services.

Please read the August 11, 2023 Newsletter here.

Please read the July 28, 2023 Newsletter here.

The Governor’s office is seeking LeadingAge Oregon’s assistance in identifying members to serve on the Joint Hospital Discharge Challenges Task Force.  by August 4^th. The taskforce is charged with developing recommendations to address the challenges faced by hospitals in discharging patients to appropriate post-acute care settings. From our sector, the committee is seeking to find 3 members representing residential care facilities and long term care facilities, including skilled nursing facilities, including one member who has expertise in hospice or home health care. The deadline for candidates to apply is August 4, 2023. If you are interested in applying or learning more please reach out to Kristin Milligan  ASAP.

CMS is concerned about individually based limitations. Expect more trainings and oversight. Ensure your community is strictly adhering to the rules. You can find existing state guidance here.  The state is still drafting their remediation plan in response to CMS. We will share information as it becomes available but here is what you need to know:

• Expect more education and training for staff. All level of staff are expected to know and understand residents rights and are expected to be able to answer questions.
• Ensure appropriate documentation in care and service plans.  Be sure plans are updated to include residents’ like, dislikes, goals and preferences.
• We expect the state will specifically be looking to add addition education and guidance around privacy, locks, and more.

During the 7/27/23 Community Based Care news hour, the State reminded providers that COVID vaccine reporting is still required, and it is required monthly. The state also shared their top 10 citations for 4/1/23 – 6/30/23 (shown below)

Please read the July 14, 2023 Newsletter here.

We expect the Board will approve this selection at their upcoming July 19^th meeting. Rachel Prusak is no stranger to nursing and Oregon’s legislators. Rachel previously served as the State Representative for Oregon House of Representatives District 37 from 2019-2023. In addition, Rachel has 25 years of nursing experience in various settings including: primary care, palliative care and hospice care.

The proposed legislation would reduce HUD’s budget overall by 25% for FY24 over the current fiscal year, including a 15% cut to HUD’s flagship initiative for low-income older adults, the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program. Read more here.

The Governor’s Senior Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Advisory Council has an opening for a registered nurse working in the licensed assisted living or residential care facility setting. Members of the council are recommended by Sid Humphries EMS Coordinator with Oregon Department of Human Services and appointed by the Governor. Members serve until the sunsetting of the legislation establishing the council in January of 2027. Once appointed, council members evaluate, propose and recommend pilot projects for EMS in the licensed senior care facility setting. The EMS council made up of members from the licensed care facility industry as well as emergency responders are united in the goal of improving EMS use in licensed care facilities. Utilizing the Quality Care Fund, projects are recommended to Oregon Department of Human Services who award the grants. Innovative projects awarded are tracked by the council to ensure the goal of the best patient outcomes for Oregonians and efficient use of EMS in the licensed care facility setting is being met. If you’re interested, apply here.

On June 29^th the Oregon Department of Human Services and the Oregon Health Authority shared the February 2023 survey results. While the data shows a snapshot in time, our two key takeaways confirm what you already know…staffing is really hard; and behaviors that are harmful to self or others is the primary reason patients aren’t a good fit in our settings. This data supports what LTC providers have been sharing with hospitals for a long time and will hopefully help frame hospital discharge conversations in the new taskforce required by HB 3396 . Read the report.

OSBN reports that nurses communicating through its polls indicate interest in NLC involvement. However in the 2023 legislative session, Oregon legislators did not move forward HB 2408 to enter the NLC. Our state leaders have indicated they still had unanswered questions and need to outweigh potential risks. Meanwhile our neighbors in Washington did enact the NLC which we anticipate will open the door back up for Oregon in the next long-session 2025.