WALA News for January 15, 2010

1. Mary Kay Baum - Ambassador of Hope

There is a newspaper story just published and we strongly encourage you to read it. It is about Mary Kay Baum (and her family's) fight for life after Alzheimer's.  Mary Kay and her sister were opening keynote speakers at the 2009 WALA Spring Conference to great acclaim. This newspaper story expands and updates their lives and you will find it as uplifting as all of us who have read it.  It is published in the January 14 issue of the Madison weekly Isthmus, you can access the story for free at  http://www.thedailypage.com/isthmus/article.php?article=27925  and you will not be sorry you took the time to read it.  In response to many requests, Mary Kay, her sister Chris Van Ryzin & third sister Rosann Baum Milius are doing a breakout session at the Spring Conference on Wednesday March 24. You can read the entire description of their creative conference presentation at http://www.ewala.org/events2/2010-ConferenceBrochure_FINAL.pdf

2. Legislative Update

Rep Peggy Krusick has scheduled a public hearing and executive session on Thursday, January 28. This will be to discuss Assembly Bill 259, introduced by Rep Peggy Krusick which relates to the care and treatment of persons with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia in long-term care facilities. Representative Krusick has scheduled an "executive session" of the Assembly Aging and Long Term Care Committee. An executive session is simply the term used to indicate a Committee has scheduled a meeting to vote on bills.

Rep Peggy Krusick and others have also introduced a bill for Dementia Specialist Certification. This bill creates a dementia specialist certification program. If a nurse aide or a person designated by a care provider to coordinate and supervise resident activities attends an appropriate instructional program, completes a competency evaluation, and pays a certification fee, the Department of Health Services (DHS) must certify him or her as a dementia specialist. A certificate as a dementia specialist is valid for two years. To renew the certificate, a person must provide proof to DHS of four hours of continuing education. No person may use the title "dementia specialist" or "certified dementia specialist" unless he or she is certified by DHS.

Also, the bill requires DHS to establish standards for a curriculum for the instructional program, which includes certain instructional topics. The instructional program must consist of at least 40 hours and must include both classroom and clinical instruction. DHS approves instructional programs that meet the standards DHS established and reviews each program at least once every two years. DHS may suspend or revoke an instructional program that fails to satisfy the standards. Under the bill, DHS approves competency evaluations that meet its standards, and may suspend or revoke a competency evaluation program that fails to meet the standards. For more information on this bill, click here!

 

3. Clinical Roundtable hosted by WALA and the Laureate Group. Register today for this free session!

WALA is hosting the first of three Clinical Roundtable discussions exclusively for our members. This free session is designed for clinicians to meet with clinical peers in their community and discuss issues, challenges and solutions unique to the Assisted Living environment.  

The first Clinical Roundtable Discussion will take place on January 20, 2010 from 8:00 - 9:30 am at Layton Terrace Community in Greenfield WI.  To find out more about this session, please go to www.ewala.org for more information. To register go to the WALA Store or call the office at (608) 288-0246.

4. CBRF & AFH Introductory Administrators Course

The business of operating a CBRF or AFH is complex. One must have a comprehensive knowledge of all parts of operations such as budgeting, assessments, care plans, staffing, regulatory compliance and most importantly the quality care of your residents. This course is designed to provide administrators with a foundational level of understanding and provide you with the tools that you need and the state demands to be successful as an administrator in assisted living.

This course is scheduled for February 16-17, 2010 at River View Lodge in Stevens Point. Watch your mail for the brochure or check out our website for more details and how to register!  

PLEASE NOTE - this is NOT the course designed to help train new administrators to meet the 83.15 Department Approved Administrators qualifications as the course requirements for the Department Approved course have just been issued. However, the Bureau of Assisted Living has encouraged future administrators who need the department approved course to take the WALA course until such time as the course requirements are issued and WALA (and others) can develop that course.  WALA will issue a discount voucher for those who take the current course to attend the department approved course offered by WALA when it becomes available. 

5. Compensation Survey Update

As a special offer to kick off the New Year, every provider who has completed or completes the WALA Compensation Survey conducted by Wipfli LLP, CPA and Consulting firm will receive a free report!

By completing this survey, you get the most detailed, first ever, Assisted Living specific, Wisconsin specific compensation report. Take the survey today to receive this special offer!

Just go to the WALA Website at www.ewala.org and you will see a link to the compensation survey on our main page. Follow the instructions listed there. If your company has more than one facility and would like an alternative way to enter data, please call or email Stefanie Gerberding at Wipfli LLP at 608/270-2972 or sgerberding@wipfli.com.

6. Family Care Seminars - Coming Soon!

The second set of the Family Care sessions have been scheduled!

WALA Family Care sessions have been developed to enhance communication and increase partnership between providers and Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) across the state. This moderated panel discussion between you, the Assisted Living Provider, your regional Family Care MCO and Department of Health Services (DHS) is designed to encourage clear and constructive communication regarding rates, contracts, care planning and other areas of interest you may have. Providers in the first sessions, offered late last year, ranged from those who had little experience with Family Care to those with a lot of working experience. These participants found the sessions to be helpful, valuable and informative for their business.

Dates are as follows:

For more details on sessions, location and registration watch your mail for the brochure or check out the WALA Store today!

7. WALA's 2010 Spring Conference

Join us for WALA's 2010 Spring Conference, on March 24-25 at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells. Last year our conference attracted more than 550 providers, suppliers, exhibitors and top-notch speakers, and at this year's 15th annual event, members and non-members alike can expect more of what has made our conferences great. The agenda is now posted on the WALA Website at www.ewala.org under education/events.

We have an expanded array of topics and speakers, including new tracks for specific career paths. In a tough year, where every expense will have to justify its existence, WALA has packed this singular training and networking event with even more sessions, to guarantee that attendees of all backgrounds will be able to create a valuable experience that suits their individual needs.

Also join us for the optional Pre-Event: DHS 83 - It's Answer Time! On March 23, 2010. By the time of the conference, the new DHS 83 will have been implemented for almost a year.  This is an opportunity for your staff - owners, managers, clinical staff, team leaders and caregivers to get answers to those last perplexing interpretations of the code.  Join BAL Director Kevin Coughlin, Consultant Pharmacist Doug Englebert and Consultant Nurse Sherri Olson in an afternoon designed to answer your questions. There will also be working roundtables on specific topics. See the WALA Store for more information!

Plus this year the ever popular optional Wine Tasting and Networking Reception is also on March 23, 2010. The Wine Tasting & Networking Reception assembles the most distinguished providers from the state's leading assisted living organizations to explore the hottest trends in the industry with colleagues and vendor partners.  With lots of networking time, wine tasting courtesy of Mallatt Homecare Pharmacy, hors d'oeuvres, and entertainment by Jerry Fitzpatrick on acoustic guitar, this is a great way to begin the conference.

Did you enjoy the picture from the teaser postcard we sent out late last year for the 2010 Conference? Get 12 more of these inspiring and fun pictures in the Belles of Bell Tower 2010 Calendar. Order yours today on the WALA Store.

8. Do You Have Employees Who Need DHS 83.20 Training?

WALA’s Training Partner, the assisted living education academy (alea) offers classroom instruction for all State required courses related to DHS 83.20 including: Medication Administration & Management, Standard Precautions, First Aid & Alleviate Choking, and Fire Safety.

Classroom instruction for these courses is being offered throughout the state of Wisconsin now. A full calendar of events is provided on alea's website at www.aleatraining.com . Registration forms are also available on our website. If you would prefer to talk to alea live, please feel free to call alea at (608) 819-2190.

If you prefer to have the training provided at your own facility, alea would be happy to provide you with a proposal to get the training completed in the most timely and cost effective way.

All of the training that is provided by alea is of high quality and is provided using State approved manuals and trainers. alea trainers are experienced in adult learning and provide hands-on participation in exercises so that the employee can "learn by doing".

Check out www.aleatraining.com or call today at (608) 819-2190.

9. AL Forum Update

With only a few glitches, the AL Forum went online by using Microsoft Live Meeting for the first meeting of 2010! This was in an effort to save money and travel expenses for DHS and for the AL Forum participants. There was a lot of information shared and good questions asked. For more information about the AL Forum and to see the handouts from the AL Forums please go to:

http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/rl_dsl/Providers/asstdLvgForum.htm

Historic record for DHS and BAL was announced! There are now, as of January 1, 2010, over 3,000 AL Facilities in Wisconsin. More than we have ever had in this State!

Sign up to receive e-mail reminders and other information related to the Assisted Living Forum. Make sure you check the Assisted Living Forum box: http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/rl_DSL/Listserv/signup.HTM

Mark your calendars! BALs Focus 2010 will be again at the Kalahari in Wisconsin Dells. November 17, 2010 will be the special session, and November 18, 2010 will be Conference. It was a great success last year, and people are still talking about the information shared at the conference. Stay tuned to the DHS website for more information!

10. Nominate your caregiver or administrator for an Award!

In an effort to recognize Wisconsin professional caregivers, annual awards are presented to outstanding long term care professionals. Frontline caregivers, supervisors, and administrators play a critical and indispensable role in meeting the needs of the elderly and disabled in Wisconsin.

Do you know a caregiver, supervisor, or administrator deserving of an award? Nominate your caregiver and tell us more about them! WALA is a member of the WI Long Term Care Workforce Alliance, who is a sponsor of this award program. For more information on how to nominate someone please go to www.wiworkforcealliance.com. Nominations are due by February 1, 2010.


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