ANNUAL REPORT. SKILLED NURSING. 2017. Inside. Legislative Report. Quality Update. Member Benefit Review. Strategic Plan
SKILLED NURSING
2017 ANNUAL REPORT
Inside Legislative Report Quality Update Member Benefit Review Strategic Plan
LETTER FROM ROBIN DALE, CEO As the year draws to a close, we thought it a good time to reach out to our skilled nursing facility members to provide them an overview of the work we have done over the last 12 months. That overview is found in the pages that follow. As well as helping our members with the day-to-day operational challenges that are a part of this highlyregulated sector, we have been instrumental in shaping regulatory and payment policy in Washington, and at the same time, have continued to provide a robust, consistent program of skilled nursing focused professional development for our members. We also have continued to offer a full range of member benefits targeted to improve our members’ bottom line. This has been an important and challenging year. The challenges have been many. Throughout the spring and well into the summer we were faced with the imminent prospect of “Medicaid Reform” coming out of Washington, D.C. Each of the proposals considered by Congress would have devastated Medicaid reimbursement in our state. On two separate occasions WHCA sent delegations to Washington, D.C., to dissuade our Republican representatives from supporting the Medicaid cuts. Special thanks to Karen Hyatt, Dale Patterson, Jerry Tretwold and Carol Dikes for making the long trip to D.C. In addition, at the same time WHCA initiated a massive grassroots effort to ensure that every one of our federal representatives understood the importance of opposing these bills. The individual efforts of hundreds of WHCA members reaching out to their Congressional representatives was astounding and I am deeply grateful for your efforts. While the imminent threat to Medicaid has passed for now, we must remain vigilant. In addition to the prospect of massive rate cuts, an increasingly oppressive survey environment has impacted many of our members. At the beginning of the year many of our members faced massive civil monetary penalties (CMPs) that threatened to cripple our sector. As the size
of these CMPs became apparent, WHCA began regular discussions with RCS and CMS Region X. In addition, working with our Congressional representatives and our national affiliate, we were able to raise the issue on a national level. On July 7, 2017, CMS issued a revised protocol that resulted in an immediate decrease in the size of the penalties. However, all is not well on the survey front. “Immediate Jeopardy” citations have more than tripled in the last two years and we continue to see citations that are questionable. We have initiated regular quarterly meetings with RCS and CMS Region X. The purpose of these meetings is to continue a discussion on the survey environment in our state. If you are impacted by questionable survey findings, we urge you to provide us with this information so that we can raise these issues with the state and federal survey agencies during our quarterly meetings. Staffing shortages continue to be problematic. Providers are particularly plagued with a continued shortage of registered nurses needed to comply with the 24/7 RN requirement. While almost all requests for an exception to this requirement have been granted by the Department, a limited number of providers have been unable to secure an exception. If you are not granted an exception, please let us know. WHCA continues to address these issues with the Department, and we urge all providers to raise the harshness of the 24/7 RN requirement with their legislators. On a brighter note, this past legislative session we were successful in securing additional funding for our skilled nursing providers for the coming year. The weighted average statewide Medicaid rate is projected to rise from the current $215.91 per day to $232.08 per day on July 1, 2018. While not enough, it supports the continued progress toward equitable rates that was started in 2014 when the weighted average Medicaid rate was at a dismal $186.79. Overall, in the last four years WHCA has secured an additional $167,500,000 in Medicaid funding for SNF providers, representing a 26.43% increase over that period.
In addition, the 2017 legislative session was marked by our successful effort to partially eliminate the “low acuity penalty.” WHCA was tireless in its efforts to educate legislators about the wrongheadedness of the low acuity penalty. A more thorough review of some of these issues is provided in the pages that follow. Many of these issues will continue to be addressed in the coming year. We will continue to keep you informed of our efforts through our weekly Long Term Care Connections. With respect to professional development, WHCA continues to provide a broad range of training and educational opportunities designed to specifically address emerging issues for skilled nursing providers. In addition to an exclusive “track” of skilled nursing training opportunities during the WHCA Annual Convention, we offer a spate of one-day tracks at our Winter and Fall Conferences. Other training resources include: ●● Monthly webinars approved for continuing education requirements by DSHS addressing critical legal and regulatory issues, with topics relevant to employment law, facility operations, Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement, and more; ●● Stand-alone seminars providing the opportunity for indepth knowledge and skills development for clinical and quality issues; and ●● Regular workshops that help providers successfully prepare for the AHCA Quality Awards.
Further information on each of the educational programs can be found below. We encourage providers to take advantage of these educational opportunities. In addition to our regulatory support and educational programs, WHCA also offers significant member benefits. These benefits include: ●● Access to the largest and most successful healthcarerelated Group Retro (workers compensation) Program in the state; ●● Access to on-line member resources on the WHCA website; ●● A successful Group Purchasing Program that consistently returns refunds to its members; and ●● Access to a web-based NAC training program designed to streamline and strengthen consistent quality. Like everything else we do at WHCA, our member benefits meet needs that have been defined by our members and serve to help our members achieve success. We are extremely proud of the resources and services we are able to offer our members and we will continue to listen to our skilled nursing members to ensure that we continue to meet their needs. If you ever have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Legislative Advocacy Regulatory Support Quality Education Member Benefits Governance Strategic Plan Foundation Staff
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY Our work on Medicaid payment reform continued during the 2017 legislative session. It was a critical year for ensuring that a promised rate rebase was adopted for skilled nursing facilities, and for seeking a permanent repeal of penalties on skilled nursing facility patients. We were successful on each of these fronts and were able to secure additional dollars for minimum wage increases. We also shaped legislation to ease staffing issues for providers serving patients with behavioral rather than health care issues. Skilled Nursing Facility Rates Rebase SNF rates are scheduled to be rebased on July 1, 2018. The rebase will update the payment model to 2016 costs. Minimum Wage Enhancement Funding Funding is provided for a minimum wage enhancement for skilled nursing facilities. The funds are allocated in an across-the-board increase for all rates that equates to $.29/per resident day. While this is a modest appropriation, we appreciated the recognition that the statewide minimum wage initiative drove up costs for long term care providers. Elimination of Acuity Penalties and Payment Improvements for Behavioral Health Clients WHCA priority legislation, SB 5715, was fully funded in the state operating budget. The legislation provides that residents in RUG categories PC1 through PE2 are now exempt from 13% penalties. Residents in the RUG categories PA1 through PB2 are still subject to the penalty, unless a resident also presents with behavioral RUG codes. Additional exceptions to the penalty are permitted for residents with limited placement options in the community. Additionally, DSHS is authorized to adjust upward the weighted RUG scores for the BA1 through BB2 codes in the behavioral and cognitive performance group. The direct care component of the nursing home rate is capped at 118% of the direct care allowable costs in the base rate year. Nursing homes that are below the statutory minimum staffing standard of 3.4 hours per resident day are not subject to the direct care cap.
Geriatric Behavioral Health Worker Training While this was not identified as a priority going into the legislative session, WHCA worked with Representative Joe Schmick on his legislation requiring the Department of Social and Health Services to establish standards for approving curricula for skilled nursing facility-based caregivers serving persons with behavioral health needs and geriatric behavioral health workers. The legislation allows completion of the behavioral health curriculum to substitute for the experience requirement for becoming a geriatric behavioral health worker in a skilled nursing facility. The law also removes the requirement that a geriatric behavioral health worker have either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work. Advocacy in Action Providers throughout Washington State made it a priority to communicate with their legislators throughout the session and in the interim. Your efforts to continue to educate your legislators about the issues impacting your care and services – including workforce shortages and regulatory challenges – are critical. Thanks to those of you who are engaged in legislative advocacy through facility tours, personal meetings, email and telephone calls. Your efforts make a difference.
2017 WHCA LEGISLATIVE SCORECARD Skilled Nursing Facility Rates Rebase Minimum Wage Enhancement Funding Elimination of Acuity Penalties & Payment Improvements for Behavioral Health Clients Geriatric Behavioral Health Worker Training
REGULATORY SUPPORT Regional Meetings with Residential Care Services WHCA members benefit from regular meetings with DSHS field managers to discuss current and trending compliance issues. These meetings are a forum for regional operations staff to connect directly regarding specific challenges and issues. In 2017, WHCA providers met biannually with regional staff. Contact Elena Madrid for additional information. WHCA Regional Meetings—Bringing Resources to Members In September 2017, WHCA promoted connections with members. Over 250 skilled nursing and assisted living providers participated in statewide WHCA regional meetings. In addition to updates from the Washington State Fire Marshal and DSHS Residential Care Services field managers, WHCA members received information from ERNWest, WHCA’s third-party workers compensation program manager, Lauri St. Ours on legislative issues, and Elena Madrid and/or Lori Heiner, who shared an update on regulatory issues in assisted living and skilled nursing centers statewide. Quarterly Meetings with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Region X and RCS Leadership In response to WHCA member concerns regarding high civil monetary penalties, increasing numbers of Immediate Jeopardy (IJ) actions, and harm level citations in 2017, WHCA forged numerous communications, letters, and face-to-face meetings with CMS and RCS leadership. Ongoing survey issues and the impact on WHCA members are at the forefront of discussions. As a result of state and national pressures, on July 7, 2017, CMS issued a revised Survey & Certification (S&C) Memo regarding Civil Monetary Penalties (CMP) policies and the CMP analytic tool. CMS and RCS have committed to continuing quarterly meetings with WHCA staff in an effort to maintain conversations and work together to find solutions for optimal quality care. Nurse Shortages Reported Statewide Providers are reporting significant challenges meeting the 24/7 RN requirement in skilled nursing facilities. Although DSHS has the authority to grant up to three years’ exceptions to the rules, there isn’t a readily-available
supply of nurses in many areas throughout Washington State. In 2018, it will be critical for providers to ensure their policymakers understand the staffing crisis in long term care. WHCA has convened a group of clinical experts to help advise work force initiatives designed to alleviate staff shortages, including changes to state laws and regulations that impact the available supply of nurses. Our goal is to continue to bring attention to this issue and continue to inform legislators and other policymakers about the impact the nurse shortage is having on delivery of care and services in long term care settings. SNF Education, Trainings and Resources Focused on Regulatory Requirements, Survey and Quality in 2017 November 2016 saw the rollout of the Phase 1, Requirements of Participation (RoP) from CMS. WHCA responded with weekly updates, monthly newsletters, webinars, and resources/tools to assist our members with understanding and implementing the vast regulatory changes. Over 170 skilled nursing providers attended Phase 1 RoP training in January 2017 with experts from the American Health Care Association (AHCA) for a daylong training. Following the rollout of Phase 1, focus quickly shifted to Phase 2 and the new Long-term Care Survey Process. In-person trainings were held in Spokane and Bellevue in October 2017 with the support of both CMS and RCS; over 200 attendees learned about the new requirements and survey process. Regulatory compliance, leadership, and regulatory relationships continued to be the focus at the twoday Medications Conference, the Skilled Nursing DNS Academy, and the hugely successful Survey Boot Camp, followed by a day long training focused on the Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Rule.
QUALITY WHCA Quality Committee In 2017, the WHCA Quality Committee underwent a “revamping” in order to respond to the changing climate of quality and the needs of WHCA members. The Quality Committee continues to meet on a quarterly basis and seeks to support both assisted living and skilled nursing facility members through the following goals: ●● Support of the AHCA/NCAL Quality Initiatives by ensuring that WHCA provides ongoing resources, education materials, and training. ●● Assisting to promote and grow the number of both assisted living and skilled nursing facility applicants for the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award program. ●● Ensuring WHCA provides education, training materials, and resources to improve skilled nursing facility quality measures, compliance with regulations/ survey results, survey/inspection readiness, and relationships with DSHS staff. Quality Summit WHCA continues to support quality in skilled nursing facilities with the yearly Quality Summit that features education to ensure our members are up-to-date on relevant and resident-centered topics that promote quality care. In March, WHCA invited Sue Ann Guildermann, RN, B.A., M.S., a renowned expert in fall prevention, to provide innovative training and resources to our members on fall prevention and the effects of sleep on long term care residents. The Quality Summit surpassed expectations in both attendance and the quality of information shared. Plans are underway now for the 2018 Quality Summit, which will focus on quality and clinical concerns facing the long term care profession today. AHCA/NCAL Quality Awards The AHCA/NCAL Quality Awards Program recognizes skilled nursing communities for quality and performance excellence. The program sets high standards based on Baldrige Performance Excellence criteria. The program has three distinct levels—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—and a member facility must receive an award at each level to progress to the next. In the last two years, more than 25% of Washington skilled nursing facilities have applied for awards.
The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is a great way to show residents, family members, and the community at large an organization’s commitment to continuous quality improvement. Recipients receive a promotional packet for their own marketing purposes and are featured by AHCA/NCAL in a national press release and on the website. In addition, recipients are recognized at the AHCA/NCAL Annual Convention & Expo in front of thousands of their peers. In 2017, WHCA was proud to recognize seven Bronze and three Silver level recipients. All provider organizations that are members in good standing with AHCA/NCAL are eligible to participate. Long Term Care Trend Tracker This exclusive benefit for AHCA members allows skilled nursing organizations to benchmark metrics to those of their peers and examine ongoing quality improvement efforts. This is a one-stop-shop to gain timely information and valuable insight about regulatory and financial issues. In 2017, the Your Top-Line publication, produced by LTC Trend Tracker, was launched. This valuable publication complements the information available in LTC Trend Tracker. This resource uses each facility’s latest benchmarking data and highlights metrics and graphics outlining progress on Five-Star performance, the AHCA/ NCAL Quality Initiative, and other necessary data to help your team achieve desired goals. The 2017 Quarter Three edition of Your Top-Line also included each facility’s current Quality Award status and information regarding the eligibility criteria for all levels of the Quality Award Journey.
EDUCATION WHCA EDUCATION BY THE NUMBERS 3,800
attendees at WHCA events in 2017
72
educational events held during 2017
67
courses offered at the 2017 Convention
38
webinars offered in 2017
Skilled Nursing Specific Webinars WHCA offers ongoing skilled nursing specific education through regular webinars. These webinars focus on the distinct needs of our members by providing an in-depth look at topics such as wound care, Requirements of Participation, and emergency planning, as well as topics such as leadership, staff development, communication, and process improvement. Each webinar is recorded and accessible for future use and training. Survey Boot Camp This year WHCA launched its first ever Survey Boot Camp. This one-day workshop provided insight on how communities could better prepare for a survey, best practices for being in survey, and what to do once a survey has been completed. The boot camp also included a session on building effective relations with Washington State survey teams. The second day of the boot camp included the latest information regarding the CMS emergency preparedness rules for skilled nursing providers. Attendees participated in an emergency table top exercise that allowed them to work collaboratively in managing an emergency situation. 2017 Quality Summit The 2017 Quality Summit focused on falls in long term care—how to reduce, manage, and utilize data around
falls to improve quality and clinical outcomes. Attendees also learned about the use of sleep programs to help reduce falls in their facilities. 2017 Survey Update The 2017 Survey Update provided a deep dive into the significant changes brought about by Phase 2 of the Requirements of Participation, as well as the new survey process from RCS and CMS. Members of CMS and RCS were in attendance to answer specific questions from our membership. Skilled Nursing Conference Tracks At every WHCA conference and convention, skilled nursing attendees have access to an educational track specific to skilled nursing competencies. Each class has been specifically chosen to address the unique needs of skilled nursing facilities in Washington. This year alone, WHCA offered more than 25 courses for skilled nursing facilities at the Annual Convention. The Winter Conference and Fall Conference also offered specific tracks for skilled nursing providers. The education provided at each addressed topics such as implementing QAPI, infection control, emergency and disaster preparedness, Medicare payment system, increasing census, marketing, reducing the off label use of antipsychotics, bundled payments, reducing unnecessary readmissions to the hospital, palliative care, adverse drug events, genetic testing, survey and IDR, and more. Skilled Nursing Exclusives WHCA’s monthly “Skilled Nursing Exclusive” is a membersonly publication that offers specific focus and education on hot topics or regulatory areas of concern for skilled nursing providers. By keeping in tune with the current citation trends, member inquiries, and regulatory issues, WHCA staff are able to address these topics with memberspecific information and insight to assist with regulatory compliance and up-to-date information sharing.
MEMBER BENEFITS Group Retro The Group Retrospective Rating Program (GRRP) is an optional financial incentive program offered by the Department of Labor and Industries (LNI) to help employers reduce their industrial insurance costs. WHCA sponsors the largest and most successful healthcare-related GRRP in the state. Overall, WHCA’s GRRP has returned over $99 million to its members in the form of annual refunds since the inception of the program in 1986. This program helps providers manage their workers compensation claims. In addition to receiving refunds on an annual basis, each community enrolled in our GRRP is eligible to receive up to $2,500 in safety rebates each year for the purchase of safety equipment (including safety shoes for employees). Our GRRP provides an abundance of resources in the areas of injury prevention and safety, claims management, return to work, human resources, and more. In addition, the program offers onsite training at no additional cost to GRRP participants and webinars focused on employee safety. As a part of this program, we have a dedicated trainer who visits providers and assesses worker safety needs. An example of the value of this program was highlighted recently when we became aware that LNI was targeting providers for safety inspections as part of a national OSHA emphasis program. Within two weeks of learning about the new mandate, we were able to offer in-person and online training to our members regarding these targeted inspections. Group Purchasing Another benefit that helps our members save money is WHCA’s Group Purchasing Program, Purchase Power. Our Group Purchasing Program helps members review their spending and service provider contracts to ensure they are getting the best return on investment. Whether or not members purchase through our program, we can help them get the best value for dollars spent on medical supplies, food, rehab, and other services and ancillaries. Participants also receive quarterly rebates towards their WHCA dues. PR Toolkit In an effort to aid providers in managing their public image and messages, the WHCA staff in partnership with industry experts have created a three-part PR toolkit.
WHCA GROUP RETRO BY THE NUMBERS
1986
program inception
470
long term care facilities in group retro
1,682
claims closed in the last plan year
hundreds
of safety resources available
$99.3 million refunded to members since inception
$11.3 million refunded to members in 2016
Each section provides insights, examples, and knowledge related to crisis communications, social media, and general public relations issues. All sections are available through the ‘Members Only’ section of the WHCA website. In 2018, WHCA will be providing in-person and webinarbased public relations training. Online NAC Training In 2014, in response to member needs, WHCA recognized the limitations of current traditional nursing assistantcertified (NAC) training models. Ever-changing workforce demands and the lack of recruitment opportunities for NACs led WHCA to partner with the Institute for Professional Care Education (IPCed) to develop the first online NAC curriculum in the state of Washington. This twoyear project has led to the creation of an online learning platform that has been approved by the Department of Health (DOH) for utilization in approved NAC training programs. Through adoption of a blended training model, users of the WHCA/IPCed Online Training Curriculum can optimize their nurse instructor’s classroom time,
standardize training, and reach students in a whole new way. WHCA is invested in the success of the program by making a “Tool Kit” available for members regarding utilization of the online training and tips/resources to assist members through the process of working with the DOH in the development of a nursing assistant training program. WHCA staff is also available as a resource to assist members in the adoption of the program. Online Member Resources WHCA maintains a number of online resources that are available 24/7 for our membership. WHCA’s webinar archive hosts over 80 webinars from the past two years, exploring topics such as the Requirements of Participation, wound care, staff development, and much more. The document library contains a variety of sample policies and procedures, assessment tools, and forms for our members to use in their communities. The resources hosted on WHCA’s website are updated regularly to provide our membership with the best possible resources.
GOVERNANCE In 2017, WHCA made some significant changes to its governing structure by amending its bylaws to better reflect how the association was functioning. The biggest change to the bylaws was the elimination of the chapter system that had been in effect since 1985. Through a number of meetings with membership, it was determined that the chapter system was no longer functioning. These discussions highlighted the fact that the chapter system had been established during a time when communications with members were primarily through mail and fax. With the change to e-mail and conference calls, the chapter system lost a great deal of its utility. With the recent changes to the bylaws the “Chapter Representative” positions on the Board have been replaced with “Representatives-at-Large.” These “Representative-at-Large” positions are selected by the Board and approved by membership. Under this system the WHCA Board has a great deal of discretion to ensure that the Board contains a healthy mixture of members from both assisted living and skilled nursing. In addition, the Board can also take geographic location, experience and expertise into account in filling Board positions. Currently, the WHCA Board is comprised of 16 members: ●● Chair ●● Vice Chair
●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●
Immediate Past Chair Two Assisted Living Independent Representatives Two Assisted Living Multi-Facility Representatives Two Skilled Nursing Independent Representatives Two Skilled Nursing Multi-Facility Representatives Four “Representatives-at-Large” chosen by the Board and approved by membership ●● One Associate Business Representativ Notably, the Chair and Vice Chair positions have been held by assisted living professionals as well as skilled nursing professionals. In 1997, John Merz was the first WHCA Board Chair elected from the assisted living member community. Our current Board Chair, Lee Field, is the owner of an assisted living company with facilities in seven states. Our Immediate Past Chair, Dale Patterson, represents a company with both assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. Prior to Dale, our previous past Chair, Jeff Hyatt served at the national level as a Board Member for the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) for four years. WHCA has a long-standing history of representing both assisted living and skilled nursing providers in Washington State. While the majority of our members are assisted living communities, our Board has had a balanced representation of both assisted living and skilled nursing communities for decades.
STRATEGIC PLAN Workforce Development and Retention WHCA recently completed a months-long strategic planning process. As a result of this process, the WHCA Board placed a priority on addressing workforce development and retention for member providers. Having a stable, qualified workforce is the universal challenge for skilled nursing providers. A stable workforce supports quality care and services. The WHCA Board has committed to developing a three-year, multipronged approach focusing on education, recruitment, development, and retention of a qualified workforce. As part of this effort, WHCA has retained an expert consultant who will identify target markets and likely collaborators to assist in this effort. Through interaction with technical colleges, community colleges, and universities, the consultant, working with WHCA staff, will design a multiyear project aimed at ameliorating the current staffing crisis. Public Image Enhancement The WHCA Board of Directors is seeking to help providers manage the image and the message regarding their care
and services, and the value of the individuals for whom they provide care. In support of this goal, a strategic initiative to develop a “PR Toolkit” was brought to fruition in 2017. Provider guides on crisis communications, social media, and general public relations issues were developed and disseminated and are available to members on the WHCA website. Additionally, these topics will be covered in the 2018 webinar and conference programming to help ensure you have tools and expert consultation available for your outreach and communication efforts. Volunteer Development and Support WHCA is a member-driven association. Volunteers serving on our committees are a critical component of our success and necessary for the sustainability of the association. To foster member engagement, the WHCA Board has directed association staff to develop a sustainable recruitment strategy for critical committees. Key components of this strategy include preventing member burnout and making it easier for members to participate. The ultimate goal of this project will be to refresh the committee structure and develop engaged volunteers.
FOUNDATION The Washington Foundation for Long Term Care (WFLTC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of employees and residents of Washington long term care facilities. WFLTC sponsors four programs throughout the year. One is The Dreams Project to help long term care staff fulfill a lifetime dream. Another is the Christmas Dreams Project to assist families of long term care workers during the holidays. The third is the Scholarship Award to assist long term care staff in furthering their education. The fourth is the Music and Memory program that is designed to enhance the quality of life for residents with dementia. Funds raised by the Foundation are distributed to support these innovative programs. The Dreams Project The staff of Washington State’s long term care communities give so much to support and care for long term care residents. In some cases, lifetime dreams of these caregivers go unfulfilled because of health, finances, and unexpected life circumstances. To acknowledge these dreams and make wishes a reality, The Dreams Project provides monetary support and professional assistance to help each recipient live his or her dream. In 2017 two Dreams were awarded; one award provided a car to a long-time staff member at Ft. Vancouver Convalescent who was facing challenges getting to work; and a second award to a staff member at Patriot’s Landing will provide much needed dental work. For 2018, the WFLTC Board of Directors has authorized two additional “Dreams” for long term care workers. The Christmas Dreams Project For Christmas 2017, the WFLTC Board of Directors approved the “Christmas Dreams Project.” The holiday season can be a challenge for some, and so we were thrilled to give 31 families in need a little extra help this year. Scholarships The Washington Foundation for Long Term Care (WFLTC) awards scholarships for deserving employees. The intent of these awards is to assist staff employed in assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities in pursuing or furthering a formal education to enhance
the quality of care in long term care communities. The Scholarship Award is open to all departments. The area of study must be related to health care. The amount awarded is dependent upon the number of applications received, financial need, and the resources of WFLTC. In 2017, the Foundation distributed $18,000 in scholarships to students around state. The WFLTC Board of Directors has approved awarding an additional $18,000 in 2018. Music and Memory Music and Memory is a program designed to enhance quality of life for individuals with dementia and memory loss. The impact music has on certain parts of the brain creates a pathway for memories to break through and provides a way for individuals to express thought and emotion sometimes lost as a result of dementia. Designed by Dan Cohen and validated by countless caregivers who have seen the power of Music and Memory, the program has generated national attention and was showcased in an award-winning film, Alive Inside. In 2017, WFLTC awarded the Music and Memory Program to four assisted living facilities and four skilled nursing facilities. The awards included onsite training and program certification and hardware. For 2018, the WFLTC Board of Directors has approved eight additional awards for facilities―four assisted living and four skilled nursing.
STAFF
Robin Dale
President/CEO
Jacob Ewing
Assistant Director of Member Services
Lori Heiner, RN, MN
Assisted Living Program Specialist
Diana Hitchings Controller
Elena Madrid, RN, BSN Director of Regulatory Affairs
Brenda Orffer
Director of Member Services
Sandy Ostergard Office Manager
Lauri St. Ours
Director of Governmental and Legislative Affairs
Juanita Taurman Accounts Manager
WASHINGTON HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION | 303 CLEVELAND AVE SE, TUMWATER, WA 98501 | WWW.WHCA.ORG | (800) 562-6170
