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Orange County Nursing Home Advisory Committee <br />Minutes <br />March 7, 2017, 5:30pm, Seymour Center, Chapel Hill, NC <br />CALL TO ORDER by the Chair Teri Driscoll <br />• Members Present: 12 ; T. Driscoll, V. Talley, J. Schreiber, A. Cox (Ombudsman), J. Gregory, <br />J. Page, M. Bell, M. Stein, C. Kelly, G. Floyd, M. Fraser ( DOA) <br />• Members Absent: S. Nash (excused) <br />• Guests Present/Reasons for Participation: 1; Ms. Karen Macklin, volunteer candidate <br />• Approval of Minutes: January 3, 2017; approved as submitted <br />OLD BUSINESS <br />Ombudsman Report, Autumn Pittman Cox: <br />• Appointment of new Area J Ombudsman, Ms. Pam Palmer, currently in certification training <br />with hopes that she will be ready to be approved Commissioners by end of March. <br />• Upcoming Conference for CAC members across the Area's J's 7 counties. Topic: Elder Abuse <br />Awareness. May 31(Wednesday), RTP Davis Center; 830am to approx 2pm. Expected speakers <br />from protection services, law enforcement, etc.. Committee members will be receiving <br />invitations; due to limited seating space, those wishing to attend to are encouraged to sign up <br />early. <br />• An abbreviated summary of the Recently- Revised Nursing Home Regulations from CMS was <br />reviewed. Autumn had previously distributed the release from CMS at the January 2017 <br />meeting. This publication from the National Consumer Voice distilled the new information <br />which goes into effect in phases: November 2016; and subsequent Novembers of 2017 and <br />2018. Autumn mentioned that state surveyors are using the regulations now, and several new <br />tags are being noted by Ombudsmen and facilities throughout our state. Additional consumer <br />protections not previously included in regulations are: Greater focus on addressing a resident's <br />individual needs and preferences; Prompt development of a care plan; More comprehensive care; <br />Improved education for all staff, including contractual employees & volunteers; Better protection <br />of resident property; Increased visitation rights; Protection against evictions; Limiting nursing <br />home's ability to "dump" a resident at the hospital; and Prohibiting forced arbitration of claims <br />of misconduct (this item is currently on hold due to a pending legal question in one state) <br />• Distributed new dual -fold publication about resident rights for use by committee members when <br />on site visits; may be provided to residents. <br />Dept on A2in2 Report: Mary Fraser <br />• Distributed current edition of The Senior Times <br />• Master Aging Plan work continues. By April the DOA is planning to make the draft plan <br />available to the public for comments. The hope is to submit it for final approve to the Board of <br />County Commissioners on May 2, 2017. <br />• Direct Care Worker Awards program: now open for nominations from facilities. Nomination <br />forms were provided for the five areas: Client Impact; Longevity ( >10years); Leadership; Going <br />the Extra Mile; and Rising Star ( <3 years in position). Award recognition includes a cash <br />amount and invitation to award ceremony. <br />OCNHAC Minutes March 7, 2017 Page 1 <br />