01/26/2021

Today's COVID-19 Report: Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Here are the latest need-to-know updates for Wednesday, January 27 regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and other topics of importance.

A REMINDER TO ALL MEMBERS

Check LeadingAge's FAQs and Resources on COVID-19 Vaccines and Issues Surrounding Vaccinations frequently. The most recent update includes Q&A on implications of mandating the vaccine for staff.

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has released a preliminary toolkit that has been developed with talking points, language tips, social media language, and trusted resources to help providers better communicate information regarding the COVID-19 vaccines. 

In Today's Report

• National LeadingAge 2021 Policy Action Forum: Today at 2:00PM
• Provider Relief Fund payouts today
• CAST releases new guide on resident tech support and training
• Senior housing clinics: Notify residents!
  
• Last call: Please take the LeadingAge Housing Survey
• Lobbying expense percentage of membership dues
• LeadingAge Need to Know

National LeadingAge 2021 Policy Action Forum: Today at 2:00PM

Don’t miss today’s LeadingAge 2021 Policy Action Forum at 2:00PM. Special guest and health policy expert Dr. Adaeze Enekwechi will share her perspective on what the transitions of power happening in Washington this month mean for our field. LeadingAge’s national leadership will also talk about the path for advocacy and policy in the year ahead. This is a members-only opportunity to ask questions of Dr Enekwechi, national Board Chair Carol Silver Elliott, President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan and Senior Vice President of Policy Ruth Katz. Register now to join the members-only event.

Provider Relief Fund payouts today

Some members saw Provider Relief Funds (PRF) deposited this past Monday morning, and have requested assistance from LeadingAge to identify where they come from, so members can account for them accurately. These are likely nursing home incentive payments, though it’s possible they are phase 3 payments. There has not been a press release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) yet or any updates in the PRF website; LeadingAge will provide additional information as soon as it is made available. Nursing homes receiving a payment that says “NH PMT HHS.GOV” are receiving a nursing home incentive payment. If it doesn’t say this, it probably is a phase 3 payment. LeadingAge has reached out to HHS for clarification, and will share with members once confirmed.

CAST releases new guide on resident tech support and training

Given the significant and disproportionate impact of COVID-19 and the social isolation it brought on older adults, LeadingAge CAST has released a new Resident/Client Technology Support and Training Guide.

LeadingAge CAST has seen a significant increase in the deployment of technologies aimed at mitigating COVID-19 impacts, starting with social connectedness and engagement technologies and telehealth. These changes naturally increased the need for providing technology support to residents, not only with resident-facing technology applications that providers offer to their residents, but also with generic technologies older adults commonly use, like smartphones, tablets, computers, etc. 

The complete Tech Time article highlighting the new resource is available on the LeadingAge website.

Senior housing clinics: Notify residents!

Governor DeWine announced on Tuesday, in pursuit of fairness and equity in the distribution of the scarce vaccines, that Ohio will be delivering vaccines directly into affordable senior housing locations starting the week of February 8. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) will be working with local partners to offer assistance through onsite clinics. LeadingAge Ohio will pass along any details as quickly as possible, but please let residents know that this work is underway. These clinics will help ease the burden for many seniors having trouble navigating the registration process and arranging transportation.

Last call: Please take the LeadingAge Housing Survey

LeadingAge hopes affordable housing providers can fill out this quick pulse-check on vaccines, COVID testing, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) payments. The information collected will help LeadingAge with advocacy at HUD and on Capitol Hill, helps determine the kinds of materials to produce for housing members, and will help all housing members understand how their peers are doing when the results are shared, and more. Please take a moment and complete the survey by today, January 27.

Lobbying expense percentage of membership dues

As providers begin to gather information for annual cost reports, knowing the percentage of lobbying expenses for annual dues is necessary information to have. LeadingAge Ohio includes this information for our members on dues invoices each year. Payments of dues or other contributions to LeadingAge Ohio are not tax deductible as a charitable contribution. For 2020, LeadingAge Ohio reports 8.3% and LeadingAge reports 2.8% of dues reflect lobbying activities. 

LeadingAge Need to Know: COVID-19 – January 27, 2021

LeadingAge shares the latest coronavirus news and resources with members twice each weekday. This morning's update featured information on a host of upcoming events that we have covered above, plus more!

Check out the full report here.

Questions

Please send all questions to COVID19@leadingageohio.org. Additionally, members are encouraged to visit the LeadingAge Ohio COVID-19 Working Group facebook group to pose questions to peers and share best practices. LeadingAge is continuing its daily calls for all members.  To participate in these daily online updates, members should register here.  

LeadingAge Ohio is working to ensure that the information in our daily alerts, on our website, and all coronavirus-related communications is as accurate as possible. However, LeadingAge Ohio makes no guarantees about the accuracy of the information.