One of the most challenging things long-term care teams must do is find ways to respond to residents living with dementia whose behavior is out-of-character and disruptive to others. Although psychotropic medications should be the last resort, many facilities struggle to find alternative methods that consistently work. This insightful presentation will explore root causes of behavioral expressions, nonpharmacological interventions that work, and the science behind approaches that help residents function better physically and interpersonally so out-of-character responses are less likely to occur. Case histories from the presenter's professional work will be used to illustrate the techniques and provide context and relevance for participants.

Speaker: Eric Collett, BS, RCA, CEO, A Mind for All Seasons

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe genetics and its effect on neurotransmitter pathways that give us tools to improve mood and energy levels
2. Identify how concussion-related injuries - even from years ago - may affect sleep, mood, eating disorders, and what can be done about them
3. Relay how FDA-registered medical devices may help calm pain and inflammation that can act as triggers for agitated behavior in some people
4. Utilize new techniques for identifying the root causes of cognitive decline and interventions that may help stabilize or improve cognitive functioning

Audience: This session is appropriate for administrators, directors, directors of nursing, nurses, social service workers, activity directors, and direct care staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

On Wednesday, Aug. 23, CMS released the much-anticipated final version of the new RAI User’s Manual, which took effect on Oct. 1, 2023. While providers typically experience RAI manual updates on an annual basis, this is the first manual release since version 1.17.1 due to the public health emergency. Many of the changes in the manual are related to gender neutrality adjustments in questions, coding guidance, examples, steps for assessments, etc., while others are related to data that CMS will be collecting on the new MDS Item Sets.

Speaker: Scott Heichel, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, IPCO, QCP, ICC, Director of Clinical Reimbursement, LeaderStat

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. State at least three sections of the MDS with major changes
2. Describe how the changes impact the Care Area Assessments in chapter 4
3. Explain how to properly time a resident interview

Audience: This session is appropriate for owners, administrators, directors, minimum data set coordinators, and directors of nursing in skilled nursing facilities.

Person-centered care and quality of life is listed as the first goal of reform measures by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (2022). While person-centered is a universal term, what it means to each person differs. Care plans are often generated by selecting phrases from drop-down menus, resulting in an exercise in regulatory compliance instead of a living document that upholds what is most important to the individual. This session aims to shift from a deficit-based, problem-oriented approach to care to one that integrates strengths-based, person-centered care that impacts quality of life and well-being. Using actual care plan examples, we’ll explore barriers and complex scenarios such as expressions of distress and how to engage in a process that creates a meaningful experience for staff and residents.

Speaker: Paige Hector, LMSW, Principal, Paige Ahead Healthcare Education and Consulting

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify barriers created by using a deficit-based approach to care
2. Write a person-centered care plan
3. Create a meaningful experience for staff and residents with the care planning process

Audience: This session is appropriate for owners, administrators, directors, directors of nursing, nursing, and social services in nursing facilities and assisted living communities. 

Session Sponsored by Choice Rehabilitation

Nebraska's new voter ID law (LB 514) requires all registered Nebraska voters, with limited exceptions, to present an acceptable form of photo ID when voting in Nebraska elections starting with the May 14, 2024 statewide primary election. The session will provide information about acceptable forms of photo ID which include a hospital, assisted-living facility, or nursing home record. ID must contain a voter's name and photo. ID can be expired.

Speaker: Wayne Bena, Esq., Deputy Secretary of State, Nebraska Secretary of State

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe genetics and its effect on neurotransmitter pathways that give us tools to improve mood and energy levels
2. Describe the new Voter ID Law and what it how it directly affects nursing homes and assisted living communities.
3. Identify what is an acceptable form of a photo ID.
4. Apply the new process to a facility record.

Audience: This session is appropriate for administrators, directors of nursing, nurses, social service workers, activity directors, and direct care staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

One of the most challenging things long-term care teams must do is find ways to respond to residents living with dementia whose behavior is out-of-character and disruptive to others. Although psychotropic medications should be the last resort, many facilities struggle to find alternative methods that consistently work. This insightful presentation will explore root causes of behavioral expressions, nonpharmacological interventions that work, and the science behind approaches that help residents function better physically and interpersonally so out-of-character responses are less likely to occur. Case histories from the presenter's professional work will be used to illustrate the techniques and provide context and relevance for participants.

Speaker: Eric Collett, BS, RCA, CEO, A Mind for All Seasons

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe genetics and its effect on neurotransmitter pathways that give us tools to improve mood and energy levels
2. Identify how concussion-related injuries - even from years ago - may affect sleep, mood, eating disorders, and what can be done about them
3. Relay how FDA-registered medical devices may help calm pain and inflammation that can act as triggers for agitated behavior in some people
4. Utilize new techniques for identifying the root causes of cognitive decline and interventions that may help stabilize or improve cognitive functioning

Audience: This session is appropriate for administrators, directors, directors of nursing, nurses, social service workers, activity directors, and direct care staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Session Sponsored by McKesson

Effective Oct. 1, 2019, CMS changed their Medicare payment model from RUGs based to PDPM, or the Patient Driven Payment Model. While this transition seems ages ago, the multi-year pandemic took its toll on providers' education efforts and processes. With five unique case-mix driven components under PDPM, it is critical that providers have a strong IDT approach to maximize the reimbursement to the facility. Are your systems meeting these needs?

Speaker: Scott Heichel, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, IPCO, QCP, ICC, Director of Clinical Reimbursement, LeaderStat

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. State the five case-mix driven components under PDPM
2. Understand the complex thought process of deciding to complete an IPA
3. Explain the proper resident interview techniques related to the BIMS

Audience: This session is appropriate for owners, administrators, directors, minimum data set coordinators, and directors of nursing in skilled nursing facilities.

When someone asks, “What is the role of Social Services in a nursing facility?”, perhaps the easiest answer is "Potpourri." Social Services tends to be everywhere and anywhere, rarely at their desk, and it can be difficult to identify the true nature and purpose of the role. The State Operations manual identifies several pages of Social Services responsibilities, and this session will help not only break down those responsibilities, but connect them to everyday tasks, and help a Social Services team member understand the role according to best practices.

Speaker: Corie Sass, LCSW, Social Services and Admissions Coordinator, Vetter Health Services

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify the regulatory components for Social Services in the nursing facility according to the State Operations Manual
2. Understand how the regulation translates into typical Social Services duties

Audience: This session is appropriate for owners, administrators, directors, directors of nursing, and social services in nursing facilities.

Session Sponsored by Senior Rx Care

Nontraumatic lower-extremity amputation is a devastating complication of peripheral artery disease with a high mortality and medical expenditure. There are ≈150,000 nontraumatic leg amputations every year in the United States, and most cases occur in patients with diabetes and pressure injury of the heel. A number of evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for PAD and pressure injury can reduce amputation risk.

Speaker: Joyce Black, PhD, RN, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify risk factors for peripheral arterial disease
2. Identify risk factors for pressure injury on the heel
3. Describe methods to protect the feet in persons with arterial disease, diabetes and pressure injury

Audience: This session is appropriate for administrators, directors, directors of nursing, nurses, and direct care staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities. 

On Monday July 31, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 451 page final payment rule for SNF PPS, effective for fiscal year (FY) 2024. With some parts of the rule going into effect Oct. 1, 2023 and others taking effect at various times over the next few years, providers need to act now to ensure their systems and processes can support these changes. Join this session to learn the high level details of the rule, in addition to how to best operationalize it.

Speaker: Scott Heichel, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, IPCO, QCP, ICC, Director of Clinical Reimbursement, LeaderStat

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Understand the calculation leading to the rate increase effective Oct. 1, 2023 
2. Describe changes to the SNF QRP and the QMs that will be used
3. Describe changes to the SNF VBP and the QMs that will be used

Audience: This session is appropriate for owners, administrators, directors, minimum data set coordinators, and directors of nursing in skilled nursing facilities.

Session Sponsored by Nebraska Total Care

Most healthcare leaders recognize that caregiver burnout is a serious contributor to staffing challenges, but few have a deliberate strategy to help their teams proactively care for themselves. This timely presentation will help participants discover three key things great leaders can do to take care of their teams.

Speakers: Eric Collett, BS, RCA, CEO, A Mind for All Seasons

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Increase staff retention by converting your organization into a movement that inspires team members to make better choices in their lives outside of the workplace
2. Utilize a framework that can help you inject greater joy into the workplace
3. Leverage both education and group challenges to help your team improve their personal health, energy, focus, and drive

Audience: This session is appropriate for all in nursing facilities and assisted living communities. 

Session Sponsored by Medline

Early presentations of Stage 1 and Deep Tissue Pressure Injury are very difficult if not impossible to see in persons with darkly pigmented skin. This problem has led to more severe pressure injury in these persons combined with poorer outcomes. This session will provide techniques to examine the skin for signs of pressure. Both manual and instrument assessments will be discussed.

Speaker: Joyce Black, PhD, RN, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Discuss the common issues with detection of Stage 1 and Deep Tissue Pressure Injury in persons with skin colors of Fitzpatrick 5 and 6
2. Identify methods to enhance early detection of pressure injuries
3. Describe techniques to examine the skin for signs of pressure

Audience: This session is appropriate for administrators, directors, directors of nursing, nurses, and direct care staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

In clinical settings, pain assessment and management is typically thought of as a nursing duty. The truth is, Social Services can play a part in this too. Pain can be impacted by many social and environmental factors and Social Services team members often have unique insight to these areas. By assessing areas such as family involvement, mood, and activity participation amongst many other things, Social Services can provide key understanding to several less-thought-of factors that impact residents who experience pain.

Speaker: Corie Sass, LCSW, Social Services and Admissions Coordinator, Vetter Health Services

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify social and environmental factors that affect pain in residents of facility-based care
2. Describe how to assess these factors 
3. Implement strategies that can supplement pharmacological interventions of pain management

Audience: This session is appropriate for owners, administrators, directors, directors of nursing, and social services in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Session Sponsored by Consonus Pharmacy

The World Health Organization defines health literacy (HL) as “personal characteristics and social resources needed for individuals and communities to access, understand, appraise, and use information and services to make decisions about health.” For those managing chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, Aging in Place (AIP) is often desired, but can be a challenge. However, an interprofessional and person-centered approach to HL and health management may help achieve the goal of AIP. Comprehensive examination of the knowledge, lifestyle, and HL of a person living with diabetes allows the interprofessional team to more effectively establish successful management strategies and promotes self-efficacy.

Speakers: Stacie Delezene, MS, CCC-SLP, Clinical Director, Powerback Rehabilitation; Jeanne Copeland, MS, CCC-SLP

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Examine the concept of Aging in Place and the influence of chronic care management through motivational interviewing, risk analysis and interprofessional service
2. Review concepts of health literacy and measures, the evidence of its impact on persons with diabetes, and offer suggested methods and tools that may be implemented to improve clinical care and health measures
3. Apply interprofessional practice and health literacy concepts to develop meaningful intervention along the continuum of care for diabetic management through case examples

Audience: This session is appropriate for administrators, owners, directors, minimum data set coordinators, staff development, department heads, directors of nursing, nurses, dietary, activities, social services, and direct care staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities. 

This session will review the basics of a lawsuit and how documentation influences if a lawsuit is filed; discuss current top reasons for litigation in long-term care; and give consideration of what documentation should include and exclude. Attendees will review the importance of utilizing the Quality Assurance and Process Improvement Committee (QAPI) for adverse event management and documentation for audit analysis and opportunities.

Speaker: Deborah Denham, RN, MSN, CPHRM, CDP, Gardant Management Solutions

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe the critical importance that documentation plays in reducing litigation risks
2. Discuss top reasons for litigation in assisted living
3. Identify how documentation and process workflow can reduce risk of litigation before and after an adverse event

Audience: This session is appropriate for CEOs, administrators, directors, directors of nursing, and nurses in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

When in pain or hurt, we are socialized to express ourselves in a way that blames others and makes them wrong. Alternatively, we may judge ourselves and take on self-blame. These habitual ways of responding pose costly barriers to our relationships and to our capacity to collaborate with others and accomplish our goals. Nonviolent communication presents a practical and powerful consciousness and language practice to speaking without shame, blame, and guilt while fully communicating the impact of other people’s words and actions on us and inviting them to engage with a way that supports connection and trust. This interactive session will familiarize participants with a process to transform judgments in order to get the understanding and support that we need.

Speaker: Paige Hector, LMSW, Principal, Paige Ahead Healthcare Education and Consulting

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe habitual communication patterns that pose costly barriers to relationships with others
2. Engage in self-empathy to translate judgmental thoughts into feelings and needs
3. Use a six-step process to transform judgments to help make choices that serve everyone’s needs

Audience: This session is appropriate for all staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Session Sponsored by UnitedHealthcare

The program offered during the NNFA/NALA Membership Meeting will enable participants to develop an understanding of the current reimbursement, legislative, regulatory, and quality improvement environment for skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities and gain awareness of upcoming changes.

Speaker: Jalene Carpenter, President and CEO, Nebraska Health Care Association

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe current and pending regulatory changes 
2. Discuss reimbursement and legislative initiatives and their potential impact 
3. Identify resources and tools for quality improvement

Audience: This session is appropriate for all staff who work in a NNFA or NALA member skilled nursing facility or assisted living community. 

Sponsored by The Olson Group

In 2022, CMS revised the State Operations Manual regulations to include several new and updated F Tags related to assessing and meeting residents Behavioral Health (BH), Substance Use (SUD), and Trauma needs within Certified Nursing Homes. Comagine Health is a partner with Alliant Health Solutions on The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities (COE-NF); a CMS and SAMHSA grant funded program, with the goals of being the resource hub to help CMS certified nursing facilities meet the growing behavioral health need of their population through free trainings, resources, and individualized technical assistance with Regional Behavioral Specialists. This presentation will cover regulatory updates that pertain to BH and SUD as well as tools and resources available for skilled nursing facilities.

Speaker: David Rodriguez, CHPM, Regional Behavioral Health Specialist, Center for Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities; Amber Jennings, EdD, Region 7 Behavioral Health Specialist

1. Define the Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health in Nursing Facilities including objectives and goals
2. Identify resources provided by the COE-NF and assessments for BH and SUD efforts in nursing facilities
3. Understand the Federal Behavioral Health F-Tag Regulatory updates impacting nursing facilities

Audience: This session is appropriate for all staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Session Sponsored by Consonus Pharmacy

In this session, participants learn about the how the Quality Award program works. It includes descriptions of the three levels - Bronze, Silver, and Gold and the basics of what is required at each level. This session also includes information on outcomes from Silver and Gold recipients. Participants will learn about how following the framework and criteria can benefit their organization even if they choose not to apply and tools/resources available if they do.

Speaker: Cathy Bergland, MBA, LNHA, Owner and Lead Consultant, CB Leadership Group

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify how this program is a shift from compliance to excellence
2. Understand what is in it for your center
3. Describe how participating in the program may positively affect your outcomes
4. Learn what the program is…and isn’t
5. Be familiar with resources available and know the next steps to take

Audience: This session is appropriate all staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Session Sponsored by Medica

As a food service manager, it is vital that you have a clear understanding of the survey process and how the level of the deficiency is assigned. This session will identify common nutrition and food service tags and provide you with tools to take back to your community to implement for survey success.

Speaker: Elaine Farley-Zoucha, RD, LMNT, Vice President of Education, DiningRD

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify nutrition and food service deficiencies that can result in an immediate jeopardy level
2. Understand the survey process and how deficiency levels are assigned by the survey team 
3. Identify procedures and quality assurance tools to implement for a successful survey

Audience: This session is appropriate for administrators, owners, department heads, managers, dietary managers, and dietary staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Session Sponsored by Sysco

In football, circumstances can change in an instant, usually on a national stage with hundreds of thousands of fans watching (and likely critiquing) decisions that are made. Professionally and personally, Busch has had a knack for tackling adversity with optimism – and helping others do the same. Not every organization or business measures its “success” by a scoreboard; however, Busch’s experiences successfully transform into a relatable, inspiring, and even entertaining message that leaves a positive and profound impact on his audience. Although he’s known for being a dynamic leader as a position coach and defensive coordinator, you don’t have to be a sports fan to appreciate his valuable insight!

Speaker: Bill Busch

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Embrace opportunities to pivot
2. Prep for success with details
3. Develop a team-oriented culture

Audience: This session is appropriate for all staff in skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Keynote Sponsored by McKesson

We learned many things from the recent pandemic including the need to engage in discussions about end-of-life (EOL) wishes. Yet interest in taking action is modest at best. This session will provide current efforts to support end-of-life conversations among people of all ages and why it is never too early to begin thinking about what we do or don’t want done at EOL.

Speaker: Julie Masters, PhD, Professor, University of Omaha

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Learn current statistics on EOL discussions
2. Gain insight into the benefits of EOL discussions for people of all ages
3. Identify ways of using current techniques to initiate conversations with others

Audience: This session is appropriate for all staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Nearly every skilled nursing facility or assisted living community is struggling to recruit and/or retain staff. The Workforce category (Category 5) from the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence provides criteria related to recruitment, engagement, and retention of staff. In this session, participants review the AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program's Silver and Gold criteria and other nationally researched solutions to understand the practices of high-performing organizations in the area of workforce.

Speaker: Cathy Bergland, MBA, LNHA, Owner and Lead Consultant, CB Leadership Group

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Understand the importance and role of workplace culture
2. Create effective employee engagement with feedback loops
3. Leverage vendor partnerships for data and capturing the voice of the employee
4. Devise career development pathways
5. Develop and define roles for strategic workforce committees and focus groups

Audience: This session is appropriate for owners, administrators, directors, department heads and managers, directors of nursing, and human resource directors in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Session Sponsored by Medica

Customer service is the cornerstone of every business and is essential for a strong reputation. We learn about it, we talk about…but do we actually deliver what we say? Customer service in long-term care is different from other industries and must be addressed as such. In this session, the participant will begin by completing a brief self-scored inventory to identify the personality traits that apply to them. This trait score will be utilized to facilitate a better understanding of themselves and how they best relate with others (of similar or different personalities). Because we each encounter “difficult” customers (staff, residents, and families) in our daily work, the session will address the 10 different “difficult” personalities and offer specific skills and strategies to address each type and bring out the best in people (even at their worst). Participants will be offered real-time strategies they can utilize in their daily work to heighten awareness of customer service with the end goal of improving satisfaction and outcomes.

Speaker: Kathleen Weissberg, OTD, OTR/L, CMDCP, CDP, CFPS, CGCS, National Director of Education, Select Rehabilitation

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify key personality attributes and how these impact day-to-day interactions with others
2. Describe “difficult” personality types and key intervention strategies for mitigating conflict
3. List evidence-based customer service approaches for healthcare and explain how these impact satisfaction and outcomes

Audience: This session is appropriate for all staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Session Sponsored by Fusion Workforce Solutions

This session is designed to empower long-term care professionals with the knowledge and strategies needed to navigate the top risk areas associated with Immediate Jeopardy citations. Drawing from real-life examples of IJ citations, we'll delve into actionable solutions to prevent these critical citations in facilities.

Speaker: Shelly Maffia, RN, MSN, MBA/HCM, LNHA, QCP, CHC, CLNC, CPC, Director of Regulatory Services, Proactive LTC Consulting

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Recognize the key factors that can lead to Immediate Jeopardy citations in long-term care facilities
2. Gain the ability to analyze real-life examples of Immediate Jeopardy citations in nursing homes and understand the root causes behind these critical citations
3. Define actionable strategies to prevent Immediate Jeopardy citations. This includes developing comprehensive quality improvement plans, ensuring staff education and compliance, and implementing best practices to maintain regulatory compliance

Audience: This session is appropriate for all staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Session Sponsored by West Bend Mutual Insurance

Today’s health care facilities are facing many challenges. Rising costs, stagnate budgets, and an unqualified work pool are some of the concerns. Properly identifying cost saving areas and establishing a plan to attract and retain a competent work force is essential to overcoming these challenges.

Speaker: Elaine Farley-Zoucha, RD, LMNT, Vice President of Education, DiningRD

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Recognize cost saving areas of food service operation through the recommended facility assessment guide provided
2. Utilize the facility/department assessment tool to identify skill sets needed within their individual departments
3. Apply knowledge learned to establish a plan to attract, train, and retain a qualified work force

Audience: This session is appropriate for administrators, owners, department heads, managers, dietary managers, and dietary staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

The purpose of this session will be to showcase research conducted by undergraduate students at UNL - Gerontology. Sessions include: 1. Medicare and Beyond: A retrospective analysis of a nursing home registry from 1965-1994 (Ashton Erickson); 2. Gerontology programs in the US - now is not the time for closures (Mark Staley); 3. CNAs knowledge of sundowning in ALF and LTC settings (Grace Hilfiker).

Speakers: Julie Masters, PhD, Professor, University of Omaha; Students Ashton Erickson, Mark Staley, and Grace Hilfiker

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Gain insight through a retrospective analysis of nursing home residents in the late 20th century
2. Learn of the growth in gerontology and geriatric fellowship programs up until 2022 and the unexpected closure of select programs in 2023
3. Analyze results of a thematic analysis of CNA responses to their knowledge about sundowning

Audience: This session is appropriate for all staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

This regulatory update will provide a brief update on regulatory changes and survey trends with a potential impact on nursing facility and/or assisted living members and ask for your comments and suggestions.

Speaker: Cindy Kadavy, Senior Vice President of Policy, Research and Reimbursement, Nebraska Health Care Association

Audience: This session is appropriate for all staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Compliance with CMS Emergency Preparedness regulations alone will not ensure that long-term care facilities successfully manage emergencies and disasters. All staff must be trained to potentially take charge of a crisis in the absence of traditional leadership. This session will focus on the importance of compliance as well as the the reality of preparing all long-term care staff members to "think like an incident commander" to help ensure effective preparedness, response, continuity of services, and recovery from adverse events.

Speaker: Stan Szpytek, Life Safety/Disaster Planning Consultant, Arizona Health Care Association

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Review some of the main elements of CMS EP regulations
2. Develop an understanding of All Hazards Emergency Management and how this concept will help providers effectively manage emergencies and disaster as well as promote compliance
3. Learn the importance of Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA) to identify all potential threats and perils that can adversely impact a long-term care facility
4. Promote the importance of leadership during an emergency or disaster when traditional leaders like the administrator are not at the facility when an emergency or disaster occurs

Audience: This session is appropriate for all staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Why are commercial insurance costs increasing and what can you do to control insurance costs? In this session participants will learn what factors drive their insurance costs and best risk management practices to help control insurance costs for their facility.

Speaker: Jeff Fritzen, LNHA, BA, CLCS, Risk Advisor, Unico Group

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Describe risk management techniques to prevent claims
2. List best practices to control insurance costs
3. Employ strategies to mitigate claims once they occur
4. Define the difference between a soft and hard market

Audience: This session is appropriate for owners, corporate, administrators, department heads, directors of nursing, and maintenance in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

This interactive program is designed to provide caregivers involved in facilitating therapeutic activity and behavioral interventions with ideas and strategies for satisfying the needs of a rapidly changing population. Discussion is focused on developing a team approach to the provision of meaningful activity and the benefits of a well-coordinated, interdisciplinary program of activity to engage and divert, particularly in cases where challenging behaviors are being addressed.

Speaker: Barbara Speedling, Quality of Life Specialist

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Understand the revised Federal regulations on Activities and Behavioral Health and how they apply to therapeutic activity services
2. Define the elements of “meaningful” as they apply to the changing demographic in long-term care
3. Achieve true “culture change” through the creation of environments in which meaningful activity is central to the well-being and daily routine of each resident

Audience: This session is appropriate for directors of nursing, nurses, activity professionals, social services, rehabilitation services, and direct care staff.

Compliance with CMS required Life Safety Code (LSC) regulations is one of the more challenging elements of long-term care facility operations. Understanding the specific editions of NFPA 101 (The Life Safety Code) and NFPA 99 (Health Care Facilities Code) as well as the nuances of code enforcement and compliance can often times be very frustrating. This comprehensive session will focus on common LSC deficiencies and the strategies for survey success to help ensure a safe and compliant environment of care. While this session focuses on CMS requirements, the concepts presented will also generally apply to assisted living facilities as best practices.

Speaker: Stan Szptek, Life Safety/Disaster Planning Consultant, Arizona Health Care Association

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Understand the specific editions of the codes and standards enforced by CMS for Life Safety Code compliance
2. Learn the inspection, testing and maintenance requirements for fire protection and life safety systems in a long-term care facility
3. Review the commonly cited deficiencies identified by CMS and its contractors in long-term care facilities
4. Learn strategies to help ensure LSC survey success

Audience: This session is appropriate for owners, administrators, directors, directors of nursing, maintenance directors, department heads, infection preventionists, and housekeeping in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

This presentation will give an overview of the dangers, signs, and symptoms of substance use in the workplace and review statistics on employees who may have a substance misuse disorder. Content will also review how to help those individuals and discuss if it is better to fire them or assist them with seeking treatment. Cost of substance misuse for employers in lost productivity and time on the job will also be explored.

Speaker: Jennifer Thompson, MPA, Director of Business Development, Valley Hope of Norton

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Define Substance Use Disorder (SUD)
2. List the cost of SUD in the workplace
3. Recognize employees with SUD
4. Describe the progression of SUD in individuals
5. Help employees with SUD

Audience: This session is appropriate for owners, administrators, directors, department heads and managers, directors of nursing, and human resource directors in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

This section of the presentation provides professional caregivers a framework for developing an assessment process that results in a deeper understanding of what motivates someone to do what they do. With greater understanding comes a more focused, personalized care plan to accommodate the complicated needs of every individual. Transitioning to new program structures to align with the focus on psychosocial well-being and trauma-informed care will also be discussed.

Speaker: Barbara Speedling, Quality of Life Specialist

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Understand the revised Federal regulations on Activities and Behavioral Health and how they apply to therapeutic activity services
2. Define the elements of “meaningful” as they apply to the changing demographic in long-term care
3. Achieve true “culture change” through the creation of environments in which meaningful activity is central to the well-being and daily routine of each resident

Audience: This session is appropriate for directors of nursing, nurses, activity professionals, social services, rehabilitation services, and direct care staff.

The thought of an armed intruder or active shooter in a long-term care facility is truly unthinkable. Providers must understand that the threat is real and that this particular peril has likely been identified in the facility's Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA). This informative session will provide attendees with an understanding of the types of shooting scenarios that can occur and provide them with strategies to prepare, respond, and recover from a violent incident of this nature. The options that individuals can consider known as the "Four Outs" will be presented to help promote a safe and prepared environment of care.

Speaker: Stan Szptek, Life Safety/Disaster Planning Consultant, Arizona Health Care Association

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Explain the types of incidents that can occur in a long-term care facility involving gun violence
2. Describe a case study of an active shooting incident in a long-term care facility where several residents and one staff member were killed
3. Understand the options including the "Four Outs" that can be considered to survive an armed intruder or active shooter in a long-term care facility
4. Identify what measures must be considered after this type of violent event occurs to help ensure proper recovery, restoration and mental health care

Audience: This session is for all staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.

Healthcare staff hear and see difficult stories daily and are frequently exposed to emotional and physical traumatic details from patients and co-workers. Using the most recent research in the field, this interactive, evidence-based, and trauma-informed presentation will explore assumptions about compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, burnout, and resiliency. Trainers will introduce new creative approaches, resources, and hands-on tools for maintaining staff health and resiliency.

Speakers: Kay Glidden, MS, Co-Owner, Compassion Resiliency; Beth Reynolds Lewis, BS

Objectives: At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Discuss how to manage signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue, secondary trauma and burnout
2. Identify tools and resources for building and maintaining resiliency

Audience: This session is appropriate for all staff in nursing facilities and assisted living communities.