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North Carolina Coalition for Long Term Care Enhancement
Contact Information
Hillary Kaylor
704-699-3956
hkaylor@centralina.org or
Becky Wertz
becky.wertz@dhhs.nc.gov
Website:www.ltcenhance.com
History
Formerly the North Carolina Eden Coalition, membership includes individuals from profit and non-profit nursing care centers and trade associations, continuing care retirement communities, regulators, state long term care ombudsmen and advocates, educators, and others. The Coalition supports those facilities that incorporate environmental enhancements and health care innovations. For the past 14 years, the NCCLTCE enhancement grant program has channeled civil money penalty funds to North Carolina nursing homes engaged in environmental transformations.
Organizational Structure
Coalition Officers
Chair - Hillary Kaylor, HKaylor@centralina.org
Vice Chair - Freda Wright, fredajwright@aol.com
Secretary - Becky Wertz, becky.wertz@dhhs.nc.gov
Funding
The goal of the NCCLTCE enhancement grant program is to improve the quality of life for residents in the state's dually certified (Medicare/Medicaid) and Medicaid-only certified long-term care nursing facilities. To achieve this goal, the Coalition funds programs promoting positive environmental and cultural changes within homes that showcase various enhancement philosophies. To be eligible for a grant, a nursing home must be Medicaid-certified. Funding is provided by DHSR through federal enforcement action under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA). The number of grants and amounts awarded are based on available funding and the number of qualified applicants.
Major Activities This Year
- Awarded grant money totaling more than $640,000 to 57 nursing homes across the state that will be used to improve homes to the benefit of their residents. Improvements focus mostly on provision of computer access for residents but some of the grant funds will be going toward outdoor courtyards, green houses, picnic areas and bathing improvements, a dining bistro, and an entertainment center with curtains and projected movies. The grants are financed by fines paid to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by nursing homes that have been cited for deficiencies in the provision of services.
- Published two newsletters featuring enhancement projects and ideas from around the state and exploring design options for future long-term care projects. Began sending out a monthly Coalition Connection e-newsletter to all nursing home administrators discussing culture change and coalition activities and soliciting their comments, questions, suggestions, and concerns.
- Members spoke at trade shows, workshops, and seminars across the state on culture change in long-term care and grant opportunities by which to fund those changes. Increased our own membership as well as becoming more involved with other culture change groups around the state. Have regular involvement with our state's new LANE and a group looking at the construction rules to make them more person-centered focused.
- The percentage of nursing homes self-reporting involvement in or implementation of some type of culture change activity went up to tot 69%. From this we identified two areas in the state where it appears culture change is not as prevalent, or at least self-reporting involvement in culture change is lacking. We are planning two spring culture change workshops for 2012 in those areas later this spring to help promote ideas and resources and encourage facilities to embrace a more person-centered approach.
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