PORTLAND, Ore., March 7, 2017–The Purple Ribbon Commission, brought together by the Alzheimer’s Association Oregon Chapter and the Oregon Health Care Association, has released its 2016 report including legislative recommendations to advance quality dementia care in Oregon. Many of these recommendations are being considered by the Oregon State Legislature as HB 3359.
“It is critical to further advance quality care and resources for families now before Oregon faces a real dementia crisis,” said Linda Kirschbaum, a Purple Ribbon Commissioner and VP of quality services for the Oregon Health Care Association. Approximately 62,000 Oregonians currently have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia. This number is projected to grow significantly. By 2025, over 84,000 Oregonians will have a diagnosis of dementia—a nearly 40 percent increase in just 8 years.
The Purple Ribbon Commission consists of aging and dementia experts in Oregon and nationally-recognized dementia researchers, Alzheimer’s and aging experts, training instructors, and care providers. Commissioners convened in November to assess the state of dementia care in Oregon and create recommendations to advance quality care.
The Purple Ribbon Commission report provides recommendations in these areas:
- Caregiver training and competency,
- Quality metrics,
- Enhanced regulatory oversight,
- Implementation of acuity based staffing tool,
- Community support, education, and outreach, and
- Improved dementia training for medical and health professionals.
“We are hopeful that some or all of our recommendations will be passed into law,” said Tracy Morgan, one of the Purple Ribbon Commissioners and the executive director for the Alzheimer’s Association
Oregon Chapter. “Each of the recommendations would enable our state to better provide quality care and services to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.”
The Purple Ribbon Commission intends to continue its work throughout the year and to meet annually for renewed discussions and recommendations.
Purple Ribbon Commissioners are:
- Tracy Morgan, MBA, co-chair, executive director, Alzheimer’s Association Oregon
- Linda Kirschbaum, NHA, co-chair, senior VP quality & services, Oregon Health Care Association
- Dr. Keren Brown Wilson, PhD, executive director, JF Richardson Foundation
- Ellen Garcia, MPH, chief executive director, Providence Elderplace
- Ruth Gulyas, MHA, CEO, LeadingAge Oregon
- Cindy Hannum, family member, retired administrator, Oregon Department of Human Services
- Dr. Mauro Hernandez, PhD, CEO, Concepts in Community Living
- Sarah Holland, MSW, MPH, program director, Alzheimer's Association Oregon
- Mary Jaeger, MSG, MPA, aging veterans’ services director, Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs
- Dr. Jeff Kaye, MD, professor of neurology & biomedical engineering, OHSU's Layton Aging & Alzheimer's Disease Center
- Jay Leo, MBA, COO, The Springs Living
- Dr. Allison Lindauer, NP, PhD, geriatric nurse practitioner, assistant professor, OHSU's Layton Aging & Alzheimer's Disease Center
- Fred Steele, JD, MPH, long term care ombudsman, Office of the Long Term Care Ombudsman
- Liz Von Wellsheim, MSN, MA, geriatric nurse practitioner, medical director ElderHealth & Living
About the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's®. Visit www.alz.org or call 800.272.3900.
About the Oregon Health Care Association
The Oregon Health Care Association improves the lives of seniors and people with disabilities by educating and advocating for quality care. The Oregon Health Care Association represents more than 900 organizations statewide, including skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, residential care, senior housing, licensed in-home care agencies, and business partner members. Learn more at www.OHCA.com.
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COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY BASED CARE QUALITY ACT
Affirms Oregon as a national leader in long-term care services and supports for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Increases caregiver training standards, adopts new public quality metrics, increases oversight of underperforming providers, deploys acuity based staffing tool, and enhances supports and services to families and caregivers in the community.
CAREGIVER TRAINING AND COMPETENCY
- Increases training and competency standards for caregivers entering the workforce.
- Completion of training requirements is a portable credential.
- Increase continuing education in dementia care.
- All training curriculum must be evidence-informed and meet current practice and recommendations.
- Extends training requirements to adult foster homes, which serve more people with dementia than memory care communities statewide.
Training curriculum must include: (1) education regarding the dementia disease process, including the progression of the disease, memory loss, psychiatric and behavioral symptoms; (2) techniques for understanding and managing behavioral symptoms; (3) strategies for addressing social needs and providing meaningful activities; and (4) information on how to address specific aspects of care and safety, including but not limited to pain, food, fluids, wandering and elopement.
QUALITY METRICS
- New quality metrics provide accountability and incentives for providers to accomplish key outcomes.
- Results are public. Gives policymakers, consumers, regulators, providers valuable measures; identifies areas of success and needs for improvement.
- Metrics include staff turnover retention, staff training compliance, off-label use of anti-psychotic medication, resident falls, and consumer satisfaction survey results.
ENHANCED AGENCY OVERSIGHT
- Substantially increase frequency of DHS surveys for underperforming providers, as often as quarterly.
- Efficient use of state resources to bring underperforming providers up to substantial compliance with state standards.
- Maintains current survey schedule for providers with record of substantial compliance and performance on quality metrics.
ACUITY BASED STAFFING
- Current law requires staffing levels that meet the care needs of residents. Acuity of residents varies over time and from one community to another.
- Improves and deploys the acuity staffing tool developed by DHS for use by all providers via the Web.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
- Establishes Dementia Community Assistance Program based on successful New York program.
- Grants fund services for family members of persons with dementia residing at home, including adult day centers and respite services, outreach and educational materials.
IMPROVE COMPETENCY OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
- Too many people with dementia go undiagnosed or lack services because their primary care provider fails to diagnose or support their diagnosis.
- Encourages improvements in medical education/continuing education on understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and the resources available for people living with it. Not a new mandate on continuing education requirement for physicians.
