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Advocacy Facilities Long Term Services and Support News state legislation

An Act to improve quality and oversight of long-term care

Governor Signs Long Term Care Legislation On September 26, Governor Maura Healey ceremonially signed milestone legislation reforming the long-term care sector in Massachusetts. On September 6, she officially signed into law H 5033, An Act to improve quality and oversight of long-term care, as Chapter 197 of the Acts of 2024. DignityMA released statement: Milestone […]

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Home and Community Based Long Term Services and Support News Spotlight

08-27-2024 Spotlight: MassHealth Drops Bid To Consolidate Assessments

*State House NewsBy Sam Drysdale, August 26, 2024 Following a groundswell of advocacy from people with disabilities and local service agencies, MassHealth officials are switching gears on a wide-ranging change they had planned to make to the state’s care delivery system — though the agency is still pursuing some reform. MassHealth issued a procurement for […]

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Candidates News

2024 Legislative Candidates

To inform older adults, persons with disabilities, family members, and caregivers about legislative candidates’ positions on issues of interest, Dignity Alliance Massachusetts (DignityMA) has prepared The Dignity Dozen, twelve questions regarding key issues and proposals. Questionnaires to all candidates on the November 5th general election ballot will be distributed after primary election day. Questions Do […]

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Advocacy Home and Community Based Long Term Services and Support News Study Session

Independent Assessment Entity (IAE) Community Listening Session August 21

DignityMA hosted a webinar (watch below) to present information in support of the request to MassHealth to put aside the Request for Response (RFR) and engage in meaningful exploration with stakeholders to improve current systems on August 21. (Read more about the IAE) Spoiler Alert: At about 1:04:40 in the video, Mike Levine, EOHHS Assistant […]

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Housing News Spotlight

2024-08-20 Spotlight: Seashore Point Residents Sue Owner, Claiming Fraud and Abuse

Pointe Group Care is accused of exploiting residents and charging unreasonable fees The Provincetown IndependentBy Olivia Oldham, October 26, 2024 (updated) When Robert Compton purchased his condominium at the Residences at Seashore Point four years ago, he imagined an ideal retirement. Seashore Point offers “independent living;” residents attend events together, eat together, and make decisions […]

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Facilities News Spotlight

2024-08-20 Spotlight: A Profit-Driven Health-Care System Is the Problem

Why not find a way to pay frontline workers more? The Provincetown IndependentBy Donna Cooper M.D., August 24, 2024Donna Cooper is a retired internist with a master’s degree from the Harvard School of Public Health. She worked at Outer Cape Health Services and Mass. General Hospital and lives in Provincetown. I had just returned from […]

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Facilities Long Term Services and Support News Spotlight state legislation

2024-08-13 Spotlight: Nursing Home Reform Languishes on Beacon Hill

*The Provincetown IndependentBy Jack Styler, August 7, 2024Despite latest failure, 3 lawmakers say long-term care legislation is not dead Massachusetts politicians at both the state and federal level have made recent moves toward tightening regulation of the long-term care industry, especially as private-equity firms continue to buy up nursing homes across the country. On Beacon […]

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Facilities News

Why Nursing Home Residents Still Suffer Despite Tough State Laws

NYT (free access) By Jordan Rau, July 12, 2024 Jordan Rau has been writing about nursing homes for a decade. For this story, he analyzed 1.3 million records of daily nursing home staffing levels and interviewed dozens of people, including residents, their relatives and nursing home workers. For hours, John A. Pernorio repeatedly mashed the […]

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News Spotlight

2024-08-13 Spotlight: The Meaning of Dignity

The meaning of dignity – Reader Submissions Requested Dignity Alliance Massachusetts is publishing the 200th edition of The Dignity Digest on August 13, 2024. To mark this milestone, we are asking readers to share their understanding of the concept of “dignity” especially as it applies to older persons, persons with disabilities, family members, and caregivers. […]

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Facilities News Spotlight

2024-07-30 Spotlight: Globe Editorial on Dismal Conditions at NH

After reports of dismal conditions, nursing homes need more staff — and more oversight Boston Globe, By The Editorial Board, July 28, 2024 Homes need help recruiting and retaining staff. They also need stricter regulation to ensure revenues that could go to patient care aren’t diverted to owners At Highview of Northampton nursing home, residents […]