Interviewer: Dignity DigestGuest: Peter Tiernan Note: For more details on this issue, visit DignityMA Campaign to Restore Elder Care Services. Dignity Digest: Peter, let’s start with the problem. What’s happening with the Enhanced Community Options Program (ECOP) in Massachusetts right now? Peter Tiernan: The situation is deeply concerning. Over the past year, ECOP—Massachusetts’ enhanced home […]
Category: Long Term Services and Support
Are Nursing Homes Lying About Their Patients To Increase Profits? You DecideForbes, March 27, 2026By Peter Ubel The Forbes article by Peter Ubel, titled “Are Nursing Homes Lying About Their Patients To Increase Profits? You Decide,” explores a contentious trend in the skilled nursing facility (SNF) industry following major shifts in federal reimbursement policies. With […]
Problem Last June, Governor Healey capped the ECOP ( Enhanced Community Options Program) at 7,322 from 9,000. Once the cap is reached, new enrollees are put on a waiting list. Requiring frail elders to wait months for home care will inevitably lead to many developing worse health problems and ending up in nursing homes, said […]
America’s Home-care Crisis: Will vulnerable elders be forced into nursing homes? Op-ed By Margaret Morganroth Gullette, February 10, 2026 in American Society on Aging – Generations Home care is what people want when they are offered a choice. You remain in a familiar neighborhood with people who respect you. Friends, neighbors, and other people are […]
Why Budget Priorities Now Amplify System Fragility February 2, 2026: Commentary about the proposed FY 2027 Massachusetts State Budget (H.2) Massachusetts enters this moment with almost no margin for error. The Governor’s FY27 budget reflects a defensive posture: approximately $22.5 billion for MassHealth and another $10.8 billion for Health and Human Services, yet provider reimbursement […]
By Richard T. Moore, February 1, 2026 A wellness check is one of the simplest tools we have to prevent harm. It is not a diagnosis, an accusation, or a solution in itself. It is a pause prompted by concern—a moment to ask whether someone is safe, supported, and able to manage under current conditions. […]
By Richard T. Moore This commentary was posted on the “Members’ Forum” of the American Geriatric Society on January 25, 2026. Not long ago, I watched a CNA gently turn an older resident to adjust her pillows. As her body shifted, a deep pressure ulcer came into view – the kind of wound that never […]
By Richard T. Moore, January 19, 2026 Executive Summary Massachusetts cannot meaningfully reduce acute care costs without confronting the systemic failures in long‑term care that drive avoidable hospitalizations, emergency department congestion, delayed discharges, and preventable complications. Chronic understaffing, inadequate clinical oversight, opaque ownership structures, and insufficient investment in public health and aging services create a […]
New Nursing Home Disclosure Requirements per Chapter 343 of the Acts of 2024 (pdf) January 2026 MassHealth’s new Disclosure Form for nursing homes is a comprehensive reporting document designed to increase transparency regarding the ownership, management, and financial structure of long-term care facilities. Based on regulatory updates and industry guidance from the Massachusetts Senior Care […]
The business of caring for older Americans is in a deepening crisis *Washington PostDecember 7, 2025By Shannon Najmabadi Workforce Crisis and Economic Pressures Impact of Federal Policy and Funding The Role of Immigration Provider Closures and Access Issues Impact on Families: The number of family caregivers has jumped 45% in the last decade to 63 […]