Five years ago, in the earliest days of the Covid pandemic, Dignity Alliance Massachusetts was established as a volunteer-driven to transform the provision of long-term services and care in the Commonwealth. Since that time, hundreds of individuals and organizations have used their collective voices and efforts to make a real difference through legislation, regulatory reform, […]
Category: Long Term Services and Support
by Richard Moore, April 1, 2025 The coalition to modernize the state’s Open Meeting Law by requiring hybrid (in-person and virtual) public meeting met with Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) this week to thank her for leadership in extending the current hybrid meeting law and to urge her to support pending legislation to make the […]
HHS’s Transformation to Make America Healthy Again U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 27, 2025 The restructuring of HHS is proceeding in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order, “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative.” Over the past four years, during the Biden administration, HHS’s budget increased by 38% […]
Private equity firms consolidating homes for disabled *Washington Post, March 18, 2025By Peter Whoriskey Summary:Private equity firms are increasingly acquiring companies that care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, traditionally a nonprofit sector, according to a report by the Private Equity Stakeholders Project. The report warns that this trend may prioritize investor profits over […]
The following letter to Senator Warren (pdf) was sent by Dignity Alliance MA on March 12, 2025. Dear Senator Warren, We want to thank you for your continued efforts in protecting seniors, individuals with disabilities, and the dedicated workforce serving them, whose conditions are directly impacted by the decisions of Dr. Oz. Dignity Alliance of […]
What Lies Ahead For Medicaid In Budget Reconciliation?Health AffairsBy Sara Rosenbaum and Alison BarkoffFebruary 11, 2025 President Trump recently stated, “We will love and cherish” Medicaid, promising that budget cutting would be limited to finding waste and abuse. But that sentiment is not likely to prevail as Congress moves forward with massive budget cutting efforts, […]
April 16, 2025 : Boston Globe Update ‘I am trying my hardest to stay out of a nursing home.’ Mass. curtails lifeline helping elders remain independent. (pdf) by Kay Lazar. Cases of frail older adults in dire situations are mounting, advocates say. “Bockser is among a growing list of frail older adults in Massachusetts who […]
Dignity Alliance Massachusetts selected Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell as its “Champion of Dignity and Care” for 2024. The award was presented on January 29, 2025. “The Attorney General is the first Constitutional Officer chosen to be honored by Dignity Alliance. In 2022 and 2024, the non-profit, all-volunteer, statewide advocacy coalition has recognized federal and […]
The Assisted Living Workgroup, along with other organizations, have proposed Consumer Protection Regulations for Residents of Assisted Living Residences in Massachusetts. The proposal was sent to Mary Freeley, Director of the Elder Justice Unit under Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell in January 2025. The collaborative effort involved representatives from Dignity Alliance Massachusetts, Greater Boston Legal […]
CMS Issues Major Updates to Nursing Home Care Guidelines Centers for Medicare and Medicaid ServicesNovember 18, 2024What’s Changing?CMS’s new 900-page revised long-term care surveyor guidance document includes updates to critical care areas such as: Medication Rights: A Focus on PsychotropicsCMS is strengthening protections against the misuse of psychotropic medications, such as antipsychotics. These medications should […]