News

On August 29, 2024, the Massachusetts House and Senate each unanimously approved the omnibus long-term care legislation, H.5033. The many provisions of this bill have been the focus of DignityMA's advocacy throughout this legislative session. We thank the members of the conference committee, Speaker Marino, President Spilka, Ways and Means ...

*State House News
By 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 ...

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 have been distributed to all candidates who have competitive primary contests. Candidate responses will ...

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 ...

Pointe Group Care is accused of exploiting residents and charging unreasonable fees The Provincetown Independent
By 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, ...

Why not find a way to pay frontline workers more? The Provincetown Independent
By Donna Cooper M.D., August 24, 2024
Donna 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. ...

*The Provincetown Independent
By Jack Styler, August 7, 2024
Despite 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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

In addition to concerns on staffing and finances at nursing homes, which has led directly to neglect of residents, DignityMA is also perplexed at the seeming lack of oversight and enforcement from the state. Download, or scroll to read, a letter to the Commissioner of the MA Dept of Public ...

The Connecticut Mirror
By Jenna Carlesso and Dave Altimari, July 21, 2024 Athena nursing home workers say medical bills still going unpaid [Jamie] Iszczak, 45, said the problems started after Athena Health Care Systems — one of the largest nursing home chains in the state and the company where she has ...

Mass Live, By Greta Jochem, July 14, 2024 ‘A dog pound would be better.’ Inside one of the most-fined nursing homes in Mass. This article details the poor living conditions and care provided at Highview of Northampton, a nursing home in Massachusetts. Here are the key takeaways:

• Deficiencies and ...
  
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The MA Executive Office of Elder Affairs envisions a state in which every person has the tools, resources, and support they need to fully embrace the aging experience. Together, we support aging adults to live and thrive, safely and independently— how and where they want. July, 2024: Seven former Secretaries ...

Report to Congress, May 2024 AGING IN THE UNITED STATES: A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
FOR A NATIONAL PLAN ON AGING by the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Health Aging and Age-friendly Communities, chaired by the Administration for Community Living The four domains of the strategic framework are: Age-Friendly Communities; Coordinated Housing and Support ...

The Healey-Driscoll Administration filed legislation Senate Bill 2797 to rename the Executive Office of Elder Affairs to the Executive Office of Aging & Independence to better represent and reflect the values of older adults in Massachusetts. Hearing on Legislation, June 26, 2024 The Statehouse News reported on the hearing: Mixed ...

Supreme Court outlawed segregation of disabled people 25 years ago. But change has come slowly STAT, June 21, 2024
By Timmy Broderick As a toddler, Veronica Ayala loved Fridays. At 5 o’clock sharp, her mom whisked her away from the grim Moody State School for Cerebral Palsied Children for a 48-hour ...

Self-Determination and Self-Directed Services Download the letter on Self-Determination and Self-Directed Services (pdf) Download the Facts Sheet from MA Alliance for 21st Century Disability Policy (MA21) on Self-Directed Services (pdf) Letter to DDS June 18, 2024
Department of Disability Services
Office of the General Counsel,
1000 Washington Street,
 Boston, MA 02118
 dds.regs.comments@mass.gov.  SUBJECT: Self-Determination and ...

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The Beauty of Embracing Aging By Charles M. Blow, New York Times (free access)
June 6, 2024

As Evelyn Couch said to Ninny Threadgoode in Fannie Flagg’s “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe”: “I’m too young to be old and too old to be young. I just don’t fit anywhere.”

I ...

On May 10, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule implementing a minimum staffing standard in nursing homes.  The rule will require that nursing homes have a registered nurse on-site 24 hours per day, seven days per week, meet modest minimum staffing requirements, use ...