Council Planning Sessions

It is that time of the year when the Council State Board of Directors will be meeting in December and January to begin the planning process for the Annual Summer Workshop.  If you have any suggestions, please contact your Region President or Lori Tracy at the SDHCA Office.

SDHCA Board of Directors Meeting

The SDHCA Board of Directors will be meeting with the Legislative & Reimbursement Committee on January 25, 2011 at the Ramkota Hotel, Pierre, SD.  The meeting will begin at 10:00 AM.  The Board of Directors will hold its Quarterly Board Meeting on January 25, 2011, at the Ramkota Hotel, Pierre, SD, beginning at 1:00 PM.  SDHCA & SDALA Members are welcome to attend the meetings.

Legislative/

Reimbursement Committee Meeting

The Legislative & Reimbursement Committee will be meeting on January 25, 2011, at the Ramkota Hotel, Pierre, SD.  The meeting will begin at 10:00 AM.  The Committee will be discussing the impact of the 2011 Legislative Bills that have been introduced and our position on these bills.  The LR Committee will be meeting in conjunction with the Board of Directors at this meeting.

Legislative Reception

The SDHCA Legislative Reception will be held on January 25, 2011, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the Ramkota Hotel in Pierre, SD in Gallery D, E, F & G.  This is your chance to talk with your Legislators from your District about your comments regarding health care.

This event has really been growing and we hope that the participation continues to grow in 2011!!  (This event will also display the Dakota MasterWorks Art Show winners!)

Call the Ramkota Hotel in Pierre ASAP for a room reservation for the Legislative Reception.

Phone (605) 224-6877!

Dues Relief Grant Program

The Dues Relief Grant Program is designed to assist the SDHCA/SDALA Member Facilities who are struggling financially.  The Dues Relief Grant application form, instructions, YTD Census Form and YTD Income Form are located in the left column above.

The dues relief is only for state dues. The application form and required forms must be received in the SDHCA office by March 15^th. Your financial statement will be through December 31, 2010.  All required information must be submitted for consideration of the dues relief grants.

You can access the dues relief application, instructions and forms on our website at www.sdhca.org under the Members Button and click on Dues Relief. If you have any questions, please contact the office.

2010-2011 Councils, Committees and Task Forces

The 2010-11 Councils, Committees and Task Forces have been selected.  Click here for a listing of the councils, committees and task forces.

Regular Workouts Ward Off The Common Cold

MyHealthNewsDaily

Working out regularly doesn't only help tone your body and build muscle - it could also help you avoid catching the common cold, a new study suggests.

People who exercise five or more times a week get fewer and less severe colds than those who work out one or fewer times a week, said Dr. David Nieman, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Appalachian State University in North Carolina.  READ MORE...

Almost Half Of Elderly Report Pain In Life's Final Months

Businessweek.com

Pain is a commonly reported symptom during the last few years of life, with reports of pain increasing during the final few months, a new study has shown.

Just over a fourth of people reported being "troubled" by moderate or severe pain two years before they died, the researchers found. At four months before death, that number had jumped to nearly half.  READ MORE... 

AHCA Releases New 2010 Editions Of The Long Term Care Survey & Enforcement Procedures Manuals

AHCA is now accepting pre-orders for the October 2010 editions of the Long Term Care Survey and the Long Term Care Enforcement Procedures manuals. Place your pre-order today for these publications and they will automatically ship to you when the product become available later this month.

Updates to the October 2010 edition of the Long Term Care Survey include:

• Change in infection control standards for fingerstick devices and blood glucose meters (F441).
• Appendix P: QM/QI reports will be unavailable for use in the Traditional Survey process. Tasks 1-5C will be temporarily changed for the Traditional Survey Process.
• Appendix P: References to RAPs now refer to CAAs. OSCAR reports are now CASPER reports.
• Appendix PP: Guidelines were changed to reflect changes from MDS 2.0 to MDS 3.0.
• Forms 672, 802, and 805 (Section VI) have been revised.

Updates to the October 2010 edition of the Long Term Care Enforcement Procedures include:

• Numerous changes to Chapter 7 (Section II); these changes are all marked in red in the new edition.
• Forms 672, 802, and 805 (Section III) have been revised in light of the change to MDS 3.0.

Order the LTC Survey and LTC Enforcement Procedures manuals as a set and Save!

Stay current on all CMS regulation changes and f-tag changes throughout 2011. The LTC Survey is also available in a binder/subscription format and includes one year of automatic updates, product #6775B.

To order call 800-321-0343 or visit AHCA's online bookstore. The product information is:

• Product: #6180 (set)
• Product: 67751010 (individual)
• LTC Enforcement Procedures
• Product: 6179 (individual)

Upcoming Webinars

Check out the SDHCA website to see upcoming Webinars.  My InnerView is holding a webinar on How to Communicate your Satisfaction Survey Results on December 9. 

Then, on December 10, you can catch a MDS 3.0 Update - Strategies for Operational Professionals to Ease the Pain of the MDS 3.0 transition and Compliance.

A Rainbow Of Healthy Options

Ksfy.com

We eat with our eyes, and that's why colorful foods always appeal to our senses. In fact, they actually may add years to our life.

There are no guarantees, of course, but the natural pigments that make our fruits and veggies so bright make them powerhouses when it comes to protecting our bodies from diseases as we age. Research proves that the so-called "good stuff" in our produce rainbow is a compound called a phytonutrient. Basically, that's just an organic part of a plant that's thought to promote good health.

What does this mean for us?

The red in tomatoes and in cranberries just might be heart-healthy for us and reduce the risk of some cancers, just as antioxidant-rich vegetables like Salad Savoy and dark leafy greens are also said to do.

Heart-healthy purple fruit like Concord grapes and the blue in blueberries do that, too, while also boosting our brain power.

The yellow in corn has been linked to fighting one of the causes of blindness in the elderly.

We all know that the beta carotene in orange foods like carrots and sweet potatoes are good for our eyes, but did you know that they also may reduce cholesterol, making them heart-healthy?

Top 10 Health Hints For Santa

Illuminage.com

 

Health Of Your Resident Articles

Here are a few articles that may be of interest to you regarding the health of your residents.  Click on the links to view the articles:

New High-Dose Flu Shot Aims To Protect Seniors

Some Elderly Patients Can't Get Whooping Cough Vaccine

When Sleep Apnea Masquerades As Dementia

SDHCA Dakota Masterworks Art Show Winners

Besure to visit the SDHCA Dakota MasterWorks Art Show Winners page and click on the 2010 Dakota MasterWorks Winners to see the art talent that seniors have right here in South Dakota!  SDHCA would like to thank the sponsors of the show - Home Federal Bank, KELOLAND Television, Tealwood Care Centers, Golden Living Centers, Westhills Village, Clarkson Health Care, Ward Enterprises, Good Samaritan Society, Dow Rummel Village, Bethany, Southridge Healthcare, Mission Healthcare, Henkin Schultz, Baldwin-DeBates Insurance, Pro*Care Alliance, Sisson Printing and Mahlanders Appliance and Lighting.   

Newspapers throughout South Dakota have showcased this event.  You can see several of the articles by following the link within the following Newspaper Clippings article.

Newspaper Clippings

There are many articles published in newspapers across South Dakota that are worth taking a look at!  Click here to see if your facility made the news.  Not finding an article that made your local paper regarding your facility?  Send us a copy to review.

Seasonal Flu/H1N1

For your convenience, you can find links for the Seasonal Flu and H1N1 on the SDHCA Website along the top tabs.