The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been made aware that some nursing homes may be returning Hand in Hand because they believe they will be charged money to keep it. CMS requests OIG to remind providers that Hand in Hand isFREE. Hand in Hand is a high quality training series for nursing homes that emphasizes person-centered care for persons with dementia, as well as the prevention of abuse. These Toolkits will be mailed FREE to all nursing homes, CMS Regional Offices and State Survey Agencies by January 2013.
Section 6121 of the Affordable Care Actrequires CMS to ensure that nurse aides receive regular training on caring for residents with dementia and on preventing abuse. CMS, supported by a team of instructional designers and subject matter experts, created Hand in Hand, the training you will be receiving soon, to address the annual requirement for nurse aide training on these important topics.
CMS's mission isto provide nursing homes with one option for a high-quality program that emphasizes person-centered care for persons with dementia and also addresses prevention of abuse. Person-centered care is about seeing the person first, not as a task to be accomplished or a condition to be managed. It is the fulfillment of the Nursing Home Reform Law to consider each resident's individual preferences, needs, strengths, and lifestyle in order to provide the optimum quality of care and quality of life for each person.
The Hand in Hand training materials consist of an orientation guide and six one-hour video-based modules, each of which has a DVD and an accompanying instructor guide. Though Hand in Hand is targeted to nurse aides, it has real value for all nursing home caregivers, administrative staff, and anyone who touches the lives of nursing home residents. Thank you for your commitment to encouraging the use of available materials such as Hand in Hand for the required annual training for nurse aides. We anticipate that these enhanced training programs will enable you to continuously improve dementia care and prevent abuse, as well as enhance resident and staff satisfaction in your community.
While annual training for nurse aides on dementia care and abuse prevention is required in current nursing home regulations, we do not require nursing homes to use the Hand in Hand training specifically. Other tools and resources are also available
For information, to download the training modules or inquire about replacement copies of the Hand in Hand Toolkit please visit
http://www.cms-handinhandtoolkit.info/Index.aspx
If you have questions or comments regarding these materials, please contact cms_training_support@icpsystems.com
