June 2023

Residents, Please Join Us For A Conversation About Staffing!

It has been over a year since President Biden announced the implementation of historic nursing home reform. Since then, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has conducted a study to determine the minimum level of direct nursing care all residents need to maintain a standard quality of care. CMS has promised to issue its proposed standard soon, and it is likely that the State of NJ will adopt these standards.

While we are on the brink of this announcement, the LTCO and FACE-NJ are asking residents and loved ones to join us for an online conversation about staffing in long-term care.

We will begin with brief explanations of the current law and regulations, impacts of staffing shortages on residents, and ways to advocate for changes from leaders of the LTCO, FACE-NJ, NJ Department of Health.

The main portion of the conversation will focus on residents and loved ones discussing their experiences and asking questions.

Let your voices be heard! Join us on Tuesday, June 20 at 6pm in an hour-long ZOOM conversation about staffing in long-term care facilities.

or by visiting the LTCO website at under "Newsroom/Press Releases"

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day— June 15th

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was launched by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations.

A Newsletter for Long-Term Care Residents

The purpose of WEAAD is to provide an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.

Celebrating Pride Month

The LTCO is a strong and unwavering advocate for members of the LGBTQI community living in long-term care. New Jersey passed a law in 2021 to ensure respectful care for this population. All facility staff are now required to receive training about the new law and caring for LGBTQI people. All facilities must post a notice about the new law. Here are some examples of actions facilities cannot take because of a resident's sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status or HIV status:

• Deny admission
• Transfer or refuse to transfer within the facility or to another facility.
• Discharge or evict.
• Keep a resident from using a bathroom that other residents of the same gender identity use.
• Fail repeatedly to use the resident's chosen name or pronouns when staff have been informed of them.

These are just a few of the protections. For more information, ask your facility social worker, access our LGBTQI Residents' Rights brochure on our website or call 1-877-582-6995 and we will mail you one!