State Representative Lipper-Garabedian Advances key Improvements for Continuum of Care as Vice Chair of Elder Affairs
BOSTON- February 9, 2022 - Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D-Melrose), House Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs, along with Co-Chairs Representative Thomas M. Stanley and Senator Patricia D. Jehlen, announced favorable Committee reports on three key bills involving assisted living facilities, licensing of home care agencies, and the safety of home care workers.
“The pandemic illuminated and further exacerbated vulnerabilities in health and care services for our elder population that have been present for some time,” said Representative Lipper-Garabedian. “This legislative session, I am grateful for the opportunity to work on and advance key bills that help standardize and enhance access to quality assisted living residences and home care services to protect our seniors.”
Many of the topics addressed in the bill package advanced by the Elder Affairs Committee were discussed at a December virtual conversation – Elder Affairs: Honoring Families and Communities – that Representative Lipper-Garabedian hosted and moderated with leadership from Mystic Valley Elder Services, LeadingAge Massachusetts, 1199SEIU, and AARP Massachusetts. The panel discussed how to transform the terrible toll of COVID-19 on seniors and the programs that support them into actionable solutions that honor the dignity and wellbeing of seniors, their families, and the workforce that supports them. It can be viewed on Representative Lipper-Garabedian’s YouTube page at https://tinyurl.com/KLG-ElderAffairs.
“The pandemic laid bare serious problems and shortcomings in long term care to elder citizens. We have the opportunity and responsibility to address these issues by enacting appropriate and, in some cases, long overdue legislation to remedy the problems,” said Representative Stanley. “These three bills respond to the urgency to act now and ensure our long-term care and support systems meet the needs of older adults. We look forward to working with our colleagues in the House and Senate on advancing these bills as quickly as possible.”
“We’re taking important steps to strengthen the entire continuum of care,” said Senator Jehlen. “These bills will help older people and those with disabilities live safely and with dignity in the setting of their choice.”
Bills favorably reported out of Elder Affairs Committee:
An Act authorizing common sense health services in assisted living (S409/H753)
• Establishes a core list of basic health services, expandable by regulation, for Assisted Living Residences (ALRs) to opt-in to:
• application or replacement of simple non-sterile dressings
• management of oxygen
• application of ointments or drops
• injections & monitoring (ex: insulin)
• Provides standards for LPNs and on-call RNs as well as oversight by Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) and the Legislature
• Codifies key principles of a Public Health Emergency Order to ensure continuity of care for residents
• Reduces health costs for residents
• Helps keep residents in the community and out of more expensive institutional settings
An Act to improve Massachusetts Home Care (H748/S419)
• Sets definitions of Home Care Agency Worker and creates penalties for
noncompliance
• Provides consumer protections by requiring disclosure of services and rates, and sets standards of suitability through reporting
• Creates transparency requirements for all Home Care businesses including requiring financial disclosures, background checks, standard services plans including rates and costs established by EOEA, and requirement for ongoing worker training in confidentiality, abuse reporting and infection control.
• Guarantees appropriate levels of training and competency and well as liability insurance
• Provides worker & anti-discrimination protections for home care workforce including Personal Care Attendants (PCAs)
An Act to strengthen emergency preparedness for home care workers (H756/S404 with H726)
• Requires metrics to automatically trigger hazard pay for home health workers in the event of an emergency
• Requires the Executive Office of Health and Humans Services (EOHHS) to develop and implement an infection control training program for home health workers as part of their employment training.
• Mandates regular reporting by the Administration on the availability and quality of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Improves the home care worker registry to ensure effective communication with workforce
The Elder Affairs Committee continues to develop Nursing Home legislation, extending the reporting date for 20 bills to May 16, 2022. Topics of these priority bills include addressing job standards and quality of care, staffing ratios, strengthening laws to protect patients from abuse and neglect, right-sizing nursing facilities, and promoting innovation.