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LTSS Training and Technical Assistance Center
Visit the online LTSS TA Center for videos, best practices, toolkits, a resource library, and a step-by-step planning roadmap.
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Protect your patients and residents with the flu vaccine
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Remind your LTSS staff or family caregiver to get a flu vaccine to prevent outbreaks. It is not too late to get a flu vaccine for the 2017-18 flu season.
Elderly adults (65 years and older) make up 50-70% of flu-related hospitalizations and 85% of flu-related deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Flu vaccination coverage among health care workers is the lowest for LTSS facility staff. “As health care professionals, we need to lead by example,” said Dr. Blythe Winchester, a family practitioner at Cherokee Indian Hospital.
 "When you are around sensitive populations like the elderly, it is your responsibility to provide immunity and protect people you care for," she said.
Some health care providers do not get vaccinated because they think the flu vaccine does not work. Address this misconception with flu facts.
- After vaccination, it takes about 2 weeks for antibodies to develop and protect you from the most common flu viruses.
- The flu vaccine reduces your risk of getting the flu and developing complications by 40-60%.
- You can spread the flu even when you don’t feel sick.
"In my community, well-respected elders are ambassadors," Dr. Winchester explained. "When an elder gets a flu vaccine, others will follow. It’s important to remind people of the positives of flu vaccination and be transparent on how it affects your body and health."
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Flu coverage for health care providers
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Whether you are a home caregiver or work in an LTSS facility, learn about the importance of annual flu vaccination.
Watch the LTSS webinar, Caring for Caregivers and the Importance of Flu Vaccination, which explains common flu misconceptions and how caregivers can adopt healthy habits.
Download CDC’s resources:
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Funding opportunity: Research to Improve Native American Health
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is offering an opportunity for research grants to improve Native American health, including analyzing data, conducting studies, and assessing measures for use in Native American communities.
The deadline for an optional letter of intent is April 14, 2018. The deadline for applications is May 14, 2018. Learn more.
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LTSS video: caregiver support
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A new CMS LTSS video, Tribal Support for Caregivers, highlights ways tribes can help family members and others caring for elders and people with disabilities. Tribes can assist by providing training, respite care, and other supports.
The video is one in series that features Kiowa-Choctaw artist and filmmaker Steven Paul Judd describing ways tribes can provide long-term care to elders and people with disabilities.
Learn how tribes can support caregivers and see profiles of tribal caregiver support programs on the Caregiver Support page of the LTSS TA Center.
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Safe and happy holidays for people with dementia
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The holidays can be a joyful, but stressful time for people with dementia and for those who care for them.
Many holiday traditions, foods, music, and activities connect people with dementia to memories of loving times with family. These activities can provide great joy and offer opportunities to interact with family, friends, and long-term care providers.
At the same time, the hustle and bustle of holiday activities can disrupt routines and cause stress for people with dementia. Unfamiliar people, unusual schedules, and potentially unsafe decorations (like candles) can create difficulties.
Encourage people with dementia to participate in preparations and activities to experience the holiday spirit, but be prepared. Have a quiet place for memory care patients to rest if they are overwhelmed. Keep candles and other hazardous items out of reach and under supervision.
Learn more:
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Money Follows the Person assists more than 63,000 people
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A new CMS report details the performance of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) Rebalancing Demonstration. Some key findings are detailed in this graphic.
Tribes have also benefited from the MFP grant through the MFP – Tribal Initiative (MFP-TI), which is currently available in 5 states. Learn more about MFP-TI on the Tribal TA Center.
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No December webinar, join us in January
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December’s webinar has been cancelled, but please join us on January 24, 2018 to discuss falls prevention. Arlene Naganashe, Elder Director for Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, will present on Tai Ji Quan Moving for Better Balance classes.
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Join the conversation on LinkedIn
Want to learn more about or discuss LTSS in Indian Country? Looking to connect with others working in the same field? Join the Tribal Affairs Group on LinkedIn and join the conversation.
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Send Us Your News
Do you have news to share about LTSS in Indian Country? Send it to ltssinfo@kauffmaninc.com, and we’ll include it in a newsletter. Contact us with other comments or feedback, too.
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About the Newsletter
Long-Term Services and Supports Solutions is published monthly by the CMS Division of Tribal Affairs to share information, funding opportunities, and resources with LTSS planners, tribal leaders, and supporters.
Download Adobe Reader for the best reading experience with PDF files.
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