In May 2023, the Missouri legislature approved the FY24 budget, which included a line item of $2.2 million in enhanced funding for the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. This funding was intended to hire around 25 new ombudsmen across the state, doubling the program’s capacity and bringing the program in line with national standards. Twelve…
Read MoreStaff Shortages and the Effects on Residents
Causes and factors worsening staffing shortages across the continuum of care Healthcare staffing shortages are a significant and undeniable issue affecting patients and workers, especially in long-term care. Fewer women having children and longer life expectancies have created a circumstance in which more of our population is growing older than is having children. It is…
Read MorePreparing for Death as a Momentous Life Event
Baby showers, birthing classes, stroller research – we do all these things (and more!) as we prepare for a birth. And that’s good. We should be prepared for this momentous life event. But why don’t we prepare with the same care for death, another momentous life event? Some people do not like to think about…
Read MoreProject Holiday Cheer Returns for its Third Year!
It’s Back! VOYCE, Senior Services Plus, and Scott Credit Union are joining forces again to collect holiday cards for nursing home residents in St. Louis, Northeast Missouri, and Illinois. With your help, every long-term care resident will receive a holiday card. Better yet, each resident will know that the community wishes them well throughout the…
Read MoreHappy National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
A Little Background In May of 2008, the US House of Representatives announced July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Campbell was an author who pivoted her efforts to advocating for the mental health of minorities and eliminating the stigma associated with mental health in communities of color. In 2005, Campbell,…
Read MoreGovernor Parson Vetos Nursing Home Oversight Expansion Funding
When Governor Parson signed the Missouri State Budget on June 30, 2023, he line-item vetoed an increase that would have transformed the lives of nursing home residents throughout the state.
The Legislature budgeted a $2.2 million increase for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Read MoreReflecting on Life’s Changes and Constants During Elder Abuse Awareness Month
The only constant in life is death and aging. No, it isn’t death and taxes. Taxes can be avoided, delayed, or eliminated, but not aging. From the day we arrive on this planet until we leave it, we age. A new parent can tell you that their newborn baby changes daily. Adults change too. Yet…
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