November 20, 2023
LONG-TERM CARE ASSOCIATION NAMES NEW IRA O. WALLACE AWARD WINNER
For Exceptional Long Term Care Leaders
Louisville, Ky – On Thursday, November 16, the Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities/Kentucky Center for Assisted Living (KAHCF/KCAL) recognized the 49th winner of the Ira O. Wallace Award. This award winner has served in long term care for over 29 years. The 2023 Ira O. Wallace award winner is Jay Trumbo, chief financial officer for Health Systems of Kentucky.
“We are honored to award Jay Trumbo with the distinguished Ira O. Wallace award. Jay has been an active and dedicated board member for many years. His leadership and financial acumen is deeply valued,” said KAHCF/KCAL interim president, Ruby Jo Lubarsky.
Jay Trumbo has worked in various positions throughout his career, holding positions like Director of Finance, Area Controller, Vice President/Division Chief Financial Officer, and most recently Regional Director of Operations. In 2007, Trumbo served as KAHCF’s vice president, actively monitoring regulatory matters. He represents the profession on the Medicaid Advisory Council and is one of the longest serving members of the Medicaid Technical Advisory Committee. Trumbo was instrumental in piloting the $29 per day Medicaid rate add-on and the 9.5% enhanced inflationary bridge to rebasing plan. He worked with Medicaid to provide the $270 per day Medicaid COVID add-on and the expanded bed-hold during the pandemic. He continues to actively serve the association through negotiations for the 2024 rebasing and RUG III to PDPM transition. Trumbo has two sons, Dalton and Michael and a wife, Karen.
About Ira O. Wallace
Ira O. Wallace helped found the Kentucky Association of Healthcare Facilities in 1954. Mr. Wallace began his nursing home career when he and his wife Mary purchased a single facility in New Castle. His experience exposed the need to address challenges he found in the profession with others in long term care and in 1954, the Kentucky Association of Nursing Homes was founded with Mr. Wallace as the first president. He later served as the president of the national American Nursing Home Association.
In 1967, the group became the Kentucky Nursing Home Association with 32 members. In 1975, that group evolved into the Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities and today has more than 250 skilled nursing facilities and personal care homes.
The Kentucky Association of Healthcare Facilities has bestowed the Ira O. Wallace Award to individuals who exhibit outstanding leadership, meritorious, unselfish service and dedication to the care of elders in Kentucky.
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November 20, 2023
THIRTY-FIVE NURSING PROVIDERS NAMED 'BEST OF KENTUCKY'
Awards Given By Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities
Louisville, Ky – On Thursday, November 16, the Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities/Kentucky Center for Assisted Living (KAHCF/KCAL) honored the top long-term care facilities in Kentucky at their quality awards banquet. Below is a list of the winners and their location.
Boonespring Transitional Care Center, Union
Carl M. Brashear Radcliff Veterans Center, Radcliff
Cedar Ridge Health Campus, Cynthiana
Coldspring of Campbell County, Cold Spring
Crestview Healthcare and Rehabilitation, Shelbyville
Elizabethtown Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Elizabethtown
Forest Springs Health Campus, Louisville
Franciscan Healthcare Center, Louisville
Greenville Nursing and Rehabilitation, Greenville
Harlan Health and Rehabilitation Center, Harlan
Heartland Villa Center, Lewisport
Highlandspring of Fort Thomas, Fort Thomas
Kenwood Health and Rehabilitation, Richmond
Knott County Health and Rehabilitation Center, Hindman
Landmark of Breathitt County, Jackson
Maple Health and Rehabilitation, Greenville
Masonic Home Shelbyville, Shelbyville
Middlesboro Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility, Middlesboro
Nazareth Home, Louisville
Park Terrace Health Campus, Louisville
Redbanks Colonial Terrace, Sebree
Springfield Nursing and Rehabilitation, Springfield
The Jordan Center, Louisa
The Springs at Stony Brook, Louisville
The Terrace Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility, Berea
The Willows at Citation, Lexington
The Willows at Fritz Farm, Lexington
The Willows at Hamburg, Lexington
The Willows at Harrodsburg, Harrodsburg
Tri-Cities Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Cumberland
Villaspring of Erlanger, Erlanger
Williamsburg Health and Rehabilitation, Williamsburg
Wolfe County Health and Rehabilitation Center, Campton
Woodcrest Nursing and Rehabilitation, Elsmere
“We are honored to recognize these deserving providers at the top of their class,” said KAHCF/KCAL Interim President Ruby Jo Lubarsky, “During a tumultuous time of staffing shortages, our providers have faced these challenges with innovation and positivity. Each winner and their team have kept their residents’ quality of life at the heart of their work.”
The Best of Kentucky – Nursing and Rehabilitation honorees must possess a CMS star rating of four or higher to apply.
Long-term care providers attended the Annual Meeting & Expo, energized by general sessions challenging them with strategies to cope with stress on the job, hiring and retaining quality staff and regulatory issues. On November 16, KCAL held its “KCAL Day” for Assisted Living Communities. More than 100 vendors exhibited during the expo showcasing the latest innovations to providing quality care.
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October 4, 2023
CHRIS CHIRUMBOLO ELECTED AS MEMBER-AT-LARGE FOR THE AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION (AHCA) BOARD OF GOVERNORS
We are pleased to announce Carespring Health Care Management's Chief Executive Officer, Chris Chirumbolo, was elected as member-at-large for the American Health Care Association (AHCA)'s 2023-24 Board of Governors.
Carespring Health Care Management is a growing company that operates high-quality facilities in both Kentucky and Ohio. He is a member of the Ohio Health Care Association Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He is a graduate of the AHCA Future Leaders program and is active in multiple AHCA groups. He is politically active from an advocacy and financial standpoint at both the state and federal levels, including being an AHCA Platinum Plus PAC contributor.
We are looking forward to seeing the great things Chris does for the long term care community. He will play a major part in the crucial efforts to tackle workforce issues and managed care model penetration.
October 3, 2023
New Analysis Finds Federal Staffing Mandate Would Require 1,352 Additional Full-Time Employees In Kentucky, Cost $69 Million Per Year
3,863 Residents At Risk Of Displacement In Kentucky If Nursing Homes Can’t Hire Workers Needed
(Louisville, Ky.) – The Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities (KAHCF) released an analysis today by professional services firm CLA (CliftonLarsenAllen, LLP) on the impact that the Biden administration’s recently announced federal staffing mandate would have on nursing homes in Kentucky. The proposed rule would require specific nursing home staff to spend a minimum number of hours with each resident – 2.45 nurse aide hours per resident per day (HPRD) and 0.55 registered nurse (RN) HPRD – as well as have a 24-hour registered nurse (RN) on site.
Among CLA’s findings:
- Kentucky nursing homes would need to hire an estimated 1,352 additional full-time employees (1,140 nurse aides and 212 RNs).
- The proposed mandate would cost Kentucky nursing homes approximately $69 million per year.
- 96 percent of Kentucky nursing homes are currently not meeting at least one of the three proposed staffing requirements: the 2.45 nurse aide HPRD, the 0.55 RN HPRD, and the 24/7 RN.
- Kentucky nursing homes that did not meet at least one of the requirements were more likely to have a majority of their residents relying on Medicaid (65 percent average Medicaid census) compared to facilities that met the criteria (52 percent).
- If nursing homes are unable to increase their workforce to meet these new requirements, more than 3,863 nursing home residents could be impacted by census reductions.
“This analysis underscores that Kentucky’s nursing homes cannot meet this staffing mandate as it’s currently proposed without the proper funding and workforce programs,” said KAHCF/KCAL Executive Vice President Reina Diaz-Dempsey. “Nursing homes across our state continue to do everything they can with limited resources to attract new caregivers to the field but continue to face challenges due to the sheer lack of available and qualified workers. We will continue to sound the alarm that Kentucky’s seniors are the ones that will suffer the unintended consequences of this flawed policy and urge the administration to reconsider this impossible standard.”
“Based on these figures, nursing homes will need considerable resources to meet the requirements of this mandate, but nationwide, 60 percent of the profession is currently operating in the red,” said Cory Rutledge, Chief Assurance Officer at CLA. “Nursing homes are facing increased operating costs while still struggling to rebuild their workforce and occupancy rates to pre-pandemic levels. If this rule is finalized without the financial support that nursing homes will need to hire these additional workers, too many seniors will be at risk of losing the care they need.”
In Kentucky, labor shortages have led to nursing homes limiting resident admissions, closing units and wings, or closing permanently. Rather than a federal staffing mandate that will put seniors’ access to care at further risk, nursing homes need supportive solutions that will help them build a pipeline of dedicated caregivers. KAHCF supports the comprehensive workforce proposals laid out in the American Health Care Association’s (AHCA) Care for Our Seniors Act.
Read the full CLA analysis and the impact on each state HERE.
October 2, 2023
KAHCF/KCAL Veteran, Ruby Jo Lubarsky Joins as Interim President
(Louisville, Ky.) – The Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities/Kentucky Center for Assisted Living (KAHCF/KCAL) is excited to announce Ruby Jo Lubarsky will join as interim President, effective Monday, October 9, 2023.
Ruby Jo is very familiar with the association, serving from 1992-2014 in various roles. She was employed as President of KAHCF from 2006 until her retirement in 2014. During her tenure as President, Ruby Jo strived to maintain an effective government relations program to represent and lobby for the collective interests of the association membership. She also effectively managed the office providing oversight and leadership in all aspects, including but not limited to, finance, reimbursement, regulatory and education and training.
In her role as the KAHCF Vice President (1999 – 2006) she assisted the President in the overall administration and fiscal management of the association.
As the KAHCF Director of Regulatory Affairs (1992 – 1999), her key responsibilities were to review and analyze any proposed and existing state and federal regulations affecting Kentucky’s long term care providers, provide education to the members on those regulations, and to maintain a close working relationship with the Office of the Inspector General.
Prior to Ruby Jos career with KAHCF, she worked many years with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of the Inspector General. As the OIG Licensing & Regulation Program Specialist, Ruby Jo was responsible for developing and implementing Kentucky’s OBRA training programs for the state surveyors and long- term care providers. She was also the Regional Program Manager for the Eastern District.
Upon retiring from KAHCF, Ruby Jo served on the Board of Directors for The Morton Center, an outpatient treatment center offering programs for adults, children, adolescents, and families affected by substance abuse.
Most recently, she has dedicated her efforts in getting Kentucky’s first eating disorder legislation passed. The legislation became law on March 27, 2020, and establishes the Kentucky Eating Disorder Council. Ruby Jo continues to work towards improving access to quality and affordable care to individuals impacted by an eating disorder.
Ruby Jo looks forward to continuing the mission of KAHCF/KCAL by elevating its membership through advocacy, professional development, and promotion of quality services. She will work to advance the goals of long term care centers throughout Kentucky to receive increased Medicaid funding, recruit and retain a strong workforce, and form prosperous partnerships to advance quality care.
While at the 2022 KAHCF/KCAL convention, Betsy Johnson—president of the Kentucky Association of HealthCare Facilities—took the time to speak to Experience Care’s Peter Murphy Lewis on the LTC Heroes podcast.
Johnson talked about the work her team is doing to advocate for long-term care staff and residents. “When I'm advocating for increased Medicaid reimbursement or common sense regulatory reform, I'm actually advocating for that nurse aide who's coming to work every single day and caring for people who can't care for themselves anymore,” she said.
Despite the challenges that come with the industry, Johnson remains optimistic about the future of long-term care and the prospects of improving the industry’s visibility through social media. “We always try to get our message out, and hopefully we do it effectively,” she said. “We do a great job with social media and rely on team effort.”
An important part of advocating for long-term care involves finding the next generation of caregivers, so the KAHCF team has been in contact with high schools and universities to attract more students to the industry by showing them how rewarding it can be. “We have people on our board of directors who started out as nurse aides, and are now in corporate compliance,” Johnson shared. “The reality is that a lot of our facilities will pay for people to go back to school, and our association also provides scholarships.” You can listen to her full interview here: