Long Term Care Initiatives in Vermont

Slide Presentation by Patrick Flood

On April 30, 2003, Patrick Flood made a presentation in the Web-Assisted Audioconference entitled Caregivers and Quality in Long Term Care.

This is the text version of Mr. Flood's slide presentation. Select to access the PowerPoint® slides (134 KB).

Long Term Care Initiatives in Vermont

Patrick Flood
Commissioner
Vermont Department of Aging and Disabilities

Slide 1

Long Term Care Initiatives in Vermont

Patrick Flood
Commissioner
Vermont Department of Aging and Disabilities

Slide contains a picture of Patrick Flood.

Slide 2

"As a Licensed Nurse's Aide (LNA) in a Nursing Home, What I Wanted Most":

• More money.
• More staff.
• More continuity of care.
• More of a say in how the work was done.

Slide 3

Vermont Survey of Personal Care Givers

• The caregivers cited:
  • Low wages and benefits.
  • Lack of respect and appreciation by supervisors and professional staff.
  • Poor working conditions such as lack of staff.
  • Inflexibility.
  • Desire to be more involved in care decision-making.

Slide 4

Improved Nursing Home Staffing in Vermont

Staffing Minimums

• Average staffing statewide increased.

Increased Wages

• "Wage Supplements" appropriated twice.
• The average wage for an LNA in a nursing home has risen from $8.14 in 1998 to
• $10.41 in 2002.

Slide 5

Other Initiatives in Vermont

• "Career Ladder" opportunities.
  • LNA II program.
• Development of a Caregiver's Association.
  • To strengthen caregivers' voice.
• Development of a set of "best practices" to promote recruitment and retention.
  • Coordination with Nursing Home Association and Home Health Association.

Slide 6

Consumer-Directed Option

• Especially effective in home care.
• Brings friends, neighbors and relatives into the work force who otherwise are unlikely to work for a facility or agency.
• Gets high customer satisfaction.
• Costs less than agency or facility care.

Current as of July 2003

Internet Citation

Long Term Care Initiatives in Vermont. Text Version of a Slide Presentation at a Web-assisted Audioconference. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/ulp/workforctel/sess2/floodtxt.htm

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