A Message from our CEO, Lisa Haglund For the past couple of months, I have spoken with you about how we can invest in Heritage to create a sustainable future through advocacy. We have seen an increase in state governments who have taken a very strong stance in how they believe senior housing should operate. I wanted to take time today to explain to you our stance - specifically when it comes to recent legislation regarding extremely unrealistic and unfair staffing mandates and penalties in both New York and Pennsylvania. Basically, what is being proposed? More than two years into a global pandemic – and a historic healthcare staffing crisis, state governments in many states we serve are imposing regulations for increased minimum staffing hours that are simply put, unreachable.  WHY does Heritage oppose the staffing mandates? Don’t we want to hire more staff to help us? We WANT to be able to hire as many healthcare workers as possible (no one wants to be short staffed). We AGREE with our governments that we ALL want to provide with best care for our residents with as many staff as possible. BUT It’s wrong for a state to, on one hand, acknowledge a staffing crisis among healthcare workers and a massive shortage of healthcare workers in the midst of a pandemic,  AND on the other, impose significant penalties on nursing homes, and no other healthcare facilities, for not being able to meet minimum staffing levels. In NYS alone, nursing homes would need an additional 12,000 nurses to be able to meet the minimum staffing mandate, and by 2026, Pennsylvania is projected to have a deficit of over 20,000 nurses (according to a study by Mercer) There is no way for us to succeed! We need solutions and assistance from our states, not more penalties.   What is Heritage doing about this?  We’re working with our state governments to advocate for solutions that HELP nursing homes, our residents, and staff instead of penalize us for caring for our residents.  We’ve joined LeadingAgeNY and other nursing homes in a lawsuit against New York state opposing the unattainable staffing minimums, and we’re calling for increased Medicaid reimbursement rates (did you know that nursing homes haven’t had an increase in 13 years in NYS?) so we can provide more competitive wages and opportunities for all of our staff. We’re working in Pennsylvania right now to oppose staffing minimums that are even MORE stringent than the ones put in place in NY with advocacy efforts, public statements and letter writing campaigns. We’re calling for our state governments to invest in our industry and start putting solutions for seniors and our staff before penalties for nursing homes.  We are monitoring activity in every state we serve so that we can work to proactively to do what is best for our residents AND staff. To help our current staff, we’ve issued continuing pay increases in each of the last two years, implemented employee health and mental wellness services, incentive programs like our Golden Ticket Giveaway, and increased PTO, all in spite of financial challenges, (including no increase in Medicaid reimbursement in NYS in 13 years) because we are thankful for their dedication to our residents and Heritage. We are continuing to find innovative ways to work to recruit passionate new staff members but the fact is, every dollar spent paying a penalty with these unreasonable staffing mandates puts this industry further from funding actual solutions to attract and retain new staff. How can I help Heritage? Make your voice heard through advocacy. It’s important we share with our elected representatives how their decisions impact those we serve. To learn more about how you can advocate for Heritage, our residents, our staff, and our entire senior care industry, I urge you to visit www.heritage1886.org/advocacy and become involved. Every voice matters. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. It is because of you we will remain #HeritageStrong

Administrator's Corner Toni Bixby Acting Administrator

Hello all and happy summer! The official first day of summer has officially arrived! I hope you are all able to visit outside as much as you desire.  When visiting, please bring all items for your loved one to our reception desk prior to visiting your loved one. This helps us continue to provide excellent care to each and every resident. After these items are brought to our receptionists, we will label them with your loved ones’ name and place in our log to make sure we take special care of each item. Any equipment (fans, tvs, etc.) will be reviewed by our maintenance team to ensure safety and that your loved one can enjoy them to the fullest.  We have a lot of fun activities planned for this summer including Give716 (donate online on July 14 from 7:16am and 7:16pm) and the #HeritageStrong Golf Classic- you can find more about both these events in this newsletter! Fund raising activities will include ice cream sundae sales, lottery ticket tree raffles, gift basket raffles, 50/50’s and our own in house Macaroni and Cheese Throwdown competition, with the winning building at the end of all the events earning the chance to pie our Chief Operating Officer, Jen Whitten, and our VP of Quality & Clinical Operations, Mark Constantino, in the face.  In addition, if all of our communities raise enough money, we get to pie Lisa Haglund, our Heritage CEO and President! This will be so fun! If any family members would like to get involved, feel free to join in on any of our fundraising events in the building and/or donate to any of the events listed above, BUT don’t forget to add Heritage Green into the comments/note section to help our building move ahead of the rest! Thank you for your continued support and happy summer!

Around The Green

The Green is full of summer fun and smiles this month!

Chaplain's Corner Larry Petry, Senior Chaplain Hurts and Hopes We’re well aware that the times we live in are exhausting and very divided. However, I’ve noticed that even in tragedy, there is one thing that unites us. Every single one of us has hurts. Every single person we work with, serve, come across in life, or read about online- every single person has hurts, to one degree or another. This, surprisingly, unites us. Many of us can feel the hurt of Ukrainian families that now live lives as refugees. Many of us feel for the communities of Buffalo, Uvalde and others that have experienced loss. Often, we’re drawn to support causes that mirror our own experiences. We’ve “been there.” Every single one of us has hurts. Here’s the glorious thing: Every single one of us has hope. Yes. Every. Single. One of us. There’s a story in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 15. Jesus is travelling in “outsider” territory; in the Greek empire (his only recorded time venturing there). He encounters a woman there in need. She is not from Israel. She is not from God’s “inside” group. Jesus even plainly admits she’s not his focus. But her desperation, her faith and her seeking help lead her to offer a brilliant reply to Jesus’ statement. He commends her faith, and her daughter is healed. Interestingly, Scripture never even gives this woman a name. She is identified by her nationality. Yet, she walks away from this encounter helped, because she has met the Source of hope. I want to encourage us to find commonality in our hurts. Even more so, I want to gently point the way towards Jesus as the source of hope. There are many in every generation who have trusted Him and encountered his life-changing love. Even in our very troubled times, this hope remains available for us, as well.  To come alongside us in praying for Heritage, or to share your own prayer request with our chaplaincy team, please click HERE.

Skilled Nursing Resident and Family COVID-19 Information Update Jessica Thomas, Infection Preventionist It is always important to for Heritage Ministries to put the safety of resident and staff first and foremost. With that being said, we at Heritage want to make sure that families and residents have up to date information, to assist them with making important decisions regarding the health of their loved ones. As of 5/24/22 the CDC, FDA, and NYS Department of Health (DOH) have updated their definition of “up-to-date” with COVID-19 vaccines. The guidance now recommends a second booster shot for immunocompromised staff and residents and for anyone age 50 and up. Data continues to show that being fully vaccinated and up to date with all vaccine guidance including the second booster is essential for protecting highly vulnerable residents and staff. It really increases your level of protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death with the new variants. We all have seen the deadly consequences of COVID-19 not only in the communities but also how it has affected the nursing home residents and their families. Heritage will continue to follow up to date guidelines related to infection control practices to keep all residents and staff safe, this includes the CDC, DOH, and CMS guidance. Read more HERE...

Family Resources Whether you’re looking into our skilled nursing communities for a loved one, or you’re already a part of the Heritage family, our Family Resources will help you navigate the admission process or find information and links you need during your loved one’s stay with us. Click HERE to visit the Family Resources page.

Join us for the 2022 #HeritageStrong Golf Classic as we enjoy golfing and bidding our way toward this year’s goal to raise more than $100,000 to support our mission of promoting Hope, Dignity, and Purposeful Living through Christ-centered ministries. Your support will enrich the lives of our residents by innovative programming; provide lifestyle amenities through our Good Samaritan fund; and, ensure peace-of-mind in any circumstance through our benevolence program. For more information, and to register, click HERE!

The Heritage Ministries public policy team advocates on behalf of our residents, their families, and our staff, to enact policies that will address the needs, quality care, and safety that ensures all our communities are beacons of Hope, Dignity, and Purposeful Living. Even as our compassionate and trained staff are dedicated to helping our residents thrive, too many older adults and their families face difficulties finding services or support that exactly match their needs. Our federal lawmakers need to hear from us with a plea for them to take action immediately to expand access to care and services for all seniors. Add your voice to ours! Learn more about how you can continue to advocate for Heritage and our residents by clicking HERE.

Give 716 is partnership between the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabers Foundations. The goal is simple: bring together Buffalo Bills and Sabers fans throughout Western New York in an epic day of giving! This special day aims to bring awareness and develop deeper, more meaningful connections between nonprofits, including Heritage, providing the vital supporting services to our community. Give 716 provides a unique opportunity for the WNY community to discover and support causes they are most passionate about while providing local nonprofits the opportunity to increase awareness about the amazing work we do. Join us for Give 716!  Click HERE for more infomation on Give 716!

Send a FREE Heritage eCard to brighten up your loved one’s day or encourage a staff member! We have a variety of cards to fit the occasion, with your own customized message inside! Click on the photo above to get started or visit www.heritage1886.org/ecards,and we’ll print and deliver your card for free!

Heritage Ministries | www.heritage1886.org