Elder Voice's Kris Sundberg and Dr. Eilon Caspi provide data and insight into the lack of accountability in negligent deaths. By James Walsh | The Minnesota Star Tribune A woman who had suffered a stroke, was blind in one eye and mostly blind in the other transferred from a nursing home to Golden Nest Assisted Living in northeast Minneapolis. Her second-floor room was 20 feet from the front stairs. Two days later, on Sept. 15, 2024, she was found at the bottom of those stair

Advocates and providers are pushing back against Gov. Tim Walz’s proposed disability service changes and remain wary of potential federal changes to Medicaid. By Jessie Van Berkel and James Walsh | The Minnesota Star Tribune Sumukha Terakanambi’s disability services waiver paid for the lift the Lakeville resident uses to get out of bed and the care that allows him to live in his family’s home.   For Steve Reinardy, whose eye disorder keeps him from driving, his waiver covers

DiVA Stands Against Proposed Budget Cuts Affecting Disability Services. The Governor has issued his proposed budget cuts for people with disabilities and elders. This is a significant threat to the well-being of individuals with disabilities across Minnesota. Governor Tim Walz unveiled a $65.9 billion budget proposal that includes significant $1.3 billion reductions in funding for disability waivers and services and long-term care. DiVA is arranging a meeting with the Governo

Elder Voice board member, Dr. Eilon Caspi, provides an overview of the Nursing Home Inspect (ProPublica) website. By combining state investigation reports with the pro publica federal government data, Dr. Caspi highlights how integrating the Pro Publica resource into Elder Care IQ is such an important enhancement. These powerful screening tools further empower families, advocates, and lawmakers with vital insights to identify and address poor quality care providers.

How many Minnesotans die in assisted-living facilities due to alleged maltreatment? State lacks data totaling deaths. Story by James Walsh, Star Tribune During at a state Senate committee hearing in 2018, Kristine Sundberg, president of Elder Voice Family Advocates, called for reforms to Minnesota's system for handling elder abuse complaints. (David Joles/The Minnesota Star Tribune) After a Brooklyn Park assisted-living resident was found dead in his room in August, investiga

View Article Kimberly Bonvissuto January 17, 2025 Resident fears of retaliation from staff members for voicing concerns about care and services are common but preventable in assisted living communities and nursing homes, according to a new report from a gerontology expert. The report, “A Bridge Over Scary Water,” documents instances of resident retaliation, along with barriers in addressing resident fears, from ombudsmen across the nation. Eilon Caspi, PhD, a gerontologist a

Kris Sunberg, Executive Director, Elder Voice Advocates (EVA), and Gerontologist Eilon Caspi, PhD, Board Member, EVA, co-hosted an interview with Mark Kosieradzki, a nursing home abuse lawyer at Kosieradzki Smith Law Firm. The interview was held with Mark upon his retirement from his long and accomplished career. During the interview Mark shared about what has led him to enter the line of work related to the abuse and neglect of older adults in long-term care homes, what has

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (December 20, 2024) – Elder Voice Advocates is making it easier for Minnesota families to find safe, high-quality senior care with a major expansion of Elder Care IQ, the trusted tool for screening long-term care providers. Built on the foundation of state surveys and investigations, Elder Care IQ now delivers a complete picture view of a provider’s track record by incorporating federal nursing home data through the integration of ProPublica’s Nursing Home Ins

Silenced: Residents' Fear of Retaliation in 40 Nursing Homes in Illinois, Summary of 42 State Investigation Reports By Eilon Caspi, PhD November 28, 2024 Report prepared for Alliance Community Services “We constantly hear about retaliation fears and actual harm to residents, families and staff. This is a rapidly escalating problem that results in inconceivable suffering , and it must be stopped.” -Kris Sundberg, Executive Director, Elder Voice Advocates Introduction Resident

"This book deserves to be an essential part of the library of any child--and any adult!" - Allen Power, MD In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, fostering empathy is more important than ever. One beautiful way to build understanding is through stories that resonate with our shared experiences. In his book, 'What I've Learned About Grandma's Memory,' Elder Voice Board Member, Eilon Caspi, brings to life the story of a young girl whose grandmother lives with adva

Advocates say the state needs to do more to plan for and support a fast-growing population of older residents. Lawmakers are considering a new state agency. By Jessie Van Berkel The Minnesota Star Tribune August 29, 2024 at 3:00PM View article Older Minnesotans need a stronger champion at the Capitol, experts on the topic of aging say. But they disagree on who should lead the charge. Some are calling for a state Department on Aging following this summer’s launch of the Depart

Elder Voice's Kris Sundberg speaks with State of Reform regarding the need to coordinate initiatives aiming to help older Minnesotans live healthier lives. By State of Reform | August 15, 2024 View article Advocates discussed their support for a proposed department for community aging in Minnesota during a Legislative Task Force on Aging meeting on Wednesday. Kristine Sundberg, executive director of Elder Voice Advocates, said a department of community aging is needed to coo

Webinar presented by Richard Mollot, Executive Director of Long Term Care Community Coalition Caring for a loved one in a nursing home involves a relationship between families and facility staff. However, if communication breaks down, and concerns are met with unresponsiveness, it is crucial for family members to know where to turn and what steps to take. Join our June program for tips and resources to ensure the well-being of your loved one. Visit https://nursinghome411.org/

The following article reveals that A Place for Mom's "recommendations are not objective, not safe, and not truly free." This alarming discovery underscores the necessity behind the creation of our Elder Care IQ screening tool. Recognizing the serious shortcomings of these commercial products, which fail to accurately reflect the quality of care provided, we turned to state investigations into abuse, neglect, and exploitation. These investigations offer the most reliable indic

Personal Conflicts, Even Violence, Are Not Uncommon in Long-Term Care Arguments, verbal abuse and aggression are not unusual in elder care settings. Better staffing and training can ease the tensions, experts say. New York Times By Paula Span , June 9, 2024 At an assisted living facility in New York State, a small crowd had gathered at the dining room entrance at lunchtime, waiting for the doors to open. As a researcher observed, one woman, growing tired and frustrated, asked

Disability Voice Advocates (DiVA), a program of Elder Voice Advocates (EVA), raise grave concerns about a proposed change to the funding program, Waiver Reimagine. EVA Board members Misti Okerlund, disability rights attorney, and Lauren Thompson, a person with disabilities, and DiVA member Lance Hegland are quoted throughout the article.  Minnesotans fear disability benefits overhaul will lead to more institutionalization The state is revamping its systems for assessing and f

We recognized that Elder Voice Advocates (EVA) needed to offer elders, individuals with disabilities, and their families a trustworthy and impartial resource for screening care providers. We deliberately avoided sources with a pay-to-play model, like A Place for Mom, as we believed such approaches could be misleading at best and potentially disastrous at worst. This well research article underscores why EVA pooled its resources to develop Elder Care IQ. This innovative screen

Featuring Elder Voice's Eilon Caspi May 2, 2024 In this short episode of the JAG podcast, Editor-in-Chief Debra Dobbs meets with author Eilon Caspi to discuss the findings of his recent paper on the fear of nursing home residents of reprisal from facility staff when voicing care concerns and making mistreatment complaints. Listen now