Fall/Winter 2008

A publication for Wisconsin’s Long Term Care Profession by

Building
EMPLOYEE
RETENTION

PLUS:
• Avoiding On-Call Coverage Pitfalls
• Handling a Media Crisis
• Developing Employee
Immunization Campaigns

www.whca.com

www.wical.org
 Does Your Rehab
Provider Offer All This?
• trained, experienced • Medicare claims and • national client services
therapists and assistants denials management resource group (clinical,
dedicated to improving the indemnification PPS, financial expertise and
lives of your residents • long-term care current regulatory guidance
• local rehab manager and programming consultation)
facility-specific program • continuous quality • accurate and timely resident
manager improvement screening
• therapists skilled in current • measurable, outcomes- • full range of census-building
CPT codes and their uses driven services (clinical, programs
• therapists paid for all their financial and administrative • corporate compliance
time in your facility tools available) program/HIPAA committee
• staff development and • local, regional and national • facilitate cash flow
training programs education services
• ongoing clinical care
strategies

To discover more about how Scott Hale

Peoplefirst Rehabilitation can Senior Director of Business Development
help your facility, please contact: 888.836.8819 office
216.570.2656 mobile
scott.hale@peoplefirstrehab.com
COPYRIGHT
© 2008 Peoplefirst Rehabilitation
CSR 82165

www.peoplefirstrehab.com
 welcome

WELCOME TO THE premier edition of Continuum magazine, a unique publication dedicated to the issues and
interests of Wisconsin’s long term care provider community. You have received Continuum by virtue or your being
a valued member of the long term care continuum, hence the title.
The Wisconsin Health Care Association (WHCA) and its dedicated assisted living division, the Wisconsin Center
for Assisted Living (WiCAL), wanted to create a publication that presents positive, practical and authoritative infor-
mation to the Wisconsin long term care community. You and your staff members provide valuable and dedicated
service to Wisconsin’s frail, elderly and disabled residents, and this magazine is devoted to helping you in your mis-
sion to protect, serve and care for these individuals.
Currently we intend Continuum to be published bi-annually, released each Fall and Spring. There will be no sub-
scription or cost to you. Each issue will provide articles and information of interest to the leaders of the long term
care community. We hope that you enjoy this premier edition and would welcome your input for future editions.
To provide comments, input or reaction to this premier edition, please access the online version at www.whca.
com. There you will also fi nd additional information about the valu-
This magazine is devoted able benefits and opportunities offered by WHCA and WiCAL.

to helping you in your Sincerely,

mission to protect, serve Brian R. Purtell

WiCAL Executive Director and WHCA Director of Legal Services
and care for individuals.

Join
Wisconsin Center for Assisted
Living, WiCAL, is the dedicated
division of the Wisconsin Health
Care Association (WHCA) and the
Wisconsin affi liate of the National
Center for Assisted Living (NCAL).
Wisconsin’s assisted living and senior
housing providers are welcomed to
explore the benefits of membership of
WiCAL.
Membership is free of charge for
the balance of 2008: No obligation to
continue and no tricks. Give WiCAL a
test drive, and let us earn your future
membership.
Expertise: WiCAL has the back-
ing and experience of the WHCA,
the oldest trade association repre-
senting Wisconsin’s long term care
!
provider community. The WHCA/
WiCAL staff represent over 115 years of
collective service to the long term care
community.
Advocacy: With three lobby-
ists on staff, two of whom are attor-
neys, WiCAL is a leading and cred-
ible voice within Wisconsin’s legis-
lative and regulatory arena. On the
national level, NCAL is a recognized
advocate in Washington D.C. on
issues impacting the assisted living
community.
Communications: Having a costs and valuable time.
Director of Communications on staff
provides WiCAL the ability to advance
the policy agenda, enhance the image
of members, and assist members in
proactive and reactive media efforts.
Quality Improvement and
Education: The mission of WiCAL
includes assisting members to continue
being national leaders in the provision
of assisted living services. Educational
programs and quality initiatives are
a core element of WiCAL efforts.
Educational programming places a pre-
mium on practical, evidenced based,
information to allow you to receive the
greatest value. Training opportunities
are provided in various formats and
mediums to allow you to manage your
To begin to experience the ben-
efits of WiCAL membership, at no
cost through 2008, simply go to
www.wical.org and click on “Join
WiCAL.”

FALL/WINTER 2008 C O NTINU U M 3

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 contents Fall/Winter 2008

Continuum is published for the 7 CLINICAL CORNER: Breaking the Chain

Wisconsin Health Care Association How immunizations can play a key role in
and the Wisconsin Center for your facility’s infection control efforts.
Assisted Living
121 East Wilson Street, Suite L200
Madison, WI 53703
9 HR 4 LTC: ON CALL COVERAGE:
608-257-0125 Avoiding Wage and Hour Pitfalls
Fax: 608-257-0025 The ramifications for an employer running
www.whca.com/www.wical.org afoul of wage and hour laws can be
significant. How to ensure you’re doing
Managing Editor what’s best for you and your employees.
Brian Purtell
11 FALL CONVENTION ROUNDUP
Editorial Associate Great reasons why this year’s 57th annual
Erin Celello convention is a can’t-miss opportunity!
Published by
12 BUILDING EMPLOYEE RETENTION page 9
Staff turnover is a profession-wide
Naylor, LLC
challenge, but these steps can make you an
5950 NW 1st Place
“employer of choice” in long term care.
Gainesville, FL 32607
800-369-6220
or 352-332-1252 16 MEDIA MATTERS: Handling a Media
Fax: 352-332-3331 Crisis: How to Come Out on Top
www.naylor.com No organization, despite its best efforts, is
Publisher immune from a crisis. Use these top tips to
Mark Migliore handle the media in any situation.

Editor
Saara Raappana
18 CAPITOL BEAT: State Races will Affect
Long Term Care Providers
Marketing and Research Associate The Wisconsin State Legislature and
Zach Swick handfuls of U.S. Congressional races are
Project Manager heating up this fall. Here’s how their results
Rick Jablonski could affect you.

Account Leader
page 12
Patricia Nolin 20 STAKEHOLDER SPOTLIGHT:
Heather Breummer
Account Representatives Heather Breummer, Executive Director on
Denise Creegan, Janet Corbe, the Board of Aging and Long Term Care,
Steve Hall, Scott Pauquette, talks about filling the shoes of founding
Mark Verceles, Cherie Worley Director George Potaracke, the Medigap
Layout & Design Helpline and how the BOALTC can make
Calvin Harding & Emma Law your life easier.

Advertising Art
Carrie Smith 22 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS/
©2008 Naylor, LLC. All rights reserved.
ADVERTISER.COM
The contents of this publication may not be
reproduced by any means, in whole or in
part, without the prior written consent of the
publisher.

page 16
PUBLISHED AUGUST 2008/WHC-B0208/8315

FALL/WINTER 2008 C O NTINU U M 5


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6 CONTI NUUM www.whca.com

388024_JTAssociates.indd 1 6/19/08 1:50:22
392034_Focus.indd
PM 1 7/21/08 11:55:23 AM
 clinical corner
Breaking the Chain
Dedicated Immunization Campaigns are Vital for
Employees and Residents
By Brian Purtell, JD and Betty Brunner, RN, BS, NHA
THE CORE VALUE mission in your
organization undoubtedly includes
providing the best care and service to
your clients and residents. As part of
that mission, licensed and unlicensed
congregate living settings must main-
tain vigilance in their infection control
prevention efforts to protect clients
and workers. There is increasing focus
on infection control in all settings, and
regulatory compliance, liability risk,
and reputations can hinge on provider
efforts in this area.
Due to the many and varied physi-
cal, physiological, psychological and
social changes that accompany the
normal aging process, the risk of infec-
tion increases as people age.
Many chronic diseases and condi-
tions that frequently accompany the
aging process increase the aging resi-
dent’s risk for infection. Congregate
living environments, with multiple staff
and visitors coming and going, further
increases the risks of transmission.
Major objectives of your infec-
tion control program are prevention
and control. “Breaking the chain” of
transmission of infectious agents is an
essential element of infection control.
One proven prevention opportunity to
break the chain is the immunization of
workers and clients.
Educating and encouraging cli-
ents to receive their vaccinations is
an important (and for nursing homes,
required) step in prevention efforts. As
important are the efforts you should be
taking to ensure the highest level of
employee immunizations to reduce the
opportunities of transmission. Rather
than a single “reminder” to staff,
immunization campaigns targeting
staff and volunteers should be adopted
as a means of increasing immunization
rates.
Staff Influenza Immunization
Campaigns: The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention recommends
all staff, except for those individuals
allergic to the vaccine or eggs, should
be encouraged to receive the influenza
vaccine.
Dedicated campaigns, which culmi-
nate with annual vaccination efforts,
©www.istockphoto.com/Eric Hood
have been proven to be most effec-
tive in achieving the highest rate of
immunizations, particularly for staff
members.
Plan your program: Include all
staff members and departments when
establishing your vaccination team and
plan out your entire calendar of efforts
toward education and encouragement.
Culminate the planning with leader- An immunization
ship visibly being among the fi rst to be
immunized and serve as role models campaign
for staff members to follow.
• Maintain Leadership Support:
doesn’t have to
Stay on top of the campaign by mon-
itoring ongoing reports. Monitor
be a massive
success, identify where efforts and
education are needed, and incorpo-
undertaking of
rate this information into current management and
and future efforts.
• Promote Program Consistency: staff time.
Use steady, repetitive reminders and
educational posters, newsletters,
paycheck stuffers, and information
sheets.
• Make Vaccinations Convenient:
Offer opportunities for employees
to be vaccinated. If you do not have
qualified staff to administer shots,
FALL/WINTER 2008 C O NTINU U M 7
 consider connecting with local pro-
viders to host a community clinic
where your employees will be able
to participate.
• Reach the Resistors!: There is a
category of employees who stead-
fastly refuse to be vaccinated. Fear
and misunderstanding are at the
heart of many of these individu-
als’ objections. There is a wealth
of materials available to educate
employees, dispel myths, and con-
front fears. Identify why some
people are reluctant, and shape the
message to counter these issues. A
particularly powerful tool is the use
of a declination form an employee
signs, which includes an acknowl-
edgement of their understanding of
the risks and benefits to themselves,
their families and the clients they
serve, regarding their decision to
decline the vaccine.
• Evaluate the Program: Monitor
employee immunization rates this
season to measure performance.
Use this information to continue
to hone the message and establish
goals for next season.
There is no reason to reinvent the
wheel for such programs, and an immu-
nization campaign doesn’t have to be a
massive undertaking of management
and staff time. Once the framework
for a campaign is established, most
of the work is done; annual reviews
of any changes or goals are all that is
necessary. Most importantly, proven
programs are readily available, includ-
ing complete toolkits, which contain
sample letters, fact/myth sheets, pre-
sentations, declination forms, flyers,
paycheck inserts, and much more.
The “Immunization Toolkit,” avail-
able at www.medqic.org, contains just
about anything an employer could need
in the development and implementa-
tion of an employee campaign. While
this toolkit was developed for nurs-
ing homes, it is scalable and equally
appropriate for use in assisted living
communities.

Brian Purtell is WiCAL’s

Executive Director and
WHCA’s Director of Legal
Services.
Betty Brunner is the Vice
That’s why you’ll find more opportunity to grow at HCR ManorCare. As one of the President of Development
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8 CONTI NUUM 1 www.whca.com

391467_Manor.indd 7/17/08 387784_Geneva.indd
11:28:44 AM 1 7/22/08 2:08:30 PM
 HR4LTC
On-Call Coverage
Avoiding Wage and Hour Pitfalls
By Mindy Rowland Buenger, Dewitt Ross & Stevens, S.C.
“HEY, ARE YOU going to be around
this weekend? I might need you to
come in.”
“Don’t go too far from home this
weekend; it looks like I’ll need you to
come in to pick up a shift. I’ll give you
a call and let you know which one.”
“Looks like we’re going to be busy
with some admissions this week-
end—I’m going to want you to be at
the ready. So stay in town and be able
to get here on 15 minutes notice.”
Ever made a comment like this to
one of your employees? It sounds inno-
cent enough—a simple inquiry into
an employee’s availability to work a
weekend shift or a mere request that
an employee be within range in case
things get busy.
But before you know it, you can fi nd
yourself liable to pay on-call time to
your employees. The above three state-
ments present progressively higher lev-
els of expectation and commitments
that an employer might communicate
to an employee on a Friday afternoon.
Whether any or all of these might con-
stitute the employer having to compen-
sate the individual for “waiting” or “on-
call” time requires a detailed examina-
tion of the totality of the circumstanc-
es, as well as the previous dealings
between the employer and employee.
Regardless, however, employers need
to be aware that certain requirements
or restrictions very well may be con-
sidered “hours worked,” even if there
is no actual exertion by an employee.
And, as you well know, “hours worked”
translates into compensable time for
the employee.
Why do you need to care? In the
long term care field, where around-
the-clock coverage 365 days a year is a
necessity, it is important to be aware of
what is compensable time so that you
do not mistakenly fi nd yourself con-
fronted with wage claim-based restric-
tions placed on an employee for on-call
time.
Whether to compensate for certain
on-call time is one of the more contro-
versial areas of litigation arising under
the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The reason is simple: whether on-call
time is compensable is very fact-spe-
cific and, unfortunately for employers, © Ghubonamin | Dreamstime.com
there are not any bright-line rules to
follow. That said, there are some guide-
lines that can assist you in avoiding a The ramifications
claim. This article provides a road map
of those guidelines.
for an employer
SOME HISTORY
running afoul
Back in 1944, the United States
Supreme Court fi rst decided that hour-
of the wage
ly, non-exempt employees were enti- and hour rules
tled to be compensated in certain cir-
cumstances where the employee might relative to on-call
be called upon to work, i.e., where the
employee is on-call. Federal regula- coverage can be
tions shortly followed suit, identifying
the following standard: “if the employ-
significant.
ee cannot use the time effectively for
his [or her] own purposes,” then the on-
call time is compensable.
Generally speaking, the more
restrictions you place on your employ-
ees as to their freedom and movement
to engage in activities of their choosing,
the more likely it is that the time will be
considered “hours worked” and there-
fore compensable under the FLSA.
The ramifications for an employer
running afoul of the wage and hour
rules relative to on-call coverage can
FALL/WINTER 2008 C O NTINU U M 9
 FACTORS TO CONSIDER
While a determination of whether on-call time must be paid is factu-
ally specific, the following list of factors is instructive:
• Existence of an on-premise living requirement
• Length of any required time limits for responding to calls
• Geographical restrictions on the employee’s movements while on-
call
• Frequency of actual calls during such time
• Ability or inability of employees to trade “on-call” responsibilities
with other employees
• Number of employees working on-call in a given department
• Whether the use of a pager could ease any restrictions on the
employee
• Whether the employee actually engaged in personal activities
while on-call
• Whether an agreement existed between the employees and the
employer regarding compensation while on-call, and whether
employees were aware of such an arrangement at the time of
accepting the position
• Geographical location of the employer
• Effect of requiring compensation for on-call activities both as to
the employer and the employee

be significant. An employee who pre-
vails on a wage claim is entitled to
two, sometimes three years’ back pay,
as well as his/her attorneys’ fees. Also
note that employees cannot “waive”
wage claims. That means that you can-
not come to any sort of agreement with
your employees that on-call time is not
compensable.
PROACTIVE MEASURES
The best practice, of course, is to
establish a policy in which both you and
the employees are clear as to wheth-
er or not an individual’s time is to be
compensable when an employee is not
performing his/her typical job duties.
Make a determination on the front end
of whether the on-call time you require
of your employees rises to the level of
“hours worked,” by analyzing that time
under the above standards and meet-
ing with an attorney if you have any
concerns about whether you should be
compensating your employees for the
on-call time.
It is also beneficial to you to remem-
ber that just because an employee is
engaging in compensable on-call time,
he/she does not have to be paid at the
standard wage rate for that employee.
The employee only need be compen-
sated for the “hours worked.” Wage
rates for on-call time can differ from
an employee’s regular rate, although
minimum wage and other over-time
provisions still apply.
For example, an employer must
assure that the employee’s overall wage
rate during a pay period be at or above
the applicable minimum wage. This is
particularly important if you are going
to have an employee whose normal pay
rate is at or just slightly above mini-
mum wage. Establishing an on-call pay
rate that would be significantly lower
than such an employee’s wage could
create a situation where their work
week average hourly wage would be
below the required minimum wage.
Likewise, employers must also keep
in mind that waiting time and on-call
time counts as hours towards overtime
expectations for non-exempt employ-
ees. As an extreme, if an employer
were to indicate restrictions sufficient
to constitute an entire weekend being
regarded as “hours worked,” includ-
ing overnights, that employer would
quickly encounter a situation where the
employee would have 48 hours worked
over the course of only two days.
CONCLUSION
If you are like most health care
facilities, you want to balance the need

Choices
® report to work when necessary against
When life is limited, aging in place is
what people want.
When the focus of care shifts from curative to
palliative, VITAS focuses on enhancing patients’
comfort and overall quality of life. As an advocate for
the rights of those at the end of life, our VITAS team
of hospice experts helps patients remain at home.
to occasionally require an employee to
the need to compensate employees not
actually working during that on-call
time. To do so, employers need to take
a close look at their on-call policies and
procedures and ensure that those poli-
cies and procedures allow for the abil-
ity to call an employee in if necessary,
without unduly restricting the employ-
ees’ freedoms.

At VITAS, patients and families come first.

Mindy Rowland
Buenger is partner at
DeWitt Ross & Stevens
Serving the Milwaukee area since 1994
S.C. She can
For information, call 414.257.2600 be contacted at
Referrals: 1.800.93.VITAS • www.VITAS.com 608-252-9320 or
mrb@dewittross.com

10 CONTI1NUUM
391423_Vitas.indd www.whca.com 7/17/08 7:32:38 PM
 DON’T MISS THIS YEAR’S
57TH ANNUAL FALL CONVENTION
THE WISCONSIN HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION (WHCA) and
the Wisconsin Center for Assisted Living (WiCAL) invite you
to join us for our 57th Annual Fall Convention. This year’s con-
vention is offering 21 valuable educational sessions of interest
to all providers and their staff. During and after educational
sessions there will be plenty of social and networking oppor-
tunities, including a cruise down the Fox River complete with
food, refreshments and music.
Educational offerings include: • Medicare and Medicaid Maximization
• Building the Foundation for Excel- “Unlocking the Doors”
lence and Customer Satisfaction • Implications of the Fair Housing
• The “Bug” Stops here – Infection Act on Wisconsin’s Assisted Living
Prevention & Control in Long Term Community
Care • Comfort, Compassion and Dignity:
• Preventing Culture Change Melt- Means to a Better End: F309
down, Tools to Turn Your Dining • Getting the Right People on Board:
Vision into Reality Recruiting, Screening, and Hiring a
• Turning Complaints into Compli- Quality Workforce
ments: Creating a Culture of Con- • And many, many others!
tinuous Quality Improvement as a In addition, the Fall Convention will
Strategy to Managing Complaints feature an opening keynote address by
and Grievances Donna Manring on “Transformation
• Lessons Learned: Provider Insight Leadership” and the WHCA 2008 “Shin-
Gained from Litigation Experience ing Star” Awards Luncheon.
• The Secrets to Exceptional Custom- Each year, WHCA’s Fall Convention
er Service Every Day provides a great venue for education, net-
• Breaking Free from the Old Educa- working, and sharing ideas. Join us this
tion Model in Long Term Care year on October 1-3, 2008, at the Radis-
• The Power of Ethical Marketing son Convention Center in Green Bay!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For additional information or needs please
call the WHCA/WiCAL office (608-257-0125) or
contact George W. (Skitch) MacKenzie, NHA at
skitch@whca.com.

COMPLETE PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION CAN BE

FOUND AT WWW.WHCA.COM OR WWW.WICAL.ORG. ONSITE REGISTRATION ALWAYS WELCOME!

FALL/WINTER 2008 C O N TINU U M 11

 Building Employee
RETENTION
It’s a balancing act! But dedicated efforts
©www.istockphoto.com/Dmitriy Kalinin

can transform your facility into

an “employer of choice.”

12 CONTI NUUM www.whca.com

By Brian Purtell

IN ORDER TO provide the highest level of care and services ➥

1. Identify current turnover
to their clients, long term care providers are continually chal- rates, including differences
lenged to retain qualified and committed employees in all sec- in rates among categories of
employees.

➥
tors of operation. But demographic and workforce data indi-
2. Identify the causes
cate that workforce development will be one of the Wisconsin underlying staff turnover.

➥
long term care community’s greatest challenges in the coming
3. Establish goals/targets for
years. Steps taken now to put a facility in a position to remain improving retention rates.

➥
or become an “employer of choice” may mean the difference 4. Develop an action plan to
between future success or continued challenges. address causes and reach
identified goals/targets.

Instead of lamenting about the dif-
ficulty of recruiting applicants for open
positions, we must closely examine our
efforts to retain our current caregivers.
Certainly, most providers appreciate
the value of their dedicated staff, but it
is healthy to reexamine the techniques
used to retain those vital assets.
➥
The key is that long term care 5. Implement the action plans
employers need to increase their as written.
knowledge base as to what actually
impacts employee retention. Rather
➥ 6. Evaluate the implementation
than relying on gut feelings or mak- of the action plan.
➥
ing efforts based on what the employer
“thinks” the employee wants or needs, 7. Update and revising the
employers need to approach reten- action plan as directed by

There is ample evidence to support
investment in dedicated retention pro-
gramming. Staff longevity and lower
turnover correlates to higher customer
satisfaction and quality measures, as
well as regulatory results. It also reduc-
es inefficient use of scarce resources
related to recruitment, new employee
orientation and training.
It is therefore critical to examine
what actually correlates to employee
retention. Identifying those factors will
allow employers to focus their energies
on those areas that are both correlated
to retention and within the control of
an employer.
tion efforts with the sophistication
that they would apply to other quality
improvement efforts, using recognized
processes to guide them. The sidebar
shows seven steps to follow in taking
on the challenge of improving employ-
ee retention.
The steps in the sidebar are, in all
likelihood, instantly recognizable, as
they follow a common quality improve-
ment cycle process. But you may not
have viewed employee retention in this
context. Applying the same analysis a
health care provider applies in address-
ing a clinical improvement effort,
for example, will provide focus and a
➥
the evaluation process.
workable framework for taking on the
retention issue. While the process is
not a magic pill, it can help you orga-
nize your efforts and provide a map to
achieving your goals more efficiently.
NO QUICK FIX
Employers fi rst must recognize that
the effort to improve employee reten-
tion requires prolonged and dedicated
effort, including ample staff involve-
ment. And before you establish your

Long term care employers need to increase

their knowledge base of what actually impacts
employee retention.
FALL/WINTER 2008 C O N TINU U M 13
retention goals, you need to deter-
mine your current retention and turn-
over rates in all categories of staff.
Determining your current retention
and turnover rates will (1) establish
your baseline; (2) identify where you
should focus your efforts; (3) identify
strengths that you can apply in the
development of your action plan; and
(4) provide measures upon which you
can establish goals and targets.
Establishing your baseline enables
you to measure your future perfor-
mance. Reviewing where your reten-
tion and turnover are greatest allows
you to target your efforts. Once you’ve
done that, you should establish specific
goals/targets to work toward. The sim-
ple act of goal setting has been dem-
onstrated to accelerate performance
improvement.
As part of this review and goal-set-
ting process, examine your expenses
related to retention and recruitment.
Where are you spending your money?
Is it efficient or even productive?
Are you placing expensive classified
ads in newspapers that either do not
even reach your target audience or
Eligibility does not ensure capability.
do not yield qualified and attractive developing retention efforts. Search retention and employee satisfaction.
applicants? and review the available literature on Employees may rank pay as the most
the subject as the basis for your analy- important contributor to their job
NOT ALL RETENTION IS GOOD; NOT ALL sis and action plans. satisfaction, but this is too easy an
TURNOVER IS BAD. answer to a more complex question.
Simply setting a goal of keeping all IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT MONEY Closer examination of more detailed
of your current employees is unrealis- Determining the relative importance data reveals that factors such as inter-
tic. More important, it ignores the pos- of employee wages provides a perfect action, professional status and task
sibility that some of your current staff illustration of the use of empirical requirements tend to more strongly
contribute to the turnover issues you evidence in guiding retention efforts. correlate to an employee’s decision to
are facing. Further, the employees that There is the notion that if an employer leave or stay in a job.
you want to retain, your top perform- simply raises wages, retention rates Here’s more specific evidence. The
ers, will likely resent the efforts made will increase. But this is counter to largest aggregated Wisconsin long term
toward those who are not. the evidence. Wages clearly impact care workforce data compiled by My
an employee’s decision to remain at a InnerView, Inc., indicates that the most
DON’T GUESS; USE EVIDENCE job, but research indicates that wages, significant factors relating to employee
A growing body of research and evi- while important, are not an exclu- job satisfaction are:
dence is available to guide your reten- sive or prime motivator. Resist the • Assistance with job stress
tion efforts. Just as a physician or nurse temptation to throw up your hands at • Attentiveness of management
is guided by authoritative research in increasing retention rates when wage • Care/concern of management
making clinical decisions or a facil- increases are not feasible. Data sug- • Comparison of pay
ity is guided by an establishment of gests otherwise. • Appreciation of supervisor
policies and protocols, so too should What data going back three decades Many of these factors are well
an employer be guided by research in does suggest is a relationship between within the control of employers. While

14 CONTI NUUM www.whca.com


© Styf22 | Dreamstime.com
management rates at or near the lower
end of employee satisfaction factors,
employees tend to rate their level of
satisfaction with their direct supervi-
sor at or near the top, both nationally
and in Wisconsin. Management, are
you listening?
This data, which may prove uncom-
fortable to some managers, should be
seen as a spectacular opportunity. Your
employees quietly have needs similar
to those you seek to address within
your client population—attention,
assistance, and appreciation. If this
surprises you, consider what you do,
either directly or through your manag-
ers, to truly address your employee’s
non-pay-related issues such as stress,
appreciation and management atten-
tiveness. While addressing some of
those issues might be complicated
by managers’ own stresses, some of
this management stress and workload
could be minimized by a consistent,
motivated workforce.
The evidence therefore shows that
the long term care provider community
has opportunities for improvement in
addressing the issues most important to
their workforce, but improving employee
engagement doesn’t necessarily require
spending a lot of money. Wise invest-
ments and productive uses of scarce
resources bring a demonstrated return
on investment, both in better employee
retention and better client satisfaction.
It is far better to invest in those areas
that produce results and that are actu-
ally within the control of an employer.
The data outlined above provides
an illustration of what measures are
possible, and it must be noted that your
greatest opportunities for improvement
listed may not be the same for your
workforce. So measure your specific
workforce issues, needs, and areas of
importance. Without actually measur-
ing your level of employee satisfaction,
you are simply guessing or hoping that
your efforts will hit the mark.
RETENTION BEGINS AT HIRE
Screening and reference checks
will tell you if someone is eligible for
hire. The fact that someone is “eligible”
doesn’t necessarily make them him or
her a good fit for your organization.
Eligibility does not ensure capability.
Resist the temptation to just fi ll spots
with a warm body out of urgency. At
the same time, explain and seek buy-
in for those staff members that may
have to bear some of the burdens—and
additional shifts—until a good match
is made.
Many issues of capability can be
addressed with sufficient training,
education and support. Data demon-
strates that effective training is an area
where there is room for improvement,
and doing so significantly contrib-
utes to employee retention. This hold
true for the new hire and the current
employees.
When an individual is not adequate-
ly prepared and equipped for the posi-
tion, they are far more likely to leave
sooner. Additionally, ill-equipped
employees contribute to the stress and
dissatisfaction of your current staff,
who end up picking up their slack. As
part of your analysis of the causes of
turnover, include examination of your
orientation, training and mentoring
programs. A modest additional invest-
ment in those areas may translate into
greater employee longevity.
MAKE RETENTION A TEAM EFFORT
AND GOAL
Gathering data, establishing causes,
developing action plans and measur-
ing results will require input from your
entire staff. Explain the purpose and
benefits to obtain accurate information,
and to dispel rumors that will naturally
spread among staff if such efforts are
made behind closed doors.
Becoming an employer of choice,
one where you have the luxury of highly
qualified and motivated applicants, does
not happen overnight. Do not expect that
a few kind words and an employee rec-
ognition party to immediately transform
your facility. Expect to commit time and
resources with long range goals in mind.
The efforts you make now will positive-
ly impact your operations for years to
come.
Brian Purtell, WiCAL
Executive Director
and WHCA Director of
Legal Services, is also a
partner at DeWitt Ross
& Stevens S.C.
He can be reached at
bpurtell@wical.org, brian@whca.com, or
brp@dewittross.com
FALL/WINTER 2008 C O N TINU U M 15
 media matters
Handling a Media Crisis
How to Come Out on Top
By Erin Celello
IN THE LONG TERM care community,
where both money and time are tight,
and clients are in need of round-the-
clock services, media relations can
understandably rank near the bottom
of the priority list. However, no organi-
zation, despite best efforts, is immune
from events that have potential to dam-
age their reputation and community
goodwill.
Accidents, incidents, natural and
man-made disasters, system break-
downs, human errors, and professional
misjudgments can all lead to media cov-
erage that too often seizes only upon
the negative.
In the midst of a media “investiga-
tion,” it might seem as though there
is little that you can do to manage it.
However, this couldn’t be farther from
the truth. In reality, there are several
steps you can take to expertly and effi-
ciently deal with the media in the midst
of any crisis.
DON’T BUY AN EXTINGUISHER AFTER
THE FIRE STARTS
Crisis Communications in
Healthcare defines a crisis as any-
thing that “suddenly and unexpectedly
has adverse effects on a healthcare
organization, or its patients, staff, or
community.”
If a resident is severely injured, and
the family goes to the media as a result,
you could have a crisis on your hands.
There might have been nothing you
could have done to predict the accident
or prevent it, but you can plan for it.
While large businesses, Hollywood
stars, national, state, and local govern-
ments have the luxury of teams of indi-
viduals that actually prepare and drill
16 CONTI NUUM www.whca.com
for crisis communications, on a smaller
scale you can do the same.
Take your pick of situations you reg-
ularly see in the news, and gather your
management team to determine your
communications goals for potential
scenarios, draft talking points to work
from, and practice delivering them for
when a crisis does hit.
DENIAL ISN’T A RIVER IN EGYPT
Even the best long term care
providers are only one disgruntled
employee or dissatisfied family mem-
ber away from having to respond to
a potentially negative media inquiry.
The first step is acknowledging that
a media crisis could happen; the
next is planning for it. Before crisis
strikes and you find yourself at the
other end of a reporter’s microphone, In all but
take some time to think through
what your key messages might be.
the rarest of
The first thing you want to do is
evaluate your audience and identify
communications
what you most want them to know.
This might include correcting erro-
crises, the
neous information, providing an number one thing
alternative viewpoint (your side) to
the story, or reminding the audience you don’t want to
of important information.
Any crisis communications do is attempt a
response should also follow the
“CCO Template”: answers or state-
disappearing act.
ments given to the media should
indicate compassion (express sym-
pathy, regret, condolences), convic-
tion (state that assumptions cannot
be made, a full investigation is ongo-
ing, et cetera), and optimism (indi-
cate that once the facts are clear,
action steps will be determined and
the right thing will be done).
 Point: Should: By:

ONE Express empathy, • Using personal pronouns;

listening, caring or • Acknowledging the legitimacy of fear, anger, or other emotion;
compassion. • Using a personal story if appropriate.

TWO State the key message(s). • Limiting the total number of words to 27;
• Limiting the total length to 9 seconds;
• Using positive, constructive, and solution-oriented language;
• Offering additional, supporting information by way of facts, studies, or
other credible third-party sources of information.

THREE State future actions. • Listing specific next steps; and/or

• Providing contact information for obtaining additional information as
appropriate.

FOUR (if there is time) Repeat Summarizing or emphasizing the three key messages.
the key messages.

Importantly, studies have shown
that when communicators limit the
number of messages they relay in a
crisis situation to three, and ensure
that those messages are relative-
ly brief (about nine seconds or 27
words in length), that information is
comprehended and retained better
by those listening.
A model for preparing your crisis
messages might look something like
this:
Preparing what you most want
to communicate—that your facility
strives for the highest possible stan-
dards and regularly exceeds them—
and thinking through what you will
say in a crisis, even if it hasn’t yet hap-
pened, can make all the difference of
the light in which your facility might
be cast in the reporter’s story.
THERE WAS ONLY ONE HOUDINI
In all but the rarest of communi-
cations crises, the number one thing
you don’t want to do is attempt a dis-
appearing act. Avoiding reporters
altogether or issuing a statement only
makes it appear as though you have
something to hide.
Remember, the media hates a
vacuum, and if reporters can’t get a
comment from you, it does not mean
they will simply throw up their arms
and move on to the next story. Rather,
they’ll search high and low for some-
one who will tell your story for you,
and you lose all control over what
messages are relayed.
Instead, a better tactic is to arrange
a specific time for an interview. Then,
determine who the best spokesperson
will be, and work with that person
to anticipate reporter questions and
practice delivering the key messages
you developed long ago.
For too long, Wisconsin’s long term
care provider community has been
frustrated by its portrayal by media
outlets. However, the historic “bunker
mentality” of many only contributes
to these frustrations. Preparation
for and tackling a media crisis head-
on are steps towards turning around
the manner and tone of coverage we
unfortunately too often see in the
long term care community.
Erin Celello is the
WHCA Director of
Communications. She
can be reached at erin@
whca.com

Angela Scheit
262-880-8883

Wisconsin Medical Supplies, Inc.

5200 Washington Ave.
Suite 105 Spring Valley Health Care Center
Racine, WI 53406
Tel: (262) 631-0100
Spring Valley Home Health Services
Fax: (262) 631-0200 Valley Villas Assisted Living
angela23hoo@yahoo.com Caring for Generations
www.wmsinfo.com
www.svhcs.org

391891_WMS.indd 1 7/22/08 2:46:47

389759_Spring.indd
PM 1 FALL/WINTER 2008 C O N TINU UM
7/16/08 17 PM
2:17:40
 capitol beat
State Races Will Affect Long Term
Care Providers
By Jim McGinn
WITH THE SLEW of ads and endless
coverage on 24-hour cable news out-
lets, it might seem like the Presidential
election is the only one this fall. But the
Wisconsin State Legislature and hand-
fuls of U.S. Congressional races are heat-
ing up as well.
While certainly the national races
will have an impact on Wisconsin’s long
term care provider community, the state
elections will likely have as much, if not
more, direct impact on the long term
care landscape. All the November elec-
tions are important, because the party
in the majority chairs all committees
and establishes the agenda in both the
U.S. and state legislatures. The number
of open seats and the narrow majorities
currently held in the Wisconsin Senate
and Assembly contests will make for an
interesting and hard-fought state elec-
tion season.
The importance of elections goes
beyond how a candidate might present
him or herself. Voters are not only decid-
ing who will represent them, but also
have a say in what key issues are impor-
tant to them. The results of the upcom-
ing elections will impact Wisconsin’s
long term care community shaping the
agenda with potential impact for years to
come. For example, here are some long
term care issues that were discussed
and debated in the 2007-08 session of the
Wisconsin Legislature:
• A proposed increase in the nurs-
ing home bed tax from $75 to $127
per month, or funding nursing home
reimbursement increases with GPR
(general purpose revenue dollars);
• Legislation requiring DHS to establish
standards for staff training, staffing
levels, and standards for security at
adult family homes, residential care
18 CONTI NUUM www.whca.com
apartment complexes, community-
based residential facilities, and nurs-
ing homes;
• Legislation imposing a $12 annual
assessment on all occupied resi-
dential care apartment complexes
(RCACs) to fund one ombudsmen
position, legislation relating to addi-
tional oversight of group homes, com-
munity-based residential facilities,
and adult family homes; and
• The expansion of Family Care, and
legislation relating to mandatory
overtime hours worked by health
© Rmgb_ol | Dreamstime.com
care workers employed by health care
facilities.
The success or failure of any of the
above items was certainly impacted by
the political makeup of the Legislature.
So too will the future of these or similar
initiatives depend on the Nov. 4 elec-
tion results. It is therefore incumbent
upon the provider community to remain The upcoming
active and vocal on issues of importance
to your operations. elections
To highlight the significance of these
elections, here is a snapshot of the
will impact
Wisconsin political landscape going into
Election Day:
Wisconsin’s
• Democrats currently control the
Senate, 17- 14, with two vacant seats
long term care
due to the resignations of Democrat community for
Sen. Roger Breske and Republican
Sen. Carol Roessler. The seats up for years to come.
election are currently split evenly,
eight to eight.
• For the Republicans to assume con-
trol of the Senate, it will require
keeping all of their current seats and
gaining two seats currently held by
Democrats.
• With respect to the 99-member
Assembly, Republicans control
the House with 51 Republicans, 47
 Democrats, and one Independent.
Eleven Assembly veterans, six
Republicans and five Democrats have
announced their plans to retire.
• For the Democrats to assume con-
trol of the Assembly, it would require
keeping all of their seats and gaining
three seats.
And again, while all elections are
important, it appears that a great deal of
attention will be focused on the races for
the State Assembly. Since many of the
Assembly races are considered close,
with many involving primaries, we can
certainly expect hard fought races by
both parties as they seek the prize of
majority status.
On the State Senate side, of the 16
Senate seats up for election, both parties
are focusing on the following seats:
• Senate District 8: Sen. Alberta
Darling (R-River Hills) vs. Rep.
Sheldon Wasserman (D-Milwaukee)
• Senate District 10: Sen. Sheila
Harsdorf (R-River Falls) vs. Alison
Page (D-River Falls)
• Senate District 12: Jim Holperin
(D-Eagle River) vs. Tom Tiffany
(R-Rhinelander)
• Senate District 18: Jessica King
(D-Oshkosh) vs. Randy Hopper
(R-Fond du Lac)
• Senate District 22: Sen. Bob
Wirch (D-Kenosha) vs. Ben Bakke
(R-Kenosha)
• Senate District 30: Sen. Dave
Hansen (D-Green Bay) vs. Chad
Fradette (R-Green Bay)
• Senate District 32: Sen. Dan
Kapanke (R-LaCrosse) vs. Tara
Johnson (D-LaCrosse)
Some may tire of the relentless elec-
tion ads as the elections draw closer,
but the long term care provider commu-
nity must use the election season as an
opportunity to educate the candidates
on the issues of significance to providers,
their staff and clients served. Consider
inviting the candidates to meet with your
staff and residents. Prepare a few points
of most significance you would want to
impart to the candidate. Keep in mind
the volume of information these individ-
uals are presented on the campaign trail.
Consider preparing a concise written
explanation of your issues that can be
taken by the candidate or their staff.
392781_HPSI.indd 1
WISCONSIN LEGISLATURE
HISTORY
Wisconsin’s bicameral
Legislature is made up of the
Senate with 33 members and
the Assembly with 99 mem-
bers. According to the State of
Wisconsin Blue Book, mem-
bers of the Assembly origi-
nally served for one year, while
Senators served for two years.
An 1881 constitutional amend-
ment doubled the respective
terms to the current two and
four years, respectively.
Wisconsin’s 33 Senators are
elected for four-year terms, with
16 Senators elected in even-
numbered districts in a presi-
dential election year, and the 17
Senators in odd-numbered dis-
tricts elected in a gubernatorial
election year.
The primary election will be
held on Sept. 9, with the general
election on Nov. 4.
Jim McGinn is the
WHCA Director of
Government Relations.
He can be reached at
jim@whca.com.
Experience Group
Purchasing Power
at its Best
391017_Alliance.indd 1 53188
HPSI has a network of local,
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7/22/08 8:12:23 PM
PROFILES
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Phone: (608) 643-8022
Fax: (608) 643-2314
Toll Free: (800) 464-9942
E-mail: info@american-data.com
Web: www.american-data.com
Four of American Data‘s Wisconsin
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St. Francis Home and St. Mary‘s Care
Center, recipients of Excellence Award;
St. Clare Meadows Care Center, recipient
of Mastery Award; and Franciscan Skemp
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PHARMACIES
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7/10/08 5:46:57 PM
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Fax: (877) 578-7760
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Wisconsin based, Alliance and Alliance
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FALL/WINTER 2008 C O N TINU U M 19
 stakeholder spotlight
A focus on individuals who are influential in the Wisconsin long term care community

This Edition: Heather Bruemmer, Executive Director/State Ombudsman,

Wisconsin Board on Aging and Long Term Care (BOALTC).
be holding introductory meetings this fall

Building on the to help address provider concerns.

Can you explain the Medigap Helpline?

The Medigap Helpline is staffed by

Foundation licensed insurance counselors to help all

Wisconsin citizens with questions and
problems related to health insurance,
Medicare Supplements, long term care
AS OF JAN. 1, 2008, Heather Bruemmer has served as the executive insurance and other health plans. This is
a resource for all ages. Providers should
director of the Board on Aging and Long Term Care (BOALTC), also be aware of this resource when they
replacing the retired George Potaracke who served as the leader are trying to help a client with insurance-
related issues. It is one of my priorities
of the BOALTC since its creation in 1981. Heather has been with
to continue outreach efforts with this
the BOALTC since 2000 and has served within the Wisconsin program and get the word out about this
long term care community for more than 20 years, including eight resource.

years in the nursing home setting and three within the assisted liv-
ing field. Given the impact and influence the BOALTC has on the
Wisconsin long term care landscape, Continuum sat down to chat
with the “new” leader.
Remind us about who and what is the
BOALTC?
The Older American’s Act mandated
states to develop independent advocacy
agencies. Wisconsin’s Ombudsmen pro-
gram actually predates the mandate, but
the BOALTC fulfills the federal expec-
tation. Its mission is to advocate for the
interests of the state’s aging and disabled
population, inform consumers of their
rights, and educate the public at large
about health care systems and long term
care.
Who is the “board” of the BOALTC?
The actual board has seven members,
all appointed by the Governor to serve
five-year terms, and approved by Senate
Committee. Board membership includes
individuals with varied experience in
health, long term care, or advocacy for
seniors.
Has it been difficult to fill the shoes of
founding Director George Potaracke,
someone who was so prominently
associated with the BOALTC?
George has been the huge help in my
transition since his retirement at the end
of 2007. His 27 years of experience have
paved the way for me, and I intend to
continue building upon the foundation he
has established. I really want to continue
to work collaboratively with the other
stakeholders in Wisconsin’s long term
care community. While we may occa-
sionally differ on the path, we all have
the same goals of serving and protecting
Wisconsin’s elderly and disabled citizens.
Are there activities beyond operating the
Ombudsman program?
We are clearly recognized for the
Ombudsman program, but we also have
the Medigap Hotline and the Volunteer
Ombudsman program, which we are in
the process of expanding to La Crosse,
Green Bay and Eau Claire areas. In the
past, we have heard provider concerns
about the Volunteer program, but once
everyone has a better understanding,
there can be tremendous benefits. We will
Why the interest is allowing Ombudsman
access to RCACs?
Every person has the right to advoca-
cy. It is frustrating when a consumer calls
with an issue and all we have authority
to do is to refer them to the DQA for help,
rather than trying to resolve it informally.
If you had two suggestions to give the
long term care provider community, what
would these be?
1. The Board is an advocacy organi-
zation. Providers should not hesitate in
working with us, as often our staff can
diffuse issues before they arise to a regu-
latory level. We also are here to provide
services, including training with providers
on topics such as resident rights, advance
directives, restraint reduction, abuse pre-
vention, and person directed care.
2. The expansion of Family Care
and other waiver programs will con-
tinue to bring significant change to the
Wisconsin long term care landscape. It is
more important than ever that we work
together to best serve our citizens. If a
provider has a problem with one of my
staff, they should contact management
of Board, as often issues are because of a
breakdown of communication. My staff
is extremely committed to the consum-
ers in long term care.

20 CONTI NUUM www.whca.com

 BUYERS’ GUIDE

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Fax: 715-698-2363
www.parkview-cc.com

Rice Lake Convalescent Center

~ Proudly serving the Rice Lake Area for over 35 years ~
Conveniently attached to Lakeview Medical Center.
Specializing in short-term rehabilitative stays.
Also providing excellence in long-term
care for those who need it.
Let us help you transition from hospital to home.

• Medicare/Medicaid Certified Across the street from

• Physical Therapy beautiful Indian Mounds Park
• Outpatient Therapy Available & Rice Lake
• Occupational Therapy
• Speech Therapy 1016 Lakeshore Dr.,
• Hospice Services Rice Lake
• Accepts most Long-Term Care and
Managed Care Insurance
• Quality, Home-style Meals 715-234-9101
• Specialty Diets Available Fax: 715-234-4021
products & services

LONG TERM CARE • ASSISTED LIVING

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RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
Are You Looking for a Purchasing Partner?
UHF Purchasing Services is a focused group purchasing organization that
provides members with outstanding supplier contracts, price audits, cost
analysis and individual facility visits. UHF Purchasing Services works with
members to maximize the value of their purchases.

Control your costs, choose your options and enjoy the benefits of UHF
Purchasing Services. To learn more about the complete UHF Purchasing
Services program please call 1-800-388-1233, or visit our website at
www.uhfpurchasing.com.

With…

UHF It’s More Than Just avings

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 index to advertisers
ASSISTED-LIVING FACILITIES Park View Home, Inc. .................................... 21 PURCHASING SERVICES
Evansville Manor............................................ 21 Woodland Village, Inc.................................... 22 HPSI Purchasing Services .............................. 19
COMPUTER HARDWARE & SOFTWARE MOBILE X-RAYS REHABILITATION SERVICES
American Data................................................ 19 Accurate Mobile Imaging............................... 19 Golden Living Center Riverdale .................... 21
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT Peoplefirst Rehabilitation .....Inside Front Cover
PHARMACIES
The Samuels Group .......................................... 4
Alliance Pharmacy Services, LLC ................ 19 SENIOR CARE REAL ESTATE
CONSULTANTS Phillips Pharmacies ........................................ 21 Senior Care Realty, LLC ................................ 22
Focus on Energy ............................................... 6
DME SUPPLIES
Wisconsin Medical Supplies, Inc ................... 17 advertiser.com
FINANCIAL SERVICES Accurate Mobile Imaging .................................www.accurateimaging.net ........................................19
JT and Associates, LLC ................................... 6 Alliance Pharmacy Services, LLC...................www.apswi.com........................................................19
GENERAL CONTRACTORS/ American Data ...................................................www.american-data.com..........................................19
DESIGN BUILD Evansville Manor ...............................................www.evansvillemanor.com ......................................21
The Samuels Group .......................................... 4 Focus on Energy.................................................www.focusonenergy.com ...........................................6
GROUP PURCHASING Geneva Lake Manor ..........................................n/a................................................................................8
ORGANIZATIONS Golden Living Center Riverdale ......................n/a..............................................................................21
UHF Purchasing Services .............................. 21 HPSI Purchasing Services ................................www.hpsionline.com ................................................19
HEALTH & REHABILITATION JT and Associates, LLC ....................................n/a................................................................................6
ManorCare Health Services ............................. 8 ManorCare Health Services .............................www.hcr-manorcare.com ............................................8
MPRO .................................................................www.mpro.org ............................................................6
HEALTH CARE FACILITIES
Park View Home, Inc. .......................................www.parkview-cc.com .............................................21
Rice Lake Convalescent Center ..................... 21
Spring Valley Health Care Center.................. 17 Peoplefirst Rehabilitation .................................www.peoplefirstrehab.com............ Inside Front Cover
Phillips Pharmacies ...........................................www.phillipsrx.com .................................................21
HOSPICE SERVICES Rice Lake Convalescent Center .......................www.ricelakeinter.net...............................................21
Vitas Innovative Hospice................................ 10 Senior Care Realty, LLC ..................................www.seniorcarerealty.com .......................................22
INDEPENDENT INFORMAL DISPUTE Spring Valley Health Care Center ...................n/a..............................................................................17
RESOLUTION SERVICES The Samuels Group ...........................................www.samuelsgroup.net...............................................4
MPRO ............................................................... 6 UHF Purchasing Services .................................www.uhfpurchasing.com..........................................21
Long term HEALTHCARE FACILITIES Vitas Innovative Hospice ..................................www.vitas.com..........................................................10
Evansville Manor............................................ 21 Wisconsin Medical Supplies, Inc .....................www.wmsinfo.com ...................................................17
Geneva Lake Manor ......................................... 8 Woodland Village, Inc.......................................www.woodlandvillagenews.com ..............................22

What’s in a name?
changing the atmosphere EVERY
EVERYTHING.
RYTHIN
HING.
G.
Nursing Homes Transportation Services A business’s name should be synonymous with its brand
Home Health Services and area of expertise.

Providing: That’s why Collins Realty Group, the Wisconsin firm born
Adult Day Care / Respite, In & Out Patient Therapies, of real-world assisted living experience, has changed its
Transportation, & Catering Services name to Senior Care Realty, LLC.
products & services

Suring Gillett When it comes time for you to sell or buy senior
430 Manor Drive 330 Robinhood Lane
Suring,WI 54174 Gillett,WI 54124 living real estate, please remember our name and
(920) 842-2191 (920) 855-2136 our commitment to helping you succeed.
Senior Care Realty, LLC,
Oconto Home Health
101 1st Street 913 E.Main Street Where our name says everything you need to know.
Oconto,WI 54153 Suring,WI 54174
(920) 834-4575 (920) 842-4132 seniorcarerealty.com
Transportation
(920) 842-4040

w w w. w o o d l a n d v i l l a g e n e w s . c o m ®

22 CONTI NUUM
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 INSURANCE SOLUTIONS
FOR SKILLED NURSING &
ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES
Call or email Greg Syvrud at 608-288-2822 or 1-800-272-2443 ext. 2822
greg.syvrud@m3ins.com

Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Wausau, and Eau Claire

www.m3ins.com

R i s k P r o N e t
Innovative… Committed.

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