As far as the many many things ESAAL has done for the WCA Home, I’m not sure if there’s enough that can be said as to the help, guidance and support that The WCA Home had received since we became members in the late 70’s. Yes, I said the late 70’s. I’m not sure when ESAAL first formed but I found a plaque in our archives showing our membership in 1979.

As far as what I had found the most helpful is whenever I or my director of nursing had a question, Lisa Newcomb would find the answer and get right back to us.

Lisa would also clear up the muddy wording in many regulations, so that I could understand and work forward to achieve what the regulation was requiring. Lisa understands what stresses the Adult Homes, ALP’s and all other licensed facilities are under and tries to help to relieve this pressure by being an advocate to those that are the law and policy makers.

I don’t think I would understand as much as I do today or be as good at what I do, if it weren’t for Lisa Newcomb and her understanding of the regulations or her guidance and support. Lisa has a unique quality in hearing what your need is, what you are trying to achieve and working between you and the Department of Health in order to find a middle ground.

ESAAL helped the WCA Home through many licensing processes which were the Home Care License in 1998, ALR license in 2008 and most recently, in 2011, the ALP license.

Annually, ESAAL achieves in getting the QUIP, now named EQUAL funding for facilities that accept SSI, this is a huge help!

ESAAL has guided us in grant writing, do’s and don’ts.

ESAAL has reviewed a few of my policies and residential applications prior to submitting to the DOH. ESAAL’s  input was right on the mark and  is what helped in meeting regulations and requirements, which then DOH approved.  

ESAAL has helped us through the process in getting our Medicaid number so that we could bill for ALP services.

ESAAL provided a draft as to the required verbiage within the Compliance Plan

ESAAL updated all regulations and revised dear administration letters and directives. This was a huge help in cleaning out all the old versions that were no longer valid.

ESAAL is always keeping us “in the know” through on-going emails and FYI’s as to what the DOH had posted on the HCS. This is great as I don’t have the time to always be checking to see if there is something new. I’m able to put my time and efforts in the daily operations and know that if there was something that needed my attention ESAAL will notify me.

ESAAL has been keeping us informed as to the CRISP insurance issues. Moreover, you can hear their concern and almost can feel our pain, which in many ways, makes it a little easier.

ESAAL has begun offering webinars which I personally appreciate! I feel this just is another layer of great service that we as members have come to expect and enjoy.

I just can’t say enough as to what ESAAL means to myself and the WCA Home. I couldn’t find a better organization to be a part of or a member to.

ESAAL provides invaluable assistance to our organization. We strive to provide the highest quality of care and service to our residents, and must do so while remaining in compliance with New York State Department of Health Regulations.  Our connection and membership to ESAAL is extremely helpful in this effort. Their Member Alerts keep us informed of updates to DALs and regulations, as well as inform us about the background behind the rules. The opportunity to get in front of state lawmakers on lobby day is valuable in educating them about the Assisted Living Industry.  In addition, the opportunity to share best practices with other members at ESAAL conferences and regional meetings is something that we truly value in our organization. I would recommend ESAAL to any operator who intends to provide quality, compliant care in today’s highly regulated healthcare environment.

I have been an ESAAL member, both as an administrator and an industry partner, for over 8 years. In both capacities, ESAAL has been a vital asset. ESAAL is a trusted and reliable resource for "all things Assisted Living". Their knowledge base, industry experience, dedication, and drive is unsurpassed. They demonstrate a great passion and committment to bettering the industry and assisting providers in their navigation of this complicated and challenging landscape. The ESAAL staff are always available and ready to help!

As a professional consultant, ESAAL has provided me with an essential connection to the industry that has been the backbone of my business success. My ESAAL membership has been the most effective investment I have made!

 

ESAAL has to be, hands down, one of the best resources that I have at my disposal.  Any time that a question concerning Department of Health regulations or equivalency comes up, the first place I go to is www.esaal.org!  Their ‘member’s only’ section is extremely user friendly, and the information is not hard to find at all.  If there is ever something that I can’t find myself, all I have to do is either call or email anyone over at the ESAAL office, and they send me the information that I needed within hours.  I must call there at least once or twice a month, and whenever I do call, everyone there is so super friendly, and if they aren’t able to help me, they get me over the appropriate party that can.  Their “Regulations, Notes, and Good Practices Manual” is a valuable asset to have, and I find myself using it at least once a week. We have been proud members for almost 10 years, and I still think it’s one of the best things we ever did.

If you want an Industry Association that is effective and responsive – where you know you will be provided the information, assistance and support needed – join the Empire State Association of Assisted Living.  Whether ESAAL is acting on behalf of the industry or assisting/guiding an individual operator, you can be sure that the outcomes will be positive.  I personally can’t thank Lisa Newcomb and the staff of ESAAL enough for all they do.

To ESAAL Board of Directors: I felt compelled to write and tell you how much I appreciated all the help the association gave me when I was trying to update my disaster plan. I was literally at the end of my rope trying to first, find the time to make all the changes to my existing plan, and second, to even understand half of what the Department wanted. We have not been members of ESAAL for very long, and I haven't even begun to realize all the benefits of being a member, so I don't know what possessed me to call your office on the eve of the due date, but I am forever grateful and appreciative of ESAAL for coming to my rescue. I was immediately put at ease and offered assistance. The staff was kind, understanding and very professional. What a gem ESAAL is! Everyone that I have come in contact with that is associated with ESAAL, whether in person or over the phone, is top rate. We went back and forth for a long time when we were deciding whether we could afford to be ESAAL members, and now that we are, I have come to the conclusion that we can't afford NOT to belong to this great association.

I just wanted to express my gratitude and let you know how grateful I am and that ESAAL really did so much for me in my time of need. I felt the weight of the world lift off my shoulders! I hope to have the pleasure of being associated with ESAAL for a long time to come. Thanks again...you folks are great!

Dear Ms. Newcomb: I would like to thank you for inviting me to participate in your ESAAL Annual Conference and Trade Show. I was impressed by the diversity of speakers and breadth of subjects that your organization was able to cover. I made some great contacts that have already proven useful with the development of our assisted living community in Willsboro, NY. The vendors were also diverse and a great resource. I plan to have a long term relationship with ESAAL once the Champlain Valley Senior Community becomes operational and am already looking forward to next years conference! Thanks again and hope to see you soon.

We want to thank Lisa Newcomb and staff for the awesome job you're doing representing Assisted Living members of ESAAL in New York State, especially the smaller size companies such as ours.  We would never be able to tackle the issues so important to operating a successful business, without your persistent and consistent attention to our needs.