Advocacy group's initiative to examine consumers' needs across long-term care settings

Sarah Wells is executive director of Consumer Voice.

The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care has launched a three-year project to focus on healthcare issues faced by older long-term care consumers in various care settings.

The initiative represents the advocacy group's new effort to represent consumers in settings other than nursing homes. The project will develop models for engaging consumers through state pilot projects and facilitate collaboration with national organizations to implement health reform, Consumer Voice said. It will culminate in a report with policy recommendations to respond to the growing long-term care needs of a diverse aging population. The Atlantic Philanthropies is funding the project through a three-year grant. Consumer Voice was formerly known as NCCNHR.

"Our organization has had much success in advancing consumer advocacy for nursing home residents and will continue to move forward on those efforts," Executive Director Sarah F. Wells said. "Consumers for Quality Care, No Matter Where presents a new opportunity to advance the goals we developed through our strategic business plan, reflecting our commitment to meeting the changing needs of long-term care consumers."