WNYAPCC Executive Director Speaks at CMS Regional Conferencce
BUFFALO, N.Y.—JUNE 2011—Rhonda Rotterman, executive director of the Western New York Alliance for Person-Centered Care (WNYAPCC), was a speaker at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Fourth Annual New York Regional Office Stakeholders’ Conference on June 9 in New York City. Read more>>

WNYAPCC Establishes Alliance Council, Announces 2011 Members
BUFFALO, N.Y.–April 2011–The Western New York Alliance for Person-Centered Care (WNYAPCC) has created an Alliance Council to provide formal oversight of the organization. It replaces the Alliance Steering Committee, initiated during the launch of the organization in 2008. Read more>>

WNY Alliance for Person-Centered Care Trains 300 from 18 Organizations in 2010
BUFFALO, N.Y.–December 2010–The Western New York Alliance for Person-Centered Care (WNYAPCC) marks its second full year of operation, having trained more than 300 care partners from 18 healthcare organizations in eight counties, with the aim of improving the quality of life of elders who reside in nursing homes and assisted living. Read more>>

WNY Alliance for Person-Centered Care Awarded Oishei Grant for Training Programs
BUFFALO, N.Y.–September 2010–The Western New York Alliance for Person-Centered Care (WNYAPCC) has been awarded a $650,000 grant by The John R. Oishei Foundation to further develop education and training programs for senior care providers in Western New York. Read more>>

WNYAPCC Executive Director Selected to Speak at Two National Conferences on Person-Centered Care
AMHERST, N.Y.—May 2010—Rhonda Rotterman, executive director for the Western New York Alliance for Person-Centered Care (WNYAPCC), has been selected to speak at two national conferences, the Eden Alternative Conference and Pioneer Network.

Rotterman will speak on the importance of leadership and person-centered care, which empowers caregivers to be focused on quality of life and well being of residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Read more>>

"Adding value to late years with new approach at nursing homes"
By: Henry Davis
April 12, 2010
Source: The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News features WNYAPCC and the benefits of the culture-change movement. Read the complete article>>

WNYAPCC to Host Culture Change Symposium in Western New York
Six World-Renowned Experts to Explore Growing Person-Centered Care Movement

AMHERST, N.Y.—February 2010—The WNY Alliance for Person-Centered Care (WNYAPCC), a first-in-the-nation collaborative funded by The John R. Oishei Foundation, will host a region-wide symposium March 10 titled, “Home Is Where The Heart Is:  Creating Home And A Life Worth Living For Elders Who Live In Facilities.”

The event will feature six renowned health care leaders on culture change and person-centered care. Health care professionals from all regions of New York state are invited to attend.

The symposium will provide strategies for senior care providers to deliver person-centered care and improve the quality of life for elders who reside in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Read more>>

WNY Alliance for Person-Centered Care Creates Web Site for Health Professionals
BUFFALO, N.Y.—December 2009—The Western New York Alliance for Person-Centered Care (WNYAPCC), the first community-wide initiative of its kind in the U.S. aimed at transforming the way nursing homes and assisted living facilities deliver care to the elderly, has launched a new web site geared for health professionals and caregivers who work with the elderly.

The original version of www.wnyapcc.com was redeveloped over the last few months to present a wide variety of educational tools and resources for organizations interested in implementing person-centered care and culture change concepts. “The site also presents reasons why person-centered care is so critical to Western New York’s aging population as families are demanding better outcomes and control over care for their loved ones,” said Rhonda Rotterman, WNYAPCC executive director. Read more>>

WNYAPCC Names Executive Director
BUFFALO, N.Y.—August 2009—The Western New York Alliance for Person-Centered Care (WNYAPCC), the first community-wide initiative of its kind in the U.S. aimed at transforming the way nursing homes and assisted living facilities deliver care to the elderly, has named Rhonda D. Rotterman executive director.

Rotterman will carry out the work plan that has been established for WNYAPCC, facilitate community networking and serve as spokesperson for the organization. She will also oversee training and educational resources for providers across Western New York who are committed to transitioning their facilities from institutional environments to person-centered care environments. Read more>>

WNYAPCC Receives Oishei Grant
BUFFALO, N.Y.—July 2009—The Western New York Alliance for Person-Centered Care (WNYAPCC), the first community-wide initiative of its kind in the U.S. aimed at transforming the way nursing homes and assisted living facilities deliver care to the elderly, has been awarded a $370,000 grant by The John R. Oishei Foundation to develop education and training programs for senior care providers in this region.

The grant will enable the Alliance to hire professionals to oversee and conduct training and to purchase educational resources. The training programs will be open to senior care staff from providers all across Western New York who are committed to transitioning their facilities from institutional environments to person-centered care environments.
Read more>>

Community Collaborative Launches WNY Alliance for Person-Centered Care
Organization Represents First-in-nation Initiative to Change Long Term Care System

BUFFALO, N.Y.—September 2008—More than 300 long term health care professionals from across the region gathered at the Millennium Hotel to formally launch the Western New York Alliance for Person-Centered Care (WNYAPCC), the first community-wide initiative of its kind in the U.S. aimed at transforming the way nursing homes and other providers deliver care to the elderly.

Keynote speaker for the event was Dr. William Thomas, a world-renowned geriatrician and founder of the Eden Alternative® and the Green House® Project, two revolutionary long term care practices that have been adopted by a multitude of nursing homes across the U.S. Also heralding the event was Bonnie S. Kantor, executive director of The Pioneer Network, a national organization that advocates for changes in long term care, and Jacqueline O. Pappalardi, director of the Residential Services Division/Office of Long Term Care, New York State Department of Health.

In the past decade, a handful of nursing homes and assisted living facilities around the country have trialed person-centered care practices, with a focus away from institutional care to empowering residents to take back control over their everyday life decisions. Providers soon discovered that this approach led to many positive quality-of-life outcomes, including reduced levels of depression and agitation, fewer incidences of pressure sores and falls, and reduced need for drug intervention. Moreover, the practices engaged and encouraged greater family involvement in the care of their loved ones, improved staff satisfaction and reduced turnover. Read more>>