New member named to AARP council

AARP Kansas has named a new member to a two-year term on its state Executive Council.

Deanne Bacco, executive director of Kansas Advocates for Better Care, will serve as an advocacy volunteer on the council.

Maren Turner, state director of AARP Kansas, announced the appointment in early March and said the arrangement could benefit both AARP and Kansas Advocated for Better Care because both share an interest in quality long-term care.

AARP’s 2002 position paper for the Legislature promotes regulations and legislation that would improve quality of care in long-term care facilities through such measures as ensuring Medicaid reimbursement for provider labor costs is sufficient to pay long-term care employee wages at a level appropriate for the desired high-quality of services rendered.