You Asked: Are spare sprinklers required to be maintained onsite, or can they be kept by our contracted sprinkler company?
We Answered: Spare sprinklers must be maintained onsite. Under K353, facilities are required to keep an adequate supply of spare sprinkler heads on the premises so that any sprinkler that has activated or becomes damaged can be promptly replaced.
The Ohio Department of Health’s Preventative Maintenance Manual, consistent with NFPA 13 and NFPA 25, provides the following guidance:
- Fewer than 300 sprinkler heads: Maintain at least 6 spare sprinkler heads onsite.
- 300–1,000 sprinkler heads: Maintain at least 12 spare sprinkler heads onsite.
- More than 1,000 sprinkler heads: Maintain at least 24 spare sprinkler heads onsite.
- Keep a minimum of two spare sprinkler heads of each type and temperature rating installed in the facility.
- Store spare sprinkler heads in a designated cabinet where the temperature will not exceed 100°F.
- If dry sprinklers of varying lengths are installed, spare dry sprinklers are not required, provided there is an approved means to promptly return the system to service.
Top Join nursing home leaders from across Ohio for the peer-driven Reimbursement Collaborative: Maximizing Opportunity in a Changing Environment, focused on what works for reimbursement. Beginning July 16 at 1 p.m., and recurring monthly, this virtual series offers shared learning between meetings, facility-specific data, and practical operational tools. Participants will learn with and from one another as they examine the links between reimbursement, workforce performance, quality outcomes, clinical operations, and regulatory success.
In accordance with ORC 3721.072(B) and OAC 173-60, the collaborative is designed to help organizations identify opportunities, assess risk, strengthen internal systems, and respond to changing reimbursement methodologies, quality programs, staffing expectations, and regulatory requirements.
Register your team for the collaborative. LeadingAge Ohio will join the Ohio Department of Aging and other aging network partners at the Healthy Aging Expo during the Ohio State Fair on August 4, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Stop by the LeadingAge Ohio booth to learn more about advance care planning, where staff will be available to answer questions and help interested attendees complete advance directives. Visitors will also be invited to share what excites them most about aging as part of an interactive activity celebrating positive aging and the opportunities that come with growing older.
If you're attending the fair on Senior Day, be sure to stop by and say hello. We look forward to seeing members, partners, and older Ohioans from across the state. The face of leadership in aging services is changing, and women are helping lead that transformation.
At this year's LeadingAge Ohio Annual Conference, hear from accomplished C-suite executives representing member organizations across the state as they share their perspectives on what it means to lead in today's increasingly complex environment. From balancing mission and financial sustainability to navigating workforce challenges, fostering inclusive organizational cultures, and guiding teams through constant change, these leaders are redefining what effective leadership looks like.
More than a conversation about leadership, this session offers an opportunity to learn from executives who are making difficult decisions, driving innovation, and building stronger organizations every day. Panelists will also discuss how collaboration, mentorship, and intentional leadership are creating opportunities for the next generation of women leaders in aging services.
Whether you're an emerging leader, an experienced executive, or simply looking for fresh perspectives on leading through change, you'll leave inspired with practical insights you can apply within your own organization.
Don't miss this and other engaging sessions at the LeadingAge Ohio Annual Conference. Register today and be part of the conversations shaping the future of aging services.
Learn more here. LeadingAge Ohio has added an overflow hotel option for this year’s Annual Conference and Trade Show. An additional room block is now available at SpringHill Suites by Marriott Columbus Easton Area, 4048 Morse Road, and the Hampton Inn & Suites, 4150 Stelzer Rd, Columbus, Ohio 43230. Attendees who still need lodging for the conference are encouraged to make reservations soon. Reserve at SpringHill Suites here and the Hampton Inn & Suites here.
Conference attendees may still reserve select rooms at the Hilton Columbus at Easton, 3900 Chagrin Drive, at rates of $205 and $229 through Friday, July 24, 2026, for the Tuesday night of the conference. Free onsite parking is available, with valet service also offered. There’s always something happening at LeadingAge Ohio. View upcoming events and mark your calendar today.
- July 10, 11 a.m. - Adult Day Subcommittee
- July 16, 1 p.m. - 2026 Reimbursement Collaborative: Maximizing Opportunity in a Changing Environment
- July 20, 10 a.m. - Advocacy in Action
- July 23, 2:30 p.m. - DON Networking Meeting
- July 28, 9:30 a.m. - SNF/AL Clinical Operations Subcommittee Meeting
- August 4, 1 p.m. - Membership Committee
- August 6, 9 a.m. - Budget and Finance Committee Meeting
- August 6, 10 a.m. - Advocacy Committee Meeting
- August 24, 9 a.m. - Hospice Pre-Conference Sessions
- August 25-27, 2026 - Annual Conference & Trade Show
Top The June 25 Supreme Court ruling in Mullin v. Doe cleared the way for the administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, putting work authorization for direct care staff at risk in the coming weeks.
There's a fix that has cleared the House but stalled in the Senate: S 4814 would extend Haiti TPS through January 2029. Bipartisan support in the House passed HR 1689, but the Senate bill hasn't moved yet.
Contact your senators today and urge them to cosponsor S 4814. You can personalize your message with your organization's name and workforce impact if you’d like; personal stories can move offices faster than form letters.
Take action here. One of the most useful benefits of LeadingAge membership is access to timely, setting-specific updates that help providers stay current without sorting through every federal alert, policy release, and operational resource on your own. LeadingAge keeps members informed with weekly recaps and update pages that pull together developments from across aging services, making it easier to track what matters most to your organization and the people you serve.
Find weekly recaps here: home health weekly recaps, hospice weekly recaps, life plan community weekly updates, Medicaid HCBS and PACE weekly updates, nursing home weekly recaps, affordable senior housing weekly updates, and workforce policy weekly updates. Top LeadingAge Ohio continues to work with the Ohio Department of Medicaid regarding implementation of the $875 million in Quality Incentive Payment (QIP) back payments approved by the General Assembly following last year's Ohio Supreme Court decision.
This week, LeadingAge Ohio requested an update on the timeline for payment implementation and discussions with providers. The Department indicated it is continuing to work through implementation logistics and expects to share additional information in the near future.
LeadingAge Ohio remains engaged with ODM and will continue advocating for timely payment distribution and clarity on outstanding implementation questions, including issues affecting certain change-of-ownership and change-of-provider situations.
We will share additional information with members as soon as a timeline and implementation details become available. Governor Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 315, enacting a broad package of Medicaid program integrity and anti-fraud reforms approved by the General Assembly before summer recess. As previously reported by The Source, the final legislation reflects significant stakeholder changes made during the legislative process, including preserving paid family caregiving and exempting live-in family caregivers from electronic visit verification (EVV) GPS tracking requirements.
The new law increases criminal penalties for Medicaid fraud, expands provider enrollment and screening requirements, grants additional investigative authority to the Ohio Attorney General and Auditor of State, requires prior authorization for certain Medicaid services, creates a statewide EVV performance dashboard, and directs the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to transition SNAP EBT cards to more secure chip-enabled technology. Although the legislation includes several new oversight requirements, it does not provide additional funding for implementation. The Ohio Department of Medicaid must submit a cost estimate within 30 days of the bill's effective date.
LeadingAge Ohio will continue monitoring implementation of the new requirements and any additional Medicaid program integrity proposals that may emerge when the General Assembly returns for the lame duck session later this year. Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson has announced a new statewide initiative aimed at strengthening the state's response to romance scams and other forms of financial exploitation targeting older adults. The Romance Impostor Scams Forensic Initiative, expected to launch in mid-July, will use digital forensics and enhanced intelligence sharing to help identify scam networks, connect cases across jurisdictions, and support local law enforcement investigations.
As part of the initiative, the Attorney General's Office will establish a dedicated hotline for the public and law enforcement to report suspected romance scams. Information gathered through the hotline will help investigators with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation identify patterns and intervene more quickly. Additional details about the hotline and reporting process are expected in the coming weeks.
The announcement was made during the 2026 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Conference, where the Attorney General's Office also encouraged Ohioans to remain vigilant for signs of elder abuse and financial exploitation throughout Elder Abuse Awareness Month. Top The Department of Education (ED) updated its interim list of programs treated as professional degrees for student loan limits under the court-ordered pause of its Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) rule to include physical therapy, physician assistant, registered nursing programs and more—but the interim designations may change as the litigation proceeds. The court order resulted from the Trump Administration’s move to declassify certain professional degrees, limiting their eligibility for federally-backed student loans. To read previous coverage on this topic, click here. The House Ways and Means Committee advanced legislation that would add new federal reporting requirements for tax-exempt hospitals, including nonprofit hospitals and critical access hospitals. The bill passed with Republican support; all Democrats on the committee opposed it. Amendments were adopted that may reduce the effect on small and rural hospitals, but final amendment language is still under review.
For most nonprofit aging services providers, the bill does not create an immediate new reporting requirement unless they operate or are affiliated with a tax-exempt hospital. Still, the proposal is worth watching because it reflects continued federal scrutiny of nonprofit health care organizations, community benefit reporting and tax-exempt status. Strategic Healthcare has shared several resources for review, including the 18-page bill, a three-page summary, the committee fact sheet, and general opposition talking points. A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) examines how assisted living services are financed through Medicaid and other federal programs, while highlighting growing concerns about access as demand continues to increase.
The report found that 44 states, including Ohio, use Medicaid to help cover services provided in assisted living settings, most commonly through Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs. In 2024, federal Medicaid spending on assisted living services totaled at least $3.5 billion, with combined federal-state Medicaid spending averaging about $23,000 per beneficiary receiving services in an assisted living setting. The report also found that most Medicaid beneficiaries receiving assisted living services are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.
Stakeholders interviewed by GAO identified several barriers limiting access, including limited coverage outside of Medicaid, restrictions within Medicaid programs, workforce and provider participation challenges, and growing demand for services amid federal Medicaid funding reductions.
LeadingAge National noted that while the report is primarily informational, it could prompt future proposals to increase federal oversight of assisted living. The association continues to oppose additional federal assisted living regulations, maintaining that licensure and oversight are appropriately administered at the state level.
Read the GAO report on assisted living spending and coverage. A long-term Yale study challenges the common assumption that aging is defined only by decline. Researchers found that nearly half of adults over 65 improved physically, mentally or both over time. The study also found that people with more positive views of aging were more likely to experience these gains, underscoring the role that attitudes, supports and opportunities can play throughout later life. Read more about the Yale study. Top The Medical Records F-tag 842 is one of the top ten most frequently cited F-tag in Ohio for calendar year 2026. A common issue leading to citations is the absence of information in residents' medical records regarding the delivery of care and services. The State Operations Manual requires facilities to maintain medical records that are:
- Complete
- Accurately documented
- Readily accessible
- Systematically organized
Recent survey citations demonstrate that facilities are frequently cited for documentation failures involving:
- Change in condition assessments that were never documented.
- Missing nursing progress notes surrounding hospital transfers or resident deaths.
- Treatments, wound care, catheter care, or compression stockings documented as completed when they were not.
- Medication Administration Records (MARs) or Treatment Administration Records (TARs) signed before care was actually provided.
- Missing ADL, meal intake, bowel movement, skin assessment, or intake documentation.
- Failure to document physician notifications, family notifications, or follow-up after significant events.
- Documentation that conflicted with observations made by surveyors or other medical records.
- Missing documentation supporting wound progression, nutrition monitoring, or acute clinical changes.
The Long-Term Care Survey Process instructs surveyors to evaluate if the medical record provides sufficient information for staff to respond to the changing status and needs of the resident. Ohio skilled nursing providers have an opportunity to join a Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program project focused on quality improvement. The Golden Years Strength & Mindfulness Training Program is seeking participants for a CMP grant application tied to a virtual wellness model designed to reduce falls and support residents’ quality of life. According to the project team, the program has been operating in North Carolina since February 2025 with 61 skilled nursing facilities and has produced measurable reductions in falls.
The program includes daily chair-based movement and mindfulness classes, an on-demand wellness library with Tai Chi, Pilates, yoga, and meditation, monthly wellness newsletters, and quarterly educational webinars. Providers interested in learning more or submitting a nonbinding letter of support should contact Michael Wald at Mw@goldenyears.co. Please do not respond to the Ohio CMPRP Team email directly. Read more on the Golden Years website. Top Congratulations to Judson Senior Living on breaking ground for the A. William & Joanne Reynolds Memory Care Neighborhood at South Franklin Circle in Chagrin Falls. The new neighborhood will include three small homes serving up to 36 residents, with Judson anticipating residents will be welcomed in late 2027.
The project reflects Judson’s continued commitment to person-centered dementia care, supported by its Comfort Matters® accreditation and philanthropic support from Bill and Jo Reynolds and other donors. Read Judson Senior Living’s full announcement for more on the groundbreaking and project plans. Top LeadingAge Ohio holds valuable education webinars and in-person events throughout the year. Opportunities are added weekly. See the complete Schedule of Events. Top
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