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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2024 Page 19 protect host communities’ interests. This bill is a step in the wrong direction.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Yes CHANGE WHO APPOINTS THE FIRM TO AUDIT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (H 5105) House 135-10, approved a new House rule that amends the current process by which the House appoints a private, independent auditing fi rm to audit the books of the House. Under the current rule 85A, the House business manager hires the company that will do the audit. Under the new rule 85A, the state auditor, currently Diana DiZoglio, would recommend a fi rm to conduct the audit and the business manager would hire that fi rm. Among the House’s 132 Democrats, 123 voted in favor of the new rule and nine did not vote. No Democrat voted against the rule. Among the 24 House Republicans, 11 voted for the new rule, three did not vote and ten voted against it. The one unenrolled member of the House voted for the rule. In November, voters approved Question 1 which created a new state law that would allow the state auditor to audit the Legislature. The vote was 71.6 percent in favor to 28.4 percent opposed. The new House rule 85A does not change that law. Rep. Danielle Gregoire (D-Marlborough), part of House Speaker Ron Mariano’s leadership team, said the change would ensure “any audit pursuant to the passage of Question 1 will be a professional audit, not a political one.” This remark is an apparent reference to DiZoglio’s many clashes with legislative leaders during and after she served in the House and the Senate. “We haven’t touched the [new] law,” said Mariano. “Let’s make that clear: we have not touched the law. I have no intent to do anything right now, except maybe take a few days off . This has got nothing to do with repealing anything. This is a rules change.” Mariano pitched the change as “an opportunity to acknowledge the 70 percent to 30 percent vote of the electorate.” He continued, “Obviously, [the voters] weren’t happy with the way we were doing things, and we took a look at the way we were doing things. We found we could make a few changes that we think maintains a strong fi nancial audit while still backboning our argument about the separation of powers.” “As a longtime supporter of legislative transparency, I joined with all House Democrats and many Republicans to strengthen the existing auditing provisions found in House Rule 85A,” said Rep. Mike Connolly (D-Cambridge). “This has no bearing on the provisions of Question 1, because a House rule and a state law are two different things. It seems clear that separation of powers questions may emerge regarding the new law created by Question 1, and while those questions are being addressed by the judicial process, this vote to strengthen our internal rules will help add to transparency.” Criticism of the new rule was quick. “The House’s actions to ignore the will of the people, who voted overwhelmingly for greater transparency and accountability through Question 1, are profoundly disheartening and absolutely unacceptable,” responded DiZoglio who led the campaign for passage of Question 1. “Should the Senate also seek to similarly stymie our eff orts, legislators will possess sole authority to block taxpayers’ access to what any audit examines and show us only what they want us to see — just as they do now. The public would not have the opportunity to see how much taxpayer money is being spent on non-disclosure agreements, nor on state contracts potentially handed out to elected offi cials’ friends.” She continued, “I am pushing the governor and attorney general to support the people in pushing back against the Legislature’s attempt to dismantle Question 1’s power. The law needs to be followed and enforced and we need their help to ensure that occurs. Our recent audit of the Legislature, which they refused to participate in, found they did not follow their own rules, nor submit any fi nancial audits to our offi ce, as required by their rules. Yet another rule, with no teeth, is what the Legislature is telling taxpayers they deserve instead of their compliance with the law. It’s unacceptable. Please call your legislators, the attorney general and the governor to register your support for the audit law you just voted for.” “I believe that that this rule change would go against what 70 percent plus of the commonwealth voted for on November 5th,” said Rep. John Marsi (R-Dudley). “While I understand it allowed the auditor to select an auditor to perform a fi nancial audit, the scope and control over the process doesn’t seem to be in line with the referendum question and may work against the intended outcome the public desires.” “This role change amounts to a step in opposition to the widespread referendum that was just voted on by the public a week ago,” said Rep. Joe McKenna (R-Sutton). “While on its surface ceding some existing audit control to the auditor would appear to be in the spirit of the referendum, the reality is that the Legislature would maintain control over the scope and depth of any contracted work, thereby circumventing the intent of the referendum. A number of representatives had direct conversations with the auditor herself which highlighted her own opposition to the measure as a misguided attempt to undermine the outcome of ballot Question 1.” (A “Yes” vote is for the rule change. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Yes ALSO UP ON BEACON HILL BREAST CANCER SCREENINGS (H 4918) — Gov. Healey signed into law legislation that would require health insurance companies to provide coverage for diagnostic examinations for breast cancer, digital breast tomosynthesis screening and medically necessary and appropriate screening with breast magnetic resonance imaging. BEACON | SEE Page 20 How to Choose a Memory Care Unit for a Loved One with Dementia Dear Savvy Senior, My dad has dementia and has gotten to the point that he can’t live at home any longer. I need to fi nd a good memory care residential facility for him but don’t know where to turn. Any suggestions? Only Daughter Dear Only, Choosing a good memory care residential unit for a loved one with dementia is a very important decision that requires careful evaluation and some homework. Most memory care units, sometimes called special care units, are housed within assisted living or nursing home facilities. At their best, they off er staff extensively trained in caring for people with dementia, individualized care that minimizes the use of dangerous psychotropic drugs, a home-like environment and activities that improve resident’s quality of life. But at their worst, they can off er little more than a locked door. Here are some steps that can help you fi nd a good facility and avoid a bad one. Make a list: To identify some good memory care residential units in your area ask your dad’s doctor for a referral or use an online search tool like Caring.com. Make sure the facilities on your list are close to family members and friends who can visit often, because residents with frequent visitors usually get better care. Research your options: Once you’ve made a list, call your local long-term care ombudsman (see LTCombudsman.org for contact information). This is a government official who investigates assisted living and nursing home complaints and can tell you which facilities have had problems in the past. If you’re looking at a memory care unit within a nursing home facility, use Medicare’s nursing home compare tool (Medicare. gov/care-compare), which provides a 5-star rating system. Call the facilities: Once you’ve identifi ed a few good facilities, call them to fi nd out if they have any vacancies, if they provide the types of services your father needs, what they charge and if they accept Medicaid. Tour your top choices: During your tour, notice the cleanness and smell of the facility. Is it homey and inviting? Does the staff seem responsive and kind to its residents? Also be sure to taste the food, and talk to the current resident’s family members, if available. Also, ask about staff screening and training procedures, their turnover rate, and their staff -toresident ratio. Make sure they provide quality activities to keep your dad engaged and fi nd out how they respond to residents who may wander or become aggressive. Because transitions can be unsettling for dementia suff ers, make sure that your dad will be able to remain at the facility for the foreseeable future. And fi nd out what, if any, health conditions might require him to leave the facility or move to a higher and more expansive level of care. It’s also a good idea to make multiple visits to the facility including an unscheduled visit in the evening or weekend when the staff is more likely to be stretched thin. To help you choose a good facility, the Alzheimer’s Association off ers a list of questions to ask at CommunityResourceFinder.org/Alz/Tips — click on “Tips for choosing a residential care facility” under Housing Options. Paying for care: The national average costs for memory care within an assisted living facility is over $6,000 per month, and over $8,500/month for nursing home care, but costs can vary widely depending on location and services. Since Medicare does not cover long-term care, most residents pay for care from either personal savings, a long-term care insurance policy or through Medicaid (if available) once their savings are depleted. Or, if your dad is a veteran, he may be able to get funds through the VA’s Aid and Attendance benefi t. To learn more, ask the facility director or contact the regional VA benefi t offi ce at 800-827-1000. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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