Month: May 2013

Medicare Part A fund to outlast predictions, remain solvent til 2026

The Medicare funds for hospital Part A could last two years longer than expected, notes today’s annual trustees report. Read More »

CMS clarifies confusing scoring for ADLs

AANAC's Judi Kulus explains the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services attempt to iron out the confusing rules for coding activities of daily living (ADLs) under the RAI User's Manual. Read More »

Immigrants contribute more to Medicare than they take out

Native-born senior Americans benefit from the contributions of taxpaying immigrants, according to a new study. Read More »

Occupational therapy’s role in LTC

Conducting targeted in-services helps staff understand the goals and benefits of occupational therapy for residents in a facility setting. Read More »

DIY Marketing Part 1: Assess thyself

Blogger Luke Fannon provides six simple steps to assess your facility and its services (and your competition's) in his new series on DIY marketing for long-term and post-acute care organizations. Read More »

Texas passes the nation’s first Medicaid life settlement law

To help defray long-term care costs, Texas seniors about to apply for Medicaid can cash in their life insurance policies to cover the costs of long-term care. Read More »

Nursing home associations merge

The new American Health Care Association will be a major force in Washington as it focuses on the challenges and issues of providing long-term care for America’s millions of elderly persons. Read More »

Hospitalists see new opportunities in LTC

Long-term care is a growing field for hospitalists to explore, which will enable them to fill the void in post-acute care as they do in the hospital setting. Read More »

An update on my stolen credit card

Lingering doubts and suspicions are part of the aftermath of credit card fraud, as Long-Term Living blogger Kathleen Mears know firsthand. Read More »

Disaster primer: When Mother Nature strikes

How "ready" are you for whatever Mother Nature can dish out? This disaster primer can help your organization prepare for—and live through—the financial impacts of a disaster. Read More »

Costs of stroke treatment may double by 2030

A new report predicts that the costs associated with strokes will double in the next 17 years, putting a strain on the healthcare system. Read More »

One-on-one with… Kristy Brown

Long-Term Living sits down with Kristy Brown, MS, CCC-SLP, president and CEO of Centrex Rehab, Minneapolis, to discuss today's new opportunities for therapy services within the senior care market--including partnerships with companies once viewed as competitors. Read More »

Steroid fails as cure for high-stage pressure ulcers

The promise of anabolic steroids as treatment for severe pressure ulcers took a hit in a recent clinical trial testing oxandrolone. Read More »

4 lies about marketing senior living

Meet marketing objectives without falling into sales traps. A discussion of four marketing beliefs commonly held in the senior living industry. Read More »

Healthland buys American HealthTech

Two technology companies combine their products to provide electronic data documentation across the care continuum—from hospitals to SNFs to home care. Read More »

CMS revises discharge planning guidelines

New CMS guidelines take a deeper look at discharge planning, clarifying who is responsible for what at the time of discharge and why discharge planning is a key to reducing 30-day readmissions. Read More »

Congress updated on AHCA’s Quality Initiative

Earlier this month, long-term care leaders briefed Congress on the positive accomplishments and future goals to improving quality of care in skilled nursing facilities. Read More »

Protecting your digital assets

If you've got data, you've got risks. A former White House CIO shares insights and advice on safeguarding LTC’s valuable data in an increasingly mobile and cloud-based world. Read More »

She’s our plant lady no more

What a difference a year makes as Kathleen Mears updates us on her facility's "plant lady," who no longer is allowed to exercise her "green thumb" to grow hardy, healthy plants that staff and residents enjoy. Read More »

Front Porch puts mHealth medication management on front burner

The Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing and CareSpeak Communications develop a patient-centric medications reminder service to improve seniors' medication compliance. Read More »

Evacuation costs may be levied on ill-prepared La. SNFs

Ignoring evacuation plans may become costly for Louisiana facilities that do not have adequate systems in place to move their residents out of harm's way. Read More »

CMMI rethinks its innovation program, sharpens focus for Round 2 funding

CMS’ Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announces a significantly smaller and more-focused project list for Round Two of the funding awards. Read More »

Signature HealthCARE acquires six Kindred Healthcare SNFs

Signature HealthCARE has acquired six facilities from Kindred Healthcare, increasing Signature’s national presence to 78 facilities. Read More »

Senate confirms Marilyn Tavenner as permanent administrator of CMS

 Tavenner is the first permanent administrator of that federal agency to be confirmed in nearly a decade. Read More »

Skilled nursing occupancy hovers near 8-year low

Overall nursing occupancy is near the eight-year cyclical low, but private-pay nursing units are seeing some recovery. Read More »

Medicare fraudsters nabbed in $223 million nationwide bust

This week’s Medicare fraud sting operation involved nearly 100 people across multiple states, including physicians, nurses and therapists. Read More »

Skilled nursing: The continuing quest for quality

While quality and satisfaction scores have improved, skilled nursing facilities need to continue to improve and adapt to government policy and reimbursement cuts to survive. Read More »

Can sleep quality predict the need for nursing home care?

Counting sheep, warm milk and a quiet room are not cure-all remedies for insomnia. A recent study finds that sleeplessness may predict the need for extended care. Read More »

Skilled care in the south of France

Every country in the world--from Argentina to Zimbabwe--is confronted with the problem of caring for its elderly and paying for that care. Here's a firsthand look at how senior care is provided at a facility in France. Read More »

LTPAC information technology conference melds care quality & business impact

June's LTPAC HIT Summit will mark the annual long-term and post-acute care meeting of the minds of technology and longitudinal care coordination. Read More »