The New Wave of Foodservice Technology in Senior Care

Month: January 2015

CMS adds ratings to Dialysis Facility Compare website

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has added star ratings to its Dialysis Facility Compare website and plans to update the ratings annually beginning in October. Read More »

Nurse practitioner ranks double over past decade

The number of nurse practitioners licensed in the United States has greatly increased over the past 10 years, according to data released by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Read More »

Looking for a miracle

Will the new Congress finally fix the SGR—and therapy caps? How will the costs of reforms be covered?  Read More »

Older Americans Act reauthorization proposed

Legislation to reauthorize the Older Americans Act has been introduced in the Senate. Read More »

ALFA, GSA respond to president’s speech

The Assisted Living Federation of America and the Gerontological Society of America are calling on the federal government to remember older adults in the wake of the president's State of the Union address. Read More »

The widening world of wearables

A robust information technology architecture is needed to handle the new data influx from wearable devices while maintaining quality, says one expert. Read More »

Paper still rules for end-of-life documents

Paper storage of living wills and advance directives remains popular, but use of digital storage will grow as technology becomes more familiar, authors of a new report predict. Read More »

Pitch perfect: Submitting your story ideas to Long-Term Living

Got a great article idea or business success story? Here are some tips on how to help us share your experiences and input with readers. Read More »

Managing wounds via EHR has numerous benefits for one SNF

Implementing an electronic health record system and integrating an automated wound management solution into it has resulted in numerous benefits for one nursing and rehabilitation center. Read More »

President announces Precision Medicine Initiative in State of the Union address

Finding a cure for diseases such as diabetes and cancer would be the focus of a new Precision Medicine Initiative proposed by President Barack Obama in his State of the Union address. Read More »

Older adults identify policy priorities

You might be surprised by the policy topics deemed most important by those aged 65 or more years in a recent survey. Read More »

Hypothermia claims life of elderly Ohio woman

On Monday morning, a snow plow driver spotted the body of an elderly woman in the driveway of a Sagamore Hills, Ohio, assisted living facility. Read More »

OIG recommends 5 changes to Medicare hospice payment system

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has agreed to reform its hospice payment system by taking five steps outlined in a new report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Read More »

EHRs: Progress or pileup?

The long-term care industry’s adoption of electronic health records systems has made great strides in the past year. What needs to happen next? Read More »

Welch Allyn expands into telehealth

Diagnostic equipment Welch Allyn gets a foothold in telehealth through the acquisition of a patient monitoring software company. Read More »

Recommendations for better EHR use

The American College of Physicians offers recommendations for more effective use of electronic health records.  Read More »

Brain training game can detect mild cognitive impairment

A virtual reality training game may help detect mild impairment in cognitive skills. Read More »

More older adults report falling

More older adults are reporting falls, according to new research, but the authors aren’t sure whether seniors are falling more or just reporting more.  Read More »

A good egg can keep a resident’s sunny side up

Meals are the best part of the day for most residents, and breakfast is the most important meal. Cutting back on quality might be economical, but your residents can taste the difference. Read More »

Clinical Data Collection: The Top Steps for MDS Accuracy, and Greater Reimbursements – Part Two in a Series

The staff-resident relationship is essential to quality care. Consistency of care, and the relationship fostered between the staff and residents over time, directly impacts the perceived quality of care for LTC providers. In this article, Jayne Warwick examines the unquestionable bond between staff satisfaction and patient satisfaction, and how to positively impact both of these elements to avoid unnecessary financial pitfalls.Click here to read more. Read More »

MedPAC recommends site-neutral payments for rehab

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has unanimously voted to recommend “site-neutral” payment for certain Medicare beneficiaries who need medical rehabilitation following injury or illness. Congress will decide whether to adopt the recommendation. Read More »

CMS chief to resign in February

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn B. Tavenner will leave her position in February, according to media reports. Read More »

A milestone year for Medicare, Medicaid, Older Americans Act, Social Security

2015 is the 50th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid and the Older Americans Act and the 80th anniversary of Social Security. Provider association leaders recently discussed with Long-Term Living what needs to happen to ensure these programs' future success. Read More »

What to expect from OSHA in 2015

Will the new Congress soften the agenda of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and be kinder, gentler and less aggressive? Read More »

Nurse practitioners improve health outcomes

It is predicted that by 2020, there will be a shortage of 45,000 primary care physicians. Highly educated and skilled nurse practitioners are ready and able fill that gap. Read More »

Reintroduced bill ties 3-day stay waiver to Nursing Home Compare program

The three-day inpatient hospital stay requirement for Medicare coverage of Part A skilled nursing care benefits could be eliminated under a bill reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Read More »

Court rules against minimum wage, overtime for home care workers

Minimum wage and overtime standards will not apply to home healthcare workers hired by private agencies after a federal district court judge decision to vacate a U.S. Department of Labor rule. Read More »

Technology can improve housekeeping practices

With the exponential realities of airborne and contact illnesses in long-term care settings, exacerbated by ever-worsening drug resistance to them, industry is devising innovative technology to combat pervasive bugs. Read More »

Skin patch could heal diabetic ulcers

A drug-delivering skin patch could heal and prevent diabetic ulcers.  Read More »

White House Conference on Aging plans 5 regional forums

The White House Conference on Aging has announced five regional forums to help gather input for the national event that will be held later this year in Washington, D.C. Read More »