Facility management

Assisted living owner turns off the air conditioning

An assisted living owner looking to sell the building puts the heat on residents to vacate the premises by turning off their air conditioning. Read More »

CMS proposes mandatory antibiotic stewardship programs in LTC

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' proposed rule would require long-term care facilities to establish an antibiotic stewardship program in order to participate in Medicare. Read More »

Study: Seniors in subsidized housing have poorer vision

Compared to the rate of visual impairment in the general older adult population, seniors living in subsidized housing have considerably worse vision. Read More »

Florida senior living provider partners with NFL to build 33 new communities

Validus Senior Living and the NFL Alumni Association have partnered to build assisted living and memory care facilities in major cities with a high concentration of retired NFL players. Read More »

A fire system check can be unnerving

Fire alarms are one of the most important protections to residents and staff to ensure their safety. But the alarm system must be checked regularly tor a faulty fire alarm system could be fatal. Read More »

Eldermark introduces mobile-based nurse call system

The system works online or offline with Apple, Microsoft and Android devices.  Read More »

Study: Wearing protective gowns, gloves may not protect residents from contracting MRSA

Two studies discuss the effectiveness of wearing protective gear when performing daily care activities in guarding against incidences of MRSA. Read More »

CMS won’t deny ICD-10 claims for a year

In response to requests from the provider community, CMS is releasing additional guidance that will aim to allow for flexibility in the claims auditing and quality reporting process Read More »

California LTC unions merge to create 280k-person powerhouse

Long-term care workers from three California locals have combined to create the nation's largest union. Read More »

Extendicare completes $870M sale of U.S. portfolio

Canada-based Extendicare has completed the sale of its United States portfolio to Formation Capital. Read More »

California judge rules law that allows nursing homes to make medical decisions unconstitutional

The former law allowed nursing homes to make medical decisions on behalf of mentally incompetent residents.  Read More »

PA attorney general files lawsuit against Golden Living for patient neglect allegations

Golden Gate National Senior Care LLC operates 36 facilities in Pennsylvania. Read More »

Brookdale, HCP complete $847M Chartwell portfolio acquisition

Brookdale Senior Living Inc. and HCP, Inc. completed the acquisition June 30. Read More »

Washington governor enacts law requiring adequate staffing at nursing homes

Gov. Jay Inslee signed the “safe staffing” law to ensure every resident receives 3.2 hours of direct care daily. Read More »

Texas governor signs ‘three strikes’ bill to improve nursing home oversight

A measure to strengthen nursing home regulations in Texas was signed by Governor Greg Abbott this week. Read More »

Report: Nursing homes inflate staff numbers for better Nursing Home Compare ranking

A Center for Public Integrity report shows as many as 80 percent of nursing homes are inflating their staffing levels on Medicare.gov for higher rankings. Read More »

New Senior, Health Care REIT announce major acquisitions

In the last week, Health Care REIT and New Senior Investment Group announced acquisitions totaling more than a billion dollars.  Read More »

What is your facility’s bullying policy?

What happens when one of your residents is the victim of bullying? Do you have a policy in place to address it? Read More »

Miami SNF settles $17M fraudulent referrals case

Hebrew Homes Health Network was accused of improperly paying physicians for referrals of Medicare patients that need skilled nursing care. Read More »

California nursing home chain gets government regulations smackdown

California's largest nursing home chain has been under fire for years. Read More »

CMS lays ground rules for provider screening, fingerprinting for fraud risk

By March 2016, states with Medicaid providers must be ranked has having a "high," moderate," or "limited" risk of defrauding the program. Read More »

Genesis HealthCare acquires 24 skilled nursing facilities in $240M deal

Genesis signed the $240 million agreement with Revera on June 15. Read More »

Accountable accounting

Even the little bills mean a lot. The right accounts payable technology can help LTC communities keep their business partners happy and avoid costly late fees. Read More »

HealthSouth expands PAC presence with Reliant Hospital Partners acquisition

On June 11, the post-acute services provider announced plans to buy the operations arm of Reliant Hospital Partners for $730 million. Read More »

The dish on dining

Surveys repeatedly cite food as a major factor in customer satisfaction. If residents and their families aren’t happy with meals, they tend to find fault in other service areas. Read More »

Warmer temperatures—outside and in

Bring a sweater. It's difficult to maintain an air temperature that satisfies all residents in a congregate living setting. Some residents may be too warm and others may be too cold when the air conditioning kicks on. Read More »

The laundry quandary

Clothes that maintain their color, size and shape please residents and their families and also provide visible evidence to prospective residents of the quality of care and services you provide. How do you satisfy staff members and regulators, too? Here are some ideas. Read More »

Patient handling, falls and violence top occupational injuries of healthcare workers

Nurses and aides incur more on-the-job injuries than physicians, dentists, interns and residents, according to data examined by the Occupational Health Safety Network. Read More »

Spring into safety

Maintenance and housekeeping staff are the first line of defense in keeping residents and staff safe, healthy and secure in a long-term care environment. Read More »

Relocated during cleaning

While some residents balk at vacating their rooms for scheduled cleaning and maintenance, they are happy settling back down in a refreshed, relaxing environment. Read More »