With the growing use of electronic data in healthcare to improve quality of care and lower provider costs, more long-term care organizations are making the transition from paper medication administration records (MARs) to electronic medication administration records (eMARs). Read More »
With the Medicare/Medicaid cutbacks to facilities today, I wonder how facilities built from the ’70s through the ’90s will be maintained. I wonder too how the grand looking nursing homes built in the last 10 years will hold up. Read More »
When it comes to building a team, forget corporate retreats and singing “Kumbaya” around the campfire. Here are five practical, easy-to-incorporate strategies you can use at your nursing stations starting today. Read More »
In my years as a med nurse, unit manager and DON I always enjoyed working with hospice. My experience was that they were also there for the resident and staff. That is why hospice belongs in long-term care. Let us help you help the resident. Let’s collaborate and share the load. How can we help you today? Read More »
Strong revenues may please corporate shareholders, but CMS data shows that many nursing homes are providing substandard care for residents. Read More »
In many LTC communities, the basic need for excellent service has been overshadowed by a single-minded adherence to numerous state and federal regulations, medical regimens and cost pressures, even though service and an environment conducive to healthy living were stated objectives of the organizations. Somehow, companies have not been paying attention to their own core values. Read More »
In Pennsylvania, a nursing home, unwilling to wait for a woman's Medicaid approval and reimbursement, sues her son to recover the $93K debt. It's called the "filial responsibility law" and it's on the books in 30 states. Read More »
A rapidly evolving regulatory, demographic and clinical landscape are top of mind for many of the 1,000-plus senior living executives in attendance at this year’s ALFA (Assisted Living Federation of America) Conference & Expo, being held in Dallas Wednesday through Friday. Read More »
Owners and operators are finding that, due to aging housing stock and market changes, opportunities for renewal abound in senior housing. But transforming the old into something with current and future market appeal can be a daunting task. Read More »
What makes a great aide? Kathleen is pleased to know one who has a knack for identifying with resident situations and who intuitively wants to please the residents and give them good care. Read More »
Interconnectivity and transitions of care are as important to LTPAC providers as they are good for patient coordination of care. Remember, the end objective is an integrated, dynamic, longitudinal, person-centric electronic healthcare record. Read More »
The acquisition of the HealthCare Design Exchange marks Vendome's entry into the "hosted" event model. It will focus on designing environments through products that fit the needs of the healthcare community. Read More »
The top award from the American Society of Healthcare Publication Edi, one of four awards Long-Term Living received for 2011 content, recognized its journalistic achievement for the story “Hurricane Irene Tests Healthcare Disaster Response Plans.” Read More »
Despite the estimated 92 percent of the nation’s 16,000 nursing homes that have emergency disaster plans, there are still shortcomings, according to a recent OIG report. Read More »
An ever changing marketplace requires us to respond with new strategies and tactics to meet the needs of our residents and referral sources. Here are some of the most successful. Read More »
LTC providers have a dizzying number of items on their ‘to do’ list every day. And participation in social media is not high on that list. However, know this—for your residents, their families and friends, social media is increasingly more important. Read More »
Do you ever wonder what your staff isn’t telling you? Are you puzzled why, despite all your efforts, the organization isn’t functioning as efficiently as you’d hoped? Here are the secrets the staff won’t say, but wants to—secrets that will transform your facility. Read More »
The final rule, effective June 26, continues to require that all providers and suppliers who qualify for a unique identification number—the National Provider Identifier (NPI)—include their NPI on applications to enroll in Medicare and Medicaid and on all reimbursement claims submitted. Read More »
Picture a bedsore. Stare at it. Now, focusing on that same image, re-label it “skin failure.” Suddenly, the identical wound no longer looks or ‘feels’ the same. Here are suggestions for modifying commonly used words and phrases to clarify what is communicated to residents, families and others. Read More »
By discovering the background story that underlies staff resistance to change, administrators, department heads and supervisors have been able to address root problems, rather than symptoms, and thereby make change stick. Read More »
Many LTC facilities and hospices across the nation will be affected by the Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG’s) work plan underway for 2012. Here’s an overview of key initiatives. Read More »
Long hours, physical stress and injury, moderate pay and other complaints are the general mantra of LTC employees—but not in Denver. Workers at one CCRC in particular have plenty to brag about when it comes to their employer. Read More »
OSHA’s program, a National Emphasis Program, is aimed at reducing workplace injuries specifically in long-term care, and will cover nursing homes, residential mental retardation facilities and continuing care retirement communities. Read More »
The National Labor Relations Board was issued an injunction delaying implementation of a rule requiring employers to post a notice in the workplace informing employees of their right to unionize. Read More »
While it is clear that gaps exist in emergency preparedness on all levels of healthcare, a great deal of progress has been made in long-term care that may not be adequately reflected in this recent OIG report. Read More »
Congratulations to the third of five Leaders of Tomorrow award winners profiled this week: Nancy Brody Kleinberg, CEO and administrator, Park Pleasant Nursing and Rehab Center, Philadelphia, Pa. Read More »
Long-Term Living's new awards program aims to recognize and encourage future leaders, who are so urgently needed during these times of great change, daunting challenges and uncertainty in long-term care. Read More »
Beyond tangible, teachable skills, like how to set a table properly, training for thriving employees includes helping them break out of the status quo. When employees are able to take small risks in the service of making the community work better, they feel empowered and engaged. Read More »
