Facility management

Saving millions at the flip of a switch

At a glance… By creating an energy council, Brookdale Senior Living is saving huge amounts on monthly utility expenses while staying true to Read More »

Getting through to your staff

When employees are asked to choose what contributes to job satisfaction, the presence—or absence—of an effective communication system consistently Read More »

Housekeeping’s role

During the beginning of my stay here, cleaning my room was not a challenge. When I moved to a private room, I brought my computer and added Read More »

Methods of staffing in assisted living

At the core of any assisted living community is service delivery. Delivering services means providers need people—enough to do a good job, but not Read More »

How care leaders foster respect

Our last column touched on the importance of respect—and the importance of creating a respectful environment for all residents, families, and staff. Read More »

Inviting respect into the facility

In a previous column, we addressed staff satisfaction—and what staff members really want. ‘Respect’ and ‘appreciation’ are tops on the list. Sadly, Read More »

Assistive technologies

At a glance… David Oatway, RN, MPH Technology is available now to assist maintaining the physical, mental, and psychological health of disabled Read More »

MDS 3.0 and the DON

The words “MDS 3.0” undoubtedly trigger a number of disparate thoughts in a director of nursing's (DON's) mind. This is going to be a year of Read More »

Improving resident satisfaction

At a glance… Rethinking values and practices brings everyone together to create a homelike environment at all levels of care. After analyzing the Read More »

Energy: Let the label be your guide

In 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the ENERGY STAR® program to promote and identify products that were energy Read More »

Measuring clinical decision-making skills

In late 2008, I was grappling with the problem of trying to prioritize in-house and continuing education training programs for our 100 therapists Read More »

Leaders need to be visible

Leaders at all levels of an organization need to be available, approachable, and visible. If leaders spend all of their time in their offices, how Read More »

What we know about staff satisfaction

Securing and retaining staff, keeping them happy and content continue to be a major and very expensive problem in assisted living and long-term care. Read More »

Don’t be afraid to ask for more

At a glance… Renegotiating vendor contracts presents no-nonsense, cost-cutting opportunities. It's no secret long-term care professionals have a Read More »

SERVICE model fosters greater staff satisfaction

“Would we do this again? Yes! The implementation of this model has generated outcomes that have made this community more successful, productive, and Read More »

Employee failures are your own

Why is it that employees are hired in assisted living and long-term care, placed in positions without any preparation or orientation, and then both Read More »

Networking skills to make personal connections

Long-term care (LTC) professionals are well aware that our jobs, our facilities, and our patients' expectations have radically changed in the past Read More »

Reflections of a nursing home administrator

“I could write a book about that.” How often have you as a long-term care administrator, DON, or other manager said that about the work you do? Not Read More »

Coping with pollution ‘hot zones’

The conversation that you never want to have with your insurance professional is the one when he or she informs you that there is no coverage Read More »

Living the boutique lifestyle

Boutique hotels…boutique shops…boutique spas…boutique senior living…. What? Boutique senior living? That's correct! The arrival of America's most Read More »

Lap of Luxury

Nestled on 88 New England-picturesque acres in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, is an enclave of apartments, cottages, gardens, and townhomes designed by Read More »

Staff retention and resident longevity: Are they related?

A reader asks, “Is there a correlation between nursing staff length of service and resident longevity? Our 180-bed sister skilled nursing and Read More »

Culture change in action

At a glance… Isabella Geriatric Center, New York, has found that by stating its values, involving everyone in the process, and tackling issues that Read More »

Managing challenging behaviors

If I can just find the right external device I know I can change the person's internal motivation to move, I just know it!” It seems obvious, even Read More »

Pressure ulcer litigation: Its impact on long-term care

Since OBRA 1987, there has been a steady climb in the rate of pressure ulcer litigation in the United States. Fueling the fires are policies from Read More »

Personnel investigations

Personnel investigations are necessary whenever there is an allegation or indication of employee misconduct. According to Federal Regulation F-225, Read More »

Orientation—the foundation for success

Many liken staff turnover to a revolving door—new staff leave as quickly as they arrived. We have previously described methods to transform the Read More »

QIS: An Update

The Quality Indicator Survey (QIS)-that intriguing potential substitute for the not-much-beloved OBRA nursing home survey process-is marching right Read More »

‘The art of discipline’

If it is possible for long-term care operators to forecast an economic storm, the management at Carol Woods Retirement Community might as well be Read More »

Start Now

Editor's note: This is part one of a two-part series. This month's discussion focuses on how to keep good records to avoid a RAC audit. If you are Read More »