Operations

Don’t sweep summer under the rug

Summer’s gone. But it left your community—from resident rooms to kitchen—full of dust, pollen and other contaminants that can be hard on the health of frail or medically compromised residents, not to mention staff. Read More »

Need a Ride?

For many long-term care facilities, one of the smartest business drivers is being willing to drive residents somewhere else. But adding transportation services means deciding whether to buy, lease or partner up for the right vehicles and personnel. Read More »

Beyond rubber gloves: Housekeeping’s infection control role

The housekeeping department accounts for a large part of a facility's budget—and an even larger part of its infection control program. But even the most sophisticated cleanliness initiatives will go down the drain if staffers aren't properly trained in the specific protocols for each cleaning product. Read More »

NY senior housing market shows resilience; Miami struggles

Compared to the 31-city metro housing composite, some senior housing markets have battled quite well against the slow economy, while others still wait for recovery, notes the latest data from the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry. Read More »

Assisted living communities can foster good reputations through personal interactions

As the state of New York winds down its Assisted Living Month, an association executive relays tips to help communities everywhere provide optimal care and demonstrate their value to residents, prospective residents and their families. Read More »

Research seeks ways to improve long-term care offerings in reformed healthcare system

An academic powerhouse and several senior living service providers are joining forces to try to find ways to increase the quality of long-term care while decreasing unnecessary healthcare spending. Read More »

Texas sees growth in SNF inventory; Ohio’s metro market declines

Three of the five fastest-growing cities for nursing care inventory in the second quarter are in the Lone Star state, while Cincinnati, Cleveland and Seattle see the greatest declines. Read More »

A tale of two fires

The effectiveness of fire sprinklers in long-term care settings isn't usually front-page news, but without properly installed fire suppression devices, the results could be devastating. Read More »

My search for a new home

Relocating to a new nursing facility is not as easy as it sounds, as Kathleen Mears describes in her quest to find accommodations that fit her needs and interests.  Read More »

Owners upgrade senior housing spaces for new uses

Long-Term Living's readers told us about their communities' new rooms, revamped spaces and operational changes during the past year. New renovations and a shift in onsite services are at the fore, including a rapid adoption of in-house memory care services and the creation of dedicated spaces to host them. Read More »

Looking for a better shower experience

A satisfying shower experience shouldn’t require a magician's touch on a shower wand to provide warm water and pressure, as Kathleen Mears explains in her weekly blog. Read More »

9 new quality goals for nursing homes unveiled by initiative

Nursing homes participating in a new initiative may gain competitive advantages, organizers say. In the process, they could collect data helpful in establishing uniform national standards and evidence-based best practices. Read More »

Fire safety compliance still troubles SNFs, deficiencies loom

The recent CMS deadline for fire sprinkler compliance finds more than 1,000 long-term care facilities lacking sprinkler coverage in at least some areas—and risking exclusion from Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement. Read More »

Research reveals what makes SNF residents, families happy

New research reveals how nursing homes can improve their scores on satisfaction surveys of residents and families. The findings could take on added significance as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services considers moves that could affect the way SNFs are reimbursed. Read More »

New senior living, post-acute online courses in the works

Those working in the senior living and post-acure environments will have new coursework available to them when the fruits of an industry collaboration are realized. Read More »

Senior Games cyclist benefits from retirement community wellness center

Live coverage from the National Senior Games: One retirement community opened its wellness center membership to area residents and helped a National Senior Games cyclist prepare for the 2013 competition. Such centers can offer health advantages to everyday seniors as well—and reap benefits for retirement communities in the process. Read More »

Heat wave poses a serious threat to frail elderly

To paraphrase a Sonny and Cher hit…”The heat goes on and on and on” west of the Mississippi. Beating the heat isn’t easy and for seniors it’s a challenge to keep them comfortable—and safe. Read More »

Emeritus takes over operations at 38 former Merrill Gardens communities

Emeritus adds to its assisted living and independent living portfolios by snapping up 38 communities from Merrill Gardens. Read More »

Calif. prison system opens $839M LTC facility for inmates

The California state prison system hopes its new long-term care medical facility for inmates can solve its healthcare delivery woes. Read More »

2013 fire sprinkler bill may inspire retrofits and renovations

Currently, only licensed SNFs are required to have sprinklers installed by August 2013. But the new proposed Fire Sprinkler Incentive of 2013 could involve assisted living sites, care homes and more. Read More »

Coexisting with summer critters

Unless you’re an entomologist, a 10-year-old boy or a frog, very few people love spiders, ants and the other creepy-crawlies of summer. Imagine if you lacked the mobility to chase the insects away. 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 »

Nighttime housekeeping is disruptive

While nursing homes are a 24-hour-a-day operation, maintenance/housekeeping staff need to schedule loud and/or noisy projects at times that won't limit accessibility to residents or disturb their routines. Read More »

LTC property investors shirk SNFs as financial risks

Several of long-term care’s biggest property owners are shedding their interest in the financially challenged skilled nursing sector. Read More »

Assisted living redefined in new building codes

The International Building Code has been revised to reclassify assisted living facilities, acknowledging their difference from nursing homes and hospitals. Read More »

Assisted living fundamentals softened in 1Q13

For the first quarter of 2013,  assisted living occupancy showed a decline from the numbers it had been achieving as it recovered from the economic challenges of the past two years. However, absorption and inventory showed gains. Read More »

What we heard (and didn’t hear) at the EFA conference

The "culture city" of New Orleans served as the perfect venue for discussing culture change in elder-care building design at the 2013 Environments for Aging conference. Read More »

EFA 2013: Lighting design strategies to improve health

Proper lighting provides much more than adequate visibility and pleasant aesthetics. A detailed look at light’s effect on circadian rhythms suggests that designers can play a significant role in improving health for long-term and post-acute care residents. Read More »

EFA 2013: Making space for hospice in the care continuum

Continuing care trends are increasingly involving hospice within the whole care campus, instead of tucking away the hospice in a stand-alone building in a proverbial corner of finality. Read More »

Silent locks & access control in LTC

As LTC design spaces become more “open,” access control becomes a much more important part of LTC facility strategy.  Read More »