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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
The International Building Code has been revised to reclassify assisted living facilities, acknowledging their difference from nursing homes and hospitals. Read More »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
How is senior-centric care changing the way hospitals are designed? Anne DiNardo, senior editor of our sister-publication Healthcare Design, asks two design experts about the impacts of geriatric care on the rest of the care chain in this sneak-peek of what attendees will learn at our Environments for Aging conference next month. Read More »
Those given the privilege and responsibility of providing care as well as other services to the frail and elderly are placed in a position where their actions must be clear and decisive in times of emergency. Read More »
On August 13, 2008, CMS published a final rule requiring all long-term care facilities to have automatic sprinkler systems installed throughout the facility. The deadline for compliance with the new regulatory requirement is August 13, 2013. On February 7, CMS issued a proposed rule that would extend the August 13, 2013 deadline. Read More »
Harnessing the energy of interior spaces can change an institutional building into a home. An interior designer takes a look at the power of light, variety and focus points to create peace and comfort within the care environment. Read More »
As the long-term care industry takes on more business in short-term rehabilitation and new expectations from the baby boomer generation, many facilities are finding themselves forced to renovate their buildings and their operations to keep up with the market changes. Read More »
The tragic events surrounding the deadly nightclub fire that happened over the weekend in Brazil should remind occupancies of all types to focus on fire safety every day of the year. Read More »
An out-of-order elevator can not only be inconvenient, but it can also present a safety hazard, as one Canadian long-term care facility recently learned. Read More »
Each year, hundreds of people die in fires caused by heating equipment, including portable space heaters, according to the National Fire Protection Association. While prohibited in smoke compartments where residents are present in skilled nursing facilities, portable electric space heaters continue to find their way into LTC facilities of all types. Read More »
