The New Wave of Foodservice Technology in Senior Care

Administration

Benchmark Senior Living creates new VP of sales and operations

The newly-created executive Vice President of sales and operations position is part of a larger effort to adopt a customer-centered approach to sales. Read More »

Update: Mass. governor slashes proposed nursing home wage increase

Earlier this year, the Legislature approved a $35.5 million increase for nursing home direct care staff wages. Gov. Charlie Baker halved the increase days before the budget was to go into effect.  Read More »

Window-shopping or moving in? Seniors take their time choosing housing

The amount of time older adults spend shopping for senior housing depends on several key factors, including whether or not their family members help them, a new market data report shows. Read More »

Erickson Living hires VP for business strategy and development

Erickson Living, a national developer and manager of continuing care retirement communities, grows its executive team ahead of anticipated facility growth. Read More »

Ethics and professionalism

Integrity and ethical standards can open doors for caregivers and show how professionalism can be a differentiator both in terms of staff and the business. Read More »

House proposes $350M increase for dementia research

The U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee has proposed increasing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research funding by $350 million for the National Institutes of Health to $1.26 billion.   Read More »

OnShift to offer PBJ software for LeadingAge members

OnShift will offer its payroll-based journal reporting software through an exclusive special discount program to help LeadingAge members meet the government reporting mandate.  Read More »

OSHA launches anti-retaliation rules for injury and illness reporting

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has passed rules that forbid retaliation and discrimination for reporting injuries, including post-accident drug testing and "incentive" programs that retaliate against those who bring workplace safety violations to light. Read More »

MedPAC launches plan for new payment system

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) submits it recommendations to Congress for how to establish a unified, cross-setting post-acute care payment system. The plan would redistribute payments among types of stays, making profits more uniform and hopefully reducing unnecessary services and admission preferences.  Read More »

Challenges to EHR implementation

A new study on implementation of electronic health records (EHR) has identified several obstacles for doctors, chief among them poor user experience. Read More »

The murky LTPAC interoperability landscape

Providers, vendors and techies are gathering at the 2016 Long-Term and Post-Acute Care Health IT Summit in Reston, Va., this week to discuss the challenges to interoperability and the cost felt by patients, providers and payers. Read More »

SCOTUS says no to challenge on labor law for home care

The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to hear a case that would have challenged the Department of Labor’s ruling on labor protections for home care workers. Read More »

Computer engagement reduces antipsychotic usage, improves quality of life

A Chesapeake Bay nursing home's two-year pilot uses technology to improve social engagement and life quality for those with dementia. Read More »

House Republicans propose healthcare system overhaul

Republicans from the U.S. House of Representatives announced a healthcare reform proposal that would challenge parts of the Affordable Care Act but retain some of the Act’s more popular provisions. Read More »

Unified PAC payment feasible, MedPAC says

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has issued its annual report on refinements to Medicare payment systems and on issues affecting the medicare program Read More »

CMS gives hospitals extension to meet new fire safety codes

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced it will not begin surveying for compliance with the 2012 fire safety codes until November. The July 5 ruling still applies when considering which code chapters facilities must comply with.  Read More »

Leftover medications

The new Drug Enforcement Agency rules on medication reclamation and disposal protocols have been out since October 2014, but some nursing homes are still using improper methods to deal with unused or expired medications. Read More »

New Life Safety Code requirements begin July 5

Stay compliant with CMS requirements by using the proper editions of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Codes and Standards. Read More »

One in five nursing home residents victim of elder abuse

Resident-to-resident elder mistreatment is highly prevalent in nursing homes, according to a new study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.  Read More »

And the 2016 OPTIMA Award winner is…

The judges give the 2016 OPTIMA Award to the Texas State Veterans Homes for its groundbreaking program examining the relationship of military post-traumatic stress to behaviors and dementia and its training program for caregivers. The program is in place at the organization's eight sites across the state.    Read More »

Federal judge dismisses CA nursing home suit

A U.S. district judge ruled the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act doesn’t give individuals the right to sue states, thereby dismissing a lawsuit alleging California nursing homes denied Medi-Cal patients readmission. Read More »

GAO report: Provider Medicare appeals still in logjam

Despite efforts to ease the backlog of appeals, no relief is in sight for the backlog of appeals from facilities that choose to appeal Medicare claims denials and deficiency citations. Read More »

Welltower’s new high-rise promises high life in Manhattan

Welltower’s “Manhattan Project” is banking on the concept of high-service, high-rise senior living right in the middle of Midtown and the Upper East Side. Read More »

How chart audits affect your reimbursement

The pressure is on for skilled nursing facilities: Compliance for CMS reimbursement means proper charting, documentation of therapy minutes and shaking out those RUGs. Read More »

NorthStar, Colony to merge in $58B REIT

The new mega REIT will involve hundreds of healthcare properties. Read More »

FDA recommends reducing sodium intake

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued draft guidance to reduce sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams per day. One in three Americans has high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Read More »