Administration

Hill-Rom acquires Welch Allyn in $2B deal

Two key vendors in long-term care equipment and clinical monitoring systems will soon be one company. Read More »

California nursing home chain gets government regulations smackdown

California's largest nursing home chain has been under fire for years. Read More »

CMS lays ground rules for provider screening, fingerprinting for fraud risk

By March 2016, states with Medicaid providers must be ranked has having a "high," moderate," or "limited" risk of defrauding the program. Read More »

Genesis HealthCare acquires 24 skilled nursing facilities in $240M deal

Genesis signed the $240 million agreement with Revera on June 15. Read More »

Accountable accounting

Even the little bills mean a lot. The right accounts payable technology can help LTC communities keep their business partners happy and avoid costly late fees. Read More »

New Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) Reporting Guidelines

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued various documents related to the electronic submission of staffing and census information in an effort to promote greater accountability for long-term care facilities. Referred to as “Payroll Data Submission – Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) Reporting,” this new reporting structure will be mandatory effective July 1, 2016.Read on to learn about the goals of PBJ, what these additional requirements mean to providers, how to approach and implement the changes, and how to address the challenges that must be considered.Click here to read more Read More »

HealthSouth expands PAC presence with Reliant Hospital Partners acquisition

On June 11, the post-acute services provider announced plans to buy the operations arm of Reliant Hospital Partners for $730 million. Read More »

Ducking disasters

Every facility has a disaster plan. But are you preparing your staffers to keep the "little stuff" from becoming big crises? Read More »

Annuity nursing home doublers make sense

The increasing costs of long-term care challenge the affordability of residential care. A nursing home rider can help cover those costs. Read More »

Study: 2.5 million more long-term care employees needed by 2030

A new UC San Francisco study predicts 2.5 million more long-term care workers will be needed by 2030 to keep up with the rapidly aging population. Read More »

The rainbow connection: Making your facility LGBT friendly

For some LGBT seniors, assimilation—not exclusion—in LTC is the goal. Tips to make diversity a positive influence in your community. Read More »

California proposes tighter inspections for assisted living

California has one of the least aggressive inspection cycles in the country for assisted living communities—but maybe not for much longer. Read More »

Sexual Intimacy and Dementia: Fulfilling a Basic Need or Resident Abuse?

Can a resident with dementia provide true consent for sexual intimacy? Can an intimate relationship, even between spouses, ever be considered abuse? Answer: It depends. Read More »

The dish on dining

Surveys repeatedly cite food as a major factor in customer satisfaction. If residents and their families aren’t happy with meals, they tend to find fault in other service areas. Read More »

Warmer temperatures—outside and in

Bring a sweater. It's difficult to maintain an air temperature that satisfies all residents in a congregate living setting. Some residents may be too warm and others may be too cold when the air conditioning kicks on. Read More »

The laundry quandary

Clothes that maintain their color, size and shape please residents and their families and also provide visible evidence to prospective residents of the quality of care and services you provide. How do you satisfy staff members and regulators, too? Here are some ideas. Read More »

Senior housing a hot market: Report

Senior living is expected to be the second-most active segment of the multifamily housing area over the next three years, and trends related to older adults will be shaping real estate efforts for years to come, according to a new report. Read More »

Will seniors be able to afford your community?

About half of households that have members aged 55 or more years have no retirement savings, and many of those households have few other resources to fund their post-work years, according to a new analysis by the Government Accountability Office. Read More »

Plan for a tornado emergency

No strangers to severe storms, two long-term care execs at an Oklahoma CCRC pose four questions about preparing for this natural disaster. Read More »

Long-Term Living named finalist for 4 ASBPE awards

Long-Term Living is chasing the prizes, with four entries earning finalist status in the American Society of Business Publication Editors competition for editorial and design efforts. Read More »

Prudential acquires assisted living, memory care portfolio in $110M transaction

Prudential Real Estate Investors has acquired three assisted living and memory care communities in Tennessee and Connecticut for $110 million. It’s the first investment made through its Senior Housing Partners V fund, according to the company. Read More »

Partnerships@Work: Airing out infection control

In our latest Partnerships@Work installment, a Connecticut long-term care community teams up with an infection control company to reduce the site’s “closed days” and curb the spread of airborne infection risks. Read More »

Organizations respond to proposed Medicaid changes

Leaders from organizations representing providers of housing, care and services for older adults say they continue to scrutinize the 653-page proposal of reforms to Medicaid managed care plans that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued May 26, but they shared their initial reactions with Long-Term Living. Read More »

Seniors hit the ‘Trail’

If mobility is an issue that stops an older person from connecting with nature, then a Missouri community shows how teamwork opens doors—and trails—for seniors. Read More »

Florida launches expedited licensure initiative for assisted living

The Florida chapter of the Assisted Living Federation of America has partnered with the state's Agency for Health Care Administration to streamline the initial licensure process for assisted living communities in the state. Read More »

CMS proposes changes to Medicaid managed care regulations

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is proposing several changes to its Medicaid managed care regulations to modernize them and improve quality in the delivery of care to beneficiaries. Read More »

Getting Ready for the New MDS Focused Survey

In preparation for the shift to value-based reimbursement, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has indicated that the new Minimum Data Set (MDS) Focused Survey will be expanding nationwide this year in effort to incent providers to focus more on individualized care planning and person-centered care.Read on to learn what areas will be under the most scrutiny in the new survey process, what you can do to prepare, and some target areas for deficiencies.Click here to read more Read More »

Nursing home false claims allegations settled with $3.8M payment

Two California nursing homes persistently overmedicated residents, causing infection, sepsis, malnutrition, dehydration, falls, fractures, pressure ulcers and, for some residents, premature death, the federal government maintains. Read More »

A deadly fire sweeps through nursing home in Central China

The importance of complying with fire suppression regulations in U.S. nursing home facilities is underscored by a recent report of a Chinese nursing home destroyed by an undetermined blaze. Read More »

WHO addresses antimicrobial resistance

Delegates at the 68th World Health Assembly endorsed a global action plan to tackle antimicrobial resistance, including antibiotic resistance, which they termed the most urgent drug resistance trend. The plan has five objectives. Read More »