The days of antibiotics being a "silver bullet" are long over, especially in nursing homes. And when it comes to antibiotic medication, more isn't necessarily better. The challenge of treating bacterial infections without inadvertently creating new resistant bacterial strains has LTC facilities stuck between a rock and a hard place. Read More »
States have refined survey systems and are demanding more disclosure for assisted living, according to the Assisted Living State Regulatory Review, released Wednesday by The National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL). Read More »
A new report from the Alzheimer's Association shows that while deaths from other major diseases, such as heart disease, HIV/AIDS and stroke continue to experience significant declines, Alzheimer's deaths continue to rise—increasing 68 percent from 2000-2010. Read More »
Skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies face payment reductions, but hospices and long-term care hospitals get a first-round bye in MedPAC's latest Medicare payment recommendations to Congress. Read More »
Cardiology researchers discover that the latest help in reducing readmissions of those with chronic heart failure may come from a drug considered as "old hat" 10 years ago. Read More »
Long-term care providers and behavioral health services should go hand in hand in aging care, experts say. If your facility can’t provide or fund mental health services, partner for them—and everyone wins. Read More »
Boomers seek diversity and innovation in their pursuit of the perfect aging-in-place setting. The good news is senior living providers can develop more options, think more innovatively and create more diverse market niches than ever before. 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 »
The American Health Care Association (AHCA) today will voice its support for comprehensive immigration reform and offer solutions to the nationwide mid-level caregiver staffing crisis before a House Education & Workforce Subcommittee on Workplace Protections. Read More »
Colon cancer screenings save thousands of lives each year, but for those over age 75, the risks of invasive procedures like colonoscopies may outweigh the benefits, a new JAMA Internal Medicine study says. Read More »
No one can control the weather, but we can control the risks that older people and their caregivers face when the snow piles up. Contributor Luke Fannon explains how the right strategy can turn the perfect storm into a powerful marketing opportunity. Read More »
A new survey of Texas nursing homes finds the series of state and federal funding cuts to seniors’ skilled nursing facility care is creating a dangerous strain on facilities’ ability to care for growing numbers of older, more medically complex residents. Read More »
New guidelines and strategies for controlling Clostridium difficile (C. diff) in long-term care facilities are among the highlights from today’s Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) educational conference in Baltimore. Read More »
What asset is more valuable in a SNF administrator—education or experience? Oklahoma state legislatures and the state's Board of Examiners are at odds on the question. Read More »
Nursing home consumers—residents and their families—say the survey process has flaws that need to be addressed, according to a new report from the Coalition for Quality Care. Read More »
It’s said that no one can turn back (or ahead) the hands of time. But, au contraire, every year on the second Monday of March, people get up, get to work bleary-eyed and try to adjust to the TIME CHANGE!!! Read More »
During bacterial outbreaks, skilled nursing facilities carry an extra burden of surveillance protocols—since the illness can roll right in the door via a patient transfer. Read More »
Trepidation about tripping? Most seniors who have taken a tumble once, will develop a fear of falling again. Helping seniors to overcome the fear of falling starts with a deep understanding of what scares them--and then empowering them to change it. Read More »
The parent company of the California senior living facility involved in a controversial 911 call responds to public outcry over corporate policies and an employee's refusal to administer CPR. Read More »
Calling all hospices: Are you ready for a challenge? Today is the launch of my "Hospice Notebook." Gather your ideas, projects, initiatives and missions. My inbox is yours. 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 »
The report of a retirement community’s nurse who refused a 911 dispatcher's pleas to perform CPR on a woman who had fallen unconscious and later died has sparked public and media outrage. LTC providers have some critical issues to consider when it comes to emergency care procedures. Read More »
After months on the picket line and Supreme Court judgment, striking SNF workers return to their facilities and their residents hope the worst is behind them. Read More »
Those of us who have watched a loved one spend the last few years of their life in a nursing home know the pain and helplessness that comes from this experience. Studies have found communication breakdowns among staff can lead to lower quality of care. According to a University of Missouri researcher, the possible solution to this problem? Healthcare technology adoption. Read More »
