The New Wave of Foodservice Technology in Senior Care

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Serving our readers, one update at a time

Things are a bit different around here, and you may not have noticed. Long-Term Living is utilizing some new content delivery methods to bring our readers the freshest content they've ever had. Read More »

Revising the five-star quality rating system: What stays, what goes?

As the fruits of this system are borne each winter to national attention, so too are its faults—to the providers who are affected, and those who remember the recent past. AHCA and LeadingAge offer up areas for improvement. Read More »

What MDS 3.0 gets right

Nurse assessment coordinators report lower job satisfaction and general frustration managing and administrating the new tool. Additionally, constant changes have made it difficult to keep up with the new rules. That said, CMS got some important things right with 3.0. Read More »

7 tips to the CEO marketing strategy

Other CEOs and leaders are motivated to meet with you. They need a relationship with you as much as you need a relationship with them. Here are some tactics I have executed that realize this concept. Read More »

Preventing infection from linens in long-term care

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posits that disease transmission via linens is rare and occurs almost exclusively as a result of improper handling. In other words, infection from linens is preventable. Read More »

Residents, staff and winter illness

This year the flu is peaking in February, and every day it seems a staff person calls in sick. With fewer staff it takes longer to get care—and those workers who do show up have shorter tempers. Read More »

The turnaround to survey excellence

Survey excellence should be a professional goal of all healthcare workers. I suggest a three-step approach to encouraging complete staff involvement: the Focus Review, the Fast Track and the Survey Prime. Read More »

The future of senior living: 2012 Environments for Aging Conference

The conference, to be held April 29 - May 1 at Disney's Contemporary Resort in Orlando, will immerse attendees in the best practices in building, architecture and design and provide the industry’s best insights into the future of senior living. Read More »

5 steps to convert LTC referrals into admissions

Converting referrals into admissions is a complex process in which a team’s objective is to motivate a prospect and their family to choose a facility or service to meet their needs. Check out these strategies to maximize census. Read More »

One-on-one with Thomas B. Gale

Where should for-profit borrowers look for capital in 2012? Is the HUD LEAN logjam breaking apart? Thomas B. Gale, vice president with Lancaster Pollard, touches on capital trends and more in this exclusive interview. Read More »

Senior living renovation: An investment—not an expense

Investing in renovation can be a particularly challenging process. Understanding the potential for return on the renovation investment should be a critical step in the decision making process. Read More »

‘The apprentice’: Long-term care CEO edition

After 20 years of administration, you’re ready to pass the torch. Choosing a successor who’ll keep the organization on its path of success yet move it forward with creative thinking is not an easy task. Read More »

New e-prescribing tool aimed at skilled nursing, assisted living

The product's parent company says its new e-prescribing application, which is being piloted in five states, “exponentially speeds up” the process of delivering pain meds to residents. Read More »

When a resident couple’s romance ends

Harry's behavioral issues cause him to become violent, and he requires an injection to be calmed. For that reason I thought Madeline would have been frightened of Harry. She never seemed to be. Read More »

The promise and practice of telemedicine in long-term care

Telemedicine’s most promising benefit in the long-term care arena is the reduction of resident hospitalization and readmissions, yet its adoption faces reimbursement issues and other hurdles while standards and legal precedents have yet to evolve. Read More »

8 budget-friendly tips for renovating your LTC facility

By targeting your design strategy on areas in your facility that are sure to make a difference, you can make some big improvements to your property—without breaking the bank. Read More »

Salary survey: LTC directors of information technology

In healthcare, there’s an exceedingly large amount of sensitive information to manage, and not everyone has the aptitude to succeed. So it should then come as no surprise that in long-term and post-acute care, providers just can’t afford to pay top IT talent. Read More »

How to maximize reimbursement in turbulent times

Skilled nursing facilities must smartly adapt to monumental changes in order to capture market share, maximize reimbursement based on meeting patient needs and accurately capture all funding. Read More »

Consumer Watchdog sues insurance company for allegedly cheating LTC policyholders

The suit charges that Senior Health Insurance Company of Pennsylvania has allegedly told policyholders who file claims under their LTC policies that caregivers who come to their home must be licensed when licensing is not required. Read More »

Study: Majority of assisted living residents are believed to drink alcohol

Of those residents, 34 percent are thought to drink alcohol daily, while 28 percent are suspected to have made poor choices for alcohol consumption. Read More »

Helping families hold on to loved ones with Alzheimer’s

When a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, the emotions have a ripple effect throughout the family. While helping the resident cope with his or her losses, it’s time to encourage and support those who hold the person dear. Read More »

‘Active agers’ drive new design model

Community integration and engagement is the new design mantra for senior housing. Senior communities will be inclusive living environments, instead of islands of exclusivity. Read More »

U.S. News & World Report releases Best Nursing Homes 2012

The report recognizes top-rated nursing homes based on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Five-Star Quality Rating System. Read More »

Nursing care properties bound by consistency

In 4Q11, nursing care occupancy was 88.2 percent, a decline of 0.1 percent from the prior quarter and a 0.2 percent decline from one year ago, according to the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry. Read More »

How to send positive messages to residents and families

For this to happen, your customer service efforts need to be proactive rather than reactive. Anticipate your customer's needs and take steps to solve any problems before they arise. Read More »

Head, shoulders, knees, toes: A focus on mobility

What happens when rehab therapy is complete? Mobility improvements can continue when residents are engaged, encouraged and having fun. It also helps to employ these three levels of fitness. Read More »

Gerontological Society targets seniors’ pain relief in new publications

Acetaminophen is present in more than 600 over-the-counter and prescription products used by more than 50 million Americans each week, GSA noted. Read More »

The impact of ‘never events’ on post-acute care

The current Medicare payment policy for hospital “never events” has created risks for unassuming post-acute providers. Nursing homes, assisted living facilities and CCRCs need to prepare for the coming impact. Read More »

Assisted living marketing directors see salary increase

An analysis of those reporting bonuses for director of marketing showed an average annual salary of $46,872, with an average bonus of $9,354, or 19.96 percent of salary. Read More »

Senses respond to aromatherapy

Aromatherapy and its sensory effects on human emotion, productivity when used in the indoor environments of healthcare facilities. There are many reasons to consider the incorporation of scenting into any environment. Read More »