The New Wave of Foodservice Technology in Senior Care

Clinical

First documented U.S. case of E. Coli superbug

Researchers have documented the first known U.S. case of an E. coli  bacteria with the resistance gene mcr-1. But researchers worry that if the hard-wired resistance spreads, it could change the face of the bacterial battle for good. Read More »

Turn up the sound, turn down the depression

Say what? Seniors who use hearing aids or received cochlear implants to improve their hearing may also reduce their risk of developing depression. Read More »

An antibiotic that’s easier on the gut microbiome

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists are working to develop a pathogen-specific antibiotic to be less disruptive to the gut microbiome than broad-spectrum antibiotics.   Read More »

NADONA/LTC launches new infection control certification

Experts from the CDC helped to create the new program, which covers everything from hand hygiene to clinical microbiology. Read More »

Age not a good indicator of health, study finds

Researchers found well-being, sensory function, mobility and mental health are better measures of health for older adults than their chronological age.  Read More »

Stroke prognosis depends on doctor

A news survey found doctors vary in their prognosis and recommendations for people who suffer intracerebral hemorrhaging.  Read More »

Ties that bind

Sometimes a careless action can cause a big headache. SNF resident blogger Kathleen Mears relates how a gown tie forced the nurse to get out the scissors. Read More »

Train staff, residents in signs of stroke

May is National Stroke Awareness month, so consider holding refresher training—for staff and residents—on the signs and symptoms of stroke. Read More »

UC to open first senior emergency care unit in San Diego

Older adults in San Diego will soon have an emergency care unit that specializes in geriatric care, thanks to a philanthropic grant. Read More »

Straighten up for posture awareness month

May has been designated a time for doctors, therapists and trainers to talk about the negative health consequences of poor posture, including what hunching over a smartphone or computer can do to the back muscles.  Read More »

One-on-one with… Arif Nazir, MD, CMD

Signature HealthCare's new chief medical officer talks about adaptive leadership and why collaborative teams are key to person-centered care in skilled nursing environments. Read More »

mmLearn.org launches medication management training series

The online educational series, created for professional caregivers, covers 16 topics relating to senior medication and adverse drug events—and it’s free. Read More »

FDA approves first drug for Parkinson’s psychosis

People with Parkinson's disease may get a new lease on life as the FDA fast-tracks a new treatment to curb the psychotic hallucinations that often accompany the disease. Read More »

Hand hygiene and superbugs

New residents arriving from a hospital often have multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) on their hands that can spread quickly across the LTC facility, yet resident hand washing is still overlooked as a protocol, a JAMA study says. Read More »

Nursing depositions—Duty or disaster?

Being asked to give a deposition doesn’t have to be a scary experience with the right documentation skills and preparedness. Read More »

Study: Injections improve knee osteoarthritis without surgery

Does the next promising treatment for OA reside inside our own blood? The surprising results from a new study say it's definitely worth researching. Read More »

UnitedHealthcare pulls out of most state health marketplaces

The largest private insurer in the country has announced it will be ending its participation in most state healthcare marketplace exchanges, but it has some new plans for the future. Read More »

2016 Leaders of Tomorrow: Rachel Pankratz, PT, WCC

In our second installment of the Leaders of Tomorrow award winners, Rachel Pankratz, PT, WCC, director of therapy at Larksfield Place, Wichita, Kans., shows what can be done when physical therapy and clinical teams combine efforts in the mission of proactive resident care. Read More »

Advanced dementia doesn’t lead to more ED visits, study shows

Residents with mild or no dementia are more likely to make a trip to the emergency department than residents with severe dementia, says a new study by the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University Center for Aging Research. Read More »

2016 Leaders of Tomorrow: Debra Gallimore, RN

In our first installment of the 2016 Leaders of Tomorrow award winners, we honor Debra Gallimore, RN, Director of Nursing at Skyline Health and Rehabilitation Center in Floyd, Va. She may be one of the youngest DONs the community has had, but you'll have a difficult time finding someone who knows more about her staff's job roles—she's done most of them herself. Read More »

Having ‘the talk’ about death

National Healthcare Decisions Day is Apr. 16, and as most skilled nursing facilities know, an advance directive may be a little piece of paper, but it’s a big conversation process. Read More »

JAMA study: Drug interaction risk doubles for older adults since 2006

Adults age 62 to 85 are using more concurrent medicines and dietary supplements than ever, a new JAMA study says, enhancing the need for detailed medication reviews to avoid drug interactions. Read More »

Infectious disease orgs release new guidelines for antibiotic stewardship, combating C. diff

A good antibiotic stewardship program is more than a leaflet or two about drug resistance. New guidelines from two leading infectious disease bodies offer specific strategies to implement stewardship programs and improve antibiotic efficacy, including ways to handle staff training and the challenge of C. diff. Read More »

Older women have less cognition loss—and less quickly—than men

Researchers examined the effects of aging on cognitive functioning. They found normal age-related memory and cognition decline may occur at an earlier age and at a faster rate in healthy older men compared to healthy older women.   Read More »

COPD study: inhaled corticosteroids may not be for everyone?

Combination treatments, such as using an extended-release pill and an inhaled product, are a standard practice in therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). But new research shows that many people with COPD may not benefit from the addition of a corticosteroid inhalant. Read More »

Innovation program to reduce nursing home hospitalizations

The Center for Innovation has invested more than $30 million for Indiana University’s project to reduce avoidable hospitalizations for nursing home residents by providing higher levels of care on site. Read More »

Adding color to ICD-10 codes

A group of health information technology nerds enjoyed finding obscure and absurd ICD-10 codes like toxic effect of venom of bees, intentional self-harm. They thought others might, too, so they found their favorites, formed a publishing company and illustrated them for your amusement. Read More »

Calif. nursing home population growing younger

From 1994 to 2014, the population of California nursing home residents under age 65 increased by nearly 40 percent. So, too, did the number of reported problems directly related to the resident population mix.   Read More »