MDS/RAI

‘Spy-cams’ in Ohio nursing homes unearth abuse, yet raise legal questions

Next time you think your loved one is being neglected or abused in a nursing home, you might not be the only one watching. Read More »

Study: Best SNF care teams involve primary care physicians and pharmacists

Putting pharmacists and primary care physicians on care teams can improve outcomes for long-stay residents in skilled nursing, according to a recent review of research from around the world. Read More »

Metonyms: What’s in name?

If it’s been a while since you’ve been in an English class, here’s a brief reminder on why what you call a person has significance, especially in long-term care. Read More »

MDS Manual update brings welcome clarity

The RAI User's Manual received section revisions and clarifications on dental status (section L), skin conditions (section M) and other items in the May update release. Read More »

CMS clarifies confusing scoring for ADLs

AANAC's Judi Kulus explains the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services attempt to iron out the confusing rules for coding activities of daily living (ADLs) under the RAI User's Manual. Read More »

Occupational therapy’s role in LTC

Conducting targeted in-services helps staff understand the goals and benefits of occupational therapy for residents in a facility setting. Read More »

Skilled nursing: The continuing quest for quality

While quality and satisfaction scores have improved, skilled nursing facilities need to continue to improve and adapt to government policy and reimbursement cuts to survive. Read More »

Skilled care in the south of France

Every country in the world--from Argentina to Zimbabwe--is confronted with the problem of caring for its elderly and paying for that care. Here's a firsthand look at how senior care is provided at a facility in France. Read More »

ALFA 2013: ALFA honors six Senior Living Hero Award winners

Fmr. First Lady Laura Bush presents the Hero Awards at the ALFA 2013 conference. Read More »

JAMA: New diabetes drugs may double the risk of pancreatitis

Some of the newer medications for diabetes put the resident at increased risk for acute or chronic pancreatitis, notes a recent JAMA study. Read More »

California shines in ‘Best Nursing Homes’ annual report

Where does your city rank in U.S. News & World Report's new "Best Nursing Homes" list? Read More »

The MDS’s impact on quality of care and quality of life

Most nursing home providers understand the importance of auditing the MDS against the medical record to ensure that the chart supports the coding decisions represented on the MDS. But analyzing MDS responses in the context of quality seems to be a missed opportunity for many providers. Read More »

Prescriptions for disaster

During health emergencies and disasters, two resources can play important roles in keeping seniors and their medications connected. Read More »

Incontinence: Documentation risks and payment issues

How many of your residents have some sort of incontinence? More than you think. Improper assessment and MDS 3.0 coding of incontinence can result in inadequate treatment for residents, costly overuse of incontinence products and payment issues for caregivers. Read More »

Medicare rule is a barrier to hospice, study finds

Skilled nursing or hospice? Medicare policy prevents residents from seeking both types of care simultaneously, which can result in unwanted levels of treatment at the end of life, especially for residents with dementia. Read More »

Law firm launches nursing home neglect site

One law firm has created a website to educate consumers about nursing home neglect—and to give them easy access to lawyers who specialize in eldercare neglect cases. Will other states follow suit? Read More »

Targeting the adult day care market

Need new service revenue? Two executives from the Francis E. Parker Memorial Home, Highland Park, N.J., share how offering adult day programs can open up opportunities to provide well-needed services while building new bridges to skilled nursing services. Read More »

A better picture of falls prevention

A three-year video study provides deep insights into falls, including the activities and circumstances that cause the most falls. Read More »

A bad break for sleeping pills?

Recent preliminary research has linked medications that treat insomnia to high hip fracture rates. Read More »

Managing assessment and documentation for a successful incontinence program

Incontinence management is a critical issue in skilled nursing facilities, especially as it relates to increased regulatory oversight, budgetary considerations, rehospitalization rates and quality of life for residents. The proper documentation of incontinence is essential in the clinical record and in the MDS database. Read More »

How well can we control healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)?

Several recent studies show varying levels of success for infection-reduction programs, including efforts to curb MRSA, CLABSI and CAUTI rates. But the jury is still out on whether healthcare-associated infection (HAI) programs are making progress because of Medicare's new policies—or in spite of them. Read More »

To centralize or decentralize the MDS department: That is the question

The centralized MDS department and decentralized MDS department each has its pros and each structure can put organizations at risk for survey deficiencies, lost revenue and poor satisfaction among residents and staff. Read More »

Certain surgeries have far higher 30-day readmission risks, study shows

Residents who are recovering from surgery need special transitions of care and monitoring to prevent post-operative complications and hospital readmissions. Read More »

AHCA/NCAL announces the 2012 award winners

The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL)awards are here: This year 458 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities were recognized, but only two took home the gold. Read More »

CMS revamps Nursing Home Compare website

The new version of CMS' Nursing Home Compare website now includes data on readmission rates, nursing home inspections and antipsychotic drug use. Read More »

Study links CNA staffing levels to fall rates for nursing home residents

Nursing facilities with higher CNA staff levels can offset the lack of confidence that newly admitted residents exhibit in trying to safely navigate unfamiliar surroundings. The availablity of CNAs to assist residents has helped to lower the rate of falls, study says. Read More »

Back to the future through MDS

Determining what is “less institutional” may not be a foregone conclusion. Making assumptions about residents’ preferences is dangerous business, and when we simply ask residents what they want, they surprise us more often than not. Read More »

CMS memo clarifies PPS billing, assessment policies

The memo also introduced a new policy, effective April 1, 2012, for how providers should handle interviews on unscheduled PPS assessments. Read More »

The marriage of the RAI, compliance and education

A new mandate included in the Affordable Care Act requires a compliance and ethics program for nursing home providers. To achieve quality care through this regulation, staff education on RAI processes will become necessary. Read More »

Providers warned to prepare for April changes to RAI manual

LTC educator and consultant Leah Klusch offers critical guidance in navigating upcoming revisions in the resident assessment process. Providers, take note: The definitions for many terms and items have been changed. Read More »