Resident Care

History of stroke associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease

An analysis of two longitudinal studies has found a history of stroke was associated with a two-fold risk for both familial and sporadic forms of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD).  Read More »

Brookdale makes space for early Alzheimer’s residents

The nation’s largest long-term care provider is expanding the continuum of care to offer a transitional space for residents with mild dementia who need more than assisted living but aren’t ready for memory care.  Read More »

LTC organizations secure discount for movie night licenses

The old reel-to-reel movies may have given way to DVDs and streaming videos, but keeping your “movie night” legal still requires public performance license. Luckily, there's a sale on licenses for the rest of 2016. Read More »

Flu season: An opportunity for training

Despite sunshine and warm temperatures, influenza season is right around the corner. Are your staffers trained in the policies and protocols concerning vaccinations? Read More »

How living at a CCRC changed my tune

Senior music major Haley Jenkins reflects on how spending her final year of college living at retirement community has taught her about life—and changed her plans for the future.  Read More »

Judge: CMS fails to educate on maintenance therapy coverage changes

Too many beneficiaries—and their doctors—still don’t realize that maintenance therapies are now covered by Medicare, ruled a U.S. District Court judge. Read More »

Shortage of female urologists met with growing need

A recent study has found women prefer to see female urologists, but that can be a challenge because female urologists are a small minority.  Read More »

CCRC, arts nonprofit partner to bring music to the bedside

A Long Island, New York-based life care retirement community and arts organization have taken music therapy to a higher octave. They’ve partnered to bring one-on-one live musical performances to the bedside of residents receiving palliative care. Read More »

UpToDate adds sleep medicine

The addition formalizes sleep medicine as a specialty and makes its diagnostic information and treatment guidelines accessible to clinicians, including those in geriatrics. Read More »

Illinois signs bill for dementia care regulations

The state is the latest to mandate certification for facilities that provide care services for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Read More »

Ethnicity and aging: Latina es mejor!

Latinos have higher rates of diabetes and other illnesses—so why do they age slower than other ethnicities? Read More »

Voluntary recall: Certain cloth wipes contaminated

Sage Products is voluntarily expanding a recall of certain lots of Comfort Shield Barrier Cream Cloths due to contamination. Read More »

Fla. judge says resident death is manslaughter

A Florida court has charged an assisted living LPN with aggravated manslaughter—a felony charge rarely seen in the assisted living setting and one that comes with serious jail time. Read More »

Warning labels reduced improper medicine crushing

Researchers found that medicine packaging and training classes reduced the number of pill-crushing errors at nursing homes in the Netherlands.  Read More »

Pill organizers could put seniors at risk

Researchers studied the effectiveness of pill organizers and found seniors who used multi-compartment compliance aids (MCAs) had a higher incidence of falls. Read More »

3 LTC communities win Gold award for quality excellence

Three long-term/post-acute communities have won the top quality accolade from the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) National Quality Award Program. Read More »

AHT partners with COMS Interactive for combined clinical workflow

The two companies will combine their nursing workflow system features and create accessibility from a single dashboard. Read More »

Seniors with RA may have lower cancer survival rate

Researchers found relationship between cancer mortality rate and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more pronounced in tumors with longer expected survival rates, including breast and prostate cancers.  Read More »

Dementia-friendly dining

Industry innovators are pushing the meal ticket far beyond fish sticks and apple slices. Read More »

Brush Development launches first U.S. Association Montessori Internationale dementia training center

The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) approach to dementia care focuses on individual approaches to connection, confidence, interaction and tasks. Read More »

Dementia and Down Syndrome: Time for new protocols?

People with Down Syndrome are living longer than ever, well into their senior years. The bad news is, about half of them will develop some kind of dementia. Read More »

A less than joyful ride

Resident blogger Kathleen Mears continues to have trouble with her new power chair. The experience is frustrating because beyond the hassle of her time, it has restricted her mobility and independence. Read More »

Can personality predict dementia risk?

Scientists are taking a closer look at the relationship between certain personality traits and the risk of cognitive decline. Read More »

Knotty knitters up to their eyes in wool

A group of seniors at a retirement community have received an influx of donations after making an appeal for wool. Now they need more knitters to keep up.  Read More »

Calif. sets the pace for POLST

A whopping 50 percent of the state’s nursing home residents are using POLST forms to document their decisions on life-sustaining treatment, according to a new study. Read More »

Reading leads to a longer, more storied life

Researchers found older adults who read more than 3.5 hours a week had a lower mortality rate regardless of background.  Read More »

Simplifying Rx refills improves medication adherence

Researchers found older adults who received mail-order prescriptions for chronic conditions were more likely to take their medicines when refills were bundled.  Read More »

Teaching family how to be caregivers

The Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative is offering workshops to teach family caregivers how to care of an older adult and communicate with healthcare providers. Read More »

Super-short-term stay model helps with therapy and laundry

A Maryland provider is starting a new service line for those who need some help after a hospitalization, but whose circumstances don’t justify a move-in. Read More »

Study: Inconsistent policies thwart UTI prevention efforts

More standardization and consistency in protocols would help nursing homes reduce urinary tract infections, notes a new study cross-examining policies and infection data at nearly 1,000 SNFs. Read More »