Social interactions, exercise, music, dance, jokes and foods all can have a lasting emotional effect on quality of life and subjective well-being for residents with dementia, new research confirms. Read More »
To complete the readmission puzzle, post-acute care providers should look at three not-so-obvious missing puzzle pieces that go beyond the readmission metric. Read More »
Certain adults are more vulnerable than others, and vaccination rates vary by gender and geography. See what you can do, and find out what this year's vaccine covers. Read More »
Benchmark Senior Living, the 2014 winner of Long-Tem Living's OPTIMA Award, uses six dimensions of engagement in its memory care program to stimulate different parts of the brain and keep residents with dementia involved and focused. Read More »
This year’s winner of the Long-Term Living OPTIMA Award, Benchmark Senior Living, has taken dementia care programming far beyond reminiscing, brain-games and once-a-day-activities. Here's the story of how its award-winning programming got started, and how the lives of residents can be changed when engagement happens all day long instead of just during "activity hour." Read More »
Watching television programs on a big-screen TV gives residents an opportunity to share and socialize. But what happens when the set goes on the blink? Read More »
The majority of the professional associations representing long-term care say they support the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care’s goal of continuing to reduce the off-label use of antipsychotic medications in long-stay nursing home residents, although some say more action is needed. Read More »
Following advice from the CDC, you'll want to ensure that older residents and employees are vaccinated against pneumonia at the same time that they receive the flu shot. The government now recommends two pneumonia vaccines over the course of most people's lives. Read More »
Flu vaccination among healthcare personnel is lowest among those working in long-term care settings, but employers can take two actions to encourage it, according to new data from the CDC. Read More »
They never drove Model Ts, but today’s seniors did grow up on Mustangs, Corvettes and Camaros. Because of the boomers’ willingness to embrace new motoring experiences, hybrid automobiles have found a niche in the senior sector. Read More »
The building crisis in financing and providing effective long-term care services and supports is an ever-growing problem as discussed in a report by the Commission on Long-Term Care. Read More »
You'll want to share with female residents this new evidence-based clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians, and it may affect the way you care for those with urinary incontinence. Read More »
While two pneumonia vaccines are recommended to seniors for optimal protection, will cost/coverage discourage them from receiving the second vaccine? Read More »
Living on a budget is hard for anyone. It takes discipline. Imagine if you had less than $100 a month to meet your needs, let alone your wants. Read More »
Long-term care organizations would be wise to reevaluate their dining programs to satisfy the adventurous and sophisticated palates of the new senior population. One noted chef shares his philosophy and vision of wedding good nutrition with high-end culinary options. Read More »
Prioritizing comfort in the care of residents with advanced dementia enabled one nursing home to reap many rewards for residents and their families, the community and staff members. Its innovative model was detailed in a Sept. 8 workshop convened by the Institute of Medicine. Read More »
Scientists who helped develop a surgical technique to reduce tremors and restore motor function to those with advanced Parkinson’s disease have been named the recipients of the prestigious Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Research Award for 2014. With video. Read More »
“The Magic of Music,” notably its positive effects on those with dementia, will be highlighted during National Assisted Living Week, which will be celebrated Sept. 7 to 13. Read More »
Prescribing medication is an art form requiring the physician to weigh the delicate balance between a medication’s benefits and potential risks. Read More »
Caring for residents with Parkinson’s disease requires an understanding of the unique ways in which the disease affects their muscles and nervous system, as well as the critical importance of precise medication management. Read More »
The final chapter in the series “12 Steps to QAPI” shows how preparation, organization, data and action can correct and improve processes to enhance the quality of care your residents receive. Read More »
If a resident tells you he or she is uncomfortable in a bed or chair, listen and see what can be done to remedy the situation. Long-Term Living blogger Kathleen Mears’ caregivers were on their toes and prevented a skin issue from becoming more serious. Read More »
