The new version of CMS' Nursing Home Compare website now includes data on readmission rates, nursing home inspections and antipsychotic drug use. Read More »
Infusions of antibodies seem to help those with mild to moderate Alzheimer's to retain cognition and daily functions, according to a study presented at the 2012 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference. Read More »
Studies showing how sleep patterns can be a risk factor and indicator of cognitive decline and how mild cognitive impairment is linked to social isolation and a risk of death are presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Read More »
New research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association’s International Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, looks at the correlation of gait speed and stride to varying degrees of cognitive decline. Read More »
To me cleaning out my nose is a very private thing. I do not like depending on others to do it. Having an aide assist me to blow my nose does not always do the job. It needs to be cleaned with a cotton swab. I understand some aides are squeamish about doing it. But if it is not done, I am uncomfortable. Read More »
Four academic research teams and a pharmaceutical company are joining forces to study the gene that includes the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s other than old age. Read More »
New progress on the mysteries of Alzheimer’s may be within the DNA of Iceland. Many Icelanders have a gene mutation, rare in other countries, that seems to protect the brain from the onset of Alzheimer’s, a new study reveals. Read More »
The loss of bladder control also is a loss of dignity and an invitation for skin problems associated with incontinence. To ensure that a person with incontinence is getting the best protection possible, The National Association for Continence (NAFC) has issued recommendations for quality standards. Read More »
According to a recent study, one in every six admissions to nursing homes was for individuals who had a history of emphysema or COPD. This puts greater pressure on LTC facilities to gain a stronger understanding of the disease and to meet new demands in terms of assessment and treatment. Read More »
One group cheering the court’s decision is the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), which maintains that upholding of the healthcare act will result in earlier detection of Alzheimer’s disease—with care thereby starting sooner—while helping millions with more effective and efficient treatment. Read More »
What tops your retirement wish list? Most retirees would gladly trade the dream of a beach house in Florida for lower healthcare and prescription drug costs, as well as more education on financial planning, an insurer survey shows. Read More »
Major efforts are needed to increase the mental health workforce and train them in the mental health and substance abuse issues that relate to seniors, a new Institutes of Medicine report warns. Read More »
Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections remain at historically high levels whereas most other types of healthcare-associated infections are declining. The CDC recommends that healthcare clinicians and facility administrators implement the following six prevention steps into their facilities’ infection control plan. Read More »
I think a resident’s greatest concern is that their needs will be forgotten. Most residents realize other residents have important and frequent needs. Some residents have probably been forgotten and feel they must be emphatic to get what they need. Read More »
While trying to save on prescription costs, seniors in the Medicare Part D doughnut hole are skipping or reducing their maintenance medications for depression, chronic heart failure and diabetes, among other chronic conditions, recent data suggests. Read More »
High doses of vitamin D play a role in preventing bone fractures, especially in older women, according to a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. Read More »
Pressure ulcers are painful and dangerous for residents and costly for facilities. Next year, PUs are going to cost facilities even more. Learn how to improve wound care intervention to protect your patients and manage risk. Read More »
This facility requires me to eat meals in the dining room. Since I need to be fed, I spend a great deal of time waiting. Mealtimes have cut my computer time from seven hours a day (at my former facility) to four hours a day here. Read More »
Portable stroke monitors, video visits, diabetes testing on a cell phone… these tools and more are coming soon to a healthcare site near you, according to an emerging technology report. Read More »
Sore feet, ingrown toenails and sore are no laughing matter. Whether young or old, foot problems can plague anyone. Recent data show that a staggering number of Americans age 21 and older have had one or more foot problems. Read More »
New approaches to wound care using biological dressing, negative pressure wound therapy and other devices are driving the growth of the wound care market, according to market research. Read More »
Last spring (May 2011), the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) published a report titled, "Medicare Atypical Antipsychotic Drug Claims for Elderly Nursing Home Residents." Here is what medical directors practicing in long-term care had to say about the appropriate prescribing of antipsychotic medications. Read More »
Sexual appetites don’t disappear after age 50, an Australian study concludes. However, seniors in nursing homes often have to sneak around because administrators are concerned about safety risks. Read More »
Cutting-edge organizations that are effectively meeting the challenges of caring for an aging population with acquired brain injuries are implementing strategies that promote good health and quality of life by actively engaging both mind and body. Read More »
Solving the problem of hospital readmissions will take much more than follow-up calls at home. Each link in the care chain has quality improvements to make, say health IT experts at the 2012 LTPAC Health IT Summit. Read More »
On a hot day in the spring of 2011, a nurse said the building’s temperature could get hot in the summer, sometimes as high as 100 degrees. I remembered that on May days when my room was not cool. Even with a fan some evenings my thermometer read 87 degrees and I was perspiring profusely. Read More »
Loneliness is not just a case of being alone. Findings from a University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) study show how loneliness can negatively impact the health of seniors. Read More »
A study shows how ApoE4 can unleash an excess of the protein cyclophilin A into the cardiovascular system, causing inflammation in atherosclerosis and other conditions. The study also found that ApoE4 makes it more likely for cyclophilin A to accumulate in cells that help maintain the blood-brain barrier, reducing blood to the brain and allowing toxic substances to infiltrate. Read More »
While hospitalization affects any patient with Alzheimer’s disease, those who suffer delirium are at a greater risk for adverse events, which may lead to nursing home admission, cognitive decline or death. Read More »
