New questions, a shorter format and a prize drawing at the end—Tell our editors all about your communities in our editorial reader survey. Your responses help us understand the clinical and business factors affecting senior care today and what the next trends will be. Read More »
A completely secure long-term care environment only can be accomplished with thoughtful planning and performance. Take five steps to keep residents, staff, visitors and property safe. Read More »
Speakers at the White House Conference on Aging’s regional event April 27 in Cleveland said the time has come for members of our society to change the way they think about the aging process and older adults. Do you agree? Read More »
A serious fall can happen at any facility, but an incident at a nursing home in southwest Illinois underscores the need for vigilance to keep residents safe. Read More »
Independence at Home demonstration projects would continue under a bill passed by the U.S. Senate. The legislation now awaits consideration in the House of Representatives. Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health deliberated today about a bipartisan bill that would expand veterans’ access to skilled nursing and other healthcare options. Read More »
Although cases of carbon monoxide poisoning are more common during the winter, vigilance is needed year round when fuel-burning appliances are in use. Read More »
Negligence has specific legal definitions—and personal injury lawyers love to muddy them. Long-Term Living legal blogger Alan C. Horowitz, RN, JD, explains what nursing homes can do to protect themselves. Read More »
Trips, stumbles and falls can result in serious injury, especially for an older adult who might have balance issues or improper footwear or who might be using a cane or walker incorrectly. Read More »
Three briefs from the Altarum Institute Center for Sustainable Health Spending provide insights into prices, spending and employment in nursing homes and residential care facilities, home health and other parts of the healthcare sector. Read More »
Since mealtimes are so important to residents, a successful dining program should consider preferences and be sure to have enough of the most popular food items on hand. Read More »
Understand what the changes to the Five-Star Rating System mean to your organization.Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has changed the way it calculates the Five-Star Rating System for all facilities serving Medicare and Medicaid residents across the US. Two new Quality Measures were added for psychotropic treatment, the thresholds for Quality Measure scoring were changed to raise performance expectations, and the staffing algorithm was adjusted to award four stars only to those who achieved a score of four in either or both of the RN and Overall Staffing measures.Read this article to gain perspective on the specific changes that have been made to the rating scale, the effect it is having on the long-term care industry, how it is impacting payment models, and how to address referral partners about the change.Click here to read more. Read More »
Got readmissions? This nursing supervisor tackles a stack of care initiatives while showing her team, by example, why collaboration with acute care matters to resident outcomes. Read More »
The American Nurses Association seeks public comment on its draft proposal of recommendations to prevent violence to ensure workplace safety by April 30 deadline. Read More »
Losing electricity is an inconvenience for most people, but for individuals with special needs or compromised health a power outage can be very stressful and potentially dangerous. Read More »
What’s your strategy when you’ve just acquired the worst skilled nursing facility in the county? Answer: Everything. Our first Leaders of Tomorrow winner, Ben Pyper, NHA, shares one SNF’s journey from “the scourge of the neighborhood” to a five-star facility in just three years. Read More »
Costs associated with facility-based care and home care have increased over the past five years, according to Genworth’s 12th annual Cost of Care Study. Read More »
Overall senior housing occupancy declined in the first quarter of 2015 due to weak absorption and a moderate increase in inventory, according to the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care’s MAP Data Service. Rent growth continued to accelerate for most independent living properties, according to the web-based source of research and analysis. Read More »
Long-Term Living's 2015 Leaders of Tomorrow are leading their peers in culture change and in the development of tomorrow's long-term care policies, quality initiatives and care delivery models. Read More »
The Assisted Living Federation of America has moved one step closer to its aim of quantifying the quality of those working in the industry by establishing an organization to offer certification. Professional standards and an accreditation process are expected to follow. Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has developed an electronic system whereby long-term care facilities will submit staffing and census information as required under the Affordable Care Act. Read More »
Wherever patients are treated, their safety needs to be ensured. ECRI Institute has compiled a list of safety concerns for healthcare organizations that long-term care providers can benefit from. Read More »
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration updated its guidelines for preventing and reducing incidents of violence in healthcare settings. Read More »
Several occupations utilized in long-term care settings offer excellent prospects for employment, although the opportunities for certain roles may be better outside of those settings, according to recently released government data. Wages are another matter. Read More »
Documentation was the biggest challenge facing skilled nursing centers and assisted living communities during 2014, according to those responding to a year-long survey by Harmony Healthcare International. Read More »
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, two-thirds of the deaths were people over the age of 65. Learning how to successfully plan for disaster or catastrophic events shouldn't be done in hindsight – a solid, effective plan should be put in place to protect both your residents and your data in order to continue providing care.Protecting the vital information needed to take care of residents is often overlooked as a critical element of a disaster plan, and it’s important to think about how that information will be accessed during an emergency situation. It could be a matter of life and death.Read on to learn some best practices your long-term care facility can use to prepare for disaster.Click here to read more. Read More »
The quality of indoor air in nursing homes seriously affects the lung health of elderly residents, according to the findings of a recent study. Read More »
