Resident Care

Quality in advanced dementia care: 3 challenges, 5 solutions

Quality-of-care issues exist in all long-term care settings, but they are especially pronounced for those with advanced dementia, according to health economist David Grabowski, PhD, of Harvard. He details several potential opportunities to address the issues. Read More »

‘Top prescriber’ of antipsychotic to plead guilty of accepting kickbacks

A former psychiatrist on Friday is expected to plead guilty to taking kickbacks from a drug manufacturer in exchange for prescribing clozapine. Read More »

CMS ditches daily dispensing fees for Medicare Part D

CMS has officially eliminated the practice of paying lower fees to long-term care (LTC) pharmacies that dispense Medicare Part D medications meant to be used for less than 30 days. LTC pharmacy associations weigh in on what the changes will mean. Read More »

CNA course, contest aim to improve knowledge, retention

A new course and contest for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are designed to keep CNAs abreast of the latest knowledge to perform their duties. And they may help providers with staff retention in the process. Read More »

Working at moving out, Part 1

Love can bloom in a nursing home and some resident couples can progress in becoming independent enough to reestablish able roots in the community. Part one of a two-part series. Read More »

Report suggests ways to increase cognitive assessments during Medicare annual wellness visits

The odds of your residents undergoing a cognitive assessment as part of a Medicare annual wellness visit may increase given a new report from a Gerontological Society of America workgroup. Read More »

Home care beats nursing home care for ADL maintenance, study finds

Older adults being cared for at home rather than a nursing home experienced “significantly less” deterioration in their ability to perform activities of daily living after one year, a new study finds. Read More »

Hospitalization of seniors with flu hits record rate

Flu-related hospitalization rates for those aged 65 or more years have hit an all-time high, but the CDC has advice to prevent or lessen the effects of the virus. Read More »

What the proposed 2016 budget would mean for senior living

The 2016 federal budget announced by President Barack Obama on Monday is a mixed bag for senior housing and services providers, according to several organizations representing them. Read More »

Locked out of the med cart

Not everything goes the way it should, which can be frustrating. Here’s how one nurse managed to finish her med pass. Read More »

Habilitation approach to dementia care focuses on remaining abilities

Focusing on helping those with advanced dementia use the skills and abilities they still possess is the primary goal of habilitation therapy. The approach, how it differs from rehabilitation, and training for it were detailed in a recent meeting convened by CMS. Read More »

How to prevent a measles outbreak in your buildings

The CDC is seeing more cases of measles than in years past, with a more-than-usual number of them in adults. Here are five ways to reduce the likelihood that the outbreak will affect your employees, residents and their families. Read More »

Making a connection in dementia care

A person with Alzheimer’s or other dementias lives in the moment. Sharing that moment with him or her creates a bond that can bring moments of joy. Read More »

Study finds low flu vaccination rate among nursing home staff

Findings of low vaccination rates among nursing home staff members, reported in the American Journal of Infection Control, echo data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers offer recommendations to improve the rate. Read More »

Nursing home residents struggle with dehydration

Older adults who live in nursing homes are more likely to suffer from dehydration than those who live elsewhere, says a British study. Read More »

MRI detects Alzheimer’s disease early

New useas of MRI technology can detect Alzheimer's disease before symptoms occur.  Read More »

One-on-one with…Gary Glazner

People with Alzheimer's or other dementias have found a champion in Gary Glazner, founder and executive director of the Alzheimer's Poetry Project. Blending poetry with the arts in an innovative program provides a pathway to the hearts and souls of people with memory loss. Read More »

An old-fashioned remedy would work

For minor skin infections and irritations, some residents like to rely on simple remedies used when they were young rather than take more medication. Read More »

Top 10 bed bug cities in America

Don’t pick up hitchhikers, especially those that are difficult to see. Bed bugs like to travel. New data from Orkin names the leading destinations on a bed bug’s itinerary. Read More »

CMS adds ratings to Dialysis Facility Compare website

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has added star ratings to its Dialysis Facility Compare website and plans to update the ratings annually beginning in October. Read More »

Nurse practitioner ranks double over past decade

The number of nurse practitioners licensed in the United States has greatly increased over the past 10 years, according to data released by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Read More »

Older Americans Act reauthorization proposed

Legislation to reauthorize the Older Americans Act has been introduced in the Senate. Read More »

Hypothermia claims life of elderly Ohio woman

On Monday morning, a snow plow driver spotted the body of an elderly woman in the driveway of a Sagamore Hills, Ohio, assisted living facility. Read More »

Brain training game can detect mild cognitive impairment

A virtual reality training game may help detect mild impairment in cognitive skills. Read More »

A good egg can keep a resident’s sunny side up

Meals are the best part of the day for most residents, and breakfast is the most important meal. Cutting back on quality might be economical, but your residents can taste the difference. Read More »

Clinical Data Collection: The Top Steps for MDS Accuracy, and Greater Reimbursements – Part Two in a Series

The staff-resident relationship is essential to quality care. Consistency of care, and the relationship fostered between the staff and residents over time, directly impacts the perceived quality of care for LTC providers. In this article, Jayne Warwick examines the unquestionable bond between staff satisfaction and patient satisfaction, and how to positively impact both of these elements to avoid unnecessary financial pitfalls.Click here to read more. Read More »

Nurse practitioners improve health outcomes

It is predicted that by 2020, there will be a shortage of 45,000 primary care physicians. Highly educated and skilled nurse practitioners are ready and able fill that gap. Read More »

Jewish Home Lifecare gets $500K for dementia respite pilot, outpatient rehab programs

Jewish Home Lifecare has received $500,000 in grants to fund programs for outpatient rehab services and overnight stays for those with dementia. Read More »

Self-reporting dementia symptoms helps clinicians measure progression

A self-reported version of a well known dementia assessment tool is effective in helping clinicians measure the progression of the disease.  Read More »

Mourning the passing of the New Old Age blog

It’s said that “all good things must come to an end,” as Long-Term Living’s resident blogger says goodbye to a trusted friend and a reliable source of information and experience. Read More »