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 »
Some assisted living communities in California are trying medical marijuana as a substitute for antipsychotic medications in treating extreme behaviors in those with dementia. Read More »
As drug manufacturers continue to race for the leg-up in Hepatitis C treatments, providers need to be aware of seniors' special risk factors. Read More »
The biggest opioid abusers in the country aren’t shady drug dealers or troubled teens—they’re Medicare beneficiaries. Read More »
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Advance care planning: Easing the difficult conversation
By Dan Hogan, founder and CEO, Medalogix Discussing and documenting end-of-life choices is a key component of person-centered care, yet advance care planning is something we often put off far longer than we should. Learn More »
Going to the hospital can be confusing for those with dementia, complicate their clinical symptoms and even make their dementia worse. Some hospitals may be better prepared and trained in dementia care than others, says a panel of care transition experts. Read More »
Got arthritis? The two primary drug makers of arthritis medication have submitted new patents that may keep the drugs off the generic shelf for now. Read More »
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Nursing Home Enforcement Report has found one in five Texas nursing home residents are improperly given antipsychotic drugs as a means of restraint. Read More »
Opioid addiction isn’t limited to young people or to shifty characters in a back alley. Many older adults struggle with addiction to painkillers, warns a leading addiction specialist. Read More »
The new Drug Enforcement Agency rules on medication reclamation and disposal protocols have been out since October 2014, but some nursing homes are still using improper methods to deal with unused or expired medications. Read More »
CMS' recent attention has been on reducing the use of antipsychotics, but antidepressants may be dangerous in other ways for those with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. Read More »
A new study found residents with Alzheimer’s disease were less likely to be restrained or medicated at nursing homes where frontline staff spoke regularly with memory care specialists, suggesting quality outcomes can improve with expert intervention. Read More »
Data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows there are some distinct causes of death that warrant public attention, preventive programs and classification reconsideration. Read More »
The online educational series, created for professional caregivers, covers 16 topics relating to senior medication and adverse drug events—and it’s free. Read More »
Did you miss our 2016 Leaders of Tomorrow coverage? We've collected all the winners and their profiles here. We hope you'll be inspired by the impact their leadership has made in their own workplaces and maybe find a few take-home strategies to apply at yours. Read More »
Adults age 62 to 85 are using more concurrent medicines and dietary supplements than ever, a new JAMA study says, enhancing the need for detailed medication reviews to avoid drug interactions. Read More »
A good antibiotic stewardship program is more than a leaflet or two about drug resistance. New guidelines from two leading infectious disease bodies offer specific strategies to implement stewardship programs and improve antibiotic efficacy, including ways to handle staff training and the challenge of C. diff. Read More »
Medicare is trying a new way of calculating the reimbursement for certain drugs, including expensive drugs to treat cancer. After barely a month, the pilot has riled physicians on both sides of the issue. Read More »
Combination treatments, such as using an extended-release pill and an inhaled product, are a standard practice in therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). But new research shows that many people with COPD may not benefit from the addition of a corticosteroid inhalant. Read More »
A new drug treatment for Parkinson’s disease psychosis has been given a major thumbs-up by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) committee, a crucial step in the agency's drug-approval process. If the drug eventually receives full FDA approval, it will be the first treatment of its kind, researchers say. Read More »
The FBI is looking into claims the 34-year old accountant himself chose which home healthcare patients would be moved to hospice, recruited unqualified patients and charged the government for services not medically necessary. Read More »
The Long Term Care Community Coalition reviewed Medicare data to see how effective a federal campaign to reduce inappropriate antipsychotic drugging in nursing homes has been since it was launched fin 2012. There’s still a long way to go, the advocacy group found. Read More »
Older Americans with a high risk for developing Type 2 diabetes may receive preventive treatment from an unlikely source: Medicare. Read More »
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Theft and loss: Addressing security in LTC
By Kylen Cieslak, Associate Director of Marketing and Customer Service, Carstens, Inc.Theft, loss and misappropriation all have administrative and legal consequences, especially if medications or valuable property are involved. Learn More »
