Skilled nursing facility private room rates rose by 3.8 percent compared to last year, reaching a national average of $90,520 per year. But two sectors of long-term care had no cost increases at all, according to the annual survey from MetLife Mature Market. Read More »
Eileen Malo, CEO of Schervier Nursing Care Center in Riverdale, N.Y., shares her insights on continuing to provide efficient and compassionate care to the growing numbers of seniors whether they reside in an LTC facility or in the community. Read More »
Long-term care organizations are using an aggressive advertising campaign to tell Congress to end the deep cuts to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. Read More »
The votes are in: The Obama Administration now has four more years to further the healthcare initiatives begun under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. So, what happens next? Long-term care leaders, providers and industry experts weigh in on the implications of President Obama's reelection for the U.S. healthcare system and, specifically, the LTC industry. Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has granted blanket waivers for New York and New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy, easing the regulations required of long-term care and other health providers. Read More »
A recent study links almost one-quarter of employer/employee health spending to a list of just 10 health risks. What’s the No. 1 health risk? Surprise: It’s not smoking. Read More »
An emergency response meeting held by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services answers some questions on coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in New York, but many issues remain for long-term and acute care facilities in other states. Read More »
Are transitions of care on your mind? You’re not alone. Read our on-site coverage of the National Transitions of Care Coalition (NTOCC) Midwest Regional Summit, held this month in Cleveland, for tips and free tools to improve your TOC efforts. Read More »
Updated: 5/21/13: Both parties have decided to cancel merger talks for now. The continuum of care gets bigger and broader in Michigan as two health systems join to form one of the largest non-profits in the state. Read More »
One law firm has created a website to educate consumers about nursing home neglect—and to give them easy access to lawyers who specialize in eldercare neglect cases. Will other states follow suit? Read More »
It may be counterintuitive for CCRCs to expand to in-home services, but some in the industry say it is a brilliant move with little to no disadvantages. Learn how an established CCRC made the leap. Read More »
Updated 11:05 p.m. Thousands of LTC facilities evacuate the coastline from Maryland to New York as Hurricane Sandy sets her sights on inland states. Read More »
Need new service revenue? Two executives from the Francis E. Parker Memorial Home, Highland Park, N.J., share how offering adult day programs can open up opportunities to provide well-needed services while building new bridges to skilled nursing services. Read More »
A national learning collaborative, launched at this week’s LeadingAge conference, is focused on creating new financial and service strategies for senior living. Read More »
A facility laundry incurs many expenses--labor, equipment, energy and more--that factor into the costs of operation. Investing in new equipment and attention to detail can pay off. Read More »
The future of aging is in good hands as LeadingAge presented its 2012 awards to outstanding individuals dedicated to serving America’s senior population. Read More »
Coming down with the flu can have serious complications in the elderly. Immunizing residents and staff can help to prevent a serious outbreak in your facility. Take a team approach to assess, plan, intervene and evaluate the threat of influenza for each individual and the facility. Read More »
Resident and family satisfaction rates in nursing homes show improvement from when the National Research Corporation began assessing satisfaction levels in 2006. Employees’ responses allow managers and administrators to address areas in need of improvement. Read More »
With more Americans considering staying at home in their elder years instead of moving to a retirement community, many senior living providers are experimenting with alternative service models, including innovative programming and service partnerships. Read More »
Amid the cuts in payments and struggles with occupancy rates, the current long-term care business environment has opportunities for innovation in cost models, care delivery models and technology-driven value, notes the 28th annual Licensed Nursing Facility Cost Comparison. Read More »
Seniors have been accused of overusing the Emergency Room, often as a substitute primary care provider. But new studies from a national emergency medicine association say that their ER visits are usually justified. Read More »
A few raindrops didn't dampen the spirits of more than 2,000 attendees and 350+ vendors who celebrated the resilience and discussed the challenges of long-term care on today's opening day of the AHCA/NCAL Conference and Expo in Tampa, Fla. Read More »
A federal strike force from the Department of health & Human Services and the U.S. Atorney General’s office have charged almost 100 people with a total of $430 million in fraudulent Medicare billing practices. Read More »
October brings many key healthcare conferences and a renewed focus on the stages of implementing healthcare information technology in the long-term care setting. Is your facility ready to implement HIT systems for longitudinal care quality and transitions of care? Read More »
As the presidential debates begin this week, Medicare is predicted to be a hot-button topic. One private foundation released a report that explores the differences and similarities between the healthcare plans of both presidential candidates. Read More »
Engaging residents to learn more about their medical diagnoses can be a challenge, but seven simple approaches can bring information on illnesses and conditions to the community—for the benefit of both residents and caregivers—and keep the doorways to conversation open. Read More »
I recently witnessed how a person’s desire to go home can motivate her to concentrate on changing her behaviors and to follow the advice of caregivers. A visit home can incentivize a resident to reach that goal. Read More »
As concerns over hospital readmissions grow, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has launched a program to encourage SNFs and state agencies to collaborate on avoidable conditions and the costs they incur. Read More »
Five of the leading U.S. healthcare organizations got a prickly letter from the Department of Justice and Health & Human Services Monday: Stop misusing documentation and electronic medical record technology systems for fraudulent billing purposes, or else. Read More »