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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
Medications have to be coordinated to achieve the best results for the individual. Kathleen Mears’ blog illustrates the importance of a periodic medication review. Read More »
Many continuing care organizations struggle with identifying potential staff members who have the necessary skills and will fit in with the organizational culture. Pre-employment behavioral assessments may provide a solution to combat retention issues. Read More »
Maintenance and housekeeping staff are the first line of defense in keeping residents and staff safe, healthy and secure in a long-term care environment. Read More »
Patients’ time under “observation status” would count toward the requisite three-day hospital stay for coverage of skilled nursing care under legislation introduced by four senators. Read More »
Abuse, non-reporting of incidents and slow response to a resident in pain are the basis for fines handed down by the Connecticut Department of Public Health in February. Read More »
While order and efficiency need to be maintained, can a facility become too heavy-handed when a resident is delayed by other circumstances? Read More »
What if we approached our employees using the same principles we apply to customer service? Benefits include a reduction in injury claims and employee retention. Read More »
The quality of manufacture and efficacy may be called into question when the country of origin is a mystery to the user. Made in U.S.A. Foundation stresses the importance of labeling medications and supplements. Read More »
A recent study assessed the efficacy of vitamin D and exercise in preventing falls, the leading cause of injuries and fractures in older adults. Read More »
The Medicare program could have saved $4.1 billion over 6 years if it had reimbursed for swing-bed services at critical access hospital using the lower skilled nursing facility prospective payment system rates paid for similar services at alternative facilities, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Read More »
Senate and House leaders have introduced legislation to replace the Medicare sustainable growth rate formula tied to physician compensation, but organizations representing aging services providers are expressing concerns related to Medicare therapy caps and payment cuts to providers of post-acute care. Read More »
By educating staff, experienced nurse leaders are instrumental in the transformation of memory care communities into life-affirming homes for residents with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. Read More »
Are opioid painkillers safer and more effective than over-the-counter medications in the senior population? A National Safety Council white paper looks at both sides of the question. Read More »
Brookdale Senior Living and HCP will acquire a portfolio of 35 private-pay senior housing communities for $849 million under the terms of an agreement announced today. Read More »
Not all childhood memories are pleasant. Catching the chickenpox was a bummer, but you got over it. The angry red spots and itchiness went away, but chickenpox left a souvenir—the herpes zoster virus. Read More »
AMDA–The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine has resources you can use to show appreciation to the long-term care physicians with whom you work. Read More »
While some residents balk at vacating their rooms for scheduled cleaning and maintenance, they are happy settling back down in a refreshed, relaxing environment. Read More »
Infection prevention is about much more than hand-washing, and many skilled nursing facilities are re-examining their infection control processes under the culture of safety. Read More »
Your first step in creating a secure facility is to engage a healthcare security professional to take a hard look at your long-term care operation to offer recommendations and solutions to security issues. Read More »
