Skilled Nursing

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 »

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 »

PA nursing home acts quickly and locks down facility

A Pennsylvania nursing home acts quickly in response to threats. Read More »

Residents moved from nursing home to ensure safety

Evacuation from a skilled nursing facility wasn’t because of a tornado, a fire or flood. Because of a concern for resident safety, a New York nursing home put its evacuation plan into action. Read More »

AMDA suggests White House Conference on Aging topics

AMDA–The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine has recommended sub-topics within three of the four previously identified areas of focus for the White House Conference on Aging. Read More »

Accident investigations improve safety, Part 1

Part one of a two-part series focuses on the benefits of conducting thorough accident investigations. The lessons learned help create safer workplaces. Read More »

HHS to shift payment from volume to value

Providers will be paid by the federal government based on care quality rather than care quantity under new, measurable goals announced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Monday. Read More »

Affordable Care Act could lead to lower Medicare spending

Could the Affordable Care Act lead to changes that will affect skilled nursing, hospice and home healthcare and lower Medicare spending? Authors of a new analysis think it could. 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 »

CMS should revise therapy payments: report

A new report by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the Urban Institute proposes changes to Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services payments to discourage skilled nursing facilities from “furnish[ing] therapy for financial gain.” 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 »

Looking for a miracle

Will the new Congress finally fix the SGR—and therapy caps? How will the costs of reforms be covered?  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 »

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 »

MedPAC recommends site-neutral payments for rehab

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has unanimously voted to recommend “site-neutral” payment for certain Medicare beneficiaries who need medical rehabilitation following injury or illness. Congress will decide whether to adopt the recommendation. 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 »

Reintroduced bill ties 3-day stay waiver to Nursing Home Compare program

The three-day inpatient hospital stay requirement for Medicare coverage of Part A skilled nursing care benefits could be eliminated under a bill reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Read More »

AHCA launches campaign for permanent SGR fix

The American Health Care Association has launched a campaign to educate lawmakers on the value of skilled nursing providers in advance of discussions related to the Medicare sustainable growth rate. Read More »

NIC MAP: Senior housing trends reflect improving economy

The National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry's MAP Data and Analysis Service has released fourth-quarter 2014 data related to occupancy, rent growth, annual absorption, inventory growth and construction in independent and assisted living as well as the nursing care sector. Read More »

The vendor discount dilemma

When is a deal too good to be legal? Receiving discounts from vendors/suppliers may, in some instances, be considered "kickbacks" if you're not careful. Read More »

MedPAC’s site-neutral payment recommendation draws criticism

Don’t count the Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation or the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association among the fans of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recommendation of “site-neutral” payments for certain beneficiaries. Read More »

Managed care a growing force in post-acute care

Managed care is a growing force that will become far more prominent in post-acute care and will exert much influence over day-to-day operations. Read More »

6 challenges facing those serving seniors in 2015

In this multi-part series, Long-Term Living takes a look at six challenges facing those who serve older adults in the new year. Read More »

Dealing with difficult situations

Long-Term Living’s resident blogger Kathleen Mears updates us on her upsetting encounters with two insensitive night shift aides. Read More »

Medical device IDs aimed at improving patient safety

Similar to the UPC bar code, Class III high-risk medical devices tagged with UDI labels will help to report, track and assess patients’ adverse events. Read More »

My most popular content on social media in 2014

I enjoy trying to help you be successful in your professional life. This review of analytics uncovers the issues of most importance to Long-Term Living’s and my friends and followers on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Read More »

Top 10 Kathleen Mears blogs of 2014

Keen insights on nursing home life are provided by Long-Term Living's resident blogger Kathleen Mears every Monday morning throughout the year. Here are 10 of her most popular blogs in 2014. Read More »

Hot topics: QAPI

Read our complete series on the 12 steps of quality assurance and performance improvement by Nell Griffin, LPN, EdM. Read More »