Skilled Nursing

Health insurance exchanges for small businesses focus of study

If your facility employs 50 or fewer full-time workers, you may be interested in the results of a new study of the new Small Business Health Options Program through which companies like yours can purchase health insurance. Read More »

Intelligent eyeglasses may improve gait for people with Parkinson’s

As intelligent eyeglasses become available to consumers, researchers at the University of Twente in Amsterdam, Netherlands, are exploring the potential for their use in reducing the incidents of falls related to Parkinson’s disease. Read More »

CDC shutdown affects surveillance of flu & MERS

The government shutdown of the CDC means no one is watching the spread of infectious disease in the United States—and it’s not just about this year's flu season anymore. Read More »

Display hopes to take a bite out of Alzheimer’s mystery

Alzheimer's disease is getting big-time attention this month as an exhibit in New York City seeks to enlighten residents and visitors to a top attraction. Read More »

Fact sheet highlights LGBT information for nursing home residents

A new fact sheet details the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender nursing home residents. Read More »

My history with facility transportation

Being able to get away from the LTC community is a big treat for residents if the transportation available meets their individual needs, as Long-Term Living resident blogger Kathleen Mears explains. Read More »

CDC warns of Salmonella super-strains

Stronger, antibiotic-resistant strains of Salmonella are emerging, creating extra challenges for caregivers—and greater responsibilities for food service and housekeeping personnel. Read More »

Don’t sweep summer under the rug

Summer’s gone. But it left your community—from resident rooms to kitchen—full of dust, pollen and other contaminants that can be hard on the health of frail or medically compromised residents, not to mention staff. Read More »

AHCA/NCAL finds a new voice in Washington

In an exclusive interview with Long-Term Living's Washington reporter, AHCA/NCAL’s new vice president of government relations, Clif Porter, explains his strategy to contact members, discuss their experiences and concerns, using that direct input to generate support in Congress. Read More »

Government shutdown halts nursing home inspections

Federal safety inspections are on hold in long-term care and other vital industries due to the government shutdown. Read More »

Culture change continues to evolve

From the seeds that were planted many years ago, culture change continues to grow, spread its roots and reshape itself to the needs of the elders it serves. Read More »

Survey survival: Fall scene investigation

Plenty of attention is given to reducing the risk of falls. But after a fall happens, do your nurses know how to gather the information your surveyors will want to know? Read More »

New study finds head injuries from falls increasing for LTC residents

It might be caused by a slippery floor or the effects of medication, but when a senior falls, consequences can be serious. A new study looks at head injuries sustained during falls by senior residents in two Canadian long-term care facilities. Read More »

7 tips for better customer satisfaction

Live from AHCA/NCAL: Are your customer satisfaction surveys a dreaded burden or an elusive holy grail? These tips can help communities increase customer satisfaction, but the best results come from customizing each one to individual residents.  Read More »

Remember: Resident is heart of person-centered care

Live from AHCA/NCAL: To be successful in your mission of person-centered care, you must include residents and their families in your care planning. It sounds obvious, but many facilities that think they are doing this are not. Here are some points to consider. Read More »

Are resident grievance committees effective?

Without administrative buy-in, leadership and active participants, resident committees have difficulty being effective and relevant. Kathleen Mears shares her experience on various resident committees. Read More »

Elder abuse focus of October observance

Elder abuse is the focus of this year's observance of an annual event meant to bring attention to residents of long-term care facilities. Read More »

Exercise has physical, mental benefits—even in those over 90

Residents aged more than 90 years who are able to exercise—and do so—are likely to see physical and mental improvements, according to two new studies. Read More »

AHCA names ManorCare exec as government policy chief

A top executive from HCR ManorCare has been chosen to steer AHCA/NCAL’s lobby efforts and policy interests. Read More »

Public weighs in on long-term care funding options

A recent poll asking Americans for their opinions about the financing of long-term care revealed support of some ideas that surprised researchers. Read More »

One on one with… Larry Wolf

Technology-related issues and trends in long-term care were on the agenda when Larry Wolf, health information technology strategist with post-acute service provider Kindred Healthcare, recently spoke with Long-Term Living. Read More »

Health insurance exchanges proceed despite shutdown, albeit with glitches

Federal and state government officials vow to fix website and call center issues as health insurance marketplaces receive overwhelming attention from consumers on the first days of operation. Read More »

Need a Ride?

For many long-term care facilities, one of the smartest business drivers is being willing to drive residents somewhere else. But adding transportation services means deciding whether to buy, lease or partner up for the right vehicles and personnel. Read More »

AHCA report identifies trends and quality improvements in LTC

The faces of residents are changing and the industry is prepared to care for the “new” patients as well as the traditional long-term care residents it serves. Read More »

S.C. health system ordered to pay $276M in billing fines

A South Carolina health system owes the government millions for fraudulent billings and violations of the Stark anti-kickback law for the way it funnelled business to its outpatient services.  Read More »

Scam artists using ACA to grab seniors’ personal info

Long ago, telephones were a communication/socialization device. With technologic advances, however, the once-friendly phone has become a conduit for criminals. Read More »

Federal government shuts down

Core Medicare and Medicaid operations will not be affected by a federal government shutdown that began today, but a broad range of other federal operations will be affected. The Affordable Care Act itself has largely been funded already and will not be directly affected. ACA-created health insurance exchanges also are live as scheduled. Read More »

Future is theme for International Day of Older Persons

An annual Oct. 1 observance is designed to draw attention to aging-related issues and those who are trying to address them. A new report released in conjunction with this year's observance looks at health status, societal programs and other issues related to the elderly around the world. Read More »

House, Senate spar over a delay to ACA; shutdown looms

After a weekend of squabbling over the federal budget, the Senate has rejected a proposal to delay the Affordable Care Act. With the budget crisis still unsolved in the 11th hour, what would a government shutdown mean for long-term care? Read More »

Beyond rubber gloves: Housekeeping’s infection control role

The housekeeping department accounts for a large part of a facility's budget—and an even larger part of its infection control program. But even the most sophisticated cleanliness initiatives will go down the drain if staffers aren't properly trained in the specific protocols for each cleaning product. Read More »