Month: June 2011

Study of California Seniors Shows Those in Rural Areas Are Most Unhealthy

California's more than half a million rural elders are far more likely to be overweight or obese, physically inactive and food insecure than their Read More »

CMS to SNFs: Stop overusing dashes in the MDS

A memo released this month by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) urges nursing home providers to monitor their use of dashes in Read More »

Family Caregiving Costs Wallop American Wages, Social Security

Family caregivers who take time off to look after aging relatives are losing an estimated $3 trillion dollars nationally in wages, pension and Social Read More »

Toward a better quality of life

Four years ago I was recovering from a mastectomy. It was my second bout with breast cancer in 16 years. Even though my doctor said it was unrelated, Read More »

Same-Sex Partners of Nursing Home Residents Eligible for Medicaid Protections

In a letter sent to state Medicaid directors last Friday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) clarified that the agencies can offer Read More »

The comment period ended, but the story on ACOs is far from over

Since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ended its comment period on the Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) proposed rules this past Read More »

Study: Urinary Incontinence Affects Seniors’ Quality of Life More Than Some Chronic Conditions

Urinary incontinence affects senior citizens’ quality of life to a greater degree than diabetes, arthritis and many other chronic conditions, Read More »

Are facility beauty salons going to fade like a bad color job?

For years women visited the beauty salon weekly for a wash and a set. This ritual involved not only beautification but a head massage and Read More »

Carlyle Group to Take HCR ManorCare Public with $500 Million IPO

Private equity firm The Carlyle Group will soon take HCR ManorCare public with a roughly $500 million initial public offering, according to a Reuters Read More »

Fighting for the interests of skilled nursing providers

Cynthia Morton pulls no punches when talking about the bum rap long-term care gets in the never-ending battle for healthcare dollars. As executive Read More »

PET Scans for Early Alzheimer’s Detection Might be Available Next Year

Positron emission tomography (PET) scans, a form of molecular imaging that detects beta amyloid plaques in the brain, may be available for use in the Read More »

Study: Soaring Healthcare Costs Top Retirement Concerns of Middle-Income Americans

Healthcare expenses, inflation and outliving their money are the top three financial concerns that the majority (78%) of America's middle-income Baby Read More »

ACA Initiative to Coordinate Care for Medicare Patients

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Monday announced a new Affordable Care Act (ACA) initiative that will spend an estimated $42 Read More »

When a nursing home gets hot

I was very warm this past winter, probably because the injections I get to prevent breast cancer recurrence can cause hot flashes. It was so warm Read More »

Researchers Highlight Social Needs of Elderly in Disaster Response Plans

Worldwide emergency response plans for natural disasters must account for the age-related needs of older adults, according to a new study in the Read More »

CMS Proposes Medicare Data Transparency Rules

Newly proposed rules from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would allow Medicare and private sector claims data to be used to Read More »

The nurse assessment coordinator defined

One of the hallmark traits of a dedicated individual is his or her desire to revisit a completed work, seemingly compelled to reflect on the minutiae Read More »

My healthcare success story

I just had a fantastic healthcare experience. I know you don’t hear that phrase a lot these days, but it’s absolutely true. A friendly welcome. Read More »

Private payor rates vary significantly by market

The average private payor nursing care rate continues to grow at approximately three percent annually and has risen a total 17 percent during the Read More »

Brookdale to Acquire Horizon Bay Retirement Living

Brookdale Senior Living Inc., has agreed to acquire Horizon Bay Realty, LLC, which Brookdale says is the ninth largest operator of senior living Read More »

Final Rule Reduces Medicaid Payments for Preventable Conditions

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its final rule Wednesday reducing or prohibiting payments to doctors, hospitals and other Read More »

Private funding solutions for LTC

Chris Orestis For years experts have discussed Baby Boomers reaching retirement age in the future and the impact it would have on long-term care, Read More »

Nursing care quality and the False Claims Act

Jason E. Bring, Esq The federal False Claims Act (FCA) permits private persons known as “relators” to file a form of civil action against private Read More »

Good Stuff

Remembering the ‘dragon’ “‘Fearless’ and ‘passionate’ best describe those born in the year of the Dragon,” said my aunt, reading off the paper Read More »

Smoking update: Three approaches

Bogey did it. Bette Davis did it. James Dean did it. Soldiers in foxholes did it. In the 1920s, ″30s and for the greater part of the 20th century, Read More »

Supply Side

In-Room Air Freshener The Air/Q Whole Room Air Freshener from Prolitec, Inc., is a tabletop version of the company's commercial scenting Read More »

Infection prevention

AMDA-Dedicated to Long Term Care Medicine (formerly the American Medical Directors Association) recently updated its “Common Infections in the Read More »

Nourishment is more than diet

Judah L. Ronch, PhD The Pioneer Network, in conjunction with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), recently convened the Food and Read More »

Community

Fee reprieve Janet Rodriguez (left), administrator at Wingate Healthcare, Needham, Mass., and winner of Long-Term Living's second 60th Read More »