Month: March 2012

Alzheimer’s to cost U.S. $200 billion in 2012

The total cost of caring for people with Alzheimer's disease and dementia includes $140 billion paid by Medicare and Medicaid, according to “2012 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures.” Read More »

Mostashari ‘sets record straight’ on EHR criticism

Farzad Mostashari, national coordinator for health IT, eagerly addressed a study published in the March issue of Health Affairs that questioned whether investment in health information technology would lead to cost savings. Read More »

Vitamin D deficiency increases risk of mortality in nursing home residents, study finds

Findings showed that vitamin D levels were below recommended levels in 92.8 percent of the study participants. Read More »

‘New eyes’ for nursing homes through QIS

It’s the small, everyday details that send messages to residents and their guests. These details may truly be invisible to providers and staff who have developed habits in a familiar work environment. Read More »

Meth lab fire in Ohio nursing home spotlights bizarre tactics of producing drug

National safety and security experts say the lab’s presence in a nursing home is part of a larger trend involving the bizarre lengths meth addicts and dealers are willing to go for their drug. Read More »

House committee votes to repeal ACA’s Independent Payment Advisory Board

The bipartisan bill would eliminate the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) from the Affordable Care Act. The bill will now go the House floor for a vote. Read More »

2012 OPTIMA Award: Call for submissions!

We're now accepting entries for Long-Term Living's 17th annual award, which continues a strong tradition of recognizing resident-centered care administered by staff who go above and beyond the call of duty. Read More »

Report argues CMS must monitor progress of Quality Indicator Survey

The Government Accountability Office report says the QIS was intended to improve the nursing home survey process, but CMS is not routinely monitoring the extent to which objectives are being met. Read More »

Life safety compliance: Keep your exits clear!

Keeping pathways to survival clear is a disaster preparation that should be addressed every day. If everything is in its place and not blocking exits, evacuation is easier and more successful. Read More »

Developing a framework for Resident Safety Risk Assessment

The Resident Safety Risk Assessment is intended to serve as a broad evaluation framework for the key design areas that impact resident safety in various residential care settings. Read More »

Are Wii ready for the baby boomers?

LTC activities directors are challenged to accommodate the changing programming preferences of the incoming baby boomers. These demanding residents have high expectations. Read More »

ALFA partners with global insurance broker Willis

Willis North America’s Senior Living Practice Group will work with ALFA members to reduce costs, improve their operating risk profiles and better meet their employee benefit and insurance objectives. Read More »

When residents move out, who fills their place?

Three residents received permission to move to another of the company's facilities. While each resident had behavioral problems that required them to be watched, not knowing who will replace them causes staff to worry. Read More »

New Hampshire first state to get Medicaid funds to keep people out of SNFs

States are eligible for the Medicaid grants if they currently spend less than 50 percent of their total long-term care costs on community-based options. Read More »

EFA Review: A 15-year retrospective

In 1997, Nursing Homes/Long Term Care Management (now Long-Term Living) stepped outside its established coverage to showcase the importance of where care is provided and how environments impact care and management. Fifteen years later, design for senior care environments is still and will continue to be a critical component in successful elder care. Read More »

National Quality Forum President Corrigan to step down

Corrigan, who has served as NQF president and CEO for more than six years, will step down in June 2012. Read More »

How interior design affects resident behavior

Do the design choices senior housing interior designers and architects make really affect the way residents behave? This case study of a memory support addition to a Pennsylvania retirement community supports the theory. Read More »

When resident aggression turns physical

A recent series of unfortunate headlines, throughout both the United States and abroad, has shown the painful, and even deadly, results of resident aggression manifested into physical form. Read More »

A toast ‘to your health’ might not be so healthy for LTC seniors

Cocktail lounges and happy hours are becoming coming increasingly popular amenities in assisted living communities, but can ‘one for the road’ lead down a path of declining health? Read More »