A new report reveals increased use of high-cost Medicare services, leading investigators to suspect upcoding and billing abuse. Providers defend their practices, saying increased costs are partly because of senior care. Read More »
There are many ways to bring food to the table. Family-style dining encourages socialization, better nutritional intake and an improved quality of life for residents. Get staff on board to make this mealtime method a success. Read More »
Medicare providers could be facing a $11 billion reduction in reimbursements if the government's sequestration process goes forward, according to an OMB report released today. Read More »
A new survey reveals that many caregivers mistakenly interpret various behaviors as a normal part of aging, rather than as symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. As a result, they believe those false impressions delayed their loved one’s diagnosis of the incurable brain disorder. Read More »
As the baby boomer generation ages, long-term care is seeing an emergence of care facilities and policies that are designed to bring care equity to residents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. How have you taken proactive steps to make sure your caregivers are educated in cultural acceptance? Read More »
Five years of data from Center for Medicare & Medicaid’s largest experiment in performance-based reimbursement are mixed, but physician groups succeeded in slashing the costs for dual-eligibles. Read More »
As nursing homes compete in the post-reform environment for new direct patient admissions and more hospital discharges, several data driven tools—from Five Star rankings to hospital readmission benchmarks—that form the core of CMS’ focus on quality will be critical to nursing homes’ success. Read More »
Skilled nursing facilities should carefully consider what constitutes legitimate quality assurance or otherwise privileged documents and how best to protect those documents. Read More »
Since 1996, Long-Term Living has honored long-term care communities that are proactive with programs that go “above and beyond” routine care for their residents with our prestigious OPTIMA Award. It is conferred by a jury of LTC peers from submitted entries. This year’s winner is St. Leonard Franciscan Living Community of Centerville, Ohio. Congratulations! Read More »
What started out as a comparative analysis on reimbursement rates related to catheter-based urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) has opened a huge can of worms concerning hospital datasets and their reliability as performance measurements. Read More »
Dementia treatments and memory care regimens have come a long way—if we can first get past the biggest initial obstacle: Patient-centric denial. Read More »
The last five years of life can cost a bundle, even with Medicare coverage, reveals a new study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Read More »
To achieve the best results, pain management interventions should be customized for each individual. Krista Das, director of marketing and communications for AMDA–Dedicated to Long Term Care Medicine, discusses the myths and methods concerning the use of opiods in LTC pain management. Read More »
I was concerned about my floor being stripped and waxed because it upsets my routine. Since I wanted things to run smoothly, I had my driver, Debra, come at 8 a.m. on Thursday to help the maintenance guys move things. That way I knew I would have some idea where things were put. Read More »
The late Art Modell, longtime NFL franchise owner, may still stir up feelings in the Cleveland sports scene, but the hospice legacy he leaves behind is one of serenity amid nontraditional end-of-life care. Read More »
The healthcare system has taken three large steps toward longitudinal care—and toward embracing long-term/post-acute care’s role in that picture. Progress on the Meaningful Use stages and templates for the new Continuity of Care Document were among the highlights. Read More »
In a milestone report released today, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) analyzes why the U.S. healthcare system needs a new business-based attitude, and why it struggles to learn from its own data. Read More »
Mandating that nursing home providers institute both a formal, facility-wide compliance and quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) program while enhancing nurse aide training across their facilities, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims to elevate the quality of care in America’s nursing homes over the next few years. Read More »
Senior living providers often discuss occupancy rates. They live or die by rates and the mix that is tied to them in order to make the proforma work. What If we changed the discussion from "What is your occupancy rate?" to "Do you have a waiting list?" The discussion becomes less about percentages and more about the customer experience. Read More »
Following the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society in the top five list of operators are the National Senior Campuses in Maryland, the ACTS Retirement Life Communities, Inc. in Pennsylvania, Presbyterian Homes and Services in Minnesota and Covenant Retirement Communities in Illinois. Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' rule on hospital "observation stays" has generated much controversy. The American Health Care Association strikes back with a long list of changes that should be made--and why. Read More »
Developing relationships with potential referral sources is one of the most important duties of a senior living executive. One provider found that offering CE courses helped acquaint referral sources with its community while providing these professionals with valuable content. Read More »
The best way to reduce the cost of trips to the ER and doctor’s office is to stay home. One study finds that remote health monitoring technology is ripe for home care and non-hospital care locations like assisted living. Read More »
In over 16 years living in nursing homes I have spent many tense days waiting while my room’s floor was cleaned. For the last few weeks maintenance has been doing resident room floors. I have made my way around the furniture in the hallway, while maintenance men dashed between rooms stripping and buffing the floors. Read More »
In March 2013, the majority of nursing home residents will experience a radical change—no more government checks in the mail. Long-term care facilities should start now to educate their staffers and their residents on the new electronic direct deposit system. Read More »
Seniors housing has staged a recovery from the dark days of 2006. Today, lenders have money to deploy and developers and owners have plans on the drawing board to make senior living and attractive and quality option for the new generation of older Americans. Read More »
