Caregivers play a vital role in identifying depression and ensuring that residents’ mental healthcare needs are attended to. Experts share signs to watch for and steps to take to help those in your care. Read More »
Although cases of carbon monoxide poisoning are more common during the winter, vigilance is needed year round when fuel-burning appliances are in use. Read More »
Research to improve older adults’ recovery from low-impact fractures and hip fractures has received funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Board of Governors. Read More »
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has released online tools and resources to help states better use health information technology. Read More »
A skilled nursing facility and a local hospital in Pennsylvania team up to bridge the patient's transition from acute to a post-acute setting while delivering effective wound care. Read More »
Negligence has specific legal definitions—and personal injury lawyers love to muddy them. Long-Term Living legal blogger Alan C. Horowitz, RN, JD, explains what nursing homes can do to protect themselves. Read More »
Payments to skilled nursing facilities, quality reporting, value-based purchasing and staffing data collection are addressed in a proposed rule published April 20 in the Federal Register. Read More »
Trips, stumbles and falls can result in serious injury, especially for an older adult who might have balance issues or improper footwear or who might be using a cane or walker incorrectly. Read More »
Three briefs from the Altarum Institute Center for Sustainable Health Spending provide insights into prices, spending and employment in nursing homes and residential care facilities, home health and other parts of the healthcare sector. Read More »
MedPAC, lawmakers call for payment revisions to cut costs and eliminate abuse in how post-acute care facilities are reimbursed to improve quality of care. Read More »
Since mealtimes are so important to residents, a successful dining program should consider preferences and be sure to have enough of the most popular food items on hand. Read More »
Fans and foes of the proposed BACPAC Act, which would bundle payments for post-acute care providers, testified during a recent House subcommittee hearing. Read More »
A new report from the AARP’s Public Policy Institute details the effects on Medicare beneficiaries who stay in a hospital under observation status rather than being admitted, and it offers recommendations to address the issue. Read More »
Healthcare professionals must be prepared to provide guidance to older adults and their families as the population ages, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine. Read More »
Nurses skilled in informatics and the clinical applications of information technology can really affect the success of the organizations they work for, says a new survey from the Health Information Management Systems Society. Read More »
Hear the words “dementia care” and you’re likely to think of nurses and nurses’ aides. Physical, occupational and speech-language therapists can play a role in caring for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, however, Carmen Vitton says. Read More »
Those who meet Dayne DuVall are immediately struck by his zeal for excellence in Alzheimer’s and dementia care. If you haven’t met him yet, chances are you will. Read More »
Some career paths can be circuitous as this clinical manager discovered. Through leadership, compassion and continuing involvement in the long-term care industry, this honoree and her staff continue to give their residents rich and fulfilling lives. Read More »
Understand what the changes to the Five-Star Rating System mean to your organization.Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has changed the way it calculates the Five-Star Rating System for all facilities serving Medicare and Medicaid residents across the US. Two new Quality Measures were added for psychotropic treatment, the thresholds for Quality Measure scoring were changed to raise performance expectations, and the staffing algorithm was adjusted to award four stars only to those who achieved a score of four in either or both of the RN and Overall Staffing measures.Read this article to gain perspective on the specific changes that have been made to the rating scale, the effect it is having on the long-term care industry, how it is impacting payment models, and how to address referral partners about the change.Click here to read more. Read More »
Got readmissions? This nursing supervisor tackles a stack of care initiatives while showing her team, by example, why collaboration with acute care matters to resident outcomes. Read More »
Seniors are more interested in using smartphones than ever, according to a new report on the devices. Will smartphones become the new way to send health and wellness communication? Read More »
A single platform solution enables clinical collaboration and customer relationship management among long-term care clinicians and administrators. Read More »
The U.S. Senate voted last night to repeal permanently the sustainable growth rate formula under which physicians are reimbursed for care they provide through Medicare. Several organizations representing aging services providers share their perspectives. Read More »
