Month: August 2016

Seniors concerned about presidential candidates’ plans for Social Security

Likely female voters age 50 and up in battleground states say Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump aren’t talking much about Social Security but that the next president will have to update the program, according to a survey commissioned by AARP.  Read More »

Funding innovation

There's an exciting new grant fund available for those with the next great ideas for improving senior care. Read More »

Voluntary recall: Certain cloth wipes contaminated

Sage Products is voluntarily expanding a recall of certain lots of Comfort Shield Barrier Cream Cloths due to contamination. Read More »

Fla. judge says resident death is manslaughter

A Florida court has charged an assisted living LPN with aggravated manslaughter—a felony charge rarely seen in the assisted living setting and one that comes with serious jail time. Read More »

Warning labels reduced improper medicine crushing

Researchers found that medicine packaging and training classes reduced the number of pill-crushing errors at nursing homes in the Netherlands.  Read More »

Pill organizers could put seniors at risk

Researchers studied the effectiveness of pill organizers and found seniors who used multi-compartment compliance aids (MCAs) had a higher incidence of falls. Read More »

3 LTC communities win Gold award for quality excellence

Three long-term/post-acute communities have won the top quality accolade from the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) National Quality Award Program. Read More »

AHT partners with COMS Interactive for combined clinical workflow

The two companies will combine their nursing workflow system features and create accessibility from a single dashboard. Read More »

Seniors with RA may have lower cancer survival rate

Researchers found relationship between cancer mortality rate and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more pronounced in tumors with longer expected survival rates, including breast and prostate cancers.  Read More »

Dementia-friendly dining

Industry innovators are pushing the meal ticket far beyond fish sticks and apple slices. Read More »

Brush Development launches first U.S. Association Montessori Internationale dementia training center

The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) approach to dementia care focuses on individual approaches to connection, confidence, interaction and tasks. Read More »

Dementia and Down Syndrome: Time for new protocols?

People with Down Syndrome are living longer than ever, well into their senior years. The bad news is, about half of them will develop some kind of dementia. Read More »

Briggs Healthcare to buy SimpleLTC

SimpleLTC will keep its name while providing Briggs Healthcare’s customers with data analytics tools designed for long-term care. Read More »

A less than joyful ride

Resident blogger Kathleen Mears continues to have trouble with her new power chair. The experience is frustrating because beyond the hassle of her time, it has restricted her mobility and independence. Read More »

Can personality predict dementia risk?

Scientists are taking a closer look at the relationship between certain personality traits and the risk of cognitive decline. Read More »

Government plows broadband clearing for rural SNFs

Industry leaders’ persistent efforts resulted in passage of the Rural Health Care Connectivity Act, which will allow skilled nursing facilities to seek federal funding to finance high-speed Internet service for providers in rural areas.  Read More »

Knotty knitters up to their eyes in wool

A group of seniors at a retirement community have received an influx of donations after making an appeal for wool. Now they need more knitters to keep up.  Read More »

DeSalvo resigning post at ONC

Karen DeSalvo, MD, is leaving the top post at the Office of the Coordinator of Health IT (ONC) to continue as acting Assistant Secretary of Health at HHS. Read More »

CMS to SNFs: Get your social media policies in place

CMS has issued a notice to state officials to ensure nursing homes have proper policies in place to prohibit employees from capturing footage of residents and sharing on social media with the intent to humiliate or make fun of them. Read More »

Calif. sets the pace for POLST

A whopping 50 percent of the state’s nursing home residents are using POLST forms to document their decisions on life-sustaining treatment, according to a new study. Read More »

Bridging mortgage gaps

Bridge loans can provide opportunities for solid financial footing when times get tough. Read More »

Reading leads to a longer, more storied life

Researchers found older adults who read more than 3.5 hours a week had a lower mortality rate regardless of background.  Read More »

CMS begins new 5-star rating calculations

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has begun using the latest quality measure additions to calculate nursing homes’ five-star quality ratings on the Nursing Home Compare site. Read More »

SNF nursing hourly wages swing by state

How much nurses, CNAs and medication technicians in skilled nursing environments earn depends greatly on what state they work in. Read More »

Simplifying Rx refills improves medication adherence

Researchers found older adults who received mail-order prescriptions for chronic conditions were more likely to take their medicines when refills were bundled.  Read More »

Quest Diagnostics launches electronic cognitive assessment tool

The tool can aid physicians in resident assessment and can be added to electronic health records. Read More »

Md. healthcare provider sentenced for fraud, patient death

A Maryland healthcare provider who operated a portable X-ray business primarily for seniors has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for insurance fraud that resulted in two known patient deaths. Read More »

Study: At CCRCs, CNA wages still dragging behind other caregivers

Certified nurse aides salaries are, on average, increasing but at a slower rate than their salaried co-workers and supervisors, according to the latest Continuing Care and Retirement Community Salary & Benefits Report. Read More »

Burial plans gone awry

How many of us have prepaid funerals? Do any of us wonder if our wishes will be honored? SNF resident blogger Kathleen Mears discusses two New York Times articles that show what can happen with nursing home guardianships, funds sent to nursing homes and the resulting mix up. Read More »

One-on-one with…Chuck Czarnik

Senior Editor Nicole Stempak caught up with Chuck Czarnik, CHDA to talk about how Brookdale Senior Living is using data to improve patient outcomes and operations. Read More »