Month: August 2016

Patients must be notified of hospital ‘observation status’

The Notice Act, which went into effect Saturday, would requires hospitals to notify patients of their outpatient status to warn them of potential out-of-pocket hospital expenses and impact on possible nursing home stays funded by Medicare. Read More »

Teaching family how to be caregivers

The Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative is offering workshops to teach family caregivers how to care of an older adult and communicate with healthcare providers. Read More »

Super-short-term stay model helps with therapy and laundry

A Maryland provider is starting a new service line for those who need some help after a hospitalization, but whose circumstances don’t justify a move-in. Read More »

Asbury adds Tenn. affiliation

The relationship expands the Maryland-based CCRC provider’s footprint to four states. Read More »

Ruta Kadonoff: Culture change and a side of bacon

Ruta Kadonoff, the newly-appointed executive director of Pioneer Network, opens the organization's 2016 conference by reflecting on what she's learned from past pioneers, and how together, we can change the culture of aging. Read More »

Welltower invests $1.15B in California

The mega-REIT is buying 19 properties, making it the largest senior housing owner in Northern and Southern California. Read More »

Study: Inconsistent policies thwart UTI prevention efforts

More standardization and consistency in protocols would help nursing homes reduce urinary tract infections, notes a new study cross-examining policies and infection data at nearly 1,000 SNFs. Read More »

Liar, liar: Many seniors fib about their capabilities after hospitalization

Seniors who have recently been discharged from the hospital often downplay or even lie about their capabilities and risk factors in an attempt to return to “the old normal,” notes a new study. Read More »

USPTS nixes required coverage for visual skin screenings

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the leading body for medical screening recommendations, has given visual skin cancer screenings a rating of “I,” which means insurers don’t have to cover it in wellness checks for beneficiaries. Read More »

Researchers examine role of ‘junk proteins’ in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s

When proteins go awry, the body's ability to get rid of the "junk" can play a serious factor in the development of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, scientists say. Read More »

Some Calif. ALFs swap antipsychotics for medical cannabis

Some assisted living communities in California are trying medical marijuana as a substitute for antipsychotic medications in treating extreme behaviors in those with dementia. Read More »

Are you sure it’s Alzheimer’s?

About 20 percent of Alzheimer's diagnoses could be incorrect, say two new studies. Read More »

Posterior Vitreous Detachment

Keeping up with wellness appointments can be a challenge—but SNF resident blogger Kathleen Mears shows why it’s important to communicate with the primary care providers and the facility when scheduling specialty appointments. Read More »