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 »
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 »
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 »
The American Nurses Association seeks public comment on its draft proposal of recommendations to prevent violence to ensure workplace safety by April 30 deadline. Read More »
Losing electricity is an inconvenience for most people, but for individuals with special needs or compromised health a power outage can be very stressful and potentially dangerous. Read More »
What’s your strategy when you’ve just acquired the worst skilled nursing facility in the county? Answer: Everything. Our first Leaders of Tomorrow winner, Ben Pyper, NHA, shares one SNF’s journey from “the scourge of the neighborhood” to a five-star facility in just three years. Read More »
Costs associated with facility-based care and home care have increased over the past five years, according to Genworth’s 12th annual Cost of Care Study. Read More »
Overall senior housing occupancy declined in the first quarter of 2015 due to weak absorption and a moderate increase in inventory, according to the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care’s MAP Data Service. Rent growth continued to accelerate for most independent living properties, according to the web-based source of research and analysis. Read More »
Long-Term Living's 2015 Leaders of Tomorrow are leading their peers in culture change and in the development of tomorrow's long-term care policies, quality initiatives and care delivery models. Read More »
The Assisted Living Federation of America has moved one step closer to its aim of quantifying the quality of those working in the industry by establishing an organization to offer certification. Professional standards and an accreditation process are expected to follow. Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has developed an electronic system whereby long-term care facilities will submit staffing and census information as required under the Affordable Care Act. Read More »
Wherever patients are treated, their safety needs to be ensured. ECRI Institute has compiled a list of safety concerns for healthcare organizations that long-term care providers can benefit from. Read More »
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration updated its guidelines for preventing and reducing incidents of violence in healthcare settings. Read More »
Several occupations utilized in long-term care settings offer excellent prospects for employment, although the opportunities for certain roles may be better outside of those settings, according to recently released government data. Wages are another matter. Read More »
Documentation was the biggest challenge facing skilled nursing centers and assisted living communities during 2014, according to those responding to a year-long survey by Harmony Healthcare International. Read More »
During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, two-thirds of the deaths were people over the age of 65. Learning how to successfully plan for disaster or catastrophic events shouldn't be done in hindsight – a solid, effective plan should be put in place to protect both your residents and your data in order to continue providing care.Protecting the vital information needed to take care of residents is often overlooked as a critical element of a disaster plan, and it’s important to think about how that information will be accessed during an emergency situation. It could be a matter of life and death.Read on to learn some best practices your long-term care facility can use to prepare for disaster.Click here to read more. Read More »
The quality of indoor air in nursing homes seriously affects the lung health of elderly residents, according to the findings of a recent study. Read More »
Many continuing care organizations struggle with identifying potential staff members who have the necessary skills and will fit in with the organizational culture. Pre-employment behavioral assessments may provide a solution to combat retention issues. Read More »
Maintenance and housekeeping staff are the first line of defense in keeping residents and staff safe, healthy and secure in a long-term care environment. Read More »
Real estate investment trust New Senior Investment Group has spent $435 million to acquire 17 independent living senior housing properties from affiliates of Hawthorn Retirement Group. Read More »
Abuse, non-reporting of incidents and slow response to a resident in pain are the basis for fines handed down by the Connecticut Department of Public Health in February. Read More »
Two former senators and two former Housing and Urban Development secretaries are leading a one-year Bipartisan Policy Center effort to address issues at the intersection of senior housing and health. Read More »
The government’s healthcare fraud prevention and enforcement efforts recovered $3.3 billion in fiscal year 2014 from individuals and companies that attempted to defraud federal health programs serving seniors and others, according to a new report. Read More »
Employers of registered nurses have another reason to look at their pay structures to ensure that they don’t contain inequities, say the authors of a new study. Read More »
