Administration

Matchmaker, matchmaker

Expanding service lines and increasing referrals from acute care could depend on a growing trend within long-term and post-acute care organizations: Find your business's perfect mate and partner up. Read More »

Medicare Part A fund to outlast predictions, remain solvent til 2026

The Medicare funds for hospital Part A could last two years longer than expected, notes today’s annual trustees report. Read More »

CMS clarifies confusing scoring for ADLs

AANAC's Judi Kulus explains the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services attempt to iron out the confusing rules for coding activities of daily living (ADLs) under the RAI User's Manual. Read More »

Immigrants contribute more to Medicare than they take out

Native-born senior Americans benefit from the contributions of taxpaying immigrants, according to a new study. Read More »

Occupational therapy’s role in LTC

Conducting targeted in-services helps staff understand the goals and benefits of occupational therapy for residents in a facility setting. Read More »

DIY Marketing Part 1: Assess thyself

Blogger Luke Fannon provides six simple steps to assess your facility and its services (and your competition's) in his new series on DIY marketing for long-term and post-acute care organizations. Read More »

Nursing home associations merge

The new American Health Care Association will be a major force in Washington as it focuses on the challenges and issues of providing long-term care for America’s millions of elderly persons. Read More »

Disaster primer: When Mother Nature strikes

How "ready" are you for whatever Mother Nature can dish out? This disaster primer can help your organization prepare for—and live through—the financial impacts of a disaster. Read More »

One-on-one with… Kristy Brown

Long-Term Living sits down with Kristy Brown, MS, CCC-SLP, president and CEO of Centrex Rehab, Minneapolis, to discuss today's new opportunities for therapy services within the senior care market--including partnerships with companies once viewed as competitors. Read More »

Steroid fails as cure for high-stage pressure ulcers

The promise of anabolic steroids as treatment for severe pressure ulcers took a hit in a recent clinical trial testing oxandrolone. Read More »

Healthland buys American HealthTech

Two technology companies combine their products to provide electronic data documentation across the care continuum—from hospitals to SNFs to home care. Read More »

CMS revises discharge planning guidelines

New CMS guidelines take a deeper look at discharge planning, clarifying who is responsible for what at the time of discharge and why discharge planning is a key to reducing 30-day readmissions. Read More »

Protecting your digital assets

If you've got data, you've got risks. A former White House CIO shares insights and advice on safeguarding LTC’s valuable data in an increasingly mobile and cloud-based world. Read More »

Front Porch puts mHealth medication management on front burner

The Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing and CareSpeak Communications develop a patient-centric medications reminder service to improve seniors' medication compliance. Read More »

Evacuation costs may be levied on ill-prepared La. SNFs

Ignoring evacuation plans may become costly for Louisiana facilities that do not have adequate systems in place to move their residents out of harm's way. Read More »

CMMI rethinks its innovation program, sharpens focus for Round 2 funding

CMS’ Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) announces a significantly smaller and more-focused project list for Round Two of the funding awards. Read More »

Signature HealthCARE acquires six Kindred Healthcare SNFs

Signature HealthCARE has acquired six facilities from Kindred Healthcare, increasing Signature’s national presence to 78 facilities. Read More »

Senate confirms Marilyn Tavenner as permanent administrator of CMS

 Tavenner is the first permanent administrator of that federal agency to be confirmed in nearly a decade. Read More »

Skilled nursing occupancy hovers near 8-year low

Overall nursing occupancy is near the eight-year cyclical low, but private-pay nursing units are seeing some recovery. Read More »

Medicare fraudsters nabbed in $223 million nationwide bust

This week’s Medicare fraud sting operation involved nearly 100 people across multiple states, including physicians, nurses and therapists. Read More »

FDA approves 24-hour COPD drug

The FDA has approved the first once-a-day inhalant to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Read More »

Nighttime housekeeping is disruptive

While nursing homes are a 24-hour-a-day operation, maintenance/housekeeping staff need to schedule loud and/or noisy projects at times that won't limit accessibility to residents or disturb their routines. Read More »

Staff shortages trigger investigation of W. Va. veterans nursing home

Too many hours, too little pay and too few staff are the accusations at a West Virginia nursing home for veterans currently under state investigation. Read More »

ALFA 2013: ALFA honors six Senior Living Hero Award winners

Fmr. First Lady Laura Bush presents the Hero Awards at the ALFA 2013 conference. Read More »

ALFA 2013 Keynote: Are you a leader of possibilities?

The attendees at ALFA’s 2013 conference learn lessons about leadership (and Beethoven) from world-renowned orchestra conductor Benjamin Zander. Read More »

Contaminated mattresses: A new source of concern in infection control?

Don’t take infection control lying down. The most effective risk management program can be undone by not taking a few simple precautions. Read More »

A trainee’s misstep

A confrontation on feeding protocol and personal safety takes place between an aide in training and her instructor in the presence of residents. Read More »

The brave, new LTC world: Are you on board?

As Americans continue to aging in growing numbers, long-term care faces challenges on several fronts in providing the relevant care, services and accommodations that this new senior demographic will demand. Read More »

LTC property investors shirk SNFs as financial risks

Several of long-term care’s biggest property owners are shedding their interest in the financially challenged skilled nursing sector. Read More »

CMS proposes $180 million increase in hospice reimbursements

CMS has proposed a new rule that would raise hospice payments under Medicare by $180 million next year. Read More »