Sooner or later, most skilled nursing facilities encounter recovery audit contractors (RACs). A healthcare legal expert explains how to handle RAC visits and what to do when claims are denied. Read More »
Emergency planning and preparation are keys to surviving a natural disaster; the recent six- to 10-foot snowfall in upstate New York serves as a punishing reminder. Read More »
Trash receptacles behind nursing homes and other care facilities are becoming a goldmine for drug addicts in search of controlled medications. Read More »
Pow! Biff! Smack! SNFs increasingly are having to deal with a different form of elder abuse—residents who display hostile, aggressive and inappropriate behavior to each other, says a new study from Cornell University. Read More »
Treating a cold is not as simple as taking the latest advertised remedy off the shelf. If you live or work in a long-term care setting, let staff and residents know that choosing a cold reliever takes serious thought. Read More »
More personal alarm-based safety devices for aren't always better—for the residents or the organization. The wrong strategy can make bed and chair alarms a liability instead of a protection. Read More »
A new survey reveals strengths and weaknesses in nursing home safety culture as well as how factors such as size, ownership and location, as well as staff position and shift, can affect perceptions of safety—and your bottom line. Read More »
As motorized devices become more common in senior living environments, so do provider concerns related to safety and legal issues. Here are some tips about what you can and cannot do. Read More »
The effects of high levels of radon gas in homes and buildings across the United States pose a serious risk of developing lung cancer. Take time to test now. Read More »
The media storm over the Ebola threat is creating fear and suspicion throughout the country. Being aware of the threat is smart, but being obsessed with the remote possibility of infection can be distracting. Read More »
A new report highlights the importance of evaluating the quality of long-term services and supports in independent and assisted living, skilled nursing, home health and hospice environments. Read More »
New cloud-based mobile technology is designed to help facility, operational and emergency management professionals at long-term care providers formulate emergency management plans. Read More »
The second part of our two-part series on post-acute strategies and tactics examines how post-acute care providers can partner to succeed in an integrated network. Read More »
Where do nursing homes provide the most hours of care and the highest levels of staffing? Find out what Families for Better Care says in its latest rankings. Read More »
Long-term care facilities will be able to collect controlled substances turned in by residents, under a new Drug Enforcement Administration regulation meant to combat prescription drug abuse and misuse. Read More »
Prescribing medication is an art form requiring the physician to weigh the delicate balance between a medication’s benefits and potential risks. Read More »
Facility life can lead to accidental loss or damage to a resident’s personal belongings as Long-Term Living’s resident blogger Kathleen Mears recently discovered. Read More »
In hospitals and long-term care settings, caregivers often have to change tubing on medical equipment. A high risk of misconnection exists because of various compatible delivery systems, so the Joint Commission has issued a Sentinel Event Alert. Read More »
When a problem is identified, QAPI Step 11 shows how to perform a root cause analysis so an effective remedy can be implemented to prevent future events and keep residents safe from harm. Read More »
In Texas, some nursing homes with serious violations have avoided penalties without correcting violations, according to a recent report by the Texas Sunset Commision. Read More »
A clear social media policy can help employers and employees meet their legal obligations to one another as well as to residents. See where others have fallen short, and get tips for success in your organization. Read More »
In long-term care, advance directives, medical power of attorney, living will and so on are acquired during the admissions process. Their importance becomes more relevant as resident experiences changes in health status. Read More »
You cannot retaliate against an employee just because he or she exercised the right to demand a safe work environment and perhaps filed a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. But here's what you can do. Read More »
New federal guidance outlines the responsibilities and actions a facility needs to take when it suspects a resident is a victim of a financial crime. Read More »
Bring staff on board to apply reliability principles in their efforts to prevent and control the incidents of infection in the congregate setting of long-term care. Read More »
Four best practices can help your staff and residents when a natural or man-made disaster strikes. Consider these elements when developing or revising your emergency evacuation plan. Read More »
