Risk Management

Senior living community kitchen closed following health inspection

Florida state food safety inspectors shut down a Brookdale facility’s kitchen after finding roaches, flies and improper food storage techniques.  Read More »

California considers senior LGBT Bill of Rights

The California State Legislature will consider a bill to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) seniors living in long-term care from gender-based discrimination.  Read More »

Avoiding legal claims in assisted living

Assisted living facilities can get in hot water legally if they provide care that exceeds the assisted living level. Read More »

Domestic dispute unfolds at nursing home

Nursing home staff and law enforcement put training into practice and followed procedures after a man entered the secured facility and threatened violence.  Read More »

Therapy billing fraud: When will LTC learn?

Providers who overbill or fudge their therapy services are on the DOJ’s radar more than ever. So why is there still so much therapy billing fraud? Read More »

Two SNF residents died from neglect

State investigations on two resident deaths highlight the importance of proper procedures and intervention documentation. Read More »

Bacteria identified in deadly Calif. holiday meal

the CDC has pinpointed the pathogen responsible for sickening 21 people at a community meal—including three assisted living residents who died. Read More »

OSHA issues rule to continue recordkeeping

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final rule upholding the agency’s longstanding position that it’s an employer’s duty to record any injury or illness continues for the full five-year record-retention period. Read More »

Compliance and litigation in 2016

Long-Term Living’s legal expert Alan C. Horowitz, esq, RN, led readers through complex issues in risk management and compliance this year, including new mandates from CMS and new documentation regs. Read More »

Safety shines in 2016

OSHA rules, Life Safety Code compliance and anti-retaliation, oh my! 2016 was a busy year for new regs and documentation changes. Check out our top five safety stories of the year. Read More »

SNF liability rates could rise in 2017

Claims are growing in severity and frequency, according to an annual actuarial report. Read More »

Employee drug testing under the new OSHA rules

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has new rules about discrimination and retaliation, and your organization's employee drug-testing policies may need to be revised to stay in compliance. Read More »

Nursing home faces $100,000 fine for heroin overdose

State and federal health officials seek fines for more than $100,000 at a Chicago nursing home after five residents overdosed on heroin inside the facility.  Read More »

Federal judge blocks CMS ban on arbitration

A federal judge has issued a temporary halt on CMS’ final rule ordering LTC facilities to remove all arbitration agreements from their admissions materials. Read More »

Six keys to an effective infection preventionist

Set your infection preventionist up for success by understanding the role and responsiblities beyond what's mandated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  Read More »

Omnicare to pay $28M to settle allegations of kickbacks

Omnicare will pay more than $28 million to resolve allegations it solicited and received kickbacks from pharmaceutical manufacturer Abbott Laboratories in exchange for promoting the anti-epileptic Depakote. Read More »

Should you allow employees to carry concealed weapons at work?

"My employees want to carry a concealed weapon to work." The decision to allow or prohibit "concealed carry" on your premises is a lot more complicated than you think, even if state law allows it. Read More »

Genesis Healthcare reaches $52.7 million settlement

Genesis Healthcare has reached an agreement in principal on settlement terms for four separate U.S. Department of Justice investigations in the amount of $52.7 million, to be paid in a five-year period.  Read More »

Resident death shines spotlight on shift changes

A resident death at a five-star facility shows that accidents can happen anywhere—and serves as a reminder to shore up documentation and diligence during shift changes. Read More »

Brookdale resident found dead on bus

A resident boarded a bus for a weekly ride around town. She was found dead on the bus more than 29 hours later.  Read More »

LTC organizations secure discount for movie night licenses

The old reel-to-reel movies may have given way to DVDs and streaming videos, but keeping your “movie night” legal still requires public performance license. Luckily, there's a sale on licenses for the rest of 2016. Read More »

Defuse disputes with arbitration clauses

Properly drafted arbitration clauses can help reduce resident disputes, but families may still need help understanding the terms. Read More »

Flu season: An opportunity for training

Despite sunshine and warm temperatures, influenza season is right around the corner. Are your staffers trained in the policies and protocols concerning vaccinations? 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 »

Training, practice and technology pay off in real emergencies

Two real-life incidents show the importance of preparedness and training, so if the worst happens, your staff is ready. Read More »

OSHA launches anti-retaliation rules for injury and illness reporting

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has passed rules that forbid retaliation and discrimination for reporting injuries, including post-accident drug testing and "incentive" programs that retaliate against those who bring workplace safety violations to light. Read More »

Leftover medications

The new Drug Enforcement Agency rules on medication reclamation and disposal protocols have been out since October 2014, but some nursing homes are still using improper methods to deal with unused or expired medications. Read More »

One in five nursing home residents victim of elder abuse

Resident-to-resident elder mistreatment is highly prevalent in nursing homes, according to a new study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.  Read More »