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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued draft guidance to reduce sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams per day. One in three Americans has high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Read More »
Mistakes and “near misses” can and will happen. But, how a facility discloses an error can affect everything from the CMS response to the family’s reaction. Read More »
The long-term care industry is facing a workforce shortage. This Kentucky high school might be on to a solution, writes Senior Editor Nicole Stempak. Read More »
When family emotions and workplace stressors combine, long-term care communities can become powderkegs of conflict. Train staff how to spot conflict breweing and how to intervene. Read More »
State labor citations at an Alaska assisted living home have other LTC operators checking the status of their staff training on workplace violence. Read More »
The Department of Justice announced the launch of 10 regional interagency task forces designed to protect seniors in nursing homes by holding operators accountable for the quality of care they provide. Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has imposed steep fines and threatened to terminate Woodbriar Health Center from its programs if serious problems are not resolved by next week. Read More »
Employees at Woodbriar Health Center were retrained on falls-related injuries following the death of a resident, according to a revised plan submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Public Helath. The department says the second fall-related resident death is the result of deficient care. Read More »
Workers who drink or use drugs may be able to hide their impairment from the boss, but sometimes the residents can tell right away, explains SNF resident blogger Kathleen Mears. Read More »
Residents have a right to visitors, but SNFs must maintain safety and the rights of others. Long-Term Living's Legal expert Alan C. Horowitz shares some complicated cases and offers intervention strategies from chief medical directors. Read More »
In the course of an investigation of a resident's death, state regulators determined substandard care resulted in a second resident death and resident fall at Woodbriar Health Center, the latest in a mounting citation list for owner Synergy Health Centers. Read More »
As OSHA rules become more stringent, senior living organizations are giving more attention to healthy habits to avoid staff back injuries—and not just when lifting a resident. Read More »
All long-term living communities need protocols for managing a wide range of incidents whether the law requires it or not, and residents need to be part of the annual practice drills, says safety expert Stan Szpytek. Read More »
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Theft and loss: Addressing security in LTC
By Kylen Cieslak, Associate Director of Marketing and Customer Service, Carstens, Inc.Theft, loss and misappropriation all have administrative and legal consequences, especially if medications or valuable property are involved. Learn More »
Legal advertisements that aim to exploit nursing homes often hit way below the belt, and nursing homes have the right to challenge them. Legal expert Alan C. Horowitz, JD, RN, explains what nursing homes can do to fight back against misleading and deceptive legal advertisements. Read More »
A judge rules physicians are no longer able to make end-of-life decisions for nursing home residents, citing the 1992 state law violates residents' constitutional rights. Read More »
Connecticut has launched a new background check portal to allow employers to screen potential employees, contractors and volunteers who have direct contact with residents. Read More »
Nursing home workers are more likely to be fired within six months of being injured, a new study finds. Workers are more likely to quit within six months of being injured multiple times. Read More »
