The judges have finished their tallies and the results are in: A groundbreaking program in dementia care is the winner of this year’s OPTIMA award. Find out who won and stay tuned for our continuing coverage of their program! Read More »
Because of the state’s shortage of nursing homes, seniors in Northern Kentucky are moving across the Ohio River to facilities in southwest Ohio. And Ohio taxpayers are footing more than half the bill for many of these displaced Kentucky Medicaid residents. Read More »
Visitors and regular volunteers make residents comfortable and give them a connection to the community outside of the facility. Kathy tells about her bond with a special volunteer. Read More »
Long-term care communities learn to orient themselves to each resident's reality to create life-affirming activities, eliminating the one-siz-fits-all group therapy concept. Read More »
Thoughtful activities such as reading, writing and engaging in mind-stimulating activities provide more than a distraction from everyday life. An engaged mind can defend against dementia. Read More »
There’s a brand-new imaging test available to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, but it’s so expensive that CMS is limiting the Medicare coverage of the test to two circumstances. Read More »
Some residents are wise to wandering alarms and door monitors and they can be quite creative in their efforts to leave the facility unnoticed. Read More »
Recent data predicts the Total Shoulder Replacement market could nearly double by 2019. Can you provide the rehab all those short-term residents will need? Read More »
To paraphrase a Sonny and Cher hit…”The heat goes on and on and on” west of the Mississippi. Beating the heat isn’t easy and for seniors it’s a challenge to keep them comfortable—and safe. Read More »
Residents may think that breakfast eggs are part of a facility “shell” game because of inconsistency and the quality of egg product purchased. Read More »
Diuretics are common components in many medications used for hypertension, heart failure and renal disease. But overuse of diuretics can worsen the conditions they are meant to treat, warns a new study in JAMDA. Read More »
The 2013 update to the national action plan on dementia has added a gamut of initiatives to the plan, including new treatment guidelines, increased access to services and better education on the disease’s impacts on families and the healthcare system. Read More »
Putting pharmacists and primary care physicians on care teams can improve outcomes for long-stay residents in skilled nursing, according to a recent review of research from around the world. Read More »
Scientists take a page from the Harry Potter series to develop a resident locating system to track nursing home residents in an effort to improve care. Read More »
The Texas nursing home’s evacuation plan was executed, residents were removed from harm’s way, but the facility experienced a spike in resident deaths. Why? Read More »
A serious fall at home can have far-reaching consequences to a senior’s quality of life. A government-funded study will look into ways to reduce or prevent the instances of debilitating falls in community-dwelling seniors. Long-term care providers are asked to help. Read More »
Residents and their families trust that close attention is paid to the medications each individual requires. LTL blogger Kathleen Mears talks about the time she was given the incorrect medication. Read More »
Researchers at Columbia University School of Nursing are developing a new system of online tools to address the unique issues of dementia care within the Hispanic community. Read More »
Resident empowerment goes back to school as one company adds an online "university" of content and tools to engage seniors in learning about health topics. Read More »
As the American populations continues to age, assisted living looks at a new role of providing housing care to higher acuity residents and those with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Read More »
Were the residents' eggs served runny or undercooked? Ambiguity in language convinces an Appeals Court to reverse a noncompliance ruling in a recent case where CMS had accused a nursing home of poor food preparation. Read More »
A new study assesses the relationship between Internet use by seniors and its effect on the symptoms of depression and the possible impact on healthcare costs. Read More »
To the young, World War II is a lesson in the history books. But the courage, sacrifice and bravery shown by those who served will live on. Read More »
