Cases of Legionnaire’s disease have been reported at three long-term care facilities since May. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the number reported cases has quadrupled since 2000. Read More »
Unclear or incomplete documentation of end-of-life care choices makes a paramedic’s job even harder, especially when transferring residents from a nursing home to the hospital, says a British explorative paper. How much training are you giving residents and families on the importance of a POLST form? Read More »
An eight-site accountable care organization (ACO) is using point-of-care HbA1c testing, care management and nutrition intervention to bring its population of patients in good control of their Type 2 diabetes from 12 percent to nearly 50 percent. Read More »
A new program, Serving Smiles to Seniors, informs older adults on the importance of good oral health, access to oral healthcare services and techniques for a healthy smile. Read More »
New data supports the use of the drug NUDEXTA to treat pseudobulbar affect (PBA), a condition found in those with brain injuries, neurological damage from stroke or dementia and certain neuromuscular diseases. Read More »
Are residents having trouble sleeping at night and focusing during the day? Pump up their exercise regimen, suggests a study on the circadian rhythms of older adults. Read More »
A new study found residents with Alzheimer’s disease were less likely to be restrained or medicated at nursing homes where frontline staff spoke regularly with memory care specialists, suggesting quality outcomes can improve with expert intervention. Read More »
Data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows there are some distinct causes of death that warrant public attention, preventive programs and classification reconsideration. Read More »
Researchers have documented the first known U.S. case of an E. coli bacteria with the resistance gene mcr-1. But researchers worry that if the hard-wired resistance spreads, it could change the face of the bacterial battle for good. Read More »
Say what? Seniors who use hearing aids or received cochlear implants to improve their hearing may also reduce their risk of developing depression. Read More »
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists are working to develop a pathogen-specific antibiotic to be less disruptive to the gut microbiome than broad-spectrum antibiotics. Read More »
Researchers found well-being, sensory function, mobility and mental health are better measures of health for older adults than their chronological age. Read More »
Sometimes a careless action can cause a big headache. SNF resident blogger Kathleen Mears relates how a gown tie forced the nurse to get out the scissors. Read More »
May is National Stroke Awareness month, so consider holding refresher training—for staff and residents—on the signs and symptoms of stroke. Read More »
May has been designated a time for doctors, therapists and trainers to talk about the negative health consequences of poor posture, including what hunching over a smartphone or computer can do to the back muscles. Read More »
Signature HealthCare's new chief medical officer talks about adaptive leadership and why collaborative teams are key to person-centered care in skilled nursing environments. Read More »
The online educational series, created for professional caregivers, covers 16 topics relating to senior medication and adverse drug events—and it’s free. Read More »
People with Parkinson's disease may get a new lease on life as the FDA fast-tracks a new treatment to curb the psychotic hallucinations that often accompany the disease. Read More »
New residents arriving from a hospital often have multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) on their hands that can spread quickly across the LTC facility, yet resident hand washing is still overlooked as a protocol, a JAMA study says. Read More »
Does the next promising treatment for OA reside inside our own blood? The surprising results from a new study say it's definitely worth researching. Read More »
The largest private insurer in the country has announced it will be ending its participation in most state healthcare marketplace exchanges, but it has some new plans for the future. Read More »
In our second installment of the Leaders of Tomorrow award winners, Rachel Pankratz, PT, WCC, director of therapy at Larksfield Place, Wichita, Kans., shows what can be done when physical therapy and clinical teams combine efforts in the mission of proactive resident care. Read More »
Residents with mild or no dementia are more likely to make a trip to the emergency department than residents with severe dementia, says a new study by the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University Center for Aging Research. Read More »
In our first installment of the 2016 Leaders of Tomorrow award winners, we honor Debra Gallimore, RN, Director of Nursing at Skyline Health and Rehabilitation Center in Floyd, Va. She may be one of the youngest DONs the community has had, but you'll have a difficult time finding someone who knows more about her staff's job roles—she's done most of them herself. Read More »
National Healthcare Decisions Day is Apr. 16, and as most skilled nursing facilities know, an advance directive may be a little piece of paper, but it’s a big conversation process. Read More »
