Rehabilitation

Leaders of Tomorrow: Roberto Muñiz

Congratulations to another of our five 2013 Leaders of Tomorrow award winners:  Roberto Muñiz, MPA, LNHA, FACHCA, president and CEO, the Francis E. Parker Memorial Home, Piscataway, N.J. Parker incorporates value-added services for adult day healthcare and social outreach to seniors in the community. Read More »

The Boston Marathon story the bombs couldn’t destroy

At this week's Boston Marathon, some victorious stories emerged despite the cruel bombing attacks. For Bill, it’s victory #46. Read More »

Study: Texting better than paging for speedy stroke treatment

Those who suffer a stroke may want the emergency medical staff to be busy texting instead of using an overhead paging system, a new study finds. Read More »

3 steps to conquering the fear of falling

Trepidation about tripping? Most seniors who have taken a tumble once, will develop a fear of falling again. Helping seniors to overcome the fear of falling starts with a deep understanding of what scares them--and then empowering them to change it. Read More »

California shines in ‘Best Nursing Homes’ annual report

Where does your city rank in U.S. News & World Report's new "Best Nursing Homes" list? Read More »

JAMA: Delayed hospice transitions undermine palliative care services

In a new JAMA study, researchers question aggressive medical treatments that may keep terminally ill patients in acute care or skilled nursing instead of referring them to hospice care. Read More »

FDA may switch hydrocodone to stricter access level

A popular pain medication, currrently under review by the Food Drug Administration, may become much harder to acquire. Read More »

Fall management program reduces falls by 53 percent

Whether residents are in short-stay rehab or LTC units, providing the right physical environment backed by staff commitment, can improve mobility and, ultimately, reduce falls. Here’s how one LTC community did just that. Read More »

How gray is your attitude?

When it comes to longevity, a healthy attitude about aging matters. Colorado researchers are working on a way to measure self-perceived age. Read More »

A positive outlook on aging aids in recovery from disabilities

Maintaining a positive outlook on aging helps many seniors recover from disabilities and extend independence, study finds Read More »

The 5 holiday gifts Grandma will actually want

What to get Gramma for the holidays? Forget the slippers and focus on a deeper understanding of what elders actually crave. Read More »

Making progress one step at a time

Important victories can be achieved when a resident is encouraged and enabled to use his or her abilities to achieve a personal goal through support and training. Read More »

Incontinence: Documentation risks and payment issues

How many of your residents have some sort of incontinence? More than you think. Improper assessment and MDS 3.0 coding of incontinence can result in inadequate treatment for residents, costly overuse of incontinence products and payment issues for caregivers. Read More »

Law firm launches nursing home neglect site

One law firm has created a website to educate consumers about nursing home neglect—and to give them easy access to lawyers who specialize in eldercare neglect cases. Will other states follow suit? Read More »

Targeting the adult day care market

Need new service revenue? Two executives from the Francis E. Parker Memorial Home, Highland Park, N.J., share how offering adult day programs can open up opportunities to provide well-needed services while building new bridges to skilled nursing services. Read More »

“Frequent users” are not abusing ER services, multi-state studies say

Seniors have been accused of overusing the Emergency Room, often as a substitute primary care provider. But new studies from a national emergency medicine association say that their ER visits are usually justified. Read More »

7 methods to educate residents about their diagnoses

Engaging residents to learn more about their medical diagnoses can be a challenge, but seven simple approaches can bring information on illnesses and conditions to the community—for the benefit of both residents and caregivers—and keep the doorways to conversation open. Read More »

Knee replacement patients need extra care to curb infections, readmissions

Knee replacements are one of the most common surgical procedures for those over 60. But the risks of infection and hospital readmission are increasing. Does your facility have a plan to provide best-practices care to residents on knee rehab? Read More »

Study questions performance measures regarding stroke mortality rates

When it comes to performance based on 30-day mortality rates, care facilities may be getting skewed performance ratings for ischemic strokes, a new study says. Read More »

Certain surgeries have far higher 30-day readmission risks, study shows

Residents who are recovering from surgery need special transitions of care and monitoring to prevent post-operative complications and hospital readmissions. Read More »

AHCA/NCAL announces the 2012 award winners

The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL)awards are here: This year 458 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities were recognized, but only two took home the gold. Read More »

The Olympic feats of caregivers

No one ever said being a long-term caregiver is easy. At times, it’s downright olympic. Going for the gold takes teamwork, dedication and … well, a sense of humor. Read More »

Joint replacements linked to post-op heart attacks, study shows

A massive study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows significantly higher risks of heart attacks during the two to six weeks following total joint replacement surgeries. Read More »

Restorative nursing: It takes a facility

An interdisciplinary approach to restorative care can improve quality measures as evidenced by a program instituted at Renaissance Gardens at Riderwood, an Erickson Living Community in Silver Spring, Md. Read More »

SNF awarded for reducing falls 53% in 2011

The Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation (CNR), Brooklyn, N.Y., receives national recognition for its falls reduction program Read More »

Falls and the fear of falling in the elderly

Watch your step! At any age, falls can range from embarrasing to causing great pain. And nowhere is this hazard more apparent, or possibly deadly, when a elderly person takes a tumble. Read More »

Researchers identify risk factors of rehospitalization for post-acute stroke patients

Of the nearly 700 stoke patients studied, 18 percent were rehospitalized during the three months following discharge. Patients with better motor and cognitive abilities at rehabilitation discharge were less likely to be rehospitalized. Read More »

Can this resident ever move closer to home?

Every day this 28-year-old father of two is encouraged to feed himself and do all he can so he can go home. But John's behaviors and displays of anger make caring for him difficult, and he is far away from the comfort and reassurance of his home state. Read More »

Hearing loss linked to 3-fold increased risk of falling

Researchers found that people with "mild" hearing loss were nearly three times more likely to have a history of falling, even when accounting for other factors. Read More »

Head, shoulders, knees, toes: A focus on mobility

What happens when rehab therapy is complete? Mobility improvements can continue when residents are engaged, encouraged and having fun. It also helps to employ these three levels of fitness. Read More »