Search Results for: Past Issues

Songs of the soul

Personalized music therapy programs reach into the silent corridors where those with dementia dwell. Read More »

Congress acts to fix the Medicare SGR

A plan by Congress may finally fix sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula issues for physicians, but long-term care and outpatient therapy services could suffer in the process. Read More »

Minimizing workplace violence in LTC facilities

OSHA is taking a harder look at workplace violence in long-term care facilities. These tips can help you prepare your staff and shore up your documentation procedures. Read More »

One-on-one with…Lisa Newcomb

It's estimated that more than 2 million seniors in New York will need some kind of long-term care by 2015. Read about the assisted living initiatives under way in that state—and how communities elsewhere might benefit. Read More »

Are resident grievance committees effective?

Without administrative buy-in, leadership and active participants, resident committees have difficulty being effective and relevant. Kathleen Mears shares her experience on various resident committees. Read More »

Preventing falls can be within your power

As Falls Prevention Awareness Day approaches, experts offer tips staff members can implement to improve resident safety as well as insights into how falls contribute to vision-related costs to the government, private insurers and individuals. Read More »

Technology grows as a priority for LTC business

Got tech? Many long-term care communities are already adopting electronic health records, but Long-Term Living’s readers told us their technology plans also include e-medication administration technology, wander management/safety systems and an increasing awareness of the business impacts of technology on delivering quality care. Read More »

One-on-one with…Robert Van Dyk

From medical-model nursing homes to the advent of Medicare/Medicaid to the adoption of the ACA and beyond, caring for our seniors has been a constantly evolving mission and challenge. Read More »

PBS’ Frontline slams assisted living; communities cry foul

Updated 3:30 p.m.   Last night’s PBS documentary on assisted living has enraged many, both because of what it revealed and what it didn’t reveal. Read More »

Court of Appeals agrees with SNF, reverses HHS

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 »

Medicare Part A fund to outlast predictions, remain solvent til 2026

The Medicare funds for hospital Part A could last two years longer than expected, notes today’s annual trustees report. Read More »

A resurgence of fraud cases based on quality allegations

Alleged poor quality charges are landing providers in the poorhouse. A look at cases based on poor quality of care and the subsequent verdicts handed down. Read More »

Industry leaders weigh in on President Obama’s FY2014 budget proposal

This summer will be a busy one as Congress deliberates the 2014 budget and how, without revisions, its proposed cuts to Medicare may affect the physicians, hospitals and long-term care providers. Read More »

Managing the next flu season

Long-term care has weathered the recent flu epidemic, but now is the time to instill good habits among personnel in anticipation of the next viral invasion. Read More »

Small changes have big impact on LTC residents’ sense of control, autonomy

When long-term care residents perceive control over what is generally a highly structured new environment, it helps them cope with stressors, reduces their depression and anxiety and increases their satisfaction with care. Read More »

Is visiting an unhappy reminder?

Residents enjoy when family and friends come to call. However, these visits might trigger old memories or a glimpse of their own futures in long-term care. Read More »

The impact of the aging population on acute care facilities

How is senior-centric care changing the way hospitals are designed? Anne DiNardo, senior editor of our sister-publication Healthcare Design, asks two design experts about the impacts of geriatric care on the rest of the care chain in this sneak-peek of what attendees will learn at our Environments for Aging conference next month. Read More »

Preventing workplace violence in LTC

Site security, recognizing and defusing aggressive behavior and workplace violence prevention are topics that should be integrated into every facility’s training regimens. Read More »

LED lighting in senior living: Friend or foe?

Although natural light is preferred as much as possible in senior living, artificial lighting is necessary.  So is the latest technology the best?  Read More »

Is renovation always a good thing?

Every year a group of multi-disciplinary professionals gather to discuss Design Showcase submissions for the Environments for Aging review. Inevitably, during the discussion, a common theme appears. This year was no exception: Is renovation always a good thing? Read More »

Neuroplasticity and its impact on senior living

Learning, memory improvement, problem solving, vision, balance and depression can all be improved if we understand neuroplasticity and how to have fun while "teaching an old dog new tricks.” Read More »

No downside to upside risk

A new program designed for young adults with intellectual disabilities can help seniors overcome their challenges in positive, supportive long-term care environments. Read More »

Skilled or unskilled nursing: Feds ramp up investigations, prosecutions

An increased focus by the Attorney General’s office on the conditions in SNFs throughout the state of California mirror the trend of enforcement and prosecution against those in the healthcare industry across the country. Read More »

President Obama mentions Medicare and Medicaid in his second inaugural speech

President Obama touched on Medicare and Medicaid in his second inaugural address on Jan. 21, in a speech with a strong focus on unity among Americans and with a heavy emphasis on social progress. Read More »

Beyond fall prevention: Solving the hip fracture crisis

When is a fracture not just a fracture? When it’s a hip fracture. Hip fractures in the elderly can have devastating consequences. Read More »

CDC: Make brain health a national priority

Placing brain health among the current national health priorities--like diabetes and heart disease--can give cognitive health the attention and respect it needs to foster awareness and better prevention habits, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Health Brain Initiative. Read More »

Top 10 LTC news stories of 2012

The long-term care industry was buffeted by forceful winds of change in 2012. Regulatory, political, economic and societal transitions tested providers’ mettle as the LTC landscape struggles to evolve and adapt. Technological advances and an improving senior housing market were bright spots in a busy news year. Read More »

5 tips for increasing LTC resident pay and reducing collections

As the resident pay portion in long-term care has increased over the last several years, many facilities are finding it difficult to collect the resident’s entire portion when the resident doesn't have the resources to pay all at once. Here are five key tips for increasing the collection of the resident pay portion, thus reducing the account receivables that end up in collections. Read More »

Working with Workflow: Long-term care’s EMR Technology

Will your EMR grow along with you? Does your information system understand you facility's workflow? Senior care technology expert John Derr explains how to assess workflow amid information technology changes and upgrades. Read More »

LeadingAge to LTC providers: Demand change in healthcare delivery system

The overriding message from LeadingAge thought leaders at the group's annual meeting is that providers must step up to the plate and demand a say in the future of the country’s bloated and broken healthcare delivery system. Read More »