Culture Change

Those with dementia benefit from peer support groups

Peer support groups positively affect people in the early stages of dementia, according to the results of a project. Read More »

Exercise: An important 25 minutes in a senior’s day

Engaging in a daily fitness regimen of moderate to vigorous exercise can help seniors maintain a better standard of health, according to a UK study. Read More »

ICA focuses on changing dementia care delivery

The new International Caregivers Association (ICA) offers techniques, support and training to all caregivers and providers involved with the care of people suffering from dementia care. Read More »

Another battle won in the war on tobacco

Smoke-free nursing homes are becoming the norm. Long-Term Living blogger Kathleen Mears shares her opinions on the benefits of a total ban on tobacco products. Read More »

Murder case highlights nursing home responsibilities, residents’ rights

A five-year-old case in which a nursing home resident with dementia remains accused of strangling her roommate to death is continuing to raise issues of resident rights, family requests and legal responsibilities for long-term care providers. Read More »

EHRs beyond the hospital and doctor’s office: One assisted living community’s story

Assisted living communities need health information technology tools more than ever thanks to increasing acuity levels. One provider of senior housing and care has successfully used electronic health record software to save nurses time and improve documentation. Read More »

12 steps to QAPI: Step 8: Identify your gaps and opportunities

Now that your facility's QAPI plan has been developed and leadership and staff are on board, it's time to put the plan into practice in the constant mission to improve and enhance quality care. Read More »

The walk-and-roll outing

An outdoor outing might seem like a simple pleasure, but it can present challenges to long-term care residents. Overcoming the difficulties mobility issues can present are worth it to give residents a break from the routines of facility life. Read More »

12 steps to QAPI: Step 7: Collecting and using data

We’ve passed the midpoint of the continuing series on Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI). Now it’s time to collect and analyze data to improve person-centered care. Read More »

12 steps to QAPI: Step 6: Conduct a QAPI Awareness Campaign

Tips on various ways to communicate your facility's QAPI plan to all stakeholders--residents, staff and families. An awareness campaign helps to embed quality awareness into your nursing home's culture. Read More »

A small house can mean a big difference, speakers say

A senior living provider and general contractor share what they have learned through the process of building of five small house neighborhoods and delivering person-centered skilled nursing care. See the photo gallery, too. Read More »

Leaders of Tomorrow: Bernadette Ledesma, MPH, LNHA

Congratulations to Long-Term Living 2014 Leaders of Tomorrow honoree Bernadette Ledesma, MPH, LNHA. Administrator, advocate and educator she is instrumental in ensuring top-down quality care for Hawaii’s seniors. Read More »

Household dining yields lower costs, higher satisfaction

A household dining model using satellite kitchens results in lower net costs for communities and an improved dining experience for residents, based on the experiences of one facility owner and operator. Read More »

Leaders of Tomorrow: Anna Ortigara, MSN

Long-Term Living 2014 Leaders of Tomorrow honoree Anna Ortigara, MSN, is bringing her 35-plus years of experience as a nurse and a culture change expert in long-term care, as well as her work with The Green House Project, to a range of service providers through her duties as an organizational change consultant for PHI Coaching and Consulting Services and work with the Pioneer Network. Read More »

Intimate by design

Sex in nursing homes? You bet. How does your facility design support healthy residents' rights to intimacy and sexuality? Read More »

EFACon opening keynote: What’s the recipe for the longest, happiest life?

Forget the fictitious fountain of youth. Environments for Aging Conference opening keynote speaker Nick Buettner explores what it really takes to live the longest, healthiest life possible. Read More »

Functional programming aids person-centered care

Functional programming is an ideal planning approach to use if your community wishes to make design changes as part of an operational move to a more person-centered approach to resident living, say speakers at the Environments for Aging Conference. Read More »

6 questions to ask LGBT residents

Nurses are key contacts in addressing the challenges of LGBT older adults to improve quality of care for this culturally diverse segment of the LTC population. Read More »

Memories of Brutus

Studies have shown that facility pets are proven “caregivers” who provide love and comfort to the residents and staff they live with. Read More »

Effort seeks new name for CCRCs

Older adults’ perceptions of the services offered at continuing care retirement communities are fueling a high-profile effort to develop a new name for the entities. The renaming process, one person predicts, may force providers to think about the services they offer now and how they might want to change in the future. Read More »

Part 2: CCRC shopping: One couple’s view

As this Kentucky couple continues a six-state tour of for-profit CCRCs, one mantra stands firm: First impressions matter.  Read More »

AHRQ accepting safety data now

UPDATE: Nursing homes that have administered the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's nursing home safety culture survey now can submit their data through May 31. The previously announced deadline was April 21. Read More »

Making direct care more appealing

Addressing reasons for staff turnover could help ensure quality and cost control in your facility while improving the lives of your employees. One initiative offers some solutions. What would you add? Read More »

Facilities using state data to improve quality

Leadership and staff of long-term care (LTC) facilities are focusing their quality improvement efforts on areas that residents value the most by using a tool originally designed for consumers and their families, says one state’s LTC ombudsman. Read More »

PACE crosses the 100 mark

The Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly model of senior care reaches a milestone as an alternative to traditional skilled nursing homes service models. Read More »

Focus groups: A window into your organization

Stakeholder surveys can reveal what organizations and residents value—and where long-term care facilities are missing the mark. Read More »

SNF adverse event reduction needed, OIG report says

Adverse events related to post-acute care are harming residents and costing the government money, according to a new report from the Office of Inspector General, so skilled nursing facilities must find a way to reduce their incidence. Read More »

The weight of first impressions

More seniors are skipping the quickie day-tour and researching possible CCRCs through longer-stay visits. What kind of impression would your facility make if the "guest tour" lasted for four days and nights? Read More »

CCRC shopping: One couple’s view

This Kentucky couple embarked on a six-state journey seeking a continuing care retirement community that could suit their needs. What they learned from their multiple-day stays at CCRCs can serve as important lessons for all LTC communities on what future residents are looking for—and not looking for—in their next home. Read More »

Wi-Fi woes

As residents become more tech-savvy, facilities need to keep up with the demand for Internet or Wi-Fi connection. Read More »