Medication Management

The 2017 OPTIMA Award winner for Excellence in Memory Care

I Advance Senior Care is proud to announce the winner of the inaugural OPTIMA Award for Excellence in Memory Care. Read More »

Remedi SeniorCare expands in N.C.

The long-term care pharmacy adds Charlotte, N.C. to its growing list of sites. Read More »

KKR, Walgreens buy PharMerica for $909M

The joint venture will convert pharmacy benefit manager PharMerica into a private company. Read More »

Overprescribing opioids

Many surgery patients seem to have plenty of prescription pain pills left over after their recovery, and that’s a big problem, says a new JAMA study. Read More »

New pharmacy approaches to diabetes management

Pharmacists are adopting adherence programs, collaborating with the clinical care team and reviewing new industry guidelines to maintain blood sugar levels and keep comorbidities in check. Read More »

CDC: Diabetes rates on the rise

Why the next big chronic disease challenge for skilled nursing facilities could be diabetes. Read More »

A winning combination

Over-the-counter pain relievers help resident blogger Kathleen Mears manager her pain. Read More »

A change in dosage

Resident blogger Kathleen Mears shares how having her antidepressant adjusted has impacted her quality of life for the worse. Read More »

Substance abuse among older adults

What’s the profile of a drug abuser? Unfortunately, one of the age groups seeing increased opioid misuse is age 50-64. Read More »

End-stage dementia and unnecessary drugs

While senior care has progressed in avoiding unnecessary medications, many patients with advanced dementia are still receiving at least one drug of questionable benefit, especially in the last month of life. Read More »

Breaking down the CBO report: How AHCA could affect seniors

How could the proposed AHCA legislation affect older adults? What could happen to Medicaid and the ability to find insurance coverage? We explain the actual CBO report section by section. Read More »

Leading a multi-generational staff

From senior volunteers to Generation Z, intergenerational staff teams can be an energizing force or an infighting nightmare. Read More »

Better training, less medications

A new study has found that teaching staff to identify unmet needs in residents with dementia led to fewer “behaviors” and ultimately reduced use of antipsychotic medications. Read More »

CMS: SNF antipsychotic use at lowest level since 2011

The prevalence of antipsychotics in SNFs has dropped consistently since the CMS mandate to reduce unnecessary usage went into effect in 2012. Read More »

Physical therapy: Experience vs. equipment

Physical therapists must balance high-tech tools with acquired tricks of the trade to help patients get better, and stay better. Read More »

Software companies tackle medication management

Vital Software and Creative Strategies have partnered to integrate and market their technologies for shared assisted living provider clients. Read More »

The therapy coding overhaul

CMS's recent changes to therapy code sets are rocking the provider world. This primer will help your facility transition to the new CPT codes and the new Medicare reimbursement rules that are coming next. Read More »

Guardian Pharmacy Atlanta grows base by 75% with new acquisition

Guardian Pharmacy continues its growth spurt as the Atlanta arm of the Guardian group acquires Georgia-based Collier's Personal Care Pharmacy. Read More »

Decoding the mixed messages about psychiatric care in SNFs

What should SNFs do when CMS’s 5-star guidelines for antipsychotic medication use don’t agree with SOM guidelines? Read More »

Top 10 patient safety concerns for 2017: ECRI Institute

Electronic Health Record information management tops the list of this year's key patient safety issues across all healthcare sectors, but assisted living and skilled nursing facilities are directly involved in three other items on the list. Read More »

A new attempt to manage multiple chronic conditions

Federal agencies have partnered to offer chronic care management for Medicare beneficiaries and their providers. Read More »

Retrofitting medicine tackle boxes

statDISPENSE aims to create a safe, affordable automated padlock for dispensing emergency medication kits. Read More »

TX hospice indicted for $60M fraud, overmedicating

Sixteen people are mired in a $60 million scheme to rip off Medicare for false hospice services, including giving Schedule II controlled pain medication to patients who didn’t need them. Read More »

PharMerica targets assisted living

The long-term care pharmacy services provider is positioning itself to capture the growing opportunities in the assisted living sector. Read More »

Cannabis use highest among senior population

A new report has found the use of cannabis has nearly tripled since 2000, but little research has been conducted to show reliable, representative information about usage and attitudes among older adults. Read More »

One-on-one with…Jeff Stamps, RPh

Our Q&A with Jeff Stamps, CEO of Remedi, explores the future of LTC pharmacy and how pharmacy services can help SNFs comply with documentation and care planning. Read More »

Mobile app helps manage medication adherence for Parkinson’s

The daily smartphone log improves engagement for symptom maintenance and dosage tracking, notes a British NHS study. Read More »

Fighting superbugs with genetic warfare

As antibiotic resistance grows, scientists are learning how to attack killer bacteria at the genetic level. Read More »