A skilled nursing facility and a local hospital in Pennsylvania team up to bridge the patient's transition from acute to a post-acute setting while delivering effective wound care. Read More »
Payments to skilled nursing facilities, quality reporting, value-based purchasing and staffing data collection are addressed in a proposed rule published April 20 in the Federal Register. Read More »
Trips, stumbles and falls can result in serious injury, especially for an older adult who might have balance issues or improper footwear or who might be using a cane or walker incorrectly. Read More »
MedPAC, lawmakers call for payment revisions to cut costs and eliminate abuse in how post-acute care facilities are reimbursed to improve quality of care. Read More »
Since mealtimes are so important to residents, a successful dining program should consider preferences and be sure to have enough of the most popular food items on hand. Read More »
Some career paths can be circuitous as this clinical manager discovered. Through leadership, compassion and continuing involvement in the long-term care industry, this honoree and her staff continue to give their residents rich and fulfilling lives. Read More »
The American Nurses Association seeks public comment on its draft proposal of recommendations to prevent violence to ensure workplace safety by April 30 deadline. Read More »
This clinical nurse specialist provides quality care to the residents he serves, helps colleagues around the country and around the world with his research and other writings, and is priming another generation for long-term care as an adjunct professor at a nearby college. Read More »
Losing electricity is an inconvenience for most people, but for individuals with special needs or compromised health a power outage can be very stressful and potentially dangerous. Read More »
Costs associated with facility-based care and home care have increased over the past five years, according to Genworth’s 12th annual Cost of Care Study. Read More »
Overall senior housing occupancy declined in the first quarter of 2015 due to weak absorption and a moderate increase in inventory, according to the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care’s MAP Data Service. Rent growth continued to accelerate for most independent living properties, according to the web-based source of research and analysis. Read More »
Wherever patients are treated, their safety needs to be ensured. ECRI Institute has compiled a list of safety concerns for healthcare organizations that long-term care providers can benefit from. Read More »
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration updated its guidelines for preventing and reducing incidents of violence in healthcare settings. Read More »
Documentation was the biggest challenge facing skilled nursing centers and assisted living communities during 2014, according to those responding to a year-long survey by Harmony Healthcare International. Read More »
Medications have to be coordinated to achieve the best results for the individual. Kathleen Mears’ blog illustrates the importance of a periodic medication review. Read More »
Many continuing care organizations struggle with identifying potential staff members who have the necessary skills and will fit in with the organizational culture. Pre-employment behavioral assessments may provide a solution to combat retention issues. Read More »
Maintenance and housekeeping staff are the first line of defense in keeping residents and staff safe, healthy and secure in a long-term care environment. Read More »
Patients’ time under “observation status” would count toward the requisite three-day hospital stay for coverage of skilled nursing care under legislation introduced by four senators. Read More »
Abuse, non-reporting of incidents and slow response to a resident in pain are the basis for fines handed down by the Connecticut Department of Public Health in February. Read More »
While order and efficiency need to be maintained, can a facility become too heavy-handed when a resident is delayed by other circumstances? Read More »
What if we approached our employees using the same principles we apply to customer service? Benefits include a reduction in injury claims and employee retention. Read More »
The quality of manufacture and efficacy may be called into question when the country of origin is a mystery to the user. Made in U.S.A. Foundation stresses the importance of labeling medications and supplements. Read More »
A recent study assessed the efficacy of vitamin D and exercise in preventing falls, the leading cause of injuries and fractures in older adults. Read More »
The Medicare program could have saved $4.1 billion over 6 years if it had reimbursed for swing-bed services at critical access hospital using the lower skilled nursing facility prospective payment system rates paid for similar services at alternative facilities, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Read More »
Senate and House leaders have introduced legislation to replace the Medicare sustainable growth rate formula tied to physician compensation, but organizations representing aging services providers are expressing concerns related to Medicare therapy caps and payment cuts to providers of post-acute care. Read More »
