Skilled Nursing

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 »

Chief economist a first for NIC

The National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry has named what it says is the first chief economist for the organization and industry. Read More »

Staffing levels seldom cited by state surveyors

Sufficient staffing is an important, yet overlooked, component in providing quality care to nursing home residents, according to a new analysis. Read More »

What’s in a name?

What if a ton of long-term care death certificates are attributed to the wrong cause? One study says it may be true. Read More »

LTC insurance premiums can be tax-deductible

If a prospective resident were to ask you about the tax deductibility of long-term care insurance premiums, would you know what to tell him or her? Read More »

12 steps of QAPI: Step 3: Self-assessment

Nursing homes must know where they are on the road to quality assurance performance improvement (QAPI). Nell Griffin, LPN, EdM, explains the importance of Step 3 of QAPI implementation: self-assessment. Read More »

Carry-in menu mix-ups

When a number of residents order takeout food, mistakes are bound to happen. Read More »

Proposed budget cuts concern LTC groups

Long-term care provider associations express appreciation for the proposed 2015 budget’s support of some senior housing and services but disappointment in potential program cuts. Read More »

Chemical restraint replaces physical restraint in SNFs

Public reporting of the use of physical restraints has led to the increased use of antipsychotic medications in nursing home residents whose cognition is severely impaired, according to new research. Read More »

Online education company expands offerings for LTC professionals

Online education and training sessions often suit the busy schedules of LTC professionals. Read More »

Adult ‘smart’ briefs can detect UTIs

Disposable adult briefs that can screen for urinary tract infections could improve early intervention and treatment.  Read More »

Celebrate Long-Term Care Administrator’s Week

To the industry's hard-working long-term care administrators, thank you! 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 »

Home care workforce set to explode by 2022

Twice as many direct-care jobs will be available in home care than in skilled nursing homes by 2022. How will you compete for direct-care workers? Read More »

Waiting for spring

Across the country, this has been a hard winter. In north central Ohio, where Long-Term Living’s resident blogger Kathleen Mears lives, the weather has taken its toll on residents. Read how one facility coped with cabin fever. Read More »

Nursing home enforcement actions decreasing: LTCCC

Fewer citations aren’t a sign of better care; they’re a sign of danger to residents, says one advocacy group. Read More »

Alzheimer’s disease causes more deaths than previously thought

Alzheimer's disease may be an underlying cause of five to six times as many deaths as currently reported, according to new research. In fact, the disease may be one of the leading causes of death in the United States. 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 »

One-on-one with… Sandra Stimson

Government bodies are instituting new standards as they recognize the importance of special training in the area of dementia. In this environment, Sandra Stimson, executive director of the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners and the International Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners, recently took time to answer some questions about the organizations and their programs. Read More »

Geriatric emergency department guidelines issued

Catheter use, medication management, fall assessment, delirium, dementia and palliative care are among the issues covered by new guidelines issued for emergency facilities designed specifically for older adults. Read More »

Obama’s FY15 budget proposal: What’s in it for long-term care?

President Obama’s budget for 2015 focuses heavily on healthcare, offering new funding for some and deeper cuts for others. Read More »

Website offers state survey reports on LTC facilities to consumers

A California-based website that provides information about long-term care facilities has now added state inspection reports for consumers to peruse.  Read More »

AMDA has new name, plans membership changes

An organization focusing on medical directors in long-term care has changed its name to include post-acute care and will extend full membership to some non-physicians. Read More »

Ensuring regulatory compliance in your facility

As a long-term care provider, you must understand who your clients are, how the regulations govern your businesses and how the regulations and the clients' needs intersect. Six actions may keep you out of trouble. Read More »

Aviv REIT inks $48M acquisition

Chicago-based AvivREIT continues to increase its portfolio of skilled nursing facilities. 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 »

Genetic data on older adults added to online database

The National Institutes of Health has added genetic information on thousands of older adults to an online database for researchers.  Read More »

Long-term care policy lapses

Seniors and their families must take steps to ensure that plans they make to pay for care as they age do not get derailed unnecessarily. Read More »

Managing resident personal funds

Tips to avoid financial risks when facilities take responsibility for a resident’s personal banking and purchasing. Read More »

New dementia care rules go into effect in Massachusetts

New regulations in the Bay State govern worker training, activities, public communication and design of nursing home units for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Read More »