Some people, and their groups, are better at furthering the art of tactless solicitation than others. For the latest case of hoof-in-mouth disease, we only have to look to our friends at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, otherwise known as PETA (www.peta.org).

Federal regulators have put themselves on the spot as a result of their new five-star rating system for nursing homes.

Alice Hedt, Executive Director, NCCNHR

If there's one thing I learned long ago as a journalist, it's that the ratings game is a double-edged sword. It doesn't matter if it's a high school football team or a movie you're rating, you will elicit what I call the "Jekyll and Hyde Syndrome."

U.S. lawmakers continued to campaign for an end to nursing home pre-admission agreements.They hammered providers recently on the topic, holding no fewer than three congressional hearings and introducing the second of two bills that would prohibit the secretive deals during a four-week period.

While much of the attention of the most recent My InnerView national satisfaction survey focused on generally positive resident and family views, responses from workers also pointed out areas of concern for top management.

New research finds that 82% of long-term care consumers say they are satisfied with their facility. It marks a 2% rise compared to a year earlier among residents and family members describing their levels of satisfaction as "excellent" or "good," according to study authors.

Short-term therapy has received most of the buzz lately, but providers know long-termers keep them in good shape

Cynical journalists can tell you: It's hard to find pure "feel-good" stories nowadays. Really hard.

A tidal wave of individuals with diabetes is expected to hit the nation's nursing homes in the coming years. To prepare for it, one of the country's largest nursing home chains already has begun implementing a new training and care program.