The industry can survive and thrive by transforming itself, by embracing wellness for employees and residents and by mounting an effective PR campaign to highlight the importance of long-term care industry. We must acknowledge its need to transform itself and to remind the public of their social contracts to seniors.
How do skilled nursing facilities, clinics and hospitals think about therapy? Focusing on patient satisfaction and revenue is a good start, but it is not enough. As therapy continues to be scrutinized by the government and insurance companies, it's a good idea for administrators, directors of nursing and compliance staff to become more familiar with therapy operations.
Senior housing with supportive services is a new model being offered by senior living communities, linking people with community organizations and services to improve overall health and wellbeing. Enabling seniors to age-in-place for as long as possible has distinctive benefits for both the seniors and their families.
Operators must create a great experience for the physician, but patient flow should be a two-way street. While meeting the needs and wishes of residents must always come first, there can be multiple ways to strengthen the relationship.
Assisted living companion services and the relationship between the community and the company is not always articulated and formalized. Policies and procedures, especially related to emergency response, are not discussed and agreed to with third-parties and visitors. This creates a gray area of liability.
What exactly is a pressure ulcer? It is mechanical stress—pressure, shear or friction—that causes ischemic necrosis of at-risk soft tissue. Pressure ulcers were once thought to happen only to those spending most of their time in bed. Today, we know this is not the case.
The Internet has given consumers a voice. Sharing with one another online, they visit and revisit online sources when making decisions. The places where their searches intersect with information they want are known as the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT). Online reviews are one such place.
Nursing homes and long-term care facilities are a target-rich environment for energy efficiency improvements, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), which notes that residential facilities consume more energy than schools and about the same amount as office buildings per square foot of occupied space.
The path to retirement and beyond comes with a lot of new scenery, from navigating health care needs to deciding where to live. The landscape is changing - in thoughtful and well-planned ways - and community developers and managers have taken notice, often leading the way to help seniors through their decision-making process as they age in place.
For most operators, owners and CFOs in long-term care facilities, control is not a word that comes to mind when insurance is the topic. But with price increases hitting commercial insurance lines, market and coverage limitations within the aging services sector, as well as reduced capacity to service this vertical, greater control is exactly what long-term care executives should demand.
Guest columns are written by long-term care industry experts, ranging from academics and thought leaders to administrators and CEOs.
