Are you ready for 'The Call'?

Laura Rossman May 22, 2012

I remember the day I got "the call." With years of experience in aging and long-term care, I found myself confused, overwhelmed and without easy access to all the right papers for my parents. Just like anybody else in that situation.
 

Five-Star insights: Will those stars ever illuminate your path?

May 16, 2012

I recently asked a hospital discharge planner how she chooses which nursing home to discharge to. "Five-Star" was the reply. Was I surprised? Not at all. Once again, it demonstrates just how far this Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services consumer initiative reaches.
 

Electronic health records: Clearing up confusion about federal implementation deadline

Majd Alwan May 11, 2012

There is no federal mandate for nursing homes, home health programs or residential living facilities to implement electronic health records (EHR). Hence, the upcoming federal deadline for EHR implementation does not apply to providers of long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC).
 

New initiatives needed to build skilled caregiver workforce

Alice Vestergaard, Ed.D May 05, 2012

The aging of the American population and the healthcare issues that go with it are creating a demographic earthquake that will shake our current system of healthcare to the core. We are on our way to becoming a nation of caregivers, a job description we are largely unprepared to fill.
 

CMS 'overpayment' rule may come at a greater cost

Glenn P. Hendrix May 02, 2012

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently issued a proposed rule addressing how it will implement the 60-day deadline for returning overpayments made to federal health programs. If fully adopted, the rule would significantly expand the liability of healthcare providers and suppliers under the federal False Claims Act.
 

The 'single' boom: problems and solutions for long-term care

April 27, 2012

Demographic trends suggest we need to prepare for increasing numbers of residents without close relatives. Here are four ways we can expect this shift to impact our residents, and suggestions for how we can adapt to this change.
 

Make a Difference!

, Allen F. Yearick, MHA, NHA April 24, 2012

How many times have we heard the expression "Please don't put me in that God-forsaken place to die" and then discount the reality of its meaning as something from our industry's past?
 

Capturing acuity: How MDS accuracy has a critical impact on Medicare/Medicaid payment systems

April 20, 2012

There's a familiar saying in the industry that "If it's not documented, then it's not done." But what if it is documented, but just not documented correctly?
 

Working across care settings to improve dementia care

Leann Reynolds April 19, 2012

Assisted living facilities, with or without a specialized memory wing, have started teaming up with in-home care companies that offer professional caregivers highly skilled in dementia care.
 

8 questions to help providers with community move managers

Kim McMahon April 13, 2012

Continuing care retirement communities can improve their occupancy rates by incorporating senior move management services into their move-in enticement options.
 

Caregiving. It's what you do

Celia Pomerantz April 06, 2012

I wonder how the staff at my mother's nursing home could handle so much sadness. Perhaps it was because they knew how to listen with their hearts.
 

A call for more chocolate: Will it ease swallowing problems?

By Faerella Boczko, MS, CCC-SLP, BRS-S and Siobhan McKeon, MS, CCC-SLP April 03, 2012

What affect would the addition of chocolate have for seniors with difficulty swallowing? That's what we set out to learn.
 

How our facility continually beats the flu

Cindy Walsh, RN, BSN, MSCN March 30, 2012

It makes me sad to hear others from my profession argue against flu vaccination with statements such as, "I never got the flu and I have never been vaccinated." That is not the point. There is sound evidence that the vaccine is safe, that the vaccine works and it saves lives.
 

Stop the 'siloed' policy making for skilled nursing

Alan G. Rosenbloom March 21, 2012

Last week, three reports issued by three separate government agencies made incongruent recommendations — or no recommendations at all — related to skilled nursing facility (SNF) patient care and policy. This spotlights precisely how federal policymaking is hampered by "siloed thinking."
 

Operate with an eye on quality, not the next survey cycle

March 16, 2012

The anxiety associated with an impending survey should be offset by the fact that the nursing facility holds the secret to its own success - the knowledge of its customers.
 

How about senior living, care and programs for MEN?

Michelle Seitzer March 12, 2012

There is something to be said for creating a senior living environment that is inviting both to female AND male residents, as well as female AND male visitors.
 

A good first step but more to do with MDS 3.0

March 07, 2012

It was a long first day, but there was tremendous value and everyone who is here has learned what the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' positions are with the April updates and some of the policy changes they're talking about. The changes are thought provoking and some are what I would consider on the edge of being a little controversial.
 

Medicare Part A Length of Stay: Part III

Kris Mastrangelo March 05, 2012

More providers need how to use an interdisciplinary team approach to be more effective when managing transitions from the nursing home environment to a community living setting.
 

When crisis hits

Shane Swisher February 27, 2012

Unfortunate events can occur anywhere, at any time, including in long-term care. How a company handles the situation is what determines whether it's perceived as a success or failure.
 

Coming out of the closet with caregiving

February 24, 2012

Who ever thought that caregivers would need to come out of the closet and be accepted? It's true.
 

Better managing the Medicare Part A stay

Kris Mastrangelo, OTR, MBA, LNHA February 21, 2012

Discharge planning is the key element in managing Medicare Part A length of stay. A home assessment can significantly affect the process.
 

Analytically Speaking: CMS Quality Measures for MDS 3.0

February 17, 2012

At first, the MDS 3.0 Quality Measures do not appear to be very different from those based on MDS 2.0. But "the devil is in the details" and nearly every measure that seems familiar is different in some way. One of the most significant changes is in the resident and record selection.
 

RAC reviews and the long-term care provider

David Centafont February 10, 2012

Recently, claims for hospital patients discharged to skilled nursing homes have come under increased review, particularly by various recovery audit contractors. If you know some background and better understand the situation, it can only help.
 

Make A Difference, Today!

Allen Yearick, MHA, NHA February 06, 2012

So often as administrators, we focus on the bigger picture items of our typical day: meetings, staffing, financials, marketing, building/maintenance, QI, etc. These are important and essential components. But sometimes it's the little things, the simple things, that can be so powerful.
 

iPads for health services directors

Silva K. M. Gerety, MPA, MSN, RN, NEA - BC, NHA February 01, 2012

In my many years of practicing nursing and providing care for seniors, it's exciting to see how new technology can make the lives of those in our profession easier and more satisfying. I'm speaking of the iPad.
 

Managing the clinically anticipated Medicare Part A length of stay

Kris Mastrangelo, OTR, MBA, LNHA January 26, 2012

The Medicare adjustments of fiscal year 2012 have left the long-term care profession discussing and debating care strategies to ensure success and mitigate the reductions in reimbursement. A key indicator when analyzing clinical and financial solidity is the facility's clinically anticipated Medicare length of stay.
 

Using technology to fuel innovative service to older adults

Denise Rabidoux January 20, 2012

We are at a critical point in long-term care. The perfect storm is upon us: baby boomers hitting 65, the decline of the U.S. economy and housing market, increasing healthcare costs that demand we rethink our business. Long-term care providers who don't evolve will be passed by.
 

Analytically Speaking: MDS data accuracy

January 13, 2012

Since the late 1990's, the Minimum Data Set has been a primary driver in the long-term care industry, influencing all areas of skilled nursing facility operations. With so much depending on it, ensuring its accuracy is vital.
 

Rise of COPD: Not hopeless

John W. Walsh January 09, 2012

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become the third leading cause of death in the U.S. — 12 years earlier than predicted — the days when COPD symptoms were dismissed as "normal" signs of aging are well behind us.
 

Provide employee respite care, watch staff turnover rates drop

Michelle Seitzer December 06, 2011

Just a year and a half later and I was done. Even for two weeks after the fact, I was numb - completely drained of emotion, lethargic, and avoiding interaction with others. Burnout.
 

Let's change 'Activity Director' to 'Chief Experience Officer'

November 29, 2011

Back in Philadelphia, I was a hospital executive who moonlighted as a musician and singer in bands, casinos and nightclubs. When I tired of the band scene, I was looking for an outlet for my musical talents and that is when I discovered performing in long-term care facilities, something I do to this day.
 

NLRB offers guidance on social media policies and practices for nursing homes

Michael Pepperman, Esq. November 22, 2011

The National Labor Relation Board's Acting General Counsel has released a report summarizing a number of recent NLRB decisions involving employers' restrictions on employee use of social media. They provide insight as to how the NLRB is currently reviewing social media issues that impact employee rights.
 

Lessons learned from analyzing fall prevention programs

Melvin Hector, MD, and Myunghan Choi, PhD, MPH, APR-BC November 18, 2011

Falls in the elderly can be a devastating event. They are the leading cause of hospital admissions for trauma and the leading cause of injury deaths for this age group, and amount to a direct medical cost of nearly $20 billion per year in the United States alone.
 

How to make your nursing facility RAC-ready

Bryan Baird November 08, 2011

As skilled nursing facilities adjust to the changes to Medicare that arrived early last month, they must be ready for Recovery Audit Contractors. RACs are independent auditors for the government that are preparing to audit every facility that has submitted Medicare claims.
 

Frustrations of a persecuted provider boil over

Barry Bortz November 01, 2011

What happens when a government and society create an evil enemy of the state? They begin by calling them monsters, a drain on society that is guilty of heinous crimes, and they use the legal system and media to prosecute them publicly without due process. You have all seen the headlines about nursing homes. The TRUTH never seems to matter, only the synthetic story.
 

Getting proactive on hospital readmissions

Ben Adkins October 21, 2011

Long-term care providers have plenty at stake when it comes to the issue of hospital readmissions, and working to reduce them. As debt ceiling talks and federal budget woes raise the specter of additional cuts to programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, it behooves LTC providers to seek creative solutions to curb healthcare spending and retain revenue.
 

Information technology interoperability: How to get it right in LTPAC

Robert C. Davis October 14, 2011

To enhance facility communications with other providers and vendors while improving patient care, one of the most important information technology considerations must be interoperability. There are varying degrees of sophistication for both vendors and providers. If the right level isn't reached, caregiving and facility efficiency could suffer.
 

Paris Hilton, supermarket tabloids ... and the National Labor Relations Board

Woodruff Imberman October 11, 2011

As we predicted in "Labor Pains: Craig Becker's Troubling Prescription for Long-Term Care Facilities," in a January 2011 posting at mcknights.com, the National Labor Relations Board is continuing its pro-union agenda with the same determination as Paris Hilton chasing headlines in the supermarket tabloids.
 

Quick, Grandma has a cheeseburger!

Andrew Carle October 03, 2011

The state has an arguable right to ensure anyone accessing government-funded healthcare is properly screened and provided the right service, at the right price. But they should not be in the business of telling private citizens what they can or cannot do with their own money.
 

Medicare SNF Final Rule: An analytics- based perspective

Cheryl Field, RN, MSN, CRRN and Nancy Augustine, RN, MSN, NHA September 26, 2011

While the changes to the new SNF PPS rule have been summarized as a simple number reflecting an overall revenue decrease of 11.1%, there are many details in the rulemaking that result in a disproportionate impact upon individual providers.
 

A team for all ages

Michael McCann September 23, 2011

When working at a continuing care retirement community, or for that matter any type of organization that services the aging population, one hears the term "Intergenerational programming" from time to time. Most think of it in one of two ways. But there is a third intergenerational program that occurs every day — and it's one that people often don't consider.
 

Only a matter of time: Insurers will start buying long-term care assets

September 08, 2011

Have you been paying attention to the news lately in the healthcare industry outside of long-term care? Seems insurers are starting to buy hospitals and physician groups. This is a trend slowly sneaking up on the industry.
 

After natural disasters: coping with resident and staff emotions

August 29, 2011

The Northeast just experienced an earthquake and a hurricane all in one week. The storm may have subsided, but it's likely residents and staff will still be facing a whirlwind of emotions. And it's likely that, sooner or later, you will have to deal with a natural disaster or other calamity. Here are some tips on how to handle such situations.
 

Census data reveal a new, masculine trend in eldercare

Nina Dunn August 08, 2011

It is a well-known fact that our nation is aging rapidly. However, a recently released census brief, "Age and Sex Composition: 2010," revealed remarkable findings. The study found that in the last decade, the male population grew much faster than the female population in the 60-plus age group. Understanding this demographic shift and responding to it appropriately will bring new opportunities to long-term care companies.
 

Nursing homes merit greater attention in debate about deficit reduction

Mark Gloth, D.O. August 01, 2011

As President Obama and Congress continue to evaluate a multitude of different ways to reduce Medicare spending, it is more important than ever for lawmakers to understand the critical role nursing homes play in providing the specialized care and therapy vital to patient rehabilitation, and central to avoiding costly rehospitalizations.
 

Preparing future long-term care leaders: Perspectives change after becoming residents

June 30, 2011

The past 24 hours have been surreal for the new 21-year old nursing home resident. She has signed reams of forms. She has become overwhelmed with questions and left trying to understand and remember everything she has been told. She eats a pureed dinner and is transferred to bed. She's not an accident victim and doesn't have a terminal illness. She's a student preparing to become a future long-term care administrator.
 

Will music improve MDS 3.0 scores?

Dan Cohen, MSW June 22, 2011

Using iPods to reconnect long-term care residents with their favorite music is a simple intervention with great upside potential and no side effects. They're an inexpensive tool that can have a positive impact on resident quality of life, which, in turn, should be reflected in an important subset of MDS 3.0 scores.
 

How to encourage your staff without spending a chunk of change

Paul White, Ph.D. June 13, 2011

Like most businesses today, one of the biggest issues nursing homes and long-term care facilities have to deal with is the lack of financial resources. Virtually every organization has to "do more with less." This is creating a tremendous amount of stress within organizations — both for managers and supervisors, as well as for front line employees and even volunteers.
 

Changing the conversation: How Americans talk, think and feel about aging

Bruce Chernof, M.D. June 01, 2011

In my 25 years as a physician, I've never heard anyone describe themselves as a "functionally impaired patient with chronic multiple conditions," a "long-term care recipient" or a "dual eligible." Yet these types of terms are used every day among healthcare professionals, policy wonks and advocates to describe the very people on whose behalf we work.
 

Remembering Paul Willging

David Kyllo May 25, 2011

Those of us who were fortunate enough to work alongside Dr. Paul Willging quickly learned of the depth of his commitment to long-term care and to those people who dedicate their lives to providing such care.
 

Most back injuries are preventable — here's how

By Peggy Malone, B.Sc D.C. May 24, 2011

Healthcare workers have the highest rates of back pain and often experience low back injuries associated with lifting at a rate that exceeds those for workers in construction, mining and manufacturing! But most lifting injuries are preventable. Here are the tried-and-true rules for lifting with care, without hurting your back.
 

Long-term care workers are like firefighters

May 04, 2011

In attending the recent Assisted Living Federation of America conference in Orlando, I was impressed with its Hero Awards Program. Five extraordinary senior living professionals were selected from a pool of nearly 650 nominations received by residents, family members, supervisors, and colleagues and were honored as heroes.
 

Who Is exercising your residents?

Khadi Madama April 26, 2011

It is time that state health agencies step up to the plate to see that our elderly are provided proper exercise in a safe environment by hiring the right people to create training through local colleges and other healthcare training schools.
 

Innovative marketing for the eldercare industry a growing necessity

Nina Dunn April 19, 2011

To harness the potential of the burgeoning eldercare market, companies will need to move away from their traditional communications tactics and enter the new age of marketing. I am not necessarily talking about big budgets and large-scale advertising, but rather about innovative communications campaigns.
 

On the road to rationed healthcare

C.E. Nash April 14, 2011

The Obama administration has determined that we will be able to supply healthcare to several million additional people without increasing the cost of doing so, and with no plan in place to increase the supply side of the equation: the healthcare providers. In fact, the administration would have us believe that we can increase the supply of the product with the same resources currently in play and save money at the same time.
 

How nursing homes can cut expenses and still give good raises and benefits

Bobby Hotaling April 05, 2011

It is no secret that employee benefit plans are some of a nursing company's biggest expenses. If health insurance costs are $6,000 to $7,000 a year for each employee, how does management still give everyone a raise that will be perceived as meaningful?
 

Building a capital plan for assisted living facilities

Ameeta Soni March 23, 2011

Organizations that provide medical care serve one of the most vital roles in society today, whether it is a hospital, a doctor's office or an assisted living facility. Given today's economy, organizations must look for approaches and strategies that ensure efficiencies are found quickly.
 

Attitudes about food create opportunities for healthcare operators and manufacturers

John Bassounas March 15, 2011

The first question, be it in discussion of a retirement community, healthcare facility, or similar location is, "How's the food?" For the food service operator, that's the million-dollar question.
 

Union avoidance - press the 'Easy' button

Tom Zigray March 08, 2011

Unions now represent less than 7% of the private industry workforce in the United States. It is imperative that unions take immediate action to rebuild their membership. That is exactly what unions are doing.
 

Why federal funding for nursing-care information technology would be a good investment

Ken Terry March 02, 2011

Long-term care is the stepchild of the healthcare industry. So it's not surprising that none of the $27 billion extended by the federal government for health information technology is available to nursing homes and other LTC facilities.
 

New challenges, opportunities for long-term care pharmacies

Susan Janeczko February 23, 2011

Some 59% of community pharmacies provide critical long-term care services to patients and 100% of them face unprecedented challenges as 2011 gets into full swing.
 

Making the case for wireless long-term care facilities

Mark Jarman February 15, 2011

Today, wireless technologies have become the standard life-safety monitoring solution for assisted living, skilled nursing and the full spectrum of continuing care retirement communities (CCRC). A new, automated approach involves wireless sensors that detect activity, which essentially eliminates the need for active check-in
 

Who is accountable in Accountable Care Organizations?

Alieta Eck, MD February 08, 2011

Part of the scheme of ObamaCare is to set up Accountable Care Organizations. As is typical of all "innovative" government programs, they might seem good on paper but are really nothing new ... new problems and cost overruns will inevitably occur.
 

What we'll see in assisted living this year—a year to get stronger

Doug Fullaway February 01, 2011

What will we see in the assisted living world this year? The following are my best guesses, given ongoing conversations with assisted living communities across the country and seeing firsthand how the economy has forced change in census and staffing.
 

Designing senior living environments for tomorrow

Gary Prager, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB, CDT January 25, 2011

The most difficult part of moving to a senior healthcare community is making the decision to live there. When designing for the wellness and health of seniors, you need to appeal to not only the seniors, but to their adult children.
 

Labor pains: Craig Becker's troubling prescription for long-term care facilities

Lane W. Imberman January 19, 2011

Administrators at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities are awakening to the fact that while unions lost their battle in Congress for the Employee Free Choice Act—the "card-check" unionization law—they won their war to make organizing easier, now that Craig Becker has been appointed to the National Labor Relations Board.
 

Should 'auld acquaintance be forgot?' A thought for nursing homes in the new year

January 11, 2011

Nursing homes are at their core residential communities for the elderly.
 

A first for long-term care nurses: Documenting competencies

Charlotte Eliopoulos RN, MPH, PhD January 04, 2011

With the clinical, managerial, and leadership challenges they face, long-term care nurses must demonstrate competencies that surpass their basic nursing education.
 

Stronger oversight needed of assisted living facilities that receive Medicaid

National Senior Citizens Law Center December 28, 2010

Assisted living facilities that accept Medicaid dollars should be subject to the same rules as other healthcare providers. That is according to a new brief by the National Senior Citizens Law Center.
 

Care model adds meaning to lives of dementia residents

Kim Warchol December 21, 2010

A skilled nursing facility in Creve Coeur, MO, examines the interests, routines, likes, dislikes and other personal preferences of residents with dementia.
 

Specialized wellness programs beneficial for seniors

Khadi Madama December 14, 2010

Wellness programs can help to unlock creativity and promote overall well-being in older adults.
 

Let's take Medicaid out of the long-term care business

Howard Gleckman December 06, 2010

State budget cuts and an intimidating national deficit spell big trouble for Medicaid, which funds a good portion of long-term care services. It's time to replace it with a broad-based insurance system.
 

Memory care is about nurturing the human spirit

Loren Shook and Steve Winner November 30, 2010

A new book talks about the importance of connecting with and loving individuals who have dementia.
 

Three labor management practices to improve care, compliance and cost

Mark Woodka November 22, 2010

Controlling labor costs in long-term care increasingly is important in this environment of tight reimbursements and challenging economic conditions.
 

Berwick stresses need to lower healthcare costs, improve quality

November 18, 2010

Dr. Donald Berwick, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, during testimony to the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday, touted several provisions in the healthcare reform law.
 

Signs of infection in chronic wounds

Terry Coggins November 16, 2010

Indicators of infection are subtle in chronic wounds.
 

The growing cost of compliance in long-term care

Michael K. Loucks November 09, 2010

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will expand compliance-related regulations for skilled nursing facilities.
 

Nursing homes' new mission: Fitting into accountable care organizations

November 03, 2010

To survive in the not-so-distant future, nursing homes will have to find a role within accountable care organizations.
 

After economic storm, new long-term care business strategies

Jeffrey Girardi, Dan Hermann and other contributors October 26, 2010

Long-term care organizations are looking differently at their operations as a result of the economic crisis of 2008 and 2009.
 

What's the buzz? The unpleasant sound of alarms in long-term care facilities

Diana Waugh October 20, 2010

Nursing homes may have cut down on their use of restraints, but they continue to use alarms, which are just as harmful to residents' well-being.
 

Audio broadcast: The Netherlands' approach to a nursing shortage

October 14, 2010

Attorney T. Andrew Graham reports on how the Dutch address their nursing shortage through research into nurse satisfaction. Download the broadcast to learn more about his findings.
 

A new age for long-term care pharmacies

Jason Spears October 04, 2010

"Seven-day-or-less" dispensing requirements have resulted in new long-term care medication distribution models.
 

Dancing with your stars

Bruce VanHorn September 28, 2010

Dancing is a powerful way for older adults to escape physical, mental and emotional challenges, and feel joy. And anyone—even those in wheelchairs—can do it.
 

The Catch-22 of controlled drug regulations

John Kelsey September 21, 2010

Federal and state policies hinder the disposal of unused controlled drugs.
 

Protect yourself against Olmstead

Robert K. Neiman September 15, 2010

The Olmstead decision—that governments provide housing to vulnerable populations in the lease restrictive environments—has led to several class-action lawsuits. Here are ways to guard your residents and facilities against damaging Olmstead cases.
 

The final salute

William R. Losefsky September 07, 2010

The New Hampshire State Veterans Home honors its deceased residents in military fashion.
 

Matching demand to needs will bring LTC facility success

Brian S. Beckwith August 31, 2010

Long-term-care facilities are one of the few economic bright spots for real estate investors. The fundamentals of the long-term care market — including the growing population of elderly people, a broader continuum of care and the need to better manage healthcare costs — will continue to positively impact this segment through the next several decades.
 

MDS 3.0 and RUG-IV: It takes a team

Loren Claypool August 24, 2010

The upcoming implementation of MDS 3.0 makes it even more apparent that changes in key operational and clinical systems are necessary now to ensure a successful implementation that fosters resident-centered care, quality of life for residents and an ongoing, appropriate reimbursement. The way facilities use and validate MDS data determines the future of successful regulatory, quality and financial results.
 

Residents need flu and pneumo- coccal vaccine

Dr. William Hall, Dr. Susan J. Rehm and Dr. William Schaffner August 17, 2010

You don't want to mess around with pneumococcal bacteria, which causes pneumonia, and even worse, sepsis and meningitis. That's why nursing home residents should receive two vaccinations: the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) and the influenza vaccine.
 

House needs to pass Medicaid legislation for nursing home residents

August 09, 2010

Medicaid funding cuts threaten the quality of life nursing home residents deserve.
 

More incentives to embrace technology

Jim Rock August 03, 2010

Legislative and regulatory changes are forcing nursing home providers to seize opportunities to incorporate charting and care-plan technology into their facilities.
 

Help people prepare for aging

July 27, 2010

Long-term care organizations have a responsibility to teach people about living quality lives as older adults. It also makes business sense to do so.
 

What to consider when purchasing pressure ulcer products

July 20, 2010

To prevent and treat pressure ulcers, select products that will produce positive clinical outcomes and provide cost-effective solutions for the long-term care facility.
 

Mind your p's and q's

Barbara Dice July 12, 2010

Practicing good manners makes residents feel more comfortable and helps to motivate staff.
 

Music: The language of well-being

Rick Soshensky July 06, 2010

Music can have a profound impact on long-term care residents with cognitive impairment. It triggers memories, improves mood and sparks a feeling of of connection with others.
 

A new idea for hospice in long-term care

Larry Beresford June 29, 2010

The latest research raises the question of whether nursing homes should take charge of hospice care and not rely on outside contractors.
 

A new approach to pharmacy services

Richard Scardina June 23, 2010

Because of healthcare reform and other developments, long-term care providers need to consider a new pharmacy approach—one that focuses on medication management as opposed to just dispensing pills.
 

A futuristic depiction of long-term care

John A. Kunz June 14, 2010

What will long-term care look like in the future? A fictional story offers one possibility.
 

Finding common ground at both ends of the long-term care continuum

James Davis June 08, 2010

There may be no better reflection of how long-term care has changed in recent years than the continued proliferation of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and active adult communities across the country.
 

Improving the treatment of mental health issues in nursing homes

June 01, 2010

More attention should be paid to nursing home residents' mental health, an important but often overlooked aspect of care.
 
Popular Topics
Accountable Care Organizations Affordable Care Act Al Rundio ALFA Alzheimer's Antipsychotics Assisted Living Avalere Health Budget C. Diff Capital Budget Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services Charles Grassley CMS Coordinated Care Dementia Finance Five-Star Quality Rating System Long-Term Care Medicaid Medicare Nurse Nurse Manager’s Guide To Budgeting And Finance Nursing Homes Obama Administration